cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RTI-76, an irreversible inhibitor of dopamine transporter binding, increases locomotor activity in the rat at high doses

An earlier study in our laboratory showed that 24 h after intracerebroventricular administration of the irreversible dopamine transporter inhibitor RTI-76, [3H]GBR12935 binding to the dopamine transporter (DAT) protein was inhibited in both the striatum and nucleus accumbens of the rat in a dose-dependent fashion (0.05-5.0 micromol). The rate of return of binding to control levels was used to calculate the half-life of DAT. Since changes in behavior could conceivably influence the half-life, the effects of various doses of RTI-76 on locomotor activity 1 and 3 days after RTI-76 administration were examined. During the first day after i.c.v. administration, 1.25 micromol RTI-76 had no effect on locomotor activity, but 2.5 micromol RTI-76 significantly increased locomotor activity in rats, a time at which this dose inhibited 41 and 42% of [3H]GBR12935 binding in the striatum and in the nucleus accumbens, respectively. These results agree with earlier reports showing that significant blockade of the dopamine transporter protein in the striatum is required for increases in motor activity in rodents. However, 5.0 micromol RTI-76 did not increase locomotor activity, even though binding was inhibited to 38 and 37% of control levels in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, respectively. Furthermore, our present results suggest that locomotor activity does not continue to increase as the blockade of DAT increases. Notably, there were no increases in locomotor activity at the dose of RTI-76 (100 nmol) used to measure DAT half-life.
An envelope function model for forecasting athletics records

The purpose of this paper is to present a multiplicative model for the fastest time per year in the 400- and 800-metre races. It is composed of an envelope function and a stationary time series. The proposed model is plausible since there is dependency between the fastest times of successive years and because improvements are expected to be smaller now, as compared with several years ago. Data from the years 1860 to 1988 are used for illustration.
The influence of selenium, salinity, and boron on selenium uptake in wild mustard

Wild brown mustard (Brassica juncea) was shown in greenhouse water cultures to determine the effects of selenium (Se), salinity (salt), and boron (B) in the root media on total Se concentrations in plant tissues. The experimental design was a three-way incomplete factorial with treatments consisting of four Se concentrations (0, 2, 6, and 15 mg Se L−1 as Na2SeO4), four B concentrations (0.1, 2, 6, and 15 mg B L−1 as boric acid) and four salt treatments (0.5, 3, 10, and 15 dS m−1 as NaCl and CaCl in approximately 5:1 ratio by weight). After 40 d of growing in the respective water culture treatment, plants were harvested, separated into shoots and roots and analyzed for total tissue Se and B, and shoot sulfate (SO4) concentrations.
Deriving the operational nonlinear multichannel sea surface temperature algorithm coefficients for NOAA-15 AVHRR/3

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) currently uses Nonlinear Sea Surface Temperature (NLSST) algorithms to estimate sea surface temperature (SST) from NOAA satellite Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. In this study, we created a three-month dataset of global sea surface temperature derived from NOAA-15 AVHRR data paired with coincident SST measurements from buoys (i.e. called the SST matchup dataset) between October and December 1998. The satellite sensor SST and buoy SST pairs were included in the dataset if they were coincident within 25 km and 4 hours. A regression analysis of the data in this matchup dataset was used to derive the coefficients for the operational NLSST equations applicable to NOAA-15 AVHRR sensor data. An independent matchup dataset (between January and March 1999) was also used to assess the accuracy of these day and night operational NLSST algorithms. The bias was found to be 0.14°C and 0.08°C for the day and night algorithms, respectively....
Novel perfluorinated antireflective and protective coating for KDP and other optical materials

A new commercially available perfluorinated organic polymer has been used to prepare a combined quarterwave AR and protective coating for KDP and other optical materials. Coatings are applied from solution at room temperature by spin or dip they are fully dense and have a refractive index of 1. 29. The laser damage threshold at 1064 nm and 355 nm is the highest that we have ever measured for an AR coating material. 1.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Impaired regulation of arousal in 3-month-old infants exposed prenatally to cocaine and other drugs.

This study investigated relations between drug exposure, particularly cocaine, and infants' regulation of arousal in response to novelty. Sixty-three infants — 36 cocaine exposed and 27 non-cocaine exposed — participated at 3 months of age in a novel-repeat stimulus presentation procedure. Arousal was operationalized in terms of infant behavioral state, affective expressiveness, and attention to the stimulus. Infants were tested and infant behaviors were scored by experimenters blind to the drug exposure status of the infant. There were no differences between the two groups in baseline behavioral state or affective expression before the presentation of novel stimuli. Compared to the non-cocaine-exposed group, infants exposed prenatally to cocaine and other drugs were more likely to exhibit a crying state and to display negative affect on novel stimulus presentations. There were no group differences in the amount of looking toward the stimulus. Both groups showed less crying and negative affect when stimuli were presented a second time, but decrements were consistently greater for the cocaine-exposed group. These results obtained when group differences were controlled for sociodemographic and perinatal variables. Sources of differences in the regulation of arousal in cocaine-exposed and non-cocainc-exposed infants are discussed, and impairments in the regulation of arousal in cocaine-exposed infants are considered in a framework of predictive implications for children's social and cognitive development.
Evaluation of 99mTechnetium-Mebrofenin and 99mTechnetium-Sestamibi as Specific Probes for Hepatic Transport Protein Function in Rat and Human Hepatocytes

