cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction and characterization of hemoprotein(s) P-450 and monooxygenation in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

Hepatic microsomes obtained from control rainbow trout showed relatively low monooxygenase activities toward benzo[a]pyrene, ethoxycoumarin, ethoxyresorufin, and ethylmorphine as substrates. However, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylation, ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylation, and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation were greatly induced by pretreatment of trout with β-naphthoflavone and Aroclor 1242. No increase in ethylmorphine-N-demethylation, liver/body ratio, or yield of microsomal protein were observed. Phenobarbital pretreatment of trout failed to affect any of the parameters studied. The λmax of carboxyferrocytochrome P-450 was at 449 nm in control microsomes, and although a small (40%) increase in total hemoprotein(s) P-450 was seen after β-naphthoflavone pretreatment no hypsochromic shift of the λmax was observed. No significant changes in the 430455 ratio of the EtNC ligand spectra were noted after induction. Type I and Type II binding spectra were observed in all microsomal preparations examined. The use of specific inhibitors of monooxygenation (α-naphthoflavone and metyrapone) indicated that control and induced trout hepatic hemoprotein(s) P-450 were similar to rat cytochrome P1-450. Furthermore, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated the presence of a novel hemoprotein in hepatic microsomes after pretreatment of trout with β-naphthoflavone or Aroclor 1242. This induced protein had a molecular weight of approximately 57,000.
Drug Education: Reasons and Failures.

This paper contains 50 “reasons” which various individuals or groups have used to explain increasing drug abuse by youth. The reasons, listed generally from simple to complex, are grouped into 10 c...
326 EVALUATION OF CULTURE DURATION AND PARTIAL CUMULUS CELL REMOVAL DURING CANINE OOCYTE MATURATION

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the percentage of canine oocytes that resume meiosis during in vitro maturation could be increased by either increasing culture duration or by removing approximately one-half of the cumulus cells 24 h after oocytes were placed into culture. Canine female reproductive tracts were collected from a local clinic and ovaries were minced in warm TL-HEPES. Oocytes with a consistently dark ooplasm and at least two layers of cumulus cells were selected, cultured in a basic canine oocyte in vitro maturation medium consisting of TCM-199 with Earl's salts, 2.92 mM Ca-lactate, 20 mM pyruvic acid, 4.43 mM HEPES, 10% fetal calf serum, 1% Penicillin/Streptomycin (GibcoBRL, Grand Island, NY, USA), and 5 μg/mL porcine somatotropin, and incubated at 38.5°C in 5% CO2 in humidified air. Treatment groups were randomly assigned and oocytes were cultured for 60, 84, or 132 h (Basic). From each of these groups, one-half of the oocytes were pipetted through a fine bore pipette to partially remove the cumulus cells 24 h after the start of culture (Basic–1/2). At the end of culture, all oocytes were denuded and the nuclear status was observed with Hoechst 33342 under ultraviolet fluorescence. All data were analyzed by ANOVA with P < 0.05. Since the canine oocyte is ovulated at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage of meiosis and requires up to five days to mature in the oviduct, it was hypothesized that an increased culture time would allow for more oocytes to undergo nuclear maturation to metaphase II (MII). It was also hypothesized that partial removal of cumulus cells would decrease the cumulus cell component in the ooplasm that sustains meiotic arrest, allowing for more oocytes to resume meiosis (RM = germinal vesicle breakdown to MII). Results within each treatment group indicate that there is no significant difference between culture duration and the percent of oocytes that mature to MII. Additionally, there was no significance in the percent of oocytes that resumed meiosis after partial cumulus cell removal. Taken together, these data suggest that neither treatment is effective in canine in vitro maturation systems, given the current maturation culture conditions. Table 1. Nuclear status* of oocytes for three time periods with or without partial cumulus cell removal
Renal, metabolic and hematological effects of trans-retinoic acid during critical developmental windows in the embryonic chicken.

All-trans-retinoic acid (tRA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, directly influences the developing kidney, and is a major regulatory signal during vertebrate organogenesis. The aim of the current study was to specifically target potential critical windows in renal development, and assess altered renal function through disruptions in embryonic fluid compartments. In addition, the effect of exogenous tRA administration on embryonic growth and metabolism was determined. Embryos were exposed to 0.1 or 0.3 mg tRA on embryonic day 8. Morphological and physiological measurements were made on days 12, 14, 16 and 18. Embryo wet mass on day 18 was reduced by 23 % (0.1 mg tRA) and 44 % (0.3 mg tRA). tRA exposure elevated mass-specific oxygen consumption in embryos exposed to 0.1 mg (21.2 ± 0.3 μL−1 g−1 min−1) and 0.3 mg (23.4 ± 0.4 μL−1 g−1 min−1) when compared to sham (18.9 ± 0.6 μL−1 g−1 min−1) on day 14, but not subsequent incubation days. Osmolality of blood plasma was transiently lowered in embryos exposed to 0.3 mg tRA between days 14 and 16. Allantoic fluid osmolality was significantly elevated by tRA to ~220 mmol L−1 from days 16 to 18 compared to controls. Blood plasma [Na+] was reduced by ~17 % over the same period, while allantoic fluid [Na+] was elevated in tRA-treated embryos compared to control embryos. Collectively, our data indicates that exogenous administration of tRA produces significant alterations to the developmental trajectory of the developing embryonic chicken.
Compensatory mitigation and the possibility of restoring natural wetlands

