cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antagonism of the discriminative stimulus effects of the kappa-opioid agonist spiradoline.

This study compared the potency of mixed-action opioids (i.e., agonist-antagonists) and pure antagonists to block the discriminative stimulus effects of spiradoline, a kappa-opioid agonist. Rats were trained to discriminate between 3.0 mg/kg spiradoline and saline (SC) in a two-choice discrete-trial procedure. Graded doses of test drugs were administered in combination with 3.0 mg/kg spiradoline and the dose that reduced selection of the spiradoline-appropriate choice lever by 50% (AD50) was calculated. Ten drugs blocked the discriminative effects of spiradoline in an orderly dose-dependent manner. They spanned a 150-fold potency range, from diprenorphine (5 times as potent as naloxone) to nalbuphine (0.03 times as potent as naloxone). Antagonism was stereoselective: 0.1–1.0 mg/kg (−)-N-allylnormetazocine (NANM) reduced spiradoline-appropriate responding by 50% whereas 3.0 mg/kg (+)-NANM did not. (−)-Pentazocine (0.1–10 mg/kg) and butorphanol (0.1–3.0 mg/kg) also did not block the discriminative effects of spiradoline. Antagonism was surmountable when graded doses of spiradoline were tested with a fixed dose of diprenorphine, naloxone, or levallorphan. Apparent pKB values derived from the interactions between those three drugs and spiradoline were in accord with relative antagonist potencies based upon the AD50s. Because the potency of a competitive antagonist is determined by its receptor affinity, the relative potencies of mixed-action opioids and pure antagonists in blocking the discriminative stimulus effects of spiradoline can provide an estimate of the relative in vivo affinities of these drugs for the kappa-opioid receptor.
Experimental observation of the crystallization of hard-sphere colloidal particles by sedimentation onto flat and patterned surfaces

We present a confocal microscopy study of $1.55\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ monodisperse silica hard spheres as they sediment and crystallize at the bottom wall of a container. If the particles sediment onto a feature less flat wall, the two bottom layers crystallize simultaneously and layerwise growth follows. If the wall is replaced by a hexagonal template, only layerwise growth occurs. Our results complement earlier numerical simulations and experiments on other colloidal systems.
Scalable platforms using ant colony optimization

Mass customization necessitates increased product variety at the customers’ end but comparatively lesser part variety at the manufacturer’s end. Product platform concepts have been successful to achieve this goal at large. One of the popular methods for product platform formation is to scale one or more design variables called the scaling variables. Effective optimization methods are needed to identify proper values of the scaling variables. This paper presents a graph-based optimization method called the scalable platforms using ant colony optimization (SPACO) method for identifying appropriate values of the scaling variables. In the graph-based representation, each node signifies a sub-range of values for a design variable. This application includes the concept of multiplicity in node selection because there are multiple nodes corresponding to the discretized values of a given design variable. In the SPACO method, the overall decision is a result of the cumulative decisions, made by simple computing agents called the ants, over a number of iterations. The space search technique initially starts as a random search technique over the entire search space and progressively turns into an autocatalytic (positive feedback) probabilistic search technique as the solution matures. We use a family of universal electric motors, widely cited in the literature, to test the effectiveness of the proposed method. Our simulation results, when compared to the results reported in the literature, prove that SPACO method is a viable optimization method for determining the values of design variables for scalable platforms.
Use of the tobit model in contingent valuation : experimental evidence from the pemigewasset wilderness area

Two statistical techniques commonly used in contingent valuation studies—ordinary least squares estimation and Tobit analysis—are compared using the data obtained from a 1989 survey of users of the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area in New Hampshire. Parameter estimates are contrasted for differences insign, size and significance. An examination of zero bids is also conducted, and inferences are drawn as to which analytical technique is preferred. Results indicate that coefficient values estimated using Tobit analysis may differ substantially from those estimated using OLS. In addition, the direction of this difference in coefficient values is not consistent. Since Tobit analysis is the more theoretically correct method for willingness-to-pay (WTP) data sets with large numbers of zero bids, past research conduced using least squares analysis may have provided incorrect estimates of coefficients for explanatory variables. Tobit also allows decomposition of the data set to examine more closely the effects of the independent variables on current non-zero WTP bidders, and estimates the probability of zero bidders changing to positive bids based on changes in the independent varaibles. However, extra care must be taken in culling protest bids from the sample. Results of this study indicate that users of the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area are willing to pay between $4·82 and $5·65 per trip to the area. Variables which tend to affect these bids most strongly are the probability of returning to the area and the importance of a primitive camping experience.
Studies in Cutaneous Aging: I. The Elastic Fiber Network

