cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin.

BACTERIORHODOPSIN is found in purple patches on the cell membrane of halophilic bacteria1. Similar in structure to rhodopsin (but differing in function), it consists of a retinal–protein complex. Bacteriorhodopsin is a photosynthetic system which, when it absorbs light, passes through a cycle of several intermediates (Fig. 1) approximately 200 times per second, pumping protons from the inside of the bacterial cell to the outside. The resultant electrochemical gradient drives the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP (ref. 1). The intermediates have been identified by measuring their relatively broad structureless optical absorption spectra2–4 as a function of time after a photolytic flash. The most precise structural information has come from resonance Raman spectra5–8 taken with continuous wave (cw) optical excitation. These studies have provided information about the bR570 and bM412 intermediates only, since they have appreciable steady state concentrations at room temperature under constant illumination. Resonance Raman spectra of these species have also been obtained at liquid N2 temperatures and in ether saturated solutions. These conditions, however, may not be representative of actual physiological conditions. We report here a time-resolved resonance Raman spectrum of an intermediate with a risetime of < 6 ns. Our data show a decrease in the C = C stretching frequency by 10–20 cm−1. From the known inverse correlation between the C = C stretching frequency and the position of the absorption maxima7 for a series of model retinal Schiff bases in various solvents9, the observed C = C Raman band was assigned to the bK590 intermediate, which is known to have a risetime of 10 ps4.
Credit market imperfection, labor supply complementarity, and output volatility

Abstract This paper argues that output volatility depends on the degree of credit market imperfection. In the early stages of financial development, agents are constrained in their borrowing ability. As a result, the individual savings, affected by the labor supply, play a dual role in the economy, having repercussions on the interest rate. On the one hand, high savings imply high investment, low marginal product of capital and thus low interest rate. On the other hand, high savings affect the agents' ability to run highly productive investment projects, which increases the interest rate. When the former effect is dominant, a dynamic complementarity between individual and aggregate labor supply arises. This leads to a local and global indeterminacy of equilibrium paths. If the borrowing constraint is relaxed, the complementarity between individual and aggregate labor supply decisions weakens, equilibrium becomes globally unique and the possibility of having aggregate fluctuations in output disappears.
SU-E-J-133: Quantitative Measurement and Modeling of Target Volume Changes by Respiratory Motion in CT and Cone-Beam CT.

Purpose: Variations in the target volume and length in CT and cone‐beam CT(CBCT)imaging by respiratory motion were investigated for different motion amplitude and frequency. A model that predicts the target volume dependence on motion amplitude, frequency, target size, speed of CT and CBCT scanning was developed. Method and Materials: Three target volumes of differing sizes were constructed of tissue‐equivalent gel material and embedded into artificial lung phantom. Respiratory motion was mimicked by a mobile phantom at a respiration frequency of 15 cycles/min for eight different amplitudes of respiratory motion in the range 0–20 mm. Images obtained for CT and CBCT were contoured and the target volumes and superior‐inferior lengths were calculated. A mathematical model was developed to quantify and reproduce observed variations in target volumes and lengths due to motion artifacts. Results: The measured volumes and lengths of the different targets increased by blurring artifacts of respiratory motion in CBCTimages because of long scanning times (about 1 minute), which was found to enlarge linearly with the respiratory motion amplitude. However, in CT, the target volumes and lengths could increase or decrease by imaging depending on whether the CT scanning was parallel or opposed to the moving phantom. The mathematical model predicts very well the variation in target volumes imaged by CT and CBCT as a function of motion amplitude, frequency, target size, speed of CT and CBCT scanning Conclusion: The measurement and modeling of target volume and length variations provided quantitative assessment of induced artifacts in CBCT and CTimaging by respiratory motion. The modeling of imaging artifacts induced by respiratory motion in CT and CBCT can be used to define accurately gross tumor volumes and organs‐at‐risk which will be very useful for accurate treatment planning, target localization, motion tracking and beam gating during dose delivery.
Cerebral and systemic arteriovenous oxygen monitoring after cardiac arrest. Inadequate cerebral oxygen delivery

Abstract Background: After prolonged cardiac arrest, under controlled normotension, cardiac output and cerebral blood flow are reduced for several hours. This dog study documents for the first time the postarrest reduction in oxygen (O 2 ) delivery in relation to O 2 uptake for brain and entire organism. Methods: In eight dogs we used our model of ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest of 12.5 min, reperfusion with brief cardiopulmonary bypass, and controlled normotension, normoxemia, and mild hypocapnia to 24 h. Results: Between 4 and 24 h after cardiac arrest, cardiac output decreased by about 25% and the systemic arteriovenous Oz content difference doubled, while the calculated systemic O 2 utilization coefficient (O 2 UC) increased and the systemic venous PO 2 decreased, both not to critical levels. The cerebral arteriovenous O 2 content difference however, which was 5.6 ± 1.7 ml/dl before arrest, increased between 1 and 18 h, to 10.8 ± 3.2 ml/dl at 4 h. The cerebral O 2 UC increased and the cerebral venous Poz decreased, both to critical levels. Conclusions: After prolonged cardiac arrest in dogs with previously fit hearts, the reduction of O 2 transport to the brain is worse than its reduction to the whole organism. Monitoring these values might help in titrating life-support therapies.
Self- and other-directed destructive behaviors: assessment and relationship to type of abuse

