cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of a diet deficient in essential fatty acids on the translocation of intestinal bacteria.

Normal intestinal bacteria can initiate systemic disease by translocating out of the intestinal lumen to extraintestinal sites such as the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), liver, and spleen. To determine whether dietary essential fatty acids can affect the incidence of bacterial translocation, separate groups of mice were fed one of two diets for 8 days: an essential fatty acid-replete diet (EFA-R) containing a basal formula supplemented with arginine, yeast RNA, menhaden oil, and safflower oil, or an essential fatty acid-deficient diet (EFA-D) containing the same ingredients with the safflower oil replaced by menhaden oil. Mice were given either diet alone, diet plus 50 micrograms of intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or diet plus 3 days of 4 mg of intramuscular metronidazole (MET) three times a day. (Both LPS and MET have been shown to increase the incidence of bacterial translocation to the MLN.) Within treatment groups there were no significant differences in the total numbers of viable ileal bacteria (separate quantitation of strict anaerobes, aerobic, and facultative Gram-positive results, and aerobic and facultative Gram-negative results). The incidence of bacterial translocation to the MLN was increased in mice fed EFA-D as compared with EFA-R in mice treated with diet alone (17% vs 0%; p less than .005) and in mice treated with diet plus LPS (71% vs 48%; p = .027). There was no difference in the incidence of bacterial translocation in mice fed EFA-D or EFA-R and treated with MET (83% vs 81%).
Silica Regeneration Processes in Nearshore Southern Lake Michigan

The seasonal depletion of dissolved silica to levels that limit diatom production is particularly critical in Lake Michigan's nearshore zone where diatom biomass is greatest, and where silica regeneration from sediments is not well-understood. In our study, intact, medium-fine sand cores, collected from an 11 m deep site in nearshore Lake Michigan during July-August 1980, released soluble reactive silica (SRS) at a mean rate of 2,707 ± 122 (SE) μg Si cm−2 yr−1 when incubated in darkness and at 12° C. This measured SRS release was greater than a diffusive flux (270 ± 49 (90% C.I.) μg Si cm−2 yr−1) estimated from SRS pore water profiles and physical sediment properties. SRS release from individual cores was not correlated with abundance of most macroinvertebrates (chironomids, pisidiid clams, or oligochaetes). However, a significant (P < 0.05) and inverse relationship between SRS release and Pontoporeia hoyi densities implied that amphipods suppressed SRS release through mixing and burial of a surficial floe layer, where most dissolution of biogenic silica occurs. Moreover, SRS release rates measured from our coarse-grained nearshore sediments were comparable to rates reported for fine-grained offshore material and further implicate dissolution of surficial biogenic silica as the source of remineralized SRS. Because nearshore areas of Lake Michigan undergo strong seasonal variations in temperature and diatom production, and because significant riverine silica inputs exist, we cannot extrapolate our results on a lakewide, or season-long basis. The data, however, strongly imply that nearshore sediments are an important participant in the Lake Michigan silica cycle.
Budgeting decisions as a function of framing: an application of prospect theory's reflection effect

Many decisions based on accounting data can readily be framed in relation to varying reference points. This fact suggests possible framing bias through prospect theory's reflection effect, past tests of which have been inconsistent in various contexts. The main purpose of this study was to test for the reflection effect in a budgeting decision as well as for the possible influence of decision-makers’ specific training, present work experience, level of past work experience, and the computation of decision alternatives’ expected value on decision outcomes. The sample consisted of 260 responses from graduate business students. In both positive and negative domains, there was a shift to greater risk-taking when framing was shifted from positive to negative. Subjects’ specific training, present work experience, level of past work experience, and the computation of expected value of alternatives all failed to produce significant effect on decisions.
Development of vocal behaviour in Peking ducklings

Abstract Vocal communication appears to play an important role in maintaining group cohesion in broods of Peking ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos). In order to describe the development of the vocal repertoire of the young, the present study examined the vocalizations of six ducklings from several hours before hatching through 48 h posthatching. Vocalizations were recorded in standardized situations in the laboratory, including the presence of conspecific peers, exposure to maternal calls, and social isolation. A major methodological aim of the present study was to determine whether the vocal repertoire of the ducklings would sort itself on objectively measured acoustic features without the necessity of experimenter preclassification (as has been relied upon in the past). This objective procedure produced two acoustically distinct (and conventional) types: (a) contentment calls, which have short note durations, fast repetition rates, and low pitch, and are elicited by the presence of peers and/or the maternal call; (b) distress calls, with longer note durations, slower repetition rates, and higher pitch, which are uttered in social isolation and emerge in mature form only after hatching. A simple physiological model based on respiratory activity is proposed to account for the acoustic variation between the two vocalization types.
A novel mutation in the GCM2 gene causing severe congenital isolated hypoparathyroidism