Purpose This study characterized 99mTc-Mebrofenin (MEB) and 99mTc-Sestamibi (MIBI) hepatic transport and preferential efflux routes (canalicular vs. basolateral) in rat and human sandwich-cultured hepatocytes (SCH).
History at the intersection of disability and public health: The case of John Galsworthy and disabled soldiers of the First World War

The author presented an earlier version of this historical article to the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (November 2009). It is part of his ongoing research in the social and cultural history of medicine as the field intersects with the history of disability, veterans, and public health, as well as current issues that touch all of these areas. This article introduces readers to perspectives on disability held by the British novelist John Galsworthy (1867-1933), which he developed primarily through his philanthropic support for and his compositions about rehabilitation programs for British and American soldiers disabled in the First World War (1914-1918). Readers will learn that Galsworthy's perspectives are as much about his identity as an individual with disabilities as they are about men disabled in the "war to end all wars." The rediscovery of Galsworthy's experiences and words more than 90 years after the end of World War I reveals how history is present today at the intersection of disability and public health. Indeed, the story of Galsworthy ultimately seeking to forget his own experiences during the "Great War," as well as the very physical and psychological disability caused by that conflict, can inspire public health professionals and disability rights advocates today to remember-indeed, to advocate for-men and women who served in battle and have returned home to realize renewed health and social participation despite permanent physical and psychological wounds. Readers will note that language used throughout this article to describe disability is period-specific and therefore not keeping with current conventions.
Use of the Internet for HIV Prevention by AIDS Service Organizations in the United States

ABSTRACT Organizations that provide services to HIV-positive persons or that are dedicated to reducing HIV transmission are beginning to use information technology in their work. We surveyed 88 AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) in 42 U.S. states regarding their use of the Internet. Most ASOs allowed individuals to contact them via email and half provided computers for clients to access HIV-related information. One-third of the ASOs were conducting online HIV prevention programs. Most online programs employed an outreach model in chat rooms. American ASOs are enthusiastically forging ahead with online prevention. However, in most cases these activities would benefit from more refinement and formal evaluation.
A mechanistic model for baking of leavened aerated food

Abstract A mechanistic model for baking of leavened aerated food is proposed. The model accounts for heat conduction, moisture diffusion, diffusion of CO2 that is produced by fermentation, and the resistance to bubble expansion by the viscoelasticity of the dough which is described by Oldroyd B constitutive equation. Unsteady state heat conduction and moisture diffusion equations are solved accounting for bubble expansion due to heating, evaporation of moisture as well as diffusion of CO2 that is produced by fermentation to obtain the evolution of temperature, moisture and air volume fraction profiles as well as dough rise. The bubble expansion due to CO2 diffusion is coupled to temperature and moisture profiles. The model predicts that the growth of bubble exhibits a lag time followed by an exponential growth phase consistent with experimental observations. Eventhough the surface region is more expanded initially, at longer times, it is found to be more dense. The calculated air volume fraction profiles at longer times indicated an expanded inner region of more or less uniform density and a denser surface crust region of decreasing air volume fraction (or increasing density). The thickness of the crust region is found to increase with baking time. The average air volume fraction is found to increase with time because of the combined effects of air expansion as well as CO2 diffusion. The model predictions of dough rise as well as force exerted by the rising dough compare well with the experimental data (Singh and Bhattacharya, 2005; Romano et al., 2007).
And the Two Shall Become One Flesh': A Study of Traditions in Ephesians 5: 21-33

In this detailed exegesis of Ephesians 5: 21-33 Dr Sampley not only elucidates the meaning of this difficult and historically important passage, but he also discusses and describes the background and sources of the Epistle. In particular he traces the history of the traditions incorporated in it and demonstrates convincingly that the writer of Ephesians drew heavily on certain passages in Genesis and Leviticus. Ephesians can be seen as a mosaic of traditions ingeniously arranged and employed to express the new message of the early church. This book should be of interest to all Old and New Testament scholars.
Age distribution and herd life expectancy in Iowa dairy herds.

