cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seasonal respiratory variation and acclimation in the pea clam, Pisidium walkeri sterki

Abstract 1. 1. Seasonal respiratory variation at field temperatures and at 10° and 20°C are presented for field acclimated clams. Values are presented as QO2s based on “shell-free” tissue dry weight and “shell-free” tissue N2. 2. 2. Q10 values are presented for all seasons with winter and summer values of about one and three respectively. 3. 3. No size rate differences were found for measurements of oxygen consumption. 4. 4. The seasonal acclimation pattern is complex with the data of early spring indicating Precht's Type I pattern of over-compensation for the over-wintering generation and some of the summer-fall data suggesting Precht's Type V “reverse” acclimation for the summer generation. Seasonal acclimation is discussed in an ecological-environmental context.
The solubility of hydrocarbon gases in lipid bilayers

Abstract The solubilities of 8 hydrocarbon gases in lipid bilayers have been determined at 25°C using a gas chromatographic technique. Results in 96% egg phosphatidylcholine, 4% phosphatidic acid bilayers expressed as Bunsen coefficients are: CH 4 0.20; C 2 H 6 0.97; C 3 H 8 3.6; n -C 4 H 10 17; c -C 3 H 4 11; i -C 4 H 10 9.5; cis -butene 25; trans -butene 25. When 29 mol% cholesterol was incorporated with these phospholipids the Bunsen coefficient was reduced slightly. The observed solubilities are somewhat lower than those found in simple hydrocarbon solvents. The relative magnitudes of the solubilities of the gases in a given bilayer are closely related to the strength of their intermolecular forces. The solubility of butane was studied more extensively. No marked effects were observed when either surface charge or acyl chain saturation was increased, but the solubility in erythrocyte ghosts was much lower than that in lipid bilayers. The partition coefficient increased with decreasing temperature in egg lecithin and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine. The entropy of solution in each case was more negative than that in isotropic non-polar solvents, and this accounts for the lower solubility in bilayers. The negative free energy of solution per CH 2 group for n -hydrocarbons is approximately twice that previously determined [11] for n -alcohols. This suggests that the concept of group contributions to solubility may not be universally applicable to lipid bilayers.
Comparative Effectiveness of Zinc Protoporphyrin and Hemoglobin Concentrations in Identifying Iron Deficiency in a Group of Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children: Practical Implications of Recent Illness

OBJECTIVE. The goal was to assess the influence of recent infection on screening tests for iron depletion (zinc protoporphyrin and hemoglobin) among low-income, preschool-aged children. METHODS. This cross-sectional study was conducted at community sites and ambulatory care clinics in Hartford, Connecticut, and included 180 preschool-aged children. Iron depletion was defined as serum ferritin levels of ≤15 μg/L. Recent illness was defined by parent or guardian (caretaker) report or evidence of elevated C-reactive protein concentrations. History of anemia was determined through medical records review. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin were calculated overall and for children with and without recent illness. RESULTS. At enrollment, more than one half of the children had a recent illness, and 57.5% had a history of anemia. More than one third had iron depletion. Serum ferritin levels were significantly higher among recently ill children. Secondary to recent illness, the positive predictive value of elevated zinc protoporphyrin, but not low hemoglobin, was reduced significantly. Zinc protoporphyrin levels of >69 μmol/mol heme identified significantly more iron-deficient children. CONCLUSIONS. Compared with anemia, elevated zinc protoporphyrin levels identified significantly more iron-deficient children. Recently ill children were one half as likely to have low serum ferritin levels, compared with children without recent illness. The negative effect of recent illness on the positive predictive value of zinc protoporphyrin when ferritin is used to determine iron status has many practical implications.
Platelet-activating factor receptor and respiratory and metabolic responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia

Activation of the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) regulates neural transmission. A PAFR blocker reduced the peak hypoxic (pHVR) but not hypercapnic ventilatory (HCVR) responses in rats [Am. J. Physiol. 275 (1998) R604]. To further examine the role of PAFR in respiratory control, genotype-verified PAFR -/- and PAFR +/+ adult male mice underwent hypoxic and hypercapnic challenges. HCVR was similar in the two groups (p-NS). However, pHVR was significantly reduced in PAFR -/- mice (38 +/- 13% baseline [S.D.]) compared to PAFR +/+ mice (78 +/- 16% baseline; P < 0.001, ANOVA), with reduced tidal volume recruitments during pHVR. In addition, hypoxic ventilatory depression was attenuated in PAFR -/- mice (P < 0.01), and was primarily due to attenuation of the time-dependent decreases in oxygen consumption during sustained hypoxia (P < 0.01). Thus, PAFR expression/function modulates components of the acute ventilatory and metabolic adaptations to hypoxia but not to hypercapnia. Imbalances in PAFR activity may lead to maladaptive regulation of the tightly controlled metabolic-ventilatory relationships during hypoxia.
Abstract 4010: Adaptor protein Lnk binds to JAK3 and negatively regulates a mutant activating allele associated with megakaryocytic leukemia

