cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Clostridium perfringens as a tracer of sewage contamination in sediments by two enumeration methods

A traditional method of enumerating Clostridium perfringens using membrane filtration (MF) as an indicator of fecal contamination was compared to recently developed rapid method using Rapid Fung Double Tube (RFDT) in an evaluation to characterize the extent of sewage contamination in sediments of the Great Lakes. Evaluation of these two methods included determining C. perfringens concentrations and recovery efficiencies from sewage, sewage-spiked sediments, and water (surface and bottom) and sediment samples collected from two Great Lakes. The RFDT method proved to be a superior method for identifying C. perfringens in lake sediments compared to MF, as it had higher recovery efficiency and was more rapid, reliable, simple, and effective. This study provides biological evidence of the long-term deposition and movement of sewage particulates in the Great Lakes environment and demonstrates the potential usefulness of C. perfringens as a tracer for sewage contamination using a reliable enumeration method.
T Cell Receptor Microcluster Transport through Molecular Mazes Reveals Mechanism of Translocation

Recognition of peptide antigen by T cells involves coordinated movement of T cell receptors (TCRs) along with other costimulatory and signaling molecules. The spatially organized configurations that result are collectively referred to as the immunological synapse. Experimental investigation of the role of spatial organization in TCR signaling has been facilitated by the use of nanopatterned-supported membranes to direct TCR into alternative patterns. Here we study the mechanism by which substrate structures redirect TCR transport. Using a flow-tracking algorithm, the ensemble of TCR clusters within each cell was tracked during synapse formation under various constraint geometries. Shortly after initial cluster formation, a coordinated centripetal flow of ∼20 nm/s develops. Clusters that encounter substrate-imposed constraint are deflected and move parallel to the constraint at speeds that scale with the relative angle of motion to the preferred centripetal direction. TCR transport is driven by actin polymerization, and the distribution of F-actin was imaged at various time points during the synapse formation process. At early time points, there is no significant effect on actin distribution produced by substrate constraints. At later time points, modest differences were observed. These data are consistent with a frictional model of TCR coupling to cytoskeletal flow, which allows slip. Implications of this model regarding spatial sorting of cell-surface molecules are discussed.
Improved cryopreservation of domestic cat sperm in a chemically defined medium

Abstract The objective was to compare a proprietary egg yolk-based cryopreservation medium with a chemically defined soy-based medium, as well as to examine effects of temperature of glycerol addition on sperm parameters and IVF after freezing and thawing of domestic cat sperm. Semen was collected from adult cats (four males and three ejaculates per male), divided in four equal aliquots, and extended in either egg yolk with 4% glycerol added before (EYG) or after (EY) cooling to 5 °C, or soy-lecithin with 4% glycerol added before (SLG) or after (SL) cooling to 5 °C. Extended sperm were frozen in straws over liquid nitrogen vapor. Sperm progressive motility (%) and rate of progressive movement (scale of 0–5) were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 24 h post-thaw. Sperm capacitation, acrosome integrity, and DNA integrity were assessed at 15 min post-thaw. Effects of media (EY or SL) on IVF success was also examined (three males and three ejaculates per male). Sperm motility was greater (P 0.05) between cryodiluents in embryo cleavage, percentage of embryos reaching blastocyst, or cell number per blastocyst. The chemically defined, soy-based medium resulted in better preservation of long-term motility and capacitation status of frozen-thawed domestic cat sperm compared with a commercial egg yolk-based extender, without compromising fertilizing ability.
Some in vivo effects of chelation. I. Rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract The use of NaEDTA as an intravenous therapeutic procedure for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is described. One case, that of a 4 1 2 - year old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis of 2 1 2 - years duration, is considered in detail.
Photoperiod: Its importance as an impeller of pineal and seasonal reproductive rhythms

A number of long day breeding rodents depend on seasonal changes in photoperiodic length to synchronize their breeding seasons with the appropriate time of the year. These relationships are particularly conspicuous in the Syrian hamster where day length is vitally important in determining periods of sexual activity and inactivity. The organ in the body whose activity is most closely attuned to the photoperiodic environment is the pineal gland. During periods of darkness the biochemical and secretory activity of the pineal is enhanced with the resultant production of antigonadotrophic principles which are strongly suppressive to reproductive physiology. In this manner, decreasing day lengths of the fall are involved with suppressing sexual capability in male and female hamsters. Throughout the winter months darkness (because of the shorter day lengths and the fact that hamsters remain underground in lightless burrows) holds the gonads in an atrophic condition and thereby prevents hamsters from breeding. As spring approaches the neuroendocrine reproductive axis becomes refractory to the inhibitory effects of darkness and the pineal gland and, as a consequence, the gonads recrudesce allowing the animals to successfully reproduce. The long days of the spring and summer serve to interrupt the refractory period so that when winter approaches shortening day lengths will again, by way of the pineal gland, induce gonadalinvolution. In this scheme both light and darkness are critically important in synchronizing the phases of the annual reproductive cycle of the hamster with the appropriate season of the year. Melatonin may be the pineal hormone which mediates the effects of darkness on reproductive physiology.
Neurochemical and neurohistological alterations in the rat and monkey produced by orally administered methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

