cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A microcirculatory technique for evaluating intravascular and topical administration of vasoactive agents: response to AVP in the SHR.

Abstract A “closed bath” cremaster muscle preparation is described which permits the administration of vasoactive materials to the microvasculature via intraarterial injection and topical suffusion. The technique is evaluated in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats by comparing arteriolar responses to intraarterial and topically suffused arginine vasopressin. The preparation utilizes a thermostatically heated brass suffusion chamber overlying the cremaster. The chamber is closed with a glass coverslip. Experimental materials are presented to the microvessels via intraarterial injection or suffusion through the chamber. The coverglass permits high optical resolution with both routes of administration. Following vasopressin administration, changes in arteriolar diameter were continuously monitored by image-shearing techniques or variable-resistance calipers. The responses were analyzed by comparing both the peak 5-sec vasoconstriction and a 60-sec integrated response. Intraarterial and topical suffusion of vasopressin (1.25 × 10 −10 –3.75 × 10 −7 M ) caused dose-dependent vasoconstriction among 23-μm arterioles. Compared to the WKY, vasoconstriction was greater in the SHR when vasopressin was administered intraarterially. A similar strain difference was not observed with topical suffusion. The dose-response curves with intraarterial vasopressin were shifted approximately 100-fold in concentration to the right relative to those with topically suffused vasopressin. The “closed bath” cremaster muscle preparation described has several distinct advantages: (1) it permits introduction of different vasoactive materials in the most physiological manner in the same animal, and (2) it maintains high optical resolution and clarity for critical observation of the smallest vessels, even with suffusion.
Developing a metadata strategy: A road map

This paper discusses the issues and decisions involved in developing a metadata strategy, particularly in terms of selecting and implementing a metadata standard. Different metadata standards and metadata development communities illustrate the various strategies an organization can take.
Synthesis of tricyclic phosphonopyrrolidines via IMDAF: Experimental and theoretical investigation of the observed stereoselectivity

During the synthesis of tricyclic phosphonopyrrolidines via intramolecular Diels−Alder reactions of 1-acylamino(furan-2-yl)methyl phosphonates, two isomers are formed in most cases. The presence of a short three-atom tether together with spectroscopic data, including difference NOE, revealed that the cycloaddition occurred exo, but the phosphonate substituent on the tether had an exo or endo orientation. This was confirmed via X-ray analysis. A thermodynamic preference for the product with the phosphonate function in the endo position was observed experimentally and was confirmed theoretically. Density functional theory methods and several high-level post Hartree−Fock procedures were used to rationalize the observed isomer ratio of the IMDAF-reactions. This was done for two different types of reagents: with the activating carbonyl group in the tether or as a substituent on the tether. For the first type of molecules there is a large steric hindrance of the bulky tether substituents that disfavors the exo-...
Right Ventricular Outflow Obstruction Caused by Primary Cardiac Neoplasia

Obstruction to pulmonary blood flow as a result of neoplasia in the right ventricular outflow tract is described in two dogs. Whereas one dog had exertional syncope and a systolic ejection murmur, the other had signs of congestive failure and hypoxia. In both animals the mass was detected in the right ventricle with two-dimensional echocardiography and confirmed angiographically. Although rare, primary right ventricular neoplasia represents a potentially treatable form of cardiac disease and should be considered as a cause of acquired outflow tract obstruction.
Prevention of ischemic heart failure by exercise in spontaneously diabetic BB Wor rats subjected to insulin withdrawal

Poor metabolic control resulting from insulin withdrawal in chronic type 1 diabetic rats results in ischemic heart failure. In the present study, we determined whether heart failure occurs in acute type 1 diabetic rats following insulin withdrawal and if prior exercise training can prevent this dysfunction. Four-week-old diabetic prone BB Wor rats were either sedentary or moderately exercised by daily treadmill running. Training was discontinued at the onset of diabetes. Isolated working rat heart function was then assessed in the following groups: diabetic resistant, uncontrolled sedentary diabetic (USD), controlled sedentary diabetic (CSD), uncontrolled trained diabetic (UTD), and controlled trained diabetic (CTD) rats. To induce an uncontrolled state, insulin treatment was withheld for 24 hours. During increased metabolic demand and reperfusion following ischemia, heart rate, contractility, and cardiac output were depressed in hearts from USD animals. Treatment with insulin prevented the depressions in cardiac performance from occurring. Hearts from UTD rats perfused under these conditions showed comparable cardiac function to that seen in the controlled state. This occurred despite poor metabolic control, reflected by elevated levels of plasma glucose and free fatty acids. Our results indicate that metabolic deteriorations in acute diabetes result in ischemic heart failure. However, this cardiac dysfunction can be prevented with exercise training.
Analyzing reaction norm variation in the field vs. greenhouse: comparing studies of plasticity and its adaptive value in two species of Erodium.

