cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Penicillanic acid derivatives in the canine prostate.

Distribution of ampicillin, amoxicillin, bacampicillin, mecillinam, pivmecillinam, carbenicillin, and carbenicillin indanyl sodium was studied in the canine prostate, prostatic interstitial fluid, and prostatic secretion. All seven antibiotics were found in higher concentrations in the prostatic interstitial fluid than in the prostatic secretion. As expected for weak acids, drug concentrations in these fluids were always lower than the simultaneous serum concentrations. Tissue penetration was enhanced for the penicillin ester, pivmecillinam, as shown by its prostatic secretion/ serum and tissue/serum ratios, which were higher than those of the other antibiotics, including the esters, bacampicillin, and carbenicillin indanyl sodium. This result may be due to pivmecillinam's long hydrolysis half-life. The concentrations for these penicillanic acid derivatives in prostatic interstitial fluid were above the minimal inhibitory concentrations for most of the commonly encountered gram-negative bacteria encountered in prostatitis. Therefore, these antibiotics should be effective in the treatment of bacterial prostatitis caused by susceptible organisms. Carbenicillin and carbenicillin indanyl sodium had the highest prostatic interstitial fluid/serum ratios of the compounds tested, and theoretically, therefore, they should be the most effective in the treatment of prostatitis. However, clinical trials should be carried out to confirm this.
Phenomenology of a realistic accelerating universe using only Planck scale physics

Modern data are showing increasing evidence that the Universe is accelerating. So far, all attempts to account for the acceleration have required some fundamental dimensionless quantities to be extremely small. We show how a class of scalar field models (which may emerge naturally from superstring theory) can account for acceleration which starts in the present epoch with all the potential parameters $O(1)$ in Planck units.
Identification of an additional member of the protein-tyrosine-phosphatase family: evidence for alternative splicing in the tyrosine phosphatase domain.

Abstract Protein-tyrosine-phosphatases (protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.13.48) have been implicated in the regulation of cell growth; however, to date few tyrosine phosphatases have been characterized. To identify additional family members, the cDNA for the human tyrosine phosphatase leukocyte common antigen (LCA; CD45) was used to screen, under low stringency, a mouse pre-B-cell cDNA library. Two cDNA clones were isolated and sequence analysis predicts a protein sequence of 793 amino acids. We have named the molecule LRP (LCA-related phosphatase). RNA transfer analysis indicates that the cDNAs were derived from a 3.2-kilobase mRNA. The LRP mRNA is transcribed in a wide variety of tissues. The predicted protein structure can be divided into the following structural features: a short 19-amino acid leader sequence, an exterior domain of 123 amino acids that is predicted to be highly glycosylated, a 24-amino acid membrane-spanning region, and a 627-amino acid cytoplasmic region. The cytoplasmic region contains two approximately 260-amino acid domains, each with homology to the tyrosine phosphatase family. One of the cDNA clones differed in that it had a 108-base-pair insertion that, while preserving the reading frame, would disrupt the first protein-tyrosine-phosphatase domain. Analysis of genomic DNA indicates that the insertion is due to an alternatively spliced exon. LRP appears to be evolutionarily conserved as a putative homologue has been identified in the invertebrate Styela plicata.
Molecular handling of cadmium in transporting epithelia

Cadmium (Cd) is an industrial and environmental pollutant that affects adversely a number of organs in humans and other mammals, including the kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, testis, and placenta. The liver and kidneys, which are the primary organs involved in the elimination of systemic Cd, are especially sensitive to the toxic effects of Cd. Because Cd ions possess a high affinity for sulfhydryl groups and thiolate anions, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the handling and toxicity of Cd in target organs can be defined largely by the molecular interactions that occur between Cd ions and various sulfhydryl-containing molecules that are present in both the intracellular and extracellular compartments. A great deal of scientific data have been collected over the years to better define the toxic effects of Cd in the primary target organs. Notwithstanding all of the new developments made and information gathered, it is surprising that very little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the uptake, retention, and elimination of Cd in target epithelial cells. Therefore, the primary purpose of this review is to summarize and put into perspective some of the more salient current findings, assertions, and hypotheses pertaining to the transport and handling of Cd in the epithelial cells of target organs. Particular attention has been placed on the molecular mechanisms involved in the absorption, retention, and secretion of Cd in small intestinal enterocytes, hepatocytes, and tubular epithelial cells lining both proximal and distal portions of the nephron. The purpose of this review is not only to provide a summary of published findings but also to provide speculations and testable hypotheses based on contemporary findings made in other areas of research, with the hope that they may promote and serve as the impetus for future investigations designed to define more precisely the cellular mechanisms involved in the transport and handling of Cd within the body.
MINDING OTHERS' BUSINESS

