cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OROPHARYNGEAL EXCRETION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS BY RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS AND OTHER PATIENTS TREATED WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS

Abstract The excretion of Epstein-Barr (E.B.) virus was studied in eighty patients and staff in a hospital-based renal-disease unit. Virus shedding was measured by the capacity of throat washings to induce long-term proliferation of human umbilical-cord leucocytes and the appearance of E.B. virus nuclear antigen in the cultivated cells. The excretion-rates of E.B. virus, based on single throat samples, differed in the four groups of individuals tested: virus was recovered from 47% of patients with renal homografts, from 35% of other patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs, from 14% of patients with chronic uraemia and from 17% of healthy staff associated with the unit. Only individuals with antibody to E.B. virus capsid antigen shed virus. The excretion-rate for E.B. virus seropositive individuals on immunosuppressive drugs was 52% (seventeen out of thirty-three) compared with a rate of 18% (six out of thirty-four) for individuals not treated with these agents. Five seropositive patients received renal homografts during the study. None were E.B. virus excretors before transplantation; two were shedding virus 8 and 34 days after transplantation and institution of immunosuppressive therapy. The results support the hypothesis that immunosuppressive drugs (azathioprine and prednisone) are associated with reactivation of latent E.B. virus infections.
Mantled Howler ( Alouatta palliata ) Arboreal Pathway Networks: Relative Impacts of Resource Availability and Forest Structure

Numerous studies have concluded that primates move about their environments in a nonrandom manner, frequently traveling between consecutive foraging sites along relatively straight-line paths. However, primates do not always take the most direct path between resources, and a number of species have been observed to travel repeatedly along a network of the same arboreal pathways. In this study, I used spatially explicit techniques to examine quantitatively what mantled howler monkey groups on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, accomplish by selecting nonlinear paths between resources and by repeatedly using the same paths within an arboreal network. Results show that chosen arboreal paths between sites where foraging occurred have higher levels of resource availability and canopy connectivity than comparable straight-line paths between the same sites. When comparing the relative importance of these factors, autologistic models of pathway choice indicate that though canopy connectivity is related to the location of repeatedly used arboreal pathway networks, the most statistically significant predictor is resource availability (both on a path and within a visual detection distance of a path). These results provide support for the hypothesis that repeated use of arboreal pathway networks aids in resource monitoring and acquisition. In addition, statistical models developed from 1 primary focal group’s travel patterns had high predictive value when employed to generate likely locations for arboreal pathways in the home ranges of 3 neighboring groups. This finding has important implications for studies of primate habitat use and seed dispersal, as it suggests that different groups consistently use similar characteristics when deciding on travel paths.
The effects of elevated blood lead levels and succimer chelation therapy on physical growth in developing rhesus monkeys.

Seventy-two female rhesus monkeys were randomly assigned to three lead exposure conditions (none, birth to 1 year, birth to 2 years). In a completely crossed design, the lead-exposed and control monkeys were randomized to placebo or chelation therapy which began at 1 year of age. Dosing was conducted daily beginning on day 8 postpartum. The lead dose levels were adjusted biweekly to gradually elevate the blood lead level of each monkey to a target of 1.69-1.93 micromol/L (35-40 microg/dL). Succimer (or placebo) was administered orally (30 mg/kg/day for 5 days and 20 mg/kg/day for 14 additional days) for a total 19-day treatment regimen. There were two separate chelation regimes at 53 and 65 weeks of age. Succimer therapy in combination with lead abatement reduced blood lead levels significantly faster than lead abatement alone; however, that advantage disappeared once succimer therapy was discontinued. Weight, crown-rump length, and head circumference were measured regularly. Growth in weight, length, and head circumference did not vary significantly as a function of blood lead levels. Succimer chelation therapy did not significantly affect weight, length, or head circumference through 2 years of age.
Production rate and diameter analysis of spherical monodisperse microbubbles from two-dimensional, expanding-nozzle flow-focusing microfluidic devices

Flow-focusing microfluidic devices (FFMDs) can produce microbubbles (MBs) with precisely controlled diameters and a narrow size distribution. In this paper, poly-dimethyl-siloxane based, rectangular-nozzle, two-dimensional (2-D) planar, expanding-nozzle FFMDs were characterized using a high speed camera to determine the production rate and diameter of Tween 20 (2% v/v) stabilized MBs. The effect of gas pressure and liquid flow rate on MB production rate and diameter was analyzed in order to develop a relationship between FFMD input parameters and MB production. MB generation was observed to transition through five regimes at a constant gas pressure and increasing liquid flow rate. Each MB generation event (i.e., break-off to break-off) was further separated into two characteristic phases: bubbling and waiting. The duration of the bubbling phase was linearly related to the liquid flow rate, while the duration of the waiting phase was related to both liquid flow rate and gas pressure. The MB production rate was found to be inversely proportional to the sum of the bubbling and waiting times, while the diameter was found to be proportional to the product of the gas pressure and bubbling time.
Composition diagrams for crystal growth from molten oxides

