cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
International Health Economics

Perhaps because health care is a local service sector, health economists have paid little attention to international linkages between domestic health care economies. However, the growth in domestic health care sectors is often attributed to medical innovations whose returns are earned worldwide. Because world returns drive innovation and innovation is central to spending growth, spending growth in a given country is thereby highly affected by health care economies and policies of other countries. This paper analyzes the unique positive and normative implications of these innovation-induced linkages across countries when governments centrally price health care. Providing world returns to medical innovation under such central pricing involves a public-goods problem; the taxation to fund reimbursements involves a private domestic cost with an international benefit of medical innovation. This has the direct normative implication that medical innovations have inefficiently low world returns. It also has the positive implication that reimbursements in one country depend negatively on those of others; reimbursements are "strategic substitutes" through free riding. Because reimbursements are strategic substitutes, world concentration of health care is a significant issue. A small European country has no access-innovation trade-off in its pricing; it will have low reimbursements because it does not affect world returns and sees the same innovations regardless of its reimbursement policy. The public-goods problem of innovation thereby implies that the United States, despite being the world's largest buyer, will pay the highest reimbursements. This problem also implies that free riding counteracts the standard positive impact of larger world markets on innovation when health care concentration falls. Indeed, currently, health care is highly concentrated; about half of world health care spending occurs in the United States, despite that fact that it makes up only about one-fifth of the world economy. We assess the effect that emerging markets will have on this concentration and thus world returns. We use pharmaceutical reimbursement data from 1996-2010 to provide IV estimates of the degree to which domestic reimbursements are strategic substitutes. We find that these estimates imply that world returns from innovation may actually fall from a growth in "market size" of BRICS countries as a result of increased free riding in non-BRICS countries. The overall analysis has important positive implications for spending patterns across countries as well as normative implications for evaluating domestic or regional health care reforms.Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Evanescent microwave microscopy of thermally-damaged charge coupled devices

Evanescent Microwave Probe (EMP) scanning is used to detect thermal damage in silicon (Charge Coupled Device) CCD arrays. The CCD is a solid-state chip that turns light into electric signals and essentially functions as a camera-on-a-chip. These devices have been used on flight missions such as the Galileo mission to Jupiter and the Hubble space telescope. The primary interest is in the amount of damage these devices can withstand and remain functional. Evanescent microwave probes have the unique ability to image subsurface features under semi-conducting or dielectric materials. This nondestructive evaluation technique will allow fast and highly accurate surface/subsurface scans of damaged CCD array devices.
Template-assisted selective epitaxy of III–V nanoscale devices for co-planar heterogeneous integration with Si

III–V nanoscale devices were monolithically integrated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates by template-assisted selective epitaxy (TASE) using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Single crystal III–V (InAs, InGaAs, GaAs) nanostructures, such as nanowires, nanostructures containing constrictions, and cross junctions, as well as 3D stacked nanowires were directly obtained by epitaxial filling of lithographically defined oxide templates. The benefit of TASE is exemplified by the straightforward fabrication of nanoscale Hall structures as well as multiple gate field effect transistors (MuG-FETs) grown co-planar to the SOI layer. Hall measurements on InAs nanowire cross junctions revealed an electron mobility of 5400 cm2/V s, while the alongside fabricated InAs MuG-FETs with ten 55 nm wide, 23 nm thick, and 390 nm long channels exhibit an on current of 660 μA/μm and a peak transconductance of 1.0 mS/μm at VDS = 0.5 V. These results demonstrate TASE as a promising fabrication approach for heterogeneou...
Electron microscopic imaging of chromatin with nucleosome resolution.

Publisher Summary Nuclear DNA in eukaryotes has a nucleosomal organization. Specific assemblies of nucleosomes and nonhistone nuclear proteins play important roles in local transcriptional regulation and in large-scale regulatory events, such as silencing and heterochromatization. The three-dimensional conformation and spatial arrangement of these assemblies plays a crucial functional role, and a complete understanding of nuclear processes must include architectural and compositional aspects. Imaging methods provide reliable information at a level of resolution sufficient to complement and assist in the interpretation of molecular data. There are two principal modes of studying chromatin with conventional transmission electron microscopy, each having advantages and disadvantages. For both, it is important to recognize the various levels of uncertainty that accompany each preparative step and to take this into account in interpreting the final images. In situ studies employ sections of cells or nuclei that are subjected to chemical fixation or cryoimmobilization. These methods preserve intranuclear location and relationships among large-scale nuclear structures.
Astrophysics for Physicists, by Arnab Rai Choudhuri

Astrophysics for Physicists, by Arnab Rai Choudhuri, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 490 pp., £35.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-521-81553-6. Scope: monograph. Level: advanced undergraduate...
Geometry and Modulation Theory for the Periodic Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation

We describe the integrable structure of solutions of the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation under periodic and quasiperiodic boundary conditions. We focus on those aspects of the exact theory which reveal the behavior of these solutions under perturbations of initial conditions (i.e. linearized instabilities), and the effects of slow modulations in space and time, perhaps in the presence of external perturbations. These results and methods continue the investigations of Ercolani, Flaschka, Forest and McLaughlin [1–7] on Korteweg-deVries (KdV), sine-Gordon (sG) and sinh-Gordon wavetrains. Our purpose here is to document the corresponding features of NLS solutions; the rigorous analysis that underlies this paper derives from [1–7] and will appear in the thesis of Lee [8].
Static permittivity of a multiphase system of spheres

The objective of this work is the computation of the static effective permittivity for a multiphase system of spheres located in an arbitrary lattice. It is assumed for now that there is more than one type of particle (i.e., phase), as shown, but overall there is sufficient symmetry to ensure isotropy. This paper begins with the computation of the scalar potential scattered by a lattice containing an arbitrary number of spherical phases. The T-matrix method is used to compute this scattering. Next, a derivation of the effective permittivity expression is given followed by representative results from a three-phase system. The method shown in this paper is numerically "exact" in the sense that the effective permittivity is computed using methods capable of accurately computing the potential scattering and accounts for all mutual coupling between inclusions.
Quantitative measurement of the moisture content in thin films

A description is given of the modification and application of a moisture evolution analyzer to quantitatively measure the moisture content of thin-film dielectrics used in VLSI manufacture. The development of computerized acquisition of moisture, temperature, and time data permits adsorbed water to be distinguished from more tightly bound absorbed water. The incorporation of a computer-driven temperature controller and a 7-in.-diameter crucible furnace allows the moisture evolution characteristics of thin films on 150-mm-diameter wafers to be studied under a wide variety of temperature cycles and ramps up to 1000 degrees C. Studies of thermal oxides, plasma oxides, spin-on-glass, and CVD doped and undoped oxides show moisture contents from less than 0.01 wt.% to in excess of 10 wt.% water, demonstrating the sensitivity and range of the technique. The results for borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) thin films as a function of doping levels are presented. The moisture in these films was found to be partitioned approximately equally between adsorbed and absorbed moisture. As the doping levels (wt.%B/wt.%P) were varied from 0/4.2 to 2.5/3.8, the moisture content varied by 30%. The effects of low-temperature heat treatments and alternative deposition chemistries are also discussed. >
Thermal studies on the decomposition of aquopentamminecobalt(III) hexathiocyanatochromate(III)

Abstract The decomposition of [Co(NH 3 ) 5 H 2 O] [Cr(NCS) 6 ] has been studied using DSC and TG. The first step involves the loss of H 2 O and NH 3 in a first-order process to produce [(NH 3 ) 5 Co(SCN) 3 Cr(NCS) 3 ]. A second step involves the loss of HSCN. Activation energies are presented and the mechanisms of the reactions are discussed in comparison to analogous cyanide complexes.
Mechanistic aspects of the deoxyribonuclease activity of diphtheria toxin

Here we examined the intrinsic nuclease activity of diphtheria toxin (DTx) to determine the mechanism by which it catalyzes DNA degradation. Results show that DTx degrades double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) by non-processive, endonucleolytic attack, without apparent specificity for nucleotide sequence. Moreover, divalent cation composition determines whether supercoiled dsDNA is cleaved by the introduction of single-strand nicks or double-strand breaks. Circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is also a substrate for endonucleolytic attack. Pre-incubation of DTx with a 2000-fold excess of NAD, the natural substrate for the toxin's ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADPrT) activity, inhibited the transfer of radiolabeled ADP-ribose to elongation factor 2 but had no effect on the degradation of radiolabeled DNA. Based on this result and the fact that compounds known to inhibit the ADPrT activity of DTx had no effect on its nuclease activity and pre-incubation of DTx with DNA had no effect on ADPrT activity, we conclude that the ADPrT and nuclease active sites of DTx are functionally and spatially distinct. Moreover, studies with an ADPrT-inactivated form of DTx indicate that nuclease activity alone can lead to target cell lysis.
The Sixth Satellite of Jupiter

THE author of the article on the sixth satellite of Jupiter in NATURE of January 19 has obviously made a slip in assuming that the “retrograde” motion ascribed to the satellite means retrograde in the sky, and not in the orbit. According to the ephemeris, Jupiter on January 4 was moving direct, i.e. eastward, about 225″ daily. The satellite was west of the planet (position angle 269°), approaching Jupiter at the rate of 45″ a day, and, therefore, moving eastward (direct) about 270″ daily.
The effect of light rail transit on body mass index and physical activity

