cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring protein quality.

An alternative to the time-consuming and expensive PER assay for measuring food protein quality is needed by the food industry. Many biological and chemical-based assays for measuring protein quality have been described in the literature. Most of these are still too complicated, time-consuming, or too narrow in the range of foods they will test for daily quality control use. In the past five years, rapid methods have been developed that employ chemical assays for essential amino acid composition and availability or biological assays that measure protein digestibility and growth on food proteins. Most of these assays can be completed in five days or less and are applicable to a broad range of foods. These developments have brightened the prospects for the eventual development of a rapid assay that the food industry routinely can use to monitor protein quality. This paper has discussed two assays that were tested with a wide variety of foods and that take less than 72 hr to complete. The C-PER assay, uses data on the in vitro protein digestibility and EAA composition of a food protein to predict its protein quality in terms of PER. The C-PER technique is not limited by the protein, fat, additive or spice levels in the food to be tested, and is therefore applicable to a wide range of food ingredients and processed foods. The second assay is based on the growth of the protozoanTetrahymena thermophila WH14 on a proteolytic enzyme hydrolyzed food sample along with in vitro protein digestibility data to predict protein quality in terms of T-PER. Because theTetrahymena are more difficult to control on a day to day basis, the error of the T-PER estimate is greater than that for the C-PER estimate. Also, sinceTetrahymena growth is greatly affected by various food additives and spices, caution should be used when this assay is used to measure protein quality in foods where the composition is not definitely known. The T-PER assay is best suited for assaying protein quality in protein-containing food ingredients, such as meats, flours, protein concentrates and isolates, or on foods where the exact composition is known.
Comparison of measured and calculated neutron and gamma-ray energy spectra behind an in-line shielded duct

Integral experiments that measure the transport of ∼ 14 MeV neutrons through a 0.30-m-diameter duct having a length-to-diameter ratio of 2.83 that is partially plugged with a 0.15 m diameter, 0.51 m long shield comprised of alternating layers of stainless steel type 304 and borated polyethylene have been carried out at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Measured and calculated neutron and gamma ray energy spectra are compared at several locations relative to the mouth of the duct. The measured spectra were obtained using an NE-213 liquid scintillator detector with pulse shape discrimination methods used to simultaneously resolve neutron and gamma ray events. The calculated spectra were obtained using a computer code network that incorporates two radiation transport methods: discrete ordinates (with P3 multigroup cross sections) and Monte Carlo (with continuous point cross sections). The two radiation transport methods are required to account for neutrons that singly scatter from the duct to the detectors. The calculated and measured neutron energy spectra above 850 keV agree within 5–50% depending on detector location and neutron energy. The calculated and measured gamma ray energy spectra above 750 keV are also in favorable agreement, ∼ 5–50%, depending on detector location and gamma ray energy.
Consent, Assent, and Children in Research

Assent is required in all types of research involving children. This discussion of assent concentrates more on assent in a medical research setting than in behavioral or social science. The paper also approaches the subject from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) perspective.
Electrophoresis in space at zero gravity

Early planning for manufacturing operations in space include the use of electrophoresis for purification and separation of biological materials. Greatly simplified electrophoresis apparatus have been flown in the Apollo 14 and 16 missions to test the possibility of stable liquid systems in orbit. Additionally, isoelectric focusing and isotachophoresis are of particular interest as they offer very high resolution and have self-sharpening boundaries. The value of possible space electrophoresis is substantial. For example, present technology permits large fractionation of only a few of blood proteins many fractions, and separated cell populations are needed for research.
Reasoning in a Jury Trial: The Influence of Instructions

Abstract The influence of timing and frequency of instructions on the reasoning of jurors in a simulated grand larceny trial was investigated. Mock jurors were given definitions of grand larceny before and after the testimony, only before, only after, or not at all. Although timing of instructions was not significantly related to reasoning or to verdicts, frequency of instructions influenced the aspects of testimony deemed relevant and increased juror use of legal rules in making verdicts. Selective encoding of testimony could not account for the instruction effect.
Determining |Vub|: a Review of Theory and Experiment

I present an overview of the experimental determination of | V ub | from inclusive and exclusive B semileptonic decays. The overview will include an introduction to the close interaction between theory and experiment in the extraction of | V ub | , as well as to some of the experimental techniques brought to bear in the measurements.
Strategies to Reduce Site Differences in Multisite Studies: A Case Study of Alzheimer Disease Progression