Abstract Composition diagrams showing approximate boundaries in which various crystals can be grown were determined in several systems for several heating temperatures. These systems include Mo O 3 Ga 2 O 3 Sm 2 O 3 , PbO/PbF 2 Ga 2 O 3 Sm 3 , PbO/Pb F 2 Fe 2 O 3 Sm 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 Fe 2 O 3 Li 2 O and Mo O 3 Gd 2 O 3 Na 2 O.
Medical Image Scatter Suppression By Inverse Filtering

Scatter radiation degrades image contrast as well as quantitative relationships in transmission x-radiography, especially with broad area detectors. Use of an anti-scatter grid and/or air gap eliminates much of the detected scatter radiation, but at the expense of attenuated primary radiation and geometric unsharpness. An alternate method is investigated that can more closely approximate the desired "primary" image either in conjunction with or in absence of the abovementioned techniques. The characterization and parameterization of a scatter point spread function (PSF) for a given imaging geometry (object thickness, field size, focus-object-detector distances) and radiographic technique (photon energy, grid/no grid) allows the removal of the scattered components by deconvolution using inverse filter post-processing methods. Assumptions of a stationary and spatially invariant PSF are made to enable the use of an efficient two-dimensional Fourier transform inverse filtering scheme. In spite of the inherent non-linear attributes of the scattering and image detection processes, a first order linear approximation using a Gaussian form to model the scatter PSF provides a numerically invertable filter kernel that removes scatter and improves image contrast as well as quantitative accuracy.
A comparative study of the nutritive value of thermally oxidized oils

Thermal oxidation of corn oil under laboratory conditions, at 200°C., led to the formation of an oil exhibiting definite growth-depressing action under bothad libitum and paired feeding conditions. Under similar conditions margarine base stock gave only slight growth depression, and none was noted with butter oil. The effect was not a permanent one as animals that were changed to a normal diet quickly recovered and grew to maturity. It appeared that the products formed during the thermal treatment were related to the unsaturated or polyunsaturated portions of the oil. The growth-depressing effect appeared to be multiple in nature, it had an irritant or diarrhea effect and possibly an enzyme-inhibiting or vitamin-destroying effect.
Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibitors AR-A014418 and B6B3O prevent human immunodeficiency virus–mediated neurotoxicity in primary human neurons

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurodegeneration has been evidenced by previous investigations. In this study, we investigated the specificity of two GSK3β-specific inhibitors, AR-A014418 (A) and B6B30 (B) to prevent direct neurotoxicity in primary human neurons exposed to HIV (BaL). Neurons were exposed to HIV (500 pg/ml) for 12-h and 6-day periods in the presence and absence of A (1 μM, 100 nM, 10 nM) and B (50 nM, 5 nM, 500 pM) to investigate acute and ongoing mechanisms of HIV neurotoxicity. Using an lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay to assess cytotoxicity, we observed a significant neurotoxic effect of HIV from control values (P <.01) that was not restored via coexposures of all concentrations of A and B. Additionally, no change in LDH levels were observed after 6 days. However, activity of the acute proapoptotic markers caspases 3 and 7 using a luminescence assay were measured and found to be increased by exposure to HIV (BaL) compared to controls (P=.022). This effect was ameliorated via coexposure to all concentrations of A and 50 nM B after 12 h (P <.01) and to all concentrations of A and B after 6 days (P < .01). Overall, the results from this study provide further evidence for the ability of GSK3β inhibition to be neuroprotective against HIV-associated neurotoxicity by reducing HIV associated procaspase induction. These data support a role for GSK3β as a potential therapeutic target and may have important clinical implications for treatment of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder.
The Space Dust (SPADUS) instrument aboard the Earth-orbiting ARGOS spacecraft: II-results from the first 16 months of flight

Abstract In a companion paper (Tuzzolino et al., Planet. Space Sci., 2001, to appear) hereafter called Part I, we present a detailed description of the Space Dust (SPADUS) instrument being carried aboard the Earth-orbiting Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS). In this paper, we focus on examples of the flight data obtained by SPADUS during the first 16 months of the ARGOS mission. We present results obtained from the SPADUS polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) dust trajectory system, which measures dust particle flux, mass distribution, velocity and trajectory, as well as results obtained from the SPADUS Ancillary Diagnostic Sensor (ADS) subsystem, which measures energetic charged particles. Included are both raw data and reduced data for the time period from ARGOS launch (February 23, 1999) to June 8, 2000. The PVDF dust trajectory system detected a total of 258 dust impacts over this interval of approximately 470 days. Of these, 24 were D1–D2 type events—where particles impacted and penetrated a D1 sensor, then impacted a D2 rear array sensor—allowing for time-of-flight measurements. Of the 24 D1–D2 impacts on SPADUS, we identified 11 orbital debris particles, 7 interplanetary impactors, and 6 ambiguous impacts. Examples of particle orbits for both debris particles and interplanetary particles are detailed, and the results obtained for orbital debris flux and mass distribution are compared with predictions from an orbital debris model. We also describe transient particle streams detected by the SPADUS trajectory system resulting from the passage of ARGOS through streams of debris particles in Earth orbit.
Projecting physician requirements in a two-county region in Ohio