An accumulation of empirical evidence suggests that abused children are more likely to engage in destructive behaviors than are their nonmaltreated peers. This study explored whether type of abuse experienced (i.e., sexual vs. physical) was related to the type of destructive behavior displayed by children who had been placed in foster care. Results indicated that physically abused youth reported engaging in more other-directed destructive behaviors than did sexually abused youth. Sexually abused children reported engaging in more self-than other-directed destructive behaviors. Although non-significant, this same pattern of findings was observed in parental reports. When examining these relationships within gender, similar results were obtained. The results suggest that the type of destructive behavior is differentially related to the type of abuse experienced. Further study is needed to clarify the relationship between the type of abuse and the type of destructive behaviors.
The economics of Russet Burbank seed size and spacing

This study is an economic analysis of Russet Burbank seed size and spacing data. Using a representative processor contract, regression analysis was used to estimate the statistical relationship between seed size and spacing and total yield, yield of U.S. No. 1’s, yield of U.S. No. 2’s, yield of 284 gm. and larger tubers, and adjusted grower returns. Depending upon seed cost, the economic optimum seed size ranges from 31 gm. to 48 gm. at 15 cm. spacing. With seed spacing at 23 cm. optimum seed size ranges from 40 gm. to 51 gm. At 31 cm., the optimum size range is 45 gm. to 53 gm. Grower returns adjusted for seed and harvest costs are estimated to be greater at the wider spacing. The results of this analysis have been used to show how grower returns are reduced by variability in seed size and seed spacing. Under normal circumstances, reduced variability in both size and spacing could increase grower returns by $100 per hectare or more.
A developmental comparison of identity and equivalence conservations

Abstract The developmental priority of identity conservation as contrasted with equivalence conservation theorized by Elkind (1967) was investigated using quantity and number conservation tasks. Subjects were 60 four-, five-, and six-year-old children of middle socioeconomic class background. All children received a battery of tasks which included qualitative identity, quantitative identity, and equivalence conservation of quantity and number problems. For the quantity battery, under the without justification condition, conditional probabilities and significant performance differences in the mean number of trials passed indicated that the order of acquisition of quantity tasks did conform to the hypothesized sequence: qualitative identity, quantitative identity, and equivalence conservation. No significant performance differences for number concepts were noted for both justification and without justification conditions. Scalogram analyses performed upon the combined quantity number task array indicated a scale or quasi-scale in the predicted order of difficulty. It was concluded that identity concepts develop prior to equivalence concepts when the content area is quantity conservation. In contrast, clear-cut conclusions cannot be made about number conservation.
Regional differences of brain glucose metabolic compensation after unilateral labyrinthectomy in rats: a [14C]2-deoxyglucose study

A unilateral labyrinthectomy was performed on anesthetized adult albino rats. Brain [14C]2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake was measured autoradiographically 3.5 h to 20 days later and compared to sham-operated controls. In the vestibular nuclei (nn.) of labyrinthectomized subjects, large left-right differences of 2DG uptake occurred, which decreased over time. The equalization of vestibular nuclear 2DG uptake paralleled behavioral compensation of body, neck and head postural abnormalities, and known equalization of vestibular nuclear cell firing rates during compensation. There was a small difference of 2DG uptake in medial and lateral vestibular nn. 20 days after lesions when animals had a residual head tilt and tonic eye deviation. In the oculomotor nn., trochlear nn. and interstitial n. of Cajal, large left-right differences of 2DG uptake occurred, which did not change over time. The higher 2DG uptake in these nn. occurred ipsilateral to the labyrinthine lesion and did not correlate with the onset and cessation of nystagmus. The persistent asymmetry did appear to correlate with ipsilateral downward and contralateral upward eye deviation which continued for long periods after the lesion. We hypothesize that the non-compensating metabolic asymmetry in the oculomotor and trochlear nn. could be due to lesioned otolithic input to the vestibular nn. which relays to trochlear and oculomotor nn.
The Mechanisms and Meaning of the Mismatch Negativity

