cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Empirical best linear unbiased prediction in misspecified and improved panel data models with an application to gasoline demand

Misspecifications in econometric models can result in misestimated coefficients. An improved method for specifying econometric models is presented. The mean square error of an empirical best linear unbiased predictor of an individual drawing for the dependent variable of an improved model is derived. These ideas are illustrated using certain misspecified and improved models of the demand for gasoline in the US. It is shown that the forecasting gains from using the improved instead of the misspecified version of the gasoline demand model are very large. A description of a computational algorithm for combining iteratively re-scaled generalized least-squares estimation with out-of-sample multistep-ahead forecast generation is included.
Dolichol-linked glycoprotein synthesis in developing mammalian brain: maturational changes of the N-acetylglucosaminylphosphotransferase

Abstract The enzyme UDP- N -acetylglucosamine:dolichyl phosphate, N -acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase (GlcNAc-1-P transferase), the first committed step in the dolichol-linked oligosaccharide pathway for glycoprotein biosynthesis, has been studied in developing rat brain. The enzyme was shown to be localized in microsomes, particularly heavy microsomes, and to be activated by Mg 2+ and inhibited by tunicamycin. Study of the enzyme with brain development demostrated two prominent findings. First, the accentuation of enzymatic activity caused by addition of a saturating concentration of dolichyl phosphate was greater in brain of older (3–4 weeks of age and subsequently) animals (25-fold) than in brain of younger (less than two weeks of age) animals (10-fold). This difference suggests that dolichyl phosphate may be limiting for GlcNAc-1-P transferase activity in endoplasmic reticulum of the older animals. Second, a marked (3.5-fold) increase in activity occurred over a discrete time period (3–4 weeks of postnatal life) during brain development. That this increase reflected an increase in enzyme amount rather than in catalytic efficiency was suggested by kinetic studies. Coupled with our previous demonstrations of increases in brain dolichol, dolichol kinase activity, and dolichyl phosphate levels during approximately the same developmental period (Sakakihara, Y. and Volpe, J.J., Dev. Brain Res. , 14 (1984) 225–262; Volpe, J.J. et al., Dev. Brain Res. , in press), the data suggest a temporally discrete period of activation of the dolichol-linked pathway to glycoproteins. Whether the pathway is regulated coordinately or sequentially is a fertile topic for future study.
The effect of adaptive grid on hypersonic nozzle flow calculations

Adaptive grid has been applied to the numerical study of generic hypersonic nozzles for the NASP vehicle to evaluate the effect of adaptive grid on solution accuracy. Several cases are calculated with and without adaptive grids; the numerical results are compared with experimental data wherever available, and with numerical results from other researchers. The present work shows that in most situations, especially when free shear layers and shocks exist in the flowfield, adaptive grid is essential in improving solution accuracy.
Monte Carlo simulation of an optical coherence tomography signal in homogeneous turbid media

The Monte Carlo technique with angle biasing is used to simulate the optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal from homogeneous turbid media. The OCT signal is divided into two categories: one is from a target imaging layer in the medium (Class I); the other is from the rest of the medium (Class II). These two classes of signal are very different in their spatial distributions, angular distributions and the numbers of experienced scattering events. Multiply scattered light contributes to the Class I signal as well as the Class II signal. The average number of scattering events increases linearly with the probing depth. The Class II signal decays much more slowly than the Class I signal whose decay constant is close to the total attenuation coefficient of the turbid medium. The effect of the optical properties of the medium on the Class I signal decay is studied.
Removal of Gaseous Alkali Metal Compounds from Hot Flue Gas by Particulate Sorbents

Six commercially available materials have been tested as granular sorbents to be used in granular-bed filters for the removal of gaseous alkali metal compounds from the hot (1073 to 1153 K) flue gas of pressurized fluidized-bed combustors (PFBC) for proposed combined-cycle power generation. Tests were performed using a simulated dry flue gas of PFBC in a laboratory-scale, fixed-bed combustor. Diatomaceous earth and activated bauxite were found to be the two most promising sorbents. The experimental results of screening tests are presented, along with the effects of temperature and superficial velocity and space velocity of the flue gas on the sorption performance for the two sorbents. Possible sorption mechanisms, applications of the sorbents and preliminary cost evaluations are discussed.
Acoustic source location in the secondary mixing region of a jet-blown flap using a cross-correlation technique

An experimental investigation of the acoustic sources in the secondary mixing region of a laboratory-scale jet-flap was made using a causality correlation technique. The processed signal of a hot-film anemometer probe was cross correlated with the output signal of a far-field microphone. Axial acoustic source strength distributions were measured for three far-field microphone locations: plus or minus 45 deg in the flyover plane and 45 deg in the sideline plane. These measurements showed that the acoustic sources in the secondary mixing region are highly directional, radiating much more effectively to the -45 deg-microphone, located below the plane of the flap surface. A relative maximum in the acoustic source strength measured for the microphones in the flyover plane occurred very near the flap trailing edge, which may be due to an edge amplification effect predicted by the theoretical work of Ffowcs Williams and Hall.
Production and characterization of the neutralization antigen VP2 of bluetongue virus serotype 10 using a baculovirus expression vector

