cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aluminium impacts elements of the phosphoinositide signalling pathway in neuroblastoma cells

Inositol phosphate formation was examined in aluminium-treated murine neuroblastoma cells labelled with [3H]-myoinositol. Employing fluoride-stimulated intact cells, aluminium (0.2μM to 1 mM) reduced inositol phosphate formation in a dose-dependent manner. In digitonin-permeabilized cells, stimulated with nonhydrolyzable GTP[S], inositol phosphate formation was also inhibited by increasing aluminium doses; the IC50 value was about 20μM aluminium, while the inositol phosphate level was reduced 2.5 to 3 fold by 50μM aluminium. The inhibitory effect of aluminium (50μM) could not be reversed by increasing GTP[S] concentrations up to 500μM. Prechelation of aluminium to citrate or EGTA completely abolished the aluminium-triggered inhibition of fluoride-stimulated inositol phosphate formation in intact cells, but had little effect on the inhibition of permeabilized cells stimulated with GTP[S]. In neuroblastoma cells phosphoinositide hydrolysis could be evoked either through a pathway involving the Mg2+/guanine nucleotide binding (Gp) protein, or via a pathway operative in the presence of high intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. In the Mg2+/Gp protein-mediated pathway, formation of inositol triphosphate, IP3, inositol diphosphate, IP2, and inositol monophosphate, IP, was apparently inhibited by aluminium in an interdependent manner. As to the Ca2+-mediated pathway, aluminium application mainly diminished the release of IP3. Following interiorization, aluminium thus acts upon elements critical for phosphoinositide-associated signal transduction. An aluminium target apparently resides on the Gp protein. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-diphosphate-specific phospholipase C probably harbours a second aluminium target.
Studies on histamine in human urine using a fluorometric method of assay

Abstract 1. (1) A specific and highly sensitive chemical method for measurement of histamine in human urine is described. It is based on a new technique for purifying histamine from biologic material which makes it possible to apply florometric assay to urinary extracts. With modifications, the method is also applicable to measurement of urinary acetylhistamine. 2. (2) The daily excretion of unconjugated histamine by 15 normal males was found to average 42 μ with a range of 21–65 μg. The histamine excretion of 9 normal females averaged 49 μg/day and ranged from 15 to 90 μg/day. 3. (3) By administering large amounts of histidine orally it was possible to produce significant increments in the histamine excretion of normal subjects and a patient with gastric carcinoid. Intestinal flora were not responsible for these increases in histamine excretion, which presumably resulted from decarboxylation of the amino acid in tissues. 4. (4) The enzymic and anatomic origins of urinary histamine are discussed.
Retinoic acid downregulates growth, fibronectin and RARα in 3T3 cells: Ha‐ras blocks this response and RA metabolism

Retinoic acid (RA) reduced growth, fibronectin, and retinoic acid receptor (RARα) in NIH 3T3 cells but not in cells transformed by the Ha-ras oncogene. RA lowered RARα transcript and protein, increased RARβ transcripts, and had no effect on RARγ. H-ras transformation downregulated RAR expression and abolished responsiveness to RA. Ha-ras-transformed cells were as active as normal NIH-3T3 cells in RA uptake but were unable to degrade it to medium oxidation products, so that, paradoxically, the resistant cells accumulated 20–30-fold as much RA as the sensitive cells. RA sensitivity/insensitivity correlated with RA metabolism/lack thereof in 15 cell lines in serum-free medium. These data suggest a relationship between RA inhibition of cell growth and intracellular RA metabolism. J. Cell. Physiol. 173:297–300, 1997. Published 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1
Risk-Free Decision Making

This paper addresses the topic of “risk-free decision-making”, a term which refers to the fact that people are acting “as if” their decisions are “risk-free”. Various social theories are discussed as possible explanations for the growth of this behavior and specific examples are given. Much of the information was drawn from personal experience, current sociological and psychological literature and news events.
Folk concepts, natural language, and psychological constructs: The California Psychological Inventory and the five-factor model.

Both the California Psychological Inventory (CPI; Gough, 1987) and the five-factor model of personality have roots in folk concepts of personality. The present article offers a conceptual analysis of CPI scales in terms of the five-factor model. In the first study, judges rated the item content of CPI scales in terms of the five factors. In the second, CPI scales were correlated with the factors as measured by the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI; Costa & McCrae, 1985b) in a sample of 348 men and women ages 19 to 92. Both studies showed meaningful links between CPI scales and four of the factors; Agreeableness appeared to be underrepresented in CPI scales. The utility of systematic rational item analysis in terms of the five factors and the evolving relation of folk concepts to psychological constructs are discussed.
Zinc acetate for the treatment of Wilson’s disease

