cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fibroblast growth factors as angiogenesis factors: new insights into their mechanism of action

Angiogenesis is critical for physiological processes such as embryonic development and wound repair (D’Amore and Thompson, 1987; Folkman and Shing, 1992). Angiogenesis also contributes to several pathologies either directly, as in diabetic retinopathy, or indirectly by supporting the growth of pathological tissues, as in rheumatoid arthritis and tumor growth (Folkman, 1995). During angiogenesis, new capillaries arise as sprouts from preexisting capillaries or post-capillary venules. This phenomenon is accomplished by a series of sequential steps. In the initial phase of capillary sprouting, the basement membrane of endothelial cells in the parent blood vessel is degraded. Degradation of the basement membrane is mediated by endothelial cell proteinases, most notably plasminogen activators (PAs) and a variety of matrix-degrading metalloproteinases (MMPs). Once the basement membrane is degraded, endothelial cells bud out from the preexisting vessel and migrate into the perivascular space. Cells at the base of the sprout proliferate and replace migrated cells. Initially, the tubes or cords contain no lumen; a new basement membrane is formed, and after two contiguous sprouts have fused to form a loop, a lumen forms and blood begins to flow (Ausprunk and Folkman, 1977).
Discourses on countering violent extremism: the strategic interplay between fear and security after 9/11

This article explores the construction of extremism in media discourse, the factors driving specific constructions and the implications of these constructions for counterterrorism policy. We conten...
Duration and onset of action of high dose U-500 regular insulin in severely insulin resistant subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Aim Although regular human U-500 insulin (U-500) is frequently used for insulin resistant type 2 diabetics, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies in these individuals are lacking. We set out to determine the rate of onset, duration of action and total glucose lowering effect of two doses of U-500 insulin in obese insulin resistant subjects with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods Randomized double-blind crossover study was designed to study subjects who were administered either 100 or 200 units SQ of U-500 insulin once and then were provided intravenous glucose as necessary to maintain euglycaemia. Results A total of 12 subjects were studied. The time during which intravenous glucose was required to maintain euglycaemia following a 200-unit dose of U-500 insulin was significantly greater than the time following a 100-unit dose. No differences were found between doses in measures related to the rate of onset or in the total amount of intravenous glucose required to maintain euglycaemia for the duration of the study. Conclusions The duration of action of U-500 increases when dose is increased from 100 to 200 units. Neither dose of U-500 insulin has an onset of action before 2.5 hours after administration. This suggests that U-500 should not be used as a premeal bolus insulin to lower glucose two hours after a meal and that dosing intervals might need to be extended as dose is increased to avoid hypoglycaemia.
Assessment of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB 1998-2016)

Applying traceable and standardized uncertainty characterization for solar resource data provides confidence in the dataset for use by financiers, developers and site operators of solar energy conversion systems, and ultimately reduces deployment cost. Performance guarantees of solar energy conversion systems are based on the available solar resource from measurement stations or modeled dataset such as the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB). In this study we implemented a comprehensive uncertainty determination approach [1]. The study also analyzed how the NSRDB (19982016) – Version 3 compares with the previous NSRDB (19982015) – Version 2. The study also attempted to estimate the uncertainty differences derived by comparing theNSRDB data to the seven measurement stations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) and University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory (SRML). The evaluation was conducted for hourly values, daily totals, monthly mean daily totals, and annual mean monthly mean daily totals and demonstrate the qualityof the new datasets currently available from the NSRDB.
Perception and Cognition, Single-/Multi-neuronal Recording Studies of

Microelectrode recording of isolated single neurons from brain allows examination of the relationship between neural activity and behavior. Single neuron recording has been utilized to describe correlations of neurons with external events: sensory stimuli, behavioral responses, etc. These neural correlates identify brain areas that are active during various behavioral or cognitive tasks, but do not necessarily suggest what role those areas may play in processing information. Multiple neuron recording allows examination of connections between neurons, as well as more complex patterns of neural activity underlying information processing. Many neural patterns have recently been characterized in experiments in which it is possible to identify more precise roles for those neurons in behavioral and cognitive tasks. Techniques for single and multiple neuron recording include serial recording of neurons, accompanied by analysis of the neural data as if it had been recorded simultaneously. Alternatively, multiple recording electrode assemblies provide true simultaneous ‘ensemble’ recordings of multiple neurons. Analysis of the ensemble activity of multiple neurons range from the basic to the complex. The most basic analyses treat each neuron individually, and only examine the contribution the average or overall activity of the brain. More complex analyses include deciphering the connections between neurons to determine neural circuitry, and analysis of patterns of neural activity that control behavioral and physical responses derived from the underlying cognitive processes of the brain.
CT Texture Characterization