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The adaptor protein Lnk is known to associate with hematopoietic cytokine receptors such as cKIT, MPL and PDGFR, as well as, non-receptor tyrosine kinases such as JAK2, and is considered to have an inhibitory effect on these signaling pathways. JAK3 is expressed mainly in the hematopoietic system and its absence is associated with autosomal recessive severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Recently, activating mutations of JAK3 were described in transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) and acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL) in Down syndrome (DS) patients as well as adult non-DS AMKL. JAK3 mutations were also rarely described in solid tumors and B-ALL. The 50% homology between JAK3 and JAK2 has led us to study the association between Lnk and JAK3. 293T cells were co-transfected with cDNAs encoding either wild-type (WT) JAK3 or JAK3 harboring an activating A572V mutation (JAK3 A572V), as well as the WT V5-tagged Lnk. Whole cell lysates were used for immunoprecipitation with either V5-tag or JAK3 antibodies. Binding of Lnk and JAK3 was detected by Western blot probed with JAK3 or V5-tag antibodies. To determine which domain of Lnk is responsible for the binding, we constructed a series of V5-tagged Lnk mutants including a mutation in the SH2 domain (R392E), deletion of the SH2 domain (del SH2) and deletion of the PH and SH2 (del SH2/PH) domains. Our results show that WT Lnk binds to WT JAK3, as well as JAK3 A572V. The R392E and del SH2 Lnk mutants retained JAK3 binding capacity while deletion of both SH2 and PH domains of Lnk abolished JAK3 binding. In order to study the biological effect of Lnk binding to JAK3, we infected CMK cells, a megakaryocytic leukemia cell line harboring JAK3 A572V, with a bicistronic retroviral MSCV-IRES-GFP (MIG) WT Lnk vector. Effect on growth was assessed in GFP positive sorted cells by cell count and colony formation in methylcellulose. CMK cells infected with MIG WT Lnk grew slower in liquid culture and had decreased clonogenic growth in soft agar culture compared to cells infected with MIG vector alone. In summary, we show for the first time that Lnk can bind to WT and mutant JAK3 and slow the growth of leukemic cells harboring an activating JAK3 mutation. Developing a small molecule mimetic of Lnk may have a therapeutic role in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies associated with a variety of activated tyrosine kinase receptors and non-receptor tyrosine kinases including JAK3, as well as secondary signaling proteins. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4010.
Somatostatinoma: A Somatostatin-Containing Tumor of the Endocrine Pancreas

We studied the pancreatic and enteric hormone profile of a 46-year-old woman who had hyperglycemia and a pancreatic tumor. Before operation, there was no evidence of overproduction of glucagon or insulin. The tumor's ultrastructure had a distinctive endocrine morphology, resembling D cells. Prompted by the recent demonstration of somatostatin in D cells of pancreatic islets, we analyzed the tumor and found a large quantity of immunoreactive somatostatin (301 ng per milligram of tissue). Insulin, glucagon, gastrin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and human pancreatic polypeptide were present in only trace quantities. The tumor cells were cultured in monolayers, which remained viable up to 51 days and released somatostatin into the culture medium. In seven insulinomas and two glucagonomas, we found the somatostatin content either much lower (less than 0.6 ng per milligram of tissue) or undetectable. After complete resection of the tumor, our patient became euglycemic and has remained so for the past 20 months.
A High Affinity Inhibitor of Pituitary Progesterone 5α-Reductase*

The capacity of the 5a-dihydroprogesterone analog, 4-aza-4-methyl-5α-pregnane-3,20-dione (AMPD), to inhibit progesterone 5α-reductase and both 5α-dihydroprogesterone 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase activities (NADPH- and NADH-linked) from the female rat anterior pituitary has been investigated. Dose response studies demonstrate that AMPD is a powerful inhibitor of pituitary progesterone 5α-reduction but is ineffective at inhibiting either of the 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase activities, even at concentrations up to 10 μM. A kinetic analysis of the interaction of AMPD with progesterone 5α-reductase, indicates that it is a competitive inhibitor vs. progesterone [Kialope = 7.2 ± 0.6 nM; apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) (progesterone) = 193 ± 18 nM] and an uncompetitive inhibitor vs. NADPH (Kiintercept = 17.9 ± 1.4 nM). These inhibition patterns are consistent with the view that NADPH binding precedes that of either AMPD or progesterone. Furthermore, AMPD does not appear to be an irreversible inhib...
Root and shoot responses of Taxodium distichum seedlings subjected to saline flooding

