cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for alcohol and other drug use among adolescents: evaluation of a pediatric residency curriculum.

Alcohol and other drug use and misuse are increasing in pediatric populations. As part of a US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration resident training grant, we sought to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of initiating screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in a pediatric residency program. We evaluated the efficacy of a training program for all second- and third-year pediatric and/or medicine/pediatric residents in an adolescent medicine rotation located in an urban teaching hospital. Main outcome measures were pre-/post-training knowledge scores, performance of the Brief Negotiated Interview (BNI) as measured by the BNI adherence scale in pre-/post-training standardized patient encounters (SPE), training satisfaction, and tracking of BNI performance. Thirty-four residents were trained (30 in pediatrics and four in medicine/pediatric programs). The mean age of participants was 28 years (range, 25-35 years); 26 (76%) were women. Fifty percent reported 0-5 hours of didactic training in medical school and residency. Thirty-five percent reported that they never had formal or informal teaching regarding alcohol and drug problems in their residency. There was a significant improvement in knowledge scores pre-/post-training (20.5 versus 23.4, p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in BNI adherence scores during SPE (3.1 versus 8.4, p < 0.001). Residents were very satisfied with their training, reporting a score of 1.6 on a scale of one to five (one = very satisfied, five = very dissatisfied). Integrating an SBIRT curriculum into a pediatric residency program is feasible and effective in increasing residents’ knowledge and skills in performing screening and brief interventions among adolescents and young adults.
Interleukin-10 repletion suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreases liver pathology without altering viral replication in murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)-infected IL-10 knockout mice

Objective and design To determine the role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in protecting against the deleterious pro-inflammatory cytokine response to murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), we studied the impact of IL-10 repletion in MCMV-infected IL-10 knockout (KO) mice.
Compact In-Situ Sensors for Monitoring Negative-Bias-Temperature-Instability Effect and Oxide Degradation

The NBTI sensor proposed is intended to be used for general NBTI characterization and not in- situ monitoring of degradation, due to large area overhead (~450x area of NBTI sensor in this work), inability to correct for temperature variations encountered during operation and the analog output of the sensor. We introduce two compact structures to digitally quantify the change in performance and power of devices undergoing NBTI and defect-induced oxide breakdown. The small size of the sensors makes them amenable to use in a standard-cell design with low area and power overhead. The sensors can be implemented in large numbers to collect data on degradation and statistical performance of the devices.
The Health of African American Men

The health of African American men and the role of African American men in the health care system constitute a complex story of historical oppression combined with incredible resilience and dedication. Social forces of racism and discrimination coupled with economic disadvantage have worked against the health of black men for centuries. Yet throughout the history of black people in America, black men and women have been the principal providers of care to one another, relying upon training at segregated yet proud medical institutions of higher learning. African American physicians and scientists have made substantial yet unappreciated contributions to medical science and practice. Still, the health status of African Americans lags behind that of whites, and the health of African American men in particular has reached crisis proportions. Future improvement in the health status of African American men will depend upon improving access to effective medical insurance, eliminating biases in the health care syst...
Strain magnification in polymer composites

We consider two approaches to strain magnification in a composite material, point out that they apply to different situations, and caution against misapplication of the equations derived.
A Sibling Species Group of Hydractinia in the North-Eastern United States

Many symbiotic organisms are narrowly distributed on one or a few host species. These associations are intriguing, as they invite the development of hypotheses regarding the pattern and process of speciation and serve as laboratories for the testing of methods of phylogenetic reconstruction (Kraus, 1978; Futuyma & Slatkin, 1983; Stone & Hawks worth, 1986). The evolution of host-specificity in the sea may be expected to be severely constrained by the difficulty of achieving reproductive isolation in taxa whose gametes are freely released into the water column and/or whose larvae are potentially widely distributed (Scheltema, 1977). Yet this difficulty may well be overestimated, given the recent demonstrations of limited gamete (Pennington, 1985; Yund, in press) and larval dispersal (Knight-Jones & Moyse, 1961; Ryland, 1981; Olsen, 1985; Jackson & Coates, 1986; Grosberg, 1987). Indeed, if gamete and larval dispersal are as limited as has recently been contended (Jackson, 1986), local isolation of populations may be a routine occurence, offering repeated opportunities for speciation.
Huxley's Revenge: Cell-Cycle Entry, Positive Feedback, and the G1 Cyclins

In a recent issue of Nature, Skotheim et al. (2008) show that a transcriptional positive feedback loop plays a key role in the commitment to enter the yeast cell cycle.
A revision of the genus Trabaea Simon (Araneae: Lycosidae)

The genus Trabaea Simon is revised. Nine species are included in the genus of which two are described as new. Trabaeosa straeleni Roewer is newly synonymised with Trabaea purcelli Roewer. A key to the species of Trabaea is provided and the relationships of the genus are discussed.
The Influence of the Organizational Structures of Colleges and Universities on College Student Learning.

