cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bindin genes of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

When Crassostrea gigas oyster sperm acrosome react a ring of bindin protein is exposed that bonds the sperm to the egg vitelline envelope. The putative functional unit of bindin is a fucose lectin (F-lectin) domain that is structurally conserved among phyla. There is only one bindin gene in C. gigas, which can possess 1-5 tandem F-lectin repeats. Alternative splicing can alter the number of repeats per bindin mRNA. Recombination occurs in a highly variable intron in the middle of each F-lectin repeat to create many different lectin domain sequences [Moy, G.W., Springer, S.A., Adams, S.L., Swanson, W.J., Vacquier, V.D., 2008. Extraordinary intraspecific diversity in oyster sperm bindin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105, 1993-1998]. Two bindin genes were sequenced to learn more about bindin introns. The first gene (6914 bp) contained one F-lectin repeat. The second gene (25,932 bp) contained three tandem F-lectin repeats. Four of the introns in this larger gene are conserved in size among individuals. However, the one intron in each F-lectin repeat is highly variable in size and sequence, indicating that it has been a hot spot for recombination. A retroposon with high reverse transcriptase homology is present in the three repeat gene immediately upstream of the first F-lectin repeat, suggesting that retroposition is one mechanism by which F-lectin repeats are duplicated. The retroposon is not present in the one F-lectin repeat bindin gene. Three GA microsatellites, one in each intron immediately upstream of the start of each F-lectin repeat exon, and one downstream CT microsatellite, suggest that loopout strand hybridization can occur, and lectin repeats replicate and transpose within the gene. The CT microsatellite is not found in the one F-lectin repeat containing gene. Oysters appear to use every possible mechanism to create variation in the F-lectin domains of sperm bindin. This is presumably in response to sexual conflict that operates in the prevention of polyspermy.
Identifying novel molecular structures for advanced melanoma by ligand-based virtual screening.

We recently discovered a new class of thiazole analogs that are highly potent against melanoma cells. To expand the structure−activity relationship study and to explore potential new molecular scaffolds, we performed extensive ligand-based virtual screening against a compound library containing 342 910 small molecules. Two different approaches of virtual screening were carried out using the structure of our lead molecule: (1) connectivity-based search using Scitegic Pipeline Pilot from Accelerys and (2) molecular shape similarity search using Schrodinger software. Using a testing compound library, both approaches can rank similar compounds very high and rank dissimilar compounds very low, thus validating our screening methods. Structures identified from these searches were analyzed, and selected compounds were tested in vitro to assess their activity against melanoma cancer cell lines. Several molecules showed good anticancer activity. While none of the identified compounds showed better activity than our...
Direct Compensator Profile Optimization for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning

Radiation therapy is a widely used and highly effective technique for the treatment of cancer, however the commissioning and delivery of a course of external beam radiation is a complex process with numerous challenges. This paper will present new developments that aim to improve both the planning and delivery of this important cancer treatment technique. Specifically, this work develops a new direct delivery parameter optimization approach for planning of solid compensator intensity modulated radiation therapy, coined Direct Compensator Profile Optimization (DCPO). In order to understand the benefits and implications of this new DCPO approach, a reasonable understanding of the field of radiation therapy is needed. Therefore, this document will include a brief discussion of the history and relevant background information in the area of radiation therapy. It is intended that this background information is detailed enough so that the remainder of this research can be followed by those without existing experience in the field of radiation treatment planning. The specific details of this new approach will be then be presented followed by a display of initial results to verify the performance.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The Role of Culture in Research Misconduct

There seems to be a taboo against discussing the role culture or national origin might play in research misconduct. Still, some observers wonder why so many scientists representing foreign cultures are among those found guilty of misconduct. Even after examining the scant available data, whether foreign nationals are disproportionately represented among Office of Research Integrity (ORI) respondents remains unclear. The lack of data, however, does not negate culture as a possible explanatory variable in research misconduct. Applying theories from sociological criminology, the author posits that the culture some researchers bring may be at odds with the norms of academic science and may emphasize ends more than means. As such, culture simply may be one of several etiological factors in research misconduct and should be considered in the spirit of objective scientific inquiry. Acknowledging the role of culture in the adherence to research ethics underscores the importance of education and training of both researchers and administrators in the responsible conduct of research and cultural diversity.
Rewarding Community Engaged Scholarship

Community-engaged colleges and universities are revising promotion and tenure policies to reward community-engaged scholarship.
Can We Understand Ourselves

When it is asked if it is ‘possible’ for us to understand alien cultures, a contrast is implied with a certain conception of the understanding we have of our own culture. This contrast has certain parallels with the philosophical ‘problem of other minds’, in which a contrast is also drawn between understanding myself and others. Though these are different questions, they are related — in that somewhat parallel confusion about the notion of ‘understanding’ are involved in both. Our own culture is not in principle transparent to our understanding; neither are other cultures in principle opaque.
Spectroscopic Study of Magnetic Behavior and Jahn-Teller Distortions in the Even-Electron System TbP O 4

