cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Folding of the recombinant human thyrotropin (TSH) receptor extracellular domain: identification of folded monomeric and tetrameric complexes that bind TSH receptor autoantibodies.

We have analyzed protein folding and disulfide bond formation in the extracellular domain of the human TSH receptor (hTSHR-ecd) expressed in Escherichia coli. This domain, which begins at the amino-terminus and ends at residue 415, is a major autoantigen in human autoimmune thyroid disease. Refolding of reduced and denatured hTSHR-ecd occurred in polyacrylamide gels treated with 0.25 M KCl for visualization of protein bands. Under conditions of partial renaturation, at least three forms of the hTSHR-ecd were resolved by reelectrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: 1) unfolded monomers, 2) folded monomers, and 3) tetramers. Disulfide bond formation was implicated in both folding and tetramerization, as reduction of these forms produced only unfolded monomers. A natural variant of the hTSHR (v1.3), sharing 231 N-terminal amino acids with hTSHR-ecd, formed folded monomers and dimers on renaturation, but not tetramers, implicating one or more of the five cysteine residues...
Hybridoma populations enriched for affinity-matured human IgGs yield high-affinity antibodies specific for botulinum neurotoxins

The affinity-matured human antibody repertoire may be ideal as a source for antibody therapeutics against infectious diseases and bioterror agents. Hybridoma methods for cloning these antibodies have many potential advantages, including convenience, high-yield antibody expression, and the ability to capture the antibodies in their native configurations. However, they have been hindered by hybridoma instability and limited accessibility of antigen-specific, class-switched human B-cells. Here, we describe an efficient, three-step method that uses human peripheral blood B-cells to produce stable hybridoma populations that are highly-enriched for affinity-matured human IgG antibodies. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are (a) selected for expression of CD27, a marker of post-germinal center B-cells, (b) cultured in vitro to promote B-cell proliferation and class-switching, and (c) fused to a genetically modified myeloma cell line. Using this strategy, we cloned 5 IgG antibodies that bind botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT), the causes of the food-borne paralytic illness, botulism, and Category A Select Bioterror agents. Two of these antibodies bind BoNT with low picomolar affinities. One (30B) is the first high-affinity human antibody to bind serotype B BoNT, and another (6A) is able to neutralize a lethal dose of serotype A BoNT in vivo in pre- and post-exposure models. This optimized hybridoma method will broadly enable access to the native human antibody repertoire.
Silicon-microstructure superconducting microbolometer infrared arrays

High-temperature superconducting microbolometer silicon microstructure infrared arrays offer the potential of lowest possible production cost combined with high performance for use in infrared imaging systems. Linear arrays employing thin films of yttrium barium copper oxide have been prepared. Small two-dimensional arrays are under development. A 240 X 336 array of 50 micrometers X 50 micrometers pixels operating at 85 K at 30 frames per second with f/1 optics has a theoretical noise equivalent temperature difference of 2.0 X 10 -3 deg K.
Ebb and Flow of Encroachment by Nonnative Rainbow Trout in a Small Stream in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis is the native salmonid species of streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The present distribution of this species, once widespread from headwaters to lower reaches of large streams, is restricted to mostly headwater areas. Changes in the distribution of native brook trout in the presence of' nonnative rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss have been documented in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When rainbow trout were first found in a tributary (Rock Creek) in the park in 1979, a study was begun to assess changes through time in distribution and abundance of rainbow trout in Rock Creek and to compare the brook trout and rainbow trout associations in Rock Creek with associations found in other park streams. Abundance of brook trout was low in the downstream sections of Rock Creek in 1979–1993. Brook trout abundance was highest in the steep-gradient, pool-dominated headwater section which was only 2 km from the confluence of Rock Creek and Cosby Creek. Rain...
Grid-based distributed search structure

This paper describes research in progress to design and implement an efficient distributed indexing and search structure. This will be a modified, distributed B+ tree that will be used to index and locate disparate data within a grid environment. A common interface will be provided to seamlessly locate varied data sources and formats that will be useful within a data grid.
The potential environment: home, technology, and future aging.

Abstract Two issues of technology and aging that need to be resolved before potential residential environments for older adults become habitable are (a) the extent to which technological advances that would support habitability are user-friendly to this population and (b) the extent to which retrofits or inclusions in new architecture are affordable. The notion that older people are uncomfortable with new technologies or unable to adapt to them does not seem credible, considering that all manner of electronic devices have been adopted by this cohort. Engineers wishing to apply new technologies to housing must consider the future needs of individual households. To the extent that most Americans will continue to prefer to age in place, methods of centralizing information systems must be developed, so that a wide range of services can be locally delivered. If electronic communication and control systems are to function on behalf of the elderly or disabled within the home, single-call backup and repair servic...
Molecular reorientation of cyanoacetylene in hydrocarbon solutions

