cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations of performance-based and self-reported measures of visual function. The Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Objective : To describe and compare performance-based and self-reported measures of visual function and to evaluate how each varied with age and how the performance-based measures were associated with the responses to self-reported questions about visual function. Design : Population-based epidemiologic study. Participants : Adults participating in the first follow-up of the Beaver Dam Eye Study (n=3,722). Main outcome measures : Performance-based measures of vision including current binocular, best-corrected and near visual acuities, sensitivity to light as measured by an automated perimeter, contrast sensitivity, and self-reported measures from a standardized interview. Results : All performance-based and self-reported visual functions decreased with increasing age (p<0.0001 for each). On average, women did more poorly than men on all the performance-based measures (p<0.0001 for each), and on some of the self-reported measures. For both genders, correlations among the performance-based measures ra...
History and current status of scoring systems for critical care.

• Scoring systems for quantifying critical illness and predicting outcome are being used increasingly for resource utilization analysis and quality assurance purposes. The history of the development of these systems, the rationale for their use, and the data elements and statistical methods involved in these systems were reviewed. There are obvious advantages of scoring systems for the analysis of large groups of patients. At the same time, there are limitations of such systems in the treatment of individual patients. While improvement and refinement of existing scoring systems is likely to occur with time, these limitations must be kept in mind. (Arch Surg. 1992;127:352-356)
Molecular dynamics simulation of interactions between a sodium dodecyl sulfate micelle and a poly(ethylene oxide) polymer

We have performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of an anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle and a nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer in aqueous solution. The micelle consisted of 60 surfactant molecules, and the polymer chain lengths varied from 20 to 40 monomers. The force field parameters for PEO were adjusted by using 1,2-dimethoxymethane (DME) as a model compound and matching its hydration enthalpy and conformational behavior to experiment. Excellent agreement with previous experimental and simulation work was obtained through these modifications. The simulated scaling behavior of the PEO radius of gyration was also in close agreement with experimental results. The SDS-PEO simulations show that the polymer resides on the micelle surface and at the hydrocarbon-water interface, leading to a selective reduction in the hydrophobic contribution to the solvent-accessible surface area of the micelle. The association is mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions between the polymer and surfactant tails, while the interaction between the polymer and sulfate headgroups on the micelle surface is weak. The 40-monomer chain is mostly wrapped around the micelle, and nearly 90% of the monomers are adsorbed at low PEO concentration. Simulations were also performed with multiple 20-monomer chains, and gradual addition of polymer indicates that about 120 monomers are required to saturate the micelle surface. The stoichiometry of the resulting complex is in close agreement with experimental results, and the commonly accepted "beaded necklace" structure of the SDS-PEO complex is recovered by our simulations.
Natural convection inside a horizontal cylinder

The two vertical halves of the wall of a 4.3-in. I.D. cylinder were maintained at different uniform temperatures. The rate of circulation of air inside the cylinder and the local rate of heat transfer between the wall and air were derived from measurements of the velocity and temperature fields in the air for wall-temperature differences from 3.5° to 367°F. The overall rate of circulation was found to increase quite rapidly and then to decrease slowly as the wall-temperature difference was increased. The over-all Nusselt number based on the wall-temperature difference was found to have an approximately constant value of 7.0. Numerical solution of the partial differential equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy for this system was investigated with an IBM-650 magnetic drum computer. Instabilities in the computational procedure and limitations of this computer prevented solution of the general problem. However specification of the velocity field obtained from experiment yielded a numerical solution for the temperature field in good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Analysis of interceptor ditches for control of groundwater pollution

Abstract The concept of the dividing surface and streamline is introduced to delineate groundwater flow which is intercepted by partially penetrating ditches. The depth of the dividing surface or dividing streamline is used to quantify the degree to which the ditches act as hydraulic barriers to limit the spread of contaminated groundwater in shallow water table aquifers under steady-state conditions. An analytical solution is derived which relates this depth to the water table gradient, the head difference between the ditch stage and the aquifer, the ditch width and the ratio of the vertical to horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer. The roles of recharge, aquifer heterogeneity and ditch depth in controlling the depth of the dividing surface or streamline, and thereby the effectiveness of interceptor ditches, are examined by using a numerical model.
Small-Town College to Big-City School: Preparing Urban Teachers from Liberal Arts Colleges.

Abstract This paper describes a model program in existence for over 30 yrs to prepare students from liberal arts colleges in the midwest for careers in urban teaching. The academic ability and educational background of graduates of selective liberal arts colleges make them the sort of teachers that have traditionally ended up in affluent suburban schools, yet it is these characteristics that potentially make them more valuable in urban schools.
The Renal Excretion of Potassium.

