cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neonatal striatal NADPH-diaphorase neurons are vulnerable to quisqualate and its analogue α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole proprionate (AMPA)

Abstract A small population of neurons in the mammalian striatum and cerebral cortex contain NADPH-diaphorase. Recently, this class of neurons has been found in vitro to be selectively vulnerable to low concentrations of non -N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) glutamate agonists. To determine if this pattern exists in vivo, we injected either quisqualate (QA) or its inotropic site analogue α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole proprionate (AMPA) into the striatum of neonatal rat pups and found a dose-dependent loss of NADPH-diaphorase reactive neurons. These data suggest that the QA receptor may be present and functional at postnatal day 7 when other glutamate receptor subtypes have not yet fully developed and that QA is working through its inotropic site since AMPA causes the same dose-dependent cell death.
Impending Sepsis Due to a Ruptured Pyomyoma with Purulent Peritonitis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Summary Objective Pyomyoma is an uncommon complication of benign leiomyoma. Here, we report a rare case of a perforated pyomyoma with purulent peritonitis. Case Report A 53-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with impending septic shock on arrival at our emergency department. Physical examination and imaging studies revealed a pelvic mass with peritonitis. Emergency exploratory laparotomy due to suspicion of a ruptured pyomyoma or malignancy revealed a spontaneously perforated large pyomyoma leaking copious purulent material directly into the peritoneal cavity. Total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. Histopathology revealed no malignancy. The patient recovered smoothly after combined antibiotic therapy. Conclusion Gynecologists should be aware of this rare emergency condition, especially when handling a patient with a history of leiomyoma uteri and if signs of infection or even sepsis are present.
Individual and combined cytotoxic effects of cadmium, copper, and nickel on brown cells of Mercenaria mercenaria.

Abstract An assay based on the lysosomal incorporation of neutral red dye by brown cells of Mercenaria mercenaria (Bivalvia) was used to measure the cytotoxicity of Cd2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ singly and in combination. Cytotoxicity was a linear function of Cd2+ concentration 0.1–1.5 mM and Cu2+ concentration between 10 and 100 μM. Nickel was not cytotoxic at concentrations as high as 10 mM. The presence of Cu2+ lessened the cytotoxic effect of Cd2+. Ni2+ did not affect cytotoxicity in combination with either Cu2+ or Cd2+. Ni2+ inflated estimates of cell survival by the neutral red assay in this study. Cells exposed to Ni2+ yielded measured quantities of neutral red dye in excess of those measured in cells from control treatments.
Studies of Paired-Associate Learning as a Function of Normative Word-Association Strength.

Summary.-A bibliography is provided of studies of paired-associate learning as a function of word-association strength inferred from normative collections of word-association data. Over 60 such studies have been published during the past decade. During the past decade much research has been devoted to the influence of normatively preestablished word associations upon human learning. In particular, the strength of normatively established word associations has been found to exert an important influence upon a wide variety of verbal learning tasks. Such tasks include paired-associate learning, serial learning, free recall and organization, transfer, mediation, recognition, perceptual recognition thresholds, associative generalization, verbal discrimination learning, and short- and long-term memory [review material can be found in Palermo ( 1963, 1965, 1970), Postman and Keppel (1970), and Wicklund (1964)l. The recent and increasing availability of normative word associations for various populations has facilitated and promoted the study of preestablished associations in verbal learning. The present report comprises a bibliographic summary of studies of pairedassociate learning as a function of normative word-association strength. Since the emphasis is upon paired-associate learning per se, studies primarily focusing upon, e.g., transfer, mediation, retention, and motivation (see Castenada, 1965; Goulet, 1968, for reviews) have generally been excluded. With the preceding exclusions and such materials as technical reports, convention papers, foreign language sources, and dissertations not available to us, every attempt has been made toward achieving an exhaustive listing. Partial overviews of the topic can be found in Goss and Nodine (1965), Palermo (1963, 1965, 1970), S. I. Shapiro ( 1966), and Widdund ( 1964).
inheritance and social organization among family farmers

Comparative analysis of two French farming communities and two communities of Illinois grain farmers indicates that a similar range of variation in social organization is to be found at different levels of economic development. This is explained by the proposition that agriculturalists in all four communities share, as family farmers, a common set of fundamental concerns and a limited range of responses to them. Two contrasting French/American pairs may be distinguished according to preferred inheritance strategies and are shown to be distinguishable according to demographic traits as well. A second set of opposing French!American pairs, defined according to degree of conformity to ideal inheritance systems, are found to be associated with contrasting patterns of social relations. [farmers, inheritance, family relationships, agricultural development, North America, western Europe]
Evaluation of On-Farm Milk Progesterone Tests to Determine Nonpregnant Cows and to Prevent Insemination Errors