A methodology for projecting physician requirements in a geographical region is presented. The procedure incorporates variables defining physician workloads, rates of retirement and estimated population changes to determine the future needs for health care practitioners. A case study using data from a two-county region of northeastern Ohio is included to illustrate the applicability of the projection methodology.
Transcription factors and the control of Drosophila development

Drosophila is a uniquely advantageous system for carrying out both biochemical and genetic analyses of proteins that regulate spatial and temporal patterns of transcription. Here we discuss what is known about the mechanisms of action and biological functions of transcription factors that act on genes controlling Drosophila embryogenesis.
Day-care hypospadias surgery: Single surgeon experience

Aim: To report the results of the early discharge of children after hypospadias repair with an indwelling catheter. Materials and Methods: To facilitate early the discharge of children after hypospadias repair, the author adopted the technique of draining the indwelling urinary catheter into diapers in children undergoing this operation. Home catheter care was taught to the mother; the dressings and catheters were subsequently managed in the outpatient clinic. Results: Over a 2-year period, 43 children were managed by this technique and were sent home within 24-48 h after the operation with an indwelling catheter. Minor problems requiring outpatient visits to the surgeon occurred in nine (20%) children after discharge from the hospital. All the nine children were successfully managed as outpatients and no child required rehospitalisation. The catheter remained in position for 5 days in all the children. The overall results were satisfactory with an acceptable (7%) fistula rate. Conclusions: It is possible to reduce the duration of the hospital stay of children after hypospadias repair without compromising on the final results.
Potential energy surface of In and Ga adatoms above the (111)A and (110) surfaces of a GaAs nanopillar

Density-functional calculations of the potential-energy surface for tracer Ga and In adatoms above two GaAs (111)A and two GaAs (110) surface reconstructions are presented in order to understand the growth conditions required to form axial GaAs/InGaAs heterostructures in nanopillars. The surface reconstructions present under As-rich conditions have lower diffusion barriers for In adatoms. In addition, the binding energy of In becomes more competitive with Ga under As-rich conditions. We conclude that the As-rich reconstructions for GaAs(110) and GaAs(111)A are preferable for selective formation of heterointerfaces on (111) facets. This work helps explain the recent successful formation of axial GaAs/InGaAs heterointerfaces in catalyst free nanopillars.
Lipid-protein complexes from safflower expeller cake

Lipid-protein complexes were prepared from safflower prepress expeller cake, which contains about 18% oil and 17% protein, by grinding and extraction with aqueous alkali, then coprecipitation of oil and protein in the extract with acid. In the laboratory, using hammer mills or high-shear homogenizers, complexes were obtained containing up to 48% oil with 46% protein. In the pilot plant, the best extraction, using an attrition mill, yielded a complex contain-ing 44% oil and 47% protein. Phenolic glucosides, which contribute to the bitterness and cathartic activity in safflower meal, were removed during the process. Loaves of bread with 10% of the wheat flour replaced by safflower lipid-protein complexes had acceptable properties and contained 25-36% more protein than the controls.
Cubic spline fits to thermodynamic and transport parameters of liquid 4 He above the λ transition

A survey has been made of the more recent experimental measurements of the viscosity, density, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, and specific heat of liquid 4He from the λ region up to 4.2 K. Cubic spline fits to these data are provided using a mean squares approach. The fits are used to plot the temperature dependence of the kinematic viscosity, the thermal diffusivity, and the Prandtl number.
Dynamical effects of jupiter, the inner planets, and Poynting-Robertson drag on the lifetime of interplanetary dust

Abstract Wyatt and Whipple (1950) identified a constant (W) in the relation between orbital semimajor axis (a) and eccentricity for interplanetary particles under the influence of Poynting-Robertson drag. Perturbations due to the planets were found to cause changes in W, including a nearly monotonie decrease for particles with semimajor axes less than 2 AU. Based on the calculated orbital evolution (Gustafson et al., 1987a) of some two hundred dust particles released from comet P/Encke and perturbed by the planets Venus, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter as well as radiation pressure and drag and corpuscular drag, values were found for the changes in W as a function of a. Most frequently, particles showed a decrease in W, corresponding to an increase in eccentricity over that predicted from P-R drag. This effect should be accounted for in future dynamical calculations that include Poynting-Robertson drag.
Synthesis and structural characterization of the lanthanide Schiff-base complexes {N[CH2CH2NCH(2-O-3,5-t-Bu2C6H2)]3}Ln (Ln=Sm, Nd)