The mismatch negativity (MMN) is a pre-attentive auditory event-related potential (ERP) component that is elicited by a change in a repetitive acoustic pattern. It is obtained by subtracting responses evoked by frequent 'standard' sounds from responses evoked by infrequent 'deviant' sounds that differ from the standards along some acoustic dimension, e.g., frequency, intensity, or duration, or abstract feature. The MMN has been attributed to neural generators within the temporal and frontal lobes. The mechanisms and meaning of the MMN continue to be debated. Two dominant explanations for the MMN have been proposed. According to the "neural adaptation" hypothesis, repeated presentation of the standards results in adapted (i.e., attenuated) responses of feature-selective neurons in auditory cortex. Rare deviant sounds activate neurons that are less adapted than those stimulated by the frequent standard sounds, and thus elicit a larger 'obligatory' response, which yields the MMN following the subtraction procedure. In contrast, according to the "sensory memory" hypothesis, the MMN is a 'novel' (non-obligatory) ERP component that reflects a deviation between properties of an incoming sound and those of a neural 'memory trace' established by the preceding standard sounds. Here, we provide a selective review of studies which are relevant to the controversy between proponents of these two interpretations of the MMN. We also present preliminary neurophysiological data from monkey auditory cortex with potential implications for the debate. We conclude that the mechanisms and meaning of the MMN are still unresolved and offer remarks on how to make progress on these important issues.
The mechanism of the Mt. St. Helens eruption and speculations regarding Soret effects in planetary dynamics

Steady heat flux through a double diffusive layered convecting system demands each layer have the same Rayleigh number. If double diffusive convective layering occurs in a gaseous rotating proto-solar system nebula of uniform composition, this Rayleigh number criterion sets the distances from the centre of the nebula to each boundary layer of the convecting layers and these distances are given by the Titius-Bode law. In a layer of nebula convection, outgoing plumes will be retrograde, ingoing plumes prograde, such that where these plumes impinge on a boundary layer, vortices can be set up in the boundary layer with rotation along the same axis as the total cloud. Soret convection may serve to segregate the cloud isotopically, elementally and chemically.
Postnatal age defines specificity of immediate early gene induction by cocaine in developing rat brain

Clinical and animal data suggest that exposure of developing brain to cocaine has adverse consequences. One candidate mechanism for such effects is drug regulation of gene expression. In adult rats, cocaine induces expression of nuclear immediate early genes with specific spatial and temporal patterns. The products of such genes (e.g., c-Fos, c-Jun, and Zif/268) subserve the coupling of cell surface receptor stimulation to transcriptional regulation. Thus, activation of immediate early gene expression in developing brain by cocaine could alter programs of neural gene expression and, thereby, neuronal phenotype and function. We report that, during rat brain development, cocaine produced brain region-specific and developmental age-specific induction of c-fos, c-jun, and zif/268 mRNAs. At each age studied (P8, P15, P28, and adults), we found that acute cocaine administration resulted in a unique cell-specific pattern of c-fos mRNA induction and c-Fos protein expression in striatum. We also observed cocaine-induced activation of AP-1 DNA binding activity in striatal extracts prepared at these different ages, suggesting that the observed induction of c-fos and c-jun may have biological consequences for the developing brain. These findings suggest a mechanism by which cocaine could alter patterns of gene expression during critical developmental periods with differential regional, temporal, and cellular vulnerabilities and, therefore, consequences for developing brain. © 1995 Willy-Liss, Inc.
Gonopodium Development in Normal Male and 11-Ketotestosterone-Treated Female Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis): A Quantitative Study Using Computer Image Analysis

Mature male mosquitofish possess a highly modified anal fin called a gonopodium that develops from an unmodified female-like anal fin under the influence of endogenous androgens at sexual maturity. Although females do not normally develop gonopodia, their anal fins can be induced to develop into gonopodium-like structures by the administration of androgens. We used computer image analysis techniques to quantify the morphological changes in the anal fins of normal male and female mosquitofish during growth and development and the changes that occur in females exposed to an androgen, 11-ketotestosterone. The mosquitofish anal fin is a useful bioassay system for quantifying the effects of known or suspected environmental androgens.
Trace element determinations in shale oil products by neutron activation

Abstract Neutron activation offers some important advantages for the determination of selected trace elements in shale oil products. This paper gives techniques and results of a study of crude shale oil and naphtha, heavy distillate, and wax products of shale oil. The elements determined were Al, As, Au, Br, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, I, K, Mn. Mo, Na, S, Sb, Se, V, and Zn. Some elements (Mn, Na, As) tend to accumulate in heavier fractions, whereas chlorine and iodine are concentrated in the more volatile fractions. The volatility of sulphur compounds in the shale oil products appears to be essentially uniform, with some tendency toward accumulation in distillation residues. The tendency for the trace elements to accumulate in the waxes that precipitated from cooled heavy distillates was very low.
TESTING A SPATIALLY EXPLICIT, INDIVIDUAL-BASED MODEL OF RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER POPULATION DYNAMICS

