cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for an informal clinical policy resulting in high use of a very-low-yield test

Abstract The actual and self-reported practice regarding the use of cerebrospinal fluid cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was examined. All neurology house staff members surveyed, 62 percent of internal medicine house staff members, and none of pediatric house staff members reported that they would order mycobacterial cultures of cerebrospinal fluid routinely. The actual practice was comparable, with 71 percent of cerebrospinal fluid specimens being subjected to culture for mycobacteria on the neurology service, 65 percent on the internal medicine service, and 6 percent on the pediatric service. In this practice, medicine and neurology house staff differ significantly from their pediatric colleagues (p
Liposome-mediated delivery of pteridine antifolates to cells in vitro: potency of methotrexate, and its α and γ substituents

Abstract We have examined the growth-inhibitory potency of several pteridines encapsulated in negatively charged liposomes, including methotrexate, methotrexate-γ-methylamide, methothrexate-γ-dimethylamide, methotrexate-α-aspartate, and a lipophilic methotrexate-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate. The potency of encapsulated methotrexate is greater than the potency of the free drug for CV1-P cells, but not for other cell lines. The potency of methotrexate-γ-methylamide and mehtotrexate-γ-dimethylamide is only minimally improved by encapsulation. The potency of methotrexate-α-aspartate is increased by encapsulation. In addition, the lipophilic methotrexate derivative has demonstrable potency when incorporated in liposomes. We have also examined the potency of several pteridines under conditions where cells are exposed to the drug for periods shorter than the entire growth assay. Reduction of the exposure time decreases the potency of both encapsulated and free drugs. However, the difference in potency between the encapsulated and free drug is increased, because the potency of the encapsulated drug is affected less. Consequently, encapsulated methotrexate-γ-aspartate is 300-fold more potent than free drug, if CV1-P cells are exposed to drug for 4 h. Moreover, encapsulated methotrexate is more potent than free methotrexate for growth inhibition of L929 fibroblasts, if the term of exposure is less than 8 h. Potency is least affected by reduction of exposure length for the lipophilic methotrexate derivative.
Humanistic and Positive Psychology: The Methodological and Epistemological Divide

Humanistic and positive psychology both focus on similar concerns, but have differences regarding methodology and epistemology. In terms of methodology, humanistic psychologists tend to prefer qualitative over quantitative approaches, whereas positive psychologists tend to hold the opposite preference. Likewise, in terms of epistemology, humanistic psychologists tend to prefer postpositivism, whereas positive psychologists tend to prefer logical positivism. However, much of the perceived differences between humanistic and positive psychology have been based on generalizations that do not hold in every case, notably that humanistic psychology has rich quantitative research traditions, and positive psychology does contain some qualitative approaches. Methodological and epistemological pluralism is presented as a way to bring together these closely related, but now largely separate, areas of psychology.
Sexual behavior in ovariectomized and seasonally anovulatory pony mares (Equus caballus).

Abstract Ten ovariectomized (OVEX) and ten intact, but seasonally anovulatory (ANOV), pony mares were observed for sexual activity with five stallions, using a “harem group” social testing paradigm (two OVEX and two ANOV mares plus one stallion per group) for 15 consecutive daily tests lasting 20 min each. All mares in both conditions showed proceptive behavior in at least one test, all mares but one were mounted, and 14 of 20 mares received ejaculations. No statistical differences were found between the two conditions for any measure of proceptivity, copulatory activity, or days in estrus. The quality of estrus was judged to be equivalent to that displayed by periovulatory mares during their initial and terminal days of estrus, but less intense than that seen near ovulation. Mares in both groups were in estrus during approximately 60–70% of the tests and only 3 of the 20 mares were sexually refractory for more than five consecutive tests. Thus, the typical 2-week phase of sexual refractoriness seen in intact diestrous mares was absent in OVEX and ANOV mares, suggesting that the ovary plays a major role in actively suppressing estrous responses during the luteal phase of the cycle.
Discriminating D-amino acid-containing peptide epimers by radical-directed dissociation mass spectrometry.

The presence of a single d-amino acid in a peptide is very difficult to detect. Mass spectrometry-based approaches rely on differences in fragmentation between all l-amino acid-containing peptides and single d-amino acid-containing peptides (which are epimers) for identification. The success of this approach is dependent on the structural sensitivity of the fragmentation method. Recently, experiments have demonstrated that fragmentation initiated by radical chemistry, or radical-directed dissociation (RDD), is particularly sensitive to the structure of the ion being fragmented. Herein, RDD is used to identify the presence of d-serine, d-alanine, or d-aspartic acid in eight biologically relevant peptides. It is demonstrated that chiral disambiguation by RDD is dependent on both the initial radical site and subsequent radical migration. Fortuitously, RDD can be initiated by a variety of different radical precursors which can be associated with the peptide via covalent or noncovalent means, and RDD can be ex...
Differential involvement of prelimbic and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex in discrete cue-induced reinstatement of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) seeking in rats.