Abstract The effect of using the on-farm milk progesterone test for early detection of nonpregnancy and for prevention of insemination errors was evaluated using modeling and simulation. The test was evaluated assuming low and high accuracies of progesterone measurement. For early detection of nonpregnancy, three testing schemes (one test on d 21 after service; two tests on d 21 and 23; three tests on d 19, 21, and 23) were compared against a control. Using the test extended the calving to first service interval by 3 d, resulted in 4 fewer d open, decreased the replacement rate from 20.4 to 18.4%, and increased the net return per cow per year by $13.00. Neither the accuracy of the test nor the testing scheme significantly affected the results. The use of the test to prevent insemination errors was evaluated for two error rates of estrus detection, 15 and 30%. Using the test resulted in .16 fewer services per conception, 3 additional d open, and $6.00 less in net return per cow per year. An interaction between using the test and the prevailing rate of errors in detection of estrus was found; the effect of the test was greater in herds with high prevalence of detection errors but was still unprofitable under the assumed costs and returns.
Morphine attenuates ultrasonic vocalization during agonistic encounters in adult male rats.

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in rats may communicate “affective” states during pain, sex and aggression. This proposal was evaluated in an experiment with adult male Long-Evans rats during agonistic encounters; specifically, morphine and naltrexone effects were studied on different types of USV by intruder rats exposed to resident attacks and to “threat of attacks” (i.e., intruder residing within the home cage of the resident but prevented from physical contact by a wire mesh cage). Intruders readily emitted USV during agonistic encounters. These calls consisted primarily of two distinct distributions of pure tone whistles: 0.3–3 s, 19–32 kHz (“low”) calls and 0.02–0.3 s, 32–64 kHz (“high”) calls. Sonographic analysis revealed a considerable repertoire of frequency modulated calls. Different types of vocalizations proved to be differentially sensitive to the opiate treatments: morphine (1–10 mg/kg SC) dose-dependently decreased the rate, duration and pitch of both low and high frequency USV during the threat of attack; this decrease in rate and duration measures was naltrexone-reversible (0.1 mg/kg IP). Interestingly, audible vocalizations were also emitted but were unaffected by morphine in this dose range. Concomitant with the decrease in USV after morphine was a dose-dependent decrease in rearing, walking and nasal contact behavior with increases in submissive crouch behavior and tail flick analgesia. The decreases in rate and duration of both low and high USV and the pitch of specific frequency modulated calls after morphine administration may reflect an attenuation of affective aspects of pain, and the many characteristics of US (rate, duration, pitch, frequency modulation, pre-and suffix attributes and temporal structure) point to potentially diverse functions. Morphine's pervasive effects on ultrasonic but not audible vocalizations, in addition to reflexive and submissive responses, provides evidence for opioid influences on “affective” as well as somatomotor responses to socially aversive situations.
Unified Approach to Thrust Restraint Design

The design of thrust blocks for water pipelines and sewer force mains vary from one pipe material or standard to another just like the design of pipe wall thickness. This creates tremendous confusion among consulting engineers and owners of projects. The designers and the owners have to look up Design Manual M9 for concrete pipe, Design Manual M11 for welded steel pipe, Design Manual M41 for ductile iron pipe, Design Manual M23 for PVC pipe, and Design Manual M45 for fiberglass pipe. In many countries, water pipeline materials are required to meet a common standard, where design equations are kept the same whereas material properties vary from one pipe material to another. The purpose of this paper is to start from the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and geotechnical engineering and build the engineering know-how needed to apply the same design methodology for all pipe materials and applications. A step-by-step design methodology is presented.
Postnatal changes in protein metabolism of brain. I. Studies in newborn miniature pigs at varying conceptual ages.

Postnatal Changes in Protein Metabolism of Brain: I. Studies in Newborn Miniature Pigs at Varying Conceptual Ages
Ambient Pressure Synthesis of Ternary Group (V) Nitrides

Abstract We describe the ambient pressure synthesis of MTaN2 (M = Na or K), and the previously unreported, isostructural niobium analogs by the use of an ammonia flow system, starting with either Ta3N5 or tantalum metal, or either NbN or niobium metal, respectively, and an excess of the alkali metal amide at 500°C. The products are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. In addition, we describe our attempts to deintercalate NaTaN2 using NO2PF6.
The impact of HIV on chronic kidney disease outcomes

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a known complication of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but outcomes among HIV-infected patients with kidney disease are unknown. We studied a national sample of 202 927 patients with CKD (stage 3 or higher) for death, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the mean annual rate of decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over a median period of 3.8 years. Within this sample, 0.3% of the patients were diagnosed with HIV, 43.5% were diabetic, whereas the remainder had neither disease. In this national CKD cohort, HIV-infected black patients were at higher risk of death, a similar risk for ESRD and loss of eGFR than black patients with diabetes. HIV-infected white patients experienced higher rates of death but a lower risk of ESRD than their counterparts with diabetes. Our results highlight a need to study mortality and mechanisms of ESRD in the HIV infected population.
17. Biodistribution, Innate Immune Response and Toxicity Following Intravenous Inoculation of Mice with Nonhuman Adenoviral Vectors

