cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of splanchnic and whole-body leucine kinetics to treatment of children with edematous protein-energy malnutrition accompanied by infection.

BACKGROUND Although the reduction in whole-body protein turnover and net protein loss induced by protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) has been well documented, it is unclear whether the protein-sparing mechanisms elicited by chronically inadequate intakes of dietary protein and energy are affected by the protein catabolic response to infection. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether the presence of infection alters the PEM-induced reduction in whole-body protein metabolism. DESIGN We determined whole-body leucine kinetics in 4 boys and 3 girls aged 6-15 mo with edematous PEM and infection approximately 3 d after admission (study 1), when they were both infected and malnourished; approximately 11 d after admission (study 2), when infection had resolved but they were still anthropometrically malnourished; and at recovery (study 3), when weight-for-length was at least 90% of that expected. RESULTS The children had significantly less leucine flux in both study 1 and study 2 than they had in study 3. There were no significant differences in the amount of leucine released from protein breakdown or used for protein synthesis between study 1 and study 2. There were no significant differences in leucine balance or in either the amount or percentage of enteral leucine extracted by the splanchnic tissues among the 3 studies. CONCLUSIONS When subjects are in the fed state, severe PEM induces a marked reduction in whole-body protein synthesis and breakdown rates, and the presence of infection does not alter this adaptation and hence the overall protein balance. A corollary is that children with severe PEM do not mount a protein catabolic response to infection.
Poliovirus proteinase 3C: large-scale expression, purification, and specific cleavage activity on natural and synthetic substrates in vitro.

Abstract Proteinase 3C of poliovirus type 2 (Sabin) was expressed at 4% total protein in Escherichia coli. The protein was soluble and could be purified by a simple scheme. It was weakly active on the capsid precursor P1 (expressed in vitro), which contains two cleavage sites. The products of processing P1 were 1ABC and 1D (VP1). The activity was insensitive to Triton X-100. Crude extracts of cells infected with poliovirus type 1 (Mahoney) gave strong processing and yielded 1AB (VP0), 1C (VP3), and 1D in the same assay system but were sensitive to detergent. 3C from cell extracts that was separated from its precursors resembled the recombinant proteinase in its activity. Recombinant 3C cleaved the peptide dansyl-Glu-Glu-Glu-Ala-Met-Glu-Gln-Gly-Ile-Thr-Asn-Lys-NH2 at the Gln-Gly bond. We conclude that 3C is merely the core of the Gln-Gly-cleaving activity which processes P1 in vivo and that there is probably a hydrophobic contact between a larger 3C precursor and its P1 substrate which allows the second processing reaction: 1ABC, 1D----1AB, 1C, 1D.
Unite efforts and conquer mysteries of artificial genetics.

In his News Focus article “Creation's seventh day” (14 Jul., p. 232), Robert F. Service highlights some recent work in artificial genetics, emphasizing the controversy that might surround “a new life form” and the distinctive personalities of some scientists who have taken up the challenge.
Economies of culture: the Taishō bundan dallies with the movies

Abstract As a critical term, visuality can be understood to combine a relentless organization of vision in the formation of modern social institutions with the constant destabilization of these formations by the image‐technologies, mass‐cultural spaces and economic energy that proliferate around them. This paper will explore such a moment of destabilization in the encounter between a consolidated literary field and the emerging medium of cinema as recorded in the pages of an early Shōwa period journal called Eiga jidai. As one might expect given the cultural field of the time, the authority of literature vis‐a‐vis the new medium structures the space of interaction (Mizoguchi goes to Izumi Kyōka, not the other way around). But there is a sense in the surveys, articles and taidan (interviews) that fill the journal's pages that the superimposition through accident and editorial policy of other axes of difference, such as gender and ethnicity, worked less to reinforce the genre hierarchy between literature an...
Lipolysis and lamellar structures in white adipose tissue of young rats : lipid movement in membranes

Lamellar structures with a periodicity of 40 A developed during incubation at 25°C in glutaraldehyde-fixed adipose tissue from young rats. The lamellae were found in transendothelial channels, at intercellular contacts, and in channels that extended from extracellular space to surfaces of lipid droplets in fat cells. They were also found in capillaries, associated with chylomicrons, in tissue from fed rats, and near lipid droplets of fat cells in tissue from fasted rats. The amount and distribution of lamellae varied with incubation time and metabolic state of the tissue donor. Development of lamellae under conditions causing lipolysis and accumulaton of fatty acids in fixed tissue indicates the lamellae were composed primarily of fatty acids. We conclude that fatty acids resulting from lipolysis accumulated in an interfacial continuum of external leaflets of cell membranes, and that when the continuum became crowded, fatty acids formed lamellar extensions of the continuum at different sites along its course through the tissue.
El mito de la nueva Arcadia: la Grandeza mexicana de Bernardo de Balbuena y la revaloración de los tópicos pastoriles

El espacio idilico de la ciudad de Mexico creado por Bernardo de Balbuena en su Grandeza mexicana es un espacio que abunda de personajes. Las referencias a ‘los que aqui viven’ y las alabanzas de l...
Differential effects of orbital and laminar shear stress on endothelial cells.