In this paper I address this fundamental problem: is it possible to restore a natural wetland? I will argue that the answer is no. Wetland "restoration" is not restoration in the strict sense. It is actually the creation of a new ecosystem of a distinct kind. I will argue that compensatory mitigation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act involves replacing natural wetlands with artificial, human–dependent wetlands. Under this program we are gradually losing wetland functions. Also, in our society we may not have the interest and the resources to properly support these new ecosystems.
Functionalized Hydrophobic Poly(glycerol-co-ε-caprolactone) Depots for Controlled Drug Release

A limitation to many polymer-based drug delivery systems is the lack of ability to customize a particular polymer composition for tailoring drug release kinetics to a specific clinical application. In this study, we investigated the structure–property effects of conjugating various hydrophobic biocompatible side chains to poly(glycerol-co-caprolactone) copolymers with the goal of achieving prolonged and controlled release of a chemotherapeutic agent. The choice of side chain significantly affected the resulting polymer properties including thermal transitions, relative crystallinity (ΔHf), and hydrophobicity. Drug-loaded films cast from solutions of polymer and 10-hydroxycamptothecin demonstrated prolonged release from four to over seven weeks depending upon side chain structure without initial burst release behavior. Use of the stearic acid-conjugated poly(glycerol-co-caprolactone) films afforded substantial anticancer activity in vitro for at least 50 days when exposed to fresh cultures of A549 human lu...
A cohort study of incident hypertension in relation to changes in vigorous physical activity in men and women

ObjectiveTo assess the dose–response relationship between changes in vigorous exercise (running distance, Δkm per week) and physician-diagnosed hypertension.DesignTwenty-four thousand, five hundred and fifty men and 10 113 women were followed prospectively for (mean ± SD) 7.8 ± 1.8 and 7.5 ± 2.0 yea
Quantum mechanics of relativistic spinless particles

A relativistic one-particle, quantum theory for spin-zero particles is constructed uponL2(x, ct), resulting in a positive definite spacetime probability density. A generalized Schrodinger equation having a Hermitian HamiltonianH onL2(x, ct) for an arbitrary four-vector potential is derived. In this formalism the rest mass is an observable and a scalar particle is described by a wave packet that is a superposition of mass states. The requirements of macroscopic causality are shown to be satisfied by the most probable trajectory of a free tardyon and a nontrivial framework for charged and neutral particles is provided. The Klein paradox is resolved and a link to the free particle field operators of quantum field theory is established. A charged particle interacting with a static magnetic field is discussed as an example of the formalism.
Memory-based Control of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Part I - Design and Analysis

This paper presents a control design method based on short-term memory concepts. The main idea is to make use of certain memorized information such as current system response, previous system response and past control experience to build control action. Fundamentally, the desired control signal in the scheme is "learned" and generated from observing and processing the most recent experience stored in a memory. System performance can be continuously improved during system operation without requiring detail system dynamics. There is no need to repeatedly run the system with the same task. Another advantage of this approach is that the overall required memory space does not grow with time and is much smaller than most existing learning control methods. The first part of the paper addresses the detail design and analysis of the proposed method. The second part of the paper presents the application results of the method to numerous examples/systems.
A comparative analysis of risk factors for stroke in blacks and whites: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study

Objective. Previous studies have speculated that the higher stroke incidence rate (IR) in blacks compared with whites may be due, in part, to stroke risk factors exerting a more adverse effect among blacks than whites. To determine whether such racial differences exist we compared the prospective associations between novel, traditional, and emerging stroke risk factors in blacks and whites.Design. Baseline characteristics on risk factor levels were obtained on 15,407 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Stroke incidence was ascertained from 1987 to 2008. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for stroke in relation to stroke risk factor levels stratified by race.Results. During follow-up, 988 stroke events occurred: blacks had higher stroke incident rates compared with whites with the greatest difference in those aged <60 years: 4.34, 3.24, 1.20, and 0.84 per 1000 person-years, in black men, blac...
Children and marital disruption: A replication and update