What do we do when a loved one is seriously messing up her life? While Kantianism describes the predicament nicely as a tension between love and respect, it is not well-suited to resolving it. Kantian respect prevents minding another's business in cases where love demands it. Virtue ethics can readily explain the predicament as a tension between the virtues of sympathy and humility. Moreover, by changing the focus away from the other as a setter of ends and toward the would-be-benefactor's own degree of practical wisdom, virtue ethics permits a more nuanced set of loving responses to self-destructive people.
Intensive, Short-Term Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of OCD-Like Behavior With a Young Adult With Williams Syndrome

In contrast to the application of applied behavior analysis principles in autism and developmental disorders, there is a general paucity of research examining effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions with individuals with mental retardation and even less with mental retardation of a specific etiology. The authors present a case study of cognitive-behavioral treatment for emotional and behavioral difficulties in a young man with Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by developmental and psychosocial impairments. Following a functional assessment, an intensive intervention was designed and implemented to address social skills difficulties, obsessions, and compulsions. Results suggest that cognitive-behavioral interventions may be promising with this population. Obstacles encountered and lessons learned are discussed.
The path probability method: An atomistic technique of diffusion

The path probability method (PPM) of irreversible statistical mechanics has been successfully applied to various diffusion problems. The major advantage of this atomistic treatment over the phenomenological approach of irreversible thermodynamics is that all Onsager matrix coefficients can be derived analytically so that relations among measurable quantities can be clearly understood in terms of microscopic parameters. This review article attempts to present the PPM in the simplest possible form. The importance of the PPM as an atomistic technique is illustrated using a simple example. The applicability and limitations of the technique are also emphasized.
Local axonal trajectories in mouse barrel cortex.

Quantitative studies were made of the distribution of labeled intracortical axons after focal injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into mouse barrel cortex, in vitro. The pattern of labeled fibers was compared to that of labeled cell bodies with respect to the barrel map in layer IV. We analyzed 4 cortices with injections in supragranular layers and centered above a single barrel row. Computer microscope/image analysis routines were used to collect the data and to perform various statistical analyses on them. The distributions of both labeled cells and fibers in layer IV and in the infragranular layers show strong connectional tendencies between barrels representing a whisker row. This result is consistent with single unit recordings from barrel cortex. Fiber labeling is more widespread than cell body labeling in layer IV. In addition, the fibers show a directional bias into the adjacent anterior barrel row (e.g., C → D, D → E). In earlier 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) studies of behaving animals, the anterior barrel rows were more heavily labeled; inter-row projections are therefore predominantly from less active to more active barrel columns. These data show that labeled fiber distribution differs from the distribution pattern of labeled cell bodies. The findings indicate that integration of information between whisker rows within barrel cortex involves asymmetrical connections within layer IV and infragranular layers.
Unravelling the conundrum of tannins in animal nutrition and health

This paper examines the nutritional and veterinary effects of tannins on ruminants and makes some comparisons with non-ruminants. Tannin chemistry per se is not covered and readers are referred to several excellent reviews instead: (a) Okuda T et al. Heterocycles 30:1195-1218 (1990); (b) Ferreira D and Slade D. Nat Prod Rep 19:517-541 (2002); (c) Yoshida T et al. In Studies in Natural Product Chemistry. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp. 395-453 (2000); (d) Khanbabaee K and van Ree T. Nat Prod Rep 18:641-649 (2001); (e) Okuda et al. Phytochemistvy 55:513-529 (2000). The effects of tannins on rumen micro-organisms are also not reviewed, as these have been addressed by others: (a) McSweeney CS et al. Anim Feed Sci Technol 91:83-93 (2001); (b) Smith AH and Mackie RI. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:1104-1115 (2004). This paper deals first with the nutritional effects of tannins in animal feeds, their qualitative and quantitative diversity, and the implications of tannin-protein complexation. It then summarises the known physiological and harmful effects and discusses the equivocal evidence of the bioavailability of tannins. Issues concerning tannin metabolism and systemic effects are also considered. Opportunities are presented on how to treat feeds with high tannin contents, and some lesser-known but successful feeding strategies are highlighted. Recent research has explored the use of tannins for preventing animal deaths from bloat, for reducing intestinal parasites and for lowering gaseous ammonia and methane emissions. Finally, several tannin assays and a hypothesis are discussed that merit further investigation in order to assess their suitability for predicting animal responses. The aim is to provoke discussion and spur readers into new approaches. An attempt is made to synthesise the emerging information for relating tannin structures with their activities. Although many plants with high levels of tannins produce negative effects and require treatments, others are very useful animal feeds. Our ability to predict whether tannin-containing feeds confer positive or negative effects will depend on interdisciplinary research between animal nutritionists and plant chemists. The elucidation of tannin structure-activity relationships presents exciting opportunities for future feeding strategies that will benefit ruminants and the environment within the contexts of extensive, semi-intensive and some intensive agricultural systems. (c) 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Prolongation of QT interval and antiarrhythmic action of bepridil

