cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Video microscopic analysis of ionophore induced acrosome reactions of lobster (Homarus americanus) sperm

Sperm from the American lobster (Homarus americanus) are normally nonmotile. However, during fertilization, the sperm undergo a calcium-dependent acrosome reaction that propels them forward about 18 microns. The reaction occurs in two phases, eversion and ejection, which take place too quickly to permit analysis by direct observation. The purposes of this study were to examine the structural changes occurring in sperm during the normal acrosome reaction and to determine the rate of the reaction using video microscopy. The reaction was induced in vitro by ionophore A23187 and recorded using a video system attached to a Nikon Nomarski interference microscope. Videotapes were played back frame by frame (30 frames/sec), and images of reactions from 10 sperm were analyzed. The acrosome reaction, including the eversion of the acrosomal vesicle and ejection of the subacrosomal material and nucleus, can be divided into 4 steps: (1) expansion of the apical cap followed by expansion of the remainder of the acrosomal cylinder; expansion of the cylinder begins at its apical end and proceeds toward its base, (2) eversion of the apical half of the acrosomal vesicle and initial contraction of the apical cap, (3) eversion of the basal half of the acrosomal vesicle, continued contraction of the apical cap, and ejection of the subacrosomal material and nucleus, and (4) final contraction of the apical cap and ejection of the acrosomal filament. During steps 2, 3, and 4, the mean forward movement of sperm is 12.7, 3.9, and 1.1 microns, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stabilization of the glucan-binding lectin of Streptococcus sobrinus by specific ligand.

Abstract Cell suspensions of Streptococcus sobrinus can be aggregated by high molecular-weight α-1,6 glucans. The aggregation depends on the fidelity of a cell wall-bound, glucan-binding lectin (GBL). It is thought that the lectin may play a part in the sucrose-dependent accretion of streptococci in dental plaques. Results showed that the anionic detergent, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) was a potent inhibitor of the lectin. When cells were incubated in SDS and washed to remove the detergent, lectin activity was diminished. Following incubation of the cells with SDS in the presence of glucan T-10, a low molecular-weight α-1,6 glucan, the loss of activity was less pronounced, suggesting that the glucan afforded partial protection against denaturation. Urea and guanidine hydrochloride were good inhibitors of the lectin, but, unlike SDS, were not able to inhibit it irreversibly, except at very high concentrations. Cationic detergents, such as cetylpyridinium bromide (and chloride), also irreversibly denatured the streptococcal lectin, but were not as effective as SDS in abolishing its activity. The results suggest that α-1,6 glucan stabilizes the GBL of S. sobrinus, rendering it more resistant to the effect of chaotropes. This may be one reason why dental plaques tend to resist detergents in dentrifices.
Aesthetics as woman: Aparna Sen's Parama

(2000). Aesthetics as woman: Aparna Sen's Parama. Quarterly Review of Film and Video: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 63-73.
Sex and the circuitry: progress toward a systems‐level understanding of vertebrate sex determination

In vertebrates, the gonad arises as a bipotential primordium that can differentiate as a testis or ovary. Cells are initially primed to adopt either fate by balanced antagonistic signaling pathways and transcription networks. Sexual fate is determined by activating the testis or ovarian pathway and repressing the alternative pathway. A complex, dynamic transcription network underlies this process, as approximately half the genome is being transcribed during this period, and many genes are expressed in a sexually dimorphic manner. This network is highly plastic; however, multiple lines of evidence suggest that many elements of the pathway converge on the stabilization or disruption of Sox9 expression. The single gene mutational approach has led to the identification of ∼30 additional genes involved in vertebrate sex determination. However, >50% of human disorders of sexual development (DSDs) are not explained by any of these genes, suggesting many critical elements of the system await discovery. Emerging technologies and genetic resources enable the investigation of the sex determination network on a global scale in the context of a variable genetic background or environmental influences. Using these new tools we can investigate how cells establish a bipotential state that is poised to adopt either sexual fate, and how they integrate multiple signaling and transcriptional inputs to drive a cell fate decision. Elucidating the genetic architecture underlying sex determination in model systems can lead to the identification of conserved modules correlated with phenotypic outcomes, and critical pressure points in the network that predict genes involved in DSDs in humans.
Particle versus mercury removal efficiency of amalgam separators.

