cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A social network perspective on heroin and cocaine use among adults: evidence of bidirectional influences.

Aims While several studies have documented a relationship between initiation of drug use and social network drug use in youth, the direction of this association is not well understood, particularly among adults or for stages of drug involvement beyond initiation. The present study sought to examine two competing theories (social selection and social influence) in the longitudinal relationship between drug use (heroin and/or cocaine) and social network drug use among drug-experienced adults. Design Three waves of data came from a cohort of 1108 adults reporting a life-time history of heroin and/or cocaine use. Setting Low-income neighborhoods with high rates of drug use in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants Participants had weekly contact with drug users and were 18 years of age or older. Measurements Drug use data were self-report. Network drug use was assessed through a social network inventory. Close friends were individuals whom the participant reported seeing daily or rated as having the highest level of trust. Findings Structural equation modeling indicated significant bidirectional influences. The majority of change in network drug use over time was due to change in the composition of the network rather than change in friends' behavior. Drug use by close peers did not influence participant drug use beyond the total network. Conclusions There is evidence of both social selection and social influence processes in the association between drug use and network drug use among drug-experienced adults.
The Influence of Gamma Irradiation on the Leaching Behavior of a Modified Synroc-B Ceramic Waste Form

The leaching behavior of a sintered Modified SYNROC-B ceramic waste form containing l0wt% simulated high level radioactive waste, under the influence of γ-irradiation, has been investigated. Similar leaching experiments have been carried out in the absence of γ-irradiation, and the leach rates of Ba and Cs are presented for comparison studies. Acid/Base formation has been monitored through pH measurements of the leachants. A decrease in pH is found with γ-irradiation due to radiolytic nitric acid generation. Higher initial leach rates with a more pronounced subsequent drop in the case of Ba and Cs were observed with γ-irradiation than without irradiation. The results of the study are presented and discussed.
The relationship of lactoferrin to the anemia of renal cell carcinoma

This study was designed to examine whether lactoferrin, a glycoprotein contained in neutrophils which binds free iron, mediates the anemia associated with renal cell carcinoma. Preoperative hematocrit, urinalysis, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and ferritin levels were obtained in 24 patients with hypernephroma. At the time of radical nephrectomy, a tumor specimen was obtained from all 24 patients and corresponding normal renal tissue was obtained from eight patients. Fifteen patients had low serum iron, whereas nine patients had normal serum iron. All tissue samples were snap frozen at the time of surgery and were subsequently sectioned into 3-microns slices using the cryostat. Then all the sectioned specimens were stained with FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) and peroxidase conjugated rabbit derived anti-human lactoferrin. Ten of the 15 patients with low serum iron had positive anti-lactoferrin staining in both the FITC and peroxidase systems. None of the tumors from patients with normal serum iron and none of the normal renal parenchyma exhibited positive anti-lactoferrin uptake. Stains for iron in the bone marrow of two patients with low serum iron showed increased iron stores. These studies suggest that lactoferrin mediates the anemia often seen in association with renal cell carcinoma.
Increasing diversity in k-12 computer science: strategies from the field

In this paper, I describe features of computer science programs which have successfully attracted underrepresented students to study CS. Drawing from my own teaching experiences, research, and teacher education work; I provide strategies which have diversified K-12 CS courses. The paper also points out how many of these features rely on committed partnerships between schools, school districts, universities, and the CS industry.
EFFECTS OF X IRRADIATION AND INDOLEACETIC ACID ON SPECIFIC PEROXIDASE ISOZYMES IN PITH TISSUE OF A NICOTIANA AMPHIPLOID

Two electrophoretically anodal peroxidase bands, designated A3 and A4, which normally develop in zymograms of incubated pith tissue of a Nicotiana amphiploid, were inhibited by the inclusion of 0.10 mg indoleacetic acid (IAA) in a liter of culture medium. The visibility of the bands was not inhibited, however, if the pith was irradiated or if unirradiated pith blocks were incubated in either irradiated IAA-containing media or in media supplemented with irradiated IAA. Irradiation inactivates IAA in media, and according to this isozyme test, damages the capability in irradiated tissue of using exogenously supplied IAA. Radiationinduced damage to IAA metabolism caused radiation-induced peroxidase stimulation, shown in the more rapid appearance of isozyme bands A3 and A4.
TRANSLOCATION OF CARBOHYDRATES IN MAIZE.

