cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microsurgical nerve graft repair of the ablated cavernosal nerves in the rat

Erectile dysfunction is a significant complication of radical pelvic surgery in men. Using the rat as an experimental model, we investigated the feasibility of repairing surgically ablated cavernosal nerves. Known fertile male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three surgical groups of 30 animals (60 study nerves) per group consisting of nerve ablation, immediate nerve reconstruction, and control groups. The nerve ablation group had 5-mm sections of the cavernosal nerve excised bilaterally. The nerve graft group had 5-mm sections of the cavernosal nerve excised bilaterally, followed by immediate microsurgical reconstruction with an autologous interposition nerve graft utilizing the ipsilateral genitofemoral nerve bilaterally. The anastomoses were performed with 10-O nylon sutures at 16 to 25× magnification. The control group underwent sham operations with the cavernosal nerves being exposed only. Erectile function was evaluated at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months postoperatively. Return of erectile function was defined as tumescence of the corporal bodies with application of direct electrical stimulation (3 V of 5 msec pulses at 20 Hertz) to the proximal cavernosal nerves. The 4- and 6-month electrical stimulation studies resulted in tumescence from 65 and 75% of the grafted nerves, which represented a significant difference compared to the ablated group 11 and 5%, respectively (P < 0.001 at 4 and 6 months). Behavioral copulatory studies, performed prior to electrical stimulation testing, corresponded closely with the results of electrically induced tumescence. We conclude that in this experimental model immediate nerve graft repair appears to be a successful method of salvaging erectile function when the cavernosal nerves have been divided.
On the character of the monolayer outgrowth and the fate of the peritubular myoid cells in cultured mouse testis.

Abstract Postnatal differentiation of the peritubular myoid cells in mouse testis is hormone dependent. In order to analyse the differentiation of the peritubular tissue, an attempt was made to develop an experimental model system utilizing an in vitro method. Fragments obtained from adult, 7- or 10-day-old mice, were cultured in McCoy's modified 5a medium for 9–19 days. The fragments and monolayers that grew from them were examined with the electron microscope at the end of the culture period. Monolayers originating from either mature or immature testicular expiants were comparable in appearance. They were composed of spindle-shaped cells that contained abundant profiles of granular endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes, as well as arrays of 40–60 A thick filaments and associated dense bodies. In these respects they resembled smooth muscle cells in culture, in developmental, and in pathological conditions. Examination of the peritubular tissue in the testicular explants indicated that the monolayer of myoid cells originated from the fibroblasts rather than the peritubular myoid cells. Peritubular cells in explants from mature rats retained their myoid features at the end of the culture period but myoid cell differentiation failed to progress in expiants obtained from immature animals. Additional work is necessary in order to establish the suitability of these preliminary culture attempts to support normal development before conclusions may be drawn concerning the role of hormones in myoid cell differentiation. The role of microfilaments as a contractile organelle of cells is discussed.
Enthalpies and Entropies of Cd and Zn Adsorption onto Bacillus licheniformis and Enthalpies and Entropies of Zn Adsorption onto Bacillus subtilis from Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and Surface Complexation Modeling

Determining the thermodynamic driving force of metal-bacteria surface complexation is important for understanding why, from a thermodynamic perspective, these spontaneous reactions occur. We therefore determined the Gibbs energies, enthalpies, and entropies of Cd and Zn complexation onto Bacillus licheniformis and of Zn complexation onto Bacillus subtilis using surface complexation modeling and isothermal titration calorimetry. Our results indicated that Cd and Zn complexation onto Bacillus licheniformis is entropically driven at low pH and enthalpically driven at circumneutral pH. Zn complexation onto Bacillus subtilis is entropically driven, which suggests that Bacillus licheniformis has different donor ligands dominating reactivity around circumneutral pH.
A New Model for the Presentation of Tumor-Associated Antigens and the Quest for an Anticancer Vaccine: A Solution to the Synthesis Challenge via Ring-Closing Metathesis

Fully synthetic, carbohydrate-based antitumor vaccine candidates have been synthesized in highly clustered modes. Multiple copies of tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens, Tn and STn, were assembled on a single cyclic peptide scaffold in a highly convergent manner. Ring-closing metathesis-mediated incorporation of an internal cross-linker was also demonstrated. In particular, this rigidified cross-linked construct would enhance a cluster-recognizing antibody response by retaining an appropriate distance between glycans attached to the peptide platform. Details of the design and synthesis of highly clustered antigens are described herein.
Metadata and network API aspects of a framework for storing and retrieving civil infrastructure monitoring data

A framework has been defined for storing and retrieving civil infrastructure monitoring data over a network. The framework consists of two primary components: metadata and network communications. The metadata component provides the descriptions and data definitions necessary for cataloging and searching monitoring data. The communications component provides Java classes for remotely accessing the data. Packages of Enterprise JavaBeans and data handling utility classes are written to use the underlying metadata information to build real-time monitoring applications. The utility of the framework was evaluated using wireless accelerometers on a shaking table earthquake simulation test of a reinforced concrete bridge column. The NEESgrid data and metadata repository services were used as a backend storage implementation. A web interface was created to demonstrate the utility of the data model and provides an example health monitoring application.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Exploration analysis for landslide risk management

