cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid control of steroidogenesis in isolated rat adrenocortical cells.

Abstract The role of end-product glucocorticoids in the regulation of corticosteroidogenesis in isolated adrenocortical cells was investigated. Trypsin-isolated cells from male rat adrenal glands were incubated with or without corticotropin (ACTH) and with or without corticosterone. Endogenous corticosterone production was determined by radioimmunoassay at the end of incubation. Cessation of ACTH-induced corticosterone production was apparent after 2–4 h of incubation. The suppression occurred later with lower cell concentrations. Corticosterone production was partially restored after washing the suppressed cells. Supernatant fluid from suppressed cell suspensions also suppressed steroidogenesis of a fresh population of cells. However, the suppressing property of the supernatant fluid was abolished after the removal of corticosterone by charcoal-dextran treatment, suggesting that corticosterone or other steroids caused the suppression. Exogenous corticosterone induced suppression over a wide range of ACTH concentrations, but did not change the half-maximal steroidogenic concentration of ACTH, indicating that the suppression does not change the sensitivity of the cells to ACTH. Suppression occurred within 30–60 min after corticosterone had been added to the incubation medium either at the start of incubation or while steroidogenesis was in progress. Suppression varied directly with the concentration of exogenous corticosterone. These data indicate that glucocorticoids can directly and acutely suppress corticosteroidogenesis and thus control adrenocortical function in concert with other regulators such as ACTH and Ca 2+ .
Low protein-high carbohydrate diet induces alterations in the serum thyronine-binding proteins in the rat.

The serum T3 concentration was increased in 8- week-old lean Zucker rats fed a low protein-high carbohydrate diet for 2 weeks. This increase was secondary to the generation of a binding protein migrating in the postalbumin zone in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis employing 125I-labeled T3 and is termed rat thyronine-binding globulin. The presence of this T3-- binding protein in serum resulted in a marked decrease in the percent free T3 assessed by equilibrium dialysis and a normal free T3 concentration. An increase in the binding of T4 in the postalbumin zone was also observed, but no changes in the dialyzable fraction of T4 or the total and free T4 concentrations occurred. In contrast to these findings in lean Zucker rats fed the low protein-high carbohydrate diet, no change in the pattern of 125I-labeled T3 and T4 binding, the dialyzable fraction of T3 or T4, or total and free T3 or T4 concentrations were observed in the obese Zucker rats fed this diet. The present findings suggest that diet-induced a...
Sport, health, and the Iranian middle class in the 1920s and 1930s

IN THE SPRING OF 1939, TEHRAN'S RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED AMJADIEH STADIUM hosted a part of the public celebration of the wedding ceremony of crown prince Mohammad Reza and Princess Fawzieh of Egypt. Several thousand spectators, mostly men and women well-clad in 'international' dress,' enjoyed a spectacle featuring short presentations of over a dozen so-called 'new' and 'old' sports such as soccer, acrobatics, and zuirkhanah exercises.2 Wearing his Boy Scout uniform, Mohammad Reza was present(ed) as the energetic leader of these sportsmen and women and reflected in persona the hope for a healthy productive nation, while the athletes on the ground below were proving to the Egyptian guests that not only the husband-to-be of Fawzieh, but also many of his countrymen were imbued with the spirit of modem sport and a healthy life. It was not the first time that the Pahlavis had placed sport at the center of a public celebration. After the crown prince's return from schooling in Switzerland, similar spectacles-although on a smaller scale-had been organized on his birthdays, and he often appeared in public as the leader of the Boy Scout movement, too.3 However, more important in the context of the present article is the argument that such festivities were not the product of an idiosyncratic royal spleen, but a political-symbolic reflection of the integration of sports into the
Prevention of child maltreatment in high-risk rural families: A randomized clinical trial with child welfare outcomes

Few studies have specifically examined prevention of child maltreatment among higher-risk populations in rural communities. The overarching goal of this study was to conduct a randomized clinical trial of SafeCare augmented for rural high-risk population (SC+) compared to standard home-based mental health services (SAU) to examine reductions in future child maltreatment reports, as well as risk factors and factors proximal to child maltreatment. Parents (N = 105) of young children (5 years or less) who had identifiable risk of depression, intimate partner violence, or substance abuse were randomized to SC+ or SAU. Participants randomized to SC+ were more likely to enroll (83% vs. 35% for SAU) and remain in services (35 h vs. 8 h for SAU). SC+ (for participants who successfully completed services) may have had limited impact on child welfare reports during service provision. Further, SC+ had fewer child welfare reports related to DV than SAU. Parent self-reports of parenting behaviors, risk factors, and protective factors did not demonstrate significant sustained program impact. Limitations include power constraints related to sample size. Promising next steps entail future trials with larger sample sizes examining service compliance and further augmentation of SafeCare to bolster service impact and address risk and protective factors.
Effect of storage temperature and moisture content on the germinative energy of malting barley, with particular reference to high temperature