Abstract Variation among progeny of five half-sib family collections of baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ) from three freshwater and two brackish-water seed sources subjected to saline flooding was evaluated. Mini-rhizotrons (slant tubes) were used to monitor root elongation for a period of 99 days. Salinity level produced significant effects across all baldcypress half-sib families, with root elongation averaging 1594.0, 956.8, and 382.1 mm, respectively, for the 0, 4, and 6 g l −1 treatments. Combined mean root elongation for families from brackish-water seed sources was greater (1236.7 mm) than for families from freshwater seed sources (794.6 mm). Considerable variation occurred at the highest salinity treatment, however, with one freshwater family maintaining more than 28% more root growth than the average of the two brackish-water collections. Hence, results indicate that short-term evaluation of root elongation at these salinity concentrations may not be a reliable method for salt tolerance screening of baldcypress. Species-level effects for height and diameter, which were measured at day 62, were significant for both parameters. Height increment in the control (7.4 cm), for example, was approximately five times greater than height increment in the 6 g l −1 salinity treatment (1.5 cm). Family-level variation was significant only for diameter, which had an incremental range of 0.2 to 1.5 mm across all salinity levels.
Exploring the Quality of Early Childhood Education in China: Implications for Early Childhood Teacher Education.

The following article introduces an exploratory study that was designed to measure the quality of early childhood education within its ever changing sociocultural context utilizing the Early Childhood Learning Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) in 40 classrooms in Beijing, China. Implications for early childhood teacher education, including the education of children with exceptional needs are addressed along with recommendations for future research.
Current concepts in the relative efficacy of percutaneous nephrostolithotomy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PCNL) have largely replaced open surgical operations for the management of upper urinary tract calculi. ESWL is generally preferred for calculi less than or equal to 2 cm as morbidity is lower than PCNL and success rates comparable. However, the morbidity of ESWL rises substantially for stones greater than 2 cm, while the stone-free rate is lessened compared to PCNL (41% vs. 82%, p<0.01), suggesting that PCNL is preferred for most larger stones. Results for staghorn calculi comparable to anatrophic nephrolithotomy with lowered morbidity may be achieved with PCNL followed by ESWL. PCNL is also preferred for stone-containing, calyceal diverticula.
Increasing resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium: a 22-year review at one institution.

To identify any change in the antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus faecium, we examined the antibiotic susceptibilities of clinical strains (n = 84) isolated at one institution during the 22 years since 1968. A significant increase in resistance to penicillin was observed during the study period: the MICs of penicillin for 50 and 90% of isolates tested were 16 and 64 micrograms/ml, respectively, from 1969 to 1988 (n = 48; geometric mean MIC, 14 micrograms/ml) , whereas they were 256 and 512 micrograms/ml, respectively, from 1989 to 1990 (n = 36; geometric mean MIC, 123 micrograms/ml) (P less than 0.001). A comparable increase in resistance to ampicillin was also noted (P less than 0.001). No strains produced detectable beta-lactamase. In contrast, susceptibilities to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and ciprofloxacin remained stable. High-level resistance to gentamicin was observed in none of 48 isolates from 1969 to 1988, but was present in 22 of 36 strains (61%) from 1989 to 1990 (P less than 0.001) and was significantly associated with resistance (MIC, greater than or equal to 128 micrograms/ml) to penicillin (P less than 0.001). To assess the potential evolution of antibiotic resistance in this species, clinical isolates (n = 24) were compared with strains isolated in 1968 from a human population in the Solomon Islands that was never exposed to antibiotics. Solomon Island isolates were significantly more susceptible than all clinical strains to penicillin, ampicillin, and vancomycin (P less than 0.001 for each), but they exhibited no differences in susceptibility to teicoplanin or ciprofloxacin. The penicillin-binding affinity of penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP 5) in penicillin-resistant clinical strains (MIC, 512 micrograms/ml) was notably lower than that in strains with more typical susceptibilities, suggesting an alteration in this PBP as a possible mechanism for increased penicillin resistance. Solomon Island strains most susceptible to penicillin demonstrated a prominent PBP 5* and the absence of PBP 5. These changes in the antibiotic resistance of E. faecium emphasize the importance of identifying this species in patients with serious enterococcal infections and the necessity of assessing its susceptibility to both beta-lactams and aminoglycosides if effective therapy is to be identified.
Why is humoral medicine so popular

The hot/cold system is perhaps the most widely known medical belief system in the world. I propose that the wide acceptance of hot/cold ideas is due to the fact that they provide a particularly simple, economic coding for common human experience, such as hypothermia, heatstroke, and fevers. Coding of foods as heating or cooling can be understood in terms of a system of sensory cues that make the foods appear hot or cold. This paper deals primarily with data from Chinese culture.
Impact of valve surgery on 6-month mortality in adults with complicated, left-sided native valve endocarditis: a propensity analysis.