Abstract DNA representing RNA segment 2 of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 10, corresponding to the gene that codes for the BTV neutralization antigen VP2, has been inserted into a baculovirus transfer vector in lieu of the 5′ coding region of the polyhedrin gene of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV). After cotransfection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells with wild-type AcNPV DNA in the presence of the derived recombinant transfer vector DNA, polyhedrin-negative recombinant baculoviruses were recovered. When S. frugiperda cells were infected with one of these recombinant viruses, a protein that was similar in size and antigenic properties to the BTV VP2 protein was synthesized. Antibodies raised in mice or rabbits to the baculovirus expressed VP2 protein neutralized the infectivity of BTV-10 virus and to lesser extents BTV serotype 11 and 17 viruses but not BTV-13 virus.
Ontogenetic expression of fumarase activity in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Fumarase (E.C. 4. 2. 1. 2, fumarate hydratase) activity has been studied during the development of Drosophila melanogaster males and females. Profiles of specific activity were found to be quite similar in males and females during larval, pharate pupal, and early pharate adult periods. Specific activity levels in males and females differed markedly during late pharate adult and post-emergence adult life.
Effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and -γ agonist, JTT-501, on diabetic complications in Zucker diabetic fatty rats

This study has investigated the effects of JTT-501, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha and PPAR-gamma agonist, on the pathogenesis of diabetic complications in the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, a model of type 2 diabetes. Comparison is made with troglitazone, a PPAR-gamma agonist. The ZDF rats exhibited hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, and developed diabetic complications such as cataract, nephropathy, and neuropathy. Treatment with JTT-501 from the prediabetic stage controlled glycaemia and lipidaemia, and prevented the development of diabetic complications. Troglitazone was less effective in controlling serum cholesterol and neuropathy. ZDF rats developed diabetic osteopenia with reduced bone turnover, and this was prevented by JTT-501 and troglitazone, possibly mediated by increased bone turnover and bone formation. Since JTT-501 controlled glycaemia and lipidaemia in ZDF rats and prevented several diabetic complications, it is suggested that treatment with JTT-501, which activates both PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma, could provide a valuable therapeutic approach against diabetic complications in type 2 diabetes.
Job Frustration in Substance Abuse Counselors Working With Offenders in Prisons Versus Community Settings

Substance abuse counselors who work with offenders are facing increasing caseloads, which puts them at higher risk of job frustration. The purpose of this study was to explore differences between substance abuse counselors employed in prison versus community settings in terms of level of organizational support and job frustration. This study also investigated whether organizational support was associated with job frustration after controlling for counselor characteristics and workplace setting. This was accomplished utilizing data that were collected from 267 counselors as part of the Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies research cooperative. Results indicated that counselors employed in community settings, as compared with those employed in prisons, are more likely to report higher levels of perceived organizational support. In addition, ordinal logistic regression results reveal that counselors who are non-White and have greater levels of organizational support have less job frustration, after controlling for counselor characteristics and workplace setting. The researches to practice implications are discussed.
Petrosals of Late Cretaceous marsupials from North America, and a cladistic analysis of the petrosal in therian mammals

Ten isolated petrosals of Late Cretaceous marsupials belonging to three types—A, B, and C—are described from the Lance Formation of Wyoming and the Bug Creek Anthills of Montana. These are compared...
Urinary lactate excretion to monitor the efficacy of treatment of type I glycogen storage disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of urinary lactate measurements to assess the adequacy of dietary treatment in patients with type I glycogen storage disease (GSD-I). We determined the correlation of urine and blood lactate concentrations in 21 GSD-I patients during 24-h admissions to the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) during which hourly blood samples and aliquots of every void were obtained. In all but 1 patient, we found a good correlation between blood lactate concentrations and urinary lactate excretion. One patient did not excrete lactate in significant amounts despite elevated blood lactate concentrations. In 17 patients, the highest blood lactate concentrations occurred during the night. Markedly elevated nighttime average blood lactate concentrations above 3.5 mmol/l resulted in a urinary lactate concentration above the normal limit of 0.067 mmol/mmol creatinine in the first morning urine specimen. Mildly elevated nighttime blood lactate concentrations (between 2.2 and 3.5 mmol/l) led to urinary lactate concentrations that were either normal or moderately elevated. All patients with normal blood lactate concentrations during the night also had normal first morning urinary lactate concentrations. The degree of urinary lactate excretion in relation to blood lactate concentrations varied by individual. Urinary filter paper specimens, collected at home during the night and in the morning and mailed to the laboratory, were used to monitor the dietary compliance of 5 GSD-I patients at home over a period of 6 to 9 weeks prior to their GCRC admissions. These data suggested variable degrees of dietary control. In conclusion, the urinary lactate concentration is a useful parameter to monitor therapy of GSD-I patients at home. To be interpretable, the baseline urinary lactate concentration in relation to the blood lactate concentration has to be determined.
Commodification, economic restructuring, and the changing urban geography of labour in post-apartheid South Africa: The case of Gauteng Province, 1991–2001