The germinative energy of malting barley was determined after storage at two moisture contents, 12.8 and 13.3%, at three constant temperatures between 32 and 40°. The results link up well with other work at lower temperatures. When plotted against storage temperature and moisture content, the storage times during which germination falls to 95% form almost straight lines between 10 and 35°. Above 35°, a greater increase in the rate of deterioration is shown.
Partially parametric techniques for multiple imputation

Abstract Multiple imputation is a technique for handling data sets with missing values. The method fills in the missing values several times, creating several completed data sets for analysis. Each data set is analyzed separately using techniques designed for complete data, and the results are then combined in such a way that the variability due to imputation may be incorporated. Methods of imputing the missing values can vary from fully parametric to nonparametric. In this paper, we compare partially parametric and fully parametric regression-based multiple-imputation methods. The fully parametric method that we consider imputes missing regression outcomes by drawing them from their predictive distribution under the regression model, whereas the partially parametric methods are based on imputing outcomes or residuals for incomplete cases using values drawn from the complete cases. For the partially parametric methods, we suggest a new approach to choosing complete cases from which to draw values. In a Monte Carlo study in the regression setting, we investigate the robustness of the multiple-imputation schemes to misspecification of the underlying model for the data. Sources of model misspecification considered include incorrect modeling of the mean structure as well as incorrect specification of the error distribution with regard to heaviness of the tails and heteroscedasticity. The methods are compared with respect to the bias and efficiency of point estimates and the coverage rates of confidence intervals for the marginal mean and distribution function of the outcome. We find that when the mean structure is specified correctly, all of the methods perform well, even if the error distribution is misspecified. The fully parametric approach, however, produces slightly more efficient estimates of the marginal distribution function of the outcome than do the partially parametric approaches. When the mean structure is misspecified, all of the methods still perform well for estimating the marginal mean, although the fully parametric method shows slight increases in bias and variance. For estimating the marginal distribution function, however, the fully parametric method breaks down in several situations, whereas the partially parametric methods maintain their good performance. In an application to AIDS research in a setting that is similar to although slightly more complicated than that of the Monte Carlo study, we examine how estimates for the distribution of the time from infection with HIV to the onset of AIDS vary with the method used to impute the residual time to AIDS for subjects with right-censored data. The fully parametric and partially parametric techniques produce similar results, suggesting that the model selection used for fully parametric imputation was adequate. Our application provides an example of how multiple imputation can be used to combine information from two cohorts to estimate quantities that cannot be estimated directly from either one of the cohorts separately.
Reaching Soldiers with Untreated Substance Use Disorder: Lessons Learned in the Development of a Marketing Campaign for the Warrior Check-Up Study

The Warrior Check-Up, a confidential telephone-delivered intervention, is designed to reach active-duty soldiers with untreated substance-use disorder at a large U.S. military base. This paper describes the development and successful implementation of the study's marketing strategies at the recruitment period's midpoint (2010-2012). Qualitative analyses of focus groups (n = 26) and survey responses (n = 278) describe the process of campaign design. Measures of demographics, media exposure, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression gathered from callers (n = 172) are used in quantitative analysis assessing the campaign's success in reaching this population. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed. Department of Defense provided study funding.
Did Large Estates Exist in Lower Galilee in the First Half of the First Century ce

In the discussions on the economy of Galilee in the time of Jesus, the presence or absence of large land-estates must play a significant role. Based on a reading of the parables attributed to Jesus, one could conclude that there were many estates of significantly large size and that they contributed to the economic conditions of Galilee causing loss of land and a growing rural proletariat. This paper will argue that the estates of Galilee were of modest size and had no significant economic impact. The argument will focus on the Bet Netofa Valley, and especially on the village of Shikhin, as the location for the medium-sized estates of the elites of Sepphoris.
Articulating and Contextualizing Multiple Literacies in an Urban Setting.

This study uses articulation theory to frame how social actors and institutions in an urban community in Columbus, Ohio, form linkages and understandings about computer and information literacies. Using interviews with 33 key educators (e.g., principals, computer literacy teachers, library media specialists, district integration specialists), public librarians, and directors from local recreation and community centers, the results show not only how members of this community construct computer and information literacies but also how the participants support these literacies with available resources. Different structural and cultural barriers and opportunities are identified that impact how computer and information literacies are articulated within this community.
Prognosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia of Childhood as Determined by Cytogenetic Studies at Diagnosis

