cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of direct cortical responses--a possible dendritic site of inhibition.

Abstract Spatio-temporal interaction of the negative wave direct cortical response (N wave DCR) was studied using two cortical sites for stimulation with different strengths of conditioning and test stimuli. With weak stimulating strengths an "occlusive" type of interaction was found lasting 20–40 msec; with stronger strengths a longer-lasting 200–400 msec phase of depressed responses was found. By increasing the test stimulation as well as the conditioning stimulation, reversals of the test N wave DCR were found. Laminar recordings taken at the site of reversal indicated that sources are present in the upper apical dendrites with augmented sinks in the intermediate cortex; i.e. , at 300–1000 μ. These deeper sinks are considered due to synaptic activity on apical dendrite shafts, basilar dendrites and somas. The hypothesis is presented that the block and reversal of surface responses is due to inhibitory synapses located on the uppermost membranes of the apical dendrites.
ULTRASONIC PULSE WAVE VELOCITY TEST FOR MONITORING CHANGES IN HOT-MIX ASPHALT MIXTURE INTEGRITY FROM EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE

The ultrasonic pulse wave velocity test is evaluated as a possible tool for monitoring changes in the integrity of mixtures due to moisture conditioning. Two sets of mixtures were prepared. The first group involved fine-grained (above the restricted zone) and coarse-grained (below the restricted zone) limestone mixtures commonly used by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) that were produced with multiple void structure and permeability configurations by varying the gradations and proportions for a common set of aggregates and asphalt cement. The second set of mixtures consisted of three granite-based mixtures commonly used by FDOT. The results presented show that the small strain modulus obtained with the ultrasonic pulse wave velocity test appears to be sensitive to changes in mixture integrity due to moisture, and therefore it may be a possible tool for the characterization of damage in both laboratory and field specimens. Additional work remains to be performed to better define the meaning ...
Numerical experiments on quadratically convergent algorithms for function minimization

The nine quadratically convergent algorithms for function minimization appearing in Ref. 2 are tested through several numerical examples. A quadratic function and four nonquadratic functions are investigated. For the quadratic function, the results show that, if high-precision arithmetic together with high accuracy in the one-dimensional search is employed, all the algorithms behave identically: they all produce the same sequence of points and they all lead to the minimal point in the same number of iterations (this number is equal at most to the number of variables). For the nonquadratic functions, the results show that some of the algorithms behave identically and, therefore, any one of them can be considered to be representative of the entire class. The effect of different restarting conditions on the convergence characteristics of the algorithms is studied. Proper restarting conditions for faster convergence are given.
An ignition and combustion model based on the level-set method for spark ignition engine multidimensional modeling

Abstract To improve the prediction accuracy of the spark ignition and combustion processes in spark ignition engines, improved ignition and flame propagation models have been developed and implemented in the CFD code, KIVA-3V. An equation to calculate the spark ignition kernel growth rate is derived that considers the effects of the spark ignition discharge energy and flow turbulence on the ignition kernel growth. In addition, a flamelet combustion model based on the G equation combustion model was developed and implemented. To test the ignition and combustion models, they were applied to a homogeneous charge pancake-shaped-combustion-chamber engine, in which experimental heat flux data from probes in the engine head and cylinder liner were available. By comparing the flame arrival timings with the simulation predictions, the ignition and combustion models were validated. In addition, the models were also applied to a homogeneous charge propane-fueled SI engine. Good agreement with experimental cylinder pressures and NO x data was obtained as a function of ignition timing, engine speed, and EGR levels.
“Guest of the Inmost Heart”:Conceptions of the Divine Beloved among Early Sufi Women

In the works of Sufi love mysticism, the Sufi seeker is often represented as a male lover in relation to God as the symbolically “feminine” Beloved. However, women themselves were not infrequently the practitioners of the mystical path in Islam, and it is clear from the words attributed to them that female Sufis developed their own image of the Divine Beloved as the symbolically masculine object of their female desire. In this paper, I examine short poetic pieces and sayings attributed to Sufi women in both hagiographical and biographical works in an attempt to identify a specifically feminine brand of Islamic “love” mysticism, reflecting a distinctly and traditionally female experience of loving and spiritual longing.
A class of discontinuous Petrov-Galerkin methods. Part III

We continue our theoretical and numerical study on the Discontinuous Petrov-Galerkin method with optimal test functions in context of 1D and 2D convection-dominated diffusion problems and hp-adaptivity. With a proper choice of the norm for the test space, we prove robustness (uniform stability with respect to the diffusion parameter) and mesh-independence of the energy norm of the FE error for the 1D problem. With hp-adaptivity and a proper scaling of the norms for the test functions, we establish new limits for solving convection-dominated diffusion problems numerically: ?=10-11 for 1D and ?=10-7 for 2D problems. The adaptive process is fully automatic and starts with a mesh consisting of few elements only.
Blue-Green Lasers for Ocean Optics