Rationale The amphetamine derivative 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) is a widely abused drug, particularly in adolescent and young adult populations. Although it was shown that MDMA-associated cues reinstate extinguished MDMA seeking in an animal relapse model, there is little information regarding the neural mechanisms underlying this behavior.
Diffusion and surface exchange coefficients in mixed ionic electronic conducting oxides from the pressure dependence of oxygen permeation

Abstract Using a simple model for the dependence of the net surface oxygen exchange flux on the chemical potential drop at the gas–MIEC interface, we are able to deduce the ambipolar diffusion coefficient D a and the surface exchange rate coefficient k i0 from the dependence of oxygen permeation on the oxygen pressure gradient. From permeation measurements on tubular membranes we report for SrCo 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3− δ at 890°C the values D a =8.3×10 −6 cm 2 s −1 and k i0 =2.1×10 −4 cm s −1 and for Sm 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 3− δ at 915°C the values 8.6×10 −7 cm 2 s −1 and 6×10 −5 cm s −1 .
Solution of inverse problems with limited forward solver evaluations: a Bayesian perspective

Solving inverse problems based on computationally demanding forward models is ubiquitously difficult since one is necessarily limited to just a few observations of the response surface. The usual practice is to replace the response surface with a surrogate. However, this approach induces additional uncertainties on the posterior distributions. The main contribution of this work is the reformulation of the Bayesian solution of the inverse problem when the expensive forward model is replaced by the surrogate. We derive three approximations of the reformulated solution with increasing complexity and fidelity. We demonstrate numerically that the proposed approximations capture theuncertaintyofthesolutionoftheinverseprobleminducedbythefactthatthe forward model is replaced by a finite number of simulations. We demonstrate our approach in two different problems: locating the contamination source of a diffusive process and inferring the permeability field of an oil reservoir based on measurements of the oil-cut curves.
Isomerization and deuterium scrambling evidence for a change in the rate-limiting step during imine hydrogenation by Shvo's hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium hydride.

Hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium hydride 5 efficiently reduces imines below room temperature. Better donor substituents on nitrogen give rise to faster rates and a shift of the rate-determining step from hydrogen transfer to amine coordination. Reduction of electron-deficient N-benzilidenepentafluoroaniline (8) at 11 °C resulted in free amine and kinetic isotope effects of kOH/kOD = 1.61 ± 0.08, kRuH/kRuD = 2.05 ± 0.08, and kRuHOH/kRuDOD = 3.32 ± 0.14, indicative of rate-limiting concerted hydrogen transfer, a mechanism analogous to that proposed for aldehyde and ketone reduction. Reduction of electron-rich N-alkyl-substituted imine, N-isopropyl-(4-methyl)benzilidene amine (9), was accompanied by facile imine isomerization and scrambling of deuterium labels from reduction with 5−RuDOH into the N-alkyl substituent of both the amine complex and into the recovered imine. Inverse equilibrium isotope effects were observed in the reduction of N-benzilidene-tert-butylamine (11) at −48 °C (kOH/kOD = 0.89 ± 0.06,...
System reliability approaches for advanced propulsion system structures

This paper identifies significant issues that pertain to the estimation and use of system reliability in the design of advanced propulsion system structures. Linkages between the reliabilities of individual components and their effect on system design issues such as performance, cost, availability, and certification are examined. The need for system reliability computation to address the continuum nature of propulsion system structures and synergistic progressive damage modes has been highlighted. Available system reliability models are observed to apply only to discrete systems. Therefore a sequential structural reanalysis procedure is formulated to rigorously compute the conditional dependencies between various failure modes. The method is developed in a manner that supports both top-down and bottom-up analyses in system reliability.
Endogenous Development Dynamics of Multisectoral Network Management

ABSTRACT Public networks are purported to be more organizationally agile than hierarchically structured bureaucracies, thereby seemingly offering such benefits as more efficient use of public resources and more effective delivery of services. However, little is known about how public networks develop over time and whether such change is related to managerial strategy. This article contributes to network management scholarship by offering an empirically based conceptual framework that extends Ring and Van de Ven's theoretical model (1994) of interorganizational development processes by integrating it with Herranz's framework (2008) for multisectoral network coordination. Specifically, this study analyzes how different network coordination strategies influence the balance of formal and informal processes associated with the three internal dimensions—negotiation, commitment, execution of agreement—of network development. The analysis is based on a quasi-natural experiment of three workforce development netwo...
Ovarian Torsion in a 5-Year Old: A Case Report and Review