(1) The pith of maize shows a changing sugar content with changing sugar movement in the phloem which would not be predicted from our present picture of the morphology of the maize bundle. (2) By a...
On Naturalizing the Semantics of Mental Representation

The Psychofunctionalist version of the Representational Theory of Mind (RTM) is the view vis-a-vis the individuation of propositional attitudes that such states are uniquely singled out by their positions in the matrix of attitudinal states that constitutes a believer's overall cognitive economy. Psychofunctionalism is internalist with regard to the scope of the attitudes. For Psychofunctionalism, beliefs (and the rest) are in the head in the sense that the determination of belief-state content (what they are about) is a function of the way in which the target belief is connected to the other attitudinal states of the believer's internal causal structure. The scope of such states is said to be narrow in that nothing external to the believer and his internal structure is implicated in the determination of the type of belief it is. It is in virtue of these (solipsistic) constraints on the individuation of mental states that such theories are said to be individualistic.
Laser-induced microexplosions in transparent materials: microstructuring with nanojoules

We tightly focus femtosecond laser pulses in the bulk of a transparent material. The high intensity at the focus causes nonlinear absorption of the laser energy, producing a microscopic plasma and damaging the material. The tight external focusing allows high intensity to be achieved with low energy, minimizing the effects of self-focusing. We report the thresholds for breakdown and critical self- focusing in fused silica using 110-fs pulses at both 400-nm and 800-nm wavelength. We find that permanent damage can be produced with only 10 nJ (25 nJ) for 400-m (800-nm) pulses, and that the threshold for critical self-focusing is 140 nJ for the 400-nm pulses and 580 nJ for the 800-nm pulses. The critical self-focusing thresholds are more than an order of magnitude above the breakdown thresholds, confirming that self-focusing does not play a dominant role in the damage formation. This lack of self-focusing allows a straightforward interpretation of the wavelength and bandgap dependence of bulk breakdown thresholds. The energies necessary for material damage are well within the range of a cavity-dumped oscillator, allowing for precision microstructuring of dielectrics with a high repetition-rate laser that is roughly one-third the cost of an amplified system.
Temporal summation at the warmth threshold

Threshold levels for warmth aroused by infrared irradiation were measured in sLx Ss at durations between 0.05 and 10 sec. Beyond a critical duration of about a second, the threshold does not depend on duration. Below critical duration time t trades for irradiance ϕ by the formula ϕ = kt−0.82. That these properties do not depend much on areal extent of stimulation was demonstrated by a study that compared temporal summation for two different areas of the same S’s skin. Individual differences in apparent absolute sensitivity were explored under the rubric of the theory of signal detection.
The NBL1 tumor suppressor gene is downregulated in colon cancer by promoter methylation

Abstract Introduction: We have recently identified the novel finding that TSG is a tumor suppressor gene that is down-regulated in v-Srctransformed rat fibroblasts through the mechanism of promoter hypermethylation and gene silencing. We hypothesized that the human homologue of TSG, NBL1 (Neuroblastoma, suppression of tumorigenicity 1), might be affected through a similar mechanism in human cancer. Thus, NBL1 may represent a new candidate tumor suppressor gene regulated by promoter hypermethylation through DNA methyltransferases. Methods: We evaluated colon cancers (n = 10) of similar stage and grade and their matched normal tissues for NBL1 expression by real-time RT-PCR and western blots. In addition, we assessed the promoter region of NBL1 for presence of CpG islands and for hypermethylation of these regions though bisulfite sequencing and methylation specific PCR. Results: The mRNA levels and protein of the expressed NBL1 gene were significantly reduced in 70% tumors with respect to their normal matched controls. Evaluation identified NBL1 promoter site to be CpG island rich. Methylation analysis of human colon cancer specimens confirmed hypermethlation of NBL1 promoter site. Conclusions: NBL1 is a transcription factor that plays a role in the negative regulation of the cell cycle. Our data suggest, for the first time, that the down regulation of NBL1 in human colon cancer through promoter hypermethylation may play an important role in colon cancer development and/or progression.
Endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure and the American alligator: a review of the potential role of environmental estrogens on the immune system of a top trophic carnivore.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) alter cellular and organ system homeostasis by interfering with the body’s normal physiologic processes. Numerous studies have identified environmental estrogens as modulators of EDC-related processes in crocodilians, notably in sex determination. Other broader studies have shown that environmental estrogens dysregulate normal immune function in mammals, birds, turtles, lizards, fish, and invertebrates; however, the effects of such estrogenic exposures on alligator immune function have not been elucidated. Alligators occupy a top trophic status, which may give them untapped utility as indicators of environmental quality. Environmental estrogens are also prevalent in the waters they occupy. Understanding the effects of these EDCs on alligator immunity is critical for managing and assessing changes in their health and is thus the focus of this review.
An Experimental Paradigm for the Study of Conceptual Conservatism and Change

Although we are indisputably capable of changing our beliefs, everyday experience suggests that such changes are hard to make: we often cling to old and familiar conceptions of reality, disregarding or explaining away contradictory evidence. This report presents a new experimental paradigm for the study of this critically important human attribute. Preliminary qualitative observations indicate that conceptual conservatism can be directly explored in a controlled laboratory setting, that it plays a more critical role in human affairs than has been hitherto supposed, and that it is traceable in part to the cognitive difficulty of replacing one belief with another.
Coupling Mechanical Forces to Electrical Signaling Molecular Motors and the Intracellular Transport of Ion Channels

