cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Total synthesis of the potent anti-inflammatory lipid mediator Protectin D1

Abstract The total synthesis of the potent anti-inflammatory lipid mediator Protectin D1 derived from docosahexaenoic acid, has been achieved. The chiral hydroxy-groups at C10 and C17 were obtained via a chiral pool strategy from (4 R )-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane and 3,4- O -isopropylidene-2-deoxy- d -ribose, respectively. Wittig reactions, Takai olefination, Pd 0 /Cu I Sonogashira coupling, and Zn(Cu/Ag) reduction completed the total synthesis of Protectin D1.
Self-Created Youtube Recordings of Microteachings: Their Effects upon Candidates' Readiness for Teaching and Instructors' Assessment

This study of action research, authored by three colleagues teaching the same teacher-education methods course but from different content areas, involves teacher-candidates' use of self-recorded limited-access YouTube videos to make their microteachings accessible to the authors, each of whom was teaching candidates of her or his content expertise in an online-only section of the course. Analysis of the candidates' video-recorded microteachings and of their comments in online course postings found that the use of videos were helpful in fostering candidates' readiness for student-centered teaching with effective methods for their respective content areas. The authors/instructors also found that the data from the videos enriched their assessments of such readiness.
Fatal Overdose Trends in Major us Cities: 1990–1997

(2001). Fatal Overdose Trends in Major us Cities: 1990–1997. Addiction Research & Theory: Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 425-436.
Effect of Foam Properties on Heat Transfer in High Temperature Open-Cell Foam Inserts

Light weight materials such as foams can be used in thermal protection and/or thermal insulation systems. At high temperature (>1000 K), thermal radiation may be important or dominate heat transfer in the foam; however, studies based on more detailed thermal radiation analysis are limited. In this study, foams are considered to be semitransparent, because radiation can penetrate through the pore (or void) space and/or foam skeleton (solid matrix), depending on the materials from which the foams are made. Of particular interest in this study is to understand how the properties such as foam material, porosity, pore size, etc. affect thermal and radiant energy transfer. Physical and mathematical models are developed to account for conduction and radiation (absorption, emission and scattering) in the porous material. The spectral extinction coefficients of SiC foams are measured experimentally in the laboratory at room temperature, and the radiative transfer equation is solved using the spherical harmonics P1-approximation. The predicted radiative heat fluxes in foams are compared with those based on the Rosseland diffusion approximation. Parametric calculations have been carried out, and the results are reported in the article for a range of parameters characterizing heat transfer in SiC foams of different porosities to identify desirable conditions for effectively reducing heat transfer in potential thermal protection concepts.
An Object-Oriented Data Management Model for Numerical Analysis in Computer-Aided Engineering

: This paper presents an object-oriented data management model for numerical analysis in computer-aided engineering. A data storage structure and an index system have been developed for complex data objects encountered in numerical analysis. As an example, the model is applied to the finite element analysis.
Direct-write of multi-layer tactile sensors

Direct-write of piezoresistive photopolymers is regarded as a promising means to produce compliant tactile sensors. In this work, a multi-layer compliant tactile sensor was developed using a hybrid manufacturing process including soft molding, micro-dispensing and photopolymerization processes. The working principle of the suggested sensor is to detect changes in resistance as it is deformed. A compliant skin structure was built layer-by-layer using a soft polyurethane material to cover the piezoresistive sensing elements. These sensing elements were created from stretchable photocurable conductive carbon nanotube (CNT)/prepolymer nanocomposites, which were deposited by the micro-dispensing process within the polyurethane skin layers and cured during the molding process. The fabricated tactile sensor consists of two layers of sensing elements within the skin structure; there are eight stretchable straight wires in each layer. The wires in the second layer were orthogonally placed on top of the first layer so that the sensor can detect various external forces/motions in two dimensions. The fabricated sensor was characterized by several experiments such as position, and 2D pattern detection. Finally, it is concluded that the tactile sensor using the hybrid manufacturing method and materials is promising for various applications such as robotics, prosthetics, and wearable electronics.
Metabolic actions of angiotensin II and insulin: a microvascular endothelial balancing act.

Metabolic actions of insulin to promote glucose disposal are augmented by nitric oxide (NO)-dependent increases in microvascular blood flow to skeletal muscle. The balance between NO-dependent vasodilator actions and endothelin-1-dependent vasoconstrictor actions of insulin is regulated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent (PI3K) - and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent signaling in vascular endothelium, respectively. Angiotensin II acting on AT2 receptor increases capillary blood flow to increase insulin-mediated glucose disposal. In contrast, AT1 receptor activation leads to reduced NO bioavailability, impaired insulin signaling, vasoconstriction, and insulin resistance. Insulin-resistant states are characterized by dysregulated local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Under insulin-resistant conditions, pathway-specific impairment in PI3K-dependent signaling may cause imbalance between production of NO and secretion of endothelin-1, leading to decreased blood flow, which worsens insulin resistance. Similarly, excess AT1 receptor activity in the microvasculature may selectively impair vasodilation while simultaneously potentiating the vasoconstrictor actions of insulin. Therapeutic interventions that target pathway-selective impairment in insulin signaling and the imbalance in AT1 and AT2 receptor signaling in microvascular endothelium may simultaneously ameliorate endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance. In the present review, we discuss molecular mechanisms in the endothelium underlying microvascular and metabolic actions of insulin and Angiotensin II, the mechanistic basis for microvascular endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance in RAAS dysregulated clinical states, and the rationale for therapeutic strategies that restore the balance in vasodilator and constrictor actions of insulin and Angiotensin II in the microvasculature.
Notes from the profession