Abstract Age distribution and herd life expectancy tables were developed for six breeds by age at freshening in 252,470 lactation records. The average useful herd life of all cows was 3.12 years. The present population of Iowa dairy cattle is younger than it was 30 years ago. Dairymen put strong pressure to cows to calve annually. The modal ages at freshening were 25, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, and 108 months. Differences in life expectancy between cows from herds still actively enrolled in the production record program and those from herds no longer active were significant. Registered cows are kept longer than grades. There are significant breed differences in age distribution and herd life expectancy in Iowa dairy herds, and each breed has its own unique profile for ages at calving.
Is HMGB1 an osteocyte alarmin

The death of osteocytes, the terminally differentiated cells of the osteoblast lineage that are embedded in bone and regulate remodeling, is significant to both normal and pathological bone resorption. Apoptotic osteocytes putatively release a clarion signal that enhances the development of the bone-resorbing osteoclasts and targets their migration to the breach in the osteocyte network. This phenomenon is thought to underlie normal repair of bone microdamage and contribute to the etiologies of inflammatory bone loss. The chromatin protein high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) has been identified as an "alarmin" in other tissues. An alarmin is an endogenous molecule released by dead and dying cells that alert the innate immune system to damage and the need for tissue repair. Wang and colleagues presented evidence in a landmark 1999 study showing that released HMGB1 is a lethal mediator of sepsis. Extracellular HMGB1 is a ligand for the toll-like receptors (TLRs) and for the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) all of which amplify inflammation. Recent studies by our lab and others have shown that HMGB1 is a bone-active cytokine. It is released by apoptotic osteoblasts in vitro, including the MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells. Extracellular HMGB1 enhances the expression of RANKL, TNFalpha, and IL6 in osteoblastogenic bone marrow stromal cell cultures, and it is chemotactic to osteoclasts. In this prospectus we will review HMGB1 activity at the immune-bone interface and propose a role for HMGB1 as an osteocyte alarmin and mediator of normal remodeling and inflammatory bone loss.
Adaptive coding schemes for support of multicast audio to wireless devices

The mobile wireless environment, characterized by dynamically varying bandwidth and signal quality, provides a harsh environment for audio and video applications. Insufficient bandwidth leads to losses and delays which significantly reduce the quality of playback at the receiver. Such an environment demands application support for bandwidth adaptation. Audio applications in particular have traditionally operated at fixed rates and are prime candidates for enhancement. We propose a DCT-based audio decomposition (DAD) scheme for real-time general audio streams in the multicast environment which allows audio quality to be traded off against reductions in bandwidth usage. We compare the performance of DAD, using objective and subjective measures, against two other schemes which also support adaptation to restricted bandwidth.
Three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis of small surface cracks

Abstract Three-dimensional, elastic and elastic-plastic finite element analysis of small surface cracks was performed. The elastic analysis is in good agreement with other solutions. For a round surface with a radius equal to six times the crack depth, the K at the surface is about 4% higher than the K for a flat surface. The results of the elastic-plastic analyses show a unique variation of the effective K (J-integral) along the crack front with a decrease in K at the surface due to a lack of plane strain constraint and an increase in the effective K at the maximum depth point with increasing plasticity. Similar behavior was observed for a semielliptical crack. Increasing the strain hardening exponent from 10 to 20 produced similar results with slightly higher effective A's for high applied strains. These results are useful in understanding the fracture behavior of small surface cracks.
Competence and progression growth factors stimulate different tRNAlys modification reactions in BALB/C 3T3 cells.

Summary Sparse cultures of Balb/C 3T3 cells were growth arrested in a medium containing 1% calf plasma. This treatment caused a decrease in tRNA 4 lys , a tRNA species related to cell division, and a corresponding increase in tRNA 5 lys . A restoration of tRNA 4 lys levels and an increase in cell number was obtained by the addition of either 10% calf serum or a combination of fibroblast growth factor and melanocyte stimulating activity. Neither growth factor alone evoked a proliferative response. The progression factors, insulin and multiplication stimulating activity stimulated the rapid conversion of tRNA 5 lys to tRNA 2 lys , whereas the competence factors, fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor stimulated a slight conversion of tRNA 2 lys to tRNA 4 lys .
The neuroanatomy of mental retardation in the white rat.