Ovarian torsion represents a true surgical emergency. Prompt diagnosis is essential to ovarian salvage, and high clinical suspicion is important in this regard. Confounding the diagnosis in general are more commonly encountered abdominal complaints in the Emergency Department (ED) such as constipation, diarrhea, and urinary tract infections and more common surgical emergencies such as appendicitis. Prompt diagnosis can be further complicated in low-risk populations such as young children. Herein, we describe the case of a 5-year-old girl with a seemingly benign presentation of abdominal pain who was diagnosed in the ED and treated for acute ovarian torsion after two prior clinic visits. A brief discussion of evaluation, treatment, and management of ovarian torsion follows.
Individuation of Actions from Continuous Motion

Three studies explored how infants parse a stream of motion into distinct actions. Results show that infants (a) can perceptually discriminate different actions performed by a puppet and (b) can individuate and enumerate heterogeneous sequences of such actions (e.g., jump-fall-jump) when the actions are separated by brief motionless pauses, but (c) are not able to individuate such actions when embedded within a continuous stream of motion. Combined with previous research showing that infants can individuate homogeneous actions from an ongoing stream of motion, these findings suggest that infants can use repeating patterns of motion in the perceptual input to define action boundaries. Results have implications as well for infants' conceptual structure for actions.
Role of autonomic nervous system controlling secretion of pulmonary phospholipids in the rabbit at birth.

Corbet, A. J. S., Flax, P., Alston, C. and Rudolph, A. J. (1979).Aust. Paediatr. J., 15, 238–242. Role of autonomic nervous system controlling secretion of pulmonary phospholipids in the rabbit at birth. Saline, propranolol or atropine was injected into 29.5 day fetal and newborn rabbits, and after 15 minutes they were sacrificed at delivery or allowed to breath room air for a further 45 minutes. Then the lungs were lavaged with physiological saline and measurements made of total phospholipid in lavage fluid. From the lungs of nonbreathing fetal and newborn rabbits injected with saline, propranolol or atropine, recovery of phospholipid was a mean of 5.0, 4.2 and 5.2 micrograms per gram dry lung weight per gram body weight respectively. Breathing for 45 minutes was associated with an increase to mean values of 7.6 p <0.05), 6.7 (p<0.05) and 5.6 micrograms per gram dry lung weight per gram body weight respectively. These results were interpreted to mean that the normal increase of pulmonary phospholipid secretion associated with the onset of breathing at birth could be inhibited by atropine, but not by propranolol. This suggests that the secretory process associated with breathing is under control of the parasympathetic nervous system.
A Comparative Study of Argon and Krypton Laser Photocoagulation in the Treatment of Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome

Ninety eyes from 88 patients with active macular subretinal neovascular membranes of presumed ocular histoplasmosis were treated with photocoagulation: 45 eyes with blue-green argon laser and 45 with red krypton laser. Final visual results are compared between these two series and natural course of the disease. The krypton laser photocoagulated eyes obtained better final visual results when compared with both the argon laser treated series and natural course.
Groundwater geochemistry of the carbonate karst aquifer, southcentral Kentucky, U.S.A.

Abstract Analyses of 441 water samples from 15 sample sites, mainly springs and sinking creeks in the southcentral Kentucky karst, were used to determine hardness, PCO2, and state of saturation with respect to calcite and dolomite. Most of the waters are undersaturated with respect to calcite and more undersaturated with respect to dolomite, in agreement with recent kinetic models. Time series data revealed chemical fluctuations on both weekly and seasonal time scales. Much of the short-term variation and some of the seasonal variation in the hardness and saturation index parameters can be accounted for by dilution effects from storm and seasonal runoff. Seasonal cycles in CO2 partial pressure arise from a dependence of soil CO2 on temperature and the growing season. Waters from different locations in the aquifer system are chemically distinct and fit into the concept of a hydrochemical facies.
Analytical Evaluation of Interfacial Shear Strength for Fiber‐Reinforced Ceramic Composites

A methodology is described to evaluate the shear strength at the fiber-coating interface. Stress analyses are performed for the following system: a fiber with a uniform coating in its central portion which is subjected to an axial tensile stress through its bare ends. The results show that the axial tensile stress in the coating decreases with the increase in the thickness of the coating and that the interfacial shear stress exhibits the opposite trend. Hence, a critical thickness of the coating can be defined depending on the properties of the material, such that when the coating thickness is less than the critical value, failure of the composites initiates from segmentation of the coating during tensile loading, Conversely, when the coating thickness is greater than the critical value, debonding of the interface occurs. Furthermore, the interfacial shear strength can be related to this critical thickness and the tensile strength of the coating.
STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF A PAIRED NUCLEUS WITH FIXED QUASIPARTICLE NUMBER

Abstract The pairing Hamiltonian, diagonal in the quasiparticle space, has been used to determine the statistical and thermodynamical properties of a system with fixed number of quasiparticles. The formalism can describe the phase transition occuring at fixed energy as the system relaxes from the initial to the equilibrium quasiparticle number.
The Role of Dialogue in Providing Scaffolded Instruction

The acquisition and refinement of cognitive strategies are described as a collaborative effort between teachers and students that is facilitated by scaffolded instruction. Although dialogue does not currently have a preeminent role in our classrooms, it can promote the kinds of opportunities necessary for the teacher to provide scaffolded instruction. To support and illustrate this point, a program of research investigating the use of dialogue to teach comprehension strategies is reviewed with particular attention to its extension to first-grade students at risk for academic difficulty. Transcripts from this research are presented to capture the quality of dialogue that fosters scaffolded instruction.
BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF OBESE BINGE EATERS: DO THEY NEED DIFFERENT CARE?