Nikolaj Petrovic Poltoracky was born on February 16, 1921, in Istanbul, Turkey, into a Russian-speaking emigr? family of Ukrainian extraction. He studied at the Russian Gymnasium, and then at the University, in Sofia, Bulgaria, where one of his teachers was the well-known Chekov scholar and historian of Russian culture P.M. Bitsilli. After World War II Poltoracky studied at the Hochschule f?r Theologie und Philosophie at Regensburg, Germany, and received his doctorate at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1954 with a dissertation on Berdjaev's views of Russian history. He moved to the United States in 1955, taught Russian at the Army Language School in Monterey, California, and served as a research associate at Brooklyn College (1956-1958). He taught at Michigan State University from 1958 to 1967, serving as Director of its Program in Russian Studies. He left with the rank of professor, moving to the University of Pittsburgh, where he chaired the Depart ment of Slavic Languages and Literatures from 1967 to 1974. While at Michigan State University he had served as Assistant to the Director of the summer Graduate Program at Middlebury College, Vermont (1958-1965). He had also been a visiting professor at the University of California/Berkeley in 1966. Poltoracky continued as professor at Pittsburgh until his death, in Leningrad, on October 14, 1990.
A variable-control well placement optimization for improved reservoir development

Determination of well locations and their operational settings (controls) such as injection/production rates in heterogeneous subsurface reservoirs poses a challenging optimization problem that has a significant impact on the recovery performance and economic value of subsurface energy resources. The well placement optimization is often formulated as an integer-programming problem that is typically carried out assuming known well control settings. Similarly, identification of the optimal well settings is usually formulated and solved as a control problem in which the well locations are fixed. Solving each of the two problems individually without accounting for the coupling between them leads to suboptimal solutions. Here, we propose to solve the coupled well placement and control optimization problems for improved production performance. We present an alternating iterative solution of the decoupled well placement and control subproblems where each subproblem (e.g., well locations) is resolved after updating the decision variables of the other subproblem (e.g., solving for the control settings) from previous step. This approach allows for application of well-established methods in the literature to solve each subproblem individually. We show that significant improvements can be achieved when the well placement problem is solved by allowing for variable and optimized well controls. We introduce a well-distance constraint into the well placement objective function to avoid solutions containing well clusters in a small region. In addition, we present an efficient gradient-based method for solving the well control optimization problem. We illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms using several numerical experiments, including the three-dimensional PUNQ reservoir and the top layer of the SPE10 benchmark model.
Mode-Multiplexed Multi-Tb/s Superchannel Transmission With Advanced Multidimensional Signaling in the Presence of Fiber Nonlinearities

We have analyzed the possibility of long-haul superchannel transmission with an aggregate serial bit rate exceeding 1 Tb/s by using the mode-multiplexed multidimensional signaling. We considered nonbinary quasi-cyclic LDPC-coded OFDM signals transmitted over few-mode fibers (FMFs). The optimum vector-form nonlinear Schrodinger equation is developed to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Both the impacts of nonlinear effects and nonlinear interaction between spatial modes have been included through the modified nonlinear Schrodinger equation we applied for the FMF case. Both two-dimensional and optimized four-dimensional (4D) signal constellations have been considered. To overcome the constraints imposed by the linear and nonlinear impairments in FMF, we proposed the use of block-coded modulation with advanced channel estimation and compensation techniques. We verified by means of simulation that the transmission of an aggregate serial bit rate of 1.2 Tb/s over 3000 km is achievable with a proposed LDPC-coded QPSK-OFDM format, whereas superchannel transmission with an aggregate serial rate of 2.4 Tb/s over 1800 km is achievable with the 16-QAM format. When a 4D 16-ary optimized constellation is used, we can extend the transmission distance of mode-multiplexed QPSK-OFDM by an additional 300 km.
Efficacious in vivo Electrophysiological Screening of Neuromodulatory Compounds: Using Drosophila to Evaluate the Activity of Conotoxins