Data from the 1980 June Current Population Survey are used to estimate the incidence and duration of marital disruption as experienced by children. Rates during the 1977–1979 period suggest that about twofifths of children born to married mothers will experience the disruption of that marriage while they are children. When children born before their mothers’ first marriage are included, half of recent cohorts are likely to spend some time in a single parent family. These rates increased consistently over the 1970s. For the majority of those who experience a marital disruption, over five years are likely to elapse before the mother remarries. Furthermore, about half of the children who go through a divorce and remarriage will experience the breakup of the new family as well. At the same time, the interval between separation and divorce is less than a year for most children involved. There are major differences in these rates by race and important differences as well by education and age of mother. Replication of our earlier estimates for comparable periods was quite good for the estimates of the experience of marital dissolution, but somewhat less so for the analysis of mother’s subsequent remarriage.
The benefits of rapid 3D fMRI

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides the ability to image blood dynamics through the entire brain with a high spatial resolution. However, the temporal resolution is much slower than the underlying neuronal activity one seeks to infer. Recent developments in rapid imaging allow 3D fMRI studies to be performed at a temporal resolution of 100 ms; a 10-fold increase compared to standard approaches. This increase in temporal resolution offers a number of potential benefits. First, it allows the focus of analysis to be shifted from changes in blood flow taking place 5–8 s after neuronal activity to more transient changes taking place immediately following activation. We argue that studying these changes provides valuable information about the relative timing of activation across different regions of the brain, which is crucial for inferring brain pathways. Second, rapid imaging allows for the efficient modeling of physiological artifacts without problems with aliasing; something that is difficult at standard resolutions. We illustrate how removal of these artifacts provides the increase in signal-to-noise ratio required for studying the subtle changes in oxygenation we are interested in. Finally, we show how high temporal resolution data provides the opportunity to focus the analysis on the rate of change in oxygenation rather than the level of oxygenation as is the current practice. The price of performing rapid imaging studies is a decrease in spatial resolution. However, we argue that the resolution is still comparable to the effective resolution used in most fMRI studies. We illustrate our approach using two fMRI data sets. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 20, 14–22, 2010
Toxin release in response to oxidative stress and programmed cell death in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

An unprecedented bloom of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa Kutz. occurred in the St. Lucie Estuary, FL in the summer of 2005. Samples were analyzed for toxicity by ELISA and by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific oligonucleotide primers for the mcyB gene that has previously been correlated with the biosynthesis of toxic microcystins. Despite the fact that secreted toxin levels were relatively low in dense natural assemblages (3.5 microg l(-1)), detectable toxin levels increased by 90% when M. aeruginosa was stressed by an increase in salinity, physical injury, application of the chemical herbicide paraquat, or UV irradiation. The application of the same stressors caused a three-fold increase in the production of H(2)O(2) when compared to non-stressed cells. The application of micromolar concentrations of H(2)O(2) induced programmed cell death (PCD) as measured by a caspase protease assay. Catalase was capable of inhibiting PCD, implicating H(2)O(2) as the inducing oxidative species. Our results indicate that physical stressors induce oxidative stress, which results in PCD and a concomitant release of toxin into the surrounding media. Remediation strategies that induce cellular stress should be approached with caution since these protocols are capable of releasing elevated levels of microcystins into the environment.
Comparison of the adsorption equilibrium of a few low-molecular mass compounds on a monolithic and a packed column in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

Adsorption isotherm data were acquired by frontal analysis for several low-molecular mass compounds (3-phenyl 1-propanol, 4-tert.-butylphenol, butylbenzene, and butyl benzoate) on a classical packed column and a monolithic column using methanol–water RP-HPLC conditions. These columns have similar characteristics (C18-bonded silica, close specific surface areas and bonding densities). In each case, the isotherm model best accounting for the data was the same on both columns. The solute polarity determines the class of this model. For the two –OH compounds it was a Langmuirian adsorption isotherm. The hydrocarbon data were best modeled by an anti-Langmuir convex-downward isotherm model. The adsorption data for the aromatic ester exhibited a nearly linear behavior, depending on the methanol concentration of the mobile phase. A slightly convex downward isotherm was obtained at high methanol concentrations while the best fitting was obtained with a liquid–solid extended multilayer B.E.T. isotherm model at low concentrations. The validation of these models is discussed in detail. In all cases, similar values of the adsorption–desorption constants were found, underlining the closeness of the adsorption energies on both columns. By contrast, the adsorption capacity of the monolithic column was found to be approximately 1.4 greater than that of the packed column in spite of the close values of the surface areas of the silica in both columns.
Primary renal carcinoid tumor

A case of primary renal carcinoid tumor in a sixty-seven-year-old man is presented. Radical nephrectomy removed the primary disease, but hepatic metastases developed and the patient subsequently died. Review of the literature disclosed 8 other cases of primary renal carcinoid. Three of these had metastatic spread.
Multiple hedonic memory: Memory for more than one hedonic event in rats

