cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracisternal urocortin inhibits vagally stimulated gastric motility in rats: role of CRF2

1. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) acts in the brain to inhibit thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analogue, RX-77368-induced vagal stimulation of gastric motility. We investigated CRF receptor-mediated actions of rat urocortin (rUcn) injected intracisternally (ic) on gastric motor function. 2. Urethane-anaesthetized rats with strain gauges on the gastric corpus were injected i.c. with rUcn and 20 min later, with i.c. RX-77368. CRF antagonists were injected i.c. 10 min before rUcn. 3. RX-77368 (1.5, 3, 10, 30 and 100 ng, i.c.) dose-dependently increased corpus contractions, expressed as total area under the curve (AUC, mV min(-1)) to 2.6+/-2.5, 6.1+/-5.9, 9.8+/-2.6, 69.7+/-21.7 and 74.9+/-28.7 respectively vs 0.2+/-0.1 after i.c. saline. Ucn (1, 3 or 10 microg) inhibited RX-77368 (30 ng)-induced increase in total AUC by 28, 62 and 93% respectively vs i.c. saline+RX-77368. 4. The CRF(1)/CRF(2) antagonist, astressin-B (60 microg, i.c.) completely blocked i.c. rUcn (3 microg, i.c.)-induced inhibition of gastric motility stimulated by RX-77368 (30 ng). 5. The selective CRF(2) antagonist, astressin(2)-B (30, 60 or 100 microg, i.c. ) dose-dependently prevented i.c. rUCn action while the CRF(1) antagonist, NBI-27914 did not. 6. In conscious rats, rUcn (0.6 or 1 microg, i.c.) inhibited gastric emptying of an ingested chow meal by 61 and 92% respectively. rUcn action was antagonized by astressin(2)-B. 7. These data show that i.c. rUcn acts through CRF(2) receptors to inhibit central vagal gastric contractile response and postoprandial emptying.
THYROXINE 5′-DEIODINASE ACTIVITY IN BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE

Homogenates of rat brown adipose tissue (BAT) and epididymal fat pad (EPI) catalyze the 5'-deiodination of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) in the presence of dithiothreitol. BAT, but not EPI, catalyzes the 5'-deiodination of thyroxinE (T4) generating equal amounts of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and iodide. BAT 5'-deiodinase activity was unaffected by propylthiouracil (PTU) and was elevated in hypothyroid rats, whereas EPI 5'-deiodinase was totally inhibited by PTU and was depressed in hypothyroidism. These results indicate that type II (PTU-insensitive) 5'-iodothyronine deiodinase activity is present in BAT.
Reverse engineering a spectrum: using fluorescent spectra of molecular hydrogen to recreate the missing Lyman-α line of pre-main sequence stars

The hydrogen Lyman-α (Lyα) line, a major source of ionization of metals in the circumstellar disks of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, is usually not observed due to absorption by interstellar and circumstellar hydrogen. We have developed a technique to reconstruct the intrinsic Lyα line using the observed emission in the H2 B-X lines that are fluoresced by Lyα. We describe this technique and the subsequent analysis of the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of the TW Hya, RU Lupi and other PMS stars. We find that the reconstructed Lyα lines are indeed far brighter than any other feature in the UV spectra of these stars and therefore play an important role in the ionization and heating of the outer layers of circumstellar disks.
Politics, economics and the McCarran-Ferguson Act

The insurance industry has for more than a hundred years enjoyed a system of friendly regulation by state authorities. Whatever the soundness of the original reasons for this privilege, they no longer exist in a day of increasingly inexpensive computer technology and a statistically significant pool of rating experience. But precisely because they have invested so much in presenting an impregnable force on the state level, insurance interests are now vulnerable to attack from consumers and other interest groups. The expected forum for such attacks might be the legislatures, state and federal. Because the challenge to the industry comes at least partially from rather diffuse groups that might be dissuaded by the high costs of obtaining legislative relief, the most serious problems for insurers are coming in the federal courts.
Progressive Serum IgE Elevation in the B6C3F1 Mouse Following Withdrawal of Dietary Vomitoxin (Deoxynivalenol)

Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol) is a fungal toxin that induces serum IgA hyperelevation, IgA autoantibodies, mesangial IgA deposition in mice upon dietary exposure. The capacity of dietary vomitoxin to similarly alter serum IgE was assessed in female B6C3F1 mice. Ingestion of 25 ppm vomitoxin in AIN-76A semipurified diet resulted in 2.7-, 4-, 5- and 2.3-fold increases in serum IgE relative to controls after 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks of toxin feeding, respectively. When mice were fed 25 ppm vomitoxin for 8 weeks and continued on toxin-free diet, serum IgE levels were 2.4, 4, 4.9, and 2-fold that of controls at 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks, respectively. IgE levels were not significantly different between treatment and withdrawal groups at Weeks 12-24. These results differed from those of serum IgA, which increased much earlier and only during toxin administration, and those of IgG, which was largely unaffected compared to controls. The results indicate that a defined period of vomitoxin ingestion can subsequently induce progressive dysregulation of IgE production in addition to previously described IgA-related pathologic effects.
Benzoyl cyanide and mandelonitrile in the cyanogenetic secretion of a centipede

