cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of immunoglobulins on the convective permeability of human dentine in vitro

Immunoglobulin molecules are localized in the dentinal tubules of non-carious and carious teeth, but their possible role in caries invasion is not understood. This study sought to examine the effects of immunoglobulin molecules on dentine permeability using a fluid-filtration method. Crown segments cut from impacted human third molars were treated by filtration with 100 micrograms/ml IgG, 100 micrograms/ml IgA or 30 micrograms/ml IgM under a constant pressure. Flow rates were recorded and percent changes in flow rate analysed over time. Filtrates collected at various times were tested for changes in immunoglobulin concentrations by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the percent retention of immunoglobulins to dentine was calculated. There was a decreasing non-linear exponential relation between the percent changes in flow rate and filtration time for all three immunoglobulins. The percentage of retained immunoglobulins was significantly related to the filtration time for all three classes of immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulin retention contributed to significant changes in flow rate with time. These in vitro results indicate the potential mechanism of immunoglobulins in decreasing tabular permeability.
Coupling synchrotron radiation with single photon counting and phase shift techniques for fluorescence lifetime measurements with picosecond resolution

Abstract From the analysis of time and statistical properties of synchrotron radiation (SR) we derive the conclusion that the SR pulse has a gaussian shape whose width is wavelength-invariant from the far IR through the x-ray spectral region. This property highly simplifies the mathematical treatment of fluorescence decay experimental data obtained by single-photon-counting (SPC) using SR as a pulsed light source. The same considerations also allow us to consider SR as a precise intensity-modulated source of light making possible its coupling with phase-shift (PS) techniques to measure again fluorescence lifetimes. the main conclusion of this work is that SR can be simultaneously coupled with both SPC and PS techniques for the time-resolved spectrofluorometric experiment: with SPC one obtains the overall shape of the fluorescence decay reaching lifetime values with nanosecond resolution, and with PS we are able to approach to the lifetime values of shorter decays with picosecond resolution.
Gestational diabetes: implications for cardiovascular health.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complication that is becoming more prevalent with recent population trends in obesity and advancing maternal age. A diagnosis of GDM not only increases risk for maternal and fetal complications during pregnancy, but also significantly increases a woman’s risk of both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the postpartum. Even women with milder forms of abnormal glucose homeostasis during pregnancy, specifically gestational impaired glucose tolerance, are at increased risk, justifying the recent recommendation to tighten the diagnostic criteria for GDM, thus implicating many more women. Risk factors that increase risk for future CVD among women with a history of GDM include postpartum progression to T2DM; metabolic syndrome; obesity; hypertension; and altered levels of circulating inflammatory markers, specifically, adiponectin, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Medical therapies such as metformin that prevent progression to T2DM may prove to be our primary defense against earlier CVD among women with GDM.
Alkaline decomposition of d-xylose-1-14C, d-glucose-1-14C, and d-glucose-6-14C☆

Abstract The distribution of radioactivity in the three- and four-carbon saccharinic acids, lactic acid and 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, obtained from d -xylose-1-14C, d -glucose-1-14C, and d -glucose-6-14C, was measured. The relative importance of the various mechanisms for forming 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid was determined. Recombination of two-carbon fragments was found to be an important mechanism at the high alkalinity and temperature employed.
A counterexample for the proof of implication conjecture on independent spanning trees

Khuller and Schieber (1992) in [1] developed a constructive algorithm to prove that the existence of k-vertex independent trees in a k-vertex connected graph implies the existence of k-edge independent trees in a k-edge connected graph. In this paper, we show a counterexample where their algorithm fails.
Natural occurrence of 2-hydroxyxanthone.

2-Hydroxyxanthone has been isolated from the seeds of Mammea americana L. and identified by spectroscopic and melting point comparisons of the phenol and its derivations with synthetic samples. This is believed to be the simplest xanthone yet encountered in nature.
The thermodynamics of liquids and their blends: High and low molecular weights

The physical basis and results of a theory of the liquid state are outlined. Quantitatively successful applications to the pressure-volume-temperature relations of n-paraffins and high polymer melts are illustrated. An extension of the theory to mixtures permits corresponding analyses of various combinations of low and high molecular weight components, including composites. Finally, results of the theory can be introduced into discussions of such transport properties as viscous flow and creep, based on free volume concepts.
In vitro stimulation of 5 α-dihydrotestosterone and testosterone secretion from bullfrog testis by nonmammalian and mammalian gonadotropins