Abstract Reaction of Ln[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 (Ln=Sm, Nd) with one equivalent of the bulky heptadentate Schiff-base ligand N[CH 2 CH 2 NCH(2-OH-3,5- t -Bu 2 C 6 H 2 )] 3 ( 1 ) resulted in formation of the 7-coordinate complexes {N[CH 2 CH 2 NCH(2-O-3,5- t -Bu 2 C 6 H 2 )] 3 }Ln (Ln=Sm ( 2 ), Nd ( 3 )). X-ray diffraction studies of 2 and 3 reveal isostructural hemi-toluene solvate complexes in which the N 4 O 3 donor atom set of the ligand defines a slightly distorted capped octahedral geometry about the metal center. Ln–N bond lengths are of two types — an average of 2.556(3) A ( 2 ) (2.587(5) A ( 3 )) to the three imine nitrogens, and a significantly longer interaction of 2.818(4) A ( 2 ) (2.811(5) A ( 3 )) with the apical amine nitrogen. Ln–O distances lie in the range 2.218(3)–2.232(4) A for 2 and 2.241(6)–2.248(4) A for 3 .
A kinetic method for determination of arylsulfatase activity

Abstract A new assay for arylsulfatase activity is described, which consists of direct kinetic measurements of pseudo-first-order rate constants by means of a spectrophotometric procedure. The assay is applicable for reactions occurring at different pH conditions and it can be used for a wide range of activities.
Characterization of the gene encoding superoxide dismutase of Bordetella pertussis and construction of a SOD-deficient mutant.

Abstract The Bordetella pertussis gene sodB, encoding Superoxide dismutase (SOD), was cloned by complementation of an Escherichia colisodAsodB double mutant. The nucleotide sequence of sodB predicted a 21-kDa protein with homology to manganese- and iron-containing SODs from other organisms. Examination of SOD activity on gels suggests that B. pertussis extracts have a single SOD containing Fe+ as a prosthetic group. A SOD-deβcient mutant was obtained by insertional inactivation of sodB in B. pertussis, confirming that there is only one SOD in this organism.
Millimeter- and submillimeter-wave spectra of the NO' stretching mode (ν6) in nitric acid

Abstract Over 140 rotational transitions have been assigned and measured for the ONO′ bending mode ( ν 7 ) of gaseous nitric acid. These observations, over a wide range of J and K values in the region 100–600 GHz, have been used as the basis for an analysis of the rotational structure of this vibrational state. The resulting rotation-distortion parameters make possible the calculation, with good accuracy, of all the transition frequencies arising from thermally populated levels of the ν 7 vibrational state. Also, a novel spectrometer capable of broad spectral scans in the millimeter and submillimeter region is described.
Spin-fluctuation description of chemisorption

It is argued that the picture of an Anderson-Edwards-Newns adatom-substrate electronic resonance, coupled to the collective fluctuations of the local spin density, provides a qualitatively correct, physically sensible, and calculationally practical description of electronic states in the vicinity of a chemisorbed atom. At the simplest level, we observe that it is exactly correct to second order in the Coulomb interaction parameter $U$, and that it reproduces the proper two-level structure in the adatom density of states in the opposite limit of weak adatom-substrate electron transfer energy $V$. We investigate the question of how to parametrize a local spinfluctuation (LSF) model of the dynamics of a system described by an Anderson Hamiltonian, with particular attention focused on the strong-coupling (Kondo) limit. We find that to the extent that bonding or antiboding states or resonances appear far from the Fermi level, a larger $\frac{U}{V}$ is necessary to reach the Kondo limit. Most cases of chemisorption on transition metals are therefore in weak- or intermediate-coupling regimes. To illustrate the scheme, we have calculated the effect of spin fluctuations on the adatom density of states for several model substrate surface densities of states. One sees arising naturally a doubling of structure in the spectrum and possible resonances near the Fermi level. Finally, we generalize the LSF theory to the important case where electrons interact in the substrate as well as on the adatom, and calculate the resulting substrate and adatom densities of states.
Evaluation of a Voluntary Busing Program through Cohort Comparisons

A longitudinal study indicates that bused pupils' academic achievement persists or increases.
The influence of expatriate and repatriate experiences on career advancement and repatriate retention

We address repatriate retention from a career advancement perspective by developing a model that analyzes the effect of expatriate experiences and organizational career support on repatriates' career advancement upon return to the home country. Career advancement, in turn, is expected to affect the repatriate's perceived underemployment and turnover intentions. We collected data from a sample of 84 recently repatriated employees. Results revealed a curvilinear relationship between the number of international assignments and career advancement upon repatriation. Results also showed that developmental expatriate assignments were positively related to career advancement while the acquisition of managerial skills was negatively related to career advancement. Acquiring cultural skills, completing assignment objectives, and organizational career support did not relate to career advancement. In terms of outcomes, we found that perceived underemployment mediated the relationship between career advancement and turnover intentions. A lower level of organizational career support also resulted in greater turnover intentions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Effect of Country of Origin on Judgments of Multinational Organizations Involved in a Crisis