The high-resolution optical spectra of TbP${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ show that there is antiferromagnetic ordering in the vicinity of 2.25 K, but that there must also be a Jahn-Teller distortion. Evidence that the distortion behavior couples strongly to the magnetic behavior is provided by optical experiments which show that (i) the distortion behavior must occur simultaneously with either magnetic ordering or the application of a large magnetic field and that (ii) the distortion is rotatable by an external magnetic field. It is possible to deduce from the distortion behavior the possible directions for the easy axis. A model is presented to explain the magnetic and distortion behavior. A variety of spectral features, including metamagnetic behavior, are observed but are not fully understood.
Colonic dysplasia and cancer in inflammatory bowel disease

Extracolonic malignancies are a relatively rare complication of inflammatory bowel disease. In contrast, colorectal cancer remains a major concern for patients with long-standing UC. The best available evidence suggests that patients with long-standing Crohn's colitis are at similar risk for colorectal cancer as those patients with long-standing UC. In patients with UC, the magnitude of this increased risk appears to be greater in patients with more extensive colonic involvement. It appears that the magnitude of this risk increases with increasing duration of disease, at least in UC. Whether this reflects the increased risk of cancer that occurs with the aging process or a separate phenomena distinct to UC is unclear. To date, the methods available to reduce the risk of cancer are less than optimal. Although surgical procedures eliminate the risk, the mental and physical sequelae of these procedures can be substantial. Surveillance with colonoscopic biopsies is likely effective in reducing although not eliminating the risk of colorectal cancer. Efforts to develop chemopreventative agents and improved surveillance methods remain areas of active investigation.
The Reorganization of the Sensory World

Although anthropological and critical social theory have a long interest in sensory experience, work on the senses has intensified within the past 20 years. This article traces three sensory genealogies within anthropology: the work of Ong and McLuhan as critiqued and advanced by David Howes and the Concordia Project; phenomenological studies as advanced by Paul Stoller; and a focus on materialities as advanced by Nadia Seremetakis. Studies of individual senses, which we survey, led to calls for a more integrated approach to the senses, both within anthropology and from cinema and media studies. In various ways, the senses are constituted by their imbrication in mediated cultural practices, whether mediated by technology, discourse, or local epistemologies. We argue that integrating language and discourse into the study of the senses along with new media insights more fully articulates the significance of body-sensorial knowledge.
Identifying synonymous concepts in preparation for technology mining

In this research, the development of a `concept-clumping algorithm' designed to improve the clustering of technical concepts is demonstrated . The algorithm developed first identifies a list of technically relevant noun phrases from a cleaned extracted list and then applies a rule-based algorithm for identifying synonymous terms based on shared words in each term. An assessment of the algorithm found that the algorithm has an 89—91% precision rate, was successful in moving technically important terms higher in the term frequency list, and improved the technical specificity of term clusters.
Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) Trial: Design and Methods

Most patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus develop cardiovascular disease (CVD), with substantial loss of life expectancy. Nonfatal CVD contributes greatly to excess healthcare costs and decreased quality of life in patients with diabetes. The current epidemic of obesity has raised expectations that CVD associated with type 2 diabetes will become an even greater public health challenge. Despite the importance of this health problem, there is a lack of definitive data on the effects of the intensive control of glycemia and other CVD risk factors on CVD event rates in patients with type 2 diabetes. The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial is a randomized, multicenter, double 2 × 2 factorial design study involving 10,251 middle-aged and older participants with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for CVD events because of existing CVD or additional risk factors. ACCORD is testing the effects of 3 medical treatment strategies to reduce CVD morbidity and mortality. All participants are in the glycemia trial, which is testing the hypothesis that a therapeutic strategy that targets a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) level of 1c level of 7.0%–7.9%. The lipid trial includes 5,518 of the participants, who receive either fenofibrate or placebo in a double-masked fashion to test the hypothesis of whether, in the context of good glycemic control, a therapeutic strategy that uses a fibrate to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels together with a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol will reduce the rate of CVD events compared with a strategy that uses a statin plus a placebo. The blood pressure trial includes the remaining 4,733 participants and tests the hypothesis that a therapeutic strategy that targets a systolic blood pressure of
Detecting circumscribed lesions with the Hough transform