In vitro androgen secretion by bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) testis was studied using mammalian and nonmammalian gonadotropins, including those from the bullfrog. LH from bullfrog, salamander, turtle, alligator, and sheep increased secretion of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T) into incubation medium; Rana and ovine FSH preparations were inactive except at relatively high concentrations. Rana FSH, ovine PRL, and bovine GH did not influence LH-induced steroid secretion. Rana LH was about 3–10 times more potent than other nonmammalian LH preparations, and 30–50 times more potent than NIH-ovine LH. Dose-response characteristics were dependent upon incubation time and temperature. More DHT than T was present in incubation medium at all times and temperatures studied, and during all seasons. Contents of DHT and T in incubation medium were highly correlated, and the ratio increased with time and with dose of LH. These data support in vivo observations and indicate that DHT is a major testicular androgen in the bullfrog, stimulated specifically by LH. Control of testicular androgen secretion by LH may represent the ancestral tetrapod condition.
Variation in viral shedding patterns between different wild bird species infected experimentally with low-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses that originated from wild birds

The prevalence of infection with avian influenza (AI) virus varies significantly between taxonomic Orders and even between species within the same Order. The current understanding of AI infection and virus shedding parameters in wild birds is limited and largely based on trials conducted in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). The objective of the present study was to provide experimental data to examine species-related differences in susceptibility and viral shedding associated with wild bird-origin low-pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses in multiple duck species and gulls. Thus mallards, redheads (Aythya americana), wood ducks (Aix sponsa), and laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) were inoculated experimentally with three wild mallard-origin LPAI viruses representing multiple subtypes. Variation in susceptibility and patterns of viral shedding associated with LPAI virus infection was evident between the duck and gull species. Consistent with the literature, mallards excreted virus predominantly via the gastrointestinal tract. In wood ducks, redheads, and laughing gulls, AI virus was detected more often in oropharyngeal swabs than cloacal swabs. The results of this study suggest that LPAI shedding varies between taxonomically related avian species. Such differences may be important for understanding the potential role of individual species in the transmission and maintenance of LPAI viruses and may have implications for improving sampling strategies for LPAI detection. Additional comparative studies, which include LPAI viruses originating from non-mallard species, are necessary to further characterize these infections in wild avian species other than mallards and provide a mechanism to explain these differences in viral excretion.
Decay of 4Po52 autoionizing states of ions in the Li isoelectronic sequence

Abstract Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations of the M2 radiative decay rates and of the autoionization rates for metastable states of the Li-sequence ( Z = 3 to 26) are presented. The calculations are compared with experimental determinations.
On instrumental variable estimation of semiparametric dynamic panel data models

Abstract This paper proposes some new semiparametric instrumental variable estimators for estimating a dynamic panel data model. Monte Carlo experiments show that the new estimators perform much better than the existing ones.
Membrane osmometer for use at moderate applied pressures

A membrane osmometer designed for use at pressures greater than 0.1 MPa and less than 6 MPa was employed to determine the pressure coefficient of the equilibrium osmotic pressure (∂π/∂P) of a dilute polystyrene/toluene solution. The pressure coefficient of the second virial coefficient (∂A2/∂P), calculated from ∂π/∂P, was 6 (±4) × 10−5 cm3 mol g−2 MPa−1, which was in reasonable agreement with the value obtained from pressure-dependent light scattering. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3064–3069, 2003
Vegetarian diets in the Adventist Health Study 2: a review of initial published findings

The Adventist Health Study 2 is a large cohort that is well suited to the study of the relation of vegetarian dietary patterns to health and disease risk. Here we review initial published findings with regard to vegetarian diets and several health outcomes. Vegetarian dietary patterns were associated with lower body mass index, lower prevalence and incidence of diabetes mellitus, lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its component factors, lower prevalence of hypertension, lower all-cause mortality, and in some instances, lower risk of cancer. Findings with regard to factors related to vegetarian diets and bone health are also reviewed. These initial results show important links between vegetarian dietary patterns and improved health.
The mental health of Asian and Pacific Island elders: implications for research and mental health administration.

According to the 1990 census, the highly diverse Asian and Pacific Islander (API) American population has doubled in size from 1980 to 1990 and is now the nation’s fastest growing minority group. Several studies have documented this population’s comparative underuse of mental health services. A review of recent studies on the mental health of Asian and Pacific Island elders identifies a number of risk factors and protectors. Elder APIs appear to have poorer mental health compared to white counterparts but not the poorest mental health within their own ethnic group. Within-group differences emerge, with recent immigrant groups and colonized populations appearing as most at-risk for mental health problems. A critical variable on this population’s mental health status appears to be socioeconomic status, and yet analysis of other demogra[hic variables, notably nativity and gender, remain contradictory. A research agenda is proposed and implications for mental health administrators are suggested.
RNA BASE RATIO CHANGES IN PLANARIA DURING CONDITIONING

