cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caspase-3 protease activation during the process of genistein-induced apoptosis in TM4 testicular cells

The role of caspase-3 (CPP32) protease in the molecular pathways of genistein-induced cell death in TM4 cells was investigated. Fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst-33258-PI nuclear stain was used to distinguish between apoptosis and necrosis pathways of cell death. The viability of the test cells was assessed with both the trypan blue exclusion and MTT tetrazolium (3-[4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetralzolium bromide, 2.5 mg/mL) assays. Caspase-3 enzymatic activity was determined using CasPASE Apoptosis Assay Kit. The overall results from all the data demonstrated that: i) genistein exerts dose- and time-dependent effects on TM4 testis cells; ii) apoptosis is induced by lower concentrations of genistein and necrosis induced by higher concentrations of genistein; iii) genistein induced activation caspase-3 enzymatic activity; iv) genistein-induction of apoptosis and necrosis was significantly inhibited by the caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEV-FMK; v) sodium azide induced necrosis without activation of CPP32 enzymatic activity, and induction of apoptosis; and vi) genistein-induced apoptosis was associated with activation of CPP32 enzymatic activity in the cells. The overall results indicate a strong evidence of caspase-3 (CPP332) mediation in the molecular pathways of genistein-induced apoptosis in testicular cells. Apoptosis is the physiologically programmed cell death in which intrinsic mechanisms participate in the death of the cell, in contrast to necrosis, which induces inflammatory response in the affected cell. The fact that the chemopreventive role of several cancer drugs is due to induction of apoptosis augments the biotherapeutic potential of genistein for the treatment of malignant diseases including prostate and testicular cancers. It is therefore inevitable that identification of the apoptotic pathways and the points at which regulation occurs could be instrumental in the design of genistein biotherapy for such diseases.
The thermal stability of coronal loops - Numerical simulations

The radiative stability of thermally isolated coronal loops with free-flow boundary conditions by nonlinear numerical simulation are studied. A chromosphere-to-corona loop equilibrium (including the option of a deep chromosphere) is first established by following the nonlinear evolution from an initial isothermal state with rigid boundaries. The end conditions are then changed, to allow free flow and to fix the temperature, and investigate the response to nonisobaric perturbations. Within a family of loops of the same pressure, long hot loops to be stable and short cool loops to be unstable to the thermal chromospheric-expansion mode are found. The stable cases remain so, even when long chromospheric ends and/or gravity are added. In those cases which are unstable, the subsequent nonlinear evolution which exhibits swelling of the chromosphere until the entire loop becomes cool and dense are followed.
The fate of 14C-diazinon in compost, compost-amended soil, and uptake by earthworms.

A process for disposing of pesticide rinsates using sorption onto organic matter followed by composting is being evaluated. As a part of this evaluation process, we have studied the bioavailability of composted Δ‐2‐14C‐diazinon and its degradation products to earthworms (Eisenia foetida Savigny) in 30 and 60 d compost amended soil. After 60 d of composting there was considerable degradation of diazinon (95%) and a corresponding increase in the primary hydrolysis product, 2‐isopropyl‐4‐methyl‐6‐hydroxypyrimidine (IMHP) as determined by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Approximately 50% of the radioactivity became incorporated into the non‐extractable fractions associated with composted organic matter with no measurable amounts of 14CO2 produced during the 60‐day composting period. Following addition of the composted materials to soil, diazinon leading to 50% mortality after 14 d of exposure; continued to slowly degrade and become increasingly sorbed/entrapped within the soil‐compost matr...
Lipophorin levels in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, and the effect of feeding

High density lipophorin (HDLp) is the major lipid transport vehicle in insect hemolymph. Using an indirect ELISA, levels of HDLp were measured in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. The level of lipophorin, when normalized to the total weight of the insect, was similar in the different developmental stages. Starvation (access to water only) of adult females did not affect the level of HDLp nor its density when compared to sugar-fed females. On the other hand, blood feeding (of normally sugar-fed females) resulted in a three-fold increase of the HDLp level at 40 h after feeding. This increase was accompanied by a slight but significant increase in the density of HDLp at 24 h after feeding. Ingestion of a lipid-free protein meal or a lipid-supplemented protein meal induced changes in HDLp level and density that were comparable to those induced by ingestion of a blood meal. Ingestion of a blood meal, following starvation (access to water only) from the moment of adult emergence, did not induce an increase in HDLp level. The results presented indicate that, in contrast to other insect species, A. aegypti responds to an increased need for lipid transport in the hemolymph by increasing the amount of HDLp. Arch. Insect Biochem.
Statistical tests for deterministic effects in broad band time series