We have designed and implemented a circumscribed lesion detection algorithm, based on the Hough Transform, which will detect zero or more approximately circular structures in a mammogram over a range of radii from a few pixels to nearly the size of the breast. We address the geometrical behavior of peaks in Hough parameter space (x,y,r) for both the true radius of a circular structure in the image (r = r{sub o}), and for the parameter r as it passes through this radius. In addition, we evaluate peaks in Hough parameter space by re-analyzing the underlying mammogram in the vicinity of the circular disk indicated by the peak. Discs suggested by the resulting peaks are accumulated in a feature image, scaled by a measure of their quality. These results are then rectified with respect to image contrast extremes and average value. The result is a feature with a continuously scaled pixel level output which suggests the likelihood that a pixel is located inside a circular structure, irrespective of the radius of the structure and overall mammogram contrast. These features are evaluated fast qualitative and quantitative performance metrics which permit circumscribed lesion detection features to be initially evaluated without a full end-to-end classification experiment.
Food conversion efficiency by fleshfly larvae, Sarcophaga bullata

. The efficiency of the conversion of the digested food (ECD) (liver) during the growing period of the larva of Sarcophaga bullata was determined. The values for ECD in four different determinations were 67.8, 69.1, 64.1 and 63.4%. These values are of the same order as ECD determined for some phytophagous caterpillars under the best conditions of food utilization, and seem to represent the highest values obtainable in a multicellular organism. It is concluded that such high efficiency rates have as prerequisites: fast growth in the larvae; and in the food, easy availability, ingestibility, and digestibility, high nutritional value, and reasonably high water content. Bacterial decomposition of the food during the test period appeared scarcely to influence the apparent ECD.
Cross-Species Transcriptomic Analysis of Mouse and Rat Lung Exposed to Chloroprene

β-Chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene), a monomer used in the production of neoprene elastomers, is of regulatory interest due to the production of multiorgan tumors in mouse and rat can-cer bioassays. A significant increase in female mouse lung tumors was observed at the lowest exposure concentration of 12.8 ppm, whereas a small, but not statistically significant increase was observed in female rats only at the highest exposure concentra-tion of 80 ppm. The metabolism of chloroprene results in the gen-eration of reactive epoxides, and the rate of overall chloroprene metabolism is highly species dependent. To identify potential key events in the mode of action of chloroprene lung tumorigenesis, dose-response and time-course gene expression microarray meas-urements were made in the lungs of female mice and female rats. The gene expression changes were analyzed using both a tradi-tional ANOVA approach followed by pathway enrichment analysis and a pathway-based benchmark dose (BMD) analysis approach. Pathways related to glutathione biosynthesis and metabolism were the primary pathways consistent with cross-species differences in tumor incidence. Transcriptional BMD values for the pathway were more similar to differences in tumor response than were estimated target tissue dose surrogates based on the total amount of chloroprene metabolized per unit mass of lung tissue per day. The closer correspondence of the transcriptional changes with the tumor response is likely due to their reflection of the overall balance between metabolic activation and detoxication reactions, whereas the current tissue dose surrogate reflects only oxidative metabolism.
Linkages between the life-history evolution of tropical and temperate birds and the resistance of cultured skin fibroblasts to oxidative and non-oxidative chemical injury

A fundamental challenge facing physiological ecologists is to understand how variation in life history at the whole-organism level might be linked to cellular function. Thus, because tropical birds have higher annual survival and lower rates of metabolism, we hypothesized that cells from tropical species would have greater cellular resistance to chemical injury than cells from temperate species. We cultured dermal fibroblasts from 26 tropical and 26 temperate species of birds and examined cellular resistance to cadmium, H2O2, paraquat, thapsigargin, tunicamycium, methane methylsulfonate (MMS) and UV light. Using ANCOVA, we found that the values for the dose that killed 50% of cells (LD50) from tropical birds were significantly higher for H2O2 and MMS. When we tested for significance using a generalized least squares approach accounting for phylogenetic relationships among species to model LD50, we found that cells from tropical birds had greater tolerance for Cd, H2O2, paraquat, tunicamycin and MMS than cells from temperate birds. In contrast, tropical birds showed either lower or no difference in tolerance to thapsigargin and UV light in comparison with temperate birds. These findings are consistent with the idea that natural selection has uniquely fashioned cells of long-lived tropical bird species to be more resistant to forms of oxidative and non-oxidative stress than cells from shorter-lived temperate species.
“And Then She Said” Office Stories and What They Tell Us about Gender in the Workplace

This article calls for a rhetorical perspective on the relationship of gender, communication, and power in the workplace. In doing so, the author uses narrative in two ways. First, narratives gathered in an ethnographic study of an actual workplace, a plastics manufacturer, are used as a primary source of data, and second, the findings of this study are presented by telling the story of two women in this workplace. Arguing that gender in the workplace, like all social identities, is locally constructed through the micro practices of everyday life, the author questions some of the prevailing assumptions about gender at work and cautions professional communication teachers, researchers, and practitioners against unintentionally perpetuating global, decontextualized assumptions about gender and language, and their relationship to the distribution and exercise of power at work.
Dosage Compensation in Drosophila