Studies were undertaken with bepridil, a new calcium blocker that prolongs the QT interval, to determine the antiarrhythmic and possible arrhythmogenic properties of this agent. The technique of programmed electrical stimulation was employed to evaluate bepridil in 15 patients with symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT). Bepridil prevented VT induction in 7 of 15 patients. Bepridil prolonged the QT and refractoriness and a linear correlation could be demonstrated between the percent change in QTc and refractory period prolongation for the bepridil-protected group. Bepridil in one patient reduced by one the number of stimuli required to induce VT, but no spontaneous arrhythmias were noted. Bepridil thus possesses antiarrhythmic properties with a minimal proarrhythmic effect.
Egg load of lab-cultured Anaphes iole and effects of mate presence and exposure time on load depletion

Anaphes iole Girault (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is a solitary egg parasitoid of Lygus bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) in North America. This research considered factors that might impact the egg load of lab-cultured A .iole females, reared from Lygus hesperus Knight egg patches. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) egg load was related to body size and not affected by female age, and (2) egg load depletion was not affected by mate presence and time (in days) that females were exposed to host patches. Initial egg load averaged 48 mature eggs and no immature eggs were detected in the ovarioles of dissected females. Egg load was neither related to body size (hind tibia or forewing length) nor affected significantly by age (0, 1 or 2days old honey-fed females). Mate presence (females with or without males) and exposure time (1, 3 or 5days on the same host patch) had no effect on egg load depletion. Females usually depleted most of their egg load within 24h. From 86 to 92% of females contained less than six mature eggs and no immature eggs after 1, 3 or 5days of exposure to host patches. The results of this study suggest that A. iole females are certainly pro-ovigenic and initial egg load does not correlate with body size or age. Since mated and unmated females deplete most of their egg load in 24h, time-efficient production of progeny may result when ovipositing parasitoids are exposed to suitable hosts for just a few days.
Platelet MAO-B and endogenous MAO-a inhibitory activity in depressed patients: Stability with electroconvulsive treatment

Though the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treatment of major depression has been repeatedly documented, present data do not permit a conclusive description of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects. Theories have been propounded implicating influences of gamma-aminobutyric acid (Sackeim et al. 1983), hypothalamic peptides (Fink 1982), and monoaminergic transmission (Ottoson 1985) in these effects. Data from several sources indicating effects of chronic ECT on monoamine metabolism include increased 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated
Efficiency wages, wage indexation and macroeconomic stabilization

Abstract This paper examines the effects of nominal wage indexation on output variability when effort affects the productivity of labor inputs. Given this specification, it is shown that, contrary to Gray's (1976) result, full wage indexation is not destabilizing in the presence of supply shocks.
2004 American Sociological Association Presidential address: For public sociology*

Responding to the growing gap between the sociological ethos and the world we study, the challenge of public sociology is to engage multiple publics in multiple ways. These public sociologies should not be left out in the cold, but brought into the framework of our discipline. In this way we make public sociology a visible and legitimate enterprise, and, thereby, invigorate the discipline as a whole. Accordingly, if we map out the division of sociological labor, we discover antagonistic interdependence among four types of knowledge: professional, critical, policy, and public. In the best of all worlds the flourishing of each type of sociology is a condition for the flourishing of all, but they can just as easily assume pathological forms or become victims of exclusion and subordination. This field of power beckons us to explore the relations among the four types of sociology as they vary historically and nationally, and as they provide the template for divergent individual careers. Finally, comparing disciplines points to the umbilical chord that connects sociology to the world of publics, underlining sociology's particular investment in the defense of civil society, itself beleaguered by the encroachment of markets and states.
Investigation of a robust flow-through Cu(I) optical sensor using 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline immobilized into a Nafion film

Abstract A robust optical sensor for detection of Cu(I) in water and using fiber optic interrogation is demonstrated. The reagent bathocuproine (2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline or BCP) is immobilized into a film of Nafion and the absorbance changes associated with the formation of a Cu(I)–BCP complex are used to detect and quantify Cu(I) in water. The response of the sensor is determined for varying concentrations of Cu(I) in water. Two different measurement techniques are investigated. In the recycled technique the Cu(I)–BCP complex is eluted with 0.1 M nitric acid after each measurement, whereas in the continuous technique the sensor is exposed to consecutively larger concentrations of Cu(I). Detection of ppb levels of Cu(I) is demonstrated and calibration curves for both techniques are constructed.
Nitric oxide synthase activity in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat: Implications for renal transplantation