ContextComplicated, left-sided native valve endocarditis causes significant morbidity and mortality in adults. The presumed benefits of valve surgery remain unproven due to lack of randomized controlled trials.ObjectiveTo determine whether valve surgery is associated with reduced mortality in adults with complicated, left-sided native valve endocarditis.Design and SettingRetrospective, observational cohort study conducted from January 1990 to January 2000 at 7 Connecticut hospitals. Propensity analyses were used to control for bias in treatment assignment and prognostic imbalances.PatientsOf the 513 adults with complicated, left-sided native valve endocarditis, 230 (45%) underwent valve surgery and 283 (55%) received medical therapy alone.Main Outcome MeasureAll-cause mortality at 6 months after baseline.ResultsIn the 6-month period after baseline, 131 patients (26%) died. In unadjusted analyses, valve surgery was associated with reduced mortality (16% vs 33%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.63; P<.001). After adjustment for baseline variables associated with mortality (including hospital site, comorbidity, congestive heart failure, microbial etiology, immunocompromised state, abnormal mental status, and refractory infection), valve surgery remained associated with reduced mortality (adjusted HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.23-0.54; P<.02). In further analyses of 218 patients matched by propensity scores, valve surgery remained associated with reduced mortality (15% vs 28%; HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.86; P = .01). After additional adjustment for variables that contribute to heterogeneity and confounding within the propensity-matched group, surgical therapy remained significantly associated with a lower mortality (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18-0.91; P = .03). In this propensity-matched group, patients with moderate to severe congestive heart failure showed the greatest reduction in mortality with valve surgery (14% vs 51%; HR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.09-0.53; P = .001).ConclusionsValve surgery for patients with complicated, left-sided native valve endocarditis was independently associated with reduced 6-month mortality after adjustment for both baseline variables associated with the propensity to undergo valve surgery and baseline variables associated with mortality. The reduced mortality was particularly evident among patients with moderate to severe congestive heart failure.
The Impacts of the Cognitive Nature of the Task and Psychological Empowerment on an Individual's Knowledge Creation, Sharing, and Application

Organizational level studies of knowledge management have been enhanced by the development of the measurement instruments for individual knowledge management practices. However, our understanding on what factors and how these factors drive an individual's knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application activities is still limited. This paper explores the influence of the cognitive nature of the task and the psychological empowerment of the individuals on the extent to which an individual engages in the creation, sharing, and application of knowledge. A model of how the nature of the task and the empowerment of knowledge workers are related to an individual's knowledge management practices is proposed and tested with structural equation modeling approach. The results suggest that the cognitive nature of the task drives knowledge creation. While the psychological empowerment of the knowledge worker enhances knowledge sharing and application, empowerment is not linked to knowledge creation.
Regulation of dictyostelium discoideum mRNAs specific for prespore or prestalk cells

Prespore and prestalk cells in Dictyostelium discoideum aggregates can be separated by density gradient centrifugation. Using poly(A+) RNA from the fractionated cells to probe a cDNA library of mRNAs from postaggregation cells, we were able to identify six cDNA clones representing RNAs enriched in prespore or prestalk cells. Remarkably, transcripts of six of seven cDNA clones, previously selected to encode mRNAs present in postaggregating cells but low or absent in growing cells, also are enriched in RNA from either prestalk or prespore cells. By hybridization of cDNA probes to nitrocellulose blots of formaldehyde RNA gels, these 13 mRNA species have been examined with respect to cell type specificity, temporal pattern of accumulation, and affect of disaggregation and cAMP on accumulation. Aggregation-stage mRNAs tend to fit into three different classes. All prespore mRNAs are similar in all aspects of their regulation, while prestalk mRNAs fall into two co-regulated classes. All mRNAs that are present at significant levels during growth and differentiation are found in both cell types at comparable levels. Our results indicate that there is coordinate control of expression of genes specific for the two principal cell types.
The association of cardiovascular risk factor clustering related to insulin resistance syndrome (Syndrome X) between young parents and their offspring: the Bogalusa Heart Study

Cardiovascular risk factor clustering related to insulin resistance syndrome (Syndrome X) was examined in a community-based sample of 599 genetically unrelated school-aged children (5-17 years) and their parents. Risk factors used as components of Syndrome X included hyperinsulinemia, obesity, dyslipidemia and high blood pressure defined by values above the age-, sex- and race-specific 75th percentiles of fasting insulin, body mass index, triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and mean arterial pressure, respectively. Based on observed to expected ratio there was an excess of parents (father and/or mother) and their offspring with clusters of three or four disorders (P < 0.05-0.001). In contrast, the number of parents and offspring with two disorders was significantly lower than expected by chance alone (P < 0.05-0.01). Based on paternal, maternal, and parental Syndrome X, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for offspring having the same cluster were 7.2 (1.9-27.2), 8.6 (3.1-23.6) and 7.9 (3.5-18.1), respectively. In terms of individual risk factors of parents used as predictors, adverse levels of their insulin and BMI significantly increased the risk of offspring having Syndrome X (P < 0.01-0.001), whereas the effect of parental insulin was considerably reduced after parental BMI was adjusted for. In contrast, parental dyslipidemia and high blood pressure were not associated with the occurrence of Syndrome X in their offspring. These results confirm the familial nature of Syndrome X and suggest that conditions of obesity and the attendant hyperinsulinemia in parents may underlie this familial association.
Upwind Differencing, False Scaling, and Nonphysical Solutions to the Driven Cavity Problem