Dosage compensation in Drosophila increases the transcription of genes on the single X chromosome in males to equal that of both X chromosomes in females. Site-specific histone acetylation by the male-specific lethal (MSL) complex is thought to play a fundamental role in the increased transcriptional output of the male X. Nucleation and sequence-independent spreading of the complex to active genes serves as a model for understanding the targeting and function of epigenetic chromatin-modifying complexes. Interestingly, two noncoding RNAs are key for MSL assembly and spreading to active genes along the length of the X chromosome.
Risk of Ipsilateral and Contralateral Cancer in BRCA Mutation Carriers with Breast Cancer

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers with breast cancer have a high risk of ipsilateral breast cancer tumor recurrence (IBTR) and a high lifetime risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC). The IBTR risk is significantly higher in women who elect breast conservation. Oophorectomy has a protective effect for both ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence and CBC. Patients with younger age of breast cancer onset have a significantly greater risk of CBC. Given the higher risk of IBTR and CBC, when indicated, patients with breast cancer should undergo genetic counseling early in their treatment course to assist them in their surgical decision-making. Knowledge of expected outcomes for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers following breast cancer treatment can help in appropriately counseling patients and personalizing cancer therapy.
Aromatase activity during embryogenesis in the brain and adrenal-kidney-gonad of the red-eared slider turtle, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination.

Abstract Gonadal sex in the red-eared slider turtle is determined by the incubation temperature that the embryo experiences during the mid-trimester of development. High temperatures result in female-biased sex ratios, and low temperatures produce male-biased sex ratios. The physiological equivalent of temperature appears to be a combination of the nature and abundance of steroidogenic enzymes and their products—including estradiol and its precursor, testosterone—and aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estradiol. Aromatase has been hypothesized to play a major role in the female developmental pathway in this species, and research in other species with temperature-dependent sex determination points to the brain as an organ that transduces the temperature signal into an aromatase response. In this study, we used a tritiated water assay to compare the pattern of estradiol biosynthesis at male- and female-producing temperatures in the brain and adrenal–kidney–gonad (AKG) through development. The pattern for both sexes in the AKG was one of increased activity after the temperature-sensitive period (TSP), but with no significant difference between sexes. In the brain, however, putative females exhibited a significantly higher level of aromatase activity than putative males at the beginning of the TSP, after which activity in both male and female brains decreased, dropping below detection in females before hatch. These results point to the brain as a site of aromatase response to temperature in this species, and they suggest that the product of aromatase activity, estradiol, may induce alterations in the neuroendocrine axis controlling gonadal sex steroid hormone production.
Antenatal magnesium sulfate for the prevention of cerebral palsy in preterm infants less than 34 weeks' gestation: a systematic review and metaanalysis

We conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials to determine whether magnesium sulfate administered to women at risk of preterm delivery before 34 weeks of gestation may reduce the risk of cerebral palsy in their children. Six trials involving 4796 women and 5357 infants were included. Antenatal magnesium sulfate was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cerebral palsy (relative risk [RR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.88), moderate or severe cerebral palsy (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44-0.92), and substantial gross motor dysfunction (RR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.83). There was no overall difference in the risk of total pediatric mortality (RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.89-1.14). Minor side effects were more frequent among women receiving magnesium sulfate. In conclusion, magnesium sulfate administered to women at risk of delivery before 34 weeks of gestation reduces the risk of cerebral palsy.
Formal design verification of digital circuitry

Abstract This paper examines a methodology for hardware verification developed by RSRE (Royal Signals and Radar Establishment) in the context of the SRI International's EHDM (Enhanced Hierarchical Design methodology) specification/verification system. The methodology utilizes a four-level specification hierarchy with the following levels: functional level, finite automata model, block model, and circuit level. The properties of a level are proved as theorems in the level below it. In this paper, this methodology is applied to a N-bit counter/multiplexer circuit and is critically examined. The specifications are written in EHDM's specification language, Extended Special, and the proofs are performed using the EHDM theorem prover. Recommendations are made for improving both the RSRE methodology and the EHDM system.
Antibody–cytokine fusion proteins: applications in cancer therapy

Background: Antibody–cytokine fusion proteins consist of cytokines fused to an antibody to improve antibody-targeted cancer immunotherapy. These molecules have the capacity to enhance the tumoricidal activity of the antibodies and/or activate a secondary antitumor immune response. Objective: To review the strategies used to develop antibody–cytokine fusion proteins and their in vitro and in vivo properties, including preclinical and clinical studies focusing on IL-2, IL-12 and GM-CSF. Methods: Articles were found by searching databases such as PubMed and Clinical Trials of the US National Institutes of Health. Results/conclusion: Multiple antibody–cytokine fusion proteins have demonstrated significant antitumor activity as direct therapeutics or as adjuvants of cancer vaccines in preclinical studies, paving the way for their clinical evaluation.
Depletion of key protein components of the RISC pathway impairs pre-ribosomal RNA processing