Stochastic population models are widely used to assess extinction risk under various management scenarios, but due to the lack of independent data, such models are tested only rarely. Here we evaluate the predictive accuracy of a stochastic, spatially explicit, individual-based model of the population dynamics of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker by comparing simulated data with independent empirical data sets from two populations. We examined primary model predictions such as population size and number of territories, and secondary predictions such as population structure, dispersal success, natal dispersal dis- tances, and age distributions. The model predicted most evaluated parameters with high accuracy, but model performance could be enhanced by including pioneering behavior and by improving estimates of male and female dispersal behavior. We judge our model to provide reliable predictions when applied to real populations, with a few specific exceptions.
Performance bound on depth estimation of bioelectrical source

The unknown depth of bioelectrical sources confined to a horizontal plane in a horizontally layered volume conductor is estimated from noisy measurements of electrical potential on another, parallel plane (e.g. the surface). The Cramer-Rao bound is computed and discussed. Numerical simulation results suggest that the maximum likelihood depth estimate is asymptotically efficient. These results have applications in cardiology, e.g., in determining locations of still-active muscle layers following myocardial infarction. >
Controversies in Management of Achalasia

Esophageal achalasia is a primary motility disorder of unknown etiology. It is characterized by lack of esophageal peristalsis and failure of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax appropriately in response to swallowing. The goal of treatment is to improve esophageal emptying and patient’s symptoms by decreasing the functional obstruction at the level of the gastroesophageal junction. This can be accomplished by either endoscopic modalities (intra-sphincteric injection of botulinum toxin, pneumatic dilatation, per oral endoscopic myotomy) or by a laparoscopic Heller myotomy. Review of the current literature suggests that a laparoscopic Heller myotomy should be considered today the primary form of treatment for achalasia and recommends a treatment algorithm for this disease.
Effects of Light Intensity and Groundwater Level on the Growth of a Globally Rare Fen Plant

Fens are wetlands of conservation concern across temperate regions of the world. Understanding how abiotic factors affect typical fen plants will help to direct conservation efforts in these wetlands. Here, I examine how light and groundwater levels affect the growth of the globally rare fen plant Trollius laxus. Stem and biomass production were compared among plants grown at combinations of two groundwater levels (10 and 20 cm below the surface) and four light levels (6, 40, 77, and 90% photosynthetic photon flux density) in the greenhouse. Light intensity and groundwater level interactively affected T. laxus growth, with the highest plant performance at high light intensity and low groundwater level. Plants showed no response to differences in groundwater level when highly shaded, but as light intensity increased, stem and biomass production increased more quickly at the lower than at the higher groundwater level. Increased light caused greater biomass allocation to roots versus shoots, but groundwater level did not influence allocation patterns. That T. laxus is physiologically tolerant of higher light and lower groundwater levels suggests that it, like other typical fen plants, may be excluded from drier, more optimal wetlands or parts of wetlands by plants that are stronger competitors for light.
Medical and Ethical Aspects of Long-term Enteral Tube Feeding

Clinicians frequently care for patients in whom long-term enteral tube feeding is being considered. The substantial increase in the use of endoscopically placed tubes for long-term feeding reflects the aging population, advances in medicine and technology, and inadequate advance care planning. Physicians should address advance care planning with all patients at the earliest opportunity. Prospective randomized trials measuring clinical outcomes for patients receiving long-term tube feeding are understandably limited. In addition, confusion regarding medical and ethical guidelines for long-term tube feeding often exists among clinicians, patients, and surrogate decision makers. Therefore, we discuss the physiology and clinical tolerance of limited oral nutritional intake, the prevalence of and indications for long-term tube feeding, the endoscopic procedures and their complications, the reported medical and quality-of-life outcomes, and the critical importance of advance care planning. We present our multidisciplinary approach that combines medical, nutritional, and ethical principles for the care of these patients.
ADVANCED BIFURCATION SYSTEMS MOTHER-DAUGHTER PLATFORM IN TREATMENT OF COMPLEX CORONARY BIFURCATIONS: PROSPECTIVE, MULTICENTER FIRST-IN-MAN FEASIBILITY EXPERIENCE

Dedicated bifurcation stenting devices are provisional side–branch, or ostial stents with one or more limitations: proper alignment, tissue coverage, loss of wire access, wire wrap and arduous procedures requiring additional devices and steps for completion. The ABS modular system ensures
Analysis of a Hydrodynamic Thrust Bearing Operated under Unsymmetrical Conditions

Analytical solutions for the pressure, load capacity, friction, and flow of a Michell thrust bearing in asymmetric operation are presented. The flow developed in this bearing is asymmetric because the surface rotation axis is offset from the bearing sector axis. These bearings are used with circular saws to constrain transverse displacement of the blades. The pressure, load capacity, friction, and flow increase significantly with offset of the bearing and rotation axes, and they are sensitive to the sector orientation. Results are presented for two sector angles and a complete range of orientations.
Modulation of HIVGP120 Antigen-Specific Immune Responses In Vivo by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

