cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations in responses to LSD in humans associated with chronic administration of tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors or lithium

This study sought to investigate possible interactions between antidepressant agents and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in humans through the use of retrospective questionnaires. Ten subjects were identified who used LSD during chronic (3 weeks or longer) periods of antidepressant administration. These subjects were asked to describe the phenomenological effects of self-administered hallucinogens prior to and during antidepressant treatment; a structured, standardized questionnaire was used to evaluate LSD experiences. Chronic tricyclic antidepressant administration was associated with subjective increases in physical, hallucinatory and psychological responses to LSD. Similarly, subjects receiving lithium chronically also reported increases in their responses to LSD. In contrast, subjects who had been chronically taking an monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor reported subjective decreases in the effects of LSD. This is similar to a previous report by our group of a decreased response to LSD in individuals who were chronically taking serotonin-selective antidepressants. These altered responses to LSD most likely involve differential changes in central serotonin and dopamine receptor systems and are consistent with other recent data suggesting that the clinical efficacy of different classes of antidepressants may not necessarily rely on a common mechanism of action in the brain.
Recent Advances of Vaccine Adjuvants for Infectious Diseases

Vaccines are the most effective and cost-efficient method for preventing diseases caused by infectious pathogens. Despite the great success of vaccines, development of safe and strong vaccines is still required for emerging new pathogens, re-emerging old pathogens, and in order to improve the inadequate protection conferred by existing vaccines. One of the most important strategies for the development of effective new vaccines is the selection and usage of a suitable adjuvant. Immunologic adjuvants are essential for enhancing vaccine potency by improvement of the humoral and/or cell-mediated immune response to vaccine antigens. Thus, formulation of vaccines with appropriate adjuvants is an attractive approach towards eliciting protective and long-lasting immunity in humans. However, only a limited number of adjuvants is licensed for human vaccines due to concerns about safety and toxicity. We summarize current knowledge about the potential benefits of adjuvants, the characteristics of adjuvants and the mechanisms of adjuvants in human vaccines. Adjuvants have diverse modes of action and should be selected for use on the basis of the type of immune response that is desired for a particular vaccine. Better understanding of current adjuvants will help exploring new adjuvant formulations and facilitate rational design of vaccines against infectious diseases.
Localization of membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase type IV in kidney epithelial cells.

Abstract Rat carbonic anhydrase (CA) IV was purified by affinity chromatography and used to produce a specific antiserum in rabbits for immunolocalization studies in rat kidney. CA IV was localized in apical plasma membranes of the proximal convoluted tubule and the thick ascending limb of Henle. Both of these segments are involved in bicarbonate reabsorption in the rat. Immunofluorescent staining of the brush border was faint in the S1 segment, greatest in the S2 segment, and absent from the S3 segment of the proximal tubule. CA IV was also detected in the basolateral plasma membrane of proximal-tubule and thick-ascending-limb epithelial cells by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. In the proximal tubule, an extracellular membrane CA had been previously suggested on the basis of electrophysiological studies. CA IV was not detected in intercalated cells of the collecting ducts. These cells contain, in contrast, abundant cytosolic CA II. Thus, the distribution of CA IV is quite distinct from that of CA II; it corresponds with the localization of an isoenzyme(s) that did not stain with antibodies against CA II but that was revealed by histochemical-staining procedures. We conclude that the apical CA IV is the luminal CA responsible for bicarbonate reabsorption in the proximal tubule and the thick ascending limb in the rat kidney. These studies also suggest that CA IV plays a role in bicarbonate transport across the basolateral plasma membrane in these two segments of the rat nephron.
Molecular Epidemiology of Recurrent Oral Candidiasis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patients: Evidence for Two Patterns of Recurrence

The causative strains in 22 patients with recurrent oral candidiasis were examined using two DNA probes (a Histoplasma capsulatum DNA probe that cross-hybridizes with Candida albicans and a C. albicans strain-specific probe derived from repetitive sequence DNA). C. albicans was the causative organism in all 22 initial episodes of infection and was also obtained from 17 patients with recurrent oral disease. Molecular analysis showed that in 11 cases, the same isolate was identified in each episode. Six patients had a clearly different isolate of C. albicans causing a later episode of candidiasis. Five patients had different Candida species causing recurrent disease: 4, Torulopsis glabrata; 1, Candida parapsilosis. Patients with a new isolate (either new species or a new C. albicans strain) were more immunosuppressed and were significantly more likely (P < .001) than patients with the same recurrent strain to have received suppressive azole antifungal agents. These data indicate that the epidemiology of recurrent candidiasis in individual patients seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus is complex and that both failure of eradication of Candida from the oral cavity and new infection occur.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF A MODIFIED CARE PROTOCOL SUBSTITUTING BLADDER TUMOR MARKERS FOR CYSTOSCOPY FOR THE FOLLOWUP OF PATIENTS WITH TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE BLADDER: A DECISION ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Purpose: Decision analysis models were established to determine the cost-effectiveness of a plan alternating a bladder tumor marker with cystoscopy and cytology at 3-months intervals or modified care versus followup cystoscopy and cytology every 3 months or standard care.Materials and Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review for bladder tumor markers using 1966 to current MEDLINE data and other search engines. Statistical performance data on tumor markers were calculated by hierarchical Bayes meta-analysis with 95% confidence intervals used for the model. Other basic assumptions included cost data on tumor markers, cytology, cystoscopy, transurethral bladder resection and cystectomy as well as recurrence and progression rates from the literature. Decision trees were built with computer software using a 12 and a 24-month model with linear recurrence and progression rate assumptions.Results: Overall specificity for common tumor markers was 73% to 90% and sensitivity was 49% to 77%. As expecte...
NOTE ON METHODOLOGY IN COMPARATIVE BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS: SYSTEMATIC VARIATION VS CONTROL BY EQUATION

