cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sliding set-points of immune responses for therapy of autoimmunity

Although recent developments in the treatment of autoimmune disease have dramatically improved patient outcomes, these medications are not curative. Two studies in this issue demonstrate the feasibility of curing spontaneous autoimmunity in animal models via short-term enhancement of naturally arising regulatory T (T reg) cells, a subset of CD4+ T cells needed for maintaining self-tolerance. Importantly, these therapies seemed to generate a new equilibrium, or “set-point,” at which self-tissue damage no longer occurred long after the drug was eliminated from the body.
Expression of cry1Fa in Bahiagrass Enhances Resistance to Fall Armyworm

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum var. saurae) is the predominant forage grass in Florida and in other subtropical regions. To improve pest resis- tance against fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugi- perda (J. E. Smith)), an optimized cry1Fa gene encoding a δ-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringi- ensis was synthesized, subcloned under the transcriptional control of the constitutive ubi1 promoter, and introduced into the bahiagrass cultivar Tifton 9 by particle bombardment. Three transgenic bahiagrass lines were generated using minimal transgene expression cassettes without vector backbone. Southern blot analy- ses showed independent cry1Fa transgene inte- gration patterns for the three lines. Transcripts of cry1Fa were detected in all three transgenic lines by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Cry1Fa protein was detected in two lines by immuno-chromatography and quan- titative Cry1Fa enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Cry1Fa ELISA also indicated stable cry1Fa transgene expression in vegetative progeny plants of both lines. Cry1Fa expression levels correlated well to resistance levels deter- mined by insect bioassays. An average mortality rate of 83% was observed when neonate lar- vae of fall armyworm were fed with transgenic leaves of the highest cry1Fa expressing line. These results indicate that minimal expression cassette technology supports stable and high level expression of cry1Fa in bahiagrass which can control fall armyworm, a devastating pest of forage grasses.
Analysis of the solution structure of Thermosynechococcus elongatus photosystem I in n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside using small-angle neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulation

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were used to investigate the structure of trimeric photosystem I (PSI) from Thermosynechococcus elongatus (T. elongatus) stabilized in n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside (DDM) detergent solution. Scattering curves of detergent and protein-detergent complexes were measured at 18% D2O, the contrast match point for the detergent, and 100% D2O, allowing observation of the structures of protein/detergent complexes. It was determined that the maximum dimension of the PSI-DDM complex was consistent with the presence of a monolayer belt of detergent around the periphery of PSI. A dummy-atom reconstruction of the shape of the complex from the SANS data indicates that the detergent envelope has an irregular shape around the hydrophobic periphery of the PSI trimer rather than a uniform, toroidal belt around the complex. A 50 ns MD simulation model (a DDM ring surrounding the PSI complex with extra interstitial DDM) of the PSI-DDM complex was developed for comparison with the SANS data. The results suggest that DDM undergoes additional structuring around the membrane-spanning surface of the complex instead of a simple, relatively uniform belt, as is generally assumed for studies that use detergents to solubilize membrane proteins.
Assessing student learning and departmental effectiveness through an undergraduate comprehensive exam

Student assessment helps guide understanding of learning experiences and departmental effectiveness. In this paper one department’s locally developed undergraduate comprehensive exam measuring knowledge in core criminal justice areas is discussed and preliminary results are evaluated. Exam data were collected from seniors and, as baseline, from freshmen. Regression results showed that seniors had significantly more knowledge across all core areas than freshmen. Overall, this lends support to the idea that the department was effective in imparting knowledge to students. There was, however, a gender effect present and possible reasons for this result are explored. Limitations of the assessment instrument and directions for future research are also discussed.
Application of percolation theory concepts to the analysis of gas-solid reactions

Abstract Frequently, reactant and product transport control the rate and selectivity of catalytic and stoichiometric gas-solid reactions occurring within porous solids. Moreover, such reactions often lead to changes in pore structure, and thus require a dynamic description of effective transport coefficients. In our study, we describe the use of percolation theory concepts to model the dynamic behavior of coupled transport-reaction processes in highly disordered porous media. A Bethe lattice is used to describe the size and connectivity of the pore structure, and to evaluate effective diffusivities in closed form. The model accounts for the fundamental influence of pore constrictions, tortuous trajectories, and dead ends on transport rates; it also permits the interpretation of the respective contributions of these structural properties to the tortuosity factors commonly used to describe transport coefficients in heterogeneous catalysts. Our model incorporates, in a straightforward manner, the influence of pore connectivity, and pore opening (isolation) and enlargement (shrinkage) in the reactive evolution of porosity and surface area. Transport coefficients in heterogeneous catalysts and the dynamic evolution of porosity during char gasification and sulfur capture by limestone are effectively modeled using the percolation concepts described in this report.
Characterization of Progesterone Receptors, Estrogen Receptors, and Estrogen (Type II)-Binding Sites in the Hormone-Independent Variant of the MXT-3590 Mouse Mammary Tumor