Approximately 25 % of HIV patients use marijuana for its putative therapeutic benefit; however, it is unknown how cannabinoids affect the immune status of HIV patients. Previously, a surrogate in vitro mouse model was established, which induced CD8+ T cell proliferation and gp120-specific IFNγ production. ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the predominant psychoactive compound in marijuana, suppressed or enhanced the responses depending on the magnitude of cellular activation. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether THC produced similar effects in vivo and therefore a mouse model to induce HIVgp120-specific immune responses was established. A gp120-expressing plasmid, pVRCgp120, or a vector plasmid, pVRC2000, was injected intramuscularly into mice, which were also dosed with THC orally. The gp120-specific IFNγ and IL-2 responses were detected when splenocytes were restimulated with gp120-derived peptide 81 (IIGDIRQAHCNISRA), which was identified as being immunodominant. Various cellular populations were activated in response to pVRCgp120 stimulation followed by peptide restimulation, as evidenced by increased expression levels of activation markers (e.g., CD69, CD80, and major histocompatibility complex II [MHC II]). The IFNγ response and cellular activation were enhanced by THC in C57Bl/6 wild type (WT) mice but suppressed or not affected by THC in cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) knockout (CB1 −/−CB2 −/−) mice. Furthermore, CB1 −/−CB2 −/− mice exhibited augmented IFNγ production when compared to WT mice in the absence of THC. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that under certain conditions, THC enhances HIV antigen-specific immune responses, which occurs through CB1/CB2-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
Efficient Maintenance of Continuous Queries for Trajectories

We address the problem of optimizing the maintenance of continuous queries in Moving Objects Databases, when a set of pending continuous queries need to be reevaluated as a result of bulk updates to the trajectories of moving objects. Such bulk updates may happen when traffic abnormalities, e.g., accidents or road works, affect a subset of trajectories in the corresponding regions, throughout the duration of these abnormalities. The updates to the trajectories may in turn affect the correctness of the answer sets for the pending continuous queries in much larger geographic areas. We present a comprehensive set of techniques, both static and dynamic, for improving the performance of reevaluating the continuous queries in response to the bulk updates. The static techniques correspond to specifying the values for the various semantic dimensions of trigger execution. The dynamic techniques include an in-memory shared reevaluation algorithm, extending query indexing to queries described by trajectories and query reevaluation ordering based on space-filling curves. We have completely implemented our system prototype on top of an existing Object-Relational Database Management System, Oracle 9i, and conducted extensive experimental evaluations using realistic data sets to demonstrate the validity of our approach.
The effects of thermal radiation on dry convective instability

Abstract We study the linear and nonlinear stability properties of an idealized radiative–convective model due to Goody. Goody’s model is similar to Rayleigh–Benard convection except that thermal radiative transfer is included, thereby altering the basic state temperature profile and introducing radiative damping. When thermal diffusivity vanishes, we analytically calculate the critical threshold for linear stability. This threshold turns out to have a simple interpretation in terms of a radiative Rayleigh number. This analytic solution has relevance when thermal diffusivity is small but nonzero, because the linear stability threshold for small diffusivity reduces to that for zero thermal diffusivity. The two cases differ, however, in their eigenmodes for temperature perturbations. When thermal diffusivity is zero, the energy method is used to rule out subcritical instabilities. When thermal diffusivity is nonzero, the energy method is used to find a critical threshold below which all infinitesimal and finite-amplitude perturbations are stable.
Development of a high-resolution active-matrix flat-panel imager with enhanced fill factor

The development and initial characterization of an active matrix, flat-panel imager (AMFPI) incorporating a newly designed, indirect-detection array is reported. The array has a 127 micrometers pitch, a 1536 X 1920 pixel format, and incorporates a pixel design comprising a discrete a-Si:H photodiode coupled to an a-Si:H thin-film transistor. The array represents an aggressive redesign of a previously reported array having the same pitch and format. In particular, this new array was designed with the dual goals of maximizing the optical fill factor so as to enhance sensitivity as well as minimizing the data line capacitance so as to reduce additive electronic noise. Although constrained by the sue of discrete photodiodes, the new design nevertheless successfully achieves a fill factor of approximately 56 percent along with a data line capacitance of approximately 50 pF which are significant improvements over the previous design. In this paper, considerations in the design of such arrays are reviewed and performance results of the AMFPI, based on initial empirical results and theoretical considerations, are presented. Finally, possible trends in the future development of indirect and direct detection AMFPIs are described.
Depth resolution during C60+ profiling of multilayer molecular films.