Objectives The objectives of this study were to evaluate the magnitude and sources of site differences in a multisite study of rates of cognitive decline among patients with Alzheimer disease and to seek strategies to reduce the magnitude of site differences in this and future such studies. Methods A total of 3,280 participants from 15 different sites was analyzed. For each participant, the average rate of change in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was calculated. Participants who declined at least three MMSE points per year were classified "rapid decliners." Site differences in sociodemographic distributions and the percentage of rapid decliners were examined, and a signal detection approach was used to identify the main correlates of rapid decline. Results The percentage of rapid decliners for the 15 sites initially varied from 8%–40%. Two of the correlates of rapid decline were largely the result of different sampling protocols, namely baseline MMSE and elapsed time between the first and last MMSE. By selecting only those participants at each site with a baseline MMSE between 15 and 23, and limiting the follow-up time to a period of 11–24 months, the authors created greater homogeneity in the protocols across sites and reduced site variability of rapid decliners from 27%–50%. Conclusion Results of single-site studies are often nonreproducible, and multisite studies that follow different protocols and do not take site differences into account may be misleading. This study indicates the importance of site differences and how relatively simple efforts to impose common sampling, measurement, and design criteria can reduce, if not totally remove, site differences.
On the analogy in the structure of the spleen green heme protein and granulocyte myeloperoxidase

Abstract The molecular structure of the spleen green heme protein was reinvestigated by gel-permeation, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and amino acid analysis. The results showed that the enzyme is a tetramer (Mr 1.5 × 105) with two heavy subunits (Mr 6 × 104 with a single prosthetic group per subunit) and two light subunits (Mr 1.5 × 104), and that the tetramer structure is maintained by disulfide bond(s). The amino acid composition of the spleen green heme protein is similar to that of granulocyte myeloperoxidase. The present results contradict the data of Davis and Averill [(1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 5992-5996], who reported the enzyme as a monomeric peroxidase with an Mr of 57 000.
Improved Visualization of Electron Microscope Specimens

Abstract By bending electron microscope grids prior to viewing, it is possible to gain a perspective of the sample which gives a three-dimensional effect. Conventional electron micrographs prepared in this manner produce results which are comparable to those from the scanning electron microscope.
Thermal Bonding of Polypropylene Fibers

The thermomechanical processes that occur during thermal bonding of isotactic polypropylene are discussed. Each process is described and the magnitude of each effect estimated. The results suggest that flow is important to the formation of a good bond. Flow is facilitated by line pressure and is an important means of heat transfer to the center of the bond. Conductive heat transfer is limited. Deformation heating is small, but not negligible. Solidification of polymer that has been melted and forced to flow leads to mechanical entanglement. The Clapeyron effect is invoked to suggest that only a limited amount of melting occurs under high pressures. Diffusion, estimated using Reptation Theory, does not seem to be an important process in thermal bonding. Fabric strength is limited by the thermomechanical history of polymer at the bond perimeter.
This is your brain on interfaces: enhancing usability testing with functional near-infrared spectroscopy

This project represents a first step towards bridging the gap between HCI and cognition research. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we introduce tech-niques to non-invasively measure a range of cognitive workload states that have implications to HCI research, most directly usability testing. We present a set of usability experiments that illustrates how fNIRS brain measurement provides information about the cognitive demands placed on computer users by different interface designs.
Immunoglobulin deficiency associated with gastrointestinal disease.

Summary 1. Reduced levels of serum immunoglobulins have been found in association with a variety of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. 2. Immunoglobulin reductions may involve all three major immunoglobulin classes or be restricted to one or more immunoglobulin class. 3. IgA, which is intimately associated with the gastrointestinal tract in a variety of ways, is the immunoglobulin most commonly deficient. 4. In most instances precise knowledge is lacking to explain the relationships between reduced immunoglobulin levels and gastrointestinal disease. 5. Detection of reduced immunoglobulin levels may provide early signal evidence of unrecognized gastrointestinal disease.
Subjacency and S-structure movement of wh -in-situ

This paper argues that wh-in-situ in Japanese in fact involves S-structure movement of an invisible entity and therefore that the Subjacency effects discovered and used as evidence for LF Subjacency by Nishigauchi (1986, 1990) and Pesetsky (1987) are due to this S-structure movement. This conclusion is forced on us by the facts that (1) in multiple questions where one of the wh-phrases is inside an island and the other is outside of it, there are no Subjacency effects, contrary to the expectation of the LF Subjacency hypothesis, and that (2) an indirect question constitutes a wh-island for overt movement even though the visible part of the wh-phrase is still in-situ at S-structure.
Laser cutting of aluminum nitride

Aluminum nitride (AN) is beginning to replace alumina as a substrate and heat sink for electronic circuits. The thermal conductivity of A1N, about 8 times that of alumina, is the primary reason for its selection in these applications. While beryllium oxide has even higher conductivity, concerns about that material's toxicity reduce its appeal. Alumina is easily scribed and cut with carbon dioxide lasers. The high thermal conductivity that makes AIN useful, however, makes it difficult to machine with a laser because the material can absorb considerable incident energy without melting or vaporizing. Process settings that produce good results with alumina are not suitable for AIN. It is therefore necessary to develop a new processing regime for aluminum nitride. We cut 0.7 mm thick aluminum nitride sheet with a carbon dioxide laser using a large matrix of process variables and examined the resulting edges for surface quality, microcracking, aluminum deposition and recast. With this information, we defined the volume in process space where effective processing can be accomplished.
The role of inflammation in radiation cataractogenesis

