cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of levobunolol on aqueous humor dynamics

We evaluated the acute effets of installation of 0·5% levobunolol on aqueous humor dynamics in a double-masked study in 18 patients with ocular hypertension. Aqueous flow was measured by fluorophotometry and total outflow facility by tonography. Aqueous flow decreased approximately 29% in the eyes treated with levobunolol. Total outflow facility and episcleral venous pressure measurements were similar in levobunolol-treated eyes and contralateral eyes treated with vehicle. A 36% decrease in intraocular pressure was observed in the levobunolol-treated eyes and a slight intraocular pressure reduction was seen in the vehicle-treated eyes. The results of this study indicate that, similar to timolol, levobunolol lowers introcular pressure primarily by decreasing aqueous humour production.
Direct Imaging of Asymmetric Magnetization Reversal in Exchange-Biased Fe/MnPd Bilayers by X-Ray Photoemission Electron Microscopy

X-ray photoemission electron microscopy is used to probe the remnant magnetic domain structure in high quality, single-crystalline, exchange-biased Fe/MnPd bilayers. It is found that the induced unidirectional anisotropy strongly affects the overall magnetic domain structure. Real space images of the ferromagnetic domains provide direct evidence for an asymmetric magnetization reversal process after saturation along the ferromagnetic hard direction. The magnetization reversal occurs by moment rotation for decreasing fields while it proceeds by domain nucleation and growth for increasing fields. The observed domains are consistent with the crystallography of the bilayers and favor a configuration that minimizes the overall magnetostatic energy of the ferromagnetic layer.
Behaviors of FemaleEretmocerussp. nr.californicus(Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) AttackingBemisia argentifolii(Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Cotton,Gossypium hirsutum,(Malavaceae) and Melon,Cucumis melo(Cucurbitaceae)

Abstract Behaviors of Eretmocerus sp. nr. californicus females attacking Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring infesting cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., and melon, Cucumis melo L., were quantified. Adult female behaviors were described and quantified for Eret. sp. nr. californicus to establish a behavioral time budget analysis. Females readily searched for host whitefly nymphs on cotton leaves with walking speeds averaging 0.5 mm/s. Females remained infrequently on melon leaves; those that did remain and search for hosts averaged walking speeds of 0.33 mm/s. The duration of host assessment by antennation was related to subsequent behaviors. Rejecting a host was a shorter process than accepting it for further evaluation irrespective of plant species or nymphal stage. Probing the margins of the host nymph the ovipositor was repeated less frequently on an individual host on melon leaves than on cotton. Evidence for a behavioral preference for oviposition under early instars was documented for Eret. sp. nr. californicus females on both plant species. Oviposition for the females that remained and searched for nymphs on leaves in 1-h-long laboratory trials on cotton measured 18%, while on melon, oviposition measured 55%; this higher percentage was attributed to oviposition sites being more accessible under nymphs on melon leaves. Superparasitism was not observed on either host plant species. Twenty-six percent of a female's time on cotton leaves was spent in searching, host assessment, probing, and oviposition, while on melon leaves these behaviors accounted for 44% of the total time. The remainder of the time was spent host feeding, grooming, and resting.
Malpractice and the Communication Consultant: A Proactive Approach

This commentary provides communication practitioners with an overview of legal and ethical issues facing individuals who market themselves as professional communication consultants. We introduce the tort of negligence, discuss its impact on professionals, review various ethical principles underlying the law, and outline court-supported practices that professional consultants might use to help protect their clients and themselves. Throughout this discussion, we argue that an understanding of legal principles and practices can enhance consultant-client relationships. This in turn increases the probability of successful consulting engagements.
The juvenile variant of papular-purpuric gloves and socks syndrome and its association with viral infections.

Summary Background Papular–purpuric gloves and socks syndrome (PPGSS) occurs mostly in adults and has been shown to be related to several possible viral infections. However, childhood-onset PPGSS seems to be not so rare as previously thought in our clinical experience. Objectives To survey the general characteristics of childhood-onset PPGSS and to determine the possible association between this juvenile variant of PPGSS and various viral infections. Patients and methods Thirty-three children with erythematopurpuric papular eruptions on the hands and/or feet were enrolled. Detailed history-taking and physical examination were performed on all of them. Blood samples were obtained from 25 patients about 1–5 weeks after the appearance of cutaneous eruptions to check complete blood counts, differential white blood cell counts, and IgM and IgG antibodies to parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus (CMV), viral capsid antigen of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and measles. Results The median age of these 33 patients was 23 months. The mean duration of the skin eruption was 4·8 weeks (SD 2·7, 95% CI 3·9–5·0). Lymphocytosis was present in 13 patients (52%) while mild eosinophilia occurred in only three patients (12%). Five patients (20%) were positive for IgM antibodies against CMV and seven (28%) were positive for IgM antibodies against EBV. Only one patient (4%) was detected to have IgM antibodies against parvovirus B19. Conclusions Childhood-onset PPGSS shows somewhat different clinical features from the adult type. It may represent a nonspecific manifestation of several viral infections, including CMV, EBV and parvovirus B19 infections.
Radiative electron-capture processes in zero- and one-electron heavy-ion collisions with He