OBJECTIVE To investigate the GCM2 gene in three siblings with congenital hypoparathyroidism and perform functional analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We sequenced the GCM2 gene by PCR and analyzed the functional consequence of the mutation by transient transfection studies. Haplotype analysis was performed. RESULTS We identified a nucleotide change, c.408C>A, in exon 3 that is predicted to truncate the Gcm2 protein (p.Tyr136Ter). All three affected siblings were homozygous and both parents were heterozygous for the mutation. Transfection studies revealed the mutant mRNA but not expression of the Gcm2 protein. Haplotype analysis revealed that the two mutant GCM2 alleles shared genotypes on chromosome 6p24.2. CONCLUSIONS We describe the first GCM2 mutation in exon 3 in patients with severe congenital hypoparathyroidism. Informative genetic markers could not exclude identity by descent for the mutant alleles. Gcm2 protein was not detected after transfection, suggesting that complete lack of Gcm2 action accounts for severe hypoparathyroidism.
Constraints on Sterile Neutrino Dark Matter

We present a comprehensive analysis of constraints on the sterile neutrino as a dark matter candidate. The minimal production scenario with a standard thermal history and negligible cosmological lepton number is in conflict with conservative radiative decay constraints from the cosmic X-ray background in combination with stringent small-scale structure limits from the Lyman-alpha forest. We show that entropy release through massive particle decay after production does not alleviate these constraints. We further show that radiative decay constraints from local group dwarf galaxies are subject to large uncertainties in the dark matter density profile of these systems. Within the strongest set of constraints, resonant production of cold sterile neutrino dark matter in nonzero lepton number cosmologies remains allowed.
Maximum polar angle subtended by a right circular cylinder

Abstract For Monte Carlo calculations of a point source external to an object, efficient sampling in the direction of the object is desirable. The maximum polar angle (minimum cosine), as measured from a partially arbitrary reference vector, needed to subtend a right circular cylinder is derived. Schemes for choosing the reference vector to maximize sampling efficiency by maximizing the minimum polar angle cosine are discussed. Results are all analytic (semianalytic optimizations are suggested).
The inhibition of mitosis by deuterium.

Investigations of the antimitotic action of heavy water were carried out. It was observed that, depending on the conditions of deuteration, cell division in eggs of the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata could be delayed or arrested reversibly. The universality of the antimitotic action of D/sub 2/0 is discussed. The five major types of proposals that were made to account for the biological effects of deuterium enrichment, and particularly for their interference with cell division, are outlined. (M.C.G.)
Automatic body regulation for maintaining stability of a legged vehicle during rough-terrain locomotion

The evolution of legged vehicles has progressed significantly in recent years. These vehicles offer the potential of increased mobility for traversing rough terrain. The ability to maintain stability is an important consideration in the development of any control algorithm for a legged vehicle. Previous work on legged vehicle control generally assumes that the terrain is regular enough that only minimal operator interaction is necessary. However, for very irregular terrain the operator may require a guidance mode that gives maximum resolution and flexibility in controlling body, leg, position, and orientation. Several automatic body regulation schemes that aid the operator in this important task are described. A major development is the use of an improved stability measure which can be automatically optimized. This measure, together with a consideration of constraints on the kinematic limits of individual legs, leads to the development of schemes for automatic body regulation. The automatic body regulation schemes are incorporated into the vehicle control algorithm to provide a high degree of vehicle maneuverability while reducing the operator's burden.
Angelman's Syndrome in Infancy

The authors report an 11-month-old patient with the clinical features of Angelman syndrome and a 15q11 x 2-12 chromosomal deletion, thus demonstrating that the clinical features may be present in infancy and so allow early diagnosis. The features included pronounced postnatal growth failure, delayed dentition and ossification of growth centers. Low amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein was noted at 16 weeks of gestation. Head MRI showed only generalized atrophy. Some affected patients have a genetic marker similar to the chromosomal deletion associated with Prader-Willi syndrome. The importance of awareness of the clinical symptoms of Angelman syndrome is discussed.
Selective Oxidation of Alcohols in Gas Phase Using Light-Activated Titanium Dioxide

Selective oxidation of various primary and secondary alcohols was studied in a gas-phase photochemical reactor using immobilized TiO2 catalyst. An annular photoreactor was used at 463 K with an average contact time of 32 s. The system was found to be specifically suited for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds. Benzylic alcohols gave higher conversions, however, with more secondary reaction products. The reaction mechanism for various products formed is explained. The effects of different reaction parameters, such as O2/alcohol ratio, water vapor, UV light, and contact time, were studied. The presence of oxygen was found to be critical for the photooxidation. Water vapor in the feed was also found to be helpful in the reaction, although it was not as critical as in hydrocarbon oxidation, where it was necessary for hydroxylating the catalyst surface and sustaining its activity. In alcohol oxidation, surface hydroxylation could be partially provided by the hydroxyl groups of the alcohol itself. Catalyst deactivation was also observed and is attributed to the surface accumulation of reaction products. However, the catalyst regained its original activity after regeneration by calcination in air for 3 h at 723 K.
Response to nasopharyngeal oxygen administration in horses with lung disease