Nonhuman adenoviral (Ad) vectors have shown the potential to overcome the preexisting Ad immunity. In order to assess their utility for in vivo applications, it is important to evaluate biodistribution, induction of innate immune response, and toxicity of these vectors in a suitable animal model. In this study, FVB/n mice were inoculated via the intravenous route with porcine Ad type 3 (PAd3), bovine Ad type 3 (BAd3), or human Ad type 5 (HAd5) vector carrying the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene as a reporter. Mice inoculated similarly with phosphate-buffered saline served as negative controls. Mice were sacrificed at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 days post-inoculation, and the blood, liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs and heart were collected for further analyses. Vector biodistribution and transgene expression were analyzed by real-time PCR and reverse-transcription PCR, respectively. The serum samples were analyzed for induction of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha (TNF-a), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interferon gamma (IFN-g). Hepatotoxicity of Ad vectors was assessed by monitoring serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and also by histopathology. At early time points (up to 2 days post-inoculation), the presence of PAd3 vector was detected in the lungs, spleen, and liver, and the BAd3 vector was detected in all tissues examined. Whereas, the presence of HAd5 vector was detected only in the liver suggesting that biodistribution of these nonhuman Ad vectors was considerably different than that of HAd5. Increased serum IL-6 levels were observed at 0.25 day post-inoculation in the PAd3-inoculated group, while increased IFN-g levels were seen on 8 days post-inoculation in the HAd5-inoculated group. Serum AST and ALT levels were elevated at early time points (up to 1day post-inoculation) in mice inoculated with either PAd3 or BAd3, but not in the HAd5-inoculated group. Surprisingly, elevated levels of these enzymes were noted at a late time point (8 days post-inoculation) only in the HAd5-inoculated group. Histopathologically, the PAd3 vector elicited mild hepatocellular apoptosis, and the HAd5 vector resulted in mild multifocal lymphocytic hepatitis, but no hepatotoxicity was observed in the BAd3-inoculated group. These results indicated that biodistribution, innate immune response and hepatotoxicity following intravenous inoculation of mice with PAd3, BAd3, or HAd5 vector were different. Further characterization of nonhuman Ad vectors will be valuable for designing improved Ad-based gene delivery vectors.
Cells of origin of corticothalamic projections upon the centromedian and parafascicular nuclei in the cat

The horseradish peroxidase method was used to study the cortical projections upon the centromedian and parafascicular (CM-Pf) thalamic complex in the cat. Following HRP injections into the CM-Pf complex, labeled corticothalamic neurons are found predominantly in cortical layer V, and rarely in layer VI. They are medium in size, pyramidal in shape, and usually occur singly, though occasionally in small clusters. These retrogradely labeled neurons have an extremely widespread distribution, being scattered throughout approximately the rostral four-fifths of the cat's neocortex. They are found in all neocortical gyri, except the posterior lateral and posterior suprasylvian gyri, but are more numerous in the rostral neocortical regions, especially within the depths of the cruciate and presylvian sulci. The pattern of distribution of these corticothalamic neurons, as revealed herein, bears a remarkable resemblance to the organization of the corticostriatal projection, as shown in another study. The similarity between the corticothalamic and corticostriatal projections is discussed. Also discussed are the present results regarding the corticothalamic projection with regard to other studies using neurophysiological and neuroanatomical methods.
Genomic organization of the genes encoding mouse T-cell receptor α-chain

The vertebrate immune system uses two kinds of antigen-specific receptors, the immunoglobulin molecules of B cells and the antigen receptors of T cells. T-cell receptors are formed by a combination of two different polypeptide chains, α and β (refs 1–3). Three related gene families are expressed in T cells, those encoding the T-cell receptor, α and β, and a third, γ (refs 4–6), whose function is unknown. Each of these polypeptide chains can be divided into variable (V) and constant (C) regions. The Vβ regions are encoded by Vβ, diversity (Dβ) and joining (Jβ) gene segments that rearrange in the differentiating T cell to generate Vβ genes7–14. The Vγ regions are encoded by Vγ Jγ and, possibly, Dγ gene segments4,5. Studies of a complementary DNA clones suggest that α-polypeptides have Vα and Cαregions and are encoded by Vα and Jα gene segments and a Cα gene15–17. Elsewhere in this issue we demonstrate that 18 of 19 Jα sequences examined are distinct18, indicating that the Jα gene segment repertoire is much larger than those of the immunoglobulin (4–5) or β (14) gene families. Here we report the germline structures of one Vα and six Jα mouse gene segments and demonstrate that the structures of the Vα and Jα gene segments and the α-recognition sequences for DNA rearrangement are similar to those of their immunoglobulin and β-chain counterparts. We also show that the Jα gene-segment organization is strikingly different from that of the other immunoglobulin and rearranging T-cell gene families. Eighteen Jα gene segments map over 60 kilobases (kb) of DNA 5' to the Cα gene.
Bisalkylation Theory of Neoprene Vulcanization