Studies were designed to assess the contribution of X-ray-induced intraocular inflammation to radiation cataractogenesis in the rat and the rabbit eye. In the rat it was observed that only X-ray. doses exceedign 18 Gy† produced ocular changes consistent with uveitis beginning 1–4 days post-irradiation. Low to moderate cataractogenic doses failed to produce such changes. In the rabbit eye a 10 Gy single dose of X-rays induced inflammation and cataract. The same dose when divided into ten 1 Gy daily fractions was non-inflammatory yet produced cataracts similar in appearance and time of onset to that induced by a single tenfold higher X-ray dose. These and additional studies using endotoxin-induced uveitis suggest that inflammation is not essential to the development of X-ray cataract.
Micellar assemblies from amphiphilic polyurethanes for size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles dispersible both in polar and nonpolar media

A size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) dispersible in polar and nonpolar media was carried out in micellar assemblies from amphiphilic invertible polyurethanes (AIPUs) based on poly(ethylene glycol) as a hydrophilic constituent and polytetrahydrofuran as a hydrophobic constituent. At a low concentration, AIPUs form micelles with a hydrophilic interior and a hydrophobic exterior. As concentration increases, individual micelles self-assemble into micellar assemblies with hydrophilic interior and hydrophobic exterior domains. It was shown that these domains can be applied simultaneously as nanoreactors and colloidal stabilizers to synthesize size-controlled batches of AgNPs in a nonpolar solvent. Size control and narrow particle size distribution can be facilitated by changes in the AIPU composition, macromolecular configuration, and polymer solution concentration. Depending on the length of polymer hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments, and fragment distribution along the macromolecule, the size of fabricated AgNPs has been changed from 6 to 14 nm. Owing to the invertible properties of polyurethanes, the synthesized silver nanoparticles can be successfully dispersed in either polar or nonpolar media, where they form stable colloidal solutions.
An experimentally validated transient thermal model for cylindrical Li-ion cells

Abstract Measurement and modeling of thermal phenomena in Li-ion cells is a critical research challenge that directly affects both performance and safety. Even though the operation of a Li-ion cell is in most cases a transient phenomenon, most available thermal models for Li-ion cells predict only steady-state temperature fields. This paper presents the derivation, experimental validation and application of an analytical model to predict the transient temperature field in a cylindrical Li-ion cell in response to time-varying heat generation within the cell. The derivation is based on Laplace transformation of governing energy equations, and accounts for anisotropic thermal conduction within the cell. Model predictions are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements on a thermal test cell. The effects of various thermophysical properties and parameters on transient thermal characteristics of the cell are analyzed. The effect of pulse width and cooling time for pulsed operation is quantified. The thermal response to multiple cycles of discharge and charge is computed, and cell-level trade-offs for this process are identified. The results presented in this paper may help understand thermal phenomena in Li-ion cells, and may contribute towards thermal design and optimization tools for energy conversion and storage systems based on Li-ion cells.
On optimal foraging and multi-armed bandits

We consider two variants of the standard multi-armed bandit problem, namely, the multi-armed bandit problem with transition costs and the multi-armed bandit problem on graphs. We develop block allocation algorithms for these problems that achieve an expected cumulative regret that is uniformly dominated by a logarithmic function of time, and an expected cumulative number of transitions from one arm to another arm uniformly dominated by a double-logarithmic function of time. We observe that the multi-armed bandit problem with transition costs and the associated block allocation algorithm capture the key features of popular animal foraging models in literature.
685 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

There is evidence to suggest that having one's baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may cause post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is defined in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM IV) as state in which having been exposed to a traumatic event, the victim persistently re-experiences the traumatic event (intrusive recollections, dreams, intense psychological/ physiological distress to cues that symbolize event). As a result the victim avoids the stimuli associated with trauma and has increased arousal (ex hyper vigilance, exaggerated startle, insomnia, outburst of anger) The disturbance needs to last greater than 1 month and cause significant distress and/ or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning A hospitalization, especially an unexpected hospitalization can be seen as a traumatic event due to threat of death, disability, disfigurement There are several potential consequences to parental PTSD including marital discord and behavioral problems in children (Peebles-Kleiger, 2000) It is important to explore methods of mitigating parental stress It is also important to recognize that fathers and marginalized populations may cope differently It was found that the highest distress was seen in the lowest educational level, (Holditch-Davis, et al, 2009). Staff is also vulnerable to PTSD due to prolonged exposure to grotesque sights, length of time in crisis and emotional identification with patients (similar in age, gender, temperament with one's own child) In summary, PTSD does occur in the NICU environment and may have long term negative consequences.
Large Abelian Subgroups of Finitep-Groups

