cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purinoceptors in the pulmonary circulation of the rat and their role in hypoxic vasoconstriction.

Abstract 1. P2-purinoceptors have been characterized in the systemic circulation of a variety of species but little is known about their nature in the pulmonary vasculature. 2. In the isolated, blood perfused and ventilated lung of the rat the P2x selective analogues alpha,beta-methylene ATP(alpha,beta-meATP) (25 micrograms) and beta,gamma-methylene ATP (400 micrograms) caused a rise in pulmonary artery pressure (127 +/- 32% and 110 +/- 23% increase respectively, n = 6), demonstrating the existence of vasoconstrictor P2 receptors in the pulmonary circulation. 3. Repeated boluses of alpha,beta-meATP resulted in complete desensitization of the constrictor response to beta,gamma-meATP, but a small vasodilator response remained indicating unopposed stimulation of P2y receptors. The desensitization by alpha,beta-meATP had no effect on angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction. 4. After desensitization of the vasoconstrictor P2 receptors with alpha, beta-meATP, hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction remained intact, indicating that these receptors are not involved in this response.
Syntaxin-11, but not syntaxin-2 or syntaxin-4, is required for platelet secretion

The platelet release reaction plays a critical role in thrombosis and contributes to the events that follow hemostasis. Previous studies have shown that platelet secretion is mediated by Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptor (SNARE) proteins from granule and plasma membranes. The SNAREs form transmembrane complexes that mediate membrane fusion and granule cargo release. Although VAMP-8 (v-SNARE) and SNAP-23 (a t-SNARE class) are important for platelet secretion, the identity of the functional syntaxin (another t-SNARE class) has been controversial. Previous studies using anti-syntaxin Abs in permeabilized platelets have suggested roles for both syntaxin-2 and syntaxin-4. In the present study, we tested these conclusions using platelets from syntaxin-knockout mouse strains and from a Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis type 4 (FHL4) patient. Platelets from syntaxin-2 and syntaxin-4 single- or double-knockout mice had no secretion defect. Platelets from a FHL4 patient deficient in syntaxin-11 had a robust defect in agonist-induced secretion although their morphology, activation, and cargo levels appeared normal. Semiquantitative Western blotting showed that syntaxin-11 is the more abundant syntaxin in both human and murine platelets. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that syntaxin-11 can form SNARE complexes with both VAMP-8 and SNAP-23. The results of the present study indicate that syntaxin-11, but not syntaxin-2 or syntaxin-4, is required for platelet exocytosis.
Cross-cultural differences in coping with sadness

The current study investigated cross-cultural differences in ways of coping with sadness in a multicultural sample (N=140). Anova analyses revealed that Asians and Caucasians are less likely to use confrontive and positive reappraisal coping strategies in dealing with sadness than multicultural individuals. Asians are also less likely to use distancing coping strategies than multicultural individuals. Clinical implications of the results are discussed.
A note on the mean square deviation of the voltage of a resistively shunted Josephson junction in the running state

Abstract We show that a resistively shunted Josephson junction, in steady state, satisfies the relation 〈V2〉T = IR〈VT〉, where V is the voltage, I is the bias current, R is the junction resistance, and 〈 〉T is a time average.
Polymorphism of human transcobalamin II: Substitution of proline and/or glutamine residues by arginine

The sequence of transcobalamin II (TC II) cDNA amplified from human fibroblast and colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and the electrophoretic mobility of TC II secreted by these cell lines were analyzed to get some insights into the structural basis for the expression of various polymorphic forms of human TC II. Based on relative anodic mobilities of TC II phenotypes expressed in human serum, TC II expressed in the fibroblast cell line studied and Caco-2 cells were assigned as the MX (medium/extremely slow) and S (slow) types, respectively. Nucleotide sequence analysis of TC II cDNA amplified from these cells revealed that residues Arg and Arg, Gln and Arg, and Gln and Pro were present at positions 234 and 259, respectively, in TC II alleles encoding the X, S and M types. Based on these results, we suggest that differences in the anodic mobilities of the various polymorphic forms of TC II such as the X, S and M types are due to charge difference on the protein caused by the replacement of uncharged residues by arginine at positions 234 and/or 259.
Advising the Pediatricians on the Feasibility of Psychotherapy