Discussion and ConclusionsK clearances in excess of creatinine or thiosulfate clearances, under the conditions of these experiments, are interpreted as- evidence that all of the K excreted in the urine cannot be accounted for by the nltration-reabsorption theory alone, but that tubular secretion of K also occurs. In the experiments on urea diuresis, urea clearances never exceeded creatinine clearances, and the ratios agreed with the observations of Shannon.8 It is a reasonable hypothesis that during urea diuresis the secretion of K becomes apparent because its normal tubular reabsorption is hindered. The present data are insufficient to define the mechanisms involved in the secretory process or to demonstrate the relative magnitude of the processes of filtration, reabsorption and secretion in the renal excretion of K. Further work is in progress.
The commodification of American health care

Abstract Since 1980, cost containment efforts have radically tranformed the delivery of medical services in the United States. The number and diversity of private, for-profit delivery systems have significantly increased and so has the competition among them. Some Marxists have conceptualized these changes as a transition from a non-commodity to a commodity form of medical care. They have labeled this the process of ‘commodification’ of medical services. However, this paper demonstrates that this process took place over 50 years ago. In light of this historical finding, an alternative Marxian analysis of the current medical conjuncture is briefly presented. Several of the key attractions of this approach are discussed.
Solar Proton Event: Influence on Stratospheric Ozone

Large-scale reductions in the ozone content of the middle and upper stratosphere over the polar cap regions were associated with the major solar proton event of 4 August 1972. This reduction, which was determined from measurements with the backscattered ultraviolet experiment on the Nimbus 4 satellite, is interpreted as being due to the catalytic destruction of ozone by odd-nitrogen compounds (NOx) produced by the event.
Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 184☆

Abstract Nuclear structure and decay data for all nuclei with mass number A=184 (Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi) have been evaluated, and the corresponding level schemes from radioactive decay and reaction studies are presented. This evaluation supersedes the previous publication (R.B. Firestone, Nuclear Data Sheets 58, 243 (1989) (literature cutoff date 1 June 1989)) and subsequent revisions of high spin data for several nuclides by Huo Junde (31 July, 1995) and evaluations by C.M. Baglin for 184Au, 184Pb and the new nuclide 184Bi (literature cutoff dates 4 April 2003, 28 July 2003 and 21 January 2004, respectively). The present evaluation includes literature available by 1 October 2009. Subsequent to those evaluations, (HI, xnγ) studies have contributed significantly to our knowledge of the structure of 184Re (2005Wh04), 184Os (2002Sh21, 2002Wh01, 1998Sh36), 184Hg (1995De30, 1995Sf01) and 184Au (2004Zh38). Additional information on the level structure of 184W has become available from new thermal neutron capture measurements (2003Bo52, 2004Lo22, 2007ChZX), from detailed ( p , t ) reaction studies (2006Me25), new Coulomb excitation (1991Wu05) and ( γ , γ ′ ) (1993He15) studies, and from the 198Pt(136Xe,Xγ) reaction (2004Wh02); knowledge of 184Pt has benefited from a new 184Au e decay study (2006KrZT, 1992Xu02, 1992Xu06, 1992XuZY), but this decay cannot yet be normalized due to the mixed parentage of the sources used.
Parallel multidomain iterative algorithms for the Helmholtz wave equation

In this paper, we consider parallel iterative algorithms for solving the Helmholtz wave equation employing nonoverlapping domain decomposition techniques. A modified Robin interface condition incorporated with an iteration parameter is used to communicate the data near the interfaces. An automatic and non-expensive strategy for finding efficient iteration parameters is discussed in detail. Numerical results carried out on an nCUBE2 are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
Spontaneous itch in the absence of hyperalgesia in a mouse hindpaw dry skin model

We presently investigated if chronic dry skin treatment of the mouse hindpaw results in itch-related behavior, with or without accompanying hyperalgesia and allodynia. Following a 10-day period of treatment of one hindpaw with a mixture of acetone-diethylether-water (AEW), mice exhibited a significant increase in spontaneous biting behavior directed to the treated hindpaw compared to control animals in which one hindpaw was similarly treated with water only (W). Biting in the AEW group was significantly attenuated by the μ-opioid antagonist naltrexone but was unaffected by the μ-agonist morphine. There were no significant differences in hindpaw heat withdrawal latency, mechanical withdrawal threshold, or cold-plate latency between W and AEW treatment groups. These results indicate that chronic AEW treatment induces spontaneous itch but does not alter pain sensitivity, supporting the utility of this model for studies of chronic dry skin itch.
Effect of heating rate in thermoelastic stress production

Abstract U sing pulses of monochromatic MeV electrons from a linear accelerator to heat copper and tantalum samples, measurements of thermoelastic stresses were made as a function of heating rate. The results were compared with the predictions of thermoelastic wave theory, and good agreement was found.
Uterine size and risk of complications among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for leiomyomas

Objective To measure the influence of uterine size on the risk of operative complications among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for uterine leiomyomas. Methods Four hundred forty-six women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for pathologically confirmed leiomyomas were analyzed using data from a previously reported prospective cohort study. We compared the risk of operative complications among women with uterine weights less than 250 g, 251–500 g, and greater than 500 g. Logistic regression was used to estimate the independent effect of uterine size on the probability of operative complications. Results The risk of blood transfusion increased with increasing uterine weight; 13.7, 14.2, and 26.7% of women with uterine weight less than 250 g, 251–500 g, and greater than 500 g, respectively, required transfusion ( P for trend Conclusion Women with leiomyomas whose uterine weight exceeds 500 g have an increased risk of complications from abdominal hysterectomy.
The validity of the OSA-18 among three groups of pediatric patients.