Risk management for landslides involves, in addition to active and passive countermeasures, the collection of information through exploration. With such information, it is possible to reduce uncertainties, make more reliable decisions and therefore reduce risk. This paper addresses two types of exploration, namely (1) exploration (information collection) after the decision to obtain additional information is made, which is the standard type of exploration, and where one uses the new information to update risk, and (2) exploration (information collection) before the decision to obtain additional information is made, in which one conducts ‘virtual exploration’ to establish if exploration is worthwhile. The paper shows that both types of exploration can be assessed using either decision trees or Bayesian networks. Both approaches were applied to the Walton's Wood Landslide in England using infinite slope analysis and produced consistent results. The interested user can, based on what is documented in the pap...
CHIPPING PERFORMANCE OF THREE PROCESSING POTATO CULTIVARS DURING LONG-TERM STORAGE AT TWO TEMPERATURE REGIMES

Three potato cultivars (Russet Burbank, Norchip, and Gemchip) grown with nitrogen applied at three rates were stored at two temperature regimes (Treatment 1: 13 months at 10 CTreatment 2: 1 month at 10 C; followed by a 1 C decrease per week until tubers were 4 C; followed by 6 months at 4 C; followed by a 1 C increase per week until tubers were 10 C; followed by 3 months at 10 C). Tuber chemical components and potato chip appearance were measured at harvest and after 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13 months; these measurements were performed within 24 hours of the time potatoes were removed from storage. Sugar responses (tuber glucose, fructose, sucrose) and potato chip appearance were affected by cultivar over time in both years and storage temperatures. Russet Burbank tubers displayed a significantly higher glucose forming potential and produced darker appearing chips, regardless of storage temperature or time in storage, compared to Norchip and Gemchip. Potatoes receiving a cold-storage treatment contained less sugar and produced lighter appearing chips after 12 months storage compared to tubers stored at a constant 10 C for 12 months. The linear association between tuber chemical components and potato chip appearance varied with storage temperature.
Roles of notch signalling in mandibular condylar cartilage.

Abstract Importance Notch proteins are cell surface transmembrane spanning receptors which mediate critically important cellular functions through direct cell–cell contact. Interactions between Notch receptors and their ligands regulate cell fate decisions such differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis in numerous tissues. We have previously shown using immunohistochemistry that Notch1 is localized primarily to the prechondroblastic (chondroprogenitor) layer of the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC). Objective To test if Notch signalling changes patterns of proliferation and differentiation in the MCC and to investigate if Notch signalling acts downstream of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF-2). Methods Condylar cartilage explants were cultured over serum-free DMEM containing either 0 or 50 nM DAPT, a Notch signal inhibitor. Explants were used for RNA extraction and immunohistochemistry. Results Analysis of gene array data demonstrated that the perichondrial layer of the MCC is rich in Notch receptors (Notch 3 and 4) and Notch ligands (Jagged and Delta) as well as various downstream facilitators of Notch signalling. Disruption of Notch signalling in MCC explants decreased proliferation (Cyclin B1 expression) and increased chondrocyte differentiation (Sox9 expression). Moreover, we found that the actions of FGF-2 in MCC are mediated in part by Notch signalling. Conclusion These data suggest that Notch signalling contributes to the regulation of proliferation and differentiation in the MCC.
Gold nanoparticles surface-terminated with bifunctional ligands

Abstract Gold nanoparticles have been prepared using bifunctional ligands of the type X R SH (X = COOH, OH, NH 2 ) so that the surface is terminated with these functionalities. The ligands bind to the gold surface through their thiol ( SH end). The coverage and binding strength of the surfactant on the gold surface have been investigated using thermogravimetric analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. The nanoparticles appear to have excess surfactants on their surface, but these do not necessarily form a bilayer structure. The surfactant conformation allows enough room for the particles to be bonded to other surfaces, such as those of another nanoparticle, even with some excess surfactant present on their surface.
Experimental infection in North American elk with epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus.

