cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a measure of food choice values

Food choice values (FCVs) are factors that individuals consider when deciding which foods to purchase and/or consume. Given the potentially important implications for health, it is critical for researchers to have access to a validated measure of FCV. Though there is an existing measure of FCV, this measure was developed 20 years ago and recent research suggests additional FCVs exist that are not included in this measure. A series of four studies was conducted to develop a new expanded measure of FCV. An eight-factor model of FCV was supported and confirmed. In aggregate, results from the four studies indicate that the measure is content valid, and has internally consistent scales that also demonstrated acceptable temporal stability and convergent validity. In addition, the eight scales of the measures were independent of social desirability, met criteria for measurement invariance across income groups, and predicted dietary intake. The development of this new measure of FCV may be useful for researchers examining FCVs (FCVs) in the future, as well as for use in intervention and prevention efforts targeting dietary choices.
Directed Mutagenesis of a Sindbis Virus Pathogenesis Site

The E2 glycoprotein gene of Sindbis virus contains three neutralizing antigenic sites, and examination of monoclonal antibody (MAb) escape mutants of one of these, the E2c site, has suggested an association of the E2c domain with determinants of virulence in neonatal mice. Codons associated with the E2c site, E2 62, 96, and 159, were subjected to site-directed mutagenesis generating a library of 25 viable virus mutants containing different amino acids at these loci. The mutants were assessed for their ability to bind E2a, E2b, and E2c MAbs in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, to induce fatal disease in neonatal mice following subcutaneous or intracranial inoculation and to compete with wild-type virus for binding to unfractionated neonatal mouse brain cells. None of the substitutions affected binding of E2a or E2b MAbs, and decreased binding to E2c MAbs was correlated with decreased virulence in neonatal mice. However, correlation of decreased virulence and binding to E2c MAbs with decreased competition for wild-type virus binding to mouse brain cells was not observed. The effect of mutation on E2c binding and virulence varied widely depending on the locus and the specific substitution, suggesting strategies for the molecular design of live virus vaccines which select both locus and codon to maximize attenuation and minimize the potential for reversion to virulence.
Carbon Monoxide, Reactive Oxygen Signaling, and Oxidative Stress

The ubiquitous gas, carbon monoxide (CO), is of substantial biological importance, but apart from its affinity for reduced transition metals, particularly heme-iron, it is surprisingly nonreactive-as is the ferrous-carbonyl-in living systems. CO does form strong complexes with heme proteins for which molecular O2 is the preferred ligand and to which are attributed diverse physiological, adaptive, and toxic effects. Lately, it has become apparent that both exogenous and endogenous CO produced by heme oxygenase engender a prooxidant milieu in aerobic mammalian cells which initiates signaling related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. ROS signaling contingent on CO can be segregated by CO concentration-time effects on cellular function, by the location of heme proteins, e.g., mitochondrial or nonmitochondrial sites, or by specific oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions. The fundamental responses to CO involve overt physiological regulatory events, such as activation of redox-sensitive transcription factors or stress-activated kinases, which institute compensatory expression of antioxidant enzymes and other adaptations to oxidative stress. In contrast, responses originating from highly elevated or protracted CO exposures tend to be nonspecific, produce untoward biological oxidations, and interfere with homeostasis. This brief overview provides a conceptual framework for understanding CO biology in terms of this physiological-pathological hierarchy.
Effort-Based Reward (EBR) training enhances neurobiological efficiency in a problem-solving task: Insights for depression therapies

Effort-Based Reward (EBR) training strengthens associations between effort and rewards, leading to increased persistence in an unsolvable task when compared to control animals. EBR training involves placing animals in a test apparatus in which they are trained to dig in mounds to retrieve froot loop rewards (contingent group); these animals are compared to control animals that are given the same number of rewards, regardless of expended effort (noncontingent group). In the current study, the effect of EBR training on performance in a spatial task (Dry Land Maze) was explored to determine cognitive resilience during behavioral testing. Additionally, animals received BrdU injections during training to assess the role of neurogenesis on subsequent behavioral performance. Following the probe test, animals were perfused so that fos-immunoreactive (ir) cells in the hippocampus and cortical areas could be assessed. Behavioral results indicated that contingent rats were approximately 50% more efficient in locating and interacting with the previous baited well during the probe test than noncontingent animals, recruiting approximately 20% less c-fos ir-cells in the insular cortex, retrosplenial cortex, and dentate gyrus. A multidimensional scaling analysis grouped noncontingent animals together in a quadrant characterized by high latencies to find the previous baited well and higher ir-cell activation in the aforementioned areas. Thus, our data support the hypothesis that the EBR training enhances both cognitive functioning and emotional regulation during challenging events. Considering the ongoing controversy about the efficacy of pharmacological interventions in treating depression, the EBR model provides a valuable alternative for the investigation of the neurobiology of mood disorders.
A Review of Pagurixus (Decapoda, Anomura, Paguridae) and Descriptions of New Species