Finding compounds that affect neuronal function is central for the development of probes or potential therapeutic agents. We have devised an efficacious approach that allows the “unbiased” screening for biological activity of compounds in vivo against molecular targets on various types of neurons with cholinergic, glutamatergic or electrical synapses and muscles. For this, we use the Giant Fiber System, which is a simple neuronal circuit that mediates the escape response in the fly. The giant fiber cell bodies and dendrites are localized in the brain and each extends a single axon into the second thoracic neuromere, where it makes a mixed electrical (GAP junctions) and chemical (ACh neurotransmitter) synapse on the tergo trochanteral motorneuron, which further innervates the jump muscle. The GF also connects to a peripheral synapsing interneuron (PSI), which makes a cholinergic synapse onto the dorsal longitudinal motorneurons (DLM). Both the TTM and the DLM neuromuscular junctions are using glutamate as the neurotransmitter. Here, we show that we are able to routinely screen components of the venom of cone snails by injecting then into the fly while continuing the recordings from GF circuit allowing us to instantly determine whether a compound has an effect on neurons or muscles of this neuronal circuit. Components of the venom of cone snails have been shown to elicit a wide range of physiological effects and are well-established neuronal probes or drug-lead candidates. The use of the tiny drosophila (a model organism) to evaluate the activity of conotoxins represents an efficacious in vivo assay that can be expanded to evaluate other compounds.
The vasopressin-sensitive adenylate cyclase in collecting tubules and in thick ascending limb of Henle's loop of human and canine kidney.

The major tubular effects of [8-Arg]vasopressin (AVP) in regulation of renal water excretion are initiated by stimulation of adenylate cyclase (AdC) coupled with V2 receptors. We explored whether the AVP-sensitive AdC is present in both collecting tubules and the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop of human and canine kidney. In cortical collecting tubule (CCT) and medullary collecting tubules (MCT) of human kidney, AdC was markedly stimulated by AVP [maximum change from basal level (Δ), +2700%] and the the nonhormonal stimulatory agent forskolin (Δ, +2000%). In human CCT, the effects of both compounds were synergistic. In contrast, AVP had no effect on AdC in either the medullary (MAL) or cortical (CAL) segment of the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop of human kidney; AVP also did not stimulate AdC in CAL or MAL in the presence of forskolin. Similar to that in the human kidney, in the canine kidney, AdC in CCT and MCT was markedly stimulated by AVP and forskolin (Δ, +1000%), but AVP had no effect on ...
Can the communion of saints help the search for justice in dying well (enough), “in Abraham's arms, where Lazarus is poor no longer”?

How can we practice dying in community? What communal practices nourish positive acts that make dying well (enough)—more than prudent caution in avoiding causing death (killing)? What part of our common ecclesial life as Catholics enables us to accompany dying persons as a gracious return to God? We are twice haunted: most first world deaths result from foreseen end-stage illnesses; mortality is less feared than burdensomeness for caregivers from vulnerable dependence. Of those who die in the hospital, many deaths result from decisions to withhold and withdraw treatments. From ten kinds of desolation about dying, ten parallel consolations are discerned in hopes and outcomes-based best practices.
Increased dietary fat contributes to dysregulation of the LKB1/AMPK pathway and increased damage in a mouse model of early stage ethanol-mediated steatosis

Abstract Objective The objective of the study was to examine the interaction of moderate and high dietary fat and ethanol with respect to formation of steatosis and regulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in a mouse model of chronic ethanol consumption. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were pair-fed a modified Lieber–DeCarli diet composed of either moderate fat [30% fat-derived calories (MF)] or high fat [45% fat-derived calories (HF)] combined with increasing concentrations of ethanol (2%–6%) for 6 weeks. Results Chronic ethanol consumption resulted in significant increases in plasma alanine aminotransferase in MF (1.84-fold) and HF mice (2.33-fold), yet liver triglycerides only increased significantly in the HF model (1.62-fold). Ethanol addition significantly increased plasma adiponectin under conditions of MF but not HF. In combination with MF, the addition of ethanol significantly decreased total and hepatic pThr172AMPKα and acetyl CoA Carboxylase (ACC). HF plus ethanol decreased pSer108AMPKβ, yet a marked 1.5-fold increase in pThr172AMPKα occurred. No change was evident in pSer79ACC under conditions of ethanol and HF ingestion. In both models, nuclear levels of sterol response element binding protein 1c and carbohydrate response element binding protein were decreased. Surprisingly, MF plus ethanol significantly elevated protein expression of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD) and very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase but did not significantly affect mRNA expression of other proteins involved in β-oxidation and fatty acid synthesis. HF plus ethanol significantly reduced mRNA expression of both stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 and fatty acid elongase 5, but did not have an effect on MCAD or LCAD. Conclusion These data suggest that, when co-ingested with ethanol, dietary fat differentially contributes to dysregulation of adiponectin-dependent activation of the AMPK pathway in the liver of mice.
A teleosemantic approach to information in the brain