Abstract Among the organic compounds that are recommended for use with magnesia and zinc oxide as vulcanizing agents for Neoprene are ethylenethiourea (2-imidazolidinethione), p,p′-diaminodiphenylmethane and the di-o-tolylguanidine salt of dicatechol borate. In the absence of sulfur, these agents in combination with zinc oxide do not vulcanize natural rubber. This points up a marked difference in the way these elastomers vulcanize. Although a major structural difference is the chlorine atom in Neoprene in place of the side methyl group in natural rubber, the small amount of tertiary allylic chlorine formed by 1,2-polymerization is the important functional difference. The labile chlorine amounts to about 1.5 per cent of the total chlorine in a general-purpose Neoprene made at 40° C, such as Neoprene Type W used in this work. In Neoprene latex, this active chlorine is gradually liberated, and the polymer becomes cross-linked. This paper demonstrates the importance of the labile chlorine in the vulcanization...
T cell recognition of muscle acetylcholine receptor in ocular myasthenia gravis.

Abstract We examined the proliferative response of blood CD4 + cells to muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subunits and the epitope repertoire of the e and γ subunits, in ocular myasthenia gravis (oMG) patients and healthy subjects. oMG patients seldom recognized all subunits. The frequency and intensity of recognition was the same for all subunits, irrespective of the disease duration. The responses in oMG were lower than in generalized myasthenia gravis. Healthy subjects had frequent, low responses to one or more subunits. oMG patients recognized several epitopes on the γ and e subunits, that partially overlapped those recognized in gMG. The subunits and epitopes recognized by individual oMG patients changed over time. Thus, oMG patients have minimal and unstable sensitization of anti-AChR CD4 + cells, in agreement with their low and inconsistent synthesis of anti-AChR antibody.
4-Acetoxystyrene nitroxide-mediated controlled radical polymerization: Comparison with styrene

The nitroxide-mediated controlled radical polymerization (NM-CRP) of 4-acetoxystyrene with an alkoxyamine was analyzed by a combined experimental and modeling approach. At low nitroxide concentrations, thermal initiation was significant, and control of the polydispersity was poor, as was observed previously for styrene. A continuum model based on the method of moments was used to regress the parameters for the reversible nitroxide uncoupling/coupling reactions (activation energy of uncoupling), thermal initiation (activation energy of initiation), and termination (frequency factor of recombination). The model was able to capture the molecular weight averages and the polydispersity index as a function of time and the nitroxide concentration qualitatively and quantitatively. Using this mechanistic framework, we developed kinetic Monte Carlo models that allowed the molecular weight distributions to be predicted explicitly in good agreement with experimental data. A comparison of the NM-CRP of 4-acetoxystyrene and styrene is provided to illustrate the effect of the acetoxy substituent. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
A role for dendritic mGluR5-mediated local translation of Arc/Arg3.1 in MEF2-dependent synapse elimination

Experience refines synaptic connectivity through neural activity-dependent regulation of transcription factors. Although activity-dependent regulation of transcription factors has been well described, it is unknown whether synaptic activity and local, dendritic regulation of the induced transcripts are necessary for mammalian synaptic plasticity in response to transcription factor activation. Neuronal depolarization activates the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors that suppresses excitatory synapse number. We report that activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) on the dendrites, but not cell soma, of hippocampal CA1 neurons is required for MEF2-induced functional and structural synapse elimination. We present evidence that mGluR5 is necessary for synapse elimination to stimulate dendritic translation of the MEF2 target gene Arc/Arg3.1. Activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) is required for MEF2-induced synapse elimination, where it plays an acute, cell-autonomous, and postsynaptic role. This work reveals a role for dendritic activity in local translation of specific transcripts in synapse refinement.
Evidence for cytochrome P-450 mediated metabolism in the bronchiolar damage by naphthalene

Intraperitoneal administration of the volatile hydrocarbon, naphthalene, resulted in severe bronchiolar epithelial cell necrosis in mice, while hepatic or renal necrosis was not observed. Pulmonary damage and mortality by naphthalene were increased by prior treatment with diethyl maleate and decreased by prior treatment with piperonyl butoxide (1600 mg/kg). SKF 525A pretreatment had no effect on naphthalene-induced pulmonary damage. Administration of [14C]naphthalene resulted in the covalent binding of radiolabel to tissue macromolecules. Highest levels of binding occurred in lung, liver and kidney. Levels of covalent binding reached a maximum 2--4 h after treatment and corresponded to rapid glutathione depletion in lung and liver. Covalent binding was dose-dependent and showed a threshold between 200 and 400 mg/kg which coincided with almost total depletion of tissue glutathione levels. Covalent binding of reactive metabolites was increased 3--4-fold by prior treatment with diethyl maleate, and was decreased 3--4-fold by pretreatment with piperonyl butoxide. These studies support the view that naphthalene-induced pulmonary damage is mediated by the cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolism of naphthalene and that glutathione plays an important role in the detoxification of the lung damaging metabolite(s).
A practical method for the numerical evaluation of Sommerfeld integrals

