cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biology, Ecology, and Management of the Invasive Longlegged Ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes.

The longlegged ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) is one of the most damaging invasive tramp ants globally. It is generally found between latitudes 27°N and 27°S in Asia, although it has been introduced to other continents. Its native range remains debatable, but it is believed to be in Southeast Asia. Anoplolepis gracilipes invasion has many serious ecological consequences, especially for native invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant communities, altering ecosystem dynamics and functions. We examine and synthesize the literature about this species' origin and distribution, impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, biology and ecology, chemical control, and potential biocontrol agents. We highlight emerging research needs on the origin and invasion history of this species, its reproductive mode, its relationship with myrmecophiles, and its host-microbial interactions, and we discuss future research directions. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Entomology, Volume 67 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Commodity Chains and Extractive Peripheries: Coal and Development

This chapter will utilize the raw materialist lengthened global commodity chains model to examine how the coal global commodity chain has shaped extractive peripheries over the last three centuries. Coal is the quintessential “old economy” raw material that powered the Industrial Revolution. Coal was a key ingredient in economic ascent over the past three centuries in Great Britain, the U.S., and Japan and remains essential to economic ascent in the twenty-first century for China and India, despite its contribution to climate change and efforts in many countries to promote a transition toward more sustainable energy systems. After presenting the theoretical model guiding this analysis, the chapter will outline how the role of coal commodity chains has changed over time as they have grown in scale from small localized chains to truly global chains, highlighting the roles that the global coal commodity chain plays in the world economy today and the drivers of change in the coal industry. How do raw materialist lengthened global commodity chains based on the extraction, processing, and consumption of coal shape the extractive peripheries that supply coal?
Endocrinopathies in Male Infertility

Endocrine disorders are a potentially reversible cause of some cases of male-factor infertility. Therefore, a meticulous infertility workup must include endocrinologic evaluation and seminal studies. This is especially true where assisted reproductive techniques are becoming more advanced and more widely used. If an endocrine cause is found, reproductive specialists, either urologists or reproductive endocrinologists, should work together to develop the best treatment plan for the couple that addresses any endocrinopathy in the male partner (Sussman et al. 2008).
Properties of Repressible Alkaline Phosphatase from Wild Type and a Wall-less Mutant of Neurospora crassa

Abstract The repressible alkaline phosphatase of Neurospora crassa was purified from both the mycelium of a wild type strain and from the medium in which cultures of the slime mutant (which lacks the normal cell wall) had been grown. The enzyme preparations from the two sources had similar amino acid compositions, immunological properties, specific activities, thermal stabilities, and kinetic constants, but differed in a number of other properties. Both enzyme preparations contained carbohydrate, but the carbohydrate content of the enzyme isolated from slime medium was almost double that of the enzyme from wild type mycelium (24 and 14%, respectively). The molecular weight of the enzyme secreted by slime cells, estimated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, was higher than that of the enzyme from wild type mycelium by an amount consistent with its increased carbohydrate content. Electrophoresis at pH 4.7 and 9.5 indicated that the enzyme isolated from slime medium is more anionic than the enzyme from wild type mycelium. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of approximately 8 phosphate groups per enzyme molecule in the purified slime extracellular enzyme, whereas the wild type enzyme contained less than 0.5 phosphate molecule per enzyme molecule. The presence of phosphate in the slime extracellular enzyme, and the lack of significant amounts of phosphate in the wild type mycelial enzyme, was also demonstrated by determination of 32P associated with the enzymes isolated from the two sources following derepression in the presence of 32PO43-. A significant portion of the repressible alkaline phosphatase produced by derepressed wild type N. crassa was found to be secreted into the growth medium. The electrophoretic mobility of the enzyme isolated from the wild type culture medium resembled that of the enzyme isolated from the slime culture medium rather than that of the enzyme isolated from wild type mycelium.
Betaine, a Novel Antithrombotic Agent for Effective Management of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Diseases

Betaine, first isolated from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) is a widely distributed natural compound and serves as a substrate in the betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase reaction converting homocyst...
Bi-directional Search for Bugs: A Tool for Accelerating Knowledge Acquisition for Equation-Based Tutoring Systems

Authoring the knowledge base for an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) is difficult and time consuming. In many ITS, the knowledge base is used for solving problems, so authoring it is an instance of the notoriously difficult knowledge acquisition problem of expert systems. General tools for knowledge acquisition have shown only limited success, which suggests developing tools that apply only to specific kinds of knowledge bases. Pyrenees is an ITS whose knowledge base is composed mostly of conditioned equations. We have developed several tools for authoring Pyrenees knowledge bases. This paper focuses on a novel and particularly powerful tool that uses bidirectional search to locate bugs in the knowledge base. In several evaluations, human authoring was significantly faster when the tool was available than when it was unavailable
Environmental Archaeology: ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY AND HUMAN ECOLOGY