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is utilized to characterize the response of Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) multilayers under the bombardment by buckminsterfullerene primary ions. The LB multilayers are formed by barium arachidate and barium dimyristoyl phosphatidate on a Si substrate. The unique sputtering properties of the C60 ion beam result in successful molecular depth profiling of both the single component and multilayers of alternating chemical composition. At cryogenic (liquid nitrogen) temperatures, the high mass signals of both molecules remain stable under sputtering, while at room temperature, they gradually decrease with primary ion dose. The low temperature also leads to a higher average sputter yield of molecules. Depth resolution varies from 20 to 50 nm and can be reduced further by lowering the primary ion energy or by using glancing angles of incidence of the primary ion beam.
Hepatic gluconeogenic capacity from various precursors in young versus old rats.

Hepatic gluconeogenic capacity was studied in young (4 months of age) and old (24 months of age) male Fischer 344 rats fasted for 24 hours using the isolated hepatocyte technique. Following the isolation of liver cells, the following precursors were added to the cell suspensions and incubated for 30 minutes: lactate (5 mmol/L), pyruvate (5 mmol/L), alanine (5 mmol/L), glutamine (5 mmol/L), oxaloacetate (5 mmol/L), glycerol (5 mmol/L), dihydroxyacetone (10 mmol/L), fructose (10 mmol/L), or saline (no precursor addition). To confirm that glucose production reflects gluconeogenic capacity, there was significant depletion of hepatic glycogen after the 24-hour fast and minimal alterations in glycogen content once substrates were added. Adjusting the gluconeogenic rates to reflect 100% cell viability resulted in no difference between young and old animals for any substrate used with the sole exception of fructose. The hepatic glucose production from fructose was 34% greater for young versus old animals. The results suggest that following a period of starvation the basal glucose production rates from hepatocytes, incubated with precursors entering the gluconeogenic pathway prior to fructose-6-phosphate, are equivalent in young and old rats.
Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation in C57BL/6 mice following RO15-4513 administration.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two partial benzodiazepine inverse agonists, RO15-4513 and FG-7142, alone and in combination with ethanol on locomotor activity in C57BL/6 mice. When administered alone, 1.5 g/kg ethanol did not significantly influence activity, confirming previous reports indicating this mouse strain is relatively insensitive to the excitatory properties of ethanol. RO15-4513 treatment also did not significantly influence locomotor activity when administered alone. However, coadministration of RO15-4513 (1.5–6 mg/kg) and ethanol markedly increased locomotor activity. Moreover, the unmasking of ethanol's stimulant action by RO15-4513 (6 mg/kg) was completely reversed by pretreatment with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist RO15-1788. In contrast, FG-7142 (10–20 mg/kg) increased activity to the same extent in both saline and ethanol-injected mice. This effect was blocked by RO15-1788 pretreatment as well. Neither RO15-4513, FG-7142, nor RO15-1788 significantly influenced blood ethanol concentrations. It is suggested that RO15-4513 unmasked the stimulant effects of ethanol by virtue of its ability to antagonize the depressant properties of ethanol in C57BL/6 mice.
The vortical layer on an inclined cone

The problem of flow over a circular cone inclined slightly to a uniform stream is solved using the technique of matched asymptotic expansions. The outer expansion is equivalent to Stone's solution of the problem. The inner expansion, valid in a thin layer near the body, represents Ferri's vortical layer. The solution to first order in angle of attack so obtained is uniformly valid everywhere in the flow field. In the second-order expansion an additional non-uniformity appears near the leeward ray. This defect is removed by inspection. The first-order solution is in agreement with that of Cheng, Woods, Bulakh and Sapunkov. Formulas are given that may be used to render Kopal's numerical result uniformly valid to second order in angle of attack.
Time optimal trajectory planning in dynamic environments

This paper presents a method for motion planning in dynamic environments, subject to robot dynamics and actuator constraints. The time optimal trajectory is computed by first generating an initial guess using the concept of velocity obstacle. The initial guess, computed by a global search over a tree of avoidance maneuvers, is then optimized using a dynamic optimization. This method is applicable to repetitive tasks in known dynamic environments, as is demonstrated for a planar robot manipulator.
Lysine, Arginine, and Related Amino Acids: An Introduction to the 6th Amino Acid Assessment Workshop

The focus of the 6th workshop is on lysine, arginine, and related amino acids. Functions, metabolic pathways, clinical uses, and upper tolerance intakes are emphasized in the articles that follow. Lysine is arguably the most deficient amino acid in the food supply of countries where poverty exists, and since the discovery of the nitric oxide synthase pathway, arginine has come into prominence clinically because of the role of nitric oxide in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology.
Late Cenozoic Paleo-oceanography of Norwegian Greenland Sea and Northeast Atlantic: Benthic Foraminiferal Evidence: ABSTRACT

