cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Articulatory-acoustic vowel space: application to clear speech in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Background/purpose Individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) often exhibit decreased range of movement secondary to the disease process, which has been shown to affect articulatory movements. A number of investigations have failed to find statistically significant differences between control and disordered groups, and between speaking conditions, using traditional vowel space area measures. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate both between-group (PD versus control) and within-group (habitual versus clear) differences in articulatory function using a novel vowel space measure, the articulatory–acoustic vowel space (AAVS). Methods The novel AAVS is calculated from continuously sampled formant trajectories of connected speech. In the current study, habitual and clear speech samples from twelve individuals with PD along with habitual control speech samples from ten neurologically healthy adults were collected and acoustically analyzed. In addition, a group of listeners completed perceptual rating of speech clarity for all samples. Results Individuals with PD were perceived to exhibit decreased speech clarity compared to controls. Similarly, the novel AAVS measure was significantly lower in individuals with PD. In addition, the AAVS measure significantly tracked changes between the habitual and clear conditions that were confirmed by perceptual ratings. Conclusions In the current study, the novel AAVS measure is shown to be sensitive to disease-related group differences and within-person changes in articulatory function of individuals with PD. Additionally, these data confirm that individuals with PD can modulate the speech motor system to increase articulatory range of motion and speech clarity when given a simple prompt. Learning outcomes The reader will be able to (i) describe articulatory behavior observed in the speech of individuals with Parkinson disease; (ii) describe traditional measures of vowel space area and how they relate to articulation; (iii) describe a novel measure of vowel space, the articulatory–acoustic vowel space and its relationship to articulation and the perception of speech clarity.
Wide-area dynamic security region

This paper proposes a practical method to determine the wide-area dynamic security region of electrical power systems. The boundary of the security region can be approximated using its piecewise-linear approximation. The goal of this approximation is to find a minimum set of hyperplanes that describe the boundary with a given accuracy. Offline computer simulations are used to generate experimental data to build a set of hyperplanes, which form the Security Region for the Wide-area Interconnection. The hyperplanes will be used in real time with State Estimation data and PMU information to evaluate the current security margin and operational transfer capability, to determine the most limiting elements of the grid, and to select optimal remedial actions. Numerical simulations carried out on the WECC system have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach.
Parallelization in a spatially explicit individual-based ecological model—1: spatial data interpolation

Abstract In this paper, we compare parallel implementations for spatial data interpolation on two parallel computers, MasPar MP-2 and CM-5, with the sequential implementations on a serial computer, SUN SPARCStation 20/61. Performance statistics indicate that: (1) parallel implementations can attain significant speed improvements over sequential implementations in a long-term simulation (above 100 time steps); (2) a data parallel algorithm using the local map method performs better than the partitioned map method on the MasPar MP-2, but there is no significant difference between them on the CM-5; and (3) for the particular problem of spatial data interpolation, the SIMD parallel computer (the MasPar MP-2 with 4096 processor elements) performs better than the MIMD parallel computer (the CM-5 with 32 parallel processing nodes).
Homophobia and Use of Gay Affirmative Practice in a Sample of Social Workers and Psychologists

Abstract Researchers have previously found that social workers may be more homophobic than psychologists. This study revisits the topic and seeks to see if there are differences in the attitudes of social workers' and psychologists who are engaged in direct practice with clients. In addition, this study explores new territory by examining whether social workers and psychologists differ in their use of gay affirmative practice and discusses the impacts of these findings for gay and lesbian clients.
Growth characteristics and factors influencing growth in Bartter's syndrome

Studies on growth patterns of patients with Bartter's syndrome indicate that these patients are not dwarfs, as previously considered. They manifest severe growth retardation during infancy and early childhood, but have a delayed adolescent growth spurt sometime after the seventeenth year. Normal height is eventually attained. Correcting the potassium-deficient state and improving the hypokalemia with triamterene and oral potassium chloride has not improved the growth rate or patterns significantly, and the patients continue to remain below the third percentile during infancy, childhood, and early adolescence. One patient attained normal height and weight despite the absence of any treatment. Studies on the pituitary-adrenal axis show low basal 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids with reduced adrenocorticotropic hormone reserve following metyrapone. Elevated plasma insulin levels (at zero time, the patients' values ranged from 18 to 38 μU per milliliter; normal 10±2 S.D.) were found in all patients with or without abnormal glucose tolerance. The patients exhibited sensitivity to insulin and hypoglycemic unresponsiveness despite increased levels of plasma growth hormone (peak values 35 and 84 ng. per milliliter in the patients; normal 15.5±9.5 S.D.).
Biological Synthesis of Circular Polypeptides