— —Four groups of planaria were stimulated with light and shock: Group LAC received light systematically paired with shock delivered while the animal's head was oriented toward the cathode. Group LAA received light systematically paired with shock delivered while the animal's head was oriented toward the anode. Group L=C received light in random temporal relationship to cathodal head shock. Group L=C=A received light in random temporal relationship to randomized cathodal or anodal shock. Groups LAC animals acquired a conditioned flexion reflex in contrast to the other three groups. As each animal in Group LAC reached criterion, one animal which had received an equated amount of light and shock stimulation was selected from each of the other three groups. Each such set of four animals was fixed in Carnoy's solution and imbedded in paraffin. All subsequent analyses were run‘blind’in a different laboratory. Nerve cells from the head ganglion and from the tail were isolated with a micromanipulator after sectioning and pre-treatment. RNA was extracted and base ratios determined by micro-electrophoresis. The relationship of base ratio differences between groups to conditioning and stimulation is discussed.
Near-infrared spectroscopic localization of intracranial hematomas

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of the cerebral hemispheres, applied transcranially through the intact scalp and skull, was evaluated for its ability to detect the presence of an intracranial hematoma in 64 head injured patients. Fifty-seven of the patients had intracranial hematomas which were identified on CT scan (32-subdural, 15-epidural, 1O-intracerebral). In all 57 cases, NIRS demonstrated greater absorbance of light at 760 nm on the side of the hematoma. In 51 patients, the asynwnetry in light absorbance resolved after surgical evacuation of the hematoma or with spontaneous resorption of the hematoma. Six patients who developed postoperative or delayed hematomas exhibited persistence of the asymmetry in light absorbance. Seven patients, who had only diffuse injuries, exhibited only minor differences in optical density between the hemispheres, similar to 10 control patients with no head injury. Near-infrared spectroscopy appears to be useful in the initial examination of the head injured patient, as an adjunct to CT scanning, and in following patients postoperatively in the intensive care imit.
Stable theories, pseudoplanes and the number of countable models

Abstract We prove that if T is a stable theory with only a finite number (>1) of countable models, then T contains a type-definable pseudoplane. We also show that for any stable theory T either T contains a type-definable pseudoplane or T is weakly normal (in the sense of [9]).
Lepton pair photoproduction in a thick target

Abstract A scheme has been developed to compute by a Monte Carlo method angular correlations between pair produced particles. Multiple scattering in the target is also simulated. The method has been applied to calculate the contribution of pair production in an experiment which measures the total photon hadronic cross section. Using random numbers with appropriate distributions there is no loss in the process of generating events as would be inherent in a simple hit-or-miss type Monte Carlo.
Nano-structured Pd-long period fiber gratings integrated optical sensor for hydrogen detection

Abstract A fiber-optic sensor for detecting hydrogen at various temperatures (30–200 °C) is reported in this paper. The sensor is composed of a long period fiber gratings coated with a nano-structured Pd thin layer as the sensing material. The sensing principle of the designed sensor is based on the change of the refractive index of the Pd thin layer upon exposure to hydrogen, which causes the resonance wavelength shift of the long period fiber gratings. The Pd layer prepared by sputter deposition has nanograins of 30–40 nm in size. The resonance wavelength of the long period fiber gratings coated with Pd decreases as hydrogen concentration increases from 0% to 16% at all temperatures. There is a significant wavelength shift of the sensor when the Pd film goes through the phase transition between α and β phases. The sensor has a short response time with a relatively slower recovery rate. The sensor maintains its functionality after several cycles of hydrogen detection and recovery.
Improved identification of volcanic features using Landsat 7 ETM

Volcanic eruptions can present unpredictable hazards to populations living within regions containing potentially active volcanoes and for people traveling in jet aircraft that intersect with ash-laden eruption clouds. Methods of monitoring volcanic activity include searching for variations in the thermal signal from active fumaroles, lava domes, lava lakes, flows, and other features. Over many active volcanoes in the Western Hemisphere, low spatial resolution (4 km/pixel) weather satellite data acquired every 15 min are used to identify changes in eruptive activity, but are of insufficient spatial resolution to map active volcanic features. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) on Landsat 7 can be used to monitor active volcanoes at a higher spatial resolution (15- to 60-m pixels). ETM+ also offers improvements over its predecessor, the Thematic Mapper of Landsats 4 and 5, by way of a 15-m panchromatic band and higher spatial resolution (60 m/pixel) thermal infrared (IR) band. With higher spatial resolution panchromatic data, we are able to map lava flow fields, trace very high temperature lava channels, and, at Lascar volcano, identify an arcuate feature associated with a collapsed crater floor, a phenomenon that may precede explosive activity. With improved spatial resolution in the thermal IR, we are able to map the bifurcation and braiding of underground lava tubes at Kilauea. Identifying tube locations and tracking their extension are important because, for a given volumetric lava production (effusion) rate, tube-fed flows can extend a much greater distance than surface flows. At both Kilauea and Etna, we are able to use the thermal data to estimate effusion rates, an important parameter for assessing how far a flow is likely to extend and therefore the hazard it poses. An improved ETM+ data collection and distribution system includes a well-formulated and -executed Long-Term Acquisition Plan and less expensive data that is available much faster than previously possible.
Dimensionless Numbers Expressed in Terms of Common CVD Process Parameters