Zinc acetate (Galzin, Gate Pharmaceutical Co.) has been developed for the treatment of Wilson's disease, an inherited disease of copper accumulation and copper toxicity in brain and liver. Zinc acetate has been approved by the US FDA for maintenance therapy of adult and paediatric Wilson's disease patients but also has efficacy in the treatment of pregnant patients and presymptomatic patients from the beginning. It also has value as adjunctive therapy for the initial treatment of symptomatic patients. Zinc's mechanism of action involves induction of intestinal cell metallothionein (Mt), which blocks copper absorption from the intestinal track. A negative copper balance is caused by blockade not only of absorption of food copper but the blockade of reabsorption of the considerable amount of endogenously secreted copper in saliva, gastric juice and intestinal secretions. Zinc is completely effective in controlling copper levels and toxicity in Wilson's disease, as are other anticopper agents. Zinc's major advantage over other anticopper agents is its extremely low level of toxicity. The only side effect is some degree of initial gastric irritation in approximately10% of patients, which usually decreases and becomes insignificant over time. As with all long-term therapies, compliance is a problem in some patients and dictates regular monitoring with 24 h urine copper and zinc measurements. As with all anticopper therapies, over a long period of time, overtreatment and induction of copper deficiency can occur. This is to be avoided particularly in children because copper is required for growth.
Global implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine: Lessons from hepatitis B vaccine

Development of safe and effective vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV)-the second vaccine against a major human cancer-is one of the most important medical and public health achievements of this century. As with all new vaccines, HPV is currently expensive and this cost precludes its use in the developing world, which has the greatest burden of disease from HPV-related cancers. Hepatitis B (HB) virus vaccine, which prevents chronic HB infection and related cirrhosis and liver cancer, has been successfully introduced as a routine vaccine for children in 89% of countries, including the poorest. The success of this vaccine provides a model for the introduction of HPV vaccine and control of cervical and other HPV-related cancers and genital warts. Lessons learned from HB vaccine introduction are relevant to our efforts to introduce HPV vaccine globally. As with HB vaccine, introduction of HPV vaccine into national immunization programs and routine use of this vaccine, funded by governments, will be needed to control HPV-related disease on a global basis. Global funding support will be needed to make control a reality for the poorest countries, and the program to accomplish this, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), has already expressed great interest in including HPV vaccine. For this to occur, the manufacturers will need to dramatically reduce the vaccine price for the poorest developing countries, and tier prices for wealthier developing countries not eligible for GAVI support. Countries will need to decide on the priority of HPV control in the context of other important new vaccines against pneumococcal pneumonia and rotavirus diarrhea.
School Bullying Among Adolescents in the United States: Physical, Verbal, Relational, and Cyber

Abstract Purpose Four forms of school bullying behaviors among US adolescents and their association with sociodemographic characteristics, parental support, and friends were examined. Methods Data were obtained from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) 2005 Survey, a nationally representative sample of grades 6–10 ( N = 7,182). The revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to measure physical, verbal, and relational forms of bullying. Two items were added using the same format to measure cyber bullying. For each form, four categories were created: bully, victim, bully-victim, and not involved. Multinomial logistic regressions were applied, with sociodemographic variables, parental support, and number of friends as predictors. Results Prevalence rates of having bullied others or having been bullied at school for at least once in the last 2 months were 20.8% physically, 53.6% verbally, 51.4% socially, or 13.6% electronically. Boys were more involved in physical or verbal bullying, whereas girls were more involved in relational bullying. Boys were more likely to be cyber bullies, whereas girls were more likely to be cyber victims. African-American adolescents were involved in more bullying (physical, verbal, or cyber) but less victimization (verbal or relational). Higher parental support was associated with less involvement across all forms and classifications of bullying. Having more friends was associated with more bullying and less victimization for physical, verbal, and relational forms but was not associated with cyber bullying. Conclusions Parental support may protect adolescents from all four forms of bullying. Friends associate differentially with traditional and cyber bullying. Results indicate that cyber bullying is a distinct nature from that of traditional bullying.
Intestinal absorption of nutrients in rats treated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (Tcdd)

Impairment of active intestinal absorption of glucose and leucine was observed in rats 2-3 wk after oral treatment with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (5 and 100 mg/kg). At the higher dose level used this response was complicated by the effects of severely reduced food consumption. Malabsorption of specific nutrients may help occasion the body wasting seen in many animals after acute exposure to TCDD.
Properties of alkaline-earth-filled skutterudite antimonides: A ( Fe , Ni ) 4 Sb 12 ( A = Ca , Sr, and Ba)

Properties of alkaline-earth-filled skutterudite antimonides based on Fe and Ni are studied using first-principles calculations and Boltzmann transport theory. We find heavy conduction bands and a light-band-heavy-band mixture in the valence bands. The thermopower at high temperature is high for high carrier concentrations up to 0.2 per unit cell for both $p$ type and $n$ type. The results suggest experimental investigation of these materials as potential thermoelectrics.
2010 Financial Performance in the Club Industry

