cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exposure of professional pest control operator to dichlorvos (DDVP) and residue on house structures.

Abstract Each of the 13 human volunteers carried out a 1-day urban pest control work in 4 homes using 10–14 aerosol cans (230–330 g dichlorvos (DDVP)) and 18–22 pints of 0.5% emulsion spray (40–50 g DDVP). Average residue levels of 75.85 μg/ft 2 , 40.9 μg/ft 2 and 7.02 μg/ft 2 were found on the applicator's back, chest and respirator filter, respectively. Residue on the house structure was 219.7 μg/ft 2 on the first day, which fell to 50.9 μg/ft 2 by the end of 5 days. Blood and urine analyses revealed no changes in various clinical parameters, including serum cholinesterase levels.
Heterogeneity of Bcl-2 expression in metastatic breast carcinoma

Bcl-2 is an antiapoptotic protein that promotes cell survival, but also may block proliferation. In breast cancer, bcl-2 expression correlates with favorable prognosis and estrogen receptor (ER) positivity. However, experimental data have paradoxically suggested that bcl-2 promotes chemoresistance and metastasis. A direct and comprehensive comparison of bcl-2 expression between primary breast carcinomas and paired distant metastases has not been performed. We completed rapid autopsies on 17 patients with archived primary tumors and metastatic breast carcinoma, and created single-patient tissue microarrays containing each patient's primary tumor and matched metastases. Expression of bcl-2, ER, progesterone receptor, and HER-2 in primary tumors and matched metastases were compared by immunohistochemistry. All 11 ER-positive cases showed bcl-2 labeling in the primary tumor, whereas only 3 of 6 ER-negative cases did (P=0.029). In 10 cases, bcl-2 labeling in metastases was similar to that of the primary, although 3 cases showed significant variation among metastases. In six other cases, bcl-2 labeling was lost or significantly diminished in metastases. Five of the latter cases were Luminal A (ER-positive, HER-2-negative) primaries, three of which lost hormone receptors in metastases. Only 1 of 17 cases showed an increase in bcl-2 labeling in metastases compared with the paired primary tumor. In conclusion, bcl-2 is infrequently upregulated in metastatic breast carcinoma. Instead, downregulation of bcl-2 expression may occur in the setting of hormone therapy resistance. Our findings call into question the potential utility of anti-bcl-2 therapy in metastatic breast cancer.
Formation of highly oriented large nanoscale In2Te3 precipitates in bulk Bi2Te3

Nucleation and growth precipitation experiments were conducted on samples of In-alloyed Bi_2Te_3 with a starting composition of Bi_(1.65)In_(0.35)Te_(3) (7 at.% In) to investigate the phase diagram of the Bi_2Te_3–In_2Te_3 system. Temperature-dependent equilibrium solubilities were determined at 500 and 450 °C and also the maximum solubility of In in Bi_2Te_3 was verified by unidirectional solidification using the Bridgman method. The In_2Te_3 structures formed during precipitation are either plates or elongated ribbons with thicknesses of the order of hundreds of nanometers with a heavily temperature-dependent spacing distribution. All in-grain precipitation occurs along the {0 0 0 1} family of planes in Bi_2Te_3. The orientation relationship between Bi_2Te_3–In_2Te_3 was found to be {0 0 0 1}Bi_2Te_3 || {1 1 1}In_2Te_3 and consequently 〈 1 1 2¯ 0 〉 Bi_2Te_3 || 〈1 1 0〉 In_2Te_3, which aligns the close-packed planes and directions. The resulting matrix is expected to be lightly doped and may be suitable for microstructure engineering for near room temperature thermoelectric applications.
Ultrafine particle deposition in humans during rest and exercise

Ultrafine particles (diameter < 100 nm) may be important in the health effects of air pollution, in part because of their predicted high respiratory deposition. However, there are few measurements of ultrafine particle deposition during spontaneous breathing. The fractional deposition for the total respiratory tract of ultrafine carbon particles (count median diameter = 26 nm, geometric standard deviation = 1.6) was measured in 12 healthy subjects (6 female, 6 male) at rest (minute ventilation 9.0 +/- 1.3 L/min) using a mouthpiece exposure system. The mean +/- SD fractional deposition was 0.66 +/- 0.11 by particle number and 0.58 +/- 0.13 by particle mass concentration, similar to model predictions. The number deposition fraction increased as particle size decreased, reaching 0.80 +/- 0.09 for the smallest particles (midpoint count median diameter = 8.7 nm). No gender differences were observed. In an additional 7 subjects (2 female, 5 male) alternating rest with moderate exercise (minute ventilation 38.1 +/- 9.5 L/min), the deposition fraction during exercise increased to 0.83 +/- 0.04 and 0.76 +/- 0.06 by particle number and mass concentration, respectively, and reached 0.94 +/- 0.02 for the smallest particles. Experimental deposition data exceeded model predictions during exercise. The total number of deposited particles was more than 4.5-fold higher during exercise than at rest because of the combined increase in deposition fraction and minute ventilation. Fractional deposition of ultrafine particles during mouth breathing is high in healthy subjects, and increases further with exercise.
Collective robotic search using hybrid techniques: Fuzzy logic and swarm intelligence inspired by nature