The x rays from radiative electron capture (REC) have been observed under single-collision conditions for ${\mathrm{F}}^{8+}$ and ${\mathrm{F}}^{9+}$ ions incident on a He-gas target in the collision energy range 15 to 40 MeV. The peak energies of the REC x rays have been found to change linearly with the projectile ion energies. From extrapolation to the zero projectile energy, the binding energies of the $s$-shell electrons have been estimated to be 0.97\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 keV for ${\mathrm{F}}^{7+}$ and 1.08\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 keV for ${\mathrm{F}}^{8+}$ ions. These values are in agreement with theoretical predictions. It is found that the width of the REC x-ray peak for ${\mathrm{F}}^{9+}$ ions is broader than that for ${\mathrm{F}}^{8+}$ ions in contrast with a model for REC. The production cross sections of the REC x rays for ${\mathrm{F}}^{9+}$ ions are in reasonable agreement with the Bethe-Salpeter calculation. The total REC x-ray-production cross sections for ${\mathrm{F}}^{8+}$ and ${\mathrm{F}}^{9+}$ are compared with the total electron-capture cross sections.
Dissociation Modeling in Hypersonic Flows Using State-to-State Kinetics

Numerical simulations are presented of steady-state hypersonic blunt-body nitrogen flow for conditions under which there is considerable thermal dissociation. The internal energy relaxation processes of vibrational energy transfer and dissociation were treated using state-to-state kinetics of diatomic nitrogen. To gain understanding of the role of vibrational―translational rates on dissociation, the vibrational―translational rates were implemented in a ladder-climbing model, and the effect of vibrational bias on dissociation was investigated. For temperatures up to 25,000 K, a simplified depletion model with two different sets of vibrational―translational rates established the sensitivity of depletion to the relative magnitude of vibrational―translational and dissociation rates for dissociation in nitrogen. State-specific vibrational―translational and dissociation rates were incorporated into a solution of the master kinetic equations and coupled to the fluid dynamic equations to describe the thermochemical nonequilibrium phenomenon in high-temperature hypersonic flowfields. The flowfield consists of a Mach 19.83 nitrogen flow past a hemisphere cylinder with a radius of 0.1524 m. The full state-specific dissociation model, consisting of 48 quantum levels in the vibrational manifold, was coupled to the fluid dynamic equations. For temperatures in the shock layer ranging from 9000 to 21,000 K, the dissociation primarily takes place from the lower energy levels.
Evidencing international threat: Examining Iraq Survey Group’s post-invasion verification of Iraq’s WMD threat

By studying the discourse utilized by the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) and its chief officers during 2003–2004, we show the methods by which U.S. government-appointed experts helped to affirm the existence of an Iraqi threat even in the absence of physical evidence for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) stockpiles or active weapons programs found in Iraq during U.S. ground search. Their data collection and interpretation work illuminates the principle that the claims and calculations of international threat can be primarily constructed by language and discourse processes rather than by direct/concrete material referents. It also points to the need for institutions and a lay audience to apply a higher evidentiary threshold to ascertain the existence of an international threat. Keywords: cognition and knowledge; risk and threat assessment; argumentation; Iraq war
Comment on “Basin inversion and fault reactivation in laboratory experiments”

A recent paper describing laboratory experiments on fault reactivation misinterprets the principles of scale models of physical systems by using inconsistent dimensionless ratios that determine the correspondence between model and nature. For example the dimensionless stress ratio is not consistent with the dimensionless time ratio. Moreover, consistent, independent fundamental ratios of mass, length and time cannot be derived from the values of the variables and constants known in both the model and nature. Consequently, little information about the natural system can be derived from the model.
Scalable and Distributed Contention Resolution in AWGR-Based Data Center Switches Using RSOA-Based Optical Mutual Exclusion

We describe a mutual exclusion element using a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) and a simple scheme for contention resolution in arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR)-based optical switches in data centers. We describe a hardware demonstration and detailed performance analysis of an AWGR-based optical switch based on the proposed concept. We show that the proposed RSOA-based contention resolution significantly reduces latency compared to existing methods and that it does not require any global or centralized coordination, which makes it inherently scalable and suitable for emerging data center networks.
Transformative Leadership: Working for Equity in Diverse Contexts

Purpose: The purpose of this article is twofold: to delineate a theory of transformative leadership, distinct from other theories (transformational or transactional leadership); and to assess the u...
Gridding of global cloud structure from asynoptic satellite measurements