Summary Reasons for performing study: Guidelines for administration of oxygen to standing horses are unavailable because previous investigations of the efficacy of oxygen administration to increase arterial oxygenation in standing horses have produced equivocal results. Objective: To determine the eff ect of nasal oxygen supplementation on inspired and arterial blood gas tensions in control horses and those with moderate to severe recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Methods: Normal horses (n = 6) and horses during an attack of RAO induced by stabling (n = 6) were studied. Oxygen was administered through either one or 2 cannulae, passed via the nares into the nasopharynx to the level of the medial canthus of each eye. Intratracheal inspired oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration and arterial blood gas tensions were measured at baseline and during delivery of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 l/min oxygen. Results: Nasal can nulae and all but the highest oxy gen flow rates were well tolerated. Fractional inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2) increased with flow but was significantly lower at all flow rates in horses with RAO compared with controls. Arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) was significantly increased (P<0.001) by all flow rates, but was always lower in RAO-affected animals. At 30 l/min, PaO2 increased to 319 ± 31 mmHg in control horses and 264 ± 69 mmHg in horses with RAO. Additionally, a large arterial to end-tidal gradient for CO2 in RAO-affected horses was observed, indicating increased alveolar deadspace ventilation in these animals. Conclusions: The use of nasal cannulae to deliver oxygen effectively increases both FIO2 and PaO2 in horses with moderate to severe RAO. Oxygen flow rates up to 20 l/min are well tolerated, but flow rates of 30 l/min produce occasional coughing or gagging. Potential relevance: Oxygen therapy delivered by means of an intranasal cannula is a highly effective means of increasing arterial oxygen tension in horses with respiratory disease. Generally, flows of 10–20 l/min should be effective. If higher flows (20–30 l/min) are necessary, they should be delivered by means of 2 cannulae.
Determination of chromium in orchard leaves by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract Chromium, as chromium acetylacetonate, was determined in nitric acid digested samples of NBS Standard Reference Material 1571, Orchard Leaf by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on μBondapak C18 using 36% acetonitrile in water. The determined value was 2.4 ± 0.1 ppm. The limits of detection for this method are 1 ng on-column injection. By standard microchemical enrichment techniques parts-per-billion analyses can be achieved.
Metal transfer in the sliding process

Abstract Metal transfer, during mutual sliding of steel and aluminum alloys, was studied using a model experiment. The model imitated sliding conditions which occur in metalworking operations: high load and short sliding distances. It allowed access to the aluminum-steel contact area without breaking the contact. It was found that the metal transfer rate is controlled by the area of the nascent steel surface which is in contact with the aluminum alloy. This area is proportional to the aluminum/steel hardness ratio and, as a result, the metal transfer is higher for the harder aluminum alloys than for the softer alloys. Based on the experimental results, it was suggested that higher roughness of the steel surface promotes metal transfer in part because the rougher surface has a larger number of sharp asperities, which deform plastically, causing the rupture of oxides and other contaminant films and exposing nascent steel, and in part because of increased ploughing and mechanical interlocking. Effects of surface segregation of the alloying elements and of mechanical adhesion on metal transfer are also discussed.
The effect of rapid IT change on the demand for training

Information technology is rapidly changing. This increases the complexity of IT management. Research has yet to explain the IT management problems due to such change. The current study developed a survey instrument about such problems based on experiences described in structured interviews with 16 IT professionals. The instrument was mailed to a nationwide sample of 1,000 IT professionals. Two hundred forty-six provided useable data. The research identified five of problems of rapid IT change, namely Vendor Competitiveness, Poor Quality, Incompatibility, Management Confusion, and Training Demands. It confirmed a model suggesting that increased Vendor Competitiveness leads to Poor Quality, Incompatibility, and Management Confusion, and that these increase Training Demands. The research also offers suggestions for future investigation of the problems and a potential instrument with which to conduct it.
Emerging research fronts in science and technology: patterns of new knowledge development

Research fronts represent the most dynamic areas of science and technology and the areas that attract the most scientific interest. We construct a methodology to identify these fronts, and we use quantitative and qualitative methodology to analyze and describe them. Our methodology is able to identify these fronts as they form—with potential use by firms, venture capitalists, researchers, and governments looking to identify emerging high-impact technologies. We also examine how science and technology absorbs the knowledge developed in these fronts and find that fronts which maximize impact have very different characteristics than fronts which maximize growth, with consequences for the way science develops over time.
Minimizing Spinal Cord Injury During Repair of Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysms: The Mount Sinai Approach