This paper presents two new strategies for navigation of a swarm of robots for target/mission focused applications including landmine detection and firefighting. The first method presents an embedded fuzzy logic approach in the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm robots and the second method presents a swarm of fuzzy logic controllers, one on each robot. The framework of both strategies has been inspired by natural swarms such as the school of fish or the flock of birds. In addition to the target search using the above methods, a hierarchy for the coordination of a swarm of robots has been proposed. The robustness of both strategies is evaluated for failures or loss in swarm members. Results are presented with both strategies and comparisons of their performance are carried out against a greedy search algorithm.
The use of propranolol in arrhythmias complicating acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Propranolol was found to be a useful drug in the treatment of acute tachyarrhythmias. Forty-three episodes in 34 patients were successfully treated and sinus rhythm restored by using intravenous propranolol. All patients had recent myocardial infarctions complicated by mild, moderate, or severe left ventricular failure. It was judged that the net balance between the negative inotropic and chronotropic properties of propranolol on the myocardium resulted in a clinical improvement. A side effect in a few patients was sinus bradycardia which responded promptly to atropine sulfate or isoproterenol.
Expedited SAR study of high-affinity ligands to the α2δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels : Generation of a focused library using a solution-phase Sn2Ar coupling methodology

Abstract The SAR of the lead compound 3, a novel ligand for the α2δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, was rapidly explored. Utilizing a parallel solution-phase Sn2Ar coupling approach, a focused library was obtained. The library was evaluated in vitro and afforded a series of analogues with improved potencies. The SAR trends of the library are also described.
Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in amygdala blocks the effect of audiogenic seizure kindling in genetically epilepsy-prone rats

Abstract Genetically epilepsy-prone rats of the severe seizure strain (GEPR-9s) exhibit audiogenic seizures (AGS) beginning with wild running and ending with tonic hind limb extension (TE). AGS kindling in GEPR-9s involves periodic repetition of ≥14 seizures over 7–21 days and results in prolonged seizures and an additional phase of generalized post-tonic clonus (PTC) that follows TE. AGS kindling behavior changes are long-lasting and involve expansion of the requisite seizure neuronal network from the brainstem to include the amygdala, mediated by neuroplasticity in lateral amygdala. Recent evidence indicates that focal activation of adenylyl cyclase (AC) in lateral amygdala leads to precipitous acquisition of AGS-kindled seizure behaviors, suggesting that activation of AC activity is important in development and maintenance of AGS kindling. The present study further examined the role of AC in AGS-kindled seizures in GEPR-9s by focally inhibiting AC in the amygdala. Bilateral microinjection of an AC inhibitor, SQ22,536 (0.25 and 0.50 nmol/side), in AGS-kindled GEPR-9s selectively blocked PTC during AGS at 1 h after microinjection, but the pre-kindled AGS behaviors remained intact. The incidence of PTC during AGS returned to pre-drug levels 12 h after the lower dose of SQ22,536 (0.25 nmol/side). However, after the higher dose of SQ22,536 (0.5 nmol/side), complete return to AGS with PTC was seen in all GEPR-9s at 120 h. These results indicate that maintenance of AGS kindling-mediated PTC in GEPR-9s may involve activation of AC. These data provide further evidence for the involvement of AC in the epileptogenic mechanisms subserving AGS kindling.
Robust convergence in pulse-coupled oscillators with delays

We show that for pulse-coupled oscillators a class of phase response curves with both excitation and inhibition exhibit robust convergence to synchrony on arbitrary aperiodic connected graphs with delays. We describe the basins of convergence and give explicit bounds on the convergence times. These results provide new and more robust methods for synchronization of sensor nets and also have biological implications.
A study of cartilaginous fusions, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis in embryonic rat limbs after injection of aminothiadiazole.

Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole (ATDA), 100 mg/kg ip, on one of days 10–14 of pregnancy (sperm day = day 0). A supplementary ip injection of nicotinamide (N), 100 mg/kg, was administered to some rats immediately after the ATDA injection on day 12. Embryonic deaths, reduction limb malformations, and depressed fetal weights were attributable to ATDA treatment, but N coadministration was protective. Fetuses from rats dosed with ATDA or ATDA+N on day 12 were recovered on day 18 or 19 and their skeletons stained with methylene blue. Abnormal cartilaginous continuities or “fusions” between the various cartilage skeletal elements were present in 99% of limbs in the ATDA-treated group. Extent of the fusions varied widely. In the forelimb, fusions occurred only in the carpus and paw, whereas in the hindlimb, there were many abnormal fusions of the tibia and fibula in addition to the fusions in the tarsus and paw. Cotreatment with N prevented fusions. Other rats treated on day 12 were sacrificed 4, 10, 24, 48, and 72 hours later. Embryonic limbs were cultured in vitro for two hours in a medium containing 3H-thymidine or 14C-leucine. Isotope incorporation was determined. Ten hours after treatment with ATDA, DNA synthesis was depressed to 1.2%–5.1% of control levels. By 72 hours, the rate of synthesis returned to normal. N coadministration was protective against the ATDA-induced depression of DNA synthesis at 10 hours. Some changes in the rate of protein synthesis after ATDA treatment were apparent.
Statistical and systematic uncertainties in pixel-based source reconstruction algorithms for gravitational lensing