MDMA is an amphetamine analog prescribed by some health professionals in the field of psychotherapy and used as a recreational drug by the general public. In recent reports, investigators have suggested that MDMA produces acute neurotoxicity when administered by subcutaneous injection. In order to determine if MDMA produces lasting neurochemical alterations after oral administration, groups of six rats (adult male Sprague-Dawley) were dosed by gavage with either 40 or 80 mg/kg of MDMA or saline vehicle once every 12 hr for 4 days. These rats were terminated 2 weeks after the first dose along with an additional group of rats (80 mg/kg) terminated 4 weeks after the first dose. Brain regions including the hippocampus (H), caudate nucleus (CN), hypothalamus (HY), frontal cortex (FC), and brain stem (BS) were analyzed by HPLC with electrochemical detection for concentrations of dopamine (DA), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and norepinephrine (NE). In the CN, 40 mg/kg MDMA produced no change in DA, DOPAC, or HVA, but a 50-60% decrease in 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations was observed at 2 weeks. Similar effects were observed at 80 mg/kg at both 2 weeks and 4 weeks. A temporary decrease was also seen in DA (21%) and in HVA (34%) 2 weeks but not 4 weeks after the 80 mg/kg dose regimen. In the H, MDMA (40 or 80 mg/kg) produced no change in NE, but a 50-60% decrease was seen in 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations at 2 weeks. Concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were significantly decreased in the HY and FC by all MDMA treatments, but DA and DOPAC concentrations were not altered as compared to vehicle controls. BS was least affected by treatment with no change in DA, DOPAC, or 5-HIAA concentrations and only a slight decrease in 5-HT (19-33%) concentrations at 2 weeks but not at 4 weeks. To determine the sensitivity of the nonhuman primate to MDMA, a total of nine rhesus monkeys were dosed with vehicle or 5 or 10 mg/kg MDMA (n = 3) by gastric intubation twice per day for 4 days. One month after MDMA dosing, a dose-related reduction from vehicle control values for 5-HT and 5-HIAA was observed. These results indicate that the monkey may be more sensitive than the rat to the persistent serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The Impact of the Bulk Modulus of Diesel Fuels on Fuel Injection Timing

In this paper, we examine the interaction between the bulk modulus of compressibility of various fuel samples and its effect on fuel injection timing. The fuels considered range from soy oil-derived biodiesel, unrefined soybean oil, and paraffinic solvents to ultralow-sulfur and conventional diesel fuels. Both the impact on injection timing and the variation in the bulk modulus of compressibility are measured. The present work confirms that the higher bulk modulus of compressibility of vegetable oils and their methyl esters leads to advanced injection timing with in-line pump−line−nozzle fuel injection systems. This has been shown in the literature to contribute to the well-documented increase in NOx emissions with the use of biodiesel fuel. An opposite trend, a retarding of injection timing, is observed with paraffinic fuels, because they have a lower bulk modulus of compressibility than conventional diesel fuels. This supports the observation that paraffinic fuels such as Fischer−Tropsch diesel yield lo...
Measurement and analysis of electronic energy transfer between Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions in Cs2NaY1−x−y TbxEuyCl6