Abstract Despite a wide range of experiments characterizing patterns of selection on phenotypic plasticity in controlled environments there has been virtually no research assessing the extent to which these results reflect selection on plasticity expressed in natural populations. To test how well the patterns observed in controlled experiments match the patterns in field populations, we present two case studies in which we characterized the fitness consequences of plasticity both under controlled lath house conditions and in the field. We quantified selection on plasticity in response to soil nutrient variation in two annual plant species, Erodium cicutarium and Erodium brachycarpum. For both species, families collected from the same source populations were used in both field and lath house experiments. We ask whether the qualitative results obtained from field and controlled environment experiments are equivalent. In two cases we observed selection on the expression of plasticity by E. brachycarpum in the field while controlled environment experiments indicated that plasticity was selectively neutral. In three other cases we observed differences in the pattern of plasticity expressed in the controlled environment experiment relative to the field resulting in conflicting results regarding the form of trait expression favored by selection. Based on these results, we argue that the extent to which results from controlled environments can be accurately extrapolated to naturally occurring populations depends on whether treatments imposed in a controlled environment accurately mimic environmental variation in the field and induce plasticity in traits of interest. Ideally any controlled environment experiment characterizing plasticity would be paired with field survey data of environmental and phenotypic variation within naturally occurring populations.
Fostering an Integrated Life of Purpose in Christian Higher Education.

The research reported in this study focused on women in an institution of Christian higher education. The study utilized in-depth interviews to explore certain work/life influences including cultural demands, organizational demands, and personal influences. The findings stress the importance of an individual worldview in strategy formation for work/life negotiations. Given that the study was done in a distinctively Christian environment, the worldview development and expression was somewhat isolated and more accessible for exploration. This study reveals the need for a greater understanding of the individual and the organization when designing and implementing work/life policies.
MicroMARC:amc Version 2.11

IN JULY, 1990, Michigan State University released the latest version of the MicroMARC:amc archives and manuscripts cataloging software, version 2.11. [Earlier versions were discussed in OCLC Micro 3(3):14–16 and 4(3):14–17.] Enhancements to the system that further increase its flexibility include the ability to import and export records in any of the MARC formats. This means records in the books, serials, visual materials, music, machine readable, etc., formats can now be loaded onto the MicroMARC:amc system. Once on the system, the user has the same ability to search and create reports with these records as with the records in the Archives and Manuscript Control Format.
Introduction to the issue regarding research regarding age related macular degeneration.

Blindness is the second greatest fear among the elderly. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly in most industrialized nations. AMD first compromises central high acuity vision. Subsequently, all vision may be lost. AMD is a progressive retinal degeneration that develops after age 50 and affects 30% of people age 70 or older. At least sixty million people worldwide are affected. Over 10 million people are affected in the US, and it is predicted that this number will double by 2050. Globally, the number will triple in 13 years and persons over 60 represent the fastest growing segment of the population, and people around the world are living longer. Given the cost in terms of quality of life and with financial costs in excess of $340 US billion, AMD will remain a significant and growing public health problem for the foreseeable future. Clearly, it is critical to find means to diminish risk for, and to delay the onset or progress of AMD.
Determination of the Molecular Weight of Ovine Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and of its Two Subunits by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

The molecular weight of ovine luteinizing hormone and of its 2 subunits has been determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In this system, the apparent molecular weight of LH is 34,350. When LH is reduced and alkylated, the apparent molecular weight of LHa is 18,750 and that of LHP 16,000. (Endocrinology 90: 1101, 1972)
Quality assurance in the elemental analysis of foods by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy

Abstract The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, and Environmental Protection Agency are conducting a joint study of elemental background levels in raw agricultural crops. More than three thousand samples have been analysed for 12 elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP). A quality assurance program has been designed to assure the accuracy and reliability of these analyses. The development and rationale for this program are described and illustrated by analytical results.
Hormonal Regulation of Apoptosis in Early Antral Follicles: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone as a Major Survival Factor*