We derive a normalized version of the indicators of Savit and Green, and prove that these normalized statistics have, asymptotically, a normal distribution with a mean of zero and standard deviation of one if the time series is random in the sense of being liD (independent and identically distributed). We verify this result numerically, and study the magnitude of the finite size effects. We also show that these statistics are very sensitive to the existence of deterministic effects in the series, even if the underlying deterministic structure is complex, such as those generated by a chaotic system. We show that with moderate amounts of data, the statistics can easily indicate the presence of an underlying attractor even in the presence of IID noise which is as large as, or greater than the signal. Finally, we discuss the generalization of our approach to include (1) other null hypotheses besides liD which express assumptions of specific dependencies and (2) the study of deterministic effects between more than one time series.
Angiotensin receptor blockade decreases fibrosis and fibroblast expression in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Purpose: Unilateral ureteral obstruction is characterized by histopathological changes including interstitial fibrosis, fibroblast specific protein expression, tubular atrophy and apoptosis, and macrophage infiltration. Angiotensin II has been implicated in some of these changes. We examined the effect of angiotensin blockade on markers of renal injury, including fibroblast specific protein expression, fibrosis, apoptosis and macrophage infiltration. We used losartan, an angiotensin II antagonist, in a unilateral ureteral obstruction model and studied animals 3 weeks after unilateral ureteral obstruction, a time at which renal damage is well established.Materials and Methods: Rats underwent unilateral ureteral obstruction and were given either drinking water or losartan for 21 days. Kidneys were harvested and examined for fibrosis (trichrome and the Sircol™ assay for collagen), apoptosis (TUNEL), and fibroblast specific protein expression and macrophage infiltration (immunohistochemistry).Results: Unilate...
The efficacy of tilted axial MRI of the CNS

Abstract The angle between the straight axial plane and the orbito-meatal line was measured in 156 consecutive magnetic resonance examinations. Inconsistent head positioning caused this angle to vary by as much as 44 degrees. Careful positioning of the patient by the technologist can minimize this variability, leading potentially to improved image interpretation. To assess the merit of a standardized orientation for MR examinations of the head, straight axial and tilted axial MR scans were compared in 34 patients. The tilted images were obtained parallel to the orbito-meatal line and were found to be superior for visualization of the cerebellum. When correlative x-ray CTs are available or when an abnormality in the posterior fossa is suspected, tilted axial MR scans should be employed.
5,6-dehydro[3.3]Paracyclophane: Bridged benzobarrelene formation by intramolecular trapping of a novel aryne

Aus dem Brom(3,3)paracyclophan (I) entsteht mit tert-Butylat das Dehydro-paracyclophan (II), das zu (III) E (IV) cyclisiert.
Consumption of lyophilized bison improves atherosclerotic risk factors greater than lyophilized beef in hamsters

The goal of the present study was to determine the effect of various sources of animal protein on blood cholesterol levels and early atherosclerosis. Fifty-four Golden Syrian hamsters, approximately 10 weeks old, were fed a semipurified, hypercholesterolemic diet for 10 weeks containing 22% by weight bison, beef, or casein. The hamsters fed the bison and casein diets had similar plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, the beef diet produced significantly lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with the bison diet and significantly higher plasma triglyceride levels compared with the casein diet. In addition, hamsters fed the beef diet had significantly higher plasma lipid hydroperoxide levels compared with the bison and casein diets. Finally, only the hamsters fed the beef diet had significantly higher aortic total cholesterol and cholesterol ester accumulation compared with the casein diet. In conclusion, the diet containing lyophilized ground beef resulted in negative changes in blood atherosclerosis risk factors and a greater increase in early atherosclerosis than did the bison diet compared with casein.
Pallidal neuron activity increases during sensory relay through thalamus in a songbird circuit essential for learning.

Disinhibition of the thalamus remains the primary model of information transfer between the basal ganglia and the cortex. Yet in apparent conflict with this model, the globus pallidus, a GABAergic basal ganglia output structure, often exhibits marked increases in firing rate during movement. To investigate the translation of pallidal activity and its relay through the thalamus, we explored a basal ganglia–thalamic pathway essential for song learning in songbirds. We found that single units in the thalamic nucleus DLM of urethane-anesthetized adult male zebra finches responded selectively to playback of the bird's own song, like neurons in its upstream and downstream nuclei. Because the pallidal input to these neurons forms giant calyx-like synapses, we were able to record extracellular signals from these presynaptic terminals as well. Pallidal units were distinctly excited by song playback, suggesting an increase in GABAergic transmission in the thalamus during sensory processing. However, this overall increased firing rate was phasic, punctuated by rapid decelerations in firing rate. In several cases, we were able to record presynaptic and postsynaptic units simultaneously. Correlating the presynaptic and postsynaptic activity, we found that disinhibition of thalamus may entail pallidal firing rate decelerations rather than simple long pauses in spontaneous activity, as has long been assumed.
Effects of Artificial Hypolimnion Aeration on Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) Depth Distribution

Abstract Hemlock Lake, a eutrophic and meromictic Michigan lake, was artificially aerated by hypolimnetic aeration. This aeration system involved a special aeration tower and compressed air injection. Hypolimnetic oxygen concentrations increased from zero to saturation during aeration. Thermal stratification was gradually reduced by the aeration, but the lake remained thermally stratified for 10 weeks during aeration. Before aeration, rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) were limited to shallow depths by the anaerobic hypolimnion. They distributed to the deepest depths soon after aeration began and occupied the entire lake during artificial aeration.
Interscholastic Sports Participation and School Based Delinquency: Does Participation in Sport Foster a Positive High School Environment?

