cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of concanavalin A on the hemolytic activity of the components of the classical complement pathway

Abstract The lectin concanavalin A (Con A) immobilized on Sepharose 4B was found to bind all the components of the guinea pig and human classical complement pathway except C6, C7 and C9. Fluid-phase Con A inhibited the hemolytic activity of guinea pig and human C2, C3, C5 and C8 and human C2 oxidized with iodine (C2 ox ); however, with the exception of C3, the lectin did not inhibit the hemolytic activity of cell-bound complement components. This suggests that the primary effect of Con A was to hinder the binding of components to the cell surface and/or their activation. The degree of inhibition for a given quantity of a component was dependent on the concentration of Con A. The lectin had no effect on the extent or rate of decay of cell-bound C5 or unoxidized C2. These results suggest that several of the components of the human and guinea pig classical complement pathway contain exposed sugar moieties and that the interaction between these sugars and Con A can impair their functional activity. The lectin concanavalin A (Con A) has a high binding affinity for glucose and structurally-related sugars (Goldstein et al., 1965) and has been used extensively for the purification and identification of glycoproteins containing these sugars (Rapin & Burger, 1974; Nicholson, 1974). We have previously demonstrated that Con A can inhibit the hemolytic activity of fluid-phase guinea pig Cl and C2, but not C4 (Langone et al., 1977), suggesting that exposed sugar moieties may play a role in the functional activity of these components. In this study we have extended this approach to study the interaction between Con A and the later-acting guinea pig and human complement components.
Influence of Foliar Application of Nitrogen on Tree Growth, Precocity, Fruit Quality, and Leaf Mineral Nutrients in Young ‘Fuji’ Apple Trees on Three Rootstocks

Abstract The influence of three foliar applications and one ground application of nitrogen on tree growth, precocity, fruit quality at harvest and after storage, and leaf mineral concentrations in young ‘Fuji’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees on three root-stocks were studied. Trees that received a total of 197 g urea (90.6 g actual N) as a ground application over three growing seasons had greater trunk cross-sectional area (TCA), yield per tree, and yield efficiency than trees which received one of three rates of foliar applications. Trees receiving ground-applied or foliarly-applied urea at the highest rate had the heaviest fruit. Fruit firmness was greatest in the lowest foliar treatment. Ground application resulted in greater than average leaf N in 1994 and the greatest leaf Ca and lowest percentage leaf dry weight, leaf K, Zn, and Cu in both 1993 and 1994. Trees on M.9 NAKBT337 were more precocious and smaller in size than those on M.7 EMLA. Trees on M.7 EMLA had lower yield efficiency and greate...
ASCA and RXTE observations of non-thermal X-ray emission from galactic supernova remnants: G156.2+5.7

Abstract We are conducting a survey of Galactic shell-type supernova remnants (SNRs) known or suspected to possess non-thermal components to their X-ray emission using new and archived observations made with such X-ray satellites as ROSAT, ASCA, RXTE, Chandra and XMM-Newton. This research is intended to probe the phenomenon of cosmic-ray acceleration by Galactic SNRs and estimate the maximum energy of cosmic-ray electrons accelerated by these sources. To illustrate this work, we examine the X-ray spectrum of the northwestern rim of an SNR suspected to have a non-thermal component to its X-ray emission, G156.2+5.7 (RX J04591+5147), over the energy range ≈0.7–12.0 keV using observations made by the ASCA GIS and the RXTE PCA. We compare fits made to the non-thermal component using two models, a simple power law and SRCUT. Both models give acceptable fits: the photon index derived from the fit made with the power law model (Γ=2.0+0.2−0.5) is comparable to values obtained for the bright rims of other SNRs with hard X-ray spectra. Using the SRCUT model, we derive a value of 2.42+0.24−0.23×1017 Hz for the cutoff frequency νcutoff: based on this value and assuming a mean magnetic field strength of 14 μG, we estimate the cutoff energy Ecutoff of cosmic-ray electrons accelerated by G156.2+5.7 to be ≈32 TeV. This energy value is well short of the “knee” feature of the cosmic-ray spectrum.
Salvage Procedure for Unexpected Portal Vein Thrombosis in Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is considered a relative contraindication to living donor liver transplantation (LDLTx) due to technical difficulty and ethical considerations. So far, there have been a few reported cases of LDLTx with PVT, most of which were treated by thrombectomy with or without a venous conduit. We report a case of LDLTx in an unexpected recipient with grade 4 diffuse PVT, which was successfully managed using a variceal left gastric vein and a deceased donor iliac vein conduit to create a "de novo portal vein" for splanchnic inflow to the right lobe. The patient experienced an uneventful postoperative course with normal blood flow in the de novo portal vein at 1-year follow up. This report demonstrated that a variceal collateral vein can be used as appropriate alternative inflow for the right lobe in LDLTx cases in which an unexpected PVT is encountered.
Finite wordlength effects in the ROM digital filter