Abstract Electronic energy-transfer processes between Tb 3+ 5 D 4 ) and Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 ) ions in crystalline Cs 2 NaY 1−x−y Tb x Eu y Cl 6 compounds are examined over a wide range of relative Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ concentrations (at sample temperature of 77 and 295 K). In these systems, the Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ ions are located at centrosymmetric (O h ) sites surrounded by six Cl − ions, and the minimum distance between these sites is ≈ 7.6 A. The host lattice has a cubic structure (space group O h 5 –Fm3m), and the phonon spectrum of this lattice has a cut-off frequency of ≈ 300 cm −1 . The optical spectra of Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ in Cs 2 NaYCl 6 exhibit relatively sparse line structures, consisting almost entirely of magnetic-dipole origin lines and one-phonon-assisted electric-dipole vibronic lines that reflect O h selection rules and have relatively low oscillator strenghts. Overlap between Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 ) emission and Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 ) absorption spectra occurs only within the Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 → 7 F 4 and Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 → 5 D 0 transition regions, and resonances between individual lines in these regions are used to identify possible pathways for Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 )-to-Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 ) energy transfer. Rates of energy transfer are determined from time-resolved Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 ) luminescence intersity measurements, analyzed in terms of two different models for representing donor (Tb 3+ )-acceptor (Eu 3+ ) site distributions in Cs 2 NaY 1−x−y Tb x Eu y Cl 6 systems. In one model, donor-accepator site distances are represented by a continuous radial distribution function, whereas in the second model, these distances are represented by a discrete distribution function. Both models are used to analyze donor luminescence decay data in terms of rate parameters that reflect specific mechanistic contributions to electronic energy transfer. Both electron-exchange and multipole-multipole mechanisms are considered in the analyses. Results from these analyses, combined with spectral overlap considerations and comparisons of 77 versus 295 K rate data, suggest an electric-quadrupole/electric-dipole mechanism in which a 5 D 4 (T 1g → 7 F 4 (T 1g ) electric-quadrupole transition on Tb 3+ excites a 7 F 0 (A 1g ) + v 4 (t 1u → 5 D 0 (A 1g ) electric-dipole (vibronic) transition on Eu 3+ . Rate data obtained on systems of stoichiometric formulae Cs 2 NaY 0.95−x Tb x Eu 0.05 Cl 6 show that Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 )- to-Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 ) energy-transfer rates a Tb 3+ −Tb 3+ energy-migration processes when tx > 0.05. Direct calculations of Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 )-Eu 3+ ( 7 F 0 , 7 F 1 ) and Tb 3+ ( 5 D 4 -Tb 3+ ( 7 F 6 ) multipole-multipole interaction parameters are performed, and the parameters obtained from these calculations are compared to those derived from parametric fits of experimentally observed rate data. Discrepancies between calculated and ovserved rate parameters are large, and possible explanations for these discrepancies are discussed.
A generalized chromatic polynomial, acyclic orientations with prescribed sources and sinks, and network reliability

Abstract Suppose G=(V,E) is a graph and K, K′, K″ are subsets of V such that K⊆K′ ∩ K″. We introduce and study a polynomial P(G,K,K′,K″; λ) in λ. This polynomial coincides with the classical chromatic polynomial P(G; λ) when K=V. The results of this paper generalize Whitney's characterizations of the coefficients of P(G; λ) and the work of Stanley on acyclic orientations. Furthermore, we establish a connection between a family of polynomials associated with network reliability and a family of polynomials associated with P(G,K,K′,K″; λ).
An update on the pharmacological treatment of obesity

Objective: To review the commonly utilized pharmacological options for the treatment of overweight and obese patients in the United States.Methods: A MEDLINE and EMBASE search, in English, between ...
Network news coverage of terrorism: the early years

Abstract The electronic media influence public opinion by defining which national and international issues become significant, and shape public debates by the television images conveyed to the American audience. Based upon the Vanderbilt Television News Archive, this study examines the image projected in reporting of terrorist activities by the three major national networks, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). The reality presented by the media is explored by comparing variables such as story emphasis and depiction, frequency, length of coverage, and location in the newscasts.
Quantitation of RNA‐dependent platelet DNA polymerase in patients with myeloproliferative disorders

Platelets from 28 patients with the myeloproliferative diseases (MPD) polycythaemia vera (9), essential thrombocythaemia (6), myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (5) and chronic myelogenous leukaemia (8) were examined for an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity using standardized conditions permitting highly reproducible quantitation. Low levels of activity were detected in platelets of normal individuals, but platelets of nearly all MPD patients (25/28) possessed higher levels. The polymerase activity correlated with diagnosis (P = 0.001) and did not correlate with platelet counts (P greater than 0.2). Quantitation of this RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity may be a useful parameter in the diagnosis of myeloproliferative disorders.
EFFECT OF QUALITY CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG DEPENDENCE ON ADDICTION OUTCOMES

Abstract We examined the effect of the quality of primary care-based chronic disease management (CDM) for alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) dependence on addiction outcomes. We assessed quality using (1) a visit frequency based measure and (2) a self-reported assessment measuring alignment with the chronic care model. The visit frequency based measure had no significant association with addiction outcomes. The self-reported measure of care—when care was at a CDM clinic—was associated with lower drug addiction severity. The self-reported assessment of care from any healthcare source (CDM clinic or elsewhere) was associated with lower alcohol addiction severity and abstinence. These findings suggest that high quality CDM for AOD dependence may improve addiction outcomes. Quality measures based upon alignment with the chronic care model may better capture features of effective CDM care than a visit frequency measure.
Does television induce suicidal contagion with adolescents

In an attempt to assess what adolescents think they would do if they knew of previous adolescent suicides, 116 high school students viewed a videotaped vignette of a distressed high school student and were asked to imagine that they were she. They were then given an information sheet summarizing the vignette. One third of the information sheets contained an embedded sentence that two friends had recently committed suicide, another third a sentence that two friends had recently died in an airplane crash, and one third contained no embedded sentence. Subjects were then asked to rate the likelihood that they would engage in various behavioral alternatives (commit suicide, run away, abuse alcohol, drive recklessly, seek psychological help, try harder at school, adapt to the situation) and the degree to which they blamed the various situational factors described in the vignette (school, friends, alcohol, parents). Subjects also completed the Reasons fGr Living Inventory (RFL). The only significant difference across groups was the significantly higher score of the suicide group on the fear of social disapproval scale of the RFL. Adolescents may not be influenced by news about suicide or they may just deny such influence.
Shear Testing of Precast Bridge Deck Panel Transverse Connections