This article uses social control and cultural spillover theories to frame how sports programs might impact the school environment. Using a nationally representative sample of roughly 1,200 public high schools, the relationship between school sports participation rates and in-school delinquent behaviors are examined. Results indicate that schools with higher proportions of sports participants report significantly fewer serious crimes (i.e., violent crimes) and suspensions occurring on school grounds. However, the incidence of minor crimes is unrelated to the proportion of students engaging in school sports. The results of this study support social control theory and suggest that one way to reduce violence and delinquency in schools is through encouraging participation in sports programs.
Following the Transient Reactions in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Using an In Situ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Technique

A fundamental understanding of electrochemical reaction pathways is critical to improving the performance of Li–S batteries, but few techniques can be used to directly identify and quantify the reaction species during disharge/charge cycling processes in real time. Here, an in situ 7Li NMR technique employing a specially designed cylindrical microbattery was used to probe the transient electrochemical and chemical reactions occurring during the cycling of a Li–S system. In situ NMR provides real time, semiquantitative information related to the temporal evolution of lithium polysulfide allotropes during both discharge/charge processes. This technique uniquely reveals that the polysulfide redox reactions involve charged free radicals as intermediate species that are difficult to detect in ex situ NMR studies. Additionally, it also uncovers vital information about the 7Li chemical environments during the electrochemical and parasitic reactions on the Li metal anode. These new molecular-level insights about ...
MicroRNA as a new player in the cell cycle

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a newly identified class of small regulatory non-coding endogenous RNAs that are ubiquitous from animals to plants and have pivotal functions in nearly all biological and metabolic processes. Increasing evidence shows that miRNAs are also new players regulating many protein-coding genes and specific pathways during the cell cycle. This review focuses on the functions of miRNAs in the cell cycle of differentiated cells and embryonic stem (ES) cells. Aberrant expression of these cell-cycle-related miRNAs may result in carcinogenesis, revealing the potential of miRNAs as therapeutic targets for clinical purposes.
Influence of pH and incubation temperature on fatty acid composition and virulence factors ofYersinia enterocolitica

The fatty acid extracts of three strains ofYersinia enterocoliticagrown at pH 5, 7 and 9 and incubated at 4 and 20°C were examined using gas chromatography. When cultured at pH 5,Y. enterocoliticaproduced increased proportions of cyclopropane and saturated fatty acids and decreased amounts of unsaturated fatty acids as compared with levels produced during growth at pH 9. At pH 5, saturated fatty acids comprised 73–86% of the total fatty acids, whereas at pH 9, saturated fatty acids decreased to 47–72% of the total fatty acids. Generally,Y. enterocoliticastrains exhibited a reduced proportion of cis-16:19as pH was reduced accompanied by a significantly higher level (P<0.05) of 17:0Δ with increasing pH. Temperature had a significant effect (P<0.01) on the production of the unsaturated fatty acids, cis-16:19and cis-18:19. Indicator tests for virulence demonstrated that strain YE321 (serotype O:20) lost its virulence factor, whereas strains YE133 (serotype O:8) and YE228 (serotype O:3) retained their virulence markers following incubation at 4 and 20°C at pH 5, 7 and 9. No characteristic trends in fatty acid profiles were observed when plasmid-bearing strains and the strain that lost its virulence plasmid were compared, suggesting that virulence plasmid stability and fatty acid composition are independent.e
Hexamine cobalt chloride promotes intermolecular ligation of blunt end DNA fragments by T4 DNA ligase

Hexamine cobalt chloride (HCC) increases the efficiency of blunt end ligation by T4 DNA ligase about 50 fold. Maximum stimulation occurs when standard buffers for ligation are supplemented with 1 mM HCC. All the ligation events are intermolecular regardless of the initial DNA concentration. In the presence of monovalent cations (eg. 25 mM KCl) HCC still increases the extent of T4 catalyzed ligation but intramolecular ligation products are also formed. Therefore, intermolecular ligation can be performed rapidly and at low DNA concentrations.
A comparison of the wettability of copper-copper oxide and silver-copper oxide on polycrystalline alumina