The finite wordlength effects in the read-only memory (ROM) digital filter are studied. By quantizing the coefficients before the programming of the ROM, the two problems of coefficient accuracy and roundoff error are decoupled. This leads to a filter which is asymptotically linear.
Effect of temperature acclimation on red blood cell oxygen affinity in Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

Abstract Hemoglobin–oxygen (Hb–O 2 ) binding properties are central to aerobic physiology, and must be optimized for an animal's aerobic requirements and environmental conditions, both of which can vary widely with seasonal changes or acutely with diving. In the case of tunas, the matter is further complicated by large regional temperature differences between tissues within the same animal. This study investigates the effects of thermal acclimation on red blood cell Hb–O 2 binding in Pacific bluefin tuna ( T. orientalis ) and yellowfin tuna ( T. albacares ) maintained in captive tanks at acclimation temperatures of 17°, 20° and 24 °C. Oxygen binding properties of acclimated tuna isolated red blood cells were examined under varying experimental temperatures (15°–35 °C) and CO 2 levels (0%, 0.5% and 1.5%). Results for Pacific bluefin tuna produced temperature-independence at 17 °C- and 20 °C-acclimation temperatures and significant reverse temperature-dependence at 24 °C-acclimation in the absence of CO 2 , with instances of reverse temperature-dependence in 17 °C- and 24 °C-acclimations at 0.5% and 1.5% CO 2 . In contrast, yellowfin tuna produced normal temperature-dependence at each acclimation temperature at 0% CO 2 , temperature-independence at 0.5% and 1.5% CO 2 , and significant reverse temperature-dependence at 17 °C-acclimation and 0.5% CO 2 . Thermal acclimation of Pacific bluefin tuna increased O 2 binding affinity of the 17 °C-acclimation group, and produced a significantly steeper oxygen equilibrium curve slope (n H ) at 24 °C-acclimation compared to the other acclimation temperatures. We discuss the potential implications of these findings below.
Maternal Depression and Trait Anger as Risk Factors for Escalated Physical Discipline

To test the hypothesized anger-mediated relation between maternal depression and escalation of physical discipline, 122 economically disadvantaged mothers were assessed for current and lifetime diagnoses of depression using the Current Depressive Episode, Past Depression, and Dysthymia sections of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and a measure of current depressive symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). Escalation of physical discipline was assessed using a video analog parenting task; maternal anger not specific to discipline was assessed using the Spielberger Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Reports of anger were associated with the diagnosis of depression and depressive symptoms. Bootstrap analyses of indirect effects indicated that the link between depression and escalated discipline was mediated by anger. Parallel analyses based on BDI-II scores identified a marginally significant indirect effect of depression on discipline. Findings suggest that anger and irritability are central to the putative link between depression and harsh discipline.
Persistent inflammation and hyperresponsiveness following viral rhinosinusitis.

Objectives: To develop a murine model of viral rhinosinusitis. Study Design: Randomized, controlled, animal model. Methods: Mice were intranasally inoculated with Sendai virus (SeV) or ultraviolet (UV)-inactivated virus. On days 3 and 10 postinfection, nasal lavage fluid was obtained for viral culture. On days 4, 10, and 38 postinfection, sinus mucosa was harvested and analyzed by flow cytometry for CD3-, CD4-, CD8-, CD25-, CD11b-, CCR3-, and GR1-positive cells. Nasal hyperresponsiveness to histamine challenge was measured on days 8 and 36 postinoculation. Results: On day 3, viral cultures were positive from all SeV-inoculated mice but from none of the UV-inactivated mice (P ≤ .0039). There was no growth of virus from either group on day 10. On day 4, flow cytometry on SeV-infected sinus cells showed a significant increase in macrophages (P ≤ .03) and neutrophils (P ≤ .02) compared with controls. This inflammation resolved by day 10. On day 38, mice inoculated with SeV had significantly more CD8+ (P ≤ .044) and CD4+CD25+ (P ≤ .017) cells than did controls. On day 8, there was a significant increase in both sneezing (P ≤ .002) and nasal rubbing (P ≤ .002) in the SeV-infected group to histamine challenge compared with controls. This difference continued to day 36. Conclusions: Inoculation with SeV results in an acute infection that resolves spontaneously within 10 days. Infected mice develop a significant increase in T-suppressor and T-regulatory cells after resolution of the acute infection, which persists for at least 38 days. The persistence of these T cells is associated with hyperresponsiveness to histamine. This mouse model has some parallels to chronic rhinosinusitis after a viral infection in humans and should allow us to clarify the pathophysiology of this disease.
Classical biological control of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis, by the egg parasitoid Gonatocerus ashmeadi in the Society, Marquesas and Austral archipelagos of French Polynesia