Abstract Country-of-origin effects research has shown that consumers tend to form impressions of countries and their major exports over time. These general evaluations can serve as stereotypes or judgment shortcuts invoked by consumers when they consider a product purchase or their attitude toward a given product. The current study used an experimental design to examine the effect of country of origin and outgroup status on how fictitious multinational organizations were evaluated by American and Chinese citizens after a crisis situation. Specifically, participants were asked to make an attribution for a product crisis associated with an organization based in China, Japan, Mexico, or the United States. The study found that evaluations of the organization and its behavior were based more on overall evaluations of the country in which the organization was headquartered than on simple outgroup status.
A contextual approach to supply chain risk mitigation

Purpose – As global supply networks proliferate, the strategic significance of supply chain risk management (SCRM) – defined as the identification, evaluation, and management of supply chain-related risks to reduce overall supply chain vulnerability – also increases. Yet, despite consistent evidence that firm performance is enhanced by appropriate fit between strategy and context, extant SCRM research focusses more on identifying sources of supply chain risk, types of SCRM strategy, and performance implications associated with SCRM than on the relative efficacy of alternative primary supply chain risk mitigation strategies in different risk contexts. Drawing on contingency theory, a conceptual framework is proposed that aligns well-established aspects of SCRM to present a rubric for matching primary alternative supply chain risk mitigation strategies (redundancy and flexibility) with particular risk contexts (severity and probability of risk occurrence). The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/meth...
Information systems professionals and conflict of interest

Conflicts of interest are situations in which a decision maker must balance personal interests with corporate or organizational interests. Often the conflict is unknown to others involved in or affected by a decision. Examples of conflicts of interest affecting the IT profession are examined and categorized in the areas of self‐dealing, accepting benefits, influence peddling, using your employer’s property for personal advantage, using confidential information, obtaining outside employment or moonlighting, and taking advantage in post‐employment. Further, steps are recommended by which individuals and organizations can reduce the risks attributable to conflicts of interest.
Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes at RF-THz Frequencies: Scattering, Shielding, Effective Conductivity, and Power Dissipation

Isolated, infinitely long multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) interacting with electromagnetic waves in the microwave and far-infrared frequency regime are analyzed using a semi-classical approach. An expression for the bulk effective conductivity of MWCNTs is obtained, valid up to THz frequencies. The influence of the number of tube walls, the radius of the outermost tube wall, and the presence of a gold core on scattering and shielding is analyzed. Comparisons between metallic MWCNTs, metallic single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and metal nanowires are provided.
The Tangled Web: Delinquency, Deception, and Parental Attachment

Delinquent youth display weaker attachment to their parents than do other youth, but the reasons for this remain unclear. One explanation is that delinquent youth poison their relations with parents by lying to them about their friends, behavior, whereabouts, and more. Analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health reveals that lying to parents is an exceptionally strong and robust correlate of delinquent behavior, and is associated with a variety of surreptitious behaviors – late bedtimes, hanging with friends, concealing whereabouts. Lying to parents appears to have a progressively negative impact on the parent-child bond, meaning that the well-established attachment/delinquency association is not solely a parent effect. Youth who lie to their parents do not appear to do so blithely, however. Compared to other youth, they hold themselves in lower regard and are more often depressed. Although parents are often angered by and distrustful of deceitful children, their children's fabrications may say less about their regard for their parents than about the strength of other loyalties.
Fabrication and characterization of a nanowire/polymer-based nanocomposite for a prototype thermoelectric device

This paper discusses the design, fabrication and testing of a novel thermoelectric device comprised of arrays of silicon nanowires embedded in a polymer matrix. By exploiting the low-thermal conductivity of the composite and presumably high-power factor of the nanowires, a thermoelectric figure of merit, higher than the corresponding bulk value, should result. Arrays were first synthesized using a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process leading to one-dimensional (1-D) growth of single-crystalline nanowires. To provide structural support while maintaining thermal isolation between nanowires, parylene, a low thermal conductivity and extremely conformal polymer, was embedded within the arrays. Mechanical polishing and oxygen plasma etching techniques were used to expose the nanowire tips and a metal contact was deposited on the top surface. Scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) illustrate the results of the fabrication processes. Using a modification of the 3/spl omega/ technique, the effective thermal conductivity of the nanowire matrix was measured and 1 V characteristics were also demonstrated. An assessment of the suitability of this nanocomposite for high thermoelectric performance devices is given.
Characterization of iCGRP release from adrenal capsule primary afferent neurons

The rat adrenal capsule and cortex are innervated by primary afferent neurons that contain neuropeptides, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP; 1). Furthermore, CGRP has been implicated in modulating adrenal cortical function (2–5). These results suggest that factors influencing the release of CGRP from these fibers may represent an additional regulatory system for modulation of adrenal cortical function in vivo. In the present study, we used an in vitro superfusion technique to pharmacologically characterize the release of immunoreactive CGRP (iCGRP) from adrenal capsular sensory fibers. These studies employed capsaicin, the pungent principle of hot peppers, which selectively activates a subset of nociceptive primary afferent neurons (6). In addition, the effects of capsaicin on aldosterone biosynthesis by adrenal capsules were assessed.Briefly, adrenal glands were quickly removed from male, Sprague-Dawley rats (250-275g) and decapsulated. The adrenal capsules were then placed into superfusion...
John E. Bennett Forum on Deep Mycoses Study Design 2004: Candidiasis and salvage therapy for aspergillosis.