Here, we review the use of different biochemical approaches for biological synthesis of circular or backbone-cyclized proteins and peptides. These methods allow the production of circular polypeptides either in vitro or in vivo using standard recombinant DNA expression techniques. Protein circularization can significantly impact protein engineering and research in protein folding. Basic polymer theory predicts that circularization should lead to a net thermodynamic stabilization of a folded protein by reducing the entropy associated with the unfolded state. Protein cyclization also provides a valuable tool for exploring the effects of topology on protein folding kinetics. Furthermore, the biological production of cyclic polypeptides makes possible the production of cyclic polypeptide libraries. The generation of such libraries, which was previously restricted to the domain of synthetic chemists, now offers biologists access to highly diverse and stable molecular libraries for probing protein structure and function.
SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC SEGREGATION IN THE 1990s

ABSTRACT:Suburbanization is changing the face of urban America. A common claim is that suburban sprawl has contributed to increasing levels of economic segregation, but few studies have directly tested this hypothesis. Using U.S. Census data for 1990 and 2000, this paper examines the trends in and the relationship between suburban development patterns and economic segregation in U.S. metropolitan areas. We find that economic segregation, as measured by the Neighborhood Sorting Index (NSI), declined during the 1990s, reversing the earlier trend. However, results from cross-sectional and fixed-effects regression models at the metropolitan level suggest that suburbanization, as measured by five different indicators, was a countervailing influence during the decade. Metropolitan areas that were suburbanizing more rapidly had smaller declines in economic segregation than comparable metropolitan areas.
Stochastic Dynamics in Near-Critical Supercritical Fluids

An extension of the generalized Langevin equation (GLE) is introduced in order to model diffusion processes in near-critical fluids. Unlike the standard GLE, this new approach allows a flexible des...
Mechanical Refrigeration and the Integration of Perishable Commodity Markets

Abstract In this paper, we provide a history of the economic impact of mechanical refrigeration in the United States. We also examine spatial and temporal aspects of market integration. Specifically, we examine seasonal fluctuations in prices and analyze regional integration of markets for butter. We test the null hypothesis of no integration before and after the advent and adoption of refrigerated shipping and warehousing using 31 years of monthly data. We find strong evidence of spatially integrated markets after adoption. Our results indicate that the adoption of mechanical refrigeration brought about a significant dampening of seasonal fluctuations of butter prices and a tightening of spatial price linkages. We conclude that the adoption of mechanical refrigeration had a significant impact on both temporal and spatial butter price relationships.
Sex-Role Egalitarianism and Androgyny: Discriminant Evidence

The two alternate full forms of the Sex-role Egalitarianism Scale and the full form of the Bern Sex-role Inventory were separately administered on three occasions to a college student sample of 99. Findings suggest that the attitudinal construct of egalitarianism and the gender trait of androgyny are not associated.
Feasibility of a health promotion intervention for a group of predominantly African American women with type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSEthis feasibility study was undertaken to determine if a group of predominantly low-income, low-education, African American women with type 2 diabetes could achieve good compliance and improv...
Explosions of adiabatically compressed gases in a constant volume bomb

Measurements of the explosion limits for fuel-air mixtures compressed by an expanding laminar flame front have been made in a constant volume bomb. The mixtures studied to date include normal pentane, hexane and heptane with fuel-air equivalence ratios in the range 0.8 to 1.3. An Arrhenius plot of the explosion density as a function of reciprocal temperature in the range 670 to 720 K is consistent with an activation energy of 51 kcal/mole. For fixed initial temperature and pressure the explosion density has a weak minimum at an equivalence ratio near =1.1 and decreases with increasing chain length. This behavior is in good agreement with observations made in rapid compression machines and spark ignition engines. A simple kinetic model based on a branched chain mechanism has been developed to correlate the data. In the first stage region the equations are linear and can be integrated approximately using the WKB method. The resulting expression gives an explicit connection between the explosion limit for gases undergoing adiabatic compression and the first stage induction time at constant density. Quantitative agreement between theory and experiment can be achieved with minor modifications in values of published rate constants.
Frequencies and predictors of barriers to mental health service use: a longitudinal study of Hurricane Ike survivors

Background The majority of disaster survivors suffering from psychological symptoms do not receive mental health services. Research on barriers to service use among disaster survivors is limited by a lack of longitudinal studies of representative samples and investigations of predictors of barriers. The purpose of this study was to address these limitations through analysis of a three-wave population-based study of Hurricane Ike survivors (N = 658).
Pragmatic Scruples and the Correspondence Theory of Truth

ABSTRACT: Cheryl Misak has offered a pragmatic argument against a position she calls “scientific transcendentalism.” Scientific transcendentalists hold that truth is something different from what would be believed at the end of inquiry; more specifically, they adhere to a correspondence theory of truth. Misak thinks scientific transcendentalists thereby undermine the connection between truth and inquiry, for (a) pragmatically speaking, it adds nothing to truth and inquiry to ask whether what would be the results of sufficiently rigorous inquiry are really true and (b) they can only accept it as an article of faith that inquiry leads us to truth. I defend “scientific transcendentalism” against Misak’s objections.
High Levels of Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite in Broiler Rations

