cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaporative water loss and intertidal vertical distribution in relation to body size and morphology of stichaeoid fishes from California

Abstract Five species of amphibious stichaeoid fishes (four stichaeids, one pholidid) with distinct but overlapping distribution patterns in the rocky intertidal zone of central California were studied in the laboratory with respect to body size and shape, survival out of water, evaporative water loss and water resorption upon re-immersion. Members of all species survived periods of emersion of at least 6 h, but maximum survival times varied with species and body size. Surface area to weight ratios in relation to body length were highest in Xiphister atropurpureus (Kittlitz) and X. mucosus (Girard), lowest in Cebidichthys violaceus (Girard) and Anoplarchus purpurescens Gill and most variable in Xererpes fucorum (Jordan & Gilbert) (the pholidid). Weight-specific water loss (mg · g −1 · h −1 ) was highest in the two species of Xiphister followed in order by Xererpes fucorum, Cebidichthys violaceus and Anoplarchus purpurescens . In general, adaptive relationships were found between body size, surface area, tolerance of water loss and intertidal distribution patterns. Among juvenile stichaeoids, for which problems of emersion are most critical, those of Cebidichthys violaceus possess the combination of attributes, including small surface area to weight ratio, high water content and long tolerance of emersion, that should give them an adaptive edge in occupying the upper levels of the shore. In accordance with these characteristics, C. violaceus has the highest, most exposed vertical distribution of the five study species.
Further investigation into maple syrup yields 3 new lignans, a new phenylpropanoid, and 26 other phytochemicals.

Maple syrup is made by boiling the sap collected from certain maple (Acer) species. During this process, phytochemicals naturally present in tree sap are concentrated in maple syrup. Twenty-three p...
DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF AN IMMOBILIZED ENZYME ELECTRODE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SULFITE IN FOODS AND FEEDS

Abstract An enzyme electrode was developed using the enzyme sulfite oxidase (EC 1.8.3.1) immobilized onto pig intestine. All experimental parameters such as pH, temperature, buffer constituent concentration, etc., were thoroughly investigated and optimized when appropriate. Hydrogen peroxide was monitored amperometrically. The response to sulfite concentration was linear in the range of 5.2 × 10−6 to 1.0×10−3M. The proposed method was found to have a correlation coefficient of 0.952 when evaluated versus the standard titration method.
ARACHNOID VILLI IN THE OPTIC NERVE OF MAN AND MONKEY.

The presence of arachnoid villi has been shown in the optic nerve of man and monkey. The findings demonstrate that they may be of variable size, shape and position, indicating their diverse histological nature. Their association with and relation to veins is variable also. Some project into the lumen of veins; others do not. Small round and oval-shaped pores of variable size have been demonstrated between the cells of the arachnoid villi. The function of the villi in various physiological states is briefly discussed.
On-line concentration of proteins and peptides in capillary zone electrophoresis with an etched porous joint.

A novel approach for on-line concentration of proteins and peptides in capillary electrophoresis (CE) is presented. A short section (∼0.5−1 cm) along the capillary was etched with HF. The etched section became a porous membrane that allowed electrical conductivity but prevented passage of the analyte ions. The capillary was isolated into two parts by the etched section. Thus, we were able to use three buffer vials to perform CE experiments in the capillary by applying high voltages independently. Concentration and separation were performed at the two respective regions. When high voltage was applied to the concentration capillary (between the inlet end and the etched section), proteins and peptides were concentrated at the etched portion, because the porous capillary wall allowed only small buffer ions to pass through and there was no electric field gradient beyond that point. After focusing, the narrow sample zone was introduced into the separation capillary (between the etched section and the outlet end...
A variant CRISPR-Cas9 system adds versatility to genome engineering.

Targeted genome engineering has been instrumental for the study of biological processes, and it holds great promise for the treatment of disease. Historically, gene targeting by homologous recombination has been the preferred method to modify specific genes in mouse and human cells (Fig. 1). However, this approach is hampered by low efficiency, the requirement for drug selection to detect targeted cells, and the limited number of cell types and organisms amenable to the method. To overcome these limitations, technologies based on sequence-specific zinc finger (ZF) and transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins have been developed. These proteins can be engineered to theoretically recognize any DNA sequence in the genome. When fused to a nuclease domain and assembled in pairs flanking a target site of interest, ZF and TALE nucleases (ZFNs and TALENs) will introduce double-strand breaks (DSBs) on DNA. DSBs serve as substrates for nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR), which in turn facilitate the engineering of targeted mutations, repair of endogenous mutations, or introduction of transgenic DNA elements. The clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) system represents the latest addition to this arsenal of tools for site-specific genome engineering (see below). Although each of these three gene modification approaches has advantages and disadvantages (Fig. 1), the pace and ease with which the CRISPR-Cas systems have been adapted to modify genes in different cell types and organisms suggests that it may very well become the new method of choice for genome engineering. In PNAS, Hou et al. introduce a unique variant of the Cas9 enzyme (1), which provides additional flexibility and specificity to the CRISPR system and to genome-modifying …
Relation of blood pressure and body build to left ventricular mass in normotensive and hypertensive employed adults