Ecology, a word so much in vogue in recent years that it has lost much of its original meaning, may be defined as “that branch of science concerned with [the study of] the relationships between organisms and their environment” (Hardesty 1977: 290). Environment, which is often confused with ecology, encompasses all the physical and biological elements and relationships that impinge upon a living being. Specification of an organism's environment emphasizes those variables relevant to the life of that organism – ideally, almost every aspect of its surroundings. Advances in instrumentation for the observation and measurement of biological, planetary, and astronomical environmental phenomena have driven unprecedented recent growth in the historical geo- and biosciences. The maturing geosciences acknowledge unexpected complexity, diversity, and dynamism in the natural world, now slowly seeping into study of the social sciences as well. The biosciences have powerful new techniques for examining life at small scales, notably the molecular scale. The growth in these ancillary disciplines has opened opportunities for advances in archaeology on the basis of new data sources and richer understanding of processes and mechanisms in all historical sciences. Archaeologists have embraced the novel results, and built on some of the new data, not always understanding the theoretical and methodological bases on which those results were founded; some of those foundations have since been shown to be unsteady. Premature adoption of poorly evaluated analytical techniques and their preliminary results has given archaeology a decade or more of spectacular claims and attendant rebuttals, creating an uneasy atmosphere. In this atmosphere and by such means, environmental archaeology has gained a reputation as being driven by method at the expense of sound practice and genuinely useful results.
Suboptimal second-trimester ultrasonographic visualization of the fetal heart in obese women: should we repeat the examination?

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a repeated antenatal ultrasound examination improves fetal cardiac visualization for the obese and nonobese population. Methods. A computerized ultrasound database (October 1999-June 2003) was used to identify singleton pregnancies undergoing repeated prenatal ultrasound examinations because of initial suboptimal ultrasonographic visualization (SUV) of the 4-chamber view, outflow tracts, or both. Women with maternal diabetes, abnormal maternal serum screening results, or known fetal anomalies at the initial examination were excluded. Patients were classified by maternal body mass index (BMI): less than 30 kg/mg 2 (nonobese), 30 to 34.9 kg/mg 2 (class I obesity), 35 to 39.9 kg/mg 2 (class II obesity), and 40 kg/mg 2 or greater (morbid obesity). The association between maternal BMI and SUV of the fetal heart was analyzed. Results. Three hundred seventy-two patients were abstracted from the database. The median gestational age was 19.0 weeks at the initial visit (range, 18.0-21.9 weeks) and 21.4 weeks at the second visit (range, 18.9-23.9 weeks). The median BMI was 32.6 kg/m 2 (range, 164-58.7 kg/m 2 ). Sixty-three percent of patients were obese (BMI ≥30). Cardiac anatomy continued to have SUV in 11 % of the women. The rate of SUV was associated with the obesity class (1.5% for nonobese, 12% for obesity I, 17% for obesity II, and 20% for morbid obesity; P <.0001). A cardiac anomaly was found in 1 of 372 repeated examinations (arteriovenous canal defect) for a patient with BMI of 24.8 kg/m 2 . Conclusions. Repeated ultrasound examination for SUV of the fetal heart at a later gestational age dramatically reduces SUV. However, obese patients continue to have much higher rates of persistent SUV.
Further Reflections on an Evolutionary Theory of Socialization

In response to Maccoby's and Hinde's thoughtful commentaries, we highlight points of concurrence and disagreement. In particular, we note that mating and reproduction are affected by many factors beyond those to which our theory draws immediate attention; that the data linking socialization experiences and social structural conditions with pubertal timing are not restricted to either correlational studies or investigations of contemporaneous associations; that there may be more reason to question the theory's applicability to males than to females; that the question of whether male behave and develop the way we propose and Maccoby doubts is an empirically testable one; and that the data on relations between antecedent socialization conditions and pubertal timing and on variation in parental investment in the case of females run counter to Maccoby's doubts about the theory's applicability to females. Attention is drawn to the potential benefits of asking questions about proximal and ultimate causation simultaneously, and thus the need for child developmentalists to think both about the how and why of development.
The Relation between Habitat Availability and the Short‐Term Carrying Capacity of a Stream Reach for Smallmouth Bass

Abstract We used the behavioral carrying capacity (BCC) technique to test the assumption of the instream flow incremental methodology (IFIM) that a positive linear relation exists between available fish habitat (weighted usable area, WUA) and fish biomass for populations of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu at carrying capacity. The BCC experiments were performed at various streamflows, and WUA was measured at each flow. In each BCC experiment, a section of a stream was overstocked with juvenile smallmouth bass, excess fish were trapped as they emigrated, and the remaining resident fish were collected after a 10-d period. We did not find a positive relation between WUA and BCC, and we found a negative relation between stream discharge and BCC. High BCC values recorded during low-flow experiments resulted from less upstream and downstream movement by juvenile smallmouth bass. Such behavioral changes may prevent smallmouth bass populations from being limited by habitat availability during low flows. The ...
The role of filler geometrical shape in wear and friction of filled PTFE