AbstractPrecast deck panels are increasingly being used to reduce construction times as part of a push for accelerated bridge construction by some state departments of transportation. Despite the short-term benefits, the connections between panels have a history of serviceability problems. To evaluate the service and ultimate behavior of current and newly proposed connections, 12 push-off tests were performed on precast bridge deck transverse connections for shear. These tests used an improved shear specimen geometry that allowed the connection to deform in more realistic shear. This new test setup included spaces that allowed diagonal cracks to form and reinforcement to pull out of the connection. The push-off tests established the cracking and ultimate shear strengths of each connection detail. These details included a welded connection, an unreinforced grouted connection, and a post-tensioned-type connection tested with and without an applied compression force. Results of each detail type are compared....
Multi-Layer Greenfield Re-Grooming with Wavelength Defragmentation

Flexible network design for multi-granular and quasi-dynamic traffic is important to minimize resource requirements. In the wavelength layer, wavelength blocking must also be reduced to achieve further cost reduction. We propose a novel traffic accommodation scheme based on repetitive Greenfield Re-grooming with Wavelength Defragmentation (GRWD), which is similar to storage-disk defragmentation. Numerical evaluation shows the required minimum number of sets of transport equipment for the proposed scheme.
Postmenopausal estrogen therapy and depressive symptoms in older women.

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the effect of postmenopausal estrogen therapy on mood is limited. METHODS: To determine whether postmenopausal estrogen therapy is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in elderly women, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 6,602 white women ages 71 years or older who were recruited from population-based listings in Baltimore, Md; Minneapolis, Minn; Portland, Ore; and the Monongahela Valley, Pa. Use of estrogen and progestin was determined by interview. Participants completed the Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS) and were considered depressed if they reported 6 or more of 15 possible symptoms of depression. RESULTS: A total of 6.3% (72/1,150) of current estrogen users, 7.2% (142/1,964) of past estrogen users, and 9.0% (313/3,488) of never users reported 6 or more symptoms of depression (P=.004). Current estrogen users had a decreased risk of reporting 6 or more depressive symptoms, compared with not current (past or never) users of estrogen (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.9; P=.01), adjusted for living alone, bilateral oophorectomy, current smoking, physical activity, social network, self-perceived health, cognitive function, functional status, and antidepressant use. However, excluding women who use estrogen or progestin alone, we were unable to find an association between current use of combined estrogen plus progestin therapy and depressive symptoms (adjusted OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5 to 1.4; P=.5). CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study found that current use of unopposed estrogen was associated with a decreased risk of depressive symptoms in older women. Additional studies are needed to understand the effect of combined estrogen and progestin therapy on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in older women.
Deep inelastic scattering at small x

Abstract It is proved to all orders in the QCD coupling that the dominant contribution to deep inelastic scattering at small x is given by a purely gluon ladder diagram evaluated in a special region of phase space. In the axial gauge, while other planar and non-planar graphs are individually dominant in various regions of phase space, their sum cancels due to conservation of probability. One result of this analysis is that there is no leading pole at n = 1 in the singlet anomalous dimension, γ n , beyond order g 2 .
Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Salicylates III: Effect of Vitamin A on the Wound Healing Retardation Action of Aspirin

Vitamin A and vitamin E reverse the skin-wound healing retardation action of aspirin in rats. Vitamin A alone promotes healing and it also increases acid mucopolysaccharide synthesis in the granulation tissue. The possible mechanisms of action of vitamin A and aspirin on wound healing are discussed.
X‐RAY EFFECTS ON LENS DNA — IMPLICATIONS OF SUPEROXIDE(O2·‐)

The photochemical generation of superoxide (O(2)) during in vitro exposure of bovine lenses induced damage in the structure of lens DNA as indicated by hyperchromicity and Tm measurements. The damage in lens DNA was significantly protected by the inclusion of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate in the incubation medium before X-ray exposure. The protection by SOD, GSH and ascorbate occurred due to their interaction with O(2) radicals. These results thus indicate the deleterious effect of O(2) in lens physiology and the protective role of such compounds against radiation damage.
Thermoanalytical Studies on the Durable-Press Curing of Cellulose: Part II: The Effect of Nitrate Salts on the Thermal1 Behavior of Cotton

In the course of a series of thermoanalytical investigations on durable-press curing processes for cotton, attention has been focused on the acid salt catalysts. Studies on the sequence and nature of the chemical events occurring during heating through the tem perature range of a typical durable-press cure have been carried out by using differential thermal analysis ( DTA ) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Different methods of combining cotton and salt were compared. In one sequence, cotton was soaked with aqueous salt solutions; in another, the two solids were separated from each' other by a porous barrier. In a few instances, an aminoplast cross-linking resin was included in the reaction system.Among the detectable processes, when nitrate salts were used, was a strongly exo thermic reaction accompanied by a rapid weight loss, not characteristic of any one of the substances in the mixtures. This decomposition could be modulated with respect to temperature, rate, and extent, depending on the concentr...
Adsorption of water vapor by thorium oxide and the effects of water on the oxide