Fifty-one children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on a common protocol of treatment were classified according to presence or absence of chromosomal abnormalities found at the time of diagnosis in bone marrow and/ or blood. Twenty-two or 43% had normal karyotypes while 29 (57%) had clonal abnormalities using the Giemsa-trypsin banding technique. Thirteen of the 29 (45%) chromo-somally abnormal patients relapsed while only three of 21 (14%) with normal karyotypes have relapsed with a median follow-up of 49.5 months (42-76 months). (One child with a normal karyotype did not respond to therapy.) Several hypotheses have been offered to attempt to explain the significantly better prognosis of patients with no observable initial chromosomal aberrations.
The stock return effect of political risk event on foreign joint ventures: evidence from the Tiananmen Square Incident

Abstract This study examines how political risk events affect the value of foreign investing firms. A unique event, the Tiananmen Square Incident, is selected to examine this issue because we believe this incident exacerbated the political risk of doing business in China. We examine the impact of the incident on the stock returns of U.S. firms with joint ventures in China. The results show that this incident indeed had a significant impact on U.S. firms with joint ventures in China, and the market had reacted to this event in an efficient manner. The results also indicate that the impact of this incident on U.S. firms was relatively small in magnitude. Further, the sharp increase of joint ventures after the incident and the significant results in high-risk group vs. the insignificant results in low-risk group provide evidence suggesting that the effect of this incident was temporary rather than long-term and regional rather than national.
Spontaneous renal hemorrhage associated with renal tumors

Spontaneous ruptures of the kidney sometimes require emergency surgery, at which time the etiology for the rupture becomes evident. Because the patient with previously existing renal pathology is asymptomatic, when these ruptures do occur one should be suspect of underlying disease. We present a case and discuss the relevant aspects of such entities.
The impact of epizootics on livelihoods.

Epizootics (nonhuman animal disease epidemics) can have detrimental impacts on livelihoods through a complex interaction of demographic trends, food production, and animal disease. Differences in the rate of demographic shifts, including rates of population growth, economic growth, urbanization, environmental sustainability, and role of women in society, are strong driving forces that will determine to what extent food demand will be matched by food production capacity. Epizootics can negatively affect commerce and trade in all countries, and in low-income countries limited infrastructure and resources as well as competing priorities provide additional disincentive to controlling or eradicating animal diseases. Economic growth is critical to overcoming disparities among countries and is best supported by integrated animal health, public health, labor, and foreign policies. The adverse impacts of epizootics can be largely overcome through programs that support job growth along the value-added chain of food...
Looking back and looking forward: normal lung growth and the pathophysiological consequences of 'misplaced' growth in disease.

Abstract This tribute is dedicated to Lynne M. Reid, M.D. It is a precis of a special lecture given by her at the 4th International Workshop for Pulmonary Functional Imaging, held at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Sept. 24–26, 2009. Dr. Reid's remarks include those of an historical nature as well as thematic presentations of the growth and remodeling of pulmonary airways and vessels both physiologically and pathophysiologically. The role of hyperoxia and hypoxia in adaptive and pathological settings were emphasized. The theme throughout Dr. Reid's lecture was the relationship between structure and function, and how each serves and is consequent on the other.
Polyphyly in the Eumalacostraca

[Les fossiles paleozoiques recemment decouverts ont elargi nos connaissances sur l'histoire du super-ordre des Hoplocarida. Cette comprehension plus etendue accentue que les hoplocarides sont uniques et suggere qu'ils derivent independamment des leptostracees, separement et distinctement des eumalacostracees caridoides. L'auteur presente des raisonnements pour et contre l'origine multiple des eumalacostracees, avec une exposition abregee des interpretations polyphyletiques et mono-phyletiques de l'histoire eumalacostraceenne telle qu'on la comprend actuellement., Les fossiles paleozoiques recemment decouverts ont elargi nos connaissances sur l'histoire du super-ordre des Hoplocarida. Cette comprehension plus etendue accentue que les hoplocarides sont uniques et suggere qu'ils derivent independamment des leptostracees, separement et distinctement des eumalacostracees caridoides. L'auteur presente des raisonnements pour et contre l'origine multiple des eumalacostracees, avec une exposition abregee des interpretations polyphyletiques et mono-phyletiques de l'histoire eumalacostraceenne telle qu'on la comprend actuellement.]
Where should you sit to watch a movie