A hormone-independent mouse mammary tumor line was derived by transplantation of a hormone-dependent line (MXT-3590) into ovariectomized-adrenalectomized animals and subsequent transplantation of surviving tumors. Although the tumor line is hormone independent, it contains a full complement of estrogen and progesterone receptors which are similar to those found in hormone-dependent tumors. This similarity includes the criteria of nuclear translocation of the estrogen receptor and subsequent stimulation of progesterone receptor synthesis. In addition to the estrogen receptor, a secondary estrogenbinding site (type II) is also present; this binding site was previously described in the hormone-dependent companion tumor line. Thus, while this variant tumor line contains the biosynthetic pathways that control estrogen and progesterone receptor synthesis, its growth does not depend on these steroids. Therefore, it may provide a good model for the study of this class of hormone-independent tumors.
Axonal transport of glycerophospholipids following intracerebral injection of glycerol into substantia nigra or lateral geniculate body

[2-3H]Glycerol was injected into one substantia nigra of adult rats. Incorporation of radioactivity into lipids at the injection site was maximal by 2 hr, after which it declined. Rapidly transported3H-labeled lipids were just beginning to accumulate in the primary projection site, the ipsilateral corpus striatum by 2 hr, as evidenced by 20-fold higher levels of lipid radioactivity in the projection site relative to control regions. However, the bulk of labeled lipid arrived between 6 hr and 3 days postinjection, suggesting either a prolonged period of release of rapidly transported lipids from the nerve cell bodies or a slow rate of transport for the later arriving lipids. Colchicine applied locally to the fibers of this tract blocked the axonal transport of lipids to the striatum almost completely. Choline and ethanolamine phosphoglycerides were the major transported lipids, accounting for approximately 60% and 25%, respectively, of the total. Similar results were obtained in studies of [2-3H]glycerol-labeled lipids synthesized in the lateral geniculate body and transported to the visual cortex. The rapid axonal transport of lipids labeled with [32P]phosphate (injected simultaneously with [2-3H]glycerol) could also be demonstrated in both tracts. However, in contrast to [2-3H]glycerol, considerable amounts of32P soluble label were present in the projection sites, and colchicine only partially blocked the accumulation of32P-labeled lipid. These results demonstrate the relative utility of [2-3H]glycerol as a lipid precursor for examination of axonal transport in intrabrain tracts. Characteristics of lipid axonal transport in these two intrabrain tracts are similar to each other and are also similar to those previously described for retinal ganglion cells, indicating a common requirement for the axonal transport of these membrane constituents to axons and nerve endings in widely divergent CNS tracts.
Role of in situ cosmogenic nuclides 10be and 26al in the study of diverse geomorphic processes

The central premises of applications of the in situ cosmogenic dating method for studying specific problems in geomorphology are outlined for simple and complex exposure settings. In the light of these general models, we discuss the information that can be derived about geomorphic processes, utilizing concentrations of in situ produced cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be (half-life=1·5 ma) and 26A1 (half-life=0·7 ma) in a variety of geomorphic contexts: glacial polish and tills; meteorite impact craters; alluvial fans; paleo-beach ridges; marine terraces; sand dunes; and bedrock slopes. We also compare 10Be-26Al data with results obtained by other dating methods. We conclude that the technique of measuring in situ cosmic ray produced nuclides holds promise for quantitative studies of processes and time-scales in a wide range of geomorphological problems.
Proton Transfer Processes in Muscle : Pressure, Temperature and Isotope Effects

INVESTIGATIONS of muscular contraction in heavy water have shown that the rate-determining process involves proton transfer1. The magnitude of the effect suggests that more than one proton is involved. Varga2 has observed that fibres under isometric tension in the presence of adenosine triphosphate are relaxed when the temperature is lowered, an effect which has been attributed to the endothermicity of actomyosin formation. On the other hand, increasing the hydrostatic pressure results in contraction of intact muscle3–5.
Enhanced Skeletal Muscle Expression of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Mitigates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Aberrant Cell Signaling

Background—Exercise training enhances extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) expression in skeletal muscle and elicits positive health outcomes in individuals with diabetes mellitus. The goal o...
Agricultural Reform in the Former USSR

This paper uses a model of world agricultural trade to examine the effect of reform and trade liberalization by the republics of the former Soviet Union on their agricultural production, consumption, and trade. Reform involves the creation of a well-functioning and free-trading market economy. The main empirical requirement is computing measures of total support to agricultural producers and consumers (producer and consumer subsidy equivalents), which serve as the model's policy variables. The estimates indicate that reform would decrease the republics' aggregate of grain, but increase imports of soybean products.
Anaphylactoid reaction following the oral administration of iodide-containing cholecystographic media.