Proper localization of various ion channels is fundamental to neuronal functions, including postsynaptic potential plasticity, dendritic integration, action potential initiation and propagation, and neurotransmitter release. Microtubule-based forward transport mediated by kinesin motors plays a key role in placing ion channel proteins to correct subcellular compartments. PDZ- and coiled-coil-domain proteins function as adaptor proteins linking ionotropic glutamate and GABA receptors to various kinesin motors, respectively. Recent studies show that several voltage-gated ion channel/transporter proteins directly bind to kinesins during forward transport. Three major regulatory mechanisms underlying intracellular transport of ion channels are also revealed. These studies contribute to understanding how mechanical forces are coupled to electrical signaling and illuminating pathogenic mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases.
The state-specific reaction of electronically excited sodium atoms with oxygen molecules

Abstract The reaction of electronically excited sodium atoms with molecular oxygen has been studied in crossed molecular beams. The Na(5 2 S 1 2 ) and Na(3 2 P 3 2 ) states did not produce NaO at collision energies up to 18 kcal/mole, even though energetically allowed to do so. The Na(4 2 D 5 2 ) state produced NaO + O at center of mass collision energies higher than 16 kcal/mole, but not at 7 kcal/mole. The NaO produced was predominantly backwards scattered relative to the incoming sodium atoms in the center of mass frame of reference, implying that collinear and near-collinear approach geometries are favored, and that the reaction proceeds directly with no collision complex formation. The NaO + O produced were very highly internally excited, and it is likely that O( 1 D) atoms were produced.
Hoarseness as the Initial Clinical Presentation of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a rare congenital anomaly that, if left untreated, will most often result in severe myocardial ischemia and significant morbidity and mortality. We report an unusual presentation of this defect in a 2-month-old infant who had an initial complaint of a “hoarse cry.” We theorize that impingement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve due to dilatation of the pulmonary artery was the most likely etiology of the patient's symptoms. This case serves as an important reminder that serious congenital heart disease may present with any number of complaints and unusual findings.
Success and failure in cooperative expert systems development: a tale of two projects

Abstract When a university and a private company cooperate in the development of an expert system, a number of factors can affect the success or failure of the development project. We describe two independent joint development projects, one successful, the other unsuccessful, to provide a comparative illustration of the organizational and project-specific circumstances that affected the outcome of each project. The circumstances include project planning (including initial formalization of the partnership), intra- and interorganization communication, organizational acceptance and assimilation of artificial intelligence technology, management commitment, congruity and consistency of project goals, and availability of the expert being modeled. By citing differences between the two joint ventures in the context of these circumstances, we offer suggestions to the business and academic communities for policies that may enhance the prospects for successful partnership.
Morphological Changes During Crystallization and Melting of Polyoxymethylene Studied by Synchrotron X-Ray Scattering and Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Temperature scanning techniques, including synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD), and temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC), were used to study melting recrystallization in semicrystalline polyoxymethylene (POM). The isothermal crystallization of POM was also studied by time-resolved SAXS. From SAXS profiles, several morphological variables were calculated, including the long period L, lamellar thickness lc , interlamellar amorphous thickness la , and scattering invariant Q. The lamellar parameters were also obtained using tapping atomic force microscopy (AFM) for two thermal histories, and some lamellar-scale and larger-scale morphological changes were characterized before and after partial melting. These real-space images also provided support to interpretation of SAXS analysis in the interpretation of first- and second-order intensity maxima. During melting at constant heating rates, la from SAXS increased slowly starting at about ...
Concentration-dependent mutation of diploid human lymphoblasts by methylnitronitrosoguanidine: the importance of phenotypic lag.

The mutation of diploid human lymphoblasts by methylnitronitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was measured over the range of 0–45 ng of MNNG/ml of medium. We found a 12-day lag in the phenotypic expression of 6-thioguanine resistance; the occurrence of this lag was independent of MNNG concentration. We hypothesize that the unexpectedly long lag period reflects a requirement for the loss of previously existing molecules of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) after mutation at the HGPRT locus.
A numerical study of errors in reduction methods

Abstract The use of numerical methods to solve nonlinear initial value problems may become prohibitively expensive when these problems involve a large number of independent variables. For that reason, it is of interest to reduce the number of independent variables of very large problems in order to make them more economical, while at the same time keeping a desirable level of accuracy. Different reduction methods have been proposed in the literature and a recent study has identified the conditions under which a certain method can be expected to provide results which will be more accurate than if a different method had been used. This paper gives an overview of existing reduction methods as applied to linearized initial value problems and presents numerical results which indicate that an a priori estimate can be made of the accuracy to be achieved in the approximate response by using a certain reduction method.
Paradigm in Verification of Access Control