Abstract 14 N linewidths of cyanoacetylene in n -hexane, cyclohexane, decalm, n -hexadecane and toluene solutions have been measured as a function of concentration at 24.5°C, and extrapolated to infinite dilution. From the resulting values correlation times for the reorientation of cyanoacetylene monomer are obtained. It is established that the dependence of the correlation time upon solvent viscosity is too weak to be describable by any true hydrodynamic model of reorientation, including that recently derived under “slip” boundary conditions.
Structural Luteolysis Following Transplantation of Hypophysial Homografts in Hypophysectomized Rats

Hypophyses from donor females at various stages of the estrous cycle were homografted to the left kidney of adult female rats hypophysectomized 12 days earlier. Examination of recipients 5 or 8 days later revealed that the presence of the hypophysial homograft markedly decreased ovarian weight and caused structural luteolysis of the persistent corpora lutea, presumably because the homograft secreted abundant prolactin. There were no significant differences in weight or structural luteolysis between left and right ovaries. The stage of the estrous cycle of the donor did not significantly affect the ovarian weight decline in the recipient. The presence of the homograft caused an increase in body weight and ovarian follicular development greater than that in nongrafted rats treated with saline or prolactin. By using a subjective rating system, the degree of structural luteolysis caused by the homograft was compared with that caused by exogenous prolactin in nongrafted rats. The highest dosage of prolactin em...
Metamaterial Transmission Line Based Bandstop and Bandpass Filter Designs Using Broadband Phase Cancellation

This paper presents a methodology of designing a microwave bandstop filter and a bandpass filter by using a Composite Right/Left Handed transmission line (CRLH-TL) as part of a transversal filter. The CRLH-TL can be engineered to have specific phase slope and phase offset. Connecting the CRLH-TL and the conventional microstrip delay line at both input and output can establish a transversal filter where the signal merging at the output has broadband out of phase characteristics. Therefore, the bandstop filter can be created with signal rejection over a wide frequency range. The measured 3dB bandwidth of the bandstop filter is 130% and the minimum insertion loss at the next passband is ?1.7dB. In addition, based on the bandstop filter a bandpass filter with a wide signal rejection range is developed by creating a frequency dependent defect in one branch of the bandstop filter. This is implemented by either attaching a microstrip open stub or capacitively coupling a microstrip resonator to the microstrip delay line. The 3dB passband bandwidth and the minimum insertion loss are 18%, ?1.5dB and 8%, ?2dB corresponding to the open stub and the resonator scheme, respectively.
Baleen Whales: Conservation Issues and The Status Of The Most Endangered Populations

Most species of baleen whales were subject to intensive overexploitation by commercial whaling in this and previous centuries, and many populations were reduced to small fractions of their original sizes. Here, we review the status of baleen whale stocks, with an emphasis on those that are known or thought to be critically endangered. Current data suggest that, of the various threats potentially affecting baleen whales, only entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes may be significant at the population level, and then only in those populations which are already at critically low abundance. The impact of some problems (vessel harassment, and commercial or aboriginal whaling) is at present probably minor. For others (contaminants, habitat degradation, disease), existing data either indicate no immediate cause for concern, or are insufficient to permit an assessment. While the prospect for many baleen whales appears good, there are notable exceptions; populations that are of greatest concern are those suffering from low abundance and associated problems, including (in some cases) anthropogenic mortality. These include: all Northern Right Whales Eubalaena glacialis, Bowhead Whales Balaena mysticetus of the Okhotsk Sea and various eastern Arctic populations, western Gray Whales Eschrichtius robustus, and probably many Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus populations. We review the status of these populations and, where known, the issues potentially affecting their recovery. Although Humpback Whales Megaptera novaeangliae and Southern Right Whales Eubalaena australis were also heavily exploited by whaling, existing data indicate strong recovery in most studied populations of these species.
Voluntary Alpha Control, Visually Evoked Potentials, and Peripheral Physiological Indicants of Activation

To test the hypothesis that voluntary alpha control is mediated in part through self-induced changes in cortical activation level and bodily arousal, changes in several physiological indicants of such activity were systematically examined as a function of the voluntary enhancement and suppression of scalp-recorded alpha activity. Following per-training, 6 subjects attempted to either produce or suppress alpha with eyes closed while receiving continuous anditory feedback of their alpha levels. The results were interpreted as offering tentative support for the hypothesis.
Reaction kinetics for the oxygen hydrogenation process on Pt(111) derived from temperature-programmed XPS