Background: The built environment can constrain or facilitate physical activity. Most studies of the health consequences of the built environment face problems of selection bias associated with confounding effects of residential choice and transportation decisions. Purpose: To examine the cross-sectional associations between objective and perceived measures of the built environment; BMI; obesity (BMI30 kg/m 2 ); and meeting weekly recommended physical activity (RPA) levels through walking and vigorous exercise. To assess the effect of using light rail transit (LRT) system on BMI, obesity, and weekly RPA levels.
Journal Reporting of Medical Errors: The Wisdom of Solomon, the Bravery of Achilles, and the Foolishness of Pan

Medical errors may result from lapses in judgment or lack of prudent care by individual physicians, from system errors inherent in the medical-care delivery model or, more frequently, from a combination of the two. Medical error reporting is a sensitive topic for physicians, institutions, and patients. The veil of secrecy that surrounds medical errors deprives health-care practitioners of knowledge that may help prevent similar adverse outcomes for patients in the future. Although reporting individual medical errors to involved patients is obligatory by most professional codes of conduct for physicians, no laws or professional society guidelines mandate widespread reporting of errors to professional colleagues. Furthermore, reports of medical errors in peer-reviewed journals are extremely rare. In 2000, the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations described systemic medical errors as "fundamentally an information problem" and called for the development of programs to collect and analyze medical error data. In this review, we define medical errors and detail common motivations and barriers to publication of error reports. We propose a model for confidential error communication and describe US legislation designed to improve patient safety and establish nationwide programs for error disclosure and analysis.
Development of a Short Version of the Barriers Questionnaire

Among the reasons that cancer pain is not controlled adequately are patient-related barriers. Patient beliefs that may contribute to poor outcome have been measured in previous research with the Barriers Questionnaire (BQ). The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency of a shortened version of the BQ. A sample of 217 outpatients with cancer completed a 17-item version of the scale. Factor analysis suggested two subscales, one reflecting beliefs about communication about pain and the other reflecting beliefs about the use of analgesics. Both subscales demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Beliefs did not differ between patients who had and those who had not experienced pain within the previous two weeks. Findings suggest the shortened BQ provides an internally consistent measure of two broad patient barriers to pain management.
Conjugation of steroid hormones by normal and neoplastic tissues.

ABSTRACT Conjugation of a number of steroids with sulfuric acid has been determined quantitatively in mammary cancer, normal mammary tissue, liver metastases and normal liver tissue. Steroid sulfokinase activity has been demonstrated in primary mammary cancer in 10 patients but is not measurable in 4. The finding suggests that there are 2 populations of mammary cancer cells, one which possesses no enzyme activity and one which contains enzymes capable of forming sulfate esters with a number of steroid alcohols. The normal mammary tissues appear to contain only weak steroid sulfate-forming activity if any at all. Normal liver tissue is highly active in conjugating steroid hormones. Although various liver preparations vary considerably in their total ability to sulfurylate different steroids, the relative activity is very close to being constant; DHEA was the most efficiently sulfurylated, and the ratio of each of the other steroids to DHEA is essentially the same. The pattern of sulfurylation of steroid ho...
Trigonometric wavelets for Hermite interpolation

The aim of this paper is to investigate a multiresolution analysis of nested subspaces of trigonometric polynomials. The pair of scaling functions which span the sample spaces are fundamental functions for Hermite interpolation on a dyadic partition of nodes on the interval [0,2π]. Two wavelet functions that generate the corresponding orthogonal complementary subspaces are constructed so as to possess the same fundamental interpolatory properties as the scaling functions. Together with the corresponding dual functions, these interpolatory properties of the scaling functions and wavelets are used to formulate the specific decomposition and reconstruction sequences. Consequently, this trigonometric multiresolution analysis allows a completely explicit algorithmic treatment.
Extending and Broadening Blumer's Conceptualization of Symbolic Interactionism

© 2001 by the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction. All rights reserved. Send requests for permission to reprint to: Rights and Permissions, University of California Press, Journals Division, 2000 Center St., Ste. 303, Berkeley, CA 94704-1223. Direct all correspondence to David A. Snow, Department of Sociology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697; e-mail: dsnow@uci.edu. Extending and Broadening Blumer’s Conceptualization of Symbolic Interactionism
Wavelet-Based Compressed Sensing Using a Gaussian Scale Mixture Model

While initial compressed sensing (CS) recovery techniques operated under the implicit assumption that the sparse domain coefficients are independently distributed, recent results have indicated that integrating a statistical or structural dependence model of sparse domain coefficients into CS enhances recovery. In this paper, we present a method for exploiting empirical dependences among wavelet coefficients during CS recovery using a Bayes least-square Gaussian-scale-mixture model. The proposed model is successfully incorporated into several recent CS algorithms, including reweighted l1 minimization (RL1), iteratively reweighted least squares, and iterative hard thresholding. Extensive experiments including comparisons with a state-of-the-art model-based CS method demonstrate that the proposed algorithms are highly effective at reducing reconstruction error and/or the number of measurements required for a desired reconstruction quality.
Characterization of Carboxypeptidase A6, an Extracellular Matrix Peptidase