Access control (AC) is one of the most fundamental and widely used requirements for privacy and security. Given a subject's access request on a resource in a system, AC determines whether this request is permitted or denied based on AC policies (ACPs). This position paper introduces our approach to ensure the correctness of AC using verification. More specifically, given a model of an ACP, our approach detects inconsistencies between models, specifications, and expected behaviors of AC. Such inconsistencies represent faults (in the ACP), which we target at detecting before ACP deployment.
Reverse bullwhip effect in pricing

Price variability is one of the major causes of the bullwhip effect. This paper analyzes the impact of procurement price variability in the upstream of a supply chain on the downstream retail prices. Procurement prices may fluctuate over time, for example, when the supply chain players deploy auction type procurement mechanisms, or if the prices are dictated in market exchanges. A game theory framework is used here to model a serial supply chain. Sequential price game scenarios are investigated to show that there is an increase in retail price variability and an amplified reverse bullwhip effect on prices (RBP) under certain demand conditions.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Current Status and Future Direction

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is commonly associated with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) including systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The prevalence of PAH in SLE is estimated to be 0.5% to 17.5%. The pathophysiology of PAH involves multiple mechanisms from vasculitis and in-situ thrombosis to interstitial pulmonary fibrosis which increases pulmonary vascular resistance, potentially leading to right heart failure. Immune and inflammatory mechanisms may play a significant role in the pathogenesis or progression of PAH in patients with CTDs, establishing a role for anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive therapies. The leading predictors of PAH in SLE are Raynaud phenomenon, anti-U1RNP antibody, and anticardiolipin antibody positivity. The first-line of diagnostic testing for patients with suspected SLE-associated PAH (SLE-aPAH) involves obtaining a Doppler echocardiogram. Once the diagnosis is confirmed by right heart catheterization, SLE-aPAH patients are generally treated with oxygen, anticoagulants, and vasodilators. Although the prognosis and therapeutic responsiveness of these patients have improved with the addition of intensive immunosuppressive therapies, these treatments are still largely unproven. Recent data put the one-year survival rate for SLE-aPAH patients at 94%. Pregnant women are most at risk of dying due to undiagnosed SLE-aPAH, and screening should be considered essential in this population.
Sharp-interface simulation of dendritic growth with convection: benchmarks

Abstract We present and validate a numerical technique for computing dendritic growth of crystals from pure melts in the presence of forced convection. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved on a fixed Cartesian mesh and a mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian framework is used to treat the immersed phase boundary as a sharp solid–fluid interface. A conservative finite-volume discretization is employed which allows the boundary conditions to be applied exactly at the moving surface. Results are presented for a range of the growth parameters, namely crystalline anisotropy, flow Reynolds number and Prandtl number. Direct comparisons are made between the present results and those obtained with phase-field methods and excellent agreement is obtained. Values for the tip characteristics are tabulated to serve as benchmarks for computations of two-dimensional dendritic growth with convection.
Natural convection melting of a frozen porous medium

Abstract Melting of an ice-porous media (glass beads) system contained in a rectangular test cell has been studied both experimentally and numerically in order to examine the effects of natural convection and density inversion of water in the melt region. When the superheat across the liquid region is small the flow in the porous media is weak and the interface is almost planar. For larger superheats, the strength of natural convection flow, the interface velocity and shape are all found to depend on the imposed temperature difference and the permeability of the porous medium. The measured temperature distributions are compared with predictions of a numerical model that considers both conduction in the solid and natural convection in the liquid regions. The model is based on volumetric averaging of the macroscopic transport equations, with phase change assumed to occur volumetrically over a small temperature range. Both Brinkman and Forchheimer extensions are added to the Darcy equations. The effect of density inversion of water on the fluid flow and heat transfer is modeled. Reasonably good agreement is found between the experimental data and numerical predictions. The numerical and experimental results establish conclusively that natural convection in the melt region causes the front shape to become nonplanar and increases the melting rate.
Instrumented capsule for in-reactor fuel creep studies at high fission rates

Abstract An instrumented capsule for in-reactor creep studies of ceramic nuclear fuels at high fission rates has been designed, fabricated and succesfully operated. The capsule contains a device for loading the creep specimen in compression from 0 to 13,000 psi. The temperature is adjusted by means of both internal electrical heaters and a gas gap. The deformation of the specimen during creep is continuously measured by means of a constant gas flow, variable orifice device. Creep studies have been conducted in the Battelle Research Reactor on UO2-22 w/o PuO2 in the temperature range of 350 to 600°C, the stress range of 4000 to 8000 psi and the fission rate of 3.8 × 1013 fissions/cm3 sec. The creep rate under these conditions was found to be substantially increased as a result of the fission process.
Factors Affecting Wood Dissolution and Regeneration of Ionic Liquids