Cadaveric kidney transplants with delayed graft function have poorer graft survival by an unknown mechanism. Nitric oxide, produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), has a proven role in both recovery of ischemia and promotion of rejection. We therefore wished to study the patterns of NOS activity in a model of renal ischemia. The left renal pedicle of Fisher rats was occluded for 1 hr. Both kidneys were removed at various times and frozen. Renal NOS activity was measured by conversion of [3H]arginine to [3H]citrulline and the content of endothelial NOS isoenzyme (eNOS) was compared by Western blot. NOS activity increased significantly in the left ischemic kidney over the first 24 hr, from a control of 33.8 pmol/min/mg to 79.8 at 2 hr and 56.8 at 24 hr. NOS activity then dropped below baseline, returning to near normal levels at day 21. eNOS content was stimulated over the entire time course, consistent with the presence of an eNOS inhibitor. Oral treatment with the NOS substrate L-arginine at 5 g/L significantly hastened the return of serum creatinine to baseline, if simultaneous contralateral nephrectomy was performed. The lazaroid U74389G given perioperatively also improved renal function and hastened recovery of NOS activity. Because nitric oxide plays an important role in maintaining blood flow during recovery from renal ischemia, the observed decrease in NOS activity may be prevented by perioperative treatment with oral L-arginine and corticosteroids. In addition, U74389G may provide a clinically useful method of minimizing and/or shortening DGF, thereby improving graft function and survival.
Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Knowledge and Misconceptions in the Identification of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women. (DOI 10.1007/s11999-012-2749-x)

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has a very explicit definition of intimate partner violence (IPV) [1]. So does the American Medical Association (AMA) [2].
The establishment and maintenance of lymphocyte identity through gene silencing

Cell identity is determined by selective gene activation and by the maintenance of other regulated genes in a silent state. Although activation mechanisms have been dissected in considerable depth, great strides towards an understanding of the molecular control of gene silencing have been made only recently. Molecular hallmarks of silent chromatin and proteins involved in its assembly and maintenance have been identified through genetic, cytological and biochemical studies in a variety of organisms. Immunologists are now beginning to use this knowledge to elucidate mechanisms underlying cell fate decisions and key developmental steps. This review surveys the current knowledge of gene silencing, with an emphasis on studies in lymphocytes that are advancing our general understanding of silencing mechanisms during development.
Exile and Religious Identity in Early Modern England

(2010). Exile and Religious Identity in Early Modern England. Reformation: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 51-61.
Grating efficiencies comparison study: calculations versus metrology for various types of high-groove density gratings at VUV-UV wavelengths

The complex study of a ultra-fine (4000 to 5870 grooves/mm) holographic gratings designed for Near Ultra Violet (NUV) channel of Cosmic Origin Spectrograph (COS) are presented. The gratings underwent a comprehensive program of efficiency and scatter characterization at flight-like environment conditions. Initial tests revealed significant departures of grating efficiencies from the values predicted. Effects of profile non-replication (layers nonconformity) for multi-layer coated grating surfaces are investigated. The rigorous efficiency modeling based on groove profiling atomic force microscopy (AFM) data for both multi-layer conformal and non-conformal coated gratings in both polarizations allowed to identify the problem as a leaky mode anomalies for dielectrically coated gratings. Both shift in peak efficiencies and wide absorption band are observed to be critically dependant of grating groove shape and reflective coating thickness. Grating depth/profile topography changes induced by coating process are observed and called for groove profile measurements at all stages of the gratings production line. Grating scatter characterizations data for COS and SORCE/SOLSTICE gratings at UV-VUV wavelength are presented. The wavelength scaling at VUV-UV waveband (140 nm to 442 nm) for holographically ruled 3600 gr/mm grating are also reported.
A foundation for Pareto optimality in spatial models

Abstract Suppose that the social welfare function f maps the family of profiles of Euclidean individual preferences into the set of continuous and quasitransitive relations on the set of ‘addresses’ in the standard spatial model. If f satisfies Arrow's independence axiom as well as an extremely mild responsiveness condition and an extraordinary mild equity condition, then f must be the Pareto aggregation rule.
Gabriel Biel and Late Medieval Mysticism

Though periodization is admittedly a matter of opinion, there is much to warrant the thesis that the later Middle Ages were born in Avignon and were shaped by the uncertainty and hierarchical confusion due to the Babylonian Captivity of the papacy (1309-1377) and the succeeding period of the Schism (1378-1415). The impact, especially of this latter event, can scarcely be overestimated, so much so that we are included to advocate the terms “pre-schismatic and schismatic Middle Ages” to replace the traditional terms “early and later Middle Ages.”
Spectroscopic Evidence Against Nitric Acid Trihydrate in Polar Stratospheric Clouds

Heterogeneous reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's) play a key role in the photochemical mechanisms thought to be responsible for ozone depletion in the Antarctic and the Arctic. Reactions on PSC particles activate chlorine to forms that are capable of photochemical ozone destruction, and sequester nitrogen oxides (NOx) that would otherwise deactivate the chlorine. Although the heterogeneous chemistry is now well established, the composition of the clouds themselves is uncertain. It is commonly thought that they are composed of nitric acid trihydrate, although observations have left this question unresolved. Here we reanalyse infrared spectra of type I PCS's obtained in Antarctica in September 1987, using recently measured optical constraints of the various compounds that might be present in PSC's. We find that these PSC's were not composed of nitric acid trihydrate but instead had a more complex composition perhaps that of a ternary solution. Because cloud formation is sensitive to their composition, this finding will alter our understanding of the locations and conditions in which PSCs form. In addition, the extent of ozone loss depends on the ability of the PSC's to remove NOx permanently through sedimentation. The sedimentation rates depend on PSC particle size which in turn is controlled by the composition and formation mechanism.
Transmembrane Nitration of Hydrophobic Tyrosyl Peptides: LOCALIZATION, CHARACTERIZATION, MECHANISM OF NITRATION, AND BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS *

We have shown previously that peroxynitrite-induced nitration of a hydrophobic tyrosyl probe is greater than that of tyrosine in the aqueous phase (Zhang, H., Joseph, J., Feix, J., Hogg, N., and Kalyanaraman, B. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 7675-7686). In this study, we have tested the hypothesis that the extent of tyrosine nitration depends on the intramembrane location of tyrosyl probes and on the nitrating species. To this end, we have synthesized membrane spanning 23-mer containing a single tyrosyl residue at positions 4, 8, and 12. The location of the tyrosine residues in the phospholipid membrane was determined by fluorescence and electron spin resonance techniques. Nitration was initiated by slow infusion of peroxynitrite, co-generated superoxide and nitric oxide ((.)NO), or a myeloperoxidase/hydrogen peroxide/nitrite anion (MPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-)) system. Results indicate that with slow infusion of peroxynitrite, nitration of transmembrane tyrosyl peptides was much higher (10-fold or more) than tyrosine nitration in aqueous phase. Peroxynitrite-dependent nitration of tyrosyl-containing peptides increased with increasing depth of the tyrosyl residue in the bilayer. In contrast, MPO/H(2)O(2)/ NO(2)(-)-induced tyrosyl nitration decreased with increasing depth of tyrosyl residues in the membrane. Transmembrane nitrations of tyrosyl-containing peptides induced by both peroxynitrite and MPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) were totally inhibited by (.)NO that was slowly released from spermine NONOate. Nitration of peptides in both systems was concentration-dependently inhibited by unsaturated fatty acid. Concomitantly, an increase in lipid oxidation was detected. A mechanism involving (.)NO(2) radical is proposed for peroxynitrite and MPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-)-dependent transmembrane nitration reactions.
Caught on Film: The Secret Lives of Dendrites in the Tadpole Optic Tectum

Much is known about the functions and properties of neuronal dendrites, but rarely has dendritic activation been monitored while the dendrite performs a computational task. In this issue of Neuron, Bollmann and Engert demonstrate that different regions of a dendrite in the tadpole optic tectum are tuned to stimuli in different locations of the visual field. Their study is the first direct demonstration that dendritic regions act as semi-independent functional units during sensory processing in a vertebrate central nervous system.
7200 Safety and efficacy of pretreatment outpatient placement of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding tubes in patients with head and neck cancer.

Patients with head and neck cancer (HN with one of these the patient failed to follow post-PEG site care instructions. All four site infections were treated as outpatients and responded to a one week course of dicloxacillin. The mean serum albumin at time of PEG placement was 3.4, indicating a mild degree of malnutrition. In those patients in whom both pre-PEG placement and follow-up serum nutritional data were available, the albumin rose from 3.0 (pre-PEG) to 3.3 (a mean of 76 days later). The PEG tubes were removed with direct traction without sedation several weeks after completion of tumor treatment and resumption of normal swallowing. Conclusion: Pretreatment outpatient placement of PEG feeding tubes can be performed efficiently, safely, and with good results as part of a comprehensive, multi-specialty approach to patients with HN the rate of site infection may reflect the ambulatory nature of the patient population and/or antibiotic selection.
It's Better Being an Economist (But Don't Tell Anyone)

This paper contrasts the job market in economics with the job market in physics and mathematics, which attract students who are, by conventional measures, smarter than economists and where the base of knowledge is better established than ours. Despite this, economists earn more and have better career prospects than physicists or mathematicians. The paper offers several reasons for our better economic prospects, ranging from lack of glamour attracting bright young people to the dismal science to our inability to solve important problems, which puts us higher up on the marginal product curve for basic research than these fields.
Elder Abuse and Neglect in an Urban Chinese Population

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in an urban Chinese population. A cross-sectional study was performed in a major urban medical center in NanJing, China. A total of 412 participants completed the survey and 145 (35%) participants screened positive for elder abuse and neglect. The mean age of the victims was 69 years and 59% were male. Caregiver neglect was the most common form of abuse, followed by financial exploitation, psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Thirty-six percent of the victims suffered multiple forms of abuse and neglect. In the logistical regression analyses of the data, female gender, lower education and lower income were demographic risk factors associated with elder abuse and neglect. A better understanding of these and additional risk factors associated with elder abuse and neglect in older Chinese people is needed.
Sayyid Qutb and the origins of radical Islamism

Sayyid Qutb and the origins of radical Islamism, by John Calvert, New York and Chichester, Columbia University Press, 2010, xi + 377 pp., US$29.50 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-2317-0104-4 In Western news...
Response of an insect herbivore to host plants grown in carbon dioxide enriched atmospheres.