In an effort to reduce the incidence of spinal cord injury following resection of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms, we have developed a multifaceted approach to maximize spinal cord perfusion which involves monitoring spinal cord function using somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) intraoperatively and postoperatively. Intercostal and lumbar intersegmental vessels are sacrificed in a gradual stepwise fashion before the aneurysm is incised: none of these vessels is reattached unless SSEPs are abnormal following temporary occlusion, and this has not yet been observed. Postoperative spinal cord perfusion is maximized by keeping arterial pressure high and by draining cerebrospinal fluid if intrathecal pressure is elevated. Only two cases of permanent paraplegia have developed in 95 patients. Multivariate analysis showed extensive aneurysms (spanning 10 or more intersegmental arteries) and a history of smoking as the only significant risk factors for development of spinal cord iniurv.
Development of Semi-Span Model Test Techniques

A computational investigation was performed to support the development of a semispan model test capability in the NASA Langley Research Center's National Transonic Facility. This capability is desirable for the testing of advanced subsonic transport aircraft at full-scale Reynolds numbers. A state-of-the-art three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver was used to examine methods to improve the flow over a semi-span configuration. First, a parametric study is conducted to examine the influence of the stand-off height on the flow over the semispan model. It is found that decreasing the stand-off height, below the maximum fuselage radius, improves the aerodynamic characteristics of the semi-span model. Next, active sidewall boundary layer control techniques are examined. Juncture region blowing jets, upstream tangential blowing, and sidewall suction are found to improve the flow over the aft portion of the semispan model. Both upstream blowing and suction are found to reduce the sidewall boundary layer separation. The resulting near surface streamline patterns are improved, and found to be quite similar to the full-span results. Both techniques however adversely affect the pitching moment coefficient.
Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Conjugated and Esterified Estrogens in Tablets

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the analysis of conjugated and esterified estrogens in tablets. The 3-sulfate estrogen derivatives were hydrolyzed with acid, mixed with ethinyl estradiol (the internal standard), and extracted into benzene. The liberated 3-phenolic estrogens were converted to dansyl derivatives, separated on an adsorption column, and detected fluorometrically. Estrogens with a 17-keto functional group required a prior reduction to the corresponding 17β-hydroxyl derivatives with sodium borohydride in order to be chromatographically resolved. The validity of the proposed method was demonstrated by analyzing samples of commercial tablets of conjugated and esterified estrogens of various strengths.
Central but not peripheral opiate receptor blockade prolonged pituitary-adrenal responses to stress.

Abstract Evidence from pharmacological studies suggests that opiate systems may serve either inhibitory or stimulatory functions on stress-induced reponses of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The objective of these experiments was to determine whether these discrepant findings may result, in part, from differential effects of central or peripheral opiate receptor blockade on HPA axis responses. To this effect, groups of rats received injections of either saline, naltrexone (NHCl) or the quaternary analogue naltrexone methobromide (NMBr). The animals were then exposed to 30 min of a motion stressor and blood samples were obtained from each rat for analysis of ACTH, corticosterone, and prolactin. The data showed that resting and stress-induced levels of prolactin were decreased by NHCl only. Although neither drug affected the magnitude of the stress-induced ACTH and corticosterone responses, treatment with NHCl, but not NMBr, delayed the poststress decline of these responses. Hence, we concluded that central opiate mechanisms may be important for cessation of HPA axis activity, after exposure to stressful situations.
Revision cochlear implant surgery in children: The johns hopkins experience

Objective:To assess the efficacy of revision cochlear implantation (RCI) and to identify clinical and device-related factors predictive of RCI outcome.Study Design:Retrospective case series with attempted correlation to ex vivo device analysis.Setting:Academic tertiary referral center.Patients:Child
Microstructural characterization of Al-7075-T651 chips and work pieces produced by high-speed machining

Abstract High-speed orthogonal machining produced a series of Al-7075-T651 chips and work pieces for microstructural charcterization. The orthogonal machining conditions included two rake angles, three cuttings speeds, and a constant feed rate. The chips and work pieces were characterized using optical metallography, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and microhardness measurements. TEM observations indicated growth of the η′ precipitates and showed recrystallized equiaxed grains within the shear bands of the chips. Microhardness profiles of the work pieces showed a decrease in hardness at the work surface. The thickness of this deformation layer increased with cutting speed. Microstructural characterizations were correlated with calculated temperature–time profiles to investigate possible mechanisms for the observed microstructure changes.
When and How Many: The Effects of Third Party Joining on Casualties and Duration in Interstate Wars