Centipedes of the order Geophilomorpha produce a viscid odorous secretion that is effectively defensive against ants (Formica exsectoides). The secretion is proteinaceous and cyanogenetic. InGeophilus vittatus, the secretion contains two cyanogenetic compounds, mandelonitrile (I) and benzoyl cyanide (II), as well as two products derived from these compounds as a result of hydrogen cyanide production [benzaldehyde (III) and benzoic acid (IV)]. Benzoyl cyanide has not been reported previously from any natural source.
Changing farm injury trends by sex for youth living on US farms, 1998-2006.

PURPOSE: To estimate the number and rate of on-farm injuries to youth living on farms in the United States by sex from 1998 to 2006 and compare the trends in youth injury by sex. METHODS: Data from 4 childhood agricultural injury surveys for the years 1998, 2001, 2004, and 2006 were analyzed using a Poisson regression model utilizing generalized estimating equations. Rate ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated from the model, which compared the estimated rates of injury in 2001, 2004, and 2006 to the estimated rate of injury in the baseline year, 1998. RESULTS: There was an overall decline in the estimated number and rate of injuries to youth living on farms from 1998 to 2006, with a linear decline of the rate ratios for all youth on farms that was found to be significant. By sex, the trend in injury rate ratios for male youth significantly declined, while the trend for female youth for the same time period initially increased then returned to the baseline. Nonhomogeneity in trends by age group, work versus nonwork injury, and source of injury was also identified. CONCLUSION: Additional surveillance is needed to determine if injury trends to youth living on farms will continue to differ by sex. More detailed data on exposure to hazards for these youth by sex are needed to determine what factors are associated with these disparate injury trends and to design and implement effective interventions to further reduce injuries to youth living on farms. Language: en
The Last Bastion of Sexual and Gender Prejudice? Sexualities, Race, Gender, Religiosity, and Spirituality in the Examination of Prejudice Toward Sexual and Gender Minorities

Prior research has reported that many Americans hold prejudicial attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities. Most of this research analyzed attitudes toward target categories in isolation and not in relation to attitudes toward heterosexuals. In addition, most previous research has not examined attitudes of members of sexual and gender minority categories toward other categories. While some research has examined the influence of religiosity on attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities, none of these studies has examined religiosity while also examining the influence of spirituality. In this article we drew on insights from queer theory to examine attitudes toward heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals, as well as individuals who practice polygamy, among college students. Three samples gathered over a four-year period (2009, 2011, 2013) at a private, nonsectarian, midsized urban university in the Southeastern United States were used. We found that heterosexuals had the most positive rating, followed in order of rating by gay=lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and then those who practice polygamy. Regression analyses revealed gender and race were significant predictors of attitudes toward various sexual and gender categories. Holding a literalistic view of the Bible and self-identifying as more religious were related to more negative views toward sexual minorities, while self-identifying as more spiritual was related to more positive views.
Electrophysiological testing of spinal accessory nerve in suspected cases of nerve transection

Introduction: In this study we sought to determine whether standard electrophysiological testing of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) accurately identifies patients who would benefit from surgical repair. Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients sent for surgical evaluation of unilateral SAN injury were studied clinically and electrophysiologically. Results: All patients demonstrated a low-amplitude SAN compound muscle action potential (CMAP) that required a higher stimulus intensity to obtain it than on the unaffected side. Upper trapezius needle electromyography showed dense fibrillation potentials in 16 of 16 nerves, with voluntary motor unit potentials (MUPs) in 5 of 16. Intraoperatively, 12 of 16 nerves were transected; 4 of 16 had neuromas across which there was no nerve action potential. Patients underwent direct repair (6 of 16) or interpositional nerve grafting (10 of 16). Fourteen of 15 patients seen postoperatively had improvement in pain, muscle bulk, and range of motion. Conclusions: Surgical exploration of the SAN is warranted in patients with clinical signs of severe injury, even when electrophysiological testing shows low-amplitude CMAPs and/or residual MUPs. Muscle Nerve, 2011
MR/Har and MNRA/Har Maudsley rat strains: Differential response to chlordiazepoxide in a conflict task

Abstract The Maudsley Reactive (MR/Har) and Non-Reactive (MNRA/Har) rat strains, selectively bred for differences in open field defecation, have also been shown to differ in their baseline behavior in the Conditioned Suppression of Drinking (CSD) procedure, a second “model” behavior for the study of anxiety and/or emotionality in rats. The present studies were designed to compare the responsiveness of these two strains to the typical antianxiety agent chlordiazepoxide in the CSD paradigm. In daily 10-minute sessions, water-deprived rats were trained to drink from a tube that was occasionally electrified (0.5 mA), electrification being signaled by a tone. Consistent with previous reports, after several weeks of CSD testing, MNRA/Har rats accepted significantly more shocks than did MR/Har rats during control (nondrug) sessions. In both strains, the number of shocks accepted was inversely related to the intensity of the shock used (0.25–1.0 mA), with MNRA/Har rats accepting significantly more shocks than MR/Har rats at all intensities examined. The effects of various doses (1.25–28.4 mg/kg, IP) of chlordiazepoxide were determined in subjects of the MNRA/Har strain at the original training intensity (0.5 mA), while a lower intensity (0.25 mA) was utilized in MR/Har rats. Although punished responding in control (i.e., nondrug) CSD sessions did not differ under these conditions, MNRA/Har rats were found to be more responsive to the anticonflict effects of chlordiazepoxide than rats of the MR/Har strain. This strain difference in anticonflict efficacy of chlordiazepoxide was quite dramatic, with MNRA/Har rats accepting twice as many shocks as MR/Har rats following maximally effective doses of chlordiazepoxide. Low doses of chlordiazepoxide increased water intake slightly, while higher doses decreased water intake. Surprisingly, the chlordiazepoxide-induced depression of water intake was greater in rats of the MR/Har strain. Thus, these Maudsley Reactive and Non-Reactive rat strains, bred originally for their differences in open field behavior, also differ markedly in their responsiveness to chlordiazepoxide in the CSD paradigm. These findings further support the hypothesis that the MR/Har and MNRA/Har rat strains may represent a genetically-based “animal-model” for the study of emotionality and/or anxiety.
Lipemic Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract A study group of eight patients with diabetic retinopathy and marked accumulation of hard exudates in the fundi is described. There was a significant increase in serum triglyceride levels ( P
A numerical investigation on the use of drawbeads to minimize ear formation in deep drawing

Abstract In the deep drawing of cups, the earing defect is caused by planar anisotropy in the sheet and friction between the blank and punch/die. In the past, several research efforts have been directed toward developing strategies for eliminating or mitigating the formation of ears. In this paper, we consider the concept of using drawbeads to minimize ear formation, thus overcoming the effects of anisotropy and friction. The study conducted and described here is entirely numerical. The object is to establish a numerical algorithm that will lead to an optimal drawbead contour that minimizes the earing defect in deep drawing. The algorithm is iterative in nature and involves performing simulations of the deep drawing process using finite element analysis, constructing an error metric at the end of each iteration, and utilizing the error metric to adjust the drawbead contour at the end of each iteration. The cycle is repeated until the error metric satisfies a preset convergence criterion. This iterative design process leads to an optimal drawbead contour. Several different test problems are considered, including the drawing of circular and square cups. Simulation results are very encouraging with reasonable number of iterations to arrive at the optimal drawbead contour.
Perturbation of Parentally Biased Gene Expression during Interspecific Hybridization

Interspecific hybridization often induces epigenetic remodeling that leads to transposon activation, gene expression changes, and loss of imprinting. These genomic changes can be deleterious and contribute to postzygotic hybrid incompatibility. In Arabidopsis, loss of genomic imprinting of PHERES1 and presumed failure of Polycomb Repressive Complex contributes to seed inviability observed in A. thaliana X A. arenosa interspecific hybrids. We used this species pair to further analyze the relationship between parentally biased gene expression and postzygotic hybrid incompatibility using two A. thaliana accessions, Col-0 and C24, with differential seed survival. We found that parentally biased expression was perturbed to a similar degree in both A. thaliana hybrids for PHERES1, HDG3, and six other normally paternally expressed genes. We propose that early genome remodeling and loss of imprinting of seed development genes induces lethality in both compatible and incompatible hybrids.
Ideology, Realpolitik, and US Foreign Policy: A Discussion of Frank P. Harvey's Explaining the Iraq War: Counterfactual Theory, Logic and Evidence

Explaining the Iraq War: Counterfactual Theory, Logic and Evidence. By Frank P. Harvey. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 360p. 29.99 paper.The Iraq War initiated by the Bush administration in 2003 was and perhaps continues to be an important episode in world politics, US politics, and the politics of the Middle East. The war also galvanized controversy among public intellectuals and broader publics, and generated strong opposition in many European and Middle Eastern countries. In Explaining the Iraq War, Frank P. Harvey offers an interesting analysis of the war and its causes, and does so in a way that raises broader questions about politics and about the scientific study of politics. We have thus invited a distinguished group of political scientists from a variety of subfields to review the book, both as an account of the Iraq War and as a contribution to political science more generally.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Improving Treatment in Hispanic/Latino Patients

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is higher in Hispanic/Latino individuals living in the United States compared with their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Many factors contribute to the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes, including biological characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, and cultural aspects. The contribution of genetics to the risk of type 2 diabetes in Hispanic/Latino patients is becoming increasingly clear, but this inherent risk factor cannot be modified. However, certain socioeconomic and cultural factors, such as reduced access to healthcare, language barriers, cultural beliefs, and lack of cultural competence by the healthcare provider, are modifiable and should be overcome in order to improve the management of type 2 diabetes in Hispanic/Latino patients. At the healthcare system level, policies should be put into place to reduce disparities between Hispanics/Latinos and non-Hispanic whites regarding health insurance coverage and access to healthcare. At the healthcare provider and patient level, cultural beliefs should be taken into consideration when selecting adequate treatment. Overall, type 2 diabetes management should be individualized by identifying the preferred language and level of acculturation for each patient. These considerations are necessary to further improve communication through culturally appropriate educational materials and programs. These strategies may help to overcome the barriers in the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Hispanic/Latino patients.
Regulatory Administrative Databases in FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research: Convergence Toward a Unified Database

Regulatory administrative database systems within the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) are essential to supporting its core mission, as a regulatory agency. Such systems are used within FDA to manage information and processes surrounding the processing, review, and tracking of investigational and marketed product submissions. This is an area of increasing interest in the pharmaceutical industry and has been a topic at trade association conferences (Buckley 2012). Such databases in CBER are complex, not for the type or relevance of the data to any particular scientific discipline but because of the variety of regulatory submission types and processes the systems support using the data. Commonalities among different data domains of CBER's regulatory administrative databases are discussed. These commonalities have evolved enough to constitute real database convergence and provide a valuable asset for business process intelligence. Balancing review workload across staff, exploring areas of risk in review capacity, process improvement, and presenting a clear and comprehensive landscape of review obligations are just some of the opportunities of such intelligence. This convergence has been occurring in the presence of usual forces that tend to drive information technology (IT) systems development toward separate stovepipes and data silos. CBER has achieved a significant level of convergence through a gradual process, using a clear goal, agreed upon development practices, and transparency of database objects, rather than through a single, discrete project or IT vendor solution. This approach offers a path forward for FDA systems toward a unified database.
Response of the Connecticut River estuary to late Holocene sea level rise

Abstract The morphology of the modern Connecticut River estuary has been inherited from an earlier tidal river. The Holocene evolution of the estuary has been dictated by the relative submergence of the coastline and the sediment trapping efficiency of the estuary and tidal river system. The mid-Holocene tidal river system extended to the modern mouth of the estuary and subaerial floodplains stretched across the modern submerged shoals of the estuary. Submergence in excess of the long-term sedimentation rate converted these floodplains into open backwater coves beginning about 4000 yr BP in the southern estuary and about 2700 yr BP in the upper estuary and it also initiated estuarine circulation in the tidal river. Approximately 1700 yr BP an abrupt decrease in the submergence rate caused freshwater marshes to prograde across the coves and across the remaining floodplain surfaces. At 1000 yr BP salt marsh peat at the mouth of the estuary indicates estuarine circulation similar to that of t he modern estuary. The marshes in the northern estuary have supported freshwater vegetation since their inception. Thus the continuum of modern environments present along the length of the estuary models the evolution of a single reach of the estuary through time. Continued submergence will increase the tidal prism and intensify estuarine circulation. This effect will be regulated by the large excess sediment supply available to fill the volume of the estuary created by relative sea level rise.
Reflections on Integrating Medical and Social Care: Five Laws Revisited

This paper reviews, rethinks, expands and applies the author's ‘laws’ of integration, which were first published six years ago. This approach both introduces the laws to readers who don't know them, and tests their utility for those who do. In retrospect, real‐world integration efforts mix and match the original components of linkage, co‐ordination and full integration. But the message remains to work at all levels, keep it simple, make finances supportive and empower social care.
Using the Voeks Method to Improve Student Learning in Principles of Marketing Classes

Inspired by the observation that most introductory marketing texts seem to contain an ever-growing list of facts and concepts, this article describes a method that helps students develop a set of study skills that will improve their learning and comprehension, as well as their grades. The method presented here is related to traditional outlining, and it takes advantage of well-known findings in memory research to sharpen students’study skills. By helping students develop a study routine based on rehearsal, chunking, and elaboration of course material, both memory and comprehension are improved. In two exploratory studies, students using the proposed method received higher test scores than those using a more conventional approach. This method is recommended for students who may not already have developed sound study skills or for those who may want to improve their knowledge of the subject as well as their grades.
Simulating ocean acoustic tomography measurements with Hamiltonian ray tracing

Tomographers map mesoscale ocean structure by inverting acoustic travel-time measurements through networks of underwater paths. To know where to deploy sensors and how to interpret their measurements, one must first understand the "forward problem," that is, how the sound channel and mesoscale features refract sound in three dimensions, and how such refraction alters the pulse-arrival sequence. We use a Hamiltonian ray-tracing program called HARPO to compute the refraction by continuous three-dimensional ocean models and to display the results in ways that add insight about refractive effects. We first simulate propagation in a simple range-independent sound channel, showing how pulse-arrival sequence depends on channel parameters and sensor placement. Next, we add linear range dependence and show that it is hard to extract range information from pulse measurements at one range. Finally, we add a simple model of a mesoscale eddy including its currents and show that deflection and splitting of the sound channel significantly alter the pulse-arrival sequence. Two diagrams that have not been widely used before are useful ways to display the arrival-time and ray-focusing perturbations caused by changes in ocean structure: they are plots of range versus launch angle and range versus travel time. Examples of azimuthal deflection, three-dimensional eigenrays, and reciprocal propagation through eddy currents are shown, and simplified methods for estimating the travel time of three-dimensional eigenrays are evaluated.
An Examination of the Reading Performance of Students with Mild Educational Handicaps or Learning Disabilities

Reading performance is a primary concern in both regular and special education. Reading is also the dominant medium through which educators conduct lessons, or students acquire information in subjects such as science and mathematics. Reading performance can be measured in a variety of ways. The present study examined the performance of students with mild educational handicaps (n = 28) or learning disabilities (n = 38) on a combination of norm-referenced and curriculum-based assessment (CBA) approaches that used science content. Overall, there were no significant differences between the samples on measures of word recognition, but significant differences favoring students with learning disabilities did occur in comprehension.
High-accuracy field description of particle spectrographs

For high-resolution spectrographs with large phase-space acceptance the hardware correction of all the relevant aberrations requires so many multipole elements that software correction methods are often more adequate. In this case, the obligatory computation of the higher-order transfer map becomes feasible if the (three-dimensional) magnetic "eld within the spectrograph can be approximated with su$cient accuracy in an analytical form. For this purpose, we present an approach that allows the use of midplane measurements or alternatively measurements in several planes resulting in a global Maxwellian "eld that suppresses local measurement inaccuracies. It is based on a modi"ed charge density method generating the magnetic "eld by a superposition of Gaussian charge distributions. The accuracy of the method is assessed through test cases for which analytical solutions of the "eld components are known. A maximum relative inaccuracy of the magnetic "eld in the midplane smaller than $10~4 is obtained in the relevant "eld area. In addition, we obtain a good agreement comparing the multipole content of the analytical "eld solution with the one of the approximated "eld. ( 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Comparative Analyses of Public Attitudes Toward Immigrants and Immigration Using Multinational Survey Data: A Review of Theories and Research

This article critically reviews the intersectional locus of public opinion scholarship and immigration studies that make use of data from multinational survey projects. Specifically, it emphasizes current cross-national research seeking to understand the causes, manifestations, and implications of attitudes toward immigrants and immigration in economically advanced countries of the world. Despite rapid expansion, the field suffers from several methodological challenges and theoretical constraints. A succinct exposure of trends and patterns is followed by presentations of influential theoretical perspectives and established individual- and contextual-level determinants. The review suggests that strengthening the conceptual apparatus and enlarging the analytical focus are priorities. It concludes with some observations on how to circumvent these problems and to bridge current research with future explorations of the embedded nature of such public attitudes.
A Comprehensive Model for Adolescent Chemical Dependency Treatment

Chemical dependency among adolescents continues to present significant challenges to helping professionals. This article discusses the variety of approaches used to treat chemical dependency. An adolescent program that integrates the strengths of different perspectives and techniques is described.
Conformational studies of poly( cis -5-ethyl- D -proline)

Two possible conformations for poly(cis-5-ethyl-D-proline) have been identified and characterized by using combinations of 1H- and 13C-NMR, CD, and ORD spectroscopic techniques. Both forms have helical conformations similar to those of poly(L-proline) characterized by different amide bonds (cis and trans). However, the carbonyl group of the amide in poly(cis-5-ethyl-D-proline) form II (trans) seems to be closer to perpendicular orientation with respect to the helical axis than in poly(L-proline) form II. The pyrrolidine ring conformation of form I (cis) is probably β+γ−-puckered, whereas for form II it is probably β+-puckered in nature. The side-chain ethyl groups prefer to adopt anti conformations to the C5H bond, or prefer to have χ = 180°, regardless which of the two forms poly(cis-5-ethyl-D-proline) may like to assume. The experimental results agree well with our previous theoretical conformational energy calculations.
Earthquake magnitude, intensity, energy, and acceleration

The magnitude of an earthquake was originally defined by the junior author (Richter, 1935), for shocks in southern California, as the logarithm of the maximum trace amplitude expressed in thousandths of a millimeter with which the standard short-period torsion seismometer (free period 0.8 sec., static magnification 2800, damping nearly critical) would register that earthquake at an epicentral distance of 100 kilometers. Gutenberg and Richter (1936) extended the scale to apply to earthquakes occurring elsewhere and recorded on other types of instruments.
Vitamin E Exposure Modulates Prostaglandin and Thromboxane Production by Avian Cells of the Mononuclear Phagocytic System

AbstractThe production of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and Thromboxane B2 (TXB2) by turkey blood monocytes and a chicken mononuclear phagocytic cell line MQ-NCSU after exposure to vitamin E (VE) was examined. Turkey embryos were exposed in ovo to 0 and 10 international units (IU) of VE; blood monocytes were collected at 2 weeks of age and cultured. MQ-NCSU macrophage monolayers were exposed to 0, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 IU VE. The monocyte/macrophage cultures were exposed to 1 μg/mL bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Non-stimulated parallel cultures were maintained as controls. The PGE2 and TXB2 levels were quantitated in culture supernatants by a competitive ELISA. Blood monocytes from the 10 IU VE poults produced lower PGE2 levels as compared with the 0 IU VE controls. Upon stimulation with LPS, monocytes from the 10 IU VE group exhibited levels of PGE2 that were higher than the 0 IU VE group. Levels of TXB2 were not quantitated in the poult blood monocyte culture supernatants. The PGE2 and TXB2 levels in the su...
Top-color jungle gym: An alternative to the seesaw mechanism

We discuss an alternative to the topcolor seesaw mechanism. In our scheme, all the light quarks carry topcolor, and there are many composite SU(2) doublets. This makes it possible to get the observed top quark mass and observed $SU(2) \times U(1)$ breaking in a way that is quite different from the classic seesaw mechanism. We discuss a model of this kind that arises naturally in the context of dynamically broken topcolor. There are many composite scalars in a theory of this kind. This has important effects on the Pagels-Stokar relation and the Higgs mass. We find $m_{\rm Higgs} < 330$ GeV, lighter than in typical topcolor models. We also show that the electroweak singlet quarks in such a model can be lighter than the corresponding quarks in a seesaw model.
The effect of race and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term survival after coronary artery bypass grafting

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a known predictor of decreased long-term survival after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Differences in survival by race have not been examined. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of CABG patients between 2002 and 2011. Long-term survival was compared in patients with and without COPD and stratified by race. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were computed using a Cox regression model. Results: A total of 984 (20%) patients had COPD (black n=182; white n=802) at the time of CABG (N=4,801). The median follow-up for study participants was 4.4 years. White but not black race was observed to be a statistically significant predictor of decreased survival among COPD patients (no COPD: HR=1.0; white COPD: adjusted HR=1.5, 95%CI=1.3-1.7; black COPD: adjusted HR=1.2, 0.90-1.7). Conclusion: Contrary to the expected increased risk of mortality among black COPD patients in the general population, a similar survival disadvantage was not observed in our CABG population.
Practice in theory

This article is a brief account of the different kinds of games and game-like exercises that the author has been working with since the mid-1960s at the University of Michigan. It sketches the evol...
A Progressivity Index for Social Security

Using the Social Security Administration's MINT (Modeling Income in the Near Term) model, this paper analyzes the progressivity of the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program for current and future retirees. It uses a progressivity index that provides a summary measure of the distribution of taxes and benefits on a lifetime basis. Results indicate that OASDI lies roughly halfway between a flat replacement rate and a flat dollar benefit for current retirees. Projections suggest that progressivity will remain relatively similar for future retirees. In addition, the paper estimates the effects of several policy changes on progressivity for future retirees.
Deformation of a soft helical filament in an axial flow at low Reynolds number

We perform a numerical investigation of the deformation of a rotating helical filament subjected to an axial flow, under low Reynolds number conditions, motivated by the propulsion of bacteria using helical flagella. Given its slenderness, the helical rod is intrinsically soft and deforms due to the interplay between elastic forces and hydrodynamic loading. We make use of a previously developed and experimentally validated computational tool framework that models the elasticity of the filament using the discrete elastic rod method and the fluid forces are treated using Lighthill's slender body theory. Under axial flow, and in the absence of rotation, the initially helical rod is extended. Above a critical flow speed its configuration comprises a straight portion connected to a localized helix near the free end. When the rod is also rotated about its helical axis, propulsion is only possible in a finite range of angular velocity, with an upper bound that is limited by buckling of the soft helix arising due to viscous stresses. A systematic exploration of the parameter space allows us to quantify regimes for successful propulsion for a number of specific bacteria.
Evidence that survival of gamma-irradiated Escherichia col is influenced by membrane fluidity.

(1976). Evidence that Survival of γ-irradiated Escherichia Coli Is Influenced by Membrane Fluidity. International Journal of Radiation Biology and Related Studies in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine: Vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 571-575.
Family Law Armageddon: The Story of Morgan v. Foretich

This book chapter tells the story of the contempt case brought against Elizabeth Morgan, a Washington, D.C., doctor imprisoned for her failure to produce her daughter for extended visitation with the ex-husband she accused of sexual abuse. The chapter sets the stage for the proceeding in terms of the shift in custody law in the mid-eighties from the maternal presumption to a preference for shared parenting and the discovery of and almost immediate backlash against allegations of childhood sexual abuse. It also details Morgan's parents' flight with the child to New Zealand and provides an update of what has happened to the law and the parties since the case ended.
DEFINING A FEDERAL ROLE FOR LIBRARIES

In the history of federal programs for libraries — from their conception in the 1930s through their inception in the '50s until now — the consistency of issues and controversies has been striking, especially in the last 20 years. Everything significant being said now about federal programs for libraries was being said a decade ago. Everything librarians are seeking they've sought before. Everything being proposed in the administration's new library initiative has been adumbrated. The lines have been long drawn, the arguments mustered.
Dynamics of GATA transcription factor expression during erythroid differentiation

Although the formation of terminally differentiated erythroid cells has been shown to require the presence of a functional GATA-1 gene in vivo, the role of this transcription factor and other members of the GATA family at earlier stages of erythroid differentiation is unclear. In this report, the expression of GATA-1, GATA-2, and GATA-3 has been examined in enriched peripheral blood progenitors before and after culture in a well-characterized liquid culture system. In addition primary leukemic cells as well as several erythroleukemic and nonerythroid cell lines were analyzed for GATA factor expression. The results show that the profile of GATA factor expression in erythroid cells is distinct from that of myeloid or lymphoid lineages. Erythroleukemic cell lines express little or no GATA-3, but high levels of GATA-1 and GATA-2. When they are induced to display the terminal erythroid phenotype, little change in the level of GATA-1 is detected but a significant decline in the levels of GATA-2 is observed commensurate with the degree of maturation achieved by the cells. Enrichment of erythroid progenitors from peripheral blood leads to selection of cells that express both GATA-1 and GATA-2. As the enriched populations are cultured in suspension in the presence of multiple cytokines, the levels of both GATA-1 and GATA-2 initially increase. However, in cultures containing only erythropoietin, which show exclusive erythroid differentiation, the levels of GATA-1 continue to increase, whereas GATA-2 expression declines as erythroid maturation progresses. In contrast, cultures lacking Epo (ie, with interleukin-3 and kit ligand) display limited progression towards both the myeloid and erythroid pathways, and high levels of expression of both GATA-1 and GATA-2 are maintained. Despite the initial upregulation of GATA-1 expression in the latter cultures, terminal erythroid differentiation does not occur in the absence of erythropoietin. These results indicate that GATA-1 upregulation is associated with both the initiation and the maintenance of the erythroid program, but that these two processes appear to be under separate regulatory control. Thus, the dynamic changes in the levels of different GATA factors that occur during primary erythroid differentiation suggest that the levels of these factors may influence the progression to specific hematopoietic pathways.
Habitual and goal-directed behaviours and Tourette syndrome

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Enhanced habit formation in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome’, by Delorme et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awv307). Tourette syndrome is characterized by the presence of tics, which have a fluctuating, waxing and waning course, and are typically exacerbated by stress, anxiety, excitement, anger or fatigue. Tics are known to diminish when an individual is absorbed in an activity, concentrating, focused or pleased. Studies have also shown that tics can occur during sleep, although understandably patients fail to report their presence. Further, many individuals with tics, especially older children and adults, describe a sensory phenomenon (premonitory urge), such as a tension, impulse, tingle, or feeling located in the relevant body part, prior to the tic. Although it has been suggested that tics should be considered a habitual disorder (Singer, 2013), the presence of a premonitory urge, and its reduction by the performance of tics, may lead some to consider tics to be a goal-directed, rather than habitual behaviour. Moreover, it is unclear whether the occurrence of tics in all stages of sleep should modify their acceptance as a habit-based disorder. In this issue of Brain , Delorme and co-workers explore the strength of habit formation and its underlying structural connectivity in medicated and unmedicated subjects with Tourette syndrome (Delorme et al. , 2016). In order to study human goal-directed and habitual behaviours in the laboratory, investigators have developed instrumental learning paradigms, which test the flexibility of the individual to adjust their behaviour to changes in outcome values. The paradigm used by Delorme et al. has been utilized in previous studies, and is considered sufficiently sensitive. The data obtained indicate that unmedicated subjects with Tourette syndrome have a greater reliance on habitual control systems than either healthy controls or medicated subjects. Several concerns, however, pertain to a lack …
“Maternal thinking” and the concept of “vulnerability” in security paradigms, policies, and practices

This article takes as its starting point Sara Ruddick’s discussion of “vulnerability” in her 1989 groundbreaking book Maternal Thinking: Toward a Politics of Peace. It examines the kind of thinking...
Electrodeposition in extractive metallurgy: An emerging technology?

The electrowinning and electrorefining of metals from aqueous solutions continues to be one of the essential unit processes employed in nonferrous extractive metallurgy. Current processes effectively address both ohmic and mass transport of the primary metal ion in their design. Some deficiencies exist, however, in the basic understanding of the other two critical elements essential in cathodic deposition: activation kinetics and electrocrystallization. The understanding of the latter two must be elevated to the level of understanding of ohmic and mass transport if truly new and innovative advances are to occur. Because of the increasingly demanding standards for electrometallurgy processes and products, technical progress must be made if a competitive edge is to be maintained in the future.
Anisotropy of Hc2 and the breadth of the resistive transition of polycrystalline YBa2Cu

Measurements of the resistive transition in a magnetic field of a polycrystalline sample of the high-T/sub c/ superconducting oxide YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub x/ were used, together with a theoretical analysis based on the anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau theory of the upper critical field H/sub c//sub 2/ and the Davidson-Tinkham equation for the resistivity of a heterogeneous aggregate of superconducting and normal crsytallites, to obtain values of H/sub c//sub 2/, in the temperature range 83--93 K, for fields parallel and perpendicular to the copper-oxygen layers. The anisotropy ratio for H/sub c//sub 2/ is found to be in the range of 25--50.
Anterior total hip arthroplasty using a metaphyseal bone-sparing stem: component alignment and early complications

Background Limited-incision total hip arthroplasty (THA) preserves hip abductors, posterior capsule, and external rotators potentially diminishing dislocation risk. However, potential complications also exist, such as component malposition. Specific implants have been manufactured that enhance compatibility with this technique, while preserving metaphyseal bone; however, little data exists documenting early complications and component position. The purpose was to evaluate primary THA using a curved, bone-sparing stem inserted through the anterior approach with respect to component alignment and early complications.
Gene therapy to reduce portal hypertension: possible bridge to liver transplantation.

(2000). Gene Therapy to Reduce Portal Hypertension : Possible Bridge to Liver Transplantation. Acta Chirurgica Belgica: Vol. 100, No. 6, pp. 288-288.
Girls will be boys: cross-dressed women, lesbians, and American cinema

In Girls Will Be Boys: Cross-Dressed Women, Lesbians, and American Cinema, Laura Horak offers a thorough and thoughtful look at early cinema’s phenomenon of films featuring female boys, mannish wom...
Unreliability of fever and leukocytosis in the diagnosis of infection after cardiac valve surgery.

We have analyzed the daily maximum temperature (Tmax), mean temperature (Tmean), and white blood cell count (WBC) in 189 patients during the 2 weeks following cardiac valve surgery. The 154 patients without infection had an appreciable febrile response: The mean Tmax was 101.2° F. (38.4° C.) on the first postoperative day, and 12 percent of patients without infection had a Tmax of 103° F. (39.4° C.) or higher at some time postoperatively. Of all patients with Tmax of 103° F. or more only three of 22 (14 percent) had infection. Thirty-six percent of patients without infection had at least one WBC of 15,000 per cubic millimeter or more. On the other hand, the majority of the 35 patients in whom infection was documented by prospective clinical surveillance did not have a significant elevation of temperature and WBC when compared to patients without infection; on the day infection was documented, only 37 percent had an elevated Tmax, 29 percent had an elevated Tmean, and 44 percent had an increased WBC. Nine patients with infection (23 percent) were essentially afebrile, with a Tmax of 100.2° F. (37.9° C.) or less. Temperature and WBC are insensitive and nonspecific signs of infection following cardiac valve surgery.
Omecamtiv Mecarbil Enhances Actin Affinity and Slows Force Production in Human β-Cardiac Myosin

The small molecule drug Omecamtiv Mecarbil (OM) specifically targets cardiac myosin and is known to enhance cardiac muscle performance, while it is unclear how it impacts the motor properties of human cardiac muscle myosin. We expressed and purified human beta-cardiac myosin subfragment 1 (M2B-S1) containing a C-terminal Avi tag. We demonstrate that the maximum actin-activated ATPase activity of M2B-S1 is slowed 4-fold in the presence of 10 µM OM, while the actin concentration at which the ATPase activity is one-half maximal was reduced dramatically (32-fold). The ATPase activity was less ionic strength dependent in the presence of OM. The C-terminal Avi tag of M2B-S1 was biotinylated in vitro, which allowed specific attachment to the motility surface with streptavidin. We observed that the actin sliding velocity measured in the in vitro motility assay was 100-fold reduced in the presence of 10 µM OM. Increasing the ionic strength attenuated the inhibition of sliding velocity, which suggests the inhibition may be due to drag forces from myosin heads in the weak binding states. It has been proposed that OM slows the strain dependent ADP release step, which would dramatically increase duty ratio. However, we did not observe a significant increase in duty ratio in the presence of OM as measured by examining the sliding velocity as a function of actin filament length. Experiments with permeabilized human myocardium demonstrate that OM increases calcium sensitivity and slows force generation (K-TR) in a concentration-dependent manner but does not change maximally-activated force. Our results suggest that OM dramatically enhances the affinity for actin but slows the production of force. The enhanced recruitment of myosin crossbridges may cooperatively activate the thin filament which shifts the calcium sensitivity in human myocardium.