Hormonal regulation of apoptosis has been studied in cultured preovulatory follicles. Because early antral follicles are most vulnerable to undergo atretic degeneration under physiological conditions in vivo, the present studies were designed to investigate the hormonal regulation of apoptosis using in vitro culture of early antral follicles. Rats were implanted with diethylstilbestrol at 24 days of age to stimulate the development of early antral follicles, and ovaries were collected at day 27 of age. Early antral follicles were dissected and cultured (four per vial) for 24 h with or without hormonal treatments. After culture, DNA was extracted from follicles, and the degree of apoptotic DNA fragmentation was determined using 3'-end labeling and gel electrophoresis. In situ analysis of apoptotic DNA fragmentation revealed that granulosa cells in these follicles are the main cell type undergoing apoptosis. Follicles cultured in the absence of hormones showed a 12-fold increase in the level of apoptotic DNA fragmentation which was prevented by treatment with FSH in a dose-dependent manner (60% maximal suppression and apparent ED50 of 30 ng/ml). Similarly, treatment with (Bu)2cAMP also suppressed follicle apoptosis. Treatment with LH or human CG, however, minimally suppressed apoptotic DNA fragmentation (35% maximal suppression). Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) also suppressed apoptosis by 45%. Moreover, the suppressive effect of FSH on apoptosis was partially reversed by coincubation with IGF-binding protein-3, suggesting a potential mediatory role of endogenous IGF-I. However, recombinant bovine GH had no effect on follicle apoptosis despite its ability to stimulate IGF-I messenger RNA (mRNA) levels. Incubation of follicles with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor maximally suppressed follicle apoptosis by only 32% and 42%, respectively. Ligand binding analysis indicated the minimal effectiveness of EGF on apoptosis in early antral follicles, as compared with its potent action in preovulatory follicles reported earlier, may be due to a 3.5 fold increase in EGF receptor concentration in the mature follicles. High doses (150 or 500 ng/ml) of interleukin-1beta also suppressed apoptosis by 48% whereas treatment with an NO generator, sodium nitroprusside, or a cyclic GMP analog suppressed apoptosis as effectively as that of FSH. Furthermore, treatment with activin resulted in a dose-related suppression of follicle apoptosis, reaching a maximal 40% suppression. In contrast, cotreatment of activin with its binding protein, follistatin, abolished this effect. Collectively, these data demonstrated a stage-dependent difference in the hormonal regulation of follicle apoptosis. Although FSH, LH/human CG, GH, IGF-I, EGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, and interleukin-1beta are all effective survival factors for preovulatory follicles, FSH is a major survival factor for early antral follicles, the stage during which a majority of follicle undergo atresia under physiological conditions.
Primary role for adherent leukocytes in sickle cell vascular occlusion: A new paradigm

Vascular occlusion is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease but its mechanisms are poorly understood. We demonstrate by using intravital microscopy in mice expressing human sickle hemoglobin (SS) that SS red blood cells (RBCs) bind to adherent leukocytes in inflamed venules, producing vasoocclusion of cremasteric venules. SS mice deficient in P- and E-selectins, which display defective leukocyte recruitment to the vessel wall, are protected from vasoocclusion. These data uncover a previously unsuspected paradigm for the pathogenesis of sickle cell vasoocclusion in which adherent leukocytes play a direct role and suggest that drugs targeting SS RBC-leukocyte or leukocyte-endothelial interactions may prevent or treat the vascular complications of this debilitating disease.
Density of electrons in a lateral quantum dot by semi-classical trajectory analysis

Abstract A semi-classical trajectory model is used to calculate the magneto-resistance of submicron-sized dots with entrance and exit quantum point contact leads. A comparison with experimental data allows the determination of the electron density and the mean free path for the confined regions and shows that these parameters can differ from their equivalent “bulk” values. It is found that for realistic geometries the calculated conductance is extremely sensitive to the angular spread of the collimated beam but depends only weakly on the effective width of the quantum point contacts.
Phylogeography of a marine acanthocephalan: lack of cryptic diversity in a cosmopolitan parasite of mole crabs

Aim Little is known about phylogeography and cryptic diversity of parasites in the marine environment. The acanthocephalan Profilicollis altmani parasitizes intermediate hosts that are broadly distributed around the Americas and final hosts that are highly motile. We investigated the spatial genetic structure of this acanthocephalan found in three species of Emerita crabs: (1) to test whether land masses serve as biogeographic barriers promoting ocean basin divergence among parasite lineages or species; and (2) to test whether the distribution of parasite species matches the distribution of different crab host species. Location The Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the USA, and the Pacific coast of Panama and Chile. Methods Sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS) were obtained from 204 acanthocephalans. Parasites were sampled from crabs in 15 sampling localities. These sequences were analysed with coalescent-based methods and other population genetic analyses to infer phylogeographic patterns. Results Haplotype diversity for COI sequences was high (0.96) among parasites sampled, but nucleotide diversity was low (0.071) and there was no distinct geographic pattern between regions. Pairwise genetic distances were generally low, although there was a degree of population structure between oceans. Sequence comparisons showing an excess of low divergence alleles and a bimodal mismatch distribution provide evidence of either past selective events or demographic expansions. No variation was observed in the ITS sequences. Main conclusions The lack of geographic patterning in haplotype diversity of this parasite indicates that gene flow is probably occurring between ocean basins. In addition, the low genetic diversity suggests that the acanthocephalan parasitizing E. analoga in Chile is conspecific to the species found parasitizing several Emerita species along the coasts of North America, and is thus a cosmopolitan parasite that is most likely dispersed long distances by marine birds that serve as definitive hosts.
Emancipating New York: The Politics of Slavery and Freedom, 1777–1827 – By David N. Gellman