Abstract A provisional examination of a set of questions pertaining to the neuroanatomical basis of mental retardation was undertaken by assessing the learning ability of 25 different groups of young rats prepared with various cortical and subcortical lesions. The test battery included a visual discrimination, a nonvisual discrimination, a three-cul maze and three separate detour problems. Seven of the 25 groups were impaired in learning all problems (suggestive of a generalized learning impairment) and therefore were viewed as being mentally retarded. One of these groups suffered diffuse multifocal neocortical damage, while the lesions in the remaining six were located either within the parietal cortex, globus pallidus, ventrolateral thalamus, substantia nigra, median raphe or pontine reticular formation. Based upon a variety of observations, it is proposed that the generalized learning impairment seen in our brain-damaged rats, rather than being reducible to a sensory, motor, arousal-motivational-emotional, attentional, inhibitory or recent memory defect, is the product of a defect in “executive” processes.
Career Self-Efficacy Theory: Back to the Future

This article begins by reviewing the scientific origins of research on career self-efficacy, highlighting its original development as a means of understanding the career development of women and di...
Industrial research on alternative fluorocarbons

Abstract Fluorocarbons containing chlorine or bromine have been associated with stratospheric ozone depletion and the search for suitable alternatives is progressing at an accelerated pace. The Program for Alternative Fluorocarbon Toxicity Testing (PAFT), an international group representing most of the world's CFC producers, has been conducting comprehensive toxicological evaluations on several possible replacements for current fire-extinguishing agents — 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (HCFC-123), 1-chloro-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HCFC-124), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), and l-fluoro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (HFC-134a). Results from short-term experimental studies showing a low order of acute toxicity, as well as results from longer-term toxicity studies on these replacements, will be discussed.
Lipid interactions of acylated tryptophan-methylated lactoferricin peptides by solid-state NMR.

Lactoferricin (LfB) is a 25-residue innate immunity peptide released by pepsin from the N-terminal region of bovine lactoferrin. A smaller amidated peptide, LfB6 (RRWQWR-NH2) retains antimicrobial activity and is thought to constitute the “antimicrobial active-site” (Tomita, Acta Paediatr Jpn. 1994; 36: 585–91). Here we report on N-acylation of 1-Me-Trp5-LfB6, Cn-RRWQ[1-Me-W]R-NH2, where Cn is an acyl chain having n = 0, 2, 4, 6 or 12 carbons. Tryptophan 5 (Trp5) was methylated to enhance membrane binding and to allow for selective deuteration at that position. Peptide/lipid interactions of Cn-RRWQ[1-Me-W]R-NH2 (deuterated 1-Me-Trp5 underlined), were monitored by solid state 31P NMR and 2H NMR. The samples consisted of macroscopically oriented bilayers of mixed neutral (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, DMPC) and anionic (dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol, DMPG) lipids in a 3:1 ratio with Cn-RRWQ[&1-Me-W]R-NH2 peptides added at a 1:25 peptide to lipid ratio. 2H-NMR spectra reveal that the acylated peptides are well aligned in DMPC:DMPG bilayers. The 2H NMR quadrupolar splittings suggest that the 1-Me-Trp is located in a motionally restricted environment, indicating partial alignment at the membrane interface. 31P-NMR spectra reveal that the lipids are predominantly in a bilayer configuration, with little perturbation by the peptides. Methylation alone, in C0-RRWQ[1-Me-W]R-NH2, resulted in a 3–4 fold increase in antimicrobial activity against E. coli. N-acylation with a C12 fatty acid enhanced activity almost 90 fold. Copyright © 2008 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors Affecting Milk Fat Percent of Nili-Ravi Buffaloes in Pakistan

Monthly fat tests for 895 lactations of Nili-Ravi buffaloes in a Livestock Production Research Institute herd were used to estimate environmental effects on fat percentage. Fat tests rose progressively from 1st to 10th mo of lactation (5.51 to 7.46%). Average lactation fat percent was 6.55 +/- .06. Year effects were significant, but season, age, parity, milk yield, and health status were not. Percent fat increased slightly to maturity (6.54 first parity; 6.65 fifth). Lactations initiated April to September averaged slightly higher (6.60%) than other months (6.50%). There was a slight, although real, decrease in fat percent with increased lactation milk yield (6.60, 6.63, 6.60, 6.43, 6.51 for 1000 to 1500, 1501 to 2000, 2001 to 2500, 2501 to 3000, and greater than 3,000 kg). Effect of treatment for health problems was small (6.51 treated versus 6.59% untreated). Of all fat tests (7,772) 60% were 5.1 to 7.0%, 27% were between 7 and 9%, but only 3% exceeded 9%. Lactation fat percent averaged 1.0 less than most percents for buffaloes because of system of milking and milk yield (2,130 kg). Fat percentage of buffaloes appears to be influenced by environmental factors in the same proportion as for cattle, but buffaloes would be expected to exceed cattle in fat percent by 1 to 3% depending on breed and environmental conditions.
Visual memory deficits following cortical and limbic lesions: effect of field of presentation.

Abstract The visual and auditory memory deficits of right parietal and Korsakoff patients were compared on tasks involving the retention of consonant trigrams. When the letters were presented visually, field of presentation was a critical variable: in comparison to normal controls, the right parietals' memory deficit was limited to letters presented in the left visual field while the Korsakoff patients evidenced a deficit in all sectors of the field. Results from the auditory task suggest that the visual data cannot be reduced to a general serial order effect but rather are related to the visual nature of the stimuli.
Pain expectation, negative affect, and angry aggression.