Ž . Let p be a prime and let S be a finite p-group. Define d S to be the < < Ž . maximum of A as A ranges over the abelian subgroups of S, and A S to < < Ž . Ž . be the set of all abelian subgroups A for which A s d S . Let J S be Ž . the subgroup of S generated by A S . w x Ž . In 1964, Thompson T2 introduced a subgroup similar to J S and used it to obtain an improved version of his first normal p-complement theorem w x Ž . T1 . Since then, several variants of J S have been used to obtain related results. Most of their proofs have required a further result of Thompson, w x the Replacement Theorem Gor, p. 273; HB, III, p. 21 . Ž . Suppose A g A S , B is an abelian subgroup of S normalized by A, and Ž . B does not normalize A. Then there exists A* g A S such that
SU‐GG‐J‐66: Delivered Dose Assessment with Beam's‐Eye‐View Imaging During Radiotherapy

Purpose: During conventional radiotherapy the location of the patients' anatomy, particularly the tumor, while the treatment beam is on is of primary importance. This becomes especially relevant in treatment sites where large intra‐fraction motion has been observed (upper abdomen and thorax). We have already demonstrated a method for monitoring the target during irradiation with beam's‐eye‐view (BEV) imaging. In this work we use the intra‐fraction data to retrospectively calculate the delivered dose. This can be done in between each fraction and the cumulative treatmentdose updated daily. If discrepancies are seen between planned and delivered, the treatment may be altered such that the delivered distribution converges with the plan. Method and Materials: The radiotherapy target is visualized daily during radiotherapy by collecting the exit radiation with an electronic portal‐imaging device (EPID). In between each fraction, the location of the target in the treatmentimages is compared with the reference position from simulation. The in‐treatment target positions are introduced in the treatment planningsoftware as sub‐fields representing equal fractions of the original fields' monitor units. The dose distributions from each of the sub‐fields are summed to calculate the dose delivered each day. This distribution is updated daily to provide the cumulative delivered dose distribution. Results: The dose‐volume histograms (DVH) for the planned and delivered distributions have been calculated for several patients. Delivered doses to target and critical structures are generated for each fraction and cumulatively. Conclusion: The delivered dose can be calculated using the information contained in BEV images acquired during irradiation. By calculating the dose actually delivered to the target, we can assess our treatment procedures as well as more accurately report clinical results. Conflict of Interest: This work was partially supported by Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
Design issues of a hyperfield fisheye lens

This paper discusses the design of a 310 degree fisheye lens. Particular attention is paid to color correction and lens edge overlap. Other issues in the design of fisheye lenses are addressed such as the distortion/mapping, illumination, and overall aberration correction. The general format and structure of fisheye lenses are discussed including a brief history of these fascinating lenses.
The Impact of the Internet on Political Activism: Evidence from Europe

The core issue for this study concerns less the social than the political consequences of the rise of knowledge societies; in particular, the capacity of the Internet for strengthening democratic participation and civic engagement linking citizens and government. To consider these issues, Part I summarizes debates about the impact of the Internet on the public sphere. The main influence of this development, as it is theorized in a market model, will be determined by the â€œsupplyâ€ and â€œdemandâ€ for electronic information and communications about government and politics. Demand, in turn, is assumed to be heavily dependent upon the social characteristics of Internet users and their prior political orientations. Given this understanding, the study predicts that the primary impact of knowledge societies in democratic societies will be upon facilitating cause-oriented and civic forms of political activism, thereby strengthening social movements and interest groups, more than upon conventional channels of political participation exemplified by voting, parties, and election campaigning. Part II summarizes the sources of survey data and the key measures of political activism used in this study, drawing upon the 19-nation European Social Survey, 2002. Part III examines the evidence for the relationship between use of the Internet and indicators of civic engagement. The conclusion in Part IV summarizes the results and considers the broader implications for governance and democracy.
Effects of the parasite, Apanteles congregatus, on respiration of tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta larvae☆

1. 1. Oxygen consumption of diet-reared Manduca sexta larvae changes in a repeated and predictable pattern during development of each stadium. 2. 2. The first four instars of unparasitized larvae respire as a direct function of their weight, slope = 1. 3. 3. The highly significant deviation from a slope of 1 (slope ⩽ 23) found in the fifth stadium is attributed to the production of low-metabolizing tissue by the developing larvae. 4. 4. Parasites have a damping effect on the normal cycle of O2 consumption with active feeding phases consuming less and inactive phases (during apolysis and ecdysis) consuming more O2 than expected.
Community-based Practices: Integrating Dissemination Theory with Critical Theories of Power and Justice