The contact angles of liquid silver-copper oxide/alumina and liquid copper-copper oxide/alumina systems were determined using the sessile drop method. Copper oxide (CuO) additions of 1.5–10.0 wt% were made. Temperatures of 970–1250 °C for the silver-based alloys and 1090–1300 °C for the copper-based alloys were studied. Minimum contact angles of 42±8 and 64±7 ° were obtained for the copper-copper oxide alloys and the silver-copper oxide alloys, respectively. The contact angle was approximately constant for the silver-copper oxide alloy within the immiscible liquid composition range. While the contact angles were higher for the silver-based alloys relative to the copper-based alloys, successful infiltration of a porous alumina sample was achieved at only 1050 °C for a Ag-10 wt% CuO alloy. Compression tests on infiltrated samples revealed similar compressive strengths for alumina samples infiltrated with silver-copper oxide alloys, silver-copper-copper oxide alloys and copper-copper oxide alloys. The compressive fracture strength for the infiltrated samples was an order of magnitude higher than the fracture strength of the porous alumina body without infiltration. Although silver-based alloys are more expensive than comparable copper-based alloys, in many applications the additional cost may be offset by lower processing or brazing temperatures, improved thermal and electrical conductivity, and improved toughness.
Growth and remodeling in a thick-walled artery model: effects of spatial variations in wall constituents

A mathematical model is presented for growth and remodeling of arteries. The model is a thick-walled tube composed of a constrained mixture of smooth muscle cells, elastin and collagen. Material properties and radial and axial distributions of each constituent are prescribed according to previously published data. The analysis includes stress-dependent growth and contractility of the muscle and turnover of collagen fibers. Simulations were conducted for homeostatic conditions and for the temporal response following sudden hypertension. Numerical pressure-radius relations and opening angles (residual stress) show reasonable agreement with published experimental results. In particular, for realistic material and structural properties, the model predicts measured variations in opening angles along the length of the aorta with reasonable accuracy. These results provide a better understanding of the determinants of residual stress in arteries and could lend insight into the importance of constituent distributions in both natural and tissue-engineered blood vessels.
Designing a New Material World

In this month9s essay, Gregory B. Olson of Northwestern University traces the routes of modern materials science and engineering, from the medieval alchemists9 attempts to transmute base metals into gold to the modern materials engineer9s use of complex processing to "transmute" the multilevel microstructure of materials to achieve the essential property of gold, namely, economic value. The emerging "systems approach," he contends, is leading researchers beyond an era of empirical discovery into a new "Age of Design," marked by the systematic invention of new, more capable materials.
Transvascular Passage of Albumin-I131 in Skin of Mice∗

SummaryThe clearance of intravenously injected human serum albumin-I131 from the plasma of mice and its appearance in the extravascular space in the skin was studied. The data demonstrate the presence of at least 2 phases in the skin in which the turnover rate for one is approximately 4 times greater than the other. The albumin in the slower moving phase is thought to be present in the space encompassed by the domain of hyalu-ronic acid.
A critique of the superposed epoch analysis method: its application to solar-weather relations.

Abstract Superposed epoch analyses, based on solar sector boundary crossings as key times and the Vorticity Area Index as the response variable, are tested for significance using both parametric and randomization techniques. We conclude from a comparison of these techniques that the randomization procedure leads to markedly different results from those obtained from parametric tests. In particular, the results are strongly affected by the modest skewness of the Vorticity Area Index distribution.
Viscosity of Electrostatically Stabilized Dispersions of Monodispersed, Bimodal, and Trimodal Silica Particles

Effect of particle size and polydispersity on the viscosity and maximum packing fraction of aqueous colloidal dispersions has been studied. For dispersions of mono-sized particles, the results indicate that there is a linear relationship between the log(η) (viscosity) and particle size at a fixed shear rate and volume fraction of solids. However, there is a particle diameter at which there is a decrease in the dependency of viscosity on particle size as the slope of the linear plots of log(η) versus particle diameter changes to a smaller value. Preliminary calculations indicate that this particle size may correspond to a separation distance at which electrostatic energy as compared with the thermal energy of the particles can be ignored. In the case of bimodal dispersions, the viscosity is affected by both absolute size and the ratio of the two sizes. The effect of particle size ratio on the viscosity was investigated using bimodal dispersions of the same size coarse particles, but fines of different sizes. There is a critical volume ratio below which bimodal dispersions of larger size ratios show lower viscosities than systems of smaller size ratios. Above this volume ratio of the two sizes, the trend becomes reversed and the fines will have a dominant effect on the viscosity behavior of the bimodal system. Statistically designed experiments were carried out using trimodal mixtures of monodispersed silica particles and it was shown that tridispersed suspensions demonstrate similar behavior as bidispersed suspensions, with a minimum in viscosity observed as a function of particle volume ratio.
The yeast vacuolar Rab GTPase Ypt7p has an activity beyond membrane recruitment of the homotypic fusion and protein sorting-Class C Vps complex.