Two elk (Cervus canadensis) were inoculated intravenously with epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus. No overt signs of disease were observed in the elk although one animal had a slight febrile response. A cell associated viremia was detected in both elk, which persisted in one animal for 30 days post-inoculation. The similarities of these results to those reported for bluetongue virus infection in elk is discussed.
A comparison of web robot and human requests

Sophisticated Web robots sport a wide variety of functionality and visiting characteristics, constituting a significant percentage of the requests serviced by a Web server. Unlike human clients that retrieve information off a site by navigating links and ignoring irrelevant information, Web robots may collect many different types of resources, and employ varying navigation strategies to find the knowledge on the site they desire. Thus, the resource request patterns of their visits are unpredictable and cannot be inferred based on our knowledge of human request patterns. In this paper, we perform an analysis on the types of resources requested by Web robots using recent Web logs from an academic Web server. We study the distribution of response sizes and response codes, the types of resources requested, and popularity of resources for requests from Web robots. Throughout, we contrast our findings against human resource request patterns. We find reasons to suggest that robots severely handicaps the ability of Web server caches to operate with high performance.
Doing time—Killing time at school: An examination of the perceptions and allocations of time among teacher-defined at-risk students

“Doing time” is an expression that is generally associated with prisoners who are disconnected from society and find themselves counting the days and minutes until their release from prison. In many respects, at-risk students attending our nation's large, urban, inner-city middle and high schools also consider themselves as not being connected to school or society and to be “doing time” in the classroom. Qualitative and subjective impressions of doing time at school have become the theme of many movies, books, and research articles. This study extends this qualitative type of research by quantitatively framing time allocation preferences and temporal dominance characteristics for a large sample of teacher-perceived “at-risk” students at several large urban high school sites. A sample of normal attaining students at the same school site served as a comparison group. The findings of this research effort generally support other more qualitative studies and indicate that there are strong preferences in at-risk students toward nondirected time-consuming activities (i.e., hanging out, video games, watching TV, etc.) with low-directed to nondirected time preference ratios. Normal attaining students had the reverse pattern, i.e., higher-directed to nondirected time preference ratios and higher preferences toward directed time-consuming activities that might be associated with investments in the schooling process (homework, studying, personal development, etc.). Interpretation of the circles test, a projective psychological procedure for establishing temporal dominance for at-risk students, revealed a general lack of recognition and connectiveness between past, present, and future events in their life and weak temporal dominance or orientation toward the future.
Mesostructured vanadium-phosphorus-oxide phases

Abstract Ordered mesostructured hexagonal, cubic and lamellar vanadium-phosphorus-oxide phases displaying improved thermal stability, desirable bulk compositions, and vanadium oxidation states (3.8–4.3) for the partial oxidation of lower alkanes were synthesized using cationic (alkyl trimethyl ammonium salts), anionic (alkyl sulfonates and phosphates) and primary alkylamines as structure-directing agents. It was found that hexagonal mesophases were favored at short carbon chain lengths (C 12 –C 16 ), while cubic phases were favored for longer chains (C 18 ). Structure-directing agents were removed by calcination or Soxhlet extraction in ethanol. When structure-directing agents were removed by extraction, phase transformations from hexagonal to cubic to lamellar structures were observed. The improved thermal stability of these mesophases was attributed to the acidic self-assembly conditions in the vicinity of the isoelectric point of V(V) oxocations.
Similarities among Test Sites Based on Cultivar Performance in the Hard Red Winter Wheat Region

Maximizing crop productivity requires effective selection and targeting of cultivars for appropriate production areas. Understanding similarities in cultivar response among test sites and underlying production zones within a crop production region is important for breeders to effectively choose test sites and interpret test data. Thirty years of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield data from the Southern and Northern Regional Performance Nurseries (SRPN and NRPN, respectively) were analyzed in order to determine similarities among test sites and production zones in the Great Plains hard red winter wheat growing area (.)
Chemical methods for the simultaneous quantitation of metabolites and proteins from single cells.

We describe chemical approaches for integrated metabolic and proteomic assays from single cells. Quantitative assays for intracellular metabolites, including glucose uptake and three other species, are designed as surface-competitive binding assays with fluorescence readouts. This enables integration into a microarray format with functional protein immunoassays, all of which are incorporated into the microchambers of a single-cell barcode chip (SCBC). By using the SCBC, we interrogate the response of human-derived glioblastoma cancer cells to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition. We report, for the first time, on both the intercellular metabolic heterogeneity as well as the baseline and drug-induced changes in the metabolite–phosphoprotein correlation network.
Whither Warhol's law? [embedded computing]

The article discusses a law concocted by the author: "Warhol's Law of Computer Systems Architecture." This law stated that every computer architecture would be the price-performance leader for 15 minutes. The author was thinking mainly of workstation CPUs, but he believed the embedded CPU market would follow suit. Embedded systems provide an ideal forum for CPU competition. A lot of people seemed to want to design CPUs, so the author reasoned that no end of new competitors would appear to introduce new features and drive down prices. It hasn't worked out that way, however. The high-end market has several players, but not the profusion expected a few years go.
Surfactant aggregates (solloids) adsorbed on silica as stationary chromatographic phases: structures and properties.