(2002). The Influence of the Organizational Structures of Colleges and Universities on College Student Learning. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 40-59.
Early prenatal sonographic diagnosis of twin triploid gestation presenting with fetal hydrops and theca-lutein ovarian cysts.

The presence of theca-lutein ovarian cysts in the early second trimester of pregnancy is highly suspicious for a complete hydatidiform molar pregnancy but can be seen in association with a partial mole. Theca-lutein cysts may occur following hormonal stimulation for assisted reproductive techniques or in association with multiple gestations. Rare causes include immune and nonimmune fetal hydrops, maternal hypothyroidism, and triploid gestations. We report a case of a monochorionic twin gestation in which prenatal sonography demonstrated multiple anomalies and hydrops in each twin and bilateral theca-lutein ovarian cysts. Triploidy in both twins and a partial hydatidiform mole were confirmed at pathologic examination.
Modeling the seasonality of belowground respiration along an elevation gradient in the western Chugach Mountains, Alaska

Belowground respiration is typically the largest flux of carbon from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere, making up >70% of total respiration in boreal forests. Recent work has shown that belowground respiration continues during the snow-covered season in boreal ecosystems, but few studies have made complementary measurements during the snow-free season and it remains uncertain what proportion of annual belowground respiration occurs during winter. Traditional models of the relationship between temperature and respiration assume fixed temperature sensitivity, but it has become clear that the apparent temperature sensitivity of belowground respiration increases as soils approach 0°C. Use of fixed temperature sensitivity to model carbon budgets of northern ecosystems may, therefore, yield misleading results. We measured belowground respiration monthly over 2 years in four ecosystems along an elevation gradient in south-central Alaska. Three models, representing different hypotheses about the relationship between temperature and respiration, were confronted with the data. A logistic model, which allows the temperature sensitivity to vary inversely with temperature, and a variation of the Q10 model, which allows the temperature sensitivity to vary seasonally, performed well at all sites and produced similar estimates of seasonal and annual belowground respiration. The traditional Q10 model performed poorly at all sites and overestimated respiration during the snow-covered season. Annual belowground respiration was generally greater than in ecosystems of interior Alaska, where winters are colder and summers are warmer and drier. Belowground respiration during the snow-covered season made up 6–15% of the annual total—a small, but sensitive, component of annual carbon budgets.
Promoter Variant in the GRK3 Gene Associated with Bipolar Disorder Alters Gene Expression

Background We have previously reported a single nucleotide polymorphism (P-5, G-384A) in the proximal promoter of the gene for G protein receptor kinase 3 (GRK3) that was associated with bipolar disorder in two independent samples. In this study, we examined whether the G-384A variant has a functional effect on GRK3 transcription. Methods Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were conducted using nuclear extracts from both Hela cells and adult mouse cortex. Transcriptional function was also examined using a dual luciferase reporter system transfected into in vitro human neuroblastoma cells and cultured mouse cortical neurons. Results The G-384A variant abolished or reduced the formation of DNA-protein complexes using nuclear extract from both HeLa cells and adult mouse cortical neuron cells. However, gene expression was significantly enhanced by G-384A in both in vitro human neuroblastoma cells and cultured mouse cortical neurons. Conclusions These data suggest that the G-384A SNP in the promoter of human GRK3 gene represents an important functional variant. The G-384A variant may alter binding of Sp1/Sp4 transcription factors resulting in an increase in gene transcription and an increase in vulnerability to bipolar disorder.
The effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on fetal-placental vascular tone in the ex-vivo human placental cotyledon model

PLACENTAL VASCULAR TONE IN THE EX-VIVO HUMAN PLACENTAL COTYLEDON MODEL ANDREA FISK, BOBBY HOWARD, CHRISTINE KOVAC, PETER NAPOLITANO, DAMIAN PAONESSA, PETER NIELSEN, NATHAN HOELDTKE, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI OBJECTIVE: The proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-a), has been demonstrated to have varying vasoactive effects in different vascular beds. Since TNF-a is increased in a number of obstetric settings, our objective was to determine if TNF-ahas an effect on fetal-placental vascular tone. STUDY DESIGN: The maternal and fetal circulations of two cotyledons from each of six human placentas were perfused for two hours with Hanks’ balanced salt solution. After baseline perfusion pressure was established, 5 ng/ ml of TNF-a was added to the fetoplacental circulation of one cotyledon from each pair (n = 6). Fetoplacental vascular pressures were monitored continuously and recorded at 5 minute intervals. At one and two hours, the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II was bolus injected (0.25 mg) into the fetoplacental circulation of all cotyledons and peak vascular pressures were recorded. RESULTS: In the cotyledons exposed to TNF-a the fetoplacental vascular perfusion pressure decreased by amean of 11.5mmHg compared to the control cotyledons (p < 0.05), and the difference persisted during the two hours of perfusion. There was no difference in relative vasoconstrictive response to angiotensin II between cotyledons exposed to TNF-a and control cotyledons, at either one or two hours. CONCLUSION: In the ex vivo human placental cotyledon, TNF-a has a vasodilatory effect on the baseline fetoplacental circulatory tone, but does not affect the fetoplacental vascular response to angiotensin II.
Developmental Expression of GABAA Receptor Subunit mRNAs in Individual Hippocampal Neurons In Vitro and In Vivo