A picture viewed from its center of projection (CoP) generates the same retinal image as the original scene. When a picture is viewed from other locations, the retinal image specifies a different layout and shapes, but we normally do not notice the changes. The mechanism underlying this is unknown. We studied the perceived shapes of pictured ovoids and planes while varying viewing angle and the angle by which the pictures were projected. We also varied the viewer's information about the orientation of the picture surface. Viewers compensated nearly veridically for oblique viewing when binocular information for surface orientation was available. In so doing, they used an estimate of local surface orientation and not prior information for object shape nor geometric information in the picture. We present a model that explains invariance for incorrect viewing positions, and other phenomena like perceived distortions with wide fields of view.
Paramyxoviruses SV5 and HPIV2 assemble STAT protein ubiquitin ligase complexes from cellular components.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins are normally long-lived, but infection with certain Paramyxoviruses results in efficient loss of IFN-responsive STAT1 or STAT2. Expression of a virus-encoded protein called "V" is sufficient to mediate the destruction of STAT proteins. STAT degradation is blocked by proteasome inhibitors, strongly implicating the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome targeting system. We demonstrate that cellular expression of V proteins from simian virus 5 (SV5) and type II human parainfluenza virus (HPIV2) induces polyubiquitylation of STAT1 and STAT2 targets. In vitro, the V proteins catalyze Ub transfer in an ATP-dependent process that requires both Ub-activating (E1) and Ub-conjugating (E2) activities. Furthermore, SV5 and HPIV2 V-interacting protein partners were isolated by affinity purification from human cells and reveal a complex of associated cellular proteins. This complex includes both STAT1 and STAT2, and the damaged DNA binding protein, DDB1. In addition, a protein related to a family of cellular Ub ligase complex subunits, cullin 4A (Cul4A), associated with the V proteins. The roles of both DDB1 and Cul4A in STAT1 degradation by SV5 infection were analyzed using small interfering RNAs. These findings demonstrate the assembly of a V-dependent degradation complex that includes STAT1, STAT2, DDB1, and Cul4A. In agreement with prior nomenclature on SCF-type cellular E3 enzymes, we refer to this complex as VDC.
FC22-01 - Suicide risk during antiepileptic drugs treatment in bipolar disorders, unipolar depression and epilepsy

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are receiving growing attention for possible association with suicidal risk. Several recent studies using varied methods have yielded inconsistent findings regarding risk of suicides and other self-injurious violent acts, particularly with specific AEDs. Suicidal risk may reflect high risks of co-morbid psychiatric conditions associated with suicide that call for routine consideration in epileptic patients. However, the studies involved are limited by providing associational findings that may be confounded by several uncontrolled variables. The reported apparent suicidal risk (US-FDA, 2008) was found with highly pharmaco-dynamically heterogeneous anticonvulsants as a group, and significantly only among epileptic patients. Three AEDs appear among three highest-risk agents in at least 2/6 reported analyses: levetiracetam (5/6 studies) > lamotrigine (3/6) = topiramate (3/6), although only topiramate has been associated with new clinical depression, and the three drugs differ in pharmacodynamic mechanisms. The evidence on this point remains very limited, but some anticonvulsants may reduce risk of suicides and attempts among patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, though perhaps less than by long-term treatment with lithium. For now, however, clinical prudence calls for routine, ongoing assessment of mood and suicidal thoughts among neurological or psychiatric patients, whether or not treated with particular drugs. This presentation reports a metanalytic investigation related to AEDs involving mood. Based on the recent research reviewed here, particular care, as well as further research, are indicated for levetiracetam and perhaps also lamotrigine and topiramate.
Business Intelligence Conceptual Model

A business intelligence conceptual model (BISCOM) is proposed as a process-focused design theory for developing, understanding, and evaluating business intelligence (BI) systems. Previous work has concentrated on subsets of the BI systems, use of BI tools, and specific business functional area requirements. BISCOM provides a unified and comprehensive design theory that integrates and synthesizes existing research. It extends existing research by proposing functionality that does not currently exist in BI systems. The BISCOM is validated through descriptive methods that demonstrate the model utility and through prototype creation to demonstrate the need for BISCOM.
The mechanism of meperidine action on the pancreas.

When 1-norepinephrine abolished the hypotensive effect of meperidine, there was no effect of Demerol on the pancreatic duct pressure. When the hypotensive effect of meperidine was inhibited by Compound 48–80, there was similarly no effect on pancreatic duct pressure. This effect of Compound 48–80 on meperidine may be due to other than a histamine phenomenon, since it was not abolished by Benadryl. The mechanism whereby hypotension stimulates pancreatic secretion is presently unexplained.
Investigation of the effect of within-trial retasting and comparison of the dual-pair, same-different and triangle paradigms

Abstract The performance on three protocols (same–different, triangle, dual–pair) was compared under two conditions: with and without sample retasting permitted. Allowing sample retasting was investigated as a means of improving the discrimination power of sensory discrimination methods. This improvement is predicted by the sensory sampling model or SESAM [Juslin, P., & Olsson, H. (1997). Thurstonian and Brunswikian origins of uncertainty in judgment: a sampling model of confidence in sensory discrimination. Psychological Review, 104, 344–366.]. Sixteen judges took part in the experiment which involved non-carbonated orange flavored beverages. No significant difference was observed among the three protocols' d′ values in either the retasting and no retasting conditions but there was a trend for the same–different to be more sensitive than the other two procedures. Such a trend would depend on the effects of stimulus presentation order and memory. Yet, since the same–different test is statistically more powerful, it is a preferable choice over the triangle, duo–trio and dual–pair tests. Also, retasting brought significant improvement for all tests over the no retasting condition as predicted by SESAM. This was illustrated by significantly larger d′ values. A further analysis indicated that when subjects were allowed to, but chose not to retaste, they performed better than when they chose to retaste the samples. Data involving sureness judgments in the same-different test provided an explanation on such a ‘discrepancy’. Therefore, it appears that sample retasting, when possible, should be allowed, but not required, in order to improve sensory discrimination among products.
Imperfect Competition and the Design of VAT RegimesThe Case of Energy Trade Between Russia and Ukraine