Objective Laminar shear stress is atheroprotective for endothelial cells (ECs), whereas nonlaminar, disturbed, or oscillatory shear stress correlates with development of atherosclerosis and neointimal hyperplasia. The effects of orbital and laminar shear stress on EC morphology, proliferation, and apoptosis were compared. Methods ECs were exposed to orbital shear stress with an orbital shaker (210 rpm) or laminar shear stress (14 dyne/cm 2 ) with a parallel plate. Shear stress in the orbital shaker was measured with optical velocimetry. Cell proliferation was assessed with direct counting and proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining; apoptosis was assessed with transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling staining. Cell surface E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule expression were assessed with fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Akt phosphorylation was assessed with Western blotting. Results Orbital shear stress increased EC proliferation by 29% and 3 [H]thymidine incorporation two-fold compared to 16% and 38% decreases, respectively, in ECs treated with laminar shear stress ( P P = .03, analysis of variance). Cells in the periphery of the culture well aligned to the direction of shear stress similar to the shape change seen with laminar shear stress, whereas ECs in the center of the well appeared unaligned similar to ECs not exposed to shear stress. Shear stress at the bottom surface of the culture well was reduced in the center of the well (5 dyne/cm 2 ) compared to the periphery (11 dyne/cm 2 ); the Reynolds' number was 2066. ECs were seeded differentially in the center and periphery of the wells. ECs in the center of the well had increased proliferation, increased apoptosis, reduced Akt phosphorylation, increased intercelluar adhesion molecule expression, and reduced E-selectin down-regulation, compared with ECs in the periphery of the well. Conclusion Although the orbital shaker does not apply uniform shear stress throughout the culture well, arterial magnitudes of shear stress are present in the periphery of the well. ECs cultured in the center of the well exposed to low magnitudes of orbital shear stress might be a model of the "activated" EC phenotype.
Bis-aryl substituted dioxaborines as electron-transport materials: a comparative density functional theory investigation with oxadiazoles and siloles

Abstract We report on a detailed quantum-chemical comparison of the electronic structures, vertical electron affinities, and intramolecular reorganization energies for bis-aryl substituted dioxaborine, oxadiazole, and silole derivatives. The results indicate that the HOMO and LUMO energies of the substituted compounds can be tuned on the order of 2–3 eV via minor changes in the substitution patterns, with the HOMO and LUMO levels for the dioxaborine derivatives consistently the most energy stabilized. Additionally, large vertical electron affinities and comparable intramolecular reorganization energies confirm that dioxaborine systems are interesting candidates for electron transport materials.
388 PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (HPT) IN INFANCY

Hypercalcemia (↑Ca) due to HPT in infancy is rare and its laboratory diagnosis difficult. We report a case with unusual features in which the assay of parathyroid hormone (iPTH) aided in the diagnosis and in the evaluation of the novel therapeutic technique of autotransplantation. An 18 mo old female was noted to have ↑Ca (16.7 mg/d1) and hypophosphatemia (2.5 mg/dl) during evaluation for retardation. She was the first child of 5th cousins, both of whom had asymptomatic ↑Ca (11.4 and 10.4 mg/dl) and ‘normal’ levels of iPTH (31 and 35 μ1 eq/m1). The infant's head circumference was small (44 cm) and skeletal films showed little evidence of increased bone resorption in spite of high serum iPTH (125 u1 eq/m1, normal, < 56). Treatment with dietary calcium restriction, saline, furosemide, phosphate, and calcitonin decreased serum calcium to 12 mg/d1; steroids did not influence the course. At surgery, 3 hyperplastic and one normal sized parathyroid glands were removed (140 mg, total wt). Portions of one gland were implanted into the brachial muscle. Normocalcemia was maintained by decreasing doses of Dihydrotachysterol postoperatiVely. This is the first known instance of HPT due to parathyroid hyperplasia in infancy in which both parents were affected with milder forms of the disease and, we believe, the youngest in whom the disease was treated by autotransplantation.
On Benefit—Cost Analysis of Investment in Schooling in Rural Farm Areas

The effect of additional schooling on economic productivity of human agents working on farms is estimated. The cost of schooling is measured by estimating the direct cost of schooling and income foregone while attending school. A model of the farm labor market is constructed. Schooling appears as a predetermined variable in the supply and demand functions of the model. The empirical results of fitting cross‐sectional data to a reduced equation in which the farm wage rate is a dependent variable are utilized in order to obtain an estimate of the pecuniary benefit of schooling. The benefit—cost ratio of schooling in farm areas is computed to be 2.37. This result suggests that comprehensive rural development in the less‐developed countries should strike a balance between investment in schooling and tangible capital.
Agility measurement index: a metric for the crossroads of software development methodologies

Software engineering's journey to maturity has been marked by the advent of different development methodologies. While each paradigm has its context and cognoscenti, project teams are often faced with the choice of one approach over another in the grind of delivering software on time and within budget. In this paper, we briefly review the three major techniques of addressing enterprise software development, namely the Waterfall, Unified and Extreme styles. The metric Agility Measurement Index is then proposed, which helps organizations choose the methodology that best suites a particular project.
Hydrocarbons of Biological Origin in Sediments about Two Billion Years Old

