cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Habitat use by sponge-dwelling brittlestars

Cryptic organisms often associate with sessile invertebrates for refuge in space-limited environments. To examine interspecific habitat associations on coral reefs, tube- and vase-shaped sponges were surveyed for associated brittlestars at six sites on the coral reefs off Key Largo, Florida. Of 179 sponges encountered, Callyspongia vaginalis was the most abundant (43.0%), followed by Niphates digitalis (39.7%), and Callyspongia plicifera (4.5%). Three of eight sponge species surveyed did not differ from C. vaginalis in two physical refuge characteristics: oscular diameter and inner tube surface area. Brittlestars (416 total), all of the genus Ophiothrix, were only found in C. vaginalis, N. digitalis, and C. plicifera. The most abundant brittlestar, O. lineata (326), occurred on C. vaginalis (99.0%) and N. digitalis (1.0%), while O. suensonii (67) occurred on C. vaginalis (79.1%), N. digitalis (19.4%), and C. plicifera (1.5%). There was no pattern of co-occurrence of O. lineata and O. suensonii on C. vaginalis. The abundance of O. lineata increased with surface area of C. vaginalis. Differential habitat use was observed in O. lineata, with small individuals (<5 mm disk diameter) located inside and on the surface of sponge tubes and large individuals (≥5 mm) solely inside tubes. The number of large O. lineata in C. vaginalis never exceeded the number of tubes per sponge, and tagged O. lineata remained in the same sponge for at least 3 weeks. In density manipulations, no pattern of intraspecific competition among large O. lineata was observed; however, there was evidence for interaction between size-classes. Brittlestars selected live sponge habitat over a non-living refuge, suggesting a mechanism for sponge habitat recognition. Sponge-dwelling brittle stars prefer some tube- and vase-shaped sponge species despite similar oscular diameters and surface areas. Surprisingly, these preferred sponge species are known from previous studies to be chemically undefended against generalist fish predators; therefore, brittlestars that inhabit these sponges do not gain an associational chemical defense. Sponge habitat use by O. lineata may be governed by intraspecific interactions to maintain habitat and access to food. While past studies have suggested that O. lineata is an obligate sponge commensal, the present study suggests that O. lineata has a species-specific association with the tube-sponge C. vaginalis.
Flint Stations in Central Alaska

Our knowledge of the prehistory of interior Alaska is still very limited. Nearly all archaeological work in the territory has been in the Eskimo and Aleut regions. In the interior planned, systematic surveys have been conducted by Froelich Rainey, Frederica de Laguna, and Frederick Johnson, but most of these deal with relatively recent Athapascan sites. The only definitely pre-Athapascan site is the “Campus site” on the University of Alaska campus. From time to time random specimens are found in connection with road work, farming, and mining. Artifacts discovered in the Tanana Valley muck deposits, often at great depths, suggest, but do not prove, that man was contemporaneous with mammoth and other now extinct animals of the Pleistocene. One specimen found in association with a mastodon jaw, but not actually embedded in the bone, adds to the circumstantial evidence that man was here in the late Pleistocene, if not earlier.
Tissue Factor Overexpression in Rat Arterial Neointima Models Thrombosis and Progression of Advanced Atherosclerosis

Background —Tissue factor located in the atherosclerotic plaque might cause the clinically significant thrombotic events associated with end-stage disease. It might also affect intimal area by increasing matrix accumulation and stimulating smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration and proliferation. To test this hypothesis, we overexpressed tissue factor in a rat model of the human fibrous plaque. Methods and Results —A neointima was generated by seeding tissue factor–overexpressing rat SMCs onto the luminal surface of a balloon-injured syngeneic rat carotid artery. The cells attached and expressed tissue factor over the long term. Mural thrombus accumulation was present at 4 and 7 days and increased neointimal SMC numbers and area by 2-fold at 2 and 4 weeks. Tissue factor overexpression accelerated reendothelialization compared with controls at 2 weeks and 1 month. Tissue factor–overexpressing SMCs exhibited increased migration both in vitro and in vivo. The increased migration by tissue factor–overexpressing SMCs in vitro was not dependent on activation of the coagulation cascade and could be blocked by an inhibitor of tissue factor. Conclusions —These results suggest that tissue factor plays a direct role in neointimal development by coagulation-dependent and -independent pathways.
Electrically Injected Photonic Crystal Light Emitters with Spatially Localized Gain

Electrical injection for photonic crystal light emitters is desirable because diode lasers are intrinsically more efficient and practical. In this work, we demonstrate the first electrically injected photonic crystal light emitters with spatially localized gain
Efficient subsemilattice generation

Abstract An algorithm is given for efficiently generating G , the subsemilattice generated by a given finite subset G of a semilattice S. The algorithm has proved useful in computer studies of partition lattices.
Nanny Diaries and Other Stories: Immigrant Women's Labor in the Social Reproduction of American Families