Under imperfect competition, Russia and Ukraine may choose to deviate from optimal tax considerations which suggest use of a destination-based VAT regime. Oil and gas trade is a major source of Russian tax revenue, which is collected partly through an origin-based VAT on intra-CIS energy trade. The paper shows that Ukraine may try to capture part of the tax revenue if it has monopsony power. It is far from clear whether Ukraine would succeed in shifting the rents through taxation, since this depends on the form of imperfect competition and the curvature of Ukraine`s import demand function.
Isolation of glycophorin with deoxycholate.

Abstract In a previous communication we reported that human erythrocyte glycophorin prepared by the lithium diiodosalicylate phenol procedure contains approximately 10 mol of lithium diiodosalicylate per mol of glycophorin, and further we showed that this bound lithium diiodosalicylate is difficult to remove by detergents or organic solvents (Romans, A.Y. and Segrest, J.P. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 511, 297–301). In the present communication we report an alternative purification procedure for glycophorin in which sodium deoxycholate is substituted for lithium diiodosalicylate; the sodium deoxycholate is subsequently removed by gel filtration. Utilizing this procedure, 25–30 mg glycophorin are obtained per gram of lyophilized erythrocyte ghosts. The glycophorin prepared by the sodium deoxycholate procedure, after a single gel filtration step, contains less than 1 mol of sodium deoxycholate per mol glycophorin and is colorless compared with glycophorin prepared by the lithium diiodosalicylate procedure, which has a distinct reddish-brown cast.
Neuro-oncology: understanding the molecular complexity of medulloblastoma.

The understanding and treatment of medulloblastoma, the most common childhood malignant brain tumour, is rapidly evolving. Three complementary deep-sequencing studies that were recently published in Nature add to our knowledge of this disease, further refine risk stratification, and identify potential druggable targets.
Friedrich A. Sorge's Labor Movement in the United States: A History of the American Working Class From 1890 to 1896

Introduction Buffalo Tennessee April 1893 Domestic Market--Financial Crisis of 1893--Silver and Tariff Legislation--Sugar and Tariff Legislation--Sugar Trust Judicial Power and Practice in the United States, 1894-1895 The Labor Movement, 1893 and 1894 The American Railway Union and the Pullman Strike The Investigation Committee--Postscript The Report of the Chicago Strike of June-July 1894 by the United States Strike Commission The Annual Convention of the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor The Strike in Brooklyn and Other Events The Labor Protective Laws and the Law-Abiding Citizens of Illinois/Socialism The Labor Movement in 1895 The Presidential Election Strikes and the Progress of Social Party Index
Depth profiling of boron in ultra-shallow junction devices using time-of-flight neutron depth profiling (TOF-NDP)

In conventional neutron depth profiling (NDP), residual energies of particles are measured directly by using a semiconductor detector. The measured depth resolution is a function of the material composition as well as a function of the energy resolution of the detector and precision of the measurement electronics. The uncertainty from the substrate is inevitable. However, for relatively thin layers, the predominant uncertainty factor in depth resolution is the metallic layer in front of the semiconductor-charged particle detector. The effect of the layer introduces additional straggling to the particle. Time-of-flight neutron depth profiling (TOF-NDP) is presented to eliminate the need to use semiconductor detectors. Particle energy can be determined from the particle arrival time. Energy resolution improvement achieved with TOF-NDP makes it possible to obtain concentration vs. depth profile of boron in ultra-shallow junction devices.
Daily soil surface CO 2 flux during non-flooded periods in flood-irrigated rice rotations