Summary Objective: To compare the signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in three groups of pediatric patients; solid organ transplant recipients, healthy children, and children with leukemia; in order to examine the effects of chronic illness on the obstructive sleep apnea—18-item questionnaire and to investigate its validity as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea in the pediatric solid organ transplant population. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, there were two hundred and six subjects; 46 kidney transplant recipients, 59 liver transplant recipients, 34 patients with leukemia, and 67 healthy children. Adenotonsillar enlargement was assessed by using the obstructive sleep apnea—18-item questionnaire and by performing a focused physical examination of the oral and nasal cavity at the time of the child's routine visit in either the transplant clinic, outpatient oncology center, or general pediatric clinic. Results: Comparison of questionnaire scores amongst the three groups showed significant differences between the healthy children and liver transplant recipients as well as those with leukemia. There was a significant difference in the physical examination scores of the children with leukemia as compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Adenotonsillar enlargement in pediatric transplant recipients can be an early indication of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder. However, the prevalence of adenotonsillar enlargement in the transplant population does not appear to differ from that of the healthy population. Additionally, scores on the OSA-18 in the transplant population were confounded by chronic illness. Further prospective studies need to be performed to develop a screening tool to identify transplant recipients at risk for post-transplantation adenotonsillar lymphoma.
Microstructural Modeling of Failure Modes in Martensitic Steel Alloys

A unified physically-based representation of the microstructure in martensitic steels is developed to investigate its effects on the initiation and evolution of failure modes at different physical scales that occur due to a myriad of factors, such as texture, grain size and shape, grain heterogeneous microstructures, and grain boundary (GB) misorientations and distributions. The microstructural formulation is based on a dislocation-density based multiple-slip crystal plasticity model that accounts for variant distributions, orientations, and morphologies. This formulation is coupled to specialized finite-element methods to predict the scale-dependent heterogeneous microstructure, and failure phenomena such as shearstrain localization, and void coalescence.
A possible biochemical mode of action for benzimidazole anthelmintics

Albendazole (ABZ), cambendazole (CBZ), oxibendazole (OBZ), and thiabendazole (TBZ) are potent, orally active, broad spectrum anthelmintics widely used in human and veterinary medicine. As members of the benzimidazole series, they are closely related chemically, and it is likely that they exert their anthelmintic effects in an identical fashion. We have examined the effects of these anthelmintics on the electrical resistance of planar bimolecular lipid membranes and compared the results with those obtained with a known uncoupler, 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP). All drugs tested markedly reduced membrane resistance at concentrations lower than 0.1 microM and were better proton conductors than 2,4-DNP by at least an order of magnitude. The sequence of proton conducting efficiency was ABZ greater than OBZ greater than TBZ greater than CBZ greater than 2,4-DNP. From 1 to 40 microM, ABZ and CBZ substantially decreased P/O (phosphorous/oxygen) ratios in coupled rat liver mitochondria in a concentration-dependent fashion using beta-hydroxybutyrate as the substrate. 2,4-DNP was also shown to decrease P/O ratios, but less effectively than the benzimidazole anthelmintics. These experiments indicate that the benzimidazole anthelmintics are lipid-soluble proton conductors that are effective in artificial (phospholipid bilayer) and natural (rat liver mitochondria) membrane systems. Dissipation of the transmembrane proton gradient should result in diminished levels of cellular ATP. In vivo treatment with a therapeutically effective dose of ABZ caused a severe disturbance in the energy balance of Hymenolepis diminuta; this was evident from a distinct drop in ATP levels, and from a decline in the ATP/ADP ratios, adenylate energy charge (AEC) and available adenylate energy (AAE) values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Infant-Directed Speech Facilitates Word Segmentation

There are reasons to believe that infant-directed (ID) speech may make language acquisition easier for infants. However, the effects of ID speech on infants' learning remain poorly understood. The experiments reported here assess whether ID speech facilitates word segmentation from fluent speech. One group of infants heard a set of nonsense sentences spoken with intonation contours characteristic of adult-directed (AD) speech, and the other group heard the same sentences spoken with intonation contours characteristic of ID speech. In both cases, the only cue to word boundaries was the statistical structure of the speech. Infants were able to distinguish words from syllable sequences spanning word boundaries after exposure to ID speech but not after hearing AD speech. These results suggest that ID speech facilitates word segmentation and may be useful for other aspects of language acquisition as well. Issues of direction of preference in preferential listening paradigms are also considered.
Redescription of four species of Kroyeria and Kroeyerina (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Kroyeriidae) infecting Japanese sharks