The brain is often taken to be a paradigmatic example of a signaling system with semantic and representational properties, in which neurons are senders and receivers of information carried in action potentials. A closer look at this picture shows that it is not as appealing as it might initially seem in explaining the function of the brain. Working from several sender-receiver models within the teleosemantic framework, I will first argue that two requirements must be met for a system to support genuine semantic information: 1. The receiver must be competent—that is, it must be able to extract rewards from its environment on the basis of the signals that it receives. 2. The receiver must have some flexibility of response relative to the signal received. In the second part of the paper, this initial framework will be applied to neural processes, pointing to the surprising conclusion that signaling at the single-neuron level is only weakly semantic at best. Contrary to received views, neurons will have little or no access to semantic information (though their patterns of activity may carry plenty of quantitative, correlational information) about the world outside the organism. Genuine representation of the world requires an organism-level receiver of semantic information, to which any particular set of neurons makes only a small contribution.
Differentiation of chloroplast lamellae onset of cation regulation of excitation energy distribution

Abstract A parallel pattern of appearance of (i) divalent cation regulation of excitation energy distribution, (ii) low affinity divalent cation binding sites, and (iii) synthesis of a light-harvesting chlorophyll a b protein were observed in greening chloroplast membranes. It is suggested that the pigment-protein complex possesses binding sites for cations. Cation binding to these sites may be involved in the primary process regulating excitation energy distribution between photosystems I and II.
An In Vitro Fluid Dynamic Study of Pediatric Cannulae: The Value of Animal Studies to Predict Human Flow

A challenge to the development of pediatric ventricular assist devices (PVADs) is the use of the aortic cannulae attached to the devices. Cannulae used for pediatric application have small diameters and large pressure drops. Furthermore, during the development of the 12cc Penn State pediatric PVAD, particle image velocimetry (PIV) illustrated that hematocrit levels, through changes in blood viscoelasticity, affected the fluid dynamics. The objective of this study is to compare the fluid dynamics of a pediatric viscoelastic blood analog and a goat viscoelastic blood analog within the PVAD aortic cannula. Two acrylic models were manufactured to model the aortic cannula (6 mm and 8 mm diameters). PIV data was collected to examine the flow at the outlet of the VAD and in the aortic cannula at heart rates of 50 and 75 beats per minute (bpm). Three planes of data were taken, one at the centerline and two 1.5 mm above and below the centerline. Three more planes of data were taken orthogonal to the original planes. While a 75 bpm heart rate was used to represent normal operating conditions, a 50 bpm heart rate represented use of the PVAD during weaning. At 75 bpm, differences were evident between the two different fluids and the two models. Separation zones developed in the plane below the centerline for the higher hematocrit pediatric blood analog. This study raises question to the usefulness of animal testing results in regard to how well they predict the outcome of pediatric patients.
Recoverable strains in shape-memory polycrystals

Many alloys display the shape-memory effect in single crystal form, however the degree to which they retain this effect in polycrystalline form varies widely. We propose a theoretical explanation for this difference, showing that the recoverable strain of a polycrystal depends on the texture of the polycrystal, the transformation strain of the underlying martensitic transformation and especially critically on the change of symmetry during the underlying transformation. Roughly, we find that the greater the change in symmetry during transformation, the greater the recoverable strain. Our results agree with experimental observations, and provide guidance for the improvement of the shape-memory effect in polycrystals.
Numerical computation of base flow for a missile in the presence of a centered jet

Abstract : A thin-layer Navier-Stokes base flow code, developed for projectile aerodynamics, has been used to compute the missile base flow in the presence of a centered propulsive jet. The thin-layer, compressible, Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a time dependent, implicit numerical algorithm. Numerical computations have been made to predict the missile afterbody flow field for both jet-off and jet-on conditions. Solutions are obtained for an axisymmetric cylindrical afterbody where the free stream Mach number is 1.343 and the jet exit Mach number is 2.7. The exhaust jet static pressure is 2.15 times the free stream static pressure. Computed results show both qualitative and quantitative features of the base region flow field.
Vaginal childbirth and pelvic floor disorders

Childbirth is an important event in a woman's life. Vaginal childbirth is the most common mode of delivery and it has been associated with increased incidence of pelvic floor disorders later in life. In this article, the authors review and summarize current literature associating pelvic floor disorders with vaginal childbirth. Stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are strongly associated with vaginal childbirth and parity. The exact mechanism of injury associating vaginal delivery with pelvic floor disorders is not known, but is likely multifactorial, potentially including mechanical and neurovascular injury to the pelvic floor. Observational studies have identified certain obstetrical exposures as risk factors for pelvic floor disorders. These factors often coexist in clusters; hence, the isolated effect of these variables on the pelvic floor is difficult to study.
Climate‐driven generation of a fluvial sheet sand body at the Paleocene–Eocene boundary in north‐west Wyoming (USA)