Abstract 1.1. A case report is presented in which a nonatopic patient with no previous history of iodide sensitivity developed an anaphylactoid reaction characterized by urticaria, angioedema, dyspnea, loss of consciousness, and cardiovascular collapse following the oral administration of iodoalphionic acid, a cholecystographic contrast media. 2.2. Prompt treatment with adrenalin, parenteral antihistaminics, and adrenal corticosteroids resulted in complete recovery. 3.3. Attempts to demonstrate circulating reagins against iodide and iodoalphionic acid were unsuccessful.
Surgical resection of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: The University of Iowa experience

The utility of surgical resection of solitary metastatic sites in renal cell carcinoma remains controversial. Additionally, the small literature detailing the role of surgical management suggests that patients who have surgical resection of metachronous metastases have a better outcome than those presenting synchronously. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who underwent nephrectomy at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics between 1980 and 1993. Patients who had undergone surgical resection of metastatic disease, either at presentation or subsequent to their nephrectomy, were identified. Clinical parameters, time to treatment failure, and survival was evaluated. Eighteen patients underwent surgical resection of metastases, 7 were synchronous to their nephrectomy, and 11 developed metachronous metastases. Resected lesions in both groups included metastases to lung, bone, liver, brain, and soft tissue. The median survival of all patients from time of resection to death or last follow-up was 5.7 years (range, 2 days to 10.7+ years). Two patients remain alive, both with recurrent disease at 5.3 and 10.7 years. Mean time from nephrectomy to death was 2.69 years for the synchronous group and 5.97 years for the metachronous group (p = 0.0599). The role of surgical resection in metastatic renal cell carcinoma remains unproven. The survival of this population is significantly longer than that typical for the disease. In our experience there is no difference in time to treatment failure or survival between synchronous and metachronous resection of metastatic disease.
Innovative Features in the Electric Power Program at the OHIO State University

This paper describes the electric power engineering program at The Ohio State University (OSU), and its characteristic features in the electric power systems, high voltage engineering, and electric machines area. The innovative features in laboratory courses are related to the existence and utilization of protective relays and test sets, a high voltage laboratory, scale model facilities (air models and electrolytic tanks), electronic motor controls, and dissectible machines. Several experiments are reviewed in detail, especially the operation of a mini power system. The computer applications area and the development of a power system research simulator are also reviewed.
Fair Terms and Fair Pricing for Multiple Warrant Issues

Abstract Some firms utilize one or more tranches of warrant issues to supplement their capital base. Unlike exchange-traded options, the exercise of warrants requires the issuance of stock by the company, resulting in a form of dilution. Some previous studies of warrant valuation relied on “the value of the firm,” which is nonobservable, making it difficult to apply the corresponding valuation formula. This paper derives closed-form formulas to value single and multiple tranches of warrants based on the underlying stock price, its volatility, and other known parameter values. The paper first establishes the equivalence of the Black-Scholes formula for both call options and warrants in the case of a single tranche. Thereafter, it considers the impact on the value of previously issued warrants that results when a new tranche of warrants is subsequently issued, showing in each case that fair treatment of the first-issued warrant holders requires an adjustment (due to dilution) in the terms of those warrants ...
Homocellular Conduction Along Endothelium and Smooth Muscle of Arterioles in Hamster Cheek Pouch Unmasking an NO Wave

We investigated roles for homocellular (endothelium or smooth muscle) and heterocellular (myoendothelial) conduction pathways along hamster cheek pouch arterioles in vivo (n=64; diameter, 33±1 μm). Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasoactive agents were delivered from micropipettes (0.5 or 1 second pulse) onto an arteriole while observing diameter changes at defined distances along the vessel. Acetylcholine (ACh) produced maximal diameter (63±1 μm) locally and vasodilation conducted rapidly (≈10 μm response at 2 mm, <1 second). Responses to bradykinin (BK) were similar, whereas sodium nitroprusside produced maximal dilation locally without conduction. KCl evoked biphasic conduction of vasoconstriction and vasodilation, whereas phenylephrine (PE) produced conducted vasoconstriction. Disrupting the integrity of endothelium as a conduction pathway using focal light-dye treatment (LDT) abolished conducted vasodilation to BK and to KCl but not to ACh. Disruption of smooth muscle integrity with LDT abolis...
Iodine-131—Metaiodobenzylguanidine Double Infusion With Autologous Stem-Cell Rescue for Neuroblastoma: A New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy Phase I Study