Left ventricular muscle mass is increased in the presence of large body size, high blood pressure and obesity, but the relative contributions to ventricular mass of these and other factors have not been elucidated. Accordingly, echocardiographic left ventricular mass in unmedicated employed adults (162 normotensive, 145 borderline hypertension and 317 with established essential hypertension) was related to height, weight, lean body mass, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, age, gender, race and 24 h urinary sodium and potassium excretion. In the total population, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and height were the most significant (p less than 0.0001) independent correlates of left ventricular mass, whereas gender and age made smaller contributions. In each normotensive and hypertensive subgroup, body mass index and height remained highly significant independent predictors of left ventricular mass, systolic blood pressure became a weaker predictor (0.001 less than p less than 0.02) and only among patients with established hypertension was diastolic blood pressure a weak independent determinant (p less than 0.05) of ventricular mass. The increase in left ventricular mass attributable to obesity was due to eccentric hypertrophy because end-diastolic relative wall thickness was similar in obese and nonobese subjects in each blood pressure group. Thus obesity, as measured by body mass index, is as important a potential determinant of left ventricular muscle mass as is systolic blood pressure and it is of greater statistical significant in an adult employed population than is diastolic blood pressure, height, gender, age or dietary sodium intake.
Scholarly writing: managing the competition for time and attention

(1999). Scholarly writing: managing the competition for time and attention. Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 212-214.
Breeding ecology of the Sulawesi Red‐Knobbed Hornbill Aceros cassidix

Data are presented for a four-year study of the breeding biology of the Sulawesi Red-knobbed Hornbill Aceros cassidix. The breeding season normally began in mid-June and lasted 27–30 weeks. Initiation of nesting appeared to be stimulated by the cessation of the rains and timed such that chicks emerged during a period of fruit abundance. Nesting period averaged 139 days and incubation was estimated at 35–40 days. Females remain sealed in the nest for an average of 108 days and nestlings fledged, on average, 28 davs after the female emerged. Nesting densities were up to 10.4/km2, nesting success was high (up to 80%) and repeated use of nests between years was common. Males delivered a low-protein diet of ripe fruits (89% of total diet) from 12 families and 52 species; invertebrates composed only 1% of food items. Figs (Ficus spp.) were the primary diet item, accounting for 81% of fruit biomass. Males increased feeding visits throughout the study, but the biomass of fruit delivered declined shortly after the female emerged. Reduced feeding prior to fledging may entice the nestling to emerge. The long developmental period of Sulawesi Red-knobbed Hornbills may result, in part, from the low protein content of the diet. Despite a 16% annual production, numbers in the study area have remained stable over the past 15 years. It is suggested that high post-fledging mortality or dispersal to degraded areas outside the reserve maintains population numbers. Distinguishing between these mechanisms is important for understanding the dynamics of hornbill populations.
Commentary: Toward a unified model for investigating health service use in degenerative spinal disorders.

Commentary on Konnopka A, Heinrich S, Zieger M, et al. Effects of psychiatric comorbidity on costs in patients undergoing disc surgery: a cross-sectional study. Spine J 2011;11:601–609 (in this issue) .
Automatic detection of significant and subtle arterial lesions from coronary CT angiography

Visual analysis of three-dimensional (3D) Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) remains challenging due to large number of image slices and tortuous character of the vessels. We aimed to develop an accurate, automated algorithm for detection of significant and subtle coronary artery lesions compared to expert interpretation. Our knowledge-based automated algorithm consists of centerline extraction which also classifies 3 main coronary arteries and small branches in each main coronary artery, vessel linearization, lumen segmentation with scan-specific lumen attenuation ranges, and lesion location detection. Presence and location of lesions are identified using a multi-pass algorithm which considers expected or "normal" vessel tapering and luminal stenosis from the segmented vessel. Expected luminal diameter is derived from the scan by automated piecewise least squares line fitting over proximal and mid segments (67%) of the coronary artery, considering small branch locations. We applied this algorithm to 21 CCTA patient datasets, acquired with dual-source CT, where 7 datasets had 17 lesions with stenosis greater than or equal to 25%. The reference standard was provided by visual and quantitative identification of lesions with any ≥25% stenosis by an experienced expert reader. Our algorithm identified 16 out of the 17 lesions confirmed by the expert. There were 16 additional lesions detected (average 0.13/segment); 6 out of 16 of these were actual lesions with <25% stenosis. On persegment basis, sensitivity was 94%, specificity was 86% and accuracy was 87%. Our algorithm shows promising results in the high sensitivity detection and localization of significant and subtle CCTA arterial lesions.
Implicit knowledge in engineering judgment and scientific reasoning