An unusually thick and laterally persistent fluvial sand body crops out at the Paleocene–Eocene boundary within the northern part of the Bighorn Basin in northwest Wyoming, USA. The generation of this ‘Boundary Sandstone’ was previously ascribed to a period of reduced subsidence; however, a new carbon isotope record presented herein shows it to be intimately correlated to the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), an extreme global warming event ca. 56 Ma. This study evaluates the impacts of the PETM on fluvial deposition in the basin by integrating sedimentological data with geochemical, palaeoichnological, and palaeobotanical proxy records. Compared to pre- and post-PETM fluvial sand bodies, the Boundary Sandstone is more highly amalgamated, both vertically and laterally, but shows no changes in lithofacies associations, palaeodispersal directions,palaeoflow depths, or palaeochannel widths. At its thickest, the Boundary Sandstone resides entirely within the main body of the PETM, an ca. 113 kyr time interval when global pCO2 levels and temperatures were at their highest, and local mean annual rainfall low, floodplains well drained and vegetation comparatively sparse. The totality of data sets imply that the Boundary Sandstone is related to the preferential removal of fine-grained floodplain deposits by either: (i) rapid readjustments in river gradients related to documented short-term precipitation oscillations or (ii) reductions in the cohesiveness of overbank sediments related to decreased rooting density and water table fluctuations. Hence, short-term climate perturbations may manifest within large-scale depositional patterns in ways ostensibly like tectonics.
Location of the 11 bp exon in the chicken pro α2(I) collagen gene

During the fine structural analysis of the 5' end of the 38 kb chicken pro alpha 2(I) collagen gene, we failed to locate an exon, only 11 bp in size, which had been predicted from the DNA sequence analysis of a cDNA clone complementary to the 5' end of the pro alpha 2(I) collagen mRNA (1). We know report the location of this 11 bp exon, exon 2, at the 5' end of a 180 bp Pst I fragment, 1900 bp 3' to exon 1 and 600 bp 5' to exon 3. Its sequence, ATGTGAGTGAG, is highly unusual in that it contains two overlapping consensus donor splice sequences. Moreover, it is flanked by two overlapping donor splice sequences but only one of the four splice sequences is actually spliced (1). The first half of intron 1 also has an unusual sequence: it is 68% GC, contains 88 CpG dinucleotides and 11 Hpa II sites. The second half is more like other intron sequences in the collagen gene with a GC content of 41%, 19 CpG, and no Hpa II sites. However it contains two sequences with 7 and 9 bp homology to the 14 bp SV40 enhancer core sequence. It is suggested that some part of intron 1 may be involved in regulation.
South Pole paleowind from automated synthesis of ice core records

[1] We develop a fully automated reconstruction of South Pole surface roughness as a measure of past wind intensity, using dynamic warping feature recognition and internal consistency checks to reduce subjectivity and analysis time. We synchronized millimeter-resolution optical profiles of deep South Pole glacial dust together with ice core data between the ages 26 and 90 thousand years B.P. The images were captured using a laser dust logger in six boreholes of the IceCube neutrino detector array, a massive construction project in the ice at South Pole and an unusual opportunity for glaciology and paleoclimate research. South Pole surface roughness anticorrelated with curves of Antarctic pCO2 and temperature, which we propose were connected through secular migrations of the Southern Hemisphere westerlies. This new paleoclimate signal may be direct evidence of atmospheric reorganization during the glacial, helping to deconvolve the thermodynamics and biogeochemistry of climate change. We also found that local intensity of atmospheric circulation roughly tracked the quantity of wind-borne particulates deposited in Antarctic ice during the glacial period, although the largest dust increases were likely furnished by the source regions.
Microstructural stability of fcc-γ+B2-β coatings on γ substrate in Ni–Cr–Al system — A phase field model study

Abstract A two-dimensional phase field model was employed to examine the evolution of interdiffusion microstructures in ternary Ni–Cr–Al solid-to-solid diffusion couples containing fcc-γ and γ + β (fcc + B2) alloys. Alloys of varying compositions and volume fractions of the second phase (β) were examined to simulate the dissolution kinetics of the β phase (i.e., recession of γ + β two-phase region) observed in γ vs. γ + β diffusion couples. Simulation results showed that the rate of recession of γ + β two-phase region was dependent on the composition of the single-phase γ alloy and the volume fraction of the β phase in the two-phase alloy of the couple. Specifically, the higher the Cr and Al content in the γ alloy and the higher the volume fraction of β in the γ + β alloy lower is the rate of dissolution. Although the volume fraction played a role, the concentration gradients of Al and Cr in the γ phase (e.g., between the matrix of γ + β alloy and single-phase γ alloy) also influenced the recession of the β phase. Simulated results were found to be in good agreement with the experimental observations in ternary Ni–Cr–Al solid-to-solid diffusion couples containing γ and γ + β alloys.
Modulation by cyclic GMP of the odour sensitivity of vertebrate olfactory receptor cells