[Eine Uberarbeitung der Arten, die in die Untergattung Pagurixus gestellt werden, hat gezeigt, das sie eine homogene Gruppe bilden, die klar von anderen Arten der Gattung Pagurus abgegrenzt werden kann. Pagurixus wird deshalb in den Rang einer Gattung erhoben, und es werden zwei neue Arten beschrieben. Charakteristisches Kennzeichen der Gattung ist im mannlichen Geschlecht das Vorhandensein eines Buschels mediad gerichteter steifer Borsten, unter denen sich der rechte Gonoporus verbirgt. Die Vorwolbung des Sternits der 5. Pereiopoden in zwei eiahnliche Gebilde und das Vorhandensein nur einer Schuppenreihe auf der Reibeflache der 4. Pereiopoden sind zusatzliche Kennzeichen, die das Erkennen von Arten dieser Gattung erleichtern. Wesentliche Geschlechtsunterschiede bestehen in der Form und Bewehrung des rechten Chelipeden. Bei den Weibchen gibt es intra- und/oder interspezifische Variabilitat hinsichtlich der Zahl der Gonoporen., Eine Uberarbeitung der Arten, die in die Untergattung Pagurixus gestellt werden, hat gezeigt, das sie eine homogene Gruppe bilden, die klar von anderen Arten der Gattung Pagurus abgegrenzt werden kann. Pagurixus wird deshalb in den Rang einer Gattung erhoben, und es werden zwei neue Arten beschrieben. Charakteristisches Kennzeichen der Gattung ist im mannlichen Geschlecht das Vorhandensein eines Buschels mediad gerichteter steifer Borsten, unter denen sich der rechte Gonoporus verbirgt. Die Vorwolbung des Sternits der 5. Pereiopoden in zwei eiahnliche Gebilde und das Vorhandensein nur einer Schuppenreihe auf der Reibeflache der 4. Pereiopoden sind zusatzliche Kennzeichen, die das Erkennen von Arten dieser Gattung erleichtern. Wesentliche Geschlechtsunterschiede bestehen in der Form und Bewehrung des rechten Chelipeden. Bei den Weibchen gibt es intra- und/oder interspezifische Variabilitat hinsichtlich der Zahl der Gonoporen.]
Reply to I Shiue

Dear Sir: We appreciate Shiue's insightful comments and question about the possibility of an association between consumption of a Mediterranean-style diet (MEDI) and hemorrhagic stroke in our multiethnic population-based cohort, the Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) (1). We agree that more studies are needed to compare the relative associations of a MEDI across stroke subtypes to inform public health messages. Currently in NOMAS, we do not have sufficient statistical power to examine the association between a MEDI and hemorrhagic stroke after other vascular risk factors are controlled for, because we have only 26 confirmed hemorrhagic strokes in the available sample. However, to address Shiue's question, we conducted an exploratory analysis and observed an inverse trend between adherence to a MEDI and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, but the association was not significant. As previously described, consumption of a MEDI was evaluated on a 10-point scale (score of 0–9), with a greater score indicating consumption of a diet more reflective of a MEDI. We observed that for every 1-point increase in the MEDI score, the HR of hemorrhagic stroke over a mean of 10 y of follow-up was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.67, 1.08; P = 0.19). Therefore, the effect of a MEDI on hemorrhagic stroke risk was more protective than that for ischemic stroke, although neither was statistically significant. We will revisit this examination in the future when there is enough power for a rigorous multivariate-adjusted analysis, and we agree with Shiue that this question should be addressed in other large population-based cohort studies.
Sapling biomass allocation and growth in the understory of a deciduous hardwood forest.

Above- and belowground tissues of co-occurring saplings (0.1‐1 m height) of Acer saccharum Marsh. (very shade tolerant), Acer rubrum L. (shade tolerant), Fraxinus americana L. (intermediate shade tolerant), and Prunus serotina Ehrh. (shade intolerant) were harvested from a forest understory to test the hypothesis that the pattern of biomass allocation varied predictably with shade-tolerance rank. The placement and length of branches along the main axis were consistent with the formation of a monolayer of foliage for the tolerant and intermediate species. Other morphological characteristics did not vary predictably with shade-tolerance rank. The maintenance of high specific leaf area (SLA; leaf area/leaf mass) and leaf area ratio (LAR; leaf area/sapling mass) is considered important for growth under extreme shade, yet these traits were not clearly related to the shade-tolerance rank of these species. Fraxinus americana, an intermediate species, had the highest LAR and growth rate in the understory, and with the exception of P. serotina, the very shade-tolerant A. saccharum had the lowest LAR. Prunus serotina maintained a large starch-rich tap root and shoot dieback was common, yielding the largest root/shoot ratio for these species. The observed allocation patterns were not similar to the long-standing expectation for the phenotypic response of juvenile trees to shade, but were consistent with three hypothetical ‘‘growth strategies’’ in the understory: (1) the low SLA and LAR of A. saccharum may provide a measure of defense against herbivores and pathogens and thus promote persistence in the understory, (2) the high SLA for F. americana and high LAR for F. americana and A. rubrum may enable these species to achieve high growth rates in shade, and (3) the large carbohydrate stores of P. serotina may poise this species for opportunistic growth following disturbance. The relative importance of resistance to herbivores and pathogens vs. the maintenance of high growth rates may be important in evaluating the patterns of biomass allocation in the understory.
The aldehyde dehydrogenase gene superfamily resource center.