Abstract Under reciprocating conditions a study has been made of the wear and friction properties of pure and Al 2 O 3 -filled PTFE mated to stainless steel. Spherical and irregular particles of comparable size (approximately 7 μ) were used as the fillers. It was found that the abrasive damage due to Al 2 O 3 was greatly reduced by using spherical particles. Particle shape also had an effect on the coefficient of friction, μ, being the same as pure PTFE for spherical but greater for irregular filled material. Both optical and electron microscopic observations of the mating surfaces were used to interpret the role of filler particle shape.
Analytic binding isotherms describing competitive interactions of a protein ligand with specific and nonspecific sites on the same DNA oligomer.

Many studies of specific protein-nucleic acid binding use short oligonucleotides or restriction fragments, in part to minimize the potential for nonspecific binding of the protein. However, when the specificity ratio is low, multiple nonspecifically bound proteins may occupy the region of DNA corresponding to one specific site; this situation was encountered in our recent calorimetric study of binding of integration host factor (IHF) protein to its specific 34-bp H' DNA site. Here, beginning from the analytical McGhee and von Hippel infinite-lattice nonspecific binding isotherm, we derive a novel analytic isotherm for nonspecific binding of a ligand to a finite lattice. This isotherm is an excellent approximation to the exact factorial-based Epstein finite lattice isotherm even for short lattices and therefore is of great practical significance for analysis of experimental data and for analytic theory. Using this isotherm, we develop an analytic treatment of the competition between specific and nonspecific binding of a large ligand to the same finite lattice (i.e., DNA oligomer) containing one specific and multiple overlapping nonspecific binding sites. Analysis of calorimetric data for IHF-H' DNA binding using this treatment yields enthalpies and binding constants for both specific and nonspecific binding and the nonspecific site size. This novel analysis demonstrates the potential contribution of nonspecific binding to the observed thermodynamics of specific binding, even with very short DNA oligomers, and the need for reverse (constant protein) titrations or titrations with nonspecific DNA to resolve specific and nonspecific contributions. The competition treatment is useful in analyzing low-specificity systems, including those where specificity is weakened by mutations or the absence of specificity factors.
Surgically appropriate maximum intensity projections: quantization of vessel depiction and incorporation into surgical navigation

Integration of tomographic angiograms into neurosurgical navigation should decrease the probability of vascular injury and allow localization of vascular lesions. Information from angiograms is often presented using maximum intensity projections (MIPs), which provide a more intuitive presentation of 3D vascular structures. Conventional MIPs involve the whole image volume during ray casting. Our goal was to construct surgically appropriate MIPs that excluded information contralateral to the operation site and to quantify the accuracy of vessel depiction using this new method. For each angiogram slice, the center of mass (COM) was calculated. Together, the COM coordinates formed a boundary plane that clipped the contralateral information from ray casting. A separate depth buffer was created to preserve 3D information. MIPs were examined quantitatively using a mathematical model of the head containing vascular structures of known diameter. The vessel widths of the resulting MIPs were then measured and compared. To examine the spatial accuracy of MIP images, a vascular phantom was created, which had rigid vessels of known diameter and extrinsic fiducial markers to perform a physical to image space registration. Studies with the mathematical model showed that the vessels appeared smaller in MIPs than their actual diameters. This decrease is attributed to the statistical properties of the ray casting process that are affected by the pathlength. Studies with the vascular phantom show correct localization of the probe in tomographic and projective image space. From these studies, we concluded that additional methods for providing information concerning vessel proximity during surgical guidance should be investigated. Surgically appropriate MIPs provide comparable images to conventional MIPs; however, they allow more focus on the vascular structures in proximity to the target site.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Aging-Associated Changes in Vascular Activity: A Potential Link to Geriatric Cardiovascular Disease

Ischemic cardiovascular disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States population over the age of 65. Prior clinical studies have demonstrated that the severity of cardiovascular pathophysiology is increased in older individuals. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental studies have shown that age-associated clinical events parallel changes in vascular function. Aging is associated with systemic as well as cardiac alterations in three basic vascular regulatory functions: vascular tone, hemostasis, and vascular repair/angiogenesis. This article reviews the molecular and cellular events that may contribute to senescent cardiac pathology. Indeed, a better understanding of the biology of aging-associated vascular dysfunction is fundamental for the development of therapeutics targeted for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in older individuals.
Lower Lethal Temperature for Juvenile Cobia Rachycentron Canadum