We studied by light and electron microscopy the elastic fibers in the sun exposed and sun protected skin or normal an psoriatic individuals of different ages in order to separate the changes of actinic damage from those of chronological aging. The sun exposed skin showed 2 types of elastic fiber abnormalities—one related to actinic damage and the other to chronological aging. The sun protected buttock skin showed only the latter. From ages 30 to 70, a minority of the elastic fibers exhibited abnormalities that appeared to represent a process of fiber disintegration. After age 70, the majority of elastic fibers showed these abnormalities. These abnormalities were present without accompanying infammatory cells. Also, there was morphological evidence of continuing synthesis of elastic fibers during the lifetime of these subjects, except that from ages 50-93, the fibers appeared to be loosely, rather than compactly, assembled. Incubation of dermal slices from buttock skin of young adults with porcine pancreatic elastase and bovine chymotrypsin produced elastic fiber degradation that closely simulated the changes that were observed in aged sun protected skin. We propose that one of the features of cutaneous aging is a slow, spontaneous, progressive degradative process inherent in the elastic fiber that can be enzymatically accelerated from decades to hours by elastase and chymotrypsin.
Effects of oxygen and strontium vacancies on the superconductivity of single crystals of Bi 2 Sr 2 − x CuO 6 − y

Single crystals of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{6\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{y}}$ (2201 phase) were grown from CuO-rich melts. The Sr concentration in the crystals was varied from x=0.1 to 0.5 by adjusting the starting composition of the melt, and the oxygen content of the crystals was reversibly adjusted between y=0 and 0.5 by an appropriate heat treatment of the crystals in a thermogravimetric system. With decreasing Sr content the superconducting transition temperature, ${T}_{c}$, of the crystals decreased rapidly from 9 K to below 4.2 K, and the resistivity in the a-b plane changed from metallic (linear in T from 30 to 300 K) to semiconducting. Reducing the oxygen content in the crystals had a similar effect on the resistivity. Only crystals with close to the maximum oxygen content (y=0) were superconducting, and removal of oxygen from previously superconducting crystals resulted in a rapid decrease of ${T}_{c}$ and the eventual loss of superconductivity (${T}_{c}$4.2 K). A bond-valence sum analysis suggests that oxygen is removed from the ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ layers.
Barriers to and motivations for physician referral of patients to cancer genetics clinics.

Although it is well known that under-referral of colon cancer patients to cancer genetics clinics is a chronic problem, no study has yet examined why physicians may be ordering testing independently rather than referring patients to cancer genetics clinics. The current study explored variables which may impact a physician’s preference for ordering testing independently or referring patients to outside cancer genetics experts. An online questionnaire, distributed to the membership of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Society of Colorectal Surgeons, yielded responses from 298 physicians. Motivations to refer to cancer genetics clinics rather than order testing independently included fear of genetic discrimination and a belief that patients benefit from genetic counseling about the risks, benefits and consequences of testing. These results suggest that in order to increase referrals, genetic counselors must educate physicians about the unique benefits patients receive from participating in genetic counseling.
Use of BotuIinum Toxin in the Treatment of One Hundred Patients with Facial Dyskinesias

One hundred patients with involuntary eyelid and facial spasms resulting from essential blepharospasm, Meige syndrome, and hemifacial spasm continued to respond to repeated injections of botulinum toxin at expected time intervals during a 30-month period. This series of more than 372 injections done by one of us (JAM) supports the finding of earlier, smaller series that tolerance to the toxin does not develop. The drug had a greater duration of effect in patients with hemifacial spasm than in patients with blepharospasm; the duration of effect was 17.25 weeks in the former group and 12.6 weeks in the latter. Eighteen percent of patients required a higher than standard dose for a therapeutic response. Fourteen of 15 patients with lower facial spasms and one patient with torticollis had significant relief. Dry eye may be managed by titrating the lower lid dose.
Health-Related Physical Fitness Levels of Elementary School Children Ages 5–9

National health goals include an increase in the physical activity and physical fitness of school-age children by the year 2000. To assess current fitness levels in the state of Maine, more than 8,000 public school students, ages five through nine, were assessed using a nationally known (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) health-related physical fitness test. Maine students were then compared with a national norm group on (1) the one-mile walk/run (minutes:seconds), (2) skinfold thickness (centimeters), (3) one-minute timed sit-ups (number performed correctly), and (4) the sit and reach test for flexibility (centimeters). Generally, Maine boys and girls scored higher than the norms on the sit-up, sit and reach, and one-mile walk/run; however, they had significantly larger skinfold thicknesses. Implications for assessment of health-related fitness in this age group were discussed.
Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of a tin cobalt phosphate framework, SnCo2(H2O)2(PO4)2 · H2O

Abstract The hydrothermal inorganic reaction of cobalt chloride, tin oxalate and phosphoric acid yields a three-dimensional metal phosphate structure containing cobaltate layers. Hydrated tin phosphate chains connect the layers, defining unidimensional channels that contain occluded water molecules. Thermal and magnetic behaviour are also discussed. A cusp around 3.5 K and a negative Curie temperature of −35.9 K indicate antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the Co(II) centers in the solid. The magnetic behavior follows the Curie–Weiss law in the 25–300 K range, with an effective magnetic moment of 3.18 μB.
Fetal x-irradiation and fertility.