Abstract A new compound, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (MPB) has been tested at our station and found to be an effective source of vitamin K activity for chickens. These results will be published elsewhere. MPB contains 45.5 percent chemically combined menadione and is water soluble. Since the compound is new, a toxicity study was conducted in order to establish its safety for use in chickens. In addition to collecting the usual performance data, certain determinations for carotenoids and vitamin A were made in order to determine if varying levels of MPB influence the utilization of these constituents. An interrelationship between vitamins A and K has been suggested in the literature as reviewed by Johnson (1964). Six dietary levels of MPB ranging from 0-2253 mg./kg. were fed in this study. Each diet was fed to replicate groups (25 per group) of straight-run broiler type chicks from 0–8 weeks of age. The birds…
Design and Synthesis of a Fluorescently End-Labeled Poly(β-amino ester): Application to the Characterization of Degradable Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

We report the synthesis of a fluorescently end-labeled analog of a synthetic and degradable cationic poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE; polymer 1) used in past studies for the delivery of DNA and the layer-by-layer assembly of erodible polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs). The synthesis of an analog of polymer 1 having acrylate functionalized end groups provided a platform for the introduction of fluorescent labels by post-polymerization conjugate addition of amine-functionalized fluorophores. This approach enabled the synthesis of fluorescently end-labeled polymer (polymer 1(FL)) with molecular weights and polydispersities (M(n) = 18,000; PDI ~1.8) similar to those used in past studies for the fabrication of PEMs using polymer 1. Layer-by-layer assembly of PEMs using polymer 1(FL) and poly(styrene sulfonate) enabled characterization of film erosion and, for the first time, direct observation of the release of cationic polymer from these assemblies using fluorescence microscopy and fluorometry. Our results shed new light on the behaviors of the cationic components of these PEMs and could prove useful for the design of thin films for a range of different controlled release applications. Our results also provide new fluorescent cationic polymer probes that could be useful for characterization of the behaviors of PBAEs in other fundamental or applied biotechnological contexts.
Matrix Rigidity Regulates Cancer Cell Growth and Cellular Phenotype

Background The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix have an important role in cell growth and differentiation. However, it is unclear as to what extent cancer cells respond to changes in the mechanical properties (rigidity/stiffness) of the microenvironment and how this response varies among cancer cell lines. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study we used a recently developed 96-well plate system that arrays extracellular matrix-conjugated polyacrylamide gels that increase in stiffness by at least 50-fold across the plate. This plate was used to determine how changes in the rigidity of the extracellular matrix modulate the biological properties of tumor cells. The cell lines tested fall into one of two categories based on their proliferation on substrates of differing stiffness: “rigidity dependent” (those which show an increase in cell growth as extracellular rigidity is increased), and “rigidity independent” (those which grow equally on both soft and stiff substrates). Cells which grew poorly on soft gels also showed decreased spreading and migration under these conditions. More importantly, seeding the cell lines into the lungs of nude mice revealed that the ability of cells to grow on soft gels in vitro correlated with their ability to grow in a soft tissue environment in vivo. The lung carcinoma line A549 responded to culture on soft gels by expressing the differentiated epithelial marker E-cadherin and decreasing the expression of the mesenchymal transcription factor Slug. Conclusions/Significance These observations suggest that the mechanical properties of the matrix environment play a significant role in regulating the proliferation and the morphological properties of cancer cells. Further, the multiwell format of the soft-plate assay is a useful and effective adjunct to established 3-dimensional cell culture models.
Theory of the sideband instability in free electron lasers

Abstract In a Compton-regime free electron laser a relativistic electron moves in the combined potential (ponderomotive potential) formed by the optical radiation field and the static magnetic field. If the energy of the electron, the wavelength of the light, and the period and strength of the static magnetic field are connected by the well-known resonance condition, the electron may exchange part of its energy with the radiation field during its transit through the interaction region (wiggler magnet). Whether the electron gains or loses energy is determined by the phase of its transverse motion with respect to the phase of the optical field. Satisfaction of the resonance condition implies that the relative phase between the light and the electron will vary slowly during the interaction time, thus allowing the possibility of net energy transfer. Consideration of the detailed dynamics of the electron motion shows that, as the electron's energy slowly changes, so does its phase with respect to the optical field. This motion may be described as an oscillation in the ponderomotive potential (synchrotron oscillation). The occurrence of synchrotron oscillations is a fundamental property of the theory of electron dynamics in a free electron laser at high optical intensities and therefore strongly affects the saturation properties of such a laser. In particular, such oscillations can couple the motion of an electron to light at other wavelengths and thus lead to the generation of sidebands on the frequency spectrum of the laser light. The appearance of such sidebands corresponds to a strong modulation of the temporal profile of the optical pulse and modifies the interaction of the light with the electron beam. A review of the theory of the sideband instability will be presented. Results from analytical and numerical studies on the growth and saturation of the instability will be reviewed. Modifications of the results due to two- or three-dimensional effects will be discussed, as will the effects of an imperfect electron beam. Experimental evidence of this effect will be reviewed.
MY01, a class XIV myosin, affects developmentally-regulated elimination of the macronucleus during conjugation of Tetrahymena thermophila.

Background information. Nuclear dimorphism is characteristic of ciliated protozoa. A transcriptionally-active macronucleus co-exists with a transcriptionally-silent micronucleus, which is activated only at conjugation. During conjugation, each conjugant develops two new genetically matched macronuclei and micronuclei, and the pre-existing macronucleus is eliminated. Elimination of the pre-existing macronucleus during conjugation is an apoptotic-like process. The macronucleus becomes highly condensed, DNA laddering occurs, caspase activity increases, acidic enzymes accumulate within the nucleoplasm, and the nucleus shrinks in size. The current study focused on the involvement of actin and myosin in nuclear events of conjugation. A myosin knockout strain was mated with wild-type, and the nuclear events were monitored with confocal microscopy. Results. Early nuclear events, including development of new macronuclei and micronuclei, appeared qualitatively normal in knockout conjugants. Completion of nuclear condensation and acidification in the pre-existing macronucleus was blocked in 44% of knockout conjugants. Knockout conjugants that failed to fully achieve nuclear condensation and acidification did not eliminate the pre-existing macronucleus. In control experiments, blockage of chromatin condensation, nuclear acidification, and macronuclear elimination was never observed in wild-type conjugants. Conclusions. Perturbation of either DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation or nuclear acidification can lead to blockage of apoptotic-like elimination of the macronucleus in MYO1-knockout conjugants. Consistent with the known motor function of myosins and the involvement of Myo1 in vesicle trafficking in Tetrahymena, we argue that Myo1 could specifically affect condensation of chromatin and acidification of the nucleus through direct interaction with chromatin and through Myo1-dependent vesicle trafficking to the nucleus.
Transcriptional Regulation of N-acetylaspartate Metabolism in the 5xFAD Model of Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence for Neuron-Glia Communication During Energetic Crisis

N-acetylaspartate (NAA) provides a non-invasive clinical index of neuronal metabolic integrity across the entire neurodegenerative spectrum. While NAA function is not comprehensively defined, reductions in the brain are associated with compromised mitochondrial metabolism and are tightly linked to ATP. We have undertaken an analysis of abnormalities in NAA during early stage pathology in the 5xFAD mouse model of familial Alzheimer's disease and show here that dysregulated expression of the gene encoding for the rate-limiting NAA synthetic enzyme (Nat8L) is associated with deficits in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in this model system. Downreguation of Nat8L is particularly pronounced in the 5xFAD hippocampus, and is preceded by a significant upregulation of oligodendrocytic aspartoacylase (aspa), which encodes for the sole known NAA-catabolizing enzyme in the brain. Reductions in 5xFAD NAA and Nat8L cannot be accounted for by discrepancies in either neuron content or activity of the substrate-providing malate-aspartate shuttle, thereby implicating transcriptional regulation in a coordinated response to pathological energetic crisis. A central role for ASPA in this response is supported by a parallel developmental analysis showing highly significant increases in Nat8L expression in an ASPA-null mouse model during a period of early postnatal development normally punctuated by the transcriptional upregulation of aspa. These results provide preliminary evidence of a signaling mechanism in Alzheimer's disease that involves cross talk between neurons and oligodendrocytes, and suggest that ASPA acts to negatively regulate Nat8L expression. This mechanism is proposed to be a fundamental means by which the brain conserves available substrate during energy crises.
User characteristics for overcoming bias and intrigue in travel searches

The internet continues to grow at an ever-increasing rate, with individuals receiving multiple responses to their online travel search queries. More than half of the individuals who search the internet are satisfied with their search results, but are unaware of the fact that the results which may appear first are most likely paid for by advertisers. In order to gain insight into the issues of bias susceptibility, an experiment was conducted to see how the attributes of trust, impatience, and search experience and search skill affected consumers' bias susceptibility. Those with a high degree of bias susceptibility are more likely to be tricked by bias information. Those with a low degree of bias susceptibility are predicted to be more likely to use multiple search interfaces to try to get more accurate and unbiased information.
Characterization of a mini ColE1 cloning vector.

Abstract Plasmid pHA105 (formerly pAC105), a mini ColE1 plasmid containing one restriction endonuclease EcoRI site, was further characterized using restriction endonuclease analysis thereby revealing its relationship to ColE1. The polypeptides specified by plasmid pHA105 in minicells are of low molecular weight making it a useful plasmid to define cloned polypeptides larger than 16,000 daltons and its use for that purpose was demonstrated. pHA105 was used to clone two different sized fragments of DNA containing the gal operon. pHA105 was also used to reclone a 2 Mdal fragment of DNA that, when expressed, represses the synthesis of capsular polysaccharide. The repression of polysaccharide synthesis was expressed when a plasmid containing one molecule each of pHA105 and the 2 Mdal fragment was prepared (pFM100). In contrast, a plasmid containing two copies of pHA105 and one of the 2 Mdal fragment (pHA138) did not repress polysaccharide synthesis. The results demonstrate that expression of a cloned fragment gene may be prevented in certain arrangements of the vector and cloned fragment. Plasmid pHA105 fails to exhibit relaxation after treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate in contrast to ColE1 treated in the same way. pHA105 replicates as a dimer form while ColE1 usually does not. A hypothesis that a function of a DNA-protein complex is required for monomeric DNA circle formation is discussed.
Offshore Gas Conservation Utilising A Turbo-Expander Based Refrigeration Extraction Cycle

Gas associated with the crude produced from Occidental's Piper Field is conserved by drying it and condensing out the heavier components. This renders the gas with water and hydrocarbon dew points acceptable for transfer to St. Fergus via Total's Frigg Field Pipeline. A process which includes a turbo expander/compressor is used to extract the condensate which is spiked into the crude pipeline for eventual recovery as liquid product and fuel gas at Flotta. The turbo expander can extract 30% more condensate than a simple Joule-Thompson expansion. Gas transferred to St. Fergus is 80% methane with a net calorific value of 1000 btu/scf and a water dew point of -20 F at 1700 psig.
A pilot study of rimantadine for patients with chronic hepatitis C unresponsive to interferon therapy.

A pilot study of rimantadine for patients with chronic hepatitis C unresponsive to interferon therapy
The Hamdan Case and Conspiracy as a War Crime A New Beginning for International Law in the US

In the Hamdan decision, Judge Stevens, writing for the majority, addressed the boundaries of the law of war and specifically whether the conspiracy charge lodged against Hamdan constituted a violation of this body of customary international law. The Supreme Court persuasively held that conspiracy does not constitute a war crime.
Comparative analysis of different methodological approaches to the in vitro study of drug-induced apoptosis.

Apoptosis is a dynamic process in which a characteristic morphological or biochemical event used in an assay as a specific marker of apoptosis may be observed over a limited period of time. Asynchronous involvement of cells in apoptosis results in different proportions of apoptotic cells with blebbed membrane, broken nuclei, modified mitochondrial units or fragmented DNA coexisting in the culture at any single moment. Thus, depending on the method used, the extent of apoptosis determined in the same cell population may vary. In the present study, a microculture kinetic (MiCK) assay was used to monitor apoptosis in HL-60 cells exposed to 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μmol/L etoposide and cisplatin. Both the extent and timing of apoptotic responses were dependent on the drug and drug concentration. Time-lapse video microscopy (TLVM), flow cytometry analysis of the light scattering properties of cells, morphological studies of Giemsa-stained cells, annexin V binding, and DNA fragmentation assays were performed at multiple times of cell exposure to 10 μmol/L etoposide and 5 μmol/L cisplatin. Steep linear increases in optical density, indicating apoptosis in the MiCK assay, correlated with both linear increases in the proportion of cells with plasma membrane blebbing in TLVM and with increased side scattering properties of apoptotic cells in flow cytometry. During a 24-hour culture period, the MiCK assay and TLVM provided multiple consecutive appraisals of nondisturbed cell microcultures at intervals of 5 and 2.5 minutes, respectively, and thus could be considered as real time kinetic assays. With the three endpoint assays, each of which was applied 12 times at 2-hour intervals, maximum apoptotic responses varied from 22.5 to 72% in etoposide-treated cells and from 30 to 57% in cisplatin-treated cells. With the annexin V binding assay, maximum apoptosis could always be detected 4 to 5 hours earlier than it was seen in Giemsa-stained preparations and 8 hours earlier than it was detected by measuring of DNA fragmentation. Values of the maximum extent of apoptosis varied, being the lowest with annexin V and the greatest with DNA fragmentation assays. The best correlations of both extent and timing of apoptosis were observed between the MiCK, TLVM, and morphological assays. In conclusion, both a maximum apoptotic response and the time at which it was achieved are the obligatory requirements for determining the apoptosis-inducing potency of an agent and for comparing results of studies performed in different laboratories.
U.S. Sugar Policy and the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Conflicts between Domestic and Foreign Policy Objectives

Conflicts between U.S. domestic and foreign policy objectives are becoming more common and apparent. This article compares objectives of the U.S. sugar program with those of the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Welfare effects of several proposals ameliorating these conflicts are estimated, and the implications of these conflicts for the U.S. sugar program are discussed.
Regulation of leukotrienes in the management of asthma: biology and clinical therapy.