Abstract The glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) (= H. coagulata [Say]) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), was a major exotic pest in French Polynesia until a classical biological control program against this pest was conducted using the host-specific egg parasitoid Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). After risk assessment studies indicated an acceptably low potential threat to non-target species, parasitoids were released on Tahiti in May 2005. One year after release, populations of H. vitripennis had decreased by more than 90% in Tahiti and nearby Moorea. Here we present results of impact studies obtained during the second post-release year for G. ashmeadi in Tahiti and Moorea; we also report for the first time on results for eight other H. vitripennis infested islands located in three different archipelagos (Society, Marquesas, and Austral) of French Polynesia. On all infested islands across the three archipelagos, arrival of G. ashmeadi slashed H. vitripennis densities by more than 95%. In Tahiti and Moorea, H. vitripennis populations were maintained at very low densities during the second post-release year. Seasonal fluctuations of H. vitripennis abundance were observed in Tahiti with pest populations being more abundant during the cooler dry season than during the warmer wet season because of lower parasitism rates. Hence, similar seasonal fluctuations of H. vitripennis abundance are expected across all infested archipelagos in French Polynesia.
Influence of Submarine Canyons on Intrusion of Ocean Water into Fresh-Water Aquifer: ABSTRACT

Detailed hydrologic studies along the California, coast reveal that important fresh-water aquifers are exposed in submarine canyons or, if not exposed, are in hydraulic continuity with the ocean in the canyons. In the typical aquifer, which has a low-angle seaward dip, the effect of submarine canyons is to produce submarine outcrops abnormally close to shore. Under natural conditions, especially during wet cycles, the piezometric surface had a strong seaward slope and fresh water escaped at the submarine outcrops, especially those in the submarine canyons. The volume of stored fresh water in the submarine extensions of the aquifer is reduced by an amount proportional to the volume of the End_Page 187------------------------------ aquifer removed during the formation of the canyon. Accompanying excessive pumping of the aquifer will be the development of a landward slope of the piezometric surface and the intrusion of ocean water into the submarine area of the aquifer. The first water wells abandoned because of ocean water will most likely be in the vicinity of the submarine canyons. End_of_Article - Last_Page 188------------
3-deoxy-2,5-DI-O-p-nitrobenzoyl-α-D-threo-pentofuranosyl bromide, a starting material for the synthesis of nucleosides☆

Abstract Hydrogenation (Raney nickel) of methyl 2,3-anhydro-α- and β- D -lyxo-furanoside ( 3 and 12 ) for 12 h at 60 60 lb.in. -2 afforded methyl 3-deoxy-α- and β- D - threo pentofuranoside ( 4 and 13 ). These were p -nitrobenzoylated to give the 2,5-di- p -nitrobenzoates ( 5b and 14b ) which, on treatment with hydrogen bromide in acetyl bromide—acetic acid—dichloromethane, afforded the title compound ( 6b ). The structure of compound 4 was established by conversion into the previously prepared 2,5-dibenzoate 5a of known structure, and the anomeric configuration of 6b was established by comparison of its optical rotation and the signals of its anomeric proton with those of methyl 3-deoxy- D - threo -pentofuranosides.
Complications of video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy in patients with interstitial lung disease.

Background Current guidelines recommend surgical lung biopsy for diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) in selected patients. To shed light on the risk–benefit ratio for this recommendation, we examined the morbidity and mortality associated with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) lung biopsy in a group of outpatients. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 68 consecutive ambulatory patients with radiographically apparent interstitial lung disease (ILD) referred for VATS biopsy during a 6-year period. Incidence of postoperative mortality, prolonged air leaks, pneumonias, and re-admissions were calculated. Risk factors for complications of surgery were examined. Results Three deaths occurred within 60 days after biopsy for a mortality rate of 4.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1% to 12%), and 19.1% (95% CI, 11% to 31%) experienced one or more complications of surgery. Risk factors for morbidity included preoperative dependence on oxygen therapy and pulmonary hypertension. The three patients who died had usual interstitial pneumonia on their biopsy specimen and were reintubated postoperatively for acute lung injury. Aggregation of articles published over the past 10 years reporting on surgical lung biopsy for the diagnosis of ILD yielded a postoperative mortality rate of 2% to 4.5%. Conclusions VATS lung biopsy for diagnosis of ILD, even in ambulatory patients, is not an entirely benign procedure. Biopsy rarely may trigger an acute exacerbation of usual interstitial pneumonitis. The risk of postoperative complications appears to be greatest in those dependent on oxygen and those who have pulmonary hypertension. This information may be used in weighing the risk–benefit ratio of biopsy in individual patients.
Birdshot retinochoroidopathy: immunopathogenesis, evaluation, and treatment.

Birdshot retinochoroidopathy (BSR) is a putative organ-specific autoimmune ocular inflammatory disease associated with the HLA-A29 allele. This is one of the strongest HLA associations reported for any human disease. Understanding the immunopathogenesis of BSR is important not only to ophthalmologists but also to clinicians and scientists in other disciplines who are interested in autoimmune disease. Birdshot retinochoroidopathy is a bilateral posterior uveitis. There is evidence for inflammation primarily of the inner retina early in the disease, with subsequent involvement of the outer retina and choroid, the latter resulting in the characteristic hypopigmented choroidal ‘‘birdshot’’ lesions. Retinal vasculitis may precede the development of the choroidal lesions, and some aspects of the disease are similar to idiopathic retinal vasculitis in HLAA29–positive individuals. The care of patients with BSR can be quite challenging. There are many causes of decreased vision in patients with BSR, but patients often complain of disabling visual disturbances even with good Snellen visual acuity. Electrophysiology and other ancillary testing may help to guide therapy, but this remains to be established. This article reviews the features of BSR that are important for understanding the immunopathogenesis of the disease and the management of individuals with BSR.
A 3100-year history of argon isotopic and compositional variation at El Chichón volcano