Four known species of kroyeriids infecting two species of Japanese sharks are redescribed and illustrated, based on both sexes. These are Kroyeria sublineata Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959 and K . elongata Pillai, 1967 obtained separately from branchial lamellae of the white smoothhound, Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908; and K . carchariaeglauci Hesse, 1879 and Kroeyerina elongata Wilson, 1932 obtained from branchial and olfactory lamellae, respectively, of the blue shark, Prionace glauca (Linnaeus, 1758). The male and the fifth copepodid (male) of K . sublineata , and the fourth copepodid (female) of Kroeyerina elongata are described for the first time. Two of the forms here described, i.e., Kroyeria sublineata and Kroyeria elongata , are now considered valid species, although they had earlier been relegated to the synonymy of K . lineata Van Beneden, 1853 and K . spatulata Pearse, 1948, respectively. The records of Kroyeria elongata and Kroeyerina elongata are new for Japan. Mustelus griseus represents a new host record for Kroyeria elongata and K . sublineata . The presence of postantennal processes was verified in both sexes of all species dealt with here. The process is papilliform, with an orifice of a duct at the tip, and presumably functions as some exocrine gland. A plesiomorphic feature found in the eudactylinid-kroyeriid complex is discussed. Quatre especes connues de copepodes Kroyeriidae infectant deux especes de requins japonais sont redecrites et illustrees, a partir des deux sexes. Ce sont Kroyeria sublineata Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959 et K . elongata Pillai, 1967, obtenus separement sur des lamelles branchiales de l'emissole cotiere Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908; et K . carchariaeglauci Hesse, 1879 et Kroeyerina elongata Wilson, 1932 prelevees sur les lamelles branchiales et olfactives, respectivement, du requin bleu Prionace glauca (Linnaeus, 1758). Le mâle et le cinquieme copepodite (mâle) de K . sublineata , ainsi que le quatrieme copepodite (femelle) de Kroeyerina elongata sont decrits pour la premiere fois. Deux des formes ici decrites, Kroyeria sublineata et Kroyeria elongata , sont maintenant reconnues comme especes valides, bien que elles aient ete auparavant considerees comme synonymes de K . lineata Van Beneden, 1853 et de K . spatulata Pearse, 1948, respectivement. Les mentions de Kroyeria elongata et Kroeyerina elongata sont nouvelles pour le Japon. Mustelus griseus constitue un nouvel hote pour Kroyeria elongata et K . sublineata . La presence de processus post-antennaires a ete verifiee chez les deux sexes de toutes les especes etudiees ici. Le processus est papilliforme, presentant un debouche de canal a l'extremite, et presume fonctionnant comme une glande exocrine. Un caractere plesiomorphe, mis en evidence dans le complexe Eudactylinidae-Kroyeriidae est discute.
Significance of Reperfusion Injury after Venous Strangulation Obstruction of Equine Jejunum

Fifteen horses under halothane anesthesia were assigned randomly to three groups of 5 horses each as follows. In group I, the distal 50% of the small intestine was measured through a ventral midline celiotomy and replaced in the abdomen so that these horses could serve as sham-operated controls. In group 2, the same segment of small intestine was subjected to venous strangulation obstruction (VSO) for 180 min. In group 3, the same segment of small intestine was subjected to VSO for 90 minutes, followed by 90 minutes of reperfusion. Biopsies of small intestine were taken from all horses to assess mucosal morphologic injury by light microscopy, to measure tissue levels of malondialdehyde as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and to measure tissue myeloperoxidase activity us a measure of neutrophil accumulation. VSO for 90 min in horse jejunum increased lipid peroxidation and neutrophil influx to levels that remained constant over the following 90 min, regardless of whether VSO was maintained or was interru...
Changes in Perceived Health and Depressive Symptoms: A Longitudinal Analysis with Older Korean Americans

The present study examined changes in the perceived health of older Korean Americans (n = 141) over a 2-year period: 2003 (T1) and 2005 (T2). A hierarchical regression model of changes in perceived health was estimated with the following array of predictors: (1) background variables (age, gender, marital status, education, and length of stay in the United States), (2) initial perceived health (T1), (3) physical and mental health conditions at T1 (chronic conditions, functional disability, and depressive symptoms), and (4) changes in physical and mental health conditions (T2 − T1). When the effects of background variables and baseline perceived health were controlled, baseline chronic conditions and changes in both chronic conditions and depressive symptoms were found to predict changes in perceived health. Older individuals who initially had more chronic conditions and those who had experienced an increasing number of chronic conditions and depressive symptoms over 2 years viewed their health more negatively at follow-up. Findings highlight the importance of interventions for disease management and mental health promotion to enhance subjective health among older Korean immigrants.
Characterization of the L511P and D512G Mutations in the MsbA Lipid Flippase