Carboxypeptidase A6 (CPA6) is a member of the M14 metallocarboxypeptidase family that is highly expressed in the adult mouse olfactory bulb and broadly expressed in embryonic brain and other tissues. A disruption in the human CPA6 gene is linked to Duane syndrome, a defect in the abducens nerve/lateral rectus muscle connection. In this study the cellular distribution, processing, and substrate specificity of human CPA6 were investigated. The 50-kDa pro-CPA6 is routed through the constitutive secretory pathway, processed by furin or a furin-like enzyme into the 37-kDa active form, and secreted into the extracellular matrix. CPA6 cleaves the C-terminal residue from a range of substrates, including small synthetic substrates, larger peptides, and proteins. CPA6 has a preference for large hydrophobic C-terminal amino acids as well as histidine. Peptides with a penultimate glycine or proline are very poorly cleaved. Several neuropeptides were found to be processed by CPA6, including Met- and Leu-enkephalin, angiotensin I, and neurotensin. Whereas CPA6 converts enkephalin and neurotensin into forms known to be inactive toward their receptors, CPA6 converts inactive angiotensin I into the biologically active angiotensin II. Taken together, these data suggest a role for CPA6 in the regulation of neuropeptides in the extracellular environment within the olfactory bulb and other parts of the brain.
(3He, 2n) excitation functions for some light nuclei

Abstract Excitation functions have been measured for the reaction 9Be(3He, 2n)10C over the range E( 3 He ) = 10–41 MeV and for the reaction 27Al(3He, 2n)28P over the range E( 3 He ) = 14–41 MeV by detecting β-delayed γ-rays. An excitation function has also been measured for the reaction 24Mg(3He, 2n)25Si over the range E( 3 He ) = 21–43 MeV by detecting β-delayed protons.
Molecular switch based on a biologically important redox reaction.

Building on our earlier report of a single-molecule probe,1 we show how biologically important redox centers, nicotinamide and quinone, incorporated into a fluorophore−spacer−receptor molecular structure, form redox active molecular switches, with the photoinduced electron-transfer behavior of each depending on the oxidation state of the receptor subunit. The switch based on nicotinamide (3/6) is strongly fluorescent in its oxidized state (ΦF ≈ 1.0) but nonfluorescent in the reduced state (ΦF < 0.001) due to electron transfer from the reduced nicotinamide to the photoexcited fluorophore. The fluorescence can be reversibly switched off and on chemically by successive reduction with NaBH3CN and oxidation with tetrachlorobenzoquinone and switched electrochemically over 10 cycles without significant degradation. A similar switch based on quinonimine turned out to be nonfluorescent in both reduced and oxidized states: in addition to a similar quenching mechanism in the reduced state, quenching also occurs in ...
Negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry of trichothecenes: Novel fragmentation under OH− conditions

Hydroxide ion chemical ionization mass spectra of two classes of trichothecenes are described. The spectra provide molecular weight information as well as fragment ions indicative of structure. The discussion of fragmentation is aided by the use of high resolution mass measurements, mass analyzed ion kinetic energy spectra and chloride attachment spectra. Certain novel fragmentation processes under hydroxide ion conditions are noted. The chloride attachment spectra are also useful for verification of molecular weight.
Bending force constant formulas from a bond-charge model of triatomic molecules

A bond-charge point-dipole model of molecular electronic structure is used to derive a general relation between the bending force constant, Kθθ, and stretching force constant , K11, of linear and non-linear triatomic molecules.
Vibrotactile masking: the role of response competition.

When two tactile patterns, a target and a nontarget pattern, are presented in close temporal proximity to the same location, the nontarget pattern may interfere with the identification of the target. A series of experiments examined the extent to which the interference in target identification results from masking (interference in the representation of the target at an early stage of processing) or from response competition. A response competition view of pattern perception holds that both the target and nontarget are fully processed to the level of evoking responses. Interference is produced when subjects select the nontarget rather than the target. This view was tested with a paradigm developed in studies of selective attention. Pairs of tactile patterns were presented to subjects’ left index fingerpads. The amount of interference produced by a nontarget that is physically different from a target depends on whether the nontarget is associated with the same response as the target or a different response. The amount of masking also depends on the set of target and nontarget patterns that are used. The results support the conclusion that subjects have available a representation of both the target and the nontarget and that a substantial portion of the interference previously attributed to masking may be due to response competition.
Transport of Hydraulic Fracturing Water and Wastes in the Susquehanna River Basin, Pennsylvania

