cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A suite of novel human spermatozoal RNAs.

ABSTRACT: We recently described a complex population of spermatozoal coding RNAs that are delivered to the oocyte on fertilization. These are derived throughout spermatogenesis, representing a record of past events. Recently, evidence has been provided that micro-RNAs are present in testes, suggesting that they might also be carried in ejaculate spermatozoa. To directly test this hypothesis, a unique microarray system capable of directly identifying antisense RNAs and predicted transcripts was utilized. RNA isolated from the ejaculate spermatozoa of 6 normal fertile men was directly hybridized to sense oligonucleotide arrays containing 10 000 elements. This revealed 68 shared RNAs, some of which are similar to those previously defined as micro-RNAs, whereas others were the antisense of previously in silico-predicted transcripts. The results and implications of this study are described in this communication.
TU-G-201-01: What Therapy Physicists Need to Know About CT and PET/CT: Terminology and Latest Developments

This session will update therapeutic physicists on technological advancements and radiation oncology features of commercial CT, MRI, and PET/CT imaging systems. Also described are physicists’ roles in every stage of equipment selection, purchasing, and operation, including defining specifications, evaluating vendors, making recommendations, and optimal and safe use of imaging equipment in radiation oncology environment. The first presentation defines important terminology of CT and PET/CT followed by a review of latest innovations, such as metal artifact reduction, statistical iterative reconstruction, radiation dose management, tissue classification by dual energy CT and spectral CT, improvement in spatial resolution and sensitivity in PET, and potentials of PET/MR. We will also discuss important technical specifications and items in CT and PET/CT purchasing quotes and their impacts. The second presentation will focus on key components in the request for proposal for a MRI simulator and how to evaluate vendor proposals. MRI safety issues in radiation Oncology, including MRI scanner Zones (4-zone design), will be discussed. Basic MR terminologies, important functionalities, and advanced features, which are relevant to radiation therapy, will be discussed. In the third presentation, justification of imaging systems for radiation oncology, considerations in room design and construction in a RO department, shared use with diagnostic radiology, staffing needs and training, clinical/research use cases and implementation, will be discussed. The emphasis will be on understanding and bridging the differences between diagnostic and radiation oncology installations, building consensus amongst stakeholders for purchase and use, and integrating imaging technologies into the radiation oncology environment. Learning Objectives: 1. Learn the latest innovations of major imaging systems relevant to radiation therapy 2. Be able to describe important technical specifications of CT, MRI, and PET/CT 3. Understand the process of budget request, equipment justification, comparisons of technical specifications, site visits, vendor selection, and contract development
A hybrid superoxide dismutase containing both functional iron and manganese

A hybrid superoxide dismutase containing functional Mn and Fe has been isolated from Escherichia coli. Streptomycin, which binds tightly to both the Mn- and the Fe-containing superoxide dismutases, had the expected effect on the electrophoretic and chromatographic behavior of the hybrid. Treatment of the hybrid with H2O2, which selectively inactivates the Fe-containing enzyme, resulted in partial inactivation accompanied by a resegregation of subunits, with the formation of active Mn-enzyme and inactive Fe-enzyme. A similar resegregation of subunits was observed when the hybrid was exposed to 2.5 M guanidinium chloride. Hybrids containing Mn or Fe could be generated in vitro by mixing the Mn-enzyme with the Fe-enzyme, removing metals with 8-hydroxyquinoline in the presence of 2.5 M guanidinium chloride, and then dialyzing against Mn(II) or Fe(II) salts. Ten per cent of the activity of the Fe-superoxide dismutases is resistant to H2O2, which correlates with its content of Mn. Since the activity remaining after exhaustive treatment with H2O2 exhibited the electrophoretic mobility of the Fe-enzyme, we concluded that some of the active sites of the Fe-enzyme were actually occupied by Mn. It should be noted, however, that for purposes of metal reconstitution experiments, a definite specificity was demonstrated. The Mn-enzyme was reconstituted with Mn(II), whereas the Fe-enzyme activity was recovered using only Fe(II). We propose that the Fe-superoxide dismutase may be heterogeneous and that 10% of its activity is actually due to a Mn-containing variant with the same electrophoretic mobility. Only the apohybrid enzyme regained enzymatic activity using both Mn(II) and Fe(II).
Marfan's syndrome with aneurysm of ascending aorta and aortic regurgitation: Surgical treatment and new histochemical observations

Abstract A 16 year old girl with Marfan's syndrome, severe aortic regurgitation and ascending aorta aneurysm was treated successfully with replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta. The patient is the youngest known patient with Marfan's syndrome to have undergone this dual procedure. The reported cases with Marfan's syndrome and aortic regurgitation treated surgically were reviewed. The main causes for the post-operative deaths in these patients were hemorrhage, aortic dissection and persistent or recurrent aortic regurgitation. Aortic valve replacement and repair of the aortotomy with the use of Teflon felt enforcement at the suture lines appear to be effective ways to overcome some of the associated difficulties with the correction of these lesions. Large accumulation of dermatan sulfate or heparitin sulfate, in addition to chondroitin-sulfate, was found in the media of the resected aortic wall.
Preparation and application of liposome-incorporated oligodeoxynucleotides.