ABSTRACT This article reveals the median financial results for the club industry for 2010 using 24 financial ratios. The results are based on the submission of balance sheet and selected income statement numbers from 108 clubs. The ratios are reported as median results for the entire sample as well as the median results for the top and low performing clubs delineated by return on assets. The biggest differences between the two extreme groups of clubs are (1) average collection period, (2) operating cash flows to current liabilities and long-term debt, (3) TIE, (4) beverage inventory turnover, (5) profit margin, (6) return on assets, (7) ROA, (8) operating efficiency ratio, and (9) labor cost percentage.
Bioavailability of organic nitrates: a comparison of methods for evaluating plethysmographic responses.

: Erythrityl tetranitrate, a long-acting organic nitrate, was compared with isosorbide dinitrate in a double-blind, placebo-controlled complete crossover study in 15 healthy male volunteers. A digital plethysmogram and ear densitogram were used to assess the physiologic response to these two sublingual nitrates, with the intensity and duration of drug effect calculated by differences in diastolic amplitude intensity before and after drug administration. Both 5 mg sublingual erythrityl tetranitrate and 5 mg isosorbide dinitrate produced significant increases in diastolic amplitude intensity for up to 3 hours. The erythrityl tetranitrate peak effect was less than that of the isosorbide dinitrate, but the incidence of headaches was also less. The ear densitogram was found to be an effective means of assessing the diastolic amplitude intensity changes.
Prothrombin complex concentrates to reverse warfarin-induced coagulopathy in patients with intracranial bleeding

Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) offer a means for the rapid reversal of warfarin, particularly in the setting of life-threatening bleeding. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a PCC-based protocol in patients with warfarin-associated intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), subdural hematoma (SDH), or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This was a retrospective case-series review of patients treated with an institution-approved warfarin reversal protocol. Patients with intracranial hemorrhage and known warfarin use with an international normalized ratio (INR)>1.4 received fresh frozen plasma (FFP), vitamin K (phytonadione), and weight-based, 3-factor PCC (Profilnine(®) SD) dose based on the initial INR. Demographic and clinical information, the degree of and time to INR normalization, and adverse events were recorded. The thirty study patients included 19 with primary ICH, 7 with SDH, and 4 with SAH. The mean age was 72.8 (±11) years, including 11 (37%) patients ≥80years old. The median presenting INR was 2.3 (IQR 2-3.3) and post-treatment INR was 1.4 (IQR 1.3-1.5, Z score 6.4, p<0.001). Median time from PCC administration to the first follow up INR was 95 (IQR 50-140) min. No patient's INR increased by more than 0.3 over 72h. Nine patients (30%) underwent neurosurgical procedures after PCC administration and no procedure-related bleeding complication was noted. Adverse events included 3 instances of early hematoma expansion, one ischemic stroke in a patient with endocarditis on post-PCC day 1, one pulmonary embolism 5weeks after PCC treatment, and one coronary in-stent thrombosis 60days after PCC treatment. 6 patients died prior to hospital discharge of anticipated complications of their initial event, and none from identifiable thrombotic complications of PCC. A 3-factor PCC preparation (Profilnine(®) SD), administered with FFP and vitamin K to patients with acute warfarin-associated intracranial bleeding is a reasonable approach to urgent warfarin reversal. However, randomized, prospective trials are needed to verify the safety and clinical effectiveness of PCC administration in this population.
Race system for cattle slaughter plants with 1.5-m radius curves

Abstract A compact serpentine race system for cattle slaughter plants is described. It consists of two 180° curves with a 1.5 m radius. The advantage of this system is that less floor space is required, when compared to a curved race system with a 3.5 m to 5 m inside radius. The cattle are still able to move through this system easily.
The discounted cumulative margin penalty: Rank-learning with a list-wise loss and pair-wise margins

In recent years, the fields of rank-learning and information retrieval have received substantial attention. Algorithms developed within these domains have shown promising results in a variety of problem spaces, especially in document retrieval and web search. In this paper, a new rank-learning algorithm is proposed that combines list-wise loss measurements with pair-wise margins. The list-wise loss term is inspired by the Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain (NDCG) metric, and the resulting objective function is solvable with gradient-free optimization techniques. Experiments using the LETOR 3.0 and 4.0 collections demonstrate that the ranking performance achieved by an algorithm using this loss measure is competitive with reported baselines.
Inhibition of rat liver sterol formation by isoprenoid and conjugated ene compounds.