Two former nannies employed on the Upper East Side of Manhattan offer this want ad as an illustration of employers’ expectations and working conditions awaiting potential employees. Although it is a fictionalized account of their total six-year experience as nannies while attending college, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus’ The Nanny Diaries, A Novel has spurred significant attention from the media. Editorials, letters to the editor, book reviews, and talk shows featuring the authors and the ...
Validation of a new formula for predicting the lower flammability limit of hybrid mixtures

Abstract A correlation of the lower flammability limit for hybrid mixtures was recently proposed by us. The experimental conditions including ignition energy and turbulence which play a primary role in a gas or dust explosion were at fixed values. The sensitivity of such experimental conditions to the accuracy of the proposed formula was not thoroughly discussed in the previous work. Therefore, this work studied the effect of varying the ignition energy and turbulence intensity to the formula proposed in our previous paper. For ignition energy effect, results from methane/niacin mixture demonstrated that the MEC and LFL will not be affected by changing ignition energy. There is no distinguishable difference among gas explosion index (KG) and dust explosion index (KSt) derived from tests with every ignition energy (2.5 kJ, 5 kJ and 10 kJ) in a 36 L vessel. The proposed formula is independent of ignition energy. For turbulence effect, the proposed formula can have a good prediction of the explosion and non-explosion zone if the ignition delay time is within a certain range. The formula prediction is good as the ignition delay time increases up to 100 ms in this work. Propane/niacin and propane/cornstarch mixtures are also tested to validate the proposed formula. It has been confirmed that the proposed formula predicts the explosion and non-explosion zone boundary of such mixtures.
Absence of glucoprivic feeding after stress suggests impairment of noradrenergic neuron function

Abstract Feeding in response to 2-deoxy- d -glucose (2DG), a quantifiable behavior which appears to depend on noradrenergic (NE) neuron function, was used in these experiments to evaluate the functional capabilities of NE neurons after stress exposure. Depletion of hypothalamic NE after footshock or hypothermic stress was directly correlated with impairment of glucoprivic feeding. When NE depletion was prevented by prior exposure to chronic stress, no impairment of feeding was observed. After hypothermic stress, repletion of NE proceeded more rapidly in the telencephalon than in the hypothalamus and reappearance of a normal feeding response precisely paraleled the time course of repletion in the hypothalamus. Drinking in response to cell dehydration, a behavior not directly dependent on brain catecholamines, was not impaired after either footshock or hypothermic stress, despite similar NE depletions. Presence of a normal drinking response assured that deficits observed in the 2DG test were not due to nonspecific behavioral suppression resulting from stress. These data suggest that NE neuron function may be impaired or temporarily abolished after severe stress exposure. In addition, these results demonstrate that behavioral pathology need not be the result of massive neurotransmitter depletion but may result from relatively subtle alterations of specific neurotransmitter pools.
Iodine and uranium in ultrabasic rocks and carbonatites

Abstract A series of ultrabasic rocks and carbonatites were analyzed by neutron activation for iodine and uranium. The uranium data are compared with earlier data on the uranium content of possible mantle material. The high uranium content of the carbonatites, 0.80–8.0 ppm, indicates that these may make a sizeable contribution to the average terrestrial heat flow. The iodine and uranium data are compared with the iodine and uranium contents of stone meteorites and with the xenon decay products of extinct129I and244Pu in the meteorites. The concentrations of these decay products in the atmosphere are used to show that the earth began to retain these gaseous products as early as the eurite achondrites.
Synthetic seed as a potential direct delivery system of mass produced somatic embryos in the coastal marsh plant smooth cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora )

A suspension culture capable of producing a high quantity of proembryogenic masses (PEMs) was evaluated to provide adequate support for synthetic seed production in saltmarsh species Spartina alterniflora. Using immature inflorescences, callus was induced on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg 1−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Prior to initiation of suspension culture, calli were proliferated on a modified R4 medium (R4+) for 2–4 weeks. Suspension culture was carried out in a liquid General Medium modified by adding FeSO4 · 7H20, myo-inositol, thiamine · HCl, pyridoxine · HCl, and casein acid hydrolysate. Suspension cells were subcultured weekly by replacing the spent medium with fresh medium. The amount of PEMs tripled in 1 week. Cells from suspension culture had an average regeneration rate of 90% for 6 months of culture. About 40 g of PEMs can be harvested from 1 l of suspension culture in a weekly basis. Plated on R4+ medium, these PEMs produced somatic embryos (SEs) that gave rise to 2,000 plantlets. Encapsulation of SEs or microplantlets (MPs) derived from suspension cells may facilitate direct delivery of micro-propagated S. alterniflora to field planting. Evaluated under in vitro conditions, both SEs and MP-derived synthetic seeds had high conversion rates.
Existence of vocal folds in the larynx of odontoceti (toothed whales)