MsbA is a 65kDa lipid flippase found in the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli and S. typhimurium. As a member of the ABC transporter superfamily, MsbA contains two nucleotide binding domains and two transmembrane domains, one from each of its two monomers. ABC transporters transport a diverse group of substrates from lipids to antibiotics and their dysfunction contributes to a number of human pathologies including cystic fibrosis. As an essential protein in E. coli, the deletion or dysfunction of MsbA results in the toxic accumulation of lipid A in the inner membrane resulting in membrane instability and cell death. The L511P and D512G mutations have been previously identified through mutational analysis as dysfunctional nucleotide binding domain mutations specific to MsbA and were suggested to have a lower affinity for ATP. To further understand the cause of dysfunction in these point mutations, in vivo growth assays, in vitro ATPase activity assays, DEER and CW EPR spectroscopy studies throughout the ATP hydrolysis cycle were conducted. L511P and D512G were each paired with nine different reporter residues, each in or near an important conserved nucleotide binding domain motif and compared to the reporter residues alone. To identify the stage in the ATP hydrolysis cycle in which the L511P and D512G mutations are dysfunctional, the local tertiary interactions before, during, and after ATP hydrolysis were monitored by EPR spectroscopy at each stage of the ATP hydrolysis cycle.
The Beginning (or End) of Moroccan History: Historiography, Translation, and Modernity in Ahmad B. Khalid al-Nasiri and Clemente Cerdeira

This article analyzes two accounts of the Hispano-Moroccan War of 1859–60 in light of scholarly debates about historiography, translation, and modernity in the colonial context. The first text is Ahmad b. Khalid al-Nasiri's Kitab al-Istiqsa (1895), which explores the organization of the Spanish army in an effort to understand the military technology and state apparatus behind colonial domination. The second text, Clemente Cerdeira's Version arabe de la Guerra de Africa (1917), is framed as an annotated Spanish translation of al-Nasiri's text, but Cerdeira suppresses key passages from al-Nasiri's account in order to undermine any hint that the Moroccan historian's thinking is reformist or modern. By comparing these two accounts of the same war, the article aims to situate al-Nasiri's text within the reform movements that spread through the Muslim Mediterranean in the 19th century and to use al-Nasiri's historical thinking as a model for theorizing Moroccan modernity.
Augmentation of skin test reactivity and lymphocyte blastogenesis in patients with AIDS treated with transfer factor.

Nine patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were administered four doses of pooled transfer factor obtained from the lymphocytes of three healthy controls and three homosexuals with stable lymphadenopathy and serum antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus. Before receiving transfer factor, all patients exhibited anergy to skin test antigens. After four weeks of transfer factor therapy, six of seven patients tested had at least one skin test response. Lymphocyte blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin rose from a stimulation index of 6.77 ±1.31 before treatment to 19.77 ±6.24 after four weeks of transfer factor therapy. Smaller but significant increases were also seen in blastogenic responses to antigens. Improvements in immune responses diminished after administration of transfer factor was halted. Thus, administration of transfer factor to patients with AIDS resulted in partial immune reconstitution. Further studies are indicated to examine the clinical efficacy of this immune response modifier in the treatment of AIDS. ( JAMA 1987;257:651-655)
Why do women have stress urinary incontinence

This article reviews progress made in understanding the causes of stress urinary incontinence. Over the last century, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain stress urinary incontinence. These theories are based on clinical observations and focus primarily on the causative role of urethral support loss and an open vesical neck. Recently these hypotheses have been tested by comparing measurements of urethral support and function in women with primary stress urinary incontinence to asymptomatic volunteers who were recruited to be similar in age, race, and parity. Maximal urethral closure pressure is the parameter that differs the most between groups being 43% lower in women with stress incontinence than similar asymptomatic women having as effect size of 1.6. Measures of urethral support effect sizes range from 0.5 to 0.6. Because any one objective measure of support may not capture the full picture of urethrovesical mobility, review of blinded ultrasounds of movements during cough were reviewed by an expert panel. The panel was able to identify women with stress incontinence correctly 57% of the time; just 7% above the 50% that would be expected by chance alone, confirming that urethrovesical mobility is not strongly associated with stress incontinence. Although operations that provide differential support to the urethra are effective, urethral support is not the predominant cause of stress incontinence. Improving our understanding of factors affecting urethral closure may lead to novel treatments targeting the urethra and improved understanding of the small but persistent failure rate of current surgery.
Rearming the Slingshot

Slingshot arguments aim to show that an allegedly non-extensional sentential connective—such as “necessarily (_)” or “the statement that Φ corresponds to the fact that (_)”—is, to the contrary, an extensional sentential connective. Stephen Neale (Mind 104 (416): 761-825, 1995, 2001) argues that a reformulation of Godel’s slingshot puts pressure on us to adopt a particular view of definite descriptions. I formulate a revised version of the slingshot argument—one that relies on Kaplan’s notion of “dthat.” I aim to show that if Neale’s version of the slingshot argument is successful, then there is another slingshot available, parallel in structure to Neale’s, but independent of definite descriptions. So either (i) there is a version of the slingshot that succeeds independent of any particular theory of descriptions or else (ii) Neale’s slingshot was never threatening to begin with.
CXCR3 and CCR5 ligands in rheumatoid arthritis synovium.