Abstract The structure and physical properties of solloids (surfactant aggregates adsorbed on surfaces) adsorbed on particles are of general interest. The relationship between solloid structure and properties of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and cetylpyridinium salicylate (CPS) adsorbed on silica particles was studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using the spin-probes peroxylaminedisulfonate (PADS) and 4-[ N , N -dimethyl- N -( n -hexadecyl)ammonium]-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl- N -oxy bromide (HTAB*). Using HTAB* incorporated in HTAB, CPC and CPC solloids and comparing the results to those in micelles, it was determined that for silica around pH 4 the solloids are very similar in properties to the micelles. This is consistent with a linear solvation–energy relationship (LSER) analysis of solute equilibration data which indicates that at pH 5 HTAB solloids have similar properties to HTAB micelles. The PADS spin-probe appears to be more sensitive to changes in the properties of the double layer, and substantial differences were observed between HTAB, CPC and CPS and as a function of HTAB concentration for HTAB solloids on silica.
Reduction of aerodynamic forces on a minivan by a pair of vortex generators of a pocket type

Reduction of the aerodynamic forces on a minivan has been achieved using a pair of pockets at the left and the right sides, respectively, of the rear roof end of the vehicle. The two pockets generate cross-streamwise vortices that cause the turbulent kinetic energy to increase in the boundary layer in the downstream of the two pockets. This increased turbulent kinetic energy induces the flow separation to be delayed further downstream along the vehicle back. Unlike the common Vortex Generators (VGs) of extrusive type, these VGs of a pocket type do not cause any additional drag by themselves. This paper investigates numerically the effects of pockets on the reduction of the aerodynamic forces and the flow field around a minivan.
Linking Physical and Numerical Modelling in Hydrogeology using Sand Tank Experiments and COMSOL Multiphysics

Visualising subsurface processes in hydrogeology and building intuition for how these processes are controlled by changes in forcing is hard for many undergraduate students. While numerical modelling is one way to help undergraduate students explore outcomes of multiple scenarios, many codes are not user‐friendly with respect to defining domains, boundary conditions, and coupling processes, and numerical modelling exercises are also often disconnected from systems that the students understand, limiting their ability to extrapolate what they have learned for other situations. Here, we test the hypothesis that hydrogeology students will better estimate rates of groundwater flow and contaminant transport and the magnitudes of the parameters that control flow and transport by linking physical and numerical models. We present an exercise that links physical and numerical modelling of fluid flow and solute transport using 2‐D ‘ant farm’ sand tanks with parallel models in COMSOL Multiphysics. The sand tank exerc...
Molecular Shuttles Operating Undercover: A New Photolithographic Approach for the Fabrication of Structured Surfaces Supporting Directed Motility

The integration of active transport into nanodevices greatly expands the scope of their applications. Molecular shuttles represent a nanoscale transport system driven by biomolecular motors that permits the transport of molecular cargo under user-control and along predefined paths. Specifically, we utilize functionalized microtubules as shuttles, which may be transported by kinesin motor proteins along photolithographically defined tracks on a surface. While it was thought that efficient guiding along these tracks requires a combination of surface chemistry and topography, we show here that channel-like tracks with a particular wall geometry can be created to efficiently guide microtubules in the absence of selectively adsorbed motor proteins. This new wall geometry consists of an undercut 200 nm high at the bottom of the channel wall fabricated by image reversal photolithography using AZ5214 photoresist. Microtubules move unencumbered in the undercut, suggesting applications for nanofluidic systems and for in vitro motility assays mimicking the restricted environment characteristic of intracellular transport. Because adsorbed kinesin supports motility on top and bottom surfaces of the guiding channels, this guiding mechanism may serve as a first step toward the development of three-dimensional architectures.
Nonstrange quark mass in the bag model

The MIT bag model of the nucleon is extended to include the effect of finite nonstrange quark mass. If the nucleon axial-vector coupling constant is used to fix the quark mass, then using g/sub A/ = 1.25 we find m = 122 MeV for the mass of the degenerate up and down quarks. Other attributes of the nucleon are evaluated in this model, and the limiting case of infinite quark mass is studied as a check on the calculation. (AIP)
Solar wind models with Alfven waves

Solutions to the one-fluid solar-wind equations that include pressure and heating due to outwardly propagating Alfven waves are presented. The solutions are given for two forms of the heat flux: the classical Spitzer (1962) formula and a 'collisional' heat flux. Both high-speed and low-speed solar-wind streams are considered. A comparison of solutions with and without waves shows that the solutions without waves cannot come close to reproducing observations of total mass and energy flux at 1 AU, while those with waves are capable of bringing nearly all flow variables into reasonable agreement with the observations. The required wave flux is found to be about 100,000 erg/sq cm per sec for the high-speed streams and an order of magnitude less for the low-speed streams. It is concluded that the pressure and heating due to outwardly propagating Alfven waves are important elements of solar-wind dynamics that cannot be neglected and that wave heating is especially important for the protons in high-speed streams.
Freezing in non-acclimated oats. II: Thermal response and histology of recovery in gradual and rapidly frozen plants

Freezing in winter cereals is a complex phenomenon that can affect various plant tissues differently. To better understand how freezing affects specific tissue in the over wintering organ (crown) of winter cereal crops, non-acclimated oats (Avena sativa L.) were gradually frozen to −3 ◦ C and tissue damage during recovery was compared to plants that had been supercooled to −3
Ceramic and organic insulators for fusion applications