Rab GTPases regulate intracellular membrane budding [1], transport [2], and docking [3]. Rab effectors, which interact with GTP-bound Rab proteins, constitute a diverse group of proteins and multiprotein complexes [4]. The activities of many of these effectors have been identified – mediating intermembrane interactions, for example [5] – but the role of the Rab GTPases themselves in performing these activities is not known. A recent study suggested that the primary function of the yeast vacuolar Rab GTPase Ypt7p is to recruit its effector, the HOPS/Class C Vps complex [6], to membranes [7]. Here, it is shown that Ypt7p has a stimulatory activity in addition to HOPS complex recruitment for membrane fusion. Proteoliposome lipid mixing that requires SNARE proteins, the SNARE disassembly catalysts Sec18p and Sec17p (yeast NSF and α-SNAP, respectively), and the HOPS complex has been reported [8]. These proteoliposomes were made from a lipid mixture resembling the lipid composition of yeast vacuoles; this mixture includes 1.6 mole percent cardiolipin [8, 9]. In a follow-up study, Ypt7p-dependent lipid mixing was observed in proteoliposomes with reduced cardiolipin content relative to the original vacuole-mimic lipid mixture [10]. This result raised the question of whether cardiolipin affects Rab dependence for lipid mixing and membrane fusion. The effect of systematically varying proteoliposome cardiolipin content was therefore investigated. Proteoliposomes made without cardiolipin are completely dependent on Ypt7p for lipid mixing. Omission of other lipids with small and/or negatively charged headgroups does not have this effect. Cardiolipin is not required for fusion of purified yeast vacuoles in vitro, and vacuoles lacking cardiolipin do not have an altered requirement for Rab GTPases for fusion. HOPS complex binds to proteoliposomes lacking both cardiolipin and Ypt7p – i.e., proteoliposomes that cannot fuse – though to a lesser extent than to proteoliposomes with Ypt7p. However, when the concentration of HOPS complex in lipid-mixing reactions is varied such that the same amount of HOPS is recruited to proteoliposomes with or without Ypt7p, lipid mixing remains dependent on Ypt7p. HOPS complex binding to membranes is therefore insufficient for proteoliposome lipid mixing. Thus, Ypt7p plays a role beyond HOPS recruitment in membrane fusion. This is the first report of such a stimulatory activity for a Rab GTPase.
Target-Associated Particle Production in Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We report the multiplicity and angular distributions of the low energy target-associated particles from 32S and 16O induced reactions at 200 GeV/nucleon and 16O induced reactions at 60 GeV/nucleon in emulsion. The results are compared with the Monte-Carlo Code VENUS.
Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Preliminary Experience

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Design: Nonrandomized trial. Setting: Veterans Affairs hospital and a large university hospital. Patients: The study included 38 patients (36 male and two female) who had an acceptable risk for general anesthesia, presented electively, and gave informed consent; patients were excluded for whom general anesthesia had a high risk or who had incarcerated or strangulated hernias. Intervention: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair was performed with general anesthesia through bilateral, lower-abdominal, 12-mm lateral rectus sheath ports with an umbilical 30° viewing laparoscope. After the peritoneum was incised and flaps were raised, an onlay patch of polypropylene mesh, secured with staples, covered both indirect and direct hernia regions in each patient. Small hernia sacs were usually reduced or excised. Results: From December 1991 through October 1992, 40 inguinal hernias were repaired; two patients had bilateral hernias. There were 22 indirect and 17 direct inguinal hernias and one femoral hernia. Nine of the hernias repaired were recurrent, and five were sliding hernias. Complications occurred in nine patients, but there were no recurrences during a median follow-up of 26 weeks. All but one patient resumed preoperative activities by 7 days after the operation. Conclusions: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is an effective operation with low morbidity. Long-term follow-up is needed to determine the durability of the repair. (Arch Surg. 1993;128:781-786)
Molecular weight of bovine fibrinogen by sedimentation equilibrium.

Abstract This work was undertaken primarily to evaluate a recent report, based on light-scattering measurements, that the previously accepted molecular weight of bovine fibrinogen is valid at 20 °, but that the molecule is dissociated into two subunits of equal weight by EDTA or by raising the temperature to the physiological one (37 °). In the present work, molecular weights were measured by sedimentation equilibrium, using the meniscus depletion method. Preparations of bovine fibrinogen from fresh blood and from commercial plasma fraction I were investigated. At both 20 and 37 °, and with both preparations, the observed molecular weights agreed with the generally accepted value (3.3–3.4 × 10 5 ), and there was no effect of EDTA at 20 °. Sedimentation velocity experiments at both temperatures gave nearly identical sedimentation coefficients when calculated for standard conditions. The presence of EDTA caused a small decrease in the standard sedimentation coefficient, probably because of an expansion of the molecule. The present results give the molecular weight of bovine fibrinogen as (3.36 ± 0.04) × 10 5 , with no indication of dissociation at 37 ° or in the presence of EDTA.
Effect of melatonin or maternal nutrient restriction on vascularity and cell proliferation in the ovine placenta