This paper discusses the present status and future possibilities of blue-green laser technology. Laser developments that are potentially most useful for ocean optics are emphasized. Historically, argon ion lasers have been used for virtually all underwater experiments requiring coherent cw sources, while frequency doubled Nd: YAG lasers have provided pulsed blue-green radiation. Neither of these lasers is appropriate for high-average-power field use. The best present candidate for appli-cations where high pulse energy is of primary importance is the flashlamp pumped dye laser. For range-gated applications, where 5-20 nsec pulses are needed, the copper vapor laser is the best immediate choice. A single pulsed laser that is suitable for both applications is not yet available. A cw laser with reasonable efficiency is also unavailable. With recent UV/visible molecular gas laser developments, it is likely that a single blue-green source capable of satisfying most ocean optics needs will be available within three to five years. Promising possibilities include KrF laser and XeF laser pumping of a blue-green dye laser and Raman downshifting of XeF laser output. Several longer term possibilities for in-band blue-green molecular gas lasers have been identified.
Experimental diabetes causes mitochondrial loss and cytoplasmic enrichment of pyridoxal phosphate and aspartate aminotransferase activity

The streptozotocin diabetic rat was selected as a model to study how insulin deficiency alters vitamin B6 utilization by focusing on pyridoxal phosphate levels and aspartate aminotransferase activities in liver tissues. Diabetes of 15 weeks' duration lowered plasma pyridoxal phosphate levels by 84%. Normal plasma pyridoxal phosphate was 480 pmole/ml. Fractionation of liver into mitochondrial and extramitochondrial compartments demonstrated that diabetes caused a 43% diminution in mitochondrial pyridoxal phosphate per gram of liver. There was no cytoplasmic change in these diabetic rats. Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase activity was decreased 53% per gram of diabetic liver and cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase activity was elevated 3.4-fold. Damage to diabetic mitochondria during preparation procedures could not account for the rise in cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase activity. Electrophoresis showed that in the diabetic cytoplasm both cathodal and anodal forms of the enzyme were elevated. Speculations concerning mitochondrial loss and cytoplasmic gain of enzyme activity as well as those on the reduction of plasma pyridoxal phosphate in the diabetic rat are presented.
Human estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) pharmacogenomics: gene resequencing and functional genomics.

Estrogens are used as drugs and estrogen exposure is a risk factor for hormone-dependent diseases such as breast cancer. Sulfate conjugation is an important pathway for estrogen metabolism. The sulfotransferase (SULT) enzyme SULT1E1 has the lowest Km values for estrogens and catecholestrogens of the 10 known human SULT isoforms. We previously cloned and characterized the human SULT1E1 cDNA and gene as steps toward pharmacogenetic studies. In the present experiments, we set out to determine whether common, functionally significant genetic polymorphisms might exist for SULT1E1. As a first step, we ‘resequenced’ the eight SULT1E1 exons and exon–intron splice junctions as well as portions of the 5′-flanking region using DNA from 60 African-American and 60 Caucasian-American subjects. In all, 23 polymorphisms, 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one insertion deletion were observed. There were three nonsynonymous coding SNPs (cSNPs) that altered the following encoded amino acids: Asp22Tyr, Ala32Val and Pro253His. Among these, 12 pairs of SNPs were tightly linked. In addition, 12 unambiguous SULT1E1 haplotypes were identified, including six that were common to both populations studied. Transient expression in COS-1 cells of constructs containing the three nonsynonymous cSNPs showed significant decreases in SULT1E1 activity for the Tyr22 and Val32 allozymes, with corresponding decreases in levels of immunoreactive protein. There were no changes in levels of either activity or immunoreactive protein for the His253 allozyme. Apparent Km values of the Val32 allozyme for the two cosubstrates for the reaction, 17β-estradiol and 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate, were not significantly different from those of the wild-type enzyme, but there was a two- to three-fold increase in Km values for the His253 allozyme and a greater than five-fold increase for the Tyr22 allozyme. These observations raise the possibility that genetically determined variation in SULT1E1-catalyzed estrogen sulfation might contribute to the pathophysiology of estrogen-dependent diseases as well as variation in the biotransformation of exogenously administered estrogens. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 139, 1373–1382. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705369
In-Depth Defense: A Scenario for the US Military Structure

The article presents an alternative defensive structure for the United States. Operating within the ideas offered by Johan Galtung in his research on transcendence of nuclear deterrence through transarmament, a plausible course of action is outlined. The process of transarmament would provide both superpowers with the means to escape their respective nuclear-dependent military doctrines. While this paper is only a thumbnail sketch of a paradigmatic shift from offensive to defensive national perceptions, its systemic orientation does suggest that transarmament is a possible future. It is a future whereby the US can increase world stability with little risk to its own legitimate national interests. The cost is in surrendering the role of world policeman. As a process of transcending offensive foreign policies, its strength lies in an increase in citizen participation and a total rejection of offensive strategies and weapon systems. The military will be structured to include both a Civil Defense (with a non-violent functional capability) and local militia (citizen soldiers). This deepening of policy-making will reinforce the other changes necessary for a defensively oriented and invulnerable country. The former is vital for the rest of the world and the latter is necessary for the self-interests of the US.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Cortex of the Ciliate Stentor coeruleus. A View from the Inside