Abstract Fusion insulator requirements, operating conditions, and anticipated performance of candidate materials are reviewed, with emphasis on recent developments. Critical problem areas are highlighted, and research and development activities needed to meet the demands of advanced fusion devices are identified.
Intraplate earthquakes in the southwest Pacific Ocean Basin and the seismotectonics of the southern Tasman Sea

An examination of 311 intraplate earthquakes in the Australian plate portion of the Pacific Ocean basin reported from 1918 to 1990 reveals that only 113 events are reliably intraplate, with most of the rest relocating to active trenches and transforms. The non-random distribution of the reliably intraplate events gives insight into the tectonic stresses present. The central Tasman Sea is mostly aseismic except for a swarm of activity at the predicted site of the Tasmantid hot spot. To the north, the broad regions of the Coral Sea, South Fiji Basin and Lord Howe Rise show very little intraplate seismicity, yet the narrow Norfolk Ridge and Three Kings Rise, caught between the double convergence of the New Hebrides and Tonga subduction zones, support many more earthquakes. High levels of intraplate seismicity in the southern Tasman Sea adjacent to the Macquarie Ridge Complex (MRC) indicate that this region may be undergoing internal deformation due to the unusual nature of the Australia-Pacific plate boundary. Additional support exists in the form of intraplate focal mechanisms similar to those at the plate boundary and a set of parallel gravity rolls which are observed in recent geoid maps. Some aftershocks of the Mw = 8.2 Macquarie Ridge earthquake of 1989 occurred in a fracture zone west of the Macquarie Ridge Complex [Das, 1992], but we have found several earthquakes from as early as 1924 which relocate to this feature, suggesting that its reactivation may be more significant than previously thought. This reactivation of a fossil fracture zone may be the result of the increasing amount of oblique convergence between the Australia and Pacific plates at the Macquarie Ridge Complex, formerly a spreading center, and the stresses associated with subducting recently formed Australian ocean crust beneath the older Pacific plate.
Vision Guided Landing of an Autonomous Helicopter in Hazardous Terrain

Future robotic space missions will employ a precision soft-landing capability that will enable exploration of previously inaccessible sites that have strong scientific significance. To enable this capability, a fully autonomous onboard system that identifies and avoids hazardous features such as steep slopes and large rocks is required. Such a system will also provide greater functionality in unstructured terrain to unmanned aerial vehicles. This paper describes an algorithm for landing hazard avoidance based on images from a single moving camera. The core of the algorithm is an efficient application of structure from motion to generate a dense elevation map of the landing area. Hazards are then detected in this map and a safe landing site is selected. The algorithm has been implemented on an autonomous helicopter testbed and demonstrated four times resulting in the first autonomous landing of an unmanned helicopter in unknown and hazardous terrain.
Effects of short-term oilseed supplementation on plasma fatty acid composition, progesterone and prostaglandin F metabolite in lactating beef cows.

Twenty-four 3-year-old Angus cows (512.2±21.6 kg) and six ruminally cannulated beef heifers (523.1±16.9 kg) were used to determine the impact of feeding oilseeds starting at the beginning of estrous synchronization until maternal recognition of pregnancy on plasma fatty acid composition. Starting ~60 days postpartum cows were synchronized with the Select Synch+controlled internal drug-release (CIDR) device and timed artificial insemination (AI) protocol. The day CIDR was inserted; cattle were randomly assigned to one of the three treatments being grazing only (CON) or a supplement containing whole soybeans (SOY); or whole flaxseed (FLX). Cattle continued to receive these diets for 28 days. Blood was collected every 3 days until 10 days after insemination and then every day until 18 days after insemination. All cattle grazed a common pasture and supplemented cattle were individually fed their respective supplements once daily. Ruminally cannulated heifers were used to evaluate the impact supplements had on forage intake, which was reduced (P=0.05) with oilseed supplementation. Feeding oilseeds increased total fatty acid intake (P<0.001) across treatments with SOY having greater (P<0.001) 18:2n-6 intake than either CON or FLX. Likewise, cattle fed FLX had greater (P<0.001) 18:3n-3 intake than either CON or SOY. There was a treatment×time interaction (P⩽0.05) for all fatty acids identified except for 20:5n-3 (P=0.99). Within 3 days after the start of supplementation, plasma concentrations of 18:2n-6 increased (P<0.001) for cattle fed SOY compared with CON or FLX, whereas flax-fed cattle did not exhibit an increase (P=0.02) until day 15 of supplementation over that of CON. Plasma concentrations for 18:3n-3 was greater (P<0.013) for FLX than both CON and SOY by day 12. Feeding flaxseed tended to (P=0.07) increase and increased (P=0.01) plasma concentrations of 20:4n-6 by day 18 over CON and SOY, respectively. Overall, treatment did not affect serum concentration of progesterone (P=0.18) or prostaglandin F metabolite (P=0.89). However, day after breeding had an effect on serum progesterone (P=0.01) with day 16 after timed AI being lower compared with other days. Feeding oilseeds during the time of estrous synchronization will not only increase the energy density of the diet but will provide key fatty acids around the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy.
Psychomotor and spatial memory performance in aging male Fischer 344 rats