Climate properties regulated by convection, like cloud cover and related distributions, are undersampled in asynoptic data from an orbiting platform. Following an overview of the information content of asynoptic sampling, we explore the consequences of undersampled cloud variance on (1) the construction of time-mean distributions and (2) the construction of synoptic maps, which describe the global organization of cloud and its evolution. The results are validated against true cloud cover in high-resolution Global Cloud Imagery that has been composited from 6 satellites simultaneously monitoring the earth. Undersampled diurnal variance leads to systematic errors in the time-mean distribution of cloud cover that exceeds 50% over tropical landmasses, where cloud cover undergoes a pronounced diurnal variation. The random component of undersampled variance can be treated successfully by rejecting small-scale incoherent variance. This reduces the error variance to 10% or less, enabling time series of synoptic maps to be constructed.
Paullinia lingulata (Sapindaceae), a new species from French Guiana

The new species Paullinia lingulata from French Guiana is described, illustrated, and compared with a vegetatively similar species found in French Guiana.
SU-E-J-154: Deformable Image Registration Based Delivered Dose Estimation for Head and Neck Radiotherapy

Purpose: To estimate the accumulated dose to targets and organs at risk (OAR) for head and neck (H'N) radiotherapy using 3 deformable image registration (DIR) algorithms. Methods: Five H'N patients, who had daily CBCTs taken during the course of treatment, were retrospectively studied. All plans had 5 mm CTV-to-PTV expansions. To overcome the small field of view (FOV) limitations and HU uncertainties of CBCTs, CT images were deformably registered using a parameter-optimized B-spline DIR algorithm (Elastix, elastix.isi.uu.nl) and resampled onto each CBCT with a 4 cm uniform FOV expansion. The dose of the day was calculated on these resampled CT images. Calculated daily dose matrices were warped and accumulated to the planning CT using 3 DIR algorithms; SmartAdapt (Eclipse/Varian), Velocity (Velocity Medical Solutions), and Elastix. Dosimetric indices for targets and OARs were determined from the DVHs and compared with corresponding planned quantities. Results: The cumulative dose deviation was less than 2%, on average, for PTVs from the corresponding plan dose, for all algorithms/patients. However, the parotids show as much as a 37% deviation from the intended dose, possibly due to significant patient weight loss during the first 3 weeks of treatment (15.3 lbs in this case). The mean(±SD) cumulative dose deviations of the 5 patients estimated using the 3 algorithms (SmartAdapt, Velocity, and Elastix) were (0.8±0.9%, 0.5±0.9%, 0.6±1.3%) for PTVs, (1.6±1.9%, 1.4±2.0%, 1.7±1.9%) for GTVs, (10.4±12.1%, 10.7±10.6%, 6.5±10.1%) for parotid glands, and (4.5±4.6%, 3.4±5.7%, 3.9±5.7%) for mucosa, respectively. The differences among the three DIR algorithms in the estimated cumulative mean doses (1SD (in Gy)) were: 0.1 for PTVs, 0.1 for GTVs, 1.9 for parotid glands, and 0.4 for mucosa. Conclusion: Results of this study are suggestive that more frequent plan adaptation for organs, such as the parotid glands, might be beneficial during the course of H'N RT. This study was supported in part by a research grant from Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA
Regulation of Arcuate Neurons Coexpressing Kisspeptin, Neurokinin B, and Dynorphin by Modulators of Neurokinin 3 and κ-Opioid Receptors in Adult Male Mice

Pulsatile GnRH release is essential to fertility and is modulated by gonadal steroids, most likely via steroid-sensitive afferents. Arcuate neurons coexpressing kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin (KNDy neurons) are steroid-sensitive and have been postulated to both generate GnRH pulses and mediate steroid feedback on pulse frequency. KNDy neurons are proposed to interact with one another via NKB and dynorphin to activate and inhibit the KNDy network, respectively, and thus alter kisspeptin output to GnRH neurons. To test the roles of NKB and dynorphin on KNDy neurons and the steroid sensitivity of these actions, targeted extracellular recordings were made of Tac2(NKB)-GFP-identified neurons from castrate and intact male mice. Single-cell PCR confirmed most of these cells had a KNDy phenotype. The neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) agonist senktide increased action potential firing activity of KNDy neurons. Dynorphin reduced spontaneous KNDy neuron activity, but antagonism of κ-opioid receptors (KOR) failed to induce firing activity in quiescent KNDy neurons. Senktide-induced activation was greater in KNDy neurons from castrate mice, whereas dynorphin-induced suppression was greater in KNDy neurons from intact mice. Interactions of dynorphin with senktide-induced activity were more complex; dynorphin treatment after senktide had no consistent inhibitory effect, whereas pretreatment with dynorphin decreased senktide-induced activity only in KNDy neurons from intact but not castrate mice. These data suggest dynorphin-mediated inhibition of senktide-induced activity requires gonadal steroid feedback. Together, these observations support the hypotheses that activation of NK3R and KOR, respectively, excites and inhibits KNDy neurons and that gonadal steroids modulate these effects.
Capillary−viscous forcing of surface waves