SYNOPSIS. A microdissection procedure was developed which permits the viewing of the inside surface of the cortex of Stentor coeruleus with scanning electron microscopy. Parallel bands of myonemes cover the entire inner surface of the cortex. The myonemes of the stalk region are ribbon-shaped and lack cross connections. The myonemes of the anterior cortex are flattened against the surface and are interconnected by an extensive system of cross branches. The inner surface of the frontal field is covered with a regularly cross-branched myoneme system which follows the curved pattern of frontal field kinety. The observed branching patterns and shapes of the myonemes support the hypothesis that they cause contraction of the cell. The membranellar root system was examined. Each membranellar root makes a 90° counterclockwise twist along its vertical axis (viewed from the inside) as it descends into the cell. The outer edge of each root fuses with the inner edge of the adjacent one, forming a continuous fiber sheet linking the roots together.
Influence of ETB Receptor Antagonism on Pregnancy Outcome in Rats

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of endothelin-B (ET B )-selective receptor antagonism on pregnancy outcome in normal rats. METHODS: ET B receptor antagonist (A-192621; 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 mg/kg per day) or vehicle was infused subcutaneously for 7 days by osmotic pump. Infusion was begun on day 14 of a 22-day gestation. Nonpregnant animals were treated similarly, and blood pressure (BP) responses and plasma antagonist levels were compared to those in pregnant animals. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured on days 1, 4, and 7 of the infusion. Plasma ET B antagonist levels were measured on day 7 of infusion. On gestational day 21, fetal and placental weights and viability were evaluated at hysterotomy. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. RESULTS: Fetal and placental weights were significantly lower at doses of 10 and 15 mg/kg per day of the ET B antagonist compared with vehicle-treated controls (P <.001); these effects were less severe at 15 than at 10 mg/kg per day despite a fourfold higher plasma level of antagonist. Mean arterial pressure was significantly higher at 10 and 15 mg/kg per day compared with controls, but only on infusion day 1 (P < .05). In contrast, MAPs for nonpregnant rats were elevated throughout the infusion at all doses of the ET B antagonist (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: ET B receptor antagonism inhibited fetal growth and increased maternal MAP in a dose-dependent manner, although the effect on BP was not sustained in pregnant animals. ET B receptor antagonism is detrimental to pregnancy outcome in the rat.
Developmental and populational variation in electrophoretic properties of dehydrogenases, hydrolases and other blood proteins of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus

Abstract 1. 1. Starch gel electropherograms show the specificity of some blood proteins of an altricial species, Passer domesticus. Lipoprotein and eight enzymes separate from plasma; one of these enzymes also separates from red cells. Six of the eight enzymes are described initially from the blood of a Passeriform species; one enzyme of plasma, initially from birds. 2. 2. The yellow-colored plasma of adults separates into more total protein bands than that of hatchling. Fledglings have patterns similar to those of adults. Patterns of nonspecific esterases of hatchlings have fewer bands than those of adults, but diffusion occurs between some bands. Like other birds, activity of alkaline phosphatase is greater in hatchling than in adult plasmas. Bands of amine oxidase exhibit greater activity in 12–14 day posthatchlings than in adults. There are two red cell LDH bands in adults, but only one is well differentiated in embryos and newly hatched young. Other enzyme patterns differ less during differentiation; those of adults generally stain more intesenly. 3. 3. Nonspecific esterases exhibit the most variation in adult populations, then cholinesterase and plasma lactate dehydrogenase. The esterases, naphtylamidase and LDH are easiest to localize. Use of more than one buffer, substrate or dye coupler improves the chance of localizing some enzymes or certain bands with weak activities.
Integrating IR and RDBMS using cooperative indexing

The full integration of information retrieval (IR) features into a database management system (DBMS) has long been recognized as both a significant goal and a challenging undertaking. By full integration we mean: i) support for document storage, indexing, retrieval, and update, ii) transaction semantics, thus all database operations on documents have the ACID properties of atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability, iii) concurrent addition, update, and retrieval of documents, and iv) database query language extensions to provide ranking for document retrieval operations. It is also necessary for the integrated offering to exhibit scaleable performance for document indexing and retrieval processes, To identify the implementation requirements imposed by the desired level of integration, we layered a representative IR application on Oracle Rdb and then conducted a number of database load and document retrieval experiments. The results of these experiments suggest that infrastructural extensions are necessary to obtain both the desired level of IR integration and scaleable performance. With the insight gained from our initial experiments, we developed an approach, called cooperative indexing, that provides a framework to achieve both scalability and full integration of IR and RDBMS technology. Prototype implementations of system-level extensions to support cooperative indexing were evaluated with a modified version of Oracle Rdb. Our experimental findings validate the cooperative indexing scheme and suggest alternatives to further improve performance.
Cytoskeletal motors and cargo in membrane trafficking: opportunities for high specificity in drug intervention