A variety of dimensionless numbers related to momentum and heat transfer are useful in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) analysis. These numbers are not traditionally calculated by directly using reactor operating parameters, such as temperature and pressure. In this paper, these numbers have been expressed in a form that explicitly shows their dependence upon the carrier gas, reactor geometry, and reactor operation conditions. These expressions were derived for both monatomic and diatomic gases using estimation techniques for viscosity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity. Values calculated from these expressions compared well to previously published values. These expressions provide a relatively quick method for predicting changes in the flow patterns resulting from changes in the reactor operating conditions.
On K s,t minors in (s+t)-chromatic graphs

Let K *s, t denote the graph obtained from the complete graph Ks+t by deleting the edges of some Kt-subgraph. We prove that for each fixed s and sufficiently large t, every graph with chromatic number s+t has a K *s, t minor. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 343–350, 2010
Indirect vascular actions of (Gln4)-neurotensin in canine adipose tissue.

The vasoconstrictor action of the tridecapeptide (Gln4)-neurotensin has been studied in subcutaneous adipose tissue in the inguinal region of anesthetized dogs. Close intra-arterial infusion of (Gln4)-neuroten-sin, 30–120 pmol X kg-1 b.wt. X min-1, elicited similar vasoconstrictions in the adipose tissue on the infusion side and on the contralateral side. This suggests that (Gln4)-neurotensin must enter the general circulation before it can elicit vasoconstriction. Removal of parts of the gastrointestinal tract did not change the vasoconstrictor response. Thus, there is no indication of release of vasoactive substances from the gastrointestinal tract by (Gln4)-neurotensin. Infusion into the portal vein elicited the same vasoconstriction in adipose tissue as the same dose administered i.v. It is suggested that the vasoconstrictor action in adipose tissue is not caused by (Gln4)-neurotensin per se. Instead, vasoactive substance(s) may be formed from (Gln4)-neurotensin.
Examining Lacunarity Approaches in Comparison with Fractal and Spatial Autocorrelation Techniques for Urban Mapping

The conventional spectral-based classification techniques have often been criticized due to the lack of consideration of images’ spatial properties. This study evaluates and compares two lacunarity methods, fractal triangular prism, spatial autocorrelation, and original spectral band approaches in classifying urban images. Results from this study show that the traditional spectral-based classification approach is inappropriate in classifying urban categories from highresolution data. The fractal triangular prism approach was also found to be ineffective in classifying urban features. Spatial autocorrelation was more accurate than the fractal approach. The overall accuracies in this study for the fractal, conventional spectral, spatial autocorrelation, lacunarity binary, and lacunarity gray-scale approaches were 52 percent, 55 percent, 78 percent, 81 percent, and 92 percent, respectively. These findings suggest that the lacunarity approaches are far more effective than the other approaches tested and can be used to drastically improve urban classification accuracy.
A Minimum Variance, Time Optimal, Control System Model of Human Lens Accommodation

Experimental data relating ciliary nerve stimulation and lens motion are used to identify the open-loop plant dynamics of the lens accommodation system via a parameter identication variation of the Kalman filter equations. Using the resultant minimum variance plant model, experimental closed-loop responses of the human accommodative system are predicted by synthesizing the system closed-loop controller. The resultant control signals are shown to minimize the time required to change the refractive state of the eye. The plant dynamic model and the closed-loop model are further verified by comparing their frequency responses to experimental data. The optimal performance of the lens system is compared to analogous performance of another ocular control system, and a possible general theory of optimal control is discussed.
Function of pectoral fins in rainbow trout: behavioral repertoire and hydrodynamic forces