What makes some wars longer and more severe than others is an important question in international relations scholarship. One underexplored answer to this question is the role that third party joiners play in lengthening conflicts, especially those states that intervene militarily after a war’s initial stages. This article argues that late joining complicates bargaining by adding new issues to the war and increases uncertainty about the relative balance of forces. Thus, more information will be needed to resolve the bargaining impasse. This means additional fighting and a longer war. This lengthening in turn increases the number of casualties. This is a distinct process from simply having more participants in a war from the outset as those participants would not add uncertainty in the same way that late joiners do since questions about how those participants affect the relative balances of forces would be answered just as quickly as if there were only two participants at the outset. These claims are suppor...
Relapse in the addictive behaviors: Integration and future directions

This paper identifies the major consistencies in substantive and methodological findings across the review papers in this special issue on relapse in the addictive behaviors. The papers were consistent in suggesting that there have been major methodological advances which have helped to move the field forward. Furthermore, the papers show the need for taking a biopsychosocial approach to the study of relapse and the major difficulty across addictive behaviors in creating an acceptable operational definition of relapse. Suggestions for future research directions that follow from the papers include deriving and evaluating relapse definitions, systematically developing and testing models and theories of relapse, and understanding and narrowing the relapse research-clinical practice gap.
Effects of solution viscosity on perceived saltiness and sweetness.

Subjects used magnitude estimation to judge the perceived saltiness or sweetness of a series of aqueous solutions containing five suprathreshold concentrations of NaCl or sucrose and thickened with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). In the first experiment, CMC-H (high viscosity form) was used to thicken a series of sucrose and NaCl solutions to six viscosity levels (1–2,025 centistokes). At the highest viscosity levels, significant decreases occurred in the perceived taste intensity of only the lower concentrations of sucrose and NaCl. A second experiment determined that variations in the quantity of solution sampled from cups did not systematically influence judgments of saltiness when the starting volume was 10 ml. In the third experiment, aqueous solutions containing sucrose or NaCl were thickened with the low (L), medium (M), or high (H) viscosity form of CMC (1–1,296 centistokes). CMC-L-thickened solutions produced little or no suppression of perceived taste intensity, whereas viscous CMC-H solutions produced significant reductions in perceived saltiness and sweetness.
Increased Blood—Brain Barrier Transport of Protein-Bound Anticonvulsant Drugs in the Newborn:

The extraction of heroin, caffeine, diphenylhydantoin, and phenobarbital has been measured in the newborn, suckling, and adult brain. Anticonvulsant drugs such as diphenylhydantoin and phenobarbital are bound by plasma protein, and it is generally believed that only the fraction of drug that is free (dialyzable) in vitro is available for transport through the blood-brain barrier in vivo. In both the adult and neonatal rat or rabbit, lipid-mediated transport of free phenytoin occurs. In addition, a fraction of the drug that enters the capillary bound to plasma protein also gains access to the brain. A greater amount of protein-bound drug permeates the newborn brain, and this is ascribed to a longer capillary transit time in the neonate. With regard to phenobarbital, the total (i.e., both free and protein-bound) plasma drug enters the newborn brain. In contrast, no protein-bound phenobarbital permeates the adult brain, and it is only the free drug fraction that gains access to the brain. Since the blood-brain barrier permeability-surface area product for the two anticonvulsants is unchanged in newborn and older animals, the age-related differences in brain uptake of protein-bound drugs can be attributed to developmental changes in cerebral blood flow and capillary transit time. The increased transport of protein-bound drugs in the newborn may cause increased concentrations (i.e., brain:plasma ratios) of these anticonvulsants in the neonatal brain.
Simultaneous Determination of Scandium and Dysprosium by Neutron Activation followed by γ-Ray Spectrometry

A NEUTRON activation analysis method has been devised for the non-destructive, simultaneous determination of scandium and dysprosium.
Comparative Effectiveness of Speaking vs. Listening in Improving Spoken Language of Disadvantaged Young Children

The hypothesis that children who repeat sentences aloud will acquire greater facility in forming similar sentences on their own than those who only listen to the spoken sentences was tested with forty disadvantaged Negro children, 43 to 55 months old. Identical sequences of 5 to 15-minute daily lessons plus 2 days of testing were presented under two treatment conditions, speaking and not-speaking.By analysis of covariance a significant difference was found (. 01 level) favoring the speaking group. This difference was attributable to scores on the verbalization subtest, as both groups demonstrated equal facility in identification. A transfer task with verbalization to entirely different pictures produced similar significant treatment effects (p <. 01).
Offset Face Gear Drives: Tooth Geometry and Contact Analysis