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is expected to increase plant productivity, but little evidence is available regarding effects on insect feeding or growth. Larvae of the soybean looper, a noctuid moth, were fed leaves of soybean plants grown under three carbon dioxide regimes (350, 500 and 650 μl·l-1). Larvae fed at increasingly higher rates on plants from elevated carbon dioxide atmospheres: 30% greater on leaves from the 650 μl·l-1 treatment than on leaves from the 350 μl·l-1 treatment. When variation in larval feeding was related to the leaf content of nitrogen and water, there was no significant remaining effect of carbon dioxide treatment. The principal effect on herbivores of increasing the carbon supply of leaves appeared to be reduction of leaf nutrient concentration. This study suggests that feeding by herbivores on the leaves of C3 plants may increase as the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide rises.
A Generalization of Godel's Notion of Constructibility

The notion of constructibility introduced by Godel in [2] has been generalized by Hajnal [3], [4] in order to prove the conditional independence of the generalized continuum hypothesis and related axioms. A very similar construction was used independently by Shoenfield [11], [12] 2 and the author [7] to prove the conditional independence of V = L and related axioms. Here we shall prove results further in the latter direction than those in Shoenfield [12].
Geographic Variation in Pipistrellus Hesperus

Geographic variation in Pipistrellus hesperus consists of an eastern series of populations of large individuals and a western series of populations of small individuals, this situation perhaps resulting from historical changes in the distribution of deserts. Other facets of geographic variation involving color, sexual dimorphism, and variability are discussed in relation to climate, rainfall, and sexual differences in behavior.
Computational Unfolding of Double-Cusp Models of Opinion Formation

In 1975, Isnard and Zeeman proposed a cusp catastrophe model for the polarization of a social group, such as the population of a democratic nation. Ten years later, Kadyrov combined two of these cusps into a model for the opinion dynamics of two "nonsocialist" nations. This is a nongradient dynamical system, more general than the double-cusp catastrophe studied by Callahan and Sashin [1987]. Here, we present a computational study of the nongradient double cusp, in which the degeneracy of Kadyrov's model is unfolded in codimension eight. Also, we develop a discrete-time cusp model, study the corresponding double cusp, establish its equivalence to the continuous-time double cusp, and discuss some potential applications. We find bifurcations for multiple critical-point attractors, periodic attractors, and (for the discrete case) bifurcations to quasiperiodic and chaotic attractors.
Long-term survival (10 to 56 years) after surgery for carcinoma of the stomach

Abstract From a group of 4,586 patients with carcinoma of the stomach who underwent operation at the Mayo Clinic with hope of cure during the period 1907 through 1955, 957 patients survived ten years or longer. An additional 110 patients survived ten years or longer but were not included in the study because their lesions were not adenocarcinomas. Follow-up studies ranged from ten to fifty-six years. Survival of these patients when compared with the survival of the normal population adjusted for age and sex indicates that if the patient lives ten years after surgery, his life expectancy is similar to that of a comparably normal population. These findings indicate that our previous conclusions and assumption regarding prognosis as determined by the usual criteria of location and size of the lesion, type of operation, laboratory studies, duration of symptoms, microscopic grade of the lesion, and lymph node involvement pertain primarily to the immediate years after operation and probably do not pertain to those who survive five years or longer. These studies indicate that an appreciable number of patients can be cured of cancer of the stomach and that they can survive for long periods of time. The usual morbid pessimism regarding cancer of the stomach is not necessarily justified, and greater effort should be made by physicians to offer patients with gastric malignancy an opportunity for cure.
Improving Salmonella vector with rec mutation to stabilize the DNA cargoes

Salmonella has been employed to deliver therapeutic molecules against cancer and infectious diseases. As the carrier for target gene(s), the cargo plasmid should be stable in the bacterial vector. Plasmid recombination has been reduced in E. coli by mutating several genes including the recA, recE, recF and recJ. However, to our knowledge, there have been no published studies of the effect of these or any other genes that play a role in plasmid recombination in Salmonella enterica. The effect of recA, recF and recJ deletions on DNA recombination was examined in three serotypes of Salmonella enterica. We found that (1) intraplasmid recombination between direct duplications was RecF-independent in Typhimurium and Paratyphi A, but could be significantly reduced in Typhi by a ΔrecA or ΔrecF mutation; (2) in all three Salmonella serotypes, both ΔrecA and ΔrecF mutations reduced intraplasmid recombination when a 1041 bp intervening sequence was present between the duplications; (3) ΔrecA and ΔrecF mutations resulted in lower frequencies of interplasmid recombination in Typhimurium and Paratyphi A, but not in Typhi; (4) in some cases, a ΔrecJ mutation could reduce plasmid recombination but was less effective than ΔrecA and ΔrecF mutations. We also examined chromosome-related recombination. The frequencies of intrachromosomal recombination and plasmid integration into the chromosome were 2 and 3 logs lower than plasmid recombination frequencies in Rec+ strains. A ΔrecA mutation reduced both intrachromosomal recombination and plasmid integration frequencies. The ΔrecA and ΔrecF mutations can reduce plasmid recombination frequencies in Salmonella enterica, but the effect can vary between serovars. This information will be useful for developing Salmonella delivery vectors able to stably maintain plasmid cargoes for vaccine development and gene therapy.
Purification and ATP hydrolysis of the putative cholesterol transporters ABCG5 and ABCG8.