Membrane trafficking comprises the directed transport of vesicle and/or organelle cargos to specific locations throughout the cell, and is primarily driven by molecular motors tracking along microtubules and microfilaments. The mechanisms by which specific motor complexes attach to their respective vesicular cargo is of great interest, and is only now starting to be unraveled. The proteins identified as links between the molecular motors and the vesicular cargo are viable drug targets and represent opportunities to regulate small groups of related proteins or even single proteins, such as receptors and transporters, at the cytosolic trafficking level. Ultimately, continued development in this area will lead to greater success in directing endocytosed drugs to the desired intracellular targets, such as the cell nucleus or the basolateral membrane.
A simple neutral density profile calculation for Tokamaks with λmfp<<a

A simple and expeditious technique is developed for calculating the neutral density profile in the dense region of large Tokamak plasmas, where lambda mfp<<a. The method rests on determining the local logarithmic derivative of n0 from a self-consistent calculation of the radial flux of neutrals Gamma , combined with the condition that div. Gamma +n0ne( sigma nu )ei=0. The results from this simple technique are compared with a more time-consuming Monte-Carlo calculation, and good agreement is found.
Comparing genomes in terms of protein structure: surveys of a finite parts list

We give an overview of the emerging field of structural genomics, describing how genomes can be compared in terms of protein structure. As the number of genes in a genome and the total number of protein folds are both quite limited, these comparisons take the form of surveys of a finite parts list, similar in respects to demographic censuses. Fold surveys have many similarities with other whole-genome characterizations, e.g., analyses of motifs or pathways. However, structure has a number of aspects that make it particularly suitable for comparing genomes, namely the way it allows for the precise definition of a basic protein module and the fact that it has a better defined relationship to sequence similarity than does protein function. An essential requirement for a structure survey is a library of folds, which groups the known structures into 'fold families.' This library can be built up automatically using a structure comparison program, and we described how important objective statistical measures are for assessing similarities within the library and between the library and genome sequences. After building the library, one can use it to count the number of folds in genomes, expressing the results in the form of Venn diagrams and 'top-10' statistics for shared and common folds. Depending on the counting methodology employed, these statistics can reflect different aspects of the genome, such as the amount of internal duplication or gene expression. Previous analyses have shown that the common folds shared between very different microorganisms, i.e., in different kingdoms, have a remarkably similar structure, being comprised of repeated strand-helix-strand super-secondary structure units. A major difficulty with this sort of 'fold-counting' is that only a small subset of the structures in a complete genome are currently known and this subset is prone to sampling bias. One way of overcoming biases is through structure prediction, which can be applied uniformly and comprehensively to a whole genome. Various investigators have, in fact, already applied many of the existing techniques for predicting secondary structure and transmembrane (TM) helices to the recently sequenced genomes. The results have been consistent: microbial genomes have similar fractions of strands and helices even though they have significantly different amino acid composition. The fraction of membrane proteins with a given number of TM helices falls off rapidly with more TM elements, approximately according to a Zipf law. This latter finding indicates that there is no preference for the highly studied 7-TM proteins in microbial genomes. Continuously updated tables and further information pertinent to this review are available over the web at http://bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/genome.
Are mobile devices threatening your work-life balance?

Employees are constantly engaging in new technologies that allow them to connect to the work place from different locations and at different time periods. The increased ubiquity of information and communication technologies ICTs and in particular the use of mobile devices has coincidentally increased the number of hours employees are spending on work related tasks. This study seeks to further previous qualitative research on the influence of mobile device use on individuals. The main objective is to understand how mobile devices influence the work-life balance of business professionals by exploring the relationships between mobile device usage, productivity, employer expectations, flexibility of work structure, and work-life balance. After examining previous literature, a model is developed to formulate hypothesised relationships. An instrument was developed and a survey was conducted. Interesting results emerge contributing to academic knowledge while also helping to gain a better understanding of a current challenge facing many organisations.
Statistical reconstruction of velocity profiles for nanoparticle image velocimetry

Velocities and Brownian effects at nanoscales near channel walls can be measured experimentally in an image plane parallel to the wall by evanescent wave illumination techniques [R. Sadr, M. Yoda, Z. Zheng, and A. T. Conlisk, J. Fluid Mech., 506 (2004), pp. 357–367], but the depth of field in this technique is difficult to modify. Assuming mobility of spherical particles dominated by hydrodynamic interaction between particle and wall, the out-of-plane dependence of the mobility and in-plane velocity are clearly coupled. We investigate such systems computationally, using a Milstein algorithm that is both weak- and strong-order 1. In particle image velocimetry (PIV), image pairs are cross-correlated to approximate the mean displacement of n matched particles between two windows. For comparison, we demonstrate that a maximum likelihood algorithm can reconstruct the out-of-plane velocity profile, as specified velocities at multiple points, given known mobility dependence and perfect mean measurements. We then...
Multiplet structure of 13C NMR signal from glutamate and direct detection of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates

For the first time, 13C NMR signals are shown from 13C-enriched, low-level tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates from extracts of normal cardiac tissue. As the low tissue content of the key intermediates alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG) and succinate (SUC) in normal, well perfused tissues has until now precluded direct NMR detection from intact tissues and tissue extracts, 13C NMR signal from glutamate has generally been used to infer the isotopomer patterns of intermediates that are in chemical exchange with glutamate. However, the required assumptions regarding intracellular compartmentation for such indirect analysis have not been previously tested, as glutamate is largely cytosolic while the TCA cycle enzymes are located in the mitochondria. Chromatographic isolation of alpha-KG and SUC from heart tissue extracts allowed isotopomer analysis to be performed for comparison with that of glutamate. At steady state, a direct relationship between glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate isotopomers was found, but succinate isotopomers matched those of glutamate only in hearts that displayed negligible contributions from the oxidation of unlabeled endogenous carbon sources.
Synovial sarcoma. A study of intensive chemotherapy in 14 patients with localized disease

Background. The effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in soft tissue sarcomas remains a matter of controversy. The authors reviewed their experience with 14 patients with localized disease treated with intensive doxorubicin-cisplatin-ifosfamide-based chemotherapy. Methods. Fourteen patients with newly diagnosed nonmetastatic synovial sarcoma seen between 1985 and 1992 received intensive chemotherapy and local radiation therapy before surgical resection, followed in most patients by intensive postoperative chemotherapy. Chemotherapy included high-dose cisplatin and doxorubicin or high-dose ifosfamide (14 g/m2) and cisplatin with doxorubicin. Results. One (7%) patient had a local recurrence during the study interval and remains free of disease 35 months after re-excision and a second course of intensive chemotherapy. All other 13(93%) patients remained continuously free of disease after a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 6–85 months). There were no deaths. General toxicity was the reason cited by seven patients who elected not to receive postoperative chemotherapy. For the remaining seven patients who elected to continue treatment, there were only two hospitalization admissions for neutropenia and fever. There was no significant cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, or neurotoxicity. Conclusion. Additional studies using new intensive systemic adjuvant therapies are needed to determine whether the encouraging results of this experience can be translated into prolonged disease-free and overall survival.
Day care children's play behaviors: Relationship to their mothers' and fathers' assessments of their parenting behaviors, marital stress, and marital companionship

The links between marital relations, parenting, and children's higher and lower forms of play in the day care peer group were determined. Forty dual-earner couples provided assessments of their real and ideal modes of parenting, marital stress, and marital companionship. Their preschoolaged children who had been enrolled in day care for an average of 2 years were observed during peer group play in their day care centers. There were few significant differences between mothers and fathers in their assessments of their marital relations and modes of parenting. Mothers and fathers expressed a good deal of discrepancy between their real and ideal modes of parenting. Regression analysis revealed direct associations between maternal marital stress and maternal guilt and anxiety, dramatic and functional play; mothers' marital companionship also showed direct associations with solitary and functional play. Modes of parenting did not show significant associations with children's play behaviors. The findings are discussed with respect to the direct influence of marital relations on children's social skills with peers in day care.
An Analytical Framework for Slotted Random Access Spread Spectrum Networks

An analytic framework is proposed for the study of Random Access, Packet-Switched, Spread Spectrum Links under various network topologies and channel conditions. The key feature of the theory is the identification of a set of probabilistic parameters which, based on a symmetry argument, serve to efficiently summarize the effect of various network considerations on the link performance such as transmitter/receiver configuration, spread spectrum code allocation, error correction and detection mechanisms, spreading format, jamming condition, etc. The concept is illustrated through examples which show how past results (a) can be included as special cases and (b) can be generalized to a multitude of scenarios.
Ritodrine- and terbutaline-induced hypokalemia in preterm labor: Mechanisms and consequences

Ritodrine- and terbutaline-induced hypokalemia in preterm labor: Mechanisms and consequences. The effects of ritodrine and terbutaline on potassium homeostasis, renal function, and cardiac rhythm were assessed in women treated with these drugs for preterm labor. Timed blood and urine samples were obtained for two hours before and during six hours of intravenous ritodrine ( N = 5) and terbutaline ( N = 5) administered in pharmacologically equivalent doses. No differences were found in any parameters affecting potassium homeostasis or renal function between these drugs. A decrease in mean plasma potassium of 0.9 mEq/liter occurred after 30 minutes of drug infusion (4.2 ± 0.1 to 3.3 ± 0.1 mEq/liter, P P = NS) or plasma insulin (12.4 ± 6.0 to 28.4 ±5.1 mU/ml, P = NS). The mean plasma potassium after four hours of drug infusion was 2.5 ±0.1 mEq/liter. Plasma insulin rose to a level known to induce cellular potassium uptake (39.2 ±7.7 mU/ml) after 60 minutes of drug therapy and remained at this level for four hours. Hyperlactatemia occurred at four hours (4.7 ± 0.8 mmol/liter) and the plasma lactate/pyruvate ratio increased in a 10:1 ratio. Both drugs significantly reduced glomerular filtration rate, sodium, potassium, and chloride excretion and urinary flow rate. Changes in acid-base homeostasis, plasma aldosterone, or renal potassium excretion did not contribute to ritodrine- or terbutaline-induced hypokalemia. In 83 women with preterm labor randomly assigned to ritodrine ( N = 42) or terbutaline (N = 41), the maximum decrease in plasma potassium occurred after six hours of drug infusion. During Holter monitoring, 3 of 14 women treated with ritodrine or terbutaline developed symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias at the lowest plasma potassium, while no women treated with saline and morphine ( N = 12) developed cardiac arrhythmias ( P = 0.14). We conclude that ritodrine and terbutaline induce profound hypokalemia by stimulating cellular potassium uptake and both drugs cause significant renal sodium and fluid retention and cardiac arrhythmias. Careful monitoring of electrolytes, fluid balance, and cardiac rhythm should occur during tocolytic therapy with ritodrine or terbutaline.
Eating disorders in the 21st century: identification, management, and prevention in obstetrics and gynecology

Eating disorders are extremely common and carry a high degree of medical and psychiatric morbidity. These disorders are challenging to treat because many patients deny their symptoms, have poor motivation to change, and can become frustrating to the clinician. Case identification based upon suggested screening questions and ongoing management of medical consequences are important roles for the obstetrician/gynecologist involved in the care of these patients. This chapter discusses the benefits and limitations of contemporary treatment, special populations at risk (e.g. athletes, diabetics), and screening guidelines for office practice. Signs, symptoms, laboratory abnormalities, and the perils of associated psychiatric illness are briefly reviewed. Patients do respond to a comprehensive, integrated treatment plan that includes nutritional stabilization, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy. Collaboration between all professionals involved in the patient's care is essential for state-of-the-art care. Those patients who become pregnant or wish to become pregnant pose certain additional treatment considerations. Ongoing and future research aimed at understanding how eating disorders develop – and may be prevented by early identification and education – will result in enhanced knowledge of these life-threatening and often chronic illnesses in the 21st century.
Laboratory Culture of Beneficial Dung Scarabs

Cattle dung accumulation presents problems of pasture fouling, nutrient loss, intestinal parasitosis, and pest fly development. These problems have been confronted, with variable success, with the introduction of coprophagous scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). This work reports the results of field collections and laboratory culture of immature and adult dung scarabs. We compared several treatments of eggs and larvae in search of good methods for rearing scarabs in aseptic conditions. We collected 13 abundant species from northern and central Argentina. We obtained ≈4,500 eggs, some of which we sent to quarantine facilities in the United States, and others which we reared in our laboratory with 5 different techniques. Five common and widespread species, Ontherus sulcator (F.), Gromphas lacordairei Brulle, Dichotomius semiaeneus (Germar), Sulcophanaeus menelas (Castelnau), and Bolbites onitoides Harold, had the highest oviposition rates and were also the easiest to rear. Two methods, freeze-dried and gamma sterilized brood masses and balls, provided the best results (i.e., percentage of beetles completing development). As a rule, the species with short larval development time and wide distributions were easier to rear.
TOTALLY NULL SETS FOR A ( X )

For a compact subset K of the boundary of a compact Hausdorff space X, six properties that K may have in relation to the algebra A(X) are considered. It is shown that in relation to the algebra A(Dn), where Dn denotes the n-dimensional polydisc, the property of being totally null is weaker than the other ﬁve properties. A general condition is given on the algebra A(X) which implies implies the existence of a totally null set that is not null, and several conditions are stated for A(X), each of which is sufficient for a totally null set to be a null set. DOI: 10.1017/S0004972712000329
Stability of superconductivity in granular metals

A criterion for the existence of bulk superconductivity in granular metals has been derived by Abeles by considering the condition for the quenching of Josephson coupling between just two grains. We show here when the coupled modes of oscillating Josephson currents between many grains are taken into account, that this criterion is too stringent.
Quantification of Loss and Change in Floridian Reef Coral Populations

Six coral reef locations between Miami and Key West were marked with stainless steel stakes and rephotographed periodically between 1984 and 1991. The monitored areas included two photostations in the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, two photostations in the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, and two photostations in the Biscayne National Park. Stations were monitored for species number, percent cover, and species diversity of the scleractinian and hydrozoan stony corals. Monitoring began in 1984 for photostations in the National Marine Sanctuaries and in 1989 for stations in the National Park. All six areas lost coral species between the initial survey year and 1991. Survey areas lost between one and four species; these losses constituted between 13% and 29% of their species richness. Five of the six areas lost live coral cover. Based upon photographs taken repeatedly at these locations, net losses ranged between 7.3% and 43.9%. In the one station showing an increase in coral cover, the increase was only for the canopy branches of Acropora palmata ; understory branches of this same species lost surface area at the same rate as canopy branches gained area. For most of the common species, there was a reduction in the total number of living colonies in the community, and a diminution in the number of large, mature colonies. Throughout the study period, there was no recruitment to any of the photostations by any of the massive frame building coral species. Mortality of this magnitude is often associated with hurricane damage, but in this survey the losses occurred during a period without catastrophic storms. Sources of mortality identifiable in the photographs include (1) black band disease and (2) “bleaching” other potential sources of mortality are also considered. We conclude, for our survey areas, that loss rates of this magnitude cannot be sustained for protracted periods if the coral community is to persist in a configuration resembling historical coral reef community structure in the Florida Keys.
Bacterial expression and site-directed mutagenesis of two critical residues (tyrosine-151 and lysine-155) of human placental NAD+ -dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase

Abstract NAD + -dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) catalyzes the first step in the catabolic pathway of the prostaglandins. This enzyme oxidizes the 15-hydroxyl group of prostaglandins to produce 15-keto metabolites which are usually biologically inactive. In this study the cDNA for human placental 15-PGDH was expressed in Escherichia coli and che recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The N-terminus of the recombinant protein was sequenced and found to be identical with the known amino-acid sequence of 15-PGDH. Determinations of K m and V ax values for a number of the prostaglandins and NAD + indicate that the recombinant enzyme does not appear to be kinetically different from the human placental enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to examine the importance of two residues which are highly conserved in the short-chain dehydrogenases which are known to be related to 15-PGDH. Tyrosine-151 was changed to phenylalanine and serine while lysine-155 was changed to glutamine and leucine. Western blot analysis indicated that the mutant and wild-type proteins were expressed at the similar levels. However, all of the mutant proteins were found to be inactive. These results indicate that both tyrosine-151 and lysine-155 are required for 15-PGDH activity.
Load/Strain Distribution between Ulna and Radius in the Mouse Forearm Compression Loading Model

Abstract Finite element analysis (FEA) of the mouse forearm compression loading model is used to relate strain distributions with downstream changes in bone formation and responses of bone cells. The objective of this study was to develop two FEA models – the first one with the traditional ulna only and the second one in which both the ulna and radius are included, in order to examine the effect of the inclusion of the radius on the strain distributions in the ulna. The entire mouse forearm was scanned using microCT and images were converted into FEA tetrahedral meshes using a suite of software programs. The performance of both linear and quadratic tetrahedral elements and coarse and fine meshes were studied. A load of 2 N was applied to the ulna/radius model and a 1.3 N load (based on previous investigations of load sharing between the ulna and radius in rats) was applied to the ulna only model for subsequent simulations. The results showed differences in the cross sectional strain distributions and magnitude within the ulna for the combined ulna/radius model versus the ulna only model. The maximal strain in the combined model occurred about 4 mm toward the distal end from the ulna mid-shaft in both models. Results from the FEA model simulations were also compared to experimentally determined strain values. We conclude that inclusion of the radius in FE models to predict strains during in vivo forearm loading increases the magnitude of the estimated ulna strains compared to those predicted from a model of the ulna alone but the distribution was similar. This has important ramifications for future studies to understand strain thresholds needed to activate bone cell responses to mechanical loading.
Endocarditis due to Strain of Cardiobacterium hominis Resistant to Erythromycin and Vancomycin

Endocarditis caused by Cardiobacterium hominis was observed in a penicillin-allergic patient with a prosthetic cardiac valve who had received prophylactic therapy with erythromycin for dental extractions. The organism was resistant to erythromycin and vancomycin, with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 12.5 microgram/ml and 25 microgram/ml, respectively, but was sensitive to penicillin G, tetracycline, cephalexin, and cefaclor. This case suggests that currently recommended antibiotic prophylactic therapy for endocarditis, especially in penicillin-allergic patients, may be inadequate for unusual pathogens such as C hominis.
Correlation of cervicovaginal fluid volume with serum estradiol levels and total follicular volume during human gonadotropin stimulation.

During the normal menstrual cycle the volume of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF), as determined by the patient at home using a simple volumetric aspirating pipette, increases significantly over several days prior to the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and decreases characteristically shortly after ovulation. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that self-determined measurements of CVF volume would correlate positively with serum estradiol (E2)levels and with total follicular volume (TFV) in cycles stimulated with exogenous gonadotropins. Consequently, 20 infertility patients, undergoing human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)-stimulated cycles, were asked to measure daily CVF. Routine serum E2determinations and vaginal follicular ultrasound studies were performed up to and including the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (designated day 0). The mean daily CVF volume (±SD) increased from 0.1 ± 0.01 ml on day −6 to 0.7 ± 0.40 ml on day — 1 and then decreased to 0.6 ± 0.40 ml on day 0. On day 0, 7 of 20 cycles (35%) demonstrated a decrease in CVF, which ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 ml (mean, 0.42 ml). The mean daily CVF correlated positively (correlation coefficient = r) with the mean daily serum E2 (r = 0.89) and with the mean daily TFV (r =0.88). The mean daily correlation of TFV for E2 was r =0.98. The correlation between CVF and E2of individuals ranged from r =0.38 to r =0.99 and the correlation between CVF and TFV ranged from r =0.12 to r =1.0, while the individual correlations ofE2 to TFV ranged from r =0.60 to r =0.99. These early data suggest that, although mean daily levels of CVF increase positively over time, individual CVF levels are not sensitive enough, alone, to replace the traditional methods of monitoring hMG-stimulated cycles.
Proton pumps populate the contractile vacuoles of Dictyostelium amoebae

Amoebae of the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum were found to contain an interconnected array of tubules and cisternae whose membranes were studded with 15-nm-diameter "pegs." Comparison of the ultrastructure and freeze-fracture behavior of these pegs with similar structures found in other cells and tissues indicated that they were the head domains of vacuolar-type proton pumps. Supporting this identification, the pegs were observed to decorate and clump when broken amoebae were exposed to an antiserum against the B subunit of mammalian vacuolar H(+)-ATPase. The appearance of the peg-rich cisternae in quick-frozen amoebae depended on their osmotic environment: under hyperosmotic conditions, the cisternae were flat with many narrow tubular extensions, while under hypo-osmotic conditions the cisternae ranged from bulbous to spherical. In all cases, however, their contents deep etched like pure water. These properties indicated that the interconnected tubules and cisternae comprise the contractile vacuole system of Dictyostelium. Earlier studies had demonstrated that contractile vacuole membranes in Dictyostelium are extremely rich in calmodulin (Zhu, Q., and M. Clarke, 1992, J. Cell Biol. 118: 347-358). Light microscopic immunofluorescence confirmed that antibodies against the vacuolar proton pump colocalized with anti-calmodulin antibodies on these organelles. Time-lapse video recording of living amoebae imaged by interference-reflection microscopy, or by fluorescence microscopy after staining contractile vacuole membranes with potential-sensitive styryl dyes, revealed the extent and dynamic interrelationship of the cisternal and tubular elements in Dictyostelium's contractile vacuole system. The high density of proton pumps throughout its membranes suggests that the generation of a proton gradient is likely to be an important factor in the mechanism of fluid accumulation by contractile vacuoles.
Rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma associated with profound, transient thrombocytopenia.

: Rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma (RICH) is an uncommon, often high-flow vascular tumor that presents at birth and involutes within the first year of life. It is clinically and histologically distinct from infantile hemangioma, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, and tufted angioma, the latter two being associated with Kasabach–Merritt phenomenon. We present a female infant with RICH and profound, transient thrombocytopenia and review the extent and clinical course of thrombocytopenia in the context of congenital vascular tumors.
A simple nested RT-PCR method for quantitation of the relative amounts of multiple cytokine mRNAs in small tissue samples

Abstract It is difficult to quantitate cytokine mRNA profiles in small human tissue specimens obtained by a needle biopsy, even using standard RT-PCR methods, because the amount of mRNA in the specimens is very small. To address this problem, we developed highly sensitive, quantitative, nested RT-PCR techniques to evaluate the expression of multiple cytokine mRNAs in synovial specimens obtained by needle biopsy. To reduce effects of variation of initial RNA concentrations, cDNA from each target RNA sample was normalized, using a simplified competitive PCR method, to the levels of β-actin cDNA. The first and the second (nested) PCR were performed in the same tube to prevent contamination. The number of PCR-product bands, evident on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was used to quantitate the relative amounts of target cDNA. Using our methods, it was possible to evaluate, in a single synovial tissue specimen obtained by needle biopsy, the relative amounts of mRNAs for 10 cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 p40, IL-13, IL-15, IFN-γ) and CD3 δ chain. Our methods are particularly valuable if there are multiple target mRNAs, numerous samples, or if the amounts of mRNAs are limited. The methods are applicable to a wide variety of tissues and target mRNAs.
Possible mechanism of E. coli messenger rna degradation: non-enzymatic degradation

The present paper points out lack of evidence to support the presently prevailing concept that E. coli mRNA turnover, in the gene expression process, cannot take place without mRNase(s). The present paper draws attention to possible physicochemical factors involved in the degradation, and advances a notion of non-enzymatic spontaneous degradation of E. coli mRNA in its expression process. This suggested hypothesis helps to explain hitherto reported findings on the mode of E. coli mRNA degradation.