Abstract High-area thorium oxide, outgassed at 200°C, is covered by surface hydroxyl groups and strongly bound water molecules. Gravimetric sorption studies show that onto this hydration layer, a monolayer of water can be physically adsorbed. This physisorbed water slowly becomes more firmly bound, apparently as water of hydration of the surface hydroxyl. For one type of thorium oxide, the conversion proceeds more rapidly at relative pressures above 0.5, and adsorption-desorption cycling to 1.0 p/p 0 profoundly changes the nature of the surface to permit a discrete second step in the adsorption isotherm. The second step appears to be associated with restructuring processes. Nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) data for surface water point not only to a sluggish approach to an equilibrium state but also to the development of special structure in the multilayer region.
An improved technique for making permanent slide cultures of fungi

A double-over-glass technique used for preparing permanent slides of marine fungal spores is herein adapted to the standard slide culture technique. Fungal slide cultures made by this new method will last indefinitely.
A paired study of prairie carbon stocks, fluxes, and phenology: comparing the world's oldest prairie restoration with an adjacent remnant

We measured carbon (C) stocks and fluxes and vegetation phenology in the world's oldest prairie restoration (∼65 years) and an adjacent prairie remnant in southern Wisconsin from 2001–2004 to quantify structural and functional differences. While the species distributions and frequency differed, the number of species measured per 1 m2 quadrat were not significantly different (15.8±4.4 and 14.1±2.1 for remnant and planted [order for all reported values in abstract]; P=0.29), and the annual average aboveground net primary productivity (271±51 and 330±55 g C m−2) and peak leaf area index (2.9–4.9 m2 m−2) were comparable under similar fire management. Total root biomass was not significantly different in 2002 (1736±1062 and 1690±459 g dry matter m−2) or 2003 (3029±2081 and 2146±898 g m−2), but annual average soil respiration (1229±77 and 1428±24 g C m−2 yr−1) was significantly higher in the restoration (P<0.0001). However, the prairie remnant contained 37% greater soil C (P<0.0001) in the top 25 cm. Soil respiration response to 10 cm soil temperature (Q10) varied with respect to prairie and soil moisture conditions as annual Q10 values ranged from 2.5 to 3.6. We calculated a range of net ecosystem production (NEP) values using estimated heterotrophic respiration and three root turnover values. Average NEP varied from −1.4 to 1.9 and −2.3 to 1.3 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 for the remnant and planted prairies, respectively. While these two prairies share similar structural components and functional attributes, the large uncertainty in NEP casts doubt as to whether we can verify these prairies as C sources or sinks without direct measures of heterotrophic respiration and root turnover. We argue that quantitative studies of C exchange in prairies, which differ in restoration methodology, management intensity, and fire frequency, are needed to solidify the relationship between prairie structure and potentially desired functions such as C sequestration.
Early evolution in the Pinaceae

Abstract Nineteen species of structurally preserved ovulate cones of the Pinaceae are known from the Cretaceous. One of these belongs to Pinus , while the others contain anatomical features necessitating their classification in the organ genera Pityostrobus and Pseudoaraucaria . The six species of the latter group are very similar to one another and probably represent a natural, thought extinct, genus. By contrast, there is so much variety in the twelve Cretaceous species of Pityostrobus that when they are considered with respect to the uniformity of cone structure within each of the modern genera, each of the species of this organ genus may well reperesent an natural genus by itself. All expect one of these fossil forms contain features that are today characteristic of Pinus . This, combined with the Early Cretaceous occurrence of a structurally preserved Pinus cone, suggests that Pinus or something very close to it represents the phylogenetic centrum of the ancestral complex. Lack of cones showing distinct affinity with other modern genera supports this idea and further suggests that, while Pinus was in existence in the Early Cretaceous, other Recent genera of the Pinaceae may not have diverged from the complex until the Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary.
First do no harm: surrogate endpoints and the lesson of β-agonists in acute lung injury

Citation Matthay MA, Brower RG, Carson S, Douglas IS, Eisner M, Hite D, Holets S, Kallet RH, Liu KD, MacIntyre N, Moss M, Schoenfeld D, Steingrub J, Thompson BT: Randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of an aerosolized β-agonist for treatment of acute lung injury. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Clinical Trials Network. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011, 184: 561-568.
Integration of sensing networks into laminated composites