-ln the search for methodologies that yield meaningful interspecies performance differences over the greatest taxonomic range, serial discrimination reversal has demonstrated the greatest promise. However, interpretation of the obtained differences i n performance is complicated by a possible mismatching of procedural variables, such as motivational or incentive levels, across species. In short, differences i n performance across species may merely reflect unequal motivation, incentive, and the like, and not some more basic organismic, phyletic or taxonomic variable. Two alternative solutions to this methodological dilemma, systematic variation and control by equation, are discussed i n view of recent research. Evidence supporting control by equation is ~resented. The necessity for taxonomic calibration of procedural variables is illustrated.
Morphogenesis of retinoic acid-induced postaxial polydactyly in mice

Previous experiments have demonstrated that oral administration of retinoic acid to ICR mice on day 10 of gestation results in an enhanced expression of postaxial polydactyly of the forelimbs. In the present investigations, the development of the limbs from the time of treatment until the appearance of the defect on day 14 were studied at 12- to 24-hr intervals with histological and vital staining technics. A diffuse cytotoxicity in the central proximal mesoderm was noted with a safranin–toluidine blue stain 12 h after treatment which then peaked 24 hr after treatment. Treated limbs stained with Nile blue sulfate showed a significant increase of necrotic mesodermal cells in the foyer preaxial primaire, foyer marginal I and foyer marginal V when compared to the respective control group. The treated postaxial ectoderm was more hyperplastic than was the control ectoderm on day 12. The treated group developed a squarish bulge on the postaxial boundary of the fifth digital ray on day 14 that was larger than those of the controls. Most of the controls had bulges that were completely necrotic. The treated group also had some completely necrotic bulges but a large number of the treated fetuses had bulges characterized as being less than 60% necrotic.
Estrogen and androgen differentially modulate the growth-associated protein GAP-43 (neuromodulin) messenger ribonucleic acid in postnatal rat brain

The level of expression of the gene encoding GAP-43, a protein implicated in neurite outgrowth and motility, is sexually dimorphic in the postnatal brain and modulated by testosterone (T). To determine which metabolite of T modulates the expression of GAP-43 in the postnatal brain, the present study investigated the effect of estrogen and androgen receptor antagonists, tamoxifen (TAM) and cyproterone acetate (CA), and agonists, diethylstilbestrol (DES) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). On postnatal day 1, male rats were injected sc daily with oil, TAM, or CA, whereas additional female pups were treated with oil, DES, or DHT. On postnatal day 6, brains were collected and 16-micron cryostat sections processed and hybridized with a 35S-labeled antisense riboprobe complementary to GAP-43 messenger RNA (mRNA). A comparison of hybridization signal in the cerebral cortex, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and medial preoptic nucleus demonstrated that the level of GAP-43 mRNA in males was significantly higher tha...
Impact of data characteristics on recommender systems performance

This article investigates the impact of rating data characteristics on the performance of several popular recommendation algorithms, including user-based and item-based collaborative filtering, as well as matrix factorization. We focus on three groups of data characteristics: rating space, rating frequency distribution, and rating value distribution. A sampling procedure was employed to obtain different rating data subsamples with varying characteristics; recommendation algorithms were used to estimate the predictive accuracy for each sample; and linear regression-based models were used to uncover the relationships between data characteristics and recommendation accuracy. Experimental results on multiple rating datasets show the consistent and significant effects of several data characteristics on recommendation accuracy.
Geographic distribution and dispersal of normapolles genera in North America