AbstractThe development of the Marcellus Shale gas play in Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States has resulted in significant amounts of water and wastes transported by truck over roadways. This study used geographic information systems (GIS) to quantify truck travel distances via both the preferred routes (minimum distance while also favoring higher-order roads) as well as, where available, the likely actual distances for freshwater and waste transport between pertinent locations (e.g., gas wells, treatment facilities, freshwater sources). Results show that truck travel distances in the Susquehanna River Basin are greater than those used in prior life-cycle assessments of tight shale gas. When compared to likely actual transport distances, if policies were instituted to constrain truck travel to the closest destination and higher-order roads, transport mileage reductions of 40–80% could be realized. Using reasonable assumptions of current practices, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with...
Systemic carbachol used in radiation-controlled focal brain pharmacology can decrease rat running

Abstract Radiation-controlled focal brain pharmacology is a method to concentrate a neuropharmacologic agent in any selected portion of the brain by irradiating that selected area and thereby lowering the BBB in that area. Then, when a drug that does not cross the normal BBB is administered systematically, the drug will preferentially penetrate and act only in the selected part of the brain. Rats received 20 Gy to the brainstem and then were tested with normal 0.9% saline 1 ml/kg, GABA 400 mg/kg, taurine 200 mg/kg, carbachol 1 mg/kg, amphetamine 2 mg/kg, and bicuculline methiodide 27 mg/kg. Opening the BBB produced no change in the average amount of running following the injection of saline. With the BBB closed, carbachol, bicuculline methiodide and taurine produced no statistically significant effect compared to saline. Comparing the effects of a drug when the BBB is open to that of saline when the BBB is open showed no significant effect of bicuculline methiodide, taurine and GABA. Carbachol produced a 73% reduction, significant at p
Research methods for revealing patterns of mediation

Studies of workplace communication have shown numerous communication events can surround the production of a single target document. Not only must team members coordinate design decision-making and the production of documentation, individual authors must often coordinate multiple textual resources in order to make their own contribution to the team process. To explore methods of researching these phenomena and to determine how an understanding of these phenomena might inform the process of creating documentation, two pilot studies were developed. A diary study of two design team's communication was useful in identifying the purposes and gross patterns of the use of documentation to support work (mediation). The use of screen-capture software to record and study an individual author's drafting session helped revealed complex patterns of document use in fine detail, especially when supplemented by a stimulated-recall interview.
Physiological studies on the t gene defect in T4-infected Escherichia coli.

Abstract Su − bacteria infected with T4 phage carrying an amber mutation in gene t synthesize both phage and phage lysozyme, yet fail to either cease metabolism or lyse at the usual time ( Josslin, 1970 ). The experiments reported in this paper show that (1) addition of egg white lysozyme allows a normal lysis of cells infected with lysozyme-defective mutant phage but does not significantly affect the lysis phenotype of cells infected with t mutant phage; (2) anaerobiosis or addition of cyanide induces infected cell lysis only if the t gene is functional; (3) mutations in the rII genes partially suppress the lysis-defective, t mutant phenotype; (4) revertants of t mutant phage are often double mutants carrying the original t mutation as well as a mutation in either of the two rII genes or, less frequently, at a site not closely linked to rII . The first two observations show that the t gene defect cannot be overcome simply by artificially disrupting the cell wall or inhibiting metabolism. They are consistent with the hypothesis that the t gene product induces the disruption of the cell membrane, which causes cessation of host metabolism and allows the e gene product to initiate digestion of the cell wall.
Recurrent pleural effusion: A complication of pancreatitis in childhood

While pleural effusion as a complication of pancreatitis has been described in adults, this entity has not been noted, in the English literature, in children. We have recently uncovered chronic pancreatitis as the cause of recurrent pleural effusions in an 8-year-old Puerto Rican male whose presenting complaint at another hospital was recurrent substernal and epigastic pain radiating to the left shoulder. Exhaustive investigation, including cultures of the pleural fluid, skin tests for typical and atypical mycobacteria and fungi, lupus preparations, bronchography and thoracotomy with pleural biopsy, failed to reveal the cause of the recurrent pleural effusions. Substernal pain recurred, and the initial complaint of epigastric pain was only then appreciated. Pleural fluid showed an amylase concentration of more than 1000 Somogyi units/100 ml at a time when the serum amylase content was 335 units/100 ml (normal = 30–180 units). Pancreatic stimulation with secretin (Boots) 1 unit/kg resulted in a 1 hour output of 25 ml or 1.4 ml/kg (normal = 2 ml/kg), and a maximal amylase concentration of 29 mEq/L (normal = 90 mEq/L), consistent with chronic pancreatitis. There was no family history of pancreatitis. Lipoprotein electrophoresis and urinary amino acid excretion were normal. Tests for mumps complement-fixing antibodies were negative. Pancreatitis should be considered as a possible cause of pleural effusion in childhood. Pleural-fluid amylase levels should be obtained in all children with unexplained pleural effusions.
Professional Development Workshops for Student Teachers: An Issue of Concern

Professional development programs are critical in addressing the needs of teacher education students and graduates. In an effort to best meet the desired needs and wants of these new educators, professional development opportunities must target essential issues. This study examines topics including classroom management, exceptional children, parent involvement, and navigating the first year of successful teaching. Although the student teaching experience allows for growth of its participants, it is simply not sufficient. To best target areas of concern for future educators, there is a call for focus areas of professional opportunities allowing for an advancement of skills. In this study treatment group participants demonstrated increased confidence and significant growth in these specific areas addressed at workshops they attended, justifying the need for future professional development opportunities.
Differential effects of activation of protein kinase C and cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase on sodium-dependent phosphate uptake in NIH 3T3 cells.