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be mediated by Th1-type T cells. Since chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5 are preferentially expressed on Th1 cells, we tested the expression and regulation of several chemokines, including those that signal through CXCR3 (interferon-gamma-inducible protein of 10 kDa, IP-10, CXCL10; and monokine induced by interferon-gamma, Mig, CXCL9) and CCR5 (macrophage inflammatory protein (Mip)-1 alpha, CCL3; and Mip-1 beta, CCL4) in RA synovial fluids, synovial tissues, and blood. Synovial fluid (SF) protein levels of IP-10 (32.1 +/- 10.5 ng/ml), Mig (15.0 +/- 6.4 ng/ml), Mip-1 beta (0.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml), and Mip-1 alpha (0.8 +/- 0.1 ng/ml) were 100-, 50-, 25-, and 2-fold elevated in RASF compared to control SF (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0. 001, and P < 0.02, respectively). Tissue levels of IP-10, Mig, and Mip-1 beta were significantly higher in RA than in OA (P < 0.01). Serum levels of IP-10 (3.1 +/- 1.2 ng/ml) were higher in patients with seropositive RA compared to controls (1.2 +/- 0.2 ng/ml) (P < 0.02). There was a gradient of IP-10, Mig, Mip-1 alpha, and Mip-1 beta from the blood into the synovial fluid in RA. Infiltrating T cells around high endothelial venules in RA synovium and 90 +/- 3% of SF CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells expressed CXCR3, and 85 +/- 2% of SF CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells expressed CCR5. Chemokines, including IP-10, Mig, Mip-1 alpha, and Mip-1 beta, may participate in the selective recruitment of CCR5(+)CXCR3(+) T cells to the inflamed synovium.
Transcobalamin II Mediated Delivery of Albumin-Bound Hydroxocobalamin to Human Liver Cells

AbstractWe show that hydroxocobalamin bound to human serum albumin can dissociate and bind to transcobalamin II present in serum. Human liver cells in culture exposed to hydroxocobalamin bound to albumin incorporated less of the vitamin than when similar amounts of unbound hydroxocobalamin or cyanocobalamin were present. In the presence of transcobalamin II, a 4.5-fold increase in cellular uptake occurred, but this amount was less than when hydroxocobalamin or cyanocobalamin were added to transcobalamin II. These results indicate that albumin, by binding hydroxocobalamin, can alter the dynamics of binding to transcobalamin II and the subsequent cellular incorporation of this form of the vitamin.
Genetic diversity and clonal structure in a columnar cactus, Lophocereus schottii

In southern Arizona the columnar cactus, Lophocereus schottii, inhabits desert riparian environments. Reproduction in this part of its range is predominantly asexual and occurs by either the dispersal of stems in the immediate vicinity of parents or the long-distance transport of detached stem pieces downstream by floodwaters. Genetic diversity and clonal structure of eight populations of L. schottii in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, were examined. In all populations ramets were mapped and stem tissue from each ramet was examined electrophoretically. At the species level, 44.4% of the loci were polymorphic and the genetic diversity was 0.145. Within populations, the mean proportion of polymorphic loci and genetic diversity were 34.4% and 0. 126%, respectively. Although most of the allozyme variation was within populations, appreciable heterogeneity was found among populations (GST = 0.130). Genetic and genotypic diversity was greatest in three of the four populations located in the principal area of L. schottii occurrence in the monument. Genotypic diversity was lowest in the smallest population and in the most isolated population. Ramets in all populations were spatially aggregated. Plant pairs with identical multilocus genotypes were usually ? 10 m apart, but some widely separated individuals had identical genotypes. Occasional long-distance dispersal of stems and the periodic recruitment of seedlings have caused genets to intermingle, promoting outcrossing and maintaining genetic diversity. Species with predominantly asexual reproduction maintain the same levels of genetic diversity as sexually reproducing species (Ellstrand and Roose, 1987; Hamrick and Godt, 1989). This implies that genetic drift, founder effects, and selection among genotypes have the same
Enhanced superconductivity in hydrogenated potassium-mercury-graphite intercalation compounds.

Stage-1 potassium-mercury\char21{}graphite intercalation compounds with markedly different superconducting transition temperatures ${T}_{c}$ and transition widths \ensuremath{\Delta}${T}_{c}$ are found to have uniformly high ${T}_{c}$ and narrow transitions after exposure to hydrogen. These hydrogen-doping experiments suggest a schematic model for the density of states in stage-1 potassium-mercury\char21{}graphite intercalation compounds.
Accelerating the Gillespie τ-Leaping Method using graphics processing units.