Abstract Objective. The intent of this project was to evaluate the efficiency of three commercial amalgam separators based on mercury and particle removal. Methods. Dental wastewater samples were collected from a 54-chair dental clinic and a one chair private dental office. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure mercury, and a laser diffractometer method to determine the particle size distributions. Results. The mercury removal efficiency of the three units ranged from 26.5 to 61.8% for the 54-chair clinic and from 80.8 to 94.7% for the one chair office. Following treatment, the particle size range of the effluent was 8.3–19.2 μm for the 54-chair office and 27.5–41.4 μm for the one-chair clinic. For particle samples based on the silver–copper and copper standards, the three amalgam separators had a particle removal efficiency ranging from 92.3 to 99.9%. The initial particle size distributions for these samples were all under 100 μm. Conclusions. The efficiency of the amalgam separators is influenced by the initial concentration of the dental wastewater, the physical setup of the discharge system before the dental wastewater reaches the separators, and the addition of chemicals to the dental wastewater. In addition, it is likely that assessment of efficiency based on particle removal by weight may not be as effective as removal based on concentration.
Song recognition and localization in the phonotaxis behavior of the field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

1. The hypothesis that a sound must be both localizable and recognizable for positive phonotaxis towards this sound to occur was tested in Gryllus bimaculatus. 2. Tethered females were allowed to walk on a non-compensating treadmill. Songs were played from two loudspeakers, one positioned to the side and another positioned directly above the cricket, so crickets could localize sounds from the side but not from the top speaker. 3. Calling song chirps with an ineffective pulse (syllable) period were first played from the side speaker. These chirps failed to elicit positive phonotaxis. When these ineffective chirps were interleaved with top speaker playbacks of chirps that had an appropriate pulse period, females began to walk toward the side speaker. So it is not necessary for a sound to be both localized and recognized (re: pulse period) for positive phonotaxis to this sound to occur. 4. Additional experiments were run to test how chirp rhythm affected phono taxis. Ineffective (slow) chirps played from the side speaker failed to elicit phonotaxis. However, phonotaxis was elicited when these slow, ineffective chirps were interleaved with tone bursts played from the top speaker. This further demonstrates the importance of the interaction of calling song temporal properties in eliciting phonotaxis.
Kainate-induced uptake of calcium by synaptosomes from rat brain

Abstract Kainic acid induces a rapid increase in 45 Ca 2+ uptake by crude synaptosomal fractions isolated from rat brain. This enhanced Ca 2+ permeability occurs with a half-time of approx. 1 s, similar to the fast phase of depolarization-induced calcium uptake. The depolarization-induced uptake of calcium is inhibited 85% by 3 mM CoCl 2 80% by 100μM quinacrine and 50% by 15μM trifluoperazine while these agents had little effect on the kainate-induced uptake. It is proposed that kainate induces receptor-mediated opening of a class of calcium channels with properties different from those of the voltage-dependent channels.
Planetary nebulae and ALMA

Our understanding of the late evolution of intermediate mass stars (∼1–8M⊙) through the planetary nebula phase is undergoing major developments. Observations at infrared and millimeter wavelengths have revealed important components of neutral gas and dust in the nebulae that directly trace their formation from mass-loss on the Asymptotic Giant Branch. At the same time, high resolution imaging, especially with the Hubble Space Telescope, has revealed a surprising array of structures in the nebulae: multiple arcs, tori, jets, and myriads of small scale fragments. None of these are fully understood, and all involve the neutral gas component. This paper highlights recent observations of these structures and discusses the open questions, with an emphasis on those areas where observations with ALMA are likely to make important contributions.
Cross-Cultural Research with Matched Pairs of Societies

(1969). Cross-Cultural Research with Matched Pairs of Societies. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 25-33.
Toroidal Coil Countercurrent Chromatography Separation of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin A in Food

Abstract Countercurrent Chromatography (CCC) has the potential to play a major role in food analysis because it permits analysis of crude and complex samples. CCC was evaluated for its ability to separate S. aureus enterotoxin A (SEA), which is a common cause of food poisoning. Mushrooms containing native- or heat-denatured SEA were separated by Toroidal Coil CCC and the fractions containing the toxin were analyzed by Western immunoblotting. Both native SEA, used to spike mushroom samples, and heat-denatured SEA, resulting from S. aureus contamination of canned mushrooms, were detectable using CCC. Ths method increases the level of sensitivity of Western immunoblottmg by at least an order of magnitude by concentrating the sample. Our results suggest that CCC, in combination with a suitable detection method. is a potentially useful method for toxin analysis in food.
Paradiplomacy Between the U.S. and Canadian Provinces: The Case of Acid Rain Memoranda of Understanding

The debate over acid rain in North America has produced an interesting set of political interactions within the United States and between Canada and the U.S. at the subnational level. The long delay in reaching a bilateral agreement coupled with congressional inaction has stimulated relations at the subnational level between the two countries. This article will investigate the role of provinces and states in foreign policy-making and the agreements that have occurred. This type of activity - known as paradiplomacy - has been the subject of research in both North America and Europe in recent years by a number of political scientists (Duchacek 1986, Soldatos 1986). The focus for the analysis to follow is the nonbinding agreement - the Memorandum of Understanding. To date, eight Memoranda either entirely or in part devoted to acid rain have been signed by states and provinces. The first was signed by New York and Quebec in 1982 and the most recent was an expanded agreement signed by New York and Quebec in 1986. Other agreements include New York and Ontario (1983), Minnesota and Ontario (1983), a New York and Quebec Amendment to the 1982 Agreement (1984), Michigan and Ontario (1985), British Columbia and Washington State (1985), and Wisconsin and Quebec (1985). It is important to review briefly the politics of acid rain in order to understand the context for the subnational agreements. After this overview, the conceptual work done by two political scientists in the area of paradiplomacy will be discussed. The eight agreements will then be compared and analyzed. The article will conclude with a summary of how these Memoranda of Understanding shed light on the theoretical work.
Determinants of gait speed in COPD.