Sommerfeld integrals, which appear frequently in dipole radiation problems, often must be evaluated numerically. Gauss-Laguerre quadrature is an effective integration method, provided the horizontal distance \rho from the source to the receiver is less than their vertical separation \zeta . A complementary method is to use Romberg adaptive quadrature to integrate over the positive and negative half-cycles of the integrand, then from a sequence of approximations by summing the contributions from successive half-cycle subintegrals, accelerating the convergence of this sequence using the Shanks transformation implemented via Wynn's algorithm. A comparison of the efficiencies of these techniques favors Gauss-Laguerre quadrature for \rho/\zeta and the Romberg-Shanks method otherwise.
Word-association patterns of mental hospital patients

The present study concerned an attempt to corroborate the classic findings of Rapaport, Gill, and Schafer in distinguishing mental hospital patients from control subjects, using a new objectively scored word-association test. 12 computer-scored objective scales were used to compare groups of 101 mental hospital inpatients (n = 75, including 37 on a prison ward) and outpatients (n = 26) and 101 control subjects matched with the patients for sex, age, racial and ethnic status, and education. A stepwise multiple discrimination analysis of the scores on the 12 scales of the test significantly distinguished the groups. Scales weighted most highly were Masochism, Antonyms, and Aggression. Subsequent t tests suggested that control subjects scored higher on Aggression, Self-reference, and Masochism scales, whereas patients scored higher on Rejections (nonresponses to stimulus words). Of these, only Self-reference and Rejections were items identified by Rapaport, et al.
Poe's WILLIAM WILSON and the Nightmare of Equality

Although “William Wilson” has perhaps most often been read in psychological terms (see, for example, Hubbs, Moores, and Jung), some recent interpretations have presented the tale as a reflection of...
A method for triple fluorescence labeling with Vicia villosa agglutinin, an anti-parvalbumin antibody and an anti-G-protein-coupled receptor antibody

Abstract The aim of the original study [S.B. Bausch, C. Chavkin, Vicia villosa agglutinin labels a subset of neurons coexpressing both the mu opioid receptor and parvalbumin in the developing rat subiculum, Dev. Brain Res., 97, 1996, 169–177] [3] was to develop a method for identifying a subset of mu opioid receptor-expressing interneurons in the rat subiculum for electrophysiological studies. Previous studies had shown that a subset of parvalbumin-positive neurons in the rat subiculum could be labeled with the lectin, Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA) [C.T. Drake, K.A. Mulligan, T.L. Wimpey, A. Hendrickson, C. Chavkin, Characterization of Vicia villosa agglutinin-labeled GABAergic neurons in the hippocampal formation and in acutely dissociated hippocampus, Brain Res., 554, 1991, 176–185] [11] , and that mu opioid receptor immunoreactivity (-IR) and parvalbumin-IR were colocalized in a subset of neurons in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus [S.B. Bausch, C. Chavkin, Colocalization of mu and delta opioid receptors with GABA, parvalbumin and a G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel in the rodent brain, Analgesia, 1, 1995, 282–285] [2] . We hypothesized that a subset of mu opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the subiculum also would express the calcium binding protein, parvalbumin, and could be labeled with VVA. Labeling of live neurons with VVA [11] then could be used to identify these neurons. This protocol was designed to triple-label neurons expressing the mu opioid receptor, parvalbumin and the carbohydrate group, N-acetylgalactosamine (which binds VVA [S.E. Tollefsen, R. Kornfeld, The B4 lectin from Vicia villosa seeds interacts with N-acetylgalactosamine residues α-linked to serine or threonine residues in cell surface glycoproteins, J. Biol. Chem., 258, 1983, 5172–5176][M.P. Woodward, W.W. Young, R.A. Bloodgood, Detection of monoclonal antibodies specific for carbohydrate epitopes using periodate oxidation, J. Immunol. Methods, 78, 1985, 143–153] 25 , 29 ). VVA labeling and immunocytochemistry with an affinity-purified anti-mu opioid receptor antibody [S.B. Bausch, T.A. Patterson, M.U. Ehrengruber, H.A. Lester, N. Davidson, C. Chavkin, Colocalization of mu opioid receptors with GIRK1 potassium channels in rat brain: an immunocytochemical study, Recept. Channels, 3, 1995, 221–241] [4] and an anti-parvalbumin antibody [M.R. Celio, W. Baier, L. Scharer, P.A. de Viragh, C. Gerday, Monoclonal antibodies directed against the calcium binding protein parvalbumin, Cell Calcium, 9, 1988, 81–86] [8] were used to accomplish this goal. Immunofluorescence was used as the detection method; visualization was accomplished with three fluorophores with different excitation/emission spectra and a one laser confocal microscope. This protocol can be modified easily to triple-label neurons for other carbohydrate groups and proteins. Themes: Cell biology Topics: Staining, tracing, and imaging techniques
Maxwell-Garnett theory analysis of thick PbSAl selective absorbers