Gravitational lens modeling of spatially resolved sources is a challenging inverse problem with many observational constraints and model parameters. We examine established pixel-based source reconstruction algorithms for de-lensing the source and constraining lens model parameters. Using test data for four canonical lens configurations, we explore statistical and systematic uncertainties associated with gridding, source regularisation, interpolation errors, noise, and telescope pointing. Specifically, we compare two gridding schemes in the source plane: a fully adaptive grid that follows the lens mapping but is irregular, and an adaptive Cartesian grid. We also consider regularisation schemes that minimise derivatives of the source (using two finite difference methods) and introduce a scheme that minimises deviations from an analytic source profile. Careful choice of gridding and regularisation can reduce "discreteness noise" in the $\chi^2$ surface that is inherent in the pixel-based methodology. With a gridded source, some degree of interpolation is unavoidable, and errors due to interpolation need to be taken into account (especially for high signal-to-noise data). Different realisations of the noise and telescope pointing lead to slightly different values for lens model parameters, and the scatter between different "observations" can be comparable to or larger than the model uncertainties themselves. The same effects create scatter in the lensing magnification at the level of a few percent for a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 10, which decreases as the data quality improves.
Cross-Cultural Knowledge, Attitudes and Experiences of Hospitality Management Students

Abstract This study assessed the cross-cultural knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of junior and senior hospitality management students using survey methodology. The students showed a low awareness of the food-related customs and foods of other cultures and harbored positive attitudes toward learning more about these topics and toward including more of this information in the hospitality management curriculum. Experiences regarded as most useful for learning about other cultures were spending time in another country and conversing with others who had spent time abroad. The findings suggest a need for more learning opportunities that would enhance cross-cultural awareness among future professionals in the hospitality industry.
Meningeal seeding from rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck with base of the skull invasion: Recognition of the clinical evolution and suggestions for management

Rhabdomyosarcomas of the head and neck may spread by diffuse local invasion, resulting in erosion of the base of the skull with possible extension to the leptomeninges, brain, and cranial nerves, as well as invasion of the ventricular system with possible intradural, extramedullary metastases anywhere along the neuraxis. Meningeal spread of tumor is difficult to eradicate, and nearly all patients reviewed died soon after meningeal disease was evident. Patients with erosion of the base of the skull or abnormal cranial nerve findings seem to have a risk of seeding the meninges with tumor. The clinical evolution of this pattern of metastatic spread is reviewed, diagnostic studies are recommended, and therapeutic considerations are discussed. Tentative treatment guidelines are also offered.
Authors, intentions and literary meaning

This article discusses the relationship (or lack thereof) between authors’ intentions and the meaning of literary works. It considers the advantages and disadvantages of Extreme and Modest Actual Intentionalism, Conventionalism, and two versions of Hypothetical Intentionalism, and discusses the role that one's theoretical commitments about the robustness of linguistic conventions and the publicity of literary works should play in determining which view one accepts.
Morphine effects on spontaneous, nociceptive, antinociceptive and sensory evoked responses of parafasciculus thalami units in morphine naive and morphine dependent rats.

Abstract The present experiments used freely behaving animals previously implanted with the permanent recording electrodes within the parafasciculus thalami (PF) and stimulation electrodes in nociceptive and antinociceptive areas. The spontaneous and the evoked activity in PF neurons following nociceptive, antinociceptive and sensory stimulation, as well as the effects of morphine and its antagonist naloxone on these inputs in morphine naive and morphine dependent animals, were investigated. The observations demonstrated that the spontaneous activity of PF neurons exhibits variable spontaneous firing rates which are affected by acute and chronic morphine treatment. The PF neuronal population exhibits neurophysiological activity characteristic of morphine dependence, tolerance and withdrawal from morphine. The PF receives mono-, oligo- and polysynaptic inputs from multiple sources, including regions associated with pain pathways which converge on PF cells, as well as from sites involved in pain suppression mechanisms, which supports the hypothesis of a role of the PF as a modulator of pain input. The nociceptive, antinociceptive and sensory inputs are not modified by chronic morphine treatment, but single doses of morphine have remarkable effects on those inputs in morphine naive and morphine dependent animals; naloxone reversed the morphine effects on the evoked activity.
Random Threshold Digraphs