Summary and Conclusions1. Mice x-irradiated in utero to 300 r accumulated in 6 exposures of 50 r each on 6 consecutive days beginning on the 14th day of gestation, reveal various degrees of sterility at 6 months, the period of peak reproductive activity in the mouse. The 10 pregnant females, producing these litters, were all made sterile by this x-irradiation. 2. Within any single litter, there were variations in response of fetuses indicating, possibly, a slight spread in the developmental stage of the gonad primordia at the instant of x-irradiation. Certainly one can hardly visualize a dosimetry sufficiently different within a fetal litter to account for the variations in response. 3. Testes sterility was correlated with the relative number of seminiferous tubules in which maturation stages occur. In those testes where 40% or more of the tubules contain maturation figures, the male was fertile. The completely sterile testes contained 10% or less of tubules having maturation stages. 4. The precursors of ...
Gliomatosis peritonei and teratomatous implant with carcinomatous transformation presenting 54 years following oophorectomy for dermoid cyst

Abstract Background . Gliomatosis peritonei is a rare condition associated with ovarian teratomas in which benign glial implants are identified on the peritoneal surfaces of the abdomen. The implants have been identified at initial surgery and at second-look laparotomy. Case . Here, we present a case of an 82-year-old female who was diagnosed with gliomatosis peritonei 54 years after her initial surgery for an ovarian dermoid tumor. A separate teratomatous implant containing focally invasive adenocarcinoma was also present. Conclusion . This is by far the longest interval between initial diagnosis and identification of glial implants reported. Additionally, the presence of a separate malignant teratomatous implant suggests that teratomatous implants may retain malignant potential, in contrast to implants composed of purely benign glial tissue.
Hydrolysis of p-nitrotrifluoroacetanilide catalyzed by water and imidazole

Abstract The hydrolyses of p-nitrotrifluoroacetanilide catalyzed by water and imidazole were examined at 70°C. The pH-rate constant profile of the hydrolysis in H2O was examined in the pH range 0.0–11.4. The hydrolysis was independent of pH in the region from pH 1.0 to 4.5, presumably a water-catalyzed reaction. The rate constant and the D2O solvent isotope effect for this reaction were 1.0 × 10−4 sec−1 and 3.7, respectively. Both natural imidazole and imidazolium cation catalyzed hydrolysis. The rate constant of the hydrolysis catalyzed by neutral imidazole was determined to be 5.4 × 10−3 M−1 sec−1 and the D2O solvent isotope effect was 1.8.
Simulation of Stationary Process Via a Sampling Theorem

Abstract A new simulation algorithm is developed for generating realizations of a stationary band-limited Gaussian process. The algorithm is based on a parametric model that can be derived from a sampling theorem, and consists of a superposition of a finite set of deterministic functions of time with random amplitudes corresponding to values of the band-limited process at equally spaced time intervals. The parametric model is Gaussian, with mean and covariance functions that can be obtained from the second-moment characteristics of the band-limited process by elementary calculations. Moreover, the model approximates the band-limited process satisfactorily and is used to generate realizations of it. Simulation based on the model in the paper can be performed on-line, similar to techniques based on the ARMA model. Examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed algorithm and evaluate its performance.
Phonological short-term and working memory in bilinguals' native and second language

The goal of the current study was to examine bilinguals' phonological short-term and working memory performance in their native/first (L1) and second (L2) languages. Korean–English bilinguals were tested in both Korean (L1) and English (L2). Short-term memory (STM) was measured via a nonword repetition task, where participants repeated nonwords that increased in length. Working memory (WM) was measured via a complex task, where the nonword repetition task was combined with an animacy judgment task. In general, bilinguals performed better on the STM task than on the WM task, and with shorter nonwords than with longer nonwords. Results also revealed that L1 STM performance was superior to L2 STM performance, but only for the longest nonwords, whereas L1 WM performance was superior to L2 WM performance across all length levels. In addition, correlation analyses between bilinguals' L1 and L2 performance revealed stronger cross-linguistic associations for the WM task than for the STM task. Together, the findings suggest that WM tasks may engage domain-general central executive processes in bilinguals, whereas STM skills may depend on language-specific knowledge in the L1 and the L2.
Exploration of vocal tract properties during serial production of vowels by full term and preterm infants

Abstract This study examines the acoustic characteristics of individual vowels and those produced in sequences of three or more during vocal play by full term and preterm at age 6 months. Laboratory and home audiotape recordings of infant vowel sounds were made and digitized for acoustic analysis. Of interest was whether, during production of vowel sequences compared to those produced singly, infants explored the relation between tongue height and tongue advancement, as measured acoustically by the first formant (F1) and second formant (F2) frequencies, respectively. In both groups of infants, the region of F1-F2 space for individually produced vowels was significantly greater than for vowels produced in sequence. High correlation coefficients for F1 and F2 during exploration of vowels produced in sequence were apparent in full term, but not preterm infants. The data support the claim that vowels produced in sequence occupy a more limited region of the vocal tract than those produced singly, and that infants explore the characteristics of their vocalizations within sequences.
Nurse staffing and adverse patient outcomes: a systems approach.