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol ester (PMA), or by diacylglycerol analogue (OAG) treatment of NIH 3T3 cells resulted in the rapid (within 2–5 min) stimulation (approx. 2-fold) of sodium-dependent phosphate (Pi) transport. Conversely, preincubation of these cells with forskolin and cholera toxin, or incubation with 8-bromo-cAMP, to activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), resulted in a decrease in Na+Pi transport. Activation of either PKC or PKA did not change the Vmax of Pi uptake. However, activation of PKC did result in an increase, while activation of PKA caused a decrease, in the affinity for Pi. These results indicate that there is differential regulation of Na+Pi uptake in NIH 3T3 cells by activators of PKC (stimulated) and PKA (inhibited) as a consequence of changes in the affinity of the transporter for Pi.
The hypothalamic-pituitary axis in genetically obese (ob/ob) mice: response to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

The obese (genotype ob/ob) mouse is known to have a genetically acquired form of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Because the animal has multiple abnormalities of endocrine systems, including impaired growth, obesity, and temperature regulation, it has been assumed by many to have a hypothalamic defect. In an attempt to separate hypothalamic from pituitary dysfunction, an acute LHRH response test was administered to obese and lean littermates. In both lean and ob/ob adult male animals, a bolus of LHRH increased serum LH concentration, but the concentrations attained were 2-fold greater in the lean animals. To determine if the defect in the obese animals was the result of chronic understimulation of the pituitary gland due to LHRH deficiency, LHRH was administered three times daily for 20 days, after which the acute LHRH test was repeated. After 20 days of LHRH treatment, the obese animals remained less responsive than the lean mice to a bolus of LHRH. Surprisingly, in both lean and ob/ob animals, chronic LH...
Acute stress in parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer.

Objective Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and subclinical symptoms of acute stress (SAS) may be a useful framework for understanding the psychological reactions of mothers and fathers of children newly diagnosed with a pediatric malignancy.
Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of malonaldehyde in mammalian cells.

Malonaldehyde (MA), a lipid peroxidation product derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, is cytotoxic to a murine L5178Y lymphoma cell line cultured in vitro. Exposure of cells for 24 hours to as little as 20 μM MA produced detectable cytotoxicity as well as an increased number of mutants among survivors, using thymidine or methotrexate resistance as genetic markers. The induced mutation frequency, within the range of MA concentrations tested (10–100 μM), is dose-dependent. Significant division delay, which results in unbalanced growth, is also observed in MA-treated cells. It is suggested that MA crosslinks with DNA and mutagenizes cells through the error-prone repair system. In order to relate the degree of mutagenicity of MA in reference to other mutagenic agents in mammalian cells, the mutation frequency of the thymidine-resistance marker in L5178Y induced by X-irradiation is also presented. The significance of lipid peroxidation in relation to carcinogenesis and the various theories of aging will be briefly discussed.
Central sites and mechanisms of action of nicotine

Research conducted in this laboratory over the last ten years has been directed towards determining possible CNS sites and mechanisms by which nicotine is producing its psychopharmacological effects. To accomplish these goals, a drug discrimination paradigm was utilized in which rats were trained to detect nicotine using a two-lever operant procedure. In this situation nicotine acted as a discriminative stimulus (DS) to correct lever responding. In other words rats had to be able to differentiate nicotine's effects from saline in order to obtain a food reinforcement. The ability of nicotine to exert its DS effects appear to be dependent upon a stimulation of central nicotinic-cholinergic receptors which are stereospecific to (-)-nicotine. Interestingly, the nicotine DS could not be mimicked or potentiated by elevating brain acetylcholine levels centrally suggesting that the receptor action was non-cholinergic. Additional studies indicated that nicotine is acting at both reticular formation and hippocampus sites. The hippocampal site of nicotine action also appears to be dependent on a dopamine neuron connection as well.
Supercritical processing as a route to high internal surface areas and permanent microporosity in metal#organic framework materials