The question of which patients should be referred for psychiatric care and which need not be, is one that comes often to the pediatrician's mind. Pediatric practice, having matured to a more preventive status, must now concern itself more often with family and s0cial problems. Matters ranging from abdominal pain of anxiety to the school failure of negativism frequently come to the pediatrician's attention. Examination, prognosis and recommendation are required, and in turn require a prediction of what might well happen in the course of the child's disorder. One may confirm the parents' anxiety in appropriate cases, and recommend treatment for the disorder. One may diminish anxiety by reassurance that all will be well. Of course, the best reassurance is a good prognosis. This study is aimed toward learning a little of the natural course of emotional disorders. It is just as important to avoid medical treatment where it is not indicated as it is to give it when it is. The clinician recognizes that sometimes spontaneous improvement occurs. Further, benefit from child psychiatric treatment is certainly not automatic"· so that proper choice of cases for psychotherapy is important. One hundred consecutive cases referred to us for out-patient child psychiatric evaluation in 1957 were examined. Almost all were referred from the private practices of pediatricians, and represent a cross-section of what they and parents think indicates the need of such evaluation. The 100 cases were divided into two groups according to the recommendation given to the parents. One was a "good prognosis" group of 28 patients, defined as those to whom a good prognosis without treatment was given, together with advice on the care of the particular presenting symptom. The remainder were defined as a "mixed psychiatric" patient group, and contained those
Additive Bilinguals: The Case of Post-War Second Generation Japanese Canadian Youths

Abstract This study examined the relations among bilinguality, academic achievement, and socio-psychological factors such as ethnolinguistic identity and beliefs, first language (L1) educational support, and interpersonal contacts. The participants were 42 second generation Japanese Canadian youths living in the metropolitan Toronto area. All had attended one particular Japanese Heritage Language School around the late 1970s; however the lengths of time they had attended Japanese language institutions varied. Students' bilingual proficiencies were assessed in both English and Japanese. Detailed questionnaires were administered to analyze socio-psychological factors. A strong relationship was found between Japanese oral and reading skills and both were related to a variety of ethnolinguistic identity, belief, and interpersonal contact variables. Japanese reading scores positively predicted both English reading and academic achievement (Ontario Academic Credit) performance. This suggests that L1 academic de...
Spatial Variation in Aorta Composition and Correlation with Mechanical Properties

Aorta is composed of distinct anatomical layers and components with different mechanical characteristics. Understanding and characterization of the interactions between aorta building blocks and their mechanical properties enable us to quantify changes that may occur in the material behavior of aorta as a result of cardiovascular diseases. In the present work the microstructural and components' heterogeneity along the porcine thoracic aorta wall thickness was studied with histology and infrared spectroscopy, and the changes were correlated to the mechanical properties along the wall thickness determined from nanoindentation tests. Two layers of equal thickness were distinguishable based on the radial variations in the instantaneous Young's modulus E, elastic lamellae density (ELD) as calculated from histology, and the total amount of protein as determined from infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that compared with the inner half, the outer half layer is stiffer, elastic lamellae are denser and total protein content is higher. ELD and total protein are strongly correlated with mechanical properties. It is likely that disruption of this balance has a major effect on cardiovascular health and disease.
Development of a Processing Map for Use in Warm-Forming and Hot-Forming Processes

A fracture initiation map is developed which should be useful in fast forming operations at strain rates greater than about 10-3 s-1 at elevated temperatures. Two types of cavitation mechanisms, one pertaining to cavity formation at second phase particles, as in ductile fracture, and the other pertaining to wedge type microcracking at grain boundaries, are considered. In addition, dynamic recrystallization and adiabatic heating effects are considered. When these concepts are applied to aluminum, it is shown that there may be an intermediate region in the strain rate and temperature field in which neither of these mechanisms should operate and within which the material would, therefore, be safe from fracture.
A microcomputer application in the manufacturing laboratory

Abstract An interactive part programming system for a conventional numerically-controlled milling machine is described. The microcomputer-based software is written in the BASIC language and its use requires no knowledge of programming languages or machine tool command formats. Certain features common to computerized numerically-controlled machine tools are incorporated. This provides additional apparent capabilities which are not inherent to the existing hard-wired machine controller. The software system is used in the computer-aided manufacturing laboratory to provide exposure to current technology without additional investment in state-of-the-art machine tool equipment.
Expression of angiotensin type 1 and 2 receptors in brain after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats

Angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 receptors (AT2Rs) have been associated with apoptosis. We hypothesized that AT2Rs are increased in stroke and may contribute effects of stroke to the brain. To test this, we have examined the expression of Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), AT2R and Ang II levels in the brain 24 h after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The densities of AT1R and AT2R were measured by quantitative autoradiography (n=6). The levels of Ang II were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) (n=6) and by immunohistochemistry (n=3). AT1R levels on autoradiography showed a significant decrease (0.87±0.06 to 1.39±0.07 fmol/mg, p<0.01) in the ventral cortex of the stroke side compared to the cortices of non-stroke (NS) rats (n=4). There was no significant difference on ATIR in the contralateral verbal cortex of the stroke rats compared to NS control. In contrast, levels of AT2R in the ventral cortex of both the stroke and the contralateral sides were significantly increased (0.77±0.06, p<0.05 and 0.91±0.05, p<0.01 compared to 0.60±0.03 fmol/mg tissue, respectively). RIA showed that Ang II in the ventral cortex of both the stroke and the contralateral sides were significantly increased (241.63±47.72, p<0.01 and 165.51±42.59, p<0.05 compared to 76.80±4.10 pg/g tissue, respectively). Also, Ang II in the hypothalamus was significantly increased (179.50±17.49 to 118.50±6.65 pg/g tissue, p<0.05). Immunohistochemistry confirmed the increase of Ang II. These results demonstrate that brain Ang II and AT2Rs are increased whereas AT1Rs are decreased after transient MCAO in rats. We conclude that in stroke, Ang II and AT2R are activated and may contribute neural effects to brain ischemia.
Afferent axons and their relations with neurons in the nucleus lateralis of the cerebellum: a light microscopic study.