The GABA(A) receptor is a heterooligomeric protein complex composed of multiple receptor subunits. Developmental changes in the pattern of expression of 11 GABA(A) receptor subunits in individual rat embryonic hippocampal neurons on days 1-21 in culture and acutely dissociated hippocampal neurons from postnatal day (PND) 5 rat pups were investigated using the technique of single-cell mRNA amplification. We demonstrate that multiple GABA(A) receptor subunits are expressed within individual hippocampal neurons, with most cells simultaneously expressing alpha1, alpha2, alpha5, beta1, and gamma2 mRNAs. Further, relative expression of several GABA(A) receptor subunit mRNAs changes significantly in embryonic hippocampal neurons during in vitro development, with the relative abundance (compared with beta-actin) of alpha1, alpha5, and gamma2 mRNAs increasing 2.3-, 2.7-, and 3.8-fold, respectively, from days 1 to 14, and beta1 increasing 5-fold from days 1 to 21. In situ hybridization with antisense digoxigenin-labeled alpha1, beta1, and gamma2 RNA probes demonstrates a similar increase in expression of subunit mRNAs as embryonic hippocampal neurons mature in vitro. Relative abundances of alpha1, beta1, and gamma2 subunit mRNAs in acutely dissociated PND 5 hippocampal neurons are also significantly greater than in embryonic day 17 neurons on day 1 in vitro and exceed the peak values seen in cultured neurons on days 14-21, suggesting that GABA(A) receptor subunit mRNA expression within individual hippocampal neurons follows a similar, if somewhat delayed, developmental pattern in vitro compared with in vivo. These findings suggest that embryonic hippocampal neuronal culture provides a useful model in which to study the developmental regulation of GABA(A) receptor expression and that developmental changes in GABA(A) receptor subunit expression may underlie some of the differences in functional properties of GABA(A) receptors in neonatal and mature hippocampal neurons.
Oil industry wastewater treatment with fouling resistant membranes containing amphiphilic comb copolymers.

The oil industry produces large volumes of wastewater, including oil well produced water brought to the surface during oil drilling, and refinery wastewater. These streams are difficult to treat due to large concentrations of oil. Ultrafiltration (UF) is very promising for their treatment to remove oil, but has been limited by economic obstacles due to severe membrane fouling. In a recent study, novel UF membranes incorporating the amphiphilic comb copolymer additive polyacrylonitrile-graft-poly(ethylene oxide), PAN-g-PEO, were found to exhibit complete resistance to irreversible fouling by several classes of organic foulants (J. Membr. Sci. 2007, 298, 136−146). The current work focuses on application of these novel UF membranes to the treatment of oily wastewater feed streams, employing three industrial samples of oil well produced water and refinery wastewater. UF membranes cast with 20 wt % PAN-g-PEO in PAN achieved removals of dispersed and free oils of over 96% based on chemical oxygen demand (COD) f...
Estimated replication of data in wireless sensor networks

A wireless sensor network (WSN) can be envisaged as a distributed system where the sensor nodes (clients) continuously update the sensed information to the sink (server). In many real-time environments exact replica of data is not required by the end application to deduce the result. Data estimation/prediction techniques at the sink can be used to infer the desired output. The proposed design is an improvement of the model as proposed by Santini which uses the traditional LMS algorithm to predict the desired output at the sink. In this work we solve the synchronization of mode problem in the Santinipsilas model by effectively utilizing the the principles of adaptive filter theory. The focus of this paper is to make better use of communication resources in data replication platforms than approaches based on periodic refreshing.
Anwendung der Thermochemie

So, wie die chemische Gleichung gewohnlich aufgefast wird, ist sie der quantitative Ausdruck der Mengen der Stoffe, die miteinander in Reaktion treten. Im chemischen Unterricht werden leider oft gegenuber diesen Gewichtsbeziehungen die ebenso wichtigen Energieverhaltnissebei den chemischen Vorgangen vernachlassigt. Fur die meisten der in der chemischen und metallurgischen Technik durchzufuhrenden Reaktionen ist die Menge des aufzuwendenden Brennstoffs oder, allgemeiner gesagt, der zur Durchfuhrung notwendige Energiebetrag — sei es in Form von Warme oder elektrischer Energie — von ausschlaggebender Bedeutung fur die Durchfuhrbarkeit und fur den wirtschaftlichen Erfolg oder Miserfolg eines Verfahrens.
BSCCO-2212 Wire and Cable Studies

BSCCO-2212 round wires and cables are being studied for possible use in very high field magnets (>; 25 T) within the multi-Lab Very High Field Superconducting Magnet Collaboration (VHFSMC). Billets produced by Oxford Superconducting Technology were used to make Rutherford-type cables of various geometries. The effect of the cable parameters was measured on the extracted strand performance and deformation. Transport properties were measured at 4.2 K in fields up to 14 T for the extracted strands across the edges, and compared with as-received round wire. The same wire used in the cables was also deformed by flat rolling to reproduce the deformation seen by the round strand when formed into a Rutherford cable. After heat treatment, rolled samples were characterized for transport properties and results compared to those obtained for strands extracted from the cables. Finally cables were tested at 4.2 K and self-field using a superconducting transformer and results compared to those of the extracted strands.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY: A Basis for Juvenile Correctional Reform?