The linear excitation of straight-crested, capillary–gravity waves on the surface ( x > 0) of a deep, viscous liquid in response to the sinusoidal, vertical motion of a hydrophilic wall at x = 0 is calculated on the assumptions that: (i) the dynamical variation of the contact angle is proportional to (but not necessarily in phase with) the velocity of the contact line relative to the wall; (ii) the relative tangential velocity (slip) of the fluid below the contact line is proportional to the shear at the wall, (iii) k 0 l v [Lt ] 1 and k 0 l c = O (1), where k 0 is the wavenumber, l v is the boundary-layer thickness, and l c is the capillary length. The contact-angle and slip coefficients are complex functions of frequency that are found to be linearly related. Physical considerations suggest that the slip length l s (≡ slip velocity ÷ shear at wall) should be small compared with l v , which, in turn, implies that the motion of the contact line must be small in that parametric domain in which linearization provides a viable description of the wave motion near the wall; however, the analysis proceeds from (i) and (ii), qua phenomenological hypotheses, without a priori restrictions on the contact-line and slip coefficients. The present results include those of Wilson & Jones (1973), who assume that the amplitude and phase of the wave slope at the wall are prescribed, and those of Hocking (1987 a ), who assumes that the variation of the wave slope at the wall is in phase with the contact-line velocity and neglects viscosity. They also include a correction for the dynamical effects of the static meniscus, which is necessarily present for any static contact angle other than ½π but is neglected in the previous analyses, and have counterparts for the closely related problem (cf. Hocking 1987 b ) of the reflection of a plane wave from a stationary wall.
Real-Time Evaluation of Site Characterization to Direct and Conclude Exploration:

A computationally efficient method to direct and evaluate the sufficiency of site characterization activities associated with roadway construction is demonstrated. The method, reliability-based exploration (RBE), combines three-dimensional subsurface analysis with the uncertainty associated with subsurface data to produce a quantifiable measure of exploration sufficiency, which is directly related to the probability of project success. RBE employs a first-order Taylor series expansion to combine the performance model sensitivity and input data uncertainty to calculate the variance in project performance in real time, which, given enough time and computer resources, could be calculated by conventional Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The study shows that the Taylor series, together with direct derivative coding (DDC), can generate the performance variance much faster than MC simulations. For the example presented, the Taylor series with DDC calculates results 160 times as fast as MC. The RBE method begins wit...
Women, men, and aggression in an egalitarian society

Vanatinai, a small island society off New Guinea, is egalitarian, with no indigenous formal systems of rank or authority. Assertiveness and autonomy are highly valued as personal qualities and equivalent for males and females. Overt aggression is condemned and violence is rare. Women were the aggressors in four out of five incidents over ten years. Sexual jealousy was the dominant motif in all five cases. This article considers, in historical contexts, indigenous concepts of the gendered person and their relations to anger, violence, and the supernatural aggression of sorcery and witchcraft. The Vanatinai case is evidence that the rarity of intragroup violence, especially of attacks by men on women, is a characteristic of egalitarian societies.
Subluxation of the Distal Radioulnar Joint as a Predictor of Foveal Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Tears

Purpose The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) with its ulnar foveal attachment is the primary stabilizer of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). The purpose of this study was to describe a technique for measuring the degree of subluxation of the DRUJ in wrist magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations to predict tears involving the foveal attachment of the TFCC. Methods We measured DRUJ geometry in wrist MRI examinations of 34 patients who were found to have foveal TFCC tears at surgery. We compared the results with DRUJ geometry in 11 asymptomatic controls. Subluxation of the ulnar head was assessed using transaxial MRI images obtained at the level of the DRUJ with the wrist in pronation. We quantified subluxation with a line spanning the sigmoid notch of the radius and a perpendicular line through the center of curvature of the articulating surface of the ulna. We calculated the ratio of the lengths of the dorsal and volar segments and normalized it to the center of the sigmoid notch. Results A total of 34 patients with intraoperatively confirmed tears of the foveal attachment of the TFCC had a mean dorsal ulnar subluxation measurement of 16% ± 4%, whereas the 11 controls had a mean subluxation measurement of 5% ± 4%. Conclusions The results confirm the hypothesis that subluxation of the ulnar head relative to the sigmoid notch of the radius, as assessed by MRI with the wrist in pronation, is a predictor of tears of the foveal attachment of the TFCC. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic II.
Application of tree ring analysis to paleoseismology

Knowledge of the seismicity for a region is one of the keys to estimating earthquake hazards. Unfortunately, historical records are generally inadequate for evaluations of seismicity. Paleoseismology addresses this problem using various techniques for determining the times and locations of earthquake disturbances. Trees, with widespread geographical distribution, identifiable annual-growth increments, and sensitivity to environmental changes, can provide an almost unique tool for dating past earthquake events. Geomorphic and hydrologic changes and dynamic stress resulting from earthquakes can cause a variety of effects in trees and communities of trees. Tree-ring analysis can (1) produce the actual year and sometimes the season for disturbance events and (2) establish synchronicity for events that may be beyond the range of absolute calendar dating. Tree-ring dating or dendrochronology is used to establish exact dates based on patterns of annual-ring variations through time. Mere counting of rings is inadequate and may lead to errors in assigning dates to rings because of possible missing, micro, or false rings. Trees ranging in age from 300–500 years grow in many places and can be used to identify previously unknown seismic events or to better define events that are partially known. Longer time spans can be covered in some instances. Earthquakes may be more precisely located in space and time or have their magnitudes and displacements better estimated by analysis of tree rings. A number of studies have established the validity of tree-ring application to paleoseismology but only a few studies have contributed new information to the paleoseismic record. A review of the application of tree-ring analysis to paleoseismology is in Jacoby (1997). The science should now move from the discovery phase to a wider application phase. Successful applications will add important information to the records of seismicity and the evaluation of earthquake hazards.
Some Monte Carlo Studies on the Comparison of Several Means Under Heteroscedasticity and Robustness with Respect to Departure from Normality