Abstract Oxygen hydrogenation under ultra high vacuum conditions at the platinum surface was explored using temperature-programmed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Through modeling of the oxygen consumption, information on the reaction kinetics was obtained indicating that the reaction rate of the oxygen hydrogenation process depends on the hydrogen diffusion and on the lifetime of hydroxyl intermediates. The reaction rate is, however, enhanced when an autocatalytic process stabilizes the hydroxyl intermediates through hydrogen bonding to neighboring water molecules. The overall activation energy for the hydrogenation of atomic oxygen to form water was determined to be 0.20 eV with a frequency factor of only 103 s− 1.
EFFECTS OF TARGET'S DISCLOSURE OF INTENT ON EXERCISE OF INFLUENCE IN CONFLICT

40 preadolescents played a modified Prisoner's Dilemma game in which they were given opportunities to communicate either promises of their own cooperation or threats of a fine if the target did not cooperate. A simulated target replied either honestly or evasively while being two-thirds cooperative on the message-relevant trials. The results supported an extension of the Osgood proposal and clarified previous research. As hypothesized, Ss in the honest-replies condition sent more messages, were more cooperative on threat-relevant trials, and made greater use of the promise message than did the evasive-replies Ss.
Opiate-induced persistent pronociceptive trigeminal neural adaptations: potential relevance to opiate-induced medication overuse headache

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a challenging, debilitating disorder that develops from the frequent use of medications taken for the treatment of migraine headache pain. MOH affects an estimated 3-5% of the general population. The mechanisms underlying the development of MOH remain unknown. Opiates are one of the major classes of medications used for the treatment of migraine at least in some countries, including the USA. Although the effects of repeated opiate use for headache are unknown, it is possible that opiate use may contribute to increased frequency and occurrence of such headaches. Recent preclinical studies exploring the neuroadaptive changes following sustained exposure to morphine may give some insights into possible causes of MOH. Peripherally, these changes include increased expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in trigeminal primary afferent neurons. Centrally, they include increased excitatory neurotransmission at the level of the dorsal horn and nucleus caudalis. Critically, these neuroadaptive changes persist for long periods of time and the evoked release of CGRP is enhanced following morphine pretreatment. Stimuli known to elicit migraine, such as nitric oxide donors or stress, produce hyperalgesia in morphine- but not in saline-pretreated rats even long after the discontinuation of the opiate. CGRP plays a prominent role in initiating vasodilation of the intracranial blood vessels and subsequent headache. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated increased excitability of the nociceptive pathway in migraine sufferers, and CGRP receptor antagonists have been shown to be efficacious in migraine pain. Thus, such persistent neuroadaptive changes may be relevant to the processes that promote MOH.
Kinetics of directed oxidation of Al-Mg alloys in the initial and final stages of synthesis of Al2O3/Al composites

Abstract In the directed oxidation of Al-Mg alloys, MgO forms in the initial stage. The mechanism of formation of MgO from the Al-Mg alloy in the initial stage of oxidation was studied. The variables studied were the total pressure in the reaction chamber and partial pressure of oxygen. The oxidation rate in the initial stage was proportional to both the oxygen partial pressure and oxygen diffusivity. These results suggest that MgO forms by reaction-enhanced vaporization of Mg from the alloy followed by oxidation of the Mg vapour in the gas phase. The end of the initial stage corresponds to the arrival of the oxygen front close to the melt surface, when spinel formation occurs. The kinetics of formation of Al2O3 in the growth stage of directed oxidation of the Al-5wt.% Mg alloy was also investigated as a function of time, temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The growth rate decreased as a function of time, was practically independent of oxygen pressure and exhibited an activation energy of 361 kJ mol−1. In the growth stage, the kinetics of oxidation is controlled by the rate of transport of oxygen through the alloy layer near the surface to the alumina-alloy interface.
Nitrogen budgets of urban lawns under three different management regimes in southern California

We constructed nitrogen (N) budgets for the lawns of three simulated residences built to test the environmental impacts of three different residential landscape designs in southern California. The three designs included: a “Typical” lawn planted with cool season tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix), fertilized at the recommended rate for this species (192 kg−1 ha−1 year−1) and irrigated with an automatic timer; a design intended to lower N and water requirements (“Low Input”) with the warm season seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) fertilized at 123 kg−1 ha−1 year−1 and irrigated with a soil moisture-based system; and a design incorporating local best practices (“Low Impact” lawn) that included the native sedge species Carex, fertilized at 48 kg−1 ha−1 year−1 and irrigated by a weather station-based system. Plant N uptake accounted for 33.2 ± 0.5 (tall fescue), 53.7 ± 0.7 (seashore paspalum), and 12.2 ± 1.3 % (Carex) of annual N inputs, while estimated N retention in soil was relatively large and similar in the three lawns (41–46 %). At lower N and water inputs than Typical, Low Input showed the highest annual clipping yield and N uptake, although it also had higher denitrification rates. Leaching inorganic N losses remained low even from the Typical lawn (2 %), while gaseous N losses were highly variable. The Low Input lawn was most efficient in retaining N with relatively low water and N costs, although its fertilization rates could be further reduced to lower gaseous N losses. Our results suggest that the choice of a warm-season, C4 turf species with reduced rates of irrigation and fertilization is effective in this semi-arid region to maintain high productivity and N retention in plants and soils at low N and water inputs.
Importance of Knowing the Genotype and the Specific Mutation When Managing Patients With Long-QT Syndrome

Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited disorder with prolonged ventricular repolarization and an increased propensity to ventricular tachyarrhythmias of the torsade de pointes type that are responsible for arrhythmogenic syncope and sudden cardiac death.1 During the past 13 years, 10 different genotype forms of LQTS have been identified (LQT1–LQT10), with the most frequent clinical types (LQT1–LQT3) categorized as ion channelopathies.2 The remaining 7 infrequently occurring forms of LQTS (LQT4–LQT10) also affect myocellular ion channel currents either directly or indirectly, but LQT4–LQT10 make up less than 5% of the genotype-identified LQTS. To date, approximately 500 different LQTS mutations have been identified in the 10 LQTS genes, and cellular expression studies of these mutations have elucidated basic electrophysiological mechanisms responsible for the delayed repolarization and the manifest QT prolongation. Different LQTS genes affect different ion current mechanisms, and the clinical course of patients with LQT1–LQT3 genotypes have been shown to be quite different.3 In addition, different mutations on the same LQTS gene may produce different electrophysiological effects. For example, mutations involving the LQT1 gene are all associated with reduction in the repolarizing I Ks current, but the magnitude of the reduction in this current can vary considerably among the different LQT1 mutations.4 This variability in the electrophysiological effects of different mutations contributes to the variability in the risk of life-threatening cardiac events that are independent of the manifest QTc interval on the ECG. Thus, knowledge of the LQTS genotype and the associated specific mutations are useful in risk-stratifying individual patients for the selection of appropriate therapy for patient-specific risk-reduction. Response by Vincent see p 219 Because of the extensive literature that currently exists in LQTS, we will focus on the 3 common forms of LQTS (LQT1–LQT3) and related mutations to make our point that this information is useful …
Abstract A32: Novel ceramide analogs induce apoptosis in chemoresistant breast cancer.

Ceramide, a central molecule in sphingolipid metabolism, has been shown to mediate cell death by both apoptotic and non-apoptotic pathways. However, the use of endogenous ceramides as a pharmacological intervention is limited by the naturally hydrophobic nature of the ceramide molecule, which prevents efficient penetration of the cellular membrane. One novel approach is to synthesize ceramide analogs with a greater efficacy and specificity than endogenous ceramides. Our laboratory has previously shown that ceramide analogs have therapeutic potential in the treatment of chemo-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer. In this study, the effect of 5 novel ceramide analogs (designated 401–406) on cellular viability and clonogenic survival was examined in the chemosensitive MCF-7, endocrine-resistant MDA-MB-231, and chemoresistant MCF-7TN-R breast cancer cell lines, as well as the Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) cell line. In the viability assay, analogs 401 and 406 showed the greatest efficacy in the MCF7-TNR cell line, with IC50 values of 4.0 μM and 4.2 μM in metastatic MCF-7TN-R cells. In the clonogenic survival assay, analogs 401 and 406 were again the most effective in the MCF7-TNR cell line with IC50 values of 1.9 and 1.8 respectively. Additionally, Analog 406 showed a 3.8 fold increase over control in the induction of apoptosis (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A32.
Use of special education services by children with orofacial clefts.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate the use of special education services by children with orofacial clefts (OFCs). METHODS: We linked the birth certificates of children born from 1982–2001 in five counties of metropolitan Atlanta to a population-based birth defects surveillance system to identify children with OFCs, and to the special education files for the school years 1992–2004 to identify children who used special education services. The special education data contained exceptionalities and services rendered for each school year. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs were calculated. The data were stratified by race/ethnicity, maternal education, type of OFC, and the presence of associated major malformations. In addition, we assessed the age at which special education began and the amount of time spent receiving services. RESULTS: Of the 777 children with OFCs, 201 (26%) were in special education at least 1 year compared with 8% of the children who had no major birth defects, yielding a PR of 3.2 (95% CI: 2.9–3.6). The most common exceptionality or service for children with an OFC was speech and language services. Compared with children with no birth defects, children with an OFC were four times more likely to be in this exceptionality (PR 3.8; 95% CI: 3.3–4.3). After excluding children in speech and language services, children with OFCs were still more likely to use special education services (PR 2.4; 95% CI: 1.7–3.2). CONCLUSIONS: Children with OFCs used special education services more often than children without birth defects. This information can help in planning for future population needs. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
266 GLUCONEOGENESIS BY THE FETAL SHEEP KIDNEY