Abstract We show that, for multi-dimensional viscous flow computations, the use of upwind finite difference schemes can alter the natural length scales. This false scaling is related to, but distinct from, the artificial viscosity introduced by upwind schemes. We show that this false scaling can account for certain nonphysical solutions which have been computed for the driven cavity problem.
Optical trapping near resonance absorption

Expressions for radiation-induced forces are presented for the case of a Rayleigh particle near the focus of a Gaussian laser beam at near-resonant conditions. Classical electromagnetic theory was used to obtain the dependence of the scattering and gradient forces on the incident laser frequency, the beam convergence angle, and the spatial position of the particle with respect to the focus. Approximative numerical analysis performed for particles with a single resonant absorption peak demonstrates the occurrence of up to 50-fold enhanced trapping forces at near-resonant frequencies. The use of this technique of gradient force enhancement may provide optical tweezers with enhanced trapping strengths and a degree of specificity.
Two strategies to increase adherence to HIV antiretroviral medication: Life-Steps and medication monitoring

Advances in the medical treatment of HIV have made it clear that adherence to highly active antiretroviral treatment is a crucial feature for treatment success. The present paper had two goals: (1) to examine psychosocial predictors of adherence in persons receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy; (2) to compared two minimal-treatment interventions to increase HIV medication adherence in a subset of persons who self-reported less than perfect adherence. One of the interventions, Life-Steps, is a single-session intervention utilizing cognitive-behavioral, motivational interviewing, and problem-solving techniques. The other intervention, self-monitoring, utilizes a pill-diary and an adherence questionnaire alone. Significant correlates of adherence included depression, social support, adherence self-efficacy, and punishment beliefs about HIV. Depression was a significant unique predictor of adherence over and above the other variables. Both interventions yielded improvement in adherence from baseline, and the Life-Steps intervention showed faster improvements in adherence for persons with extant adherence problems.
Facile synthesis and electrochemical properties of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for Li ion battery anode

Abstract Nanostructured Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sonication assisted co-precipitation method. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and BET surface area analysis confirmed the formation of ∼20 nm crystallites that constitute ∼200 nm nanoclusters. Galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling of the Fe 3 O 4 nanoaprticles in half cell configuration with Li at 100 mA g −1 current density exhibited specific reversible capacity of 1000 mAh g −1 . The cells showed stability at high current charge–discharge rates of 4000 mA g −1 and very good capacity retention up to 200 cycles. After multiple high current cycling regimes, the cell always recovered to full reversible capacity of ∼1000 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C rate.
Developmental Evolution of the Anuran Sacro-Urostylic Complex

ABSTRACT. The sacro-urostylic region of anurans, which consists of a single sacral vertebra and a rodlike urostyle, is one of the most unusual specializations of the group and seems to have appeared concomitant with their origin and the move toward saltation. The ontogeny of the sacro-urostylic region follows two different pathways. In some taxa, the anterior end of the hypochord (ventral, unsegmented structure of the urostyle) never exceeds to the level of the anterior end of Postsacral Vertebra 1, whereas in others it extends anteriorly to the level of the sacrum. Thus, as the hypochord migrates dorsally during metamorphosis, it either fuses to the overlying Postsacral 1 or to the sacrum. In the first developmental mode, the adult morphology consists of an articulating sacrum and urostyle, as in the jumping frogs Acris crepitans and Discoglossus sardus. In the second developmental mode, the adult morphology results in a fused sacrum and urostyle, which is characteristic of the hopping-burrowing Spea mul...
Plant Growth Regulators in Cell and Tissue Culture of Woody Perennials

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are important factors in the clonal propagation of many woody perennials. Principles involving the utility of exogenously applied PGRs are not always clearly understood. The qualitative reasoning, process control and optimization of methods using PGRs are related to a signal-theory model describing the dynamic behavior of metabolic networks and physiological states as explants Proceed to discrete developmental outcomes. Algorithms that emerge from this reasoning are sought as criteria in attempts to capture genetic gains through true-totype clonal products and in identifying when, where and how aberrations arise.
Evaluation of polyamide and crystalline cellulose as substrates for room temperature phosphorimetry

Abstract A polyamide high-performance thin-layer chromatographic material was found to be useful as a solid substrate for room temperature phosphorimetry (RTP). Limits of detection and linear dynamic ranges for p -aminobenzoic acid and coronene were found to be similar to those found using DE-81. Rise times for this material were found to be only a fraction of those found with cellulose materials. This improves analysis time and sample throughput. Interaction between substrate and heavy atom/analyte for the polyamide substrate has been compared with a previously described RTP model. In addition, super sepraphore, a type of crystalline cellulose, was found not to induce RTP. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the surfaces of the various substrates in order to compare the physical characteristics of substrates studied.
Are Axonal Mitochondria Really Enriched at Nodes of Ranvier? A Three Dimensional Serial Ion Ablation SEM (FIB/SEM) Study.