Black working class opposition to the South African apartheid regime led to new forms of spatial imagery that reconfigured the country's urban areas as a terrain of worker solidarity and, as emphasized by "social movement unionism" literature, of alliances between trade union struggles and communities' insurgency. Underpinning the urban geography of South African labor was a discourse of citizenship premised on dignified waged employment and the demand for decommodified social rights. Worker-community solidarity ultimately challenged not only the apartheid state but also the spatial segregation of citizenship rights along the rural-urban divide. The scenario that followed the adoption of free-market macroecononomic policies and labor market flexibility by the post-apartheid ANC government has profoundly questioned the working class urban imagery emerged in previous decades. Moreover, post-apartheid policy changes emphasize the importance of the urban space as a terrain of contestation over social citizenship rights, access to services and working class livelihoods. In particular, the restructuring of municipal services has contributed to recommodify the access to basic provisions like water, electricity and housing. Furthermore, dynamics of industrial restructuring have facilitated retrenchments and casualization of work, which have reshaped industrial areas and negatively affected alternative urban geographies defined by worker solidarity and mobilization. Based on the author's doctoral research, this paper analyzes the impact of changing forms of production and access to services on the spatial dynamics, living conditions and strategies of two working class communities in the Gauteng province: municipal employees in Johannesburg and East Rand manufacturing workers.
Adolescent Aggression: Models of Resiliency

Resiliency is the ability to survive and thrive despite exposure to negative circumstances. This study compared 4 models of resiliency (compensatory, risk-protective, protective-protective, and challenge) in the context of adolescent aggression. Each model proposes a different relationship between risk and protective factors. The risk factor was exposure to violence. Protective factors were closeness to an adult, importance of religion, selfesteem, relationship competence, constructive communication, and constructive anger. Data for testing the models came from a survey of 1,747 8th and 9th graders in a rural county. Results suggest that the most appropriate model of resiliency varies by gender of the adolescent. The protective-protective and challenge models were supported for females. None of the models were supported for males. Gender differences in socialization and development may explain study findings.
Synonymy of the three apparent isoenzymes of 3‐deoxy‐D‐arabino‐heptulosonate 7‐phosphate synthase in Pisum sativum L. with 3‐deoxy‐d‐manno‐octulosonate 8‐phosphate synthase and the DS‐Co/DS‐Mn isoenzyme pair

summary Three enzymes, capable of condensing phosphoenolpyruvate with erythrose 4-phosphate, were separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of extracts from young leaves of Pisum sativum. One enzyme was identified as 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate (KDOP) synthase (EC 4.1 .2.16). This novel plant enzyme mimicks 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (EC 4.1 .2.15) in vitro by virtue of its substrate ambiguity. KDOP synthase used erythrose 4-phosphate 28% as well as arabinose 5-phosphate at high substrate concentrations. The pH optimum was 6.5 and divalent cations were neither required nor stimulatory. The remaining two enzymes possessed the distinctive properties of the DAHP synthase (DS) isoenzymes, DS-Mn and DS-Co, previously established in tobacco and spinach to be chloroplast- and cytosol-localized isoenzymes, respectively. DS-Mn was highly specific for its substrates, required dithiothreitol (a hysteretic activator) for activity, was stimulated 3.6-fold by 0.5 mM Mn2+, and exhibited a pH optimum of 7.5. DS-Co, by contrast, showed an extreme degree of substrate ambiguity (giving greater rates with glycolaldehyde and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate than with erythrose 4-phosphate at saturating substrate concentrations), had an absolute requirement for a divalent metal, and exhibited a high pH optimum of 9.0 for catalysis.
Role of peritoneal dialysis in the era of the resurgence of home hemodialysis

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of home hemodialysis (HHD) therapies. Given the small percentage of prevalent patients in the United States currently on home dialysis, an appropriate question is: What is the role of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in this era? Data suggest that in centers that are promoting the growth of HHD, their PD programs also tend to be very active. Furthermore, our experience and other data suggest that one should not worry about cannibalizing PD in order to grow HHD. Most HHD patients come from in-center hemodialysis or those patients transitioning from PD to another therapy. In fact, data suggest that in order to promote the growth of HHD, a certain minimal infrastructure is needed in terms of staff. An active PD program not only supports a robust infrastructure that allows for HHD growth but also fosters profitability of a home program.
High-temperature Raman Spectra of CO 2 and H 2 O for Combustion Diagnostics