Odontocetes (toothed whales) vocalize for communication and echolocation. The mechanisms of sound production, however, remain unclear. Their larynx has long been thought to lack vocal folds and, thus, was considered incapable of generating sounds. This study investigates internal anatomy of the odontocete larynx to: 1) describe the morphology of any fold found, 2) determine any structural homologies between these folds and the vocal folds of terrestrial mammals, and 3) assess their possible function in sound production. Larynges of 24 odontocetes representin ten genera (Delphinus, Stenella, Lagenorhynchus, Tursiops, Grampus, Delphinapterus, Globicephala, Kogia, Mesoplodon, and Phocoena) were studied post mortem. Nine specimens were cut midsagittally, and the remainder were dorsally opened to reveal internal anatomy. Results show that, contrary to established belief, vocal folds are consistently present. They are not isolated bands or “cords” but appear continuous with the internal laryngeal membrane. The attachments of these folds are the same as in terrestrial mammals, thus indicating homology with true mammalian vocal folds. These folds extend from the midline of the thyroid cartilage to the base of the arytenoid cartilages, sometimes to a discrete process. The vocal folds are elongated and oriented in a vertical plane, parallel to airflow direction. Vocal fold morphology varies, appearing as true bifurcated structures, a trifurcated fold, or a single midline fold. Laryngeal ventricles and vestibular folds are also consistently found lateral to the vocal folds. The vocal folds may divide the airstream within the into three separate air currents. Fold vibrations may produce initial laryngeal sounds used in echolocation or communication.
Mechanisms of Exchange Modulation in Trimethylenemethane-type Biradicals: The Roles of Conformation and Spin Density

The molecular structures and magnetic properties of six dinitroxide biradicals are described. Five of the dinitroxides are trimethylenemethane-type (TMM-type) biradicals; that is, the intramolecular exchange parameter, J, is modulated by a carbon−carbon double bond. However, the efficacy of the carbon−carbon double bond as an exchange coupler is determined by the molecular conformation. Our results show that the exchange parameters correlate with phenyl-ring torsion angles (φ) via a simple Karplus−Conroy-type relation: J = 44 cos2 φ − 17. Comparison of these results to those obtained for our isostructural series of bis(semiquinone) biradicals shows that both the magnitude of J and the resistance of ferromagnetic J to bond torsions is proportional to the spin density adjacent to the exchange coupler.
Mechanical design of a Langmuir probe for a QuadSat PnP satellite

In recent years, there is an increasing interest in utilizing small, efficient, plug-and-play (PnP) designs for components of satellite systems. This contribution describes a mechanical design of a sensor package to be placed aboard an AAC Microtec QuadSat PnP Satellite. A sensor package includes a Langmuir Plasma Probe (LPP) for the in-orbit measurement of plasma properties. By measuring the potential between the electrode in the plasma and the electrode outside the plasma, a function can be developed between the voltage potential and the current flowing back out of the plasma. The paper details mechanical design, fabrication, and system integration of a low cost, low mass LPP on aboard of a QuadSat PnP Satellite. The mission life of the satellite, governing the sensor package design, is anticipated to be one month. Details of the sensor package mechanical design are provided and sensor validation procedures are discussed.
Myopericarditis in a pregnant woman with acute promyelocytic leukemia

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a form of acute leukemia with a characteristic translocation, t(15;17), and is considered a hematologic emergency, typically treated with all-trans retinoic acid and an anthracycline. We present the case of a young, gravid woman who was diagnosed with APL in the third trimester, initiated typical treatment, and suffered uncommon cardiac complications. .
Perioperative Nursing Research

The universe of knowledge applicable to the nursing care of patients during the postoperative phase is quite diverse. Interpretation of clinical studies requires caution when confounding variables are not controlled. The variety of articles applicable to postoperative nursing care clearly demonstrates the need for nurses to have advanced knowledge in science, particularly physiology, to fully grasp the phenomena occurring in the postoperative patient. Nurse investigators are commended for their research efforts and are encouraged to continue challenging intuitive and traditional clinical nursing practices.
Measurements of modulation of the total emitted current in laser-assisted field emission

Abstract A laser diode (690 nm, 14.4 mW) was focused on a tungsten field emitting tip in vacuum, and the time-dependent emitted current was measured when the laser diode was amplitude modulated at a frequency of 1 kHz. The peak-to-peak change in the emitted current was 0.14 nA, which is 17.5 parts per million of the DC current with no laser. The change in the current is proportional to the power flux density at the tip, and measurements of the size of the focal spot and the optical power show that the power flux density was 7.09×10 6 W/m 2 . Simulations suggest that approximately 2 3 of the observed change in the emitted current is caused by laser-induced heating, but the remaining 1 3 would be present at terahertz frequencies.
Electron microscopy of polyphosphate bodies in a blue-green alga, Nostoc pruniforme