Abstract Normapolles pollen have been found in North America in Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary rocks from the eastern Atlantic Seaboard, the Mississippi embayment region and from the states and provinces from western North America as far north as the District of Mackenzie, Northwest Territories. Previous postulates relating to the Normapolles floral province (western Europe—eastern North America) were re-examined in the light of new finds of Normapolles genera in rocks from west of the Cretaceous epeiric seaway which separated the Normapolles province from the western North American Aquilapollenites province. A study of published occurrences of Normapolles genera and U.S. Geological Survey Denver Laboratory Normapolles records revealed that of the approximately 60 Normapolles genera recognized from western Europe, only 26 of these have been recognized from eastern North America. These data suggest that Normapolles-producing plants originated in western Europe and migrated to eastern North America prior to the opening of the north Atlantic seaway. Ten of these 26 genera also have been found in rocks from west of the Cretaceous epeiric seaway, suggesting that these genera were the only ones able to cross this barrier. At least six genera having Normapolles characteristics occur in eastern North America but have not yet been recorded from Europe. Two additional genera with Normapolles characteristics have been reported only from the Aquilapollenites province of western North America. Several discrepancies in the record need resolution, such as the latitudinal restriction of Thomsonipollis and Nudopollis to areas south 40°N latitude, the absence of records of Thomsonipollis east and north of central Georgia, and the absence of records of Kyandopollenites and Choanopollenites west of eastern Texas. These data show that the known boundaries of the Normapolles province are somewhat hazy and that firm conclusions regarding the geographic distribution and history of dispersal of Normapolles genera are premature.
Verb raising in American sign language

Abstract Previous researchers have suggested that the base-generated word order in ASL is Subject- Verb-Object (Fischer, 1987; Liddell, 1980). However, there are some constructions which apparently contradict this assumption. Among these constructions are the phenomena of Verb Sandwich (Fischer and Janis, 1992), Verb Final (Romano, 1991), and Object Raising (Lid- dell, 1980). All three sentence types contain verbs with an aspectual marker. Unlike its unin- flected counterpart, an inflected verb in these constructions appears in the sentence-final posi- tion, which is not assumed to be the basic position for ASL verbs. I propose a unified account for these three ASL constructions and consider its theoretical implications for the theory of verbal morphology. I extend the idea of the Movement Analy- sis of Verb Sandwich, proposed in Fischer and Janis (1992). Based on the Minimalist approach proposed in Chomsky (1995), I argue that the derivations of all three sentence pat- terns involve overt verb raising to Infl. The verb movement to Infl occurs to save the other- wise stranded [asp] affix, even though the verb itself does not have motivation to raise overtly. Hence, this verb raising is a syntactic operation driven by Enlightened Self Interest (Lasnik, 1995a,b). In our discussion, it is shown that Chomsky's (1995) Checking Theory faces empirical problems in accounting for the ASL phenomena in question. I will present an alternative analysis, which is crucially based on a proposal of Lasnik (1995c) that regular verbs are selected from the lexicon uninflected. The Object Raising is analyzed as an instance of Holmberg's generalization (Branigan, 1992), which states that overt object shift is possible only when the verb is overtly raised out of VP.
Doped-Ceria Diffusion Barriers Prepared by Infiltration for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The most commonly used material for cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells is a composite of Sr-doped LaMnO3 LSM and yttriastabilized zirconia YSZ, with the LSM in the composite providing electronic conductivity and catalytic activity for oxygen reduction. The addition of YSZ to the electrode provides ionic conductivity to increase the length of the three-phase boundary by providing ionconducting channels from the electrolyte into the electrode. 1 In most cases, LSM‐YSZ composites are prepared by sintering a mixture of LSM and YSZ powders onto the YSZ electrolyte. Relatively high temperatures 1300 K 2 are required to sinter the YSZ particles in the electrode to the electrolyte. Significantly improved performance can be achieved by replacing LSM with mixed conducting perovskites, such as Sr-doped LaCoO3 LSCo, 3-7 LaFeO3 LSF, 8-12
Direct ab initio dynamics study of the OH + HOCO reaction.

The reaction between OH and HOCO has been examined using the coupled-cluster method to locate and optimize the critical points on the ground-state potential energy surface. The energetics are refin...
Computer-aided diagnosis of interstitial lung disease: a texture feature extraction and classification approach

An approach for the classification of normal or abnormal lung parenchyma from selected regions of interest (ROIs) of chest radiographs is presented for computer aided diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The proposed approach uses a feed-forward neural network to classify each ROI based on a set of isotropic texture measures obtained from the joint grey level distribution of pairs of pixels separated by a specific distance. Two hundred ROIs, each 64 X 64 pixels in size (11 X 11 mm), were extracted from digitized chest radiographs for testing. Diagnosis performance was evaluated with the leave-one-out method. Classification of independent ROIs achieved a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 84% with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85. The diagnosis for each patient was correct for all cases when a `majority vote' criterion for the classification of the corresponding ROIs was applied to issue a normal or ILD patient classification. The proposed approach is a simple, fast, and consistent method for computer aided diagnosis of ILD with a very good performance. Further research will include additional cases, including differential diagnosis among ILD manifestations.
Appearance-based material classification for monitoring of operation-level construction progress using 4D BIM and site photologs