Purpose Iodine-131—metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) provides targeted radiotherapy with more than 30% response rate in refractory neuroblastoma, but activity infused is limited by radiation safety and hematologic toxicity. The goal was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of 131I-MIBG in two consecutive infusions at a 2-week interval, supported by autologous stem-cell rescue (ASCR) 2 weeks after the second dose. Patients and Methods The 131I-MIBG dose was escalated using a 3 + 3 phase I trial design, with levels calculated by cumulative red marrow radiation index (RMI) from both infusions. Using dosimetry, the second infusion was adjusted to achieve the target RMI, except at level 4, where the second infusion was capped at 21 mCi/kg. Results Twenty-one patients were enrolled onto the study at levels 1 to 4, with 18 patients assessable for toxicity and 20 patients assessable for response. Cumulative 131I-MIBG given to achieve the target RMI ranged from 22 to 50 mCi/kg, with cumulative RMI of 3.2 to 8...
Exploring the Impact of Role-Playing on Peer Feedback in an Online Case-Based Learning Activity

This study explored the impact of role-playing on the quality of peer feedback and learners’ perception of this strategy in a case-based learning activity with VoiceThread in an online course. The findings revealed potential positive impact of role-playing on learners’ generation of constructive feedback as role-playing was associated with higher frequency of problem identification in the peer comments. Sixty percent of learners perceived the role-play strategy useful in assisting them to compose and provide meaningful feedback. Multiple motivations drove learners in making decisions on role choice when responding to their peers, mostly for peer benefits. Finally, 90% of learners reported the peer feedback useful or somewhat useful. Based on the findings of this study, we discussed educational and instructional design implications and future directions to further the line of research using role-play strategy to enhance peer feedback activity.
Worldwide Oceanic Wind and Wave Predictions Using a Satellite Radar-Radiometer

Data from a combined radar-radiometer in a satellite should permit improved prediction of surface atmospheric pressure, winds, and ocean wave spectra on a global basis, with consequent advantages to shipping. Radar returns from the sea at 2.25-cm wavelength have been measured and shown to be proportioned to windspeed. Use of a microwave radiometer should permit removing false radar data caused by atmospheric attenuation since the radiometric temperature is highly sensitive to such attenuation.
α1-Antitrypsin deficiency in a patient diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a rare type of vasculitis that affects small-sized and medium-sized vessels. Any organ system can become affected, but it most commonly affects the upper airways, lungs and kidneys. The α1-antitrypsin deficiency is another rare disease that involves a genetic deficiency in the enzyme antitrypsin, which is produced in the liver and protects the lung against proteinases. The simultaneous occurrence of these two diseases is very rare and has been described. We present a case of granulomatosis with polyangiitis limited to the upper airways, and α1-antitrypsin deficiency occurring in the same patient. The patient presented with recurrent upper airway infections. The patient was treated with steroids and azathioprine which prevented recurrence of symptoms. High clinical suspicion of the concomitant occurrence of α1-antitrypsin deficiency in patients with vasculitis is essential to provide patients with adequate screening and treatment.
Thresholds for detecting and characterizing focal lesions using steady-state MR elastography

An objective contrast-detail analysis was performed in this study to assess the low contrast detectability of a clinical prototype harmonic magnetic resonance elastographic imaging system. Elastographic imaging was performed on gelatin phantoms containing spherical inclusions of varying size and modulus contrast. The results demonstrate that lesions as small as 5 mm can be detected with a minimum modulus contrast of 14 dB. However, the shear modulus of such small lesions was not accurately recovered. In general, the shear modulus of larger focal lesions was accurately (i.e., within 25% of the true value) recovered. The minimum modulus contrast needed to detect focal lesions was observed to decrease with increasing lesion size.
Use of Emergency Ultrasound in United States Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Programs in 2011

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of and training in emergency ultrasound (US) in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) with pediatric emergency medicine (EM) fellowship programs. We hypothesized that emergency US use and pediatric EM fellow training have become widespread and that more structured training is being offered. Methods A survey instrument was sent via e-mail to all 69 United States pediatric EM fellowship directors or associate directors in the spring of 2011. We used descriptive summary statistics and χ2 tests to determine characteristics associated with having a formal emergency US training program for pediatric EM fellows. Results The survey response rate was 87% (60 of 69). Among responding programs, 40 (67%) resided within a children's hospital (versus general ED). Fifty-one (85%) were designated level 1 pediatric trauma centers. Fifty-seven programs (95%) endorsed the use of emergency US in their EDs. Fifty-three (88%) provided at least some emergency US training to fellows, and 42 (70%) offered a structured emergency US rotation. Training has existed for a median of 3 years (interquartile range, 2–4 years). Twenty-eight programs (67%) with emergency US rotations provided fellow training in the both a general ED as well as a pediatric ED. There were no hospital or program level factors statistically associated with having a formal training program for pediatric EM fellows. Conclusions As of 2011, nearly all pediatric EDs with pediatric EM fellowship programs use emergency US. Pediatric EM fellowship programs provide emergency US training to their fellows, with a structured rotation being offered by most of these programs.
Yellow fever 17D as a vaccine vector for microbial CTL epitopes protection in a rodent malaria model