This paper presents a detailed investigation on the manufacturing, tooth geometry and contact characteristics of face gear drives with offset axes. In the paper, the tooth geometry of offset face gears is analytically determined by simulating the conjugate motion between the gear and the cutting tool in the generation process. Design criteria are established for the optimal tooth element proportions of offset face gears that avoid tooth undercutting and pointing. The tooth surface geometry of the gear member of the drive is modified by using a shaper that resembles the pinion in profile but has a few more teeth than the pinion to localize the tooth contact. The contact characteristics of the offset face gears are analyzed by a tooth contact analysis (TCA) ) program that simulates the meshing process of the gear drive assembled under misalignment. An example of offset face gear design and contact analysis is included in the paper.
Palliative urinary diversion in patients with advanced carcinoma of the cervix.

During a 10-year period 47 of 222 patients with advanced carcinoma of the cervix admitted to the Francis Delafield Hospital had ureteral obstruction on initial admission. All but 3 of the 47 patients were treated with roentgen rays and/or radium; the exceptions underwent radical surgery. Twelve patients underwent palliative urinary diversion. There was no statistical significant difference in the survival rates of the patients who underwent urinary diversion and those who did not, irrespective of the stage of the disease and whether one or both ureters were involved; however, 8 of the 12 patients who underwent urinary diversion had partial relief of their symptoms. The indications for urinary diversion followed by the authors are ennumerated.
Migfilin interacts with Src and contributes to cell-matrix adhesion-mediated survival signaling

Integrin-mediated cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion is essential for protection of epithelial cells against apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism is incompletely understood. Here we show that migfilin, an integrin-proximal adaptor protein, interacts with Src and contributes to cell-ECM-mediated survival signaling. Loss of cell-ECM adhesion markedly reduces the migfilin level in untransformed epithelial cells and concomitantly induces apoptosis. Overexpression of migfilin substantially desensitizes cell detachment-induced apoptosis. Conversely, depletion of migfilin promotes apoptosis despite the presence of cell-ECM adhesion. At the molecular level migfilin directly interacts with Src, and the migfilin binding surface overlaps with the inhibitory intramolecular interaction sites in Src. Consequently, the binding of migfilin activates Src, resulting in suppression of apoptosis. Our results reveal a novel mechanism by which cell-ECM adhesion regulates Src activation and survival signaling. This migfilin-mediated signaling pathway is dysfunctional in multiple types of carcinoma cells, which likely contributes to aberrant Src activation and anoikis resistance in the cancerous cells.
Rate of binding of various inhibitors at the dopamine transporter in vivo.

The rate of entry of drugs into brain is thought to be a factor in their abuse liability. In this investigation, we have examined the rate of entry and binding at dopamine transporters in mouse striatum for a variety of dopamine transporter inhibitors. The method utilized was based on measuring the displacement of3H-WIN 35,428 from striatal dopamine transporter sites in vivo at different times. Eleven cocaine analogs (RTI-31, RTI-32, RTI-51, RTI-55, RTI-113, RTI-114, RTI-117, RTI-120, RTI-121, WIN 35,065-2, and WIN 35,428) as well as other dopamine uptake site blockers (bupropion, nomifensine, and methylphenidate) were compared with (−) cocaine for their rates of displacement of3H-WIN 35,428 binding in vivo. The drugs that displayed the fastest occupancy rates were bupropion, (−) cocaine, nomifensine, and methylphenidate. RTI-51, RTI-121, RTI-114, RTI-117, RTI-120, RTI-32, RTI-55, and RTI-113, showed intermediate rates, whereas RTI-31, WIN 35,065-2, and WIN 35,428 exhibited the slowest rates of displacement. While many of the cocaine analogs have proven to be behaviorally and pharmacologically more potent than (−) cocaine, their rates of entry and binding site occupancy were slower than that for (−) cocaine. Earliest times of transporter occupancy by the different drugs were correlated (although weakly) with their degree of lipophilicity (r=0.59;P<0.02). Kinetic effects and metabolism of the compounds could complicate the interpretations of these data. There was no obvious correlation between rate of occupancy in this animal model and abuse liability in humans, which is consistent with the notion that other factors are critical as well.
P02-310 - A novel mechanism of olanzapine-induced lipid accumulation