Abstract This paper presents a new appearance-based material classification method for monitoring construction progress deviations at the operational-level. The method leverages 4D Building Information Models (BIM) and 3D point cloud models generated from site photologs using Structure-from-Motion techniques. To initialize, a user manually assigns correspondences between the point cloud model and BIM, which automatically brings in the photos and the 4D BIM into alignment from all camera viewpoints. Through reasoning about occlusion, each BIM element is back-projected on all images that see that element. From these back-projections, several 2D patches are sampled per element and are classified into different material types. To perform material classification, the expected material type information is derived from BIM. Then the image patches are convolved with texture and color filters and their concatenated vector-quantized responses are compared with multiple discriminative material classification models that are relevant to the expected progress of that element. For each element, a quantized histogram of the observed material types is formed and the material type with the highest appearance frequency infers the appearance and thus the state of progress. To validate, four new datasets of incomplete and noisy point cloud models are introduced which are assembled from real-world construction site images and BIMs. An extended version of the Construction Material Library (CML) is also introduced for training/testing the material classifiers. The material classification shows an average accuracy of 92.4% for CML image patches of 100 × 100 pixels. The experiments on those four datasets show an accuracy of 95.9%, demonstrating the potential of appearance-based recognition method for inferring the actual state of construction progress for BIM elements.
Borane adducts of some nitrogen heterocyclic compounds

Abstract The borane adducts of quinoline, isoquinoline, 2-aminopyridine, 3-aminopyridine, 4-aminopyridine, and aniline were prepared by the interaction of each Lewis base with dimethylsulfideborane. The IR, 1 H NMR and 11 B NMR spectra have been used to characterize these derivatives. A detailed examination of the IR and NMR spectra of the aminopyridineboranes has established that the BH 3 group is coordinated with the pyridyl nitrogen. The 1 H NMR and 11 B NMR chemical shifts indicate the presence of extensive intramolecular hydrogen bonding in 2-aminopyridineborane and some intermolecular hydrogen bonding in 4-aminopyridineborane.
Lysophosphatidic Acid Modulates the Regenerative Responses of Human Gingival Fibroblasts and Enhances the Actions of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor

Background: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been used to promote healing in many in vitro and in vivo models of periodontal regeneration. PDGF is known to interact extensively with another platelet mediator, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), to enhance regenerative responses in non-oral systems. PDGF and LPA are both liberated by platelets in the blood clot, which is known to be critical in stabilizing early periodontal wound healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the basic interactions of LPA with primary human gingival fibroblasts (GF) alone and with PDGFBB for promoting GF growth and migration, as well as their effects in an in vitro oral wound-healing model. Methods: GF regenerative responses were measured using 1 and 10 μM LPA in the absence or presence of 1 or 10 ng/ml PDGF-BB. Cell growth was determined using [3H]thymidine incorporation and cell counting. Migration responses were measured using a microchemotaxis chamber. For the in vitro wound-healing experiments, GF were grown to ...
How business-education partnerships are building a diverse science and technology workforce: Lessons from Bayer

The CEO of Bayer Corporation proposes business-education partnerships in K–12 schools as a necessary action for building a stronger, diverse pipeline of future science and technology workers—and science-literate customers. Bayer and other companies bring much more than money to the table, and the success stories prove the power of volunteerism, education reform, and raising public awareness. The author makes the case for business involvement in K–12 education; describes Bayer's signature partnership program, Making Science Make Sense; and discusses resources Bayer has developed for other interested companies, including a compendium of the programs most successful in closing science achievement gaps for girls and minorities, and a forum that brought companies together with the programs' leaders to learn what such partnerships entail and can achieve © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Factor Analysis (R-Technique) of Ipsatized Data May Be Misleading

Despite cautions in the literature against factor analyzing (R-technique) non-independent or ipsative data, several such studies have reported apparently meaningful results. This paper examines the results of factor analysis for six different sets of contrived data with known properties. Comparisons between the known factor structure and obtained results suggest that the number of factors initially extracted will be significantly under- or overestimated and that less than 60% of factored items will be correctly loaded. These findings provide empirical support for rational notes of caution in the use of factor analytic procedures as applied to ipsative data.
P-142: A Simple Transflective LCD for Mobile Display Applications

A simple transflective liquid crystal display (TR-LCD) is proposed based on dual cell gap 63.6° TN/MTN mode. with only one additional positive A-film, this TR-LCD configuration achieves good performance for both transmissive (T) and reflective (R) regions: 1) high optical efficiency, 2) low operation voltage, 3) acceptable viewing angle, and 4) fairly good cell gap tolerance. Moreover, the electro-optical properties in T and R regions match very well, so that single gamma curve driving is enabled. This TR-LCD is easy to fabricate and suitable for mobile displays.
Single transverse mode selectively oxidized vertical cavity lasers