This paper critically reviews two diverse intellectual traditions concerned with community-based interventions: the literature on dissemination of community interventions and the critical psychology literature that is concerned with systemic power inequalities and structural injustice. The dominant dissemination-of-innovations framework has shifted toward an emphasis on community, yet it does not generally take into account issues of power and inequality within the diverse community spheres into which interventions are disseminated. On the other hand, critical psychologists, who have concerned themselves with both understanding and addressing issues of power and structural injustice, have tended to eschew the possibility of standardizing and making transferable practices, programs, and even processes that address these issues in particular settings. This paper traces and critiques both sides of this divide within community psychology, positing a framework to bring these diverse intellectual resources together so that community interventions might fruitfully be examined in terms of their community-based practices, or practices that bear on structural injustice. This framework is illustrated with a case study of the community-based practices of a widely disseminated evidence-based community intervention.
Revision of the Nearctic Ischyropalpus (Coleoptera: Anthicidae)

Thirteen species are recognized: Ischyropalpus bipartitus (Casey), Sonoran Desert in Arizona, California, and Baja California Norte; lividus (Casey), Texas; nitidulus (LeConte), Pacific to Midwest and northern Mexico; obscurus (LaFerte), northeastern United States and southeastern Canada; occidentalis (Champion), southern Arizona to South Texas; pinalicus (Casey), southern Arizona to Baja California Sur; sturmi (LaFerte) southern Appalachians to eastern Texas; subtilissimus (Pic), southern Texas to South Dakota; turgidicollis (Casey), southern California and Arizona to eastern Washington and Wyoming; and four new species: cochisei , southeastern Arizona, plus records from southern California, Texas, and Chihuahua; dispar , southeastern Arizona; gemellus , southeastern Arizona; and placidus , southeastern Arizona and adjacent New Mexico. None is known from Florida or adjacent regions. Four names previously listed as synonyms of I. lividus (Casey), have been given new status: bipartitus as a separate species; solivagans (Casey) as a synonym of nitidulus; and ornatellus (Casey), and vividus (Casey) as species incertae sedis. The type-locality of I. occidentalis is restricted to Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.
Virtual Reality as a Human Factors Design Analysis Tool for Architectural Spaces - Control Rooms to Space Stations II: Subjective Measures

One class of Virtual Reality (VR) applications is as a Human Factors design analysis tool for work areas and other architectural spaces. A study was conducted to compare subjects' qualitative and quantitative judgments of two “real” world control rooms at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and their corresponding virtual counterparts. The overall Independent Variables (IVs) were World (Real/Virtual) and Room (PCR/SIM) with Gender and World Order (Virtual-Real/Real-Virtual) as blocking variables. Nested within Room were range and relative range estimations. Range estimations were comprised of two IVs: 1) Item (Object/Surface) and 2) the Item's Range from the observer (Near/Far). The relative range estimations were comprised of two IVs: 1) Field-of-View (FOV) (Same/Different, i.e., whether or not the subject can see both objects simultaneously in the same FOV) and 2) the objects' Distance from the observer (Close/Away). There appears little difference between real and virtual worlds in one's ability to...
Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary:Portland-Purbeck magnetostratigraphy and possible correlation to the Tethyan faunal realm

Abstract A composite magnetic polarity pattern of the Portland and Purbeck Beds (Portlandian to Berriasian age) is constructed from nine sections in the Dorset and Wiltshire regions of southern England. This pattern is tentatively correlated to the Tithonian-Berriasian magnetic polarity time scale of the Tethyan faunal realm. The shallow-marine Portland Beds began deposition during polarity chron M21r (mid-Tithonian), contain a transgressive hiatus encompassing chron M20r, and were terminated by emergence during chron M19r (Late Tithonian), corresponding to the base of the Durangites ammonite Zone in the Tethyan realm. The terrestrial to marginal-marine Purbeck Beds encompass polarity chrons M19r through M14r, implying deposition from latest Tithonian (Late Portlandian) to the beginning of the Valanginian stage. The Cinder Bed transgression of the middle Purbeck Beds occurred at the beginning of chron M17n, corresponding to the Berriasella privasensis ammonite Subzone in the Tethyan realm. The mean paleomagnetic pole of the Purbeck Beds is at 71.2°N, 207.8°E (dp/dm=3.6°/5.1°), implying a paleolatitude of 34°N.
Incorporating the use of GM-CSF in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We evaluated the clinical activity of GM-CSF in combination with standard dose rituximab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The rationale for exploring this combination is provided by the ability of GM-CSF to increase surface expression of CD20 in CLL cells and potentially render them a better target for rituximab. GM-CSF also enhances antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against CLL cells. The combination of GM-CSF and rituximab was evaluated as initial treatment in elderly patients with indication for treatment and in patients at high risk for progression identified by elevated β2 microglobulin. This combination was also evaluated in patients with recurrent CLL. On the basis of the results of 118 patients, we observed an overall response rate of 65 and 9% complete remission and these results compare favourably with the results obtained with rituximab single agent. This combination was well tolerated with the most common toxicity consisting in mild GM-CSF injection site erythema. On...
Prohormone atrial natriuretic peptides 1-30 and 31-67 increase in hyperthyroidism and decrease in hypothyroidism