Leukotrienes (LTs) are the ultimate synthetic product resulting from the intracellular hydrolysis of membrane phospholipid at the nuclear envelope in inflammatory cells. Activated cytosolic phospholipase (cPLA2) catalyzes the production of arachidonic acid, which is converted by cyclooxygenases into leukotriene A4 (LTA4) and subsequently into the chemotaxin LTB4, which has no direct bronchoconstrictor activity. In certain inflammatory cells, LTA4 is converted into the cysteinyl leukotriene (cysLT) LTC4, which is converted into LTD4 and finally to LTE4 after extracellular transport. All cysLTs occupy the same receptors and are extremely potent bronchoconstricting agents that are pathogenetic in both asthma and allergy. With the identification of the structure of the cysLT receptor, antileukotriene therapies have been developed that either (a) inhibit synthesis of leukotriene (through 5-lipoxygenase inhibition) or (b) block the cysLT receptor. Preliminary investigations indicate that corticosteroids also may partially block the synthesis of cysLT and that cysLTs may be chemotactic for other inflammatory cells, e.g. eosinophils, by a mechanism that has not yet been defined. Currently, anti-LT therapies are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only for patients with asthma. These drugs generally are moderately efficacious agents, although they are highly efficacious in aspirin-induced asthma (AIA). In other forms of asthma, inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy has been more effective than anti-LT therapy in improving air flow obstruction. However, anti-LT agents are additive to beta-adrenoceptor and ICS in their effects. Accordingly, anti-LT therapies are used frequently as supplemental treatments in asthmatic patients whose asthma is not optimally controlled by a combination of other drugs, including long-acting beta-adrenoceptor drugs and ICS agents. The growth of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) has been extraordinary in the United States. The exceptional safety of these agents and their ease of administration as tablets taken once or twice daily has spurred this growth. In the past year, the high-affinity cysLT receptor has been cloned. This holds forth the promise of a second generation of LTRA agents of even greater efficacy and possibly greater duration of action.
Motivational disturbances and effects of L-dopa administration in neurofibromatosis-1 model mice

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently have cognitive and behavioral deficits. Some of these deficits have been successfully modeled in Nf1 genetically-engineered mice that develop optic gliomas (Nf1 OPG mice). In the current study, we show that abnormal motivational influences affect the behavior of Nf1 OPG mice, particularly with regard to their response to novel environmental stimuli. For example, Nf1 OPG mice made fewer spontaneous alternations in a Y-maze and fewer arm entries relative to WT controls. However, analysis of normalized alternation data demonstrated that these differences were not due to a spatial working memory deficit. Other reported behavioral results (e.g., open-field test, below) suggest that differential responses to novelty and/or other motivational influences may be more important determinants of these kinds of behavior than simple differences in locomotor activity/spontaneous movements. Importantly, normal long-term depression was observed in hippocampal slices from Nf1 OPG mice. Results from elevated plus maze testing showed that differences in exploratory activity between Nf1 OPG and WT control mice may be dependent on the environmental context (e.g., threatening or non-threatening) under which exploration is being measured. Nf1 OPG mice also exhibited decreased exploratory hole poking in a novel holeboard and showed abnormal olfactory preferences, although L-dopa (50 mg/kg) administration resolved the abnormal olfactory preference behaviors. Nf1 OPG mice displayed an attenuated response to a novel open field in terms of decreased ambulatory activity and rearing but only during the first 10 min of the session. Importantly, Nf1 OPG mice demonstrated investigative rearing deficits with regard to a novel hanging object suspended on one side of the field which were not rescued by L-dopa administration. Collectively, our results provide new data important for evaluating therapeutic treatments aimed at ameliorating NF1-associated cognitive/behavioral deficits.
Effects of culinary spices and psychological stress on postprandial lipemia and lipase activity: results of a randomized crossover study and in vitro experiments

Data suggest that culinary spices are a potent, low-calorie modality for improving physiological responses to high fat meals. In a pilot study (N = 6 healthy adults), we showed that a meal containing a high antioxidant spice blend attenuated postprandial lipemia by 30% compared to a low spice meal. Our goal was to confirm this effect in a larger sample and to consider the influence of acute psychological stress on fat metabolism. Further, we used in vitro methods to evaluate the inhibitory effect of spices on digestive enzymes. In a 2 x 2, randomized, 4-period crossover design, we compared the effects of 14.5 g spices (black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, oregano, paprika, rosemary, and turmeric) vs. placebo incorporated into a high fat meal (1000 kcal, 45 g fat), followed by psychological stress (Trier Social Stress Test) vs. rest on postprandial metabolism in 20 healthy but overweight adults. Blood was sampled at baseline and at 105, 140, 180, and 210 minutes for analysis of triglycerides, glucose, and insulin. Additional in vitro analyses examined the effect of the spice blend and constituent spices on the activity of pancreatic lipase (PL) and secreted phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Mixed models were used to model the effects of spices and stress (SAS v9.3). Serum triglycerides, glucose and insulin were elevated following the meal (p < 0.01). Spices reduced post-meal triglycerides by 31% when the meal was followed by the rest condition (p = 0.048), but this effect was not present during stress. There was no effect of the spice blend on glucose or insulin; however, acute stress significantly increased both of these measures (p < 0.01; mean increase of 47% and 19%, respectively). The spice blend and several of the individual spices dose-dependently inhibited PL and PLA2 activity in vitro. Inclusion of spices may attenuate postprandial lipemia via inhibition of PL and PLA2. However, the impact of psychological stress negates any influence of the spice blend on triglycerides, and further, increases blood glucose and insulin. ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00954902 .
Dependent Development and Foreign Policy: The Case of Jamaica