Little is known about whether components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) mediate the biogenesis of RNAs other than miRNA. Here, we show that depletion of key proteins of the RISC pathway by antisense oligonucleotides significantly impairs pre-rRNA processing in human cells. In cells depleted of Drosha or Dicer, different precursors to 5.8S rRNA strongly accumulated, without affecting normal endonucleolytic cleavages. Moderate yet distinct processing defects were also observed in Ago2-depleted cells. Physical links between pre-rRNA and these proteins were identified by co-immunoprecipitation analyses. Interestingly, simultaneous depletion of Dicer and Drosha led to a different processing defect, causing slower production of 28S rRNA and its precursor. Both Dicer and Ago2 were detected in the nuclear fraction, and reduction of Dicer altered the structure of the nucleolus, where pre-rRNA processing occurs. Together, these results suggest that Drosha and Dicer are implicated in rRNA biogenesis.
Dissecting aneurysm distal to coarctation of the aorta, with long survival.

Abstract A long survival of coarctation of the aorta with dissecting aneurysm distal to the constriction is presented; the patient lived to age 65 years. This is also the longest documented survival of a patient with a healed dissecting aneurysm of the aorta; the diagnosis was made clinically 25 years prior to autopsy confirmation. Death was due to congestive heart failure but cardiomegaly did not occur until sometime during the final 15 years of life.
A case for coordinated resource management in heterogeneous multicore platforms

Recent advances in multi- and many-core architectures include increased hardware-level parallelism (i.e., core counts) and the emergence of platform-level heterogeneity. System software managing these platforms is typically comprised of multiple independent resource managers (e.g., drivers and specialized runtimes) customized for heterogeneous vs. general purpose platform elements. This independence, however, can cause performance degradation for an application that spans diverse cores and resource managers, unless managers coordinate with each other to better service application needs. This paper first presents examples that demonstrate the need for coordination among multiple resource managers on heterogeneous multicore platforms. It then presents useful coordination schemes for a platform coupling an IXP network processor with x86 cores and running web and multimedia applications. Experimental evidence of performance gains achieved through coordinated management motivates a case for standard coordination mechanisms and interfaces for future heterogeneous many-core systems.
Factors affecting seed germination and seedling establishment of a long-lived desert shrub (Coleogyne ramosissima: Rosaceae)

Long-lived desert shrubs exhibit infrequent, episodic recruitment from seed. In spite of this long time scale, selection on life history attributes that affect seedling recruitment should be strong. We studied factors affecting germination phenology and seedling establishment for Coleogyne ramosissima, a dominant shrub species in the ecotone between warm and cold deserts in western North America. We also examined ecotypic differentiation in establishment strategy in response to selection regimes in two contrasting habitats. We followed patterns of dormancy loss, germination, emergence, and survival in reciprocal field experiments at warm winter Mojave Desert and cold winter Colorado Plateau study sites. Seed germination took place in late winter, under winter rain conditions at the warm desert site and under snow at the cold desert site. Distinctive germination phenologies for the two seed populations at contrasting field sites followed predictions based on laboratory germination experiments. There was no seed bank carryover across years. Seedling survival at the end of three growing seasons was remarkably high (mean survival 54%). Most seedling mortality was due to sprout predation by rodents early the first spring in unprotected caches. Emergence and establishment at each site were significantly higher for seeds from the local population, supporting the idea of ecotypic differentiation in establishment strategy. Establishment success was an order of magnitude greater overall at the Colorado Plateau site, which represents the leading edge of an upward elevational shift in distribution for this species under the current climatic regime. The Mojave Desert site is on the trailing edge of this shift, and recruitment there is apparently a much less frequent occurrence.
Munich and the British Tradition

Despite more than thirty-five years of scrutiny, the British policy of appeasement in the 1930s continues to be the subject of discussion and controversy. The search for explanations of Munich has even been intensified in recent years by the opening of the Cabinet papers. This essay does not pretend to make any contribution to the study of the ‘causes’ of Munich - the motives and determinants of British policy - or to decide the issue between the ‘guilty men’ and the ‘terrible times’ schools of explanation. The ensuing international crisis threw into sharp focus the evolving national interests and diplomatic styles of the European powers and serves as an illuminating case-study of a particular technique of conflict resolution.
3-[2,4-Dimethoxybenzylidene]anabaseine (DMXB) selectively activates rat α7 receptors and improves memory-related behaviors in a mecamylamine-sensitive manner