Post-acquisition mathematical analysis of medical images can range from simple image processing to complex computer-aided diagnosis. The intent of such manipulation can range from the enhancement of aspects of the image for improved human visualization to artificial intelligence. The tools available for image analysis span the fields of mathematics, statistics, and computer science and incorporate biophysical aspects of the medical image acquisition system. This chapter explores the concepts and practical implementation of one specific form of mathematical manipulation of CT images: texture analysis. Texture refers to the magnitude, spatial orientation, and structure of gray-level fluctuations within an image. The quantification of image textures attempts to capture underlying relationships among the values and spatial distributions of pixels and provides a way to objectively extract quantitative information from CT scans. Texture analysis has proven to be a powerful tool over a broad array of CT applications and a wide range of radiologic tasks in CT. An important caveat for the eventual clinical use of CT texture analysis is its dependence on CT image acquisition parameters, transformations to which an image might be subjected post-acquisition, and algorithmic details of the specific texture software package employed.
Russell Body Gastroesophagitis Concurrent With Barrett's Esophagus.

Background Russell body gastroesophagitis is a rare entity characterized by the accumulation of immunoglobulins within the cytoplasm of plasma cells. Case report Here, we present the case of a 41-year-old male with history of gastroesophageal reflux disease who presented with nausea, vomiting, and altered mental status. Candida esophagitis was noted on upper endoscopy. After treatment, a surveillance endoscopy revealed salmon colored mucosa in the distal esophagus and mild gastric erythema. The biopsy confirmed Barrett's esophagus that was negative for dysplasia and mild chronic inactive gastritis. Interestingly, diffusely infiltrating Russell body-containing plasma cells (Mott cells) were present in the distal esophagus and extending into the gastric cardia. The Mott cells were highlighted on CD138 immunostaining and Periodic acid-Schiff stain. Immunostaining for cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was negative. There was no evidence of Helicobacter pylori organisms on the gastric mucosa. Conclusion This is the first report on Russell body-containing plasma cells diffusely involving both esophagus and gastric cardia with concurrent Barrett's esophagus.
How to Review a Paper

Peer-reviewed papers remain a source of high-quality reliable scientific information, especially valuable in the modern world. To help those who are starting to participate in peer-review, I discus...
Radium-223 dichloride causes transient changes in natural killer cell population and cytotoxic function.

Rationale Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. While previous studies have demonstrated the effects of ionizing radiation on cytotoxic function of NK cells, little is known about how a chronic exposure to high LET alpha particles emitted by radionuclides will affect both NK population size and function. This study was conducted to determine the effects of 223RaCl2 on splenic NK cell population size and function in Swiss Webster mice. Methods Swiss Webster mice were administered intravenously with 0, 50, or 600 kBq/kg 223RaCl2. Spleens were harvested at 5, 12, and 19 days post-administration. The numbers of splenocytes per spleen were enumerated and flow cytometry was used to assess changes in the distribution of splenocyte subpopulations of B, CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, and NK cells. NK functional activity was quantified using YAC-1 target cells and the 51Cr-release assay. Results The total number of splenocytes was unaffected by 223RaCl2. However, significant changes in the distribution of splenocyte subpopulations was observed for NK cells and CD8 T lymphocytes. NK functional activity was enhanced substantially relative to controls at 12 days post-administration, but decreased markedly by day 19. Conclusion NK functional activity is both diminished and enhanced by 223RaCl2 depending on both administered activity and time post-administration. These results suggest that there may be an optimum window of time to combine the 223RaCl2-induced antitumor NK cell response with other cancer therapies that elicit immune activation.
Occupational allergens

Occupational agents are important in a significant number of respiratory diseases. More than 250 occupational substances have been reported to cause occupational asthma. Occupational allergens are the subset of agents causing occupational diseases through an IgE-mediated mechanism. These allergens may be classified as being of either high or low molecular weight. The more common occupational allergens and the industries at increased risk of exposing workers to these agents are discussed.
Collapse of DNA under alternating electric fields

Recent studies have shown that double-stranded DNA can collapse in the presence of a strong electric field. Here we provide an in-depth study of the collapse of DNA under weak confinement in microchannels as a function of buffer strength, driving frequency, applied electric-field strength, and molecule size. We find that the critical electric field at which DNA molecules collapse (tens of kV/m) is strongly dependent on driving frequency (100-800 Hz) and molecular size (20-160 kbp), and weakly dependent on the ionic strength (8-60 mM). We argue that an apparent stretching at very high electric fields is an artifact of the finite frame time of video microscopy.
Extracting and representing qualitative behaviors of complex systems in phase spaces

We develop a qualitative method for understanding and representing phase space structures of complex systems. To demonstrate this method, a program called MAPS has been constructed that understands qualitatively different regions of a phase space and represents and extracts geometric shape information about these regions, using deep domain knowledge of dynamical system theory. Given a dynamical system specified as a system of governing equations, MAPS applies a successive sequence of operations to incrementally extract the qualitative information and generates a complete, high level symbolic description of the phase space structure, through a combination of numerical, combinatorial, and geometric computations and spatial reasoning techniques. The high level description is sensible to human beings and manipulable by other programs. We are currently applying the method to a difficult engineering design domain in which controllers for complex systems are to be automatically synthesized to achieve desired properties, based on the knowledge of the phase space "shapes" of the systems.
Language Skills and the Earnings Distribution Among Child Immigrants: Language Skills and Earnings Distribution