The yellow fever vaccine 17D (17D) is safe, and after a single immunizing dose, elicits long-lasting, perhaps lifelong protective immunity. One of the major challenges facing delivery of human vaccines in underdeveloped countries is the need for multiple injections to achieve full efficacy. To examine 17D as a vector for microbial T cell epitopes, we inserted the H-2Kd–restricted CTL epitope of the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of Plasmodium yoelii between 17D nonstructural proteins NS2B and NS3. The recombinant virus, 17D-Py, was replication competent and stable in vitro and in vivo. A single subcutaneous injection of 105 PFU diminished the parasite burden in the liver by ∼70%. The high level of protection lasted between 4 and 8 wk after immunization, but a significant effect was documented even 24 wk afterwards. Thus, the immunogenicity of a foreign T cell epitope inserted into 17D mimics some of the remarkable properties of the human vaccine. Priming with 17D-Py followed by boosting with irradiated sporozoites conferred sterile immunity to 90% of the mice. This finding indicates that the immune response of vaccine-primed individuals living in endemic areas could be sustained and magnified by the bite of infected mosquitoes.
Pseudo-atrial fibrillation due to non-reentrant AV nodal tachycardia.

A 40-year-old man was referred for an atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Close examination of his Holter recording was suggestive of intermittent atrial activity (Panel A). The patient underwent a comprehensive electrophysiology study which demonstrated simultaneous fast and slow pathway activation, or ‘one for two’, due to dual AV nodal physiology (Panel B). Slow pathway modification eliminated the tachycardia. Non-reentrant AV nodal tachycardia is rare, and can be mistaken for AF due to its irregular rhythm with difficult to visualize P-waves. Careful examination of the surface ECG can avoid an erroneous diagnosis of AF and institution of unnecessary therapy. Conflict of interest: none declared.
Initiation of Salt Flow, East Texas Basin: ABSTRACT

Salt structures constitute five domains subparallel to the basin margin and the Louann Salt updip limit: (1) thin ( 760 m thick); (4) pre-Gilmer salt diapirs (Oakwood and, possibly, Grand Saline); and (5) post-Gilmer salt diapirs in the basin center. This inward increase in shape maturity results from increasing salt thickness and distribution of post-Louann sedimentary facies. The Louann Salt (Middle Jurassic) was deposited in a broad continental basin on a post-rift unconformity surface. Domain 1 suggests that a critical salt thickness (~500 m) was necessary to initiate flow. In the Late Jurassic, an aggrading carbonate wedge uniformly loaded the underlying salt and formed the salt pillows of domain 2. Salt flow in the basin center had not begun by Gilmer time, probably due to a thinner overburden of basinal carbonate facies there. The Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Schuler-Hosston regressive terrigenous clastics prograded rapidly across the carbonate platform as coalescing fan deltas, filling the central basin. Salt anticlines of domain 3 grew by serial amplification of pre-Gilmer pillows to form ridges normal to dip direction fronting depocenters. Salt iapirs subsequently evolved from the distal anticlines. Salt anticlines have trapped 80% of petroleum produced from the west-center of the basin. Marine pre-Gilmer source rocks, early initiation of folding, and the large size of the anticlines have all contributed to petroleum accumulation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 585------------
Direct Observation of Triplet-State Population Dynamics in the RNA Uracil Derivative 1-Cyclohexyluracil

Investigation of the excited-state dynamics in nucleic acid monomers is an area of active research due to the crucial role these early events play in DNA and RNA photodamage. The dynamics and rate at which the triplet state is populated are key mechanistic pathways yet to be fully elucidated. Direct spectroscopic evidence is presented in this contribution for intersystem crossing dynamics in a uracil derivative, 1-cyclohexyluracil. It is shown that intersystem crossing to the triplet manifold occurs in one picosecond or less in acetonitrile solution—at least an order of magnitude faster than previously estimated experimentally. Broadband transient absorption measurements also reveal the primary electronic relaxation pathways of the uracil chromophore, including the absorption spectra of the 1ππ*, 1nπ*, and 3ππ* states and the rates of vibrational cooling in the ground and 3ππ* states. The experimental results are supported by density functional calculations.
Distributed querying of Internet distance information