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the soil, as a result of root and microorganism respiration, is a major process in the global carbon cycle. Since CO2 production is dependent on oxygen availability, prolonged saturated soil conditions in rice (Oryza sativa) can decrease the quantity of soil carbon released in the form of CO2 over time. At present, a deficiency exists in the scientific literature on soil surface CO2 flux in well-established, flood-irrigated rice systems, which are flooded for approximately 3 months a year during the rice growth period. Plenty of studies have examined soil surface CO2 flux in dryland cropping systems and methane emissions in paddy-grown rice, but flood-irrigated rice does not easily fall into either of these categories due to the cyclic nature of seasonal flooding. Therefore, this is the first study to examine daily soil surface CO2 flux during non-flooded periods in well-established, flood-irrigated rice rotations. For a comprehensive analysis, soil surface CO2 flux was measured for 2 years on 10 different rice-based rotations, which had been managed using conventional tillage or no-tillage for 10 and 11 years. Rotations included continuous rice and various combinations of rice rotated with soybean (Glycine max), corn (Zea mays), and/or winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and were located on a silt-loam soil in the Mississippi River Delta region of Arkansas in the USA. Results showed that 7 of the 16 measurement dates differed in daily soil surface CO2 flux among tillage and/or crop rotations. However, these differences were determined to be from crop maturity, in relation to early- or late-season planting, instead of patterns of long-term flood irrigation. Years that rice was grown reduced the cumulative CO2 emissions, but substantial differences over time were minimized in rotations with soybean or corn. Findings from this experiment are valuable in the scientific understanding of carbon gas cycling in rice-based cropping systems because the aerobic periods between flooding were evaluated, which is the time period often ignored when examining carbon gas emissions in rice. Overall, this study provides evidence that the commonly used rice-based cropping systems reach a somewhat equilibrium state in daily CO2 fluxes over time, regardless of the frequency in periodic soil saturation.
Conservation Value of Roadside Prairie Restoration to Butterfly Communities

It has been suggested that restoration of roadsides to native habitat can benefit wildlife by adding habitat and restoring connectivity between fragmented reserves. In Iowa, which has one of the highest road densities in the United States, roadside vegetation has traditionally been managed to maintain a monoctil- ture of exotic grass. Recently, several Iowa counties have begun integrated roadside vegetation management, a program that both restores roadsides to native prairie vegetation and restricts the use of herbicides and mowing. We eval.uated the effect of this management regime on butterfly populations along central Iowa roadsides. We surveyed 12 separate prairie roadside areas, comparing the abundance and species richness of disturbance-tolerant and habitat-sensitive butterflies in roadside prairies with those of nearby roadsides dominated by either weeds (primarily non-native legumes) or non-native grasses. We found that manage- mnent of roadsides profoutndly affected the butterfly community. Species richness of habitat-sensitive butter- flies showed a two-fold increase in prairie compared with grassy and weedy roadsides (p < 0.0001), and abundance increased almostfive times more on the prairie than on grassy roadsides (p < 0. 02). Species rich- ness of disturbance-tolerant butterflies showed no response to roadside management, although abundance was slightly higher in weedy and prairie roadsides than on grassy roadsides (p < 0.01). Of all habitat vari- ables explored, the species richness ofplants inflower showed the, strongest effect on mean richness and abun- numbers indicated that mortality risk was more than twice as high on grassy roadsides (p < 0.0001). Track- ing studies showved that butterflies were less likely to exit prairie roadsides, indicating that their mortality rates may be lower and offering preliminary evidence that roadsides have the potential to be used as corri- dors. Overall, our results indicate that roadside restoration benefits butterfly populations. More detailed de- mographic data are necessary, however, to explore tle possibility that roadsides are acting as sink habitatfor some habitat-restricted species.
Safety of Adeno-Associated Virus as Cochlear Gene Transfer Vector: Analysis of Distant Spread Beyond Injected Cochleae

The adeno-associated virus (AAV), inoculated into the perilymph, has been shown to be an effective vector for mediating intracochlear transgene expression. The unexpected finding of transgene expression in the contralateral cochlea in previous work raised concern about dissemination of the virus from the target tissue. The current study was undertaken to assess the extent of AAV dissemination following its introduction into the inner ear. Adult male guinea pigs were injected with recombinant AAV into their left ears and sacrificed at 2 or 4 weeks. Various organs including the cochleae were harvested to characterize the presence and expression of the viral DNA. Virus DNA was detected via polymerase chain reaction in the infused and contralateral cochlea and in the cerebellum but not in any other organs, including cortex, heart, lung, liver, spleen, and kidney. Although the viral presence was established in the cerebellum, transgene expression in this organ was undetectable with either Western blot or immunohistochemistry. Transgene expression was demonstrated via immunohistochemistry in multinucleated giant cells in the bone marrow spaces adjacent to the infused and contralateral cochleae. Collectively, these results suggest potential routes for AAV dissemination from the infused cochlea via the cochlear aqueduct or by extension through the temporal bone marrow spaces. This study reinforces the need to investigate factors that mitigate viral leakage.
Self-administration of heroin in rats: effects of low-level lead exposure during gestation and lactation.