The axons of Purkinje cells are the sole corticonuclear afferents to the lateral nucleus. The terminal arborizations of these axons consist of many (30–50) varicose branchlets, which issue from a thick, myelinated parent axon. Each terminal plexus fills a conical field which penetrates the lateral nucleus radially encompassing the cell bodies and parts of the dendritic trees of approximately 40 neurons. The fields of neighboring Purkinje axons overlap considerably. The non-cortical axons are simple, usally unbranched varicose fibers of three sizes: (1) thick, with large varicosities, (2) medium sized with smaller varicosities, or (3) fine, delicate threads with beadlike varicosities. These axons cross the dendritic trees of successive neurons as they penetrate into the nucleus in a radial fashion. The configuration of the dendritic trees of neurons in the various parts of the nucleus—the multipolar neurons and the columnar neurons—can be related to the conical shape of the Purkinje axonal plexus. It is suggested that the organization of converging Purkinje cell axonal fields determines the pattern of input to the cells of the lateral nucleus, rather than the topographical arrangement of Purkinje cells in the cortex. The terminal arborizations of Purkinje cell axons adjacent to one another in the lateral nucleus need not necessarily arise from neighboring Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. The relationships between neurons in the central columnar zone and in the swirled zones of the lateral nucleus with the two classes of afferents are discussed. It is suggested that by virtue of their slender profiles, each of the large columnar neurons falls into the field of one Purkinje cell axonal cone whereas elsewhere, the multipolar neurons tend to share their well spread dendrites with neighboring Purkinje axonal fields. The small neurons that span columns in the central zone are oriented to sample larger numbers of axonal inputs than are adjacent columnar neurons.
Decreased myo-inositol to chiro-inositol (M/C) ratios and increased M/C epimerase activity in PCOS theca cells demonstrate increased insulin sensitivity compared to controls

Previous studies from our and other labs have shown that insulin resistance is associated with an inositol imbalance of excess myo-inositol and deficient chiro-inositol together with a deficiency of myo-inositol to chiro-inositol epimerase in vivo and in vitro. In this report, we utilized well characterized theca cells from normal cycling women, with normal insulin sensitivity, and theca cells from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with increased insulin sensitivity to examine the myo-inositol to chiro-inisitol (M/C) ratio and the myo-inositol to chiro-inositol epimerase activity. PCOS theca cells with increased insulin sensitivity were specifically used to investigate whether the inositol imbalance and myo-inositol to chiro-inositol epimerase are regulated in a similar or the opposite direction than that observed in insulin resistant cells. The results of these studies are the first to demonstrate that in insulin sensitive PCOS theca cells the inositol imbalance goes in the opposite direction to that observed in insulin resistant cells, and there is a decreased M/C ratio and an increased myo-inositol to chiro-inositol epimerase activity. Further biochemical and genetic studies will probe the mechanisms involved.
Involvement of the dorsal raphe but not median raphe nucleus in morphine-induced increases in serotonin release in the rat forebrain

In vivo microdialysis was used to determine if morphine produces increases in extracellular serotonin in specific brain sites. With citalopram included in the dialysis solution to block reuptake, serotonin was measured in 11 brain sites of unanesthetized rats. After systemic morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.), increases in extracellular serotonin were observed in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, frontal cortex, striatum, thalamus, hypothalamus and ventral hippocampus. These seven areas are innervated either by dorsal raphe nucleus projections alone, or by projections from both dorsal and median raphe nucleus. In contrast, serotonin was not significantly increased in the medial septal nucleus and dorsal hippocampus. These two areas are selectively innervated by projections from the median raphe nucleus. After systemic morphine, serotonin was increased in the dorsal raphe nucleus, but not in the medial raphe nucleus. Local infusion of morphine through a microdialysis probe in the dorsal raphe nucleus induced a dose-dependent increase of serotonin in the nucleus accumbens, but not in the medial septum. In contrast, infusion of morphine into the median raphe nucleus had little effect on serotonin in either the nucleus accumbens or septum. Infusion of morphine into either the dorsal or median raphe nucleus elicited increased behavioral activity and hyperthermia. These data provide evidence that morphine acts in the area of the dorsal raphe nucleus, but not the median raphe nucleus, to enhance serotonin release in specific forebrain sites, and that the increases in serotonin in the dorsal raphe nucleus projection sites are not an indirect effect of changes in behavioral state or body temperature.
Mechanisms by which HIV envelope minimizes immunogenicity