We have consistently noted glucose release by the kidney of the unstressed fetal sheep, but it is not known whether this glucose is produced by gluconeogenesis or by glycogenolysis. To examine this question, we infused 14C-lactate intravenously into 5 healthy fetal sheep (mean gestational age 130 days) which had catheters chronically placed in the fetal descending aorta (FA), renal vein (RV), and inferior vena cava. We measured 14C-glucose and glucose concentrations in the RV and FA, total 14C-radioactivity and lactate concentration in the FA, and renal blood flow by the radioactive microsphere method. We calculated glucose flux across the kidney by the Fick method. Lactate specific activity was not measured; since total 14C-radioactivity may include 14C-metabolites of lactate, we could not calculate the actual quantity of glucose produced from lactate. We could, however, measure the minimum amount of glucose produced from lactate. We found net glucose release by the kidney (mean 3.0 mg/min/100 g kidney); at least 23% of this glucose was produced from lactate (0.7 mg/min/100g kidney).
GECCO ocean energy system

In today's world the oil and gas industries play major roles in energy consumption. Nations depend heavily on these resources despite their major disadvantage: They are not renewable. As the demand for renewable energy increases, it is necessary to identify new energy sources and to invent ways of harvesting these energies by designing new systems. The ocean is a major resource for all types of materials, supplies, as well as energy; however the exploration of wave energy as a resource is still in its infancy. The Florida Institute of Technology has constructed an alternative energy system independent of non-renewable resources, such as oil and gas. The GECCO (Green Energy Coastal Collection Operation) is a wave energy converter that extracts kinetic energy from ocean waves using a rugged, innovative mechanical multi-system.
Vanguard: A Chip Physical Design System

Vanguard is a new physical design system which combines advantages of gate array and custom design methods to produce high-density chips on non-custom regular images. Vanguard physically partitions a chip into subchips which define macro boundaries and which contain not only macro circuitry and internal macro wires but also inter-macro connections and portions of connections which are part of the final chip design and lie within that region. Subchips are individually designed and then connected by abutment to assemble the chip. Vanguard has been used to design a 32-bit DCVS microprocessor comprising 13 macros, including a large register array.
Abstract 1279: Loss of PTEN expression in patients treated with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway inhibitors

Background: Loss of PTEN function results in increased PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and may predict sensitivity to drugs targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Methods: Archival tumor samples from patients (N = 202) with diverse cancers referred to the Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy from October 2009 were tested for cytoplasmatic expression of PTEN on immunohistochemistry. Whenever possible, tumor tissue was also analyzed for PIK3CA, RAS (K-, N-), and BRAF mutations using PCR-based DNA sequencing. Consecutive patients with loss of PTEN expression and any tumor type were treated whenever possible with agents targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Results: Overall, 49 (24%) of 202 patients had loss of PTEN expression. In specific tumor types with a minimum of five patients tested, the loss of PTEN expression was most frequent in squamous cell cervical (60%, 3/5 patients), non-small-cell lung (50%, 4/8), renal (50%, 3/6), uterine (41%, 7/17), gastroesophageal junction/gastric (38%, 3/8), breast cancers (25%, 2/8), melanomas (22%, 6/27), and colorectal cancers (20%, 6/30). Tumors with PTEN loss had frequencies of simultaneous mutations in PIK3CA, RAS (K-, N-), BRAF that were similar to patients with PTEN expression. Of the 49 patients with PTEN loss, 29 (median number of prior therapies, 3) were treated on a protocol that included a PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitor. Six of these 29 patients (20.5%) achieved a partial response (PR) (2 uterine cancers, 1 squamous cell cervical cancer; 1 squamous cell head and neck cancer; 1 melanoma; 1 renal cancer) and 8 (27.5%) had stable disease (SD) for >/ = 4 months (total SD>/ = 4 months + PR = 48%). These 29 treated patients had a median progression-free survival of 4.3 months (95% CI, 3.4-5.2). Conclusion: Loss of PTEN expression was found in 24% of patients with various solid tumors. Fourteen of 29 heavily-pretreated patients (48%) had a PR or SD >/ = 4 months, when treated with a PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis inhibitor, suggesting that matching patients with these inhibitors based on PTEN loss merits further exploration. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1279. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1279
Psychodynamic and structured interviewing: a synthesis. I. Rationale.

Abstract The divisions concerning interviewing strategies that have persisted among clinicians with different frames of reference and between clinicians and social scientists rest largely on unexamined traditional assumptions about the necessary differences in their subjects and methods. Such divisions have been disadvantageous for the investigation of many kinds of research problems. Sufficient bases exist for a synthesis of psychodynamic and structured interviewing techniques and such a strategy can be applied to both patient and nonpatient populations. Such a synthesis offers the potential of yielding a more complete and unbiased understanding of both the objective dimension of the behavior and the subjective dimension of motivations and meaning associated with psychosocial problems.
The effects of corticotropin, opioid peptides and crude pituitary extract on the production of dehydroepiandrosterone and corticosterone by mature rat adrenal cells in tissue culture.