ABSTRACT Hyperthyroidism characteristically has natriuresis and vasodilation associated with it, whereas hypothyroidism is associated with impaired water excretion and vasoconstriction. This investigation was designed to determine if the plasma concentration(s) of three newly described hormones synthesized in the heart are increased in patients with hyperthyroidism and/or decreased in patients with hypothyroidism compared to normal subjects. The three hormones consist of amino acids 130, 31-67, and 99-126 (ANF) of the 126 amino acid prohormone of atrial natriuretic factor. Prohormone atrial natriuretic peptides (pro ANFs) 1-30, 31-67, and ANF were increased threefold, fourfold, and twofold respectively in hyperthyroid patients compared to the mean circulating concentration of 54 healthy persons without thyroid disease. Plasma concentrations of the three peptides in hypothyroid patients were only one-half that of the 54 persons without thyroid disease. With appropriate treatment of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, the levels of the three peptides returned to normal. The peptide hormones increased proportionately with the increasing dosages of Lthyroxine of 50 μg/day and 100 μg/day in the hypothyroid patients. In persons with hypothyroidism complicated by congestive heart failure, the levels of pro ANFs 1-30,31-67, and 99-126 were increased, demonstrating that abnormalities of salt and water metabolism are a strong stimulus to the release of these peptides.
Electrical activity in dissociated cell cultures from fetal mouse cerebellum.

Abstract Dissociated nerve cell cultures were prepared from the fetal mouse cerebel using fetuses of 10–18 days gestational age. Many cells died 10–14 days after plating leaving the surviving neurons in small networks of cells scattered over the surface of the culture dish. After 1 month in culture the electrical activity of the neurons was examined by intracellular microelectrode techniques. The resting potential of the 40 electrically excitable cells in this series was 37 ± 10mV (mean ±S.D.). Sixty percent of the neurons were capable of repetitive generation of action potentials by direct electrical stimulation. Synaptic coupling between nerve cells developed and both evoked and spontaneously occurring excitatory postsynaptic potentials were recorded. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials were also found. Bursting patterns of action potential firing occurred in several cerebellar neurons; these bursts were autogenetic in some cells and in others due to patterned synaptic input. Interrelationships between neurons in a 4 cell network were analyzed in some electrophysiologic detail.
Transduction of Voltage and Ca2+ Signals by Slo1 BK Channels

Large-conductance Ca2+- and voltage-gated K+ channels are activated by an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and/or depolarization. The channel activation mechanism is well described by an allosteric model encompassing the gate, voltage sensors, and Ca2+ sensors, and the model is an excellent framework to understand the influences of auxiliary β and γ subunits and regulatory factors such as Mg2+. Recent advances permit elucidation of structural correlates of the biophysical mechanism.
Natural language, knowledge representation and discourse

The principal objective of this project is to develop a system for representing and reasoning about the discourse context in extended man-machine dialogs. Current focus areas include the development of a general theory of multi-agent planning to account for the structure of natural-language dialog, the development of a general knowledge representation for capturing a wide range of natural language semantics, and the development of a general, error- tolerant parser and semantic interpreter for English that can be guided by discourse information. Specifically, we are developing a model of discourse plans that includes actions such as introducing a new topic, as well as the actions of clarifying, correcting or acknowledging parts of the previous dialog. We are exploring how far the planning approach can be extended, and how the "traditional" language components, i.e. parsing, semantic interpretation and discourse processing, relate to the planning component.
Molecular Diversity of Receptor Operated Channels in Vascular Smooth Muscle: A Role for Heteromultimeric TRP Channels?

See related article, pages 1520–1527 The mammalian transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of cation channels includes at least 29 individual genes divided into 6 subfamilies based on sequence homology.1 Like many ion channel proteins, TRP subunit polypeptide sequences encode 6 transmembrane domains, with a putative pore-forming loop between the fifth and sixth membrane spanning region. Functional ion-permeable channels are formed from the assembly of 4 TRP polypeptide subunits as a tetrameric complex. Typically, biophysical properties and regulation of TRP channels have been elucidated by studying cultured cells overexpressing a single cloned TRP subunit gene. Under these conditions, the overexpressed protein is the primary TRP subunit present, and channels are predominately formed from 4 identical TRP subunits, ie, “homomeric” TRP channels. Although this experimental approach has yielded abundant valuable information, it does not accurately reflect the in vivo state because native cells generally express a number of individual TRP channel genes, allowing the formation of ion channels composed of 2 or more TRP subunits, ie, “heteromultimeric” TRP channels. The existence of heteromultimeric TRP channels was first demonstrated when coexpression of the Drosophila TRP and TRPL genes in cultured cells gave rise to whole-cell currents that were distinct from those of cells expressing TRP or TRPL homomeric channels, and physical interaction between these 2 proteins in Drosophila photoreceptor cells was demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation.2 Heteromultimeric TRP channels in native mammalian cells were first reported when subunits TRPC1 and TRPC5 from the canonical TRP (TRPC) subfamily were shown to colocalize in the rat hippocampus and, using coimmunoprecipitation, were found to form a molecular complex in brain microsomes.3 A whole-cell current was recorded from HEK cells coexpressing TRPC1 and TRPC5 that was distinct from recordings obtained from cells expressing either TRPC1 or TRPC5 alone, providing further evidence that TRPC1 and TRPC5 …
The Public Good and the Problem of Pluralism in Lincoln Steffens's Civic Imagination