By using Monte Carlo studies, this paper compares the Welch test, the James test and the Brown-Forsythe test for comparing several means under heteroscedasticity. It appears that all the tests are quite robust with respect to departure from normality. The Brown-Forsythe test is at least as good as the James test and the Welch test; but the differences are so small that the choice is immaterial for practical purposes.
2007 Special Issue: Multi-objective evolutionary optimization for constructing neural networks for virtual reality visual data mining: Application to geophysical prospecting

A method for the construction of virtual reality spaces for visual data mining using multi-objective optimization with genetic algorithms on nonlinear discriminant (NDA) neural networks is presented. Two neural network layers (the output and the last hidden) are used for the construction of simultaneous solutions for: (i) a supervised classification of data patterns and (ii) an unsupervised similarity structure preservation between the original data matrix and its image in the new space. A set of spaces are constructed from selected solutions along the Pareto front. This strategy represents a conceptual improvement over spaces computed by single-objective optimization. In addition, genetic programming (in particular gene expression programming) is used for finding analytic representations of the complex mappings generating the spaces (a composition of NDA and orthogonal principal components). The presented approach is domain independent and is illustrated via application to the geophysical prospecting of caves.
Biocultural adaptation as reflected in trace element distribution

Residents of the protohistoric American Indian King site in the state of Georgia, United States, experienced several constraints in the period between a.d. 1400 and a.d. 1800, including increased population density, increased trade contacts, diversified social status and increased reliance upon a narrow base of cultivated foods. Resultant biocultural adaptations are reflected in health and trace element distributions within the skeletal population. Few differences in elemental levels between private and public sector burials suggest that inclusion in the private sector was determined by achieved status.
Aryloxyethylamines: Binding at α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Abstract Structure–affinity relationships for the binding of 3-[2-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)ethoxy]pyridine (AXPQ) at α7 nACh receptors were investigated due to its close structural similarity to a known α7 antagonist.
Chaperone-mediated autophagy: Molecular mechanisms and physiological relevance

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a selective lysosomal pathway for the degradation of cytosolic proteins. We review in this work some of the recent findings on this pathway regarding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to substrate targeting, binding and translocation across the lysosomal membrane. We have placed particular emphasis on the critical role that changes in the lipid composition of the lysosomal membrane play in the regulation of CMA, as well as the modulatory effect of other novel CMA components. In the second part of this review, we describe the physiological relevance of CMA and its role as one of the cellular mechanisms involved in the response to stress. Changes with age in CMA activity and the contribution of failure of CMA to the phenotype of aging and to the pathogenesis of several age-related pathologies are also described.
Studies on the cellular site of action of macrophage RNA-antigen complexes

Nonadherent spleen cell populations exposed in vitro to ribonucleic acid-rich preparations from mouse macrophages that had been incubated with human y-globulin (RNA: HGG) were able to produce specific antibody, as measured by rosette-forming cells, in lethally irradiated (800 R), reconstituted, syngeneic mice. Exposure of the RNA to anti-HGG serum abrogated its ability to initiate antibody synthesis, as did monospecific anti-human y chain and anti-human K chain serum. Normal rabbit serum, anti-bovine albumin serum, anti-human c chain or anti-human x chain serum, when substituted for anti-HGG serum had no effect. Thus, the presence of both y heavy chains and K light chains of the antigen in the RNA moiety was indicated. Although both an adherent and a nonadherent cell were required by HGG to stimulate rosetteforming cells in irradiated mice, the need for the adherent cell was eliminated when RNA: HGG was substituted for HGG. In addition, anti-o-treated bone marrow cells exposed to the RNA: HGG were capable of rosette-cell formation, suggesting that RNA attachment converted a T cell-dependent antigen to a T cell-independent antigen.
II. New evidence for a locus coeruleus-norepinephrine connection with anxiety

Abstract The hypothesis that brain noradrenergic systems have a broad biological function which is related to human fear or anxiety is reviewed. Data from studies of the function of the nucleus locus coereleus in non-human primates are presented in the context of recent anatomical, physiological, pharmacological, and animal behavioral experiments. Implications are suggested for the treatment of anxiety, drug addictions, pain, and psychosomatic diseases.
Controlled, randomized study of pain levels in subjects treated with calcium hydroxylapatite premixed with lidocaine for correction of nasolabial folds.