Summary The isoprenoid compounds dolichol, citral, α-tocopherol, ubiquinone, geraniol, and phytol and the diene pentachloropentadienoic acid, when introduced in sonicated liposomes with phosphatidyl serine, inhibited the conversion of squalene to sterols by the reaction mixture. Other compounds tested and found to have no effect on this reaction were lycopene (an isoprenoid), eleostearic acid, 4′ methoxychalcone and 5(α-methyl vanillidene) rhodanine (ene compounds). Only citral, α-tocopherol, squalene and pentachloropentadienoic acid were found to inhibit the incorporation of 3 H-mevalonic acid into sterols.
Two-dimensional heat transfer and critical radius results for natural convection about an insulated horizontal cylinder

Abstract The two-dimensional (i.e. radial and circumferential) heat transfer and fluid flow problem for a fluid-carrying, insulated horizontal cylinder which loses heat to air by natural convection was analyzed by solving the differential form of the conservation laws. The resulting conjugate problem encompassed conduction in the insulation layer and natural convection in the ambient air. A one-dimensional, radial heat flow model of the problem was also investigated in detail, and the circumferential-average natural convection heat transfer coefficients needed for its evaluation were respectively taken from the commonly used correlations of McAdams, Morgan, and Churchill and Chu. It was found that the correlation-related spread of the heat transfer results from the one-dimensional model was greater than the differences between the one- and two-dimensional results. The use of the Morgan correlation gave the most accurate set of one-dimensional heat transfer results (i.e. best agreement with the two-dimensional results). For the critical radius, the standard h 0 r ∗ k ins = 1 criterion led to significant errors and should no longer be used. The critical radius results from the one-dimensional model, although correlation-dependent and deviant from the two-dimensional results, can be calculated efficiently and accurately from the criterion h 0 r ∗ k ins = 3n (1 + n) , where n is an exponent which can be determined for each specific Nusselt-Rayleigh correlation.
Phytohormone effects on cell division in Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick (TX-7-11-05) (Chlorellaceae)

Phytohormone effects on cell division of synchronous cultures ofChlorella pyrenoidosa (TX-7-11-05) were studied under different photo flux densities. The time required for initiation of incipient cell division was reduced significantly by treatment with kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine), gibberellic acid, and indole-3-acetic acid. Data show that kinetin was more effective than gibberellic acid, which was more effective than indole-3-acetic acid. Studies with combinations of the phytohormones revealed no antagonistic, additive, or synergistic effects.
The Role of Culture in Chronic Illness.

Provider and patient cultural approaches to disease etiology and illness affect the patient's care-seeking behaviors, treatment options, treatment choices, and compliance with Western medical diagnoses and treatments. This article provides cross-cultural examples of these impacts on several chronic illnesses and then argues for a dual medical approach for treatment, an approach that recognizes the strengths and limitations of various cultural medical systems, including those of the Western medical system. A case study of a Mexican American man with cystic fibrosis is presented to demonstrate how culture influences his and his family's understanding of disease etiology and of his illness experience and, consequently, his dual medical approach to treatment.
Teaching Strategy and Security in Cyberspace: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Gaining an appreciation for the security implications of an increasingly networked world requires drawing on multiple academic disciplines. On the one hand, it is difficult to speak meaningfully about information assurance without some understanding of the technical aspects of information networks. On the other, if only technical aspects are covered students will not be prepared to address the economic, political, and even ethical issues associated with policy in this area. This paper discusses the efforts of two educators with backgrounds in computer science and political science to create a course to address this educational need. The course uses a variety of techniques to integrate the issues essential to thinking about strategy and security in cyberspace. In a society growing ever more dependent on information technologies, competence in this area will become increasingly important and a valuable component of an undergraduate education.
In Vivo Modification of Native Carrier Protein Domains

Carrier proteins are central to the biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites in all organisms. Here we describe metabolic labeling and manipulation of native acyl carrier proteins in both type I and II fatty acid synthases. By utilizing natural promiscuity in the CoA biosynthetic pathway in combination with synthetic pantetheine analogues, we demonstrate metabolic labeling of endogenous carrier proteins with reporter tags in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and in a human carcinoma cell line. The highly specific nature of the post-translational modification that was utilized for tagging allows for simple visualization of labeled carrier proteins, either by direct fluorescence imaging or after chemical conjugation to a fluorescent reporter. In addition, we demonstrate the utility of this approach for the isolation and enrichment of carrier proteins by affinity purification. Finally, we use these techniques to identify a carrier protein from an unsequenced organism, a finding that validates this proteomic approach to natural product biosynthetic enzyme discovery.
Nutrient signaling to mTOR and cell growth.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a conserved protein kinase involved in a multitude of cellular processes including cell growth. Increased mTOR activation is observed in multiple human cancers and inhibition of mTOR has proven efficacious in numerous clinical trials. mTOR comprises two complexes, termed mTORC1 and mTORC2. Both complexes respond to growth factors, whereas only mTORC1 is controlled by nutrients, such as glucose and amino acids. Since the discovery of mTOR, extensive studies have intricately detailed the molecular mechanisms by which mTORC1 is regulated. Somewhat paradoxically, amino acid (AA)-induced mTORC1 activation –arguably the most essential stimulus leading to mTORC1 activation – is the least understood. Here we review the current knowledge of nutrient-dependent regulation of mTORC1.
A supply chain model with direct and retail channels