Salmonid fishes (trout, salmon and relatives) have served as a model system for study of the mechanics of aquatic animal locomotion, yet little is known about the function of non-axial propulsors in this major taxonomic group. In this study we examine the behavioral and hydromechanical repertoire of the paired pectoral fins of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, performing both steady rectilinear swimming and unsteady maneuvering locomotion. A combination of kinematic analysis and quantitative flow visualization (using digital particle image velocimetry) enables identification of the propulsive roles played by pectoral fin motions. During constant-speed swimming (0.5 and 1.0 body length s(-1)), the pectoral fins remain adducted against the body. These fins are actively recruited, however, for a variety of maneuvering behaviors, including station holding in still water (hovering), low-speed (i.e. non-fast-start) turning, and rapid deceleration of the body during braking. Despite having a shallow pectoral-fin base orientation (the plesiomorphic teleost condition), trout are capable of rotating the fin base over 30 degrees during maneuvering, which affords the fin an impressive degree of kinematic versatility. When hovering, the pectoral fins are depressed beneath the body and twisted along their long axes to allow anteroposterior sculling. During turning and braking, the fins undergo spanwise rotation in the opposite direction and exhibit mediolateral and dorsoventral excursions. Water velocity fields and calculated momentum flows in the wake of the pectoral fins reveal that positive thrust is not generated during maneuvering, except during the retraction half-stroke of hovering. Relatively large laterally directed fluid force (mean 2.7 mN) is developed during turning, whose reaction powers yawing rotation of the body (4-41 degrees s(-1)). During deceleration, the wake-force line of action falls below the center of mass of the body, and this result supports a long-standing mechanical model of braking by fishes with ventrally positioned paired fins. Despite its traditional categorization as a propulsor of limited functional importance, the salmoniform pectoral fin exhibits a diverse locomotor repertoire comparable to that of higher teleostean fishes.
The Intramuscular Nerve Supply of the Human Lateral Cricoarytenoid Muscle

The lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA) muscle is one of the adductors of the vocal cords; however, some investigators believe that the lateral edge of the muscle may be involved in abduction. The possibility of functionally distinct compartments within the LCA was investigated by observing the pattern of the intramuscular nerve supply. This technique has previously clearly demonstrated neural compartments in the posterior cricoarytenoid, thyroarytenoid and cricothyroid muscles. Five adult human larynges were processed by the Sihler's stain which clears all soft tissue while counterstaining the nerves. The results of our study showed that the innervation pattern of the human LCA muscle is composed of a homogeneous nerve plexus localized to the middle region of the muscle. This pattern correlates with the location of motor endplates described by prior investigators. The consistent neural pattern suggests that the LCA is composed of a single neuromuscular compartment.
Raksha: a flexible information flow architecture for software security

High-level semantic vulnerabilities such as SQL injection and crosssite scripting have surpassed buffer overflows as the most prevalent security exploits. The breadth and diversity of software vulnerabilities demand new security solutions that combine the speed and practicality of hardware approaches with the flexibility and robustness of software systems.This paper proposes Raksha, an architecture for software security based on dynamic information flow tracking (DIFT). Raksha provides three novel features that allow for a flexible hardware/software approach to security. First, it supports flexible and programmable security policies that enable software to direct hardware analysis towards a wide range of high-level and low-level attacks. Second, it supports multiple active security policies that can protect the system against concurrent attacks. Third, it supports low-overhead security handlers that allow software to correct, complement, or extend the hardware-based analysis without the overhead associated with operating system traps.We present an FPGA prototype for Raksha that provides a full featured Linux workstation for security analysis. Using unmodified binaries for real-world applications, we demonstrate that Raksha can detect high-level attacks such as directory traversal, command injection, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting as well as low-level attacks such as buffer overflows. We also show that low overhead exception handling is critical for analyses such as memory corruption protection in order to address false positives that occur due to the diverse code patterns in frequently used software.
Response to the Book Review Symposium: Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature

They say that ideology is like breath: you never smell your own.1 And so I was not surprised to see my book The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity described as ‘ideological’ by reviewers who strike me as black pots in glass houses casting the first stone. By the same token, it is not easy for an author to defend himself against such an accusation: ‘I am not ideological’ is bound to sound as convincing as ‘I am not a crook’ and ‘I did not have sex with that woman.’ But I will take my chances. The arguments in The Better Angels of Our Nature are in fact not ideological. They are empirical, though the facts on which those arguments are based are bound to gore some oxen of the hard left, critical theory, and various forms of post-X-ism (together with certain livestock of the hard right, libertarianism, and anarchism). As I note in the preface, and as the paper and internet trails of my writing confirm, Better Angels was inspired by my coming across diverse datasets showing historical declines in violence. The existence of these declines (such as homicide since the Middle Ages, corporal and capital punishment since the 18th century, great-power wars since 1945, and autocracies since the 1980s) are well accepted by the scholarly communities who study them, but they surprised me at the time, continue to surprise most readers, and are adamantly denied by those who are unfamiliar with the relevant literatures.
Facilitating tacit knowledge transfer: routine compatibility, trustworthiness, and integration in M & As