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) which operate in multiple transverse optical modes have been rapidly adopted into present data communication applications which rely on multi-mode optical fiber. However, operation only in the fundamental mode is required for free space interconnects and numerous other emerging VCSEL applications. Two device design strategies for obtaining single mode lasing in VCSELs based on mode selective loss or mode selective gain are reviewed and compared. Mode discrimination is attained with the use of a thick tapered oxide aperture positioned at a longitudinal field null. Mode selective gain is achieved by defining a gain aperture within the VCSEL active region to preferentially support the fundamental mode. VCSELs which exhibit greater than 3 mW of single mode output power at 850 nm with mode suppression ratio greater than 30 dB are reported.
Health and performance challenges during sports training and competition in cold weather

Olympic athletes compete and train in diverse cold-weather environments, generally without adverse effects. However, the nature of some sports may increase the risk of cold injuries. This paper provides guidance to enable competition organisers and officials, coaches and athletes to avoid cold-weather injuries. This paper will (1) define potential cold-weather injuries during training and competition and (2) provide risk management guidance to mitigate susceptibility to cold-weather injuries.
A benchmark calculation for retrieval by confluence of binary attributes in a random-access computer

It is imagined that items are stored in a random-access memory along with binary-valued attributes. The problem of looking up all items having at least a particular subset of attributes is attacked by representing the attributes in a bit vector, then “or-merging” bit vectors pairwise into a binary tree. The efficiency of this method increases with the size of the lookup subset. However, the increase is disappointingly slow, and the overall efficiency is about equal to that associated with a conventional inverted file.
pKa of residue 66 in Staphylococal nuclease. I. Insights from QM/MM simulations with conventional sampling.

A combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) potential function is used in a thermodynamic integration approach to calculate the pKa of residue 66 in two mutants (V66E, V66D) of Staphylococal nuclease relative to solution. Despite the similarity in chemical nature and experimentally measured pKa of the two buried titritable residues, the behaviors of the two mutants and the computed pKa values vary greatly in the simulations. For Glu66, the side chain is consistently observed to spontaneously flip out from the protein interior during titration, and the overall protein structure remains stable throughout the simulations. The computed pKa shifts using conventional sampling techniques with multiple nanoseconds per λ window (Set A and B) are generally close to the experimental value, therefore indicating that large-scale conformational rearrangements are not as important for V66E as suggested by the recent study of Warshel and co-worker. For Asp66, by contrast, flipping of the shorter side chain...
Tungsten Carbide Electrodes for Fuel Cells with Acid Electrolyte

FUEL cells with acid electrolyte, such as dilute sulphuric acid, have the advantage over those with alkaline electrolyte that carbon dioxide is not absorbed by the electrolyte. In principle it is therefore possible to use organic fuels, either direct or by reforming them with water vapour, without removing the resultant carbon dioxide. Even if carbon-free fuels such as hydrogen or hydrazine are used, an acid electrolyte should be preferred, for carbon dioxide need not be removed from the air. In the past, however, no acid-resistant catalyst has been found that might replace expensive and easily poisoned platinum.
Feedback compensation of intrinsic muscle properties during torque regulation tasks

Many functional tasks require regulating appropriate forces or torques even under unpredictable disturbances. However, how this regulation can be achieved remains poorly understood. Limb impedance describes the relationship between externally imposed displacements to the limb and the changes in force or torque generated in response. Low limb impedance is preferred during torque regulation tasks. However, low-frequency impedance increases with muscle activation, which is counterproductive to torque regulation. The purpose of this study was to quantify the ability to voluntarily reduce limb impedance during torque regulation tasks, and to assess if the observed performance is near optimal given the challenges posed by activation-dependent muscle properties and time delays in the neuromuscular system. By examining elbow impedance measured in experiments and predicted by a biomechanical model with an optimal controller, our results demonstrated that individuals can reduce the low-frequency components (below 1Hz) of elbow impedance during forceful contractions, and that this performance is similar to those predicted by an optimal feedback controller. These findings suggest that neural feedback can compensate for intrinsic muscle properties in a near-optimal manner, thereby allowing torque to be regulated at frequencies below ~ 1 Hz.
Pathways, networks, and systems medicine--the meeting place of the Aegean and the mind.