Abstract The α 7 nicotinic receptor agonist 3-[2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene]anabaseine (DMXB; GTS-21) was investigated for its ability to: (1) activate a variety of nicotinic receptor subtypes in Xenopus oocytes; (2) improve passive avoidance and spatial Morris water task performances in mecamylamine-sensitive manners in bilaterally nucleus basalis lesioned rats; and (3) elevate high-affinity [ 3 H]acetylcholine (ACh) and high-affinity α -[ 125 I]bungarotoxin binding in rat neocortex following 2 weeks of daily injections. DMXB (100 μM) activated α 7 homo-oligomeric receptors, without significant activity at α 2-, α 3- and α 4-containing subtypes. Mecamylamine blocked rat α 7 receptors weakly if co-administered with agonist, but much more potently when pre-applied. Bilateral ibotenic acid lesions of the nucleus basalis interfered with passive avoidance and spatial memory-related behaviors. DMXB (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) improved passive avoidance behavior in lesioned animals in a mecamylamine-sensitive manner. DMXB (0.5 mg/kg 15 min before each session) also improved performance in the training and probe components of the Morris water task. DMXB-induced improvement in the probe component but not the training phase was mecamylamine-sensitive. [ 3 H]ACh binding was elevated after 14 days of daily i.p. injections with 0.2 mg/kg nicotine but not after 1 mg/kg DMXB. Neither drug elevated high-affinity α -[ 125 I]bungarorotoxin binding over this interval.
Recombinant mink cell focus-inducing virus and long terminal repeat alterations accompany the increased leukemogenicity of the Mo+PyF101 variant of Moloney murine leukemia virus after intraperitoneal inoculation.

We recently showed that different routes of inoculation affect the leukemogenicity of the Mo+PyF101 variant of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV). Intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation of neonatal mice with Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV greatly enhanced its leukemogenicity compared with subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation. We previously also suggested that the leukemogenicity defect of Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV when inoculated s.c. may result from the inability of this virus to form env gene recombinant (mink cell focus-inducing [MCF]) virus. In this study, virus present in end-stage tumors and in preleukemic animals inoculated i.p. by Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV was characterized. In contrast to s.c. inoculation, all tumors from i.p.-inoculated mice contained high levels of recombinant MCF virus. Furthermore, Southern blot analyses demonstrated that the majority of the tumors contained altered Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV long terminal repeats. The U3 regions from several tumors with altered long terminal repeats were cloned by PCR amplification. Sequence analyses indicated that the M-MuLV 75-bp tandem repeat in the enhancer region was triplicated. This amplification was also previously observed in mice infected s.c. with a pseudotypic mixture of Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV and Mo+PyF101 MCF virus. The enhancer triplication was an early event, and it occurred within 2 weeks postinfection. Recombinant MCF viruses were not detected by Southern blot analyses until 4 weeks postinfection. Thus, the M-MuLV enhancer triplication event was initially important for efficient propagation of ecotropic Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV. The increased leukemogenicity following i.p. inoculation could be explained if the triplication enhances Mo+PyF101 M-MuLV replication in the bone marrow and bone marrow infection is required for recombinant MCF virus formation.
High-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer: early toxicity and biochemical outcome in 772 patients

Purpose To report the acute and late toxicity and preliminary biochemical outcomes in 772 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with high-dose intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and materials Between April 1996 and January 2001, 772 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with IMRT. Treatment was planned using an inverse-planning approach, and the desired beam intensity profiles were delivered by dynamic multileaf collimation. A total of 698 patients (90%) were treated to 81.0 Gy, and 74 patients (10%) were treated to 86.4 Gy. Acute and late toxicities were scored by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group morbidity grading scales. PSA relapse was defined according to The American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology Consensus Statement. The median follow-up time was 24 months (range: 6-60 months). Results Thirty-five patients (4.5%) developed acute Grade 2 rectal toxicity, and no patient experienced acute Grade 3 or higher rectal symptoms. Two hundred seventeen patients (28%) developed acute Grade 2 urinary symptoms, and one experienced urinary retention (Grade 3). Eleven patients (1.5%) developed late Grade 2 rectal bleeding. Four patients (0.1%) experienced Grade 3 rectal toxicity requiring either one or more transfusions or a laser cauterization procedure. No Grade 4 rectal complications have been observed. The 3-year actuarial likelihood of >/= late Grade 2 rectal toxicity was 4%. Seventy-two patients (9%) experienced late Grade 2 urinary toxicity, and five (0.5%) developed Grade 3 urinary toxicity (urethral stricture). The 3-year actuarial likelihood of >/= late Grade 2 urinary toxicity was 15%. The 3-year actuarial PSA relapse-free survival rates for favorable, intermediate, and unfavorable risk group patients were 92%, 86%, and 81%, respectively. Conclusions These data demonstrate the feasibility of high-dose IMRT in a large number of patients. Acute and late rectal toxicities seem to be significantly reduced compared with what has been observed with conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy techniques. Short-term PSA control rates seem to be at least comparable to those achieved with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy at similar dose levels. Based on this favorable risk:benefit ratio, IMRT has become the standard mode of conformal treatment delivery for localized prostate cancer at our institution.
The determination of urinary steroids. I. The preparation of pigment-free extracts and a simplified procedure for the estimation of total 17-ketosteroids.