In each of two investigations, rats ran in a runway to obtain varying quantities of food pellets presented in a fixed order, such as 20-0-20. The major finding was that rats ran faster on a 0-pellet trial if that trial was followed shortly by a 20-pellet trial (e.g., 20-0-20 series) than if it was not (e.g., 20-0 series). This finding was obtained both within groups (Experiment 1) and between groups (Experiment 2), and suggested that the memory of 20 pellets arising from the first trial of the 20-0-20 series was retrieved not only on the second trial of the series, thereby signaling 0 pellets, but on the third trial as well, thereby also signaling 20 pellets. Retrieving the memory of 20 pellets on Trial 3 of the 20-0-20 series apparently resulted in that memory’s elevating speed on Trial 2 of that series.
Caregiver Acceptability and Preferences for Early Childhood Caries Preventive Treatments for Hispanic Children

Objective Determine caregiver treatment acceptability and preferences for five preventive dental treatments for early childhood caries (ECC) in young Hispanic children.
On the construction of framework of web-based atlas (FWA)

This paper describes the top-level architectural design of FWA, a framework that is developed for digital map products in the field of public health.
THE FINANCIAL OPERATIONS OF A REGIONAL INVESTMENT BANK

s of Doctoral Dissertations 85 The third period covers 1942-53, when general recovery expanded the volume of all types of new issues. By the end of this period, the investment house had made a number of judicious purchases of properties which were emerging from hard financial straits. As the recovery proceeded, these properties were resold at a substantial profit. The volume of underwritings was rapidly expanded and corporate issues received increasing attention. However, the new underwriting policy was highly conservative and greatly benefited from the experiences gained in the interwar years. At the same time, this healthy conservatism did not prevent the management from pioneering School Holding Corporation bond issues in Indiana. By 1954, the company was easily the largest investment house in the state with a capital and surplus of approximately $1,000,000. The history of this company clearly demonstrates the inestimable value of a vigorous, alert management which is able to adapt rapidly to a changing environment. It also seems to indicate that while the "bread-and-butter" income for local investment houses comes from new underwritings, the "gravy" income flows from "special situations" combined with the ability to exploit them. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.104 on Sun, 19 Jun 2016 05:59:40 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Developmental changes in the specificity of memory over the first year of life

In two experiments with 260 infants between 2 and 12 months of age, we examined how differences between the conditions of encoding and retrieval affect retention. Initially, 9- and 12-month-olds were tested with a different cue (Experiment 1) or in a different context (Experiment 2) after delays spanning their respective forgetting functions. These data were then combined with corresponding data previously collected from 2-to 6-month-olds trained and tested in an equivalent task. The resulting analyses revealed that the specificity constraints on memory retrieval become progressively looser at the extremes of the forgetting function with age. With increasing age, retention was less affected by cue changes after shorter absolute delays and, except at 6 months, by context changes after longer absolute delays. This pattern dovetails with evidence of decreasing specificity in the retrieval cues required for deferred imitation during infants' 2nd year and reveals that the memory abilities of older children evolve gradually from early in infancy.
Testing the equality of the variances of two linear models

Testing the equality of variances of two linear models with common β-parameter is considered. A test based on least squares residuals (ASR test) is proposed, and it is shown that this test is invariant under the group of scale and translation changes. For some special cases, it is also proved that this test has a monotone power function. Finding the exact critical values of this test is not easy; an approximation is given to facilitate the computation of these. The powers of the BLUS test, the F-test and the new test are computed for various alternatives and compared in a particular case. The proposed test seems to be locally more powerful than the alternative tests.
Venous Thromboembolism and Foot and Ankle Surgery Current Updates 2012

Significant patient morbidity and mortality is associated with the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following orthopedic surgery. The majority of the literature supports proper prophylaxis following major orthopedic surgery involving hip and knee procedures. Foot and ankle surgery, however, is starkly contrasted because of the lack of recommendations. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the risk factors and incidence of VTE in foot and ankle surgery while also outlining the newest literature guidelines for prophylaxis.
Maternal aggression in mice.

Pairs consisting of a male and lactating female of four inbred and a random bred strain were given tests for attack behavior against a restrained target male on days 6 and 7 postpartum. Large strain differences were found but variation in the performance of males relative to females was small. Males attacked equally often in the home cage or a strange cage, while females attacked twice as much in the former. Females attacked female targets, males did not. The relationship of attack to the reproductive cycle was studied in pregnant BALB females paired with a virgin and tested for attack behavior from about 5 days before parturition through 29 days postpartum. None of the virgins showed attack behavior. Attacks by mothers peaked by day 4 postpartum and rapidly declined after day 16.
Rare earth and yttrium phosphate solubilities in aqueous solution