Careful processing of four representative metal−organic framework (MOF) materials with liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide (ScD) leads to substantial, or in some cases spectacular (up to 1200%), increases in gas-accessible surface area. Maximization of surface area is key to the optimization of MOFs for many potential applications. Preliminary evidence points to inhibition of mesopore collapse, and therefore micropore accessibility, as the basis for the extraordinarily efficacious outcome of ScD-based activation.
Two Criticisms of the Cosmological Argument

entity, such as a set, as being caused, as having the reason of its existence within the causal efficacy of some other being. Second, Russell might argue that the assumption that every being is dependent and therefore a member of A rules out the possibility of any answer to the question why A has the members it has rather than none at all. For on that assumption our question about A is in effect a question about the totality of things. And, as Russell observes, "I see no reason whatsoever to suppose that the total has any cause whatsoever."11 Neither of these reasons suffices to show that our question about A is meaningless. The first reason does, however, point up the
Mass spectrometric study of K+ + C60 collisions

Abstract We report on formation of endohedral metallofullerenes by collision of K + with C 60 in the gas phase. Preparation of potassium ion emitters in a home-built furnace that reaches temperatures in excess of 1800 °C, and their performance, are discussed in detail. From the absence of K@C 60 + in the mass spectra we estimate that the threshold energy for insertion of K + into C 60 amounts to about 48 eV (lab energy).
A Morphometric Analysis of the Euplotes charon Morphotype (Ciliophora: Euplotida)

Twenty-one different strains of Euplotes of the cirrotype 10, double dargyrome morphotype were collected in marine and brackish habitats from widely varying geographic locations. The strains were cultured under similar conditions prior to fixation and staining. The morphological features considered included the cell lengths and widths, the number and position of all the ventral cirri, adoral membranelles and dorsal cilia, and the position of the peristomal shelf. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed continua in these measurements among the strains, as well as significant correlations between cell length and the number of adoral membranelles, the number of dorsal cilia, and the length, width and area of the oral cavity. Based on data from this study and from previous studies, we conclude that the traditional criteria used for species descriptions within this morphotype are insufficient to provide robust distinctions. Therefore, we submerge all of the descriptions within this morphotype under the nomenclaturally superior Euplotes charon Muller, 1786.
Hemodialysis in the pediatric patient: state of the art.

The prevalence of pediatric patients receiving hemodialysis as renal replacement therapy has increased over the past decade. Although numerous technologic advances have been developed and their impact assessed for adult patients receiving hemodialysis, no long-term outcome study currently exists for children receiving hemodialysis. Barriers to such study include the necessity for long-term multicenter participation to enroll enough patients to make definitive statements regarding outcome, lack of consensus for an acceptable and practical method for hemodialysis adequacy measurement in children, and the need for pediatric end-stage renal disease (ESRD)-specific tools for assessment of quality of life. The first part of this article reviews issues surrounding hemodialysis adequacy measurement in children. In particular, simple but accurate Kt/V and normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) estimation methods are proposed that should allow for more widespread use of Kt/V and nPCR for measurement of urea clearance and nutritional status in children receiving hemodialysis, important for both patient care and to control for hemodialysis adequacy in pediatric outcome studies. In addition, the principles and pediatric study of 2 technologic advances, continuous noninvasive monitoring of hematocrit and noninvasive ultrasound dilution vascular access flow measurement, are reviewed. Finally, suggestions are provided for future study pertinent to both short-term and long-term outcomes in children receiving hemodialysis.
Biochemical analysis of retroviral structural proteins to identify and quantify retrovirus expressed by an NS0 murine myeloma cell line.

Abstract A subclone of the NS0 murine myeloma cell line, frequently used to produce recombinant monoclonal antibodies, was found by a transmission electron microscopy method to express a surprisingly high titer of 10 11 retroviral particles per ml of culture supernatant. Infectivity assays showed a very low infectious titer with the restricted host range expected for a murine amphotropic retrovirus. A Western blot assay for the viral capsid protein was developed to confirm the high titer values and provide a means for monitoring batch consistency and virus removal during the purification process. Mass spectrometry of several of the viral Gag proteins demonstrated that the cell line appeared to produce at least two closely related retroviruses. N-terminal sequencing of three of the Gag proteins demonstrated that these retroviruses were members of the murine leukemia retroviral family. Western blot detection with an antibody for the capsid protein gave a linear standard curve over the range of 0.1–3 ng per lane. This allows the detection of viral titers as low as 6×10 7 virions per ml without the need to concentrate the sample. The Western blot method has higher throughput and less variability than transmission electron microscopy methods and has potential for monitoring viral titer and clearance during development of manufacturing processes.
Endothelin-3 can both facilitate and inhibit transmitter release in the guinea-pig vas deferens

Abstract Endothelin-3 (10 nM) produced a significant facilitation of the release of ATP from the in vitro guinea-pig vas deferens. This effect was converted to an inhibition of release by pretreatment with BQ-123, cyclo-( d -Trp, d -Asp, l -Pro, d -Val, l -Leu), an endothelin ETA receptor antagonist. Desensitization of endothelin ETB receptors by sarafotoxin S6c antagonized, but did not reverse, the facilitatory effect of endothelin-3. The release of noradrenaline was not facilitated by endothelin-3; however, following pretreatment with BQ-123 the release of noradrenaline was reduced by the peptide. These results indicate that there may be both facilitatory and inhibitory prejunctional endothelin receptors and further suggest that the release of the sympathetic nerve cotransmitters ATP and noradrenaline may be differentially modulated.
Molecular and Metabolic Evidence for the Restricted Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Healing Wounds