Abstract The public is concerned that inadequate nurse staffing in hospitals may be jeopardizing the quality of patient care. This article proposes a conceptual model for examining the relationship between nurse staffing and adverse patient outcomes and discusses issues about methods in testing the model. Nurs Outlook 2001;49:78-85.
Moving forward: age effects on the cerebellum underlie cognitive and motor declines.

Abstract Though the cortical contributions to age-related declines in motor and cognitive performance are well-known, the potential contributions of the cerebellum are less clear. The diverse functions of the cerebellum make it an important structure to investigate in aging. Here, we review the extant literature on this topic. To date, there is evidence to indicate that there are morphological age differences in the cerebellum that are linked to motor and cognitive behavior. Cerebellar morphology is often as good as – or even better – at predicting performance than the prefrontal cortex. We also touch on the few studies using functional neuroimaging and connectivity analyses that further implicate the cerebellum in age-related performance declines. Importantly, we provide a conceptual framework for the cerebellum influencing age differences in performance, centered on the notion of degraded internal models. The evidence indicating that cerebellar age differences associate with performance highlights the need for additional work in this domain to further elucidate the role of the cerebellum in age differences in movement control and cognitive function.
Heat shock protein 90 stabilization of ErbB2 expression is disrupted by ATP depletion in myocytes.

Heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 is a ubiquitously expressed chaperone that stabilizes expression of multiple signaling kinases involved in growth regulation, including ErbB2, Raf-1, and Akt. The chaperone activity of Hsp90 requires ATP, which binds with ∼10-fold lower affinity than ADP. This suggests that Hsp90 may be a physiological ATP sensor, regulating the stability of growth signaling cascades in relation to cellular energy charge. Here we show that lowering ATP concentration by inhibiting glycolysis or mitochondrial respiration in isolated myocytes triggers rapid dissociation of Hsp90 from ErbB2 and degradation of ErbB2 along with other client proteins. The effect of disrupting Hsp90 chaperone activity by ATP depletion was similar to the effect of the pharmacological Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin. ATP depletion-induced disruption of Hsp90 chaperone activity was associated with cellular resistance to growth factor activation of intracellular signaling. ErbB2 degradation was also induced by the physiological stress of β-adrenergic receptor stimulation in electrically stimulated cells. These results support a role for Hsp90 as an ATP sensor that modulates tissue growth factor responsiveness under metabolically stressed conditions and provide a novel mechanism by which cellular responsiveness to growth factor stimulation is modulated by cellular energy charge.
Review of chemical vapor deposition of graphene and related applications.

Since its debut in 2004, graphene has attracted enormous interest because of its unique properties. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has emerged as an important method for the preparation and production of graphene for various applications since the method was first reported in 2008/2009. In this Account, we review graphene CVD on various metal substrates with an emphasis on Ni and Cu. In addition, we discuss important and representative applications of graphene formed by CVD, including as flexible transparent conductors for organic photovoltaic cells and in field effect transistors.Growth on polycrystalline Ni films leads to both monolayer and few-layer graphene with multiple layers because of the grain boundaries on Ni films. We can greatly increase the percentage of monolayer graphene by using single-crystalline Ni(111) substrates, which have smooth surface and no grain boundaries. Due to the extremely low solubility of carbon in Cu, Cu has emerged as an even better catalyst for the growth of monolayer ...
Social responsibility as a unique dimension of brand personality and consumers' willingness to reward

Consumers expect organizations to behave in a responsible fashion and want to be informed about those actions. The current research examines the extent to which consumers are willing to reward brands for their socially responsible behavior. Two studies are reported in which social responsibility (SR) was conceptualized as a unique dimension of brand personality. Participants in both studies were presented advertisements in which the personality dimensions of ruggedness, excitement, and SR for a fictitious brand were manipulated. The results indicate that SR is a distinct brand personality dimension and that willingness to reward moderates the effect of SR on attitudes toward the product, advertisement, and brand. Specifically, in all but one case across both studies, the positive effect of SR on attitude was greater for those most willing to reward. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Estimating free-energy barrier heights for an ultrafast folding protein from calorimetric and kinetic data.

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to measure the temperature dependence of the absolute heat capacity of the 35-residue subdomain of the villin headpiece, a protein that folds in 5 μs and is therefore assumed to have a small free-energy barrier separating folded and unfolded states. To obtain an estimate of the barrier height from the calorimetric data, two models, a variable-barrier model and an Ising-like model, were used to fit the heat capacity in excess of the folded state over the temperature range 15−125 °C. The variable-barrier model is based on an empirical mathematical form for the density of states, with four adjustable parameters and the enthalpy (H) as a reaction coordinate. The Ising-like model is based on the inter-residue contact map of the X-ray structure with exact enumeration of ∼105 possible conformations, with two adjustable parameters in the partition function, and either the fraction of native contacts (Q) or the number of ordered residues (P) as reaction coordinates. The v...
Venous aneurysm. An unusual upper-extremity mass.