Dienes & Perner's theoretical framework should be applicable to two related areas: technological innovation and the psychology of scientific reasoning. For the former, this commentary focuses on the example of nuclear weapon design, and on the decision to launch the space shuttle Challenger. For the latter, this commentary focuses on Klayman and Ha's positive test heuristic and the invention of the telephone.
Emergence of fractal geometry on the surface of human cervical epithelial cells during progression towards cancer

Despite considerable advances in understanding the molecular nature of cancer, many biophysical aspects of malignant development are still unclear. Here we study physical alterations of the surface of human cervical epithelial cells during stepwise in vitro development of cancer (from normal to immortal (premalignant), to malignant). We use atomic force microscopy to demonstrate that development of cancer is associated with emergence of simple fractal geometry on the cell surface. Contrary to the previously expected correlation between cancer and fractals, we find that fractal geometry occurs only at a limited period of development when immortal cells become cancerous; further cancer progression demonstrates deviation from fractal. Because of the connection between fractal behaviour and chaos (or far from equilibrium behaviour), these results suggest that chaotic behaviour coincides with the cancer transformation of the immortalization stage of cancer development, whereas further cancer progression recovers determinism of processes responsible for cell surface formation.
A Quadratic Numerical Scheme for Fractional Optimal Control Problems

This paper presents a quadratic numerical scheme for a class of fractional optimal control problems (FOCPs). The fractional derivative is described in the Caputo sense. The performance index of a FOCP is considered as a function of both the state and the control variables, and the dynamic constraints are expressed by a set of fractional differential equations. The calculus of variations, the Lagrange multiplier, and the formula for fractional integration by parts are used to obtain Euler—Lagrange equation for the FOCP. The formulation presented and the resulting equations are very similar to those that appear in the classical optimal control theory. Thus, the present formulation essentially extends the classical control theory to fractional dynamic systems. The formulation is used to derive the control equations for a quadratic linear fractional control problem. For a linear system, this method results into a set of linear simultaneous equations, which can be solved using a direct or an iterative scheme. Numerical results for a FOCP are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. It is shown that the solutions converge as the number of grid points increases, and the solutions approach to classical solutions as the order of the fractional derivatives approach to 1. The formulation presented is simple and can be extended to other FOCPs.
KINETICS OF FLUORESCENCE FADING OF ACRIDINE ORANGE-HEPARIN COMPLEXES IN SOLUTION

— The irreversible photochemical fading of fluorescence of acridine orange-heparin complexes indicates that fading involves the reaction of a “reactive” excited bound dye dimer with one in the ground state. A kinetic parameter, r“, is derived, which has a constant value over a considerable range of conditions, and which is directly related to rate constants for photophysical and photochemical processes. This parameter appears to be characteristic for heparin and may serve to identify it in the presence of other glycosaminoglycans.
Worst-case performance of a mobile sensor network under individual sensor failure

In this paper, we consider the problem of worst-case performance by a mobile sensor network (MSN) when some of the nodes in the network fail. We formulate the problem as a game in which some subset of the nodes act in an adversarial manner, choosing their motion strategies to maximally degrade overall performance of the network as a whole. We restrict our attention in the present paper to a target detection problem in which the goal is to minimize the probability of missed detection. We use a partitioned cost function that is minimized when each sensor executes a motion strategy given by Lloyd's algorithm (i.e., each agent moves toward the centroid of its Voronoi partition at each time instant), and when the probability of missed detection for each functioning sensor increases with the distance between sensor and target for correctly functioning sensors; adversarial nodes in the network are unable to detect the target, and move to maximally increase the probability of missed detection by the properly functioning sensors. We pose the problem as a multi-stage decision process, and use forward dynamic programming over a finite horizon to numerically compute optimal strategies for the adversaries. We compare the resulting strategies to a greedy algorithm, providing both system trajectories and evolution of the probability of missed detection during execution.
The Social Economics of Karl Polanyi

Karl Polanyi (1886–1964) was educated in Hungary, worked in exile in Vienna in the 1920s, and after 1933 alternated his residence between England and the USA. His early career was in law and philosophy, then international relations. From 1940 to his death, he concentrated on universal economic history, a broadly defined area encompassing fields that are more conventionally known as economic anthropology, economic history, and comparative economic systems. This work aimed ultimately at the creation of a new and more universal economic theory, founded on the interaction of economy and society, i.e., social economics.
Notes on Prostitution in Israel