The website http://www.aldh.org is a publicly available database for nomenclature and functional and molecular sequence information for members of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene superfamily for animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. The site has organised gene-specific records. It provides synopses of ALDH gene records, marries trivial terms to correct nomenclature and links global accession identifiers with source data. Server-side alignment software characterises the integrity of each sequence relative to the latest genomic assembly and provides identifier-specific detail reports, including a graphical presentation of the transcript's exon - intron structure, its size, coding sequence, genomic strand and locus. Also included are a summary of substrates, inhibitors and enzyme kinetics. The site provides reference lists and is designed to facilitate data mining by interested investigators.
STUDIES UPON MINUTE HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI : I. THE ISOLATION AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MINUTE BETA HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI.

The cultural and biochemical characteristics of a group of minute hitherto undescribed beta hemolytic streptococci from human sources have been recorded and upon the basis of these cultural reactions it is suggested that these organisms may represent new species of the genus streptococcus.
UAS for In Situ Sensing of an Atmospheric Airmass Boundary

An experiment to penetrate and sample an atmospheric outflow boundary over the Pawnee Grasslands in northeastern Colorado is proposed. This experiment will employ a small UAS with in situ sampling and communication systems developed for mobile ad-hoc network and sensor data collection experiments. The UAS will be coupled with two Doppler weather radars for coordinated remote and in situ sampling. The Doppler radar data will be integrated into the UAS Ground Station for command and control to direct the UA to the target feature. In addition to the valuable scientific data that will be obtained during the sampling mission, this is the first in a series of missions to validate the deployment and tracking necessary to penetrate severe storms, a goal of the Cooperative Mobile Sensing Systems Initiative of the Research and Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles
Osmoregulation in Blaberus craniifer after parenteral injections of NaCl solutions

As indicated by Stobbart & Shaw (1974) the capability of terrestrial insects to regulate the osmotic concentration of their hemolymph is a subject which has received very little investigation. In the reported studies, the investigative approaches generally involved the determination of hemolymph osmotic pressure under the conditions of total water deprivation or the ingestion of saline solutions, which were hypertonic to the hemolymph. Little change in osmotic pressure was observed after 24 hr of dehydration in the locust C~o~ro~ceres ~e~~~~~e~u (Djajakusumah & Miles, 1966) or after 9 days in the cockroach Periplaneta americana (Wall, 1970), but hemolymph volume decreased in both species. Upon rehydration after a period of dehydration, hemolymph volume increased rapidly, but there was only a slight decrease in osmolality (Wall, 1970). When locusts (~c~is~ocerc~ gregur~u) were given hyperosmotic saline to drink instead of tap water, the hemolymph volume decreased and the osmotic pressure increased (Stobbart, 1968). Although a normal hemolymph osmotic concentration was maintained, when cockroaches (Periplaneta americanu) were given only physiological saline (400mOsm) to drink for 7 days, drinking a hypertonic saline solution of 7~mOsm caused an increased hemolymph osmotic pressure and an increased blood volume (Heit et af., 1973). The possible relationship of hemolymph osmotic concentration and spontaneous drinking has been studied in only two species of insects. Spontaneous drinking in the blowfly ~~c~~~u cupri~u is triggered primarily by increased hemolymph Cl- concentration, produced either by the injection of salt solu
In Vitro Effects of Luteinizing Hormone on Induced Atretic Graafian Follicles in the Hamster

A synchronous population of atretic follicles was produced in hypophysectomized hamsters on the day of ovulation (Day 1) by injecting them immediately s.c. with pregnant mare's serum (PMS) followed by an i.p. injection of PMS-antiserum at 0900 h on Day 4. At various times thereafter isolated follicles were exposed in vitro to different doses of ovine luteinizing hormone (LH) (0 to 200 ng) and incubated for 1 h. Cyclic AMP (cAMP), estradiol (E2), testosterone equivalent (T), 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH-P) and progesterone (P) were then measured. At 0900 h of Day 4, nonatretic follicles (not injected with PMS-antiserum) showed the highest level of cAMP, P and 17-OH-P in response to stimulation by 7 and 200 ng of LH. E2 and T were lowest in the groups incubated with no LH or with 200 ng/ml of LH and highest when stimulated by 7 ng. Atretic follicles showed a graded response to LH depending on the degree of atresia. By 12 h following injection of anti-PMS, none of the doses of LH produced significant increases in E2 or T; however, 200 ng of LH stimulated significant increases in P (1 ng increase) and 17-OH-P (564 pg increase) and increased cAMP above control levels (7.3 +/- 1.6 pmol vs. 2.6 +/- 0.2 pmol, respectively). By 24 h, with 200 ng LH, follicular 17-OH-P declined to control levels present at Time zero, followed by a fall in P at 48 h and cAMP at 72 h. Cyclic AMP and steroid levels were directly influenced by the dose of LH and the degree of atresia (P less than 0.0001). These studies indicate that with this model atretic follicles rapidly lose their ability to synthesize E2 and T while production of 17-OH-P, P and cAMP declines more slowly as atresia advances. Based on previous studies of others we postulate that the early breakdown of the granulosa may cause the initial drop in E2 and T while the theca continues to produce 17-OH-P, P and cAMP until more advanced stages of atresia.
Mechanical Analysis of the Acute Effects of a Heavy Resistance Exercise Warm-Up on Agility Performance in Court-Sport Athletes