Cobia are a migratory marine species that have recently gained popularity as foodfish in the aquaculture market and for stocking. Unfortunately, when culturing these species, aquaculturalists may unknowingly expose these fish to temperature extremes not normally experienced in situ. We set out to test for the critical thermal minimum temperatures of juvenile cobia by exposing them to a simulated freeze, at a drop rate of 0.33°C per hour. We observed and documented behavioral effects due to low temperature exposure using criteria for loss of equilibrium and death. We determined that the median temperature for loss of equilibrium was 12.1 ± 0.40°C and the median lethal temperature was 9.7 ± 0.28°C for low temperature tolerance. We recommend that precautions be taken well before water temperatures reach 13°C in a freeze scenario.
Particle Size Dependence of the Electrical Conductivity of NaCl

The ac and dc conductivities of single-crystal and polycrystalline NaCl were measured as a function of both temperature and particle size. The ac conductivity results for single-crystal NaCl agreed well with the literature: intrinsic activation energy = 1.86 ev; extrinsic, impurity-controlled range = 0.74 ev; extrinsic, association range = 1.16 ev; and the intrinsic-extrinsic knee in the curve was at 103/T∼ 1.4°K−1 and σ0∼ 6 × 10−8 ohm−1 cm−1. In the intrinsic range, however, the total conductivity (σ0) was the sum of two ionic contributions: a steady state, nonblocked contribution (σθ and a blocked contribution (σ0—σθ). The activation energy for the dc steady state conductivity was 1.6 ev. When the extrinsic, impurity-controlled contribution to the total conductivity was made insignificant by anion doping, the same 1.6 ev was the activation energy for the intrinsic ac conductivity at low temperatures. The data for the polycrystalline samples showed that ac conductivity increased inversely with particle size and dc steady state conductivity increased only slightly, if any, with decreasing particle size. It is postulated that the steady state conductivity is the result of the nonblocked ionic transport of sodium ions and that the ac portion of the total conductivity is due to the movement of chlorine ions which are blocked, giving rise to the polarization phenomenon. The increase in the ac conductivity with decreasing particle size is correlated with the enhanced movement of Cl− in the subgrain boundary region, as has been previously shown by diffusion measurements.
The effect of grazing location and oronasal treatment with bull urine on reproductive performance and serum prolactin concentrations of beef heifers

Grazing location and biostimulatory treatments were imposed on 55 Brangus and crossbred heifers in a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement. Grazing locations (postweaning) were semi-desert rangeland with supplementation or irrigated small grains pasture. Biostimulatory treatment involved either weekly oronasal application of bull urine or no treatment (control). The duration of bull urine treatments was 8 weeks. Grazing location affected heifer weights from February through August (P<0.01). Rate of weight gain on irrigated pasture exceeded native range (P<0.01). Cyclicity was similar between the location groups before the treatment period. Post-treatment cyclicity rates of heifers were 25 and 78% for native range and irrigated pasture, respectively (P<.01). Twenty-five percent of cyclic heifers grazing native range went into anestrus during this treatment period, while no loss of cyclicity was observed in the heifers on irrigated pasture (P<0.10). Heifers maintained on irrigated pasture exhibited more standing estrus following synchronization (P<0.10), higher pregnancy rates following breeding (P<0.05), heavier fall weights (P<0.01), higher body condition scores (P<0.01), and greater pelvic widths (P<0.05) than those on native range. Cyclic heifers grazing native range had prolactin levels twice those of irrigated pasture heifers. Serum growth hormone levels were not consistently affected by treatments. Heifers which became pregnant while grazing irrigated pasture had much lower prolactin concentrations in serum collected in January than the noncyclic heifers.
ADSORPTION IN MULTICOMPONENT SOLUTION BY ACTIVATED CARBON

It was found that the total adsorptive capacity of activated carbon was enhanced by using a multicomponent solution with glucose, peptone and phenylphosphonic acid. A maximum use of the carbon adsorptive capacity is possible if the carbon is used for tertiary treatment followed by treating a stronger waste.
Poetic imitation in Gongora's Romance de Angelica y Medoro

The Renaissance notion of ‘imitation’ was sufficiently elastic by the mid-sixteenth century to conflate literary theory and practice in a single strategic term. In a kind of cultural enthymeme, the...
Beyond Picture Naming: Norms and Patient Data for a Verb Generation Task

Purpose In the current study, the authors aimed to (a) acquire a set of verb generation to picture norms; and (b) probe its utility as an outcomes measure in aphasia treatment. Method In Phase I, t...
Cadmium and Reproductive Health in Women: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

An evolving body of evidence supports that cadmium, a non-essential heavy metal, may be associated with multiple adverse women's reproductive health outcomes. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of epidemiologic studies that evaluated cadmium exposure and the following reproductive health outcomes: puberty/menarche, fertility, time to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, endometriosis, uterine leiomyoma, and menopause. Twenty-two studies were identified based upon our search criteria. Available evidence was inadequate to draw meaningful conclusions for most of the reproductive outcomes studied. The strongest evidence was for a possible association between cadmium and preeclampsia, which was limited to cross-sectional studies. Some evidence, although conflicting, was also observed for fertility related outcomes. This lack of evidence underscores the need for additional research on cadmium and women's reproductive health outcomes.
Primary Hydroxyl Content of Soybean Polyols