BACKGROUND Measures of physical function, daily physical activity, and exercise capacity have been proposed for the care of patients with COPD but are not used routinely in daily office care. Gait speed is a powerful and simple measure of physical function in elderly patients and seems to be a promising measure for the daily care of patients with COPD. The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the determinants and factors influencing gait speed in COPD, particularly the association of gait speed with objectively measured physical activity and the most used exercise capacity field test in cardiopulmonary disease: the 6-min walk test (6MWT). METHODS One hundred thirty patients with stable COPD performed two different 4-m gait speed protocols (usual and maximal pace). We modeled gait speed using demographics, lung function, dyspnea, quality of life, physical activity monitoring, exercise capacity, mood, cognitive function, and health-care use. RESULTS Gait speed was independently associated with 6MWT but not with daily physical activity. The correlation between gait speed and 6MWT was high regardless of protocol used (r = 0.77-0.80). Both 6MWT and gait speed shared similar constructs. Gait speed had an excellent ability to predict poor (≤ 350 m) or very poor (≤ 200 m) 6MWT distances (areas under the curve, 0.87 and 0.98, respectively). Gait speed was not independently associated with quality of life, mood, or cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS Gait speed is more indicative of exercise capacity (6MWT) than daily physical activity in COPD. Despite its simplicity, gait speed has outstanding screening properties for detecting poor and very poor 6MWT performance, making it a useful and informative tool for the clinical care of patients with COPD.
Projectile perforation of moving plates: Experimental investigation

Abstract An experimental investigation was conducted to examine the normal impact and perforation of blunt- and 60°-conically-tipped 12.7 mm diameter hard-steel cylindrical projectiles on plates moving orthogonal to their initial trajectory with three different speeds. By means of an air or powder gun, these bullets were propelled at speeds ranging from 50 to 1000m/s against rotating annular disks of aluminum, steel and polycarbonate. The impact process consisted of the two consecutive phases of plugging and petaling, each of which comprises several separate mechanisms. Terminal velocities, trajectory angles, crater lengths, impact angles and penetration times for the three target materials were obtained. Effects on these quantities of variations in material strength and thickness, and striker and target speed were determined. The nature of the failure phenomenon was found to be dependent on the relationship between the rate of petal propagation and the rate of change of the contact area between striker and target.
Aminostratigraphic Evaluation of Conflicting Age Estimates for the "Young Loess" of Hungary

As part of a regional investigation of the aminostratigraphy of central European loess deposits, we have sampled and analyzed the amino acid composition of fossil gastropod shells from stratotype loess profiles at Mende, Basaharc, and Paks, plus the profile at Sutto, in an effort to correlate independently loess-paleosol formations of the "Young Loess" of Hungary with loess units elsewhere in the region. The measured extent of isoleucine epimerization in fossil gastropod shells preserved in loess sediments was used to evaluate the relative ages of stratigraphic units and correlate between discontinuous exposures. Based on amino acid epimerization ratios, we propose a new chronology for the standard "Young Loess" profile of Hungary. Amino acid geochronological data suggest that paleosol complexes MF, BD1 + 2, and BA formed during interglaciations, rather than interstades. Correlations are suggested with PK 2 + 3 (last interglaciation), PK 4 (penultimate interglaciation), and PK 5, respectively, from previously described Czech and Slovak localities.
Teaching digital craft

At the overlap of maker culture, ubiquitous computing, critical making, and novel interfaces, digital craft emerges as a new research and teaching domain. It offers new opportunities in interaction design but it also poses particular challenges to academic curricula. This paper first discusses the value and challenges connected to digital craft. Then, based on our experience with exploring digital craft in a research university's teaching environment, we highlight viable approaches and teaching practices in this new field. It closes with a discussion of the prototype results achieved in those classes.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-6 Selectively Regulate Neutrophil Function in Vitro

The neutrophil is an important effector cell of the host response to sepsis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a cytokine mediator of the septic response, is rapidly released following endotoxemia or gram-negative bacteremia. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is another cytokine mediator of the host response to sepsis whose role is less well understood than that of TNF-alpha. It is known to be elevated in gram-negative sepsis, where peak levels have been correlated with mortality. This study examined the effect of IL-6 alone and in combination with TNF-alpha on three neutrophil functions--CD18 adhesion receptor expression, phagocytosis, and superoxide anion generation. Neutrophils from human volunteers were incubated with amounts of IL-6 ranging from 10 to 1000 ng/ml. At a concentration of 1000 ng/ml, IL-6 increased neutrophil phagocytosis of opsonized bacteria (826 +/- 255 x 10(3) MESF vs 552 +/- 103 MESF, P < 0.05) and also increased neutrophil superoxide anion generation (18.41 +/- 1.86 vs 12.6 nmol O2-/10(6) PMN/10 min, P < 0.05). Lesser amounts of IL-6 had no effect on phagocytosis or superoxide generation. IL-6 did not increase neutrophil CD18 adhesion receptor expression. Combining IL-6 with TNF-alpha at doses of 100 ng/ml and 100 U/ml, respectively, neutrophil phagocytosis (221 +/- 455 MESF vs 552 +/- 103 MESF) and superoxide generation (23.18 +/- 1.86 vs 12.6 nmol O2-/10(6) PMN/10 min) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased above control by an amount similar to that seen with 1000 U/ml TNF-alpha alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Millennial precipitation reconstruction for the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, reveals changingb drought signal