• A venous aneurysm was diagnosed in an otherwise healthy 39-year-old woman who presented with an arm mass. The clinical features of these exceedingly uncommon lesions are discussed. ( Arch Surg . 1990;125:124)
Retrospective review of adjuvant chemotherapy for esthesioneuroblastoma

Background Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare tumor arising from the olfactory epithelium in the upper nasal cavity. Prior reviews have found efficacy of chemotherapy for high grade tumors in the advanced setting. However, little information is available regarding chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting. Methods A retrospective review of 76 patients treated at the Mayo Clinic for esthesioneuroblastoma from 1976 to 2003 was performed to evaluate adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in these patients. Pathology slides were reviewed to assign Hyam’s grade, and modified Kadish staging was available for all patients used in the analysis. Results Twelve patients were identified to have had full surgical resection of Stage C, high grade (grade 3 or 4) tumors. Six of these patients received AC, and six did not. Most AC was cisplatin and etoposide based. Median time to relapse for patients who did and did not receive AC is 35 and 10.5 months respectively. The median overall survival (OS) for patients that received AC was 83+ (range 21–119+ months). The median OS for patients not receiving AC is 78 months (range 9–240+ months). Conclusions This small retrospective series suggests that adjuvant therapy for patients with high grade, Stage C esthesioneuroblastoma is of benefit following complete resection. Radiation therapy alone provides an improvement in time to relapse, which may be increased further with the addition of cisplatin and etoposide based chemotherapy.
Fixation Time for an Evolutionary Model

We study the asymptotic value as L → ∞ of the time for evolution τ, understood as the first time to reach a preferred word of length L using an alphabet with N letters. The word is updated at unit time intervals randomly, but configurations with letters matching with the preferred word are sticky, i.e., the probability to leave the configuration equals 0 ≤ γ ≤1, where γ may depend on the configuration. The model is introduced in Ref.[ 5 ] in the case γ = 0, where it was shown that E[τ] ∼ Nln (L). We first give an alternative proof of the logarithmic scale, by evaluating the mode of τ. We then answer positively a question posed by H. Wilf on whether τ is exponential when γ ≠ 0. The natural scaling γ =O(L −1) gives rise to several finite order limits, including the interacting model when γ depends linearly on the number of matches with the preferred word. The scaling limit of the number of non-matching letters follows a Galton-Watson process with immigration. In a related model, the empirical measure conver...
Circumferential myocardial shortening in the normal human left ventricle. Assessment by magnetic resonance imaging using spatial modulation of magnetization.

BACKGROUNDConventional cardiac imaging methods do not depict true segmental myocardial shortening, since they cannot determine segment length between fixed points in the myocardium.METHODS AND RESU...
The response of growing broiler chickens to dietary contents of protein, energy and added fat.

Abstract 1. The results of 47 experiments with broilers over the period 1974 to 1983 were selected for regression analysis. Included were those dealing with the relationship of growth and food utilisation to content of dietary protein (DP), metabolisable energy (DME) and added fat (DAF) in conventional feedingstuffs. 2. Significant correlations were found between DP and DME (0#lb50; P < 0#lb01), DP and DAF (0#lb61; P < 0#lb01), and DME and DAF (0#lb65; P < 0#lb01) contents. 3. Using multiple regression models, growth and food utilisation efficiency (FUE) were found to be dependent on the linear and quadratic effects of DME (r2 values = 0#lb67 and 0–64 respectively). Growth and FUE were also dependent on the linear and quadratic effects of DP (r2 values = 0#lb70 and 0#lb49 respectively). 4. By including the effects of DME, DP and DAF in the gain and FUE models it was shown that growth and FUE were dependent on DME, DP and DAF (r2 values = 0#lb76 and 0#lb79 respectively). 5. It was concluded that hypotheses...
Periodic and quasi-periodic solutions of nonlinear wave equations via KAM theory

In this paper the nonlinear wave equation $$u_u - u_{xx} + v(x)u(x,t) + \varepsilon u^3 (x,t) = 0$$ is studied. It is shown that for a large class of potentials,v(x), one can use KAM methods to construct periodic and quasi-periodic solutions (in time) for this equation.
The design of the OpenSTARS adaptive analyzer for real-time distributed systems

This paper describes the design of the OpenSTARS real-time analysis tool. The paper focuses on criteria for a good analysis tool including correctness, performance/scalability, flexibility, and extensibility. Several leading real-time analysis tools are surveyed and several problems with the tools under these criteria are identified. The paper then presents the basic components and operation of OpenSTARS and how its design addresses these problems.
Prospective evaluation of faecal fatty acid excretion in short bowel syndrome in newborns