The purpose of this study was to determine the acute effects of heavy resistance exercise on agility performance in court-sport athletes. Five men (age: 20.6 ± 1.9 years; body mass: 79.36 ± 11.74 kg; body height: 1.93 ± 0.09 m) and five women (age 21.2 ± 2.7 years; body mass: 65.8 ± 10.18 kg; body height 1.77 ± 0.08 m) volunteered to participate in the present study. All subjects were NCAA Division II athletes who currently participated in tennis or basketball and all had previous resistance training experience of at least one year. In a counterbalanced design, agility performance during a 10 m shuttle test was assessed following either a dynamic warm-up (DW) or heavy resistance warm-up (HRW) protocol. The HRW protocol consisted of three sets of squats at 50, 60, and 90% of 1-RM. Agility performance was captured using an eight camera motion analysis system and the mechanical variables of stride length, stride frequency, stance time, flight time, average ground reaction force, as well as agility time were recorded. No significant differences were reported for the HRW and DW protocols for any of the mechanical variables (p>0.05), although there was a trend towards the HRW protocol producing faster agility times compared to the control protocol (p = 0.074). Based on the trend towards a significant effect, as well as individual results it is possible that HRW protocols could be used as an acute method to improve agility performance in some court-sport athletes.
Generalized PEEC models for three-dimensional interconnect structures and integrated passives of arbitrary shapes

This paper presents the generalization of the Partial Element Equivalent Circuit method that facilitates its application to the modeling of structures of arbitrary shapes. This is achieved through the development of partial element equivalent circuit models using triangular cells and prisms as the fundamental building blocks for modeling conductor surfaces and conductor/dielectric volumes. The new Partial Element Equivalent Circuit models are demonstrated through their application to the quantification of electromagnetic coupling in crossing wires.
Safety of aerosolized liposomal versus deoxycholate amphotericin B formulations for prevention of invasive fungal infections following lung transplantation: a retrospective study

: Background. Nebulized amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmBd) has been used to prevent invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after lung transplantation. Methods. In this retrospective study we compared the safety and tolerability of nebulized AmBd and nebulized liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) in 38 consecutive lung transplant recipients. Progress notes, medication administration records, microbiology, and pulmonary function reports were reviewed. Histologic sections from lung tissue were examined. Plasma amphotericin B levels were measured. Results. A total of 1206 doses of AmBd and 1149 doses of L-AmB were administered. Eighteen patients received AmBd only, 11 received L-AmB only, and 9 received the medications sequentially. The total number of complaints vs. the number of doses administered was 1.0% for AmBd-treated patients and 1.2% for L-AmB-treated patients. No differences were observed between the treatment groups on lung biopsy specimens. Plasma amphotericin B levels were <0.2–0.9 μg/mL in AmBd-treated patients and <0.2 μg/mL in L-AmB-treated patients. Conclusions. In lung transplant recipients, both inhaled AmBd and L-AmB were safe and well tolerated over a large number of medication exposures.
Food deprivation alters thermoregulatory responses to lipopolysaccharide by enhancing cryogenic inflammatory signaling via prostaglandin D2

We tested the hypothesis that food deprivation alters body temperature (Tb) responses to bacterial LPS by enhancing inflammatory signaling that decreases Tb (cryogenic signaling) rather than by suppressing inflammatory signaling that increases Tb (febrigenic signaling). Free-feeding or food-deprived (24 h) rats received LPS at doses (500 and 2,500 μg/kg iv) that are high enough to activate both febrigenic and cryogenic signaling. At these doses, LPS caused fever in rats at an ambient temperature of 30°C, but produced hypothermia at an ambient temperature of 22°C. Whereas food deprivation had little effect on LPS fever, it enhanced LPS hypothermia, an effect that was particularly pronounced in rats injected with the higher LPS dose. Enhancement of hypothermia was not due to thermogenic incapacity, since food-deprived rats were fully capable of raising Tb in response to the thermogenic drug CL316,243 (1 mg/kg iv). Neither was enhancement of hypothermia associated with altered plasma levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) or with reduced levels of an anti-inflammatory hormone (corticosterone). The levels of PGD2 and PGE2 during LPS hypothermia were augmented by food deprivation, although the ratio between them remained unchanged. Food deprivation, however, selectively enhanced the responsiveness of rats to the cryogenic action of PGD2 (100 ng icv) without altering the responsiveness to febrigenic PGE2 (100 ng icv). These findings support our hypothesis and indicate that cryogenic signaling via PGD2 underlies enhancement of LPS hypothermia by food deprivation.
Beyond Allegiance to Comparative Outcome Studies