Purpose – This paper aims to theorize how tacit knowledge influences implementation success in mergers and acquisitions (M & As), and contrasts this with explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can be a source of sustained competitive advantage because its lack of codifiability precludes easy appropriation by competitors. However, such non-codifiability also makes it difficult to transfer knowledge within a firm. M & As exemplify this challenge because they are often motivated by opportunities for transferring knowledge. With differing demands for tacit and explicit knowledge across departments (Sales and Operations), the empirical results demonstrate how tacit routine compatibility affects implementation outcomes in different functions. Design/methodology/approach – This research draws from a survey of 86 M & A implementation processes between 1996 and 2002, using seemingly unrelated regression to analyze the predictions. Findings – There is strong empirical support that tacit routine compatibility leads to ...
The superconducting transition temperature of La1−xGdxAl2☆

Abstract The dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the concentration of Gd spins is reported for La 1− x Gd x Al 2 . The results are in good agreement with the theory of Abrikosov and Gor'kov to concentrations very near the critical concentration.
Nonuniform Effects of Reinstatement within the Time Window.

Abstract A time window is a limited period after an event initially occurs in which additional information can be integrated with the memory of that event. It shuts when the memory is forgotten. The time window hypothesis holds that the impact of a manipulation at different points within the time window is nonuniform. In two operant conditioning experiments with 68 3-month-old human infants, we tested the predictive validity of the nonuniformity principle for reinstatement—a partial training trial that forestalls forgetting. After demonstrating that 3-month-olds forget the training task after 5 days (Experiment 1), we presented a reinstatement early (immediately), midway (3 days), or late (5 days) in the time window (Experiment 2). Retention increased exponentially with the reinstatement delay. The surprising magnitude of this result, plus its generality across tasks and species, strongly suggests that the timing of reinstatement differentially affects the outcomes of studies on learning and memory.
Novel approaches to the treatment of acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) occurs frequently in hospitalised patients and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Many therapeutic strategies have been undertaken both to prevent acute renal injury and, once ARF occurs, to improve renal function and reduce mortality. Among the available pharmacological options, no specific therapy has been shown to alter the course of ARF. This article reviews the efficacy of several strategies in experimental renal disease and raises the possibility that similar interventions might be available to the clinician in the near future for the prevention and management of ARF. The prospect of these novel strategies, together with the ever-increasing understanding of the complex pathophysiology of ARF, offers the promise of effective and more physiological therapeutic interventions in this new millennium.
NSF-Active and NSF-Inert Species of Gadolinium: Mechanistic and Clinical Implications

1861 through a process known as transmetallation [11]. In the body, free gadolinium released from its chelate likely forms insoluble pre­ cipitates with phosphate or hydroxide that are unlikely to further dissociate in tissues. What proof is there that the inorganic species of gadolinium is NSF­inert and that the gadolinium chelate is the NSF­active species? The study by Edward et al. [12] showed that although gadodiamide increased growth of fibroblasts, gadolinium in the form of GdCl had no effect on proliferation of fibroblasts in culture. An increase in collagen production was also seen with gadodiamide but GdCl was not tested. Serum from patients with NSF increased collagen production by fibroblasts over that of dialysis controls. This result supports that factors in the serum could account for the systemic fibrosis but does not exclude a possible role for local tissue factors, as hypothesized by others. Sieber et al. [13] showed that gadodiamide and gadolinium– ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid caused NSF in rats. Inorganic gadolinium was not tested in this rodent model; however, extensive older studies on the toxicology of lanthanides reported no findings matching those of NSF. In addition, the study by Wiginton et al. [1] analyzed skin biopsies from patients with NSF and showed gado­ linium in both unaffected and affected areas. The finding of gadolinium in the unaffected tissue supports the concept that local disease activity may not correlate with locally retained inorganic gadolinium. Reports of increased disease activity coinciding with a decline in renal function need not be explained by decreased clearance of gadolinium mobilized from storage sites such as bone with subsequent deposition in NSF­affected tissues such as skin [14]. Most patients with kidney disease who receive a gadolinium­containing contrast agent do not NSF-Active and NSF-Inert Species of Gadolinium: Mechanistic and Clinical Implications
Characteristics of Patients Referred to Psychiatric Emergency Services by Crisis Intervention Team Police Officers