0 Short bowel syndrome (SBS) in the newborn results in limited intestinal absorptive capacity, leading especially to fatty acid (FA) malabsorption. It is unknown whether adaptation occurs in time in FA absorption, and whether this adaptation is chain-length dependent. The aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate FA absorption and excretion during SBS in the newborn. Twenty-one neonates who underwent small bowel resection (of variable length) for various reasons (necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal atresia, meconium peritonitis, cloaca1 extrophy, etc) were studied. Eight neonates had SBS, defined as a small bowel remnant of less than 50% of the original small bowel length related to gestational age. The mean remaining small bowel length in the SBS group was 34% (24% to 42%). The non-SBS control group consisted of 13 neonates who had only minor small bowel resections. The mean remaining bowel length for the non-SBS group was 95% (70% to 100%). The results show that the total fractional excretion of FA (FE-FA) at 2 weeks and 1, 2, 3, and 4 months postsurgery was 51% & 37%. 33% f 24%, 51% f 65%, 53% 2 27%, and 7% + 2% in patients with SBS, versus 12% f 6%, 24% + lo%, 9% f 3%. 8% + 3% and 17% + 14% in the non-SBS controls, respectively (P c .05 by ANOVA). There appeared to be an amelioration in time in FA absorption, especially in the SBS group, after 3 months. FE-FA was chain-length related, being considerably less for Cl0 and Cl2 than for Cl4 and longer amounts. An amelioration of absorption occurred in the SBS patients, especially with the longer-chain FA. On the basis of the study data, the authors conclude that in the initial adaptation phase shorter chain lengths are better absorbed than longer chain lengths; however, in the latter FA group, substantial adaptation occurs with time. Copyright o 1996 by W. B. Saunders Company
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Encoder Parameter Selection Algorithms for Complexity Distortion Tradeoff

The H.264 encoder has input parameters that determine the bit rate and distortion of the compressed video and the encoding complexity. A set of encoder parameters is referred to as a parameter setting. We previously proposed two offline algorithms for choosing H.264 encoder parameter settings that have distortion-complexity performance close to the parameter settings obtained from an exhaustive search, but take significantly fewer encodings. However they generate only a few parameter settings. If there is no available parameter settings for a given encode time, the encoder will need to use a lower complexity parameter setting resulting in a decrease in peak-signal-to-noise-ratio (PSNR). In this paper, we propose two algorithms for finding additional parameter settings over our previous algorithm and show that they improve the PSNR by up to 0.71 dB and 0.43 dB, respectively. We test both our algorithms on Linux and PocketPC platforms.
A mutation in alpha-catenin disrupts adhesion in clone A cells without perturbing its actin and beta-catenin binding activity.

Cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion requires cytoplasmic connections to the cytoskeleton mediated by α-catenin. Original descriptions of the catenins, as well as our own in vitro studies, have suggested that this connection was mediated by the interaction of α-catenin to actin. Loss of adhesion in the human colon carcinoma cell line “Clone A” is the result of an internal deletion mutation of 158 residues near the N-terminus of the protein resulting in an 80 kD mutated protein. Transfection of these cells with the full length protein restores the normal adhesive phenotype. We have characterized this mutant protein in efforts to understand the normal function of α-catenin and, in particular, the region deleted in the Clone A mutant. Co-precipitation experiments using whole cell lysates indicate that the mutant form of α-catenin binds β-catenin and plakoglobin, and can form a structural complex with E-cadherin via these interactions. Actin co-sedimentation assays show that the recombinant mutant binds and b...
An Apparent Relation Between the Spiral Angle ϕ, the Percent Elongation El, and the Dimensions of the Cotton Fiber

A statistical analysis of fiber properties in 56 research cotton samples and 54 primitive rate stocks of Gossypium hirsutum showed that percent elongation E 1 was positively associated with fiber diameter and negatively associated with fiber wall thickness. These associations were more strongly expressed in the research samples, involving highly selected cotton types, than in the primitive, relatively unselected race stocks. It was show n that E1, as measured by the Stelometer, may be a function of ϕ, the spiral angle of the fiber. Estimates of the spiral angle calculated from the E1 data gave mean values of 21.99 to 22.41°, which are in close agreement with the "peak" values (22.0 to 22.5°) determined by Morosoff and Ingram using x-ray microcamera photography. Simplistic models of the tubular structure of the cotton fiber were examined to explore the interrelations of variations in spiral angle, elongation, fiber gauge, and wall thickness, and a possible interpretation is presented.
Complex fluvial response to low gradients at maximum regression; a genetic link between smooth sequence-boundary morphology and architecture of overlying sheet sandstone