Polyurethanes are obtained by reacting polyols with polyisocyanates. The primary hydroxyl content is a very important characteristic of polyols because it affects their reactivity. Typically primary hydroxyls are approximately threefold more reactive than the secondary hydroxyls when reacting with aromatic isocyanates. This paper presents a simple and convenient kinetic method for determining the primary hydroxyl content in soybean polyols, based on the difference in reactivity of primary and secondary hydroxyls with phenyl isocyanate (PI). The reaction kinetics were studied by following the disappearance of the NCO band at 2260 cm−1 with time in the infrared spectra. The reaction of PI with soybean polyols was carried out in a toluene:dimethylformamide (9:1, v/v) mixture. The relative error of the method is in the range of ±5%. The method is characterized by simplicity and good reproducibility, and it can be applied to all soybean polyols irrespective of their structure.
In vivo characteristics of HPV-immortalized and carcinogen transformed oral keratinocytes.

Purpose To characterize in vivo features of HPV-immortalized and carcinogen transformed oral keratinocytes. Methods The growth and squamous differentiation of IHGK (immortalized human gingival keratinocyte with HPV), IHGKN [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, (NNK)]-carcinogen transformed keratinocytes, and two head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines, HN30 and HN12, were tested by injecting these cells into SCID mice. The growth, histological features, and expression of PCNA, Involucrin, and high molecular weight keratin of the tumors formed were compared among these cell lines. Results All cell lines formed a palpable lesion at 2 weeks; however, only HN30 continued to grow. IHGK and IHGKN cells formed palpable nodules within 2 weeks with no further growth after 4 to 5 weeks, and no regression of the nodule was noted at 12 weeks. HN12 cells did not form tumor nodules unless these cells were co-injected with immortalized fibroblasts. Both IHGK and IHGKN cells formed a well-circumscribed epithelial lesion with islands of differentiated squamous cells bound by a myxoid matrix. Nests of basal-horny squamous cells centrally differentiated into anucleate squamous cells. IHGK and IHGKN nodules had more squamous differentiation than HN12 and HN30 and further differentiated over time. IHGK and IHGKN cells expressed differentiation (involucrin and high molecular weight keratin) and proliferation (PCNA) markers that suggest that IHGK and IHGKN behave as well-differentiated squamous lesions when compared with malignant HN12 and HN30 nodules. IHGK and IHGKN cells showed an initial growth phase followed by terminal differentiation, and then a phase characterized by regression and host inflammatory stage. Conclusions The growth, histology, and expression of differentiation and proliferation markers of IHGK and IHGKN lesions into SCID mice demonstrate that these cells are endowed with a limited malignant potential. Our in vivo model with these intermediate cell lines can provide a short-term analysis for studying the biology of HNSCC progression and the activity of chemoprevention agents.
Electron flow in low-density argon gas including space-charge and elastic collisions

Monte Carlo method for determining electron flow in low density argon gas including space charge and elastic collisions
The effects of stimulation and lesion of raphe nuclei on luteinizing hormone release in estrogen-progesterone-treated ovariectomized rats

Abstract A study was made of the effects of electrochemically stimulating (ECS) and destroying the midbrain dorsal and median raphe nuclei on the estrogen-progesterone- (EP) induced surge of pituitary LH release in ovariectomized rats. ECS and lesions were produced simultaneously with anodal direct current through a chronically implanted stimulation-lesion electrode. Blood for LH assay was collected through a chronic intra-atrial cannula positioned on the day of first treatment with progesterone. ECS of the raphe nuclei exerted a strong inhibition of the LH surge when compared with sham stimulation. On the second EP treatment the onset of the LH surge was advanced both in sham-stimulated animals and in rats with raphe lesions resulting from the anodal direct current of the initial ECS. It was suggested that this apparent facilitation of the LH surge on the second EP treatment was the result of reduced stress or an altered hormonal milieu and not a consequence of destroying the raphe nuclei. The results confirm in a chronic preparation that stimulation of raphe nuclei depresses the EP-induced LH surge and that subsequently in the absence of the raphe nuclei the LH response to EP treatment is apparently normal.
Cervical intrathecal catheter placement for cerebrospinal fluid drainage: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: The purpose of this report is to describe the placement and use of a cervical subarachnoid catheter for cerebrospinal fluid diversion. This technique provides an important alternative drainage system for patients whose clinical situations preclude lumbar spinal fluid diversion. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Two patients were involved in accidents that resulted in traumatic dural tears. Both patients required thoracolumbar spinal reconstruction with instrumentation. Cerebrospinal fistulae developed, which were refractory to surgical reexploration. TECHNIQUE: A commercially available catheter was successfully placed in the cervical subarachnoid space under fluoroscopic guidance using a C1-C2 approach in both patients. Spinal fluid drainage was maintained for 5 days via this route, and this proved effective in resolving the cerebrospinal fluid fistula. No complications were observed with the placement or maintenance of the catheter. CONCLUSION: Cervical spinal fluid drainage is a feasible alternative for patients in whom lumbar access cannot be obtained or is contraindicated.
The effects of diets enriched with corn oil on the ultrastructure of articular chondrocytes.