Drought is a recurring phenomenon in the American Southwest. Since the frequency and severity of hydrologic droughts and other hydroclimatic events are of critical importance to the ecology and rapidly growing human population of this region, knowledge of long-term natural hydroclimatic variability is valuable for resource managers and policy-makers. An October–June precipitation reconstruction for the period AD 824–2007 was developed from multi-century tree-ring records of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir), Pinus strobiformis (Southwestern white pine) and Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa pine) for the Jemez Mountains in Northern New Mexico. Calibration and verification statistics for the period 1896–2007 show a high level of skill, and account for a significant portion of the observed variance (>50%) irrespective of which period is used to develop or verify the regression model. Split-sample validation supports our use of a reconstruction model based on the full period of reliable observational data (1896–2007). A recent segment of the reconstruction (2000–2006) emerges as the driest 7-year period sensed by the trees in the entire record. That this period was only moderately dry in precipitation anomaly likely indicates accentuated stress from other factors, such as warmer temperatures. Correlation field maps of actual and reconstructed October–June total precipitation, sea surface temperatures and 500-mb geopotential heights show characteristics that are similar to those indicative of El Nino–Southern Oscillation patterns, particularly with regard to ocean and atmospheric conditions in the equatorial and north Pacific. Our 1184-year reconstruction of hydroclimatic variability provides long-term perspective on current and 20th century wet and dry events in Northern New Mexico, is useful to guide expectations of future variability, aids sustainable water management, provides scenarios for drought planning and as inputs for hydrologic models under a broader range of conditions than those provided by historical climate records. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
[125I](+/-)FISCH: a new CNS D-1 dopamine receptor imaging ligand.

Abstract Radiolabeling and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of an iodinated benzazepine: [125I] FISCH 7-Chloro-8-hydroxy-1-(4′-iodophenyl)-3-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine, as a potential imaging agent for CNS D-1 dopamine receptors in animals, were investigated. After an iv injection, this benzazepine derivative showed good brain uptake in rats (2.70, 1.28, 0.48 %dose/whole brain at 2, 15 and 60 min, respectively). The striatum/cerebellum ratio was 2.50 at 60 min after the injection. The regional distribution in rat brain, as measured by ex vivo autoradiography, displayed highest uptake in the regions of the striatal complex and the substantia nigra, regions known to have a high concentration of D-1 dopamine receptors. Furthermore, this localized regional cerebral distribution was blocked by pretreatment with SCH-23390, a selective D-1 dopamine receptor antagonist. The in vitro binding affinity of this agent in rat striatum tissue preparation displayed a Kd of 1.43 ± 0.15 nM. Competition data (in vitro) showed the following rank order of potency: SCH-23390 > (±)IBZP ⪢ apomorphine > 4101 ketanserin ∼ spiperone. The preliminary data suggest that this analog of SCH-23390 shows similar selectivity for the CNS D-1 receptor.
Distribution of Flares on the Solar Disk Associated with Noise

THE association of solar noise bursts at 48 Mc./s. and solar flares has been examined for the periods June 20–July 31, 1957, September 1–October 1, 1957, and June 1–July 31, 1958. The noise burst data were obtained from the Resolute auroral radar film records. Resolute was the northern station (75° N., 95° W.) of the National Research Council's International Geophysical Year Auroral Radar Chain1. For the purpose of this analysis, bursts are defined as solar radio noise events with durations of the order of 30 seconds or less (probably due to spectral type III bursts). Association with a particular flare was assumed probable if the burst occurred during an interval of 2 minutes preceeding, to 3 minutes following the flare commencement. This is a more stringent requirement than that usually used2,3. During the periods listed above, a total of 535 such events were recorded with 12 per cent of the noise-producing flares occuring within ± 5° of the central meridian, while for the same periods 8 per cent of all flares occurred in the same interval.
Gauging the impact of breast carcinoma screening in terms of tumor size and death rate