We summarize the methodology that we have used to address integrating sensing network into composite materials for structural self diagnosis. First, we have examined the effect of stress concentration that arises due to the embedment of sensors and external devices on the strength and endurance of laminated glass fiber composites. To analyze the mechanical response of the composite material under study subjected to in-plane or impact loads, we have fabricated a series of samples, with and without embedded (dummy) sensors/micro-processors, using S2 glass fiber/epoxy, and have characterized their response by acoustic emission. Guided by the corresponding results, we can select sensors and other necessary components in such way as to minimize the impact of the embedded electronics on the material integrity and, at the same time, to implement acoustic sensing monitoring functionalities within the material. A 4-tree hierarchical network of PVDF sensors capable of acquiring signals typically related to resin micro cracking phenomena has been developed and partially integrated into a cross ply laminate. The achieved results and ongoing research will be discussed.
Invisible Pollution: The Impact of Pharmaceuticals in the Water Supply

During the past decade, interest in the public and environmental health effects of trace levels of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the water supply has evolved. Although most pharmaceuticals are tested for human safety and efficacy prior to marketing and distribution, the potential for adverse effects in nontarget populations exposed to minute environmental medication doses has not been established. Several recent studies have demonstrated adverse effects from longstanding, low-dose exposures in both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, although human toxicity related to trace levels of pharmaceuticals in the water supply remains unknown. This article provides a brief overview of the routes through which pharmaceuticals are introduced into the environment; a description of the effects of longstanding, low-dose exposures in aquatic and terrestrial animals, including human health effects; an update on the current regulations and solutions regarding pharmaceutical disposal practices; and a discussion of implications for reducing pharmaceuticals in the environment for occupational health nurses and other allied health professionals.
Periprocedural myocardial ischemia in patients with severe symptomatic coronary artery disease udergoing endoscopy: Prevalence and risk factors

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for periprocedural myocardial ischemia associated with gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients with severe symptomatic coronary artery disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this prospective observational study, myocardial ischemia (ST segment change > 100 microV in any 2 leads or > 200 microV in any 1 lead, lasting > 60 seconds) was assessed using a continuous 12-lead digital electrocardiographic monitor before, during, and after gastrointestinal endoscopy. RESULTS Between June 1992 and May 1993, 1,084 esophagogastroduodenoscopies and 588 colonoscopies were performed during 1,438 consecutive endoscopies on patients admitted to a university hospital. Seventy (18%) of 252 patients with prior angiography had significant coronary artery disease. Fifty-two (74%) were successfully enrolled, and satisfactory electrocardiographic recordings were obtained from 49 (median age 65 years, interquartile range 58 to 74). Thirty-six were men, 12 had myocardial infarctions within the 6 weeks (median 12.5 days, interquartile range 8 to 18), and 25 had unstable angina. The coronary artery disease involved 1 vessel in 14 subjects, 2 vessels in 21, and 3 vessels in 14. Nineteen episodes of ischemia (4 pre-, 6 intra-, 9 postprocedure) were detected in 8 patients (16%; 95% confidence interval, 6% to 26%) during the recording period (median duration 322 min, interquartile range 227 to 429). One patient became symptomatic with a myocardial infarction. Multivariable logistic regression showed that women experienced more periprocedural ischemia compared to men (31% versus 11%; P = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS Myocardial ischemia occurs during the periprocedural period in 16% of hospitalized patients with severe coronary artery disease undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. Endoscopy is safe in hemodynamically stable patients with recent myocardial infarction and/or unstable angina. Women appear to be at greater risk for periprocedural ischemia associated with endoscopy.
Persistence of endothall in the aquatic environment

In a simulated lake impoundment 72% of added endothall [7-oxabicyclo-(2.2.1) heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid] persisted in water for 30 days due to prolonged dissolved O2 depletion following weedkill during this period. Rapid disappearance of endothall occurred only after the restoration of oxygenated and oxidizing conditions; under these conditions little or no endothall was detectable after 60 days. Degradation of endothall was slow in weed-free and quiescent sediment-water systems containing abundant overlying water (5 ml sediment, 200 ml water), even under aerobic conditions. The slowness of degradation was evidenced by the small amount of 14CO2 evolution and the persistence of intact endothall remaining in the water after 2 mo. Reducing the water volume 10-fold, i.e., 5 rnl sediment: 20 ml water, resulted in a 25-fold increase in the degradation of endothall in the Lake Mendota but not the Lake Tomahawk system. Slow degradation in the latter indicated that either the sediment contained low endothall-degrading microorganisms or rapid adsorption decreased the availability of the herbicide for microbial decomposition.
Laser physician legal responsibility for physician extender treatments.