An experiment was conducted to determine if the relatively strong negative affect generated by anticipation of pain from exposure to aversive stimulation would give rise to an instigation to aggression and accompanying feelings of annoyance-irritation-anger. The 45 undergraduate women in the study were required to immerse their nondominant hand in water as they administered reward and punishment to a fellow student, supposedly as an evaluation of that person's solutions to assigned problems. In two-thirds of the cases the water temperature was unpleasantly cold, while it was much more tolerable in temperature for the remaining subjects. Half of the participants in the cold water condition and all of those in the more tolerable water temperature group has been led to expect the possibility of pain as they kept their hand in the water, whereas the remaining women (exposed to the cold water) had been alerted only to the physical sensations they would have. In accord with the findings obtained in an earlier experiment by Leventhal, Brown, Sacham, and Enquist (1979), the subjects in the cold water group expecting that they might feel pain reported experiencing the greatest discomfort. Further, consistent with Berkowitz's analysis of anger and angry aggression, these participants also reported the strongest feelings of annoyance-irritation-anger and were most punitive to the available target even though they could not attribute their discomfort to this person.
The role of pharmaceutical agents in appetite stimulation in patients with end-stage renal disease

Abstract Objective : To evaluate the potential role of appetite stimulants in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Data Sources : Published literature pertaining to the nutritional status of dialysis patients and pharmaceutical agents that have been reported to stimulate appetite in patients with anorexia. Data Synthesis : Malnutrition is prevalent in ESRD. Multiple factors including anorexia contribute to the etiology of this comorbid condition in dialysis patients. At present, nutritional strategies used in the clinical setting to treat malnutrition include both enteral and parenteral support. In other disease states in which anorexia is common, eg, advanced cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the use of some pharmaceutical agents to stimulate appetite has been effective. This article reviews these agents and their possible role in patients with ESRD. Conclusion : The use of pharmaceutical agents to stimulate appetite may prove to be beneficial in treating dialysis patients. Further studies are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of these drugs in this population.
Microminiaturized immunoassays using atomic force microscopy and compositionally patterned antigen arrays

This paper combines the topographic imaging capability of the atomic force microscope (AFM) with a compositionally patterned array of immobilized antigenic rabbit IgG on gold as an approach to performing immunoassays. The substrates are composed of micrometer-sized domains of IgG that are covalently linked to a photolithographically patterned array of a monolayer-based coupling agent. The immobilized coupling agent, which is prepared by the chemisorption of dithiobis(succinimidyl undecanoate) on gold, is separated by micrometer-sized grids of a monolayer formed from octadecanethiol (ODT). The strong hydrophobicity of the ODT adlayer, combined with the addition of the surfactant Tween 80 to the buffer solution that is used in forming the antibody-antigen pairs, minimizes the nonspecific adsorption of proteinaceous materials to the grid regions. This minimization allows the grids to function as a reference plane for the AFM detection of the height increase when a complementary antibody-antigen pair is formed. The advantageous features of this strategy, which include ease of sample preparation, an internal reference plane for the detection of topographic changes, and the potential for regeneration and reuse, are demonstrated using rabbit IgG as an immobilized antigen and goat anti-rabbit IgG as the complementary antibody. The prospects for further miniaturization are discussed.
UNDERSTANDING HANDWRITTEN TEXT IN A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT: DETERMINING ZIP CODES FROM ADDRESSES

Understanding a block of handwritten text means mapping it into a semantic representation. We describe an approach to reading a block of handwritten text when there are certain loose constraints placed on the spatial layout and syntax of the text. Early recognition of primitives guides the location of syntactic components. A system to read handwritten postal addresses is described as an instance. The semantic representation in this case is a digit string (ZIP Code). Methods for segmenting a string of digits into components and for recognizing digits using a multiplicity of recognizers are given.
Theoretical considerations in information retrieval systems

A method for automatic loading of library subroutines, which can be adapted to operate in conjunction with any conventional two-pass assembler is described. The method is specifically designed to cope with a nested library structure.
Wavelet-transform based edge detection approach to derivation of snowmelt onset, end and duration from satellite passive microwave measurements

We developed a new method for deriving the onset date, end date, duration and spatial extent of snowmelt using satellite passive microwave measurements. Our method exploits the fact that apparent edges are present on the brightness temperature (Tb ) time series curve corresponding to sharp and abrupt melt‐induced transitions of brightness temperature. Through a wavelet transform of daily Tb observations, our method identifies and tracks significant upward and downward edges on the Tb curves. Through variance analysis and bi‐modal Gaussian curve fitting, an optimal edge strength threshold is statistically determined to differentiate real snowmelt edges from weak edges caused by noisy perturbations and other non‐melt processes. Based on the principle of spatial autocorrelation, a neighbourhood operator is designed to detect and correct possible errors in the melt computations that are purely based on temporal analysis of individual Tb curves. We have implemented the method using C++ programming language and...
The Phoenix Project Raising a New Image of Public Administration from the Ashes of the Past

Social theory seems to be moving toward what Charles Perrow has called the "garbage can paradigm" of deconstructionism, while at the social level, the trend seems to be toward a technicist social o...
Solubilization and partial purification of retinyl ester synthetase and retinoid isomerase from bovine ocular pigment epithelium.