The Raman spectra of CO2 and H2O have been measured from 1000 to 2200°K. The spectra are found to be well described by the simple models described previously. In particular, the simple partition functions of T−1 for CO2 and T−3/2 for H2O are adequate for describing the spectra over the temperature range of interest.
Management of concurrent intestinal obstruction with an adrenal incidentaloma

Abstract We present the case of an 8-year-old male with an intestinal obstruction and a simultaneous incidental adrenal mass. The patient had a newborn history of intestinal obstruction secondary to ileal atresia. Intestinal length at the time of operation was measured to be 50% of predicted. The patient's present intestinal obstruction presented a challenge to the evaluation and management of a concurrent adrenal mass.
Uncovering a novel function of BTLA on tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells

Manipulation of T-cell co-inhibitory molecules, such as CTLA-4, PD-1, and BTLA has recently moved to the forefront of cancer immunotherapy. Although these molecules serve as inhibitors of T-cell activation, they are also biomarkers for activated T cells and may in fact have positive immune
The relationship between stated beliefs and classroom practices of oral corrective feedback

This study investigated the relationship between stated beliefs of four English as a second language (ESL) teachers about teaching and oral corrective feedback (OCF) and their actual classroom practices. The results show that their stated beliefs of teaching were found to be in accordance with their stated beliefs concerning OCF. While the most inexperienced teacher did not have any concrete ideas about OCF, the other three teachers had established varying degrees of stated beliefs. Nevertheless, they did not consider OCF as a primary tenet of their teaching; other elements were deemed as being more important. Their classroom practices were found to be largely in agreement with their stated beliefs about OCF in the sense that, following their common stated belief of teaching that creating a comfortable environment for students was crucial, they refrained from using explicit correction which could potentially humiliate learners, and instead opted for a more implicit type of OCF, recasts. Despite a general ...
Finding Your Way Through the Trademark Information Maze

SUMMARY This article gives guidance in searching trademarks, owner names, goods and services, and international classes using sample queries in the trademark databases of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Web and DVD databases are described. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages. The author presents an introduction to trademark terminology and the basic application process. Five queries are completed showing interesting uses of trademarks as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the databases.
New electronically controlled hydrogen-gas injector development and testing

Abstract The feasibility of high-pressure hydrogen-gas injection was investigated in a diesel engine with the help of an electronic control under microprocessor management. An injector prototype was developed with variable area orifice fitted with a solenoid actuator for lifting of the needle valve. A metering valve controlled by a digital actuator was installed at the injector's inlet to throttle the gas flow from the cylinder with compressed hydrogen. The injected fuel dose was therefore under double control: by the time of the injector's opening and by the metering valve flow area. This system was first investigated on a test set-up where the pressure in the injector, the needle lift and the gas dose were measured. A concentrated gas discharge rate characteristic of 3 ms duration was obtained. An attempt was also made to measure the gas discharge rate by recording the amplitude of the pressure wave created in a special long pipe. Ignition feasibility tests were finally conducted in a high speed diesel engine with spark ignition support.
Design and Synthesis of Aryl Ether Inhibitors of the Bacillus Anthracis Enoyl–ACP Reductase

The problem of increasing bacterial resistance to the current generation of antibiotics is well documented. Known resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are becoming more prevalent, while the potential exists for developing drug-resistant pathogens for use as bioweapons, such as Bacillus anthracis. The biphenyl ether antibacterial agent, triclosan, exhibits broad-spectrum activity by targeting the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway through inhibition of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR) and provides a potential scaffold for the development of new, broad-spectrum antibiotics. We used a structure-based approach to develop novel aryl ether analogues of triclosan that target ENR, the product of the fabI gene, from B. anthracis (BaENR). Structure-based design methods were used for the expansion of the compound series including X-ray crystal structure determination, molecular docking, and QSAR methods. Structural modifications were made to both phenyl rings of the 2-phenoxyphenyl core. A number of compounds exhibited improved potency against BaENR and increased efficacy against both the Sterne strain of B. anthracis and the methicillin-resistant strain of S. aureus. X-ray crystal structures of BaENR in complex with triclosan and two other compounds help explain the improved efficacy of the new compounds and suggest future rounds of optimization that might be used to improve their potency.
Testis Histopathology in Boys With Cryptorchidism Correlates With Future Fertility Potential

ABSTRACTPurpose: We studied the ability of testis biopsy to predict eventual fertility potential.Materials and Methods: A total of 25 patients with unilateral undescended testis and 11 with bilateral undescended testes who previously underwent orchiopexy at a median age of 9 years were followed until after age 18 years. Semen analysis, testicular volume, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and inhibin B were compared to previously obtained biopsies of each testis. Biopsies were graded as mild, moderate or severe histology based on published data for normal and undescended testis histology.Results: Patients with unilateral undescended testis and moderate histology were more likely to have a sperm density of greater than 20 million per cc than those with severe histology (p = 0.006), although no difference in hormonal parameters was noted. Patients with bilateral undescended testes and moderate histology were more likely to have normal follicle-stimulating hormone and inhibin B t...
Insulin secretion in patients with myotonic dystrophy and their relatives.