Abstract Previously we reported increased umbilical artery blood flow in ewes supplemented with melatonin from mid- to late-pregnancy, while maternal nutrient restriction decreased uterine artery blood flow. To further unravel these responses, this study was designed to assess placental cell proliferation and vascularity following supplementation with melatonin or maternal nutrient restriction. For the first experiment, 31 primiparous ewes were supplemented with 5mg of melatonin per day (MEL) or no melatonin (CON) and allocated to receive 100% (adequate fed; ADQ) or 60% (restricted; RES) of their nutrient requirements from day 50 to 130 of gestation. To examine melatonin receptor dependent effects, a second experiment was designed utilizing 14 primiparous ewes infused with vehicle, melatonin, or luzindole (melatonin receptor 1 and 2 antagonist) from day 62 to 90 of gestation. For experiment 1, caruncle concentrations of RNA were increased in MEL–RES compared to CON–RES. Caruncle capillary area density and average capillary cross-sectional area were decreased in MEL–RES compared to CON–RES. Cotyledon vascularity was not different across dietary treatments. For experiment 2, placental cellular proliferation and vascularity were not affected by infusion treatment. In summary, melatonin interacted with nutrient restriction to alter caruncle vascularity and RNA concentrations during late pregnancy. Although melatonin receptor antagonism alters feto-placental blood flow, these receptor dependent responses were not observed in placental vascularity. Moreover, placental vascularity measures do not fully explain the alterations in uteroplacental blood flow.
In search of practical applications: A public services research agenda for university libraries

Abstract Public services in university libraries are shifting to more proactive and collaborative models directly linked to the university research and teaching mission. This article reviews selected research studies with practical application to service models and offers suggestions for a research agenda supporting the advancement of strategic services.
Low energy ion modification of thin films

Abstract This paper presents some of the uses of broad beams of low energy ( x F y films were made by depositing ZrF 4 with a coincident oxygen ion flux. The index of refraction can be increased by 0.12 without increasing waveguide losses beyond 8 dB/cm, with ion energy being the primary determinant of index variation, and ion flux having the largest effect on losses. The second modification technique focuses on the use of local fields at the substrate to alter the path of incoming ions. Using voltage biased metal masks, we have been able to alter the sputter-etch profile of thin films. The experimental results are compared with calculated etch profiles; changes in the etch angle of up to 20° have been observed. We describe preliminary work on the generation and use of C 60 and metal ions as bombarding particles.
Economic implications of raising the threshold funding limits on US Small Business Innovation Research awards

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we investigate empirically the economic implications of increasing the threshold funding limits on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. Specifically, we estimate the impact of an increase in an SBIR Phase II research award amount on the likelihood that the funded project will reach technical completion, that is, it will not be discontinued early or fail. Although an increase in the threshold amount of Phase II awards was mandated by the Act of 1992, and although a recent SBIR policy directive allows such, the economic implications of an increase have yet to be considered in any systematic manner. Second, we offer a call for a further evaluation of the SBIR program, and more broadly a prospective evaluation of public-private partnership science and technology programs, along the lines of an investigation of the determinants of milestone successes and failures. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.
Food deprivation and responsiveness for lateral hypothalamic stimulation

Rats were run for hypothalamic intracranial stimulation (ICS) every day for 32 days in an alley maze. On one-half of the days, rats were deprived of food for 24 h. Rats ran the first trial of a day faster for ICS when food deprived. Running speed remained relatively constant across testing when deprived, but slowly increased across the days when rats were not deprived. Range of responsiveness across deprivation-nondeprivation conditions was small compared to range of responsiveness across Ss, indicating that deprivation itself was a minor determinant of the reinforcing value of ICS.
Theophylline Inhibits the Production of Nitric Oxide by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Patients with Asthma

Background Nitric oxide (NO), a reactive free radical synthesized from L-arginine by the enzyme NO synthase (NOS), may play a role in many pathophysiologic conditions, including asthma. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from asthmatics would spontaneously produce NO. A second objective was to ascertain whether commonly used asthma medications would modulate the production of NO. Methods PBMCs were isolated from 24 subjects (10 with asthma, 4 with allergic rhinitis, and 10 healthy controls) and were incubated either alone or in the presence of an RNA polymerase inhibitor (actinomycin D, 1 microgram/mL), a NOS inhibitor (L-N G -nitroarginine methyl ester [L-NAME], 1 mM), and L-NAME plus L-arginine (5 mM). Furthermore, PBMCs were incubated with or without addition of therapeutic concentrations of hydrocortisone (15 micrograms/mL). Culture supernatants were collected and assayed for NO production. Results NO production was significantly elevated in asthmatics compared with the control group (1.39 ± 0.21 micromoles versus 0.46 ± 0.01 micromoles; P P P Conclusion This study suggests that theophylline may be antiinflammatory by inhibiting the L-arginine-dependent production of NO in patients wih asthma.
Managing the Process: The Intradepartmental Networks of Early-Career Academics