Analysis of late Cenozoic deep-sea benthic foraminifera from DSDP Legs 12 and 38 was conducted to determine faunal patterns and relate them to the evolution of bottom-water circulation. In the Norwegian Greenland Sea, middle to late Miocene sites from 1,200 to 1,800 m present water depth have an agglutinated benthic foraminiferal assemblage dominated by Martinottiella communis and Spirosigmoilinella sp.; shallower and deeper sites are barren. A regional unconformity appears to span an interval from within the late Miocene to the early Pliocene. A sparse early Pliocene calcareous assemblage is dominated by Cassidulina teretis. Intervals interpreted to represent colder episodes within the late Pliocene-Pleistocene are either barren or contain an assemblage dominated by Orid rsalis tener. These alternate with a more diverse assemblage dominated by Cibicides wuellerstorfi (> 1,500 m) or C. teretis, Islandiella norcrossi, and Melonis barleeanum (< 1,500 m) that represent interstadial or interglacial intervals. North Atlantic sites show higher benthic foraminiferal diversity and better preservation throughout most of the late Cenozoic than the Norwegian Greenland Sea sites. The Norwegian Greenland Sea does not appear to have been a source of North Atlantic deep water during the Miocene to early Pliocene interval because conditions were not conducive to the preservation of calcareous foraminifera. late Pliocene-Pleistocene assemblage changes in the Norwegian Greenland Sea are interpreted to represent changes in bottom- and surface-water circulation. Episodes of ice cover inhibited bottom-water formation and affected the food supply to the benthos. These intervals alternated with times of more productive ice-free conditions, some of which may have been conducive to bottom-water formation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 898------------
Update on EPA'S Urban Watershed Management Branch Modeling Activities

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB) has identified an approach for urba…
Cell identification and verification of QPF ensembles using shape analysis techniques

Summary This paper introduces a new verification technique designed for, but not limited to, quantitative precipitation forecasts. It is tested on, and examples are given for, an intercomparison of very short-period nowcasting schemes. One of these nowcasters is a Bayesian scheme that is used in an extensive ensemble formulation, and the verification scheme is uniquely capable of treating both the ensemble members and the mean forecast. The verification scheme uses Procrustes shape analysis methods that are well established in statistics but have not, to date, been applied to meteorological forecast assessment. The Procrustes methodology allows for a decomposition of the forecast error into any number of components such as location (displacement), shape, size, orientation and intensity. Each error component can be afforded a separate weighting such that a cost or value of the forecast can be calculated that accounts for different error types. For example, a forecaster who is concerned with the location of a storm would place greater emphasis on correct location in the forecast than other attributes. This ability to apply weights makes the system particularly suited to real-time verification applications where confidence in the performance of the forecast translates into improved dissemination to users. In addition, the decomposition of the error into parts enables diagnosis of the error sources that can lead to model adjustment and improvement.
Effect of CCK and intracellular calcium to regulate eIF2B and protein synthesis in rat pancreatic acinar cells.

Pancreatic secretagogues enhance acinar protein synthesis at physiological concentrations and inhibit protein synthesis at high concentrations. We investigated the potential role in this process of...
The potential roles for adipose tissue in peripheral nerve regeneration

Introduction This review summarizes current understanding about the role of adipose-derived tissues in peripheral nerve regeneration and discusses potential advances that would translate this approach into the clinic. Methods We searched PubMed for in vivo, experimental studies on the regenerative effects of adipose-derived tissues on peripheral nerve injuries. We summarized the methods and results for the 42 experiments. Results Adipose-derived tissues enhanced peripheral nerve regeneration in 86% of the experiments. Ninety-five percent evaluated purified, cultured, or differentiated adipose tissue. These approaches have regulatory and scaling burdens, restricting clinical usage. Only one experiment tested the ability of adipose tissue to enhance nerve regeneration in conjunction with nerve autografts, the clinical gold standard. Conclusion Scientific studies illustrate that adipose-derived tissues enhance regeneration of peripheral nerves. Before this approach achieves clinical acceptance, fat processing must become automated and regulatory approval achieved. Animal studies using whole fat grafts are greatly needed for clinical translation.
Blank design optimization on deep drawing of square shells

A numerical scheme for improving the drawability in the deep drawing of square shells by blank design optimization is presented. The numerical scheme is formulated as an optimization problem whose objective is to maximize the drawability, subject to the constraint that fracture failure and draw-in failure do not occur. Appropriate blank design parameters are used as the design variables of the formulation. To enable the numerical scheme to work models predicting the onset of fracture failure and draw-in failure are required. Numerical models simulating the onset of these failures under the given process conditions are thus discussed. Optimal designs for three cases are then presented. Finally, by considering both the drawability and the non-uniformity of the final flange profile it is shown that the circular profile can be considered to be the optimal blank shape for square cup drawing.
Development of flattening and apparent fragmentation following ischemic necrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis in a piglet model