Abstract We study a dual channel supply chain in which a manufacturer sells to a retailer as well as to consumers directly. Consumers choose the purchase channel based on price and service qualities. The manufacturer decides the price of the direct channel and the retailer decides both price and order quantity. We develop conditions under which the manufacturer and the retailer share the market in equilibrium. We show that the difference in marginal costs of the two channels plays an important role in determining the existence of dual channels in equilibrium. We also show that demand variability has a major influence on the equilibrium prices and on the manufacturer’s motivation for opening a direct channel. In the case that the manufacturer and the retailer coordinate and follow a centralized decision maker, we show that adding a direct channel will increase the overall profit. Our numerical results show that an increase in retailer’s service quality may increase the manufacturer’s profit in dual channel and a larger range of consumer service sensitivity may benefit both parties in the dual channel. Our results suggest that the manufacturer is likely to be better off in the dual channel than in the single channel when the retailer’s marginal cost is high and the wholesale price, consumer valuation and the demand variability are low.
Splitting of some more spaces

BY F. R. COHEN, J. P. MA ANYD L. R. TAYLORNorthern Illinois University, University Chicago, ofUniversity of Notre Dame(Received 3 August 1978)In (4) we showed how to stably split certain spaces OX built up fro ' coefficienm a tsystem' ^ and a 'II-space' X. Via an approximation theorem relating particularexamples to loop spaces, there resulted stable splitting Q.
Effect of Protocolized Sedation on Clinical Outcomes in Mechanically Ventilated Intensive Care Unit Patients : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract Objective To assess the effects of protocolized sedation (algorithm or daily interruption) compared with usual care without protocolized sedation on clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients via a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from their inception to February 28, 2013. A random-effects model was used to synthesize risk ratios (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs). Results Of 4782 records screened, 6 RCTs including 1243 patients met the inclusion criteria. Protocolized sedation was associated with significant reductions in overall mortality (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.97; P=.02; number needed to treat, 20; P=.11), ICU length of stay (WMD, −1.73 days; 95% CI, −3.32 to −0.14 days; P=.03), hospital length of stay (WMD, −3.55 days; 95% CI, −5.98 to −1.12 days; P=.004), and tracheostomy (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.96; P=.03; number needed to treat, 16.6; P=.04; 5 RCTs) compared with usual care. Protocolized sedation produced no significant differences in duration of mechanical ventilation (WMD, −1.04 days; 95% CI, −2.54 to 0.47 days; P=.18), reintubation (RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.15; P=.21; 3 RCTs), and self-extubation (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.46 to 4.82; P=.51; 4 RCTs) compared with usual care. Included studies did not report delirium incidence. Conclusion In mechanically ventilated adults in closed, nonspecialty ICUs, protocolized sedation seems to decrease overall mortality (15%), ICU and hospital lengths of stay (1.73 and 3.55 days, respectively), and tracheostomy (31%) compared with usual care without protocolized sedation.
Antonia Mercé, "LaArgentina": Flamenco and the Spanish Avant Garde

Antonia Merce, stage-named La Argentina, was the most celebrated Spanish dancer of the early 20th century. Her intensive musical and theatrical collaborations with members of the Spanish vanguard -- Manuel de Falla, Frederico Garcia Lorca, Enrique Granados, Nestor de la Torre, Joaquin Nin, and with renowned Andalusian Gypsy dancers -- reflect her importance as an artistic symbol for contemporary Spain and its cultural history. When she died in 1936, newspapers around the world mourned the passing of the "Flamenco Pavlova."
Influence of sodicity and salinity on the mechanical properties of two italian soils

Soil salinisation has been identified as a major process in land degradation. Sodic soils become less permeable to water and air, more prone to erosion, and require more energy for tillage. To assess the influence of irrigation with brackish water on soil mechanical characteristics, field and laboratory tests were performed on two different Italian soils. One soil was irrigated with saline water directly in the field, while the other was treated in the laboratory with sodic solutions at different concentrations. The results have shown that different soils may have a very different response to the treatment with brackish water. The soil sensitive to the saline action greatly reduced its plastic limit and consequently its workability. This is also shown by the significant increase in shear resistance. In addition, the slope of the line used for liquid limit (LL) determination, expressing the sensitivity of the soil to the moisture content, can effectively be used as an index of sensitivity to sodic soils.
Predictive Control and Estimation: State Space Approach

This paper presents a modified output prediction procedure, and a new controller design based on the predictive control law. A new predictive estimator enhances system performance. The predictive controller was designed and applied to the tracking control of the NASA/JPL 70-m antenna. Simulation results show significant improvement in tracking performance over the linear quadratic controller and estimator presently in use.
Venlafaxine: A novel antidepressant that has a dual mechanism of action