The ultrastructure of articular cartilage of the femoral head was examined in growing male mice of strain C57Bl fed diets containing supplements of 25 or 40% corn oil for periods of 10 days, 2 and 4 weeks and 2 and 3 months. The ration containing 25% corn oil did not produce conspicuous effects. The ration containing 40% corn oil exerted a slight stimulation on the size, the ER, and the mitochondria of the articular chondrocytes. The findings are consistent with the long range effects of oil-enriched diets on the knee joints of mice and in particular with the failure of such diets to promote the development of osteoarthrosis in mice of strain C57Bl. The results are discussed in relation to earlier observations of the injurious action of diets containing comparable amounts of saturated fat.
Cholinergic regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels, amylase release, and K+ efflux from rat parotid glands.

Abstract Carbachol increased amylase release and K+ efflux from rat parotid tissue slices. The amount of amylase released was small compared to that released by isoproterenol. The effect of carbachol on amylase release and K+ efflux was a direct effect. This conclusion was based on the finding that the stimulatory effects of carbachol were blocked only by atropine and not by propanolol or phentolamine. In addition to the above effects, carbachol also caused a rapid increase in the parotid guanosine-3',5' cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels without a discernable effect on adenosine-3',5' cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels. The increase in cGMP level caused by carbachol was blocked by atropine and not by phentolamine. The stimulatory effect of carbachol on amylase release was not additive with that of isoproterenol or dibutyryl cAMP. Although carbachol had no effect on basal cAMP levels it did inhibit increases in cAMP caused by isoproterenol. Similarly isoproterenol inhibited increased in parotid cGMP levels caused by carbachol. Unlike the apparent nonadditivity between the effects of isoproterenol and carbachol on amylase release and cAMP and cGMP accumulation, the effects on K+ efflux were additive. The possibility of a role for cGMP in mediating the effects of cholinergic agonists on K+ efflux was lessened by our observations that 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine enhanced the effect of limiting concentrations of carbachol on cGMP accumulation while not enhancing the effects of carbachol on K+ efflux.
The S-curve dynamics of trade between the US and Korea: Evidence from commodity trade

The S-curve hypothesis in international economics postulates that while cross-correlation coefficients between past values of a country's trade balance and its current exchange rate may be negative, the same coefficients between future values of the trade balance and the current exchange rate may be positive. Previous research has tested and ultimately supported this hypothesis for Korea by using aggregate trade flows. In this paper we consider the trade between Korea and the US and disaggregate their trade flows by industry. We then test the S-curve at the commodity level to identify industries that will benefit from currency depreciation. Out of 74 industries examined, 39 enjoyed the S-curve pattern, including the three largest industries that account for more than 30% of the trade between the two countries.
Magnetic electrochemical sensing platform for biomonitoring of exposure to organophosphorus pesticides and nerve agents based on simultaneous measurement of total enzyme amount and enzyme activity.

We report a new approach for electrochemical quantification of enzymatic inhibition and phosphorylation for biomonitoring of exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides and nerve agents based on a magnetic bead (MB) immunosensing platform. The principle of this approach is based on the combination of MB immunocapture-based enzyme activity assay and competitive immunoassay of the total amount of enzyme for simultaneous detection of enzyme inhibition and phosphorylation in biological fluids. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was chosen as a model enzyme. In competitive immunoassay, the target BChE in a sample competes with the BChE immobilized on the MBs to bind to the limited sites of anti-BChE antibody labeled with quantum dots (QD–anti-BChE), followed by stripping voltammetric analysis of the bound QD conjugate on the MBs. This assay shows a linear response over the total BChE concentration range of 0.1–20 nM. Simultaneous real time BChE activity was measured on an electrochemical carbon nanotube-based senso...
Genetic mutations and mechanisms in dilated cardiomyopathy

Genetic mutations account for a significant percentage of cardiomyopathies, which are a leading cause of congestive heart failure. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), cardiac output is limited by the thickened myocardium through impaired filling and outflow. Mutations in the genes encoding the thick filament components myosin heavy chain and myosin binding protein C (MYH7 and MYBPC3) together explain 75% of inherited HCMs, leading to the observation that HCM is a disease of the sarcomere. Many mutations are “private” or rare variants, often unique to families. In contrast, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is far more genetically heterogeneous, with mutations in genes encoding cytoskeletal, nucleoskeletal, mitochondrial, and calcium-handling proteins. DCM is characterized by enlarged ventricular dimensions and impaired systolic and diastolic function. Private mutations account for most DCMs, with few hotspots or recurring mutations. More than 50 single genes are linked to inherited DCM, including many genes that also link to HCM. Relatively few clinical clues guide the diagnosis of inherited DCM, but emerging evidence supports the use of genetic testing to identify those patients at risk for faster disease progression, congestive heart failure, and arrhythmia.
Synapse elimination from the mouse neuromuscular junction in vitro: a non-Hebbian activity-dependent process.