In this paper, we estimate the language effects on the earnings distribution among child immigrants. Utilizing U.S. Census data, we find: (1) there exists a larger heterogeneity in language premiums across the earnings distribution, and the patterns change over time (2) occupation and education channels explain most of the language effects and the large heterogeneity in them. However, the importance of these two channels has decreased over time.
Three-Dimensional CFD Model of Pressure Drop in µTAS Devices in a Microchannel

Microposts are utilized to enhance heat transfer, adsorption/desorption, and surface chemical reactions. In a previous study [Yeom , J. Micromech. Microeng., 19, p. 065025 (2009)], based in part on an experimental study, an analytical expression was developed to predict the pressure drop across a microchannel filled with arrays of posts with the goal of fabricating more efficient micro-total analysis systems (µTAS) devices for a given pumping power. In particular, a key figure of merit for the design of micropost-filled reactors, based on the flow resistance models was reported thus providing engineers with a design rule to develop efficient µTAS devices. The study did not include the effects of the walls bounding the microposts. In this paper, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model is used to include the effects of three-dimensionality brought about by the walls of the µTAS devices that bound the microposted structures. In addition, posts of smaller size that could not be fabricated for the experiments were also included. It is found that the two- and three-dimensional effects depend on values of the aspect ratio and the blockage ratios. The Reynolds number considered in the experiment that ranged from 1 to 10 was extended to 300 to help determine the range of Re for which the FOM model is applicable.
Population-wise consistent segmentation of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance images

In this thesis, we investigate unsupervised and semi-supervised methods to construct anatomical atlases and segment medical images. We propose an integrated registration and clustering algorithm to compute an anatomical atlas of fiber-bundles as well as deep gray matter structures from a population of diffusion tensor MR images (DT-MRI). We refer to this algorithm as "Consistency Clustering" since the outputs of the algorithm include population-wise consistent segmentations and correspondence between the subjects. The consistency is ensured through using a single anatomical model for the whole population, which is similar to the atlases used by experts for manual labeling. We experiment with both parametric and non-parametric models for the gray matter and white matter segmentation problems, each model resulting in a different kind of atlas. Consistent population-wise segmentations require development of several integrated algorithms for clustering, registration, atlas-building and outlier rejection. In this thesis we develop, implement and evaluate these tools individually and together as a population-wise segmentation tool. Together, Consistency Clustering enables automatic atlas construction in DT-MRI for a population, either normal or affected by a neural disorder. Consistency Clustering also provides the user the choice to include prior knowledge through a few labeled subjects (semi-supervised) or compute an anatomical atlas in a completely data-driven manner (unsupervised). Furthermore, resulting anatomical models are compact representations of populations and can be used for population-wise morphometry. We implement and evaluate these methods using in vivo DT-MRI datasets. We investigate the benefits of population-wise segmentation as opposed to individually segmenting subjects, as well as effects of noise and initialization on the segmentations. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Exposure of the grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, to antimicrobial compounds affects associated Vibrio bacterial density and development of antibiotic resistance

Antimicrobial compounds are widespread, emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment and may threaten ecosystem and human health. This study characterized effects of antimicrobial compounds common to human and veterinary medicine, aquaculture, and consumer personal care products [erythromycin (ERY), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), oxytetracycline (OTC), and triclosan (TCS)] in the grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio. The effects of antimicrobial treatments on grass shrimp mortality and lipid peroxidation activity were measured. The effects of antimicrobial treatments on the bacterial community of the shrimp were then assessed by measuring Vibrio density and testing bacterial isolates for antibiotic resistance. TCS (0.33 mg/L) increased shrimp mortality by 37% and increased lipid peroxidation activity by 63%. A mixture of 0.33 mg/L TCS and 60 mg/L SMX caused a 47% increase in shrimp mortality and an 88% increase in lipid peroxidation activity. Exposure to SMX (30 mg/L or 60 mg/L) alone and to a mixture of SMX/ERY/OTC did not significantly affect shrimp survival or lipid peroxidation activity. Shrimp exposure to 0.33 mg/L TCS increased Vibrio density 350% as compared to the control whereas SMX, the SMX/TCS mixture, and the mixture of SMX/ERY/OTC decreased Vibrio density 78–94%. Increased Vibrio antibiotic resistance was observed for all shrimp antimicrobial treatments except for the mixture of SMX/ERY/OTC. Approximately 87% of grass shrimp Vibrio isolates displayed resistance to TCS in the control treatment suggesting a high level of TCS resistance in environmental Vibrio populations. The presence of TCS in coastal waters may preferentially increase the resistance and abundance of pathogenic bacteria. These results indicate the need for further study into the potential interactions between antimicrobials, aquatic organisms, and associated bacterial communities. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 469–477, 2016.
The use of transformations to implement an algorithm