This paper introduces a notion of a random threshold directed graph , extending the work of Reilly and Scheinerman in the undirected case and closely related to random Ferrers digraphs. We begin by presenting the main definition: $D$ is a threshold digraph provided we can find a pair of weighting functions $f,g:V(D)\to\mathbb{R}$ such that for distinct $v,w\in V(D)$ we have $v\to w$ iff $f(v)+g(w)\ge1$. We also give an equivalent formulation based on an order representation that is purely combinatorial (no arithmetic). We show that our formulations are equivalent to the definition in the work of Cloteaux, LaMar, Moseman, and Shook in which the focus is on the degree sequence, and present a new characterization theorem for threshold digraphs. We then develop the notion of a random threshold digraph formed by choosing vertex weights independently and uniformly at random from $[0,1]$. We show that this notion of a random threshold digraph is equivalent to a purely combinatorial approach, and present a formula for the probability of a digraph based on counting linear extensions of an auxiliary partially ordered set. We capitalize on this equivalence to develop exact and asymptotic properties of random threshold digraphs such as the number of vertices with in-degree (or out-degree) equal to zero, domination number, connectivity and strong connectivity, clique and independence number, and chromatic number.
Copper deficiency does not affect conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A in rats

Abstract The central cleavage of β-carotene to vitamin A purportedly involves a dioxygenase that may be copper dependent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of copper (Cu) deficiency on the conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A as measured by total liver retinol. Weanling male rats, pre-depleted of vitamin A, were divided into three groups of 12: I) Cu and vitamin A deficient; II) Cu adequate and vitamin A deficient; pair-fed to group I; III) Cu adequate and vitamin A deficient, fed ad libitum. After four weeks, six animals of each group were killed and hepatic vitamin A determined for baseline (depleted) levels. β-carotene (13.4 mg/kg) was then added to the diets, and after two weeks the rats were killed. Cu deficiency was verified by tissue analyses and by decreased activity of Cu dependent superoxide dismutase. Total liver vitamin A increased similarly in all three groups, ranging from 73–79 μg. Large variations among animals within each group suggests a marked variability in utilization of β-carotene. The results indicate that Cu deficiency does not affect the conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A in the rat.
Improving medication management competency of clinical trainees in geriatrics.

The authors hypothesized that an interprofessional workshop would improve geriatrics trainees' medication management. The workshop was based on a needs assessment and comprised an interactive session with pharmacists on managing medications in elderly adults. Participants were trainees in their geriatrics rotation at a tertiary care medical center. Trainees completed a medication appropriateness survey for three patients, one of which was their own. After the workshop, trainees reviewed medications of the three patients. Trainees completed online surveys after their rotation and 3 months later. Of 95 trainees rotating through geriatrics, 76 (80%) attended the workshop and completed the worksheet. Trainees' scores on reviewing medication lists improved significantly, from 6.7 ± 2.3 to 7.7 ± 2.0 out of 11 for standardized patient 1 (P < .001) and from 5.7 ± 1.8 to 6.4 ± 1.5 out of 11 for standardized patient 2 (P = .009). Trainees' scores on their own patients' lists also improved significantly, from 5.6 ± 1.5 to 6.6 ± 1.5 out of 10 (P < .001). After the workshop, 95% (71/75) planned to change the medication regimen of the patient they presented, and 93% (68/73) planned to change other patients' medications based on information learned during the workshop. Three months later, 35% (12/34) had made changes to the regimen of the patient they discussed during the workshop, and 71% (15/21) had made changes to other patients' regimens. Seventy-eight percent (18/23) rated the workshop as the top nonclinical experience of their geriatrics rotation. In conclusion, this interprofessional medication management workshop improved trainees' ability to perform medication reviews accurately and led to change in self-reported prescribing behavior.
A Multi-Objective Decision-Making Framework for Transportation Investments

This paper presents a framework based on multi-objective optimization that can be used to generate and analyze the most desirable transportation investment options based on their objectives and constraints. The framework, which is based on the surrogate worth trade-off analysis, could be applied to both discrete or continuous decision-problem scenarios. In a discrete problem, a pre-defined set of alternatives is available, whereas continuous problems are not characterized by a pre-defined set of alternatives. This framework was applied with the data generated for a Capital Beltway Corridor investment study. The multi-objective decision-making framework was found to be adaptable to this typical investment case study.
Language Barriers in Hispanic Patients: Relation to Upper-Extremity Disability

Background Although upper-extremity disability has been shown to correlate highly with various psychosocial aspects of illness (e.g., self-efficacy, depression, kinesiophobia, and pain catastrophizing), the role of language in musculoskeletal health status is less certain. In an English-speaking outpatient hand surgery office setting, we sought to determine (1) whether a patient’s primary native language (English or Spanish) is an independent predictor of upper-extremity disability and (2) whether there are any differences in the contribution of measures of psychological distress to disability between native English- and Spanish-speaking patients.
Advocating for longitudinal follow-up of the health and welfare of egg donors