The effect of action potentials on elimination of mouse neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) was studied in a three compartment cell culture preparation. Axons from superior cervical ganglion or ventral spinal cord neurons in two lateral compartments formed multiple neuromuscular junctions with muscle cells in a central compartment. The loss of synapses over a 2–7-day period was determined by serial electrophysiological recording and a functional assay. Electrical stimulation of axons from one side compartment during this period, using 30-Hz bursts of 2-s duration, repeated at 10-s intervals, caused a significant increase in synapse elimination compared to unstimulated cultures (p< 0.001). The extent of homosynaptic and heterosynaptic elimination was comparable, i. e., of the 226 functional synapses of each type studied, 111 (49%) of the synapses that had been stimulated were eliminated, and 87 (39%) of unstimulated synapses on the same muscle cells were eliminated. Also, simultaneous bilateral stimulation caused significantly greater elimination of synapses than unilateral stimulation (p< 0.005). These observations are contrary to the Hebbian hypothesis of synaptic plasticity. A spatial effect of stimulus-induced synapse elimination was also evident following simultaneous bilateral stimulation. Prior to stimulation, most muscle cells were innervated by axons from both side compartments, but after bilateral stimulation, muscle cells were predominantly unilaterally innervated by axons from the closer compartment. These experiments suggest that synapse elimination at the NMJ is an activity-dependent process, but it does not follow Hebbian or anti-Hebbian rules of synaptic plasticity. Rather, elimination is a consequence of postsynaptic activation and a function of location of the muscle cell relative to the neuron. An interaction between spatial and activity-dependent effects on synapse elimination could help produce optimal refinement of synaptic connections during postnatal development. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Phenytoin-induced agranulocytosis after treatment for a gunshot wound to the face

A case of phenytoin-induced agranulocytosis is presented. This syndrome is characterized by a decrease in the blood neutrophil count to very low levels. Patients are generally asymptomatic, but they may become febrile and develop an infection, which is frequently fatal. Practitioners treating trauma patients or other patients in whom phenytoin treatment is initiated should be aware of the potential development of agranulocytosis.
Atomistic Simulations of Macromolecular Crowding

Protein folding, binding, and aggregation are known to be affected by macromolecular crowding [1], which is an integral part of intracellular environments. Realistic modeling of intracellular crowding requires computer simulations. In direct simulations of test proteins mixed with crowders, it has only been practical to represent the proteins at a coarse-grained level. Our recently developed “postprocessing” approach has made it possible to represent test proteins at the atomic level [2, 3]. In this approach, the motions of a test protein and those of the crowders are followed in two separate simulations. The effects of crowding are then modeled by calculating Δμ, the crowding-induced change in the chemical potential of the test protein. For a repulsive type of protein-crowder interactions, Δμ is related to the fraction, f, of allowed placements of the test protein into a box of crowders. For spherical crowders, two methods have been devised to calculate f. The first is an efficient implementation of Widom's insertion method. The second is a theoretical prediction, which uses the volume, surface area, and linear size defined on a “crowder-exclusion” surface. These methods have been applied to study crowding effects on protein folding, binding, and internal dynamics. We have also tested the postprocessing approach against direct simulations of folding-unfolding and open-to-closed transitions in the presence of crowders. To calculate f for atomistic crowders, we have just devised an algorithm based on fast Fourier transform. These computational tools establish a solid foundation for realistic modeling of intracellular environments.[1] H.-X. Zhou, G. Rivas, and A. P. Minton, Annu Rev Biophys 37, 375 (2008).[2] S. Qin and H.-X. Zhou, Biophys J 97, 12 (2009).[3] J. Batra, K. Xu, S. Qin, and H.-X. Zhou, Biophys J 97, 906 (2009).
Implementation and use of a web-based interface for confidential communication of data between the clinical and research environments

Policies and regulations in the current health care environment have impacted the manner in which patient data - especially protected health information (PHI) - are handled in the clinical and research settings. Specifically, it is now more challenging to obtain de-identified PHI from the clinic for use in research while still adhering to the requirements dictated by the new policies and regulations. To meet this challenge, we have designed and implemented a novel web-based interface that uses a workflow model to manage the communication of data (for example, biopsy results) between the clinic and research environments without revealing PHI to the research team or associated research identifiers to the clinical collaborators. At the heart of the scheme is a web application that coordinates message passing between researchers and clinical collaborators by use of a protocol that protects confidentiality. We describe the design requirements of the messaging/communication protocol, as well as implementation details of the web application and its associated database. We conclude that this scheme provides a useful communication mechanism that facilitates clinical research while maintaining confidentiality of patient data.
Serum ferritin: Does it differ from tissue ferritin?