E year, Aegean Conferences organizes an international conference on pathways, networks, and systems medicine, where biomedical researchers engaged in systems biology-related efforts present their latest research developments. Systems biology and medicine focuses on deciphering mechanisms at multiple levels, reconstructing networks in cells, tissues and organs, measuring and predicting phenotypes, building quantitative models that describe and simulate normal and pathological physiological functions, and then testing the validity of these models and predictions experimentally. This issue combines peerreviewed articles of conference presentations as well as recent reviews on related topics. Most of the articles in this issue deal with methods for identifying protein networks, including detection of proteins and networks across physiology. Two articles describe regulatory networks, one with modeling and another with culling network information from scientific literature. For decades high throughput biology has been associated with genome sequencing and transcriptomic analysis. DNA microarrays, which exploit the multiplexing of oligonucleotides through complementarity, have become a standard tool for the biologist. But unlike nucleic acids, proteins do not possess complementary binding partners and their detection has hitherto been done through painstaking low throughput approaches. Recently protein microarrays, which utilize the binding of proteins to specific ligands, antibodies, lipids, or nucleic acids, have been designed and are becoming useful for detection and quantitative estimation of protein abundance. In an overview article, Hu et al. describe the technology associated with functional protein microarrays. The fabrication of protein microarrays involves understanding surface chemistry
Accurate mirror movement design for interferometry

Abstract A highly accurate and precise mirror displacement system for a Michelson interferometer is described. The system uses gravity in place of mechanical methods to achieve movement over large distances. This modification simplifies one of the major design constraints in building a high resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometer for the visible, ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet.
Role of adenosine in mediating the coronary vasodilative response to acute hypoxia

To test the hypothesis that adenosine is required to mediate the coronary vasodilative response to acute hypoxia haemodynamic indices, regional myocardial blood flow, and oxygen and lactate metabolism were measured in nine closed chest anaesthetised domestic swine at control, after 3-5 min of 100% nitrogen inhalation, at second control, and after 3-5 min of 100% nitrogen inhalation plus adenosine deaminase infusion in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Cardiac lymph adenosine deaminase concentration was also measured in a separate group of four animals previously reported on. Heart rate was held constant by atrial pacing during the study. Aortic mean pressure did not change. Changes in arterial and anterior interventricular vein pH, PO2, PCO2, and oxygen content were similar for each intervention. Transmural left anterior descending artery zone flow increased significantly (p less than 0.01) compared with control (1.22(0.23) ml.min-1.g-1; mean(SD)) in response to hypoxia (2.73(0.92)). Intracoronary adenosine deaminase infusion (167 nmol.s-1), however, failed to blunt the flow response to hypoxia (1.33(0.30) to 2.79(1.32); second control to hypoxia plus adenosine deaminase respectively, p less than 0.01). Mean adenosine deaminase activity (nmol.s-1) in cardiac lymph was 105(85) at the end of 10 min of intracoronary infusion (167 nmol.s-1) and 203 (148) nmol.s-1 at the end of 15 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of a "two-hit" model of organ damage on the systemic inflammatory response and development of laminitis in horses.

Abstract The role of endotoxemia in the development of laminitis remains unclear. Although systemic inflammation is a risk factor for laminitis in hospitalized horses, experimental endotoxin administration fails to induce the disease. While not sufficient to cause laminitis by itself, endotoxemia might predispose laminar tissue to damage from other mediators during systemic inflammation. In “two-hit” models of organ damage, sequential exposure to inflammatory stimuli primes the immune system and causes exaggerated inflammatory responses during sepsis. Acute laminitis shares many characteristics with sepsis-associated organ failure, therefore an equine “two-hit” sepsis model was employed to test the hypothesis that laminitis develops with increased frequency and severity when repeated inflammatory events exacerbate systemic inflammation and organ damage. Twenty-four light breed mares (10) and geldings (14) with chronic disease conditions or behavioral abnormalities unrelated to laminitis that warranted euthanasia were obtained for the study. Horses were randomly assigned to receive an 8-h intravenous infusion of either lipopolysaccharide (5 ng/kg/h) or saline beginning at −24 h, followed by oligofructose (OF; 5 g/kg) via nasogastric tube at 0 h. Euthanasia and tissue collection occurred at Obel grade 2 laminitis, or at 48 h if laminitis had not developed. Liver biopsies were performed at 24 h in laminitis non-responders. Blood cytokine gene expression was measured throughout the study period. Lipopolysaccharide and OF administration independently increased mean rectal temperature (P
A currency for offsetting energy development impacts: horse-trading sage-grouse on the open market.