With many viruses, vaccines containing the appropriate envelope antigens have provided strong and long lasting immunity. Not so with HIV-1 envelope, despite two decades of experience with various envelope and core constituent vaccines, protection provided has been weak or absent. Our laboratory has been systematically investigating the characteristics of HIV-1 envelope gp140, the principle HIV-1 envelope protein heterodimer responsible for HIV infectivity. We have identified two properties of HIV-1 envelope gp140 that may be important factors in reducing immunogenicity. HIV envelope protein gp140 rejects complement binding. Such binding can be of vital importance, since an extensive literature suggests that complement binding markedly increases immunogenicity, and, more importantly, complement binding influences the type of immune response. For many antigens, C3 binding is required for normal transport of antigens into follicles to initiate a normal germinal center response, and in the absence of appropriate complement binding, the antibody response is reduced, short lived with short-lived memory cell formation, and for an unknown reason, the antibody response shows increased affinity maturation of antibody. These features are characteristic of the HIV-1 antibody response. Just as important is the finding that envelope gp140 is highly unstable on injection, is rapidly removed from the circulation, and is degraded into peptides. This short-lived antigen may be available on initial exposure to the immune system for too short a period of time, particularly in the absence of complement binding, to be an adequate immunogen.
Progress in measuring and observing the urban atmosphere

Observations of atmospheric conditions and processes in cities provide the cornerstone for advances in the understanding of urban climates and are crucial to improving the performance of urban atmospheric models. Here, recent progress in the observation and measurement of the urban atmosphere is considered in terms of: first, the research directions of those involved in conducting urban climate observations; second, advances in technology, both direct in terms of the development of new sensors and indirect in terms of computing power and capabilities in data analysis; and third, enhanced understanding of sensor placement. Increasingly, urban based observational programs are collaborative, multi-institutional, multi-national, interdisciplinary initiatives. This has important implications for the research questions addressed and the potential to investigate processes and effects across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Advances in technology have provided urban climatologists with new, improved and often more affordable instrumentation, and the ability to process and analyze data more rapidly. Greater understanding of urban atmospheric processes, and atmospheric sciences more broadly, have resulted in important insights into appropriate placement of meteorological instruments and the interpretation of results. An important issue that the urban climate community must address is how best to archive data so it is not lost. A database of current and past studies with key metadata about sites, instrumentation and data processing is proposed. Well documented and available urban data sets will enable future researchers to continue to extract valuable new insights and verify existing understanding about urban atmospheric processes. Urban field studies can be costly and time-consuming, so continuing to exploit the rich, significantly untapped, historical data sets will allow steady progress in urban atmospheric research to continue, provided funding are available for analysis of the data.
Dietary flaxseed modulates the miRNA profile in irradiated and non-irradiated murine lungs: A novel mechanism of tissue radioprotection by flaxseed

Introduction Dietary flaxseed (FS) displays antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in preclinical models of lung disease including radiation-induced pneumonopathy, however the mechanisms of lung radioprotection are incompletely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short oligonucleotides that act as important posttranscriptional regulators of diverse networks including inflammatory response networks. Responses of miRNA profiles to diet and radiation exposure have been reported, but the potential contribution of miRNAs to diet-related radioprotection has never been tested. Methods In this exploratory pilot study, mice were fed 10% FS or a 0% FS isocaloric control diet and exposed to a single-fraction 13.5 Gy thoracic X-ray radiation treatment (XRT). Lung RNA was extracted 48 h post-XRT and small RNAs profiled by OpenArray. Results FS significantly modulated expression of multiple miRNAs, including 7 with P < 0.001. miR-150 was downregulated approximately 2.9-fold in the FS groups and is disproportionately integrated into immune response-related networks. Although few miRNAs were significantly changed by radiation, interaction between diet and radiation was observed. For example, miR-29c was greatly downregulated in the FS/Control group (10- to 50-fold) but slightly upregulated in the FS/radiation group. Compared with FS/control, the FS/radiation group experienced a 50% decrease of the p53-responsive miR-34a, which regulates senescence- and apoptosis-related factors. Conclusions FS induced significant changes in lung miRNA profile suggesting that modulation of small RNA by dietary supplements may represent a novel strategy to prevent adverse side-effects of thoracic radiotherapy. This pilot study provides insight into a potential mechanism of flaxseed’s radioprotection and provides a useful model-system to further explore and optimize such small RNA-based therapies.
Tertiary amines enhance reactions of organic contaminants with aqueous chlorine.