The State of Israel is witnessing a significant growth in the scope and variety of pfostitution. This change began more than thirty years ago but became a recognized social problem only in the late sixties. Adopting the idea that prostitution is an unavoidable aspect of any comprehensive society, this article summarizes the trends in Israeli prostitution. The viewpoint is supported historically and empirically that Israel, like other comprehensive societies, had to pay some social cost for political and economic independence. This cost is, in part, the existence of certain deviances such as prostitution.
On the relation between atmospheric CO2 and equatorial sea‐surface temperature

Associations between the sea-surface temperature (SST) in the eastern equatorial Pacific (0°-10°S, 180°-80° W) and changes in atmospheric CO 2 concentration have been examined. The CO 2 records at Mauna Loa and the South Pole of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the shorter records of the Geophysical Monitoring for Climatic Change program at Barrow, Samoa, the South Pole and Mauna h a , were used after the annual cycles and the growth due to fossil fuel emissions had been removed. We find that warmer than average SST precedes above-average increases in CO 2 by about one season at Mauna Loa and two seasons at the South Pole. The shorter records at Samoa and Barrow support longer lags - 2 to 3 seasons at Samoa and 3 to 5 seasons at Barrow. The correlations and their lags change with time, however, there being periods of relatively high correlation associated with El Nino events and periods of lower correlation when El Nino is not present. Furthermore, there is a seasonal preference for these high correlations. At Mauna Loa, the change of CO 2 from (NH) fall to spring is better correlated with antecedent SST than the changes from spring to fall. At the South Pole, a similar pattern is found with a one-season shift. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1987.tb00280.x
Oxygen isotope fractionation in magnetites: structural effect and oxygen inheritance

Abstract The modified increment method is applied to the calculation of oxygen isotope fractionation in different structures of magnetite. The results show that, at isotopic equilibrium, the magnetite of a spinel-type structure has the very similar behavior of oxygen isotope partitioning to hematite, but it is considerably depleted in 18 O relative to the magnetite of an inverse spinel-type structure. This provides a resolution to the systematic discrepancy in the quartz-magnetite oxygen isotope fractionation between previous theoretical calculations of the author and the experimental determinations of H. Chiba and coworkers. An oxygen isotope inheritance is suggested in which the magnetites used in the experiments could have inherited the oxygen isotope feature of a precursor mineral hematite. The oxygen isotope inheritance may be common in the formation of secondary minerals in laboratory and nature. Most magnetite would be of the spinel-type structure in the infancy of its crystallization. The oxygen isotope study on magnetite may provide insight into the mechanism of mineralogical reactions during magnetite formation under laboratorial or natural conditions.
The Majorana neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment

The Majorana project is a next-generation neutrinoless double-beta decay (Oνββ) experiment that will endeavor to provide evidence as to the Majorana or Dirac nature of the electron neutrino. If the neutrino is a Majorana particle, Oνββ measurements will also provide direct limits on the effective Majorana mass (mββ) of the electron neutrino. We present an overview of current plans to build a 'demonstrator module' with an active mass of ≈ 60 kg (30 kg of this will be natural germanium, and 30 kg will be enriched to 86% in 76Ge). This mass corresponds to a sensitivity to mββ ≈ 200 meV, assuming light Majorana neutrino exchange dominates as the mechanism for Oνββ. This phase of the Majorana experiment will demonstrate the background levels and experimental techniques necessary to scale up to an detector fielding an active mass of 1000 kg of 76Ge (corresponding to mββ sensitivity of ≈ 30 meV). Detector fabrication is a critical issue for performance, cost, and schedule of a 1000-kg detector array, and the collaboration is examining alternative detector technologies including both point-contact p-type and highly-segmented n-type diodes during the demonstrator phase of the experiment. We will highlight recent Majorana technical and R&D achievements and outline a path forward for construction of the demonstrator module.
Distinct Nrf1/2-independent mechanisms mediate As3+-induced glutamate-cysteine ligase subunit gene expression in murine hepatocytes

Trivalent arsenite (As(3+)) is a known human carcinogen that is also capable of inducing apoptotic cell death. Increased production of reactive oxygen species is thought to contribute to both the carcinogenic and the cytotoxic effects of As(3+). Glutathione (GSH) constitutes a vital cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress. The rate-limiting enzyme in GSH biosynthesis is glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), a heterodimeric holoenzyme composed of a catalytic (GCLC) and a modifier (GCLM) subunit. In this study, we demonstrate that As(3+) coordinately upregulates Gclc and Gclm mRNA levels in a murine hepatocyte cell line resulting in increased GCL subunit protein expression, holoenzyme formation, and activity. As(3+) increased the rate of transcription of both the Gclm and the Gclc genes and induced the posttranscriptional stabilization of Gclm mRNA. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine abolished As(3+)-induced Gclc expression and attenuated induction of Gclm. As(3+) induction of Gclc and Gclm was also differentially regulated by the MAPK signaling pathways and occurred independent of the Nrf1/2 transcription factors. These findings demonstrate that distinct transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms mediate the coordinate induction of the Gclc and Gclm subunits of GCL in response to As(3+) and highlight the potential importance of the GSH antioxidant defense system in regulating As(3+)-induced responses in hepatocytes.
Mechanisms of Radiation Effects on Lasers