Introduction Second generation antipsychotic drugs (SGADs) including olanzapine trigger adverse metabolic alterations possibly by a direct action on adipocytes. Objectives and aims The system of the inflammatory 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and its activating protein (FLAP) have been implicated in lipid dysfunction in obesity. We investigated whether this system could participate in the adipogenic action of olanzapine. Methods Experiments were performed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro. Cells were treated with olanzapine and a FLAP inhibitor MK-886. Their lipid content, 5-LOX and FLAP mRNA content, and FLAP protein content were measured. Results Olanzapine treatment did not affect the cell content of 5-LOX mRNA; however, it decreased FLAP mRNA content at day five but not 24 hours after olanzapine addition. The inhibitory effect of olanzapine on FLAP expression was confirmed by quantitative Western blot assays. In the absence of a FLAP inhibitor, low concentrations of olanzapine (0.5 and 5 μM) increased lipid content only by about 13% (compared to about a 56% increase induced by 50 μM olanzapine) whereas in the presence of MK-886 these concentrations of olanzapine produced lipid increases comparable to the increase caused by 50 μM. In these experimental conditions, MK-886 alone did not alter the cell content of lipids. Conclusions 5-LOX system may be involved in lipid dysfunction not only in conditions of obesity but possibly in SGAD-related metabolic alterations. The known polymorphism in the genes of the human 5-LOX system could play a role in setting a variable individual susceptibility to the metabolic side effects of SGADs.
Determination of concentrations of adenosine and other purines in human term placenta by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection: evidence for pathways of purine metabolism in the placenta.

A robust analytical method, using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with gradient elution and photodiode-array detection, was used to measure six purines and beta-NAD+ in acid-soluble extracts of samples taken from six different regions of human term placenta. Resolution of the analyte peaks in chromatographic profiles of the extracts, and the use of optimized integration, allowed simultaneous quantitation of all seven analytes from a single chromatogram. Peak purity was confirmed via on-line analysis of peak spectra, utilizing the purity parameter treatment of spectral data. Major placental purines were adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine and adenine. Except for adenine, concentrations of the purines varied by two-fold or more between different regions of each placenta, but concentration ratios, i.e., adenosine/inosine and inosine/hypoxanthine, were similar. The findings indicate that the pathway of ATP breakdown to hypoxanthine in ischemic human term placenta is via adenosine, and that regional differences in placental concentrations of adenosine and its metabolites may result from regional differences in degree of ischemia.
BIODATA FAKING: EFFECTS OF INDUCED SUBTLETY AND POSITION SPECIFICITY

The fakability of an empirically keyed biographical inventory was studied in a three factor design. The factors were: 1. specificity of position applied for (sales representative versus a general managerial position, 2. induced subtlety of faking (warning of a lie scale versus no warning), and 3. sex of the respondent. Subjects were 91 male and 57 female college students who completed the biographical questionnaire under “fake” and “honest” response sets. Subjects were able to substantially improve their scores under faking instructions. Only the position specific-fake subtle condition failed to show improvement. Instructions indicating that a lie-detection scale might be used reduced faking to a considerable extent. Comparison with norms for the sales representative biographical key suggested that students in the faking condition tended to fake more than did a nation-wide sample of college recruits.
Branching and molecular weight distribution of polyethylene SRM 1476

A method of determining the distribution of branching in a polymer is developed employing limiting viscosity numbers (intrinsic viscosity), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and absolute molecular weight determinations of fractions of the whole polymer. A molecular weight calibration of the GPC column set is first determined empolying these fractions. From the limiting viscosity number measurements of these fractions and their molecular weight distribution determined from the GPC chromatogram, the viscosity–molecular weight relationship is determined by a nonlinear least-squares fitting procedure. For the same molecular weight, the limiting viscosity number of the branched polymer is less than the limiting viscosity number of the linear polymer. From the ratio of the two, the number of branches per unit molecular weight of the branched polymer is calculated. The method was applied to SRM 1476, the standard reference branched polyethylene issued by the National Bureau of Standards. The branching density for the constituents of SRM 1476 rise from zero at molecular weights less than 10,000 to about 6 to 8×10−5 at molecular weights of 50,000 and above. The branching of SRM 1476 was also determined by the method of Drott and Mendelson, giving a result in fair agreement with the above method.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor MIF Interferes with the Rb-E2F Pathway

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is implicated in the regulation of inflammation and cell growth. We previously showed that MIF is a potent modulator of p53- and E2F-dependent pathways that are activated in response to oncogenic signaling. Here, we characterize the functional link between MIF and E2F transcription factors. Our results demonstrate that MIF-deficient cells exhibit E2F-dependent growth alterations and reduced susceptibility to oncogenic transformation. The basis for this transformation resistance is a perturbed function of the C-terminal Rb binding region of E2F4. However, inactivation of Rb or substitution of the E2F4 C-terminal domain by the E2F1 C-terminal region rescues the transformation defect. Importantly, the involvement of E2F factors in DNA replication rather than in regulation of transcription determines their oncogenic properties in the context of MIF deficiency. A proinflammatory molecule interfering with tumor suppression and DNA replication provides a compelling molecular link for the association of chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis.
Transition and reform in a predatory state: the case of Paraguay

This paper examines the problems of public and institutional reforms within the context of a so‐called predatory state. The predatory state is one that acts in the interest of an elite rather than pursue a coherent strategy for economic development. The argument is that, even after the process of political transition is begun, important reforms are blocked by a lingering institutional overhang that continues to serve the predatory elite. We examine the experience of Paraguay that disposed of its dictator in 1989 and began a democratic transition. The failure to implement needed reforms is shown to have blocked a revival of economic growth and development.
Psychosocial and vascular risk factors for depression in the elderly.