Abstract Psychomotor and spatial memory performance were examined in male Fischer 344 rats that were 6, 12, 15, 18, and 22 months of age, to assess these parameters as a function of age and to determine at what age these behaviors begin to deteriorate. Complex motor behaviors, as measured by rod walk, wire suspension, plank walk, inclined screen, and accelerating rotarod performance, declined steadily with age, with most measures being adversely affected as early as 12 to 15 months of age. Spatial learning and memory performance, as measured by the working memory version of the Morris water maze (MWM), showed decrements at 18 and 22 months of age (higher latencies on the working memory trial), with some change noticeable as early as 12–15 months of age (no improvement on the second trial following a 10-min retention interval); these differences were not due to swim speed. Therefore, complex motor and spatial memory behaviors show noticeable declines early in the lifespan of the male Fisher 344 rat. This cross-sectional age analysis study using the latest behavioral techniques determines the minimal age at which psychomotor and spatial learning and memory behaviors deteriorate; this information is important when planning for longitudinal studies where interventions are tested for their efficacy in preventing or restoring age-related behavioral deficits.
A novel GABA receptor modulates synaptic transmission from bipolar to ganglion and amacrine cells in the tiger salamander retina

We investigated the mechanisms underlying the modulation of transmitter release from bipolar cells. Three currents, measured under whole-cell patch clamp in the tiger salamander retinal slice, were used to identify the sites of modulation and to establish their pharmacological profile. (1) A light-elicited inhibitory current was measured in bipolar cells that could be blocked by picrotoxin. This input probably arrives via GABAergic amacrine cells since there is high GABA sensitivity at the bipolar cell terminals and little GABA sensitivity at the dendrites. (2) Voltage-gated barium currents were elicited by depolarizing voltage ramps in bipolar cells. These currents most likely flowed through the calcium channels that are associated with transmitter release at the bipolar terminal. Bath-applied GABA suppressed the barium currents. (3) Puffs of potassium at bipolar dendrites depolarized bipolar cells and elicited an excitatory synaptic current measured in amacrine and ganglion cells. The excitatory synaptic currents, which reflect bipolar cell transmitter release, were also blocked by bath-applied GABA. For all three currents, the effects of GABA could be reversed by picrotoxin, but not by bicuculline or SR95531. The pharmacological profile of the receptors mediating GABA suppression of the barium currents and of excitatory synaptic transmission is characteristic of GABAC receptors (Cutting et al., 1991; Polenzani et al., 1991; Shimada et al., 1992). GABA receptors at bipolar terminals gate a chloride conductance, and most were found to have the pharmacological properties of GABAC receptors (Lukasiewicz et al., 1994). By contrast, the GABA receptors on ganglion cells have been found to be the GABAA subtype (Lukasiewicz and Werblin, 1990; Lukasiewicz et al., 1994). These results suggest that GABA acts presynaptically at GABAC receptors at the bipolar cell terminals. The GABAC receptors open chloride channels that can modulate the release of excitatory transmitter. In some experiments, bicuculline or SR95531 reversed a component of the GABA suppression of synaptic transmission. This indicates that GABAA receptors may also play a role in modulating transmission between bipolar and ganglion cells.
Sudden cardiac death risk in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

It is well recognized that sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an infrequent, unpredictable, but catastrophic complication of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)1. In population-based studies the overall SCD rate is ∼1% per year among patients with a clinical diagnosis of HCM. A crucial aspect of the management of patients with HCM is an assessment of each individual patient's risk for SCD so that preventative strategies may be considered. Data on the effectiveness of any pharmacological strategy to prevent SCD are at best conflicting so that ultimately SCD risk stratification in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy comes down to assessing whether patients are potential candidates to receive implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). The ICD, while undeniably effective in aborting SCD, is associated with a considerable morbidity, especially in younger patients, and the decision to implant should not be taken lightly.2–4 Despite decades of investigation, our ability to risk stratify for SCD is imperfect at best, as evidenced by the fact that, even among patients with no discernible risk factors, SCD occurs at a rate of … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 507 284 8260, Fax: +1 507 266 0103, Email: ommen.steve{at}mayo.edu
Victimization and Criminal Behavior in Adolescence and Adulthood

Abstract The current paper, and the special journal issue that it introduces, focuses on one of the most enduring debates in criminology: whether individuals who break the law—either as children or adults—can change their behavior with assistance from professionals in the social service or correctional system. A key element of life-course criminology is the notion that “turning points” can be identified throughout offenders' lives that lead them toward—or turn them away from—criminality. The papers in this special issue fill many of the gaps in our knowledge in this important area. The volume includes more traditional research consistent with the “early victimization-later consequences” theme, as well as studies that explore the impact of adult life-course transitions on desistance from crime and victimization.
The developmental and molecular basis of allometry in Drosophila