Three wood species, eucalyptus grandis (E. grandis), southern pine (S. pine), and Norway spruce thermomechanical pulp (N. spruce TMP) were pretreated by dissolution in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl). The wood was regenerated from the ionic liquid in high yield and the recycling of the ionic liquid was nearly quantitative. The lignin contents and the efficiencies of cellulase enzymatic hydrolyses of the regenerated wood were examined offering an understanding into the IL pretreatment efficiency. The components that remained within the recycled ILs were qualitatively characterized by 31P NMR spectroscopy. Wood density, pulverization intensity, and the nature of the regeneration nonsolvents were investigated as factors affecting the overall process. An increase in the wood density decreased the efficiency of the pretreatment, whereas extended pulverization periods decreased the yield of the regenerated wood after the IL pretreatment,with more glucose being released duri...
A versatile system for three-dimensional radiation dose computation and display, RTP.

Abstract The Radiation Treatment Planning System (RTP System) is designed to give the radiotherapist and radiophysicist maximum versatility in calculating and displaying dose distribution throughout the irradiated three-dimensional target volume of the patient. This system can compute dose distributions for treatment plans involving either fixed or moving beams. The fields may be arbitrarily located in space and the dose distribution may be corrected for curvature heterogeneity, wedges, compensators, or blocks. A variety of displays may be produced which enables the therapist to visualize the dose distributions and the various patient structures. Displays may be obtained in any desired plane or slice through the patient. The system is designed to easily interface with virtually any type of input/output device. In particular, the system is designed so that it may be used either interactively, by a user at a console such as a teletype or CRT terminal, or remotely, as an ordinary batch program. The RTP System is not limited to any particular source of ionizing radiation or specific method of calculation. In order to allow the use of any quality of radiation, the computing part of the system is in a separate module (as is true also for the other parts). At present the calculation for dose values is done through the equation developed by Sterling et al., which has been extended to cover the following 60 Co machines with acceptable accuracy: Eldorado A, Theratron F, Eldorado 8, and Theratron 80. Methods of calculation are being developed for other machines (especially linear accelerators) and will become available presently. The RTP System was developed under a grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA10208) and may be obtained without cost by request to the authors.
Initial studies of large-bore flow-injection systems

Abstract The recent in flow injection analysis has been miniaturize the components of the system. In many industrial processes, heterogeneous turbid samples have to be analyzed; neither microconduit systems nor normal flow-injection systems with 0.5 mm i.d. tubing can be used for such samples. The effects of increasing internal diameters of coiled tubing are examined. It is shown that essential characteristics of dispersion are maintained with tubing diameters up to at least 1.3 mm.
EPIC: a multi-tiered approach to enterprise email prioritization

We present Enterprise Priority Inbox Classifier (EPIC), an automatic personalized email prioritization system based on a topic-based user model built from the user's email data and relevant enterprise information. The user model encodes the user's topics of interest and email processing behaviors (e.g. read/reply/file) at the granularity of pair-wise interactions between the user and each of his/her email contacts. Given a new message, the user model is used in combination with the message metadata and content to determine the values of a set of contextual features. Contextual features include people-centric features representing information about the user's interaction history and relationship with the email sender, as well as message-centric features focusing on the properties of the message itself. Based on these feature values, EPIC uses a dynamic strategy to combine a global priority classifier with a user-specific classifier for determining the message's priority. An evaluation of EPIC based on 2,064 annotated email messages from 11 users, using 10-fold cross-validation, showed that the system achieves an average accuracy of 81.3%. The user-specific classifier contributed an improvement of 11.5%. Lastly we report on findings regarding the relative value of different contextual features for email prioritization.
Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation in tuberculosis patients with AIDS : A decision analysis

In HIV-infected tuberculosis patients with <200 CD4 lymphocytes/mm, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) improves survival but can be complicated by immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) and drug toxicity. We conducted a decision analysis in hypothetical cohorts of 1000 patients in which HAART was initiated during the first 2 months of tuberculosis therapy (early) or during months 2 through 6 of tuberculosis therapy (deferred) or was withheld until after tuberculosis therapy (no HAART). Outcomes assessed were 1-year mortality and the combined outcome of 1-year mortality, new AIDS-defining illness, severe IRIS, and severe drug toxicity. There were 33, 48, and 147 deaths and 497, 501, and 501 combined outcome events in the early HAART, deferred HAART, and no-HAART groups, respectively; most events were drug toxicity in the early and deferred groups and HIV-related mortality or AIDS-defining illness in the no-HAART group. In a 2-way sensitivity analysis of mortality, early HAART was favored, even with the highest reported rates of IRIS (70%) and severe drug toxicity (56%). Deferred HAART was favored over early HAART only if the IRIS-related mortality rate in the early group exceeded 4.6%. These results support early initiation of HAART in patients with AIDS, except when IRIS-related mortality rates are high.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Function in Adult Rats Treated Neonatally with Monosodium Glutamate*