Oral glucose, i.v. tolbutamide and i.v. arginine tolerance tests were performed in 11 patients with myotonic dystrophy and 9 of their clinically unaffected relatives. Five of the myotonic patients had glucose intolerance; 7 had exaggerated immunoreactive insulin (IRI) response to glucose. One of the 9 relatives demonstrated glucose intolerance and none had exaggerated insulin response to glucose. Three relatives, all obese, hyperresponded to arginine and one of them also responded excessively to tolbutamide. The results indicate that an exaggerated IRI response to glucose is common in myotonic dystrophy. Enhanced responses to other stimuli are less frequent. Although glucose intolerance occurred in half of the patients, the fact that the highest IRI levels were seen in non-diabetic patients suggests that this excessive response may protect against glucose intolerance. Our studies in relatives do not support the potential usefulness of testing for hyperinsulinemia in the early detection of myotonic dystrophy.
8×2.5-Gb/s, 60-GHz radio-over-fiber access network with 125-km extended reach using remote optical carrier suppression

We have experimentally demonstrated a long-reach WDM 60-GHz millimeter-wave radio-over-fiber system based on remote up-conversion. 2.5-Gb/s wireless and wired data are delivered simultaneously through 125-km standard single mode fiber without any dispersion compensation.
Multiple Optima in Hoabinhian flaked stone artefact palaeoeconomics and palaeoecology at two archaeological sites in Northwest Thailand

High resolution analyses of flaked stone artefact technology coupled with palaeoecological reconstruction from oxygen isotope analyses of freshwater shells from two rockshelter in the highlands of Northwest Thailand are described. Previously undocumented scales of technological variation are observed in response to environmental variation across the prehistoric landscape and through time. Three models of human behavioural ecology are used to test predictions about how foragers adapted their stone artefact technology to variation in climatic conditions and proximity to stone resources. These models are found to be problematic and are modified by including multiple optima that reflect the specific ecological conditions under consideration.
Notch signalling and the regulation of angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is essential to establish the vascular circuit during embryonic development. During angiogenic sprouting, endothelial cells exhibit a diverse array of cellular behaviours. Endothelial tip cells must migrate extensively and proliferate in response to proangiogenic cues while trailing cells need to maintain their position and connection to the patent vasculature, despite exposure to the same proangiogenic molecules. Several new studies have now shed light on the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for coordinating this process. In particular, this work has identified a conserved role for the Notch signalling pathway in limiting the cellular angiogenic response, in part by reducing the level of Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors in endothelial cells. In this overview, we discuss the emerging concepts elucidated by these studies and propose a model in which Notch acts reiteratively throughout the angiogenic process, l...
XIRP2, an Actin-Binding Protein Essential for Inner Ear Hair-Cell Stereocilia

Hair cells of the inner ear are mechanoreceptors for hearing and balance, and proteins highly enriched in hair cells may have specific roles in the development and maintenance of the mechanotransduction apparatus. We identified XIRP2/mXinβ as an enriched protein likely to be essential for hair cells. We found that different isoforms of this protein are expressed and differentially located: short splice forms (also called XEPLIN) are targeted more to stereocilia, whereas two long isoforms containing a XIN-repeat domain are in both stereocilia and cuticular plates. Mice lacking the Xirp2 gene developed normal stereocilia bundles, but these degenerated with time: stereocilia were lost and long membranous protrusions emanated from the nearby apical surfaces. At an ultrastructural level, the paracrystalline actin filaments became disorganized. XIRP2 is apparently involved in the maintenance of actin structures in stereocilia and cuticular plates of hair cells, and perhaps in other organs where it is expressed.
Atmospheric Dispersal of Industrial Stack Gases Determined by Concentration Measurements In Scale Model Wind Tunnel Experiments

(1957). Atmospheric Dispersal of Industrial Stack Gases Determined by Concentration Measurements In Scale Model Wind Tunnel Experiments. Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 198-203.
The effects of Ni2+ on ionic currents and tension generation in frog ventricular muscle.