Egg donation continues to increase in popularity as part of assisted reproduction (1). Although short-term health effects of donation have been well studied, many unanswered questions remain about the long-term medical and psychological consequences for women who donate eggs. Studies of longer-term postdonation health effects have significant limitations, and are often retrospective, cross-sectional, or case studies. In its 30-year history, egg donation has led to the birth of more than 200,000 children into previously infertile families. Among fertility clinics in the United States, 93% offer egg donation (1). Donor eggs are most often used by women over the age of 40 years, as their in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rates are greater when using donor eggs (49.4%–50%) compared with their own (0.0%–23.6%) (1). As more women and couples find themselves delaying parenthood to pursue careers or education, donor eggs are becoming an increasingly important component of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for women of advanced reproductive age. The increased use of donor eggs raises questions regarding the long-term medical and psychological effects of egg donation. In the great majority of egg-donation cases, certainly in the short term, donors seem neither to be harmed (2) nor to regret having participated (3). Yet, anecdotal testimonies of donors who feel that they were harmed by going through the process have appeared in the media, outside of medical journals. Hence, understanding all potential risks faced by donors is important. Prospective donors cannot make truly informed decisions without knowing all the risks. Donation may have only minor medical or psychological consequences, but more data are needed to ensure fully informed consent and possibly to protect donor health. Two previously proposed ways (4) to better characterize the egg-donor experience are creation of a mandatory national egg-donor registry, and voluntary participation in fertility clinic–driven registries and/or data collection. Yet, these methods have not been implemented, and the advantages and disadvantages of these or other approaches has not been systematically considered with respect to egg donors. This article provides an examination of the short-term and long-term risks of egg donation and describes 3 possible means of responding to gaps in current knowledge. Specifically, the pros and cons of 2 past proposals are examined, and a third approach is suggested: a government-funded prospective long-term multicenter follow-up study of egg donors to systematically examine long-term safety and health risks.
Are the Phytoestrogens Genistein and Daidzein Anti-Herbivore Defenses? A Test Using the Gypsy Moth ( Lymantria dispar )

Phytoestrogens are compounds that have moderate estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity toward mammals. Although genistein and daidzein, the main phytoestrogens of soybean, have been the subject of thousands of studies that address their benefit to human health, relatively little is known about their benefits to plants that produce them. It has been suggested that genistein and daidzein protect plants against arthropod herbivores, but direct tests of this hypothesis are rare. In this study, we evaluated the effect of genistein and daidzein on the survivorship, growth, and fecundity of the gypsy moth, a generalist insect herbivore that does not encounter phytoestrogens in its normal diet. We compared survivorship, egg-to-pupa growth rate, and 4th instar performance of gypsy moth caterpillars on artificial diets containing no phytoestrogen, genistein, daidzein, or a combination of genistein and daidzein. Our results indicate that genistein and daidzein do not decrease survivorship, growth, or fecundity of this insect herbivore. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the primary function of these compounds in aboveground plant tissues is anti-herbivore defense.
On a harmonious graph conjecture

Let K"n^(^2^) be the union of two complete graphs on n vertices which have precisely one vertex in common. Graham and Sloane have shown that K"n^(^2^) is not harmonious for n odd, K"4^(^2^) is harmonious, and K"6^(^2^) is not harmonious. They also conjecture that K"n^(^2^) is not harmonious except, for n = 4. Here, it is shown that if K"n^(^2^) is harmonious, then n must be a sum of two squares.
Modes of regional chemotherapy.

Abstract Injection of Am (2 mg/kg) into the hepatic artery or portal vein of dogs gives higher liver tissue levels (15.1 μg/g) than systemic intravenous administration (6.4 μg/g). This difference is increased by injection of the drug distal to the temporarily occluded hepatic artery or portal vein. Bolus injection of Am (1 mg/kg) into the femoral artery of dogs results in no detectable ipsilateral calf muscle levels and no subsequent macroscopic changes in the extremity. When injected distally to the temporarily occluded femoral artery, muscle drug levels were below the level of sensitivity of the fluorometric assay used, but all animals showed varying degrees of ipsilateral skin ulcerations and melanosis. With a tight tourniquet applied to the extremity proximally and maintained for 15 min after Am injection, 40-fold or higher muscle levels of Am were found, compared to those after simple intraarterial injection. There was fairly uniform drug distribution throughout the infused limb and minimal systemic leak. Severe ulcerations occurred after injection of 1 mg Am/kg with tourniquet application. With reduction of the dose to 0.25 and 0.125 mg/kg, erythema in the first 2 weeks and melanosis of the skin at 2 to 4 weeks occurred and involved the whole extremity. This technique of intraarterial injection of chemotherapeutic drug(s) with a proximal tourniquet has a potential clinical applicability in extremity tumors; high tissue drug levels are obtained and frequent administration is possible via an indwelling catheter. With the present development of the ability to assay microconcentrations of drugs in tissues, a critical reappraisal of the methods of regional infusion chemotherapy should now be possible, in association with the physiochemical characteristics of the drugs used.
Optimization of Active Saponin, Arganine C, for Microbicidal External Use