Large doses of monosodium-i-glutamate (MSG) administered to rats early in life induce permanent lesions in the retina and the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Despite normal serum LH and FSH concentrations, the reproductive capabilities of MSG-treated rats are diminished. The present study was conducted to determine hypothalamic-pituitary responsiveness to exogenous LHRH, naloxone (NAL), or n-methyl-aspartic acid (NMA) in MSG-treated rats. In addition, the effects of castration on plasma LH pulses were studied in male rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected sc with MSG (4 mg/g) or NaCl at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days of age. Treatment with MSG produced arcuate lesions, obesity, and hypogonadism in males and females and reduced serum testosterone concentrations (P ≤ 0.05) in males. Concentrations of serum LH and FSH and hypothalamic LHRH were not affected significantly in either sex. In both male and female MSG-treated rats, NAL, NMA, and LHRH stimulated LH secretion equal to or greater than in saline controls. Ca...
NANA ASMA'U'S INSTRUCTION AND POETRY FOR PRESENT-DAY AMERICAN MUSLIMAHS

In 1995 I whined to Dave Henige about the difficulties involved in producing a 753-page volume of 383 pages of translated poetry (each including a work number, language of the original, source of the text, an historical introduction, and related text section) containing three orthographies, four languages, 947 footnotes, 241 pages of barely-arranged Arabic-script (but not all Arabic language) facsimiles, six maps, three glossaries, two works cited lists (published and unpublished), two appendices, and an index – all without a copy editor, and for a press demanding camera-ready copy from two novices an ocean apart who had access only to primitive email (remember CompuServe?) that would scramble poetic verse and jumble margins. When I finally took a breath, he smiled. Dave loves a challenge, and loves even more, passing one on. “Write about it,” he said. Suddenly I found myself signed up for the “Technical Problems in Preparing Text and Translations for Camera-Ready Copy” Historical Texts Panel at ASA's 1996 meetings. But that was not enough for Dave. He also expected an article, which I duly produced: “This Will (Not) Be Handled By the Press: Problems and Their Solution in Preparing Camera-Ready Copy for The Collected Works of Nana Asma'u, Daughter of Usman Dan Fodiyo 1793-1864 ” for History in Africa 25 (1998). In fact, it was Dave who rained on our anticipated title, “The Complete Works…,” dryly inquiring, “How can you be sure?” So it was “Collected Works…” instead.
Tagging alcohols with cyclic carbonate: a versatile equivalent of (meth)acrylate for ring-opening polymerization

Cyclic carbonate monomers based on a single biocompatible scaffold allow for incorporation of a wide range of functional groups into macromolecules via ring-opening polymerization.
Liquid-liquid-vapor phase equilibrium behavior of certain binary ethane + n-alkanol mixtures

Abstract Liquid-liquid-vapor (LLV) loci for the binary mixtures ethane + n-propanol, ethane + n-butanol, ethane + n-octanol and ethane + n-decanol are studied experimentally using a visual cell (stoichiometric) technique. The pressure, temperature, phase compositions and molar volumes of the two liquid phases are reported for all the mixtures. The vapor phase compositions and molar volumes of the mixtures ethane + n-propanol and ethane + n-butanol are also reported. LLV locus end points are reported for all the ethane + n-alkanol mixtures from ethanol to n-pentadecanol. A transition in the nature of the LLV locus occurs in the homologous series between n-decanol and n-undecanol. For n-undecanol and higher n-alkanols, the lower terminus of the LLV locus is a four-phase solid-liquid-liquid-vapor (SLLV) point, with the termination of LLV immiscibility occurring with n-pentadecanol. For n-decanol and lower n-alkanols to ethanol, the lower terminus is a lower critical end point, with the two liquid phases being critical.
Identification of an interleukin-6 responsive element and characterization of the proximal promoter region of the rat hemopexin gene.

The rat hemopexin (Hx) gene was isolated and studies of its transcriptional regulation initiated. For analysis by a transient expression assay, the sequence between −2400 and +21 and sequential 5′ truncates were linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. HepG2 cells transfected with these CAT constructs were treated with conditioned medium of lipopolysaccharide stimulated human monocytes, interleukin-1 (IL-1) or interleukin-6 (IL-6). The activities of putative regulatory regions joined to the SV40 promoter indicated that the flanking region of the rat Hx gene from −209 to −104 contains three functional regions designated proximal regulatory regions; PRR-I (−209 to −173), -II (−178 to −158) and-III (−154 to −104). We found that PRR-II contains a different class of IL-6 responsive element (RE)from that reported for the human Hx gene, and that PRR-I and PRR-III participate in the basal expressionof rat Hx in HepG2 cells.
OBSERVATIONS ON HEAVES. AN ASTHMA-LIKE SYNDROME IN THE HORSE.