Preparations of the blue-green alga, Nostoc pruniforme, treated according to the lead-sulfide staining technique of Ebel et al. (1958b) were examined by light and electron microscopy. They were found to contain spherical, electron-dense bodies, generally in close association with the nucleoplasm and polyhedral bodies, and sometimes enclosed by a membrane. In preparations extracted with cold TCA prior to the application of the staining procedure, such electron-dense structures could no longer be found; electron microscopy revealed instead spherical, electron-transparent areas with an electron-dense periphery in positions generally occupied by the electron-dense bodies in preparations not extracted with TCA.
GROWTH HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE IN TESTICULAR INTERSTITIAL AND GERM CELLS: POTENTIAL PARACRINE MODULATION OF FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE ACTION ON SERTOLI CELL FUNCTION

GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) is present in the interstitial and germ cells of the rat testis. In previous studies we found that GHRH is secreted from rat adult Leydig cells, in which it stimulates basal and LH-induced cAMP formation and steroidogenesis. In other studies cAMP production in Sertoli cells was found to be stimulated by GHRH. In the present report, we describe a potential paracrine action of GHRH in the Sertoli cell, with stimulation of cAMP formation in cultured adult and pubertal Sertoli cells. GHRH increased FSH-stimulated cAMP production in adult and pubertal cultures in a time-dependent manner. GHRH stimulation of basal and FSH-induced extracellular cAMP formation was more prominent in pubertal than in adult cultures. Immunocytochemical studies demonstrated the presence of GHRH-like immunoreactivity in rat interstitial cells from day 4 to adult life and in the acrosomal region of early and intermediate spermatids at stages III-VI of the seminiferous epithelium cycle. Immunoreactive GHRH wa...
Alterations in myeloid dendritic cell innate immune responses in the Gαi2-deficient mouse model of colitis

Background The G protein alpha subunit type-2 (Galpha(i)2)-deficient mouse develops inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with increased severity in mice on a 129SvEv (129) background compared to the C57BL/6 (B6) background. Since dendritic cells (DCs) are key cells of innate immunity, we determined whether Galpha(i)2(-/-) DCs have functional defects, influenced by strain background, that predispose to IBD. Methods By breeding these strains to homozygosity for the first time, it became possible to study innate immunity in this animal model with more precision than ever before. Immature DCs were generated using bone marrow monoblasts cultured in the presence of GM-CSF (BMDCs), DC subsets sorted and responses to TLR9 activation were assayed. Results In contrast to Galpha(i)2(-/-) B6, Galpha(i)2(-/-) 129 mice display accelerated onset and increased severity of colitis, abnormal mucosal DC distribution, accompanied by preponderance for Th1 and Th17-associated gut cytokine expression. TLR9 activation of BMDCs induces sustained p38 MAPK activation and greater Th1- and Th17-type cytokine secretion in both strains of Galpha(i)2-deficient compared to wildtype BMDCs. However, only B6 Galpha(i)2(-/-) BMDCs concomitantly produces IL-10 while Galpha(i)2(-/-) 129 BMDCs do not. Conclusions Loss of Galpha(i)2 promotes a Th1/Th17 phenotype and relative IL-10 insufficiency in Galpha(i)2(-/-) 129 BMDCs may account for the striking difference in disease.
A note on P-values under group sequential testing and nonproportional hazards.

Summary. Group sequential designs are often used for periodically assessing treatment efficacy during the course of a clinical trial. Following a group sequential test, P-values computed under the assumption that the data were gathered according to a fixed sample design are no longer uniformly distributed under the null hypothesis of no treatment effect. Various sample space orderings have been proposed for computing proper P-values following a group sequential test. Although many of the proposed orderings have been compared in the setting of time-invariant treatment effects, little attention has been given to their performance when the effect of treatment within an individual varies over time. Our interest here is to compare two of the most commonly used methods for computing proper P-values following a group sequential test, based upon the analysis time (AT) and Z-statistic orderings, with respect to resulting power functions when treatment effects on survival are delayed. Power under the AT ordering is shown to be heavily influenced by the presence of a delayed treatment effect, while power functions corresponding to the Z-statistic ordering remain robust under time-varying treatment effects.
Activation of metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptors reverses the effects of NMDA receptor hypofunction on prefrontal cortex unit activity in awake rats.

Systemic exposure to N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists can lead to psychosis and prefrontal cortex (PFC)–dependent behavioral impairments. Agonists of metabotropic glutamate 2/3 (mGl...
Resuspension of Particulate Matter from Carpet Due to Human Activity

This work investigated the resuspension and subsequent translocation of particulate matter (PM) from carpeted flooring surfaces due to walking. In addition, the effect of HVAC systems and ceiling fans on mixing and/or translocation of resuspended PM was studied. Testing took place both in a residence with a well-worn, soiled carpet and in an environmental test chamber. Prescribed walking occurred with PM measurements taken at multiple sampling heights. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of carpet fibers was used to determine the fraction of dust available for resuspension. These data, in conjunction with resuspended mass concentrations from this study, were used to generate emission factors by particle size for walking on both new and worn carpet. Carpet loading does not affect the emission factor, indicating that the amount of resuspended PM is directly proportional to the available PM in the carpet. While relative humidity (RH) plays an important role in resuspension from new carpets, with high RH enhan...
Extracellular ATP as a neurotransmitter: its role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus

Growing evidence indicates that ATP may play a very important role in Long-Term Potentiation (LTP), a neurophysiological process that has been implicated in memory formation. LTP is an enhancement of synaptic strength induced by a specific pattern of high frequency stimulation, or by application of exogenous ATP. In the hippocampus LTP-inducing stimulation is accompanied by a massive, Ca(2+)-dependent release of ATP from presynaptic terminals. Released extracellular ATP may either interact with numerous types of ATP receptors present on the neuronal surface, or serve as a substrate for ecto-protein phosphorylation. The results of combined electrophysiological and biochemical experiments indicate that participation of extracellular ATP in the ecto-protein phosphorylation process is most likely involved in the permanent amplification of the synaptic response in the hippocampus.
A portfolio of fine-resolution SAR images: continued

Sandia National Laboratories designs and builds Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems capable of forming high-quality exceptionally fine resolution real-time images. Resolutions as fine as 4 inches (10 cm) in both slant range and azimuth are routinely formed in real time on board Sandia’s DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft using a Ku-band SAR. Resolutions as fine as 6 inches (15 cm) in both slant range and azimuth are routinely formed using an X-band SAR. Careful system design allows high image quality as measured by nearly ideal Impulse Response (IPR) shapes, with typical Multiplicative Noise Ratios (MNR) of better than 20 dB, and a noise equivalent reflectivity usually better than -30 dB. Collection geometries routinely include squint angles 45 degrees both fore and aft of broadside, on either side of the aircraft. This paper offers a collection of high quality images representative of the output of Sandia’s testbed radar. High-quality fine-resolution images of a variety of target scenes will be displayed, with annotation describing relevant image parameters. This paper is the second of a set of two portfolios.
Biliary Coccidiosis Associated With Immunosuppressive Treatment of Pure Red Cell Aplasia in an Adult Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Abstract An 18-month-old female spayed ferret was diagnosed with severe anemia secondary to pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). After 3 months of immunosuppressive therapy for PRCA, the patient presented with anorexia, melena, and jaundice. A biochemical profile showed elevated hepatobiliary enzymes and a marked hyperbilirubinemia suggestive of cholestatic disease. Despite aggressive supportive care, the patient's clinical status worsened and euthanasia was elected. The most significant necropsy findings were chronic proliferative cholecystitis and choledochitis with intraepithelial coccidian parasites. Diagnostic analysis of a fragment of the parasite's small subunit ribosomal RNA gene using polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequencing revealed 100% sequence identity to that of Eimeria furonis . The authors believe immunosuppressive therapy for PRCA predisposed this ferret to an opportunistic parasitic infection; clinicians managing PRCA should be aware of this potential complication. To reduce the likelihood of clinical disease associated with Eimeria spp. infections, coccidiostats should be considered as an adjunct treatment for ferrets on long-term immunosuppressive therapy.
Conceptual dimensions of theory appraisal

Abstract After arguing that Laudan's account of the role of conceptual considerations in theory appraisal is inadequate and unsatisfying in a number of respects, I suggest some of the ways in which we might move to develop an alternative account. This alternative presupposes a problem-solving methodology and, unlike the Laudanian approach, awards a crucial role to empirical research in the resolution of the conceptual problems troubling a theory. Three ways in which a theory may enhance the conceptual resources which it supplies for empirical problem-solving are considered: the fine-tuning of theoretical concepts; the appropriation of the conceptual resources of theories in other domains; and the achievement of greater consilience. Reference is made to several historical cases in which such enhancement actually occurred.
Cardiorenal and neurohumoral function in a canine model of early left ventricular dysfunction.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported that asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) in humans is characterized by early neurohumoral activation. Specifically, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and norepinephrine are activated without activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). The current study describes hemodynamic and renal function associated with this neurohumoral profile in a canine model of early and presumably "asymptomatic" ventricular dysfunction. We hypothesized that the neurohumoral profile observed in ALVD is associated with preservation of renal function despite significant hemodynamic compromise. METHODS AND RESULTS ALVD was produced by ventricular pacing at 180 beats per minute for 10 days. Intravascular volume expansion was performed before and after producing ALVD in eight conscious dogs. The model of ALVD was characterized by decreases in ejection fraction (48 +/- 2 to 29 +/- 4%), cardiac output (4.64 +/- 0.29 to 2.89 +/- 0.17 L/min), and mean arterial pressure (119 +/- 4 to 108 +/- 4 mm Hg). Atrial pressures and systemic vascular resistance were increased. ANF (60 +/- 19 to 165 +/- 27 pg/mL) and norepinephrine (382 +/- 127 to 690 +/- 211 pg/mL) were activated, whereas the RAAS was not. Creatinine clearance and sodium excretion (UNa V) were unchanged after producing ALVD. The natriuretic response to volume expansion in ALVD was completely intact, with increases in UNa V similar to that observed with volume expansion in ALVD was completely intact, with increases in UNa V similar to that observed with volume expansion before producing ALVD. CONCLUSIONS The current study demonstrates that significant ventricular dysfunction with peripheral vasoconstriction can be associated with normal renal function and thus suggests an important functional role for the neurohumoral profile of ALVD in preserving sodium balance.
Psychometric evaluation of the Beck Depression Inventory in adults with social anxiety disorder.