Abstract The antiviral activities of the saponins, arganine C, and tieghemelin were described earlier [Gosse, B.K.; Gnabre, J.N.; Ito, Y.; Huang, R.C.; J. Liq. Chrom. Rel. Technol. 2002, 25 (20), 3199–3211]. In this paper, conversion of tieghemelin to arganine C, a stronger antiviral entry saponin for a new microbicide is described. The crude saponin fraction (arganine C/tieghemilin = 1:2) obtained by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) [Ito, Y.: CRC Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem. 1986, 17 (1), 65–143], was treated with 2‐ethoxy‐1‐ethoxycarbonyl‐1,2‐dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) in dimethylformamide (DMF) and refluxed for 5 hr. The reaction mixture shows a single peak which represents arganine C by HSCCC. From 700 mg of the crude sample, 500 mg of pure arganine was obtained.
On the forced unilateral orientation number of a graph

Abstract A graph has a unilateral orientation if its edges can be oriented such that for every two vertices u and v there exists either a path from u to v or a path from v to u . If G is a graph with a unilateral orientation, then the forced unilateral orientation number of G is defined to be the minimum cardinality of a subset of the set of edges for which there is an assignment of directions that has a unique extension to a unilateral orientation of G . This paper gives a general lower bound for the forced unilateral orientation number and shows that the unilateral orientation number of a graph of size m , order n , and having edge connectivity 1 is equal to m − n + 2. A few other related problems are discussed.
Tension pneumoperitoneum in a child resulting from high-frequency oscillatory ventilation: a case report and review of the literature

An 18-month-old male infant was placed on high-frequency oscillatory ventilation for profound hypoxemia and subsequently developed tension pneumoperitoneum. He underwent a bedside exploratory laparotomy for suspected perforated viscous. No intestinal perforation was identified, and a diagnosis of tension pneumoperitoneum secondary to pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis was made. To our knowledge, this is the only report of a pediatric patient developing tension pneumoperitoneum from high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. A review of the literature examines the differential diagnosis, physiology, and treatment of tension pneumoperitoneum.
Pilot Data on the Endoscopic Placement of Covered Metal Stents to Treat Gastrojejunal Leaks in a Porcine Model

Background Placement of stents may be an alternative option to treat gastrojejunal (GJ) anastomotic leaks after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. The aim was to evaluate the performance of a covered metal stent (Alimaxx-E, 18 × 100 mm) across a GJ leak in a porcine model.
A Comparison of the Behavior of Single Crystalline and Nanowire Array ZnO Photoanodes

The photoelectrochemical behavior of n-type ZnO nanowire arrays was compared to the behavior of single crystalline n-ZnO photoelectrodes in contact with either 0.50 M K_(2)SO_4(aq) at pH 6.0 or Fe(CN)_(4)^(3–/4–)(aq). The use of a thin film of ZnO as a seed layer produced dense nanowire arrays in which the ZnO nanowires were preferentially oriented perpendicular to the substrate. The average diameter of the ZnO nanowires that were produced by two different growth conditions was ~125 and ~175 nm, respectively, with a nanowire length of 2–4 μm. Under simulated 1 Sun Air Mass 1.5 illumination conditions, the ZnO nanowire arrays exhibited open-circuit potentials, E_oc, and short-circuit photocurrent densities, J_sc, that were very close to the values observed from single crystal n-type ZnO photoanodes in contact with these same electrolytes. Device physics simulations were in accord with the experimentally observed behavior, indicating that, under certain combinations of materials properties and interface recombination velocities, the use of nanostructured light absorbers can provide an approach to efficient photoelectrochemical solar energy-conversion systems.
Erps recorded during early second language exposure predict syntactic learning

Millions of adults worldwide are faced with the task of learning a second language (L2). Understanding the neural mechanisms that support this learning process is an important area of scientific inquiry. However, most previous studies on the neural mechanisms underlying L2 acquisition have focused on characterizing the results of learning, relying upon end-state outcome measures in which learning is assessed after it has occurred, rather than on the learning process itself. In this study, we adopted a novel and more direct approach to investigate neural mechanisms engaged during L2 learning, in which we recorded ERPs from beginning adult learners as they were exposed to an unfamiliar L2 for the first time. Learners' proficiency in the L2 was then assessed behaviorally using a grammaticality judgment task, and ERP data acquired during initial L2 exposure were sorted as a function of performance on this task. High-proficiency learners showed a larger N100 effect to open-class content words compared with closed-class function words, whereas low-proficiency learners did not show a significant N100 difference between open-and closed-class words. In contrast, amplitude of the N400 word category effect correlated with learners' L2 comprehension, rather than predicting syntactic learning. Taken together, these results indicate that learners who spontaneously direct greater attention to open-rather than closed-class words when processing L2 input show better syntactic learning, suggesting a link between selective attention to open-class content words and acquisition of basic morphosyntactic rules. These findings highlight the importance of selective attention mechanisms for L2 acquisition.
Allosteric Modulation of GABAA Receptor Subtypes: Effects on Visual Recognition and Visuospatial Working Memory in Rhesus Monkeys

Non-selective positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GABAA receptors (GABAARs) are known to impair anterograde memory. The role of the various GABAAR subtypes in the memory-impairing effects of non-selective GABAAR PAMs has not been fully elucidated. The current study assessed, in rhesus monkeys, effects of modulation of α1, α2/3, and α5GABAARs on visual recognition and spatial working memory using delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) and self-ordered spatial search (SOSS) procedures, respectively. The DMTS procedure (n=8) involved selecting a previously presented ‘sample' image from a set of multiple images presented after a delay. The SOSS procedure (n=6) involved touching a number of boxes without repeats. The non-selective GABAAR PAM triazolam and the α1GABAA preferential PAMS zolpidem and zaleplon reduced accuracy in both procedures, whereas the α5GABAA preferential PAMs SH-053-2′F-R-CH3 and SH-053-2′F-S-CH3, and the α2/3GABAA preferential PAM TPA023B were without effects on accuracy or trial completion. The low-efficacy α5GABAAR negative allosteric modulator (NAM) PWZ-029 slightly increased only DMTS accuracy, whereas the high-efficacy α5GABAAR NAMs RY-23 and RY-24 did not affect accuracy under either procedure. Finally, the slopes of the accuracy dose-effect curves for triazolam, zolpidem, and zaleplon increased with box number in the SOSS procedure, but were equivalent across DMTS delays. The present results suggest that (1) α1GABAARs, compared with α2/3 and α5GABAARs, are primarily involved in the impairment, by non-selective GABAAR PAMs, of visual recognition and visuospatial working memory in nonhuman primates; and (2) relative cognitive impairment produced by positive modulation of GABAARs increases with number of locations to be remembered, but not with the delay for remembering.
Navajo child abuse and neglect study: A comparison group examination of abuse and neglect of navajo children

The presence of vastly different cultural influences on child rearing and family life in Native Americans than are found in the general population offers an opportunity to examine the issue of child abuse and neglect in a different cultural context. A study was conducted to obtain baseline data and to isolate types and circumstances associated with maltreatment of Navajo children under 9 years of age. Records from tribal and state courts, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), state social services and a sample of ambulatory pediatric cases were reviewed to elicit abuse or neglect status data for calendar year 1975. Data on 365 abuse or neglect cases were compared with 867 nonabused or nonneglected children (comparison group). A double blind case numbering system was employed to ensure confidentiality of data obtained. Abuse cases were dichotomized according to litigation status (e.g., adjudicated versus documented by clinical findings). Neglect cases were categorized by perceived parental control over circumstances leading to the neglect (e.g., voluntary versus involuntary neglect). Reliability sub-studies were conducted by study staff and Navajo volunteers to assess the degree of agreement in the classification of study case status. Tribal census data for 1975 provided baseline information from which the incidence of abuse or neglect involving Navajo children was established. Extrapolated study data suggests up to 8.6% of the reservation resident Navajo children under age 9 to have been abused or neglected. Various sociode-mographic characteristics differentiating the abusive and neglectful families from those of the nonabused or nonneglected children in the comparison group are reported.
Transport of metal oxide nanoparticles and single-walled carbon nanotubes in human mucus

Whether mucus layers lining entrance points into the body, including the lung airways, provide protection against the penetration of engineered nanoparticles remains poorly understood. We measured the diffusion coefficients of hundreds of individual nanoparticles of three different metal oxides (nMeOs) and two types of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in undiluted human mucus. We found that the vast majority of these nanoparticles are efficiently trapped in human mucus and, further, that the mechanism of trapping is adhesive interactions as opposed to steric obstruction. However, a small fraction of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles moved at rates fast enough to penetrate airway mucus layers. We conclude that human mucus layers probably provide considerable protection for mucosal tissues from the penetration of most nMeOs and SWCNTs, and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risks of exposure to ZnO nanoparticles is warranted.
Handheld ultrasound and diagnosis of cardiovascular disease at the bedside.

In 1903, Dr. William Osler advocated for reform of medical education to emphasize bedside teaching, recommending “no teaching without a patient for a text and the best teaching is that taught by the patient himself” [(1)][1]. More than a century later, new voices in the profession echo that
Psychosocial effects of abnormal Pap tests and mammograms: A review

ABSTRACT This article presents a review of the psychosocial consequences of abnormal Pap tests and mammograms. Published articles related to the effects of abnormal Pap tests and mammograms were id...
Interview: Jane Oates on collaborations between academia and government policy makers

– The purpose of this interview is to gain insight from the career of policy‐maker and researcher, Jane Oates, on the collaborations between academia and government to effect social change., – This article is based on an interview with Jane Oates conducted in May of 2007., – Based on her experiences, she states that social change requires a three‐way partnership between academia, government, and the people they serve. She makes specific recommendations for the ways these groups can find a common language to reach their shared goals., – This account provides the unique perspective of a professional who has spent years in both academia and policy‐making.
A comparative measure of biodiversity based on species composition