This study investigated the relationship between binge eating and the outcome of weight loss treatment. Participants in a 48-week trial of a structured diet combined with exercise and behavior therapy were classified into one of four groups: no overeating; episodic overeating; subthreshold binge-eating disorder(BED); and BED. Binge eating status was not associated with either dropout or adherence to the diet, but did affect weight loss and mood. The BED group lost significantly more weight at the end of treatment than all other groups, even when adjusting for initial weight. At 1-year follow-up, there were no differences among groups in weight loss or weight regain. The BED group began treatment with significantly higher BDI scores, but improvement in mood occurred by week 5. On the basis of these findings, and a review of the recent literature, we conclude that obese binge eaters respond as favorably to standard dietary and behavioral treatments as do obese nonbingers.
Responses of the granule cells of the selachian cerebellum (Mustelus canis)

Summary The granule cells of the selachian cerebel um are concentrated in two parasagittal cords closely adjacent on either side of the midline, which is an arrangement that gives very favorable conditions for selective recording from granule cells by an extracellular microelectrode. A mossy fiber volley generates a negative potential wave with the time course and depth profile expected for the synaptic excitatory responses of granule cells. With large volleys, the spike responses of granule cells are superimposed thereon. With two mossy fiber volleys at intervals up to 70 msec, there is facilitation of the spike discharge, and this has been studied in unitary recordings from granule cells which are found to respond by brief repetitive discharges. When the axons of granule cells (the parallel fibers) are excited by a surface electrode, the field potentials in the granule cord show that there is antidromic invasion of the granule cells. After this invasion the recovery is faster than after the antidromic invasion of Purkyně cells, being complete within 20 msec. There has been no evidence for an inhibitory action of the so-called Golgi cells on the granule cells. The physiological findings on the neurons of the dogfish cerebellar cortex have been correlated with the histological data, and this correlation has been displayed diagrammatically.
Genesis of Clay Minerals in Some Pennsylvanian Shales of Indiana and Illinois

Shales of marine, brackish-water, and nonmarine origin, collected from cyclothems of Pennsylvanian age, were analyzed chemically and mineralogically. Clay mineral identifications were accomplished using x-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis techniques. Summations of the structure amplitudes of the individual clay minerals formed a basis for semi-quantitative ratios between illite and kaolinite-chlorite. Illite was found to be enriched in the marine shales. The origin of the authigenic clay minerals in the shales is discussed from two aspects. The first and probably the more correct uses the thesis that the ultimate clay mineral is built up from a skeletal aluminum-silicate structure; the second discusses the origin of the clay minerals from a purely colloidal point of view. Trace element determinations, pH values, and pipette analyses are also included as a part of this study.
Identifying functionally important mutations from phenotypically diverse sequence data

ABSTRACT Here we present a simple statistical method to determine the phenotypic contribution of a single mutation from libraries of mutants with diverse phenotypes in which each mutant contains a multitude of mutations. The central premise of this method is that, given M phenotypic classes, mutations that do not affect the phenotype should partition among the M classes according to a multinomial distribution. Deviations from this distribution are indicative of a link between specific mutations and phenotypes. We suggest that this method will aid the engineering of functional nucleic acids, proteins, and other biomolecules by uncovering target sites for rational mutagenesis. As a proof of the principle, we show how the method can be used to deduce the individual effects of mutations in a set of 69 PL-λ promoter variants. Each of these promoters was generated by error-prone PCR and incorporated numerous mutations. The activity of the promoters was assayed using flow cytometry to measure the fluorescence of a green fluorescent protein reporter gene. Our analysis of the sequences of these mutants revealed seven positions having a statistically significant correlation with promoter activity. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we constructed point mutations for several sites, both statistically significant and insignificant, and combinations of these sites. Our results show that the statistical method correctly elucidated the phenotypic manifestations of these mutations. We suggest that this method may be useful for expediting directed evolution experiments by allowing both desired and undesired mutations to be identified and incorporated between rounds of mutagenesis.
An equable glaciopluvial in the West: Pleniglacial evidence of increased precipitation on a gradient from the Great Basin to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts

Abstract Dated macrofossil evidence documents the widespread occurrence of woodland in what are now desert lowlands of southwestern North America from the last pleniglacial (ca. 20,000 yr B.P.) to late glacial/Holocene transition (12,000–8000 yr B.P.). The composition of the Pleistocene woodlands indicates that they had already differentiated geographically in modern form, though immensely more extensive than today. The pinyon-juniper woodland ( Pinus monophylla, Juniperus osteosperma ) of the Mohave Desert province had not yet penetrated the central Great Basin, but extended from southern Nevada south through the vast lowlands of the Mohave and westernmost Sonoran Deserts to southeastern California and Baja California. The strongly xerophytic Mohavean woodland was characterized by a very well-marked altitudinal and latitudinal zonation with juniper-Joshua tree ( Yucca brevifolia ) sorting out below pinyon-juniper woodland, and with live oaks restricted to the upper level along the lower Colorado River drainage. Southeastward, the Sonoran Desert province was similarly zoned, but with the more slender-leaved Pinus edulis var. fallax as pinyon and with more live oaks in the upper zone. However, the pleniglacial woodland of the Chihuahuan Desert province was almost unzoned, inasmuch as the less xerophytic species of pinyon and live oaks prevailed over the entire span of available elevation; the pinyon was the very slender-leaved P. cembroides var. remota . The overall paleozonation indicates a strong northwest-to-southeast gradient of increasing summer rain with decreasing distance from the monsoonal source area over the Gulf of Mexico, as at present, but augmented pluvially along the same gradient. A key piece of evidence is the counterintuitive latitudinal-zonational anomaly between about 30 and 40° N in southwestern North America; the lower limits of modern vegetational zones are depressed with decreasing latitude (e.g., ca. 500 m lower at 34° than at 36° N). The axis of the gradient actually extends from northwest to southeast , paralleling the monsoonal gradient of increasing summer rain, which no doubt causes the apparent anomaly. During the Wisconsinan glacial, the latitudinal anomaly was greatly steepened , a fact requiring a pluvial increase in precipitation over the Southwest. The monsoonalpluvial pattern is supported by the Neotoma record of a northwest-to-southeast gradient of increasing diversity of evergreen oaks requiring summer rain, and by a parallel segregation of pinyon species. Equability of seasons during the last glacial is also suggested by the Neotoma macrofossil data.
Anion encapsulation and dynamics in self-assembled coordination cages

The ability of cationic coordination cages to act as anion receptors is reviewed, with an emphasis on the anion encapsulation chemistry and the dynamics of cage assembly, anion exchange, and other anion-induced structural transformations. The first part of the review describes various examples of anion-encapsulating coordination cages, categorized on the basis of their MxLy stoichiometry (M = metal cation; L = organic ligand). The second part deals with the dynamic aspects of anion encapsulation, including the kinetics and mechanism of anion binding, release, and exchange, as well as the structural evolution of the coordination complexes involved.
RIGID DESIGNATORS FOR PROPERTIES

Here I defend the position that some singular terms for properties are rigid designators, responding to Stephen P. Schwartz’s interesting criticisms of that position. First, I argue that my position does not depend on ontological parsimony with respect to properties – e.g., there is no need to claim that there are only natural properties – to get around the problem of “unusual properties.” Second, I argue that my position does not confuse sameness of meaning across possible worlds with sameness of designation, or rigid designation. Third, I argue that my position does not founder by way of failing to assign rigidity the work of grounding a posteriori necessity.
Government turnover and economic accountability

Abstract Studies of government popularity over time either ignore the problem of turnover in office or handle it with arbitrary time trends. How does the fact that a government is still relatively new influence its popularity? We propose the notion of a ‘popularity credit’. The electorate is seen as lending a new government such a credit. Like every other credit it must be repaid: at what interest rate and in what currency? We consider good performance in office the main currency in which a government buys popular support, especially economic performance. Our study incorporates a non-linear estimate of the popularity credit in an economic-performance model of government popularity. The analysis deals with the German Federal Republic from 1969 to 1987, during that period one major government turnover took place, in 1982, and a minor one in the chancellor's office, in 1974.
Optimum shell design.

Comparison of two methods, namely Nedler and Mead's (1965) simplex method and Davidon's (1959) variable metric method, for achieving optimum design in terms of minimum weight for rotational shells under certain constraints. The superiority of one of the methods over the other is shown to depend, among other things, upon the form of the function to be minimized, and whether or not it is continuous everywhere in values and derivatives.
Porous Thin-Film Anode Materials for Solid-Oxide fuel Cells

Thin film, solid-oxide fuel cells (TFSOFCs) synthesized from an electrolyte and conductive material are developed using photolithographic patterning and physical vapor deposition. The anode layer must enable combination of the reactive gases, be conductive to pass the electric current, and provide mechanical support to the electrolyte and cathode layers. The microstructure and morphology desired for the anode layer should facilitate generation of maximum current density from the fuel cell. For these purposes, the parameters of the deposition process and post-deposition patterning are developed to optimize a continuous porosity across the anode layer. The anode microstructure is characterized using scanning electron microscopy and the power ouput generated through current-voltage measurement.
The Postnatal Human Filum Terminale Is a Source of Autologous Multipotent Neurospheres Capable of Generating Motor Neurons