The author of this book fills a gap in the growing literature of the “first emancipation” of enslaved African Americans in the late eighteenth‐ and early nineteenth‐century United States. David N. ...
The social responsibility of the obstetrician

Recognition is at once given to the responsibility to support the highest standard of maternity care. Beyond the strictly medical issues, however, is a wide range of social problems associated with human reproduction toward the solution of which the obstetrician has unique opportunities. These include measures directed toward the optimum timing and number of births, efforts for the adoption of appropriate codes of sexual behavior, and the prevention or early diagnosis of a number of special diseases and functional disorders. Undertakings in these fields are the responsibility of the individual obstetrician, and collectively of his societies, including the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.
Serotonin2 (5-HT2) receptor binding in the frontal cortex of schizophrenic patients.

Serotonin2 (5-HT2) receptor binding was studied, using3H-spiperone as the ligand, in post-mortem brain specimens obtained from schizophrenic patients (N=11) and non-psychiatric controls (N=11). The maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) was significantly decreased in schizophrenic patients as compared to normal controls. This difference did not appear to be due to neuroleptic treatment. No difference in Kd (an inverse measure of the affinity of3H-spiperone to its binding sites) was observed between the two groups. However, studies with unmedicated schizophrenic patients are needed to draw any definite conclusion. The role of serotonergic processes in the psychobiology of schizophrenia is discussed.
The origin of methanethiol in midocean ridge hydrothermal fluids

Abstract Simple alkyl thiols such as methanethiol (CH3SH) are widely speculated to form in seafloor hot spring fluids. Putative CH3SH synthesis by abiotic (nonbiological) reduction of inorganic carbon (CO2 or CO) has been invoked as an initiation reaction for the emergence of protometabolism and microbial life in primordial hydrothermal settings. Thiols are also presumptive ligands for hydrothermal trace metals and potential fuels for associated microbial communities. In an effort to constrain sources and sinks of CH3SH in seafloor hydrothermal systems, we determined for the first time its abundance in diverse hydrothermal fluids emanating from ultramafic, mafic, and sediment-covered midocean ridge settings. Our data demonstrate that the distribution of CH3SH is inconsistent with metastable equilibrium with inorganic carbon, indicating that production by abiotic carbon reduction is more limited than previously proposed. CH3SH concentrations are uniformly low (∼10−8 M) in high-temperature fluids (>200 °C) from all unsedimented systems and, in many cases, suggestive of metastable equilibrium with CH4 instead. Associated low-temperature fluids (<200 °C) formed by admixing of seawater, however, are invariably enriched in CH3SH (up to ∼10−6 M) along with and low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons relative to high-temperature source fluids, resembling our observations from a sediment-hosted system. This strongly implicates thermogenic interactions between upwelling fluids and microbial biomass or associated dissolved organic matter during subsurface mixing in crustal aquifers. Widespread thermal degradation of subsurface organic matter may be an important source of organic production in unsedimented hydrothermal systems and may influence microbial metabolic strategies in cooler near-seafloor and plume habitats.
Modulation of the human in vitro antibody response by human leukocyte interferon preparations

Abstract The ability of human leukocyte Interferon to modulate the plaque-forming-cell response of human peripheral blood leukocytes to horse red blood cells was examined. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured in vitro with the addition of varying doses of human leukocyte interferon 24 hr prior to, simultaneously with, and 24 hr after sensitization of the cultures with horse red blood cells. Plaque-forming-cell responses were measured 5 days after sensitization with antigen using poly- L -lysine-coupled horse red blood cell monolayers. When human leukocyte interferon preparations were added 24 hr prior to sensitization with antigen, a significant enhancement of the plaque-forming-cell response was observed. When the interferon was added simultaneously with antigen, the plaque-forming-cell response was significantly suppressed. Therefore, human leukocyte interferon appears to have a time-dependent immunomodulatory activity. The kinetics of immunomodulation appear to be different from those of previously described mouse models.
Cercospora leafspot of Photinia serrulata.