Mutations in the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters ABCG5 and ABCG8 lead to sitosterolemia, a disorder characterized by sterol accumulation and premature atherosclerosis. ABCG5 and ABCG8 are both half-size transporters that have been proposed to function as heterodimers in vivo. We have expressed the recombinant human ABCG5 and ABCG8 genes in the yeast Pichia pastoris and purified the proteins to near homogeneity. Purified ABCG5 and ABCG8 had very low ATPase activities (<5 nmol min-1 mg-1), suggesting that expression of ABCG5 or ABCG8 alone yielded nonfunctional transporters. Coexpression of the two genes in P. pastoris greatly increased the yield of pure proteins, indicating that the two transporters stabilize each other during expression and purification. Copurified ABCG5/G8 displayed low but significant ATPase activity with a Vmax of ∼15 nmol min-1 mg-1. The ATPase activity was not stimulated by sterols. The catalytic activity of copurified ABCG5/G8 was characterized in detail, demonstrating low a...
Seizure-induced alterations of plasma membrane calcium ATPase isoforms 1, 2 and 3 mRNA and protein in rat hippocampus

Improper intracellular regulation of the ubiquitous second messenger, calcium, has been linked to several pathological conditions. The plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) is one of the primary systems for translocating calcium from the cytosol to the extracellular milieu. As an initial assessment of the possible involvement of PMCAs in kainate (KA)-induced neurodegeneration, we have determined the effect of KA-induced seizures upon PMCA mRNA and protein. In situ hybridization was performed on tissue from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats sacrificed at various time points following i.p. injection of KA. KA altered the expression within the hippocampal subfields for mRNAs of PMCA isoforms 1 and 2. PMCA 1 and 2 mRNAs exhibited hybridization below control levels 12-48 h post-injection within CA1 and CA3. Within the dentate gyrus, PMCA 2 mRNA hybridized below control levels 4 h post-injection, but recovered to control levels by 24 h post-injection. Alterations in combined PMCA protein levels occurred at all time points examined post-injection. These observations provide evidence that KA-induced seizures alter the PMCAs at the mRNA and protein levels, suggesting a possible role for this calcium efflux system in the neuronal degeneration inherent to this paradigm.
E. coli uvrB protein binds to DNA in the presence of uvrA protein.

In vivo and in vitro, the endonucleolytic incision of damaged DNA containing pyrimidine dimers or other bulky lesions requires the action of the uvrA, uvrB and uvrC gene products of Escherichia coli1–3. To understand better how the products of these three genes mediate incision, all three genes have been cloned4–10. Although the gene products of the three genes (designated UVRA, UVRB and UVRC) are all required at the early stages of nucleotide excision repair, it is not known whether they act independently or together as part of a multi-protein complex. As the three proteins are involved in the repair of damaged DNA, it is reasonable to expect that under some circumstances all three proteins should bind to DNA, and, in accord with this expectation, previous experiments have demonstrated that UVRA and UVRC bind tightly to single-stranded DNA11–13. We have investigated whether UVRB is also a DNA-binding protein and report here a radiochemical purification of UVRB and experiments using this radiolabelled UVRB to measure its binding to DNA. By itself, UVRB does not bind strongly to DNA, but in the presence of UVRA, tight binding of UVRB to single-stranded DNA is observed, thus demonstrating the occurrence of direct interactions between UVRA and UVRB.
Rapid prototyping of plastic microfluidic devices in cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)

In this paper, we report on using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) tools to emboss cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). Positive photoresist AZP 4620 was used to fabricate 5 and 20 μm thick PDMS tools. The embossed microchannels were 10 μm to 100 μm in width at 10 μm to 100 μm in spacing. The COC embossing parameters, including temperature, force, and time were optimized to reduce replication errors. The optimized process was then successfully applied to fabrication of a passive microfluidic mixer designed and simulated using CFDRC ACE+.
Mapping the electrophysiological marker of sleep depth reveals skill maturation in children and adolescents