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common affective disorder that is associated with a range of psychiatric disturbances. The pathophysiology of MDD is commonly believed to involve the reduced availability of the monoamines, serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE), the enhancement of which is also believed to mediate, at least in part, the therapeutic effects of antidepressants. The first-generation antidepressants, the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), provide considerable efficacy but have several limitations, including (1) delayed onset of action, (2) intolerable or distressing side effects, (3) low therapeutic index, and (4) a significant proportion of nonresponders. The second-generation antidepressants, the selective-serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), mitigate some of the side effects associated with the TCAs by selectively inhibiting the reuptake of 5-HT. Venlafaxine is a new antidepressant that blocks reuptake of both 5-HT and NE. It, like the SSRIs, has a relatively benign side-effect profile. In addition, it may exert a rapid onset of action, and it appears to be particularly effective in moderate-to-severe depression and in patients who have treatment-refractory depression.
Response properties of chemosensory peg sensilla on the pectines of scorpions

By behavioral and anatomical criteria, the pectinal sensory appendages of scorpions appear to be chemoreceptive organs specialized for detection of substances on substrates. These comb-like, midventral appendages contain tens of thousands of minute (<5 μm), truncated setae, called pegs, arranged in dense, two-dimensional arrays on the ventral surface. In this study we used extracellular recording techniques to examine spontaneous and stimulated activity of sensory neurons within individual pegs. Chronic recordings lasting several days showed long-term fluctuations in spontaneous activity of sensory units in single peg sensilla, with peak activity coinciding with the animal's normal period of foraging. Several units were identified by the stereotypical waveforms of action potentials they elicit. Near-range olfactory stimulation of peg sensilla by volatile alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and carboxylic acids produced dose-dependent patterns of neural response. Contact stimulation with these chemicals, or water, or mechanical deflection of the peg tip also evoked activity in identifiable units. The peg sensilla appear to be broadly sensitive to odorants and tastants, suggesting they function similarly to the antennae of mandibulate arthropods.
An integrated planning system in the complex product development and manufacturing environment

Abstract The semiconductor industry is a prime example of an industry featuring an ever increasing complexity. In the past decade our work has covered activities from servicing a few products of similar technology to a multitude of products, and spanned several generations of technology while sharing common engineering and manufacturing services and facilities. The effect on operating plans and controls is twofold: it has become impractical to supply the necessary information for effective planning and control by manual data processing. Secondly, the complex development and manufacturing environment has caused an interruption of the management cycle of Plan, Execute, Control and Evaluate, and Modify. Manufacturing Engineering in our organization was the first to feel the full effect of the change in the planning and control environment. Then it became necessary to reformat their natural work plan, which is in the project mode, for entry into the product/program mode planning and budget systems. Several partial solutions led to the formation of a task force composed of Industrial Engineering. Manufacturing Engineering, and Systems personnel which recommended an integrated system. Principal among the design criteria of the task force were: (1) The system would support project planning/control; (2) the basic element of the plan would be the project, which the system would integrate into a plan for display in appropriate detail at the various management levels; (3) the system would be fully compatible with the existing accounting systems, through which actual coast and manpower data would be automatically captured for tracking against the manpower plans and budgets. A planning and control system was designed to parallel the process of developing a plan/cost estimate. It consists of four modules or subsystems, each of which can be exercised separately. The system has evolved to its present state both by the original development and by additional modification to each module. A description of each module is given including data inputs and source, information outputs and users, data control, system flowchart, and support system configuration. The basic building blocks of the planning and control system can be described as a complete project data base/data communications system which can be accessed to meet the demands of budgets, manpower plans, cost estimates, and management “what if” queries. The principal planning and management tools produce the project/product workload plan and supply the information for product/program related business decisions. Several examples are examined and discussed. The system can provide the overall resource picture for the site and at each organizational level. The effect of the planning and control system has been to enhance vertical communication and focus on the interrelationship between details of work and the overall results. The programming used in this study was developed for and uniquely tailored to IBM requirements.
Transmembrane potential changes of embryonic heart before and after myogenic activation.