Publisher Summary Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides have been used to study the functional roles of various proteins. However, nuclease susceptibility, low cellular uptake, and poor intracellular delivery have been the major limitations of the application of antisense oligonucleotides. To overcome some of these limitations, antisense oligonucleotides made of various nuclease-resistant phosphodiester analogs, such as phosphorothioates, methyl phosphonates, and P-ethoxys, have been synthesized. These analogs have substitutions at the nonbridging oxygen atom of the phosphate bond: phosphorothioates with a sulfur atom, methyl phosphonates with a methyl group, and Pethoxys with an ethyl group added to the oxygen atom. Phosphorothioates, like phosphodiesters, are hydrophilic, whereas methyl phosphonates and P-ethoxys are hydrophobic. Typically, antisense oligonucleotides, ranging between 15 and 24 bases in length, were used. With this length, the antisense sequences are long and unique enough to bind to the target mRNA selectively. RNase H may be activated to digest the target mRNA when it is bound with an antisense DNA. This may potentiate the effectiveness of antisense oligonucleotides. However, RNase H is only activated by antisense DNA made of phosphorothioates, but not methyl phosphonates or P-ethoxys.
Re-evaluation of the Seratec® PSA Semiquant test: comparison of kit provided buffer with phosphate buffer saline

AbstractThe Seratec® PSA Semiquant test has been utilized in the forensic community to help identify seminal fluid on crime scene samples. The value of the test is dependent on its ability to accurately identify a prostate specific antigen (PSA) in various samples. Several non-biological substances that may be found on oral and vaginal samples in forensic casework were tested in this study to see if they would give false positive results using the Seratec® PSA Semiquant kit with two different buffers. Results indicate Red Bull® Energy Drink, Rock Star® Sugar Free Energy Supplement, and Summer's Eve® Douche Medicated as non-biological substances that gave false positive results when extracted with Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) on the test strips. False positive results were also observed on oral swabs collected from individuals who ingested Red Bull® Energy Drink. The false positive results can be attributed in part to a drop in pH of the PBS buffer. The buffer provided with the Seratec® PSA Semiquant kit ...
Mitochondrial Monoamine Oxidase I. PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BOVINE KIDNEY ENZYME

Monoamine oxidase of bovine kidney mitochondria has been purified to high specific activity by solubilization with digitonin, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and calcium phosphate gel-cellulose column chromatography. Absorption and fluorescence spectra indicated strongly that mitochondrial monoamine oxidase is a flavoenzyme. Under anaerobic conditions, benzylamine reduced the flavin at 460 mµ apparently to 75% of the total reduction observed with sodium dithionite. The enzyme preparation contained approximately 1 mole of flavin per 100,000 g of protein. The flavin prosthetic group was not characterized precisely, due to the tight association of this group with the protein. Analysis of monoamine oxidase exhibited 7 to 8 sulfhydryl equivalents per 105 g of protein. When varying amounts of silver nitrate or p-chloromercuribenzoate were incubated with the enzyme, the activity was observed to decrease as a linear function of the amount of inhibitor added; complete inhibition was obtained at a ratio of 7.3 moles of thiol-characterizing reagent per 105 g of protein. Similarly, the extent of reduction of the flavoenzyme by benzylamine, at 460 mµ, was proportional to the metallic reagent-enzyme ratio, indicative of a selective inhibitory process. The copper content of the purified enzyme was found by a procedure of atomic absorption spectrophotometry to be 0.14 to 0.15 µg per mg of protein. On the basis of such values and the flavin content there would be 4 or 5 eq of catalytically active flavin per atom of copper, indicating the nonessentiality of copper for activity of this oxidase. These observations are not in agreement with conclusions offered recently by other authors. In addition, there was no observable correlation between the inhibition of enzyme activity by appropriate chelating agents and the ability of these agents to chelate copper. Other interpretations for the inhibition produced by certain of these agents are proposed.
Instantaneous diastolic transmitral pressure differences from color Doppler M mode echocardiography

Pulsed and continuous wave Doppler velocity measurements are routinely used in clinical practice to assess severity of stenotic and regurgitant valves or to estimate intracavitary pressures. Howeve...
Does Opening a Platform Stimulate Innovation? The Effect on Systemic and Modular Innovations