In the early stages, the lesions first appear as indefinite chlorotic spots, 1-2 mm in diameter, on both the upper and lower leaf surface. Soon the spots change to purple, increase in size to 2 to 25 mm in diam? eter, and finally become dark brown (Fig. 1). On the under surface of the leaf the spots are lighter brown in color and more indefinite in outline. The central portion of the spots on either leaf surface may appear downy or velvety due to the presence of large numbers of conidio? phores and conidia. Soon after the spots develop over a large portion of the leaf, abscission takes place and partial defoliation of the plant results. Lesions on the new growth usually begin to appear early in June, and the disease increases in severity as the summer progresses so that, by the end of October, the plants are severely defoliated with only small tufts of leaves at the terminal portions of the shoots. The cause of this disease was found to be an apparently undescribed species of Cercospora. This fungus is here described and named.
SHOULD INDIVIDUAL FITNESS INCREASE WITH HETEROZYGOSITY

ABSTRACT Natural selection influences not only gamete frequencies in populations but also the multilocus fitness structures associated with segregating gametes. In particular, only certain patterns of multilocus fitnesses are consistent with the maintenance of stable multilocus polymorphisms. This paper offers support for the proposition that, at stable, viability-maintained, multilocus polymorphisms, the fitness of a genotype tends to increase with the number of heterozygous loci it contains. Average fitness always increases with heterozygosity at stable product equilibria ( i.e. , those without linkage disequilibrium) maintained by either additive or multiplicative fitness schemes. Simulations suggest that it "generally" increases for arbitrary fitness schemes. The empirical literature correlating allozyme heterozygosity with fitness-correlated traits is discussed in the light of these and other theoretical results.
Caring for a Patient with Previously Undiagnosed Hyperparathyroidism at 35 Weeks Gestation

Childbearing Poster Presentation Background Primary hyperparathyroidism is an endocrine disorder rarely diagnosed in pregnancy. Most cases usually are diagnosed in the first or second trimester of pregnancy with very few reported in the third trimester. If untreated, hyperparathyroidism has the potential for serious maternal and/or neonatal complications, including but not limited to neonatal tetany and serious electrolyte imbalances. Case A 28-year-old Hispanic, gravida 1, para 0, woman at 35 weeks gestation was admitted for management of elevated blood pressures to rule out preeclampsia. She denied headache, nausea and/or vomiting, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, abdominal pain, visual disturbances, contractions, and vaginal bleeding. Her medical history was significant for hypothyroidism, which was treated with Synthroid. She denied any other significant medical issues. The results of her physical examination were within normal limits (WNL): blood pressure remained WNLwith one elevation of 143/74, fetal ultrasonography was normal, and fetal heart rate tracings were Category I. Routine laboratory tests included complete blood count, which was WNL; pregnancy-induced hypertension panel, which was WNL; and chemistry screen, which revealed a serum calcium of 12.2 ng/dl. Additional laboratory tests included a 24-hour urine calcium of 370 mg/day and 24-hour urine protein of 567 mg/day. Thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine (T4) were WNL. The diagnosis of hypercalcemia was made. The woman had an ultrasound of the thyroid and a magnetic resonance imaging of the neck resulting in diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism secondary to left lower pole adenoma. Multiple consults were conducted with maternal–fetal medicine, endocrine, ear nose and throat surgery, and neonatology. The options discussed with the woman and her partner included conservative management, surgical management, and potential neonatal outcomes. The woman initially opted for conservative management that included treatment with calcitonin, but it did not decrease calcium levels. Premature delivery of the fetus also was discussed but was decided against. The woman opted for surgical removal of the adenoma. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels obtained 30 minutes postoperation decreased from 175 pg/ml before the operation to 35 mg/ml after. The postoperative calcium levels decreased from 11.3 to 8.0 mg/ml. The woman was discharged on postoperative day 2. She returned at 39 weeks 1 day of gestation for elective primary cesarean for persistent breech presentation. Her serum calcium was 9.2 mg/ml and PTH was 23 mg/dl. The neonate serum calcium was 9.7 mg/dl and demonstrated no adverse symptomatology of the maternal hypercalcemia. The woman was discharged with her newborn on postoperative day 4. Conclusion Though hyperparathyroidism is uncommon during pregnancy, it has the potential for serious negative outcomes. With surgical treatment, outcomes are much improved.
Benzodiazepines in Miami-Dade County, Florida Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Cases (1995–1998) with Emphasis on Rohypnol®: GC-MS Confirmation, Patterns of Use Psychomotor Impairment, and Results of Florida Legislation

Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressant drugs often detected in biological samples from driving under the influence (DUI) offenders. They are associated with marked psychomotor impairment and represent up to 20% of all Miami-Dade County, Florida DUI urine samples analyzed in our laboratory annually. Flunitrazepam emerged in the mid-1990s as an illegal drug in the U.S. that was predominantly abused recreationally and associated with sexual assaults. Immunoassays for benzodiazepines do not discriminate between different benzodiazepines, and certain metabolites, such as 7-aminoflunitrazepam, react poorly with immunoassay reagents. A simple and sensitive method for the detection and quantitation of major benzodiazepines and metabolites by gas chromatography with mass selective detection is presented. This method was used to confirm benzodiazepines in general and flunitrazepam in particular. Data collected over a three-and-a-half-year period are summarized. Whereas flunitrazepam was present in up to 10% of DUI cases in 1995 and 1996 and had fast become the most frequently encountered benzodiazepine in Miami-Dade County DUI-related urine samples, a dramatic drop in case numbers followed the legal reclassification of the drug as a Schedule I substance in Florida in February 1997. Flunitrazepam was often used alone or in combination with cannabis and cocaine. A recent rise in clonazepam cases coincides with the decrease in flunitrazepam confirmation and may indicate a new trend in the abuse of benzodiazepines in South Florida.
Sub-micron Optoelectronic Properties of Polycrystalline Solar Cell Materials