Findings of investigator allegiance bias underscore the limited scientific value of comparative outcome designs, especially those that compare broad therapy approaches or treatment packages. Luborsky et al.'s contribution will be diminished, however, if it leads researchers to search for common factors at the expense of studying how and for whom specific treatments work.
Sketches with curvature: the curve indicator random field and Markov processes

While complaints about typical edge operators are common, proposals articulating a notion of the "perfect" edge map are comparatively rare, hindering the improvement of contour enhancement techniques. To address this situation, we suggest that one objective of visual contour computation is the estimation of a clean sketch from a corrupted rendition, the latter modeling noisy and low contrast edge or line operator responses to an image. Our formal model of this clean sketch is the curve indicator random field (CIRF), whose role is to provide a basis for defining edge likelihood models by eliminating the parameter along each curve to create an image of curves. For curves modeled with stationary Markov processes, this ideal edge prior is non-Gaussian and its moment generating functional has a form closely related to the Feynman-Kac formula. This sketch model leads to a nonlinear, minimum mean squared error contour enhancement filter that requires the solution of two elliptic partial differential equations. The framework is also independent of the order of the contour model, allowing us to introduce a Markov process model for contour curvature. We analyze the distribution of such curves and show that its mode is the Euler spiral, a curve minimizing changes in curvature. Example computations using the contour enhancement filter with the curvature-based contour model are provided, highlighting how the filter is curvature-selective even when curvature is absent in the input.
Host specificity and reproductive success of yucca moths (Tegeticula spp. Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae) mirror patterns of gene flow between host plant varieties of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia: Agavaceae)

Coevolution between flowering plants and their pollinators is thought to have generated much of the diversity of life on Earth, but the population processes that may have produced these macroevolutionary patterns remain unclear. Mathematical models of coevolution in obligate pollination mutualisms suggest that phenotype matching between plants and their pollinators can generate reproductive isolation. Here, we test this hypothesis using a natural experiment that examines the role of natural selection on phenotype matching between yuccas and yucca moths (Tegeticula spp.) in mediating reproductive isolation between two varieties of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia var. brevifolia and Y. brevifolia var. jaegeriana). Using passive monitoring techniques, DNA barcoding, microsatellite DNA genotyping, and sibship reconstruction, we track host specificity and the fitness consequences of host choice in a zone of sympatry. We show that the two moth species differ in their degree of host specificity and that oviposition on a foreign host plant results in the production of fewer offspring. This difference in host specificity between the two moth species mirrors patterns of chloroplast introgression from west to east between host varieties, suggesting that natural selection acting on pollinator phenotypes mediates gene flow and reproductive isolation between Joshua-tree varieties.
Low false alarm target detection and tracking within strong clutters in outdoor infrared videos

Reliable target detection and tracking within strong clutters in outdoor infrared video sequences present great challenges. This is caused by several artificial and natural conditions, such as luminance change resulted from automatic gain adjustment in the IR camera, and other extreme granularity and uncontrolled environmental factors. In some important applications, the targets of interest include vehicles in motion and people in transit. We propose a new integrated solution to address all these issues. The system is composed of the following com- ponents: a region masking algorithm to divide a video frame into reliable and unreliable regions, a novel motion pattern recognition module, and an automatic walking-person recognition module. Such a comprehensive technique makes it possible for real-world outdoor infrared surveillance applications, where environmental interferences are uncontrolled and target motion are complex. Extensive experiments were carried out on real-world outdoor infrared videos provided by General Dynamics. In all tested sequences, the proposed algorithm had successfully detected and tracked the targets consistently throughout the life cycle of the tar- gets, even when some targets were seriously blurred or occluded. Our results show that the proposed algorithm is practical, robust, and reliable for low-quality outdoor infrared videos. © 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instru-
Kinetics modeling and occupancy studies of a novel C-11 PET tracer for VAChT in nonhuman primates