Abstract Previous measurements of the solar absorptance and thermal emittance values of PbSAl tandem solar selective surfaces have resulted in α ϵ ratios significantly higher than predicted for thick (>200 nm) PbS layers, assuming optical constants equal to those of the bulk material. We report calculations of photothermal conversion efficiencies for PbsAl tandem absorbers using the Maxwell-Garnett theory to determine α and ϵ values for porous PbS films. We have also prepared samples with PbS thicknesses up to 550 nm and have determined their α and ϵ values using reflectance measurements. Thermal efficiencies in the range of 0.55 to 0.86 were obtained at 300 K and are consistent with values expected for films with moderate (0.15–0.35) void fractions.
Relative concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2/D3 and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2/D3 in maternal plasma at delivery

Abstract Quantitation of circulating 25-OH-D 2 , 25-OH-D 3 , 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 2 and 1,25-(OH) 2 -D 3 was performed on the plasma from 10 women collected at delivery following full term pregnancies. These data indicate that approximately 50% of the circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in these women are in the vitamin D 2 form. Further, they demonstrate that vitamin D 2 contributes significantly to the total vitamin D status of these individuals and cannot be considered of trivial importance. It is apparent from this study that assay techniques which specifically quantitate vitamin D 2 , as well as D 3 must be employed when measuring the total vitamin D status of individuals who are consuming significant quantities of dietary vitamin D 2 .
Semantic self-assessment of query results in dynamic environments

Queries are convenient abstractions for the discovery of information and services, as they offer content-based information access. In distributed settings, query semantics are well-defined, for example, queries are often designed to satisfy ACID transactional properties. When query processing is introduced in a dynamic network setting, achieving transactional semantics becomes complex due to the open and unpredictable environment. In this article, we propose a query processing model for mobile ad hoc and sensor networks that is suitable for expressing a wide range of query semantics; the semantics differ in the degree of consistency with which query results reflect the state of the environment during query execution. We introduce several distinct notions of consistency and formally express them in our model. A practical and significant contribution of this article is a protocol for query processing that automatically assesses and adaptively provides an achievable degree of consistency given the operational environment throughout its execution. The protocol attaches an assessment of the achieved guarantee to returned query results, allowing precise reasoning about a query with a range of possible semantics. We evaluate the performance of this protocol and demonstrate the benefits accrued to applications through examples drawn from an industrial application.
Hyperuniversality in quantum critical phenomena.

On applique les generalisations de l'universalite du facteur a deux echelles, ou l'hyperuniversalite, aux transitions de phases quantiques a la temperature zero. On trouve de nouvelles combinaisons des amplitudes universelles impliquant la densite superfluide dans les systemes de Bose bi- et tri-dimensionnels; on confirme et etend les propositions anterieures pour les coefficients du transport universels dans les films supraconducteurs bidimensionnels et les transitions metal-isolant induites par le champ magnetique. On donne une preuve generale de l'existence des sauts universels dans les super-fluides bidimensionnels a temperature finie en utilisant l'hyper-universalite de taille finie
Historical Changes in Flood Power and Riparian Vegetation in Lower Harris Wash, Escalante River Basin, Utah

This study quantifies historical changes in flood power (measured by boundary shear stress and unit stream power) and riparian vegetation in a narrow stream canyon. Analyses of historical air and g...
An evaluation of redundant arrays of disks using an Amdahl 5890

Recently we presented several disk array architectures designed to increase the data rate and I/O rate of supercomputing applications, transaction processing, and file systems [Patterson 88]. In this paper we present a hardware performance measurement of two of these architectures, mirroring and rotated parity. We see how throughput for these two architectures is affected by response time requirements, request sizes, and read to write ratios. We find that for applications with large accesses, such as many supercomputing applications, a rotated parity disk array far outperforms traditional mirroring architecture. For applications dominated by small accesses, such as transaction processing, mirroring architectures have higher performance per disk than rotated parity architectures.
Comparative analysis of Redigel and Aerobic Plate Count methods for viable cell counts of selected foods

The Redigel system uses a calcium pectate gel in place of agar in an alternative method for determining aerobic colony counts in food. The system was compared with the conventional Aerobic Plate Count method for the determination of each food being tested. The correlation coefficient for each food product ranged from 0.10 (wheat flour) to 1.00 (pecans) with an overall correlation of 0.964. The Redigel system can be used as a conventional alternative method for the numeration of bacteria from foods.
An enlarged process window for hot embossing

Hot embossing an open-die process with a flat mold has limited capabilities in embossing thick films with high-aspect-ratio microstructures. The process suffers from a small process window due to a coupled control scheme for both embossing pressure and embossing thickness. To enlarge the process window, the standard flat mold was modified to include a circumferential landing area, with which the embossing pressure can be separately controlled. Theoretical analyses were carried out to understand the cause of the small process window in hot embossing and the benefits from the new tool design. A case study involving a disk with a centered high-aspect-ratio feature was performed. The analysis showed that, in the new process, the filling aspect ratio is not limited and uniform embossing pressure can be attained on the entire embossing disk. Experiments were conducted to partly verify the analytical findings. With the simple and yet useful tool modification, thick and discrete parts with high-aspect-ratio surface features were successfully embossed in a single-step operation.
Tolerance responses to herbivory: implications for future management strategies in potato