Transmembrane potentials of in vivo embryonic hearts of the salamander Ambystoma mexicanum were recorded prior to, and immediately after, onset of myogenic activity. Resting potentials ranged from 20 to 25 mV. and action potentials, only present after onset of myogenic activity, ranged from 27 to 33 mV. Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, intracellular and extracellular electrical stimulation, and combinations thereof were without effect on hearts prior to onset of myogenic activity, in contrast to modification of intrinsic responses after onset of activity. Myogenic activity originated only at the junction of the atria and ventricle and subsequently at the sinus venosus.
Phylogeny of Hypselodoris (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae) with a review of the monophyletic clade of Indo-Pacific species, including descriptions of twelve new species

Abstract This work provides an account of the systematics and phylogeny of Hypselodoris . Aspects of the morphology of 42 species are described and the systematic status of an additional 11 species is discussed. Twelve new species are described Hypselodoris alboterminata , H. bertschi , H. bollandi , H. fucata , H. iacula , H. insulana , H. krakatoa , H. paulinae , H. reidi , H. rudmani , H. violabranchia and H. zephyra . A phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of Hypselodoris and Risbecia . Two distinct clades of Hypselodoris are present. One contains species from the Atlantic and eastern Pacific while the other contains species limited to the Indo-Pacific tropics and adjacent temperate regions. Species from the Atlantic and eastern Pacific are bluish in body colour and have a plesiomorphically large receptaculum seminis while Indo-Pacific taxa are variably coloured and all have a minute receptaculum seminis. The distribution and size of mantle glands provides a wealth of morphological characters. With few exceptions, mantle glands vary in closely related species and are important for distinguishing members of smaller clades. Mantle gland distribution is therefore useful in identifying preserved material that is difficult to identify to species in the absence of the pigment of living specimens. Similar colour patterns found in sympatric species of Hypselodoris appear to be a result of both common descent and convergence between less closely related lineages. Biogeographic distributions of sister taxa provide several examples of vicariance. Examination of these cases shows that no single vicariant pattern is present, but vicariance appears to occur at the margins of the Indo-Pacific rather than centrally. Some vicariance occurs even within archipelagos such as the Hawaiian Islands. These cases largely refute the generality of the hypothesis of Springer (1982), that Pacific Plate and Australasian Plate endemic sister taxa should predominate.
A systematic technique for the sequential restoration of salt structures

Abstract A method is described for the sequential restoration of cross sections in areas of salt tectonics where deformation is confined to the salt and higher layers. The subsurface geometry evolves with time through the interaction of various processes: sedimentation, compaction, isostatic adjustment, thermal subsidence (if present), faulting, and salt withdrawal/ diapirism. The technique systematically calculates and removes the effects of each of these processes during specified time intervals defined by the interpreted horizons. It makes no assumptions about salt kinematics and generally results in the area of the salt layer changing through time. The method is described for restoration of extensional terranes, but it is also suitable for areas of contractional salt tectonics with only minor modifications. After converting an interpreted seismic profile to depth, the top layer is stripped off and the underlying section is decompacted according to standard porosity-depth functions. A deep baseline, unaffected by compaction or deformation, is used to restore any isostatic compensation or thermal subsidence. Isostasy is calculated according to the Airy model, and differential sedimentary loading across a section is shown to be approximately balanced by changes in salt thickness so that the load is evenly distributed. After these processes have been reversed, the resulting geometry and the seismic data are used to create the sea-floor template for structural restoration. Fault offsets are removed and the layers down to the top salt are restored to this template, while the base salt remains fixed. The resulting space between the restored top salt and the fixed base salt defines the restored salt geometry. In addition, the difference between the sea-floor template and a fixed sea level provides a measure of the change in water depth (ignoring eustatic changes in sea level). The technique is applied to an interpreted seismic profile from the eastern Green Canyon/Ewing Bank area of offshore Louisiana. The section is characterized by a variety of salt structures, including salt rollers, a diapiric massif, a remnant salt sheet, and a salt weld, which are shown to have derived from an originally continuous salt sheet which has been modified by sedimentary loading. Early loading created vertical basin growth that was accommodated primarily by salt withdrawal and associated diapiric rise through the process of downbuilding. Once the salt weld formed, continued sedimentation was accommodated by a lateral increase in basin size caused by down-dip extension on listric growth faults.
Fundamental Project Quality Assurance Organizations in Highway Design and Construction

Alternative project delivery methods and reductions in state highway agency staffing are changing project quality assurance organizations (QAO) or the assignment of project quality management roles and responsibilities in the industry. Although fundamental quality roles and responsibilities remain the same, the assignment of these roles and responsibilities is shifting away from agencies and is doing so in an ad hoc manner because of project time constraints and lack of research and guidance on the topic. Most research that pertains to highway project quality has focused on quality control levels, material specifications, inspections, and observations; there is a gap in the research about overall project quality organizations. This paper addresses that gap by providing a better understanding of highway project QAOs and guidance about assignments of quality management roles and responsibilities. The research identified five fundamental highway project QAOs through a national survey of industry, a literature review, and an analysis of the content of documents from 66 projects. The resulting five fundamental highway project QAOs are Deterministic, Assurance, Variable, Oversight, and Acceptance.
Design optimization study for a 960 &#215; 768 line AC plasma display panel