To meet the energy demands of nerve conduction, small mitochondria are transported from the neuronal cell body and enriched at mitochondrial stationary sites located throughout the axon. Determining whether and how myelination locally regulates mitochondrial structure and function in axons is fundamental to understanding axonal biology and pathology [1]. Nodes of Ranvier are the sites of action potential propagation, and previous EM studies of myelinated axons have suggested that axons are enriched in nodal axonal cytoplasm (axoplasm). Paradoxically, several studies noted that mitochondria were frequently absent at nodes of Ranvier [2,3]. Numbers of nodes with and without mitochondria had not been quantified, presumably to difficulties in obtaining extensive 3D EM datasets including entire nodes.
Circadian and photoperiodic effects of brief light pulses in male Djungarian hamsters.

The effects of brief light pulses (1-60 mm in duration) on the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity and/or the neuroendocrine-gonadal axis was investigated in male Djungarian hamsters. Exposure of hamsters freerunning in constant darkness to a single 1-h pulse of light induced phase-dependent phase shifts in the rhythm of locomotor activity. The general shape of the “phase-response curve” was similar to that observed in other animals; phase-delays and phase-advances were induced by light pulses delivered in the early and late subjective night, respectively, while light pulses during the subjective day induced little or no phase-shift in the activity rhythm. Animals exposed for 7 days to 1-mm of light during the night in animals otherwise exposed to 6L:18D resulted in increased levels of serum FSH and testicular weight. Daily exposure to two 1-b or two 10-mm pulses of light (but not two 1 -mm pulses) for 10 days resulted in stable entrainment of the activity rhythm as well as testicular weight gains and serum FSH increases. When two 10-mm pulses of light were presented 8 and 16 h apart, some animals showed a short-day entrainment pattern (i.e., locomotor activity confined to the long period of darkness) while other animals showed a long-day entrainment pattern (i.e., locomotor activity confined to the short period of darkness). Importantly, the stimulatory effects of light on neuroendocrine-gonadal activity were clearly dependent on the phase-relationship between the light pulses and the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity. While exposure to two 10-mm pulses of light per day induced testicular growth in all the hamsters in which the activity rhythm showed a long-day entrainment pattern, exposure to the same light cycle did- not result in testicular growth in any of the animals in which the activity rhythm showed a short-day entrainment pattern. Taken together, these results demonstrate that short pulses of light can induce a rapid increase in neuroendocrine-gonadal function in the Djungarian hamster and that the effects of light on reproductive function depend upon the phase-relationship between the light and the circadian system.
Architectural patterns in branching morphogenesis in the kidney

Architectural patterns in branching morphogenesis in the kidney. During kidney development, several discrete steps generate its three-dimensional pattern including specific branch types, regional differential growth of stems, the specific axes of growth and temporal progression of the pattern. The ureteric bud undergoes three different types of branching. In the first, terminal bifid type, a lateral branch arises and immediately bifurcates to form two terminal branches whose tips induce the formation of nephrons. After 15 such divisions (in humans) of this specifically renal type of branching, several nephrons are induced whose connecting tubules fuse and elongate to form the arcades. Finally, the last generations undergo strictly lateral branching to form the cortical system. The stems of these branches elongate in a highly regulated pattern. The molecular basis of these processes is unknown and we briefly review their potential mediators. Differential growth in three different axes of the kidney (cortico-medullary, dorso-ventral and rostro-caudal) generate the characteristic shape of the kidney. Rapid advances in molecular genetics highlight the need for development of specific assays for each of these discrete steps, a prerequisite for identification of the involved pathways. The identification of molecules that control branching (the ultimate determinant of the number of nephrons) has acquired new urgency with the recent suggestion that a reduced nephron number predisposes humans to hypertension and to progression of renal failure.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the brain. Background and Review of Clinical Applications.

Summary This article reviews the basic theoretical background to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and some of the common clinical applications of DTI as of today such as cerebral ischaemia, brain maturation, ageing and cognitive impairment. The value of DTI in the work-up of brain tumours, as a tool in the differentiation of radiation injury versus recurrent tumour, and in brain injury is reviewed. The potential use of this technique in diseases such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and metabolic disorders is also briefly reviewed.
Volumetric coronary plaque composition using intravascular ultrasound: three-dimensional segmentation and spectral analysis

Intravascular ultrasound provides precise tomographic assessment of coronary artery disease, allowing unique potential for analysis of both plaque geometry and composition, two critical factors related to the likelihood of plaque rupture. A novel three-dimensional segmentation technique and spectral analysis are used to create a unique tool for volumetric assessment of plaque composition. The semi-automated 3D segmentation technique was used to identify luminal and medial-adventitial borders in ECG-gated images created from radiofrequency (RF) IVUS data acquired during automated pullbacks in patients. Spectral analysis was applied to the RF data within the segmented plaque. Color-coded pseudo-histology images were created from these plaque component predictions using statistical classification trees. Quantitative analysis and visualization techniques were used to assess volumetric plaque composition and provide a unique tool for evaluation of plaque vulnerability.
Nitrogen Uptake and Allocation in Sweet Viburnum During a Root Growth Flush