Tolerance is a plant response to herbivory that allows plants to sustain defoliation without any fitness consequences. In agriculture, the maximum amount of defoliation that crops can experience without yield loss is defined as the damage threshold. Damage thresholds can be used to develop tolerance-based management strategies, which would offer guidelines for farmers for when pest control should be enacted to minimise pesticide use while maintaining yield. Damage thresholds for many varieties of potatoes, Solanum tuberosum, have been documented, but not consolidated into a general framework. We aggregated data from published studies and quantified the effects of variety, maturity group, life stage and defoliation mechanisms on damage thresholds to inform a tolerance-based management strategy for potato. Late maturing varieties did not have different damage thresholds than early maturing varieties. Damage thresholds were greater than 60% defoliation at emergence and post-bloom and less than 40% defoliation pre-bloom and during bloom. If the stems were damaged, emergence and post-bloom damage thresholds were reduced from 60% defoliation without stem damage to 35% and 52% defoliation with stem damage. Likewise, the damage thresholds during bloom were reduced to 20% defoliation when stems were damaged. We propose using action thresholds based on defoliation as a baseline to develop a tolerance-based management strategy for potatoes.
Drugs as P-glycoprotein substrates, inhibitors, and inducers

In humans, there are two P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transporters encoded by MDR1 (PGY1) and MDR3 (also named MDR2 and PGY3) adjacently located at the chromosomal region 7q21 [1][2]. The encoded gene pro...
Headspace volatiles from 52 oak species advertise induction, species identity, and evolution, but not defense.

Leaf volatiles convey information about a plant to other organisms in their proximity. Despite increasing interest in understanding the relevance of volatile emissions for particular ecological interactions, there has been relatively little effort to assess generally what information volatile profiles transmit. We surveyed the volatile profiles of wounded and unwounded leaves of 52 oak (Quercus) species. We used phylogenetic comparison and multivariate techniques to assess in what circumstances oak individuals advertised their species identity, evolutionary history, direct defenses, or damage. We found that both species identity and evolutionary history were advertised when leaves were wounded, but species could not be differentiated by odor when leaves were not wounded. Various fatty-acid derivative compounds showed the strongest phylogenetic signal suggesting that they may best disclose taxonomic affiliations in oaks. We tested whether oak volatile composition or diversity advertised high defensive investment, but we found no evidence for this. Wounded leaves disclose much about an oak species’ identity and taxonomic affiliation, but unwounded leaves do not. This is consistent with the idea that volatile information is targeted toward natural enemy recruitment.
Soluble expression, purification and characterization of the full length IS2 Transposase

Background The two-step transposition pathway of insertion sequences of the IS3 family, and several other families, involves first the formation of a branched figure-of-eight (F-8) structure by an asymmetric single strand cleavage at one optional donor end and joining to the flanking host DNA near the target end. Its conversion to a double stranded minicircle precedes the second insertional step, where both ends function as donors. In IS2, the left end which lacks donor function in Step I acquires it in Step II. The assembly of two intrinsically different protein-DNA complexes in these F-8 generating elements has been intuitively proposed, but a barrier to testing this hypothesis has been the difficulty of isolating a full length, soluble and active transposase that creates fully formed synaptic complexes in vitro with protein bound to both binding and catalytic domains of the ends. We address here a solution to expressing, purifying and structurally analyzing such a protein.
Photoluminescence study of InGaN site-controlled nanostructures formed by selective area epitaxy

We studied photoluminescence of InGaN site-controlled nanostructures formed by selective area epitaxy. We developed a theoretical model for the nanoscale growth evolution and used this model for the optimization of optical qualities of InGaN nanostructures.
Influence of polyacrylamide on the oxidative decomposition of sodium dithionite: Implications for vat dyeing processes

A statistical analysis was made of the halftimes of oxidative decomposition of sodium dithionite at 25°C in alkaline aqueous solutions, having geometrically spaced specific surfaces and concentrations of polyacrylamide. The analysis reveals a strong relationship between solution-specific surface and resulting halftime, with halftime decreasing as specific surface increases; however, only the highest concentration of polyacrylamide, with a correspondingly high solution viscosity, is revealed to have a consistently significant effect on the rate of oxidative decomposition of dithionite. No significant effect on dithionite decomposition is observed for polyacrylamide concentrations that conceivably would be used in commercial vat dyeing processes. The findings suggest that the beneficial effect of high molecular weight polymers such as polyacrylamide in commercial vat dyeing is due solely to the function of the polymer to decrease the specific surface of the dithionite solution on the fabric, leading to decreased decomposition rates. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Site-specific effects on productivity of an upper trophic-level marine predator: Bottom-up, top-down, and mismatch effects on reproduction in a colonial seabird