Normal paraffins in the C(16) to C(32) range and the saturated isoprenoid hydrocarbons, pristane and phytane, have been found in chert from the Gunflint iron formation (1.9 x 10(9) years old) of the north shore of Lake Superior. The distribution of n-alkanes shows two maxima, one at about C(18) to C(19) and the other at about C(22) with a minimum occurring at C(20) to C(21). No predominance of odd- to even-carbon-number alkanes is observed within the C(16) to C(32) range. The results agree with micropaleontological observations made on the Gunflint chert and provide a chemical characterization of Precambrian life existing about two eons ago.
A High-Intensity Source of Heavy Negative Ions

An early version of the developmental H- ion source for the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) produced about 4 mA of negative ions in the mass range of 15-18 amu under conditions such that discharge cleaning of the source could not occur. The source was constructed almost entirely of carbonbearing, oxide-covered mild steel and stainless steel. The gas outflow was pulsed. At low arc and gas pulse rates, wall-plasma interactions produce volatile compounds such as CO, CH4, C2H6, H2O, etc. Ionization of these compounds and the fragments formed by their dissociation results in high levels of contaminants in the plasma and the positive ion beam emerging from the source; correspondingly high levels of contamination are obtained in the negative ion beam produced by charge exchange in H2 gas. The heavy ion contaminant fraction was reduced to about 2% of an 8-10 mA negative ion beam by running the source at 30 Hz with a continuous gas flow of ~ 0.25 Torr-l/s. It is possible to exploit the capability of the present H- source to produce large currents (~ 10 mA) of specific heavy negative ions.
Production Equilibrium Point in Multi-Unit Manufacturing Systems and The Vertical Linear Complementarity Problem

A model that selects and produces products at an equilibrium point in multi-unit manufacturing systems is presented. It enables each business subsystem in the company to select and produce products so that the whole organization meets both internal and external demands at minimum inventory cost. Unlike previously proposed models, this model does not place any restrictions on the number of products or services that each business subsystem can provide. Proofs are provided to show existence of solutions and solvability, and a numerical example is given to demonstrate the utility of the model.
Activities of phosphorylase in rabbit ovaries following mating.

SummaryPhosphorylase activity was measured at intervals during the first 8 days of pregnancy in the ovarian interstitial tissue of New Zealand white rabbits. Levels of phosphorylase a remained constant during the period studied while a rapid transformation of phosphorylase b (37% at estrus) to phosphorylase a (95% phosphorylase a 1.5 hours after mating) was noted.
Bandwidth balancing in mobile ad hoc networks

In this paper, we extends bandwidth balancing technique in wired networks to operate in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In bandwidth balancing in Distributed-Queue-Dual-Bus (DQDB), different nodes occupy the same channel, and information about the bandwidth is transferred between nodes in the unused bandwidth. Similarly, in wireless networks, the capacity on a channel is shared by several sources at different nodes and the bandwidth information can be monitored on the shared medium. Using the bandwidth balancing technique, we introduce a flow control scheme for MANETs that limits each flow at each node in a transmission region to take only a fraction of the remaining capacity. Extensive simulations demonstrate that our flow control scheme is effective and can provide Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees for flows in MANETs.
An Investigation of the Major Influences of Residential Liquidity: A Multivariate Approach

The liquidity of the single-family home has been potentially compromised by prevailing conventional mortgage market conditions in the 1980s. The primary objectives of this study are to investigate the degree of liquidity of a given residence, defined to incorporate both the “recovery-of-value” and “timeliness” dimensions, and the major influences upon such liquidity. The multivariate techniques of canonical correlation and multiple discriminant analysis are employed to identify those property characteristics and/or prevailing mortgage market conditions that most appreciably influence the liquidity of a residential listing.
Mediocrity at the helm: Evaluations of the president in political science textbooks

Abstract Previous studies on the treatment of the American presidency in political science textbooks have focused on how the institution was presented to college undergraduates. I have analyzed how individual presidents were reviewed in 36 introductory textbooks on the American political system. A tabulation of evaluative references to specific presidents showed that nearly two-thirds (62%) of those comments were negative. Although the texts fail to identify precise criteria by which presidents should be evaluated, they clearly place much more emphasis on a president's personal background and on domestic developments occuring during his administration than on foreign affairs. Modern presidents were generally described as less competent than their predecessors. Of the last ten individuals to serve as chief executive, Franklin D. Roosevelt (67% of the comments made about him were positive) achieved the best rating and Richard Nixon (with only 12%) the worst.
Operational Benefits of Electronic Toll Collection: Case Study

This paper reports the improvements in traffic operations at the electronic toll collection plazas of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. Service time, vehicle arrival times, and departure times, as well as vehicle counts were collected “before” and “after” the installation of automatic vehicle identification technology known as E-PASS. The findings indicate that, for the dedicated E-PASS lane, the measured capacity has tripled, the service time has decreased by five seconds per vehicle, the average queuing delay has decreased by one minute per vehicle, the maximum queuing delay has decreased by 2.5–3 minutes per vehicle, and the total queuing delay has decreased by 8.5–9.5 vehicle-hours per morning peak hour for that lane. Also, variability in the headway has been reduced significantly in the dedicated E-PASS lane. Capacity, headway, and service times of the mixed (manual/E-PASS or automatic/E-PASS) lanes did not change significantly. However, arrivals have shifted to the dedicated E-PASS lan...
Features of carbon diffusion from petroleum coke into metal

The authors investigate the relationships governing the diffusion of carbon from petroleum coke into metal using a radioactive tracer. The starting material in the coking experiments was a cracked tar obtained by cracking a distillate stock from West Siberian crude to which 3% phenyldibenzothiophene (/sup 14/C) had been added. After the test, the specimens were removed and analyzed for radioactivity at different distances from the surface using a Protoka instrument and from these results, the relative content of /sup 14/C was determined. The distribution of relative content of carbon through No. 20 steel specimens and 12Kh18N10T specimens is shown, as is the carbon diffusivity in No. 20 steel and 12Kh18N10T as a function of temperature.
Forward-Facing Motion Biases for Rigid and Nonrigid Biologically Likely Transformations

When observers are presented directionally ambiguous motion, they exhibit a bias for experiencing movement in the direction in which shapes appear to face. We examined the influence of rigidity of a shape on the forward-facing bias with stimuli whose directionality is biologically specified. In general, the lack of shape correspondence during a nonrigid transformation should weaken the motion percept and decrease forward-facing bias. In contrast, representational momentum cues associated with a biologically likely nonrigid transformation should enhance the motion percept and increase forward-facing bias. Analysis for both rigid and nonrigid conditions indicated statistically significant forward-facing biases, but strength of bias did not differ significantly. The lack of difference between the two conditions suggests that the transformation was not one which allowed the influence of either consistency of correspondence or representational momentum to dominate and confirms that a comparably sized forward-f...
Foreign Direct Investment and spillover effect: a local firm perspective

Looking at the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) literature on spillover, one might lose sight of the local firms in the developing countries. I argue that knowledge spillovers lead to superior local firm performance, if the local firms use networks available to them to gain access to external knowledge and enhance their absorptive capacity through exploitation of the external knowledge. Advanced absorptive capacity allows the local firms to recognise knowledge spillovers before the competitors do and exploit it, giving rise to superior products relative competition in the industry.
A Longitudinal Study of the Relationships Between Conscientiousness and the Social‐ Environmental Factors and Substance‐Use Behaviors That Influence Health

The present study tested the relationships among conscientiousness-related traits, social-environmental factors that affect health, and substance-use behaviors across a 30-year period from age 21 to age 52 in the Mills Longitudinal study of women (N=99). Results showed that the trait of social responsibility (a facet of conscientiousness) assessed at age 21 predicted family, work, and substance use outcomes at midlife (age 43 and age 52). In turn, marital quality, duration of marriage, divorce, participating in paid work, status level of work, and marijuana consumption were associated with changes in social responsibility. The implications for personality, health, and personality development are discussed.
17β-Estradiol Attenuates Development of Angiotensin II-Induced Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice

Objectives— Angiotensin II (Ang II) promotes vascular inflammation, accelerates atherosclerosis, and induces abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). These changes were associated with activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB–mediated induction of proinflammatory genes. The incidence of AAA in this model was higher in male than in female mice, and the vascular effects of estrogen may be associated with anti-inflammatory actions. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that estrogen can attenuate Ang II–induced AAA in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice via its anti-inflammatory mechanism. Methods and Results— Infusion of Ang II (1.44 mg/kg per d for 1 month) induced AAA in 90% of the animals (n=20) with an expansion of the suprarenal aorta (diameter 1.9±0.14 mm versus <1 mm in normal mice). In mice treated with 17β-estradiol (E2, 0.25-mg subcutaneous pellets), Ang II induced AAA only in 42% of the animals (n=19) with a significant reduction of average diameters of the suprarenal aorta (1.5±0.14 mm). E2 also decreased the expressions of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and macrophage-colony stimulating factor in the aorta. Conclusions— These data suggest that attenuation of AAA by E2 is associated with inhibition of proinflammatory gene expression.
Responsiveness of adenylate cyclase to PGE2 and forskolin in isolated cells from micromass cultures of chick limb mesenchyme during chondrogenesis.

Abstract Exogenous PGE 2 stimulation of adenylate cyclase (AC) in intact and enzymatically dissociated micromass cultures of mesenchymal cells derived from the distal tip of stage 25 chick limb buds was examined over a six day period of culture. Responsiveness to PGE 2 was measured in both dissociated and intact cell layers in an effort to determine if an inhibitory interaction occurred between PGE 2 receptors and the extracellular matrix synthesized by differentiating chondrocytes. PGE 2 responsiveness was maximal in both dissociated and intact prechondrogenic mesenchyme after 24 hours in culture and declined significantly as chondrocyte differentiation occurred on days 3 and 6. Equivalent activation of AC activity by PGE 2 at each time point examined was noted in both cell groups. In contrast to the decreased responsiveness of differentiating chondrocytes to PGE 2 , stimulation of AC by forskolin resulted in increased levels of activity in differentiating chondrocytes of both cell groups between days 3–6. The results of the present study demonstrate that the decline in PGE 2 responsiveness of differentiating chondrocytes most likely involves specific changes in the PGE 2 receptor complex and not in either the interaction of the receptor with extracellular matrix components or a reduction in the available pool of AC present.
A three-dimensional numerical model of particulate transport for coastal waters

Abstract A Lagrangian marker particle in Eulerian finite difference cell solution to the three-dimensional incompressible mass transport equation was developed for predicting particulate transport in coastal and estuarine waters. Special features of the solution procedure include a finite difference grid network which translates horizontally and vertically with the mean particle motion and expands with the dispersive growth of the marker particle cloud. The cartesian vertical coordinate of the three-dimensional mass transport equation has been transformed, using instantaneous water column depth to allow adaptation to flow situations with a temporally and spatially varying bottom topography and free surface. Results from this model for turbulent diffusion and advection of a uniform plug flow of sediment in an unbounded uniform flow field with various sediment settling velocities were in excellent agreement with the corresponding analytic solutions. Using current information from a two-dimensional vertically averaged hydrodynamic's model, the model was utilized to predict the long term diffusion and advection of dilute neutrally and negatively buoyant suspended sediment clouds resulting from a hypothetical instantaneous release of dredge spoil waste at Brown's Ledge in Rhode Island Sound.
The intrinsic Neptune Trojan orbit distribution: Implications for the primordial disk and planet migration

Abstract The present-day orbit distribution of the Neptune Trojans is a powerful probe of the dynamical environment of the outer Solar System during the late stages of planet migration. In this work, I conservatively debias the inclination, eccentricity, and libration amplitude distributions of the Neptune Trojans by reducing a priori unknown discovery and follow-up survey properties to nuisance parameters and using a likelihood-free Bayesian rejection sampler for parameter estimation. Using this survey-agnostic approach, I confirm that the Neptune Trojans are a dynamically excited population: at >95% confidence, the Neptune Trojans’ inclination width must be σ i > 11 ° . For comparison and motivation purposes, I also model the Jupiter Trojan orbit distributions in the same basis and produce new estimates of their parameters (Jupiter Trojan σ i = 14.4 ° ± 0.5 ° , σ L 11 = 11.8 ° ± 0.5 ° , and σ e = 0.061 ± 0.002 ). The debiased inclination, libration amplitude, and eccentricity distributions of the Neptune Trojans are nominally very similar to those of the Jupiter Trojans. I use these new constraints to inform a suite of simulations of Neptune Trojan capture by an eccentric, rapidly-migrating Neptune from an initially dynamically-hot disk. These simulations demonstrate that if migration and eccentricity-damping timescales were short ( τ a ≲ 10 Myr, τ e ≲ 1 Myr), the disk that Neptune migrated into must have been pre-heated (prior to Neptune’s appearance) to a width comparable to the Neptune Trojans’ extant width to produce a captured population with an inclination distribution width consistent with that of the observed population.
The exchange of H218O with the oxygen of promoters on the surface of iron catalysts

Abstract The oxygen content of promoter oxides or other metallic oxide on the surface of iron synthetic ammonia catalysts has been estimated by a method involving equilibration with a known quantity of H 2 18 O in hydrogen at 450 °C. The results indicate a surface coverage by promoters of about 60% for a catalyst containing 1.06% Al 2 O 3 and 0.52% K 2 O. With reasonable assumptions in regard to the cross sectional area of oxygen ions the coverage agrees with that estimated from the chemisorption of carbon monoxide at −195 °C on the same catalyst. A pure iron catalyst revealed only a 1.2% coverage with oxygen after extended reduction at 450 °C.
Predicting partition coefficients for isomeric diastereoisomers of some tripeptide analogs

The octanol-water partition coefficients (Log P) of tripeptide diastereoisomers have been calculated by our recently developed method for predicting Log P from the results of AM1 semiempirical calculations. This method can distinguish different diastereoisomers. The differences arise from variations in molecular conformation, which lead to significant differences in the dipole moment and ovality of the different diastereoisomers.
LEARNING TASK-SPECIFIC SENSING, CONTROL AND MEMORY POLICIES

AI agents and robots that can adapt and handle multiple tasks in real time promise to be a powerful tool. To address the control challenges involved in such systems, the underlying control approach...
The Role of Closed Pleural Needle Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma of the Pleura

Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is a disease that requires a biopsy procedure for a definitive diagnosis. In the past, closed pleural needle biopsy (CPNB) has given poor yields due to the small amount of tissue obtained, and the patient has subsequently been subjected to a diagnostic thoracotomy. In recent years, the availability of more accurate histopathologic tests have enabled the pathologist to make a diagnosis more easily on samples obtained at CPNB. In this retrospective study of 20 consecutive cases of malignant mesothelioma of the pleura diagnosed between 1980 and 1990, we found that a blind CPNB was diagnostic in five of seven procedures and CT-guided CPNB was diagnostic in five of six procedures. An open pleural biopsy (OPB) was diagnostic in ten of ten procedures performed. There were no complications associated with any of the CPNB procedures. We conclude that CPNB is a safe and effective manner of diagnosing malignant mesothelioma of the pleura, and should be attempted prior to OPB.
Effect of the pH grade of silicates on chemical stability of coground amorphous quinapril hydrochloride and its stabilization using pH-modifiers.

The effect of pH grade of silicates on chemical stability of amorphous drugs coground with silicates (Neusilin and Aerosil) was investigated using quinapril HCl (QHCl) as a model drug. The ability of pH-modifiers (ascorbic acid and MgO) to improve chemical stability was explored. PXRD and polarized light microscopy indicated complete amorphization of all samples by cryo-grinding. All samples remained amorphous during stability study at 40°C and 48% RH. In general, drug degradation was greater in the QHCl/silicate (1:3) coground amorphous samples than the neat amorphous QHCl. The rate of diketopiperazine formation by cyclization of QHCl was higher in the presence of lower pH grades than higher pH grades of silicates. However, the pH-stability profile of coground amorphous systems prepared with different pH grades of silicates was not consistent with the pH-stability profile of the drug in solution. A basic pH-modifier (MgO) in a lower pH grade silicate (Neusilin US2) stabilized coground amorphous QHCl. Also, an acidic pH-modifier (ascorbic acid) in a higher pH grade silicate (Neusilin FL2) suppressed QHCl hydrolysis. The pH grade of silicates is a major factor affecting the chemical stability of a coground amorphous drug and pH-modifiers are useful for chemical stabilization without compromising physical stability. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 98:3358–3372, 2009
Streptococcus cristatus ArcA Interferes with Porphyromonas gingivalis Pathogenicity in Mice

Xie H, Hong J, Sharma A, Wang B-Y. Streptococcus cristatus ArcA interferes with Porphyromonas gingivalis pathogenicity in mice. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 578–583. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: Porphyromonas gingivalis has been implicated as one of the major pathogens in chronic periodontitis, an infectious disease affecting the majority of the adult population. We have previously demonstrated that a surface protein, arginine deiminase (ArcA), of Streptococcus cristatus represses production of P. gingivalis long fimbriae and interrupts the formation of P. gingivalis biofilms in vitro. Our in vivo studies have also shown that the distribution of P. gingivalis and S. cristatus in human subgingival plaque is negatively correlated. The objective of this study was to determine if S. cristatus ArcA inhibits P. gingivalis colonization and attenuates its subsequent pathogenesis in alveolar bone loss in the murine oral cavity. Material and Methods: A wild-type strain of S. cristatus (CC5A) and its arcA knockout mutant (ArcAE) were used as initial colonizers in the oral cavity of BALB/cByJ mice. Colonization of P. gingivalis on the existing S. cristatus biofilms was assessed by quantitative PCR, and P. gingivalis-induced alveolar bone loss was measured 6 wk after P. gingivalis infection. Results: The presence of S. cristatus CC5A, but not its arcA mutant, attenuated P. gingivalis colonization in the murine oral cavity. In addition, P. gingivalis-induced alveolar bone loss was significantly lower in mice initially infected with S. cristatus CC5A than in those infected with the arcA mutant. Conclusion: This study provides direct evidence that S. cristatus ArcA has an inhibitory effect on P. gingivalis colonization, which may in turn attenuate the pathogenicity of P. gingivalis.
Gangliosides induce microfilament-dependent changes in membrane surface activity of Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells

Abstract Exogenous mixtures of bovine brain gangliosides (BBG) initiated a rapid series of sequential changes in surface activity in Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells. These changes were characterized by the formation of microvilli, ridge-like projections and ruffled membranes within l min of BBG exposure. A maximum number of microvilli was reached after 10 min exposure and disappeared by 30 min. Ruffled membranes were most prominent within 5 min, but were still present after 60 min. These surface changes were accompanied by the formation of a thick subcortical meshwork of microfilaments which formed the cores of the microvilli and ruffled membranes. The simultaneous treatment of cells with BBG and an agent known to disrupt microfilaments (cytochalasin D) inhibited the formation of both microvilli and ruffles. In contrast, the simultaneous application of BBG and agents affecting microtubule polymerization (Colcemid and taxol) did not inhibit the formation of these surface structures. Treatment of Neuro-2a cells with cyclic AMP (cAMP) analogs (dibutyryl cAMP and 8-bromo cAMP) induced a similar series of surface changes which were inhibited by cytochalasin D. Furthermore, these surface changes may be specific to cAMP since neither cGMP analogs (dibutyryl cGMP and 8-bromo cGMP) nor 5′AMP induced surface changes. We propose that the initial membrane response to exogenous gangliosides is mediated by a microfilament-dependent mechanism. The basic similarities in surface responses elicited by BBG and cAMP analogs suggest that the effects of gangliosides on surface activity may be induced in part by a cAMP-dependent mechanism.
Social Structure and Sex-Role Choices among Children in Four Cultures

In a four-culture study, children, ages 3 to 9, were tested concerning proclivities toward same-sex or different-sex roles. Of the four cultures, two (Logoli of Kenya and Newars of Nepal) were structured patricentrically (virilocal residence, patrilineal descent, strong sex stereotypes). The other two cultures (Black Carib of Belize and American Samoans) were not structured patricentrically (neolocal or bilocal residence, etc.). It was predicted that because of salient gender differentiation, Logoli and Newar children would more frequently choose same-sex roles (father, mother, etc.) and culturally specified gender-appropriate tasks than would Black Carib and Samoan children. The results were opposite in direction to the predicted outcomes in 31 of 32 instances. Possible reasons for these findings, including Vygotskian accounts of development, are offered in the discussion. A positive aspect of the study is the clear counter-instance it provides to Barber’s charge that behavioral scientists tend to find w...
Evaluation of a peptide formula (milk) in the management of infants with multiple GIT intolerance

Abstract The use of an enteral peptide feed based on hydrolysed whey protein (Pepti Junior ® , Cow and Gate/Nutricia Ltd) was evaluated in 17 patients with complex GIT intolerances. Nine post surgical neonates were weaned onto the feed either following a period of parenteral nutrition [8] or after demonstrating intolerance of both breast milk and a lactose-free soy based formula. Eight infants admitted to a gastroenterology ward with multiple protein intolerances were also studied. Patients were fed to their nutritional requirements with the milk containing/100 ml; 67 kcal (280 kJ), 2.0 g protein, 3.7 g fat (50% MCT, 50% vegetable oil) and 6.7 g carbohydrate (98% maltodextrins). Patients were maintained on the feed for 7–45 weeks (mean 21 weeks). Full nutritional support was possible with the new formula in all but 2 children who had jejunostomies; in these patients > 50% of nutritional requirements were supplied by the enteral feed. All patients gained weight (mean 0.16 Kg/week (SD 0.09)). With the exception of subclinical selenium deficiency, no abnormalities of haematological, biochemical or vitamin states were observed. Post prandial plasma amino-acid concentrations were within acceptable limits and similar to those reported on standard whey based infant formulae. The feed appeared well tolerated in infants with GIT intolerances with no major complications in long term usage.
Ecological Observation of Experiential Education Settings: A Quantitative-Qualitative Instrument

An instrument was developed for observing selected physical, social, and intellectual features of experiential education settings and of participants' performances in these settings. The procedure of each observation entails taking structured notes for a brief time span, coding this segment retrospectively while remaining in the setting, and subsequently interviewing the focal participant. The article presents data collected for two consecutive years in both the classroom and the work settings of a secondary school experiential education program in a hospital. Contrasts between the classroom and work-setting data, and continuities and changes between the two years, illustrate the instrument's capabilities and pose problems for further research.
The Withdrawn ASR™ THA and Hip Resurfacing Systems: How Have Our Patients Fared Over 1 to 6 Years?

Background The Articular Surface Replacement™ (ASR™) metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty system (DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc, Warsaw, IN, USA) reportedly has a higher than anticipated early failure rate leading to a voluntary recall. This prompted us to evaluate all ASR™ components implanted at our center.
The emergence of modern science and world system theory

Viewing the modern world as a single system of interdependent economic and political units rather than as isolated societies poses new possibilities, not only for the analysis of these units themselves, but for social and cultural developments such as the origin and evolution of modern science. It is generally conceded that the growth of modern science had been facilitated by various social conditions. Yet efforts to identify these and to specify their effects have met with only limited success, inducing most historians of science to emphasize the internal intellectual unfolding of scientific thought, rather than the effects of external social factors.1 Recent work on the history of the European world-economy, however, provides new opportunities to refocus the analysis of the relations between social conditions and the rise of modern science.
Function of coprophagous beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae, Hydrophilidae) in cattle pastures inferred from pitfall trapping data

An analysis of data on the dry weight biomass of coprophagous beetles in standardized dung (4.5 l) was conducted in order to characterize the spatial and the seasonal distribution of the beetles’ biomass in cattle pastures and to elucidate their function in dung decomposition. Nested Anova with factors of farm, site (nested in farm), seasonal period and year was used to evaluate the effect of these factors on the biomass of four functional species groups: the dung dwellers of Scarabaeidae (subfamily Aphodiinae), the dung dwellers of Hydrophilidae, the small tunnellers of Scarabaeidae (subfamily Coprinae) and the large tunnellers of Geotrupidae. The spatial variation of biomass (between the sites and the farms) was insignificant (P>0.05) in the two dung-dweller groups and in the large-tunnellers group. On the other hand, a significant (P<0.05) seasonal variation of biomass was found in all but the large tunneller group. In dung dwellers, the spring biomass was formed mainly by two species, Aphodius prodromus and A. sphacelatus. In summer, most of the biomass was accounted for by Sphaeridium lunatum, S. scarabaeoides and A. rufipes. In the two tunneller groups, Onthophagus fracticornis, Geotrupes stercorarius and G. spiniger formed a majority of the biomass in dung.
Thyroid involvement in the relative photorefractoriness of Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica

Thyroid involvement in the photosexual response was examined in photosensitive and relative photorefractory Japanese quail. Surgical thyroidectomy was carried out in gonadally regressed adult males held for several months on natural daylengths of 13.5–14.5 h. These birds were considered relative photorefractory (birds that are gonadally regressed at daylengths, 12–15 h, and initially stimulatory for gonadal growth in photosensitive quail). Following thyroidectomy and sham-operation (controls), one-half of each group were exposed for 30 days to light:dark (LD) 16:8 and then transferred to LD 13.5:10.5 for another 30 days. The remaining operated quail were exposed for the first 30 days to LD 8:16 and then transferred to LD 13.5:10.5 for another 30 days. In quail examined after the first 30 days, the left testis sizes were greatly increased in both thyroidectomized and control birds held on LD 16:8 but completely regressed in both groups held on LD 8:16. The photosexual responses are characteristic for both photosensitive and relative photorefractory quail held on such daylengths. After the second 30 days, the testes were strongly stimulated in both thyroidectomized and control quail that were transferred from LD 8:16 (first 30 days) to LD 13.5:10.5 (second 30 days). Apparently, photosensitivity had been reestablished during the first 30 days on short daylengths. In quail transferred from LD 16:8 (first 30 days) to LD 13.5:10.5 (second 30 days), the testis sizes were reduced in control birds indicating a relative photorefractory response to this intermediate daylength. However, the testis continued to grow in the thyroidectomized quail transferred from LD 16:8 to LD 13.5:10.5. The results indicate that the thyroid is important in the maintenance of relative photorefractoriness in Japanese quail.
Altered calcium homeostasis in the rat cochlear duct and endogenous corticosteroid insufficiency

Free calcium concentration (\(C_{Ca} ^{2 + } \)) profiles were evaluated in perilymph, endolymph, marginal cells, spiral ligament and blood serum of adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. Free\(C_{Ca} ^{2 + } \) was significantly greater in perilymph and significantly reduced in the serum of the ADX animals as compared to sham-operated animals. In addition, higher levels of free (\(C_{Ca} ^{2 + } \)) were found in the spiral ligament in ADX animals. Free (\(C_{Ca} ^{2 + } \)) did not appear to be affected by ADX in marginal cells and endolymph. These data suggest that marked reductions in endogenous levels of corticosteroids may have a systematic effect on free\(C_{Ca} ^{2 + } \) that is detectable in blood serum as well as cochlear fluids and tissues.
Robot caregivers: harbingers of expanded freedom for all?

As we near a time when robots may serve a vital function by becoming caregivers, it is important to examine the ethical implications of this development. By applying the capabilities approach as a guide to both the design and use of robot caregivers, we hope that this will maximize opportunities to preserve or expand freedom for care recipients. We think the use of the capabilities approach will be especially valuable for improving the ability of impaired persons to interface more effectively with their physical and social environments.
Human Plasma β-Endorphin-Like Peptides: A Rapid, High Recovery Extraction Technique and Validation of Radioimmunoassay*

This is a report of the development, calibration, and validation of a series of techniques required to measure β-endorphin (β-END)-like immunoreactivity in human plasma, including sieve and affinity chromatography.The RIA, which uses the antibody Brenda, is very sensitive (IC50 = 5–15 fmol/tube at a final concentration of 1:40,000). The extraction process, which uses the Sep-Pak C18 cartridge (Waters Associates, Inc.), is simple and rapid and has a recovery rate of more than 90%. It extracts proopiomelanocortin, β-lipotropin, and β-END. Physiological validation was provided by the measurement of β-END-like immunoreactivity in a pool of plasma of normal humans (2.25 fmol/ml plasma), two pregnant women at term (9.5 and 10.75 fmol/ml), and one patient with Nelson's disease (2 pmol/ml plasma).(J Clin Endocrinol Metab 56: 992, 1983)
Heterosocial Perceptual Organization: Application of the Choice Model to Sexual Coercion

Luce's (1959, 1963) choice model was used to characterize individual differences in men's perception of women's affect as friendly, sexually interested, sad, or rejecting. Women's clothing styles were associated with differences in the model's parameters. Sensitivity to sadness, rejection, and friendliness declined when women were dressed provocatively, whereas sensitivity to sexual interest increased. Provocative clothing was also associated with an increased bias to assume that positive affect was sexual interest rather than friendliness. Men at risk for perpetrating sexual aggression were less sensitive to women's affect than low-risk men were. They were also more likely than low-risk men to associate provocative clothing with sexual interest, and conservative clothing with friendliness. Results indicate that heterosocial perception may help to predict sexually coercive behavior and may be an important target for intervention.
Interdependence, Density Dependence, and Networks in Politics

This article addresses the theoretical and methodological challenges that arise due to the interdependence of actors within political processes. Networks of communication and association provide a resolution to the micro—macro problem in political analysis—they provide a vehicle through which individual behavior is reciprocally connected to behavior in the aggregate. A central argument of the article is that these networks are endogenous not only to individual choice and preference, but also to the environmentally imposed supply of associates, giving rise to patterns of density dependence in politics. Density dependence, in turn, produces its own complex consequences for political processes, and hence interdependence frequently becomes a theoretical as well as a methodological imperative in political analysis.