Background and Objective Increased demand for non-invasive cosmetic laser procedures has led to an increase in the use of physician extenders (PE). This demand has now led to a variety of medical legal concerns surrounding the use of lasers by non-physician PE. Study Design This review looks at the evolution of the relationship between physicians and the various types of PE. The focus of the manuscript is on the variety of legal issues that may arise because of this relationship. Physicians are increasingly utilizing PE in their laser facilities leading to potential legal issues. Conclusions An understanding of these legal issues will lead to better defensive practices by both the physician and PE. Lasers Surg. Med. 37:105–107, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pain and spinal cysts in paraplegia: Treatment by drainage and DREZ operation

About 10% of paraplegics suffer from intractable pain. The onset of pain may be immediate or delayed for months to several years after the injury. The delayed onset of pain is highly suggestive of the development of a spinal cyst. This is a report of 18 paraplegics who developed a delayed onset of intractable pain who were found at the time of surgery to have associated spinal cord cysts. Treatment consisted of the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) operation in addition to evacuation of the cyst. Burning pain was the most common complaint occurring years after the trauma. In this study we compared the relationship between the onset and character of the pain, the time of the spinal injury, the operative findings, and the results of the DREZ procedure and evacuation of the traumatic spinal cyst. We believe that the combination of paraplegia, pain and spinal cyst has not been emphasized in the neurosurgical literature although it is well known that cystic formation can follow spinal trauma. Two patients developed spinal cysts with nontraumatic lesions of the spinal cord. A single cyst was found in 14 patients while four had two separate cysts. The diagnosis was made on the basis of history and clinical examination with radiographic confirmation using delayed CT scan and myelography and more recently magnetic resonance imaging. Intraoperative ultrasound was employed in the study of some patients. All patients were treated with combined DREZ lesions and evacuation of the cysts with good pain relief in 77.7%.
Improvements in glucose tolerance in obese males with abnormal glucose tolerance following 10 days of aerobic exercise.

Background. Aerobic exercise training has been shown to produce beneficial changes in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese individuals if performed at high enough intensities and/or durations. We examined the effects of a moderate intensity, short-term exercise training protocol on glucose tolerance in obese males with glucose intolerance. Methods. Fourteen abdominally obese, sedentary males with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 7) and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT; n = 7) completed 40 min of exercise bouts for 10 consecutive days at approximately 75% of age-predicted maximum heart rate. Fasting glucose and insulin levels, and glucose tolerance and insulin response to glucose were measured before and after the training period. Results. Participants did not experience significant mass loss during the 10-day investigation. Individuals in the AGT group experienced significant (P < 0.05) improvement in glucose tolerance [glucose area: 1,763.67 (255.98) mmol L-' x 120 min - 1 vs. 1,682.98 (266.91) mmol L - 1 x 120 min - 1 ] and fasting insulin levels [44.57 (7.58) μU mL - 1 vs. 36.14 (3.97) μU mL - 1 as a result of training. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions in fasting glucose concentrations [5.82 (0.19) mmol L - 1 vs. 5.42 (0.18) mmol L - 1 ] and a decrease in fasting insulin concentrations [44.71 (9.39) μU mL - 1 vs. 35.0 (7.15) μU mL - 1 ; P = 0.064] were observed in the NGT group following the training period. Conclusions. The data suggest that moderate, short-term exercise without concomitant mass loss is effective in improving glucose tolerance and insulin response to a glucose load in obese males with abnormal glucose tolerance.
Survival and growth of native and alien woody seedlings in open and understory environments

Abstract Although plant invasion is often facilitated by disturbance, several non-native trees and shrubs have successfully invaded intact forest habitats in northeastern North America. To better understand invasive plant performance in intact versus disturbed forest habitats, we compared survival, relative height growth rate, aboveground biomass allocation, and leaf area of alien and native woody seedlings. In replicated understory versus open treatment plots at two sites we planted three pairs of native and alien species that appear ecologically similar: sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides), arrow-wood (Viburnum dentatum) and glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), and silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) and autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata). Seedlings were protected from deer browsing by open-topped cages made of chicken wire. Norway maple survival in open and understory environments was greater than that of sugar maple, and autumn olive survival in understory environments was greater than that of silky dogwood. The species differed in their responses to open versus understory environments in height growth, aboveground biomass and leaf area. The four shrub species grew faster in the open, with glossy buckthorn growing faster than the others, while the two tree species did not differ in growth between the environments. Leaf mass per unit leaf area was greater in the open than in the understory for all six species, but the difference did not vary among species. Arrow-wood, silky dogwood, and autumn olive decreased leaf area per unit biomass in the understory, but variation in survival among species was not related to maintenance of leaf area ratio. Among the six species, the increase in biomass from understory to open environments was negatively correlated with growing season survival in the understory. This apparent trade-off relationship applied equally to native and alien species, indicating that release from physiological constraints does not explain the success of the invasive species.
THE TRADE DISCOUNT DECISION: A MARKOV CHAIN APPROACH*

Economic theory indicates that higher returns are required from investments that have higher risk. Two major reasons for offering trade discounts are to stimulate sales and to speed up cash receipts. Both sales increases and the earlier receipt of cash impact the risk/return characteristics of a firm. This study uses a Markov chain model to demonstrate how alternative trade credit policies impact the risk and required returns of a firm. The amount of risk and return per credit sale is calculated, and the coefficient of variation is used as a risk/return measure per credit sale. The study concludes that trade discounts can have a favorable impact on the risk/return characteristics of a firm, even in the absence of increased sales volume. Other discount decision factors which are either directly or indirectly determined in this paper include: (1) the average number of periods for which an account is outstanding, (2) the probability of collection and bad-debt losses over the average account period, (3) the average speed of payment, and (4) the average amount of cash tied up in accounts receivable.
Abnormal visual resolution of cats reared in stroboscopic illumination.