Abstract Studies reported previously from this laboratory have demonstrated that membranes from the pigment epithelium of the vertebrate eye can transform free all-trans-retinol to 11-cis-retinol as well as 11-cis- and all trans-retinyl esters (Bernstein, P. S., Law, W. C., and Rando, R. R. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 1849-1853; Bernstein, P. S., Law, W. C., and Rando, R. R. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16848-16857; Fulton, B. S., and Rando, R. R. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 7938-7945). The congeneric retinals are also formed under conditions where retinol redox activity is present. Here we report the successful solubilization of both the retinyl ester synthetase and isomerase activities from the pigment epithelium membranes of the bovine eye. The zwitterionic detergent Zwittergent 3-14(N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate; cmc 0.012%) gave optimal solubilization of both activities. Three initial criteria for successful solubilization were used. First, high speed centrifugation (greater than 150,000 x g) left the activities in the supernatant. Second, the solubilized enzymatic activities were found in the included volume upon gel filtration. Finally, the solubilized activities were quantitatively passed through a 0.22-microns filter. Employing anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography results in a partial purification of the retinyl ester synthetase (approximately 189-fold). The solubilized retinoid isomerase is also partially purified (approximately 10-14-fold) following anion exchange chromatography. It is also shown that the membrane-bound and solubilized ester synthetase catalyzes the esterification of retinol using added lecithins as exogenous acyl donors. In addition, evidence is provided indicating that there is a positional selectivity for the acyl group transfer from the lecithin to retinol. The transfer occurs largely, if not entirely, from the 1-position of the lecithin.
Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cardiovascular risk factors in older women with frailty characteristics

Objective: this analysis was to investigate the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cardiovascular risk factors in older women with frailty characteristics. Design, setting and participants: the study was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 99 women (mean 76.6 ± 6.0 year) with the low DHEA-S level and frailty. Intervention: participants received 50 mg/day DHEA or placebo for 6 months; all received calcium (1,000–1,200 mg/day diet) and supplement (combined) and cholecalciferol (1,000 IU/day). Women participated in 90-min twice weekly exercise regimens, either chair aerobics or yoga. Main outcome measures: assessment of outcome variables included hormone levels (DHEA-S, oestradiol, oestrone, testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)), lipid profiles (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides), body composition measured by dual energy absorptiometry, glucose levels and blood pressure (BP). Results: eighty-seven women (88%) completed 6 months of study; 88% were pre-frail demonstrating 1–2 frailty characteristics and 12% were frail with ≥3 characteristics. There were significant changes in all hormone levels including DHEA-S, oestradiol, oestrone and testosterone and a decline in SHBG levels in those taking DHEA supplements. In spite of changes in hormone levels, there were no significant changes in cardiovascular risk factors including lipid profiles, body or abdominal fat, fasting glucose or BP. Conclusion: research to date has not shown consistent effects of DHEA on cardiovascular risk, and this study adds to the literature that short-term therapy with DHEA is safe for older women in relation to cardiovascular risk factors. This study is novel in that we recruited women with evidence of physical frailty.
Diffusive and convective protein transport through asymmetric membranes

The objective of this study was to obtain quantitative data on combined convective and diffusive transport of bovine serumalbumin (BSA) through the highly constricted pores of asymetric ultrafiltration membranes with a range of nominal molecular weight cutoffs.
Integrative therapies for children with hematological malignancies

Evidence for integrative therapies (IT) in children with hematological malignancies is slowly evolving. The ideal model of integrative pediatric oncology would offer IT modalities that are deemed safe and effective in conjunction with effective conventional medical treatments. Because of potential interactions, herbs and other dietary supplements should be used with caution, especially during active therapy. Health and wellness should be the emphasis, with IT therapies supporting health promotion and key disease prevention strategies for childhood cancer survivors. All uses, responses, and effects of IT therapies should be carefully documented. A desire to use IT therapies may be an effort to become an active participant in the healing process. Health care providers should encourage, not discourage, this partnership.
Development and Validation of a Male Specific Body Checking Questionnaire