Recent evidence has indicated a significant role for the cGMP second messenger system in vertebrate olfactory transduction but no clear functions have been identified for cGMP so far. Here, we have examined the effects of 8-Br-cGMP and carbon monoxide (CO) on odour responses of salamander olfactory receptor neurons using perforated patch recordings. We report that 8-Br-cGMP strongly down-regulates the odour sensitivity of the cells, with a K1/2 of 460 nM. This adaptation-like effect can be mimicked by CO, an activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase, with a K1/2 of 1 microM. Sensitivity modulation is achieved through a regulatory chain of events in which cGMP stimulates a persistent background current due to the activation of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. This in turn leads to sustained Ca2+ entry providing a negative feedback signal. One consequence of the Ca2+ entry is a shift to the right of the stimulus-response curve and a reduction in saturating odour currents. Together, these two effects can reduce the sensory generator current by up to twenty-fold. Thus, cGMP functions to control the gain of the G-protein coupled cAMP pathway. Another consequence of the action of cGMP is a marked prolongation of the odour response kinetics. The effects of CO/cGMP are long-lasting and can continue for minutes. Hence, we propose that cGMP helps to prevent saturation of the cell's response by adjusting the operational range of the cAMP cascade and contributes to olfactory adaptation by decreasing the sensitivity of olfactory receptor cells to repeated odour stimuli.
Severely symptomatic mitral stenosis with a low gradient: a case for low-technology medicine.

Abstract We have observed a group of patients with mitral valve disease and severe symptoms but also with low transmitral gradients and normal cardiac outputs who defy the traditional hemodynamic explanation of mitral stenosis. We performed a 10-year retrospective chart review of all mitral valve replacements at our institution to further characterize this population. The study group consisted of 16 of 132 patients (12%) with symptomatically severe (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class 3.3 ± 0.5) mitral stenosis but a low ( 2 ). Sixteen patients were randomly chosen from the remaining group to serve as a comparison population. Study patients were noted to have less atrial fibrillation, lower wedge and mean pulmonary artery pressures, and a higher incidence of subvalvular disease identified at the time of surgery than did the comparison population. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and cardiac output did not differ. Study patients did well with surgery and reported an excellent functional benefit. We believe that this subgroup of patients with mitral valve disease is important, may be missed by using conventional criteria of valve area to determine timing of surgical intervention, and may have their symptoms primarily because of subvalvular disease. Further and perhaps most important, this group illustrates the ongoing need for careful clinical assessment skills and judgment in the face of ever-increasing technology.
Estrogen-induced alterations in the regulation of mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor messenger RNA expression in the female rat anterior pituitary gland and brain.

Abstract The influence of estrogen (E) on corticosterone (CORT) receptor function in neural tissue was investigated in female Sprague-Dawley rats. This was accomplished by using a sensitive solution-hybridization RNase protection assay to examine the effect of E on the regulation of CORT receptor mRNAs. Animals were bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX), and a Silastic capsule (0.5 cm) containing 17β-estradiol was sc implanted. Control animals received a blank capsule. Animals were killed 1, 7, or 21 days later. Anterior pituitary glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA levels were significantly lower ( P P P P P P P
An Invading Army: A Civil Gang Injunction in A Southern California Chicana/O Community

Over the past two decades, civil gang injunctions have been increasingly instituted in California, Texas, and other parts of the Southwest. Most of the existing research on injunctions focuses on the efficacy and constitutionality of this novel law enforcement tool and pay little attention to their contextual specifics. The following case study is meant to expand the discussion by examining why and how a small but eclectic cross-section of residents organized to oppose the institution of a gang injunction in Oxnard, California. It also shows how this opposition gained momentum by focusing on this gang injunction as a tool not for suppressing gang violence but for protecting the economic interests of elites in the revitalization of the city's downtown district. Finally, this analysis shows how local law enforcement cracked down on Chicana/o protesters of La Colonia barrio who exercised their constitutional rights of dissent, to peaceably assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances. This crackdown further marginalized this segment of the Oxnard community and ostensibly ended the career of this community's police chief.
Activity-Dependent IGF-1 Exocytosis Is Controlled by the Ca2+-Sensor Synaptotagmin-10

Synaptotagmins Syt1, Syt2, Syt7, and Syt9 act as Ca(2+)-sensors for synaptic and neuroendocrine exocytosis, but the function of other synaptotagmins remains unknown. Here, we show that olfactory bulb neurons secrete IGF-1 by an activity-dependent pathway of exocytosis, and that Syt10 functions as the Ca(2+)-sensor that triggers IGF-1 exocytosis in these neurons. Deletion of Syt10 impaired activity-dependent IGF-1 secretion in olfactory bulb neurons, resulting in smaller neurons and an overall decrease in synapse numbers. Exogenous IGF-1 completely reversed the Syt10 knockout phenotype. Syt10 colocalized with IGF-1 in somatodendritic vesicles of olfactory bulb neurons, and Ca(2+)-binding to Syt10 caused these vesicles to undergo exocytosis, thereby secreting IGF-1. Thus, Syt10 controls a previously unrecognized pathway of Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis that is spatially and temporally distinct from Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic vesicle exocytosis controlled by Syt1. Our findings thereby reveal that two different synaptotagmins can regulate functionally distinct Ca(2+)-dependent membrane fusion reactions in the same neuron.
Studies on hypoxia--I. Gross and histologic influences of maternal anoxia upon the developing rat foetus