This article relies on data from surveys and interviews to explore the networking behaviors and strategies of early-career faculty members within the contexts of their academic departments. Findings suggest that faculty members’ approaches to interactions and relationships with colleagues may be conceptualized according to a continuum of behavior, based on their political awareness of interactions and their strategic engagement in them, interactions as a means of impression management, the cultivation of relationships for symbolic inclusion in networks, and the presence of functional patterns in network. The article concludes with recommendations for future research.
Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in Children With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Types 2A and 2B

Abstract Recently it has become possible to identify persons who have multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome types 2A and 2B based on the presence of missense mutations in the RET protooncogene. Kindred members who have inherited these syndromes can be identified before clinical or biochemical evidence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) develops, the malignancy that occurs in all affected patients. It is not known whether prophylactic removal of the thyroid gland early in childhood, based on a positive genetic test result, has a better clinical outcome than that associated with thyroidectomy after MTC is diagnosed clinically or biochemically. The authors' goal was to determine the long-term outcome for patients with MEN 2A and 2B who had thyroidectomy for MTC during childhood. These results were compared with those of patients who had prophylactic removal of the thyroid gland after the genetic diagnosis of MEN 2A was established. The hospital records of 49 children with MEN 2A or 2B were reviewed. Each patient had thyroidectomy for MTC before 16 years of age. The mean age at the time of operation was 10 years, and the mean follow-up period for those who had surgery before the availability of direct DNA genetic testing was 9.8 years. The indications for surgery included an elevated basal or stimulated plasma calcitonin level, a positive genetic test result, a thyroid mass, family history of MTC, or a phenotype diagnostic of MEN 2B. All children for whom the diagnosis of MEN 2A was established by direct genetic testing had thyroidectomy within the last 2 years. Of the 11 patients with MEN 2B who underwent thyroidectomy during childhood, 10 had MTC, and only three (27%) remain free of disease after the mean follow-up period of 11 years. One patient died, and seven are alive with persistent MTC. Among the 24 patients with MEN 2A who had their thyroid glands removed because of a family history of MTC or because of biochemical evidence of the disease, 5 (21%) have persistent or recurrent MTC after the mean follow-up period of 9.3 years. In four of these, the MTC was confined to the thyroid gland at the time of thyroidectomy. Of the 14 children who had thyroidectomy based on direct DNA testing, MTC was present in 11. Only four had elevated levels of stimulated plasma calcitonin before surgery. None had lymph node metastasis or surgical complications. The authors conclude that a significant number of patients with MEN 2A or 2B who undergo thyroidectomy in childhood for MTC have persistent or recurrent disease long-term. The genetic diagnosis of patients with these syndromes may allow for prophylactic surgery before the development of biochemical or clinical evidence of MTC. This approach is safe, but longer clinical follow-up will be necessary to confirm that MTC has been cured.
A hypothesis to integrate partial seizures of temporal lobe origin and reproductive endocrine disorders

Abstract Recent demonstrations of an association between reproductive endocrine disorders and partial seizures of temporal lobe origin (TLE) have led to the following hypothesis: (1) TLE may promote the development of reproductive endocrine disorders, (2) reproductive endocrine disorders may promote the development of epileptic discharges, and (3) TLE and associated reproductive endocrine disorders may represent the parallel effects of prenatal factors which are common to the development of both the brain and the reproductive system 1,2 . This article focuses on clinical and animal investigative data that form the basis of this hypothesis.
Improved 3D pole-dipole resistivity surveys using radial measurement pairs

[1] For convenience in the field, multielectrode arrays used to collect 3D resistivity data are typically laid out in a Cartesian grid with potential measurements made using electrode pairs oriented in the X and Y axis directions. The current flow away from a given injection electrode, however, has radial symmetry in the case of a homogeneous, isotropic half-space, and near-radial symmetry otherwise, unless the ground is extremely heterogeneous or anisotropic. Consequently, many of the voltage measurements made using standard electrode combinations are tangential or nearly-tangential to the voltage equipotentials, resulting in a poor signal-to-noise ratio. We compare data collected using a standard pole-dipole configuration with measurements made using the same Cartesian array, but choosing electrode pairs that lie along lines radiating away from the injection electrode. The remarkable improvement in data quality using a radial data acquisition pattern illustrates the importance of considering the potential gradient when designing resistivity data collection schemes.
Fate and transport of contaminant lead in spodosols: A simple box model analysis