BACKGROUND Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are undifferentiated and mitotic and can be induced to differentiate into neurons and glia, the building blocks of the nervous system. NPCs have great therapeutic potential for nervous system trauma and degenerative disorders. They have been identified in the mammalian central nervous system, but current sources are difficult to access surgically and come from regions that are critical for normal brain function. OBJECTIVE To identify and characterize in detail a novel source of human NPCs in the filum terminale (FT), a vestigial structure at the caudal end of the spinal cord, which is easily accessed and plays no functional role in the postnatal nervous system. METHODS Cells were isolated and cultured in vitro from the FT of terminated fetuses and from children and adolescents who had undergone surgical resections for tethered spinal cords. Cell culture techniques, immunohistochemistry, and immunocytochemistry were applied to examine FT cells. RESULTS : FT cells gave rise to neurospheres that proliferated over extended periods of time in culture. These neurospheres were positive for neural stem/progenitor cell markers by immunocytochemical staining. The neurospheres were able to be induced to differentiate in vitro into neurons and glial cells, which were confirmed by the use of antibodies against the cell type-specific markers. Moreover, they have been induced to form motor neurons capable of innervating striated muscle in vitro. CONCLUSION Multipotent NPC cells from the FT are both accessible and expendable. They may allow autologous cell-based transplantation therapy that circumvents immunological rejection.
Characterization and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani Isolates Affecting Pisum sativum in North Dakota.

Abstract Acreage of dry field pea (Pisum sativum) in North Dakota has increased approximately eightfold from the late 1990s to the late 2000s to over 200,000 ha annually. A coincidental increase in losses to root rots has also been observed. Root rot in dry field pea is commonly caused by a complex of pathogens which included Fusarium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani. R. solani isolates were obtained from roots sampled at the three- to five-node growth stage from North Dakota pea fields and from symptomatic samples received at the Plant Diagnostic Lab at North Dakota State University in 2008 and 2009. Using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), 17 R. solani pea isolates were determined to belong to anastomosis group (AG)-4 homogenous group (HG)-II and two isolates to AG-5. Pathogenicity of select pea isolates was determined on field pea and two rotation hosts, soybean and dry bean. All isolates caused disease on all hosts...
Kinematics of powerful jets from intermediate-mass protostars in the Carina nebula

We present measurements of proper motions and radial velocities of four powerful Herbig-Haro (HH) jets in the Carina nebula: HH 666, HH 901, HH 902, and HH 1066. Two epochs of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging separated by a time baseline of ~4.4 years provide proper motions that allow us to measure the transverse velocities of the jets, while ground-based spectra sample their Doppler velocities. Together these yield full three-dimensional space velocities. Aside from HH 666, their identification as outflows was previously inferred only from morphology in images. Proper motions now show decisively that these objects are indeed jets, and confirm that the intermediate-mass protostars identified as the candidate driving sources for HH 666 and HH 1066 are indeed the origin of these outflows. The appearance of two new knots in the HH 1066 jet suggest recent (~35 yr) changes in the accretion rate, underscoring the variable nature of accretion and outflow in the formation of intermediate-mass stars. In fact, kinematics and mass-ejection histories for all the jets suggest highly episodic mass loss, and point toward pronounced accretion fluctuations. Overall, we measure velocities similar to those found for low-mass protostars. However, the HH jets in Carina have higher densities and are more massive than their low-mass counterparts. Coarse estimates suggest that the heavy jets of intermediate-mass protostars can compete with or even exceed inject ~10 or more times the cumulative momentum injection of lower-mass protostars.
Somato-social development in the rhesus monkey following olfactory bulbectomy

Bilateral olfactory bulbectomy was performed on the rhesus macaque (M. mulatta) at 6 to 8 months of age. Social interaction and plasma testosterone levels obtained at approximately 2-1/2 years of age indicated that early olfactory bulb ablation resulted in higher levels of aggressivity concomitant with lower levels of social facilitory behavior. Bulbectomy did not interfere with the development of normal sexual posturing and orientation at the juvenile stage. Lower testosterone levels in the anosmic females indicated possible delay in the onset of puberty, while no differences were found in testosterone between the anosmic and control males.
Changes of cellular structure and subcellular enzymatic patterns during the activation of glyconeogenesis in Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Combined evidence from density-gradient analysis of subcellular fractions for enzyme distribution and transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections of whole cells and subcellular fractions indicates a substantial reorganization of the cells as they become active in lipid glyconeogenesis. Mitochondria, peroxisomes, and granular cytoplasm become engulfed in numerous large vacuoles containing essential enzymes for lipid glyconeogenesis. The presence of abundant masses of glycogen and remnants of partially degraded peroxisomes and mitochondria within these larger membrane-bound compartments resembling autophagic vacuoles suggests a glyconeogenic role for these subcellular particles. Moreover, this sequestration mechanism may explain how necessary enzymes for glyconeogenesis normally found in separate organelles become combined into a common, functional compartment. The sequestered enzymes are not fully representative of the normal spectrum of activities found in pure fractions of these organelles, thus suggesting a selective alteration of enzymatic complement when the organelles are sequestered within a common autophagelike vacuole.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Induces Differential Regulation of Tryptophan Hydroxylase 2 Protein and mRNA Levels in the Rat Dorsal Raphe Nucleus