The design parameter effects in an ac plasma display panel are studied and discussed. Statistical experiments are designed to empirically determine the response surface equations. These equations describe the dependence of the plasma display panel operating Characteristics on chamber gap, line width, dielectric thickness, and pressure. The results are used to make the tradeoffs required for selection of an optimized plasma panel.
Accurate potential energy curves for the 3Σ+u and b3Σ+g states of Li2

Abstract Accurate multi-configuration SCF calculations of the potential energy curves for the 3 Σ + u and b 3 Σ + g states of Li 2 are presented. The experimental detection of these states is discussed. The implications of the crossing of the a 3 Π u state potential with the 3 Σ + u potential for a poposed Li 2 laser is discussed.
Ultrastructural observations and taxonomic considerations of a microsporidium of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii : conspecificity with Thelohania pristiphorae and Pleistophora sp

Abstract A microsporidium found in the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii , in Pennsylvania was examined by light and electron microscopy. All stages of our species had only haplokaryotic nuclei and occurred within a simple membrane-bound vacuole of the host cell cytoplasm. Sporogonial plasmodia divided by budding to give rise to eight or more spores in a parasitophorous vacuole, the envelope of which was subpersistent but occasionally remained intact around groups of spores for short periods of time. The characteristics of this microsporidium are compared to two other species described from P. erichsonii: Thelohania pristiphorae and Pleistophora sp. Evidence is presented to support our contention that these three species are conspecific and that the microsporidium involved should be assigned to the genus Cystosporogenes becoming Cystosporogenes pristiphorae n. comb.
Does chondrocalcinosis affect Knee Society scores and range of motion after TKA

Background Chondrocalcinosis is manifested by crystalline deposits of calcium commonly found during primary TKA for osteoarthritis. Its frequency among patients undergoing TKA is poorly defined, as is its influence on pain or function after TKA.
Repeated insect outbreaks promote multi-cohort aspen mixedwood forests in northern Minnesota, USA

Abstract Characterizing the timing, severity, and agents of historic forest disturbances is critical to developing management and conservation strategies based on natural processes. Typically such information is derived from retrospective studies of remnant old-growth forests; however, this approach has limited application in regions dominated by secondary forests heavily influenced by past land-use. One striking example is the secondary aspen mixedwood forests of northern Minnesota, which have risen in both abundance and aerial extent, the result of post-settlement harvesting and subsequent land-use changes. Given their recent rise in abundance, as well as their dominance by relatively short-lived aspen, they have not been the focus of retrospective studies examining pre-settlement conditions. Using methods of dendrochronology, we reconstructed nearly a 90-year history of canopy disturbances and stand development for nine secondary mesic aspen mixedwood forests of northern Minnesota. Results show all stands initiating after near stand-replacing disturbance, presumably harvests, marked by initial recruitment dominated by Populus tremuloides. Ensuing development included an extended recruitment period by shade-tolerant species such as Abies balsamea, Acer rubrum, and Picea glauca. However, some stands experienced defoliation by forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria) quite early during the stem exclusion stage (major events occurring as early as 23 years after stand initiation), causing tree mortality and giving rise to a new cohort. Subsequent repeated outbreaks of tent caterpillar and spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) further opened the canopy, resulting in complex mixed-species, multi-cohort stands. This study is one of the first to link chronic defoliation events with long-term community dynamics for this forest type. Our findings highlight the critical roles these events play in structuring aspen mixedwood forests, particularly within the early stages of stand development, resulting in multi-cohort stands. Moreover, our findings support the growing body of literature suggesting that the range of variability in aspen age structures extends beyond the single-cohort model that has guided forest management in this region. Collectively, these findings have important implications for the design of forest management practices that approximate this range of variability and emulate defoliation disturbances, with early harvest entries aimed at increasing stand structural and compositional complexity.
Structural Choices of 2 Versus 1 Pursuit-Evasion Differential Games

On etudie les problemes particuliers des jeux differentiels a 1 contre N bases sur un jeu a 2 contre 1 dans le contexte de systemes a 2 sonars (ou radars) avec une cible
Understanding interest to inform recruitment: What characteristics of digital curation interest computer science and computer engineering students?

According to the Digccurr Project Matrix of Digital Curation Knowledge and Competencies, future digital curators will need sufficient technical skills to address the challenges presented by digital curation (Lee et al. 2007). In addition, interviews with Digccurr advisory board members identify a specific need to recruit individuals with technical backgrounds. Students pursing majors in computer science (CS) and computer engineering (CE) possess sufficient technical skills included in the Digccurr matrix. In this study, a group of CS students and CE students will be interviewed about their current career plans and reactions to three digital curation job postings. Data will provide information that can inform recruitment of individuals that possess the skills needed to conduct digital curation work.
Group-Type Automata

The purpose is to investigate the input structure of automata which have a group-like character. The class of perfect automata investigated by Fleck in [2] and Weeg in [6] is a proper subclass of those considered here.