Abstract Introduction Deficits in cholinergic function have been found in the aged brain and in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) is a reliable biomarker for the cholinergic system. We previously reported the initial in vitro and ex vivo characterization of (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 as a VAChT specific ligand. Here, we report the in vivo specificity, tracer kinetics, and dose-occupancy studies in the nonhuman primate brain. Methods MicroPET brain imaging of (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 was performed under baseline conditions in two male macaques. Tracer kinetic modeling was carried out using a two-tissue compartment model (2TCM) and Logan plot with arterial blood input function and using a simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) and Logan plot (LoganREF) without blood input. Specificity for VAChT was demonstrated by pretreatment with (+)-pentazocine, (−)-vesamicol, or S -(−)-eticlopride. Target occupancy (Occ) was calculated following pretreatment with escalating doses of (−)-vesamicol. Results Baseline PET imaging revealed selective retention in the striatum with rapid clearance from the cerebellar hemispheres as a reference region. Total volume of distribution (V T ) values derived from both 2TCM and Logan analysis with blood input revealed ~ 3-fold higher levels of (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 in the striatum than the cerebellar hemispheres. Injection of (−)-vesamicol either as a blocking or displacing agent significantly reduced striatal uptake of (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 . In contrast, pretreatment with the sigma-1 ligand (+)-pentazocine had no impact. Pretreatment with the S -(−)-eticlopride, a dopamine D 2 –like receptor antagonist, increased striatal uptake of (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 . Striatal binding potential (BP ND, range of 0.33–1.6 with cerebellar hemispheres as the reference region) showed good correlation (r 2 = 0.97) between SRTM and LoganREF. Occupancy studies found that ~ 0.0057 mg/kg of (−)-vesamicol produced 50% VAChT occupancy in the striatum. Conclusion (−)-[ 11 C] TZ659 demonstrated specific and reversible VAChT binding and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for assessing the density of VAChT in the living brain.
The role of test in total quality management

The quality of a delivered product or system is ultimately limited by the quality of its design and manufacturing process. Defects that escape the design, manufacturing, and test processes are delivered to customers. Process Potential Index (Cp) and Process Capability Index (Cpk) are now widely used to express design and manufacturing quality. Design quality may be estimated from product models, if they exist, or measured using parametric test data. The difficulty in using test data is not so much in the calculations, but in the recording, storing, and selection of the data to be used in the calculations, This paper defines the metrics of quality estimation and describes an implementation of a system for estimating defect levels and process capabilities. The implementation includes the definition of a standardized parametric data exchange language for test data and an analytical system to standardize product quality measurement. >
Salzburg v. Dowd: Another Look

This short article discusses the settlement of a case involving the attempted termination of a tax-deductible perpetual conservation easement. The settlement was a victory for the Wyoming Attorney General, who challenged a local county’s improper transfer of the easement to new owners of the land for the purpose of terminating the easement.
Massachusetts Zappers - Collecting the Sales Tax that Has Already Been Paid

No other New England state is as vulnerable to Zappers as is the State of Massachusetts. Zappers and related software programming, Phantom-ware, facilitate an old tax fraud – skimming cash receipts. In this instance skimming is performed with modern electronic cash registers (ECRs). Zappers are a global revenue problem, but to the best of this author’s knowledge they have not been uncovered in Massachusetts. A global perspective says: it is highly unlikely that Zappers are not in the Commonwealth – we just need to find them. In fact, using a Quebec template, tax losses from Zappers and related frauds in the Massachusetts restaurant industry alone could exceed $600 million. Thus, if Massachusetts is indeed in need of revenue it might do well to looks for Zappers and Phantom-ware installed in the ECRs of retail establishments that have a high volume of cash sales. Given the recent attempt to increase in the sales tax by 25% to 6.25%, an effort that is supposed to raise $600 million in new taxes, it might be appropriate to consider looking for the software add-on programs that are taking the same amount of “old taxes” from the public fisc. There should be the political will to this. Governor Deval L. Patrick conceded that there is a need to raise additional revenue when he promised to veto the tax increase on April 27, 2009. The legislature agreed with the Governor (at least on this point) when it passed the rate increase by veto-proof margins. It is also likely that the citizens of the State are in accord. At least with respect to the sales tax, what we are essentially taking about is recovering the taxes that the citizens have already paid. This should be preferable to paying more taxes. Zappers are a documented problem in Quebec, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Austria, France, the UK and the US. This is the reason that representatives of the German, Quebec and Dutch revenue authorities will be sharing both their technology solutions and their auditing techniques with other government officials at the Federation of Tax Administrators Annual Conference in Denver Colorado, June 2, 2009.
Nonessential amino acid metabolism in breast cancer

Interest in studying cancer metabolism has risen in recent years, as it has become evident that the relationship between cancer and metabolic pathways could reveal novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Metabolic starvation therapy is particularly promising due to its low toxicity. Nonessential amino acids are promising metabolites for such therapy because they become essential in many tumor cells, including breast cancer cells. This review will focus on four nonessential amino acid metabolism pathways: glutamine-glutamate, serine-glycine, cysteine, and arginine-proline metabolism. Recent studies of these amino acids have revealed metabolic enzymes that have the potential to be effective as cancer therapy targets or biomarkers for response to metabolic starvation therapy. The review will also discuss features of nonessential amino acid metabolism that merit further investigation to determine their relevancy to breast cancer treatment.
An Exploration of Leadership Styles and Motivation in Egyptian Business Organizations

Transformational leadership is often lauded as an ideal approach to addressing the demands of the complex global business environment. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to understand the nature of employee motivation with regard to leadership styles and the role of transformational leadership in Egyptian business organizations. Seventeen Egyptian professionals were interviewed regarding their experiences with organizational leaders; their perceptions of the ideal organizational leader; their feelings about the tenets of transformational leadership; and how leadership styles influence their job performance, satisfaction, and the achievement of their career-related goals. This study yielded not only information that can make it easier to lead and motivate employees in Egyptian business organizations, but also led to the development of a theory for the ideal leadership style for Egyptian employees.
A Comprehensive Real-World Distillation Experiment.