Some years ago we developed a package for creating and applying transformation rules [Conrad 76]. The facilities in the package provide a way to transform user-defined language extensions into constructs in the base language EL1. We have used the facilities — and that approach to program refinement — extensively. Our experience led us to develop an integrated programming environment, the Harvard PDS, to support the methodology. In this paper we describe the use of transformation rules to refine the high-level specification of an algorithm. We use transforms to specify the meanings of high-level constructs and to encode special-purpose optimizations. We briefly discuss the PDS and its support for the methodology.
The IR Emission Features: Emission from PAH Molecules and Amorphous Carbon Particles

PAHs can have several forms in the interstellar medium. To assess the importance of each requires the availability of a collection of high quality, complete mid-IR interstellar emission spectra, a collection of laboratory spectra of PAH samples prepared under realistic conditions and a firm understanding of the microscopic emission mechanism. Given what we currently know about PAHs, the spectroscopic data suggests that there are at least two components which contribute to the interstellar emission spectrum: free molecule sized PAHs producing the narrow features and amorphous carbon particles (which are primarily made up of an irregular “lattice” of PAHs) contributing to the broad underlying components. An exact treatment of the IR fluorescence from highly vibrationally excited large molecules shows that species containing between 20 and 30 carbon atoms are responsible for the narrow features although the spectra match more closely with the spectra of amorphous carbon particles. Since little is known about the spectroscopic properties of free PAHs and PAH clusters, much laboratory work is called for in conjunction with an observational program which focuses on the spatial characteristics of the spectra. In this way the distribution and evolution of carbon from molecule to particle can be traced.
2′-5′-Oligoadenylate Synthetase-Like Protein Inhibits Respiratory Syncytial Virus Replication and Is Targeted by the Viral Nonstructural Protein 1

2'-5'-Oligoadenylate synthetase-like protein (OASL) is an interferon-inducible antiviral protein. Here we describe differential inhibitory activities of human OASL and the two mouse OASL homologs against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replication. Interestingly, nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of RSV promoted proteasome-dependent degradation of specific OASL isoforms. We conclude that OASL acts as a cellular antiviral protein and that RSV NS1 suppresses this function to evade cellular innate immunity and allow virus growth.
Rapid Quantification of Mutant Fitness in Diverse Bacteria by Sequencing Randomly Bar-Coded Transposons

ABSTRACT Transposon mutagenesis with next-generation sequencing (TnSeq) is a powerful approach to annotate gene function in bacteria, but existing protocols for TnSeq require laborious preparation of every sample before sequencing. Thus, the existing protocols are not amenable to the throughput necessary to identify phenotypes and functions for the majority of genes in diverse bacteria. Here, we present a method, random bar code transposon-site sequencing (RB-TnSeq), which increases the throughput of mutant fitness profiling by incorporating random DNA bar codes into Tn5 and mariner transposons and by using bar code sequencing (BarSeq) to assay mutant fitness. RB-TnSeq can be used with any transposon, and TnSeq is performed once per organism instead of once per sample. Each BarSeq assay requires only a simple PCR, and 48 to 96 samples can be sequenced on one lane of an Illumina HiSeq system. We demonstrate the reproducibility and biological significance of RB-TnSeq with Escherichia coli, Phaeobacter inhibens, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Shewanella amazonensis, and Shewanella oneidensis. To demonstrate the increased throughput of RB-TnSeq, we performed 387 successful genome-wide mutant fitness assays representing 130 different bacterium-carbon source combinations and identified 5,196 genes with significant phenotypes across the five bacteria. In P. inhibens, we used our mutant fitness data to identify genes important for the utilization of diverse carbon substrates, including a putative d-mannose isomerase that is required for mannitol catabolism. RB-TnSeq will enable the cost-effective functional annotation of diverse bacteria using mutant fitness profiling. IMPORTANCE A large challenge in microbiology is the functional assessment of the millions of uncharacterized genes identified by genome sequencing. Transposon mutagenesis coupled to next-generation sequencing (TnSeq) is a powerful approach to assign phenotypes and functions to genes. However, the current strategies for TnSeq are too laborious to be applied to hundreds of experimental conditions across multiple bacteria. Here, we describe an approach, random bar code transposon-site sequencing (RB-TnSeq), which greatly simplifies the measurement of gene fitness by using bar code sequencing (BarSeq) to monitor the abundance of mutants. We performed 387 genome-wide fitness assays across five bacteria and identified phenotypes for over 5,000 genes. RB-TnSeq can be applied to diverse bacteria and is a powerful tool to annotate uncharacterized genes using phenotype data.
Quantitative Determination of Isolated Fe3+ Cations in FeHZSM-5 Catalysts by ESR