The decades surrounding the opening of the twentieth century saw one of the most significant shifts in the character of American public life. A political order dominated by decentralized parties and a limited state gave way to one defined by interest group activism, weaker parties, and more vigorous government. Scholars argue over the degree and extent of these changes, but few quarrel with the claim that public life looked substantially different by the end of the Progressive Era. Americans accepted interest group pluralism in principle and in practice by the 1920s, and the ideal of a politics devoted to an undifferentiated common good lost much of its persuasive power.
Disparity variation in stereo-panoramic video

In this paper we study the problem of generating stereo panoramic video. We propose a setup based on the theory of circular projections and we demonstrate that it is capable of generating stereo panoramic images at video rates. We further study some of the limitations involved in a practical implementation of the proposed setup, with an emphasis on the effects on the disparity, as perceived by human observers.
Contemporary Maya Spirituality: The Ancient Ways Are Not Lost

Contemporary Maya Spirituality: The Ancient Ways Are Not Lost. Jean Molesky-Poz. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2006. 201 pp. Biblio. ISBN 0292713096, $35.00 (cloth).
Comorbidities of asthma and the unified airway

Background Asthma is a comorbid condition that may be seen by otolaryngic allergists when treating their patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Often asthma is overlooked when aggressive treatment could prevent the development or progression of early disease. Methods This article is a retrospective review of the current literature on asthma as a comorbidity of the unified airway. The unified airway and asthma are clearly defined. The epidemiology, morbidity, mortality, pathophysiologic mechanisms, and the chronicity of asthma are reviewed. Results The otolaryngic allergist will become familiar the unified airway concept and the close relationships between AR, chronic rhinosinusitis, and asthma. Conclusion Otolaryngologists should be aware of the unified airway in order to most effectively treat their patients with AR. Knowledge of the close relationships between asthma and AR will help prevent progression of disease, identify early asthma, and improve the outcomes and quality of life for our patients.
Conscientious refusal by physicians and pharmacists: who is obligated to do what, and why?

Some medical services have long generated deep moral controversy within the medical profession as well as in broader society and have led to conscientious refusals by some physicians to provide those services to their patients. More recently, pharmacists in a number of states have refused on grounds of conscience to fill legal prescriptions for their customers. This paper assesses these controversies. First, I offer a brief account of the basis and limits of the claim to be free to act on one’s conscience. Second, I sketch an account of the basis of the medical and pharmacy professions’ responsibilities and the process by which they are specified and change over time. Third, I then set out and defend what I call the “conventional compromise” as a reasonable accommodation to conflicts between these professions’ responsibilities and the moral integrity of their individual members. Finally, I take up and reject the complicity objection to the conventional compromise. Put together, this provides my answer to the question posed in the title of my paper: “Conscientious refusal by physicians and pharmacists: who is obligated to do what, and why?”.
Sociodemographic Moderators of Middle School Transition Effects on Academic Achievement

The academic impact of the transition from elementary to middle school has significant consequences for many early adolescents. This study examines academic growth across the transition, as well as sociodemographic moderators. Rather than defining the transition effect as a decline in student achievement between fifth and sixth grade, these data demonstrate the transition effect as an interruption in students’ growth in achievement during this interval. Results confirm larger interruptions for vulnerable students (e.g., low income, special education) despite closing the gap effect over the third- to eighth-grade interval.
Iron needs during rapid growth and mental development.

Growth and behavioral development during infancy is highly dependent on abloavailable source of dietary iron. This brief review examines the extent of iron deficiency anemia in the United States in the late 1980s, the daily dietary intake of iron, and the impact of iron deficiency on growth and on mental and psychomotor development. It is incumbent on physicians and other health care professionals caring for infants to direct infant feeding toward the prevention of nutritional iron deficiency.
On the computation of reduced order models of nonlinear systems using balancing technique

A balancing-based algorithm for obtaining nonlinear reduced-order models of nonlinear systems is presented. This is done by considering the input/output behavior of the system around its equilibrium point. The algorithm is shown to be particularly useful in the real-time simulation of stiff nonlinear systems. >
Purification and Characterization of PAM-1, an Integral Membrane Protein Involved in Peptide Processing

Abstract Peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) catalyzes the two-step α-amidation of peptidylglycine intermediates. PAM-1, a Type I integral membrane protein, was solubilized from the membranes of stably transfected hEK-293 cells and purified to homogeneity by antibody affinity chromatography. Purified PAM-1 exhibits an acidic pH optimum and a lower maximal velocity than soluble bifunctional PAM. Limited tryptic digestion of this integral membrane protein releases monofunctional peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase, increasing its specific activity almost fourfold and shifting its pH optimum to coincide with the pH optimum of peptidyl-α-hydroxyglycine α-amidating lyase.
Investigation of the ethanol tolerance of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum in continuous culture

The ethanol tolerance of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum HG8 has been studied in continuous culture using a new technique that requires knowledge of the kinetic constants and measurement of substrate concentrations at various concentrations of the inhibitor. Endogenously produced ethanol was supplemented with exogenously supplied ethanol to achieve various inhibitor concentrations. The ethanol tolerance of C. thermosaccharolyticum was significantly greater than expected on the basis of most previous reports, which may be explained in part by acclimation occurring over time periods exceeding those typical of batch systems studied previously. An ethanol concentration of 40 g/L is required for 50% growth inhibition of C. thermosaccharolyticum at 55 °C. Process considerations suggest that the ethanol tolerance of C. thermosaccharolyticum is unlikely to significantly constrain its use for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass. Ester-linked phospholipid membrane analyses (ELPFA) revealed that growth in the presence of high concentrations of ethanol (33 g/L) resulted in a membrane profile having increased fluidity and molecular diversity. Ethanol-induced changes included a significant increase in shorter chain unsaturated fatty acids (C15 :0) at the expense of longer chain unsaturated fatty acids (C17 :0) and a slight increase in the amount of mono-unsaturated fatty acids.
Functional Persistency of Turkey Semen Following Different Reinsemination Intervals

Abstract IT WAS first reported by Kosin and Wakely (1950), and substantiated by Harper and Parker (1952) and Payne and Kahrs (1961), that turkey sperm cells present in the oviduct from earlier inseminations continue to maintain their fertilizing ability in spite of reinsemination with fresh semen. Kosin and Wakely (1950) observed a few poults with white down 55 days after removal of White males followed by five reinseminations with Bronze semen. Since white down is recessive to the darker down of the Bronze, the white poults hatched from White females must have resulted from ova fertilized by White sperm. Harper and Parker (1952) shifted from one group of males to another and found that 95 percent of the poults were sired by the second group after two inseminations on consecutive days were made and this procedure repeated 11 to 14 days later. Payne and Kahrs (1961) noted that fresh Bronze semen…
trans-4-(2-Amino-5-bromo-6-methyl­pyrimidin-4-ylamino)-1-methyl­cyclo­hexa­nol

The title compound, C12H19BrN4O, represents the minor component of the two products obtained in a series of transformations involving the Grignard reaction of tert-butoxy­carbonyl-protected 4-amino­cyclo­hexa­none with MeMgBr, and subsequent inter­action of the obtained amino-substituted cyclo­hexa­nol with 4-chloro-6-methyl­pyrimidin-2-amine followed by bromination with N-bromo­succinimide. The X-ray structure showed that this product represents a trans isomer with respect to the amino and hydr­oxy substituents in the cyclo­hexyl ring; the dihedral angle between the amino­pyrimidine plane and the (noncrystallographic) mirror plane of the substituted cyclo­hexyl fragment is 33.6 (3)°. Only two of the four potentially `active' H atoms participate in inter­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, linking the mol­ecules into layers parallel to the (10\overline{1}) plane.
Plasma pyridoxal phosphate concentrations of men fed different levels of vitamin B-6

The vitamin B-6 status of 12 white, 3 black, and 7 men of other races was evaluated utilizing plasma pyridoxal phosphate concentrations after the males had been on controlled diets for 8 wk. The diets contained averages of 1.22-1.67 mg/d vitamin B-6 as calculated from food composition tables. The actual mean vitamin B-6 content of these diets as analyzed with Saccharomyces uvarum was 0.75-0.98 mg/d; the mean daily protein intakes were 80.8-84.5 g. All subjects had plasma pyridoxal phosphate concentrations (67.6-125.8 nmol/L) well within the normal range; the values of the different race and dietary groups were similar. Vitamin B-6 requirements were satisfied by the consumption of diets analyzed to contain means of 0.75-0.98 mg/d of the vitamin as demonstrated by plasma pyridoxal phosphate levels indicative of adequate status. Dietary vitamin B-6 intakes should be determined by actual analyses when requirements are being determined.