Most undergraduate mass-transfer and separation courses cover the design of distillation columns, and many undergraduate laboratories have distillation experiments. In many cases, the treatment is restricted to simple column configurations and simplifying assumptions are made so as to convey only the basic concepts. In industry, the analysis of a real operating distillation column is a very important issue in terms of improving performance (maximizing capacity, minimizing energy consumption, etc.). Few of the simplifying assumptions apply, and a rigorous analysis is required to achieve accurate results. This paper discusses a distillation experiment that brings out many important practical aspects of using operating data from a typically complex distillation process to assess performance. The complexities include an economizer (feed preheated by overhead vapor), non-optimum feed tray location, inefficient trays, subcooled reflux and subcooled feed. Experimental results are compared to the predictions of computer simulations. Both total reflux operation and normal operation with feed and product streams are explored. One of the most important concepts derived from the experiment is how to startup the process.
Substitutes for Leadership: Test of a Construct

The study reported here examined the impact of leadership substitutes on subordinate job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Leadership substitutes, as suggested by Kerr (1977), replace or "act in the place of" a specific leader behavior. Multiple regression was used to test the validity and strength of potential substitutes. Results indicated mixed support for the substitutes construct.
Alkene substituents for selective activation of endo-regioselective polyepoxide oxacyclizations.

The presence of an alkenyl substituent on the terminal epoxide of a polyepoxide substrate enhances the yield of all-endo-regioselective tandem oxacyclization to trans-syn-trans-fused polycyclic ethers. For a substrate in which the epoxide and alkene functional groups are separated by two methylene substituents, a novel bromonium ion-induced endo-regioselective cyclization to bromooxepane is also described.
Characteristics of the airway reactivity of children with cough variant asthma

Objective To investigate the characteristics of the airway reactivity of children with variant cough asthma(CVA).Methods Lung function and airway reactivity of 38 cases of CVA,42 cases of classic asthma(CA)and 30 healthy children were tested using an Astograph.Results Neither the CVA group nor the CA group had significant differences in respiratory resistance nor control value of the respiratory conductance compared with the control group.Other parameters reflecting the airway reactivity and sensitivity such as the minimum dose of methacholine,linear slope of the respiratory conductance decreased and the 35% drop in specific airways conductance in both of the CVA and the CA groups were significantly lower than those in the control group(P 0.05).Conclusions The CVA and CA children had higher airway reactivity and sensitivity than the control,and bronchial hyperresponsiveness existed in these conditions.So measurement of airway reactivity can be an important and useful method in the differential diagnosis of chronic cough.
Manifolds and Exterior Differential Forms

Our discussion of differential forms is spread over the next four chapters. The fundamentals of the algebraic theory and theory of integration of differential forms form the substance of Chapter 6. This material is a necessary expansion of the introductory material in James (1954). Chapter 7 is concerned with explicit derivation of differential forms for invariant measures on various manifolds. Although somewhat premature, in case the manifold is a locally compact metric matrix group, the basic idea has already been discussed in Chapter 3, Section 3.6. We discuss several manifolds, the Stiefel and Grassman manifolds, which are not groups, in Chapter 7. These examples require some long detailed calculations and this material has been segregated into a separate chapter. The fact that differential forms are so useful in the derivation of density functions is due to the fact that the manifold of n × h matrices naturally decomposes into a topological product of manifolds on which groups of transformations act. The theory of Sections 3.3 and 3.4 suggests that the invariant measures should factor. Since Lebesgue measure is absolutely continuous relative to the invariant measures, Lebesgue measure also factors. Chapter 8 discusses the well-known methods of decomposing a n × h matrix. Chapter 9 factors Lebesgue measure over several of these products of manifolds thereby obtaining density functions of several multivariate statistics.
β-Adrenoceptors and Responsiveness in Cardiac Hypertrophy Associated with Renal Hypertension in Renovascular Hypertensive Rats

The possible contribution of changes in cardiac beta-adrenoceptors to alterations in cardiac responses to isoprenaline were investigated in hearts isolated from rats with renovascular hypertension (two-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt), 6, 12 and 18 weeks after renal artery clipping. Cardiac responses were determined in vitro (Langendorff preparation), and ventricular beta-adrenoceptors [( 3H]dihydroalprenolol, [3H]DHA) were then assayed in the same 44 hearts. There was no difference between renovascular hypertensive rats (RHR) and matched normotensive controls as regards chronotropic responses to isoprenaline or in atrial beta-adrenoceptor numbers or apparent affinity. Inotropic responses were significantly lower in all stages of RHR than in matched normotensive controls. There was also a significant (P less than 0.001) decrease in ventricular beta-adrenoceptor density with no significant change in apparent affinity (Kd). Inotropic responsiveness to isoprenaline (max. increment in peak dP/dt) was significantly correlated with ventricular beta-adrenoceptor density (r = 0.54, P = 0.0005). These results suggest that the reduction of ventricular beta-adrenoceptor density in that model of hypertension was responsible, at least partially, for the lowered inotropic responsiveness of the same hearts to isoprenaline.
Nonverbal Expression and Congenital Aphasia