ABSTRACT The Mesa Rica Sandstone is an extensive fluvial sandstone sheet that is separated from underlying marine strata throughout northeastern New Mexico by a regionally smooth and laterally continuous sequence-bounding unconformity. The Mesa Rica Sandstone consists mostly of channel-fill elements, with lesser proportions of lateral-accretion elements, and almost everywhere is of the same thickness as the largest channel fills. This broad sandstone sheet reflects deposition on a coastal plain by frequent avulsion and minor lateral migration of straight and low-sinuosity streams under nearly stable base-level conditions, which are here attributed to rapid progradation of the adjacent Mesa Rica deltaic shoreline relative to change in relative sea level during maximum Kiowa-Skull Creek regressi n. Rapid deltaic shoreline progradation under such conditions caused seaward extension and gradient reduction in the adjacent Mesa Rica coastal plain. Overextension and resultant loss of power in Mesa Rica rivers crossing this coastal plain forced both stream straightening and storage of nontransportable coarser sediment in coastal-plain channels. Because base level was stable, Mesa Rica channels could aggrade only minimally, and were forced to spread excess sediments mostly laterally by avulsion. Frequent avulsion and minor lateral migration of Mesa Rica channels under these conditions caused both regional scouring of a smooth sequence-bounding unconformity and deposition of a sheet sandstone with minimal channel stacking. The Mesa Rica Sandstone and the sequence boundary that underlies it represent a distinctive genetic association of single-story fluvial sheet sandstone and smooth sequence-boundary morphology that is probably not unique to the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern New Mexico. Such unincised sequence boundaries are also implied in conceptual models and flume experiments of previous authors.
Genetic Variation in Hemp and Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) According to Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms

Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) is one of the earliest known cultivated plants and is important in the global economy today as a licit and an illicit crop. Molecular markers distinguishing licit and illicit cultivars have forensic utility, but no direct comparison of hemp and marijuana amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) has been made to date. Genetic variation was surveyed in three populations of fiber hemp and a potent cultivar of marijuana using AFLP markers. Ten primer pairs yielded 1206 bands, of which 88% were polymorphic. Eighteen bands represented fixed differences between all fiber populations and the drug cultivar. These markers have practical utility for (1) establishing conspiracy in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, (2) identifying geographic sources of seized drugs, and (3) discriminating illegal, potent marijuana cultivars from hemp where the cultivation of industrial hemp is permitted.
A comparison of the action of human and rat liver slices on several corticosteroids.

Recent studies have demonstrated the great capacity of the rat liver to metabolize adrenal cortical steroids, and, in so doing, to decrease their biological activity (Miller and Axelrod, 1954; Bacchus, 1953; Hechter et al., 1953; Louchart and Jailer, 1952; Paschkis et ah, 1951; Schneider and Horstmann, 1951, 1952). There is, however, little information concerning the hepatic metabolism of aldosterone, or the in vitro metabolism of adrenal cortical steroids by human liver (Gordon, 1954). Consequently, it was decided to compare the hepatic metabolism of aldosterone with other adrenal cortical steroids by incubating them with rat and human liver slices, and to conduct these experiments at steroid levels which were closer to the physiological range than those previously used. Finally, in selected cases, an attempt was made to correlate the reduction of Ring A with loss of biological activity following incubation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Corticosterone, desoxycorticosterone, and hydrocortisone were incubated wit...
Limiting Optimism: Time or Event Count?

In optimistically synchronized parallel discrete event simulators, unlimited optimism can lead to excessive rollbacks and simulation thrashing. Artificially throttling the simulation is a well-known technique for improving the performance by avoiding the effects of uncontrolled optimism. Simulation throttling has been attempted based on time or event count beyond Global Virtual Time (GVT). In this paper, we carry out a simulation study of both approaches within Time Warp as well as Breathing Time Warp (BTW) synchronization algorithms in the context of the SPEEDES simulation framework. We discover that anomalies arise when limiting optimism based on event count (as is the case in the default SPEEDES BTW algorithm) and that this gives rise to forced rollbacks that generally do not arise without simulation throttling. We implement a version of BTW that limits optimism based on time beyond GVT and show that it outperforms BTW for two large scale applications. We discuss initial experiences with adaptively estimating the optimism limit.
Studies on the nature and localization of acid phosphatase in normal and lens-regenerating urodele eyes. II. Biochemical assay.

Biochemical assay of acid phosphatase in normal and lens-regenerating eyes of the urodele Diemictylus viridescens, using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate, demonstrates both soluble and lysosomal fractions of the enzyme. While the specific activity of the soluble fraction remains unchanged during lens regeneration, the lysosomal fraction shows four distinct rises in specific activity during the thirty-day regeneration period studied. These peak activities on the second, eighth, fifteenth, and twenty-second days post-lentectomy apparently correspond to lysosomal activity in the processes of wound healing, iris depigmentation, and lens differentiation which occur during urodele lens regeneration. On the basis of biochemical and histochemical studies as well as observations of morphological changes in the urodele eye as lens regeneration proceeds, it is postulated that there is a significant correlation between these morphological changes and the level and localization of the lysosomal acid hydrolases in the tissues in which the changes occur.
Mechanisms of disease: cataracts