Cognitive developmental theory has been increasingly offered as on explanation for lawbreaking. The theory suggests that lawbreaking results from individuals not having sufficiently developed reasoning abilities to resolve moral dilemmas, specificially those involving illegal acts. This article reports on on original test of the association between reasoning and law-breaking and addresses shortcomings of prior research. The article concludes that although the theory has been recommended and used as a basis for program design, there is little evidence to suggest that reasoning is, indeed, related to lawbreaking. Since ideological appeal of the theory may result in its adoption in program settings, continued empirical testing of hy-potheses derived from the theory is of considerable importance.
Differential outcome effects in Pavlovian biconditional and ambiguous occasion setting tasks

Three experiments with rats explored the differential outcome effect (DOE) using a Pavloian magazine approach conditioning preparation. Experiment 1 compared groups trained on a biconditional discrimination (AX ,A Y ,B X ,B Y) with differential or nondifferential outcomes, and Experiment 2 examined this using an ambiguous occasion setting task (e.g., AX ,X ,Y ,A Y). In both experiments, subjects trained with differential outcomes learned the tasks better than subjects trained with nondifferential outcomes. Furthermore, subjects given differential outcome training learned the positive occasion setting component of the ambiguous task more efficiently than the negative occasion setting component, although both were enhanced by differential outcome training. Experiment 3 demonstrated that the ambiguous occasion setting task was reversed more readily when the target– outcome relations (as opposed to the modulator– outcome relations) were maintained during the reversal phase. These data suggest that an acquired distinctiveness effect may be responsible for the DOE in Pavlovian learning.
Longitudinal Outcomes of Nursing Home Care for Severely Mentally III Patients

More chronic mental patients reside in, and more mental health dollars go to, nursing homes than to any other single setting. Yet such care has been little studied. This article presents descriptive longitudinal outcomes from a study of such care for the outcomes of recidivism, symptomatology, social integration, and subjective well-being. The study involved interviewing and gathering data on 163 patients in a sample of 20 skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities in a major metropolitan area, and following these patients at six-month intervals for a year. Results showed a mixed picture of good and bad outcomes, and some resulting implications for the role of nursing homes in mental health long-term care are discussed.
Non-linear estimates of the Black-Scholes option pricing model using online agent-based data

This paper specifies and estimates an option price model using non-linear, Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) technique that allows for the incorporation of cross equation correlations and other generalisations. Our results do suggest that this generalisation improves the efficiency of the parameter estimates. The short duration options in the Indian financial market managed online through a mobile agent and distributed network management system can also work as a complementary technique in empirical work and parameter estimation in financial markets.
Macrophage Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Promotes Atherosclerosis and Nuclear Factor-κB–Mediated Inflammation in Macrophages

Rationale: Mitochondrial oxidative stress (mitoOS) has been shown to correlate with the progression of human atherosclerosis. However, definitive cell type–specific causation studies in vivo are lacking, and the molecular mechanisms of potential proatherogenic effects remain to be determined. Objective: Our aims were to assess the importance of macrophage mitoOS in atherogenesis and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods and Results: We first validated Western diet–fed Ldlr −/− mice as a model of human mitoOS–atherosclerosis association by showing that non-nuclear oxidative DNA damage, a marker of mitoOS in lesional macrophages, correlates with aortic root lesion development. To investigate the importance of macrophage mitoOS, we used a genetic engineering strategy in which the OS suppressor catalase was ectopically expressed in mitochondria (mCAT) in macrophages. MitoOS in lesional macrophages was successfully suppressed in these mice, and this led to a significant reduction in aortic root lesional area. The mCAT lesions had less monocyte-derived cells, less Ly6chi monocyte infiltration into lesions, and lower levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1. The decrease in lesional monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was associated with the suppression of other markers of inflammation and with decreased phosphorylation of RelA (NF-κB p65), indicating decreased activation of the proinflammatory NF-κB pathway. Using models of mitoOS in cultured macrophages, we showed that mCAT suppressed monocyte chemotactic protein-1 expression by decreasing the activation of the IκB-kinase β–RelA NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: MitoOS in lesional macrophages amplifies atherosclerotic lesion development by promoting NF-κB–mediated entry of monocytes and other inflammatory processes. In view of the mitoOS–atherosclerosis link in human atheromata, these findings reveal a potentially new therapeutic target to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis. # Novelty and Significance {#article-title-63}
Pierre Mendès France, French Security Politics, and the European Defense Community

