cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure and mode of nuclear division in living Rhodotorula glutinis.

CONTRADICTIONS as to the exact structure of the nuclear apparatus of yeast have been due in part to the invisibility of the nucleus in living cells. In recent years in vivo studies of the nucleus have been made1,5, but division of the nucleus in live cells has not been observed.
Comparison of four numerical models for simulating seepage from salt marsh sediments

A boundary integral equation method (BIEM) model and three differently formulated finite element method (FEM) models were implemented to explore the spatial and temporal patterns in marsh pore water seepage that each generated. The BIEM model is based on the Laplace equation coupled to a dynamic free-surface condition that assumes that, as the water-table changes, the aquifer instantaneously loses or gains an amount of water equal to the change in head times the specific yield. The FEM models all implement a simplified Richards equation that allows gradual desaturation or resaturation and thus flow in both the saturated and unsaturated zones of the aquifer. Two of the FEM models are based on the governing equation for the USGS model SUTRA and thus take into account fluid and aquifer compressibility. One of these was modified to take into account the effect of tidal loading on the total stress, which is assumed to be constant in the derivation of the original version of SUTRA. The third FEM model assumes that neither the fluid or aquifer matrix is compressible so that changes in storage are due solely to changes in saturation. The unmodified SUTRA model generated instantaneous boundary fluxes that were up to two orders of magnitude greater, and spatially more uniform, than those of the other models. The FEM model without compressibility generated spatial and temporal patterns of the boundary fluxes very similar to those produced by the BIEM model. The SUTRA model with the tidal stress modification gave fluxes similar in magnitude to the BIEM and no compressibility models but with distinctly different distributions in space and time. These results indicate that accurate simulation of seepage from marsh soils is highly sensitive to aquifer compressibility and to proper formulation of the effect of tidal loading on the total stress in the aquifer. They also suggest that accurate simulation may require total stress correction not only for tidal loading but for changes in the water table as well. Finally, to aid the development of methods for the measurement of compressibility, we present a schematic, pore-scale model to illustrate the factors that may govern the compressibility of marsh soils.
Fossils as keys to evolution in fungi

Both flagellated and nonflagellated fungi have an extensive fossil record, which is, however, unevenly documented and often difficult to interpret. Recent work on Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous terrestrial assemblages has provided plausible evidence for all major groups of extant fungi in the Paleozoic. Key events in fungal macroevolution thus probably took place in the early Paleozoic or the late Precambrian, and the likelihood of finding definitive fossil evidence for them is small. The fossil record also provides evidence for morphological conservatism and early establishment of a spectrum of intimate associations between fungi and vascular plants. A model for the origin of terrestrial fungi involving two distinct lines of biotrophs in lichen-like symbioses with algae is proposed.
Measuring Retroactivity from Noise in Gene Regulatory Networks

Synthetic gene regulatory networks show significant stochastic fluctuations in expression levels due to the low copy number of transcription factors. When a synthetic gene network is allowed to regulate a downstream network, the response time of the regulating transcription factors increases. This effect has been termed “retroactivity”. In this article, we describe a method for estimating the retroactivity of a given system by measuring the stochastic noise in the transcription factor expression. We show that the noise in the output signal of the network can be affected significantly when the output is connected to a downstream module. More specifically, the output signal noise can show significantly longer correlations. We define retroactivity by the change in the correlation time. This measure of retroactivity corresponds well to the deterministic retroactivity described in another study. We provide an estimation method for measuring retroactivity from the gene expression noise by investigating its autocorrelation function. When retroactivity is defined using the decay (correlation) times from the gene expression autocorrelation functions, it is found not to depend on whether the module output is defined as either the free transcription factor or the total of the bound and free transcription factor. The frequency domain response, however, depends strongly on which output variable is considered. The proposed estimation method for measuring retroactivity, based on the gene expression noise, can serve as a practical method for characterizing interface conditions between two synthetic modules and eventually provide a step toward large-scale circuit design for synthetic biology.
The Teen Treatment Services Review (T-tsr)

This report describes the Teen-Treatment Services Review (T-TSR) and its initial testing. This brief interview modified from the adult Treatment Services Review (McLellan et al., 1992) furnishes a quantitative profile of the types and number of in-program and out-program treatment services provided during a treatment episode for substance use disorders (SUD). One-day test-retest interval data were collected from adolescent patients in a partial hospitalization program (PHP, N = 20) and from an outpatient clinic (OPA, N = 24). The clinical utility is supported. The test-retest reliabilities of the T-TSR were variable. The T-TSR may be useful at the programmatic level in describing and comparing programs by the type and number of services delivered to adolescents with SUD. Additionally, it may offer a tool for quality assessment by evaluating actual patient treatment-services matching. Further studies of the psychometric properties of this instrument in various clinical settings for adolescents are recommended.
Estimation of certain exponential sums arising in complexity theory

Abstract It is shown that the correlation on { 0 , 1 } n between parity and a polynomial p ( x 1 , … , x n ) ∈ Z [ X 1 , … , X n ] ( mod q ) , q a fixed odd number and p ( X ) of degree d arbitrary but fixed, is exponentially small in n as n → ∞ . An application to circuit complexity, from where the problem originates, is given. To cite this article: J. Bourgain, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).
Similar replicon properties of higher plant cells with different S periods and genome sizes.