BACKGROUND While the question of whether the trials of breast cancer screening have resulted in a reduction in breast cancer death has been the subject of much scrutiny, there has been less attention to the reduction in tumor size achieved by screening. METHODS Size data for invasive breast tumors were assembled from a variety of sources. The health consequences that can be expected from finding tumors of various sizes were determined using a recently developed mathematical method for relating tumor size to death rate. RESULTS First, in both the Swedish two-country trial and at the MGH Breast Imaging Division, the sizes of the invasive breast cancers in the screening population (those masses seen at screening together with those found as palpable masses after screening examinations) were sufficiently smaller than the cancers found among women who had not used screening to have lead to considerable reductions in death. Second, the lack of reduction in death rates detected in both Canadian National Breast Screening Studies could be ascribed to the small reductions in tumor size achieved in these studies. Third, radiographic density had a small effect, whereas age had a negligible effect, on the capacity of mammographic screening to find breast carcinomas at smaller, and thus less lethal, sizes. CONCLUSIONS Prompt attendance at annual mammographic screening offers the potential to reduce tumor size and, presumably, breast carcinoma death, in women of all ages and density groups. Cancer 2003. © 2003 American Cancer Society.
NCSA's World Wide Web server: design and performance

To support continued growth, WWW servers must manage a multigigabyte (in some instances a multiterabyte) database of multimedia information while concurrently serving multiple request streams. This places demands on the servers' underlying operating systems and file systems that lie far outside today's normal operating regime. Simply put, WWW servers must become more adaptive and intelligent. The first step on this path is understanding extant access patterns and responses. The article examines extant Web access patterns with the aim of developing more efficient file-caching and prefetching strategies. >
Improved Physics Model for the Gasdynamic Mirror Fusion Propulsion System

The propulsion capability of the gasdynamic mirror (GDM) fusion propulsion device was examined in several previous publications without taking into account the electrostatic potential inherent to plasma cone nement in this system. This potential arises as a result of the initial rapid escape of the electrons through the mirrors because of the smallness of their mass. The remaining excess positive charge gives rise to a positive electric potential that slows down the electrons while speeding up the ions until equalization in their axial diffusion is achieved. In a thruster, the energy of the ions emerging from the magnetic nozzle will therefore be enhanced relative to their energy as they leave the mirror by an amount equal to that of the potential. In typical GDM parameters, this effect can translate into signie cant increases in the specie c impulse and thrust produced by the system. Nomenclature Ac = area of plasma core A0 = mirror area D = axial diffusion coefe cient E = electric e eld Ee = electron energy EL = escape energy e = electron charge erf = error function k = gradient scale length L = length of plasma <n l = coulomb logarithm m = particle mass N = particle density n = monoenergetic particle density R = plasma mirror ratio T = temperature V = plasma volume v = monoenergetic particle velocity vth = thermal velocity x = parameter, Eq. (26) z = charge number G = velocity-averaged particle e ux g = monenergetic e ux d = parameter, Eq. (25) m = mobility t = cone nement time y = collision frequency f = electrostatic potential
Early postoperative care following endoscopic sinus surgery: an evidence-based review with recommendations†

Background: Early postoperative care following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) has been suggested to minimize avoidable complications and optimize long-term outcomes. Several postoperative care strategies have been proposed but a formal comprehensive evaluation of the evidence has never been performed. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence-based approach to early postoperative care following ESS. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed and the Clinical Practice Guideline Manual, Conference on Guideline Standardization (COGS), and the Appraisal of Guidelines and Research Evaluation (AGREE) instrument recommendations were followed. Study inclusion criteria were: adult population >18 years old; chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) based on published diagnostic criteria; ESS following failed medical therapy; primary study objective was to evaluate an ESS early postoperative care strategy; and clearly defined primary clinical end-point. Results: This review identified and evaluated the literature on 7 early postoperative care strategies following ESS: saline irrigations, sinus cavity debridements, systemic steroids, topical steroids, oral antibiotics, topical decongestants, and drug-eluting spacers/stents. Conclusion: Based on the available evidence, use of nasal saline irrigation, sinus cavity debridement, and standard topical nasal steroid spray are recommended early postoperative care interventions. Postoperative antibiotic, systemic steroid, nonstandard topical nasal steroid solution, and/or drug-eluting spacers/stents are options in postoperative management. These evidence-based recommendations should not necessarily be applied to all postoperative patients and clinical judgment, in addition to evidence, is critical to determining the most appropriate care. © 2011 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
Communal Benefits of Transgenic Corn

Genetically engineered crops represent one of the most controversial and rapidly adopted technologies in the history of agriculture. First grown commercially in 1996, transgenic crops covered 135 million hectares (ha) in 25 countries during 2009 ( 1 ). To reduce reliance on insecticide sprays, corn and cotton have been genetically engineered to make insecticidal proteins derived from the common bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). These Bt toxins kill some devastating insect pests, but unlike broad-spectrum insecticides, they do little or no harm to most other organisms, including people ( 2 ). Many pests have rapidly evolved resistance to insecticides, however, spurring concerns that adaptation by pests could quickly reduce the efficacy of Bt crops and the associated environmental, health, and economic benefits ( 3 – 7 ). On page 222 of this issue, Hutchison et al. ( 8 ) rein in some of those concerns, documenting a landmark case in which Bt corn has remained effective against a major pest for more than a decade, yielding billions of dollars of estimated benefits to farmers in the midwestern United States.
Disrupted timing of discontinuous but not continuous movements by cerebellar lesions