Abstract Through various anthropogenic inputs, tertiary amines can readily contaminate wastewater and drinking water sources and can form chlorammonium species (R 3 N + -Cl) during aqueous chlorine disinfection. This study investigated the less understood concept that these chlorammonium species can potentially enhance organic contaminant loss and increase disinfection byproduct formation to a greater extent than aqueous chlorine. Tertiary amines’ effectiveness was highly dependent on amine structure as trimethylamine (TMA) and 4-morpholineethanesulfonic acid (MES) enhanced organic contaminant loss, while others (nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and creatinine (CRE)) were ineffective. MES addition up to 25 μM led to increased organic contaminant chlorination by up to three orders of magnitude while observing pseudo-first order kinetic behavior and a linear amine dose response. TMA addition up to 0.5 μM accelerated organic contaminant chlorination by almost two orders of magnitude, but occasionally deviated from pseudo-first order kinetics with incomplete organic contaminant degradation and a non-linear amine dose response - a result linked to TMA’s rapid auto-decomposition over time. Byproduct formation was identical with and without amine addition, and thus the chlorination mechanisms are likely similar to aqueous chlorine. Results from this study improve the mechanistic understanding behind tertiary amine-enhanced chlorination.
Lower antibody response to tetanus toxoid associated with higher auto-anti-idiotypic antibody in old compared with young humans

The production of anti-tetanus toxoid (TT) antibody and anti-anti-TT (auto-anti-Id) antibody has been measured in three young and three old persons. Both antibodies were measured using ELISA. We found that: (i) the anti-TT response of old subjects was lower than that of young subjects, (ii) serum auto-anti-Id antibody concentration was higher in old compared with young humans before boosting with TT, and (iii) anti-TT antibodies from different humans shared Id cross-reactivity when tested with a rabbit anti-Id antibody. Thus, the serum anti-TT antibody response to boosting was inversely correlated with the serum level of auto-anti-Id. This conclusion is consistent with the view that the higher level of auto-anti-antibody in older subjects contributes to their impaired antibody response to TT.
Rebleeding rates following TIPS for variceal hemorrhage in the Viatorr era: TIPS alone versus TIPS with variceal embolization.

Purpose To compare rebleeding rates following treatment of variceal hemorrhage with TIPS alone versus TIPS with variceal embolization in the covered stent-graft era.
Thermal analysis of metalloporphyrin pyridine complexes

Abstract The dissociation temperatures for the removal of coordinated substituted-pyridines from metalloporphyrins were obtained by differential thermal analysis techniques. For Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II) and Mg(II) δ, β, γ, δ-tetraphenylporphins, it was shown that the dissociation temperature increased with a decrease in the metal ion size. For a series of Zn(II)-2,4 disubstituted deuteroporphyrin dimethylesters, the pyridine dissociation temperatures decreased with an increase in porphyrin basicity. For Zn(II) tetraphenylporphine adducts, the dissociation temperature for removal of a coordinated substituted pyridine group increased with ligand basicity. In all cases, the thermal dissociation temperatures parallel (a) the formation constants for the addition of pyridine type ligands to metalloporphyrins in solution and (b) the theoretical effective metal ion charge.
Wavelet video transmission over wireless channels

Abstract In this paper, an error resilient, wavelet-based compression algorithm is studied for the transmission of images and video over severely band-limited, mobile wireless communications channels. An ATM-based transport layer is designed and then used to packetize the bit stream and multiplex the base and enhancement layers. The underlying communications system uses both direct sequence spreading and fast frequency hopping to provide an anti-jam capability. As a result of the hopping, noncoherent detection is used. The bit-rate available for video will generally be under 400 kb/s. To make good use of the channel, an effective trade-off between source and channel coding is sought. Convolutional coding is applied to the base layer, and Reed–Solomon coding is then applied to both layers to ensure that acceptable quality video is maintained.
UV light synergistically enhances the cardiotoxic effects of interleukin 1β through peroxynitrite formation

Abstract Background: Proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in chronic cardiac diseases. Methods and Results: Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to interleukin (IL)-1β (2 ng/mL) for 4 days. We assessed contractility through videomicroscopy and calcium transients with the Ca 2+ -sensitive dye fura-2. In IL-1β-treated cells, the UV excitation (380 nm) necessary to induce dye fluorescence effected a rapid cessation of Ca 2+ transients and contraction, accompanied by calcium overload originating from an intracellular compartment. This occurred in the absence of fura-2 but required UV illumination. Incubation with 10 mmol/L N -acetylcysteine prevented this response, suggesting a free radical-mediated event. However, exposure to IL-1β either increased or did not change the activity of the free radical scavengers superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. In contrast, lipid peroxidation increased by 600% ( P ≤.0001) in the IL-1β plus UV-treated cells, an effect eliminated by L-NMMA. L-NMMA also completely abolished the UV-mediated cytotoxicity. We used immunohistochemistry to localize nitrotyrosine accumulation in the myocytes cotreated with IL-1β and UV, an effect that was also blocked by L-NMMA. Conclusions: We hypothesize that the toxic radical peroxynitrite, arising from nitric oxide and superoxide anion, may be responsible for tetany and acute cardiomyocyte death. These results demonstrate the potential role of peroxynitrite in cardiotoxicity, which may be important in cardiac diseases associated with proinflammatory cytokines.
GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist protocols: comparison of outcomes among good-prognosis patients using national surveillance data