Objective: Body checking may be an important behavioral consequence of body image disturbance. Despite the importance of body checking, few measurements of this construct exist, particularly for males. This study describes the development and validation of the Male Body Checking Questionnaire (MBCQ). Method: Convergent and divergent validity, factor structure, and reliability were tested in three separate samples of men and women. Results: Factor analyses suggested a reliable four-factor structure with evidence of a higher order global checking factor for men, but not women. The MBCQ demonstrated good concurrent and divergent validity. Short-term test-retest reliability was good with high internal consistency across time. Discussion: Interpretation of psychometrics and recommendations for subsequent research are discussed. The MBCQ is likely to be an appropriate tool for investigating body image-based pathology in males. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010
Adverse Effects of Overdosage of Vitamins and Minerals

Throughout almost three centuries, knowledge of the uses, needs, and metabolism of trace nutrients, vitamins and minerals, has been acquired. This knowledge can be divided into five phases. The first phase occurred during a period of about 200 years and was one mainly of discovery. Animals and/or humans were noted to have diseases that were related to deficiencies. Thus, in 1753 a Scottish surgeon in the British navy showed that citrus fruit could prevent or cure scurvy, and about 200 years later ascorbic acid was isolated, synthesized, and used. Many of the trace elements were determined either to correct deficiencies or to be growth factors for animals. Discovery of knowledge continues but at a less rapid rate. The second phase, which considerably overlaps with the first, is related to determination of the mechanism of action. This required, first, study of animals, then, tissues, and, now, cells and cell components. Many biochemical pathways have been determined, and many vitamins and minerals have been identified as part of enzyme systems. Still others are to be explored and determined. The last three phases appeared irregularly but periodically, two with scientific input and one by hope, prayer, and deductin.1 The third phase was one of the determination of recommended daily requirements and allowances (RDA).
MEAN VALUES OF ζ′/ζ(s), CORRELATIONS OF ZEROS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF ALMOST PRIMES

We establish relationships between mean values of products of logarithmic derivatives of the Riemann zeta-function near the critical line, correlations of the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function and the distribution of integers representable as a product of a fixed number of prime powers.
You're Trained, You're Ready, Panic is Not in Your Vocabulary: When a Helicopter Becomes a Delivery Room

Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Vaginal delivery in a helicopter is an unpredictable and uncommon emergency. A healthcare provider's ability to react prudently in an unexpected situation is one of the most critical factors in creating a positive outcome in an obstetric emergency. This emergency delivery pilot program prepares the life flight team and maternal transport team to successfully manage together this rare and unpredictable obstetric emergency through simulated training experiences that pose no risk to mother and infant. Proposed Change To develop collaborative emergency delivery training between the life flight and maternal transport crews. The life flight helicopter air‐medical transport system was established at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in June 1984. A maternal transport team dedicated to the care and transport of high‐risk pregnant women was established in 1986. These two teams have come together to transport mothers with perinatal complications, or those at risk of premature delivery to a hospital that can provide a higher level of care. The crew configuration for obstetric transports includes one obstetrically trained registered nurse and one primary life flight registered nurse or paramedic. This interprofessional pilot program will provide this training. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation A pretest of 30 questions to document the participants’ knowledge of emergency delivery was administered. The average number of correct responses was 18.8 for the life flight team and 24.7 for the maternal transport team. The reference population for this collaborative includes 21 life flight nurses, one paramedic, and 15 maternal transport nurses. The didactic segment includes five e‐learning modules. These modules review strategies for emergency vaginal delivery management, correct application of interventions to manage vaginal delivery complications, infant stabilization, and relevant team communication tools. Data will be collected for prelearning and postlearning comparison. Completion of the emergency delivery e‐learning will be a mandatory requirement before participation in a helicopter in situ simulation. Using a standardized patient and partial obstetric task trainer, the aim of the simulation component will be to analyze the crews’ performance using real‐life emergency delivery scenarios, detect areas of deficiency, and initiate performance improvements that will transfer to applied clinical practice. Implications for Nursing Practice Evidence‐based guidelines exist for safe vaginal delivery practices. The challenge is to ensure that these guidelines are applied to every patient every time, regardless of whether the delivery occurs inside a hospital or en route to a hospital.
In the Eye of the Beholder: Sex and Race Estimation using the Human Orbital Aperture*

Keywords:forensic science;forensic anthropology;sex estimation;race estimation;orbit;replicability Abstract: From the works of Broca and Krogman to modern-day Jantz and Buikstra, the orbit has been used for both quantitative and qualitative sex and race estimation. This study evaluates the practical value of these estimations. Orbital height and breadth were measured to determine the orbital index and assess differences between men and women or black people and white people in the Hamann�Todd Collection. Replicability of these measures was also examined. Finally, a geometric morphometric study was performed to assess shape differences using the entire margin. Significant differences were found in both the index and the geomorphometric study; however, further investigation revealed that the differences were of little practical use. The measurement differences were found to be smaller than intra-observer error, while the geometric morphometric analysis demonstrated that minimal percentage of variation in shape was attributable to group differences. Thus, these techniques should not be used to estimate sex or race.
Shoreline Based Feature Extraction and Optimal Feature Selection for Segmenting Airborne LiDAR Intensity Images