The review of the literature reveals that the classical early publications on aphasias deal essentially with problems of localization. They rarely mention the gesture communication of the aphasic as a diagnostic criteria of their language disturbance. The correlations of language function and the brain are still of interest to researchers (Segalowitz, 1983). Detailed studies deal also with the neural models of language processes (Arbib et al, 1973). The role of the right hemisphere in language disorders is studied by Millar and Whitaker, (1983); Netley and Rovet, (1983); Dennis and Whitaker, (1977); and Gazzaniga, (1970). Naeser et al, (1982), and Damasio et al, (1982), deal with atypical aphasic processes due to subcortical lesions. An analysis of the correlation of the neuropathological substratum and the clinical symptoms of transcortical aphasia is given by Kornyey, (1975).
Flow cytometry of renal oncocytoma: common occurrence of deoxyribonucleic acid polyploidy and aneuploidy.

AbstractFlow cytometry was performed on 51 typical specimens of renal oncocytoma. Nuclei were extracted from paraffin-embedded archival material and isolated nuclei were stained with propidium iodide. Of the 51 available tissue blocks 86 per cent were evaluable and 50 per cent of these samples showed a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) histogram that was approximately the same as normal renal parenchyma. Of the oncocytoma samples 39 per cent showed a marked increase (more than 10 per cent of the nuclei) in the tetraploid DNA peak, while 11 per cent showed a distinct DNA aneuploid peak. Among 21 evaluable grade 2 oncocytic renal tumors 33 per cent showed a normal DNA histogram, 43 per cent showed a marked increase in the DNA tetraploid peak and 24 per cent showed a DNA aneuploid peak. The common presence of polyploid nuclei containing double quantities of chromosomal DNA may correlate with the long-standing pathological observation that oncocytic tumors often contain a distinct population of large nuclei. Indeed...
Population Pressure and Methods of Cultivation: a Critique of Classless Theory

Population pressure has recently emerged as a fashionable explanation both for the shift from semi-nomadic slash and burn agriculture to settled cultivation and for the intensification of already settled cultivation. Thus Boserup (1965) and her followers account for an entire sequence of agricultural transformations through population changes. Others explain the fifteenth-century decline of rents and agricultural prices coupled with the prosperity of laborers and artisans by the decline in population following the Black Death. Or again, a seemingly new orthodoxy, which replaces the Hamilton-Keynes thesis, holds that the Elizabethan inflation resulted not so much from an influx of New World treasure, as from the rapid growth of population in the sixteenth century.
Computers in Teaching and Learning: An Interpretation of Current Practices and Suggestions for Future Directions

Most efforts to describe the use of computers in education focus on isolated categories with little emphasis on how the categories relate. I discuss a conceptual framework for understanding current computer-based learning activities. The framework exploits the concept of “learner control” and orders computer-based learning activities on this dimension. Using this framework, I examine major issues for charting the direction of computer-based learning activities for improving higher-order thinking. Central issues in the assessment of learning are explored.
High Protein Pasta is Not More Satiating than High Fiber Pasta at a Lunch Meal, Nor Does it Decrease Mid-Afternoon Snacking in Healthy Men and Women

This study compared satiety after high protein pasta (16 g protein, 6 g fiber), high fiber pasta (11 g protein, 8 g fiber) or control pasta (11 g protein, 6 g fiber) in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial. Participants were 36 healthy and men and women from the University of Minnesota campus. Fasted men and women ate calorie controlled, but macronutrient different pastas at 12:00 pm along with 500 mL of water. The primary outcome was satiety assessed by Visual Analogue Scales at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min daily after consuming the pastas. Secondary outcomes were calories consumed at an ad libitum snack at 3:00 pm, calories from food intake, gastrointestinal tolerance, and palatability. No differences were found among the pasta treatments for satiety, snacking, or gastrointestinal tolerance. Men ate significantly more calories for the rest of the (P = 0.007) after the high protein pasta versus the high fiber pasta (1701 ± 154 compared with 1083 ± 154) with control pasta being intermediate to the other treatments. No significant differences were found for gastrointestinal tolerance, but the palatability ratings showed the high protein pasta was less tasty (P = 0.03) and less pleasant (P = 0.01) than the other 2 pastas. Satisfaction was positively associated with pleasantness and negatively associated with aftertaste. Our results do not support the idea that high protein or high fiber pasta produces a greater satiety response compared to pasta with lower amounts of either nutrient. It is likely that since pasta is already a very satiating food, the subjects were unable to differentiate between the 3 conditions.