Implantation and live birth rates resulting from IVF cycles using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and (GnRH) antagonist IVF protocols were compared among good-prognosis patients using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance System 2009-2010 data (n = 203,302 fresh, autologous cycles). Bivariable and multivariable analyses were conducted between cycles to compare outcomes. Cycles were restricted as follows: age younger than 35 years, maximum FSH less than 10 mIU/mL, first assisted reproduction technology cycle and FSH dose less than 3601 IU. A subgroup analysis including only elective single embryo transfer was also carried out. Among good-prognosis patients, the GnRH-agonist protocol was associated with a lower risk of cancellation before retrieval (4.3 versus 5.2%; P < 0.05) or transfer (5.5 versus 6.8%; P < 0.05), and a higher live birth rate per transfer (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.13, confidence interval [CI] 1.03 to 1.25) than the GnRH-antagonist group. Among the elective single embryo transfer group, the GnRH-agonist protocol was associated with a higher implantation rate (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.36, CI 1.08 to 1.73) and a higher live birth rate (adjusted OR 1.33, CI 1.07 to 1.66) compared with the GnRH-antagonist protocol. The GnRH-antagonist group had lower rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Among good-prognosis patients, agonist protocols decreased cancellation risk and increased odds of implantation and live birth. Antagonist protocols may confer decreased risk of hyperstimulation.
Dean Acheson and the ‘Special Relationship’: The West Point Speech of December 1962

Dean Acheson, an influential architect of U.S. foreign policy in the decades following the Second World War, was secretary of state under President Harry S. Truman (I949-53). Acheson was instrumental in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the rebuilding and rearming of Germany. Perhaps more than any other American statesman, Acheson believed that the North Atlantic Community represented the culmination of human cultural, economic and political development. Acheson left office at the end of the Truman administration to return to his private law practice in Washington, D.C. He continued speaking out on foreign policy issues and served as an unofficial adviser to the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations. President John F. Kennedy (I961-3) often consulted Acheson on NATO matters or when international crises struck. It was on 5 December I962, shortly after the U.S.-Soviet near-confrontation in October over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, that Dean Acheson made his now infamous West Point speech which led the way in debunking the so-called special relationship between Great Britain and the United States. By early December I962, the Cuban Missile Crisis was already deemed an American success. Although Acheson had advocated an air strike on the Cuban missile sites and strongly disagreed with Kennedy's blockade decision, he had 'gained respect for the President' during those tension-filled days of October.' He was looking forward to getting out of Washington in two months for his annual January hiatus to Antigua and the Southern Windward Islands. But first Acheson had to finish writing two articles and deliver a speech. 'Three things of my own are about to burst on the world,' Acheson wrote Lady Pamela Berry, wife of W. Michael Berry, editor-in-chief of the Daily Telegraph and a respected observer of British politics in her own right, on 3
A giant enhancement of the nuclear relaxation rate near Tc in quasi 1-D superconductors

Abstract A theoretical explanation for recently detected giant enhancements of (1/ T 1 T ) 93 Nb near the superconducting transition in Nb 3 Al and Nb 3 Sn is given, interpreting them as arising from superconducting fluctuation effects in an extremely anisotropic subband. Results are compared to the previously detected enhancement of the 27 Al relaxation rate in Nb 3 Al. Typical values of the relevant degree of one dimensionality are found to account for the tunneling data of Nb 3 Sn.
Internal Electric Field Behavior of Cadmium Zinc Telluride Radiation Detectors Under High Carrier Injection

The behavior of the internal electric field of nuclear-radiation detectors substantially affects detector performance. We investigated the distribution of the internal field in cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors under high carrier injection. We noted the build-up of a space-charge region near the cathode that produces a built-in field opposing the applied field. Its presence entails the collapse of the electric field in the rest of the detector, other than the portion near the cathode. Such a space-charge region originates from serious hole trapping in CZT. The device’s operating temperature greatly affects the width of the space-charge region. With increasing temperature from 5°C to 35°C, its width expanded from about one-sixth to one-half of the total depth of the detector.
Graphic Representation of Confidence Intervals for Petersen Population Estimates

Abstract Probable confidence intervals for Petersen population estimates play an important part in decisions concerning the number of animals that must be marked and the size of the catch from which recaptures must be obtained. Requirements for an acceptable confidence interval may be so difficult to satisfy as to make a study impractical, even though the confidence interval itself is based only upon magnitude of numbers and not upon their accuracy. Graphs of the changes in confidence intervals from large to small as the magnitudes of marks applied, marks recovered, and catch change from small to large are presented to give perspective for the planning and development of Petersen population estimates. Confidence intervals were estimated by use of published formulas, tables, and graphs.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF INTER-INDUSTRY WAGE DIFFERENTIALS