ABSTRACT Most woody ornamentals exhibit episodic growth flushes and nitrogen (N) uptake has also been demonstrated to be seasonal. However, there is little information on N uptake in relationship to plant growth cycle. In this study, N uptake and allocation of sweet viburnum during periods of low and high root elongation rates were studied. Plants were fertilized with ammonium nitrate (15NH4 15NO3) and after 6 d N absorption was determined. Significantly more N was absorbed by plants with low root elongation rate compared with plants with high root elongation rate. About 70% of the N absorbed by plants with low root elongation rate was allocated to the mature leaves compared to 35% on plants with high root elongation rate. It was evident that root growth activity influenced N absorption and allocation. Although only a small amount of the N absorbed by plants with low root elongation rates was allocated to the immature leaves, significantly more N was allocated to the immature leaves by plants with high ro...
Research and Implications for Practice: Religion, Well-Being/Morale, and Coping Behavior in Later Life:

With primary emphasis on more recent research, this article seeks to promote a greater awareness among gerontology professionals of the importance of religion to older persons and the potential of religion as a resource for improving elders'quality of life. The multidimensional nature of religious behaviors and the role of religion in the morale/well-being and coping of older persons is discussed Implications for professionals involved in service provision for older persons as well as directions for future research are presented
What is the Factorial Structure of the Private and Public Self-Consciousness Scales?

The Fenigstein, Scheier, and Buss (1975) private and public self-consciousness scales were administered to two samples of blood donors as part of longitudinal research on commitment to donation: 658 U.S. voluntary donors who were contacted by mail and 256 Polish donors, some paid, some volunteer, who were interviewed. A principal axis factor analysis of the U.S. data extracted essentially the same three-factor solution obtained by Burnkrant and Page (1984) and by Lennox, Welch, Wolfe, Zimmerman, and Dixon (1987), rather than the expected two factors obtained originally by Fenigstein et al. and by Scheier and Carver (1985) in a recent replication. The same two subfactors of the original private self-consciousness scale were found in the Polish data. These two subscales correlate in opposite directions with a measure of identity seeking in both data sets, and with self-esteem in the Polish data. Further conceptual and psychometric work to clarify the importance of this factorial structure is suggested.
FRONTLINE—The Brain's Shared Circuits of Interpersonal Understanding: Implications for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Abstract Social Neuroscience maintains that human survival depends on interpersonal relations, and that shared circuits evolved to enhance our ability to interact with and understand other people. Shared circuits operate by re-creating the Other's experience in the same brain regions used for Self experience. The interpersonal understanding made possible by shared circuits is, for the most part, outside conscious awareness and plays a role in the transference-countertransference interaction. The brain mechanisms of shared circuits are presented and clinical vignettes illustrate the use of the concept of shared circuits in the clinical setting.
Joseph Constantine Carpue and the Bicentennial of the Birth of Modern Plastic Surgery

September 2014 marked the bicentennial of the birth of modern plastic surgery. It was then that Carpue began a prospective observational study of nasal reconstruction that culminated in his 1816 monograph, which caused an explosion of interest in reconstructive surgery throughout Europe. In conducting his study, Carpue demonstrated ethical standards and the power of planning a procedure. His methods to document his results accurately would remain unsurpassed until photography was adopted at the end of the 19th century. Carpue took an apocryphal story of surgery performed in India more than twenty years earlier and transformed it into the beginning of modern plastic surgery. He succeeded in a number of unrecognized tasks that are themselves landmarks not only in plastic surgical history, but surgical history: devising the first prospective observational study, using exclusion criteria, maintaining appropriate patient confidentiality, setting a standard for preoperative disclosure and ethical approval over a century before these measures were codified, having independent documentation of his preoperative and postoperative findings, devising a method to objectively monitor and document the forehead flap, and describing the potential value of tissue expansion. He shared his experience by publishing his results and by lecturing in Europe. His contemporaries recognized him for his contributions and he was honored by election to the Royal Society. Carpue launched the modern era of plastic surgery in an ethical, logical, and objective manner. While plastic surgery has changed in the last two centuries, the principles that Carpue followed remain valid.
Economically viable strategy for prevention of invasive species introduction: Case study of Otsego Lake, New York ♣

The literature is full of examples detailing ecological impacts of invasive species and predictions of which and where species will invade next. Many fewer examples of effective prevention strategies are known. Prevention of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to inland lakes should be easily established because most AIS are initially introduced into watersheds by recreational boating activities, especially in North America. The Watershed Management Plan for Otsego Lake, a central New York glacial lake, provides for prevention of AIS via a stringent boat inspection and washing program (BIP). All boats entering Otsego Lake at the public launch are visually inspected and those deemed likely to harbor AIS are required to power wash before launching. However, other sites are available to launch boats. BIP expenses average $30,000 per year, much of which has been covered by collecting a launch fee. After implementation of the BIP, only one boat was refused access, and less than 1% required washing before allowed access, however, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and water chestnut (Trapa natans) have since been found in the lake. The BIP continues to be supported because other AIS may have been prevented or may be prevented in the future.
Molecular Mechanisms of Coxsackievirus Persistence in Chronic Inflammatory Myopathy: Viral RNA Persists through Formation of a Double-Stranded Complex without Associated Genomic Mutations or Evolution