Developmental lead exposure has been found to produce differential patterns of drug self-administration in adult animals. The present study examined the effects of perinatal (gestation/lactation) lead exposure on adult patterns of heroin self-administration. Female rats were gavaged daily with 0 mg or 16 mg lead for 30 days prior to breeding with non-exposed males. Metal administration continued through pregnancy and lactation and was discontinued at weaning [postnatal day 21 (PND 21)]. Animals born to control or lead-exposed dams received indwelling jugular catheters as adults and were randomly assigned to one of two studies. In experiment 1, animals were tested on a FR-2 schedule in an effort to examine differential sensitivity to heroin in an intravenous self-administration paradigm. Seven doses of heroin were selected ranging from 0.56 μg/kg to 36 μg/kg per infusion. In experiment 2, littermates were tested on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule in order to more explicitly determine the nature of the change in sensitivity to the drug. In experiment 1, lead-exposed animals responded for heroin at significantly lower rates across most doses as evidenced by a downward shift in the inverted-U dose–effect curve. Congruent with these findings, lead-exposed animals in experiment 2 exhibited a decrease in progressive ratio responding (lower breaking points) across all heroin doses, further suggesting that perinatal lead exposure attenuates opiate self-administration in adult animals by altering the rewarding efficacy of the drug. In experiment 2, it was determined further that lead-exposed animals had lower latencies to make the initial lever press for heroin. These results support previous literature suggesting that perinatal exposure to inorganic lead attenuates the effectiveness of opiates as a reinforcer when animals are tested in the adult life cycle.
Novel approach to reconfigurable control systems design

Abssact: A novel linear model fdlowing appoach is proposed fa: rmfigurable contrd systems design, where a unique system configuration and design method are employed. It compares favOcaMy to the existing methods in that the design pw;edure is quite s t r a i g h t f i d and does not require intensive computation. Furthermure, it is shown that the new method provides better tracking perfopmane by significantly reducing the unstraints d pafea model following. It is also shown (hat even when perfect model fdlowing is not achieved, the pqmed approtach still minimizes the upper bound of the tracking m. The effectiveness d the new design approach is demonstrated in an aircraft longitudinal control system problem where it is compared to a recently proposed method.
NEGOTIATING THE ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONTROVERSY FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

In most long-lasting conflicts, each party's grievances increase while the concessions they are willing to make decline in number, quality, and perceived value. Both parties lose sight of what they are willing to settle for, generally exaggerate their own needs, and minimize the needs of the other side over time. But, it is precisely the matter of trading that needs to be made more concrete and of higher priority for both sides, if a meaningful resolution is to be found. Without a formal way of trading off the concessions and packages of concessions, both sides are likely to suspect that they are getting the short end of the bargain. After the parties have agreed to a trade, very specific binding language about the terms of the agreement, clear implementation policies, and outside guarantors are needed. The worth of the concessions traded, as perceived by both the giver and receiver, need to be accurately determined and recorded. All of this requires going beyond verbal descriptions of the concessions to more broadly include their economic, social, geographic, humanitarian, and historical worth. It is critical that all of these need to be translated into priorities derived in terms of the different values and beliefs of the parties. Priorities are universal and include the diversity of measures in terms of which economic, social, and other values are measured. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) provides a way to perform such an assessment with the participation of negotiators for the parties. It is a positive approach that makes it possible to reason and express feelings and judgments with numerical intensities to derive priorities. It has been used productively in the past to deal with the conflicts in South Africa and Northern Ireland and with other controversies throughout the world. With the assistance of panels of Israeli participants and Palestinian participants brought together in 2009 and 2010, AHP was applied for the first time to the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. The process makes it clear that moderation in different degrees by both sides is essential to arrive at acceptable agreements on concessions proposed and agreed upon by both sides. AHP makes it possible to evaluate moderate and extreme viewpoints and determine their effect on the trading of concessions. The results obtained encourage us to advocate its use in the negotiation process.
Novel cell death signaling pathways in neurotoxicity models of dopaminergic degeneration: relevance to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by extensive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal system. Neurochemical and neuropathological analyses clearly indicate that oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation and impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are major mechanisms of dopaminergic degeneration. Evidence from experimental models and postmortem PD brain tissues demonstrates that apoptotic cell death is the common final pathway responsible for selective and irreversible loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons. Epidemiological studies imply both environmental neurotoxicants and genetic predisposition are risk factors for PD, though the cellular mechanisms underlying selective dopaminergic degeneration remain unclear. Recent progress in signal transduction research is beginning to unravel the complex mechanisms governing dopaminergic degeneration. During the 12th International Neurotoxicology meeting, discussion at one symposium focused on several key signaling pathways of dopaminergic degeneration. This review summarizes two novel signaling pathways of nigral dopaminergic degeneration that have been elucidated using neurotoxicity models of PD. Dr. Anumantha Kanthasamy described a cell death pathway involving the novel protein kinase C delta isoform (PKCδ) in oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death in experimental models of PD. Dr. Ajay Rana presented his recent work on the role of mixed lineage kinase-3 (MLK3) in neuroinflammatory processes in neurotoxic cell death. Collectively, PKCδ and MLK3 signaling pathways provide new understanding of neurodegenerative processes in PD, and further exploration of these pathways may translate into effective neuroprotective drugs for the treatment of PD.
Butyllithium-initiated anionic synthesis of well-defined poly(styrene-block-ethylene oxide) block copolymers with potassium salt additives