The effect of Ni2+ on E-C coupling events of the frog ventricular muscle were studied using a single sucrose gap voltage clamp technique. The results showed that Ni2+ increased the overshoot potential and depressed and prolonged the plateau of the action potential. Ni2+ also increased the dependence of the overshoot potential on [Na]o from 18 to 58 mV per decade. In the presence of Ni2+, TTX blocked both the upstroke and the plateau of the action potential. The combination of TTX and Ni2+ suppressed the tensionvoltage relation, the time-dependent outward currents and K+ efflux. While suppression of the tension-voltage relation by Ni2+ alone was reversed by increasing [Ca]o, the effects of Ni2+ plus TTX are not reversed by addition of Ca2+. The results suggest that Ni2+ may alter the action potential by slowing the inactivation of the Na+ current and blocking the inward Ca2+ current. Although the tension-suppressant effects of Ni2+ could be attributed to the inhibition of a slowly inactivating Ca2+ current, the effects of Ni2+ in the presence of TTX were less readily explained. Several possible mechanisms are considered which are all consistent with the hypothesis that development of tension in ventricular strips is mediated by both a Ca2+ current and a Ca2+ counter-transport system.
Gatekeepers of intestinal inflammation

The intestine is subjected to a barrage of insults from food, bacterial flora, and pathogens. Despite this constant antigenic challenge, the mucosal tissues lining the intestinal tract remain largely under control. The mechanisms regulating the homeostatic balance in the gut have been investigated for many years by many groups, but the precise nature of the regulatory control remains elusive. In this review, we provide an overview of pathways proposed to be involved in dampening the inflammatory response and maintaining the homeostatic balance in the intestine, and how these pathways may be disrupted in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
The dispersed pancreas: transplantation without islet purification in totally pancreatectomized dogs.

Forty-eight mongrel dogs were made diabetic by total pancreatectomy. Fifteen untreated pancreatectomized animals survived for a mean of 7±1 (SEM) days. Thirty-three dogs were divided into five groups and received autotransplants to the spleen of pancreatic fragments dispersed by collagenase digestion for 0, 10, 15, 20 or 25 minutes. Animals transplanted with tissue digested for 0 minutes or for 10 minutes remained hyperglycaemic (mean survival 22±12 days and 28±9 days). Normoglycaemia occurred in all but one of 21 dogs transplanted with tissue digested for 15–25 minutes. Two weeks after transplantation tolbutamide and glucose tolerance curves in the group receiving tissue digested for 20 minutes most closely resembled those of normal animals. Glucose tolerance test K values in dogs receiving tissue digested for 15, 20 and 25 minutes were 1.20±0.19 percent, 1.60±0.25 percent and 0.78±0.08 percent, respectively. The K values of the transplanted animals were significantly different from the K value of 0.35±0.05 percent in the apancreatic control dogs (p < 0.001). The mean K value of the dogs transplanted with tissue digested for 20 minutes was significantly better than the value in the dogs transplanted with tissue digested for 25 minutes (p < 0.02), but was significantly less than the K value (3.30±0.27 percent) obtained in 22 normal control dogs (p < 0.005). Hyperglycaemia recurred immediately following splenectomy in 12 normoglycaemic dogs 10 weeks after transplantation and all animals died. The remaining normoglycaemic transplanted dogs survived for at least six months. Histological examination of spleens from the transplanted animals showed the presence of islet and exocrine tissue within the splenic pulp with no apparent destructive effect on surrounding splenic parenchyma.
Applying developmental previewing to the principles of family therapy

This paper discusses the application of principles of infant psychiatry to the diagnosis and treatment of multigenerational family conflict. Using a technique referred to as previewing, the therapist can focus on the interpersonal meaning that the infant's development precipitates in the family and determine how the parents' relationships with the infant replicate their relationships with their own families of origin. The therapist may then use these insights for overcoming conflict and for acclimating parents to new developmental skills in an optimal manner. Specific suggestions for how parents may promote more adaptive patterns of interaction with the infant using previewing are offered.
The role of a basic amino acid cluster in target site selection and non-specific binding of bZIP peptides to DNA

The ability of a transcription factor to locate and bind its cognate DNA site in the presence of closely related sites and a vast array of non-specific DNA is crucial for cell survival. The CREB/ATF family of transcription factors is an important group of basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins that display high affinity for the CRE site and low affinity for the closely related AP-1 site. Members of the CREB/ATF family share in common a cluster of basic amino acids at the N-terminus of their bZIP element. This basic cluster is necessary and sufficient to cause the CRE site to bend upon binding of a CREB/ATF protein. The possibility that DNA bending and CRE/AP-1 specificity were linked in CREB/ATF proteins was investigated using chimeric peptides derived from human CRE-BP1 (a member of the CREB/ATF family) and yeast GCN4, which lacks both a basic cluster and CRE/AP-1 specificity. Gain of function and loss of function experiments demonstrated that the basic cluster was not responsible for the CRE/AP-1 specificity displayed by all characterized CREB/ATF proteins. The basic cluster was, however, responsible for inducing very high affinity for non- specific DNA. It was further shown that basic cluster-containing peptides bind non-specific DNA in a random coil conformation. We postulate that the high non- specific DNA affinities of basic cluster-containing peptides result from cooperative electrostatic interactions with the phosphate backbone that do not require peptide organization.
Requirements for Efficient Proteolytic Cleavage of Prelamin A by ZMPSTE24