Abstract As the first communication of a series to be reported, this article represents the result of a survey work which was designed to serve as the basis for further experimentation on the subject. Effects of maternal anoxia upon the developing rat foetus were studied by subjecting pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to an atmosphere of 100 per cent nitrogen for a total of 18 min on the 10th, 14th, 17th or 20th day of gestation and their offspring were then evaluated morphologically, radiographically, and histologically. All defects of skeletal morphology were found in newborns that were treated on the 10th day of gestation. The animals treated on the 20th day of gestation exhibited a consistent retardation in eruption of the molars. Histologically, a serious lag in the differentiation of epidermal and connective tissue cells was observed in animals subjected to anoxia on the 10th day, while an engorgement of the blood vessels was apparent in animals which were subjected to anoxia on the 20th day. These changes are discussed in relation to possible biochemical and physiologic effects of anoxia on these cells.
Studies on the Mechanism of the Epileptiform Activity Induced by U18666A. I. Gross Alteration of the Lipids of Synaptosomes and Myelin

U18666A, an inhibitor of desmosterol reductase (a terminal enzyme in cholesterol synthesis), has been found to produce chronic epileptiform activity in laboratory animals. Since desmosterol might substitute for cholesterol in neuronal membranes without detriment, the present study was undertaken to examine the possibility that this drug-induced epilepsy was related to changes in other brain lipids. Chronic treatment of rat with U18666A, beginning at one day of age, resulted in pronounced decreases in the concentration of phospholipids and increases in gangliosides of brain microsomal, synaptosomal, and crude myelin fractions. Since total sterol levels were not changed, the ratio of sterols to phospholipids also increased. If drug treatment was stopped at 4 weeks of age, brain lipids of all subcellular fractions examined returned to normal levels by 8 weeks, and no epileptiform activity was detected. However, following 8 weeks of continuous treatment, epileptiform activity was present, and the changes in brain lipids were focused in the myelin fraction. Phospholipid levels and the sterol:phospholipid ratio of microsomes and synaptosomes, in contrast to myelin, were near normal; however, gangliosides were still clearly elevated in all fractions. A reported ability to induce epileptiform activity in rats by treatment with antiserum to brain gangliosides could indicate a special significance of the altered myelin and synaptic gangliosides to the U18666A-induced epilepsy. We suggest that some epileptiform conditions could be directly related to alterations in the lipid composition of critical neuronal structures.
FRACTIONATED VS ACUTE IRRADIATION: THE EFFECTS OF TREATING ADULT BOLL WEEVILS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE) AT DIFFERENT AGES

When 6–7-days old mass-reared ebony boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were given 25 doses of γ-irradiation totaling 6625 rads, mortality was 14%–15% less 1 week later than when young weevils (1–2 day-old) were similarly treated. However, giving older weevils an acute dose of 6625 rads did not reduce mortality. Seven-day-old weevils receiving the acute treatment mated 10% more than weevils that were 3 days old at the time of treatment. Seven-day-old male weevils exposed to the fractionated treatment transferred sperm to 12% more females than 7-day-old males exposed to the acute treatment. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG FRAKTIONIERTE UND EINMALIGE BESTRAHLUNG: DIE FOLGEN DER ALTERUNG ADULTER ANTHONOMUS GRANDIS VOR DER BEHANDLUNG Adulte Anthonomus grandis Boheman aus einer Massenzucht wurden einer fraktionierten Behandlung mit 25 Portionen γ-Strahlung von total 6625 rad unterworfen. Wenn gealterte Kafer von 6–7 Tagen bestrahlt wurden, war ihre Mortalitat 1 Woche spater 14%–15% geringer als bei Kafern, die mit 1–2 Tagen behandelt worden waren. Wenn die Bestrahlung in einer einmaligen Dosis von 6625 rad erfolgte, war das Alter der Tiere ohne Bedeutung. Kafer, die mit 7 Tagen eine fraktionierte oder eine einmalige Behandlung erhalten hatten, kopulierten nur 9% und 10% sooft wie Kafer, welche dieselbe Behandlung mit 3 Tagen erhalten hatten. Kafer, die mit 7 Tagen fraktioniert behandelt worden waren, ubermittelten Spermien an 12% mehr Weibchen als Kafer, die mit 7 Tagen einmalig bestrahlt worden waren.
Introduction: The Aging Workforce: Challenges for Societies, Employers, and Older Workers

The aging of the baby boom cohorts poses challenges for societies, employers, and the baby boomers themselves: Will societies be able to sustain an exponentially increasing number of retirees and older workers? Will employers be prepared to accommodate an aging workforce, especially in times of economic recession? Will aging baby boomers desire and be able to postpone retirement and remain in their career jobs or seek bridge employment or be forced to do so out of financial necessity?
The study of childhood language disorders: nineteenth century perspectives.

Abstract Childhood language disorders have been known and studied at least as far back as the early nineteenth century. The results of the early investigations, however, have essentially been forgotten. The aim of this article is to recall the investigators of the nineteenth century and their findings. Throughout most of that period efforts were directed simply at establishing the existence of mutism without deafness or “idiocy.” In the last two decades an “information explosion” took place, authored by a small group of German-speaking physicians. On the basis of their clinical observations they described the disorders, offered theories on their nature and etiology, and devised therapy programs. These findings and theoretical constructions are presented, along with information on the probable sources of the authors' ideas. Although resemblances to modern concepts are often striking, it seems unlikely that the earlier work is the source of the more recent ones.
Speculum opening in transsphenoidal surgery.