Abstract A method for the quantitative determination of isolated Fe 3+ ions in FeHZSM-5 by EPR was devised. The method is based on the comparison of signals, taken at −196°C, from pyridine-impregnated catalysts with signals from solutions of Fe(III)-phthalocyanine in pyridine. FeCl 3 was introduced into HZSM-5 having Si/Al ratios of 15 and 25. The amount of Fe was between 0.5 and 5.5 wt%. The samples were prepared either by sublimation of FeCl 3 into the zeolite in an N 2 flow or by impregnation with FeCl 3 water solutions, and subsequently calcined at 400–800°C. The measurement of “ESR-visible Fe 3+ ” in FeCl 3 /HZSM-5 calcined at 400°C in vacuum demonstrates that virtually all ferric ions, present as isolated FeCl + 2 -species, contribute to the ESR signal in samples with Fe/Al ratios 3 sublimation in an N 2 flow results in the stabilization of the same amount of isolated FeCl + 2 species with the excess forming aggregates. The number of isolated Fe 3+ ions decreases sharply after treatment in an air flow at T ≥500°C. Irrespective of the starting concentration of iron, after oxidative calcinations at 500–520°C, the amount of isolated low-coordinated Fe 3+ cations in FeHZSM-5 does not exceed Fe/Al∼0.15; the rest aggregates into ESR-invisible species or forms bulk α-Fe 2 O 3 . Calcination of FeHZSM-5 with the lower Si/Al ratio of 15 at 800°C causes further loss of ESR-visible isolated Fe 3+ ions, whereas the higher silica samples, with Si/Al=25, are tolerant to this treatment. Formation of aggregated iron species is minor in the most diluted, low-loaded sample, 0.5% Fe/HZSM-5(Si/Al=25), where the majority of Fe 3+ (∼2/3) remains well isolated and contributes to the ESR signal even after oxidative treatment at 800°C. Redox treatment of this sample even under mild conditions significantly redistributes the iron, with irreversible loss of of isolated Fe 3+ ions and formation of ferromagnetic aggregates of Fe 3 O 4 .
Simulation of partially obscured scenes using the radiosity method

The extended radiosity method or zonal method is used to construct realistic synthetic images (in the visible and IR) containing radiatively participating media such as smoke, fog, and clouds. Computational methods are discussed as well as the rendering of various scenes using computer graphics methods. The extended radiosity equations and an efficient algorithm to compute the radiosties and radiances in a homogeneous participating medium over an inhomogeneous flat surface are presented.
Influence of Soybean Cropping Sequences on Seed Yield and Female Index of the Soybean Cyst Nematode

Several soybean (Glycine max) cropping sequences were planted for 12 years in a field that, at the beginning of the test, was infested with race 14 of the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines. Continuous soybean cropping sequences included H. glycines-susceptible cultivars Forrest, J82-21, Peking × Centennial breeding line, and moderately resistant cultivars Bedford and J81-116. Forrest treated with aldicarb or pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) plus metalaxyl and resistant breeding line JS83-236 followed by resistant cultivars Cordell and Hartwig were additional continuous soybean sequences. Rotations included two sequences each of Bedford with J81-116 or J82-21, and three sequences of Bedford with corn (Zea mays) and susceptible Essex soybean. Rotations of Bedford, corn, and Essex had 12-year mean yields significantly greater than continuous Bedford or Forrest. The female index (FI) of H. glycines on five cultivars and lines was used to bioassay changes in parasitic potential in each cropping sequence. The FI on Bedford bioassay plants increased significantly over time for all field treatments involving Bedford. When J82-21 was the bioassay plant, FI decreased significantly in treatments involving Bedford. There were no significant changes in FI for any treatment when Forrest, J81-16, and Peking were used as bioassays. Rotations of soybean cultivars with different sources of resistance and rotations of resistant and susceptible cultivars with a nonhost crop were not successful practices to manage the nematode's ability to parasitize the resistant cultivar Bedford. However, rotation of resistant and susceptible cultivars with a nonhost crop produced greater mean soybean yields and slowed the shift toward greater parasitism of the resistant cultivar sufficiently to warrant adoption of this practice.
Realistic calculations of the (π−, nγ) reaction

Abstract The (π−, nγ) reaction has been investigated within the direct reactions formalism employing the CGLN interaction and realistic nuclear and distorted neutron wavefunctions. Our results for 14N can account for the quasifree background observed in radiative capture of stopped pions, but they predict gross structure. Comparisons with the phenomenological pole model are made.
Sexually transmitted diseases and tubal infertility.