Generation, transport and collection of carriers in polycrystalline (PX) solar cells and their constituent materials are poorly understood, and significantly different than in their single-crystal counterparts. Recent theoretical and experimental results have put forth the expectation that grain boundaries in PX-solar cell materials such as CdTe and CuInGaSe2, either as-grown or after appropriate post-growth treatment, may have electronic properties which are advantageous to charge separation and solar cell operation[1-3]. However, a microscopic picture of the spatial variations in the optoelectronic properties of these materials is, for the most part, still lacking. The goal of the work reported here is to explore the optoelectronic and spectroscopic properties of grain-boundaries in these materials at the nanometer length-scale, via novel, high-resolution optical techniques. Towards this end, a significant enhancement in photo-response near grain boundaries in CdTe solar cells, consistent with models put forth in reference 2, was observed via near-field Optical Beam Induced Current (n-OBIC) [4]. A systematic μ-PL study of the effect of CdC12-treatment on recombination in CdTe/CdS solar cell structures of varying thickness directly examined the variation in optoelectronic properties at grain-boundaries in this material, revealing the grain-boundary and surface passivation effects of this important post-growth processing step. For comparison, we also studied the effects of SiNx post-growth treatment and annealing on the photo-response of PX-silicon solar cells using n-OBIC. These results and our most-recent n-OBIC measurements in CdTe and CuInGaSe2 solar cells are discussed.
The Role of Parental Monitoring in Adolescent Health Outcomes: Impact on Regimen Adherence in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective To determine if parental monitoring of adolescent behavior was related to regimen adherence and metabolic control among adolescents with type 1 diabetes. An additional objective was to compare the relative importance of instrumental parenting behaviors such as monitoring to affective behaviors such as parental support as predictors of regimen adherence. Method Ninety-nine adolescents aged 12-18 years and their primary caregiver completed self-report questionnaires. Path analysis was used to test a model where diabetes-specific parental monitoring and support were predicted to have direct effects on regimen adherence and indirect effects on metabolic control via regimen adherence and an alternative model where parental support moderated the effects of monitoring on adherence. Results Diabetes-specific, but not general, monitoring was found to be associated with regimen adherence based on both parent and youth report. Monitoring had an indirect effect on metabolic control through regimen adherence. Although adolescent-reported parental support was significantly associated with regimen adherence in bivariate analyses, multivariate analyses indicated that parental support was not a significant independent predictor of health outcomes when parental monitoring was considered simultaneously. Modest support was also found for parental support as a moderator of the relationship between monitoring and adherence. Conclusions Close parental monitoring of care completion can contribute to better adherence in adolescents with diabetes. General warmth and support in the absence of careful parental supervision may be insufficient to help youth achieve adequate levels of adherence.
Engineering quantum phases of cold atoms

Summary form only given. We will discuss how cold atoms in optical lattices could be used for probing physics of quantum phase transitions. Examples include probing the origin of high temperature superconductivity, controlling quantum magnetic phenomena and "engineering" exotic quantum phases.
Design and Demonstration of a Fully Integrated Multi-Technology FPGA: A Reconfigurable Architecture for Photonic and Other Multi-Technology Applications

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have revolutionized programmable/reconfigurable digital logic technology. However, one limitation of current FPGAs is that the user is limited to strictly electronic designs. Thus, they are not suitable for applications that are not purely electronic, such as optical communications, photonic information processing systems and other multi-technology applications. While a wide variety of multi-technology devices ranging from microelectromagnetic systems (MEMS) devices, analog devices, photonic information processing devices, telecommunication and digital data processing systems to biological and chemical sensors have been implemented, research in this area has for the most part been limited to systems built with application-specific devices. While these designs are well optimized for a specific application, they do not provide the flexibility associated with reconfigurable/programmable hardware. As with any application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), this approach is very costly, and the turnaround time between design iterations may be several months. The difficulty of using custom designed multi-technology VLSI components is overcome in the present research with the introduction of a multi-technology FPGA (MT-FPGA) with innovative system architecture. The proposed new class of field programmable device will extend the flexibility, rapid prototyping and reusability benefits associated with conventional FPGA technology into photonic and other multi-technology domain and give rise to the development of a wider class of programmable and embedded integrated systems.
High-Temperature Electrical Property and Defect Analysis of the Quintuple Perovskite Layered Cuprates Eu2CaBa2Cu2Ti3O14 and LaYCaBa2Cu2+xTi3−xO14−y