260 The Developmental and Molecular Basis of Allometry in Drosophila Alexander W. Shingleton1, Jennifer A. Brisson2, David L. Stern3 1Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA 2University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (formerly of Princeton, jbrisson2@unl.edu) 3Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA Allometry is the scaling relationship between the size of an organism and the size of its constituent parts. Despite its obvious developmental and evolutionary importance, very little is known of the mechanisms that regulate allometries. Here, we look at one particular type of allometry—that created by rearing Drosophila under different nutritional conditions. Drosophila larvae that are fed increasingly suboptimal diets eclose into increasingly small adults with increasingly small body parts. Surprisingly, however, the male genitals remain approximately the same size under a range of nutritional conditions. The genitals therefore maintain a different allometric relationship with the body than other structures. The
Control of Body Temperature

The sections in this article are: 1 Development of the Model 2 Controlled System 2.1 Heat Loss to the Environment 2.2 Heat Production 3 Controlling System 3.1 Temperature Sensing System 3.2 Integrating System 3.3 Effector System 3.4 Heat Production — Work and Chill 3.5 Evaporative Heat Loss and Sweating 3.6 Blood Flow — Vasomotor 4 Performance of the Thermoregulation Model for Human Beings at Rest 5 Thermoregulation During Exercise 6 Evaluation of Model Performance
Time-Dependent Gas Kinetics in Tenuous Planetary Atmospheres: The Cometary Coma

Abstract The physics of steady and non-steady gas kinetic flow in the cometary coma has been explored using a new time-dependent kinetic model, which is based on Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) methods and has been developed to study problems where the gas is not in local thermodynamic equilibrium so the validity of hydrodynamical approaches is questionable. The model is also applicable to a class of tenuous planetary atmosphere problems in addition to comets, e.g., Io, Pluto, and the upper atmospheres of the terrestrial planets and Titan. The results for a strong 2-D axisymmetric subsolar gas jet in a moderate comet (a few times 10 28 molecules sec −1 ) show that kinetic (non-fluid) effects become important in the flanks of the jet and on the night side in the immediate vicinity of the nucleus. Although the inner coma remains non-spherical, there is considerable flow (15%) into the night hemisphere (even in this dust-less model) and day-to-night winds with speeds in excess of 350 m sec −1 are found near the terminator. Comparisons with new adaptive-grid hydrodynamic models show excellent agreement in the collisionally thick region of the jet, but more flow into the night side. A 1-D spherical steady-state model for six species (H 2 O, CO, OH, H 2 , O, and H) at Giotto Halley flyby conditions is compared with the Giotto data, and contrasted with past hybrid fluid/kinetic and recent iterative test particle kinetic models. Although the non-fluid nature of the 10 3 –10 5 km region of the coma is evident in all kinetic models and the qualitative behavior is similar, the ability of the DSMC model to include internal (rotational) energy causes it to yield lower kinetic temperatures for H 2 and OH and enables it to determine explicitly the decreasing efficiency of IR rotational cooling in the outer coma due to non-LTE effects. The capability to model time-dependent kinetics is the strength of the DSMC method. A calculation has been performed for the 7-day periodic variation of Halley and shows that the variation in gas production rate produces a consequent temporal/spatial variation in outflow velocity. It is found that the amplitude of the gas production rate variation in March 1986, when taken directly from the typical constant-velocity analysis of photometric observations of cometary radicals, underestimates the true production from the nucleus by about 20–25%. Therefore, the amplitude of the periodic variation in March should be as large as that measured for April 1986 where the velocity effects are nil.
The effect of support material on the transesterification activity of CaO–La2O3 and CaO–CeO2 supported catalysts

The effects of support materials—lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, γ-alumina, and ZSM-5—on the transesterification activity of CaO–La2O3 and CaO–CeO2 catalysts were investigated. The metal composition and surface acidity (or basicity) of the supported catalysts played a significant role in determining the activity of the catalyst. Results showed that both catalytic activity and basicity of the supported catalysts decreased in the following order: CaO–La2O3/La2O3 ≥ CaO–La2O3/CeO2 > CaO–La2O3/ZrO2 > CaO–La2O3/γ-Al2O3 > CaO–La2O3/ZSM-5 > CaO–La2O3/TiO2. In addition, leaching of Ca species from the catalyst was more pronounced with basic supports. However, Ca leaching could be minimized by coupling with La2O3 or CeO2 on an appropriate support. This was verified in a flow reactor study of the CaO–CeO2/La2O3 catalyst, where, over 200 h of continuous operation, the transesterification yield held constant at 88∼90% while the initial Ca concentration in the product decreased from 194 ppm to below 5.0 ppm after 144 h. This further suggests that Ca leaching had little long-term effect on the overall FAME activity of the catalyst.
Epilepsy in a representative series of Rett syndrome.