Abstract El Chichon volcano has produced at least 11 eruptive events in the past 8000 years, all of which display a relatively constant trachyandesitic composition. The constancy of the eruptive products attests to the tapping of a long-lived magma chamber and suggests a system held in steady state between the influx of basaltic magma and differentiation of resident magma. We have sampled eruptive products from eight of these events, subjecting their dominant phenocryst phases (plagioclase and hornblende) to argon isotopic analysis in order to investigate the dynamics of a steady state magmatic system. Plagioclase from the older eruptions, 1500 yr BP, 1600 yr BP, 2000 yr BP and 3100 yr BP, display variable enrichment of 40 Ar (excess argon), whereas hornblende from the same eruptions shows little or no enrichment. In contrast, both plagioclase and hornblende phenocrysts from the younger eruptions in 1982, 550 yr BP, 900 yr BP and 1250 yr BP have argon isotopic ratios near-atmospheric values. Isochron analysis of these mineral phases rules out xenocrystic contamination as the source of excess argon, while mafic enclaves and isotopic and compositional zoning evidence frequent recharge events, suggesting the source of this argon is most likely the same as the source of this basaltic magma; correlation with Cl points to melt/vapor inclusions as the primary host for Ar within the phenocrysts. Argon isotopic variations point to a disturbance of the system between 1500 yr BP and 1250 yr BP, while compositional evidence for a major mafic input is present in the 900 yr BP eruption, indicating a complex relationship between recharge and isotopic signature of eruptive products. The amount of excess argon within a plagioclase phenocryst are a function of variations in melt and vapor inclusion abundance, time elapsed between melt/vapor inclusion entrapment and eruption, variations in Ar abundance in melt (itself a function of vapor exsolution timing) and time variations in Ar isotopic composition of the melt; subdued behavior of hornblende is due to slower diffusion and minimal inclusions.
A Comparison of the Effects of Practice Tests and Traditional Review on Performance and Calibration

The impact of practice tests on students' calibration and exam performance for multiple-choice and essay items was investigated. The participants were 59 graduate students enrolled in 1 of 2 sections (practice tests and no practice tests) of an introductory research methods in education course. Practice tests were associated with significantly lower scores on the midterm multiple-choice items and less accurate predictions and postdictions on those items. High-achieving students were more accurate in their calibrations than low-achieving students. Among low-achieving students, prediction and postdiction accuracy was significantly higher for essay than for multiple-choice items. In open-ended responses, a large percentage of students who took the practice tests indicated that they were a beneficial review strategy.
Haloperidol reduces smoking of both nicotine-containing and denicotinized cigarettes.

Rationale: Studies with laboratory animals and humans suggest that dopamine may play a role in maintaining cigarette smoking behavior via its interactions with nicotine. Objectives: This study was designed to replicate and extend previous findings showing that the dopamine D2 antagonist, haloperidol, produces blockade of smoking reward and compensatory increases in smoking. Methods: We studied 20 subjects in a 2×3 within-subjects design, with nicotine-containing or denicotinized cigarettes crossed with oral placebo, haloperidol 1 mg, or haloperidol 2 mg. Subjects attended six sessions during which they received one of the cigarette/drug combinations, and smoked under both controlled and ad libitum conditions. Cigarette and mood ratings and smoking behavior were assessed. Results: Haloperidol reduced the number of cigarettes smoked and the carbon monoxide boost associated with both types of cigarettes, at doses that did not appear to produce clinically significant behavioral effects. Conclusions: Dopamine appears to play a role in mediating smoking behavior, but this may occur through a non-nicotine mechanism.
Preparation of a compound which may be hydroge isocyanide

Abstract To hydroge isocyanid, long-postulated isomer of hydrogen cyanide, may be attributed a small negative peak which was observed with a 90Sr detector. Tentative partial identification by synthesis of the compound is here reported. The peak appeared repeatedly in a study of the pyrolytic gas chromatography of the substituted barbituric acids.
Application of wave mixing in photorefractive materials to laser ultrasonics

Laser ultrasonics is a novel technology that marries ultrasonics with lasers and optics. Ultrasonics allows us to probe inside materials to see hidden flaws, and it is widely used to measure thicknesses. By using lasers for the generation and detection of ultrasound, operations on complex-shaped parts or at elevated temperatures, which are difficult or not possible with conventional piezoelectric-based methods, are now readily feasible. Passive interferometers like the Fabry-Perot can be advantageously replaced by active or adaptive interferometers based on wave mixing in photorefractive materials. We have explored three approaches. The first one is two-wave mixing in which the signal beam, which acquires phase shift and speckle after reflection on the surface in motion, is mixed in the crystal with a pump wave to produce a speckle-adapted reference wave that propagates in the same direction as the transmitted signal wave and interferes with it. The second one uses the same mixing scheme without optical detectors, the signal being observed on electrodes attached to the crystal (photoelectromotive force). The third one strips the signal beam from its speckle by sending it onto a double-phase conjugate mirror. The speckle-free beam is then mixed with a reference beam in a conventional (preferably heterodyne) two-wave interferometer. Since optimum sensitivity and rapid response are required, the two-mixing approach is preferred.
Determining certainty factors with the analytic hierarchy process