To evaluate the association of genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis with the occurrence of subsequent tubal infertility, 321 women who had tubal infertility were interviewed concerning their history of these sexually transmitted diseases (STD). The responses were compared to those of women who conceived children during the period the infertile women began trying to become pregnant. By a multivariate analysis, the comparisons were controlled for several confounding variables (e.g., use of an intrauterine device, cigarette smoking, number of prior pregnancies, number of sexual partners, and a history of the other STD). The risk of tubal infertility in women who reported at least one episode of gonorrhea after their last pregnancy, relative to that among other women, was 2.8 (95% confidence interval = 1.3-5.7). The relative risk of tubal infertility was also higher among women who reported a history of trichomoniasis (relative risk = 1.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.0-2.5) or genital warts (relative risk = 1.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.0-3.6).
Long- and short-term effects of carbaryl exposure in chick embryos

Abstract The effects of carbaryl on chick embryos following 5 and 12 days of exposure were examined. Carbaryl was dissolved in two vehicles (acetone and sesame oil) and the roles of these two vehicles in avian embryogenesis were assessed. The dosages of carbaryl used were 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.0 mg. All injections were administered prior to incubation. Groups of embryos exposed for 5 days to carbaryl in sesame oil and acetone showed a significant increase in mortality over their respective vehicle controls. There were no indications of external abnormalities in any of the 5-day surviving embryos regardless of how they were exposed. Those embryos exposed to carbaryl for 12 days demonstrated a significant increase in mortality over similarly treated 5-day groups; however, a greater embryotoxicity still occurred in those embryos exposed to carbaryl in sesame oil. Subcutaneous edema was a common defect seen in embryos receiving the higher dosages of carbaryl in acetone. Lower-limb abnormalities were less commonly observed. Results of this study demonstrate an increased embryotoxicity of carbaryl in sesame oil as opposed to acetone at all dosages employed. It is also apparent that carbaryl can become incorporated into the embryo from the yolk sac within 5 days, but a longer period of exposure is necessary for external abnormalities to occur.
Stokes flow through a staggered array of rectangular cylinders and the junction resistance

The micro-fluid mechanical problem of viscous flow across an array of staggered rectangular cylinders is studied by eigenfunction expansions and matching. Streamlines and permeabilities are determined for (mean) flows normal and parallel to the stagger. A variety of approximate formulas are deduced. The resistance of a T junction is determined.
Modeling Subpicosecond Pulse Evolution in High-Gain Semiconductor Laser Amplifiers

Recent advances in subpicosecond generation and amplification with semiconductor lasers have shown the necessity of extending and modifying existing theoretical models1 to include phenomena influencing subpicosecond pulse amplification. To model subpicosecond pulse evolution in semiconductor laser amplifiers (SLA), spectral dependence of both real and imaginary parts of the complex susceptibility (index and gain) within the pulse bandwidth must be included. In addition to the well known gain saturation and selfphase modulation (SPM) due to carrier depletion1, it is necessary to account for the recently observed rapid gain and phase dynamics which have been attributed to carrier heating2. The effects of an instantaneous nonlinear index n2 must also be included.
Population trends of the alfalfa weevil larvae and the distribution of its parasites in Pennsylvania.

Larval population trends of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), and the distribution of Tetrastichus incertus (Ratzeburg), Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson), and B. anurus (Thomson) were investigated during 1969 and 1970 in the central and southern regions of Pennsylvania. Weevil larvae began to hatch in mid- to late April in the southern regions and about 2 weeks later in the central regions. The population increased steadily and reached a maximum in 3–4 weeks after the eggs hatched. The larval population declined sharply following the peak. A partial 2nd peak occurred in midsummer in several of the regions, but no more than 10 larvae per sweep were collected at any sample site throughout the remainder of the growing season. Peak weevil larval populations were somewhat lower in 1970 than in 1969 in 3 of the 5 sampling regions. The population densities were highest in the west and the lowest in the east. A significant correlation was observed throughout the State between the longitudinal minutes of the sample sites and number of weevils found during the population peak in 1969. Significant correlations existed for these parameters in the southern region in 1969 and 1970 when these sample sites were analyzed alone. T. incertus and B. curculionis were found in all the fields surveyed throughout the State. B. anurus, although released in the southeastern and south-central regions, was recovered only from the southeastern region. B. anurus appeared well synchronized with its host population. T. incertus was found in alfalfa fields in early May, but parasitization was exceedingly low while the larval populations were high, never being greater than 4.5% in any region prior to mid-June. Percent parasitism increased substantially following the peak larval populations, and although it remained relatively high it fluctuated for a major portion of the growing season. Dispersal of B. curculionis and its subsequent establishment throughout the State appeared to have occurred in a westerly direction and from release sites within the State. Percent parasitism at weevil larval population peaks was highest at or near release sites. Sample sites farthest from release sites, i.e. western regions, had the lowest percent parasitism. Effective parasitism by B. curculionis appears contingent on its ability to superparasitize the host and thus avoid encapsulation. In sample sites at or near release sites a more favorable density relationship appears to exist for superparasitization. The highest percent parasitism at the host population peak was observed at these sample sites.
Layered solids. New crystalline materials