We use OECD data to examine inter-industry wage differentials (relative wages among industries) for 14 OECD countries over the period 1970–85. We find, first, that the industrial wage structures have shown remarkable stability over time in terms of rank order for all the countries in the sample. Second, despite their rank order stability, wage structures show a tendency to expand or contract. While the U.S. has shown increasing industry wage dispersion between 1970 and 1985, the pattern is very mixed for other countries. Unionization is a significant factor in explaining cross-country differences. Third, industry wage rankings show some evidence of becoming increasingly similar across nations over time, and this movement is associated with a convergence of per capita incomes. Fourth, industry wage differentials are positively related to an industry's productivity growth, output growth, capital intensity, and export orientation.
Pulsed laser ablation in liquid for micro-/nanostructure generation

Abstract Pulsed laser ablation in liquid is an approach for micro-/nanostructure generation directly from bulk materials. It has grown rapidly as a research field of photochemistry and physical chemistry in the last decade, and represents a combinatorial library of constituents and interactions, but the understanding of this library is still insufficient. This review attempts to build up a comprehensive mechanistic scenario of pulsed laser ablation in liquid and illustrate the underlying principles to micro-/nanostructure generation. Various structures produced by this method have been summarized that provide prototypes for potential applications in sensing, optoelectronics, and biomedicine, etc.
Primitive nervous systems: Electrical activity in ventral nerve cords of the flatworm, Notoplana acticola

Electrical activity evoked in the major cords of the ventral submuscular nerve plexus were measured. Recording and stimulation utilized suction electrodes attached directly to exposed nerve cords. Four categories of potentials have been recorded: (a) short latency spikes which have relatively high thresholds and appear to be single units; (b) short duration fast compound spikes that are made up of a small number of large units; (c) long duration compound potentials that are made up from a large number of smaller units, and (d) small amplitude potentials with long latencies and a characteristic shape. These can be conducted diffusely through the nerve plexus. The first two categories of spikes are called "fast" potentials because of their characteristic rise and fall times and the last categories are known as "diffuse" potentials. The spikelike fast potentials were only recorded from the main trunks (nerves VI), while diffuse potentials could also be recorded from side branches of these nerves. The diffuse potential appears to be conducted throughout the plexus but preferential conducting pathways occur around lesions. Both diffuse and fast potentials show facilitation of response to repeated stimulation. Facilitation can be demonstrated in the presence of high Mg2+ concentrations. Conductance of the diffuse potential also occurs in the presence of high ambient Mg2+. In Ca2+-free medium containing 1-mM EGTA one can also observe facilitatory events. The possibility of Mg2+-insensitive synapses is discussed.
A similarity analysis of heat conduction in a wedge with or without phase change

Analyse par similitude de la conduction thermique dans une enceinte a coin a temperature constante aux limites avec ou sans transition de phase. Etablissement d'une expression pour le flux thermique integre sur la surface sans dimension du coin
Cage convulsants inhibit picrotoxinin binding

Abstract Several types of cage compounds are highly toxic to mammals. These include tetramethylene disulfotetramine, alkyl bicyclophosphate esters (4-alkyl-1-phospha-2, 6,7-trioxabicyclo [2.2.2] octane-1-oxides), ortho carboxylic acids of related structure (1-substituted-4-alkyl-2,6,7-trioxabicyclo [2.2.2] octanes), and silicon-nitrogen (silatrane) analogues (1-substituted-2,8,9-trioxa-5-aza-1-silabicyclo [3.3.3] undecanes). These compounds have convulsant activity resembling the action of picrotoxin, a synaptic antagonist of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In this study, numerous examples of these cage compounds have been found to have no effect on GABA receptor binding sites in mammalian brain; rather, they inhibit potently the binding of dihydropicrotoxinin to membrane sites related to the chloride ion channels which are regulated by GABA receptors.
Effects of inflation and the time value of money on order quantity and allowable shortage

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of inflation and time value of money on the optimal ordering quantities and the maximum allowable shortage in a finite replenishment inventory system. The present value of total cost incurred in this inventory system is developed first, then an optimal order quantity and maximum allowable shortage are obtained by using a search procedure. The effect of inflation and time value of money was investigated under given sets of values of inflation and discount rates. This study shows that the optimal order quantity and maximum allowable shortage vary with the change in difference between inflation and time discount. Computational results indicate that this effect on the system becomes more significant with the increase of the difference between inflation rate and time discount rate.
An analysis of hard to predict branches

Branch prediction accuracy remains to be critical for high performance and low power. Prior work has studied causes of branch mispredictions in order to provide insights into how better branch predictors can be designed. However, most of the previous works have only considered run-time classification of branch mispredictions, leaving a large number of mispredictions in an unknown category. For more comprehensive analysis, in this paper, we present a detailed source code analysis of branch mispredictions for SPEC CPU 2000 and Mibench benchmarks. Our analysis show that constant loop exits, insufficient history lengths, wrong-type history, array access/pointer references, complex linked list data structures, changing function inputs, and varying loop counts are the major causes for most of the branch mispredictions. We further show that most mispredictions have repetitive patterns that suggest different design strategies for future branch predictors.
The effect of solid solutions upon the bulk modulus and its pressure derivative: implications for equations of state