This paper examines the role of Pierre Mendes France in the decision of the French National Assembly to reject the European Defense Community (EDC) proposed by Rene Pleven in October 1950 and signed by the [Antoine] Pinay government in 1952. Since the signing of the EDC treaty in 1952, successive governments of the Fourth Republic delayed action on ratification of the treaty until 1954 when Mendes France assumed the office of prime minister and, acting against conventional wisdom, forced the National Assembly to vote on it. The EDC was a collective attempt by western European powers, with the full support of the United States, to counterbalance the overwhelming conventional military ascendancy of the Soviet Union in Europe by forming a supranational European army. This collective security plan had its origins in the French government of Rene Pleven in 1950. Why the French signed the treaty establishing the EDC two years later in 1952, and then rejected it in 1954 after four years of debate, is of central concern to this paper, which explores the intersection and interplay of various factors that contributed to the negative French vote.
Elevated risks of pregnancy complications and adverse outcomes with increasing maternal age

BACKGROUND: In the USA, between 1980 and 2004, the proportion of all births increased 2-fold in women aged > or = 30, 3-fold in women aged > or = 35 and nearly 4-fold in women aged > or = 40. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risks of pregnancy complications and adverse outcomes with increasing maternal age using national vital statistics data. METHODS: The study population included 8,079,996 live births of singletons of > or = 20 weeks among women aged 30-54 from the 1995-2000 US Birth Cohort Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set. Outcomes were modelled by maternal age and parity using multinomial logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The risks for most outcomes paralleled increasing maternal age including prolonged and dysfunctional labour, excessive labour bleeding, breech and malpresentation and primary Caesarean delivery. The highest AORs among women aged > or = 45 versus 30-34 by parity (primiparas and multiparas, respectively) were for chronic hypertension (3.70, 4.89), diabetes (2.19, 2.58), primary Caesarean (3.14, 2.85), excessive labour bleeding (1.54, 1.49), pregnancy hypertension (1.55, 2.13) and birth <32 weeks (2.11, 1.77). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing maternal age is associated with significantly elevated risks for pregnancy complications and adverse outcomes, which vary by parity.
The neuroimmune basis of anti-inflammatory acupuncture.

This review article presents the evidence that the antiinflammatory actions of acupuncture are mediated via the reflexive central inhibition of the innate immune system. Both laboratory and clinical evidence have recently shown the existence of a negative feedback loop between the autonomic nervous system and the innate immunity. There is also experimental evidence that the electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve inhibits macrophage activation and the production of TNF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and other proinflammatory cytokines. It is therefore conceivable that along with hypnosis, meditation, prayer, guided imagery, biofeedback, and the placebo effect, the systemic anti-inflammatory actions of traditional and electro-acupuncture are directly or indirectly mediated by the efferent vagus nerve activation and inflammatory macrophage deactivation. In view of this common physiological mediation, assessing the clinical efficacy of a specific acupuncture regimen using conventional double-blind placebo-controlled trials inherently lacks objectivity due to (1) the uncertainty of ancient rules for needle placement, (2) the diffuse noxious inhibitory control triggered by control-needling at irrelevant points, (3) the possibility of a dose-response relationship between stimulation and effects, and (4) the possibility of inadequate blinding using an inert sham procedure. A more objective assessment of its efficacy could perhaps consist of measuring its effects on the surrogate markers of autonomic tone and inflammation. The use of acupuncture as an adjunct therapy to conventional medical treatment for a number of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases seems plausible and should be validated by confirming its cholinergicity.
Social Regulation of the Stress Response in the Transitional Newborn: A Pilot Study

The purpose of the study was to explore relationships between caregiver holding and feeding behaviors and the transitional newborn infant's cortisol response. Behaviors of 46 mothers, fathers, and their term transitional newborn infants were measured with the Index of Mother-Infant Separation (IMIS). Repeated measures of infant salivary cortisol were used to calculate area under the curve. A higher percentage of observations in which mother was holding infant was related to lower infant total cortisol during the first 6 hours after birth (r = -.24, p = .05, one-tailed).
Aspergillus Infections in Transplant Recipients

Aspergillus infections are occurring with an increasing frequency in transplant recipients. Notable changes in the epidemiologic characteristics of this infection have occurred; these include a change in risk factors and later onset of infection. Management of invasive aspergillosis continues to be challenging, and the mortality rate, despite the use of newer antifungal agents, remains unacceptably high. Performing molecular studies to discern new targets for antifungal activity, identifying signaling pathways that may be amenable to immunologic interventions, assessing combination regimens of antifungal agents or combining antifungal agents with modulation of the host defense mechanisms, and devising diagnostic assays that can rapidly and reliably diagnose infections represent areas for future investigations that may lead to further improvement in outcomes.
Vibration signal behaviour and the use of modulatory communication in established and newly founded honeybee colonies