Background Biodiversity offsets provide a mechanism to compensate for unavoidable damages from new energy development as the U.S. increases its domestic production. Proponents argue that offsets provide a partial solution for funding conservation while opponents contend the practice is flawed because offsets are negotiated without the science necessary to backup resulting decisions. Missing in negotiations is a biologically-based currency for estimating sufficiency of offsets and a framework for applying proceeds to maximize conservation benefits. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we quantify a common currency for offsets for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) by estimating number of impacted birds at 4 levels of development commonly permitted. Impacts were indiscernible at 1–12 wells per 32.2 km2. Above this threshold lek losses were 2–5 times greater inside than outside of development and bird abundance at remaining leks declined by −32 to −77%. Findings reiterated the importance of time-lags as evidenced by greater impacts 4 years after initial development. Clustering well locations enabled a few small leks to remain active inside of developments. Conclusions/Significance Documented impacts relative to development intensity can be used to forecast biological trade-offs of newly proposed or ongoing developments, and when drilling is approved, anticipated bird declines form the biological currency for negotiating offsets. Monetary costs for offsets will be determined by true conservation cost to mitigate risks such as sagebrush tillage to other populations of equal or greater number. If this information is blended with landscape level conservation planning, the mitigation hierarchy can be improved by steering planned developments away from conservation priorities, ensuring compensatory mitigation projects deliver a higher return for conservation that equate to an equal number of birds in the highest priority areas, provide on-site mitigation recommendations, and provide a biologically based cost for mitigating unavoidable impacts.
No Longer Gaining Ground An Update

Copeland and Meier's (1987) analysis of infant mortality rates in the United States found that the Medicaid program significantly reduced the infant mortality rate among both white and nonwhite infants but the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women Infants, and Children (WIC) only significantly reduced the infant mortality rate among white infants. This analysis updates Copeland and Meier's time-series analysis of infant mortality and expands the cross-sectional analysis of the distribution of WIC funds. The results of the analysis indicate that WIC funds have become less effective in combating infant mortality. The cross-sectional evidence suggests that one explanation for this is that the distribution of WIC funds is driven primarily by bureaucratic inertia rather than need-related criteria.
Isotopic Effects in Cation‐Injected Electrochromic Films

The elucidation of the role that injected cations play in the creation of electrochromic (EC) color centers in hydrated WO 3 films is presented. The electron and cation contributions to the lattice distortion upon film coloration have been evaluated. The evolution of the fundamental absorption edge and vibrational bands of crystalline hydrate films of the WO 3 .n(H 2 O) (n = 2, 1/3) was monitored in situ in a spectroelectrochemical cell during the coloration process by visible and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. The electrochromic performance and film stability were studied using cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. Isotopic effects of blue shift of the fundamental absorption edge and vibrational band shifts upon film coloration with H + and D + cations at the same charge density have been found. The analysis of vibrational band shifts during electrochromic coloration with H + and D - cations indicates that along with the lattice polarization induced by injected electrons forming polarons, a strong lattice distortion generated by inserted cations is occurring as well. An explanation of the origin of the blue shift of optical gap energy upon coloration by three different effects of the electronic structure rearrangement is proposed.
Endotoxin-induced Neutrophil Response in Miniature Pigs ingesting Strontium-90 Daily

A CONTINUING investigation to evaluate the biological effects of daily strontium-90 ingestion in miniature pigs, a species similar in weight and some physiological features to man, has been in progress in our laboratory since 1958 (refs. 1 and 2). One of the few clinical changes observed after 3 years of daily ingestion of 125 µc. strontium-90/day is a moderate neutropenia3. So far, under our experimental conditions, this has not interfered with the health of the animals. However, under certain adverse conditions the ability of the animals to maintain their health may be influenced by their ability to increase neutrophil numbers. This report summarizes preliminary observations on the use of the endotoxin-induced neutrophil response as a measure of the neutrophil reserve of control animals and animals ingesting strontium-90 daily. In normal animals a transient neutrophilia is one of the prominent effects produced by injection of bacterial endotoxin4.
Synthesis and Miscibility of Comb Poly[11-(4‘-cyanophenyl-4‘ ‘-phenoxy)undecyl acrylate]s Prepared by ATRP

Comb poly[11-(4'-cyanophenyl-4-phenoxy)undecyl acrylate]s were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 11-[(4'-cyanophenyl-4-phenoxy)undecyl] acrylate from a multifunctional macroinitiator. The macroinitiator was prepared by first copolymerizing 2-[(2'-tetrahydropyranyl)oxy]ethyl acrylate (r 1 = 0.88) with 11-[(4'-cyanophenyl-4-phenoxy)undecyl] acrylate (r 2 = 1.11) under ATRP conditions, followed by hydrolysis of the randomly distributed tetrahydropyranyl groups and conversion of the resulting hydroxyethyl acrylate groups to 2-(2'-bromopropanoate)ethyl acrylate initiating sites. The comb polymers contained 45-128 repeat units according to GPC measurements relative to linear polystyrene or 52-237 repeat units according to GPC-RI-viscometry-right angle laser light scattering measurements. The biphasic regions of the smectic A to isotropic transition of the comb polymers with pdi = 1.27-1.87 are extremely narrow, with full widths at half of the maximum peak intensity (fwhm) = 2.38-8.28 °C, in contrast to that of the corresponding polymer prepared by conventional radical polymerization (fwhm = 17 °C). The breadth of the biphasic region of binary blends of the comb polymers with poly[11-(4'-cyanophenyl-4-phenoxy)undecyl acrylate]s of a variety of architectures (linear, three-arm star, comb) increases linearly with the difference in the end group (and therefore branching) density of the two components, regardless of the combination of molecular architectures.
Surgical blood loss in abdominal hysterectomy.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate additional error in estimating red cell loss during abdominal hysterectomy. Methods. Eighty patients admitted consecutively for abdominal hysterectomy were recruited. The surgeries were done after heparinizing the suction tubing system to prevent clotting and reducing the vacuum pressure to reduce red cell lysis. At the end of the surgery, hematocrit was measured and compared with the patient's venous blood and the blood from the suction container. The Mann–Whitney test evaluated statistical significance. Results. Eight patients were excluded for having a hemolyzed blood sample, receiving a blood transfusion, and having incomplete data. The study cohort consisted of 72 patients: 54 had a simple hysterectomy and 18 had a radical hysterectomy with pelvic and periaortic lymphadenectomy. The hematocrit (mean ± standard deviation) in the suction container (19.8 ± 8.8%) was lower than the hematocrit from the venous blood sample (32.4 ± 6%) ( P Conclusions. These findings suggest that other fluid, probably lymph, contributes to the dilution of red cells in the container and increases the estimated blood volume loss during surgery. Estimation of red cell surgical blood loss becomes less accurate as the length and radical nature of the surgery increase.
Prospective study of nutritional support during pelvic irradiation