The Gillespie τ-Leaping Method is an approximate algorithm that is faster than the exact Direct Method (DM) due to the progression of the simulation with larger time steps. However, the procedure to compute the time leap τ is quite expensive. In this paper, we explore the acceleration of the τ-Leaping Method using Graphics Processing Unit (GPUs) for ultra-large networks ( reaction channels). We have developed data structures and algorithms that take advantage of the unique hardware architecture and available libraries. Our results show that we obtain a performance gain of over 60x when compared with the best conventional implementations.
Does treatment with clean intermittent catheterization in boys with posterior urethral valves affect bladder and renal function

ABSTRACTPurpose: In boys with resected posterior urethral valves (PUV) deterioration of renal function is seen during childhood and adolescence, which may partly be caused by bladder dysfunction. We present data on renal and bladder function initially and at followup of boys with PUV in whom the bladder dysfunction has been treated since infancy.Materials and Methods: The study included 35 boys with PUV. Bladder regimen, including early toilet training from the age of 1.5 years and detrusor relaxant drugs for the treatment of incontinence from ages 4 to 6 years, was introduced to all patients. A total of 19 boys were started on clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) at a median age of 8 months due to pronounced bladder dysfunction with poor emptying, unsafe pressure levels, high grade reflux and renal impairment.Results: No serious complications of CIC have been seen during followup. Of the 19 boys 2 stopped performing CIC due to noncompliance of the parents at 1 and 3 years, respectively. Initial renal...
Alleviation of Sulfur Dioxide-induced Phytotoxicity in Cucumber Plants by Uniconazole

Summary Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Marketer) plants were treated with 0 or 100μg of soil-applied uniconazole (20 ml of 17μM solution) and then exposed to a gaseous sulfur dioxide pulse one week following treatment. Uniconazole-treated plants exhibited considerably less visible sulfur dioxideinduced phytotoxicity than untreated controls. Rates of net photosynthesis 24h following sulfur dioxide exposure were 0 and 5.6μmol CO2 m-2s-1 for the control and treated plants, respectively. Forty-eight hours following sulfur dioxide exposure, net photosynthesis in uniconazole-treated plants recovered to 10.4μmol CO2 m-2s-1 but remained near zero in controls. The foliar content of malondialdehyde, a by-product of lipid peroxidation, was about 30% less in uniconazole-treated plants compared to controls following exposure to sulfur dioxide. This indicates that uniconazole decreased sulfur dioxide-induced lipid peroxidation. Stomatal diffusive resistance measurements suggested that increased sulfur dioxide tolerance in uniconazole-treated plants was not due to stomatal closure. The content or activity of several antioxidant systems including glutathione, peroxidase, and catalase was increased in uniconazole-treated plants. These results suggest that uniconazole-induced sulfur dioxide tolerance may be due, at least in part, to increased antioxidant activity which reduces stress-related oxidative cellular damage.
The zeitgeber for ovulation in rats: non-participation of the pineal gland.

Abstract Ovulation occured between 2: 00 AM and 4: 00 AM whether rats were exposed to light daily from 6: 00 AM to 6: 00 PM (LD 12: 12) or from 4: 00 AM to 8: 00 PM (LD 16: 8). Since the time of ovulation was constantly related to the midpoint of the dark period under both lighting conditions and since the midpoint is determined by the times the light comes on and off, both of these signals together must constitute the environmental cue (Zeitgeber) for ovulation in these rats. Pinealectomized rats ovulated at the same time (2: 00 AM-4: 00 AM) as intact rats, which indicates that the pineal gland is not involved in the mediation of stimuli from the Zeitgeber.
Value of the postmortem examination in a pediatric population with leukemia.

Because of concerns about the declining autopsy, rate, an attempt was made to evaluate the contributions from the postmortem examination in a pediatric population with leukemia. Accordingly, 161 autopsies performed between 1970 and 1985 were reviewed and the diagnoses compared with those listed in the clinical records of the same patients. New diagnoses were grouped into diagnoses of diseases thought to have contributed to the death of the patient, those of diseases thought to have contributed to the morbidity of the patient, those of presumed toxic reactions to drug therapy, and diagnoses of academic interest. The newly diagnosed diseases throught to have contributed to the patient's death either had been totally unsuspected by the clinician or had been suspected but incorrectly diagnosed. The most common revelation was the identification of mycotic infections that were thought by the clinician to have been bacterial in origin. The clinical diagnosis of these kinds of infections progressively improved during the study period. Because the changes in diagnoses and therapy, particularly the increasing use of antimycotic therapy, could be directly attributed to autopsy findings and, more recently, because of the expanding use of more toxic multiagent chemotherapy, we believe that the postmortem examination remains an important procedure, even in clinical situations where much is known about the patient.
Peer‐mediated instruction: assisted performance in the primary classroom

Peer collaboration has been supported in research as an effective instructional strategy. However, education researchers lack a full understanding of the types of scaffolding that take place in peer groups. Little research is available that documents what happens during the small group interactions. This case study took place in one teacher’s multi‐age primary classroom in the southeastern region of the USA. It examined how elementary students provided scaffolding to one another during collaborative classroom activities. Specifically, this investigation explored the ways in which elementary students provide assistance to one another during academic tasks and examined the status of the children, in terms of more or less capabilities, during the collaborative events. Vygotsky asserts that for learning to occur, assistance must be provided by a more capable person. The research findings suggest that peers provide scaffolding for one another in various ways. In this investigation, these primary students utili...
Effect of pulmonary pathogens on surfactant.