We investigated the effects of colony condition on the use of modulatory communication in social insects by examining vibration signal behaviour in established and newly founded colonies of the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Compared to the established colonies, the newly founded colonies had smaller population sizes, built more comb, devoted proportionately more comb space to brood rearing and less to food storage, gained weight, and had higher per capita rates of foraging. In conjunction with the different growth and foraging patterns, the newly founded colonies also had higher per capita vibration rates and slightly but significantly greater proportions of workers that produced the signal. Individual vibrators in the newly founded colonies performed signals on slightly but significantly more of the workers they contacted and focused their vibration activity more strongly on less active recipients than did vibrators in the established colonies. Vibrated recipients showed increased task performance compared to nonvibrated controls, suggesting that the signal increased individual labour rates in both colony types. However, the levels of task performance did not differ between newly founded and established colony recipients, suggesting that the degree to which workers responded to the signal was not altered by colony developmental state. Thus, the vibration signal may have helped to adjust worker activity to the resource and labour demands associated with nest founding primarily by activating larger proportions of the less active work force, rather than by increasing the individual work efforts of recipients in the newly founded colonies relative to those in established colonies.
Stereoscopic acuity for moving retinal images

Stereoscopic acuity in the human fovea remains unimpaired with retinal image motions of up to 2 deg/s. These findings apply to lateral motion of the test target alone, and to simultaneous lateral motion of both test and comparison targets. For good stereoscopic acuity, depth motion can be tolerated only so long as the configuration does not move outside the disparity zone for optimal stereoscopic acuity, within 2–3 arc min of either side of the fixation plane. The presence during a short exposure of some stimulus components lying outside this zone leads to an overall reduction of stereoscopic acuity, either by dilution through summation, or by active inhibition of the best achievable depth resolution.
Radiographic Findings in the Shoulder and Elbow of Major League Baseball Pitchers

Background: Changes in the dominant shoulder and elbow of professional pitchers have been noted on radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and ultrasound studies. The relationship of these findings to future injury and to time lost from play has not been identified.Hypothesis: Degenerative changes of the shoulder and elbow are common findings on the radiographs of asymptomatic Major League Baseball pitchers. The changes are cumulative with increased pitching. These findings are not predictive of time on the disabled list.Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 4.Methods: Fifty-seven asymptomatic Major League Baseball pitchers participating in the St Louis Cardinals spring training camp underwent routine preseason radiographic screening of their dominant shoulder and elbow between 1986 and 1998. Radiographs were reviewed for osteophytes, cystic changes, joint-space narrowing, and loose bodies. All findings were recorded as present or absent. Public baseball records were reviewed f...
PRIVATIZING THE INTELLECTUAL COMMONS : UNIVERSITIES AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Abstract This paper analyzes universities' recent attempts to adapt their policies and organizational arrangements in order to accommodate the commercialization of university biotechnology research. We argue that these attempts have been severely hampered because internal and external parties have sought to enforce universities' adherence to their historic commitment to create and sustain an `intellectual commons' for the benefit of society at large. The standardized organizational arrangements universities maintain to administer this intellectual commons have also served to impede adaptive efforts. We conclude that social–contractual commitments and organizational standards can significantly affect the shape and outcome of negotiations over property rights, and can place important limits on the scope of organizations, potentially leading to the generation of new organizational forms.
High-speed nuclear quality pulse height analyzer for synchrotron-based applications

A high-throughput pulse height analyzer system for synchrotron-based applications requiring high resolution, high processing speed, and low dead-time has been developed. The system is composed of a 120 ns 12-bit nuclear quality analog-to-digital converter with a self-adaptive fast peak detector stretcher and a custom-made fast histogramming memory module that records and processes the digitized data. The histogramming module is packaged in a VME/VXI compatible interface. Data is transferred through a fast optical link from the memory interface to a computer. A dedicated data acquisition program matches the hardware characteristics of the histogramming memory module. The data acquisition system allows for different data collection modes. The system can acquire data in synchronization with an external trigger or operate as a standard pulse-height analyzer. Acquisition can be performed on several channels simultaneously. A two-channel prototype has been demonstrated at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory accelerator in conjunction with a fluorescence X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy experiment. A detailed description of the entire system is given and experimental data shown.
The membrane fusion enigma: SNAREs, Sec1/Munc18 proteins, and their accomplices--guilty as charged?