Abstract Root meristematic cells of nine unrelated diploid higher plants with genome sizes that differ 82-fold and with S periods that differ 4-fold have similar replicon sizes and single replication fork rates that average 22 μm and 8 μm/h respectively. The average replicon size of 22 μm is near the 18 μm obtained by extrapolation of measurements, taken from DNA fiber autoradiograms, to zero pulse time with [3H]thymidine. The data suggest that the duration of S is determined by the minimal number of replicon families that function sequentially during DNA replication.
ALTERATION OF PECAN KERNEL COLOR

A study was undertaken to isolate and identify the major pigment molecule of pecan. During the isolation process, the dependence of pH on the visual expression of one or more of the major groups of pigments was noted. Based on these observations, a study was undertaken to test the feasibility of enhancing the color of dark pecans, which are otherwise of high quality, thus increasing their market value. Results indicate acidification of pecan kernels with dilute acid solutions significantly lightens kernel color. Phosphoric acid proved the most effective color lightener without detectable effect on flavor. Treatment of pecans with dilute solutions of citric acid enhanced the color rating but affected taste. Treatment with dilute solutions of HCl resulted in some lightening of the kernels but response was variable. The degree of alternation of pecan kernel color by ammonia and SO2 gases was in part dependent upon the degree of hydration of the kernels. SO2 decreased the degree of darkness of both kernels of normal coloration and kernels that had been damaged previously by ammonia vapors.
The Cubic Ternary Complex Receptor-Occupancy Model III. Resurrecting Efficacy

Early work in pharmacology characterized the interaction of receptors and ligands in terms of two parameters, affinity and efficacy, an approach we term the bipartite view. A precise formulation of efficacy only exists for very simple pharmacological models. Here we extend the notion of efficacy to models that incorporate receptor activation and G-protein coupling. Using the cubic ternary complex model, we show that efficacy is not purely a property of the ligand-receptor interaction; it also depends upon the distributional details of the receptor species in the native receptor ensemble. This suggests a distinction between what we call potential efficacy (a vector) and realized efficacy (a scalar). To each receptor species in the native receptor ensemble we assign a part-worth utility; taken together these utilities comprise the potential efficacy vector. Realized efficacy is the expectation of these part-worth utilities with respect to the frequency distribution of receptor species in the native receptor ensemble. In the parlance of statistical decision theory, the binding of a ligand to a receptor ensemble is a random prospect and realized efficacy is the utility of this prospect. We explore the implications that our definition of efficacy has for understanding agonism and in assessing the legitimacy of the bipartite view in pharmacology.
Carcinoma of the cervix stage IB: Results of treatment with radiation therapy

Abstract An analysis has been made of 101 patients treated with radiation therapy for epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix Stage IB (FIGO) from January 1970 through December 1976. The patients were treated with a combination of intracavitary therapy and external beam therapy delivering a total combined dose of 8000 rad to the paracervical areas (Points A R and A L ) and 5500 rad to the pelvic lymph nodes (Points I R and I L ). The cumulative, disease-free survival at 2, 3 and 5 years was 89%, 87% and 84%. Sixteen failures were recorded in this group of patients, of which 3 were a result of loco-regional disease, 5 loco-regional disease plus distant metastasis and 8 distant metastasis only. The failure rate was greater among the patients who had lesions 4 or more cm in diameter and in patients who received doses of external beam therapy to the whole pelvis of 4000 rad or more. Eighteen patients developed complications; however, one patient had a recto-vaginal and a vesico-vaginal fistula; thus 19 complications were recorded. The complications were divided according to their severity into three groups: Grade I (mild) Grade If (moderate) and Grade III (severe). There were 10 Grade 1, 4 Grade II and 5 Grade III complications.
Fatty acids from pulp mill wastes

This paper discusses the new fatty acid-containing product “Tall Oil.” which is derived from the waste liquors of the paper industry. The method of preparation, some thoughts on chemical composition, uses, and available supplies are discussed.
Partial argentation resin chromatography (PARC): II. Separation of saturated and Mono-, Di-, Tri- and tetraenoic fatty esters