Estimation of network proximity among nodes is an important building block in several applications like service selection and composition, multicast tree formation, and overlay construction. Recently, scalable techniques have been proposed to estimate inter-node latencies, including network coordinate systems like GNP and Vivaldi. However, existing mechanisms for querying such information do not scale well to a very large number of nodes, when one wants to accurately find a set of nodes globally closest to a given node. In this paper we are concerned with distributing the position data among a set of infrastructure nodes, and propose ways of partitioning and querying this data. The trade-offs between accuracy and overhead in this distributed infrastructure are explored. We evaluate our solution through simulations with real and synthetic network measurement data.
Effects of Chronic Ethanol Ingestion on Pharmacokinetics of Procainamide in Rats

Abstract Blood level studies were carried out in rats to determine the effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on the distribution pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue steady-state partition coefficients of procainamide. The ethanol-treated rats received 4g/kg of ethanol daily for 28 days in Treatment A and 4 g/kg of ethanol for an initial 7 days, followed by 8 g/kg of ethanol for the subsequent 21 days in Treatment B; the control rats received isocaloric sucrose in the respective groups. As determined from two-compartment analysis of the blood level data, both ethanol treatments significantly decreased the distribution clearance (C/- d ; k, 2 Vd c ) and the apparent first-order rate constant for drug transfer from the central compartment to the tissue compartment (k 12 ) of procainamide without affecting the total body clearance of drug (CL) or the apparent volumes of distribution of drug in the body at steady state ( Vd ss ) and at pseudo-equilibrium (Vd p ). Additionally, the apparent volume of distribution of the drug in the central compartment ( Vd c ) was 57-62% greater due to both ethanol treatments. Furthermore, the steady-state partition coefficients of the drug were found to be significantly lower in heart and kidneys and greater in fat of the ethanol-treated rats (Treatment B) as compared with those in the control rats. Possible mechanisms are proposed to account for these various effects in light of the known effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on the chemical composition of cell membranes of tissues and organs.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Hydrochory in Amazonian Floodplain Forest1

The hypothesis that water depth, plant species, and the presence of submerged substrates influence seed dispersal by water was tested in a whitewater tributary of the Tocantins River of the Amazon Basin. Seed dispersal was greatest when water depth was greatest, which occurred during the new moon. Seeds of buoyant species with smaller seeds required less water for dispersal than large seeded species. Submerged objects reduced the distance dispersed but not the probability of dispersal.
Effective and appropriate use of body mass index for children and adolescents

Pediatric obesity is considered a major public health problem in the United States today. Because excess body fat is associated with various health risks, clinicians and researchers have been investigating effective ways to reduce the incidence of pediatric obesity. To identify at-risk individuals, the U.S. health care community encourages the use of Body Mass Index (BMI)—defined as weight/height 2 (kg/m 2 )—to classify children and adolescents into different health risk categories, including overweight and obese. However, the scientific validity of using BMI in pediatric population is questionable, even though BMI may be desirable as a means of tracking the growth patterns of individual children and adolescents in order to identify potential health problems. This review notes that BMI is not a reliable indicator of body fat for individual children and adolescents because it does not distinguish percent body fat from percent lean body mass. Neither does a single BMI value show the growth pattern of an individual child or adolescent. BMI does not account for distribution of body fat, ethnicity, and stages of maturation. Labeling children and adolescents as overweight or obese may lead to problems such as restrictive feeding by parents and unhealthy or unnecessary weight-control practices.
Content Analysis of Diet-Related Mobile Apps: A Self-Regulation Perspective

Diet-related mobile apps hold promise in helping individuals self-regulate their eating behaviors. Nevertheless, little is known about the extent to which diet-related mobile apps incorporate the established behavior change theories and evidence-based practices that promote dietary self-regulation. Guided by the self-regulation aspect of Bandura's social cognitive theory and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this study conducts a content analysis of diet-related mobile apps for iPhone (N = 400). In terms of the adherence to the self-regulation aspect of the social cognitive theory, results show that although 72.5% of the apps incorporate at least one theoretical construct, few apps tap all three processes of self-regulation (i.e., self-observation/monitoring, judgment process, and self-reaction). Additionally, outcome expectation is manifested in a majority of the diet-related apps. In terms of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, while the diet-related apps equally emphasize setting goals for calorie intake or nutrient consumption, more apps feature nutrient tracking than calorie tracking. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Myeloproliferative disorder with lytic osseous lesions and chromosomal anomalies.