Calculations of the electronic structure of materials composed of alternate layers of two elements are made. The calculations concentrate on periodic structures made of layers of gold and aluminum. Since Coulomb energies are large, it is assumed that each layer should be neutral. To achieve neutrality the aluminum must be made positive relative to the gold. Wave functions, the Fermi level, and the additional band gaps introduced by the new periodicity are calculated for several periodic structures. It is found that the pseudopotentials for the two metals make appreciable contributions to the band gaps.
245. Delivery of IGF-1 in the Spinal Cord of a Mouse Model of ALS after Intraparenchymal Injection of an Adeno-Associated Vector

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease arising from a progressive loss of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brainstem and spinal cord, leading to atrophy of limb, axial and respiratory muscles. The cause of motor neuron degeneration remains largely unknown and to date there is no potent therapy. Some familial cases of ALS are caused by dominant mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Overexpression of SOD1 gene mutations in mice and rats recapitulates the clinical and pathological characteristics of ALS and therefore constitute useful models of ALS to screen therapeutical approaches. The potent neuroprotective activities of neurotrophic factors, such as Insulin-growth factor (IGF-1), make them promising candidates in the treatment of ALS. These compounds, however, to show any level of efficacy, must be continuously delivered and must be directly targeted to the affected cells to avoid undesirable side effects.
MouthLab: A Tricorder Concept Optimized for Rapid Medical Assessment

The goal of rapid medical assessment (RMA) is to estimate the general health of a patient during an emergency room or a doctor’s office visit, or even while the patient is at home. Currently the devices used during RMA are typically “all-in-one” vital signs monitors. They require time, effort and expertise to attach various sensors to the body. A device optimized for RMA should instead require little effort or expertise to operate and be able to rapidly obtain and consolidate as much information as possible. MouthLab is a battery powered hand-held device intended to acquire and evaluate many measurements such as non-invasive blood sugar, saliva and respiratory biochemistry. Our initial prototype acquires standard vital signs: pulse rate (PR), breathing rate (BR), temperature (T), blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood pressure (BP), and a three-lead electrocardiogram. In our clinical study we tested the device performance against the measurements obtained with a standard patient monitor. 52 people participated in the study. The measurement errors were as follows: PR: −1.7 ± 3.5 BPM, BR: 0.4 ± 2.4 BPM, T: −0.4 ± 1.24 °F, SpO2: −0.6 ± 1.7%. BP systolic: −1.8 ± 12 mmHg, BP diastolic: 0.6 ± 8 mmHg. We have shown that RMA can be easily performed non-invasively by patients with no prior training.
Theory of high-temperature superconductivity

A theory for high-temperature superconductivity is developed based on a hydrodynamic approximation to the many-body problem. Electrons confined to two-dimensional sheets exchange coupled two-dimensional plasmon and phonon modes. This leads to a strong electron-electron attraction. Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory is used to derive an expression for the transition temperature. The superconductivity comes about because of the existence of a low-frequency mode. Experimental consequences of the theory are discussed.
Yield and Persistence of Tall Fescue in the Southeastern Coastal Plain after Removal of Its Endophyte

The coastal plain of the southeastern USA lacks a dependable perennial cool season forage crop, but tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) germplasms have been developed which show greater persistence and yield than currently marketed cultivars in this region. Since these germplasms were found to be infected with the tall fescue endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones and Gams), the contribution of the endophyte to their performance was unknown. The objective of this study was to compare yield and stand survival of endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) (achieved by removal of its endophyte) versions of four persistent germplasms (GA-5, GA-Jesup, GA-Jesup Improved, and GA-Ecotype KY31) in clipped small plots at three locations in Georgia (Americus and Tifton in the coastal plain and Watkinsville located in the fescue growing area of the southern piedmont region) for a 3-yr period []
Effect of Eucalyptus saligna and Albizia falcataria on soil processes and nitrogen supply in Hawaii.