Enterovirus infection and persistence have been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain chronic muscle diseases. In vitro studies suggest that persistent enteroviruses mutate, evolving into forms that are less lytic and display altered tropism, but it is less clear whether these mechanisms operate in vivo. In this study, persistent coxsackievirus RNA from the muscle of mice afflicted with chronic inflammatory myopathy (CIM) was characterized and compared with RNA from a virus that had established a persistent infection of G8 mouse myoblasts for 30 passages in vitro. Competitive strand-specific reverse transcription-PCR and susceptibility to RNase I treatment revealed that plus- and minus-strand viral RNAs were present at nearly equivalent levels in muscle and that they persisted in a double-stranded conformation. All regions of the viral genome persisted and were amplified as a series of seven overlapping fragments. Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting coupled with sequencing indicated that there was no evolution of the viral genome associated with its persistence in muscle. This contrasted with the productive persistent infection that was established in myoblast cultures, where plus-strand RNA predominated and persistent virus developed distinct mutations. In vitro persistence proceeded by a carrier culture mechanism and was completely dependent on production of infectious virus, since persistent viral RNA was not detected in cultures subjected to antibody-mediated curing. These experiments demonstrate that persistence of coxsackievirus RNA in muscle is not facilitated by distinct genetic changes in the virus that give rise to replication-defective forms but occurs primarily through production of stable double-stranded RNA that is produced as the acute viral infection resolves. The data suggest a mechanism for coxsackievirus persistence in myofibers and perhaps other nondividing cells whereby cells that survive infection could harbor persistent viral RNA for extended times without producing detectable levels of infectious virus.
Focused SAW induced sidelobe suppression of integrated acousto-optic tunable wavelength filters

Weighted-coupled integrated acousto-optic tunable filters (IAOTFs) provide significant sidelobe level suppression over conventional uniform-coupling IAOTFs whose sidelobe levels are higher than -9.4 dB. A single-stage low-sidelobe IAOTF in which the weighted-coupling is facilitated by focused surface acoustic waves along an interaction length as short as 6.0 mm is realized on a Y-X LiNbO/sub 3/ substrate, 8 mm in length. The measured performance characteristics of this weighted-coupling IAOTF at the optical center wavelength of 1.31 mu m include peak mode-conversion at the acoustic center frequency of 214.6 MHz, a wavelength tuning range of 110 nm, -3-dB optical bandwidth of 4.1 nm, and a switching rise time of 0.965 mu s. Sidelobe levels below -21.4 dB are achieved with mode-conversion efficiency of 15% and RF drive power of 160 mW. >
GTP-binding protein mediated phospholipase A2 activation in rat liver during the progression of sepsis.

Effects of GTP-binding proteins on the activation of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in rat liver during two different phases of sepsis were studied. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Experiments were divided into three groups: control, early sepsis, and late sepsis. Early and late sepsis refers to those animals sacrificed at 9 and 18 h, respectively, after CLP. The results show that in the absence of G-protein modulator, hepatic sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities were activated by 40.8-46 and 91.6-105.8%, respectively, during early and late phases of sepsis. GTPγS and fluoroaluminate (A1F4-) stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, i.e., control, early sepsis, and late sepsis. The GTPγS and A1F4--stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly elevated during early phase (22.3-65.6% increase) and late phase (32.5-109.1% increase) of sepsis. Further analyses demonstrate that cholera toxin significantly stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, and that the cholera toxin stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly higher during early phase (23.5-37%increase) and late phase (56.7-70% increase) of sepsis. In contrast, pertussis toxin significantly inhibited sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, and that the pertussis toxin-inhibited sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly higher in early septic (57-68.5% increase) and late septic (34.6-45.5% increase) experiments. These data demonstrate that cholera toxin-sensitive Gαs and pertussis toxin-sensitive Gαi were both involved in the activation of sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities in rat liver during the progression of sepsis.
The Making of an Entrepreneurial University: The Traffic Among MIT, Industry, and the Military, 1860–1960

More than fifty years ago, economic historians John U. Nef and Werner Sombart debated whether military initiatives were the primary impetus for scientific and technological innovation. Sombart argued that war provided a forcing ground for technological advance, while Nef held that peacetime conditions spurred the production of innovations. Nef countered Sombart’s arguments with the observation that many inventions made in peacetime were subsequently put to military use in wartime, giving the appearance that conflict had called forth their development. This theoretical discussion took place in the context of the emergence of Nazi Germany, and Nef’s position represented a humanistic response to the rise of militarism. World War II interrupted the academic debate between Sombart and Nef, leaving it unresolved (1).