Electroencephalographically (EEG) recorded slow wave activity (SWA, 1–4.5 Hz), reflecting the depth of sleep, is suggested to play a crucial role in synaptic plasticity. Mapping of SWA by means of high-density EEG reveals that cortical regions showing signs of maturational changes (structural and behavioral) during childhood and adolescence exhibit more SWA. Moreover, the maturation of specific skills is predicted by the topographical distribution of SWA. Thus, SWA topography may serve as a promising neuroimaging tool with prognostic potential. Finally, our data suggest that deep sleep SWA in humans is involved in cortical development that optimizes performance.
Metabolic transition in the development of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda)

Cysticercoids as well as 6-, 10-, and 14-day Hymenolepis diminuta were evaluated in terms of enzymatic activities related to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) utilization and mitochondrial succinate accumulation. The data obtained support a transition toward anaerobic electron-transport-dependent succinate accumulation, characteristic of adult H. diminuta, with development from cysticercoid to adult. This transition was reflected most prominently in the increasing activities of PEP carboxykinase (PEPCK), malate dehydrogenase, NADPH → NAD+ transhydrogenase, and fumarate reductase. Developmental increases in PEPCK/pyruvate kinase (PK), fumarate reductase (FR)/NADH oxidase (NO), and FR/succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity ratios were also apparent. Evaluations of “egg-free” immature, mature, and pregravid-gravid segments of adult H. diminuta revealed that in general the greater levels of activity were associated with the immature and mature segments. Whereas FR/NO and FR/SDH ratios remained relatively constant in segment comparisons, the greatest PEPCK/PK ratio was associated with the pregravid-gravid segment.
Comparative analysis of various brain imaging techniques

The bio-imaging techniques have widespread applications from diagnosing diseases to investigating the body tissues at the cells level. Traditionally, these techniques were used mainly in the orthopedic treatment. However, with the development of infrared cameras, ultrasound, and radio wave technology, they are used in different medical fields such as cardiovascular analysis, neurological treatment and infant care. This paper reviews the common bio-imaging techniques used in the brain imaging and compares them based on resolution, contrast, biological risks involved, and price.
Design Optimization With System-Level Reliability Constraints

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of mechanical systems is computationally intensive due to the presence of two types of iterative procedures-design optimization and reliability estimation. Single-loop RBDO algorithms offer tremendous savings in computational effort, but they have so far only been able to consider individual component reliability constraints. This paper presents a single-loop RBDO formulation and an equivalent formulation that can also include system-level reliability constraints. The formulations allow the allocation of optimal reliability levels to individual component limit states in order to satisfy both system-level and component-level reliability requirements. Four solution algorithms to implement the second, more efficient formulation are developed. A key feature of these algorithms is to remove the most probable points from the decision space, thus avoiding the need to calculate Hessians or gradients of limit state gradients. It is shown that with the proposed methods, system-level RBDO can be accomplished with computational expense equivalent to several cycles of computationally inexpensive single-loop RBDO based on second-moment methods. Examples of this new approach applied to series, parallel, and combined systems are provided.
ε-Expansion Solution of Wilson's Exact Renormalization-Group Equation

The $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$-expansion formula for the critical exponent $\ensuremath{\eta}$ derived by Shukla and Green from Wilson's exact renormalization-group equation is found to yield the standard result $\ensuremath{\eta}=\frac{1}{54}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}+O({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{3})$, independent of the choice of the incomplete-integration function. The result is obtained analytically in the limit $a\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ and numerically for arbitrary $a$, where $a$ denotes the normalization constant of the Gaussian fixed-point functional.
EMG feedback and the contingent restraint of self-injurious behavior among the severely retarded: Two case illustrations*

The effects of contingent restraint of self-injurious behavior (SIB) with and without analog EMG feedback were compared in a multiple schedule within-subjects design in two severely retarded chronic head-bangers. Contingent restraint decreased SIB and, when combined with EMG feedback, was even more effective. Little SIB occurred during periods of deep muscle relaxation. Idiosyncratic topographies were related to onset of SIB during high risk epochs. EMG feedback provides a useful alternative channel of communication during therapy with nonverbal clients.
Cannabinoid-mediated exacerbation of brain infection by opportunistic amebae

Recent reports indicate a higher frequency of brain infections with opportunistic amebae of the genus Acanthamoeba among immune compromised individuals, including AIDS patients. We have demonstrated, using a murine model of Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE), that the major psychoactive and immune suppressive component in marijuana delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exacerbates infection by these amebae. Mice administered THC and infected with Acanthamoeba exhibited dose-related higher mortalities than infected vehicle controls. The greater severity of disease for THC-treated mice was accompanied by decreased accumulation of macrophage-like cells at focal sites of infection in the brain. Furthermore, THC administration resulted in decreased levels of mRNA for the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha for neonatal rat microglia co-cultured with Acanthamoeba. These results indicate a potential for marijuana to alter the capacity of brain macrophage-like cells to mount a full complement of immune responsiveness to brain infection by opportunistic amebae.