This study investigated the differences between two fast-growing tropical tree species on soil N flux and availability. The work was conducted in the island of Hawaii and included three sites located along the Hamakua coast on the northeastern side of the island. Within each site pure stands of Eucalyptus saligna (Sm.)␣and the N2-fixing Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosberg [=Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) Nielsen] were arranged in four randomized complete blocks. For most of the variables considered in this study, the species effects were usually strong and the site effects were significant in some cases. After 13 years, soils under the Albizia stand contained larger pools of total soil C and N, and larger pools of inorganic N. Soil N availability indexed by ion exchange resin bags revealed a strong pattern of species and site effect on N availability; soils under Albizia showed a 2.6–9 fold increase in N availability (P < 0.01). Potential net rates of N transformation (10- and 30-day aerobic incubations) were more than twice as high for soils under the Albizia than under the Eucalytus stands. Nitrogen mineralization during anaerobic incubations were about 10% greater on Albizia soils. Gross microbial mineralization and immobilization were determined by estimating the gross rates of N transformation by the 15N-isotope pool dilution techniques. Across species and sites, a strong linear positive relationship was obtained for gross immobilization and gross mineralization indicating faster gross immobilization as gross mineralization increases. Soil microbial biomass on Albizia soils contained larger proportion of it as bacterial biomass, while larger proportion of fungi biomass comprised the microbial biomass under Eucalyptus soils. This study clearly showed that the presence of Albizia increased total N pools and N supply to the ecosystem. The overall effect on soil fertility will need to be characterized by the effect of the N2-fixer on other nutrients, especially the effect on phosphorus.
Alert or oblivious? Factors underlying consumer responses to marketing stimuli

Recently published studies have introduced consumer researchers to uses of priming theory in marketing messages. A two-factor model of assimilation and contrast effects has been proposed which focuses on aspects of message context and cognitive resource differences between consumers. However, these accounts do not consider an important additional factor pertinent to the production of category-based contrast effects in response to marketing communications. This article discusses recent priming research and presents theoretical discussion in support of the putative third factor of consumer wariness for predicting judgmental outcomes of priming effects in consumer market settings. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
“Island” Attributes and Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Seasonal Forest Pools

Abstract Seasonal forest pools (SFPs), also known as woodland vernal pools or simply vernal pools, are common throughout the forests of the northeastern United States. SFPs are inundated during all or part of the period between late fall of one year and late spring to mid-summer of the subsequent year. The pools dry every year or at sufficient frequency to preclude the establishment of fish populations, are preferred breeding habitat for a number of amphibian species, and support a rich, diverse, and abundant macroinvertebrate community. These pools exist as aquatic “islands” in a “sea” of forest, and occur over a range of sizes, degrees of isolation, and hydroperiod lengths. As islands, pool area and isolation should affect the composition of biotic communities. The hydroperiod of ephemeral wetlands has been considered a third “island” attribute and is also known to affect biotic composition. We surveyed aquatic, benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) for two years using leaf-packs in 24 SFPs, representing a ...
Dimensional electric dipole resonances in InSb spheres

Abstract We report microwave experiments which provide unambiguous identification of dimensional electric dipole resonances of InSb spheres in a dc magnetic field. The interaction is analogous to helicon geometric resonances. Resonance fields are in good quantitative agreement with recently developed theory.
Modulation of lateral geniculate neurone excitability by noradrenaline microiontophoresis or locus coeruleus stimulation

The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) receives afferents from the brainstem which regulate its capacity to transmit visual information from the retina to the striate cortex1. One such pathway consists of noradrenaline (NA)-containing fibres originating in the locus coeruleus (LC). These provide a dense, uniform, noradrenergic innervation of the LGNd2. Electrical stimulation in the LC region has been reported to enhance the responsiveness of LGNd neurones to afferent excitation3. Although this effect was abolished when brain NA stores were pharmacologically depleted, it was not established as a direct action of NA on LGNd neurones because of the widespread distribution of LC fibres to many parts of the brain and the long latency of the response. Recently, we observed that NA, applied locally by microiontophoresis with low ejection currents, produced a delayed increase in the firing rate of most spontaneously active LGNd neurones, an effect selectively blocked by α-adrenoceptor antagonists4. We show here that micro-iontophoretic NA can mimic the ability of LC stimulation to enhance the synaptic excitation of LGNd neurones. As neither NA nor LC stimulation activated LGNd neurones in the absence of synaptic or glutamate-induced excitation, both appear to act through a neuromodulatory mechanism. The postsynaptic α-adrenoceptor antagonist WB-41015 blocks the facilitation produced by locally applied NA and by coeruleo-geniculate pathway stimulation, providing evidence for pharmacological identity of the two effects.
Between Professional and Religious Worlds: Catholics and Evangelicals in American Journalism

What is the place of personal religious identity in the profession of American journalism ? In a professional culture which prizes the qualities of objectivity and detachment, what place if any remains for the public display of religious and moral convictions on the part of the reporter? This article uses in-depth interviews with twenty Catholic and evangelical journalists (employed at major news organizations such as Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, and ABC News) to explore how religious people in American journalism manage the tension between objectivity and religious commitment. It identifies three types of strategies Catholics and evangelicals have used to negotiate the boundary between professional and religious worlds: 1) privatization and selective compartmentalization ; 2) multivocal bridging languages; and 3) the rhetoric of objectivity. While some Catholic and evangelical respondents attempted to confine their religious beliefs to the private sphere, the vast majority were able to translate their religious and normative convictions into the language of professional journalism. At the same time, most qualified the use of religious or normative language with countervailing appeals to the rhetoric of objectivity, restoring the boundary between professional and religious worlds after it had become blurred.