OBJECTIVE To assess the extent to which the transsphenoidal speculum can be safely opened at the face of and within the sphenoid sinus without risking damage to the optic nerves in the optic canals and at the orbital apex and the nerves coursing adjacent the walls of the sphenoid sinus. METHODS The distance was measured between the optic nerves at the level of the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus and 0.5 and 1.0 cm within the sinus. In addition, the distance between the middle turbinates and the contralateral optic canals was assessed because this turbinate is the largest structure blocking access to the sphenoid sinus in the transsphenoidal approach and tends to force the speculum away from the midline and toward the optic nerve in the contralateral side of the approach. RESULTS Opening the transsphenoidal speculum at the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus beyond 2.5 centimeters carries some risk of damaging the optic nerves and this distance narrows when the speculum opening is positioned inside the sphenoid sinus. Displacement of the speculum to one side by the middle turbinate places the speculum near the contralateral optic nerve and may be associated with optic nerve injury with lesser degrees of speculum opening. CONCLUSIONS Careful attention should be directed to avoiding excessive opening of the transsphenoidal speculum at the anterior face of the sphenoid or within the sphenoid sinus.
Polyanhydride microspheres as drug carriers I. Hot-melt microencapsulation

Abstract Polyanhydride microspheres containing dyes (acid-orange),p-nitroaniline) or drugs (insulin) were prepared and evaluated for the purpose of creating a bioerodible system with the capability of producing controlled release for molecules of any size, including macromolecules. A “hot melt” microencapsulation method was employed. The model polymer used was poly[bis(p-itcarboxy phenoxy)propane anhydride], copolymerized with sebacic acid (PCPP-SA). The microspheres degrade heterogeneously when low levels of a hydrophilic drug are used; a well-defined degrading zone appears during the degradation process. Insulin-incorporated microspheres implanted into diabetic rats resulted in normoglycemia for a period of 3 to 4 days.
Hydergine treatment and psychophysiological measures in primary degenerative dementia.

Changes in smooth pursuit eye movements and the P300 component of the auditory evoked potential were studied in patients with primary degenerative dementia during a double-blind, placebo-controlled...
A method to account for acoustic microstreaming when predicting bubble growth rates produced by rectified diffusion.

A reinterpretation of existing theory for rectified diffusion, the process by which bubbles in a sound field may grow in radius, is presented in order to quantitate the effect of acoustic microstreaming on bubble growth rates. The 1/t term in the growth rate equation is defined as the ‘‘decay term’’ and t as the ‘‘decay time,’’ the time required for the gas concentration in the liquid contacting the bubble to rise (or fall) from its initial to its final value. In the absence of microstreaming, t is the duration of sonification. In the presence of microstreaming, t may be calculated from the streaming velocity and the bubble radius. A comparison between theory and the experimental results of Eller [A. Eller, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 46, 1246–1250 (1969)] and of Gould [R. K. Gould, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 56, 1740–1746 (1974)] shows reasonable agreement in the low kHz range. Theoretical results in the frequency range of 1–10 MHz at 1 and 4 bar are also presented.
Unsterile-active neutrino mixing: Consequences on radiative decay and bounds from the x-ray background

We consider a sterile neutrino to be an unparticle, namely, an unsterile neutrino, with anomalous dimension $\ensuremath{\eta}$ and study its mixing with a canonical active neutrino via a seesaw mass matrix. We show that there is no unitary transformation that diagonalizes the mixed propagator and a field redefinition is required. The propagating or ``mass'' states correspond to an unsterilelike and activelike mode. The unsterile mode features a complex pole or resonance for $0\ensuremath{\le}\ensuremath{\eta}l1/3$ with an ``invisible width'' which is the result of the decay of the unsterile mode into the active mode and the massless particles of the hidden conformal sector. For $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\ge}1/3$, the complex pole disappears, merging with the unparticle threshold. The active mode is described by a stable pole, but ``inherits'' a nonvanishing spectral density above the unparticle threshold as a consequence of the mixing. We find that the radiative decay width of the unsterile neutrino into the active neutrino (and a photon) via charged current loops, is suppressed by a factor $\ensuremath{\sim}[2{sin﻿}^{2}({\ensuremath{\theta}}_{0})\frac{{M}^{2}}{{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{2}}{]}^{\ensuremath{\eta}/(1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\eta})}$, where ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{0}$ is the mixing angle for $\ensuremath{\eta}=0$, $M$ is approximately the mass of the unsterile neutrino, and $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\gg}M$ is the unparticle scale. The suppression of the radiative (visible) decay width of the sterile neutrino weakens the bound on the mass and mixing angle from the x-ray or soft gamma-ray background.