REARING animals in a visually restricted environment can lead to marked abnormalities of both the response properties of single visual neurones1–4 and the visual capacities of the organism5,6. These findings have important implications for understanding the development of human vision and have led to many studies of visually deprived humans7–9. Although there are similarities between the effects of deprivation in animals and humans there are still major difficulties in extrapolating from experimental deprivation to clinically observed amblyopia. There is, therefore, a need for quantitative psychophysical studies of visually deprived animals using the same tests as those used with human patients. We have quantified the pattern vision of visually deprived cats by measuring their spatial contrast sensitivity, an approach which has frequently been used to characterise the vision of human amblyopes7–9. We report here that the spatial resolution of cats reared in stroboscopic illumination is seriously impaired and that changes in their contrast sensitivity are similar to those seen in certain types of amblyopia.
The conformation of 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-D-xylono-l,5-lactone

Abstract A conformational analysis of 2,3,4-tri- O -acetyl-D-xylono-1,5-lactone ( 5 ) has been performed by using 1 H-n.m.r. spectral data. Evidence is presented that the C-3 and C-4 acetoxyl groups are anti -periplanar. The possible contribution of attractive 1,3- and 1,4-interactions between the electropositive lactone-ring oxygen and the endo -acetoxyl groups at C-3 and C-4 to the conformational stability of 5 is discussed.
Alternative cooperative strategies in a bargaining game

Shure, Meeker, and Hansford (1965), at the Systems Development Corporation (Santa Monica, California), have attempted to show the "effectiveness" of a pure "pacifist" strategy in a bargaining situation (hereafter referred to as the SMH game). Their experiment may be summarized as follows: 143 Ss were asked to transmit messages in a communications system with the following conditions and restraints: (1) all messages had to be entered into a communication channel with a total storage capacity of six message units, (2) each S could only enter one letter of the message at a time in the communication channel, (3) only a complete message, of five units, could be transmitted, (4) only one S could transmit at a time, because each S needed five of the six units of capacity within the common channel to transmit, (5) deadlock occurred and neither S could transmit if both Ss attempted to transmit at the same time, for example, if both entered three letters apiece into the common channel. (In such a situation, it was necessary for one of the Ss to withdraw two letters before the other could transmit) . The basic objective of the game was to send as many messages as possible during
Pulse generator with external amplitude control by computer.

Abstract Construction and function of an inexpensive pulse generator whose voltage can be externally controlled by computer are described.
On the Equipartition of Thermal and Nonthermal Energy in Clusters of Galaxies

Clusters of galaxies are revealing themselves as powerful sources of nonthermal radiation in a wide range of wavelengths. In order to account for these multifrequency observations, equipartition of cosmic rays (CRs) with the thermal gas in clusters of galaxies is often invoked. This condition might suggest a dynamical role played by cosmic rays in the virialization of these large-scale structures and is now testable through gamma-ray observations. We show here, in the specific case of the Coma and Virgo clusters, for which upper limits on the gamma-ray emission exist, that equipartition implies gamma-ray fluxes that are close to or even in excess of the EGRET limit, depending on the adopted model of CR injection. We use this limit to constrain the validity of the equipartition condition. We also show that, contrary to what was claimed in previous calculations, the equipartition assumption implies gamma-ray fluxes in the TeV range that can be detected even by currently operating gamma-ray observatories if the injection cosmic-ray spectrum is flatter than E-2.4.
Protein and Nitrogen Assimilation as a Factor in Predicting the Seasonal Macroalgal Diet of the Monkeyface Prickleback

Abstract The monkeyface prickleback Cebidichthys violaceus was fed monospecific diets of eight species of its preferred macroalgae each month (as available) for 1 year (May 1982-April 1983). Assimilation efficiencies were mostly above 70% for both protein and nitrogen despite considerable variation in these two constituents with respect to dietary species and season. Thus, the greatest amounts of protein and nitrogen are assimilated by this fish from algal species with the highest protein and nitrogen contents (the annual red algae Porphyra perforata, Microcladia coulteri, and Smithora naiadum). These are also the algae that have been shown to rank highest in laboratory preference experiments. Nevertheless, other species with lower protein and nitrogen contents are frequently more abundant in the diets of wild monkeyface pricklebacks. Additional factors, such as algal availability, must be considered in prediction of this fish's diet. Received December 7, 1983 Accepted April 8, 1984