Abstract A prospective study of nutritional support during pelvic irradiation was carried out in 32 patients with a primary pelvic malignancy and prior weight loss. Both curative and palliative patients were elligible for the study. Seventeen patients were randomized to receive intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) and fifteen patients served as controls who were maintained on their regular diet. Patients were stratified by percent body weight loss. Tolerance to therapy was assessed by evaluation of functional status and by using nutritional parameters of body weight change, change in serum protein levels, and response to delayed hypersensitivity skin tests. The curative IVH group tolerated therapy well by both functional and nutritional measurements. All curative IVH patients completed the planned radiation therapy without a treatment break and were fully active following treatment. Patients gained an average of 4.0 kg body weight during irradiation, which was significantly different from the curative control patients (p = .03). They demonstrated a significant increase is serum transferrin (p = .02) reflecting an improvement in visceral protein. In addition, all showed a positive response to delayed hypersensitivity skin tests at the completion of irradiation. The palliative IVH patients often did poorly because of progression of disease and demonstrated only an elevation of serum transferrin during treatment. The results in the curative IVH group suggest a potential adjunctive robe for intravenous hyperalimentation in the malnourished cancer patient undergoing pelvic irradiation. Clearly, further study of nutritional support during pelvic irradiation is needed using curative patients with a single tumor type and significant prior weight loss (at least >6% ).
Thermal history of the 3.5–3.2 Ga Onverwacht and Fig Tree Groups, Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa, inferred by Raman microspectroscopy of carbonaceous material

Raman spectra of carbonaceous material were collected in situ from samples of cherts of the Onverwacht and Fig Tree Groups in the central Barberton greenstone belt. The spectra feature two dominant peaks characteristic of disordered carbon: the D peak at ;1310 cm 21 and the O peak at 1580-1600 cm 21 . D peak positions and relative peak intensities and areas indicate that all samples have been altered to lower greenschist facies or above. No correlation was observed between maximum temperature and stratigraphic position or degree of hydrothermal alteration, implying that metamorphism in the central Barberton greenstone belt was regional and unaccompanied by the flow of large quantities of hydrothermal fluids. Samples from the Marble Bar Chert of the Pilbara block, Western Australia, have been heated to the same extent as samples from Barberton. This study demonstrates the use of Raman spectra of carbonaceous material as a sensitive geother- mometer for low-temperature metamorphic facies. This application could also be used to establish the antiquity of putative microfossils from metamorphic terranes.
An inexpensive timing single channel pulse height analyzer

Abstract Described below is a simple design for a leading-edge timing single channel pulse height analyzer (SCA) which uses integrated circuits.
SOUTHERN (DIS)COMFORT: SEXUAL PREJUDICE AND CONTACT WITH GAY MEN AND LESBIANS IN THE SOUTH

Recent surveys have found antigay attitudes and behavior to be commonplace. In this article, we use contact theory to explain these prejudicial attitudes. We contribute to the literature on contact and prejudice by expanding contact to include not only whether the heterosexual knows any gay men or lesbians, but also how many, for how long, and in what ways. To these, we add a new and unique measure of contact: a person's contact with the gay community. The data are from a survey of 956 undergraduate students at a large urban university in the southeastern United States. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses find that contact with gay men and lesbians significantly reduces prejudice toward them; although, only as contact with gay friends or the gay community. Contact has stronger effects on women's prejudice than men's prejudice; however, the attitudes of African Americans toward lesbians and gay men are unaffected by gay contact. The results suggest that contact intervenes between prejudice and...