Patients with cerebellar damage are known to exhibit deficits in the temporal control of movements. We report that these deficits are restricted to discontinuous movements. Cerebellar patients exhibited no deficit in temporal variability when producing continuous, rhythmic movements. We hypothesize that the temporal properties of continuous movements are emergent and reflect the operation of other control parameters not associated with the cerebellum. In contrast, discontinuous movements require an explicit representation of the temporal goal, a function of the cerebellum. The requirement for explicit temporal representation provides a parsimonious account of cerebellar involvement in a range of tasks.
Isohedral tilings of a ribbon

The isohedral tilings of a ribbon or infinite strip are classified. There are 24 of them, 5 of which must be realized as either marked tilings or tilings of a ribbon with edges which are not straight lines.
Creativity in rural, urban, and Indian children.

Summary Five groups of grade school children (N = 237) were selected and administered the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. The five groups included urban-middle income children (N = 47), urban-lower income children (N = 49), rural children (N = 72), Indian-lower income children (N = 54), and Indian-impoverished children (N = 15). Significant differences were found on all three measures of verbal creativity, with the verbal flexibility and verbal originality measures significant at the .001 level, and the verbal fluency measure significant at the .005 level. On all three measures, the groups scored from high to low in the following order: rural, urban-middle income, urban-lower income, Indian-lower income, and Indian-impoverished. None of the four measures of figural creativity showed significant differences.
Coexpression of opsin- and VIP-like-immunoreactivity in CSF-contacting neurons of the avian brain

Cerebrospinal fluid-contacting (CSF) cells in both the septal and the tuberal areas in the brain of the ring dove are labeled by RET-P1, a monoclonal antibody to opsin that reacts with inner and outer segment membranes of rod photoreceptors in a variety of vertebrates. Immunoblot analysis of proteins from diverse brain regions, however, revealed bands of anti-RET-P1 immunoreactivity that did not correspond to opsin. Binding of RET-P1 to opsin-containing membranes, was not inhibited by membranes rich in muscarinic and beta-adrenergic receptor proteins (red blood cells, heart, lung) taken from doves. RET-P1-immunoreactive CSF-contacting cells emit a dendritic process that penetrates the ependyma and ends in a knob-like terminal suspended in the ventricle. These cells also possess other processes that penetrate more or less deeply into the neuropil. Additionally, a band of labeled fibers occurs in the external layer of the median eminence. A double-label technique demonstrated that RET-P1-positive cells coexpress VIP-like immunoreactivity. VIP-positive cells in other brain areas are not RET-P1-positive.
An efficient method for computing backscattering from Born objects of arbitrary shape

A method is presented for efficiently computing the propagating pressure field backscattered by an arbitrarily shaped, weakly scattering, three-dimensional object. This is accomplished by drawing upon a previously reported relationship between the boundary condition on a two-dimensional radiating aperture and the pressure propagating along an axis normal to the aperture, and the fundamental theorem of diffraction tomography, which relates the Fourier transform of an object function to its scattered pressure field. Together, these two results are used to derive an integral formula that expresses the pressure field backscattered from an object as a one-dimensional Fourier transform of its scattering amplitude. This formula is then utilized to compute the backscattered pressure field from a uniform fluid sphere in the first Born approximation; the results of which are compared to the rigorous partial wave expansion.
The unmet potential of interdisciplinary research: Political psychological approaches to voting and public opinion

Since its founding, political science has embraced interdisciplinary research. Yet there exist few, if any, systematic assessments of the success of these endeavors. We assess what is often seen as a paradigm of interdisciplinary collaboration: political psychological research on voting and public opinion. Surprisingly, we find little evidence of true interdisciplinary work; instead, we uncover misused concepts and scant evidence of conceptual or disciplinary integration. We conclude with suggestions for how to improve interdisciplinary research on voting and public opinion, and more generally.
“We Were All Robinson Crusoes”: American Women Teachers in the Philippines

In the summer of 1901, several United States army transports sailed out of the port at San Francisco into the Pacific Ocean, carrying not soldiers, but teachers to the Philippines. These teachers, ...
Effect of glucosamine on interleukin-1-conditioned articular cartilage

Glucosamine inhibits recombinant human interleukin-1 stimulated cartilage degradation in equine cartilage explants. Recently, recombinant equine interleukin-1 has been cloned and purified. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise the effects of glucosamine on indices of cartilage degradation in recombinant equine IL-1beta-stimulated equine articular cartilage explants. Cartilage discs were harvested from the weight-bearing region of the articular surface of the antebrachiocarpal and middle carpal joints of horses (age 2-8 years) and cultured under standard conditions. Explants were exposed to recombinant equine interleukin-1beta (reIL-1beta) on Days 1-4 in the presence or absence of glucosamine (0.25, 2.5 or 25 mg/ml), with appropriate controls. Nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, sulphated proteoglycan, stromelysin and gelatinase/collagenase activity released into conditioned media and total tissue proteoglycan content were measured as indicators of cartilage catabolism. Glucosamine inhibited cartilage catabolic responses in a dose dependent manner that was statistically significant at a dose of 0.25 mg/ml for stromelysin activity and 2.5 mg/ml for collagenase/gelatinase activity. At 25 mg/ml glucosamine also prevented IL-1beta-induced increases in nitric oxide production, prostaglandin E2 and proteoglycan release to media. Glucosamine prevents equine articular cartilage degradation experimentally induced by reIL-1beta in vitro. These data provide further support for the use of glucosamine in treatment or prevention of cartilage loss in athletic horses.
Effect of a Mixed Anionic−Nonionic System of Surfactants on the Entry and Exit of Free Radicals into Polystyrene Particles