BACKGROUND Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) has been administered after nerve block injection of anesthetic agents. OBJECTIVES This prospective, randomized, split-face, single-blind study (50 subjects) assessed the pain reduction, safety, and effectiveness of premixing CaHA with 2% lidocaine for the treatment of nasolabial folds (NLFs). METHODS AND MATERIALS Subjects were randomized to receive treatment with CaHA alone in one NLF (control) and with CaHA premixed with lidocaine in the other NLF (treatment). Subjects completed pain assessments using a validated visual analog scale at specified time points immediately after injection, 1 hour after injection, and 1 month later. Subjects also indicated relative pain experience and preference assessments. Investigators completed aesthetic assessments at 2 weeks and 1 month. Subjects and investigators recorded adverse events. RESULTS Subjects reported statistically significantly less pain in the treatment fold than in the control fold and expressed unanimous preference for the treatment injection over the control. Aesthetic results were essentially equivalent for both treatments. CONCLUSION Investigators concluded that CaHA premixed with lidocaine results in significant pain reduction during dermal filler injection while maintaining the aesthetic improvement of CaHA without lidocaine and demonstrating comparable local transient adverse events for treatment and control. BioForm Medical (San Mateo, CA) provided the soft tissue filler, lidocaine, and other necessary supplies used in this study. All authors are members of the Bioform Medical Education Faculty.
Conditioning as sensitization

The concept of sensitization has a long history in psychology, and on both empirical and logical grounds it has been argued that sensitization and conditioning denote different neurophysiological processes. Investigators have devised elaborate control procedures that purport to differentiate sensitized and conditioned responses. But, mainly on logical grounds, it is argued that there is no valid basis for considering sensitization and conditioning as separate processes. A theory of learning is proposed in which sensitization is the basic construct.
Optimization of a multi-gene HIV-1 recombinant subtype CRF02_AG DNA vaccine for expression of multiple immunogenic forms.

Abstract We developed an AIDS vaccine for Western and West-Central Africa based on a DNA plasmid vector expressing HIV-1 recombinant subtype CRF02_AG gag , pol , and env genes. To optimize the production of noninfectious HIV-like particles (VLPs) and potentially improve the effectiveness of the vaccine, we generated four potential vaccine constructs: the parental (IC2) and three modifications (IC25, IC48, and IC90) containing mutations within the HIV protease. While the parental construct IC2 expressed aggregates of Gag proteins, the IC25 construct resulted in the production of immature VLPs (the core comprises unprocessed Pr 55Gag ). The remaining two constructs (IC48 and IC90) produced mature VLPs (the core comprises processed capsid p24) in addition to immature VLPs and aggregates of Gag proteins. VLPs incorporated significant levels of mature gp120 envelope glycoprotein. Importantly, the mature VLPs were fusion competent and entered coreceptor-specific target cells. The production of multiple antigenic forms, including fusion-competent VLPs, by candidate DNA vaccine constructs may provide immunologic advantages for induction of protective cellular and humoral responses against HIV-1 proteins.
Hue naming: A test of the validity of Werner and Wooten's average observer

Fifteen subjects scaled monochromatic lights ranging from 460 to 640 nm by assigning percentages to the names blue, green, yellow, and red, representing the proportion of these hues perceived in the lights. The resulting hue-naming functions were compared to those predicted from the opponent-chromatic response functions of Werner and Wooten’s (1979b) proposed average observer. The agreement between the two sets of functions was reasonably good, which strengthens the validity of their average observer.
XPS Studies of Structure-Induced Radiation Effects at the Si/SiO2 Interface

The interfacial structures of radiation hard and soft oxides grown by both dry and wet processes on silicon substrates are examined using high resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Substantial differences are observed in the relative concentration of strained Si-O-Si bridging bonds in the interfacial region and in the distribution of intermediate oxidation states of silicon at the abrupt Si/SiO2 chemical interface. Thin thermal SiO2 films ( substrates are irradiated with electrons having kinetic energies of 0 to 20 eV during in situ XPS measurements. Straightforward field-effect behavior is observed for electron kinetic energies below 6 eV. Both oxide/vacuum surface states and Si(+3) species at the Si/SiO2 interface are generated and allowed to relax during the course of the measurements. These results are correlated with the presence of a strained layer of SiO2 (~20 A) at the interface that we had previously reported. A structural model for hole and electron trap generation by ionizing radiation is developed to interpret these results and our previous observations.
Magnetic resonance imaging in patients with unexplained optic neuropathy.