Abstract Observations in six horses with heaves established a clear relationship between attacks of heaves and the feeding of hay. Severe acute attacks were accompanied by striking changes in the eosinophil count and the sedimentation rate. The variation in the severity of heaves in relation to the feeding and withholding of hay is accounted for by assuming that attacks result from a transient obstructive lesion in the bronchial tree or lung caused by hypersensitivity to some component of hay. The observations strongly suggest that heaves is a respiratory allergic disease in the horse. The relation of heaves to pulmonary emphysema in the horse is discussed.
Loss, Pain, and Growth

This article discusses, with case illustrations, different kinds of loss encountered throughout life and the emotional reactions to them. Understanding losses and their common responses will enable helping professionals to assist others more effectively in dealing with their experience of loss and turning it into an opportunity for personal growth. Guidelines are given for helping those who have undergone loss.
Predicting Root Density in Streambanks1

Abstract: Roots of riparian vegetation increase streambank erosion resistance and structural stability; therefore, knowledge of root density and distribution in streambanks is useful for stream management and restoration. The objective of this study was to compare streambank root distributions for herbaceous and woody vegetation and to develop empirical models to predict root density. Root length density, root volume ratio, soil physical and chemical properties, and above-ground vegetation densities were measured at 25 sites on six streams in southwestern Virginia. The Mann-Whitney test was used to determine differences in root density along stream segments dominated by either woody or herbaceous vegetation. Multiple linear regression was used to develop relationships between root density and site characteristics. Study results showed that roots were evenly distributed across the bank face with the majority of roots having diameters less than 2 mm. Soil bulk density and above-ground vegetation were key factors influencing root density. While significant relationships were developed to predict root density, the predictive capabilities of the equations was low. Because of the highly variable nature of soil and vegetation properties, it is recommended at this time that soil erodibility and root density be measured in the field for design and modeling purposes, rather than estimated based on empirical relationships.
Antisymmetric Exchange and Exchange-Narrowed Electron-Paramagnetic-Resonance Linewidths

The Dzialoshinsky-Moriya (DM) antisymmetric exchange interaction between superexchange-coupled ions in antiferromagnetic salts is shown to contribute to the exchanged-narrowed electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) linewidth in the paramagnetic state. The contribution of antisymmetric exchange to the second and fourth moments has been calculated and is analogous to that from symmetric anisotropic exchange and the dipole-dipole interaction. It is demonstrated that for Cu${(\mathrm{HCOO})}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} 4${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, both the linear temperature dependence of the EPR linewidth and the temperature-independent exchange-narrowed linewidth (extrapolated to $T=0$ \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K from the paramagnetic region where $\mathrm{kT}gJ$) can be explained by the DM antisymmetric exchange interaction and are mutually consistent with one another. The analysis yields a value of the antisymmetric exchange $\frac{|{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathfrak{D}}}_{\mathrm{jk}}|}{g{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}}$ for Cu${(\mathrm{HCOO})}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} 4${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O of order 2700 Oe and a second moment ${M}_{2}$ more than two orders of magnitude larger than the contribution to ${M}_{2}$ from the dipoledipole interaction. Several other magnetic salts where the DM antisymmetric exchange interaction might contribute to the EPR linewidth are considered.
Effect of soybean phytoalexins on the herbivorous insects mexican bean beetle and soybean looper.

Effects of soybean phytoalexins on the feeding of the soybean looper and Mexican bean beetle were investigated to test the hypothesis that phytoalexins might be a defense mechanism of plants against insects as well as against pathogens. Short-term behavioral responses to the phytoalexins were analyzed using dual-choice tests with phytoalexin-rich and phytoalexin-poor (control) tissues. Phytoalexin production was elicited with ultraviolet radiation. Results from the dual-choice tests indicated that 6th instar soybean looper larvae fed equally on the control and phytoalexin-rich tissues. Feeding by adult and 4th instar Mexican bean beetles, however, was strongly deterred by the phytoalexins as evidenced by “single-bite” mandible scars on the phytoalexin-rich cotyledon discs. Nutritional effects of the isoflavonoid phytoalexin glyceollin on early instar soybean looper larvae were tested by incorporating the phytoalexin into an artificial medium at a level of 1% dry weight (0.15% fresh weight). The larvae were reared for 7 days from emergence on diets of control and glyceollin-containing media. Although survival on the glyceollin diets was initially less than on the control diets, under the experimental conditions glyceollin had no significant effect on the growth, development, or subsequent survival of the larvae. Efficiency of food utilization (ECI) was reduced, indicating that the phytoalexins may be a mild digestibility-reducing factor for the loopers. Implications of the results for host-plant resistance are discussed.
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Metastasis: First Steps into Uncharted Territory

In several forms of human cancer, only a phenotypic subset of cancer cells, usually termed "cancer stem cells" (CSC), can initiate tumor growth when transplanted. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell , Hermann et al. (2007) analyze the relationship between CSC and tumor metastasis.
Infection of Cells with Human Cytomegalovirus during S Phase Results in a Blockade to Immediate-Early Gene Expression That Can Be Overcome by Inhibition of the Proteasome