Background: The repair response that follows ischemic necrosis of the immature femoral head and the biological processes that are responsible for the development of femoral head deformity and fragmentation have not been clearly defined. A piglet model was used to study the radiographic and histopathologic changes that occur prior to and during the development of femoral head deformity and fragmentation following ischemic necrosis. Methods: Twenty-five male piglets were studied. A nonabsorbable ligature was placed tightly around the femoral neck to disrupt the blood supply to the capital femoral epiphysis. The animals were killed three days to eight weeks following the induction of ischemia. Radiographs of whole and sectioned femoral heads were made, and the radiographic findings were correlated with the histopathologic changes observed in the specimens. Results: Mild femoral head flattening was observed by four weeks after the induction of ischemia, and severe flattening and fragmentation were observed by eight weeks. The predominant repair response observed following revascularization was osteoclastic bone resorption. Prior to the development of flattening, a large area of osteoclastic bone resorption was observed in the central region of the femoral head. Many osteoclasts were present along the revascularization front, which we believe were responsible for active resorption of the necrotic trabecular bone. Appositional new-bone formation, the hallmark of the repair response in adult ischemic necrosis, was not observed in the area of bone resorption. Instead, the areas of resorbed bone were replaced with a fibrovascular tissue that persisted for up to eight weeks. Appositional new-bone formation was observed, but it was limited to small areas in which revascularization was not followed by osteoclastic bone resorption and in which necrotic trabecular bone was still present. The simultaneous presence of the areas of bone resorption and new-bone formation contributed to the fragmented radiographic appearance of the femoral head. Conclusions: The predominant repair response observed in the piglet model of ischemic necrosis was osteoclastic bone resorption. The early bone loss, the lack of new-bone formation, and the persistence of fibrovascular tissue in the areas of bone resorption compromised the structural integrity of the femoral head and produced progressive femoral head flattening over time. The repair response was different from that observed in femoral heads removed from adult patients with ischemic necrosis and from that observed in the adult rabbit model of ischemic necrosis. Clinical Relevance: The piglet model of ischemic necrosis may be useful for the investigation of the biological processes that lead to the development of femoral head deformity following ischemic necrosis of the immature femoral head.
THE CHANGING RISK PROFILE OF U.S.-BASED MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS EXPOSED TO EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MARKETS

In this study we investigate the risk characteristics of U.S.-based multinational corporations (MNCs) that conduct much of their business in the European Community. Specifically, we assess the efficacy of a multifactor return-generating model that incorporates the influence of U.S. and European markets. Our results demonstrate that the European market is a significant factor in explaining the time-series behavior of MNC returns, and that the European market influence is stronger since the adoption of the Single European Act. In addition, the reduction in the sensitivity of MNCs to the U.S. market since the Single European Act is cross-sectionally associated with changes in their proportional levels of European sales. The results suggest that the returns of other MNCs expanding into increasingly integrated regional blocs may experience similar changes in their systematic risk profile.
Vaso-active therapy can improve 6-min walk distance in patients with pulmonary hypertension and fibrotic interstitial lung disease.

Summary Background: Dyspnea and functional limitation in interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are not always adequately explained by the degree of compromise in pulmonary function alone. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is felt to be a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in these patients. It is not clear whether treatment with newer vaso-active agents benefits patients with PH in the setting of moderate or severe ILD. Methods: Medical records of patients followed at our institution between July 2001 and June 2005 were reviewed to identify patients with moderate or severe fibrotic ILD and PH. Data regarding demographics, hemodynamics, and clinical characteristics at baseline and during follow-up were collected. Results: We identified 19 patients who met our inclusion criteria and in whom vaso-active therapy [epoprostenol (N ¼ 10), bosentan (N ¼ 9)] was initiated. Most patients [(15/19(79%)] showed an initial positive response to therapy and improved their 6-min walk distance (6MWD) by 450m (responders) and 12/15 (80%) improved by at least 1 WHO functional class. At 1-year follow-up, 7 of 15 (47%) ‘responders’ had deteriorated significantly. None of the patients died during 1 year of follow-up. Conclusions: Epoprostenol and bosentan produced short-term functional benefit in our patients with PH and moderate or severe restrictive ILD. The generalizability of these results awaits the results of larger, prospective, randomized trials in such patients. & 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Measurement Errors of Expected Returns Proxies and the Implied Cost of Capital

Despite their popularity as proxies of expected returns, the implied cost of capital's (ICC) measurement error properties are relatively unknown. Through an in-depth analysis of a popular implementation of ICCs by Gebhardt, Lee, and Swaminathan (2001) (GLS), I show that ICC measurement errors can be not only nonrandom and persistent, but can also be associated with firms' risk or growth characteristics, implying that ICC regressions are likely confounded by spurious correlations. Moreover, I document that biases in GLS' measurement errors are driven not only by analysts' systematic forecast errors but also by functional form assumptions, so that correcting for the former - a primary focus of the ICC literature - is insufficient by itself. From these findings, I argue that the choice between ICCs and realized returns involves a tradeoff between bias and efficiency, and suggest that realized returns should be used in conjunction with ICCs to make more robust inferences about expected returns.