Lasers offer many potential advantages for space communications and space instrumentation. Their performance is, however, affected by the high energy radiation found in the space environment, e.g., trapped proton and electrons, solar flare protons, and possibly gamma rays and neutrons from on-board nuclear power, auxiliary or propulsive. We report here on some studies of the effects observed on lasers and laser components exposed to irradiation, and in particular on the mechanisms of these effects.
Dynamic grammar in adults: Incidental learning of natural syntactic structures extends over 48 h

Three experiments examine whether a naturalistic reading task can induce long-lasting changes of syntactic patterns in memory. Judgment of grammatical acceptability is used as an indirect test of memory for sentences that are identical or only syntactically similar to those read earlier. In previous research (Luka & Barsalou, 2005) both sorts of sentences were found more acceptable, yielding a structural preference for recently encountered syntactic patterns. The effect is evident across a very diverse set of some 60 distinct sentence constructions. This phenomenon may be similar to implicit learning paradigms using evaluative ratings as dependent measures, but also resembles a variety of shorter-lived structural priming effects observed for a handful of syntactic constructions that occur in binary alternate forms. Here we examine the duration of the structural preference effect to determine whether it is fleeting (suggesting transient priming) or long-lasting (suggesting enduring changes in representation). Experiments 1 and 2 show that the effect is evident after a 48-h delay between initial exposure (simple reading aloud) and test. Experiment 3 shows a persistent effect after 7 days, despite unrestricted exposure to natural language in the interim. Larger effects were observed for comparatively novel sentence constructions than common syntactic patterns. Experiments 2 and 3 also examine the role of the evaluation process itself, and find that reading for comprehension produces greater facilitation than reading while performing an evaluative categorization (grammaticality rating). These observations suggest that incremental adjustments to the language processing system occur on a continuous basis and may extend to acquisition of novel syntactic structures. We discuss whether and in what ways the structural preference effect can be integrated with the literature on structural priming. We interpret our results in the context of models of language comprehension, emphasize the dynamic nature of grammatical knowledge in memory, and argue that the current paradigm offers several advantages for elaborating the various systems of memory upon which linguistic representations depend.
The determination of an electron beam's longitudinal phase space distribution through the use of phase-energy measurements

Abstract We have been able to measure the longitudinal phase space distribution of the Stanford Superconducting Accelerator's (SCA) electron beam by applying tomographic techniques to energy spectra taken as a function of the relative phase between the beam and the accelerating field. The temporal profile of the beam obtained by projecting the distribution onto the time axis is compared with that obtained from interferometric transition radiation measurements.
Contrasts for the Residual Interaction in Latin Square Designs

The current methods available for the computation of the residual interaction in the Latin square (and higher order fractional designs) are rather ad hoc. The algorithms which exist to construct the residual interaction contrasts are complex and confusing. Additionally, it is difficult to generalize them to other types of fractional factorial designs. These contrasts may be developed with the Gram-Schmidt orthonormalization. Extensions of the approach are developed.
Somatomotor and visceromotor correlates of operantly conditioned 12-14 C-SEC sensorimotor cortical activity.

Abstract 1. 1. Adult cats were trained in a free operant paradigm to produce a synchronized pattern (12–14 c/sec) of sensorimotor or cortical activity in order to obtain a milk reward. 2. 2. Somatic and visceral motor functions were monitored before and during episodes of conditioned sensorimotor activity. 3. 3. During conditioned 12–14 c/sec activity, consistent patterns of motor phenomena were observed which included a cessation of movement and a depression of somatic motor activity. 4. 4. A shift in visceral motor processes toward levels of activity which were parasympathetic in nature occurred during 12–14 c/sec activity. Heart rate decreased, and the pattern of respiration became more regular than during control periods. The onset of a conditioned EEG episode was correlated with inspiration and its termination with expiration. 5. 5. The following hypotheses were suggested based upon the results presented in this paper: (a) the specific EEG patterns of sensory and motor cortical gyri are correlated with uniform and functionally adaptive variations in somatic and visceral motor activity; (b) patterns of synchronized activity may reflect localized sites of “idling” within cortical areas devoted to primary sensory functions; and (c) the processes or conditions underlying 12–14 c/sec activity of the sensorimotor cortex are analogous to those responsible for the alpha activity of the visual cortex.
Effects of Increasing the Frequency of Low Doses of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) on Gonadotropin Secretion in GnRH-Deficient Men*