Seeded emulsion polymerizations of styrene were conducted with various ratios of the anionic surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate and the nonionic surfactant Triton X-405 adsorbed on the polystyrene latex particles. The polymerization kinetics were monitored utilizing the Mettler RC1 reaction calorimeter and subsequently analyzed to determine the effects of the adsorbed surfactants on the entry of free radicals into the particles and the desorption of radicals from the particles. All the reactions were run in interval III at 50 °C, and “zero−one” conditions were determined to exist in order to analyze the data by the “slope−intercept” method. Using the RC1, the start of the polymerization could be determined within 4 s. No significant effect of the surfactant ratio (40% surface coverage) was noted on the pseudo-first-order entry rate coefficients within experimental error. Larger experimental errors were noted in the determination of the pseudo-first-order exit coefficients with no discernible effect of the s...
Perceived risk of breast cancer: influence of heuristic thinking.

purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of heuristic reasoning on women's perceived risk for developing breast cancer, and to test for an expected bias in the direction of optimism that is predicted by recent research on human cognition. description of study: In total, 770 women recruited in community settings were surveyed regarding cancer screening behavior and their perceived risk of developing breast cancer. results: Most women perceived their risk of breast cancer to be lower than that of other women (3:1), confirming the expected bias toward optimism, and this finding was not attributable to the personality trait of optimism. Women following mammography guidelines showed greater optimism that their risk was low. Cancer knowledge and education diminished unwarranted optimism. Women with a history of benign breast disease, with a female relative with breast cancer, or both overestimated their risk. All findings suggest that heuristic thinking is being used to estimate personal cancer risk. clinical implications: Clinicians should expect women to be optimistic about their personal risk of developing breast cancer. As a result, women may put off breast cancer screening or delay the evaluation of breast symptoms that may signal breast cancer. Helping women to understand their relative risk is an essential part of a health promotion visit.
Cardiovascular system of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus.

The circulatory system of adult blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, was mapped by either injecting barium sulfate into intact animals followed by radiography or by resin corrosion casts (Batsons Monomer). Seven arteries arise from the heart. The anterior aorta exits from the anterior dorsal surface of the heart and gives rise to the optic arteries; these arteries supply hemolymph to the supraesophageal ganglion and eyestalks. The paired anterolateral arteries also exit from the anterior dorsal surface of the heart and supply hemolymph to the gonads, hepatopancreas, stomach, antennal gland, mandibular muscles, and the hypodermis of the anterior cephalothorax. The paired hepatic arteries exit the heart anteriorly and ventrally and branch profusely within the hepatopancreas. A smaller side branch, the pyloric hepatic artery, supplies hemolymph to the pyloric stomach and midgut. The smallest artery, the posterior aorta, branches off the posterior ventral surface of the heart; it joins with the inferior abdominal artery in the region of the second abdominal segment and these arteries supply hemolymph to the hindgut and abdomen. The largest artery is the sternal artery, which exits from the ventral surface of the heart; the ventral thoracic artery branches off the sternal artery and supplies hemolymph to the chelae, the mouthparts, and to each pereiopod. The present study shows that the circulatory system is highly developed, with arteries dividing into smaller capillary-like vessels that ramify profusely within individual organs. The return vessels, the sinuses, are discrete channels rather than random open spaces, as previously described. The present study refines and advances descriptions of the circulatory system and is discussed in relation to recent work on hemolymph flow in crustaceans.
Dimers of boroglycine and methylamine boronic acid: a computational comparison of the relative importance of dative versus hydrogen bonding.

Boronic acids are widely used in materials science, pharmacology, and the synthesis of biologically active compounds. In this Article, geometrical structures and relative energies of dimers of boroglycine, H2N−CH2−B(OH)2, and its constitutional isomer H3C−NH−B(OH)2, were computed using second-order Moller−Plesset perturbation theory and density functional theory; Dunning−Woon correlation-consistent cc-pVDZ, aug-cc-pVDZ, cc-pVTZ, and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets were employed for the MP2 calculations, and the Pople 6-311++G(d,p) basis set was employed for a majority of the DFT calculations. Effects of an aqueous environment were incorporated into the results using PCM and COSMO-RS methodology. The lowest-energy conformer of the H2N−CH2−B(OH)2 dimer was a six-membered ring structure (chair conformation; Ci symmetry) with two intermolecular B:N dative-bonds; it was 14.0 kcal/mol lower in energy at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ computational level than a conformer with the classic eight-centered ring structure (Ci symmetry) ...
Outcome of lower extremity malignancy survivors treated with transfemoral amputation.