Fungal infections are common in acutecare institutions. Candidemia now accounts for 8% of nosocomial bloodstream infections, aspergillosis is an all-too-common infection of immunocompromised patients, and candiduria is a frequent microbiological finding in patients with Foley
High resolution direction of arrival estimation of multiple wide-band sources in multichannel adaptive nulling systems

The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the adaptive weights obtained from different frequency channels can be used for high-resolution direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. It is shown that these weights have sufficient information which can be processed by eigenstructure methods to yield the signal and the noise subspaces. As such, with the availability of the adaptive weights in a multichannel nulling system, source localization using the data matrix or time-averaged estimation of the covariance matrix may, in most casts, prove unnecessary and can only add meager improvement over the proposed method. We present two approaches to extract the eigenstructures from the multichannel adaptive weights. Both approaches are based on coherent subspace averaging, namely the focusing techniques.
Contribution of voltage‐gated sodium channels to the b‐wave of the mammalian flash electroretinogram

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav channels) in retinal neurons are known to contribute to the mammalian flash electroretinogram (ERG) via activity of third-order retinal neurons, i.e. amacrine and ganglion cells. This study investigated the effects of tetrodotoxin (TTX) blockade of Nav channels on the b-wave, an ERG wave that originates mainly from activity of second-order retinal neurons. ERGs were recorded from anaesthetized Brown Norway rats in response to brief full-field flashes presented over a range of stimulus energies, under dark-adapted conditions and in the presence of steady mesopic and photopic backgrounds. Recordings were made before and after intravitreal injection of TTX (∼3 μm) alone, 3–6 weeks after optic nerve transection (ONTx) to induce ganglion cell degeneration, or in combination with an ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 200 μm) to block light-evoked activity of inner retinal, horizontal and OFF bipolar cells, or with the glutamate agonist N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA, 100–200 μm) to reduce light-evoked inner retinal activity. TTX reduced ERG amplitudes measured at fixed times corresponding to b-wave time to peak. Effects of TTX were seen under all background conditions, but were greatest for mesopic backgrounds. In dark-adapted retina, b-wave amplitudes were reduced only when very low stimulus energies affecting the inner retina, or very high stimulus energies were used. Loss of ganglion cells following ONTx did not affect b-wave amplitudes, and injection of TTX in eyes with ONTx reduced b-wave amplitudes by the same amount for each background condition as occurred when ganglion cells were intact, thereby eliminating a ganglion cell role in the TTX effects. Isolation of cone-driven responses by presenting test flashes after cessation of a rod-saturating conditioning flash indicated that the TTX effects were primarily on cone circuits contributing to the mixed rod–cone ERG. NMDA significantly reduced only the additional effects of TTX on the mixed rod–cone ERG observed under mesopic conditions, implicating inner retinal involvement in those effects. After pharmacological blockade with CNQX, TTX still reduced b-wave amplitudes in cone-isolated ERGs indicating Nav channels in ON cone bipolar cells themselves augment b-wave amplitude and sensitivity. This augmentation was largest under dark-adapted conditions, and decreased with increasing background illumination, indicating effects of background illumination on Nav channel function. These findings indicate that activation of Nav channels in ON cone bipolar cells affects the b-wave of the rat ERG and must be considered when analysing results of ERG studies of retinal function.
Blogging, communication, and privacy management: Development of the Blogging Privacy Management Measure

This study applied Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory to the context of blogging and developed a validated, theory-based measure of blogging privacy management. Across three studies, 823 college student bloggers completed an online survey. In study one (n = 176), exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis techniques tested four potential models. Study two (n = 291) cross-validated the final factor structure obtained in the fourth model with a separate sample. Study three (n = 356) tested the discriminant and predictive validity of the measure by comparing it to the self-consciousness scale. The Blogging Privacy Management Measure (BPMM) is a multidimensional, valid, and reliable construct. Future research could explore the influence of family values about privacy on blogging privacy rule management. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Antigen-presenting cell function during Plasmodium yoelii infection.

Antigen-presenting cells (APC) play a key role in orchestrating immune responses. T-cell proliferative responses are inhibited during the erythrocyte stages of malaria infection, and a number of studies have suggested that APC are responsible for this phenomenon. In the present studies we examine individual components of the T-cell-activating function of APC: expression of costimulatory and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins, the ability to process and present antigen to T cells, and the ability to support cytokine production. We find that during the acute phases of Plasmodium yoelii erythrocyte stage infection, APC upregulate the expression of class II MHC and CD80, maintain expression of CD86, process and present antigen, and support gamma interferon production. However the CD11b+ subpopulation produces a soluble factor or factors that specifically inhibit interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by responding CD4 T cells. This factor is distinct from prostaglandin E2, NO, or transforming growth factor β. The data suggest that IL-2 suppression observed during malaria infection is not due to functional defects of APC but is triggered by production of a factor(s) that actively suppresses production of IL-2 by T cells.
Osteoarthritis in children associated with a mutation in the type II procollagen gene (COL2A1).