The effects of increasing the frequency of pulsatile GnRH administration on LH and FSH responsiveness were studied in five GnRH-deficient men who had achieved normal sex steroid levels during prior long term GnRH replacement. Intravenous doses of GnRH were employed that had previously been demonstrated to produce LH and FSH levels in each subject similar to those in normal men. Both acute and chronic changes in pituitary responses were studied after progressive increases in GnRH frequency (from every 120 to 60 min, from 60 to 30 min, and from 30 to 15 min) during three 12-h admissions, each separated by 7 days. During the two intervals between the studies GnRH frequency was 60 and 30 min, respectively. Pituitary responses were characterized by determining the mean serum LH and FSH levels, LH pulse amplitudes, and mean LH and FSH levels which were normalized for the frequency of GnRH administration (nLH and nFSH). As the frequency of GnRH stimulation was increased acutely, mean serum LH levels rose progressively, in contrast to both LH pulse amplitude and nLH levels which decreased, while serum testosterone (T) concentrations remained constant. No further evidence of gonadotroph desensitization occurred after chronic GnRH administration at either 60- or 30-min intervals. At higher frequencies of GnRH stimulation, discrete pulses of LH were not always apparent after injections of GnRH, and in two men, marked destabilization of the gonadotroph responses occurred. Even without detectable LH pulses, serum T levels did not decline during administration of GnRH at intervals as rapid as 15 min. In contrast, there was no change in mean FSH concentrations, although nFSH values decreased progressively as the GnRH frequency was increased. nFSH levels fell to a greater degree than nLH after each increase in GnRH frequency. Thus, pituitary gonadotroph responsiveness to a fixed dose of GnRH decreased as the frequency of GnRH stimulation increased. FSH responsiveness decreased to a greater degree than did LH. Gonadotropin secretory responses are destabilized at higher frequencies of GnRH administration. Pulsatile LH stimulation of the testes does not appear necessary to maintain T secretion.
Communication Development and Differences in Children Adopted From China and Eastern Europe

Purpose The communication development of children adopted from China and Eastern Europe was compared by region of origin at 6 and 12 months after adoption. Method Twenty children, recruited before ...
Diet of disparagement: the racial experiences of black students in a predominantly white university

As an unintended consequence of the Civil Rights Movement and the integrationist vocabulary that it engendered, otherwise progressive thinkers have been unable to describe the adverse impact of actions, attitudes and policies that are not necessarily intended as racist, but function that way nonetheless. Because racism has come to be popularly understood as the product of individual irrationality—aberrant behavior that society abhors—supposedly race neutral actions, attitudes and policies that systematically and predictably benefit whites and adversely impact people of color escape effective critique. This has created a problem on college campuses, where many black students continue to feel alienated and mistreated because of their race. This article argues that issues of race and racism remain important considerations in the lives of black students on predominantly white campuses.
Implementation of an ASP model offsite backup archive for clinical images utilizing Internet 2

With the development of PACS technology and an increasing demand by medical facilities to become filmless, there is a need for a fast and efficient method of providing data backup for disaster recovery and downtime scenarios. At the Image Processing Informatics Lab (IPI), an ASP Backup Archive was developed using a fault-tolerant server with a T1 connection to serve the PACS at the St. John's Health Center (SJHC) Santa Monica, California. The ASP archive server has been in clinical operation for more than 18 months, and its performance was presented at this SPIE Conference last year. This paper extends the ASP Backup Archive to serve the PACS at the USC Healthcare Consultation Center II (HCC2) utilizing an Internet2 connection. HCC2 is a new outpatient facility that recently opened in April 2004. The Internet2 connectivity between USC's HCC2 and IPI has been established for over one year. There are two novelties of the current ASP model: 1) Use of Internet2 for daily clinical operation, and 2) Modifying the existing backup archive to handle two sites in the ASP model. This paper presents the evaluation of the ASP Backup Archive based on the following two criteria: 1) Reliability and performance of the Internet2 connection between HCC2 and IPI using DICOM image transfer in a clinical environment, and 2) Ability of the ASP Fault-Tolerant backup archive to support two separate clinical PACS sites simultaneously. The performances of using T1 and Internet2 at the two different sites are also compared.
Postsynaptic adenosine A2A receptors modulate intrinsic excitability of pyramidal cells in the rat basolateral amygdala.