Whether overlap between the major myeloproliferative disorders exists and to what extent these entities are premalignant remain controversial. This report describes an elderly patient widi an atypical, Philadelphia chromosome-positive, myeloproliferative disorder with the features of both chronic granulocytic leukemia and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia. Severe osseous disease consisting of diffuse osteolytic lesions and multiple pathologic fractures was present. This represents a rare manifestation of neoplastic transformation.
MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: IV. IMITATION EFFECTS AS A FUNCTION OF DISTANCE

In previous publications, social groups have been studied in which each individual has a preference for one of two possible mutually exclusive activities. This preference is measured by a quantity ϕ. The value ϕ=0 corresponds to no preference; a preference for one activity is measured by a positive ϕ, the preference for the other by a negative ϕ. The quantity ϕ varies from individual to individual. It has been shown previously that, owing to effects of imitation, even when the average ϕ for the group is zero, one of the two behaviours will be chosen by the majority of the group. Whereas in previous studies the imitation effect was considered as independent of the distance between the imitating and imitated individuals, in the present study the case is considered in which the effect of imitation decreases with the distance between the individuals. It is found that under certain conditions a greater percentage near the center of the area occupied by the group, rather than near the periphery, exhibits the chosen behavior. The possible sociological meaning of this gradient of behavior is discussed.
Special Education--Non-Special Education Achievement Gap in Math: Effects of Reporting Methods, Analytical Techniques, and Reclassification.

ABSTRACTFederal regulations indicate that the achievement gap must be closed between subgroups, including the gap between special education and non-special education students. We explored the ways in which achievement trends are influenced by three methods of reporting (cross-sectional, cohort–static, and cohort–dynamic). We also investigated (a) the ways in which achievement gaps change when different analytical techniques (proficiency levels, scale scores, effect size) are used, and (b) the relationship between student achievement and the extent to which students’ special education status changes across years. We conclude by discussing the practical and policy implications of using the three methods for reporting data about the performance gap.
Strategic Discourse/Discursive Strategy: The Representation of “Security Policy” in the Video Age

Strategic discourse, the linguistic practices through which security policy is represented, is examined from the point of view of the modes of representation through which it is expressed at the national or "official" level. The concept of strategy is elaborated to include, first, the sense in which all discourse is strategic, second, the legitimation issues that arise when security policy is confounded with other policy issues, and third, the special textual strategies required to legitimate official versions of international events when films and videos of the events are shown on television. For purposes of illustration, there is a brief examination of both the Tonkin Gulf incident during the Vietnam War and the recent downing of two Libyan planes to compare the difference in textual strategies of the official discourse in the two cases.
IMMUNOLOGICAL SYMPATHECTOMY AND CCL-4 HEPATOTOXICITY.

SummaryImmunological sympathectomy does not protect rats against the hepatotoxic properties of CCl4. This substantiates the idea that sympathetic discharge in and of itself is not responsible for development of the lesion. However, adrenal demedullation seems to alter the pattern of the lesion, in that hydropic degeneration becomes more extensive after demedullation.
Influence of vit. E deficiency in rabbit on urinary excretion of free amino acids.

SummaryVit. E deficiency in the rabbit results in increased excretion of free amino acids in urine. This increase in amino acid excretion is apparent before any physical signs of dystrophy are observed.
From Global to Local Transnational Linkages, Global Influences, and Taiwan’s Environmental NGOs

Previous research suggests that pro-environmental groups in the Global South are strongly influenced by international organizations and monetary forces. However, scholars have not systematically ex...
Components of Online Shopping Attitude and the Effects of Website Design Characteristics

Although attitude represents a multicomponent construct with cognitive, affective, and behavioural components, the concept of attitude has been applied to online shopping settings as a general concept without accentuating its underlying components. As a result, empirical findings reported in the literature regarding the antecedents and outcomes associated with online shopping attitude have been mixed and inconsistent. To provide better insights into online shopping attitude and its constituent dimensions, this study examines the structure of online shopping attitude and focusses on its cognitive, affective, and behavioural components. Moreover, to empirically test and validate the tripartite structure of online shopping attitude, this study examines the effects of website design characteristics on the three components of online shopping attitude. The results provide ample support for the multicomponent structure of online shopping attitude and offer valuable implications for practice and research in online shopping behaviour.
Peruvian Highland Indigenous Sheepherders in the USA: A Case Study

The chapter links indigenous international migration from the Peruvian Andes, the process of social and cultural adaptation of shepherds working in the American west, and the financial and familial effects of migration in Peru. This migration is not new, as the first migrants arrived in 1971. While their adaptation was relatively easy in the first three decades, conflicts later emerged between the owners of ranges and workers. One reason was the slow economic growth of the range industry, partly due to reduced demand for wool, which was increasingly replaced by silk and chemical cloth from China, Central America, and South America. The supply of labor also became greater than the demand in several ranges. Labor disputes about salary and the living conditions of shepherds also became common, and migrant shepherds typically endure isolation and social exclusion. In addition, family disintegration became a problem, as women in Peru were not allowed to become migrant workers and join their spouses. Nevertheless, remittances are an important benefit of migration, as they increase family income.
Living Cells and Dynamic Molecules Observed with the Polarized Light Microscope: the Legacy of Shinya Inoué.