Dependency theory contends that Third World states which are economically dependent on core capitalist countries will develop foreign policy positions consistent with the interests of core countries. Economic dependence produces this outcome, it is argued, because the structures of dependence produce economic and political elites in the peripheral countries whose interests coincide with those of multinational corporations and core country political elites. This article examines the case of Jamaica, which, although extremely dependent economically on the United States, has experienced dramatic changes in its foreign policy since its independence in 1962. The causes of these changes are examined based on interviews with Jamaican elites in 1962, 1974, and 1982, on historical evidence, and on interviews with American policy makers and aluminum company executives. The evidence shows that though the Jamaican business elite strongly favored a very pro-U.S. foreign policy throughout the period, a large segment of the political elite affiliated with Michael Manley's People's National Party moved to a militantly Third World-oriented position that included a major offensive against the aluminum multinationals when the party was in power in the 1970s. It is argued that this policy change was a direct product of the contradictory outcomes of Jamaica's successful pursuit of a dependent development economic strategy in the 1950s and 1960s, and that such challenges to core country economic interests in foreign policy are an inherent feature of dependence which is likely to appear in other cases of successful dependent development.
Shouldering the Soldiering: Democracy, Conscription, and Military Casualties.

As the American death toll in Iraq surpassed 1,900, some international research scholars may have been perplexed. Only a few years ago, foreign policy makers in Western democracies, including the United States, were described as being extremely sensitive to the risk of military combat casualties. Among the factors that influence the number of casualties that a democracy will experience in conflict, one variable that should not be ignored is its military manpower system. The author contends that democracies with conscript armies experience fewer combat casualties than democracies with volunteer or professional forces because the societal actors most closely affected by conscript casualties are more likely to have the political power and access with which to constrain policy makers. Using several selection models, the author finds that democracy and conscription contribute to fewer casualties than democracy and volunteer militaries, with democracy alone being responsible for casualty numbers that lie somewh...
SUBSTRUCTURE OF CHLOROPLAST LAMELLAE

(1) Chloroplast lamellae, like many other membranes, are composed of 90-A subunits. (2) The way in which the 90-A units associate with one another determines the quantasome structures of the membrane. There appear to be four 90-A subunits per quantasome in the most highly organized arrays. In at least some cases, the way in which the subunits bind one to another is under environmental control. (3) Extraction experiments are consistent with a model in which the membrane lipid surrounds the protein framework of the membrane.
The Cretaceous corals of Mexico:occurrences and history of research

An extensive, detailed compilation of the known occurrences and described species of Cretaceous scleractinian corals in the country of Mexico, based almost entirely on published scientific literature, is presented for the first time. Cretaceous corals have been reported from more than 170 localities in more than 200 published studies dating from at least as early as 1839. Unfortunately, relatively few of these 200 publications actually described coral species: the entire research history on Mexican Cretaceous coral systematic paleontology is contained in only 16 studies. A total of 116 coral species have been described from these occurrences, inclusive of unnamed coral species and with previously suggested synonymies taken into consideration. Overall the coral occurrences span nearly the entire Cretaceous Period, from the Berriasian through the Maastrichtian, but at least 60 percent of them are from the Early Cretaceous. Furthermore, the vast majority (about 90 percent) of the total number of Mexican Cretaceous coral species are known from the Early Cretaceous. Based on these data, it seems likely that many of the Cretaceous corals of Mexico are still unknown. The detailed review of the literature on Mexican Cretaceous corals presented in this study establishes a modern foundation for future investigations of the paleobiogeography and systematic paleontology of the members of this significant group of reef-building organisms.
The Migration of Organizational Functions to the Work Unit Level: Buffering, Spanning, and Bringing Up Boundaries

In this paper, we propose that the locus of organizational boundary activities has migrated from the organization to the work unit level as enterprises reengineer structures, increase the use of cross-functional teams, cut organizational slack and adopt advanced information technologies. From an open systems perspective, we examine how environmental and organizational forces affect this migration process. Three types of boundary activity relevant for work units are identified: buffering, spanning, and bringing up boundaries. A set of preliminary propositions regarding relationships between environmental and organizational changes and boundary activities is offered as a guide for future research.
Neurotrophin receptor TrkB activation is not required for the postnatal survival of retinal ganglion cells in vivo.