In conservation planning, species richness and species endemism are the most often used metrics for describing the biodiversity importance of areas. However, when it comes to prioritizing regions for conservation actions these measures alone are insufficient because they do not reveal how similar or different the actual composition of species may be from one area to another. For comparative analysis an additional useful metric would be one that indicates the degree to which the species assemblage in one area is also represented in—or is distinct from—species assemblages of other areas. Here we describe a method for quantifying the compositional representativeness of species assemblages among geographic regions. The method generates asymmetric pairwise similarity coefficients that are then used to calculate separate measures for the representativeness and the distinctiveness of species assemblages in the regions being compared. We demonstrate the method by comparing fish communities among freshwater ecoregions of the Mississippi Basin, and then among smaller hydrological units within two individual freshwater ecoregions. At both scales of analysis, our measures of representativeness and distinctiveness reveal patterns of fish species composition that differ from patterns of species richness. This information can enhance conservation planning processes by ensuring that priority-setting explicitly consider the most representative and distinctive species assemblages.
Disaster Preparedness: Relationships Among Prior Experience, Personal Characteristics, and Distress

At the peak of a hurricane watch and warning, participants completed a questionnaire asking about their prior experience with a hurricane (property loss and distress), and their degree of preparation, perceived threat, and distress when threatened by Hurricane Emily (Study 1) or Hurricane Fran (Study 2). In Study 1, age, income, internal locus of control, perceived threat, and current distress predicted preparation. Among participants with hurricane experience, age and distress as a result of the hurricane accounted for a significant portion of preparation variance. In Study 2, age, perceived threat, and hurricane experience predicted preparation. The findings support both the conservation of resources stress model (Hobfoll, 1989) and the warning and response model (Lindell and Perry, 1992). Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.
Mathematical tools to optimize the design of oligonucleotide probes and primers.

The identification and quantification of specific organisms in mixed microbial communities often relies on the ability to design oligonucleotide probes and primers with high specificity and sensitivity. The design of these oligonucleotides (or “oligos” for short) shares many of the same principles in spite of their widely divergent applications. Three common molecular biology technologies that require oligonucleotide design are polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and DNA microarrays. This article reviews techniques and software available for the design and optimization of oligos with the goal of targeting a specific group of organisms within mixed microbial communities. Strategies for enhancing specificity without compromising sensitivity are described, as well as design tools well suited for this purpose.
Induction of Transcription Factor Early Growth Response Protein 1 during HSV-1 Infection Promotes Viral Replication in Corneal Cells.

Aims To understand the mechanisms of Early Growth Response Protein 1 (Egr-1) induction upon HSV-1 lytic infection and its roles in regulating viral gene expression and replication.
Price Setting and Competition in a Simple Duopoly Model

The paper studies a market in which there are two sellers and one buyer. Each agent wants to trade at most one unit of an indivisible commodity. The sellers are uncertain whether the buyer is receiving offers from one or both of them at any given time. This model induces competitive and monopolistic outcomes for particular parameter values. But, other things being equal, as the buyer becomes very patient, the equilibrium price converges to the competitive one.
delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits cell contact-dependent cytotoxicity of Bacillus Calmétte-Guérin-activated macrophages.

Abstract The effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), the major psychoactive component of marijuana, on the capacity of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-activated macrophages to lyse L929 tumor cells, Naegleria fowleri amoebae, and herpes simplex virus-infected cells was examined. Delta-9-THC inhibited tumoricidal and amoebicidal activity in a dose-related manner. Antiviral activity was decreased when mice received 25 and 50 mg/kg delta-9-THC. The cannabinoid did not directly suppress the activation of macrophages as determined by levels of 5′-nucleotidase activity and did not inhibit splenic T-lymphocytes of BCG-recipient mice from producing interferon gamma. Nomarski optics microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and radiolabeling binding studies demonstrated that macrophages from delta-9-THC-treated mice retained their capacity to attach to their targets. These results suggest that delta-9-THC suppresses cell contact-dependent amoebicidal, tumoricidal, and antiviral activities of activated macrophages at a stage following effector cell — target cell conjugation.
The Bethesda Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Classification System: Year 1 at an Academic Institution

Background: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) may be the procedure of choice in the preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules, yet it suffers as a modality both because of its inherent limitations as well as variability in its diagnostic terminology. The National Cancer Institute recently proposed a classification system. The objective of this study was to report our experience in using this new reporting system to review the distribution of diagnosis categories and to evaluate the specificity of the system based on the cytologic–histologic correlation. Patients and Methods: A total of 3207 thyroid nodules underwent FNA, that is, 3207 FNAs from 2468 patients were examined at our institution between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008. All FNAs were classified prospectively into unsatisfactory, benign, indeterminate (cells of undetermined significance), follicular neoplasm (FN), suspicious for malignancy, and positive for malignancy. Results: The distribution of these categories from 3207 evaluated nodules w...