Background The proteolytic maturation of the nuclear protein lamin A by the zinc metalloprotease ZMPSTE24 is critical for human health. The lamin A precursor, prelamin A, undergoes a multi-step maturation process that includes CAAX processing (farnesylation, proteolysis and carboxylmethylation of the C-terminal CAAX motif), followed by ZMPSTE24-mediated cleavage of the last 15 amino acids, including the modified C-terminus. Failure to cleave the prelamin A “tail”, due to mutations in either prelamin A or ZMPSTE24, results in a permanently prenylated form of prelamin A that underlies the premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) and related progeroid disorders.
NOTCHing the bone: Insights into multi-functionality

Evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling plays a critical role during embryonic and postnatal life. The importance of Notch signaling in the determination of cell fate, and the spatio-temporal regulation of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis has been demonstrated in various different organ systems. However, how Notch signaling affects the bone development was unknown until now. The in vivo effects of Notch signaling in lineage commitment, bone formation and bone resorption were demonstrated in recent studies. In addition to regulation of osteoblastogenesis, osteoblast directed osteoclastogenesis by Notch signaling revealed a dimorphic effect for this signaling pathway providing another example of such in bone development. Moreover, identification of the cross talk between the hematopoietic stem cell niche and osteoblasts through Notch signaling also suggested another important role for Notch signaling, i.e., the coupling of cellular components of the bone microenvironment. The association between the gain and loss of function of Notch activity in bone pathology highlights Notch as a potentially novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic bone disease and bone cancer. In this review, we will focus primarily on the regulation of bone cells, i.e., osteoblasts and osteoclasts by Notch signaling. We will also review the importance of Notch in specifying bone-hematopoietic stem cell niche interactions within the bone microenvironment. Finally, we will discuss potential clinical implications and future directions for this field.
Structural and functional properties of the h and m subunits of lactic dehydrogenases

Structural and functional properties of heart and muscle type subunits of lactic dehydrogenases investigated, using comparative amino acid analysis
Identification and clinical implications of isoantibodies in patients with idiopathic dysgammaglobulinemia.

Evaluation of patients with recurrent sinopulmonary infections and dyscrasias of immunoglobulin production, particularly of IgA, disclosed the presence of antibodies to IgA, cow's milk, bovidae proteins, and tissue antigens. These antibodies may have clinical significance as indicators of those individuals susceptible to diseases whose etiology may be considered in part to be of an autoimmune nature. They may also be of clinical significance because of their possible in vivo interaction with common or crossreacting antigens present in administered or transfused blood products.
Detection of adulteration in citrus juice beverages

Abstract The detection of adulteration in citrus juices is a challenge to industry and regulatory agencies. Early work was directed towards detecting citric acid added to lemon juice. More recently, efforts have been made to develop methods of detecting adulteration in orange juice and to determine orange juice content in diluted orange beverages.
Longitudinal assessment of outcome, health status, and changes in lifestyle associated with long-term home parenteral and enteral nutrition.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the health status, frequency of therapy-related symptoms, and impact of home parenteral and enteral nutrition (HPEN) on lifestyle in patients who were stable and had nonmalignant diagnoses. Assessments were made at 2 time points, 3 years apart. Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained. Adult HPEN patients self-completed a general health status questionnaire (SF-36) and a lifestylesymptom questionnaire in 1993 and 1996. Demographic data relating to underlying disease state and infusion regimen were also collected. Results: Seventeen patients (7 men, 10 women; 13 receiving home parenteral nutrition [HPN] and 4 receiving home enteral nutrition [HEN]) participated in the study. The mean (SEM) duration of HPEN therapy at the start of the study was 7.1 (1.6) years. Although health status as assessed by SF-36 scores was lower in all categories when compared with age- and gender-matched control data from the general US population (p .05). Sleep, travel, and social activities were the most affected aspects of the patient's lifestyle. Conclusions: These data suggest that patients with nonmalignant underlying disease receiving HPEN maintain a stable health status over a prolonged period.
Integrated Optical Communications

The potential high data rate handling capabilities, coupled with loss cost, low loss, and noise immunity, make integrated optical communications an exciting emerging technology. Recent advances in hybrid fiber optics and integrated optical circuits and results of recent commercial and military demonstrations will be presented.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Wall and Corner Flows Driven by a Ceiling Jet in an Enclosure Fire

Abstract This paper presents the results from an experimental simulation of the wall and corner flows generated by a fire-plume driven ceiling jet in a compartment fire. An experimental arrangement is employed to determine the transport processes resulting from these flows in typical full-scale fires in rooms. Of particular interest were the flow and heat transfer in the corner, the heat transfer rate to the wall and the ceiling, the downward penetration distance of the wall flow and the entrainment into the flow. The results obtained are presented in terms of dimensionless variables in order to simulate the conditions for a wide range of fires. The chosen range of the governing parameters corresponds to the values encountered in typical room and enclosure fires. Some results are also presented on a jet impinging at an inclination, other than normal, with the wall to simulate the radial spread of the ceiling jet in an actual fire. It is found that the ceiling-jet-driven wall and corner flows are very impo...
Contest success functions