Purpose: To investigate the anatomic relation between the optic nerve and the adjacent intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) in patients with unexplained optic neuropathy. Methods: Coronal magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of 20 patients with unexplained optic neuropathy and 20 age-matched controls were evaluated with digitizing software. Results: The distance between the optic nerve and ICA was significantly less on the side ipsilateral to the atrophic optic nerve than either the study group's contralateral optic nerve-ICA distance ( P P P = 0.008) or the control group's nerves ( P P = 0.91) or the control group's ICA flow voids ( P = 0.74). Conclusions: The authors speculate that the intimate relation between the optic nerve and adjacent ICA may be important in the development of unexplained optic neuropathy. The ICA need not appear abnormal in MRls.
A telerobotic assistant for laparoscopic surgery

The goal of the work described is to develop a new generation of "intelligent" surgical systems that can work cooperatively with a human surgeon to off-load routine tasks, reduce the number of people needed in the operating room, and provide new capabilities that complement the surgeon's own skills. An underlying premise of this work is that machine capabilities coupled with human judgement can accomplish many tasks better than either could do alone. A further premise is that such a partnership is synergistic with present trends toward geometrically precise, image guided, and minimally invasive therapies. The net result will be better clinical results, lower net costs through shorter hospital stays and recovery times, and reducing the chances for repeated surgery. >
Expression and regulation of cytochrome P-450I genes (CYP1A1 and CYP1A2) in the rat alimentary tract.

Abstract Cytochrome P-450 (P450) enzymes in the mucosa of the alimentary tract may be involved in the activation and/or inactivation of ingested xenobiotics and procarcinogens. Since the multiple P450 enzymes have overlapping substrate specificities and, in some cases, similar antigenic determinants, definitive identification of P450 genes that are expressed in various tissues requires molecular analysis. In this study, a sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction assay along with hybridization analysis was used to examine the expression of the CYP1A gene family in the rat alimentary tract. CYP1A1 mRNA was expressed throughout the alimentary tract in untreated rats, as determined by the polymerase chain reaction. However, Northern blot analysis detected β-naphthoflavone, CYP1A1 mRNA and enzymatic activity was markedly induced in each alimentary tissue including esophagus, fore-stomach, glandular stomach, small intestine and colon. A single dose of inducer resulted in a rapid rise in CYP1A1 mRNA which was shown by nuclear run-on assays to be primarily due to an increase in transcription of the CYP1A1 gene. CYP1A2 mRNA was detected in significant amounts only in glandular stomach following induction although the polymerase chain reaction assay identified low levels of CYP1A2 mRNA in several other tissues. The definitive identification of the CYP1A genes that are expressed in alimentary tissue will allow the design of experiments to investigate the importance of these enzymes in the metabolism of carcinogens, and ultimately carcinogenesis, in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, these data suggest the the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor, which mediates transcriptional induction of multiple genes by xenobiotics, is expressed throught the alimentary tract.
Vegetative control of inland sand dunes in the Pacific Northwest

Mammoth wildrye,Elymus giganteus Vahl. was found, after exhaustive tests using a large number of native and some exotic perennial herbaceous and woody plants, to be most effective for inland sand dune control. A superior strain selected for its vigor and rapid vegetative growth was named ‘Volga,’ released, and registered in 1964. It is propagated vegetatively. Under irrigation and with fertiliter, culms increase from 1 to 20 in one growing season. Plants are both dug and planted mechanically but must be processed by hand. Individual culms 3 to 5 mm in diameter are stripped of dead growth. Top leaves are trimmed to leave a plant 40 cm long. Specifications call for one or two plants per hill placed 20 cm deep in the sand with an approximate 50 × 50 cm spacing. Both digging and planting must take place during the dormant season which in the Northwest is November through February. The Army Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, Soil Conservation Districts, and State Game Departments have all used Volga wildrye. There is currently only one commercial source of planting stock.
Diagnosis using backpropagation neural networks—analysis and criticism

Abstract Artificial neural networks based on a feedforward architecture and trained by the backpropagation technique have recently been applied to static fault diagnosis problems. The networks are used to classify measurement vectors into a set of predefined categories that represent the various functional and malfunctional states of the process. While the networks can usually produce decision surfaces that correctly classify the training examples, regions of the input space not occupied by training data are classified arbitrarily. As a result, the networks may not accurately extrapolate from the training data. Although extrapolation is not required under ideal circumstances, in practice the network may be required to extrapolate when undersized training sets are used, when parent distributions of fault classes undergo shifts subsequent to training, and when the input data is corrupted by missing or biased sensors. These situations cause relatively high error rates for the neural classifier. A related probem is that the networks cannot detect when they lack the data for a reliable classification, a serious deficiency in many practical applications. Classifiers based on distance metrics assign regions of the input space according to their proximity to the training data, and thus extrapolation is not arbitrary but based on the most relevant data. Distance-based classifiers perform better under nonideal conditions and are to be preferred to neural network classifiers in diagnostic applications.
Why ?auditing? is a dirty word

Because of recent corporate scandals, “auditing” is held in low esteem by the public. However, auditing has also become a “dirty word” for large accounting firms—who are offering profitable new services at the expense of quality audits. But are there other reasons audit quality has plummeted? © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Validation of executive function tasks with young children

A multitrait‐multimethod paradigm was used to assess the stability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity of two commonly used tasks of executive functioning in a sample of 96 normal children in preschool and kindergarten. Memory served as the discriminant construct, and each construct was measured verbally and nonverbally. Results of a matrix of cross‐validated, Pearson product‐moment correlation coefficients did not fully support the construct validity of the tasks. Instead, the pattern of derived coefficients suggested that variance due to traits and to measurement methods were roughly equivalent. Research and clinical implications are delineated.
Pion-nucleus charge exchange reactions at low energies

Elastic charge exchange cross sections are calculated using the Kisslinger and Michigan State University potentials. Each is consistent with elastic sccattering data, and predicts observable charge exchange cross sections. However, the charge exchange cross sections obtained by the two models have substantial differences.
Biochemical genetics of Chinese hamster cell mutants with deviant purine metabolism: isolation, selection, and characterization of a mutant lacking hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity by nutritional means.