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program trains police officers in crisis intervention skills and local psychiatric resources. Because the safety and appropriateness of any new intervention is a crucial consideration, it is necessary to ensure that CIT training does not result in excessive or inappropriate referrals to psychiatric emergency services (PES). Yet, aside from one prior report by Strauss et al. (2005) in Louisville, Kentucky, little is known about the comparability of patients referred to PES by CIT-trained officers in relation to other modes of referral. The research questions driving this retrospective chart review of patients referred to PES were: (1) What types of patients do CIT-trained officers refer to PES?, and (2) Do meaningful differences exist between patients referred by family members, non-CIT officers, and CIT-trained officers? Select sociodemographic and clinical variables were abstracted from the medical records of 300 patients during an eight-month period and compared by mode of referral. Differences across the three groups were found regarding: race, whether or not the patient was held on the locked observation unit, severe agitation, recent substance abuse, global functioning, and unkempt or bizarre appearance. However, there were virtually no differences between patients referred by CIT-trained and non-CIT officers. Thus, while there were some expected differences between patients referred by law enforcement and those referred by family members, CIT-trained officers appear to refer individuals appropriately to PES, as evidenced by such patients differing little from those referred by traditional, non-CIT police officers. Trained officers do not have a narrower view of people in need of emergency services (i.e., bringing in more severely ill individuals), and they do not have a broader view (i.e., bringing in those not in need of emergency services). Although CIT training does not appear to affect the type of individuals referred to PES, future research should examine the effect of CIT training on the frequency of referrals or proportion of subjects encountered that are referred, which may be expected to differ between CIT-trained and non-CIT officers.
Rouse Dynamics of Polyelectrolyte Solutions: Molecular Dynamics Study

We performed molecular dynamics simulations of dilute and semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions without hydrodynamic interactions to study Rouse dynamics of polyelectrolytes. Polyelectrolyte solutions are modeled by an ensemble of bead−spring chains of charged Lennard-Jones particles with explicit counterions. The simulations were performed for partially and fully charged polymers with the number of monomers N = 25−373. We show that the simulations of the Rouse dynamics give qualitatively similar results to the experimentally observed dynamics of polyelectrolyte solutions. Our simulations showed that the chain relaxation time depends nonmonotonically on polymer concentration. In dilute solutions, this relaxation time exhibits very strong dependence on the chain degree of polymerization, τ ∼ N3. The chain relaxation time decreases with increasing polymer concentration of dilute solutions. This decrease in the chain relaxation time is due to chain contraction induced by counterion condensation. In the semidi...
Constipation: Is it a risk factor for cholesterol gallstones?

Many cases of gallstones can be explained in terms of the established risk factors, especially obesity. However, gallstones develop in some women who are not obese, and the causes are unknown. Biochemical studies have shown that slow intestinal transit is associated with lithogenic bile. We have tested the hypothesis that intestinal transit is abnormally slow in normal-weight women with gallstones. In a population survey, 1058 women aged 25–69 years, registered with general practitioners in Bristol, UK, underwent cholecystosonography. Gallstones were identified in 48 women, of whom 15 were of normal weight (body mass index ≤ 25 kg/m2). These women and age-matched controls with healthy gallbladders then underwent measurement of whole-gut transit time (WGTT); the measurement was done directly when possible, or calculated from records of three defaecations. The mean WGTT was significantly longer in the women with gallstones than in the controls (82 vs 63 h; mean difference 19, 95% Cl (2–37 h). Stool output was also lower in the women with gallstones (74 [SD 54] vs 141 [56] g per 24 h, p = 0.015). There was no significant difference between cases and controls in body mass index, waist-hip circumference ratio, parity, plasma triglyceride concentration, or alcohol intake. Normal-weight women with gallstones tend to have slow intestinal transit and this feature could explain why they have gallstones.
Predicting Human Brain Activity Associated with the Meanings of Nouns

The question of how the human brain represents conceptual knowledge has been debated in many scientific fields. Brain imaging studies have shown that different spatial patterns of neural activation are associated with thinking about different semantic categories of pictures and words (for example, tools, buildings, and animals). We present a computational model that predicts the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neural activation associated with words for which fMRI data are not yet available. This model is trained with a combination of data from a trillion-word text corpus and observed fMRI data associated with viewing several dozen concrete nouns. Once trained, the model predicts fMRI activation for thousands of other concrete nouns in the text corpus, with highly significant accuracies over the 60 nouns for which we currently have fMRI data.
Base doping optimization for radiation-hard Si, GaAs, and InP solar cells

It is shown that the nature of radiation-induced point defects and dopant interactions can cause a shift in the optimum base doping concentration for terrestrial and space solar cells. The base doping concentration has been optimized for high-efficiency Si, GaAs, and InP solar cells before and after electron irradiation. A combination of detailed carrier lifetime calculations and cell modeling is used to show that the optimum doping concentration for irradiated cells increases for InP cells, decreases for Si cells, and remains essentially unchanged for GaAs cells compared to their counterpart terrestrial cells. The optimum base doping for Si cells decreases from 8.94*10/sup 16/ cm/sup -3/ to approximately 6.6*10/sup 14/ cm/sup -1/ after 1-MeV electron irradiation. In the case of GaAs, the optimum base doping concentration remains at approximately 2*10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ for both irradiated and unirradiated cells. The InP base doping needs to be increased in the range of (2-6)*10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ from 2*10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ for radiation fluences in the range of 10/sup 15/ to 10/sup 16/ cm/sup -2/. >
HARDLY A RELICT: FREEZING AND THE EVOLUTION OF VESSELLESS WOOD IN WINTERACEAE