Neurotransmitter release is governed by proteins that have homo-logs in most types of intracellular membrane fusion, including the Sec1/Munc18 protein Munc18-1 and the SNARE proteins syntaxin-1, synaptobrevin/VAMP, and SNAP-25. The SNAREs initiate fusion by forming tight SNARE complexes that bring the vesicle and plasma membranes together. SNARE maintenance in a functional state depends on two chaperone systems (Hsc70/αCSP/SGT and synuclein); defects in these systems lead to neurodegeneration. Munc18-1 binds to an autoinhibitory closed conformation of syntaxin-1, gating formation of SNARE complexes, and also binds to SNARE complexes, which likely underlies the crucial function of Munc18-1 in membrane fusion by an as-yet unclear mechanism. Syntaxin-1 opening is mediated by Munc13s through their MUN domain, which is homologous to diverse tethering factors and may also have a general role in fusion. MUN domain activity is likely modulated in diverse presynaptic plasticity processes that depend on Ca2+ and RI...
Immunosuppression in Chickens by Aflatoxin

Abstract Aflatoxin, a potent natural contaminant in feedstuffs, suppressed hemagglutinin formation in chickens. The primary immune response was reduced in a dose-related fashion when aflatoxin was incorporated into the diet at levels as low as 0.625 μg. per gram. The relative sizes of the bursa of Fabricius and the thymus, the primary initiators of immunity in the chicken, were reduced by 30% and 55%, respectively, when chickens ate a diet containing 10 μg. of aflatoxin per gram of feed. The state of immunosuppression can account for the carcinogenecity of aflatoxin as well as the enhanced susceptibility to some infectious agents found during aflatoxicosis.
Model of distributed software development using system dynamics

Distributed Software Development today is one of the most widely used and implemented software development strategies in the industry [1]. Some of the major advantages of this methodology are 24 hour work-cycle [2], increased diversity of resources, reduced labor costs, decreased time of iteration cycle and diverse skillset of the workforce [3]. Although it has proven to be quite efficient and practical, there are ample reasons from previous research [4][5] in this field that show that this development approach is uncertain in terms of quality of product developed, speed and expenses. Factors such as presence of multiple stakeholders, lack of effective communication among sites, cultural differences among the workforce and presence of a diverse range of system variables brings a level of uncertainty into the system. A method is required to simulate iterations of the software development lifecycle and understand the effect of changes in system variables/stakeholders involved. This would help project managers, business analysts and other parties involved from different sites to examine the effect of changes in one variable at any point to the other variables and inspect its short and long term consequence on the project plan and deliverables. Problems leading to faulty product development, failure in conforming to all the lifecycle requirements, decreased customer satisfaction, unforeseen expenses and inability to meet deadlines can be avoided by predicting changes using those predictions to make better decisions. In this thesis, I have created a simulated model of Distributed Software Development using the concept of System Dynamics [6]. My main purpose is to
Team-Building Activities for Heterogeneous Groups of Humans and Robots

As robots become more integrated into society and the workforce, people will be required to work cooperatively with not just other people, but robots as well. People engage in team-building activities to improve cooperation and promote positive group identity. This paper explores the effect that a team-building activity had on humans working cooperatively with human and robot teammates with the goal of better understanding how to improve cooperation between a human and a robotic agent. We conducted a 2x2 study with the presence or absence of a team-building activity and the possibility or impossibility of the cooperative task. 40 participants conducted a group search task with a robot and another human partner. Half of the participants engaged in a short team-building exercise. Surveys were used to capture participants’ perceptions before and after the session. Success and failure of the task was also measured to identify any changes related to the outcome of the team-building task. It was found that humans’ perceptions of robots improve after performing team-building activities. We also found that this effect was comparable to the change of perception when the group succeeded on the task.
Renal Vascular Function in Hypercholesterolemia Is Preserved by Chronic Antioxidant Supplementation

Hypercholesterolemia impairs systemic vascular reactivity in response to endothelium-dependent vasodilators, which may be mediated partly through increased formation of lipid peroxides. However, it is unclear whether these pathophysiological mechanisms play a role in renal vascular impairment in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Hence, pigs were studied after a 3-mo normal (n = 7) or high cholesterol (HC) (n = 7) diet, HC diet supplemented daily with antioxidant vitamins E (100 IU/kg) and C (1000 mg; HC+vitamins, n = 5), or normal diet supplemented with vitamins (N+vitamins, n = 5). Renal blood flow was measured with electron-beam computed tomography before and during infusion of acetylcholine (Ach). Endothelial function, endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity were studied in renal arteries ex vivo. Despite similar cholesterol levels, LDL oxidizability (lag time, malondialdehyde, and relative electrophoretic mobility) was increased in pigs that were fed the HC diet but was significantly decreased in pigs that were fed the HC+vitamins diet. Renal blood flow response to Ach was blunted in pigs that were fed the HC diet but was preserved in pigs that were fed the HC+vitamins diet. Maximal relaxation to Ach was attenuated in pigs that were fed the HC diet compared with those that were fed the normal diet (51.5 +/- 6.4% versus 97.0 +/- 2.9%; P < 0.01) but was preserved in pigs that were fed the HC+vitamins diet (103.1 +/- 3.0%; P = 0.39) and N+vitamins diet (87.7 +/- 3.0%; P = 0.1), as were relaxation responses to calcium ionophore A23187. Vascular smooth-muscle relaxation to diethylamine was enhanced in endothelium-denuded HC vessel but was restored in pigs that were on the HC+vitamins regimen. In HC, immuno-reactivity of endothelial NOS was decreased, that of inducible NOS was increased, and both were preserved in pigs that were fed the HC+vitamins and N+vitamins diets, whereas nitrotyrosine was not detected. The present study demonstrates that antioxidant intervention in experimental HC reduces LDL oxidizability and preserves renal vascular responses to endothelium-dependent vasodilators. Therefore, this beneficial effect potentially can protect the kidney from hypercholesterolemia-induced damage.
STUDIES ON LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS OF THE PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC CANCER BY USE OF THREE COLOR FLOW CYTOMETRY