Poly(styrene-block-ethylene oxide) (PS-PEO) diblock copolymers have been synthesized with predictable block molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. sec-Butyllithium-initiated polymerization of styrene was effected in benzene solution followed by ω-end-group functionalization with ethylene oxide to form the corresponding polymeric lithium alkoxide (PSOLi). Block copolymerization of ethylene oxide initiated by the unreactive PSOLi was promoted by addition of dimethylsulfoxide and either potassium t-butoxide, potassium t-amyloxide or potassium 2,6-di-t-butylphenoxide. Although the PS-PEO block copolymer product contained some poly(ethylene oxide) homopolymer, the poly(ethylene oxide) block M n was in good agreement with the calculated value and the molecular weight distribution of the final block was generally narrow (M w /M n ≤ 1.1). The amount of PEO homopolymer was minimized using potassium 2,6-di-t-butylphenoxide rather than potassium t-alkoxides.
Dural arteriovenous malformations of the transverse/sigmoid sinus acquired from dominant sinus occlusion by a tumor: report of two cases.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Debate continues regarding the pathogenesis of dural arteriovenous malformations (dAVMs). The prevailing theory is that dAVMs are acquired lesions that occur after thrombosis of the dural venous sinus. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report unique cases of two patients having different tumors (one meningioma and one glomus jugulare paraganglioma) that occluded the ipsilateral transverse and sigmoid sinuses, respectively, and were associated with dAVMs. In each patient, the occluded venous sinus was the dominant sinus. CONCLUSION: Our experience with these patients supports the hypothesis that dAVMs are acquired and induced lesions that may occur after sinus occlusion. We suggest that the occlusion of the dominant transverse/ sigmoid sinus is a major contributing factor to the development of dAVMs because of the inability of the contralateral (nondominant) sinus to handle the venous flow from the obstructed (dominant) side.
Micro-quantitation of lipids in serum-free cell culture media: a critical aspect is the minimization of interference from medium components and chemical reagents.

Abstract Lipids (fatty acids) at a concentration range of 10–100 μg/L are essential components included in most serum-free cell culture medium formulations. A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for the micro-quantitation of lipids, determined as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), in complex serum-free cell culture media was developed. The interference of derivatizing reagents, extraction solvents and medium additives in the micro-quantitation of lipids was also examined. The results show that the concentration of fatty acids such as palmitic and stearic acids detected in derivatizing reagents or extraction solvents was in the range of 10–230 μg/L. Tween-80, a surfactant and medium additive, produced nearly 20 FAMEs alone when methylated using a derivatizing agent. Moreover, the surfactant Pluronic F-68, a medium additive, interfered in the FAME recovery. Procedures, which include use of low volumetric ratio of reagent to medium and precipitation of the above surfactants, were developed to minimize background FAMEs to levels which do not significantly affect the quantitation of medium lipids and to diminish the interference caused by Pluronic F-68. Fatty acid concentrations in several complex serum-free culture media were quantitated by this method and were very close to the values indicated in their formulations.
Tetracycline enhances Tn916-mediated conjugal transfer

Abstract Pregrowth of the donor on medium containing tetracycline increased conjugative transposition of Tn916 and the transposon-dependent mobilization of pC194 19- to 119-fold in matings between Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Tn916 and pC194 transferred independently under these conditions. When Enterococcus faecalis was the donor and B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis the recipient, pregrowth in tetracycline increased the conjugative transposition frequency by approximately 15-fold. Tetracycline-enhanced conjugation appeared during matings as short as 3 h in length. Pregrowth in tetracycline did not enhance conjugation in Bacillus sphaericus × B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis or B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis × B. subtilis matings. Incorporation of tetracycline into the mating medium, at concentrations that did not inhibit growth of the B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis recipient, resulted in conjugation frequencies similar to those obtained by pregrowth of the B. subtilis donors in antibiotic-containing medium. The data suggest stimulation of donor function by tetracycline.
Statistical mechanics of violent relaxation

We propose a functional that is extremized through violent relaxation. It is based on the Ansatz that the wave-particle scattering during violent dynamical processes can be approximated as a sequence of discrete scattering events that occur near a particle's perigalacticon. This functional has an extremum whose structure closely resembles that of spheroidal stellar systems such as elliptical galaxies. The results described here, therefore, provide a simple framework for understanding the physical nature of violent relaxation and support the view that galaxies are structured in accord with fundamental statistical principles.