SUMMARY A crude preparation of pulmonary surfactant was obtained from rabbit lungs by lavage of the broncho-alveolar space. Lyophilized and reconstituted solutions of surfactant were incubated with various pure strains of bacteria. Some bacteria reduced surface tension during incubation, these were P. aeruginosa, A. aerogenes, Proteus species, K. Pneumoniae. and to a lesser extent D. pneumoniae. Gram positive bacteria did not appear to alter the surface tension of the pulmonary surfactant solutions; these included S. aureus. S. epidermidis, S. pyogenes (Lancefield Group A), S. viridans, and S. fecalis.
Thin Film Deployable Reflector Model For ET Gamma Ray Imaging Telescope System (ET-GRITS)

The Marshall Space Flight Center is developing a thin film reflector for a Gamma Ray Imaging Telescope System (GRITS) using the Shuttle External Tank (ET). The concept is to install an inflatable reflector in the ET that could be transferred from the orbiter in orbit. This is a study of a scale model reflector for the ET GRITS application. The approach is to form 1/2 mil film into a spherical mirror mounted on a seven-foot diameter metal ring. The ring mount is sealed and slightly evacuated to pressurize the film into shape. Several different fabrication techniques were investigated using seamed gore designs to form the reflector. Also studied was casting a film into a seamless circular sheet. The goal for this model was to achieve a one milliradian (rms) surface curvature error over 90 percent of the reflector area. This curvature was measured by a laser scanning instrument. The results show how different reflector designs and fabrication techniques contribute to surface curvature and focusing errors.
Abstract 5138: The regulation of CD44 expression in malignant brain tumor cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor that demonstrates a high growth rate and the capacity to invade surrounding brain tissue. These characteristics result in a dismal prognosis for GBM patients. Current treatment options for GBM tumors involve surgical resection followed by radiation and/or chemotherapy. Disappointingly, GBM tumors are or become resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, and the invasiveness of GBM precludes curative removal of the tumor. GBM cells infiltration has been associated with the transmembrane glycoprotein, CD44, which is the principle cell surface receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA). The molecular mechanisms that regulate CD44 in GBM are not fully understood. However, CD44 protein expression has been associated with an AP-1 transcription factor, fos related antigen 1 (Fra-1), in another aggressive cancer, mesothelioma. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of CD44 expression in human glioma cells by Fra-1. Human GBM cell lines, U-251 MG, U-1242 MG, and A-172, were exposed to either epidermal growth factor (EGF, 20 ng/ml) or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, 50 ng/ml) at varying time points and Western blot analysis was used to determine the protein expression of CD44 and Fra-1. CD44 and Fra-1 expression levels increased with longer exposures (4 to 24 hr) to EGF and HGF. To determine whether Fra-1 takes part in the regulation of CD44 expression, we utilized transient gene knockdown using siRNA directed against fra-1. fra-1-siRNA decreased Fra-1 expression in EGF- and HGF-treated GBM cells. Following EGF stimulation and fra-1-siRNA treatments, CD44 expression also decreased. However, HGF stimulation of fra-1-siRNA treated GBM cells showed no change in CD44 expression. These data suggest that Fra-1 regulation of CD44 expression is growth factor-specific. To investigate whether CD44-mediated cell adhesion is promoted by the expression of Fra-1, we analyzed GBM cell adhesion to HA. U-251 MG and U-1242 MG cell lines demonstrated an increase adherence to HA after growth factor simulation, 4hr and 24 hr respectively. This data is comparable to the initial western blot analysis of the GBM cells after growth factor simulation. However, A-172 cells did not adhere to HA regardless of growth factor stimulation. These data suggest that CD44 binding to HA is cell line specific. Taken together, our results suggest that CD44-mediated HA binding of GBM cells can be regulated by Fra-1 expression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5138.
Assembly in vivo of mouse muscle acetylcholine receptor: Identification of an α subunit species that may be an assembly intermediate

We have studied assembly of acetylcholine receptor in vivo using subunit-specific monoclonal antibodies and immunoprecipitation with alpha-bungarotoxin and antitoxin. We have identified three distinct forms of the alpha subunit. The newly synthesized alpha subunit species has a sedimentation coefficient of 5S and is recognized only by antibody specific for SDS-denatured alpha subunit. We have called this species alpha 61. The 5S alpha Tx species is not associated with beta subunits and is probably monomeric. alpha Tx is formed from alpha 61 with a half-time of 15 min and an efficiency of approximately equal to 30%. Formation of alpha Tx involves a conformational change, and we suggest that this conformation is dependent upon or stabilized by disulfide bond formation. The assembly of alpha Tx with beta subunits (and probably gamma and delta) into a 9S complex appears to be an efficient but slow process requiring more than 90 min. Unassembled alpha 61 subunits are degraded rapidly. However, subunit degradation is a result of failure to assemble, rather than its cause.