In order to assess the immune activity in patients with gastric cancer, 82 patients were classified into four stages by histological findings, and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed with monoclonal antibodies including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD15, CD45R, CD56, CD57, and Leu8. These measurements were compared by stages of the disease, namely, stage I (23 cases), stage II (16), stage III (19) and stage IV (24).In T cells, decreases in CD4+ CD45R+ Leu8+ (suppressor inducer T) cells and CD8+ CD11b+ (suppressor T) cells were observed with an advence in the stage. In NK cells, CD57+ CD16+ (NK+++) cells decreased with an advence on the stage. In LAK cells, a decrease in CD3- CD16+ CD56+ (NK-LAK) cells and an increase in CD3+ CD16- CD56+ (T-LAK) cells were noted with an advance in the stage.These results suggested that, with advance in the stage of gastric cancer, suppressor inducer, suppresser cell subpopulation and NK, NK-LAK cell subpopulation decreased, while T-LAK cell subpopulation increased.
Analysis of children rotavirus diarrhea in Lanzhou in 2009

Objective:To study the epidemiological status on rotavirus diarrhea among children aged 0～5 years old in Lanzhou in 2009,and provide the epidemic and variation data of rotavirus strain for the development of rotavirus vaccine.Methods:313 stool specimens were collected from the First Hospital of Lanzhou University,and were detected by ELISA Kits.Serotype G and genotype P identifications of the rotavirus were determined by RT-PCR.Results:RV was detected in 159 of 313(50.80%) specimens.RV diarrhea admissions peaked between October and December.G3(51.57%) was the predominant strain followed by G1(7.55%)、G2(6.29%) and G9(5.66%).The most common G-P type combinations were P[8]G3(33.82%),P[4]G3(19.12%),P[4]G2(5.88%),P[8]G1(1.47%),and other uncommon strains of the type were P[6]G3,P[6]G9,P[4]G9 and P[8]G9.Conclusion:RV was a major pathogen of diarrhea in children aged 0～5 years old in Lanzhou,and the virus variation of the epidemical strains were multiplex.
Research and Implementation of Jiangsu Power Grid Equipment Condition Evaluation System

In order to improve grid equipment condition maintenance, we must real-time evaluate the condition accurately. This paper designs and implements the Jiangsu power gird equipment condition evaluation system, which is based multiple data sources including online monitoring, live detection, SCADA, PMS, etc. The "condition monitoring data→ defect→condition evaluation" linkage mechanism is adopted to achieve real-time evaluation. Combined with PMS evaluation information, a recommended equipment status result is given. The equipment condition evaluation results obtained from the system are used to support the decision of grid dispatching and maintenance.
A case of Sudden Food Poisoning Treated by Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

[Objective]To identify the cause of a sudden food poisoning case.[Methods]The cause of poisoning was analyzed by field epidemiological investigation,gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was applied to confirm further.[Results]The cause of poisoning was clozapine,which was detected by laboratory detection.[Conclusion]Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was rapid,accurate and reliable for the cause analysis of food poisoning.
Who Should Do Thyroid Surgery

Thyroidectomy is typically associated with low rates of morbidity and mortality, although thyroidectomy-specific complications of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypoparathyroidism have significant consequences for patient quality of life, underscoring the importance of optimizing circumstances for successful patient outcomes. Numerous population-based studies have demonstrated the association between increased surgeon volume and enhanced patient outcomes among patients undergoing thyroidectomy. On average, high-volume surgeons consistently have been shown to have lower (general and endocrine-specific) complication rates, shorter hospital length of stay, and decreased costs; this association is particularly evident for vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly, and racial minorities. The number of procedures considered to be “high-volume” for thyroid surgery is unclear, as the volume thresholds utilized in published studies have been variable, ranging from >30 to >100 procedures per year. Despite increasing referrals to high-volume surgeons, the majority of thyroidectomies are still performed by lower-volume surgeons, in part secondary to geographic and socioeconomic barriers in patient access to high-volume, experienced thyroid surgeons. The challenge will be for educators to think together with policy makers and payers to assure that there is adequate and distributed supply to meet that demand. Going forward, practice guidelines well might include data related to provider volume when formulating best practice recommendations in the arena of thyroid disease.