Abstract The Winteraceae are traditionally regarded as the least-specialized descendents of the first flowering plants, based largely on their lack of xylem vessels. Since vessels have been viewed as a key innovation for angiosperm diversification, Winteraceae have been portrayed as declining relicts, limited to wet forest habitats where their tracheid-based wood does not impose a significant hydraulic constraints. In contrast, phylogenetic analyses place Winteraceae among angiosperm clades with vessels, indicating that their vesselless wood is derived rather than primitive, whereas extension of the Winteraceae fossil record into the Early Cretaceous suggests a more complex ecological history than has been deduced from their current distribution. However, the selective regime and ecological events underlying the possible loss of vessels in Winteraceae have remained enigmatic. Here we examine the hypothesis that vessels were lost as an adaptation to freezing-prone environments in Winteraceae by measuring t...
Evaluating the quality and use of economic data in decisions about essential medicines

Objective To evaluate the quality of economic data provided in applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines and to evaluate the role of these data in decision-making by the expert committee that considers the applications. Methods We analysed applications submitted to the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines between 2002 and 2013. The completeness of data on the price and cost–effectiveness of medicines was extracted from application documents and coded using a four-point scale. We recorded whether or not the expert committee discussed economic information and the outcomes of each application. Associations between the completeness of economic data and application outcomes were assessed using χ 2 tests. Findings The expert committee received 134 applications. Only eight applications (6%) included complete price data and economic evaluation data. Many applicants omitted or misinterpreted the economic evaluation section of the application form. Despite the lack of economic data, all applications were reviewed by the committee. There was no significant association between the completeness of economic information and application outcomes. The expert committee tried to address information gaps in applications by further review and analysis of data related to the application. Conclusion The World Health Organization should revise the instructions to applicants on economic data requirements; develop new mechanisms to assist applicants in completing the application process; and define methods for the use of economic data in decision-making.
A double-edged sword? The cost of proctodeal trophallaxis in termites

The evolution of insect sociality has likely been shaped by pathogenic pressures. Previous research has indicated that social interactions among nestmates can ameliorate risks of infection. We hypothesized that proctodeal trophallaxis (anus-to-mouth exchanges of proctodeal fluid) and coprophagy, both common phenomena across termites, result in the passive transfer of immune elicitors, antimicrobial compounds, and/or immune proteins that could render the recipient of these fluids less susceptible to disease. If true, this would represent a prime example of social immunization. Our results show that in Zootermopsis angusticollis, recipients of proctodeal fluid collected from naive, control, and vaccinated donors have similar susceptibility to a subsequent Serratia marcescens challenge. However, nestmates feeding on proctodeal fluid from donors injected with sub-lethal dosages of live bacteria were significantly more susceptible to a subsequent challenge. These data indicate unanticipated costs associated with proctodeal trophallaxis when exploiting infectious environments. That termites frequently engage in these exchanges in spite of the heightened survival costs reveals possible evolutionary trade-offs between the nutritional benefits accrued through these exchanges and the risks of disease transmission. This work represents a first attempt to identify the role of proctodeal trophallaxis within a socio-immunological context.
Decays of Ta 182 and Ta 183

The ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decays of ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{182}$ and ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{183}$ into excited states of ${\mathrm{W}}^{182}$ and ${\mathrm{W}}^{183}$ have been studied using a curved crystal gamma-ray diffraction spectrometer and a homogeneous field, ring focusing beta-ray spectrometer. In each case de-excitation of the daughter nucleus gives rise to complex gamma-ray and conversion electron spectra. Energies and relative intensities of gamma rays and conversion lines arising from 27 transitions in ${\mathrm{W}}^{182}$ and 29 transitions in ${\mathrm{W}}^{183}$ are presented. Internal conversion coefficients and multipolarities have been deduced for most of the transitions and together with the gamma-ray energies form the basis of decay schemes proposed for both ${\mathrm{W}}^{182}$ and ${\mathrm{W}}^{183}$. The two decays are reported together because of the close experimental relationship which existed between them as a consequence of the method used for their production, namely, simultaneous production of ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{182}$ by single neutron capture and ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{183}$ by double neutron capture from stable ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{181}$. A corollary result is the value 1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{4}$ barns for the thermal neutron cross section of ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{182}$.An interpretation of these results on ${\mathrm{W}}^{182}$ in terms of collective rotational motion has been given by A. Bohr and collaborators [Kgl. Danske Videnscab. Selskab, Mat.-fys. Medd. 29, No. 9 (1955)].