In 1948, Shinya Inoue arrived in the United States for graduate studies at Princeton. A year later he came to Woods Hole, starting a long tradition of summer research at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), which quickly became Inoue's scientific home. Primed by his Japanese mentor, Katsuma Dan, Inoue followed Dan's mantra to work with healthy, living cells, on a fundamental problem (mitosis), with a unique tool set that he refined for precise and quantitative observations (polarized light microscopy), and a fresh and brilliant mind that was unafraid of challenging current dogma. Building on this potent combination, Inoue contributed landmark observations and concepts in cell biology, including the notion that there are dynamic, fine structures inside living cells, in which molecular assemblies such as mitotic spindle fibers exist in delicate equilibrium with their molecular building blocks suspended in the cytoplasm. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Inoue and others at the MBL were instrumental in conceiving video microscopy, a groundbreaking technique which married light microscopy and electronic imaging, ushering in a revolution in how we know and what we know about living cells and the molecular mechanisms of life. Here, we recount some of Inoue's accomplishments and describe how his legacy has shaped current activities in polarized light imaging at the MBL.
Quantum incoherence and entanglement in cascaded-crystal parametric down-conversion

Summary form only given. A great deal of research has been carried out over the years with the help of entangled photon states. Studies range from the examination of quantum paradoxes to practical applications in optical measurements and quantum information. A standard source of entangled photons consists of a nonlinear crystal without a center of symmetry pumped by a highly coherent laser. This combination provides a medium for the generation of photon pairs that can be entangled in any number of variables: time, frequency, direction of propagation, and polarization. We present an experimental and theoretical study of the fourth-order coherence properties of entangled-photon states generated in a nonlinear optical medium comprising two separate nonlinear crystals pumped by the same highly coherent and monochromatic laser source. We demonstrate that the nature of the down-conversion process insures the existence of nonclassical correlations and stable phase relations (coherence) between the photons only in each pair and nor between pairs generated from physically distinct regions of nonlinear interaction. This result has been verified in a set of quantum-interference experiments without invoking any spectral filtering.
Integrating Clinical Trial Data for Decision Making via Web Services

Conducting clinical trials involves processing a large amount of data generated at different stages of the studies. Such data come from a variety of sources and numerous decisions are made based upon the data to ensure the quality and integrity of the study. The multiplicity of data source poses challenges in making decisions in a timely manner. We designed a solution, called Clinical Trial Console, using Web services, an open standard for programmatic interfaces over the internet based upon XML and other internet protocols, to provide an integrated view of clinical trial data that facilitates prompt decision making.
A mixed model approach for evaluating yield improvements in interspecific hybrids of shrub willow, a dedicated bioenergy crop

Abstract Lignocellulosic bioenergy crops such as shrub willow ( Salix spp.) are expected to have a significant role in climate mitigation strategies. Yield is perhaps the most important trait for genetic selection and development of biomass feedstocks, but the selection process is complicated by the strong influence that environmental factors has on cultivar performance. Understanding the genotype-by-environment interactions using regional yield trials of shrub willow will inform future breeding efforts and improve the ability to make regionally-specific cultivar recommendations. We analyzed two yield trial datasets containing genotypes from successive rounds of breeding using a series of mixed models. Stability variance parameters were used together with overall yields to identify genotypes with stable yields or specific adaptation. Analysis of the first dataset revealed a group of triploid interspecific hybrid cultivars with exceptional performance and specific adaptation to either poor or good quality environments. The best performing cultivar showed a 14% yield improvement over the mean of the check cultivars. In the second dataset, new selections were assessed along with the top performing cultivars from dataset 1. New triploid hybrids had yields 19 to 27% greater than the check cultivar and exhibited similar patterns of specific adaptation as some of the selections from the first dataset. Partial least squares regression analysis indicated that top-yielding genotypes were favored in environments with higher temperatures and greater growing degree days. This analysis demonstrates incremental improvements in yield with successive rounds of breeding through the development of interspecific triploid hybrids.
Pretense as Creative Hallucination

Ch. S. Peirce’s concept of “creative hallucination” (EP 2:192 1903) captures the myriad ways in which sterile conventional practices can be informed by word and role play. Word and person substitutions constitute not errors of judgment, but attain the status of metaphor, would-be propositions, and cultural myth. Naming practices come to represent instances of word play, in which metaphor and myth permeate new object identities, which, in turn reveal cultural dispositions. Accordingly, these newly conceived action habits express analogies of another to another other – illustrating potentialities for filling slots in role-play scenarios. In short, different cultures develop creative action-habits from distinctive mechanisms according to culturally driven processes, but they all culminate in representational diversity, by persons/entities becoming another. These creative hallucinations supply iconic and indexical scaffolds to supersede literal word use, and conventional person identities. But for the holistic parameters which nascent envisionment provides, the painter’s hunch that changing the colour to enhance the product may never have arisen.