Objective The objective of this study was to examine two competing hypotheses as they relate to the relationship between vascular and psychosocial risk factors for late-life depression. The stress–vulnerability hypothesis predicts that the depressogenic effect of psychosocial risk is stronger in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). The other predicts that psychosocial risk factors and vascular risk factors are independent pathways to depression and that there is no combined effect of vascular risk factors and life stress. Method This study consisted of a longitudinal design (baseline, six-, and 12-month follow-up) predicting new episodes of significant depressive symptoms (CES-D >16) in 1,474 community-dwelling elders with low levels of depression at baseline (CES-D Results There was a significant interaction between stress at wave 2 and CVRFs at baseline such that stress was a stronger predictor of wave 2 depression in participants who had two or more CVRFs. There was no evidence that CVRFs played a larger role in depression not preceded by a stressful life event than in depression that was preceded by a stressful life event. Conclusions The depressogenic effect of stress was stronger in the presence of significant vascular risk (CVRFs). Vascular risk may increase one's vulnerability to depression by exacerbating the impact of stress on depression. One hypothesis for this finding is that vascular disease disrupts mood regulation circuits in the brain, which decrease its ability to respond to stressful events.
Critical behavior of the free surface of liquid 4 He near the λ point

The noncriticality of the free surface of liquid 4He near the λ point and the finite-size scaling postulate are combined to show that the surface tension can have two singularities, one due to rounding and another due to shifting. The rounding singularity can be reduced, via a further scaling assumption, to that previously suggested by Sobyanin and Hohenberg. Results from calculations based on continuous symmetry models and experiments on topologically 2D 4He films are used to argue that the shift singularity is ¦t¦1−α, which is consistent with the leading singularity observed by Magerlein and Sanders.
A brief overview of dwarf novae and X-ray novae

Abstract Dwarf novae and X-ray novae have proven to be important in advancing our knowledge of accretion disk physics, or at least of posing challenging questions. The myriad behavior of the various classes and subclasses, including aspects associated both with outburst and quiescence, are constantly providing stimulus to our efforts at modeling accretion disks. I will briefly review some of the main properties of these two classes of objects – including discussions of their outburst characteristics and physical differences. I will also try to point out areas in which we do not have a detailed understanding of the basic model within which to interpret the observations.
The dynamics of discrete-time computation, with application to recurrent neural networks and finite state machine extraction

Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) can learn to perform finite state computations. It is shown that an RNN performing a finite state computation must organize its state space to mimic the states in the minimal deterministic finite state machine that can perform that computation, and a precise description of the attractor structure of such systems is given. This knowledge effectively predicts activation space dynamics, which allows one to understand RNN computation dynamics in spite of complexity in activation dynamics. This theory provides a theoretical framework for understanding finite state machine (FSM) extraction techniques and can be used to improve training methods for RNNs performing FSM computations. This provides an example of a successful approach to understanding a general class of complex systems that has not been explicitly designed, e.g., systems that have evolved or learned their internal structure.
Neonatal withdrawal symptoms associated with 'T's and blues' (pentazocine and tripelennamine).

Since 1977 the combination of pentazocine and tripelennamine citrate has become increasingly popular with drug addicts and is now a major problem in New Orleans, St Louis, Chicago, and other large communities, particularly in the central region of the United States.1-3When mixed, dissolved in water, and injected intravenously (IV), the combination, known as 'T's and blues,' has an effect similar to IV heroin. Though dosages are variable, an approximate range is 200 to 600 mg of pentazocine and 100 to 250 mg of tripelennamine citrate.2 We have seen 24 infants born to women who used this drug combination during pregnancy. Based on previous single case reports, a withdrawal syndrome was expected following passive addiction to pentazocine4-6; however, in two of the three previously described infants, there was additional drug use, ie, glutethimide5and propoxyphene hydrochloride,6which could also be the explanation for withdrawal symptoms. We report these 24 cases
Observation of crystallographic texture and JC anisotropy in bulk shock-compacted YBa2Cu3O7-x powders

Preferred orientation in bulk sinter/forged YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ has been observed. The authors report here the observation of similar anisotropy in bulk YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ prepared by several other methods: shock compaction, cold pressed powder, and conventional pressed/sintered powders.