Abstract In order to study the steroidogenic response to pituitary factors, a technique of monolayer tissue culture of mature female rat adrenal cells was used. During the first 24 h, rat adrenal cells produced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and small amount of corticosterone but in the absence of corticotropin (ACTH), the release of these two steriods were reduced to very low levels. The addition of synthetic α-ACTH-(1–24)[0.01–100ng/ml] elicited a marked increase in the production of both steriods. This stimulating effect was not observed when synthetic methionine and leucine-enkephalins (1–100 ng/ml), human beta-endorphin (1–100 ng/ml) or human betalipotropin (1 ng/ml), were added to the culture medium. When these peptides were added concomitantly with α-ACTH (1–24) at half of the maximum response dose (1 ng/ml), no synergistic effect upon DHEA and corticosterone production was shown. The addition of crude extract from rat pituitary gland (1–100 ng/ml) with or without α-ACTH-(1–24) definitely showed both a stimulatory and synergistic effect upon the production of these two steroids. Furthermore, the ratio between DHEA production and corticosterone production was significantly higher when crude extract of the pituitary gland was given alone or concomitantly with α-ACTH(1–24) than when α-ACTH(1–24) was given alone. These data suggest the existence of a still undefined pituitary adrenal adrogen stimulating which may preferentially stimulate DHEA production over corticosterone production.
Chronic daily headaches in children

Chronic daily headache (CDH) or highly frequent headaches are being recognised as an increasing problem. In adults it is estimated that up to 4% of the population has CDH, however, this number appears to be lower in children. The actual prevalence of CDH in children, however, has not been determined. The simplest definition of CDH is > 15 headache days per month. In the international headache society (IHS) criteria, only chronic tension-type headaches and chronic cluster headaches are recognised as CDH. Criteria for CDH have been suggested for adults that mirror the IHS criteria. In children, the majority of CDH appear to be migraine related. The next revision of the IHS criteria has been proposed to include chronic migraine as one of the CDH. Evaluation of CDH needs to include a complete history and physical examination to identify any possibility of the headache representing secondary headaches. Treatment and management involves a multi-tiered approach, which includes abortive therapy when the headache ...
Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome with CNS involvement and thrombosis of a vein of galen malformation

Abstract A patient is described with the dermatological features of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS), focal seizures, and lateralized neurological signs. CAT scan demonstrated a nonenhanced density in the region of the vein of Galen. Neuropathological examination showed that this density was a clot within a vein of Galen malformation. Hemangiomas that grossly resembled the skin lesions of BRBNS were seen on the cerebral surface. Many of these hemangiomas were thrombosed and overlay patchy zones of infarction. Numerous vascular malformations of varying histological types were also found within the brain and systemic organs. Bluish, compressible, often raised hemangiomas of the skin should alert physicians to the BRBNS and the potential for vascular malformations ot occur within the brain as well as systemic organs. Diagnosis of BRBNS involving the brain may assist in interpretation of radiographic findings. The tendency of these malformations to thrombose may account for focal neurological deficits.
High-performance dual-speed CCD camera system for scientific imaging

Traditionally, scientific camera systems were partitioned with a `camera head' containing the CCD and its support circuitry and a camera controller, which provided analog to digital conversion, timing, control, computer interfacing, and power. A new, unitized high performance scientific CCD camera with dual speed readout at 1 X 106 or 5 X 106 pixels per second, 12 bit digital gray scale, high performance thermoelectric cooling, and built in composite video output is described. This camera provides all digital, analog, and cooling functions in a single compact unit. The new system incorporates the A/C converter, timing, control and computer interfacing in the camera, with the power supply remaining a separate remote unit. A 100 Mbyte/second serial link transfers data over copper or fiber media to a variety of host computers, including Sun, SGI, SCSI, PCI, EISA, and Apple Macintosh. Having all the digital and analog functions in the camera made it possible to modify this system for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for use on a remote controlled submersible vehicle. The oceanographic version achieves 16 bit dynamic range at 1.5 X 105 pixels/second, can be operated at depths of 3 kilometers, and transfers data to the surface via a real time fiber optic link.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Economic Impacts, Value Added, and Benefits in Regional Project Analysis

This paper addresses five issues encountered when estimating secondary benefits in regional project analysis: (a) the correction for opportunity cost of factors used, (b) the treatment of mobile factors, (c) the effect of economies of size, (d) the role of forward linkages, and (e) the role of spatial structure of economic regions. The first four are reasons that only a small part, if any, of regional impacts can be treated as regional net benefits. The fifth is a reason that, when secondary benefits or damages do exist, their correct estimation can depend on the spatial structure of the affected areas.
Viruses, Masters at Downsizing

Viruses are the smallest fruits on the tree of life. Dwarfed by their bacterial and cellular hosts, viruses and their close relatives have long been considered the smallest microbes. The genome of a virus may contain no more than three thousand nucleotides, compared to the three billion base pairs in human genomes. (Lest we feel superior, though, the genomes of some other organisms are much larger than our own.).
The Toxicity of Zinc to the Immune Response of the Zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio, Injected with Viral and Bacterial Antigens

Abstract Groups of zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio, were injected with antigens prepared from infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) or Proteus vulgaris. Zinc appeared to suppress the immune response against Proteus vulgaris, but not against IPNV.
Pituitary gland: MR imaging of physiologic hypertrophy in adolescence.