Abstract A single-base mutation resulting in an arginine-519–cysteine (R519C) mutation of type II procollagen (COL2A1) has been shown to result in precocious osteoarthritis with mild spinal chondrodysplasia without severe foreshortening (OMIM 604864). The nature of childhood disease among affected individuals has not been described. The recent presentation of four children with this mutation allows us to provide clinical correlation. This form of premature osteoarthritis may present in childhood and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of childhood arthropathy presenting in the context of a positive family history.
How many neurons must one man have, before you call him a man?

One of the great unsolved problems in science is deciphering the neural code for long-term memory or how the brain stores and represents information. Simply put: How are we that we are? How is longterm memory stored? How is it encoded? How is it lost? Can we hope to build a machine to do what we do naturally? This is an introduction to the both ancient and contemporary problem of the neural code and we explore a series of thought experiments examining how the brain encodes longterm memory and possible theoretical storage limits.
Intracellular Distribution of Arf Proteins in Mammalian Cells Arf6 IS UNIQUELY LOCALIZED TO THE PLASMA MEMBRANE

Subcellular distributions of the five human Arf proteins were examined, using a set of isoform-specific polyclonal and a pan-Arf monoclonal antibodies. Subcellular fractionation of cultured mammalian cells allowed the demonstration that Arf6 is uniquely localized to the plasma membranes of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The plasma membrane distrubution was unaffected by either GTPgammaS (guanosine 5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate) or brefeldin A, an activator and inhibitor of Arf activities, respectively. In contrast, Arf proteins 1, 3, 4, and 5 were predominantly cytosolic but could be recruited to a variety of intracellular membranes, but not plasma membranes, upon incubation in the presence of GTPgammaS. The GTPgammaS-promoted binding of the cytosolic Arf proteins to membranes was blocked by brefeldin A. The stable association of Arf6 with plasma membranes and the insensitivity of its localization to either GTPgammaS or brefeldin A revealed a clear distinction between Arf6 and the other Arf isoforms. Localization of Arf6 to the plasma membrane suggests a unique cellular role for this isoform at the plasma membrane, but failure to find endogenous Arf6 on endocytic structures, including clathrin-coated vesicles, appears inconsistent with the proposed role of Arf6 in assembly of coat structures or endosomes in transfected fibroblasts (1,2).
Development intervention and transnational narcotics control in northern Myanmar

•I reveal the unequal power relations in development intervention projects.•China’s market-logic approach generates more substantial impact, good or bad.•The UNODC’s community-based approach addresses social welfare.•The two approaches should be combined to offer a comprehensive solution.
Effective Action for Composite Operators

An effective action and potential for composite operators is obtained. The formalism is used to analyze, by variational techniques, dynamical symmetry breaking and coherent solutions to field theory. A Rayleigh-Ritz procedure is introduced which replaces arbitrary variations with parametric variations. Previously unsolved nonlinear equations become, in the Rayleigh-Ritz approximation, solvable algebraic equations.
frizzled regulates mirror-symmetric pattern formation in the Drosophila eye

Coordinated morphogenesis of ommatidia during Drosophila eye development establishes a mirror-image symmetric pattern across the entire eye bisected by an anteroposterior equator. We have investigated the mechanisms by which this pattern formation occurs and our results suggest that morphogenesis is coordinated by a graded signal transmitted bidirectionally from the presumptive equator to the dorsal and ventral poles. This signal is mediated by frizzled, which encodes a cell surface transmembrane protein. Mosaic analysis indicates that frizzled acts non-autonomously in an equatorial to polar direction. It also indicates that relative levels of frizzled in photoreceptor cells R3 and R4 of each ommatidium affect their positional fate choices such that the cell with greater frizzled activity becomes an R3 cell and the cell with less frizzled activity becomes an R4 cell. Moreover, this bias affects the choice an ommatidium makes as to which direction to rotate. Equator-outwards progression of elav expression and expression of the nemo gene in the morphogenetic furrow are regulated by frizzled, which itself is dynamically expressed about the morphogenetic furrow. We propose that frizzled mediates a bidirectional signal emanating from the equator.
Do females influence paternal responsiveness in male prairie voles Microtus ochrogaster by increasing the salience of infant odors