Background The basolateral amygdala plays a critical role in the etiology of anxiety disorders and addiction. Pyramidal neurons, the primary output cells of this region, display increased firing following exposure to stressors, and it is thought that this increase in excitability contributes to stress responsivity and the expression of anxiety-like behaviors. However, much remains unknown about the underlying mechanisms that regulate the intrinsic excitability of basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Methods Ex vivo gramicidin perforated patch recordings were conducted in current clamp mode where hyper- and depolarizing current steps were applied to basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons to assess the effects of adenosine A(2A) receptor modulation on intrinsic excitability. Results Activation of adenosine A(2A) receptors with the selective A(2A) receptor agonist CGS-21680 significantly increased the firing rate of basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons in rat amygdala brain slices, likely via inhibition of the slow afterhyperpolarization potential. Both of these A(2A) receptor-mediated effects were blocked by preapplication of a selective A(2A) receptor antagonist (ZM-241385) or by intra-pipette infusion of a protein kinase A inhibitor, suggesting a postsynaptic locus of A(2A) receptors on basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, bath application of the A(2A) receptor antagonist alone significantly attenuated basolateral amygdala pyramidal cell firing, consistent with a role for tonic adenosine in the regulation of the intrinsic excitability of these neurons. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggest that adenosine, via activation of A(2A) receptors, may directly facilitate basolateral amygdala pyramidal cell output, providing a possible balance for the recently described inhibitory effects of adenosine A1 receptor activation on glutamatergic excitation of basolateral amygdala pyramidal cells.
Anaphylactic reaction to platelet transfusion as the initial symptom of an undiagnosed systemic mastocytosis: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction: The association between anaphylactic reactions and systemic mastocytosis is well documented. However, platelet transfusion has not previously been reported as a potential elicitor of anaphylaxis in the context of systemic mastocytosis. Case presentation: We describe the clinicopathological findings of a 59-year-old Latin American man who presented to the emergency room with fatigue, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia and mild hepatosplenomegaly. He developed two separate, temporally associated and severe anaphylactic reactions after receiving platelet transfusions. The result of a laboratory investigation for clerical errors and Coombs test was negative. Pre- and post-transfusion urine samples were negative for hemolysis. Bone marrow biopsy and aspirate smears performed demonstrated involvement by systemic mastocytosis, which had been previously undiagnosed. Conclusions: We posit the transfusion reaction to be an anaphylactic reaction to transfused products as a result of heightened allergic sensitivity due to the underlying systemic mastocytosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a severe anaphylactic-type reaction to blood products occurring in the setting of a previously undiagnosed systemic mastocytosis. Furthermore, it seems there are no published studies closely examining the relationship between hematopoietic neoplasms and transfusion reactions in general.
δ13C food web analysis of a Texas sand dune community

Abstract Stable carbon isotope ratios ( δ 13 C) were determined for 31 plant and 16 animal species from a sand dune community on the south Texas coast. Plants and insects had similar δ 13 C values, forming two distinct groups, while herbivorous rodents formed a third intermediate group. This suggests that insects at the study site are specialists which feed on C 3 or C 4 plants, while the rodents are generalists, feeding on plants of both groups.
Reye's syndrome: mitochondrial swelling and Ca2+ release induced by Reye's plasma, allantoin, and salicylate.

The effects of Reye's plasma, allantoin, and salicylates on mitochondrial structure and Ca2+ transport have been investigated. Measurements of Ca2+ transport showed that when 20-30 microM Ca2+ was added to isolated rat liver mitochondria preincubated with one of these agents, Ca2+ uptake was followed by its spontaneous release into the medium. This was accompanied by large-amplitude swelling; the onset preceded the Ca2+ release. No further Ca2+ release was induced by uncoupler or the Ca2+ ionophore, A23187. The mitochondria continued to swell even after all of the Ca2+ had been released. The time between the addition of Ca2+ and the onset of swelling (or Ca2+ release) depended on the concentration of the agent added and the preincubation time; the extent of swelling did not. These effects were prevented, but not reversed, by ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid, ruthenium red, rotenone, or adenine nucleotides. The massive swelling and membrane disruption were confirmed by electron microscopy of the treated vs untreated mitochondria. Similar results concerning swelling and Ca2+ release were also seen with Ca2+ alone, but the time scale was much longer (i.e., greater than 3-4 min), indicating that these agents act by potentiating Ca2+-induced alterations in mitochondrial structure, as suggested by our earlier work (T.Y. Segalman and C.P. Lee (1982) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 214, 522-530; M.E. Martens and C.P. Lee (1984) Biochem. Pharmacol. 33, 2869-2876). Our data show, therefore, that allantoin, salicylates, and the "toxic" agent in Reye's plasma severely limit the ability of isolated rat liver mitochondria to maintain their structural integrity under conditions of limited Ca2+ loading.
Free-Energy Perturbation Methods to Study Structure and Energetics of DNA Adducts: Results for the Major N2-dG Adduct of Benzo[a]pyrene in Two Conformations and Different Sequence Contexts