Tissue injury initiates a temporally ordered sequence of local cellular and metabolic responses presumably necessary for successful repair. Previous investigations demonstrated that metabolic evidence for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity is detectable in wounds only during the initial 48 to 72 hours of the repair process. Present results identify the cell types contributing inducible NOS (iNOS) to experimental wounds in rats. iNOS antigen was expressed in most macrophages present in wounds 6 to 24 hours after injury, and these cells exhibited NAPDH diaphorase and NOS activity. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes contained little iNOS antigen and no NADPH diaphorase activity and were minimally able to convertl-arginine to l-citrulline. The frequency of iNOS-positive macrophages declined on days 3 and 5 after wounding. By day 10, most macrophages in the wound were negative for iNOS. These cells, however, acquired iNOS antigen and activity in culture. Wound fluids, but not normal rat serum, suppressed the induction of iNOS during culture. Findings indicate that the expression of iNOS in healing wounds is restricted to macrophages present during the early phases of repair and that components of wound fluid suppress the induction of iNOS in macrophages in late wounds. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes contribute little iNOS activity to the healing wound.
Functional Role of a Negative Regulatory Element in DevelopmentStage Specific Expression of Rat Cardiac Myosin Heavy Chain Gene. •259

The αmyosin heavy chain (αMHC) gene encodes a major cardiac contractile protein. Steadystate level of its mRNA are decreased during embryonic heart development and hypertrophy of the adult rat heart, mainly due to transcriptional regulation. While several ciselements and cognate binding factors involved in its positive regulation are described, the mechanism of its negative regulation remains unknown. We have identified a strong negative regulatory element (NRE) in the 5′ untranslated region of this gene. To study if NRE sequences play a role in the negative regulation of αMHC gene transcription in embryonic heart, we transfected the αMHC promoter/ chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter constructs into primary cultures of 18 day fetal rat heart. The wild type (WT) construct included 600/420 bp sequence (in relation to transcription start site) of αMHC promoter. The deletion mutants comprised 600/63 promoter sequences and internal deletion of NRE within WT construct. The percent increase in CAT expression due to NRE deletion was compared with that obtained by direct in vivo injections of these constructs in adult heart. NRE deletion resulted in 15fold induction of CAT expression in fetal heart, but 8fold increase in adult heart. Gelshift assay with NRE sequence and nuclear extracts prepared from fetal and adult heart showed two complexes with distinct mobilities in fetal heart but one complex in adult heart. The adult heart complex corresponded to the slowermobility complex of the fetal heart. These data suggests that differential binding of nuclear factors to NRE sequence may be responsible for its stronger effect in fetal heart that may contribute to the in vivo suppression of αMHC gene transcription during embryonic heart development (Supported by a grant from Christ Hospital Med Fund).
Trends in Hospital Charges for Heart Transplants in the United States

Purpose With the rising cost of health care it is important to understand the fiscal impact of resource-intensive treatments such as heart transplants. We hypothesized that hospital charges for heart transplants in the U.S. increased between 2004 and 2009 and investigated factors that may impact these hospital charges. Methods and Materials The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project was queried for all patients between 0 and 69 years of age who had heart transplants from 2004 to 2009. The database is a 20% stratified sample of all U.S. hospitals and 100% of all discharges from these hospitals. Factors that may affect these charges were analyzed. Results 1837 patient discharges were identified that reported hospital charges after heart transplants. The overall mean hospital charge for heart transplants between 2004 and 2009 was $424,711. This mean charge increased 66% from $320,997 in 2004 to $534,793 in 2009, with a greater increase among females (76.4%) compared to males (64.1%). Females had 4.2% higher charges compared to males, with the majority of this difference being among those under 40 years of age (8.7%) compared to those 40 years or older (1.0%). Trends in mean charges decreased with age from 0-9 year-olds to 40-49 year-olds, but increased again with age to 60-69 years-olds. [figure 1] Conclusions Mean hospital charges for heart transplants increased from 2004 to 2009, with charges being greatest for females, especially those under 40 years of age, and also for those at the extremes of age. There are many factors that contribute the hospital charges for heart transplants. Further studies are required to better determine what these factors are and how this knowledge can impact health care cost management.
The Rise of the National Basketball Association. By David George Surdam. (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2012. Pp. viii, 247. $25.00.)

David George Surdam, professor of economics, explores how the National Basketball Association (NBA) survived its humble origins to develop into something resembling the professionally organized lea...