UNLABELLED In a representative series of 53 females with Rett syndrome (RS), aged 5-55 y, a history of epilepsy was present in 50 (94%), 45 of whom had 5-y active epilepsy. Compared with severe mental retardation in general, the median age of seizure onset was significantly later (4 vs 0.8 y) and partial complex seizures were more frequent (54% vs 23%). Neonatal seizures had occurred in only one and infantile spasms in none compared with 26% and 12%. After teenage, the severity of epilepsy tended to decrease, i.e. lower seizure frequency and relatively more partial seizures. The rate of being seizure-free for 1 y was 8% after 10 y and 40% after 27 y of epilepsy duration. Frequent seizures were associated with smaller head circumference. CONCLUSION This epilepsy profile could fit in with present-day knowledge of RS as a form of dendrito-synaptogenic developmental failure with mainly late postnatal consequences, as well as being a relatively stationary condition in adulthood.
Pentoxifylline improves short-term survival in severe acute alcoholic hepatitis: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract Background & Aims: An earlier pilot study from our liver unit suggested benefit from treatment with pentoxifylline (PTX), an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), in severe acute alcoholic hepatitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate this treatment in a larger cohort of patients. Methods: One hundred one patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (Maddrey discriminant factor ≥ 32) entered a 4-week double-blind randomized trial of PTX (400 mg orally 3 times daily) vs. placebo. Primary endpoints of the study were the effect of PTX on (1) short-term survival and (2) progression to hepatorenal syndrome. On randomization, there were no differences in demographic and clinical characteristics or laboratory values (including TNF) between the 2 groups. Results: Twelve (24.5%) of the 49 patients who received PTX and 24 (46.1%) of the 52 patients who received placebo died during the index hospitalization ( P = 0.037; relative risk, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.97). Hepatorenal syndrome was the cause of death in 6 (50%) and 22 (91.7%) patients ( P = 0.009; relative risk, 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.13–0.65). Three variables (age, creatinine level on randomization, and treatment with PTX) were independently associated with survival. TNF values on randomization were not predictive of survival; however, during the study period they increased markedly in nonsurvivors compared with survivors in both groups. Conclusions: Treatment with PTX improves short-term survival in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. The benefit appears to be related to a significant decrease in the risk of developing hepatorenal syndrome. Increasing TNF levels during the hospital course are associated with an increase in mortality rate. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;119:1637-1648
Eyedraw: a system for drawing pictures with eye movements

This paper describes the design and development of EyeDraw, a software program that will enable children with severe mobility impairments to use an eye tracker to draw pictures with their eyes so that they can have the same creative developmental experiences as nondisabled children. EyeDraw incorporates computer-control and software application advances that address the special needs of people with motor impairments, with emphasis on the needs of children. The contributions of the project include (a) a new technique for using the eyes to control the computer when accomplishing a spatial task, (b) the crafting of task-relevant functionality to support this new technique in its application to drawing pictures, and (c) a user-tested implementation of the idea within a working computer program. User testing with nondisabled users suggests that we have designed and built an eye-cursor and eye drawing control system that can be used by almost anyone with normal control of their eyes. The core technique will be generally useful for a range of computer control tasks such as selecting a group of icons on the desktop by drawing a box around them.
The Substrates and Functions of Emotion Feelings William James and Current Emotion Theory

Most psychologists identify James's theory of emotion with the idea that we experience emotion because we act, for example, feel angry because we strike. Yet, the idea about emotions that was most ...
NSAID-INDUCED POLYP REGRESSION IN FAMILIAL ADENOMATOUS POLYPOSIS PATIENTS

NSAIDs inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. In 1983, Waddell et al first reported that sulindac, a NSAID (Clinoril), caused regression of rectal adenomatous polyps in several patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, an inherited form of colorectal cancer. Subsequently, NSAIDs have been used as chemopreventive agents in animal carcinogenesis models and adenoma regression had been confirmed in human trials with sulindac. This article summarizes these developments and describes possible mechanisms of colorectal neoplasia chemoprevention.
Subdue the Senate: Machiavelli’s “Way of Freedom” or Path to Tyranny?

This article analyzes Machiavelli’s accounts of the historical figures Agathocles, Clearchus, Appius and Pacuvius to (1) accentuate the Florentine’s distinction between tyranny and civic leadership...
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

As this chapter will discuss, the discovery of imatinib has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It is a classic example of drug development based on the identification of a common molecular target involved in a signaling pathway. It was the first medication that inhibited a particular molecular target in the cell to treat a cancer type instead of as in earlier chemotherapy drugs that nonspecifically target rapid dividing cells. However, it is not considered curative. Furthermore, issues with imatinib resistance have emerged, which has led to the development of more targeted therapies to overcome resistance. Keywords: chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); imatinib; dasatinib; nilotininb; third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors