cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependence of the Yield of Strand Breaks Induced by γ-rays in DNA on the Physical Conditions of Exposure: Water Content and Temperature

The induction by 60Co γ-rays of DNA breaks, revealed by relaxation (single-strand breaks, SSBs) and linearization (double-strand breaks, DSBs) of supercoiled plasmid DNA, was measured under three irradiation conditions, the DNA being in a dry, humid, or aqueous state in the absence of oxygen, at 25 or −196°C (77K). Yields of strand breaks (3·0 × 10−10 SSB/Gy · Da and 2·6 × 10−11 DSB/Gy · Da) in DNA exposed to a stream of humidified nitrogen were higher than those in the dry condition (5·7 × 10−11 SSB/Gy · Da and 3·2 × 10−12 DSB/Gy · Da), but both these yields were markedly lower than those measured for DNA in aqueous solution at a concentration of 73 µg/cm3 (1·14 × 10−7 SSB/Gy · Da and 5·4 × 10−9 DSB/Gy · Da). Over 100-fold fewer SSBs were observed in the frozen aqueous system compared with the non-frozen liquid state, whereas in the dry and humid states, freezing did not affect the yield as much. The same trend was observed for DSBs. However, the induction of SSBs was more affected than that of DSBs by f...
Sodium Bicarbonate: Basically Useless Therapy

Common clinical practices often are unsupported by experimental evidence. One example is the administration of sodium bicarbonate to neonates. Despite a long history of widespread use, objective evidence that administration of sodium bicarbonate improves outcomes for patients in cardiopulmonary arrest or with metabolic acidosis is lacking. Indeed, there is evidence that this therapy is detrimental. This review examines the history of sodium bicarbonate use in neonatology and the evidence that refutes the clinical practice of administering sodium bicarbonate during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or to treat metabolic acidosis in the NICU.
Repairing the Mitral Valve

In this issue of Circulation , Enriquez-Sarano and his associates1 at the Mayo Clinic have made a valuable contribution to our understanding of mitral valve repair in relation to mitral valve replacement. In an elegant and detailed multivariate analysis, they conclude that mitral valve repair is an independent predictor of improved operative long-term mortality, ejection fraction, and functional result. These differences were confirmed after statistical allowance for multiple variables, including year of surgery, preoperative ejection fraction, age, sex, preoperative New York Heart Association classification, presence of congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, renal status, blood pressure, and concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery. While this conclusion had been assumed intuitively by cardiovascular physicians, particularly during the last decade as the techniques of valve repair improved, previous studies had not confirmed that mitral valve repair produced better outcomes than valve replacement.2 3 The authors of the present study offer a statistically powerful argument on the …
Interfacial Partitioning of a Loop Hinge Residue Contributes to Diacylglycerol Affinity of Conserved Region 1 Domains

Conventional and novel isoenzymes of PKC are activated by the membrane-embedded second messenger diacylglycerol (DAG) through its interactions with the C1 regulatory domain. The affinity of C1 domains to DAG varies considerably among PKCs. To gain insight into the origin of differential DAG affinities, we conducted high-resolution NMR studies of C1B domain from PKCδ (C1Bδ) and its W252Y variant. The W252Y mutation was previously shown to render C1Bδ less responsive to DAG (Dries, D. R., Gallegos, L. L., and Newton, A. C. (2007) A single residue in the C1 domain sensitizes novel protein kinase C isoforms to cellular diacylglycerol production. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 826–830) and thereby emulate the behavior of C1B domains from conventional PKCs that have a conserved Tyr at the equivalent position. Our data revealed that W252Y mutation did not perturb the conformation of C1Bδ in solution but significantly reduced its propensity to partition into a membrane-mimicking environment in the absence of DAG. Using detergent micelles doped with a paramagnetic lipid, we determined that both the residue identity at position 252 and complexation with diacylglycerol influence the geometry of C1Bδ-micelle interactions. In addition, we identified the C-terminal helix α1 of C1Bδ as an interaction site with the head groups of phosphatidylserine, a known activator of PKCδ. Taken together, our studies (i) reveal the identities of C1Bδ residues involved in interactions with membrane-mimicking environment, DAG, and phosphatidylserine, as well as the affinities associated with each event and (ii) suggest that the initial ligand-independent membrane recruitment of C1B domains, which is greatly facilitated by the interfacial partitioning of Trp-252, is responsible, at least in part, for the differential DAG affinities.
Does risk for anxiety increase during the menopausal transition? Study of women's health across the nation.

Objective Little is known about the risk of anxiety in women during midlife and the menopausal transition. We examined anxiety as a cluster of four symptoms and determined the association between menopausal stage and high anxiety during 10 years of follow-up of 2,956 women of multiple race/ethnicities. Methods This study was a longitudinal analysis of data from the multisite Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a study of menopause and aging. Women were aged 42 to 52 at study entry. The outcome was high anxiety, with a score of 4 or greater on the sum of four anxiety symptoms rated according to frequency in the previous 2 weeks from 0 (none) to 4 (daily; upper 20%). Covariates included sociodemographics, health factors, stressors, and vasomotor symptoms. Results Women with low anxiety at baseline were more likely to report high-anxiety symptoms at early or late perimenopause or postmenopause than at premenopause (odds ratio, 1.56-1.61), independent of multiple risk factors, including upsetting life events, financial strain, fair/poor perceived health, and vasomotor symptoms. Women with high anxiety at baseline continued to have high rates of high anxiety throughout follow-up, but odds ratios did not differ by menopausal stage. Conclusions Women with high anxiety at premenopause may be more often anxious and are not at increased risk for high anxiety at specific stages of the menopausal transition. In contrast, women with low anxiety at premenopause may be more susceptible to high anxiety during and after the menopausal transition than before the menopausal transition.
Reducing White Juror Bias: The Role of Race Salience and Racial Attitudes

Both Black and White jurors exhibit a racial bias by being more likely to find defendants of a different race guilty than defendants who are of the same race. Sommers & Ellsworth (2000, 2001) found that salient racial issues in a trial reduced White juror racial bias toward a Black defendant. We examined if race salience could reduce White juror racial bias, even for individuals who reported high levels of racism. Making race salient reduced White juror racial bias toward a Black defendant. Jurors’ racist beliefs were only associated with the verdict when the defendant’s race was not made salient. This finding suggests that the effects of individual prejudice toward a Black defendant can be reduced by making the defendant’s race salient. jasp_511 1953..1973
Some Examples of Rapidly Growing Oceanic Cumulonimbus Clouds

Abstract Infrared satellite photographs of the tropical oceanic regions within and around the GATE A/B array point to the existence of large, rapidly growing, cumulonimbus clouds. The region along 10°N experiences the greatest frequency of these storms. Also a pronounced diurnal variation is found in the times of initial development with maximum frequencies near midnight. In most cases, this anvil cloud grows to an areal extent ∼7000 km2 in about 4 h, then dissipates in another 3 h. The velocity divergence in the anvil is 1−3×10−4s−1 and the mass outflow is 100–200 kton s−1. These storms account for some of the difference in diurnal variation of high cloudiness that is observed between tropical oceanic and continental regions. A large number of rapidly growing cumulonimbus clouds was observed on 10 August 1974 in connection with a disturbance in the tropical easterlies that ultimately developed into Tropical Storm Alma.
Left ventricular regional wall motion and velocity of shortening in chronic mitral and aortic regurgitation

Left ventricular regional wall motion (percent systolic shortening) and velocity of shortening were studied in patients with heart failure due to chronic volume overloads of mitral and aortic regurgitation. Biplane left ventriculograms were analyzed by computer and divided into four regions: anterior, inferior, posterolateral and septal. The study patients included 12 normal subjects; 21 patients with aortic regurgitation (10 asymptomatic and 11 with congestive heart failure); and 11 patients with mitral regurgitation (4 asymptomatic and 7 with congestive heart failure). No patient had coronary artery disease. With heart failure, ejection fraction was decreased (p less than 0.05) in both aortic and mitral regurgitation (normal 62 +/- 3 percent [mean +/- standard error of the mean], aortic regurgitation 48 +/- 3 and mitral regurgitation 51 +/- 5). In mitral regurgitation with heart failure, the percent segment shortening in anterior (normal 42 +/- 2, mitral regurgitation 27 +/- 5) and posterolateral (normal 23 +/- 3, mitral regurgitation 16 +/- 4) regions was significantly decreased (p less than 0.05), whereas this value in the inferior (normal 32 +/- 2, mitral regurgitation 28 +/- 6) and septal (normal 46 +/- 4, mitral regurgitation 47 +/- 5) regions was normal. In aortic regurgitation with heart failure, anterior (27 +/- 2), inferior (17 +/- 3) and septal (5 +/- 1) segment shortening was significantly decreased, whereas posterolateral segment shortening was significantly decreased, whereas posterolateral segment shortening was normal (24 +/- 3). In both groups with heart failure, mean shortening velocity showed regional variations similar to those of percent shortening, whereas peak instantaneous shortening velocity was not reduced in mitral regurgitation compared with normal values. In the asymptomatic group, shortening and mean shortening velocity were normal, whereas peak instantaneous shortening velocity was increased in mitral regurgitation. In aortic and mitral regurgitation with decreased left ventricular function demonstrated by a reduced ejection fraction, there are regional wall motion abnormalities that are not caused by coronary disease.
Spatially dynamic laser patterning using advanced optics for imaging matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry

Abstract Beam homogenization and spatially dynamic beam patterning optics have been combined to improve the imaging matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOFMS) experiment. The optical design was developed to improve upon the spatial resolution limit imposed by the laser beam profile (∼25–50 μm) and to decrease the long analysis times associated with mechanical translation of the MALDI sample stage. This arrangement consists of: laser beam conditioning optics, laser beam shaping optics via a digital micromirror device (DMD), and an imaging lens system. Experimental results comparing traditional imaging MALDI–TOFMS and spatially dynamic imaging MALDI–TOFMS are discussed. The optical system has proven useful for patterning the MALDI laser beam into user defined beam shapes, can potentially decrease analysis times associated with mechanical movement of the sample stage, and may be capable of increasing the limits of detection by simultaneously irradiating multiple spots.
Role of Mycorrhiza in Nitrogen Fixation

NONE of the higher fungi has yet been implicated in nitrogen fixation; at least no claims to this effect have been confirmed by the nitrogen-15 technique. It has often been suggested that the ectotrophic mycorrhizae of certain coniferous trees might fix nitrogen, but there is no unequivocal evidence in support of this. The nitrogen-15 technique has been used to test for fixation in Pinus sylvestris L. with negative results1 and in P. radiata D. Don. with positive results3,4. In each of these investigations, plants were grown in soil or sand so that, even where evidence of fixation was obtained, the identity of the organism (or organisms) responsible for nitrogen fixation is unknown.
Environmental Assessment of SWNT Production

Assessment of environmental attributes of nanomanufacturing during process development will lead to development of competitive, safe and environmentally responsible manufacturing technologies. An environmental comparison of arc ablation, CVD and HiPco processes was undertaken by developing models for each process. Since no data are yet available for environmental or health impacts of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the results from this analysis can only indicate the impact of resource and energy use during processing. Given the potential benefits and concerns over the use of SWNTs, and the fact that many new (and existing) businesses are currently working towards commercialization, assessment of the tradeoffs among the technological, environmental and economic characteristics is critical.
The Effect of Gain Uncertainty in Multicomponent Systems

The relationship between the gain statistics of a system composed of independent cascaded components and those of its individual components is investigated. The first- and second-order moments of the system gain are expressed as a function of the first- and second-order component gain moments. Curves obtained from the resulting system gain variance equation are presented and special cases are discussed.
Effects of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid on methane production and fibre digestion by mixed rumen micro-organisms in-vitro

When rumen fluid was incubated in an artificial medium with timothy hay, plant cell wall digestion was decreased by the addition of trans-p-coumaric acid or transferulic acid. Both phenolic compounds inhibited methane production with p-coumaric acid being the strongest inhibitor.
Multiculturalizing Rural Towns — Insights for Inclusive Planning

Many regions of the United States, including the Midwest, have recently undergone significant demographic change. Much of this Midwestern demographic change, particularly in rural areas, has been due to the recruitment of low-paid workers for food processing industries. Though immigrants remain concentrated in their traditional urban destinations, many are choosing other locales as well, including rural destinations in states that historically have not drawn immigrants. Such shifts have increased the racial and ethnic diversity of many small communities whose formal structures of decision making and planning are ill-equipped to deal with the resulting social heterogeneity. The paper points out that much of the inclusive planning perspective is based on the experience of metropolitan areas and large cities. To look at multiculturalism and planning rather through the lens of rural communities' rapid diversification achieves insights useful to the ongoing dialogue in planning scholarship. Through the case st...
Conjugate Interfaces : Interfaces between Transparent Media of the Same Reflection Coefficient for the Parallel Polarization at the Same Angle of Incidence

Conjugate interfaces are defined as pairs of interfaces between transparent media with the same Fresnel reflection coefficient for the parallel polarization (r p) at the same angle of incidence (φ). If e′ denotes the ratio of dielectric constants of the media of incidence and refraction, respectively, we find that, e′1 + e′2 = cosec2φ, for conjugate interfaces. Loci of points (e′1, e′2) that represent conjugate interfaces of the same reflection coefficient r p are shown to be a family of hyperbolas. We also define reciprocal interfaces as conjugate interfaces with e′2 = 1/ e′1. The physical significance of conjugate interfaces is illustrated by examples.
Diurnal cycle of convection, clouds, and water vapor in the tropical upper troposphere: Satellites versus a general circulation model

[1] Global high-resolution (3-hourly, 0.1° × 0.1° longitude-latitude) water vapor (6.7 μm) and window (11 μm) radiances from multiple geostationary satellites are used to document the diurnal cycle of upper tropospheric relative humidity (UTH) and its relationship to deep convection and high clouds in the whole tropics and to evaluate the ability of the new Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) global atmosphere and land model (AM2/LM2) to simulate these diurnal variations. Similar to the diurnal cycle of deep convection and high clouds, coherent diurnal variations in UTH are also observed over the deep convective regions, where the daily mean UTH is high. In addition, the diurnal cycle in UTH also features a land-sea contrast: stronger over land but weaker over ocean. UTH tends to peak around midnight over ocean in contrast to 0300 LST over land. Furthermore, UTH is observed to lag high cloud cover by ∼6 hours, and the latter further lags deep convection, implying that deep convection serves to moisten the upper troposphere through the evaporation of the cirrus anvil clouds generated by deep convection. Compared to the satellite observations, AM2/LM2 can roughly capture the diurnal phases of deep convection, high cloud cover, and UTH over land; however, the magnitudes are noticeably weaker in the model. Over the oceans the AM2/LM2 has difficulty in simulating both the diurnal phase and amplitude of these quantities. These results reveal some important deficiencies in the model's convection and cloud parameterization schemes and suggest the lack of a diurnal cycle in SST may be a shortcoming in the boundary forcing for atmospheric models.
Positron Emission Tomography of Copper Metabolism in the Atp7b −/− Knock-out Mouse Model of Wilson’s Disease

Purpose This study aims to determine feasibility and utility of copper-64(II) chloride (64CuCl2) as a tracer for positron emission tomography (PET) of copper metabolism imbalance in human Wilson’s disease (WD).
New imaging in neurogastroenterology: an overview.

Abstract Advances in imaging are being introduced initially as research tools and subsequently as clinical diagnostic tests. These investigations include modifications of the standard gastric emptying by scintigraphy to include application of intraluminal ultrasound to image sustained contractions and longitudinal shortening in the oesophagus, 2- and 4-h images, volumetric measurements to measure gastric volume, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to appraise the structure and function of the rectal evacuation process, and brain imaging as a surrogate for the investigation of the brain's contribution to functional gastrointestinal disorders and chronic pain syndromes. There is a need for rigorous validation and measurement of the performance characteristics of these tests. Given the impact of gastric emptying at 4 h and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) imaging for measuring gastric volumes on research and clinical practice, it is anticipated that, once validated, these different techniques are likely to have a significant impact on neurogastroenterology and, potentially, replace more invasive procedures.
A structural model for a new class of conformationally constrained retinoid: (2Z,4E)-4-[3′,4′-dihydro-1′(2′H)-naphthalene-1′-ylidene]-2-butenoic acid

Racemic (2Z,4E)-4-[3′,4′-dihydro-1′(2′H)-naphthalene-1′-ylidene]-2-butenoic acid (1) is a polyene chain-shortened analog of (9Z)-retinoic acid (3) which uses a tetrahydronaphthyl ring to conformationally constrain the C6-C7 single bond (retinoic acid numbering). The structure of (1) was obtained to determine the effects of the tetrahydronaphthyl ring on the ring to polyene chain conformation as compared to a published crystal structure for (9Z)-retinal (2). The results reveal significant differences between the solid state structures of (1) and (2), particularly for torsion angles about C6, C7 and C8, C9. The title compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space groupP21/n withZ=4. (Cell dimensions:a=10.863(2) A,b=7.637(2) A,c=15.781(3) and β=106.11(3)°.) The structure was refined toR=3.88% for those 1132 unique data with |F o|>6σ(F o). In the crystal structure, the molecules adopt a hydrogen bonded dimeric structure.
Beyond cervical length: emerging technologies for assessing the pregnant cervix

Spontaneous preterm birth is a heterogeneous phenotype. A multitude of pathophysiologic pathways culminate in the final common denominator of cervical softening, shortening, and dilation that leads to preterm birth. A precise description of specific microstructural changes to the cervix is imperative if we are to identify the causative upstream molecular processes and resultant biomechanical events that are associated with each unique pathway. Currently, however, we have no reliable clinical tools for quantitative and objective evaluation, which likely contributes to the reason the singleton spontaneous preterm birth rate has not changed appreciably in >100 years. Fortunately, promising techniques to evaluate tissue hydration, collagen structure, and/or tissue elasticity are emerging. These will add to the body of knowledge about the cervix and facilitate the coordination of molecular studies and ultimately lead to novel approaches to preterm birth prediction and, finally, prevention.
Guilt, shame and adjustment; A family study

Abstract Parents and offspring were tested on measures of guilt and shame and on the EPQ-R. As in prior research, guilt was unrelated to neuroticism and negatively related to psychoticism while shame was positively related to neuroticism. Shame was negatively related to psychoticism in our prior research but (except for total offspring correlations) was not significantly related to psychoticism in the results obtained herein. Family resemblances in guilt and shame scores, as well as in EPQ-R psychoticism and extraversion scores were substantial.
Oxygen Saturation Monitoring for the Preterm Infant: The Evidence Basis for Current Practice

Oxygen Saturation Monitoring for the Preterm Infant: The Evidence Basis for Current Practice
Fighting for Our Lives: Preparing Teachers To Teach African American Students.

The quest for quality education is a part of the ongoing struggle faced by African Americans. Few, if any, teacher education programs design programs that expressly meet the needs of African Americ...
Stable isotope patterns found in early Eocene equid tooth rows of North America: Implications for reproductive behavior and paleoclimate

Abstract Reproductive behaviors of early Eocene equids were likely different from their modern-day counterparts as a result of their small body size and warmer global temperatures. To better understand the paleoenvironment and ecology of these early horses, teeth of Protorohippus montanum jaws from a single stratigraphic locality in early Eocene sedimentary deposits of Wyoming were sampled for oxygen and carbon isotope analysis. These enamel data along with an inferred body mass of ~ 7.5 kg suggests that adult teeth formed over a matter of months, with the final tooth erupting at ~ 1.3 years of age. Thus, average isotopic values from each tooth likely represent environmental conditions from a single season. Results indicate two isotopic patterns. In the case of isotopic “pattern A,” the second forming molars (m/2s) have significantly lower isotopic ratios compared to other teeth within the jaw. This suggests the first forming molars (m/1s) formed during a cooling fall season, followed by formation of the m/2s during the cooler winter. In the case of isotopic “pattern B,” results suggest that m/1s formed during a warming spring season, while the m/2s formed during the following warmer summer season. Isotopic ratios of m/1s may represent an individual's birth season (or in utero season, depending on timing of initial formation), implying that early equids experienced at least two birth seasons per year. These results suggest that temperatures and reduced seasonality of the early Eocene played a strong role in early equid birth cycles. Lastly, the mean and variance in carbon and oxygen isotope ratios was not significantly different across tooth positions of all jaws when all individuals were grouped together, regardless of their pattern assignment. Such results indicate that isotopic data from fourth premolars, first molars, second molars, and third molars can be combined for purposes of temporal reconstructions of paleoclimate, thus increasing the potential sample sizes for these types of studies.
Near isogenic lines of soybeans as tools to identify nodulation specificmutants of Bradyrhizobium elkanii

The dominant allele Rj4 in soybean interdicts or restricts the nodulation of plants by certain strains of bacteria, most of which are classified as Bradyrhizobium elkanii, while the recessive allele permits normal nodulation with the same strains. The near isogenic lines BARC-2 (Rj4) and BARC-3 (rj4) are calculated to be 99.95% identical in their nuclear DNA, but differ specifically in the allele present at the Rj4 locus. These lines were used to identify spontaneous mutants of the Rj4-restricted Bradyrhizobium elkanii strain USDA 61 Nalr that had the ability to effectively nodulate plants of the Rj4 genotype. Of the eight rare nodules found on roots of soybean plants of the Rj4 genotype inoculated with the genetically marked strain USDA 61 Nalr, four were identified as containing mutants with the ability to overcome the effects of the Rj4 allele.
The steroid-cancer hypothesis and recent pertinent epidemiological studies

Abstract Extensive data concerning the tumorigenic effects of oestrogenic and progestagenic compounds in numerous species of animals indicate that dosage, genetic strain, age and duration of exposure are critical factors in eliciting such hormone-induced tumours. The occurrence of vaginal adenocarcinoma in the off-spring of women exposed to oestrogen during pregnancy extends the animal data to the human being. Recently accumulated epidemiological studies establish a negative association between the incidence of benign breast tumours in women and exposure to oral contraceptives. However, the incidence of breast cancer is shown in a number of case-controlled retrospective studies to be unaffected by oral contraceptive use except for certain subsets consisting of unacceptably small numbers. Moreover, these studies relate to a follow-up period which is too brief for definitive evaluation since the human carcinogenic response is known to require one to two decades for full expression. The incidence of endometrial carcinoma has been found in a number of case-controlled retrospective studies to be increased in women using oestrogens for the control of menopausal symptoms. Some of these studies indicate a greater effect with more prolonged usage. However, other studies utilizing a different basis for identification of controls fail to demonstrate an increased incidence of endometrial cancer in oestrogen-treated menopausal women. It is clear that the currently available epidemiological data provide presumptive but not conclusive evidence of an increased incidence of endometrial cancer in oestrogen-treated menopausal women. More definitive studies are urgently needed to determine in more precise terms the relative incidence of endometrial cancer in oestrogen-treated and untreated menopausal women.
Characterization of silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive episcleral implant for drug delivery.

AbstractThe development of an effective sustained ocular drug delivery system remains a challenging task. The objective of the present study was to characterize a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) episcleral implant system for transscleral drug delivery. Silicone PSA implants for dexamethasone, atenolol, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were prepared at different polymer-to-drug mass ratios. Implant adhesion to human cadaver sclera was measured. Drug release experiments were conducted in well-stirred containers in vitro. The results were then analyzed using a pharmacokinetic model and in vitro–in vivo data comparison from previous studies. The silicone PSA episcleral implants in the present study had an average diameter of 3.5 mm and a thickness of 0.8 mm. Drug release from the silicone PSA implants was influenced by drug solubility, implant polymer content, and implant coating. Drug release from the implants was observed to follow the receding boundary release mechanism and was solubility dependen...
Efficient formation path planning on large graphs

For the task of transferring a group of robots from one formation to another on a connected graph with unit edge lengths, we provide an efficient hierarchical algorithm that can complete goal assignment and path planning for 10,000 robots on a 250,000 vertex grid in under one second. In the extreme, our algorithm can handle up to one million robots on a grid with one billion vertices in approximately 30 minutes. Perhaps more importantly, we prove that with high probability, the algorithm supplies paths with total distance within a constant multiple of the optimal total distance. Furthermore, our hierarchical method also allows these paths to be scheduled with a tight completion time guarantee. In practice, our implementation yields a total path distance less than two times of the true optimum and a much shorter completion time.
The desensitization effect of progesterone on female rat sexual behavior is not due to interference with estrogen priming

In order to determine if progesterone interferes with estradiol's priming action on progesterone-facilitated sexual behavior, we tested the responsiveness of progesterone-desensitized female rats to the serotonin receptor antagonist, methysergide, and the neuropeptide, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. Threshold doses of both compounds were established. Progesterone treatment, which caused a decrease in the lordosis rating in response to a moderate dose of progesterone did not inhibit responsiveness to threshold doses of methysergide or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. The results of this study support the notion that progesterone does not interfere with estradiol's priming action on progesterone-facilitated sexual receptivity. Furthermore, they suggest that progesterone's desensitization effect is specific to progesterone-facilitated lordosis.
Microorganisms from the Late Precambrian of Central Australia

An assemblage of structurally and organically well preserved microorganisms, interpreted as both green and blue-green algae, has been found in chert facies of the Bitter Springs limestone from the upper Precambrian of central Australia. This appears to be the earliest known occurrence of green algae in the fossil record. These organisms are among the oldest known multicellular and unicellular fossils exhibiting distinct histological preservation.
A new approach for the direct resolution of racemic beta adrenergic blocking agents by HPLC

Abstract Although beta-adrenergic blocking agents are a relatively new group of drugs, they have proven to be very useful in medical pharmacology. Since the successful introduction of propranolol (Inderal) a variety of analogous compounds have been developed. Most beta-blockers are racemic modifications and it is known that their enantiomers have different potencies and pharmacological effects. Hence, there has been considerable impetus for the production and study of the pure enantiomers. The chromatographic separation of these compounds has been dominated by the protein-based chiral stationary phases. Although selective, protein columns have limited capacity and stability. An efficient, alternative method has been found that does not suffer from the limitations of the protein phases. By using an unusual mobile phase consisting of a mixture of polar organic solvents in conjunction with the original native cyclodextrin bonded phase, the following compounds were resolved: propranolol, metoprolol, timolol, ...
Undecagold clusters for site-specific labeling of biological macromolecules: simplified preparation and model applications.

Abstract We report simple and rapid procedures for the synthesis of a variety of stable, water-soluble undecagold clusters, and model applications of a thiol-reactive gold cluster for the specific labeling of cysteine residues in proteins.
The Elimination and Turnover of 14C-Dieldrin by Different Goldfish Tissues

Abstract The rates at which 14C-dieldrin is eliminated from various goldfish tissues under experimental conditions are determined and the behavior of dieldrin is compared with that of DDT in a previous similar investigation. Three groups of goldfish (Carassius auratus) were fed a diet contaminated with 14C-dieldrin. When the fish had reached the desired level of exposure, group A was starved, group B was fed an uncontaminated diet, and group C was given a diet contaminated with 12C-dieldrin. Experimental conditions remained the same for all groups during the course of the investigation. The elimination of 14C-dieldrin from various tissues was measured with a low-background gas-flow GM counter. It was found that (1) fish in group A had a high rate of elimination initially, and the subsequent percent decrease in activity was almost the same in all tissues; (2) fish in group B eliminated the contaminant at approximately the same rate from all tissues, but more slowly than those in group A; (3) fish in group ...
Tax incidence with bargaining

Abstract The paper investigates tax incidence in a two-person bargaining model where one party is taxed. The condition under which the non-taxed party shares the burden of taxes (or benefit of subsidies) is characterized. Sufficient conditions for the tax burden to fall entirely on the taxed party are given. Also, a sufficient condition for the non-taxed party actually to benefit from taxation is given.
China's copyright dilemma

At this critical point in its development as a burgeoning market economy ensconced within a socialist political system, China faces a dilemma in becoming a fully-fledged player in the copyright arena. Over the past two decades, China has made great strides in creating a legal and governmental framework for the administration and enforcement of copyright. But its implementation has left much to be desired, owing partly to inadequate resources of money and personnel, partly to insufficiently harsh penalties for infringement, partly to cumbersome procedures required to bring action against infringers, and partly to a general cultural tolerance for practices that run contrary to cultivating a broad-based respect for copyright. This article proposes that a balance of pressure and encouragement is likely to have the best chances of success in overcoming these problems and ensuring that China will become fully welcomed into the international publishing community.
Mechanism of the salutary effects of 17β-estradiol following trauma-hemorrhage: direct downregulation of Kupffer cell proinflammatory cytokine production

Kupffer cells have been reported as a major source of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-6, TNF-alpha), which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of trauma-hemorrhage. Previous studies have shown a protective effect of 17beta-estradiol on immune function and physiological responses following trauma-hemorrhage. In this study, we investigated whether 17beta-estradiol has a direct effect on Kupffer cell cytokine production following trauma-hemorrhage. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to trauma (midline laparotomy) and hemorrhage (35-40 mmHg for 90 min followed by fluid resuscitation) or sham operation. Two hours later, Kupffer cells were isolated and cultured with 17beta-estradiol in the presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Kupffer cell IL-6 and TNF-alpha production increased following trauma-hemorrhage. Incubation with 17beta-estradiol attenuated the production of IL-6 by cells from both sham and trauma-hemorrhage animals in a dose-dependent manner. The suppression of IL-6 production by 17beta-estradiol was paralleled by a decrease in mRNA levels. In contrast to IL-6, the effects of 17beta-estradiol on TNF-alpha production were minimal. In conclusion, these results indicate the direct downregulation of Kupffer cell IL-6 production by 17beta-estradiol at a molecular level, which might explain in part the previously observed salutary effects of estradiol treatment following trauma-hemorrhage.
Environmental Priorities for Financing Institutions

The reasons which recently forced the World Bank into environmental improvements are discussed, so that other financial institutions can profit from this experience. The reasons include due recognition that environmental abuse is constraining economic development, that environmental damage has now assumed massive proportions, and that such abuse is intensifying. The electorates of the World Bank's industrial shareholding nations began to pressure their representatives. Advocates of the poor, and of people affected by environmentally-bungled development projects, joined forces with environmental NGOs and added to the pressure for environmental reform.The World Bank's positive response led to a series of major institutional, procedural, and policy, reforms, which are provided as examples and suggestions to other financial bodies that need or at least desire to improve their environmental stance. The Bank's environmental policies are outlined, and the most powerful — Environmental Impact Assessment — is treated in detail.Based on this experience, the environmental opportunities available to other financiers are discussed. The case is presented that financiers becoming environmentally prudent in the ways suggested will out-compete their environmentally imprudent colleagues. The latter will go bust or be prosecuted. The paper ends with a rich menu of ideas through prosecution of which environmental responsibility can be sought by financiers.
Iron-manganese nanowires for magnetoresistance

The research presented in this abstract pertains to nanowire-structured magnetic sensors fabricated by pulsed, template electrodeposition relying on giant magnetoresistance (GMR). System fabrication involves electrodepositing metals with a DC-biased square wave from a solution of iron-manganese solution into the porous aluminum oxide surface of an aluminum sheet. The chemical make-up of the resulting 20nm diameter, 500nm length nanowires was 6 at% manganese and 45 at% iron, which is desirable because the ferromagnetic layers (Fe) should be large in comparison with the nonmagnetic layers (Mn). The resulting nanowires exhibited a 73% drop in resistance when exposed to an external magnetic field.
Memorizing all significant foldings of a random RNA chain

We implement a synchronous parallel neural network associating a two-state unit to each pair of bases in a random RNA chain in such a way that a Watson-Crick base-pair corresponds to an activated unit and the phase space flow realizes the search in the conformation space for the RNA chain. Accordingly, all significant secondary structures are associated to metastable or stable neural patterns and exploration of conformation space emerges as a collective property of a neural-like system made up of equivalent components. The synaptic tensor is constructed taking into account the cooperativity principles of secondary structure formation, incorporating nucleation effects for initiation of intra-chain duplex formation and stacking of base pairs. This tensor is readily reducible to Moore-Penrose normal form since al metastable patterns become stable and orthogonal in the T = 0 limit. The dynamics of the exploration of metastable patterns by the network are shown to follow a random energy model in accord with the already-established uncorrelated energy landscape for random RNA foldings.
Spectral moment sum rules for strongly correlated electrons in time-dependent electric fields

We derive exact operator average expressions for the first two spectral moments of nonequilibrium Green's functions for the Falicov-Kimball model and the Hubbard model in the presence of a spatially uniform, time-dependent electric field. The moments are similar to the well-known moments in equilibrium, but we extend those results to systems in arbitrary time-dependent electric fields. Moment sum rules can be employed to estimate the accuracy of numerical calculations; we compare our theoretical results to numerical calculations for the nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory solution of the Falicov-Kimball model at half-filling.
Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Composition and the Metabolic Syndrome: A National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute GOLDN Study

Background: Different fatty acids may vary in their effect on the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We tested whether fatty acid classes measured in erythrocytes are associated with the MetS or its components. Methods: Included were men [n = 497; mean (SD) age, 49 (16) years] and women [n = 539; age, 48 (16) years] from 187 families in a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) family study of the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) conducted in Utah and Minnesota. We used gas chromatography to measure erythrocyte fatty acids and obtained data on potential confounding variables from interviewer-administered questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of the MetS as defined by the updated Adult Treatment Panel III criteria was 36.8% in Utah and 39.6% in Minnesota ( P >0.05). In a multivariate model that included 4 fatty acid classes, covariates, and pedigree as a random effect, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for the MetS in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartile of polyunsaturated fatty acids were 1.00, 0.72 (0.47–1.10), 0.67 (0.43–1.05), and 0.39 (0.24–0.64), respectively ( P for trend = 0.0002). For the corresponding quartiles of saturated fatty acids, the odds ratios were 1.00, 1.19 (0.77–1.84), 1.48 (0.94–2.34), and 1.63 (1.01–2.63), respectively ( P for trend = 0.03). Unlike n6 fatty acids, which showed an inverse association ( P 0.05). We observed significant correlations ( P <0.05) between fatty acid classes, insulin, and components of the MetS. Conclusions: Polyunsaturated fats are inversely associated with the MetS, whereas saturated fatty acids are positively associated with the MetS, probably through their effect on lipids, adiposity, insulin, and blood pressure.
Dietary n-3 LCPUFA from fish oil but not α-linolenic acid-derived LCPUFA confers atheroprotection in mice

The atheroprotective potential of n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA) has not yet been fully determined, even in murine models of atherosclerosis. We tested whether ALA-derived, n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) could offer atheroprotection in a dose-dependent manner. Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)100/100LDLr−/− mice were fed with diets containing two levels of ALA from flaxseed oil for 16 weeks. Fish oil- and cis-monounsaturated-fat-enriched diets were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The mice fed cis-monounsaturated fat and ALA-enriched diets exhibited equivalent plasma total cholesterol (TPC) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) levels; only mice fed the fish-oil diet had lower TPC and LDL-c concentrations. Plasma LDL-CE fatty acid composition analysis showed that ALA-enriched diets lowered the percentage of atherogenic cholesteryl oleate compared with cis-monounsaturated-fat diet (44% versus 55.6%) but not as efficiently as the fish-oil diet (32.4%). Although both ALA and fish-oil diets equally enriched hepatic phospholipids with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and ALA-enriched diets lowered hepatic cholesteryl ester (CE) levels compared with cis-monounsaturated-fat diet, only fish oil strongly protected from atherosclerosis. These outcomes indicate that dietary n-3 LCPUFA from fish oil and n-3 LCPUFA (mostly EPA) synthesized endogenously from ALA were not equally atheroprotective in these mice.
Optimum data base reorganization points

In certain data base organization schemes the cost per access may increase due to structural inefficiencies caused by update. By reorganizing the data base the cost per access may be reduced. However, the high cost of a reorganization prohibits frequent reorganizations. This paper examines strategies for selecting the optimum reorganization points.
Application of a comprehensive dynamic cutting force model to orthogonal wave-generating processes

Abstract The dynamics of a cutting process are very complex in nature. They involve not only the changes of plastic state in the intensive shear zone of the chip formation process but also the elastic behaviour of work material surrounding the plastic deformation zone, especially in the vicinity of the tool nose region. As an extension to the previous developments in formulating the shear angle oscillation in dynamic cutting (D. W. Wu, Development of dynamic shear angle model for wave-generating processes based on work-hardening slip-line field theory. Int. J. Mech. Sci. 29, 407–424, 1987; D. W. Wu, Governing equations of the shear angle oscillation in dynamic orthogonal cutting. Trans. ASME J. of Engng for Indust. 108, 280, 1986), a comprehensive dynamic cutting force model has been developed from the mechanics of the cutting process by taking into account the equilibrium of forces in the primary and secondary plastic deformation zones and the redistribution of the contact stress inside the workpiece in the vicinity of the tool nose region. The model has been tested through a computer simulation for orthogonal wave-generating processes. By reference to existing experimental evidence, the theoretical predictions show generally good agreement with the test results.
Angiotensin receptors contribute to blood pressure homeostasis in salt-depleted SHR

This study evaluated the contribution of angiotensin peptides acting at various receptor subtypes to the arterial pressure and heart rate of adult 9-wk-old male conscious salt-depleted spontaneousl...