Serum ferritin isolated from the horse was structurally compared with horse spleen ferritin and was found to differ markedly in molecular weight, iron content, carbohydrate, subunit size and amino acid sequence. The results are summarized and initial results obtained with candidate clones of pieces of two serum ferritin subunits are described.
GPS detection of ionospheric perturbations following the January 17, 1994, Northridge Earthquake

Sources such as atmospheric or buried explosions and shallow earthquakes producing strong vertical ground displacements produce pressure waves that propagate at infrasonic speeds in the atmosphere. At ionospheric altitudes low frequency acoustic waves are coupled to ionispheric gravity waves and induce variations in the ionoispheric electron density. Global Positioning System (GPS) data recorded in Southern California were used to compute ionospheric electron content time series for several days preceding and following the January 17, 1994, M(sub w) = 6.7 Northridge earthquake. An anomalous signal beginning several minutes after the earthquake with time delays that increase with distance from the epicenter was observed. The signal frequency and phase velocity are consistent with results from numerical models of atmospheric-ionospheric acoustic-gravity waves excited by seismic sources as well as previous electromagnetic sounding results. It is believed that these perturbations are caused by the ionospheric response to the strong ground displacement associated with the Northridge earthquake.
Bonding of oxygen on Al(111): A surface extended x-ray absorption fine-structure study

The initial ordered chemisorption stage of oxygen on Al(111) has been investigated using polarization-dependent surface extended x-ray absorption fine-structure measurements above the O $K$ absorption edge. The O-Al bond length in the threefold hollow adsorption site has been determined to be 1.79\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 \AA{}. A strong polarization dependence of the extended x-ray absorption fine-structure signal allows the determination of the O-O distance (2.90\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 \AA{}) between the chemisorbed oxygen atoms.
Hepatocyte Retinoid X Receptor-α-Deficient Mice Have Reduced Food Intake, Increased Body Weight, and Improved Glucose Tolerance

Hepatocyte retinoid X receptor (RXR)alpha-deficient mice and wild-type mice were fed either a regular or a high-saturated-fat diet for 12 wk to study the functional role of hepatocyte RXRalpha in fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism. Food intake was significantly reduced in hepatocyte RXRalpha-deficient mice when either diet was used. The amount of food intake was negatively associated with serum leptin level. Although mutant mice ate less, body weight and fat content were significantly higher in mutant than wild-type mice. Examination of the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha target genes indicated that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha-mediated pathway was compromised in the mutant mice, which, in turn, might affect fatty-acid metabolism and result in increased body weight and fat content. Although mutant mice were obese, they demonstrated the same degree of insulin sensitivity and the same level of serum insulin as the wild-type mice. However, these mutant mice have improved glucose tolerance. To explore a mechanism that may be responsible for the improved glucose tolerance, serum IGF-I level was examined. Serum IGF-1 level was significantly increased in mutant mice compared with wild-type mice. Taken together, hepatocyte RXRalpha deficiency increases leptin level and reduces food intake. Those mice also develop obesity, with an unexpected improvement of glucose tolerance. The result also suggests that an increase in serum IGF-I level might be one of the mechanisms leading to improved glucose tolerance in hepatocyte RXRalpha-deficient mice.
Recent findings and developments in creativity studies

(1966). Recent findings and developments in creativity studies. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 5, Creativity, pp. 160-165.
A polynomial rooting approach for analysis of competition among secondary users in cognitive radio networks

The competitive coexistence of a large number of secondary users in heterogeneous cognitive radio networks (CRN) is a challenging issue. In this paper, we address this issue by developing an efficient approach to analyze the competition among the secondary users. Based on the Markov model bank that we developed recently, we can change the evaluation of the secondary user throughput into studying a special root of a polynomial that is much more simplified. Under this framework, we study the competition among the secondary users in three special cases: homogeneous CRN with identical secondary users, heterogeneous CRN with a group of identical secondary users plus an outlier, and heterogeneous CRN with two different groups of secondary users. In each case, we derive the polynomial, prove the uniqueness of the root, and derive the throughput of each secondary user based on the root. Furthermore, we derive closed-form approximate solutions to the root, based on which constrained optimization can be formulated to study the optimal competition strategies for the secondary users. The optimization results are in water-filling principles and can be derived in closed-form expressions. Simulations are conducted to verify the analysis results.