Certainty factors are intended to measure the certainty of expert system rules. Since certainty factors represent a change in the probability of a hypothesis, given additional information about an event, a rule's certainty factor depends on the difference between posterior and prior probabilities. Developers of the MYCIN expert system (originators of the certainty factor concept) abandoned Bayes' Theorem and the p-function because they felt there were large areas of expert knowledge and intuition that, although amenable in theory to the frequency analysis of statistical probability, defied rigorous analysis, in part, because experts resisted expressing their reasoning process in coherent probabilistic terms. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) facilitates the practical acquisition of experts' knowledge and intuition in a way that produces ratio scale likelihoods with a theoretical basis that conforms to Bayes Theorem and the p-function. Although AHP is well known by decision analysts, it has not yet been widely applied to expert systems applications. We show how AHP can be used to develop prior and posterior probabilities and how these probabilities can be used to calculate certainty factors for expert system rules.
Twice daily ceftriaxone therapy for serious bacterial infections in children

The clinical efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone, a long half-life cephalosporin were evaluated in 48 children with a variety of serious bacterial infections. Clinical cure was achieved in 92% (44 of 48) of patients. Peak serum bactericidal titres for Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Str. pyogenes and Escherichia coli were greater than or equal to 1:1024. Mean peak and trough ceftriaxone levels were 173 and 42 mg/l, respectively. Mild and transient diarrhoea was observed in 10% of patients. Laboratory side effects encountered were eosinophilia, thrombocytosis and neutropenia in another 8%. Ceftriaxone is a useful antibiotic for common childhood infections. Its prolonged half-life allows twice daily administration which reduces problems related to intravenous therapy as well as the cost and personnel time.
Elevated Egr-1 in Human Atherosclerotic Cells Transcriptionally Represses the Transforming Growth Factor-β Type II Receptor

Abstract Atherosclerotic lesions may progress due to a “failure to die” by vascular repair cells. Egr-1, a zinc finger transcription factor, is elevated more than 5-fold in human carotid lesions relative to the adjacent tunica media. Lesion cells in vitro also express 2–3-fold higher Egr-1 mRNA and protein levels but express much lower levels of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) Type II receptor (TβR-2) and are functionally resistant to the antiproliferative effects of TGF-β. Lesion cells fail to express a TβR-2 promoter/chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) construct but overexpress an Egr-1-inducible platelet-derived growth factor-A promoter/CAT construct. Transfection of Egr-1 cDNA represses TβR-2/CAT constructs but induces PDGF-A/CAT. Egr-1 transfection reduces the levels of TβR-2 and confers resistance to the antiproliferative effect of TGF-β1. Egr-1 can interact directly with both the −143 Sp1 site and the positive regulatory element 2 (PRE2) (ERT/ets) region of the TβR-2 promoter. Thus, although activating a family of stress-responsive genes, Egr-1 also transcriptionally represses one of the major inhibitory pathways that restrains vascular repair.
Human tumour antigens defined by cytotoxicity and proliferative responses of cultured lymphoid cells

The long-term goal of many laboratories has been to develop cellular reagents having specific reactivity against human tumour cells. Such immune cells should prove useful for defining the antigenicity of human malignancies and may have important therapeutic potential, as has been clearly shown in some animal models1. Here we describe methods of initiating continued lymphocyte cultures (CLC) having specific anti-tumour reactivity using conditioned media containing interleukin-2 (IL-2).
Malaria's Missing Number: Calculating the Human Component of R0 by a Within-Host Mechanistic Model of Plasmodium falciparum Infection and Transmission

Human infection by malarial parasites of the genus Plasmodium begins with the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Current estimates place malaria mortality at over 650,000 individuals each year, mostly in African children. Efforts to reduce disease burden can benefit from the development of mathematical models of disease transmission. To date, however, comprehensive modeling of the parameters defining human infectivity to mosquitoes has remained elusive. Here, we describe a mechanistic within-host model of Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans and pathogen transmission to the mosquito vector. Our model incorporates the entire parasite lifecycle, including the intra-erythrocytic asexual forms responsible for disease, the onset of symptoms, the development and maturation of intra-erythrocytic gametocytes that are transmissible to Anopheles mosquitoes, and human-to-mosquito infectivity. These model components were parameterized from malaria therapy data and other studies to simulate individual infections, and the ensemble of outputs was found to reproduce the full range of patient responses to infection. Using this model, we assessed human infectivity over the course of untreated infections and examined the effects in relation to transmission intensity, expressed by the basic reproduction number R0 (defined as the number of secondary cases produced by a single typical infection in a completely susceptible population). Our studies predict that net human-to-mosquito infectivity from a single non-immune individual is on average equal to 32 fully infectious days. This estimate of mean infectivity is equivalent to calculating the human component of malarial R0. We also predict that mean daily infectivity exceeds five percent for approximately 138 days. The mechanistic framework described herein, made available as stand-alone software, will enable investigators to conduct detailed studies into theories of malaria control, including the effects of drug treatment and drug resistance on transmission.
What Genes Can’t Do. Lenny Moss. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003, 228 pp., $34.95, hardcover. ISBN 0-262-13411-X.