Studying the mechanisms that are responsible for the transparency of the lens we see that multiple factors are involved in the maintenance of lens clarity as well as in cataractogenesis. Is there a unifying mechanism? Since the function of the lens is the transmission of electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum, fundamental physical laws should apply. Attenuation of a light beam that passes through a medium happens by two major processes: absorption and scattering. In absorption, light energy is dissipated into heat as the result of energy-absorbing electronic transitions. In scattering, radiation is redirected away from the incident pathway, thereby reducing the transmitting power. Depending on the angular dependence of the scattered light, the wave front of the transmitted light is distorted. In the case of cataract, the primary factor is turbidity secondary to scattering. A perfectly uniform medium exhibits no light scattering; thus a continuous medium can scatter light only when it contains spatial fluctuations around the mean density governed by specific equations. These equations simply state that the amplitude of scattering is proportional to the Fourier amplitude of the density fluctuations in the medium [12]. Electron micrograph analysis using Fourier transformation has shows an increase in the fluctuation of spatial density of the opaque fiber [12,26,37,93]. Thus, all transparency mechanisms and all cataractogenic factors can be thought of as opposing effectors of spatial density fluctuation affecting scatter and antithetical producers of light absorbing moieties.
When invasive species have benefits as well as costs: managing Carex kobomugi (Asiatic sand sedge) in New Jersey's coastal dunes

Asiatic sand sedge, Carex kobomugi,was accidentally introduced into North America approximately a century ago and is now widespread along the Northeast coast of the USA. This paper documents the rapid spread rate of this species in two New Jersey coastal parks. Also documented are declines in native plant densities, species richness and diversity in invaded areas. Although C. kobomugi expansion is having negative ecological impacts, the species is a potentially important dune stabilizer, so its control or removal demands special care. A removal program was initiated in 1999, using carefully directed applications of Roundup®, which was designed such that it would spare non-target plants, leaving them in place to hold the dunes. We show that this approach reduced, but did not eliminate, C. kobomugi, even after repeated herbicide application. Native plant stem densities, species richness and species diversity in treated and untreated stands were similar, suggesting that this application technique did effectively spare non-target plants. However, effective eradication of C. kobomugi would probably require more frequent and aggressive broadband herbicide application, precluding beneficial effects of localized treatment (both ecological and increased dune stability due to spared plants).
Ethics in research and surgical practice

The topic "Ethics in Research and Surgical Practice" appears most appropriate for the 1997 Claude H. Organ, Jr. Honorary Sandoz Nutrition Lecture. With the increasing numbers of ethical problems facing clinicians today, greater emphasis on ethics is demanded. This lecture focuses primarily on the clinical applications of basic science and ethics certainly plays a major role in this regard. Ethical principles espoused by the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association will be emphasized. Further, the results of the deliberations of the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation experiments will be discussed. Certainly, the Tuskegee experiment debacle will be mentioned. Ethics remains important if we are to give our patients the best care. We must always keep in the vanguard of our thinking that the welfare of our patients comes first. High ethical principles emphasize our obligations and responsibilities to our patients.
Distributed versus compartment models for PET receptor studies

Although distributed models are generally accepted as being more realistic than compartment models, use of simpler compartment models is pervasive in nuclear medicine applications, particularly in positron emission tomography (PET). Here, we report on comparisons made between distributed and compartment model outputs to address the question of whether differences between them are sufficient to justify distributed models for analysis of PET receptor experiments. For both two- and three-injection experiments, "data" sets were obtained by simulation using a distributed model and a wide range of parameter values. Optimal fits of the compartment model output to these "data" were achieved with three strategies in which values of different groups of parameter were estimated. Compartment model outputs yielded good fits to all the distributed model outputs and the values of the corresponding parameters were in close agreement. Given the temporal resolution typically available with PET, the use of a distributed model has no advantage over a compartment model for PET receptor quantification.
Removal of Nonidet P40 absorbance for optical density monitoring of cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid.

Absorbance at 260 nm due to Nonidet P40 in cytoplasmic extracts can effectively be reduced by extraction with CHCl3 without appreciable loss of ribonucleic acid.
Analytic evaluation of contention protocols used in distributed real-time systems

The probability of a station failing to deliver packets before their deadlines, called the probability of dynamic failure, Pdyn, is an impol"tant measure for the communication subsystem of a distributed real- time system. Another closely-related performance measure is the E-bounded delivery time, Te, which is defined as the least time needed to deliver a packet with probability greater than 1 - c. Using Pdyn and Te, we comparatively evaluate four contention protocols often used in distributed real-time systems: (i) the token passing protocol and its priority-based variation (called the token scheduling protocol), and (ii) the /:'/-persistent protocol and a priority-based variation thereof. The communication subsystem equipped with different contention protocols is modeled first as embedded Markov chains. Then, we derive the probability distributions of access delay, from which Pdvn and T~ can be calculated. The blocking probability, Qi, can also be derived from the access delay distribution. These measures are derived first under the assumption of a single buffer at each station. The single-buffer model is then extended to the multiple--buffer case. The effects of buffer size on Pctvn, Te, and Qi, and the performance improvement with multiple buffers are analyzed over a wide range of network traffic.