Partial argentation resin chromatography (PARC) was used to separate a mixture of saturated and monoenoic, dienoic, trienoic and tetraenoic fatty esters. A series of columns containing XN1010 sulfonic acid resin silvered in the range of 17~91% of theoretical (meaning 17~91% of the sulfonic acid protons were replaced by silver ions) were prepared and were used to correlate the percentage silver with the separation and the retention times of unsaturated fatty esters.cis-Trienoic and tetraenoic fatty esters were eluted with methanol on PARC columns containing 36 and 17% silver. Partial silvering of the resin improved peak shapes while sample elution time and elution volume were reduced. Application of PARC to the separation of mixtures of fatty acids and mixtures of triglycerides was investigated and found to be not feasible with the present system.
Assessment of the impact of a patient clinical trials handbook among pharmacy students

Abstract Background: Patient education in the basic conceptsof clinical trials is necessary to promote understanding of the informed consent process and enhance patients' decision-making. It has been suggested that patients' knowledge and attitudes are improved by being given general written information about clinical trials. Objective: This pilot study was conducted to determine the effect of a patient education handbook on the knowledge, attitudes, and motivations of pharmacy students regarding clinical trials. Methods: A patient clinical trials handbook was developedat a 7th-grade reading level for the Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program and tested in PharmD students. Students were randomized to the experimental group (received handbook) or the control group (no handbook). They were given 15 to 20 minutes to read the handbook, after which they were asked to respond to a questionnaire adapted from previous studies. The questionnaire included 25 true/false questions testing participants' knowledge of clinical trials, 5 questions on attitudes toward clinical trials scored on a 5-point Likert scale, and 6 questions concerning their motivation toward participation in hypothetical clinical trial scenarios scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The experimental group was also asked to rate the informativeness, helpfulness, and clarity of the handbook on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: There were 40 students in the experimentalgroup and 50 in the control group. Knowledge scores were significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group (mean [SD] percentage of correct answers, 88.7% [8.0%] vs 82.6% [9.0%], respectively; P P P = 0.017). There were no between-group differences in students' motivation to participate in the hypothetical clinical trial scenarios. A high proportion of students (95%) found the handbook informative, helpful, and understandable. Conclusions: The patient clinical trials handbookincreased knowledge and positive attitudes regarding clinical trials among pharmacy students participating in this study.
Effective Soil Properties of Heterogeneous Areas For Modeling Infiltration and Redistribution

Field-scale infiltration, soil water, and solute transport models require spatially averaged "effective" soil hydraulic parameters to represent the average flux and storage. The values of these effective parameters vary for different conditions and processes. The objective of this study was to explore some effective parameter sets to describe field-average infiltration and redistribution under different rainfall conditions. We investigated whether an effective field saturated hydraulic conductivity, K s,eff , and correlated hydraulic parameters derived from matching early-stage average ponded infiltration could give reasonable results for infiltration under lower rainfall rates as well as for soil water redistribution. The results of this Effective Parameter Set 1 (EPS-1) were compared with those of two other parameter sets: EPS-2, where the same K s,eff was combined with other hydraulic parameters that were arithmetic mean values of the component soils in the field; and EPS-3, where all parameters were arithmetic mean values. The RZWQM2 model was used to explore these objectives for five different cases of a heterogeneous field, comparing results from effective properties with weighted mean values of component soils at four different rainfall intensities. The mean absolute error for infiltration generally increased with decreasing rain intensity but were generally least with EPS-1 and greatest with EPS-3. The EPS-1 gave good results for infiltration up to 4 h; however, it gave poor results for the mean soil water content distributions 7 d after infiltration. The EPS-2 gave reasonable results for both cumulative infiltration and soil water redistribution. The study confirms that an optimal EPS must strike a balance between infiltration and redistribution. For infiltration, computing K s,eff was critical, and this needed to be combined with mean values of water retention parameters for redistribution.
Neutralino cold dark matter in a one-parameter extension of the minimal supergravity model

Within the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA) framework, the expectation for the relic density of neutralinos exceeds the WMAP determination, unless neutralinos (a) have a significant Higgsino component, (b) have a mass close to half that of a heavy Higgs boson, or (c) can efficiently coannihilate with a charged or colored particle. Within a one-parameter extension of the mSUGRA model which includes nonuniversal Higgs masses, we show that agreement with the WMAP data can be obtained over a wide range of mSUGRA parameters for scenarios (a) and (b), so that the phenomenological implications may be much more diverse than in mSUGRA. We show that direct and/or indirect detection of neutralino dark matter should be possible at various current and planned facilities.
Comparison of two treatments for traumatic stress: a community-based study of EMDR and prolonged exposure.

This pilot study compared the efficacy of two treatments for postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Prolonged Exposure (PE). Data were analyzed for 22 patients from a university-based clinic serving the outside community (predominantly rape and crime victims) who completed at least one active session of treatment after three preparatory sessions. Results showed both approaches produced a significant reduction in PTSD and depression symptoms, which were maintained at three-month follow-up. Successful treatment was faster with EMDR as a larger number of people (7 of 10) had a 70% reduction in PTSD symptoms after three active sessions compared to 2 of 12 with PE. EMDR appeared to be better tolerated as the dropout rate was significantly lower in those randomized to EMDR versus PE (0 of 10 vs. 3 of 10). However all patients who remained in treatment with PE had a reduction in PTSD scores. Finally, Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) ratings decreased significantly during the initial session of EMDR, but changed little during PE. Postsession SUDS were significantly lower for EMDR than for PE. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Risking ethical insolvency: a survey of trends in criminal DNA databanking.