THE quantitative estimation of urinary 17-ketosteroids has been proven of value as an aid to the clinical diagnosis of disease. Its more widespread use has been hampered by the actual and assumed difficulties inherent in the chemical methods employed. In 1947, there was proposed a simple and rapid method (1), some disadvantages of which became apparent following its use in thousands of determinations. For instance, the extraction with ether is a dangerous hazard. Adequate control throughout the various manipulative steps is difficult, since mechanical equipment cannot be readily adapted to separatory funnels. The funnels are clumsy to handle and the breakage rate is high. When large numbers of determinations have to be made, a special laboratory is a prerequisite. In view of the solubility of ether in water and water in ether, a correction factor must be used for the final aliquot. Unless special precautions are taken to reduce evaporation, considerable error may result. Over and above these problems, the...
Estimating the depth and lifetime of a fluorescent inclusion in a turbid medium using a simple time-domain optical method

A simple time-domain optical method for estimating the depth (d) and lifetime (τ) of fluorescent inclusions in a turbid medium is described. We demonstrate the method for depth and lifetime estimation of a fluorescent inclusion directly by fitting a monoexponential decay (τeff) of the temporal position of the temporal point-spread function and the measurement of its maximum temporal position (tmax). Since both of these measurements are intensity independent, this method provides a robust and efficient approach. This method is validated with experimental data.
Nonstructural carbohydrate metabolism during leaf ageing in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

Nonstructural carbohydrate status and activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27, ADPG pyrophosphorylase) and sucrose phosphate synthase (EC 2.4.1.14, SPS) were determined during ageing of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., cvs KY 14 and Speight G28) leaves sampled from control plants and from plants that had the apical meristem and subsequent axillary growth removed (detopped plants). Over the 30-day period shoot growth increased much more for control compared to detopped plants, but the increase in root growth was similar for both treatments. Dry matter and leaf area of the individual leaf used for enzyme and metabolite analysis were constant over time for controls but increased 5-fold for detopped plants. Ageing of control leaves was indicated by a progressive loss of chlorophyll and ribulose 1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39, Rubisco) activity; loss of these components was diminished for detopped plants. In contrast to chlorophyll and Rubisco activity, activities of ADPG pyrophosphorylase and SPS remained relatively constant over time for controls. Thus, under normal ageing conditions, changes in activities of ADPG pyrophosphorylase and SPS were not closely associated with changes in the standard senescence indicators chlorophyll and Rubisco activity. The activities of ADPG pyrophosphorylase and SPS were enhanced, relative to controls, within 6 days after applying the detopping treatment and activities remained high for the duration of the 30-day period. Detopping also led to increased concentrations of starch and sucrose, but the increases were not well correlated with changes in enzyme activities. The data indicated that the leaves of detopped plants functioned as both source leaves, with enhanced ability to synthesize carbohydrate, and sink leaves, with enhanced growth. Therefore, activities of ADPG pyrophosphorylase and SPS were more responsive to changes within an individual leaf than to changes in whole plant growth.
Science Education as Conceptual Change

The respective literature on science and math learning provide many detailed analyses of the alternative conceptual frameworks that students bring to the classroom and of the conceptual changes necessary for students to learn the concepts that are the targets of instruction. Examples range from young students' understanding of number, astronomy, biology, and matter to the high school and college students' understanding of mechanics, chemistry, thermal phenomena, or evolution. This paper shows that, for the average student, the conceptual changes sketched here are not completed until well into the second decade of life.
Immunodeficiency in the Absence of High Viral Load in Pig-Tailed Macaques Infected with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVsun or SIVlhoest