Abstract High-temperature electrical conductivity and thermopower measurements have been performed on undoped Eu 2 CaBa 2 Cu 2 Ti 3 O 14 and doped and undoped LaYCaBa 2 Cu 2+ x Ti 3− x O 14 . These quintuple perovskites are members of a family of ordered perovskite-type oxides with double Cu–O sheets and have in-plane Cu–O bond lengths comparable to known superconductors. X-ray diffraction data and transmission electron microscopy show clear evidence of layering in both structures. LaYCaBa 2 Cu 2+ x Ti 3− x O 14 exhibits a large-small rare earth ordering on the A ′/ A ″ sites, like its quadruple perovskite counterparts. The transport data indicate that these materials behave similarly to the corresponding quadruple perovskites, but have lower carrier concentrations. The La–Y compound exhibits weaker oxygen partial pressure dependencies in the electrical properties, which are suggestive of a decrease in undesirable oxygen intercalation between the CuO 2 sheets. Upon doping with copper on titanium sites, (Cu″ Ti ), a concomitant amount of oxygen vacancies, (V •• o ), are introduced, as evidenced by TGA and in situ electrical property measurements. Possible defect models are presented and discussed in light of data from TGA, electrical property measurements, and quantitative high-resolution TEM.
Rationale and strategy for VR standards

The author argues an integrated family of standards must be developed, for the sake of the virtual reality (VR) industry and its customers. He suggests that this will bring stability to the marketplace, thus increasing customer acceptance and encouraging developers to provide additional applications. Techniques to produce quality standards for computer graphics are being used to improve the standards currently under development. There are problems to be overcome, for example in getting adequate staffing to produce standards in a timely manner. >
HYPOGONADISM WITH SPERMATOGENESIS: A CASE REPORT*

TESTICULAR defects may conceivably involve both gametogenic and internal secretory functions, or either one of these processes with a relative or complete sparing of the other. Syndromes in which each of these possibilities apply have been described. The classic eunuchoid exhibits a gross hypogonadism with absent or arrested spermatogenesis. The group of patients first described by Klinefelter et al. (1) with hyalinization of the seminiferous epithelium, gynecomastia and high urinary gonadotropin titers, may have normal masculine secondary sex characteristics or exhibit signs of only a moderate androgen deficiency; and spermatogenesis may be seriously impaired without a suggestion of hypogonadism, as in mcst of the male sterility problems which come under observation. The third possibility, a Leydig-cell deficiency with little or no disturbance in spermatogenesis, has been described in a few patients with demonstrable lesions in the pituitary area (2), and McCullagh and Beck (3) have recently noted 4 pati...
Circulating MCP-1 levels shows linkage to chemokine receptor gene cluster on chromosome 3: the NHLBI Family Heart Study follow-up examination

Atherogenesis is a chronic inflammatory process. Critical in the inflammation process is monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). To locate genomic regions that affect circulating MCP-1 levels, a genome-wide linkage scan was conducted in a sample of whites and blacks. Phenotype and genetic marker data were available for 2501 white and 513 black participants in the National Heart Lung Blood Institute Family Heart Study follow-up examination. Heritability for MCP-1 was 0.37 in whites and 0.47 in blacks after adjusting for the effects of sex, age, age–sex interaction, smoking status, lifetime smoking exposure (pack-years) and field center. Significant linkage was observed for MCP-1 in a combined black and white sample on chromosome 3 (logarithm of the odds ratio (LOD)=3.5 at 78 cM, P=0.0001) and suggestive linkage was observed in whites on chromosome 5 (LOD=1.8 at 128 cM, P=0.002). Located under the linkage peak on chromosome 3 is the chemokine receptor gene cluster, including CCR2, the receptor for MCP-1. This study provides preliminary evidence linking genetic variation in a receptor to circulating levels of its ligand, as previously demonstrated for the low-density lipoprotein receptor. Further characterization of these chromosomal regions is needed to identify the functional mutations associated with circulating levels of MCP-1.
Surveys for Stenoma catenifer (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) and Associated Parasitoids Infesting Avocados in Perú