Male prairie voles become more responsive to infants following cohabitation with a female. Exposure to female sen- sory cues prior to offspring birth may influence male paternal tendencies by modifying his response to infant odors in particular or to odors in general. To test these hypotheses, males were housed with an unfamiliar female or a same-sex sibling for 13 days then examined for their response towards either live infants or infant-like inanimate objects covered with one of three odors: wa- ter, infant, sub-adult. We recorded the number of males that retrieved and manipulated the infants or odor-covered objects and measured the frequency and duration of time males spent attending to them or engaged in other non-social activities. Fe- male-Cohabited males approached the container holding infant-odor covered objects faster than Male-Cohabited males, but showed no differences in time spent manipulating those objects. Males in both groups spent more time manipulating live infants than odor-covered objects. However, Female-Cohabited subjects were more likely to manipulate odor-covered objects as well as live infants than Male-Cohabited subjects. Additionally, the frequency of self-grooming in Female-Cohabited males was higher for water-covered objects compared to Male-Cohabited males. In presence of water and live infants, Female-Cohabited males groomed themselves with greater frequency than in presence of infant odor or sub-adult odor. The data suggest that female cues increase the male's sensitivity to infant odors and enhance the salience of non-social odors (Current Zoology 58 (3): 317-325, 2013).
Human Microcosms and Space

Designing mesocosms to include people has become a major goal of research in ecological engineering as a prelude to life in space and a means to understand the carrying capacity of the earth for humans. Closed systems for humans were a natural extension of the intellectual study of microcosms, models, and the biosphere. Previous chapters have described the creative genesis and resilience of self-organizing ecosystems in isolation when given materials, energy, and biodiversity. To adapt microcosms to people requires a symbiotic human microculture and technology, in partnership with a compatible mesoecosystem.
Abstract W MP95: CCR2+ Monocytes Contribute to Hematoma Clearance After Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background: Inflammation is a key contributor to injury and recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). CCR2+ monocytes were recently identified as mediators of early injury in a rodent ICH model, but their potential roles in ICH recovery have not been addressed. The purpose of this study was to determine how CCR2+ monocytes influence repair and recovery after ICH Methods: Ccr2-/- bone marrow was transplanted into wild type congenic mice to create chimeras with normal microglia, but few circulating monocytes. Control mice received wild type bone marrow. Mice were subjected to the blood injection ICH model, whereby 20 μl of blood were injected into the striatum. The resulting motor weakness was quantified using the cylinder and beam balance tests. Residual hemoglobin was quantified in brains at day 7 using Drabkin’s reagent. In wild type mice, 1-μm fluorescent beads were injected with the blood as a phagocytosis substrate. An imaging flow cytometer was used to visualize phagocytic cells. Results: Mice with Ccr2-/- bone marrow have less severe motor deficits up to day 3, but both genotypes were equally recovered at day 7. Despite normal behavior, mice with Ccr2-/- bone marrow had significantly more residual hemoglobin in their brains (8.92 ± 1.03 vs. 3.96 ± 2.80 μl, p<0.05; Fig.), suggesting a role for monocytes in ICH clearance. To determine if monocytes have the capacity to phagocytose debris after ICH, we injected fluorescent beads with the ICH blood. CCR2+ monocytes engulfed more beads than resident microglia at day 1 (4.35 ± 2.23 vs. 0.23 ± 0.45 beads, p<0.0001; Fig.), suggesting a more active role in phagocytosis. Conclusions: Hematoma clearance has been attributed mainly to microglia, but these results indicate that CCR2+ monocytes are also involved. Interestingly, the lack of a motor deficit at day 7 indicates that the presence of a hematoma does not inhibit functional recovery in the absence of CCR2+ inflammatory monocytes. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The American College of Surgeons National Cancer Database: A successful initiative in improving colorectal cancer outcomes

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was created by the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society, in an effort to improve cancer care, by collecting data about patients treated for oncologic disease on a national level. In capturing more than 70% of patients treated for malignancy in the United States, it has allowed researchers to understand the natural history of colorectal cancer (CRC) and analyze the progression and efficacy of therapeutic strategies aimed at CRC. Due to its focus on oncologic disease alone, the NCDB has also allowed subset analysis of specific tumors and patient populations as well as the validation and refinement of staging strategies. While data from the NCDB have contributed significantly to the study of colorectal cancer, the database remains underutilized with regard to its potential for furthering the understanding of colorectal cancers and improving the care of patients with these tumors.
Regulation of hematopoiesis by myeloid cell-derived reactive oxygen species

Acute infection and inflammation lead to accelerated hematopoiesis in the bone marrow. The cellular mechanisms controlling this process are poorly defined. Here we found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations in the bone marrow (BM) were elevated during acute infection in a phagocytic NADPH oxidase-dependent manner in myeloid cells. Gr1+ myeloid cells were uniformly distributed in the BM, and all c-Kit+ progenitor cells were adjacent to Gr1+ myeloid cells. Inflammation-induced ROS production in the BM played a critical role in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) expansion. ROS elicited oxidation and deactivation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), resulting in up-regulation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling in BM HSPC. We further revealed that BM myeloid cell-produced ROS stimulated proliferation of HSPC via a paracrine mechanism. Taken together, our results establish that phagocytic NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS production by BM myeloid cells plays a critical role in mediating hematopoiesis during acute infection.
Major potassium conductance in type I hair cells from rat semicircular canals: characterization and modulation by nitric oxide.

Mammalian vestibular organs have two types of hair cell, type I and type II, which differ morphologically and electrophysiologically. Type I hair cells alone express an outwardly rectifying current...