Previous investigations with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) have suggested that administration of this drug results in a degeneration of 5-HT nerve terminals and subsequent alterations in 5-HT neurotransmission. However, only limited investigations have examined the effects of MDMA on the dorsal raphe nucleus. The present study was designed to assess the effect of MDMA on the rate-limiting enzyme in 5-HT biosynthesis, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), by measuring TPH2 protein and mRNA levels in rat dorsal raphe (DR) nucleus. Rats were administered MDMA (20 mg/kg, s.c.) or saline twice daily for 4 days and killed 14 days later. Tissue sections of the DR were processed for quantitative immunoautoradiography and in situ hybridization histochemistry for measurements of the levels of TPH2-immunoreactivity (IR) and TPH2 mRNA. To assess 5-HT axon terminal integrity after MDMA treatment, the density of 5-HT transporter (SERT) binding sites was measured by quantitative autoradiography using [125I]RTI-55 ((-)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl) tropane) (125I-RTI-55) as a ligand. TPH2-IR levels were significantly decreased by 45% in the mid DR and by 40% in the caudal DR in the MDMA-treated rats compared with saline-injected rats. In contrast, TPH2 mRNA levels were significantly increased by 24% in the mid DR and by 12% in the caudal DR. MDMA treatment significantly decreased 125I-RTI-55 labeled SERT binding sites in the striatum, nucleus accumbens and cingulate cortex demonstrating a loss of 5-HT terminals. The increase in TPH2 mRNA levels in both the mid DR and caudal DR of MDMA-treated rats may reflect a compensatory mechanism in the injured 5-HT neurons to increase TPH2 protein synthesis. Taken together, our results suggest that a serious defect occurs in the biosynthesis of TPH2 in the DR following MDMA administration.
Patient Evaluations of Pharmacist Performance with Variations in Attire and Communication Levels

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether the attire of a pharmacist has any effect on how he is evaluated when a patient also considers the pharmacist's performance and to assess whether attire and performance interact to influence patients' evaluations. Design Randomized, cross-sectional, three-factor design. Setting Community pharmacy settings were portrayed. Participants 179 university staff members. Interventions Videos of pharmacist–patient interactions were encoded and placed on a Web site to be viewed by participants. Main Outcome Measures Service encounter satisfaction, perceptions of overall service quality, trust in the service provider, and behavioral intentions based on two levels of pharmacist communication performance (high or adequate), three levels of dress style (casual, business casual, formal), and two levels of white coat (wearing or not). Results Of the three independent variables, only communication performance was found to significantly influence the dependent variables. High communication performance resulted in higher satisfaction scores, higher perceptions of quality, higher levels of trust, and behavioral intention scores that reflected a greater willingness to use and recommend the pharmacist. Conclusion Style of dress or whether the pharmacist was wearing a white coat did not significantly influence participants' evaluations of the pharmacist in this study. Rather, the level of the pharmacist's communication performance was the most important cue used by participants in their ratings of service encounter satisfaction, perceptions of overall service quality, and trust in the service provider.
Teaching children about health, part II: the effect of an academic-community partnership on medical students' communication skills.

Context Partners in Health Education (PHE) is a Dartmouth Medical School elective that pairs first- and second-year medical students with local elementary school classroom teachers to provide health messages to students. The primary aim of the programme is to help medical students improve their communication skills through teaching children about health. Secondary aims are to teach children about health and the prevention of injury and disease and to support community teachers in their health promotion efforts. This report contains the results of the assessment of the programme's impact on the medical students. Methods Sixteen first- and second-year medical students comprised the participants for the study. Students were assessed during their first and fourth teaching experiences using a variety of evaluation measures, including student surveys of expectations and perceptions; ratings of performance in the classroom by students, teachers, and classroom observers; coded videotapes of classroom teaching sessions; and performance on a measure of physician-patient communication skills. Findings Over the course of the teaching experience, medical students' teaching and communication skills increased on a number of measures. Discussion Programmes such as PHE can provide true service-learning experiences in which all participants benefit. Medical students can learn how to communicate about health, a set of skills they will need to become effective physicians. School children can learn about health, so they are empowered to take charge of their health and to make healthy choices.
Hybrid image classification and parameter selection using a shared memory parallel algorithm