Although the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is commonly used to assess levels of depressive symptoms in socially anxious adults, its psychometric properties in this context have never been formally examined. Therefore, we examined the psychometrics of the BDI in a sample of adults with a principal diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (N = 113). The BDI exhibited good internal consistency and re-test reliability. It also correlated significantly more strongly with other measures of depression than with measures of either social or non-social anxiety. Thus, the BDI appears to be a valid tool for the assessment of depressive symptoms in adults with social anxiety disorder.
Novel use of a swimming pool biocide in the treatment of a rare fungal mastoiditis.

Objective: To describe an extremely rare fungal mastoiditis caused by Lecythophora hoffmannii, its recalcitrant behavior to therapy, and eventual successful treatment with adjunctive therapy using polyhexamethylene biguanide (a common swimming pool biocide). Study Design: Case report and review of literature of human Lecythophora hoffmannii infections. Methods: Medline database was searched using the keywords Lecythophora and hoffmannii. All articles that described Lecythophora hoffmannii as the cause of human infection at any site were identified. Literature and patient’s records were considered for complete data review and extraction. Results: We present the second known case in the literature of a human infection with Lecythophora hoffmannii .W e also present the process to definitively identify and then to successfully eradicate this unusual fungal infection using polyhexamethylene biguanide as adjunctive treatment. Conclusions: Successful treatment of a chronic Lecythophora hoffmannii fungal mastoiditis involved a combination of radical surgical removal of all apparent infected tissue along with local treatments with polyhexamethylene biguanide, a common swimming pool biocide agent under the brand name Baquacil (Avecia, Manchester, United Kingdom). Given the prolonged course of treatment, this report particularly stresses the importance of concurrent surgery combined with creative local antimicrobial therapy to eliminate an unusual fungal infection in an immunocompetent host. Key Words: Biguanides, disinfectants, fungi, anti-infective agents, local, mastoiditis. Laryngoscope, 115:1065–1069, 2005
Comparisons of the soot volume fraction using gravimetric and light extinction techniques

Abstract Simultaneous optical and gravimetric measurements were performed in the postflame region of an acetylene/ air premixed flame where the temperature of the soot/gas mixture was reduced to 500 K through nitrogen dilution. By combining gravimetric measurements of the collected soot with soot density measurements using helium pyenometry, an accurate value of the soot volume fraction was obtained. The temperature and soot concentration profiles were measured to compare the line of sight light extinction measurement with the point sampling gravimetric measurements. The soot volume fraction obtained by light extinction measurements overestimated the actual soot volume fraction by about a factor of two. By calibrating the optical measurements with the gravimetric soot volume fractions, a dimensionless extinction coefficient, K e , of 8.6 was measured. This value is conjectured to be applicable for soot generated for a variety of fuels and to be valid for extinction wavelengths in the visible to the near-infrared. It was also found that the mass specific light extinction coefficient was found to be 8.0 m 2 /g which is consistent with measurements reported in the literature for a variety of fuels.
Cultural competence and instructional design: Exploration research into the delivery of online instruction cross-culturally

The amount of resources being poured by Western universities, companies, and governments into creating educational content to be exported (via the Internet) to other cultures is astounding. Those assigned to accomplish this task are left with the great challenge of meeting the needs of learners who come from cultures that are foreign to them, and who often have very different abilities and expectations than originally assumed. This study explores the cultural competence in the lived experience of 12 professionals who have been involved with such efforts. Often they have had to question their assumptions, recognizing flaws in their own thinking and in the organizations that support them, and tried to alter their practice accordingly. Their awareness of cultural differences and the importance and impact of these differences in their practice will be discussed.
Hormonal modulation of tear volume in the rat.

Abstract The present study examined the influence of hormones on the tear volume of male rats. The mean tear volume in a population of 2–3-month-old intact rats equaled 4·6±0·2 μl. This volume, however, varied depending upon the hormonal environment of the animal. Orchiectomy induced a significant, 46%, increase in the mean tear volume, compared with that of intact rats. Testosterone administration to orchiectomized rats reversed this increase and caused a significant reduction in tear volume. Of interest, this androgen action was prevented if rats were also hypophysectomized. Hypophysectomy alone decrease tear volume and this response was not influenced by later castration. Other endocrine manipulations, including thyroidectomy, adrenal-ectomy and estrogen treatment of orchiectomized rats had no effect on tear volume. Overall, our results indicate that tear volume may be modulated by hormones from the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Modeling and verification of adaptive navigation in web applications