Abstract Rare earth and yttrium phosphate solubility products range over more than 1 order of magnitude. Minimum solubilities are observed for light rare earths between Ce and Sm. For the elements Ce, Pr, Nd, and Sm solubility products (log Ksp0 (M) = log ([Mi3+] [PO43−])) at zero ionic strength and 25°C can be approximated as log Ksp0,(M) = −26.3 ± 0.2. Rare earth phosphate solubility products for well-aged, coarse precipitates increase substantially between Sm and Lu, with log Ksp0(Lu) estimated as −24.7. The solubility product of Y is similar to that of Ho (log Ksp0 (Y) = −25.0) and is much higher than those of all light rare earths. The solubility product of La is substantially larger than that of Cc (log Ksp0(La) − log Ksp0 (Ce) ≈ 0.5). Solubility products are strongly dependent on the conditions of solid phase formation. Fresh precipitates are much more soluble than slowly formed, well-aged, coarse precipitates. The pattern of rare earth and yttrium phosphate solubility products is generally similar to the fractionation patterns which are developed during phosphate coprecipitation.
Hydrogen Peroxide Produced by Mitochondrial Monoamine Oxidase Catalysis: Biological Implications

The biological roles of mitochondrial-produced reactive oxygen species continue to receive intensive investigation since one of the products (H₂O₂) has important cellular signaling roles as well as contributing to apoptotic responses. In general, the source of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species is thought to be the superoxide anion produced from Complex I and Complex III components of the electron transport chain. Superoxide anion readily dismutates to H₂O₂ with subsequent transformation to the hydroxyl radical by Fenton chemistry. An overlooked source of H₂O₂ in the mitochondrion is its production as a catalytic reaction product from the outer membrane enzymes: monoamine oxidases A and B. The literature is reviewed to document identified degenerative reactions attributed to H₂O₂ produced by MAO A and by MAO B catalysis. Available information on the topologies of these enzymes in the mitochondrial outer membrane is also discussed with relevance to H₂O₂ production and involvement in cell signaling functions as well as degenerative effects.
Light ion irradiation creep apparatus

Abstract An experimental technique developed to measure the irradiation creep of metallic specimens subjected to light ion bombardment is described. The experimental apparatus has the capability to remotely set and control ion flux, stress and temperature. Specimen strain is measured continuously with a noncontacting laser extensometer developed for this application. A typical result obtained for the 17 MeV deuteron irradiation of a 0.15 mm (0.006 in.) thick nickel specimen is presented with an analysis of the source and magnitude of both systematic and random errors.
Anisotropy dynamics of CuMn spin glass through torque measurements

The dynamics of anisotropy energy, (E a ), in a CuMn 0.5% spin glass sample is investigated by torque measurements. After reducing the cooling field along the Z^ axis to zero and delaying to allow the time decay of magnetization to diminish, a measuring field H is applied 90° from Z^. The anisotropy torque Γ decays due to redefinition of the direction θ N increases with H and T. E a is found to be unidirectional only Etude de la dynamique de l'energie d'anisotropie E a , sur un echantillon de verre de spin CuMn:0,5% at. Apres reduction a zero du champ de refroidissement dirige suivant l'axe des Z^ et apres un delai suffisant pour rendre negligeable l'effet du declin de l'aimantation avec le champ, on applique un champ de mesure H a 90° par rapport a l'axe des Z^. Le couple d'anisotropie Γ decroit par suite de la redefinition de la direction θ N de l'axe d'anisotropie N^ par rapport a l'axe des Z^. θ N croit avec H et T; E a est seulement unidirectionnelle
Hellinger Distance and Non-informative Priors

This paper introduces an extension of the Jeffreys’ rule to the construction of objective priors for non-regular parametric families. A new class of priors based on Hellinger information is introduced as Hellinger priors. The main results establish the relationship of Hellinger priors to the Jeffreys’ rule priors in the regular case, and to the reference and probability matching priors for the non-regular class introduced by Ghosal and Samanta. These priors are also studied for some non-regular examples outside of this class. Their behavior proves to be similar to that of the reference priors considered by Berger, Bernardo, and Sun, however some differences are observed. For the multi-parameter case, a combination of Hellinger priors and reference priors is suggested and some examples are considered.
Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems in the Stability Analysis of Morphogen Gradients

This paper is concerned with several eigenvalue problems in the linear stability analysis of steady state morphogen gradients for several models of Drosophila wing imaginal discs including one not previously considered. These problems share several common difficulties including the following: (a) The steady state solution which appears in the coefficients of the relevant differential equations of the stability analysis is only known qualitatively and numerically. (b) Though the governing differential equations are linear, the eigenvalue parameter appears nonlinearly after reduction to a problem for one unknown. (c) The eigenvalues are determined not only as solutions of a homogeneous boundary value problem with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions, but also by an alternative auxiliary condition to one of the Dirichlet conditions allowed by a boundary condition of the original problem. Regarding the stability of the steady state morphogen gradients, we prove that the eigenvalues must all be positive and hence the steady state morphogen gradients are asymptotically stable. The other principal finding is a novel result pertaining to the smallest (positive) eigenvalue that determines the slowest decay rate of transients and the time needed to reach steady state. Here we prove that the smallest eigenvalue does not come from the nonlinear Dirichlet eigenvalue problem but from the complementary auxiliary condition requiring only to find the smallest zero of a rational function. Keeping in mind that even the steady state solution needed for the stability analysis is only known numerically, not having to solve the nonlinear Dirichlet eigenvalue problem is both an attractive theoretical outcome and a significant computational simplification.
Biochemical and Immunochemical Comparison of Africanized and European Honeybee Venoms

Africanized honeybees (HBs) pose a hazard to both normal and sting-sensitive subjects in certain areas of Central and South America, and it is predicted that they will soon be present in the southern United States as well. Using an electrical stimulation device, we collected Africanized HB venom (AHV) in Venezuela and European HB venom (EHV) in Louisiana. These venoms, along with commercial European HB venom (CHV), were compared by thin-layer isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The Coomassie brilliant blue and silver-stained banding patterns of AHV and EHV were essentially identical to CHV. Western blots were prepared from SDS-PAGE gels and tested with pooled sera from EHV-sensitive subjects and then radiolabeled antihuman IgE. The resulting autoradiographs revealed similar banding patterns among EHV, AHV, and CHV. RAST-inhibition studies were performed with solid-phase CHV and pooled sera from EHV-sensitive subjects. The specific allergenic activities of the three HB venoms (allergy units per milligram of protein) were comparable. By RAST-inhibition assay with solid-phase, highly purified individual venom components, AHV and EHV both contained phospholipase A2, hyaluronidase, and high-molecular-weight allergens. The increased morbidity after Africanized HB stings is likely related to their more defensive behavior during which many bees react by stinging rather than to biochemical or allergenic differences between AHV and EHV.
The Kramers problem: velocity slip and defect for a hard sphere gas with arbitrary accommodation

The half-space problem of rarefied gas flow (the Kramers problem) is considered for the linearized Boltzmann equation and arbitrary gas-surface interaction. Accurate numerical results for the velocity slip coefficient and velocity defect are obtained for the rigid sphere interaction and Maxwellian boundary condition.
Pilot study of Doppler optical coherence tomography of retinal blood flow following laser photocoagulation in poorly controlled diabetic patients.

PURPOSE To investigate the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) on retinal blood flow and shear rate using Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) in poorly controlled diabetics with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS This was a prospective interventional pilot study in patients with a new clinical diagnosis of PDR. Retinal blood flow and vessel diameter were measured using Doppler FD-OCT according to a previously described method, immediately before PRP treatment and 7 to 8 weeks after the last PRP session. RESULTS Ten patients with poorly controlled PDR (mean hemoglobin A1C = 9.2 ± 2.0%) and 10 control subjects were included in the study. PDR patients had significantly lower blood flow (∼25%) than control subjects both at baseline (P = 0.01) and after PRP (P = 0.003). Compared to controls, venous and arterial velocities were significantly decreased in diabetics at baseline (∼27%; P < 0.001 and 0.017, respectively) as well as after PRP (P < 0.001 and 0.006, respectively). Compared to controls, venous and arterial shear rates were significantly reduced in diabetics at baseline (∼27%; P = 0.002, 0.03) and after PRP (P = 0.002, 0.03). PRP in this group of PDR patients did not have a statistically significant effect on retinal blood flow or vessel parameters, though there was a trend for decreased arterial diameter (P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to use Doppler FD-OCT to quantify functional changes in retinal vascular parameters in poorly controlled PDR patients. Compared to controls, blood flow parameters in these patients were decreased at baseline, but did not decrease further following PRP, with important implications related to diabetes control, endothelial function, and therapeutic response.
Radiative corrections to electro-weak interactions in supergravity unified theories with equal higgs vacuum expectation values

Abstract The one loop supersymmetric contributions to the ϱ-parameter, the effective Weinberg angle and the μ-decay rate are discussed in a class of supergravity unified models. In the absence of a heavy top quark the supersymmetric corrections to the ϱ-parameter are very small, while the corresponding corrections to sin 2 θ W eff . and the μ-decay rate can be of considerable size. The dependence of these contributions on the parameters of the model (gravitino and gaugino masses) is presented. The presence of a heavy top quark results in large supersymmetric corrections to ϱ, sin 2 θ W eff as well as the μ-decay rate.
The Courage to Speak and Hear the Truth: Sympathy and Genuine Human Contact in Harriet Beecher Stowe's The Minister's Wooing

This article argues that in The Minister's Wooing, Stowe analyzes the conditions under which sympathy enables the experience of genuine human contact. Like contemporary relational psychoanalytic theorists, Stowe posits that true sympathy, marked by conflict and blunt speech, precedes empathic identification. Because Puritanism authorizes both, it has important, though qualified, psychological benefits.
SOLUBILITY AND IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY OF SOY FLOURS, CONCENTRATES, AND ISOLATES

The nitrogen solubility of soy products was determined in water, phosphate buffer, and buffer with urea and/or mercaptoethanol. The water solubilities in decreasing order were: minimally heat processed flours, isolates, heat processed flour, and concentrates. Heat treatment of soy flours increased hydrogen, hydrophobic, and disulfide bonds. The insolubility of isolates and concentrates was due mostly to hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding. The in vitro digestibilities in decreasing order were: isolates, concentrates, heat processed flour, and minimally heat processed flours. PER decreased as disulfide bonding increased except in minimally heat-treated flours. For products with little or no inaccessible disulfide bonding, digestibility increased as hydrogen and hydrophobic bonding increased.
Thermodynamics of Ion Pairing in Lead Nitrate Solutions As Determined with 207Pb NMR Spectroscopy

The temperature and concentration variations in 207Pb NMR shifts of Pb(NO3)2 in aqueous solutions are analyzed in terms of exchange between aquated lead ion and the Pb(NO3)+ ion complex according to the reaction PbNO3+(aq) = Pb2+(aq) + NO3-(aq). The analysis gives an enthalpy of dissociation of −3.0 ± 0.2 kcal mol-1 and an entropy of dissociation of −11.9 ± 0.4 cal K-1 mol-1.
Removal of levonorgestrel capsules from the biceps muscle

Multiple levonorgestrel implants were identified and removed from below the biceps fascia using radiography to assist in localization, axillary block for anesthesia, careful dissection, and palpation of the implants within the deep muscle belly. This difficult implant removal demonstrates the importance of both a clinician experienced in levonorgestrel implant removal and a general surgeon experienced in arm surgery when performing such procedures.
Predictive Models for Sandstone Diagenesis: ABSTRACT

The maturation of organic material in hydrocarbon source rocks and inorganic diagenetic reactions in reservoir sandstones are a natural consequence of the burial of a prism of sedimentary rocks. The distribution of porosity/permeability enhancement in potential hydrocarbon reservoirs can be predicted by integrating the reaction processes characterizing the progressive diagenesis of a reservoir/source rock system. A variety of observations suggests that the organic solvents necessary to increase aluminosilicate and carbonate solubilities in sandstones can be generated either by thermal or oxidative cracking of carbonyl or phenolic groups from kerogen in adjacent source rocks. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of kerogen show that peripheral carbonyl and phenol groups are released from the kerogen molecule prior to the generation of liquid hydrocarbons. Experimental data indicate that these water-soluble organic solvents can significantly affect the stability of both carbonate and aluminosilicate minerals. Water-soluble organic acids (carboxylic) have been observed in oil field waters in concentrations up to 10,000 ppm, and they commonly dominate the alkalinity in the fluid phase over the 80°-120°C temperature range. The integration of the organic and inorganic diagenetic reactions can be modeled conceptually by constructing a series of potential reaction pathways with increasing temperature, for a system that includes aluminosilicate minerals, carbonate minerals, organic solvents (carboxylic and phenolic), and carbon dioxide. The important chemical divides in these diagenetic flow diagrams are dependent on temperature, the nature of the buffer in the carbonate system (internal or external), and the relationship between organic acids and PCO2. Forward predictive capabilities result when this general diagenetic model is placed in a time-temperature framework. The detailed organic and inorganic geochemistry and the general thermal scenario used in the time-temperature analysis ust be basin-specific. Casting the diagenetic history of a sandstone into this type of process-oriented model enables one to make the transition from a conventional descriptive mode to a predictive mode of analysis. Predictive models have been developed for several tectonic settings, including rift or "pull-apart" basins, and intermontane or "Laramide" basins. From these reconstructions, two types of information result: (1) general optimum conditions for porosity/permeability enhancement in sandstones are delineated, and (2) specifically, the degree and potential for porosity/permeability enhancement are determined. Forward prediction of the porosity-enhancing potential of a diagenetic system is possible based on an understanding of the reaction processes in a time-temperature framework. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2046------------
Perturbation of dielectric resonator for material measurement