During early postnatal development, apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is regulated by target contact with the optic tectum. The neurotrophins BDNF and NT-4, but not NGF, prevent the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells that is otherwise observed after target ablation or axotomy. Thus receptors activated by BDNF and NT-4 are candidates to mediate the early postnatal survival of RGCs. BDNF and NT-4, but not NGF, bind to all isoforms of the receptor TrkB, whether or not they contain a tyrosine kinase domain. To examine the roles of TrkB receptor isoforms in early postnatal survival, we compared RGC numbers in wild-type mice to those in a mutant lacking all isoforms of TrkB. Surprisingly, no reduction in RGCs was observed in the mutant at postnatal day 16, the latest age at which these animals are consistently viable, so TrkB signaling is not essential for target-dependent survival of these cells. In wild-type mice, RGCs also are lost gradually during adulthood, possibly due to oxidative stress. To determine whether TrkB signaling regulates this phase of RGC degeneration, RGC numbers were examined in a viable mutant of TrkB that expresses only about 25% the normal level of TrkB receptor kinase. Compared to controls, approximately 20% of the RGC were lost in mutant 3-month-old-animals. Thus, TrkB signaling is not required for survival of RGCs during the period of target-dependent survival, but does appear to reduce degeneration of RGCs in adult animals.
METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF GLUCOSE IN BLOOD

(1973). Methods for Determining the Amount of Glucose in Blood. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 101-145.
Judging the evidence

Sir, I read with interest the editorial by Horan[1][1] in the December 2005 issue entitled ‘Judging the evidence’. Through a subspecialty in orthopaedic surgery, I have been the participant and designer of randomised prospective studies for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis in
Present and Prospective Trends of Digestive Cancers in the World (USA)

The American Cancer Society and the Commission on Cancer of the College of Surgeons have conducted national surveys of cancer sites since 1976. Several surveys of colorectal cancer have been conducted. For the past two years, the American Cancer Society has also produced an annual patient review. This was possible since over 85% of the 1300 participants have computerized registries. It was possible to evaluate the treatment results of the cancer and the diagnostic and treatment results and tumor stage of the various cancers. Most recent data indicate an increase in cancers of the colorectal diagnosed in the cecal and ascending colon area as contrasted to the rectosigmoid and descending colon.
Virtual Monochromatic Images from Dual-Energy Multidetector CT: Variance in CT Numbers from the Same Lesion between Single-Source Projection-based and Dual-Source Image-based Implementations.

The results of our phantom investigation suggest that single-source projection-based and dual-source image-based dual-energy hardware implementations produce significant differences in virtual monochromatic CT numbers from the same iodine-containing lesion.
Sensorless sliding-mode control of induction motors using operating condition dependent models

A sensorless torque control system for induction motors has been developed. The system allows for fast and precise torque tracking over a wide range of speed. This paper also presents the identification and parameter estimation of an induction motor model with parameters varying as functions of the operating conditions encountered in hybrid electric vehicles applications. An adaptive sliding-mode speed-flux observer is developed and a cascade of discrete time sliding-mode controllers is used for flux and current control. Simulation and experimental results prove the validity of the approach.
Thermal Performance of Microchannels with Patterned Super-Hydrophobic Surfaces Under Laminar Flow

This article presents the simulation results and the effects of slip length and fractal ratio on patterned super-hydrophobic surfaces in microchannels under laminar flow conditions. The effects of using different slip length ratios and fractal ratios on patterned surfaces were simulated numerically at two Reynolds number values. Dimensionless parameters such as Nusselt number, friction factor, and performance efficiency indicator were used to study the effects of boundary conditions (i.e., surface features) on microchannel thermal performance. The results show that the flow structure within a patterned microchannel experiences flow fluctuations near the wall boundary caused by the super-hydrophobic surface. The results also indicate that patterned surfaces with high slip length enhance heat transfer performance and reduce pressure drop.
China's WTO Accession: Economic, Legal, and Political Implications

This article discusses the unparalleled economic, legal and political change that has confronted China during WTO accession. The article focuses on the relationship between China's unique WTO accession process and China's reform over the past two decades. WTO accession has acted as a lever for economic and legal reform by locking in reform and making it irrevocable. The article begins with a historical background of China's long road to accession and the way that this process worked to further the previously instated economic reform program. Next, it analyzes the manner in which WTO accession has initiated profound legal reform. The final section of the article discusses the effects of adhering to WTO-related obligations on the future of political reform, and suggests that the resulting weakened control of the Communist Party may ultimately lead either to continued growth and political liberalization or mass unrest and a backlash of government repression.