The question of whether opening a new technology to secondary developers stimulates innovation is central to public policy and firm strategies in many high-tech industries. Yet there is scant systematic evidence on this relationship. This paper analyzes how opening handheld computer platforms to multiple outside hardware developer firms affected the rate and direction of product innovations. I introduce a novel data set covering multiple measures of product innovation and the extent to which platforms were opened. Consistent with past research, systemic innovations clearly benefitted from tight, integrated control. In relation to modular hardware innovations, I find that incremental shifts in control devolved to hardware developers were far less important than the extent to which hardware developers were allowed or encouraged to enter. The response of platform innovations to changes in openness was far more ambivalent. Guided by a formal characterization of the innovation process, I interpret the results as suggesting that innovators need to choose both the extent and mode of their openness if they are to manage the tradeoffs between creating a diverse supplier pool, managing suppliers' investment incentives and ensuring effective coordination. Thus, opening with the intent of influencing technical change is far more nuanced than doing so to simply promote diffusion of a technology.
Status of IC applications of ion implantation

Abstract After more than a decade of production use in the semiconductor industry, ion implantation is a key process in virtually all device technologies. Some present and future applications are reviewed, along with processing trends and manufacturing concerns. Competing solutions to problems and alternate means to obtain device performance improvements will be discussed. The related trends in equipment development are considered with reference to their potential applications in production.
Telmisartan treatment of refractory proteinuria in a dog.

No abstract available Keywords: Cardiology; Cardiovascular; Hemodynamics; Hypertension; Kidney; Pharmacology; Protein-losing nephropathy; Renal/Urinary tract.
A Simplified Method for Single Carbon Source Tests with Pseudomonas Species

Summary. Thirty Pseudomonas strains representing 13 species were tested for the ability to grow with 14 compounds as sole carbon sources in the following manner: paper discs saturated with 10% solutions of the compounds to be tested were placed on pour plates containing the test organism, ammonium ion, buffer and minerals; the plates were incubated at 30° and the areas near the discs were observed for growth. The results agreed well with reported nutritional patterns. Discs stored at 4° could be used for at least 6 months after preparation. This method is suitable for use by laboratories which only occasionally attempt to characterize Pseudomonas spp. since the materials required can either be stored in a way which uses little shelf space or can be made from ordinarily available media components.
Linear viscoelasticity of colloidal hard sphere suspensions near the glass transition.

The frequency-dependent viscoelastic shear modulus of concentrated suspensions of colloidal hard spheres is shown to be strongly modified as the volume fraction approaches the glass transition. The elastic or storage component, ${G}^{\ensuremath{'}}$, becomes larger than the viscous or loss component, ${G}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$. The frequency dependence of ${G}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ develops a plateau while that of ${G}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ develops a minimum. We propose a physical model to account for these data, using a description of the glasslike behavior based on mode-coupling theory, and a description of the high-frequency behavior based on hydrodynamic flow calculations.
The repugnant and the mature in phylogenetic inference: atemporal similarity and historical identity

Abstract The significance of “being similar” in the inference of species relationships is refuted once again (see also Hennig, 1966 , Phylogenetic Systematics, Univ. of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL). Without merit is Rieppel and Kearney’s (Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 2002, 75, 59–82) claim that submitting the relational property of topological similarity, their preferred definition of character, to falsifying tests of similarity benefits that kind of inference. Such a priori uses of similarity, in character analysis, are consistent with observational theory, where a character is defined intensionally in terms of immutable properties. However, the induced hypotheses that follow from this theory, not the deductive test that Rieppel and Kearney wanted, remain controversial, because their predictability is a consequence of circular reasoning, and their projectabality fails empirically from incongruent observation reports. Further, a category mistake is made when the abstract, similarity-defined, group of organisms is reified, as a part of history. In addition, Rieppel and Kearney failed to provide a special theory for similarity, which renders similarity scientifically repugnant ( Quine, 1969 , Ontological Relativity and Other Essays, Columbia Univ. Press, New York). A return to Hennig’s (1966) evolutionary concept of evidence, as transformation series, is urged, and from which a testable character hypothesis can be formulated. There is no one operation for determining character states in this system—it can be anything that leads to the testable hypothesis of synapomorphy, as an historical identity relation. Character compatibility and conjunction, but not similarity, provide a priori tests in phylogenetic character analysis. In turn, the phylogenetic system of inference leads to explanations of homology, as historical identities, which exemplifies the goal of achieving a mature state of historical knowledge (not of Quine, 1969 ). Such maturity obtains from attempts to falsify hypotheses of species relationships with severely tested evidence, not from induction of “the” observation statement that Rieppel and Kearney sought to justify their true belief in a hypothesis of relationships.
Energy Efficiency of Refrigeration Systems for High-Heat-Flux Microelectronics

Increasingly, military and civilian applications of electronics require extremely high-heat fluxes on the order of 1000 W/cm2. Thermal management solutions for these severe operating conditions are subject to a number of constraints, including energy consumption, controllability, and the volume or size of the package. Calculations indicate that the only possible approach to meeting this heat flux condition, while maintaining the chip temperature below 65°C, is to utilize refrigeration. Here, we report an initial thermodynamic optimization of the refrigeration system design. In order to hold the outlet quality of the fluid leaving the evaporator to less than approximately 20%, in order to avoid reaching critical heat flux, the refrigeration system design is dramatically different from typical configurations for household applications. In short, a simple vapor-compression cycle will require excessive energy consumption, largely because of the additional heat required to return the refrigerant to its vapor state before the compressor inlet. A better design is determined to be a “two-loop” cycle, in which the vapor-compression loop is coupled thermally to a pumped loop that directly cools the high-heat-flux chip.
Analysis of multimode fiber bundles for endoscopic spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

A theoretical analysis of the use of a fiber bundle in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems is presented. The fiber bundle enables a flexible endoscopic design and provides fast, parallelized acquisition of the OCT data. However, the multimode characteristic of the fibers in the fiber bundle affects the depth sensitivity of the imaging system. A description of light interference in a multimode fiber is presented along with numerical simulations and experimental studies to illustrate the theoretical analysis.
MONOGENEITY IN CYCLOTOMIC FIELDS

A number field is said to be monogenic if its ring of integers is a simple ring extension ℤ[α] of ℤ. It is a classical and usually difficult problem to determine whether a given number field is monogenic and, if it is, to find all numbers α that generate a power integral basis {1, α, α2, …, αk} for the ring. The nth cyclotomic field ℚ(ζn) is known to be monogenic for all n, and recently Ranieri proved that if n is coprime to 6, then up to integer translation all the integral generators for ℚ(ζn) lie on the unit circle or the line Re(z) = 1/2 in the complex plane. We prove that this geometric restriction extends to the cases n = 3k and n = 4k, where k is coprime to 6. We use this result to find all power integral bases for ℚ(ζn) for n = 15, 20, 21, 28. This leads us to a conjectural solution to the problem of finding all integral generators for cyclotomic fields.
A signal decomposition theorem with Hilbert transform and its application to narrowband time series with closely spaced frequency components

Abstract Empirical mode decomposition and Hilbert spectral analysis have been extensively studied in recent years for the system identification of structures. It often encounters three challenges: (1) unable to decompose a signal with closely spaced frequency components such as wave groups in ocean engineering and beating responses in structural and mechanical systems, (2) difficult to distinguish the frequency components in a narrowband signal that is commonly seen in the free vibration of structures, and (3) unable to separate small intermittent fluctuations from a large wave. In this paper, a new analytical mode decomposition theorem based on the Hilbert Transform of a harmonics multiplicative time series is developed to address the challenges. The theorem can be applied with two procedures based on the decomposition of the original signal only or the previously decomposed (modified) signals in sequence. Numerical examples for four representative engineering applications indicate that the new theorem is superior to existing methods in decomposing a time series into many signals whose Fourier spectra are non-vanishing over mutually exclusive frequency ranges separated by bisecting frequencies. It is simple in concept, efficient in computation, consistent in performance, and reliable in signal processing. The accuracy of the new theorem is insensitive to noise. The discernable frequency spacing between the dominant frequencies of decomposed signals is theoretically near zero but practically equal to twice the frequency resolution of a finite length time series. Each bisecting frequency can be selected as an average of its two nearby frequencies of interest and is insensitive to other choices between 80% and 120% of the average value. The modified signal decomposition procedure can be less accurate than the original signal decomposition procedure due to potentially accumulated numerical errors in Hilbert transforms.
Molière's Theory of Multiple Scattering

Arguments are given for the application of a theory developed by Moli\`ere (to describe multiple nuclear scattering) to the problem of electron scattering in a plasma. The basic equations are the same as those obtained and solved by Moli\`ere and at a later date by Bethe, but are derived herein in a hopefully simpler manner. Several applications for these results are suggested and a simple diffusion problem is solved as an example. It is concluded that there is a class of plasma collision problems wherein an application of Moli\`ere's theory can yield interesting and useful results.
Drug-eluting versus bare-metal stents for treating saphenous vein grafts.

Background Current data show conflicting results regarding safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) for treating saphenous vein grafts (SVG). Our objective was to compare DES with BMS for SVG intervention. Methods Patients undergoing stenting with DES or BMS to SVG from January 2000 to June 2007 were included. To eliminate any unobserved bias regarding stent selection, the BMS cohort was divided into pre- and post-2003 when DES became available. Adjusted Cox analysis compared DES with pre- and post-2003 BMS patients. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization. Results Of the total 566 patients, 217 (38%) received DES, 110 (20%) received BMS post-2003, and 239 (42%) received BMS pre-2003. Median follow-up was 2.9 years (interquartile range 1.4-4.9 years). There was a trend toward lower primary end point with DES compared to post-2003 BMS (91 events, adjusted hazard ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.35-1.07, P = .08). However, despite 179 events, DES use was not associated with lower primary end point compared with pre-2003 BMS (adjusted hazard ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.28-1.35, P = .23). Conclusions Although DES showed a trend toward a lower primary end point when compared with BMS post-2003, this association was no longer present when DES was compared to pre-2003 BMS. These results are consistent with the preponderance of available data and indicate that unobserved bias in observational registries may explain the reported benefit of DES over BMS for treating SVG.
Knowledge Utilization in Evaluation Efforts The Role of Recommendations

The utilization of evaluations is an important knowkdge utilization problem. This study focused on the role that recommendations played in evaluation utilization, and included (a) the form and content of recommendations, (b) their relationship to the purposes and findings of the evaluation, (c) the process by which they were developed, and (d) the factors that influenced their utilization. A coordinated case study methodology was used. Factors influencing the utilization of recommendations mirrored the factors enhancing general utilization of evaluations. However, the use of recommendations influenced general utilization by creating an early, negotiated, and public focus on decision implications. Implications of the study for knowledge utilization are discussed.
On the mutual polarization of nearby pairs of fucaceous eggs

Abstract We have measured the mutual polarization of populations of pairs of fucaceous eggs as a function of their distance apart. We did this in different circumstances, of which the medium's pH and washing of the eggs proved most consequential. Under circumstances in which each egg tends to initiate its rhizoid pole (or germinate) toward the other, it also tends to initiate it toward the other's rhizoid initial; however, when it tends to germinate away from the other, its germination direction is independent of the other's. We infer that rhizin (an extracellular locally effective stimulator of rhizoid initiation) is concentrated near the developing rhizoid initial and is thus a link in a regenerative process that irreversibly polarizes the egg; however, antirhizin (an extracellular locally effective inhibitor of rhizoid initiation) is inferred to be uniformly emitted by each egg and thus only modifies this process. When eggs interact through antirhizin, their mutual polarization approximates the fractional gradients calculated to be imposed upon each other by synchronous spherical sources of a stable stuff in the steady state; so antirhizin interaction is inferred to have this simple character. However, when eggs interact through rhizin, their polarization greatly exceeds such gradients; we infer asynchrony, i.e., that the faster cell in each pair sends rhizin to the other, slower one before this latter starts to emit it. These inferences, in turn, are believed to confirm rhizin as a link in the polarization process, and antirhizin as only a modifier of it. A flow of the medium through the substratum and thus between pairs interacting via rhizin fails to modify their interaction at speeds of up to 2 μ/sec; it is inferred that rhizin has a diffusion constant of the order of 10−5 cm2/sec and thus is a relatively small molecule.
Expression of Calcium Channel Subunit Variants in Small Mesenteric Arteries of WKY and SHR.

Background Enhanced function of dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca2+ channels (CaV) in hypertensive arterial myocytes (HAM) is well accepted. Increased protein expression of pore forming α1-subunits contributes to this effect, but cannot explain all of the differences in CaV properties in HAM. We hypothesized that differences in expression of CaV subunits and/or their splice variants also contribute. Methods RNA, protein, and myocytes were isolated from small mesenteric arteries (SMA) of 20-week-old male WKY and SHR and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, immunoblotting, and patch clamp methods. Results Cav1.2 α1, β2c, and α2δ1d were the dominant subunits expressed in both WKY and SHR with a smaller amount of β3a. Real-time PCR indicated that the mRNA abundance of β3a and α2δ1 but not total Cav1.2 α1 or β2c were significantly larger in SHR. Analysis of alternative splicing of Cav1.2 α1 showed no differences in abundance of mutually exclusive exons1b, 8, 21 and 32 or alternative exons33 and 45. However, inclusion of exon9* was higher and a 73 nucleotide (nt) deletion in exon15 (exon15Δ73) was lower in SHR. Immunoblot analysis showed higher protein levels of Cav1.2 α1 (1.61±0.05), β3 (1.80±0.32), and α2δ1 (1.80±0.24) but not β2 in SHR. Conclusions The lower abundance of exon15Δ73 transcripts in SHR results in a larger fraction of total Cav1.2 mRNA coding for full-length CaV protein, and the higher abundance of exon9* transcripts and CaVβ3a protein likely contribute to differences in gating and kinetics of CaV currents in SHR. Functional studies of Ca2+ currents in native SMA myocytes and HEK cells transiently transfected with CaV subunits support these conclusions.
Modulation of Excitatory Synaptic Transmission by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Switches from Agonist to Antagonist Depending on Firing Rate

Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, acts as a partial agonist on presynaptic cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors to inhibit neurotransmitter release. Here, we report that THC inhibits excitatory neurotransmission between cultured rat hippocampal neurons in a manner highly sensitive to stimulus rate. THC (1 μM) inhibited excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and whole-cell ICa evoked at 0.1 Hz but at 0.5 Hz THC had little effect. The cannabinoid receptor full agonists [(R)-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3[(4-morpholinyl)methyl]pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazinyl]-(1-naphthalenyl)methanone mesylate salt] (Win55212-2) (100 nM) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (1 μM) inhibited EPSCs independent of stimulation at 0.1 or 0.5 Hz. THC occupied CB1 receptors at 0.5 Hz, but the receptors failed to couple to presynaptic Ca2+ channels. Consequently, 1 μM THC blocked the inhibition of EPSC amplitude by Win55212-2 when EPSCs were evoked at 0.5 Hz. A depolarizing prepulse to 0 mV reversed THC inhibition of ICa, but reversal of the inhibition produced by Win55212-2 required a pulse to +80 mV, suggesting that the voltage-dependent reversal of Gβγ inhibition of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels accounts for the frequency-dependence of cannabinoid action. THC blocked depolarization-induced suppression of EPSCs evoked at 0.5 Hz, indicating that it inhibited retrograde endocannabinoid signaling in a frequency-dependent manner. Thus, THC displayed a state-dependent switching from agonist to antagonist that may account for its complex actions in vivo.
Report: The Portrayal of Women in Science Books for Junior Readers:

This case study examines the portrayal of women in three types of science books written for preadolescent girls and available in bookstores and a public library in Montgomery County, Maryland. The ...
Surgical Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is difficult because it is a chronic relapsing disease. Surgical management of GERD is indicated only after medical management has failed. In patients who have the most advanced forms of GERD, surgical therapy is good for treating symptoms and healing esophagitis, but far from a gold standard. Freedom from symptoms, side effects, medical therapy, or reoperation cannot be guaranteed. Care must be taken when prescribing surgery for GERD, and it is best that an experienced surgeon at a specialty center participate in the patient's lifelong care.
Complex Langevin Equations and Schwinger-Dyson Equations

Abstract Stationary distributions of complex Langevin equations are shown to be the complexified path integral solutions of the Schwinger–Dyson equations of the associated quantum field theory. Specific examples in zero dimensions and on a lattice are given. The relevance to the study of quantum field theory solution space is discussed.
The Meaning of Appearance in Surviving Breast Cancer

In line with some recent studies that emphasize the importance of embodied meanings in social interaction and face-to-face communication, this study recognizes the significance of the body in human meaning-making processes and contributes to the emerging studies that explore the relation of the body, self, and social interaction. Unlike studies that analyze the body as a symbol or text disconnected from the actual body (i.e., a representation), this study does not separate appearance from the body. Rather, this research explores embodied appearance and shows how a nonconforming appearance might highlight the body's presence in interaction, making it a focal point of attention in contrast to the taken-for-grantedness of our bodies in everyday life. I examine the reported experiences of some breast cancer survivors to find the implications of changes in physical appearance due to radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery, for survivors and their interactions with others.
Bile pigments and bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase during the metamorphosis of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles☆

Abstract 1. 1. The major bile pigments in Rana catesbeiana tadpoles was bilirubin IXα. 2. 2. The concentration of bilirubin IXα increases in bile and plasma during metamorphosis. 3. 3. Bilirubin IXα and biliverdin IXα were also present in the bile of tadpoles. 4. 4. Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity was present in the livers of all tadpoles examined. 5. 5. Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity increases slightly during spontaneous metamorphosis and increases approximately 2-fold during T 3 -induced metamorphosis.
Control of Bacillus cereus Spores and Spoilage Microflora in Sous Vide Chicken Breast

Safety of sous vide chicken breast with respect to Bacillus cereus and effect of processing parameters on natural microflora were evaluated. B. cereus, a facultatively anaerobic sporeformer, may cause foodborne illness and has been isolated from poultry. Product was inoculated and processed to 77°C or 94°C. Populations were reduced by 0.5- to 1.0-log and by 3-log in products heated to 77°C and 94°C, respectively. Spores germinated within 1 day at 10°C yet detectable changes in populations were not evident through 28 days storage. Lactate did not influence B. cereus populations or spore germination. Natural microflora was reduced by processing and remained low through 28 days storage at 4°C and 10°C.
Clarity and ambivalence in rural mothers' attitudes toward other-than-mother child care

The extent of clarity or ambivalence in mothers' attitudes toward other-than-mother child care was examined in this study of 271 North Carolina mothers. Situational and attitudinal variables were also investigated to determine their influence on clarity or ambivalence in mothers' child care attitudes. Policy and programming implications were explored.
Simultaneous tracking and recognition performance model

High value target tracking and identification (ID) performance is impacted by sensor, target, and environmental conditions. Radar sensors are preferred since they provide sensor capabilities over a wide range of weather conditions. Sensor management provides some control, such as adjustment of the collection geometry. However, ground target dynamics and the collection environment can't be controlled and degrade tracking and identification performance. Some examples are when the target maneuvers into dense traffic, stops at intersections, or travels in a cluttered environment and is obscured by vegetation or buildings. Target identification algorithms using high range resolution (HRR) profiles formed from moving target data and range profiles formed from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data have been demonstrated. Feature aided tracking (FAT) exploits the features derived from HRR data to improve target tracking. Identifying the dominant features which can be reliably exploited when a target is either moving or stationary that can then be used to maintain track and ID the target is expected to enhance algorithm performance in realistic scenarios. A simultaneous tracking and recognition (STAR) performance model is developed and applied to realistic scenarios to provide performance gain estimates based on the number of exploited features and operating conditions. This paper presents performance results for simultaneous target tracking and identification using HRR and SAR sensor data.
Attitude Mismatching: Discrepancies in the Sexual Attitudes of African American Mothers and their Pre-adolescent Children

The present study examined attitude congruence between mothers and their pre-adolescent children regarding the precursors of sexual behavior (i.e., having a boyfriend/girlfriend, dating), timing of sexual initiation (i.e., waiting until marriage to have sex), and the potential consequences of sexual behavior (i.e., the seriousness of pregnancy and AIDS). A sample of 932 fourth and fifth grade African American children and their mothers participated by completing computer-administered surveys. The results indicated significant discrepancies between maternal and child attitudes, particularly regarding the precursors of sexual behavior. In addition, children often inaccurately perceived their mothers' attitudes, and evidence suggested that lack of sexual communication is associated with some of these misperceptions. The implications of sexual attitude discrepancies between mothers and children for prevention programs are discussed.
A note on error detection codes for asymmetric channels

Some new codes are described which are separable and are perfect error detection codes in a completely asymmetric channel. Some results are given of comparisons between one simple form of the code in which the check bits correspond to the sum of ones in the information bits and the four out of eight code. The new code is found to compare favorably in error detection capability in several cases. In addition, some more complex codes of this type are indicated.
Radiographic Assessment of a Canine Uncemented Porous‐Coated Anatomic Total Hip Prosthesis

Thirty uncemented porous-coated anatomic total hip prostheses in 24 dogs were evaluated radiographically at 6 months, 12 months, or 18 months after arthroplasty. All dogs were fully weight bearing and free of lameness at the time of follow-up. Radiographs were assessed for prosthetic component alignment, percentage of femoral canal fill, resorptive and formative bony changes, and changes at the implant bone interface. No evidence of infection, loosening, or failure of component fixation was seen. Settling of the acetabular component and subsidence of the femoral stem was seen early after surgery. Cortical atrophy was seen in all femurs and was the most significant bony remodeling change. Early results of clinical and radiographic evaluation of uncemented total hip arthroplasty in dogs have been encouraging.
Soil pH change and crop responses with long-term liming applications in tilled and untilled systems.

An 8-year field study measured soil pH changes annually at various depth increments. Limestone was applied to tilled and untilled field strips annually for 8 years at either a 2.0 Mg/ha rate (100% calcium carbonate efficiency) and once every 4 years at the 8.0 Mg/ha rate (100% calcium carbonate efficiency), or as a water-treatment-plant limestone by-product in two replicated field trials. Liming materials increased soil pH in the 0- to 5-cm and 5- to 10-cm depths with time in untilled soils. Incorporated liming materials increased soil pH faster at the 5- to 10-cm depth and increased soil pH at the 10- to 15-cm depth. Mean maize and soybean grain yields increased for all liming materials, and maize ear leaf P and soybean shoot P and Ca increased after liming at the last year of the study. Consistent surface applications of liming materials without incorporation can mitigate acidification and improve crop yields in highly buffered soils.
Extradural tumor causing spinal cord compression in Klippel-Trenaunay-weber syndrome

BACKGROUND Myelopathy in Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome is uncommon but has been reported secondary to spinal vascular malformations. REPORT A patient with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome who presented with spinal cord compression from a spinal extradural mass lesion (angiomyolipoma) is described. DISCUSSION This association has not been reported previously but is consistent with the segmental vascular abnormalities observed in Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome.
Screening Based on Normal Variables

A solution is given to the problem of using a variable correlated with a performance variable to screen a product when the correlation is unknown or when the proportion of presently acceptable product is unknown. The procedure involves setting lower confidence limits on these unknown parameters and then relating the confidence coefficient to the probability of the procedure attaining a required proportion of acceptable product. The performance variable and screening variable are assumed to be jointly normally distributed.
The Potential Impact of Tobacco Biopharming: The Case of Human Serum Albumin

Biopharming stands to significantly expand the uses of many agricultural crops. This article examines the potential size and distribution of welfare gains from biopharming transgenic tobacco as a source of human serum albumin (HSA) using an economic surplus model under imperfect competition. The results suggest that HSA from transgenic tobacco will generate annual profits for the innovating firm of between $25 million and $49 million. On the other hand, consumers are unlikely to benefit during the patent life of the product given the innovator's market power.
Status of the Native Fish Fauna of the Moapa River (Clark County, Nevada)

Abstract The Moapa River of eastern Clark County, Nevada was surveyed in January 1974 and August 1975 to determine the status of the native fishes. Thirteen species were collected; four are native to the Moapa River. Two nonnative species not previously recorded were collected. The abundance and range of two native species, Moapa coriacea and Gila robusta, decreased since the river was last surveyed (1964–68). A combination of factors likely account for this: habitat modification, poor water quality, and the presence of nonnative fishes.
Cell division: Differential effects of heavy water upon the mechanisms of cytokinesis and karyokinesis in the eggs of Arbacia punctulata

Abstract Inseminated eggs of Arbacia punctulata were immersed at various times in artificial sea water containing 70–90 per cent D 2 O. Subsequently the effects were analyzed by pressure-centrifugation and by isolation of the mitotic apparatus, using the ethanol-digitonin method. The D 2 O treatments exert a stabilizing action upon the nuclear membrane and upon various gel structures, i.e. the aster, the spindle and the peripheral plasmagel layer of the cytoplasm. Prophase and metaphase eggs, placed in 80 per cent D 2 O sea water, remain “frozen” in their initial state for at least 30 min as judged by mitotic apparatus isolations made during and at the end of such an immersion period. The gel structure of the peripheral cytoplasm becomes definitely firmer. Gel strength measurements made at 20 °C by the pressure-centrifuge method, gave values which consistently were about 24 per cent higher than normal. However, the slope of gel strength-pressure curve for D 2 O treated eggs was the same as that of untreated controls. Although the structure of the peripheral plasmagel layer was changed, the “furrowing capacity” of the eggs was not abolished by the D 2 O treatment. The anti-mitotic effects of the heavy water were interpreted in terms of changes in the chemical bonding of gel structures.
Does Spontaneous Minute Ventilation Predict Readiness for Extubation in Mechanically Ventilated Preterm Infants? • 1778

Does Spontaneous Minute Ventilation Predict Readiness for Extubation in Mechanically Ventilated Preterm Infants? • 1778
Elderly African Immigrants in Minnesota: A Case Study of Needs Assessment in Eight Cities.

Needs assessment is the process of identifying the gap between a target population's needs and its services. If a gap exists, a program can be designed to effectively respond to those needs. This aticle explores the needs of elderly African immigrants in Minnesota through the use of qualitative interviews. A convenience sampling was used to collect data from 200 available elderly people in eight cities in Minnesota. Data analyses revealed that 90% of them want appropriate nutrition and better delivery of services. Recommendations include support for informal caregivers like family members becuase these efforts can keep older people at home.
Tannaka-Krein duality for association schemes

Abstract A duality theorem is formulated for noncommutative association schemes. This duality theorem contains as special cases (1) the Delsarte-Tamaschke duality theorem (which was essentially obtained by Kawala in 1942) for commutative association schemes, and (2) the Tannaka-Krein duality theorem for arbitrary finite groups.
The Military in Black African Politics

This article examines the thesis that SubSaharan policy makers maximized political survival at the cost of arrested economic development. The supporting argument suggests that the nascent nation-states of SubSaharan Africa were too fragile to foster " rational" economic development, and that they also lacked an economic infrastructure for encouraging political development. Thus political participation at the cost of unmanageable public spending was pitted against either authoritarian development or military rule, both of which came at the cost of nation-building and citizenship. Participatory regimes fostered nation-building through public consumption; military regimes could resist such pressures and hence better control public indebtedness. Authoritarian regimes fostered economic development; military regimes could foster economic austerity. Freed from the tasks of nation-building and economic development, military regimes in SubSaharan Africa could foster the development of state institutions for enforcing public order and austere economic accounting.
Stereospecific Preparation of Transglycidic Esters

Abstract Trans-disubstituted glycidic esters have been prepared stereospecifically by reaction of the dicyclopentylboryl enolate of α-bromo-t-butylthioacetate with aromatic aldehydes.
Toward the Global Optimization Model of Peace Defense

This article proposes and develops a simple model of peace defense for the calculation of the optimal parameters of peace-building activity on different governmental and nongovernmental stages. The hierarchical structure of the model permits the use of different approaches and greater flexibility than existing models allow. At some stages of the model, the optimum criterion is the minimization of the probability of war, or (in a wider range) the “war potential”; at other stages, the criteria are more specific (for example, the minimization of time that is needed to realize the planned disarmament. Several qualitative results are derived from the model, including the formal description of a process of possible replacement of nuclear deterrence as a tool of international stability by the independent peace movement.
Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair: the Columbia Presbyterian experience.

Abstract Background The edge-to-edge mitral valve repair, first described by Alfieri in 1995 treats mitral regurgitation when standard reparative techniques are difficult, unlikely to succeed, or have failed. This study examines one institution's medium-term experience with this procedure. Methods This study involved patients undergoing edge-to-edge mitral valve repair at a single institution from 1997 to 2003. Preoperative and postoperative echocardiograms were compared. Postoperative morbidity was examined including need for reoperation and long-term medical management. Thirty-day survival and long-term actuarial survival were also determined. Results Seventy-one patients comprised this study. Mitral regurgitation on echocardiogram went from 3.43 ± 0.86 to 0.39 ± 0.61 ( p Conclusions Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair is a valuable tool in the armamentarium available to treat complex cases of mitral insufficiency or as an adjunct to standard repair techniques that fail to achieve an acceptable result.