The navigation of a web application is the possible sequences of web pages a user can visit. In the simplest case the next page is determined by the current page and the action (e.g. link, button) selected by the user. However, many web applications now incorporate adaptive navigation, where the next page also depends on the user's mode, for example whether they are a customer or an administrator, or depends on what pages the user has visited previously.Navigation models are useful for clarifying requirements and specifying implementation behavior. When a model is formal, it can also be used to generate design or implementation artifacts, and can be verified for properties such as broken links or length of navigation path. These uses are all important for the case of simple navigation, but even more important for adaptive navigation because of the added complexity. However, none of the current formal approaches can support adaptive navigation.In this paper we present an approach that uses Statecharts to formally model adaptive navigation, and show how important properties of a navigation model are verified using existing model-checking tools. We summarize the kinds of properties that can be checked with such a model, and describe how to use the Symbolic Model Verifier (SMV) tool to perform the verification. Finally, we use the Blockbuster® web site as a case study to demonstrate how our approach can uncover navigation problems that arise when new requirements are imposed.
The results of punch prostatectomy

Abstract In the present series of 192 cases definite information is available in eighty-five of the 157 in which operation was performed prior to January 1, 1927. Twentyseven patients (32 per cent) have had no urinary complaint since the operation. In thirty-nine cases (46 per cent) there is improvement in the symptoms of obstruction, although there is a degree of frequency which is definitely less than before operation; therefore, in a total of sixty-six cases (78 per cent) there was improvement; in nineteen (22 per cent) no improvement. A review of the data in these cases previous to operation may throw some light on the cause of failure. In nine of the nineteen unimproved subsequent prostatectomy was performed and lateral lobe enlargement discovered; in seven others there was hypertrophy of the lateral lobes in addition to the median obstruction. In all but two of the nineteen unsuccessful cases the pathologic diagnosis of the tissue removed was “inflammatory.” This would indicate that in groups of cases of atrophic inflammatory prostatic obstruction, considered best suited for the punch operation, the poorest results were obtained; however, one must not overlook the fact that such cases not only offer technical difficulty but are notorious for the disappointing results following total prostatectomy. In all of the cases in which treatment was a failure (except three), symptoms have persisted following operation or recurred within six months. In the three exceptional cases there was no recurrence of trouble until from ten to twelve months later. This would again emphasize the belief of Caulk that a patient's condition a few months after operation is a fair indication of the final results of the operation. We have heard from twenty-six patients operated on last year. The Braasch knife instrument was used in all of these cases and the bleeding points subsequently electrocoagulated. Fourteen of these patients are entirely relieved, ten are definitely improved, and two are no better. We believe these figures are fairly indicative of the percentage of relief obtained by using the punch operation in any properly selected series of cases.
Aging, Gender, and Self: Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance Analysis on Self-Construal

The dimensionality of self-construal, and the consistency of this dimensionality across age and gender, was examined using confirmatory factor and measurement invariance analyses. Across young and older adults, across men and women, and across White Americans and Hispanic Americans, a four-factor solution, including vertical and horizontal interdependence and vertical and horizontal independence, fitted the data better than a two-factor solution with vertical and horizontal dimensions posited as single factors. These results support the hypothesized individual-level multidimensionality of self-construal and suggest that it is structurally similar to the dimensionality of individualism – collectivism at the cultural level. Latent mean comparisons revealed that elders valued uniqueness, on average, more than young adults and that both genders strive equally for achievement, albeit through different means. Implications for cross-level (i.e., cultural vs. individual) and multidimensional understandings of the...
Supported liquid membranes with strip dispersion for the recovery of Cephalexin

Abstract The removal and recovery of Cephalexin from aqueous solutions by supported liquid membranes (SLMs) with strip dispersion has been studied. Experiments used a Liqui-Cel ® hollow-fiber module as a mircoporous support and an organic membrane solution consisting of Aliquat 336, Isopar L (isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent), and 1-decanol. The aqueous strip solution was composed of potassium chloride and citrate buffer. The presence of the strip dispersion, formed by dispersing the aqueous strip solution in the organic membrane solution with a mixer, on the shell-side of the hollow-fiber module ensures SLM stability. Various experimental parameters such as strip dispersion mixing rate, Aliquat 336 concentration in the organic membrane phase, KCl and citrate buffer concentrations in the aqueous strip solution, volume of aqueous strip solution, and feed and strip dispersion flow rates were investigated. High extraction and recovery rates were achieved when maintaining a proper pH in the aqueous strip solution combined with an excess of KCl. Typical results using an Aliquat 336 concentration of 2.5 wt% (48 mM) have shown >99% extraction, recovery rates of 96–98%, and enrichment ratios of 1.6–3.3 from a feed solution containing 15 mM of Cephalexin. Mass transfer resistances were analyzed, showing the resistance from the extraction reaction to be dominant.
943 T CELL EFFECTOR DEFICIENCY IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN

Cellular (T-cell) immunity in infants and young children is suspect because of diminished delayed skin tests and increased susceptibility to infection, engraftment, and malignancy. However, T cell numbers and proliferative responses are normal, and lymphokine production is variably reduced. We therefore studied two cytotoxic functions of T cells, natural killer (NK) and lect-in-dependent (LD) cytotoxicity in newborns, young children less than 24 months, and adults. In the PHA-enhanced LD cytotoxicity assay, whole mononuclear (MN), T enriched (>95% T cells) and T depleted (<1% T cells) fractions were tested against 51Cr-labeled EL-4 target cells in a 4 hour incubation at an effector target ratio of 40:1. In the NK assay, MN cells were used against 51Cr labeled Molt-4f tumor cells with and without the addition of exogenous interferon (100 units) at effector:target ratios of 50:1, 25:1, and 10:1. Cyclic AMP levels were also assessed in the cell fractions. In the LD assay, the MN cord blood cells had equivalent specific cytotoxicity (34 vs 32%, N=14) to adult cells but the T-enriched fractions had a strikingly decreased cytotoxicity (22 vs 51%) compared to adults. This normalizes after age 2. By contrast NK activity and interferon enhancement was equivalent in newborn and adult cells (53 vs 55%, N=10). Cyclic AMP levels of newborn cells were markedly reduced. These results indicate that NK maturation occurs very early, that an important T-effector function is immature in newborns, and that their T cells resemble those of some patients with T cell immunodeficiency.
Investigation of the temperature-dependent mechanical behavior of a polypropylene-pine composite

Wood-plastic composites have been recognized as versatile and practical materials for use in many light-structural uses. Recently, more structurally demanding applications have surfaced, which require an improved understanding of mechanical performance and design methodologies. Research addressing the influence of service temperature on mechanical performance with the goal of assigning structural design values is lacking. This study examines the effect of temperature on the mechanical performance of a polypropylene-pine composite formulation. Static tests were performed at temperatures between 21.1 and 80.0°C to determine the material constitutive relations and ultimate properties in tension and compression. A statistical approach was proposed to assess design thermal loads according to geographical location. Both Young’s modulus and ultimate stress were found to decrease with temperature while maximum strain increased linearly with temperature. Temperature adjustment factors were developed over the range...
Wolbachia endosymbionts and human disease control

Most human filarial nematode parasites and arthropods are hosts for a bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia. In filaria, Wolbachia are required for normal development, fertility and survival, whereas in arthropods, they are largely parasitic and can influence development and reproduction, but are generally not required for host survival. Due to their obligate nature in filarial parasites, Wolbachia have been a target for drug discovery initiatives using several approaches including diversity and focused library screening and genomic sequence analysis. In vitro and in vivo anti-Wolbachia antibiotic treatments have been shown to have adulticidal activity, a long sought goal of filarial parasite drug discovery. In mosquitoes, it has been shown that the presence of Wolbachia can inhibit the transmission of certain viruses, such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, West Nile, as well as the infectivity of the malaria-causing protozoan, Plasmodium and filarial nematodes. Furthermore, Wolbachia can cause a form of conditional sterility that can be used to suppress populations of mosquitoes and additional medically important insects. Thus Wolbachia, a pandemic endosymbiont offers great potential for elimination of a wide-variety of devastating human diseases.
Indirectness in the Interview

This article addresses the issue of communicative competence in the linguistic interview, in particular in the elicitation of an obsolescent language. A consultant's attempts to contextualize linguistic forms resemble digressions in Wasco-Wishram (Upper Chinookan) reported by Moore (1988). Examples from elicitation of Chiwere wherein various means of contextualization are attempted by both consultant and interviewer illustrate the intricacies of the interview as communicative event (Briggs 1986). The article examines the comparative ease of visual as opposed to verbal contextualization. It suggests that the use of the visual channel may reduce difficulties in communication which arise in the interview setting, and speculates on the importance of these findings for future study of the effect of the interview on data.
Development of a Cell-Chip Array for Single Cell Capturing Using Dielectrophoresis

Traditional methods of analyzing cells are based on the averaging of results studied from multiple cells in an assay. The results are correlated and assumed to be the equally contributed by all cells of the population under study. However, recent advancement in single cell studies have showed that individual cells behaves differently in the same environment and to study the real functionality of cell, it is really important to study single cells independently. Studying multiple cell assays may obscure some important information which can only be understood by single cell studies. We fabricated a lab on chip device using lithography techniques to study high throughput single cell capturing and analysis. The chip includes microwells on top of active sensing electrode. These electrodes are independently addressable for capturing a single cell in an individual microwell as well as study an independent cell on order. Positive-dielectrophoresis (pDEP) was employed to achieve quick and efficient single cells capturing in individual wells. We examined change in impedance properties of the electrode to verify cell capturing in microwells. Electrochemical characterization of the chip showed reliable behavior.