A dynamic simulation based on a simple box model was made to predict Pb transport in spodosols of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Simulated results suggest that labile Pb in the forest floor may be undergoing a rapid loss, and that Pb content may reach an equilibrium within ∼100 years with a steady-state level of approximately 0.2 kg ha-1 (concentration = 1.3 μg g-1). The predicted Pb loss from the forest floor is much higher than the observed Pb export based on zero-tension lysimeters, which are designed to optimize measurement of dissolved substances. It is suspected that lysimeters might have failed to effectively collect particles and colloids. The dissolved Pb2+ loss from the forest floor, which is governed by nonlinear retardation, is insignificant relative to total Pb losses, so linear rate removal of particles and colloids from the forest floor is an adequate approximation of Pb transport. The mineral soil is currently acting as a net sink for the Pb released from the forest floor. The model suggests that Pb content in and Pb output from the mineral soil has been increasing since the 1970s. This increase should continue until a steady-state is reached in about 100 years. Unlike the forest floor, the mineral soil loses its Pb via dissolved forms that are regulated by nonlinear adsorption/desorption retardation.
Glueballs and Instantons.

Gluonic correlation functions and Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes are calculated in an instanton-based model of the QCD vacuum. We consider both the pure gauge case and the situation for real QCD with two light quark flavors. We show that instantons lead to a strong attractive force in the ${J}^{\mathrm{PC}}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0}^{++}$ channel, which results in the scalar glueball being much smaller than other glueballs. In the ${0}^{\ensuremath{-}+}$ channel the corresponding force is repulsive, and in the ${2}^{++}$ case it is absent. The resulting correlators, masses, coupling constants, and wave functions are compared to the results of lattice simulations.
Measurements on Superconducting Nb Prototype Structures at 1300 MHz

Twenty-four low temperature measurements have been made on six different superconducting Nb cavities at 1300 NHz. These cavities were fabricated using Nb sheet and electron-beam welding and were processed using ultra-high-vacuum firing. Unloaded Q's as high as 4 × 109 and peak surface electric fields as high as 16 MV/m have been achieved.
BIST PLAs, pass or fail-a case study

Numerous Built-In Self Testing (BIST) designs now exist for the testing of Programmable Logic Arrays (PLA), but their practical usefulness has not been studied. In this paper, we implement and compare several BIST designs using a common methodology of implementation. We also perform an yield analysis to characterize the yield degradation due to the BIST design methodology. Our preliminary findings of this work is that BIST approach results in considerable degradation of yield, and therefore may not be suitable as a test vehicle for PLAs.
Music and Social Movements

Music is a key component of social movements. This article addresses the relationship between music and social movements through four foci: collective identity, free space, emotions, and social movement culture. Collective identity is developed and nurtured within free spaces through the use of music. These spaces are often rife with emotions that are instrumental in development of collective identity. A social movement culture may develop as these processes unfold. Music is part of this culture and serves as an important mechanism for solidarity when participants move beyond free spaces to more contested ones. Examples of song lyrics demonstrate these processes. Research on music and social movements, it is argued here, can be enhanced by addressing technology and popular culture.
The origins of health services research in radiology: a review.

The core subjects in health services research in imaging are accuracy, usefulness, efficiency, cost, and the effect on patient outcome. Although it could be argued that radiologists have always been concerned with these issues, I believe that formal, organized research began in the late 1 940s when federal and state governments began to support mass screening as a method for tuberculosis control. The original investigators applied to radiology new and interesting ideas from psychology, decision theory, and economics. In this paper, I have traced the development of ideas about accuracy and usefulness in radiology by documenting their introduction in scientific publications. Articles were selected not because they are the best source of information about a subject but because they describe a problem and the approach taken toward a solution. A few references to current work have been included for those who are interested in up-to-date sources. I have not included studies of cost because they would have doubled the size of this short review. I invite comments, and I apologize to anyone whose original work was overlooked.
Influence of local buckling on global instability: Simplified, large deformation, post-buckling analyses of plane trusses

Abstract In this paper, the influences of local (individual member) buckling and minor variations in member properties on the global response of truss-type structures are studied. A simple and effective way of forming the tangent stiffness matrix of the structure and a modified arc length method are devised to trace the nonlinear response of the structure beyond limit points, etc. Several examples are presented to indicate: (i) the broad range of validity of the simple procedure for evaluating the tangent stiffness, (ii) the effect of buckling of individual members on global instability and post-buckling response and (iii) the interactive effects of member buckling and global imperfections.
Short wavelength technology and the potential for distributed networks of small radar systems

The NSF Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) is advancing a new approach to radar network design based on dense networks of short-range radars. The center's concept is to deploy small radars atop communication towers, rooftops, and other elements of the infrastructure as a means to comprehensively map winds, rainfall, and other atmospheric and airborne objects throughout the atmosphere with resolution, low-altitude coverage, Doppler wind vector measurement, and other capabilities that are substantially beyond the current state-of-the-art. The technology has the potential to supplement - or perhaps replace - the large long-range civil infrastructure radars in use today.