Abstract Following Liu, equations relating the bulk modulus and its derivatives with composition for systems in which solid solution occurs are presented. It is shown that these equations adequately represent the available data for the system MgAl2O4-γ-Al2O3, and α-Al2O3-α-Cr2O3. The important equation of state parametersK anddK/dP (bulk modulus and its pressure derivative) may be computed from data available for any two compositions in a solid solution. Using these equations and available data, these parameters have been calculated to beK = 1.36mbar anddK/dP = 1.8 for fayalite.
Effects of shearing stress on aortic histamine synthesis.

Abstract The potential of elevated shearing stresses imposed on the endothelial surface of rabbit thoracic aorta to increase aortic histamine synthesis through activation of aortic histidine decarboxylase (HD) has been examined. Using a Tyrodes-glycerine solution (37°C, pH 7.4, 3.5 centipoise) as the perfusion solution, aortas were subjected to shearing stresses of 8 (control), 27, and 800 dynes/cm 2 , respectively. Additional nontreated and incubated controls were also used. The aortic HD activity, expressed as histamine forming capacity (HFC), for the three treatment groups were (in dpm/mg protein) 302 ± 10, 1537 ± 26, and 969 ± 16, respectively. Histological examination of similarly treated segments revealed no endothelium present in the 800 dynes/cm 2 stressed group. These data indicate that aortic histamine synthesis increased approximately 5-fold in response to a 3 1 2 - fold increase in shear exposure and that over 50% of the increase in histamine synthesis occurred in the endothelial monolayer. These data have been discussed both in relation to the role of the endothelium in regulation of, and the effects of histamine on, vascular wall permeability.
Jitter reduction by intracavity active phase modulation in a mode-locked semiconductor laser.

We experimentally verify the theory of Haus et al. [IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 40, 41 (2004)] on the effects of timing jitter using intracavity phase modulation on the pulse train of a mode-locked laser. The theory is based on the solution of the Heisenberg–Langevin equation in the presence of dispersion and intracavity phase modulation. Using active intracavity phase modulation, we have reduced the timing jitter on a 10.24 GHz mode-locked diode laser by 50% from 304 to 150 fs integrated from 1 Hz to the Nyquist frequency of 5.12 GHz.
Wrinkling of α-alumina films grown by thermal oxidation—I. Quantitative studies on single crystals of Fe–Cr–Al alloy

Abstract Quantitative measurements of the wrinkling morphology of the alpha-alumina scales formed by thermal oxidation at 1000°C and its evolution with oxidation time have been made using atomic force microscopy. The wrinkling wavelength and amplitude, and from these the surface area of the scale, for (110), (100) and (111) oriented single crystals of Fe–Cr–Al alloy as a function of oxidation time are presented. The residual stress in the scales is determined using piezospectroscopy. Together these results provide the basis for determining the lateral strains associated with the growth of the oxide. Crystallographic orientation of the alloy surface has a pronounced effect on both the wrinkling morphology and stress in the scale during the first 20–30 h of oxidation. The presence of the reactive element, yttrium, suppresses wrinkling and restricts lateral growth but it does not decrease the stress in the oxide.
Technology origins of foreign-owned firms in Ohio

Abstract Do foreign-owned firms transfer non-US technologies to their US subsidiaries or do they rely primarily on US technologies? The effects of foreign-owned firms in the United States on US technological capability have been controversial. We investigate the country origins of the present and initial technologies of foreign-owned firms in Ohio and explain statistically, using survey data, why the country origins of these firms' technologies might have differed. Consistent with direct foreign investment (DFI) theory, for most firms, both the present and initial technologies have been sourced from their parent-firm countries. Although the statistical explanations of the differences in the country origins of initial and present technologies differ according to CHAID (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector) and logistic regression analyses, they are fully consistent with each other. Relative importance of exporting is associated with US technologies, as we would expect from comparative advantage theory, whereas relative importance of importing is associated with foreign technologies, which can be attributed to the foreign input requirements of such technologies. Moreover, greenfield investments are more likely than brownfield investments to have a foreign country as the origin of the initial technology. This result, too, is consistent with direct foreign investment (DFI) theory. These results are statistically independent of specific home countries and firm size.
DDT in Antarctic snow.

CONTAMINATION of the environment by persistent pesticides is universal1–11. Residues have been found in a variety of animals in the Antarctic12,15; analysis of two samples of glacial ice from the vicinity of Byrd Station (80° S, 1190° W) gave negative results13, but traces of dieldrin and DDT have been found in biota on Signy Island in the Antarctic, 3,000 miles from McMurdo Sound. The ecological implications of these contaminants have been discussed14,15.