Abstract We investigated the relative roles of bottom-up and top-down factors in limiting productivity of an upper trophic level marine predator. Our primary working hypothesis was that the reproductive success of black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) a piscivorous, colonial-nesting seabird, was most limited by the abundance, distribution, and species composition of surface-schooling forage fishes. A secondary working hypothesis was that reproductive loss to kittiwake nest predators was greatest during years of reduced prey availability. We report on a broad-scale, integrated study of kittiwakes and their prey in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Our study spanned five breeding seasons (1995–1999) and focused on three colonies that differed in size (ranging from ca. 220 to ca. 7000 breeding pairs) and proximity to each other (50–135 km apart). Kittiwakes in PWS encountered a variety of aquatic habitats, creating a complex foraging environment for breeding birds. We measured kittiwake reproductive success and foraging activities, while simultaneously measuring the abundance of surface schooling forage fishes throughout the foraging range of breeding kittiwakes. The abundance of primary prey species for kittiwakes (Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus, and capelin Mallotus villosus) varied both annually and regionally, with no one region consistently having the greatest abundance of prey. Likewise, kittiwake reproductive success varied considerably among colonies and years. We found that bottom-up, top-down, timing mismatch, and colony-specific effects were all important to kittiwake productivity. Although bottom-up effects appeared to be strongest, they were not evident in some cases until other effects, such as geographic location (proximity of colony to prey concentrations) and top-down predation, were considered. Important bottom-up effects on kittiwake reproductive success were not only total prey abundance and distribution, but also species, age composition, and chronology of prey occurrence (match/mismatch of timing with critical brood-rearing periods); these effects varied by colony. Top-down effects of predation on kittiwake nest contents (independent of prey abundance) confounded seabird-forage fish relationships. Ultimately, when confounding factors were minimized, non-linear asymptotic relationships were identified between kittiwakes and their prey, with an asymptotic threshold of fish school surface area density of ca. 5 m2/km2, beyond which top-down, physiological, or phylogenetic constraints likely restrict further reproductive output. The integrated approach of our investigations provided a more thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying predator–prey relationships in the complex marine environment. However, such mechanistic theories can only be tested and refined through long-term research and monitoring of much greater duration than the 5-year study reported herein.
2,2′-[(Di­phenyl­silyl­ene)­dioxy]­bis(5-chloro­benzo­phenone)

The title compound, C38H26Cl2O4Si, was obtained from the tertiary-amine-catalyzed reaction of di­phenyl­di­chloro­silane with two equivalents of 5-chloro-2-hydroxy­benzo­phenone. As expected, the silicon atom has a distorted tetrahedral environment.
Interactive instruction in the radiographic anatomy of the chest

An instructional program has been developed which is designed to instruct medical students in a systematic approach to the reading of the chest radiograph. A videodisc player is used to display a radiograph on a video monitor and computer graphics are superimposed over this image. Another feature is the use of a mouse pointer as an input device to identify structures on the radiograph. The instructional approach is based upon the drill and practice method. All questions and responses are created by the computer through the program's database manipulation.
Child Labour and Schooling Responses to Production and Health Shocks in Northern Mali

This paper investigates the effect of shocks on children’s time in school, home production and market production at the extensive and intensive margins. Production shocks increase the probability of withdrawal from school by 11% and participation in farm work by 24%, but have no effects on children’s intensive margin. Health shocks to men and women increase children’s hours worked in household enterprises and child care, respectively. These results suggest that households adjust child labour in response to unexpected events at the extensive or the intensive margin, depending on task. This taskspecific data provide evidence that children are complementary to adult labour in agriculture, but substitutes to adult labour in child care.
Chlorpyrifos oxon potentiates diacylglycerol-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 44/42) activation, possibly by diacylglycerol lipase inhibition.

Chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO) activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 44/42) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHOK1) cells but the mechanism is not defined. This study tests the hypothesis that diacylglycerol (DAG) is the secondary messenger responsible for CPO-induced ERK 44/42 activation. It is known that DAG is sequentially hydrolyzed by DAG lipase and monoacylglycerol (MAG) lipase, both of which are organophosphate sensitive. Inhibition of these enzymes might therefore lead to the accumulation of DAG and MAG, of which only DAG is a secondary messenger. The experiments show that treatment of CHOK1 cells with CPO significantly inhibits DAG/MAG lipase activity and elevates cellular DAG levels. Pretreatment of CHOK1 cells with CPO or a carbamate known to be a DAG lipase inhibitor, followed by treatment with a cell-permeable DAG (1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycerol), results in synergistic activation of ERK 44/42. CPO-potentiated DAG-induced ERK 44/42 activation is both time and concentration dependent. This activation is blocked by inhibitors of protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, suggesting that these enzymes are important in CPO/DAG cellular signaling. Activation by a stable DAG analogue (phorbol ester) was not altered by CPO, suggesting that DAG metabolism is the probable target for CPO-potentiated DAG-induced ERK 44/42 activation. These observations support the hypothesis that CPO potentiates DAG signaling in CHOK1 cells by inhibiting a CPO-sensitive DAG lipase, thereby providing a potential mechanism of toxicity not associated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition.