cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug Testing: Constitutional And Policy Implications:

Let us assume the following three scenarios. Scenario one involves a professional football player who tests positive for drugs for the third time and under National Football League rules is suspended indefinitely. The second scenario concerns a railroad engineer whose urinalysis sample taken after a serious accident reveals drug usage and who is subsequently dismissed from his Conrail job. The final scenario includes a recent college graduate who applies for a position with a Fortune 500 company but does not get the job because she fails the required pre-employment drug test.What do these three people share in common? They all tested positive for drug use and suffered economic loss, and possibly psychological pain, as a consequence. But were their rights violated? Was their privacy intruded upon? Was the testing procedure fair and accurate? Did the testing violate the American legal principle that guilt is individual rather than collective? These are some of the questions raised by government-mandated, as...
Analysis of perturbation methods for rearrangement collisions: Comparison of distorted-wave and coupled-channel-wave transition amplitudes.

With the use of projection operators, the formal expressions of distorted-wave and coupled-channel-wave transition amplitudes for rearrangement collisions are derived. Use of projection operators (for the transition amplitudes) sharpens our understanding of the structural differences between the two transition amplitudes. The merit of each representation of the transition amplitudes is discussed. Derived perturbation potentials are found to have different structures. The rigorously derived distorted-wave Born-approximation (DWBA) transition amplitude is shown to be a generalization of the earlier DWBA expression obtained from the assumption of the dominance of elastic scattering in rearrangement collisions.
Comparison of migration and encapsulation of Brugia malayi microfilariae from the midgut to the hemocoel between Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Aedes aegypti.

Abstract Comparisons were made of migration and encapsulation of ingested sheathed microfilariae of Brugia malayi from the midgut into the hemocoel between Anopheles quadrimaculatus (refractory and susceptible strains to B. malayi) and Aedes aegypti (Black-eyed, Liverpool strain susceptible to B. malayi). Encapsulation and melanization of microfilarial sheaths and microfilariae occurred in both strains of An. quadrimaculatus and in Ae. aegypti . In both strains of An. quadrimaculatus, by 4 hr and by 24 hr after the ingestion of sheathed microfilariae of B. malayi in the infected bloodmeal, significantly more sheathed microfilariae penetrated the midgut and reached the hemocoel and thoracic muscles compared with those in Ae. aegypti . During the same time periods significantly more encapsulated and melanized microfilarial sheaths and a larger percentage of encapsulated and melanized microfilariae were observed in the hemocoel of both strains of An. quadrimaculatus than in Ae. aegypti. The results suggest that differences observed in the numbers of encapsulated and melanized microfilarial sheaths and percentages of melanized microfilariae between An. quadrimaculatus (both strains) and Ae. aegypti are due to different rates of penetration of the sheathed microfilariae from the midgut to the hemocoel.
Inhibition of cell division by sodium chloroiridate

Abstract Sodium chloroiridate at 3 × 10 −4 M irreversibly inhibits cell division of mammalian cells in culture. Cells so affected by this compound of iridium included 3T3, SV-40 transformed 3T3, HeLa, and a primary human embryo strain. Cells are blocked in the G1 stage of the cell cycle. Although DNA synthesis is blocked by this compound, RNA and protein synthesis continue, resulting in cells of very large size.
Gulf War agents trigger discrete transcriptional changes in human neuronal cells

Reports on Gulf War illness (GWI) implicated the use of the pesticide permethrin (PER), and the insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), in its etiology, as well as pyridostigmine bromide (PB), which was given as a prophylactic treatment against nerve agent exposure. Using Affymetrix microarrays the genomic response of human neuronal SHSY-5Y cells to 10 days of exposure to these agents was characterized and profiles of gene modulation unique to each treatment were demonstrated. In particular, a significantly greater impact of PER was observed compared to the other treatments. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis knowledgebase was used to analyze the genomic datasets and attribute functional consequences to the effects of related genes, which were significantly up- or down-regulated in response to different treatments. Canonical pathways shown to be significantly modulated at the genomic level in response to exposure included cellular mechanisms, which might contribute to the clinical presentation in GWI...
Barrier for the H2CO --> H2+ CO reaction: A discrepancy between high-level electronic structure calculations and experiment

The unimolecular dissociation of formaldehyde to H2+CO was studied using extended basis set calculations and a variety of medium-to-high accuracy correlation recovery techniques. These included second and fourth order perturbation theory, multireference configuration interaction wave functions, coupled cluster theory with perturbative triples and full iterative triples, and estimated full configuration interaction wave functions. The intrinsic error of the electronic structure methods was assessed by extrapolating total energies to the complete basis set limit. Our best estimate of the barrier height, including zero point vibrational effects, is 81.9±0.3 kcal/mol, almost 3 kcal/mol larger than the experimental value of 79.2±0.8 kcal/mol. This estimate includes corrections for the effects of finite basis set truncation (which is negligible at the quintuple zeta level), higher order correlation recovery, core/valence correlation, and scalar relativistic effects. Using the same theoretical approach, we estim...
Stability analysis of an encapsulated microbubble against gas diffusion

Linear stability analysis is performed for a mathematical model of diffusion of gases from an encapsulated microbubble. It is an Epstein-Plesset model modified to account for encapsulation elasticity and finite gas permeability. Although bubbles, containing gases other than air, are considered, the final stable bubble, if any, contains only air, and stability is achieved only when the surrounding medium is saturated or oversaturated with air. In absence of encapsulation elasticity, only a neutral stability is achieved for zero surface tension, the other solution being unstable. For an elastic encapsulation, different equilibrium solutions are obtained depending on the saturation level and whether the surface tension is smaller or higher than the elasticity. For an elastic encapsulation, elasticity can stabilize the bubble. However, imposing a non-negativity condition on the effective surface tension (consisting of reference surface tension and the elastic stress) leads to an equilibrium radius which is only neutrally stable. If the encapsulation can support a net compressive stress, it achieves actual stability. The linear stability results are consistent with our recent numerical findings. Physical mechanisms for the stability or instability of various equilibriums are provided.
Is women's identity achievement associated with the expression of generativity? Examining identity and generativity in multiple roles

We hypothesized that the degree to which middl-aged mothers are identity-achieved is related both to their well-being and their generativity. A unique feature of this research is the examination of identity and generativity separately in the context of specific role domains. Although midlife women reported significantly lower moratorium and higher diffusion than did college women, reports of identity achievement did not differ between the two samples. Identity achievement was, however, more consistently associated with midlife women's positive well-being than foreclosure, moratorium, or diffusion. While global measures of identity and generativity were not related, significant relationships were observed when identity and generativity were measured separately in the context of specific role domains.
Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide response to volume expansion in the ovine fetus.

Atrial natriuretic peptide is a potent diuretic and vasorelaxant peptide secreted from the cardiac atria of adult mammals in response to increased intravascular volume. In sheep, fetal plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide are significantly greater than maternal levels, but the factors that control fetal release of atrial natriuretic peptide have not been defined. The present studies were conducted to determine whether the fetus responds to increased intravascular volume by atrial natriuretic peptide secretion. The mean (± standard error of the mean) atrial natriuretic peptide of basal fetal plasma (115 ± 24 pg/ml) in chronically catheterized ovine fetuses (131 ± 1 days' gestation) was significantly greater than atrial natriuretic peptide levels of basal maternal plasma (56 ± 12 pg/ml). In response to successive 30-minute intravenous infusions of 0.9% saline solution at 0.5 and 1.0 ml/kg/min, fetal plasma atrial natriuretic peptide significantly increased to a maximum of 409 ± 72 pg/ml during the high-dose saline infusion and returned to 234 ± 83 pglml during a 30-minute recovery period. The increase in fetal plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was significantly correlated with the volume of saline solution infused (r = 0.68). During the saline infusion, a significant increase in fetal blood volume and heart rate was noted. Fetal blood pressure, maternal plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide, and fetal and maternal plasma osmolality remained unchanged. Despite elevated basal levels of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide, the third-trimester ovine fetus responds to increases in intravascular volume with a further increase in atrial natriuretic peptide secretion.
Multidrug resistance after retroviral transfer of the human MDR1 gene correlates with P-glycoprotein density in the plasma membrane and is not affected by cytotoxic selection.

Abstract Multidrug resistance (MDR) in mammalian cells is associated with the expression of the MDR1 gene encoding P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an and active efflux pump for various lipophilic compounds. MDR transfectants can be isolated after MDR1 gene transfer and selection with cytotoxic drugs; low levels of drug resistance have also been observed in unselected NIH 3T3 mouse cells after retrovirus-mediated transfer of mouse mdr1 cDNA. MDR cell lines possess multiple phenotypic changes, suggesting that P-gp function could be complemented by some additional mechanisms associated with cytotoxic selection. To determine whether cytotoxic selection contributes to the MDR phenotype of MDR1-expressing cells, NIH 3T3 cells infected with a recombinant retrovirus carrying the human MDR1 gene were selected by two different procedures: (i) noncytotoxic selection for increased P-gp expression on the cell surface by multiple rounds of immunofluorescence labeling and flow sorting or (ii) one or more steps of selection with a cytotoxic drug. The levels of MDR in both types of infectants showed an excellent correlation with the P-gp density in the plasma membrane, expressed as immunoreactivity with a P-gp-specific antibody normalized by reactivity with an antibody against an unrelated antigen. Cytotoxic selection conferred no additional increase in resistance relative to P-gp density. These results indicate that P-gp density in the plasma membrane may be sufficient to determine the level of MDR.
A Cross-National Investigation into the Effects of Religiosity on the Pervasiveness of Corruption

Relying on data drawn from more than 70 countries, this study examines the effects of religiosity, religious denominations, and communist heritage on the pervasiveness of corrupt business behavior. It is found that even after controlling for the effects of socioeconomic development, communist heritage and religiosity tend to promote corruption. From the principal–agent and modernization perspectives, the theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, and some avenues for future research are pointed out.
The Role of the Geographical Imagination in Young People's Political Engagement

This paper provides new insights into the ways in which urban youth draw upon and reference spatial concepts over the course of their participation in activism and organizing. The concept of the ge...
Without Foundation: Stanley Fish and the Legal Academy

Stanley Fish, chair of the English department and professor of law at Duke University, is well known as a literary critic working at the cutting edge of literary commentary. In addition to writing in a clear and transparent English, he has been responsive in developing Duke as an institution that is theoretically active and heterogeneous. Thus, what he has to say will inform the uninitiated. In recent years, Fish has devoted significant energy to critiquing contemporary legal thought. Continental philosophical thought has exercised a certain hegemony over interpretive theory in the academy in the United States, so a reading of one who has mastered those modes of thought can make one aware of the nature and language of current debate. In Doing What Comes Naturally: Change, Rhetoric, and the Practice of Theory in Literary and Legal Studies, Fish brings together 22 essays which express his philosophy and demonstrate his interpretive practice. Fish asserts that his collection of essays constitutes an integrated work, not a mere assemblage. He justifies his style by arguing that the points he is making can most effectively be presented by demonstration through his interpretive prac-
Purification and characterization of cytolytic and noncytolytic human natural killer cell subsets.

Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells form three functionally distinct populations of effectors: competent cytolytic effectors able to bind and kill target cells and two subsets of nonlytic effectors, one able and the other unable to bind target cells. A flow cytometric method was developed, based on size and two-color fluorescence of NK cell-target conjugates, for the characterization and sorting of highly purified subpopulations--killer cells, nonkiller binder cells, and free cells. Ultrastructural examination revealed that granule content was reduced in the killer cells and absent in most of the binder cells. Quantitative differences in the expression level of HLA class I, CD11b (C3bi receptor), and CD16 (receptor for the Fc portion of IgG) antigens could differentiate the subsets. The killer phenotype was HLAlo, CD11bvery hi, and CD16very lo; the binder phenotype was CD11bhi and CD16lo; and the free-cell phenotype was CD11blo and CD16hi. Cell activation was not requisite for lytic function because no difference in either expression of activation markers or cell cycle could be established among the sorted subpopulations. Although recycling function was inhibited, retention of lytic activity was enriched 4-fold in the sorted killer cell population. These results represent characterization of a successful bulk isolation of competent killer, nonkiller binder, and free cells in human NK-cell populations and should aid our understanding of NK-cell development, lineage, and function.
DNA binding by [2,5-14C]N-nitrosopyrrolidine in excision-repair proficient and deficient strains of Salmonella. Evidence for a major premutagenic adduct.

Little is known about the nature and possible genotoxic effects of the DNA adducts formed by N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) in whole animals. DNA binding in DNA isolated from [2,5-14C]NPYR-treated Salmonella was studied and attempts were made to monitor DNA adducts and correlate DNA binding with mutagenesis. NPYR was metabolized by hamster liver S-9 fraction in the presence of S.typhimurium TA1535 (uvrB-) or TA1975(uvrB+). DNA isolated from TA1535 contained about three times as much radioactivity as that isolated from TA1975, and NPYR-induced mutagenesis was several-fold higher in TA1535. The fraction of radioactivity incorporated into TA1535 was approximately 10(-5). Thermal hydrolysis of the 14C-containing DNA at neutral pH, followed by precipitation, released approximately 2/3 of the radioactivity into the supernatant. HPLC analysis of the supernatant revealed one major peak. This peak was absent in DNA from TA1975. Acid hydrolysis of the DNA precipitate after neutral hydrolysis released most of the residual radioactivity. Several small peaks were observed after HPLC analysis of the TA1535 acid hydrolysate or the TA1975 acid hydrolysate. These results demonstrate that NPYR is capable of binding to Salmonella DNA yielding one major product after hydrolysis and this DNA binding product appears to be repaired by the excision repair system. The fact that the major peak of radioactivity released from Salmonella is only found in the strain which is efficiently reverted by NPYR suggests that mutagenesis is dependent on the DNA modification leading to this peak.
Tutorial on x-ray microLaue diffraction

Abstract MicroLaue diffraction combines the oldest x-ray diffraction method–Laue diffraction–with the most modern x-ray sources, optics and detectors. The combination can resolve complex materials into single-crystal-like submicron volumes. This unique ability to nondestructively map crystal structure at and below a sample surface, with high spatial and strain resolution can address long-standing fundamental issues in materials science. For example, the three-dimensional evolution of mesoscale structure and the self organization of defects can be observed nondestructively to understand the origins of inhomogeneous grain growth, deformation and fracture.
A Case Study: Refractory Recurrent Autoimmune Hepatitis Following Liver Transplantation in Two Male Patients

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) recurs after liver transplantation and significantly impacts graft function and patient survival. In this case report, we present 2 cases of male patients with refractory recurrent AIH after liver transplantation. Each patient lost their first graft due to refractory continuous AIH. We have not noticed a similar refractory course for our female patients with AIH post-transplantation at our center. Based on our single-center experience there appears to be a gender disparity in the aggressive nature of AIH recurrence after transplantation. Despite the aggressive nature of recurrent AIH in both patients, graft loss occurred beyond 3 years for both patients and did not influence the 1- and 3-year patient survival. If these findings are validated, they may have significant impact on post-transplantation immunosuppression management in male patients.
Advice for Plagiarism Whistleblowers

Scholarly open-access publishing has made it easier for researchers to discover and report academic misconduct such as plagiarism. However, as the website Retraction Watch shows, plagiarism is by no means limited to open-access journals. Moreover, various web-based services provide plagiarism detection software, facilitating one’s ability to detect pirated content. Upon discovering plagiarism, some are compelled to report it, but being a plagiarism whistleblower is inherently stressful and can leave one vulnerable to criticism and retaliation by colleagues and others (Anderson, 1993; Cabral-Cardoso, 2004). Reporting plagiarism can also draw the threat of legal action. This article draws upon our experiences as plagiarism whistleblowers with several goals in mind: to help would-be whistleblowers be better prepared for making well-founded allegations, to give whistleblowers some idea of what they can expect when reporting plagiarism, and to give suggestions for reducing whistleblowers’ vulnerability to thre...
A Comment on "The Way of the Dialetheist: Contradictions in Buddhism," by Yasuo Deguchi, Jay L. Garfield, and Graham Priest

Offering a response here based in the Three Truths tradition of Tiantai Buddhism as opposed to the Two Truths epistemologies of Indian Mahayana, Huayan, and Chan, the claim is rejected that "true" and "liberating" have different denotations, such that there is a kind of truth that is not in some way liberating. The model for truth in Buddhism, as understood in Tiantai, is the raft, expanded into the concept of upāya . Tiantai claims that it is not only some statements that are self-contradictory, nor is it only some self-contradictory statements that are true, nor only some true statements that are potentially liberating; rather, all statements are self-contradictory, and thus are potentially liberating, and it is for this reason and this reason alone that they are all true.
Chemical Confirmation of a Pentavalent Phosphorane in Complex with beta-Phosphoglucomutase

This communication reports the X-ray crystal structure of the α-d-galactose-1-phosphate complex with that of Lactococcus lactis β-phosphoglucomutase (β-PGM) crystallized in the presence of Mg2+ cofactor and the enzyme-to-phosphorus ratio determined by protein and phosphate analyses of the crystalline complex. The 1:1 ratio determined for this complex was compared to the 1:2 ratio determined for the crystals of β-PGM grown in the presence of substrate and Mg2+ cofactor. This result verifies the published structure assignment of this latter complex as the phosphorane adduct formed by covalent bonding between the active site Asp8 carboxylate to the C(1)phosphorus of the β-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate ligand and rules out the proposal of a β-PGM-glucose-6-phosphate-1-MgF3- complex.
Mechanism of corn indole-3-acetic acid oxidase in vitro

Abstract When indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was oxidized in the presence of Mn 2+ and 2,4-dichlorophenol by a crude corn extract shown to contain IAA oxidase and by non-enzymic oxidation with Mn 3+ , 10 products of the reaction could be extracted by CH 2 Cl 2 and separated by TLC. Four of these products, 3-hydroxy-methyloxindole, 3-methyleneoxindole, indole-3-aldehyde, and the 3-indolylmethyl ester of indole-3-acetic acid had been previously identified as reaction products. In addition, 3,3′-di-indolylmethane and 3-methyleneindolenine were found. 3-Methyleneindolenine was readily and reversibly formed from 3-hydroxymethylindole. A reaction pathway involving a two-electron oxidation catalyzed by Mn 3+ and 3-hydroperoxymethylindole as a key intermediate in oxindole formation is proposed.
Minimal cut sets, Petri nets, and prime number encoding in distribution system reliability evaluation

Reliability assessment of secondary distribution networks is an important subject due to the increasing demand for more reliable service with less interruption frequency and duration. The connection of a distribution network may be neither series nor parallel, and analyzing such a network is a complicated process and time consuming task. In this paper, a technical approach for evaluating the reliability of a mesh networked distribution system is described. The proposed method is based on the identification of circuit minimal tie sets using the concept of Petri nets. Then, prime numbers encoding and unique prime factorization are applied to classify the remaining combinations as tie sets, cut sets, or minimal cut sets. The minimal cut sets are used to calculate the Availability (A), Average Interruption Frequency (AIF), and Average Interruption Duration (AID) of the network. Examples are shown to illustrate the proposed method. The method shown is algorithmic and appears suitable for off-line comparison of alternative secondary distribution system designs on the basis of their reliability.
Reducing concentrated animal feeding operations permitting requirements.

Many owners and operators of concen- trated animal feeding operations (CAFO) need to se- cure National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits from the federal or state permitting authority. Because of the expense and inconvenience of permit ap- plications, farm groups have challenged revisions to the federal CAFO Rule as well as state regulations claim- ing selected provisions exceeded the authority of the
Rational expectations and tax policy: Experimental market evidence

Abstract Experimental markets are used to test whether: 1. (1) subjects' forecasts of future and unknown policy conform to the rational expectations hypothesis; and 2. (2) subjects' purchases of commodities are made in anticipation of such policy. Forecast results confirm previous studies that support adaptive expectations.On the other hand, subjects exhibited a type of ‘as if’ rationality by learning to alter their commodity purchases intertemporally in anticipation of fiscal changes. This ability was only slightly diminished when policy was stochastic or when the micro economies were in disequilibrium (and in chaos).
Height and lower extremity length as predictors of hip fracture: results of the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study.

The relationship between height, lower extremity length (LEL), and hip fracture was examined in 4264 women followed for 22 years. Greater height predicted fracture among younger women, whereas LEL predicted risk for all ages. LEL is a better predictor of hip fracture risk than height among older women. Introduction: The significance of height as a risk factor for hip fracture is controversial. Age-related height loss, caused by nonpathological processes and vertebral deformities, may confound the relationship between standing height and hip fracture. In contrast, LEL might be less subject to age-related changes and thus be a better index of fracture risk for older individuals. Methods: We evaluated data available from 4264 white women who participated in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Survey. There were 203 incident hip fractures over the 22-year follow-up period. The effect of height and LEL on hip fracture risk was determined for three age groups: 40–59, 60–69, and 70–74 year olds. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, the hazard ratio (HR) for hip fracture for each SD greater standing height was 1.81 for the youngest age group (p = 0.002), 1.29 for 60–69 year olds (p = 0.02), and 1.10 for 70–74 year olds (p = 0.49). In contrast, LEL predicted hip fracture risk for all age groups, with HRs of 1.43 (p = 0.02), 1.30 (p = 0.002), and 1.33 (p = 0.02), respectively. Similarly, higher tertile of standing height did not confer increased hip fracture risk among the oldest women, but higher tertile of LEL did. Among women that were 70–74 years old, those in the highest tertile of LEL had a 1.83-fold (p < 0.05) greater risk of hip fracture than those in the lowest tertile. Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that LEL is a better predictor of hip fracture than standing height among older women, the group at highest risk for these fractures.
Laser Doppler Measurement Techniques For Spacecraft

Two techniques are proposed for using laser links to measure the relative radial velocity of two spacecraft. The first technique determines the relative radial velocity from a measurement of the two-way Doppler shift on a transponded radio-frequency subcarrier. The subcarrier intensity-modulates reciprocating laser beams. The second technique determines the relative radial velocity from a measurement of the two-way Doppler shift on an optical frequency carrier which is transponded between spacecraft using optical Costas loops. The first technique might be used in conjunction with noncoherent optical communications, while the second technique is compatible with coherent optical communications. The first technique simultaneously exploits the diffraction advantage of laser beams and the maturity of radio-frequency phase-locked loop technology. The second technique exploits both the diffraction advantage of laser beams and the large Doppler effect at optical frequencies. The second technique has the potential for greater accuracy; unfortunately, it is more difficult to implement since it involves optical Costas loops.
Human serum amylase: a brief biochemical evaluation

Summary o 1. The role of serum amylase as a diagnostic aid is evaluated briefly. 2. Recent work on the nature of human serum amylase activity, particularly attempts to determine the source of serum amylase, is discussed. 3. Alternative diagnostic aids in pancreatic disease are enumerated.
Asymmetry of field-induced shape resonances in hydrogen.

Asymmetric resonance profiles observed in H atoms in a strong electric field are derived analytically. The most significant deviations from a Lorentzian line shape, H/sup F/ = ..gamma../(scre/sup 2/+..gamma../sup 2/), occur for resonances near the top of a potential barrier. Parametrization as a Fano profile is inappropriate. The line-shape formula, a Lorentzian with energy-dependent reduced width ..gamma../sub Q/(scre) = ln(1+Q(1-Q)/sup -1-s/cre)/ln(( 1-Q)/sup -1/), depends on a single asymmetry parameter Q (0
Nondiagnosed uveal melanomas.

Abstract Purpose To determine the proportion of nondiagnosed uveal melanomas after evaluation by optometrists or ophthalmologists. Design Retrospective observational cohort study. Participants Four hundred thirty-three ophthalmic oncology patients with uveal melanoma. Methods This was a retrospective study of uveal melanoma patients from a single ophthalmic oncology center. We sent questionnaires to living patients we had treated between 1980 and 2000 for uveal melanoma. Patients were divided into those who had an examination within 1 year before diagnosis of a melanoma in which the tumor was not detected, those patients who were being observed with a known pigmented uveal tumor, and those who had not had an eye examination for at least 10 years. Main outcome measure The detection of unsuspected melanomas. Results We determined that 37% of patients referred to us with a newly discovered uveal melanoma had been examined within a year, without a uveal melanoma being detected. Of patients whose medical records were obtained, 71% had eyes that had been dilated and the tumor not found. The patients in whom the tumors were nondiagnosed within 1 year of referral to us had a mean tumor thickness of 6 mm and a mean tumor diameter of 12 mm. Ninety percent of the tumors were partially posterior to the equator. Patients who had been observed by their outside ophthalmologist with a choroidal pigmented tumor had significantly smaller tumors ( P Conclusions There are a notable number of patients seen by general ophthalmologists with symptomatic uveal melanomas in whom the diagnosis is not established. It is likely that screening efforts for this relatively rare condition are often not efficacious.
Measurement of head impacts in collegiate football players: clinical measures of concussion after high- and low-magnitude impacts.

OBJECTIVE: It has been speculated that a theoretical injury threshold of 70 to 75 g may exist for concussions in football players. We aimed to investigate acute balance and neurocognitive performance after head impacts exceeding a theoretical injury threshold in the absence of both self-reported symptoms and a concussion diagnosis 24 hours before testing. METHODS: Forty-three Division I collegiate football players participated in this doubleblind, repeated-measures study. Subjects participated in three test sessions (baseline, low impact, and high impact) separated by at least 2 weeks. The Head Impact Telemetry System (Simbex, Lebanon, NH) recorded real-time head impacts sustained during practices and games. The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics assessed neurocognitive performance. The NeuroCom Sensory Organization Test (NeuroCom International Inc., Clackamas, OR) assessed postural stability. The Graded Symptom Checklist evaluated symptom presence and severity in our participants. RESULTS: After the low-impact test session (� 60 g), we observed improvements in the Math Processing (F1, 26 � 9.797; P � 0.004), Matching to Sample (F1, 26 � 6.504; P � 0.017), and Sternberg Procedure (F1, 26 � 5.323; P � 0.030) Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics test modules. Statistically significant differences were also observed after the high-impact test session (� 90g) with improvements in Math Processing (F1, 22 � 16.629; P � 0.001), Procedural Reaction Time (F1, 22 � 14.668; P � 0.001), and the total number of symptoms reported (F1, 22 � 10.267; P � 0.004). Neurocognitive improvements were likely attributed to a learning effect. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that sustaining an impact greater than 90 g does not result in acute observable balance and neurocognitive deficits within 24 hours of sustaining the impact. Although previous studies have suggested a theoretical injury threshold, none have been founded on empirical data collected on the playing field in real-time. Future studies should consider the cumulative effects of impacts of varying magnitudes.
Differential subcellular localization of the regulatory T-cell protein LAG-3 and the coreceptor CD4

CD4 binds to MHC class II molecules and enhances T-cell activation. The CD4-related transmembrane protein LAG-3 (lymphocyte activation gene-3, CD223) binds to the same ligand but inhibits T-cell proliferation. We have previously shown that LAG-3 cell surface expression is tightly regulated by extracellular cleavage in order to regulate its potent inhibitory activity. Given this observation and the contrasting functions of CD4 and LAG-3, we investigated the cell distribution, location and transport of these related cell surface molecules. As expected, the vast majority of CD4 is expressed at the cell surface with minimal intracellular localization, as determined by flow cytometry, immunoblotting and confocal microscopy. In contrast, nearly half the cellular content of LAG-3 is retained in intracellular compartments. This significant intracellular storage of LAG-3 appears to facilitate its rapid translocation to the cell surface following T-cell activation, which was much faster for LAG-3 than CD4. Increased vesicular pH inhibited translocation of both CD4 and LAG-3 to the plasma membrane. While some colocalization of the microtubule organizing center, early/recycling endosomes and secretory lysosomes was observed with CD4, significantly greater colocalization was observed with LAG-3. Analysis of CD4:LAG-3 chimeras suggested that multiple domains may contribute to intracellular retention of LAG-3. Thus, in contrast with CD4, the substantial intracellular storage of LAG-3 and its close association with the microtubule organizing center and recycling endosomes may facilitate its rapid translocation to the cell surface during T-cell activation and help to mitigate T-cell activation.
Sensitivity of the Neuronal Network Biosensor to Environmental Threats

It is widely acknowledged that there is a critical need for broad-spectrum environmental threat detection. While cells/tissue-based biosensors have been discussed for many years as a means of meeting this critical need, these kinds of systems have met with logistic concerns, in particular with regard to stability. Our group has been working with cultured neuronal networks, which have the capacity to respond to a wide range of neuroactive compounds and are sufficiently robust to be shipped to end users. The basis of operation involves extracellular recording using thin-film microelectrode arrays where spontaneous bioelectrical activity, that is, spike firing, can be monitored in a noninvasive manner conducive for potentially long-term measurements. This work describes the current status of our efforts for the fabrication of a portable biosensor that incorporates cultured neuronal networks grown over standardized microelectrode arrays. Based on our protocol for aqueous phase sample introduction under constant flow conditions, minimal variation in mean spike rate is observed, consistent with temporal stability, such that changes of > 10% are readily distinguished. To demonstrate the capability of this system, changes are reported in mean spike rate and network synchronization resulting from exposure to different model environmental threats, cadmium and strychnine. The sensitivity of this assay approach and implications of the experimental findings for environmental threat detection are discussed.
Die bond materials and bonding mechanisms in microelectronic packaging

Abstract The bonding mechanism for a silver-lead borate glass adhesive, used as a die bonding material in microelectronics packaging, was investigated. Silicon dies were bonded to alumina substrates with the glass adhesive, thermally cured and then sectioned, polished and analyzed. The diffusion of silicon from the die was found to be important in the development of the bond. Adhesion between the silver glass and the silicon die was found to be achieved via a glass network structure that starts at the silicon dioxide film on the die back side. Bonding between silver glass and the ceramic substrate was found to be mechanical in nature.
Evolutionary evidence for alternative structure in RNA sequence co-variation

Sequence conservation and co-variation of base pairs are hallmarks of structured RNAs. For certain RNAs (e.g. riboswitches), a single sequence must adopt at least two alternative secondary structures to effectively regulate the message. If alternative secondary structures are important to the function of an RNA, we expect to observe evolutionary co-variation supporting multiple conformations. We set out to characterize the evolutionary co-variation supporting alternative conformations in riboswitches to determine the extent to which alternative secondary structures are conserved. We found strong co-variation support for the terminator, P1, and anti-terminator stems in the purine riboswitch by extending alignments to include terminator sequences. When we performed Boltzmann suboptimal sampling on purine riboswitch sequences with terminators we found that these sequences appear to have evolved to favor specific alternative conformations. We extended our analysis of co-variation to classic alignments of group I/II introns, tRNA, and other classes of riboswitches. In a majority of these RNAs, we found evolutionary evidence for alternative conformations that are compatible with the Boltzmann suboptimal ensemble. Our analyses suggest that alternative conformations are selected for and thus likely play functional roles in even the most structured of RNAs.
Effect of pH on Extractability of Calcium and Oxalate from Alfalfa Leaflets

Abstract Calcium and oxalic acid were measured in extracts from alfalfa leaflets. Hydrochloric acid from 1N to .06N resulted in extracts with pH from .7 to 3.2. Extracted calcium decreased to 81% of the total at pH 1.3 and then gradually to 65% at pH 3.2. Oxalic acid extraction at pH 1.3 was 33% of that at pH .7 and near nil at pH 3.2. Extracted calcium at or below pH 2.3 was associated predominantly with equivalent extracted oxalic acid. Scanning electron microscopic examination of low-temperature ashed extracted residues demonstrated calcium oxalate crystals in the pH 1.3 residue but not in pH 1.1 residue. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis showed that calcium and phosphorus were not associated necessarily in the low-temperature ash. Results are discussed in relation to the pH of the bovine digestive tract.
Predictors of Residual Invasive Disease after Core Needle Biopsy Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Core needle biopsy (CNB) is used to sample both mammographically and ultrasound detected breast lesions. A diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by CNB does not ensure the absence of invasive cancer upon surgical excision and as a result an upstaged patient may need to undergo additional surgery for axillary nodal evaluation. This study evaluates the accuracy of CNB in excluding invasive disease and the preoperative features that predict upstaging of DCIS to invasive breast cancer. Two hundred fifty-four patients over an 8-year period from 1994 to 2002 with a diagnosis of DCIS alone by CNB were retrospectively reviewed. Underestimation of invasive cancer by CNB was determined. Radiographic, pathologic, and surgical features of the cohort were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis. The mean age was 55 years (range 27-84) and mean follow-up was 25 months with one patient unavailable for follow-up. There were a total of six patient deaths, all of which were not disease-specific. A total of 21 out of 254 patients (8%) with DCIS by CNB were upstaged to invasive cancer following surgical excision. There was a significant inverse relationship between the number of core biopsies and the incidence of upstaging (p 0.4). Of 21 patients with invasion, all but two had comedonecrosis by CNB. Comedonecrosis by CNB significantly increased the likelihood of upstaging (p < 0.001). Of the 21 patients who were upstaged, 12 required subsequent surgery for nodal evaluation while nine had sentinel node biopsy at initial operation. Finally, upstaged patients were significantly more likely to have a positive margin (p < 0.008). Ductal carcinoma in situ with comedonecrosis on CNB can help to predict the possibility of invasion. Increasing the number of core biopsies reduced the likelihood of sampling error.
Dyslexic/learning disabled students at Dartmouth college.

Dartmouth College, a highly selective Ivy League college with 4100 undergraduates, has a small but significant number of dyslexic/learning-disabled students, two-thirds of whom were identified through diagnostic testing at Dartmouth. Close advising relationships and intensive interviews with Dartmouth learning-disabled students reveal a profile of a particular category of learning-disabled college students. In spite of experiencing difficulty in a specific content area or with an information-processing task, learning-disabled Dartmouth students achieve well academically, socially, and extracurricularly, get high scores on timed SAT and IQ tests, and rely when necessary on accommodations, rather than remedial courses or specialized tutorial assistance.
The Structure of the Mercury Line 2536

AN investigation of the fine structure of the 2536 line of mercury has just been completed as a preliminary to the continuation of the work on the controlled orbital transfers of electrons in optically excited mercury vapour described recently in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. It has been found that the structure photographed by Prof. Nagaoka is not the true structure at all, but an absorption spectrum, or perhaps more exactly a structure caused by the self reversal of the true components, resulting from the circumstance that he worked with an Arons-Lummer type of lamp, in which the light of the arc is obliged to pass out through a column of non-luminous mercury vapour, before entering the interference spectroscope.
More than a cover: epicardium as a novel source of cardiac progenitor cells

Bin Zhou1 & William T Pu2† †Author for correspondence 1Department of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA Tel.: +1 617 919 4643; E-mail: bzhou@enders.tch. harvard.edu 2Department of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA Tel.: +1 617 919 2091; Fax: +1 617 730 0140; E-mail: wpu@enders.tch. harvard.edu
Valuation and Efficient Allocation of GSM Export Credit Guarantees

Estimates of country-level loan default distributions are developed and used in a loan guarantee model to value the contingent liability of USDA's General Sales Manager (GSM) export credit guarantee portfolio. The results quantify the relationship between increasing guarantee coverage and the resulting actuarial liability to the government. Optimal coverage levels and optimal country-level allocations are determined for given policy objectives and coverage totals. Findings reveal that the government's allocation of country guarantees is risk-inefficient; and guidance is provided for making risk-efficient allocations for any program size.
Inhibition of Epstein-Barr virus infection in vitro and in vivo by soluble CR2 (CD21) containing two short consensus repeats.

The extracellular domain of CR2, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)/C3d receptor of B lymphocytes, contains 15 or 16 tandemly arranged short consensus repeat elements (SCR). Recombinant CR2 proteins containing SCR 1 and 2 fused to Staphylococcus aureus protein A (PA-CR2) and to murine complement factor H SCR 20 (CR2FH) were expressed in Escherichia coli and in insect cells, respectively. These recombinant CR2 molecules retained functional activity as indicated by their ability to bind to C3dg in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and to inhibit EBV gp350/220 binding to B cells. PA-CR2 and CR2FH were as efficient in blocking EBV gp350/220 binding as the full-length CR2 extracellular domain, indicating that the first two SCR of CR2 contain the majority of the ligand binding activity of the receptor. PA-CR2 and CR2FH inhibited EBV-induced B-cell proliferation in vitro and blocked the development of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disease in severe combined immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human lymphocytes. These studies indicate that soluble forms of truncated CR2 proteins may have potential therapeutic value in the treatment of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorders in humans that involve viral replication. Images
Relation between clinical measures and fine manipulative control in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

The present investigation examines the relation between various clinical measures and the performance of a functional precision grip-lift task. Fifteen children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP), aged 8 to 14 years, and 15 age-matched control children grasped and lifted an object whose surface texture was varied while their fingertip forces were recorded. The force coordination was compared with tactile sensibility, grip strength, manual dexterity, and spasticity using correlational and regression analyses. The findings highlight the importance of tactile sensibility in this task. However, the manner in which sensibility was related varied for the sensory adaptation of fingertip forces, the anticipatory scaling of the force increase, and the smooth transitions between the temporal phases comprising the grip-lift task. The findings also indicate that spasticity affects some measures of the task, but not others, suggesting that the relation between spasticity and motor performance may not be absolute. The results further suggest that the impairments in grasping in children with hemiplegic CP are largely but not exclusively due to disturbed sensory mechanisms which may have direct implications for therapeutic intervention.
Transient Thermal Management Using a Confined Jet Impingement of Liquid Ammonia

This paper introduces the results of transient heat transfer involving a jet of liquid ammonia perpendicularly on a solid substrate of finite thickness containing discrete electronic sources on the opposite surface. The jet was confined by using a cover plate to prevent any evaporation or loss of ammonia during the heat transfer process. The numerical simulation considered both the solid and fluid regions as a conjugate problem. The equations solved in the liquid region included the conservation of mass, conservation of energy, and conservation of momentum. For the solid region, only the heat conduction equation was solved. Computed results included the temperature distribution, local and average heat transfer coefficient, and local and average Nusselt number at the solid-fluid interface. Some of the parameters such as the jet velocity, plate thickness, and plate material were altered to examine the effect that they had on the problem. It was found that the average heat transfer coefficient and a average Nusselt number were high at the initial stages of the transient process and decreased steadily with time until it reached the steady condition. As the plate thickness decreased, and as the jet velocity increased, it was observed that the time it took to reach the steady state condition declined. The time it took to reach steady state condition did not change significantly for different plate materials. However, it did change noticeably for different plate thickness and different Reynolds number.Copyright © 2003 by ASME