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is known to result in an asymptomatic infection of its natural African monkey host. However, some SIV strains are capable of inducing AIDS-like symptoms and death upon experimental infection of Asian macaques. To further investigate the virulence of natural SIV isolates from African monkeys, pig-tailed (PT) macaques were inoculated intravenously with either of two recently discovered novel lentiviruses, SIVlhoest and SIVsun. Both viruses were apparently apathogenic in their natural hosts but caused immunodeficiency in PT macaques. Infection was characterized by a progressive loss of CD4+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and lymph nodes, generalized lymphoid depletion, a wasting syndrome, and opportunistic infections, such as Mycobacterium avium or Pneumocystis carinii infections. However, unlike SIVsm/mac infection of macaques, SIVlhoest and SIVsun infections in PT macaques were not accompanied by high viral loads during the chronic disease stage. In addition, no significant correlation between the viral load at set point (12 weeks postinfection) and survival could be found. Five out of eight SIVlhoest-infected and three out of four SIVsun-infected macaques succumbed to AIDS during the first 5 years of infection. Thus, the survival of SIVsun- and SIVlhoest-infected animals was significantly longer than that of SIVagm- or SIVsm-infected macaques. All PT macaques maintained strong SIV antibody responses despite progression to SIV-induced AIDS. The development of immunodeficiency in the face of low viremia suggests that SIVlhoest and SIVsun infections of macaques may model unique aspects of the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus infection in humans.
Reinventing the Third World state: service delivery and the civic realm

The Internationalization of Public Management constitutes one of the first attempts to examine the conceptual and practical problems which attend such policy transfers, and to make preliminary judgements about the successes and failures of public management reform in developing countries. The distinguished group of contributors offers instructive insights into the complex reality of the development state.
Circuit Concepts and Design Techniques

This chapter contains sections titled: The Design of High-Performance Analog Circuits on Digital CMOS Chips MOS Operational Amplifier Design??????-??????A Tutorial Overview A Programmable CMOS Dual Channel Interface Processor for Telecommunications Applications A Precision CMOS Bandgap Reference A Precision Curvature-Compensated CMOS Bandgap Reference CMOS Voltage References Using Lateral Bipolar Transistors A Low Drift Fully Integrated MOSFET Operational Amplifier Large Swing CMOS Power Amplifier A High-Performance CMOS Power Amplifier An Improved Frequency Compensation Technique for CMOS Operational Amplifiers Design Considerations for a High-Performance 3-??????m CMOS Analog Standard-Cell Library A MOS Switched-Capacitor Instrumentation Amplifier A Micropower CMOS-Instrumentation Amplifier A Precision Variable-Supply CMOS Comparator A 750MS/s NMOS Latched Comparator Impact of Scaling on MOS Analog Performance Matching Properties, and Voltage and Temperature Dependence of MOS Capacitors Random Error Effects in Matched MOS Capacitors and Current Sources Characterization and Modeling of Mismatch in MOS Transistors for Precision Analog Design Measurement and Modeling of Charge Feedthrough in n-Channel MOS Analog Switches Measurement and Analysis of Charge Injection in MOS Analog Switches
SEASONAL VARIATION OF TRANSMISSION RISK OF LYME DISEASE AND HUMAN BABESIOSIS

The seasonal host-seeking pattern of nymphal Ixodes dammini infected with Babesia microti or Borrelia burgdorferi was determined on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, during 1985. The peak period of host-seeking by infected nymphal I. dammini occurred in May and June. On a per person-hour basis, the number of infected ticks collected reached a maximum in May (Babesia = 17.3; Borrelia = 16.2). The number of infected ticks remained high in June, but decreased notably in July, August, and September. Transmission risk of the tick-borne etiologic agents of Lyme disease and human babesiosis in Massachusetts is greatest during the late spring-early summer months of May and June.
Development and Implementation of a Web-based BSDH Degree Completion Program

The purpose of this program is to explore the strategic steps necessary to develop an online Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Program within a 4-year private, multidisciplinary institution to increase the amount of dental hygiene educators in the Northeast region of the United States. The development of the program including benchmark marketing strategies for the target group will be discussed. The process web-based curriculum conversion utilized will be reviewed. The Massachusetts Dental Society and Delta Dental of Massachusetts have recognized a shortage of dental hygiene educators throughout the Northeast. As a result, the Massachusetts Dental Society (#594) and Delta Dental (#556-12) of Massachusetts have both partnered with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to provide financial grant support for this project. As 2-year community college dental hygiene programs continue to offer and produce licensed dental hygienists quickly and inexpensively, the profession has a plethora of Registered Dental Hygienists lacking their bachelor9s degree. The conversion of this program seeks to increase the number of baccalaureate-prepared dental hygienists; thus, increasing the amount of dental hygiene educators available to the Northeast states and post-secondary educational settings. Students enrolled in the program will be surveyed regarding their future intentions once they have achieved their bachelor9s degree. Upon student completion of the program, students will be surveyed again regarding their employment intentions and opportunities currently available. It is expected that students enrolled in the program will pursue dental hygiene education. Thus, the program should alleviate the shortage of dental hygiene educators in the Northeast region and, as the program becomes more global, increase the amount of dental hygiene educators available throughout the United States.
The need for bronchoscopic services for children in low and middle-income countries.

Flexible bronchoscopy is widely used in industrialized high-income countries to investigate and manage neonates and children with complex respiratory disease. In contrast to this, bronchoscopy serv...