Abstract Hoffman RD, Saltzman CL, Buckwalter JA. Outcome of lower extremity malignancy survivors treated with transfemoral amputation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:177-82. Objective: To determine outcomes of surviving patients who underwent transfemoral amputation as part of treatment for lower extremity malignancy at a mean 15 years postoperatively, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Design: Retrospective, case control. Setting: Tertiary care university medical center. Patients: Thirty-five of 38 consecutively admitted patients free of metastatic disease managed with transfemoral amputation as part of treatment of a lower extremity bone and/or soft tissue malignancy between 1966 and 1997 at 1 institution. The control group included 35 age- and gender-matched subjects recruited from the local driver's license office. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (MFA), Short Form-12 General Health Status Survey (SF-12), physical performance battery, cost, and demographic data. Results: Controls showed superior scores as measured by the MFA ( P P =.0002), and the physical performance battery ( P P P =.51), education level ( P =.66), income level ( P =.44), marital status ( P =.79), incidence of self-reported health problems ( P =.14), and alcohol ( P =.42) and tobacco ( P =.82) use. Ten patients were included in the cost analysis; the mean cost to obtain and maintain a lower extremity prosthesis was $4225 per year (range, $623-$8517). Conclusions: Although the decrease in physical performance was anticipated in the study group, the group differed very little from the control population in terms of employment, education level, income, marital and home status, incidence of self-reported health problems, incidence of self-reported depression, and alcohol and tobacco use. Also, the long-term cost of maintaining a lower extremity prosthesis is noted. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Mid-IR supercontinuum generation in an integrated liquid-core optical fiber filled with CS_2

We report supercontinuum generation in a 16cm long integrated liquid-core optical fiber (LCOF) filled with neat carbon disulfide (CS2). The LCOF was pumped with compact mode-locked fiber lasers operating near 1560nm and 1910nm. The supercontinuum spanned from 1460nm to 2100nm and from 1790nm to 2400nm at 20 dB level for 1560nm and 1910nm pump wavelengths, respectively. The spectral broadening extended mostly to longer wavelengths due to the high Raman contribution to the nonlinear optical response of CS2. The experimental results are in good agreement with numerical simulations.
Intense Red Catho- and Photoluminescence from 200 nm Thick Samarium Doped Amorphous AlN Thin Films.

Samarium (Sm) doped aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films are deposited on silicon (100) substrates at 77 K by rf magnetron sputtering method. Thick films of 200 nm are grown at 100–200 watts RF power and 5–8 m Torr nitrogen, using a metal target of Al with Sm. X-ray diffraction results show that films are amorphous. Cathodoluminescence (CL) studies are performed and four peaks are observed in Sm at 564, 600, 648, and 707 nm as a result of4G5/2 → 6H5/2,4G5/2 → 6H7/2,4G5/2 → 6H9/2, and4G5/2 → 6H11/2transitions. Photoluminescence (PL) provides dominant peaks at 600 and 707 nm while CL gives the intense peaks at 600 nm and 648 nm, respectively. Films are thermally activated at 1,200 K for half an hour in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal activation enhances the intensity of luminescence.
Boosting-based transductive learning for text detection

We present a promising new framework for improving boosting performance with transductive inference when training an automatic text detector. The resulting detector is fast and efficient, and it exhibits high accuracy on a large test set.
Differential effectiveness of etanercept and infliximab in the treatment of ocular inflammation.

Purpose Anti–tumor necrosis factor α (anti–TNF-α) agents are being used increasingly in refractory inflammatory eye diseases. We reviewed our patients on etanercept and infliximab to determine whether these medications are equally efficacious in controlling ocular inflammation. Design Exploratory retrospective analysis. Participants Patients with ocular inflammatory disease on an anti–TNF-α agent (etanercept, infliximab). Methods Case records of 22 patients treated with anti–TNF-α therapy were reviewed for demographic information, ocular and systemic diagnosis, duration and dose of anti–TNF-α treatment, concomitant ocular and systemic immunosuppressive medications, and treatment response. Main Outcome Measures Uveitis recurrence rate, initial treatment response, treatment response, and medication use at 6 months, 1 year, and last visit. Results Patients treated with infliximab had a significant decrease in uveitis recurrences after starting therapy compared with those treated with etanercept (59% vs. 0%, P = 0.004). One year after treatment initiation and at final visit, more infliximab-treated patients had an improvement in their ocular inflammation (100% vs. 33%, P = 0.002, and 94% vs. 0%, P P = 0.009, and 89% vs. 29%, P = 0.007, respectively) compared with those treated with etanercept. No significant differences in the use of oral corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents were noted between the 2 groups at 6 months, 1 year, and final visit. Conclusions Infliximab was more effective than etanercept in the treatment of recalcitrant uveitis and decreased the use of topical steroids.