A novel method for rapid measurement of the permittivity of a small object has been developed. Based on the perturbation of a semi-open resonant structure with a dielectric resonator excited in the TE/sub 011/ mode, the apparatus allows samples to be introduced freely and exhibits substantial mode stability. Results of permittivity measurement on low-loss dielectric samples in the form of thin plates and disks were in good agreement with values given by alternative methods employing much larger samples. The method can be extended to account for dielectric loss and permeability. In addition to being applied to material characterisation in the laboratory, the resonant structure can be developed into a transportable dielectrometer for small objects.
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Overexpression in Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is secreted bidirectionally by endothelial cells, acts as the primary regulator of fibrinolysis and as a key modulator of extracellular matrix proteolysis. Elevated serum levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 are observed in serum of diabetic individuals. We investigated whether plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is overexpressed in capillaries of diabetic donors with non-proliferative retinopathy compared to non-diabetic donors. We also assessed plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression in an animal model of retinopathy induced by exposing rabbit retinas to insulin-like growth factor-I. Colloidal gold immunocytochemistry was used to quantify plasminogen activator-1 antigen in donor retinas from diabetic subjects (n = 10) and control subjects (n = 10). This technique was also used to examine expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 for correlation with retinal changes in the insulin-like growth factor-I-induced retinopathy model (n = 14). Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 immunoreactivity was significantly increased in the retinas of all diabetic subjects as compared to controls. In the rabbit model, the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 immunoreactivity correlated with pathological retinal changes. In both the diabetic human and insulin-like growth factor-I-injected rabbit, overproduction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was seen within the lumen of capillaries, within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix surrounding these capillaries. Minimal plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was detected in the retinas of non-diabetics and in control rabbits injected with either heat-inactivated insulin-like growth factor-I or balanced salt solution. These studies support the conclusion that plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is overexpressed in the retinal capillaries of diabetics with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and in rabbits with insulin-like growth factor-I-induced retinopathy.
Experimental Constraints on Nonequilibrium Interface Kinetic Models

Experimental results relevant to models for nonequilibrium interface kinetics during rapid solidification are reviewed. Models are examined critically in light of these experiments. The kinetic Ising model is shown to compare unfavorably with experiment. The Continuous Growth Model without solute drag and its extension to non-(001) interfaces, the Aperiodic Stepwise Growth Model, account well for all relevant experimental results.
Species interactions at the level of fine roots in the field: influence of soil nutrient heterogeneity and plant size.

Interference at the level of fine roots in the field was studied by detailed examination of fine root distribution in small soil patches. To capture roots as they occur in natural three-dimensional soil space, we used a freezing and slicing technique for microscale root mapping. The location of individual roots intersecting a sliced soil core surface was digitized and the identity of shrub and grass roots was established by a chemical technique. Soil patches were created midway between the shrub, Artemisia tridentata, and one of two tussock grasses, Pseudoroegneria spicata or Agropyron desertorum. Some soil patches were enriched with nutrients and others given only deionized water (control); in addition, patches were located between plants of different size combination (large shrubs with small tussock grasses and small shrubs with large tussock grasses). The abundance of shrub and grass roots sharing soil patches and the inter-root distances of individual fine roots were measured. Total average rooting density in patches varied among these different treatment combinations by only a factor of 2, but the proportion of shrub and grass roots in the patches varied sixfold. For the shrub, the species of grass roots sharing the patches had a pronounced influence on shrub root density; shrub roots were more abundant if the patch was shared with Pseudoroegneria roots than if shared with Agropyron roots. The relative size of plants whose roots shared the soil patches also influenced the proportion of shrub and grass roots; larger plants were able to place more roots in the patches than were the smaller plants. In the nutrient-enriched patches, these influences of grass species and size combination were amplified. At the millimeter- to centimeter-scale within patches, shrub and grass roots tended to segregate, i.e., avoid each other, based on nearest-neighbor distances. At this scale, there was no indication that the species-specific interactions were the result of resource competition, since there were no obvious patterns between the proportion of shrub and grass roots of the two species combinations with microsite nutrient concentrations. Other potential mechanisms are discussed. Interference at the fine-root level, and its species-specific character, is likely an influential component of competitive success, but one that is not easily assessed.
Automated extraction of subdural electrode grid from post-implant MRI scans for epilepsy surgery

This paper presents an automated algorithm for extraction of Subdural Electrode Grid (SEG) from post-implant MRI scans for epilepsy surgery. Post-implant MRI scans are corrupted by the image artifacts caused by implanted electrodes. The artifacts appear as dark spherical voids and given that the cerebrospinal fluid is also dark in T1-weigthed MRI scans, it is a difficult and time-consuming task to manually locate SEG position relative to brain structures of interest. The proposed algorithm reliably and accurately extracts SEG from post-implant MRI scan, i.e. finds its shape and position relative to brain structures of interest. The algorithm was validated against manually determined electrode locations, and the average error was 1.6mm for the three tested subjects.
Comments on Grimble's comments on Stein's comments on rolloff of H/sup infinity / optimal controllers

In M.J. Grimble's comments (see ibid., vol.35, p.762-5, 1990), the polynomial systems approach to H/sup infinity / is shown to have an advantage over the state-space approach in that improper weighting functions can be used, allowing one to obtain controllers that roll off at high frequencies. It is shown that the same controller can be found with the state-space approach using a simple problem reformulation. >