Mutants of the Chinese hamster ovary cell derived from CHO-KI have been selected for lack of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.8) (HGPRT) without the use of a drug-resistance protocol. The procedure depends on the use of a parental strain carrying a mutation making it unable to synthesize purines and thus dependent upon exogenously added purines for growth. The standard “BUdR-visible-light” procedure is then used to select those cells which can use adenine but cannot use hypoxanthine as a purine source. These cells are shown to be thioguanine resistant, to be unable to incorporate exogenously added hypoxanthine into purine nucleotides, to complement our other adenine-specific purine auxotrophs, Ade−H and Ade−I but not to complement a cell isolated by virtue of thioguanine resistance, and to lack the activity of HGPRT. The use of such multiply marked mutants and cells related to them for further analysis of purine nucleotide biosynthesis and interconversion is discussed.
Improving the expansion and neuronal differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells through culture surface modification.

Abstract Poly- d -lysine, poly- l -lysine, collagen, laminin, fibronectin, and Matrigel were compared with standard tissue grade polystyrene for their impact on the expansion and neuronal differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Among these substrates, adsorption of Matrigel at 5 μg/cm 2 did not enhance cell proliferation but gave rise to the highest percentage of MSC-derived neuron-like cells with the best morphological differentiation. Matrigel at a higher coating density of 50 μg/cm 2 not only further enhanced the differentiation but also significantly improved cell expansion. In contrast, poly- d -lysine did not effectively support the growth of MSCs. Hence the expansion and neuronal differentiation of MSCs both depend on surface properties of the culture substrate. These results could lead to a culture process with improved yield of MSC-derived neuron-like cells and to novel biomaterials for tissue engineering.
The beginning of continental evolution

Abstract Lunar studies carried out in connection with the Apollo program permit considerable understanding of the early history of this planetary body. The resulting thermal history involves primary fractionation of the outer half of the lunar mass by accretional energy followed by subsequent formation of the mare basalts by radioactive heating at the boundary between the fractionated and unfractionated regions. Application of this same model to the earth implies the entire earth was initially melted and geochemically fractionated. Review of the geological and geochronological evidence for the most ancient rocks indicates that not until 3400 m.y. ago did the earth cool sufficiently to permit the formation of extensive areas of stable crust, and that this is the reason more ancient rocks have not been found more abundantly. This same line of reasoning implies that there is a class of planetary bodies intermediate in mass between the earth and the moon, possibly including Mars, which are less magmatically active than either the earth or moon, whereas the tectonic activity of others, possibly Venus, resembles that of the early earth.
TNF-α decreases expression of somatostatin, somatostatin receptors, and cortistatin in human coronary endothelial cells

Background The objective of this study was to determine the expression of somatostatin (SST) and its receptors (SSTRs) and their regulation by TNF-α as well as cell proliferation in response to SST in human endothelial cells. Materials and methods Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were cultured without or with TNF-α (0.1, 1, or 10 ng/ml) for 24 h. The mRNA levels of SST, SSTR-1-5, as well as a housekeeping gene (β-actin) were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Expression of SSTR-2 was also demonstrated by immunofluorescence staining. Cell proliferation in response to SST treatment (0.04, 0.2, or 1 ng/ml) was performed by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Results Without TNF-α treatment, HCAECs showed mRNA expression of SST, SSTR-1, SSTR-2, and SSTR-5. The mRNA of SSTR-2 was expressed at a higher level than that of SSTR-1 and SSTR-5. However, SSTR-3 and SSTR-4 were not expressed or were minimally expressed. After treatment with TNF-α, the mRNA levels of SST, SSTR-1, SSTR-2, and SSTR-5 were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent fashion. TNF-α (1 ng/ml) reduced SST, SSTR-1, SSTR-2, and SSTR-5 by 93, 51, 85, and 99%, respectively, compared to controls (P < 0.001, t test). The immunoreactivity of SSTR-2 was also reduced after TNF-α treatment. SST-treated cells showed a significant reduction in [3H]thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent manner. TNF-α treatment decreased SST inhibitory potential in cell proliferation. Conclusions HCAECs express SST, SSTR-1, SSTR-2, and SSTR-5, which are all decreased by TNF-α treatment. Furthermore, treatment with exogenous SST significantly reduces cell proliferation, and this inhibitory effect is also decreased by TNF-α.