Surveys for Stenoma catenifer Walsingham, the avocado seed moth, and its associated larval parasitoids were conducted in the Departments of Junin, Huanuco, Cusco, and Madre de Dios in Peru. Fruit infestation levels in some areas ranged from 0 to 58%, and parasitism of S. catenifer larvae in Junin and Huanuco was 23%. Five species of hymenopteran parasitoid in two families, Braconidae (Apanteles sp., Hypomicrogaster sp., and Chelonus sp.) and Ichneumonidae (Pristeromerus sp. and Xiphosomella sp.), were reared from larvae, and one species of tachinid fly (Chrysodoria sp.) emerged from pupae. The dominant larval parasitoid, a gregarious Apanteles sp., accounted for 55% of parasitized hosts. Branch and twig tunneling by S. catenifer larvae in a commercial Hass avocado orchard was observed in Cusco. The field attractiveness of the sex pheromone of S. catenifer was demonstrated with 73% of monitoring traps deployed in three departments (Junin, Huanuco, and Cusco) catching male moths. Approximately 55% of avocado fruit sourced from the Province of Chanchamayo (Junin) and purchased at the Mercado Modelo de Frutas in La Victoria, in central Lima were infested with larvae of S. catenifer. Infested avocado fruit sold at this market could represent a potential incursion threat to coastal Hass avocado production regions in Peru that are reportedly free of this pest.
A Yeast Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Complex Associated With RNA Polymerase II

Recent evidence suggests a role for the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (pol II) in pre-mRNA processing. The yeast NRD1 gene encodes an essential RNA-binding protein that shares homology with mammalian CTD-binding proteins and is thought to regulate mRNA abundance by binding to a specific cis-acting element. The present work demonstrates genetic and physical interactions among Nrd1p, the pol II CTD, Nab3p, and the CTD kinase CTDK-I. Previous studies have shown that Nrd1p associates with the CTD of pol II in yeast two-hybrid assays via its CTD-interaction domain (CID). We show that nrd1 temperature-sensitive alleles are synthetically lethal with truncation of the CTD to 9 or 10 repeats. Nab3p, a yeast hnRNP, is a high-copy suppressor of some nrd1 temperature-sensitive alleles, interacts with Nrd1p in a yeast two-hybrid assay, and coimmunoprecipitates with Nrd1p. Temperature-sensitive alleles of NAB3 are suppressed by deletion of CTK1, a kinase that has been shown to phosphorylate the CTD and increase elongation efficiency in vitro. This set of genetic and physical interactions suggests a role for yeast RNA-binding proteins in transcriptional regulation.
Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Resistance and the Role of the Second-Generation Agents

OBJECTIVETo review the current state of nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance, discuss the promising role of second-generation NNRTIs, and provide insight into their clinical utility.DATA SOURCESArticles were identified through searches of MEDLINE (May 2000-August 2009) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (May 1998-August 2009), using the key words etravirine, rilpivirine, TMC125, TMC278, diarylpyrimidine, NNRTI, and resistance.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONClinical trials, resistance studies, and pharmacokinetic data were selected for review.DATA SYNTHESISNNRTIs are an integral class of antiretroviral agents utilized for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. These agents have become preferred therapy options for treatment-naive individuals per treatment guideline recommendations and have gained increased popularity over protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy. However, available NNRTIs possess inherent characteristics, such as low genetic barrier to resistance a...
Cognitive Therapy with Inpatients

The introduction of psychotropic medications in the 1950s and 1960s revolutionized inpatient treatment of emotional disorders, reducing the census of pyschiatric hospitals. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the emphasis on long-term inpatient treatment changed to reflect the new philosophy of returning patients as quickly as possible to their home environment. This followed the creation of community-based treatment centers established during the Kennedy administration. The community mental health movement’s attempt to limit hospitalization was made possible by advances in chemotherapy and psychosocial treatments.
Observation of the adhesion of thin Ta polycrystalline films to Si wafers via in situtopography/radiography

The adhesion of thin polycrystalline metallic Ta films to Si wafer substrates was studied in situ under real–time conditions using white–beam synchrotron Laue transmission diffraction topography with simultaneous radiographic imaging. The observations were carried out using a newly developed experimental apparatus, which consisted of a computer–controlled mini–tensile stage, an 800°C ancillary furnace, and a CCD X–ray imaging system. The stress and imaging data were collected simultaneously via a video recorder and also at selected intervals by frame–grabbing/storage technology on a microcomputer. This allowed direct correlation between the stress, temperature and film–failure processes. The results for sputtered Ta polycrystalline thin films deposited onto Si wafers indicated that induced stresses led to buckling delaminations along well–defined directions. These observations can be readily extended to study a variety of film–adhesion and cycle–failure problems.
Domain-specific impulsivity in school-age children

Impulsivity is a salient individual difference in children with well-established predictive validity for life outcomes. The current investigation proposes that impulsive behaviors vary systematically by domain. In a series of studies with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse samples of middle school students, we find that schoolwork-related and interpersonal-related impulsivity, as observed by teachers, parents, and the students themselves, are distinct, moderately correlated behavioral tendencies. Each demonstrates differentiated relationships with dimensions of childhood temperament, Big Five personality factors, and outcomes, such as report card grades. Implications for theoretical conceptions of impulsivity as well as for practical applications (e.g. domain-specific interventions) are discussed.