The potent mutagen/carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is activated to (+)-anti-B[a]PDE, which induces a variety of mutations (e.g., G → T, G → A, etc.) via its major adduct [+ta]-B[a]P−N2-dG. One hypothesis is that adducts (such as [+ta]-B[a]P−N2-dG) induce different mutations via different conformations, probably when replicated by different lesion-bypass DNA polymerases (DNAPs). We showed that Escherichia coli DNAP V was responsible for G → T mutations with [+ta]-B[a]P-N2-dG in a 5‘-TGT sequence (Yin et al., (2004) DNA Repair 3, 323), so we wish to study conformations of this adduct/sequence context by molecular modeling. The development of a CHARMM-based molecular dynamics (MD) simulations protocol with free-energy calculations in the presence of solvent and counterions is described. A representative base-pairing and base-displaced conformation of [+ta]-B[a]P−N2-dG in the 5‘-TGT sequence are used: (1) BPmi5, which has the B[a]P moiety in the minor groove pointing toward the base on the 5‘-side of the a...
Organic/inorganic molecular beam epitaxy: photoelectrochemical and optical properties of epitaxially deposited single-component and multiple-component organic superlattices (Invited Paper)

We discuss here our most recent results with the characterization of epitaxial deposits of various phthalolcyanine dyes formed by vacuum deposition (O/I-MBE) or solution deposition on the surface of metal dichalcogenide semiconductors, such as SnS 2 . Surface electron diffraction techniques used during the vacuum deposition process help to verify the type and extent of long range ordering of these dyes. SnS 2 semiconductor substrates allow for the photoelectrochemical characterization of the dye layers, starting with the deposition of submonolayer amounts of material. High quantum yields per absorbed photon are seen for ultrathin films of InPc-Cl, VOPc, and CuPc on SnS 2 , and the photocurrent spectra suggest similar ordering at the monolayer level, even though multilayer structures are quite different. Ordered Pc thin films are also obtained for a new class of liquid crystalline phthalocyanines (LC-Pc), where the hydrocarbon side chains are attached to the Pc ring by amide linkages. Deposition of ultrathin films of these materials produces photocurrent spectra which are quite similar to those obtained for low coverages of the vacuum deposited Pc. Photocurrent spectra on SnS 2 show that the first monolayer of material may have a completely different surface structure than the bulk of the multilayer LC-Pc thin film. The nature of dye/dye' interfaces and their effect on exciton dissociation events has also been explored using vacuum deposited materials. Superlattices of Pcs were formed by vacuum deposition, where the active dye was sandwiched between various spacer molecules with thicknesses down to a few molecular layers. Transient photocurrent yield spectra from such assemblies suggests that exciton dissociation events in such materials can be confined to within a few molecular layers of the dye/dye' interface.
Cerebellar Medulloblastoma. Results of a new method of radiation treatment

Nine patients with medulloblastoma were referred to the Radiation Oncology Section at the University of Chicago from 1966 to 1976. In all patients, the tumor was situated in the posterior cranial fossa, projecting from the cerebellum into the fourth ventricle. After partial tumor resection and histological diagnosis, radiation treatment was instituted: a localized dose of 1000 rad to the posterior fossa through lateral opposing ports and a total dose of 4000-5000 rad through the "hockey-stick" port to the entire CNS. With this treatment, 9 patients yielded actuarial 3- and 5-year survival rates of 88% and 73%, respectively. Five of the patients possessed no history of neurologic or spinal growth deficits after treatment. Two patients had a slight retardation of spinal growth. The remaining patients had presented symptoms of a tumor mass in the posterior fossa for a period of over 8 months prior to treatment. They were found at craniectomy to have diffuse intracranial tumor involvement, and their survival times deteriorated rapidly. The "hockey-stick" port provided a uniform distribution of radiation exposure to the entire brain and spine. It was simple to use and posed little inconvenience to patients in the pediatric age group.
Evidence for a role of Mycoplasma genitalium in pelvic inflammatory disease.

Purpose of reviewMycoplasma genitalium is a common sexually transmitted pathogen frequently identified among women with pelvic inflammatory disease, the infection and inflammation of a woman's upper genital tract. Although Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae frequently cause pelvic infla
Neutron stars: Observing the properties of high-density nuclear matter

Abstract This talk reviews current understanding of the possible states of cold high-density matter found in the interiors of neutron stars — from the crust to the nuclear matter core, to exotic states including meson condensation, normal and strange quark matter, and quark droplets — and discusses observations of neutron stars as probes of high-density matter.
Resolving Identity Conflict: Gay, Lesbian, And Queer Individuals With A Christian Upbringing

Gay, lesbian, and queer individuals with a Christian upbringing often experience conflict between religion and sexual identity. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand how gay, lesbian, and queer-identified individuals with a Christian upbringing resolve conflict between sexual identity and religious beliefs. Analysis of in-depth interviews with 15 participants led to 3 conclusions. First, resolving the discord between sexual identity and religious beliefs is a five-stage process of internal conflict resolution. Second, personal and contextual factors affect every aspect of the resolution process. Finally, faith development and sexual identity development are intertwined and fluid constructions.