Over ten years have elapsed since Virginia passed the nation's first criminal DNA banking law, which authorized law enforcement authorities to collect DNA samples from certain categories of offenders for the purposes of performing profile analysis. Within nine years, Rhode Island became the fiftieth state to enact a similar statute. The passage of a decade since the first enactment provides a convenient opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of ethical safeguards under present law as well as predict the likely direction of future developments. DNA forensics are merely the latest in a long line of biologically based identifying law enforcement technologies that include fingerprints and serotyping. Nevertheless, DNA has properties that make it significantly different than its predecessors with respect to the ethical and social concerns it raises.
Monstrous Acts: Problematizing Violence in Young Adult Literature.

Despite a growing body of work that draws attention to the presence of violence in the mass media and its effects on youth, little critical attention has been paid to the role of violence in young adult literature. The authors believe that by bringing violence to the foreground in the study of texts, they can enrich and deepen what these stories offer readers. They suggest that the study of textual representations of violence is an important and underdeveloped aspect of literary analysis. Using a conceptual model, the authors analyzed violence in contemporary young adult fiction on three levels: individual, institutional, and cultural-structural. They present descriptive analyses of eight novels and offer ideas and resources for engaging students in critical inquiry of the violence portrayed.
A beamforming algorithm for bistatic SAR image formation.

Beamforming is a methodology for collection-mode-independent SAR image formation. It is essentially equivalent to backprojection. The authors have in previous papers developed this idea and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the approach to monostatic SAR image formation vis-a-vis the more standard and time-tested polar formatting algorithm (PFA). In this paper we show that beamforming for bistatic SAR imaging leads again to a very simple image formation algorithm that requires a minimal number of lines of code and that allows the image to be directly formed onto a three-dimensional surface model, thus automatically creating an orthorectified image. The same disadvantage of beamforming applied to monostatic SAR imaging applies to the bistatic case, however, in that the execution time for the beamforming algorithm is quite long compared to that of PFA. Fast versions of beamforming do exist to help alleviate this issue. Results of image reconstructions from phase history data are presented.
Context-dependent navigation in a collectively foraging species of ant, Messor cephalotes

More than 100 years of scientific research has provided evidence for sophisticated navigational mechanisms in social insects. One key role for navigation in ants is the orientation of workers between food sources and the nest. The focus of recent work has been restricted to navigation in individually foraging ant species, yet many species do not forage entirely independently, instead relying on collectively maintained information such as persistent trail networks and/or pheromones. Harvester ants use such networks, but additionally, foragers often search individually for food either side of trails. In the absence of a trail, these ‘off-trail’ foragers must navigate independently to relocate the trail and return to the nest. To investigate the strategies used by ants on and off the main trails, we conducted field experiments with a harvester ant species, Messor cephalotes, by transferring on-trail and off-trail foragers to an experimental arena. We employed custom-built software to track and analyse ant trajectories in the arena and to quantitatively compare behaviour. Our results indicate that foragers navigate using different cues depending on whether they are travelling on or off the main trails. We argue that navigation in collectively foraging ants deserves more attention due to the potential for behavioural flexibility arising from the relative complexity of journeys between food and the nest.
Increased Collagen Content in Insulin Resistant Skeletal Muscle

Oversupply and underutilization of lipid fuels are widely recognized to be strongly associated with insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Recent attention has focused on the mechanisms underlying ...
Traditional, Practical, Entertaining: Two Early English Letter Writing Manuals

Abstract Two noteworthy and successful vernacular rhetoric manuals printed in sixteenth-century England are actually writing manuals, books on how to compose letters: William Fulwood9s The Enimie of Idlenesse (1568), and Angel Day9s The English Secretorie (1586). Both works reflected and sought to influence literacy habits in the book-reading public, and reveal a wider range of cultural engagement than has previously been thought. In particular, three aspects are likely to have stirred reader interest: a connection for vernacular learners with both the humanist and dictaminal epistolary traditions that formed the core of prestige education; a focus on practical letter exchanges that carry familial and social significance; and a large collection of model letters, in which readers would have found exemplary discourse coupled with proto-fictional and amatory elements that could be enjoyed as entertainment. Understanding the varied appeals of these two books helps us fill out the larger picture relating to how vernacular literacy was valued, developed, and applied.
Treatment for Metastatic Penile Cancer After First-line Chemotherapy Failure: Analysis of Response and Survival Outcomes

Objective To retrospectively estimate the efficacy of various treatments used in men with metastatic penile cancer that progresses after first-line chemotherapy. Methods Patients were from a 30-patient cohort with stage TxN2-3M0 penile squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin chemotherapy before planned lymphadenectomy. Nineteen patients (63.3%) had tumor progression or recurrence, and we evaluated the response to subsequent treatment and survival. Results Seventeen had received ≥1 salvage therapies; their median survival from first treatment failure was 5.7 months (range, 1.4-30.3 months). Four patients underwent salvage surgery, all of whom experienced further disease progression within 2 months. Four patients received chemoradiotherapy, 1 with stable disease for 13.5 months and 3 with no apparent benefit. Two of 5 evaluable patients (40%) who had received bleomycin, methotrexate, and cisplatin had objective responses (1 complete, 1 partial) but 1 developed fatal pneumonitis. There were no other documented responses to systemic therapy. Median overall survival was 5.6 months for patients who had received a second cisplatin-based treatment at any time and 4.3 months for those who had not ( P = .4). Conclusion Patients whose metastatic penile carcinoma progresses through or recurs after front-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy experience poor responses to the described salvage treatments, with a median overall survival time of
Mutations in the ExbB Cytoplasmic Carboxy Terminus Prevent Energy-Dependent Interaction between the TonB and ExbD Periplasmic Domains

The TonB system of Gram-negative bacteria provides passage across the outer membrane (OM) diffusion barrier that otherwise limits access to large, scarce, or important nutrients. In Escherichia coli, the integral cytoplasmic membrane (CM) proteins TonB, ExbB, and ExbD couple the CM proton motive force (PMF) to active transport of iron-siderophore complexes and vitamin B(12) across the OM through high-affinity transporters. ExbB is an integral CM protein with three transmembrane domains. The majority of ExbB occupies the cytoplasm. Here, the importance of the cytoplasmic ExbB carboxy terminus (residues 195 to 244) was evaluated by cysteine scanning mutagenesis. D211C and some of the substitutions nearest the carboxy terminus spontaneously formed disulfide cross-links, even though the cytoplasm is a reducing environment. ExbB N196C and D211C substitutions were converted to Ala substitutions to stabilize them. Only N196A, D211A, A228C, and G244C substitutions significantly decreased ExbB activity. With the exception of ExbB(G244C), all of the substituted forms were dominant. Like wild-type ExbB, they all formed a formaldehyde cross-linked tetramer, as well as a tetramer cross-linked to an unidentified protein(s). In addition, they could be formaldehyde cross-linked to ExbD and TonB. Taken together, the data suggested that they assembled normally. Three of four ExbB mutants were defective in supporting both the PMF-dependent formaldehyde cross-link between the periplasmic domains of TonB and ExbD and the proteinase K-resistant conformation of TonB. Thus, mutations in a cytoplasmic region of ExbB prevented a periplasmic event and constituted evidence for signal transduction from cytoplasm to periplasm in the TonB system.
Eye Pigmentation and Constant Light Damage in the Rat Retina

Photoreceptor destruction is known to occur as a result of exposure for various lengths of time to low (less than about 1000 lux) (1, 2), moderate (about 1000–3000 lux) (3, 4) and higher (5, 6) levels of visible light, as well as by the radiant energy from lasers of different wavelengths (7, 8). In the case of high levels of visible light (6) and laser-induced damage to the retina, the mechanism appears to be the absorption of energy by melanosomes in the pigment epithelium and, indeed, the extent of laser-induced retinal destruction is directly related to the degree of retinal pigmentation (7, 8).
How does evidence affect clinical decision-making?

In 1998, the ‘Evidence Cart’ was introduced to provide decision support tools at the point of care. A recent study showed that a majority of doctors who previously stated that evidence was not needed sought it nevertheless when it was easily available. In this study, invited clinicians were asked to rate the usefulness of evidence provided as abstracts and ‘the bottom-line’ (TBL) summaries using a modified version of a web app for searching PubMed and then specify reasons how it might affect their clinical decision-making. The responses were captured in the server's log. 101 reviews were submitted with 22 reviews for abstracts and 79 for TBLs. The overall usefulness Likert score (1=least useful, 7=most useful) was 5.02±1.96 (4.77±2.11 for abstracts and 5.09±1.92 for TBL). The basis for scores was specified in only about half (53/101) of the reviews. The most frequent single reason (32%) was that it led to a new skill, diagnostic test, or treatment plan. Two or more reasons were given in 16 responses (30.2%). Two-thirds more responders used TBL summaries than abstracts, confirming further that clinicians prefer convenient, easy-to-read evidence at the point of care. This study seems to show similar results as the Evidence Cart study, on the usefulness of evidence in clinical decision-making.
Management and Higher Education Since 1940: The Influence of America and Japan on West Germany, Great Britain, and France

The new paradigm the new paradigm revisited the heritage continuities and discontinuities why not business schools? knowledge and achievement motivation and achievement.
Signals from the Brainstem Sleep/Wake Centers Regulate Behavioral Timing via the Circadian Clock

Sleep-wake cycling is controlled by the complex interplay between two brain systems, one which controls vigilance state, regulating the transition between sleep and wake, and the other circadian, which communicates time-of-day. Together, they align sleep appropriately with energetic need and the day-night cycle. Neural circuits connect brain stem sites that regulate vigilance state with the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the master circadian clock, but the function of these connections has been unknown. Coupling discrete stimulation of pontine nuclei controlling vigilance state with analytical chemical measurements of intra-SCN microdialysates in mouse, we found significant neurotransmitter release at the SCN and, concomitantly, resetting of behavioral circadian rhythms. Depending upon stimulus conditions and time-of-day, SCN acetylcholine and/or glutamate levels were augmented and generated shifts of behavioral rhythms. These results establish modes of neurochemical communication from brain regions controlling vigilance state to the central circadian clock, with behavioral consequences. They suggest a basis for dynamic integration across brain systems that regulate vigilance states, and a potential vulnerability to altered communication in sleep disorders.
Beneficial effects of the radioprotectant 21-aminosteroid U-74389G in a radiosurgery rat malignant glioma model.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the radioprotectant effects of the 21-aminosteroid U-74389G on the rat C6 glioma model after stereotactic radiosurgery. Because radiosurgery causes both tumor cytotoxicity, as well as regional brain edema, we hypothesized that this drug might exhibit advantageous or deleterious effects on healthy and neoplastic tissue. Methods: Rats were implanted with 10 6 C6 glioma cells into the right frontal brain and randomized to a Control Group ( n = 18), radiosurgery on Day 14 (50% isodose=35 Gy) ( n = 15), or radiosurgery preceded by a single 15 mg/kg intravenous dose of 21-aminosteroid ( n = 27). All animals were killed by 90 days and evaluated for survival, tumor size, the presence or absence of regional parenchymal edema, or radiation-induced vasculopathy. Results: After tumor implantation, median survival in the Control Group was 23 days. Significant improvements in median survival were noted after RS alone (median, 31 days; p = 0.02), and RS plus 21-aminosteroid (median, 59 days; p p = 0.002), and after RS plus 21-aminosteroid, 2.9 mm ( p = 0.0002). In the Control Group, the tumor grew as a hypercellular, compact mass. Only 3 of 18 animals had peritumoral edema. In contrast, 7 of 15 animals in the RS group had evidence of edema ( p = 0.006), but rats that received 21-aminosteroid showed no increase compared to controls ( p = 0.38). Similarly, 6 of 15 animals that had radiosurgery alone showed evidence of vasculopathy ( p = 0.005) compared to no animals in the control group and only 2 of 27 aminosteroid-treated animals. Conclusions: The 21-aminosteroid U-74389G exhibits a radioprotectant effect on normal brain tissue, but does not appear to protect the tumor in an in vivo rat radiosurgery model. We believe that the observed beneficial effects on healthy brain led to significant prolongation of animal survival; perhaps, by limiting the adverse effects of high-dose radiosurgery. This radioprotectant should now be evaluated in randomized clinical trials in patients with malignant brain tumors.
How satisfied are they and why? A study of job satisfaction, job rewards, gender and temporary agency workers in Australia

The temporary agency industry has experienced substantial growth in the past two decades. Although there is research on the quality of Australian agency work, most studies have emphasized economic disparities in outcomes for workers. Representative quantitative research using large-scale Australian data on non-economic outcomes, such as job satisfaction, has been scant. Using a nationally representative sample of Australian workers, I examine the extent to which temporary agency workers are satisfied with their jobs and the differences in the satisfaction of agency and permanent workers. I find that agency workers report lower levels of job satisfaction and that job security, control over the duration of work and autonomy are important mediating mechanisms. They are also less satisfied with the work itself, hours worked and their job security. I also find that women are more satisfied with temporary work than men and explore why. I end with implications for organizations and future research.
Effects of accuracy feedback on fractal characteristics of time estimation.

The current experiment investigated the effect of visual accuracy feedback on the structure of variability of time interval estimates in the continuation tapping paradigm. Participants were asked to repeatedly estimate a 1-second interval for a prolonged period of time by tapping their index finger. In some conditions, participants received accuracy feedback after every estimate, whereas in other conditions, no feedback was given. Also, the likelihood of receiving visual feedback was manipulated by adjusting the tolerance band around the 1-second target interval so that feedback was displayed only if the temporal estimate deviated from the target interval by more than 50, 100, or 200 ms respectively. We analyzed the structure of variability of the inter-tap intervals with fractal and multifractal methods that allow for a quantification of complex long-range correlation patterns in the timing performance. Our results indicate that feedback changes the long-range correlation structure of time estimates: Increased amounts of feedback lead to a decrease in fractal long-range correlations, as well to a decrease in the magnitude of local fluctuations in the performance. The multifractal characteristics of the time estimates were not impacted by the presence of absence of feedback. Nevertheless, most of the data sets show significant multifractal signatures. We interpret these findings as showing that feedback acts to constrain and possibly reorganize timing performance. Implications for mechanistic and complex systems-based theories of timing behavior are discussed.
Transverse vibration analysis of generally laminated two-segment composite shafts with a lumped mass using generalized differential quadrature

The use of composite materials for weight reduction of shaft drivelines has positive impacts in different applications. The driveshafts design is mostly dictated by its natural frequencies. In orde...
Architecture for an Automatic Customized Warning System

Public communication during natural and man-made disasters is a key issue that must be addressed to protect lives and properties. The choice of the best protective actions to take depends on a global situation-awareness that is not available to the general public. Emergency personnel and public authorities have the duty to inform the population before, during and after catastrophic events to support the disaster response. In this paper we describe the design and the implementation of PWS (Policy-driven Warning System), a system for public warning dissemination. PWS is not intended to replace existing systems or procedures, but to serve on top of them in order to leverage the current emergency response knowledge.
A randomized controlled trial of the effects of transcendental meditation on quality of life in older breast cancer patients.

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of the Transcendental Meditation program plus standard care as compared with standard care alone on the quality of life (QOL) of older women (≥55 years) with stage II to IV breast cancer. One hundred and thirty women (mean age = 63.8) were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 64) or control (n = 66) groups. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy— Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP), and Short-Form (SF)-36 mental health and vitality scales were administered every 6 months over an average 18-month intervention period. Significant improvements were found in the Transcendental Meditation group compared with controls in overall QOL, measured by the FACT-B total score (P = .037), emotional well-being (P = .046), and social well-being (P = .003) subscales, and SF-36 mental health ( P = .017). Results indicate that the Transcendental Meditation technique improves the QOL of o...
Sports and “The Fragility of Goodness”

(2004). Sports and “The Fragility of Goodness”. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 34-46.
Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor treatment improves alveolar epithelial barrier function in alcoholic rat lung

Chronic alcohol abuse increases the risk of developing acute lung injury approximately threefold in septic patients, and ethanol ingestion for 6 wk in rats impairs alveolar epithelial barrier funct...
GLYCOLYSIS IN RAT BRAIN TISSUE SLICES FOLLOWING NEONATAL HEAD X IRRADIATION: RELATION OF REGIONAL DIFFERENCES TO THE LDH:GPDH RATIO.

—Following head X-irradiation (750 r) of 2-day-old rats the aerobic formation of lactate in the presence or absence of chloral was markedly increased in medulla slices but remained unchanged in cerebral cortex and brain stem slices. The ratio of lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) to glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8) was slightly increased in cortex and brain stem but more than doubled in medulla. The relation of the increased aerobic formation of lactate in irradiated medulla to the lactate dehydrogenase:glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase ratio is discussed.
MALIGNANT PERIPHERAL NERVE SHEATH TUMOR OF THE PROSTATE: A RARE MANIFESTATION OF NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors of the prostate associated with neurofibromatosis are rare, with only 1 previous case reported in the medical literature. We report a case treated with radical cystoprostatectomy and low anterior resection with ileal conduit diversion.
Efficient Management of Household Solid Waste: a General Equilibrium Model:

In the context of a dynamic general equilibrium model, the authors develop an efficient system of Pigovian taxes and refunds reflecting disposal and recycling costs. This system would lead to both ...
Susceptibility of Adult Chickens, With and Without Prior Vaccination, to Challenge with Marek's Disease Virus

SUMMARY. Marek’s disease (MD) outbreaks can occur in previously healthy adult layer or breeder flocks. However, it is not clear whether such outbreaks are caused by recent challenge with highly virulent (vv and vvþ) strains of MD virus (MDV; i. e., new infection hypothesis) or by exacerbation of an earlier MDV infection (i. e., old infection hypothesis). To discriminate between these hypotheses, adult White Leghorn chickens of laboratory strains or commercial crosses with or without prior vaccination or MDV exposure were challenged at 18–102 wk of age with highly virulent MDVs, and lesion responses were measured. Horizontal transmission was studied in one trial. Challenge of adult chickens, which were free from prior MDV vaccination or exposure, with highly virulent MDV strains induced transient paralysis or tumors in 60%–100% of 29 groups (mean ¼ 91%), and horizontal spread of virus was detected. The magnitude of the response was similar to that induced by challenge at 3 wk of age. In contrast, comparable challenge of adult chickens, which had been vaccinated or exposed to MDV early in life, induced transient paralysis or tumors in 0%–6% of 12 groups (mean ¼ 0. 5%), although some birds showed limited virologic evidence of infection and transmission of the virus to contacts. The MD responses were influenced by the virulence of the challenge virus strain, and to a lesser extent by virus dose and route of exposure. Strong inflammatory lesions were induced in the brain and nerves of adult specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens at 9–15 days after infection. The low susceptibility of previously vaccinated and exposed groups to challenge at � 18 wk of age suggests that late outbreaks of MD in commercial flocks are not likely a result of recent challenge alone and that additional factors could be involved.
Recognizing and preventing epilepsy-related mortality A call for action

Epilepsy is associated with a high rate of premature mortality from direct and indirect effects of seizures, epilepsy, and antiseizure therapies. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the second leading neurologic cause of total lost potential life-years after stroke, yet SUDEP may account for less than half of all epilepsy-related deaths. Some epilepsy groups are especially vulnerable: individuals from low socioeconomic status groups and those with comorbid psychiatric illness die more often than controls. Despite clear evidence of an important public health problem, efforts to assess and prevent epilepsy-related deaths remain inadequate. We discuss factors contributing to the underestimation of SUDEP and other epilepsy-related causes of death. We suggest the need for a systematic classification of deaths directly due to epilepsy (e.g., SUDEP, drowning), due to acute symptomatic seizures, and indirectly due to epilepsy (e.g., suicide, chronic effects of antiseizure medications). Accurately estimating the frequency of epilepsy-related mortality is essential to support the development and assessment of preventive interventions. We propose that educational interventions and public health campaigns targeting medication adherence, psychiatric comorbidity, and other modifiable risk factors may reduce epilepsy-related mortality. Educational campaigns regarding sudden infant death syndrome and fires, which kill far fewer Americans than epilepsy, have been widely implemented. We have done too little to prevent epilepsy-related deaths. Everyone with epilepsy and everyone who treats people with epilepsy need to know that controlling seizures will save lives.
The Largest Stellar Masses

In view of their young age and their exceedingly fast evolution, the extremely massive stars are targets of particular attention when measurements and models are linked together. Masses computed from spectroscopic orbits depend on the cube of the radial-velocity amplitude and are — more often than not in these cases — subject to the distortion of the latter. The strong stellar wind expected to arise from the radiation pressure of hot, luminous stars, especially in the post-main sequence expansion to OB supergiants with tenuous atmospheres will cause substantial mass loss and will also, in close binaries, help sustaining circumstellar activity. The adopted masses mostly are not very reliable, particularly as the rarity of the objects offers little in the way of luminosity comparisons; there have been and will be revision. Even the velocities of systems may be uncertain, for instance in 29 CMa where weak, red-shifted, expanding emission are visible at all phases.
Changes in Extracellur Potassium Concentrations within the Physiological Range Affect Extracellular Adenosine Levels and Dynamics in Astrocytic Cultures (P01.029)

Objective: The present study tested the hypothesis that changes in [K + ] e within the physiological range influence [Ado] e in astrocytic cultures. Background Adenosine (Ado) is an endogenous purine nucleoside, a neuro-modulator, vasoregulator and a retaliatory metabolite. We have shown in astrocytic cultures that [Ado] e correlate with oxygen tension. In vivo , [K + ] e is increased with neuronal activation and hypoxia. Increases in physiological [K + ] e attenuate Ado kinase and increase Na/K-ATPase activity; both of these mechanisms may therefore affect [Ado] e . Design/Methods: Primary cultures were established from the brain of rat pups, purified, trypsinized after 11 days in vitro (DIV), attached to microcarrier beads and subsequently grown in spinner flasks. After 23 DIV, pO 2 was rapidly changed by flushing the vessel with N 2 or O 2 . Utilizing a fluorometric technique, we measured pO 2 in our culture in real-time. Ph and [K + ] e were measured using electrodes. Culture supernatant was sampled, cleaned with SPE, and analyzed with HPLC. Results: In the presence of augmented potassium concentrations, we measured [Ado] e in normoxic and hypoxic astrocytes. During normoxia exogenously elevated potassium levels increased resting [Ado] e significantly compared to baseline [K + ] e . During induced hypoxia, [K + ] e in our culture remained stable. When we exogenously increased K during hypoxia, neither the rate of accumulation nor the steady state [Ado] e was affected. However, with re-oxygenation, [K + ] e in a dose dependant fashion retarded clearance of elevated [Ado] e . Conclusions: During normoxia and hypoxia, changes in physiological levels of potassium affect [Ado] e : elevated [K + ] e during normoxia causes resting [Ado] e to increase, whereas augmented [K + ] e during re-oxygenation attenuates clearance of [Ado] e . We speculate that this reciprocal interaction serves as a means of communication between neurons and astrocytes. The mechanism responsible for the increase in [Ado] e may be an increase in Na/K-ATPase activity and/or an attenuation of Ado kinase activity. Both mechanisms would augment [Ado] e and could therefore influence CBF. Supported by: NIH R01, NS-21076,27. Disclosure: Dr. Kulik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nedergaard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Winn has nothing to disclose.