by Devid A. Caste? Nils R. Sandell. / Contracts DOE-E(49-18)-2087, ONR- N00014-76-C-0346.

Sanjoy K. Mitter and Pal Toldalagi. / Bibliography: leaf 7. / Grant no. AFOSR 77-3281

by Alan J. Laub. / Bibliography: p. 31-32. / Grant ERDA-E(49-18)-2087.

Michael Athans. / Bibliography: leaves 4-5.

by Nils R. Sandell, Jr. / Bibliography: leaves [24-25]. / Grant ERDA-E (49-18)-2087 and ONR Contract N00014-76-C-0346.

by A. J. Laub and F. N. Bailey. / Bibliography: leaves 26-27. / NSF Grant GS-2955.

The objective of this study was to determine concentrations of amino acids and polyamines as well as nitric oxide (NO) and polyamine synthesis in the ovine conceptus (embryo/fetal and associated placental membrane). Ewes were hysterectomized on Days 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, or 140 of gestation to obtain allantoic and amniotic fluids, intercotyledonary placenta, placentomes and uterine endometrium for the analyses. Alanine, citrulline plus glutamine accounted for about 80% of total α-amino acids in allantoic fluid during early gestation. Serine (16.5 mM) contributed about 60% of total α-amino acids in allantoic fluid on Day 140 of gestation. Maximal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginase activities and highest rates of polyamine and NO synthesis occured in all tissues on Day 40 of gestation. In ovine allantoic and amniotic fluids, polyamines were most abundant during early (Days 40-60) and late (Days 100-140) gestation, respectively. Activity of guanosine 5??-triphosphate-cyclohydrolase I (GTP-CH), and concentrations of NOS cofactors, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), peaked on Day 40 of gestation in placental and endometrial tissues. In these tissues, NO synthesis was positively correlated with total NOS activity, GTP-CH activity, and concentrations of BH4 and NADPH. The physiological significance of these changes was manifested by undernutrition-induced intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Maternal undernutrition (50% of National Research Council nutrient requirements) reduced concentrations of total α-amino acids in fetal plasma and fluids, and retarded fetal growth at both mid (Day 78) and late (Day 135) gestation. Concentrations of polyamines in fetal fluids were lower in underfed ewes than in control-fed ewes. Realimentation of underfed ewes between Days 78 and 135 of gestation increased concentrations of total α-amino acids and polyamines in fetal plasma and fluids, when compared with non-realimented ewes. Results of these studies demonstrate metabolic coordination among the several integrated pathways to enable high rates of polyamine and NO synthesis in the placenta and endometrium during early pregnancy. Collectively, our findings may have important implications for both IUGR and fetal origins of adult disease.

No description available.

Our understanding of parliamentary politics suggests that no-confidence motions have a critical place in government continuation, reorganization and termination. More specifically, we know that opposition parties use no-confidence motions as a way of removing the government and potentially inducing early elections. Up until now, we know little about either the causes or the consequences of no-confidence motions. In this dissertation, I first develop a formal model of the conditions under which an opposition party will threaten to propose (and eventually propose) a no-confidence motion in the government. The model provides a number of intuitive observations about the behavior of opposition parties and the reactions of governments to challenges. I develop a competence-based theory where opposition parties signal their perception of the government's competence with no-confidence motions. In the game, opposition parties act both in terms of short-term gains as well as long-term electoral gains. This model provides intuitive answers that help us understand the circumstances under which the opposition will challenge the government. The model also provides empirical expectations regarding the probability that the motion is successful, in addition to its long-term electoral consequences. Next, I test the theoretical propositions regarding the occurrence of noconfidence motions on a cross-sectional time-series data set of all no-confidence motions in a sample of parliamentary democracies in the post-World War II era. Even though successful no-confidence motions are relatively rare, they can have profound consequences on policy outcomes. The next section illustrates these consequences, as I find that having a no-confidence motion proposed against them makes governments more likely to be targeted by other states in international conflicts. In the conclusion I summarize the key findings, present the broad implications for the study of parliamentary decision making, and discuss avenues for future research.

The objective of this study was to determine concentrations of amino acids and polyamines as well as nitric oxide (NO) and polyamine synthesis in the ovine conceptus (embryo/fetal and associated placental membrane). Ewes were hysterectomized on Days 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, or 140 of gestation to obtain allantoic and amniotic fluids, intercotyledonary placenta, placentomes and uterine endometrium for the analyses. Alanine, citrulline plus glutamine accounted for about 80% of total α-amino acids in allantoic fluid during early gestation. Serine (16.5 mM) contributed about 60% of total α-amino acids in allantoic fluid on Day 140 of gestation. Maximal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginase activities and highest rates of polyamine and NO synthesis occured in all tissues on Day 40 of gestation. In ovine allantoic and amniotic fluids, polyamines were most abundant during early (Days 40-60) and late (Days 100-140) gestation, respectively. Activity of guanosine 5??-triphosphate-cyclohydrolase I (GTP-CH), and concentrations of NOS cofactors, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), peaked on Day 40 of gestation in placental and endometrial tissues. In these tissues, NO synthesis was positively correlated with total NOS activity, GTP-CH activity, and concentrations of BH4 and NADPH. The physiological significance of these changes was manifested by undernutrition-induced intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Maternal undernutrition (50% of National Research Council nutrient requirements) reduced concentrations of total α-amino acids in fetal plasma and fluids, and retarded fetal growth at both mid (Day 78) and late (Day 135) gestation. Concentrations of polyamines in fetal fluids were lower in underfed ewes than in control-fed ewes. Realimentation of underfed ewes between Days 78 and 135 of gestation increased concentrations of total α-amino acids and polyamines in fetal plasma and fluids, when compared with non-realimented ewes. Results of these studies demonstrate metabolic coordination among the several integrated pathways to enable high rates of polyamine and NO synthesis in the placenta and endometrium during early pregnancy. Collectively, our findings may have important implications for both IUGR and fetal origins of adult disease.