No one equivocates over the meaning of the term “DNA”, which is simply the abbreviation for the term that describes the general chemical properties of a molecule, nor would anyone quibble with the discovery of the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick some 50 years ago as one of the seminal events in the history of genetics. And what is the composition of the genes of all higher life forms but DNA? Then why is there so much trouble agreeing on what we mean by the word “gene”? Lenny Moss is not the first, nor will he be the last, to tackle the various connotations of “gene” and explore their …
A Comparison of the Item Difficulty and Item Discrimination of Multiple-Choice Items Using the "None of the Above" and One Correct Response Options

Twelve multiple-choice items in a college statistics examination were written in three formats: (a) one correct answer, (b) "none of the above" as a foil, and (c) "none of the above" as the correct...
Neurodevelopmental influences in the genesis and epigenesis of schizophrenia: An overview

Abstract The classical view of schizophrenia as a dementing disorder has recently been challenged by several findings pointing to a prenatal/perinatal origin of at least some of the brain abnormalities seen in these patients. This article reviews evidence from a number of different fields, including postmortem neuropathology, in vivo neuroimaging, developmental neuropsychology, and obstetric epidemiology in assessing the viability of a neurodevelopmental perspective of schizophrenia. Although the case for viewing schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental condition is still circumstantial, and several gaps in this model remain, evidence from these diverse lines of inquiry converge to indicate at least a partial role of disturbances of brain development in the disorder's genesis and epigenesis.
Evaluation of thermobarometers for garnet peridotites

Twenty-one geothermometers and six geobarometers are evaluated for accuracy and precision for garnet lherzolites, with a suite of well-equilibrated xenoliths from kimberlites of northern Lesotho. Accuracy was tested by comparison of P-T estimates for a diamond-bearing and a graphite-bearing xenolith with the experimentally determined diamond-graphite univariant curve and by comparison of P-T estimates for phlogopite-bearing xenoliths to the high-temperature stability limit of phlogopite. Precision was evaluated by measuring the scatter of P-T estimates for each of four xenoliths from a wide range of P and T when many point analyses of the constituent minerals are used for P-T estimation. Most satisfactory is a thermobarometer composed of the uncorrected diopside-enstatite miscibility gap of Lindsley and Dixon (1976), combined with the uncorrected isopleths for aluminum in enstatite coexisting with pyrope of MacGregor (1974). The inflection observed in the northern Lesotho paleogeotherm cannot be an artifact of the method of temperature estimation.
Maintain, demolish, re-purpose: Policy design for vacant land management using decision models

Abstract Decline, measured in population growth rates, population levels, housing stock and economic activity, and associated increases in vacant land in urban areas, is a reality for cities and regions within the United States. However, planners increasingly see ‘decline’ as a development state to anticipate and a development strategy to consider. For example, a place may lose population while continuing to provide a high quality of life and social value. Vacant land is central to planning issues related to decline: some currently-occupied housing may likely become abandoned and demolished, yielding vacant lots, while some currently vacant lots may be inputs to alternative uses such as recreational space, urban farming or commercial uses. In this paper, we develop decision models that enable planners to generate a range of neighborhood-level development strategies that jointly optimize multiple objectives related to residential satisfaction, scale economies in development and equity. We apply these models to a case study of a small city. Model solutions may help planners understand how alternative model formulations are associated with spatial variation in active versus passive land uses, values of important output measures such as residential satisfaction, and the special role that vacant land plays in regional development policies that can be classified as smart growth or smart decline.
Endometrial adenocarcinoma with variable-level myometrial involvement limited to adenomyosis: A clinicopathologic study of 23 cases☆