Cells infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) after commencing DNA replication do not initiate viral immediate-early (IE) gene expression and divide before arresting. To determine the nature of this blockade, we examined cells that were infected 24 h after release from G(0) using immunofluorescence, laser scanning cytometry, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. Approximately 40 to 50% of the cells had 2N DNA content, became IE(+) in the first 12 h, and arrested. Most but not all of the cells with >2N DNA content did not express IE antigens until after mitosis. To define the small population of IE(+) cells that gradually accumulated within the S and G(2)/M compartments, cells were pulsed with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) just prior to S-phase infection and analyzed at 12 h postinfection for IE gene expression, BrdU positivity, and cell cycle position. Most of the BrdU(+) cells were IE(-) and had progressed into G(2)/M or back to G(1). The majority of the IE(+) cells in S and G(2)/M were BrdU(-). Only a few cells were IE(+) BrdU(+), and they resided in G(2)/M. Multipoint BrdU pulse-labeling revealed that, compared to cells actively synthesizing DNA at the beginning of the infection, a greater percentage of the cells that initiated DNA replication 4 h later could express IE antigens and proceed into S. Synchronization of the cells with aphidicolin also indicated that the blockade to the activation of IE gene expression was established in cells soon after initiation of DNA replication. It appears that a short-lived protein in S-phase cells may be required for IE gene expression, as it is partially restored by treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132.
Relaxing to three dimensions

We propose a new selection principle for distinguishing among possible vacua that we call the ``relaxation principle.'' The idea is that the Universe will naturally select among possible vacua through its cosmological evolution, and the configuration with the biggest filling fraction is the likeliest. We apply this idea to the question of the number of dimensions of space. We show that under conventional (but higher-dimensional) Friedmann-Robertson-Walker evolution, a universe filled with equal numbers of branes and antibranes will naturally come to be dominated by 3-branes and 7-branes. We show why this might explain the number of dimensions that are experienced in our visible Universe.
Accelerated AV nodal conduction with use of procainamide in atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Background: Atrial fibrillation is a common dysrhythmia seen in the emergency department (ED). Chemical or electrical cardioversion may be performed on patients who have had atrial fibrillation for
Microstructured multi-well plate for three-dimensional packed cell seeding and hepatocyte cell culture

In this article, we present a microstructured multi-well plate for enabling three-dimensional (3D) high density seeding and culture of cells through the use of a standard laboratory centrifuge to promote and maintain 3D tissue-like cellular morphology and cell-specific functionality in vitro without the addition of animal derived or synthetic matrices or coagulants. Each well has microfeatures on the bottom that are comprised of a series of ditches/open microchannels. The dimensions of the microchannels promote and maintain 3D tissue-like cellular morphology and cell-specific functionality in vitro. After cell seeding with a standard pipette, the microstructured multi-well plates were centrifuged to tightly pack cells inside the ditches in order to enhance cell-cell interactions and induce formation of 3D cellular structures during cell culture. Cell-cell interactions were optimized based on cell packing by considering dimensions of the ditches/open microchannels, orientation of the microstructured multi-well plate during centrifugation, cell seeding density, and the centrifugal force and time. With the optimized cell packing conditions, we demonstrated that after 7 days of cell culture, primary human hepatocytes adhered tightly together to form cord-like structures that resembled 3D tissue-like cellular architecture. Importantly, cell membrane polarity was restored without the addition of animal derived or synthetic matrices or coagulants.
Scattering from perfectly conducting and resistive strips on a grounded dielectric slab

The scattering properties of perfectly conducting and resistive strips are predicted for strips which are located on a dielectric slab backed by a perfectly conducting ground plane. The spectral domain Green's function is used to relate the currents and fields on the strip, and the resulting integral equation is solved using the method of moments. Both TE and TM strips are examined using piecewise linear and pulse subdomain basis functions, respectively, to model the current on the strip. Calculated results are compared with results measured at the NASA Langley Research Center. >
The negative effects of being a ‘late’ newcomer during an expatriation assignment

Abstract In some situations, expatriate managers and their families are encapsulated in expatriate enclaves for safety and social reasons. This type of living arrangement is frequently seen in the Middle East and other locations where safety for family members are of a high level of concern. Even in situations without strict compound-like arrangements, enclaves of expatriates are formed with their own group characteristics. It is anticipated that as MNCs focus on transition economies and emerging market countries, these enclaves and the adjustment of an expatriate to not only the cultural disparities but to these established groups will have an impact on expatriate success. This paper addresses the issues associated with being a ‘late newcomer’ to one of these self-contained compounds and the difficulties of becoming integrated into the social systems established in these enclaves. The appropriate type/level of social and organizational support is also examined.