The size and shape of pituitary glands in 169 children, adolescents, and young adults were analyzed with T1-weighted sagittal magnetic resonance (MR) images. In patients younger than 12 years old, no pituitary gland was found to be more than 6 mm in height. In adolescents, definite evidence for physiologic (pubertal) pituitary hypertrophy was seen in both sexes, although it was much more prominent in girls. The pituitary glands of four of 32 teenage girls measured 8-10 mm, but no teenage boy had a gland taller than 7 mm. Young adults aged 21-30 years had significantly (P less than .05) smaller glands than teenagers of the same sex. Significant (P = .0001) variations in the shape of the pituitary glands according to patient age and sex were also noted. Convex upper margins were seen in 56% of teenage girls, while this shape was noted in only 18% of the remaining patients of either sex. In eight of 32 teenage girls (25%) the pituitary glands were nearly spherical on sagittal images; this shape was not recorded in any other group. The normal maturation sequence of the pituitary gland apparently involves a period of physiologic hypertrophy in teenagers. This is manifest in girls by a significant change in both pituitary size and shape, while the glands of boys undergo a transformation in size only.
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Release Declines in Muscle Fibers from Aging Mice

This study hypothesized that decline in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release and maximal SR-releasable Ca2+ contributes to decreased specific force with aging. To test it, we recorded electrically evoked maximal isometric specific force followed by 4-chloro-m-cresol (4-CmC)-evoked maximal contracture force in single intact fibers from the mouse flexor digitorum brevis muscle. Significant differences in tetanic, but not in 4-CmC-evoked, contracture forces were recorded in fibers from aging mice as compared to younger mice. Peak intracellular Ca2+ in response to 4-CmC did not differ significantly. SR Ca2+ release was recorded in whole-cell patch-clamped fibers in the linescan mode of confocal microscopy using a low-affinity Ca2+ indicator (Oregon green bapta-5N) with high-intracellular ethylene glycol-bis(α-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′N′-tetraacetic acid (20 mM). Maximal SR Ca2+ release, but not voltage dependence, was significantly changed in fibers from old compared to young mice. Increasing the duration of fiber depolarization did not increase the maximal rate of SR Ca2+ release in fibers from old compared to young mice. Voltage-dependent inactivation of SR Ca2+ release did not differ significantly between fibers from young and old mice. These findings indicate that alterations in excitation-contraction coupling, but not in maximal SR-releasable Ca2+, account for the age-dependent decline in intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and specific force.
Electric field buildup and relaxation for chemical diffusion

Abstract By applying Maxwell's equation (Poisson's law) to the flux equations for ionic diffusion it is shown that analytical solutions for the flux of charge and the compensating electrical field can be derived for the limits t →0 and t →∞. (Actually the long time limit becomes appropriate after a time equivalent to a small multiple of the mean time between successive jumps of all ions.) These expressions permit derivation of the Nernst-Planck equations and their generalization to multi-component systems without any self-contradictory assumptions. They also allow an approximate interpolation between the two limiting time periods so that a close approximation of the field and flux is obtained for the entire time interval. It should be noted that the flux of charge changes sign during the process and tends to zero much more quickly than the electric field. The scaling constants for time, energy and electrical flux are evaluated in general and for conditions relevant to alkali ion exchange in a silicate glass near the glass transition temperature. Values for the time constant, the maximum field, and the maximum flux are of the order of fractional micro-seconds, one megavolt/cm, and one ampere/cm 2 , respectively.
The Relation Between Item Format and the Structure of the Eysenck Personality Inventory

A Likert seven-choice response format for per sonality inventories allows finer distinctions by sub jects than the traditional two-choice format. The Eysenck Personality Inventory was employed in the present study to test the hypothesis that use of the expanded format would result in a clearer and more accurate indication of test structure. The sub jects, volunteers in a psychology course, took the standard two-choice version of the EPI and a seven- choice version one week apart, with the order counter-balanced. A principal components analysis with a varimax rotation yielded two components for the two-choice format, clearly identifiable as Eysenck's "Neuroticism" and "Extraversion" which together accounted for 18% of the variance. The seven-choice version resulted in six components ac counting for 46% of the variance. The expanded format suggested inadequacies in the structure of the EPI, defined the factor structure more clearly, and explained a greater proportion of the variance. It thus demonstrated th...
Isolation and Identification of Nitrogen Species in Jet Fuel and Diesel Fuel