This work presents a shared memory parallel version of the hybrid classification algorithm IGSCR (iterative guided spectral class rejection) to facilitate the transition from serial to parallel processing. This transition is motivated by a demonstrated need for more computing power driven by the increasing size of remote sensing data sets due to higher resolution sensors, larger study regions, and the like. Parallel IGSCR was developed to produce fast and portable code using Fortran 95, OpenMP, and the Hierarchical Data Format version 5 (HDF5) and accompanying data access library. The intention of this work is to provide an efficient implementation of the established IGSCR classification algorithm. The applicability of the faster parallel IGSCR algorithm is demonstrated by classifying Landsat data covering most of Virginia, USA into forest and non-forest classes with approximately 90% accuracy. Parallel results are given using the SGI Altix 3300 shared memory computer and the SGI Altix 3700 with as many as 64 processors reaching speedups of almost 77. Parallel IGSCR allows an analyst to perform and assess multiple classifications to refine parameters. As an example, parallel IGSCR was used for a factorial analysis consisting of 42 classifications of a 1.2GB image to select the number of initial classes (70) and class purity (70%) used for the remaining two images.
Beauty and Thinness Messages in Children's Media: A Content Analysis

Research suggests that young children have body image concerns, such as a desire for thinness and an avoidance of obesity. Surprisingly, few studies have investigated how children's body preferences and stereotypes are influenced by media aimed at children. In order to gain a better understanding of the content of such media, a content analysis was used to examine body image-related messages in popular children's videos and books. Results indicated that messages emphasizing the importance of physical appearance and portraying body stereotypes are present in many children's videos but relatively few books. Of the videos examined, the ones that exhibited the most body image-related messages were Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. Indian in the Cupboard and ET were the videos with the least number of body image-related messages. Of the books studied, the one with the highest number of body image-related messages was Rapunzel. Ginger and The Stinky Cheese Man were the only books studied that did not exhibit body image-related messages. Implications of an association of beauty and thinness in children's media are explored.
Integer Programming Via Modular Representations

Modular representations of the integers are used to identify the successive integer grid points encountered as one varies the objective value of an all-integer programming problem. One can, therefore, proceed from a noninteger solution to an integer solution by monotonic variation of the objective value. Ordinarily, it is necessary to perturb the objective function of a problem to fit the prescribed format for the algorithm: although this is easily done for small problems, the limited number of digits carried by most computing machines prevents it for problems with many variables. The features of the algorithm are virtually independent of the number and the linearity or nonlinearity of the constraints, provided the variables are constrained to be nonnegative and bounded above.
Determining the influence of tangible items on screaming and handmouthing following an inconclusive functional analysis

A brief experimental analysis was used to compare the effects of the presence of tangible objects in an alone condition following an inconclusive functional analysis of screaming and handmouthing behavior of an 8-year-old boy. The alone condition with tangibles involved having toys available throughout the session with no interaction from the therapist and produced a higher percentage of intervals with screaming and handmouthing. The study demonstrates the importance of evaluating the effects of the presence of tangible items during a functional analysis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post traumatic stress disorders

A clinical overview of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) is presented emphasizing altered qualities of experience and behavior. A schema of human psychological responses to stressful life events is reviewed as an introduction to the extensive development of concepts of pathological stress response syndromes: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders; post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic type; delayed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. An illustrative case history is presented. The potential development of PTSD in individuals experiencing less than overwhelming stressors is conceptualized.
Ethanol stimulates apolipoprotein A-I secretion by human hepatocytes: implications for a mechanism for atherosclerosis protection.

Ethanol intake in humans has been shown to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease. The specific mechanism by which ethanol is cardioprotective has not been elucidated. Apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, the major protein of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), takes up cellular cholesterol, thus initiating reverse cholesterol transport whereby excess tissue cholesterol is eliminated. Using highly specific antibodies, we have found that ethanol increases apo A-I secretion and the incorporation of radiolabeled leucine into apo A-I by human hepatocytes (Hep-G2 cells). In addition, we have found that apo A-I molecules induced by ethanol have the ability to efflux cholesterol from human fibroblasts in vitro, and that apo A-I mass directly correlates with cholesterol efflux levels. At 10, 20, and 100 mmol/L, ethanol stimulated apo A-I secretion by 130%, 136%, and 162% of control, respectively (control, 3.71 micrograms apo A-I/micrograms DNA), also stimulating the incorporation of 3H-leucine into newly synthesized apo A-I by 115%, 131%, and 159% of control (control, 111 cpm/micrograms DNA/h). The ethanol-induced apo A-I from Hep-G2 cells (incubated with 0, 10, 20, and 100 mmol/L ethanol) effluxed 2%, 14%, 16%, and 32% label (per h/mL incubation medium), respectively. Apo A-I mass correlated linearly with cholesterol efflux (r = .99, P less than .01). This data indicates that the cardioprotective role of moderate ethanol intake in humans is mediated by its stimulatory action on hepatic apo A-I secretion, thus defining the physiological basis for increased plasma apo A-I levels in vivo.