Modern airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM) systems measure both elevation and reflection intensity of the terrain. However, this intensity has been under utilized as a feature for image classification because it does not represent true terrain radiance. In areas with minimal topographic relief, such as beaches, we show that segmenting intensity images rather than elevation images has great potential for scene analysis. Several intensity-based features are extracted from ALSM data collected along a beach and partitioned into three classes to detect the water line. Class-conditional probability density functions are estimated for each feature to asses which are most informative. Results indicate significant class separation using centroidal features. Their classification performance is evaluated using a naive Bayes classifier and the area under receiver operating characteristic curves. The method presented provides a novel feature extraction and a systematic feature selection procedure for high-resolution ALSM intensity data.
Performance predictions for speculative, synchronous, VLSI logic simulation

VLSI logic simulation is an application area in which execution time improvements can have direct economic benefits. Here, we investigate the use of parallel simulation techniques to improve the performance of VLSI logic simulation, including the often neglected issue of sensitivity to variations in the simulation workload. Performance predictions are presented for the use of speculative computation in synchronous discrete-event simulation of VLSI systems.
Design of a 1.9 GHz PCS band balanced attenuator

An RF attenuator, although functionally simple, serves as an important block in the transmitter chain, where signal levels needs to be dynamically controlled. An attenuator employing a balanced structure is well suited in these applications as it provides high dynamic range, excellent attenuation range and low VSWR across a wide frequency range. This paper discusses the design, simulation and measured performance of such an attenuator, targeted for PCS band application at 1.9 GHz.
Detecting and mapping offshore navigation hazards using synthetic aperture radar data

The 4000 offshore oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and many other partially submerged structures are obstacles to navigation as well as being of commercial importance. Oil spills from these production or transportation facilities could cause extensive damage to the coastal ecosystem and an economic collapse of the fisheries industry. The same production facilities are also navigational hazards to private and commercial navigation. The risk of damage to the environment and economy is ameliorated by current accurate maps of offshore oil production facilities. National Ocean Service (NOS) Nautical Charts published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) map the location of navigational hazards. Oil production platforms and other navigational hazards are indicated on these NOAA charts within an accuracy tolerance of 50 meters at a scale of 1/80000. The frequency of map revision is dependent on the rate of coastal change and user needs. However, NOS Nautical Charts may not be revised for several years or even a decade because of cost. This study evaluates the potential and limitations of using airborne SAR for detecting and mapping navigation hazards, primarily offshore oil production facilities, in coastal Louisiana. However, the results are extendable to other coastal zones. Accuracy assessments indicate the importance of target and system parameters in target detection of navigational hazards.
Alliance Constellations: A Social Exchange Perspective

We develop a social exchange perspective of alliance constellations, emphasizing the role of generalized exchanges. We then discuss three social control mechanisms for mitigating the unique difficulties of managing constellations, and we conclude by proposing a typology of constellations based on the dimensions of exchange horizon and type of generalized reciprocity. The perspective presented here contributes not only to research on alliances but also to the larger body of literature on generalized social exchange processes, which has traditionally been centered on interpersonal relations.
Lectures on Heterotic String and Orbifold Compactifications

These lectures are concerned with the structure of the heterotic string and with special soluble compactifications of string theory. The first lecture discusses the connection between anomaly cancellation in the low-energy limit of consistent strings and the chiral current algebra structure of the heterotic string. The second lecture gives a brief introduction to toroidal and orbifold compactifications in string theory. The third lecture is based on work done in collaboration with G.Moore and C.Vafa and concerns “quasicrystalline” orbifold compactifications. These compactifications exhibit symmetries related to those of quasicrystals at irrational values of the background fields. They are most naturally formulated using certain ideas from number theory.
Prospective versus retrospective ECG gating for 64-detector CT of the coronary arteries: comparison of image quality and patient radiation dose.

Purpose: To compare image quality and patient radiation dose in a group of patients who underwent 64-detector computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography performed with prospective electrocardiographic (ECG) gating with image quality and radiation dose in a group of patients matched for clinical features who underwent 64-detector CT coronary angiography performed with retrospective ECG gating. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained for this HIPAA-compliant study, and the informed consent requirement was waived due to the retrospective study design. Two independent reviewers separately scored coronary artery segment image quality and overall image quality for 100 cardiac CT studies (50 in each group). Interobserver variability was calculated. Patient radiation dose for the actual examination z-axis length was recorded, and a normalized dose was calculated for a 12-cm z-axis length of a typical heart. Results: The two groups matched well for clinical characteristics and CT...