Many performance characteristics of liquid fuels-including lubricity, the ability to swell seal materials, storage stability, and thermal stability-are determined, to a large degree, by the trace polar species that the fuel contains. Because the polar fraction comprises such a small portion of the fuel matrix, it is difficult to detect these species without first isolating them from the bulk fuel. This manuscript describes the extension of previous work that established a protocol for the isolation and identification of oxygenates in jet fuels. The current work shows that a liquid-liquid extraction using methanol, followed by an isolation step using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a silica column, can successfully separate polar nitrogen-containing species from the fuel, in addition to separating oxygenates. The analytical protocol further isolates the polar target species using a polar capillary gas chromatography (GC) column and a nontraditional oven heating program. The method is amenable to milliliter quantitites of fuel samples and produces a matrix that can be analyzed directly, using typical GC methods. The method was evaluated using spiked surrogate fuels, as well as actual petroleum-derived jet fuel samples. Furthermore, it is shown that the method also can be extended for use on diesel fuels.
An alternative view on "an alternative paradigm".

The strengths in this article lie in the reinforcement of important procedures for enhancing the internal and external validity of intervention studies. For example, the authors highlight the importance of using theory to guide study design, operationalization of key variables, and data analysis. They emphasize that an important goal of research is to identify which participants, under what circumstances respond in what ways to interventions. They stress that to do this, investigators must use theory to identify factors that may affect the implementation of interventions and/or influence outcomes. They encourage researchers to keep descriptive reports of reasons why potential participants decline to join a study, information that is useful for modifying current study procedures or future study design. Finally, they emphasize the importance of developing protocols for intervention delivery, training study personnel in the theory underlying the intervention, and explaining the principles guiding individualization of the intervention for each participant. These are all excellent recommendations for intervention research. Unfortunately, the authors suggest that the recommendations represent an “alternative method for clinical research”. In reality, most of the recommendations are part of the current, standard approach to conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In fact, the narrow, and often erroneous, characterization of the assumptions and goals of RCTs sets up a straw dog argument that is then used to frame several proposed solutions. Perhaps most importantly, critiques of the randomized trial are presented, with nothing new to offer as a substitute for randomization. Although it has long been known that conducting randomized trials in clinical settings is challenging, there is no substitute for randomization when it comes to controlling selection bias and allowing the causal inference that the intervention being tested is responsible for the outcomes observed (Shadish, Cook, & Campbell, 2002). The article moves the field no further in solving this dilemma. In the following paragraphs we amplify this point and address selected other problems.
Self-administration of cocaine and heroin combinations by rhesus monkeys responding under a progressive-ratio schedule

The present study examined the reinforcing effects of cocaine and heroin, alone and combined, in rhesus monkeys (n=4) responding under a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule. The PR schedule consisted of five components, each made up of four trials (i.e., 20 trials total), with each trial in a component having the same response requirement. The initial response requirement was fixed-ratio (FR) 120, which doubled across components to a maximum of FR1920. A trial ended with an injection or the expiration of a 15-min limited hold and the inter-trial interval was 30 min. Cocaine dose-response functions (13–400 µg/kg per injection) for injections/session were monophasic, i.e., increased with dose until responding reached an asymptote or a peak. Heroin dose-response functions (1.6–100 µg/kg per injection) for injections/session were biphasic functions, i.e., increased to a peak and then decreased, whereas heroin dose-response functions for response rate were monophasic and reached an asymptote. When cocaine (1.6–200 µg/kg per injection) was combined with heroin (0.4–6.4 µg/kg per injection), low doses of cocaine (3.2–25 µg/kg per injection) and heroin (0.4–1.6 µg/kg per injection) that did not maintain behavior when tested alone did so when tested in combination. Combination with heroin resulted in a leftward shift in the cocaine dose-response functions, indicating that heroin increased the potency of cocaine as a reinforcer. This heroin-induced increase in cocaine′s reinforcing potency may be a contributing factor to abuse of cocaine and heroin combinations (i.e., ”speedballs”) in humans. However, maximum injections/session for cocaine combined with heroin were not different from cocaine alone, suggesting that the reinforcing efficacy of combinations of cocaine and heroin were not higher than that of cocaine alone.
Some remarks on post-processing and negative norm estimates for approximations to non-smooth solutions of hyperbolic equations

Some formulae and an error estimate for post-processing approximations to solutions of hyperbolic partial differential equations are derived. The post-processing is applied to a fully discrete approximation of the discontinuous solution of an initial boundary-value problem for the wave equation in one space dimension to reduce oscillations and construct a much more accurate approximation to the solution.