Tournaments, conflict, and rent-seeking have been modelled as contests in which participants exert effort to increase their probability of winning a prize. A Contest Success Function (CSF) provides each player's probability of winning as a function of all players' efforts. In this paper the additive CSF employed in most contests is axiomatized, with an independence from irrelevant alternatives property as the key axiom. Two frequently used functional forms are also axiomatized: one in which winning probabilities depend on the ratio of players' efforts and the other in which winning probabilities depend on the difference in efforts.
Land problems in American History

THE ABOVE LINES serve as a summary of Aaron M. Sakolski's last book' for it tells a story of missed opportunities, of shortsightedness and surrender to political pressure, and, at times, of fraud where foresight and integrity would have preserved the nation's land for a better use. Dr. Sakolski, in this volume, describes the process by which in less than three centuries the land within the political boundaries of the United States came into private ownership. Added to this are sections dealing with political repercussions, taxes, farm tenancy, predictions as to the future, and a valuable bibliography. Since this is all contained in slightly over three hundred pages, the treatment of certain sections is necessarily cursory. I feel that the chapters on the disposal of the public land are most valuable. Certainly, the treatment here is more thorough and material is presented which is not available in any other single source. The sections on taxation, land reform, and political repercussions are extremely brief and appear to have been added after the book was in outline form.
Advanced materials for in-vessel components

Advanced materials for fusion reactor applications will involve development of structural material for a radiation environment as well as special materials for specific properties such as impurity control, hydrogen recycling, tritium retention, tritium permeation and high thermal inputs. One of the most important materials development areas will be layered composites which are designed to optimize the functional requirement of the materials. This paper reviews some of the concepts presently being pursued to develop advanced layered composite materials for fusion applications.
Nucleic acid metabolism in rat thymocytes X-irradiated in vitro☆

Abstract The metabolism of nucleic acids in 1 000 R X-irradiated rat thymocytes was studied using radioactively labeled purine bases and pyrimidine nucleosides. Cells were examined for early radiation-induced alterations in transport of base into the cell, base phosphorylation, incorporation of label into nucleic acids and loss of radioactivity from nucleic acids of cells labeled prior to X-ray exposure. A significant depression in the incorporation of 14C-8-adenine into nucleic acids was detected within 1 h of irradiation and this occurred prior to inhibition of label uptake in the acid-soluble pool, indicating that radiation does not initially inhibit base transport into the cell. Chromatographic separation of labeled adenine nucleotides showed that phosphorylation of 14C-8-adenine was not blocked by X-ray exposure. Inhibition of incorporation of 3H-thymidine-CH3 into DNA and of 14C-2-uridine into RNA was observed but neither effect occurred immediately after irradiation. Radioactivity in DNA labeled prior to irradiation was not lost following irradiation, whereas a radiation-induced loss of prelabeled RNA radioactivity was observed. The magnitude of the loss of label from RNA was related to the time interval between pulse labeling and subsequent X-ray exposure. These data suggest that an early radiation-induced biochemical lesion in the rat thymocyte involves inhibition of maturation of rapidly labeled RNA to stable RNA.
Stimulation Unlocks Coalbed Methane: Lessons Learned in India

Although gas production from coalbed methane (CBM) wells has become an important source of energy in North America over last couple of decades, it still remains an upcoming area in India. India has the fourth-largest proven coal reserves in the world and therefore considerable prospects exist for exploration and exploitation of CBM. Development of CBM and other unconventional gas sources are currently a priority for India to meet its growing energy demand.
NMR Stability Assay for Amyl Nitrite Ampuls

Abstract The percentage of amyl nitrite in the contents of an amyl nitrite ampul is determined from the ratio of the area under the −CH 2 −ONO line to the area under the −CH 3 lines in the NMR spectrum of the sample. The relative standard deviation of the method is 1.4%, and the accuracy is better than 2%.
Quantitative proteomic profiling of host-pathogen interactions: the macrophage response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipids.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is an intracellular pathogen possessing a complex mixture of cell wall lipids that are thought to modulate the activities of host macrophages. In this study, we employed two state-of-the-art quantitative proteomic approaches, metabolic labeling SILAC and chemical isobaric tagging iTRAQ, to study changes in macrophage protein expression in response to exposure to M. tuberculosis lipids. From a total of 1286 proteins identified, 463 were discovered by both isotope-labeling strategies at a high consistency, and the rest of proteins were detected by only one of the two approaches. Upon exposure to mycobacterial cell wall lipids, 166 macrophage proteins showed differential expression. These included proteins involved in the immune response, oxidation and reduction, and vesicle transport, as well as other cellular processes. The response of the macrophage proteome to M. tuberculosis lipids reflects the cell’s innate defense mechanisms as well as lipid-induced process...