Endometrial adenocarcinoma (EA) with myometrial involvement limited to foci of adenomyosis has been associated with a better 5-year survival than EA with myometrial invasion at the corresponding depth. We identified 23 cases of stage I EA diagnosed between 1975 and 1981 in which myometrial involvement was confined entirely to adenomyotic foci. Histopathological criteria used to determine adenomyotic involvement by EA included presence of endometrial stroma; presence of adjacent benign "marker" glands to indicate partial replacement of adenomyosis; either bulging expansion of the endomyometrial junction by EA or a smooth rounded contour of entirely intramyometrial tumor nests; and absence of peritumoral desmoplasia or stromal loosening around such foci. In any one case no single criterion was sufficient to differentiate adenomyotic involvement from true invasion; however, none of the cases showed the last phenomenon. Adenomyotic involvement extended to the inner third of the myometrium in 15 cases, the middle third in 6 cases, and the outer third in 2 cases. Twenty-one cases were pure adenocarcinoma, with one adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation (adenoacanthoma) and one adenosquamous carcinoma; 18 cases were FIGO grade 1 and 5 were FIGO grade 2. Adenomyosis containing atypical hyperplasia was seen in 13 cases, suggesting that EA may arise de novo in adenomyosis at variable levels in the myometrium. Current follow-up data were available for all patients, with 19 presently alive and free of disease. Four died of unrelated causes, three of whom had inner third involvement and one, middle third involvement. Twelve patients were treated with preoperative or postoperative radiation. This study supports previous smaller series suggesting that cases of EA in which myometrial involvement is limited to adenomyosis have a better prognosis than those with true myometrial invasion at an equivalent level and that adenocarcinoma may arise de novo in adenomyosis.
Emissions of p-dichlorobenzene and naphthalene from consumer products.

p-Dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) and naphthalene are classified as hazardous air pollutants and rank highly among chronic chemical hazards in US. residences. Sources of p-DCB and naphthalene include moth repellents and deodorizers typically used in closets, garment bags, and toilet bowls. Nearly pure concentrations of p-DCB and naphthalene are found in these products. p-DCB and naphthalene mass emission rates were determined for four different products placed in well-ventilated laboratory chambers as well as closets in a test house and in a garment bag. Concentrations were measured in bedrooms adjacent to closets where products were used. Emission rates varied considerably between products that contain p-DCB, primarily due to product packaging, and were generally suppressed when the product was used in closed closet or garments bags relative to products placed in well-ventilated chambers. This reduction appears to be due to lower air speeds in closets and garment bags as opposed to chemical accumulation. Variations in air temperature within typical ranges observed in homes can significantly influence emission rates of p-DCB and naphthalene. Concentrations of p-DCB and naphthalene in bedrooms adjacent to closets where moth repellents are used can exceed or approach odor thresholds. For this study, the concentrations exceeded or were within the upper few percentiles of those previously reported in residential indoor air. Based on a comparison of whole-house emission rates derived in a previous study, it appears that somewhere between 2% and 12% of homes in that study had active sources of p-DCB and between 5% and 15% had active sources of naphthalene. Implications Inhalation of p-DCB and naphthalene has been linked to several health effects. Several off-the-shelf consumer products are nearly pure p-DCB or naphthalene, thus leading to potential for high emission rates and gas-phase concentrations in indoor environments where such products are used. Knowledge of p-DCB and naphthalene emission rates and variability in emissions with environmental conditions should provide for improvements in predictions of indoor concentrations of these compounds, which are in turn needed to complete exposure and inhalation risk assessments.
Interfacial mixing in a highly stratified estuary 2. A ``method of constrained differences'' approach for the determination of the momentum and mass balances and the energy of mixing

[1] This article is part 2 of a set of papers addressing mixing in a highly stratified estuary. In Part 2, turbulence and mean flow measurements are together used to understand the role of mixing in the overall dynamics of the system. Estimates of the partition of energy dissipation between bed-generated and internal mixing suggest that internal mixing accounts for about two thirds of the total turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) produced in the salt-wedge reach of the Columbia River estuary during the neap-tide, moderate river-flow observation period. This suggests that internal mixing plays a larger role in the energetics of such systems than has previously been recognized. The lack of near-bed mixing on the neap is also likely a major factor in the accumulation of sediment in the estuary on neap tides. Profiles of estimated turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation were obtained using a new approach, which we call the “method of constrained differences,” that allows the calculation of all major terms in the momentum and density balances during ebb mixing events from data obtained by a single vessel. The method of constrained differences uses a local equilibrium turbulence closure and measured velocity and density profiles to determine the density flux divergence necessary for internal consistency in the momentum and mass equations. The calculated mixing rates from the iterative procedure compare favorably with measured dissipation rates, tending to validate both the measurements and the procedure. Although this method involves a constraint of the form of a known or inferred stress at some point in the water column, it has the potential for wide application, especially if point measurements of TKE dissipation rates are available.
Role of Occlusive Devices to Prevent Thromboembolism Among Persons With a Patent Foramen Ovale and Prior Stroke

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been linked to stroke, presumably through the mechanism of paradoxical embolism; however, data is confusing regarding the causal relationship between PFO and embolic stroke. What has come to light in the past decade of research is that PFO closure with devices that achieve a high rate of closure may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke compared with medical therapy, but this benefit has not been shown in the general population with a PFO and cryptogenic stroke. The important question now is which patient will benefit from PFO closure for stroke risk reduction. A validated risk prediction tool is needed to help physicians determine those patients who will derive benefit from closure of PFO to prevent recurrent stroke. It is clear that even in studies with a small number of individuals and a very small number of events, there is some benefit to closure. Furthermore, improvements in closure devices and techniques have made percutaneous device closure both safe and efficacious. As such, it is not necessary to wait for a patient to have two strokes prior to serious consideration of PFO closure. We would advocate that the decision to close a PFO in the setting of a cryptogenic stroke be made at an individual level, on a case-by-case basis. Patients with high-risk features may be more likely to benefit, though who exactly comprises this population is still being elucidated. The most difficult aspect of managing this disease is the substantial number of individuals with incidental PFOs, as well as the prevalence of stroke due to other etiologies. When treating this disease, the physician must be able to weigh the likelihood of benefit versus the risk of the procedure, as well as patient preference.
The Unintended Effects of a Posted Sign on Littering Attitudes and Stated Intentions

Abstract The effects of an anti-littering sign that read “We treat litterbugs like all insects” were compared with those for a sign that read “Please save our landscape; don't litter.” Subjects were 350 college students, studying the natural environment and 100 noncollege adults visiting a state park. The subjects analyzed the signs and responded to a seven-item attitude questionnaire (before or after analyzing the two signs). The results suggest that the ambiguously worded “litterbug” sign was interpreted differently by individuals within the various groups and also that it did not encourage an anti-littering attitude, nor did it affect stated intentions to litter.
Binding of an exciton to a neutral acceptor

Abstract The dissociation energy, ED, of an exciton bound to a neutral acceptor is calculated as a function of the electron to hole mass ratio. For a variation of the electron to hole mass ratio of between 0.1 and 1.0, the calculated ratio of ED to the acceptor ionization energy, Ei, is found to vary between 0.075 and 0.13. This variation is in agreement with the experimental values of the ratio found for a number of different acceptors in Si, Ge, GaAs and various II-VI compounds.
Poly[(1,4-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(1,3-phenylenevinylene)]s with different length of side chain: their synthesis and optical properties

Poly[(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(1,3-phenylenevinylene)]s (PpPVmPVs) with various length of alkyl side chains have been synthesized by using Wittig reaction. Polymer structure and olefin bond geometry (cis- and trans-CHCH) are characterized by spectroscopic methods. Soluble PpPVmPV 6 with high content of trans-CHCH requires side chain as short as n-propyl, partially attributed to the presence of m-phenylene linkage along the polymer backbone. PpPVmPV 3 with predominant cis-CHCH linkage further improves the polymer solubility, indicating a large impact of olefin bond geometry to the polymer solubility. Fluorescence quantum efficiency measurement shows that the alkyl chain length has little influence on the luminescence of PpPVmPV.
Oxidative DNA Damage in Mouse Heart, Liver, and Lung Tissue Due to Acute Side-Stream Tobacco Smoke Exposure

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a hotly debated social, political, and scientific issue, pitting smokers' rights against the health and safety of nonsmokers. Striking an acceptable balance between the two depends largely on the potential health hazard assessment of ETS. Studies from this laboratory have shown that exposure to side-stream cigarette smoke (SSS), the major component of ETS, significantly increases oxidative stress in mouse heart, liver, and lung tissues. This study measures the level of oxidative damage to mouse liver, lung, and heart DNA as a result of this oxidative stress. Adult female Balb/c mice were exposed to a regimen consisting of sequences of a 30-min exposure followed by a 90-min nonexposure. This regimen was performed once for the single exposure and repeated three times for the triple exposure. The heart, lung, and liver were excised from the mice, and DNA was extracted and analyzed for the presence of the oxidative product 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). In all three tissues, the exposure increased the presence of 8-OHdG above the control levels. In some instances, the increased levels returned to normal by the end of the nonexposure period, while other tissues showed a further increase following nonexposure. These studies demonstrate that limited exposure to SSS produces measurable DNA oxidative damage.
Dynamic voltage-frequency scaling in body area sensor networks using COTS components

Body area sensor networks (BASNs) have implicit stringent power requirements to meet battery life and form factor expectations, especially in long-term medical monitoring applications. The largest power consumer in BASNs is typically the wireless transceiver, so recent research has focused on increasing on-node signal processing to reduce the number of bits for wireless transmission. This shift increases the importance of power efficient signal processing. Given that the processing workloads and throughput requirements can change dynamically in a BASN, dynamic voltage-frequency scaling (DVFS) becomes an attractive option for providing the necessary processing rate with the minimum power. However, commercial off the shelf (COTS) components typically used in BASN nodes are not designed for DVFS. This paper characterizes the DVFS capabilities of a COTS processor commonly used on BASN nodes -- the TI MSP430 -- and explores the usefulness of these capabilities within the context of BASN applications.
Adipokinetic hormone causes formation of a low density lipophorin in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus

In the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, injection of adipokinetic hormone induces the formation of a low density lipophorin via uptake of diacyglycerol from the fat body. Cricket low density lipophorin contains apolipophorin-III, which was purified and partially characterized. Cricket apolipophorin-III has a molecular weight of about 18,000, is not glycosylated, and has an isoelectric point of 4.8. Its amino acid composition is more similar to apolipophorin-III from Locusta migratoria than to that from Manduca sexta. The amino terminal sequence of cricket apolipophorin-III shows only limited homology to the amino terminal sequences of apolipophorin-III from L. migratoria and M. sexta.