cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electronic Cigarettes and Youth in the United States: A Call to Action (at the Local, National and Global Levels).

E-cigarettes have emerged and soared in popularity in the past ten years, making them the most common tobacco product used among youth in the United States (US). In this review, we discuss what the Surgeon General has called a public health “epidemic”—the precipitous increase in youth use of e-cigarettes and the health consequences of this behavior. Further, we review tobacco control policy efforts (e.g., Tobacco 21, banning flavors, advertising restrictions, and clean indoor air laws)—efforts proven to be critical in reducing cigarette smoking and smoking-related disease and death among US children and adults—including their potential and challenges regarding managing and mitigating the emergence of e-cigarettes. Finally, we close with a discussion of the efforts of transnational tobacco companies to rebrand themselves using e-cigarettes and other new products.
Ultrasound in the Limited-Resource Setting: A Systematic Qualitative Review

The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recently published literature regarding ultrasound (US) use in limited-resource settings. The body of literature is quite heterogeneous, but several recurring themes emerged from the data. Research regarding education is burgeoning, with studies showing that low-cost training modules can effectively teach US skills to novices. Many studies reported feasibility of training non-physicians to perform US, which allows for task-shifting. Research regarding clinical application of US is broad; especially regarding Echocardiography, Infectious Disease, and OB-GYN. US continues to be a highly utilized tool in limited-resource settings. We identified several common themes among the recent literature: the use of educational interventions to train non-physician providers, the use of US for improved screening methods, and the expanded role of US in clinical purposes including Infectious Disease, Echocardiography, Pulmonary, and Obstetrics.
Regularized ensemble neural networks models in the Extreme Learning Machine framework

Abstract Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) has proven to be an efficient and speedy algorithm for classification. In order to generalize the results of standard ELM, several ensemble meta-algorithms have been implemented. On this manuscript, we propose a hierarchical ensemble methodology that promotes diversity among the elements of an ensemble, explicitly through the loss function in the single-hidden-layer feedforward network version of ELM. The diversity term in the loss function is justified using the concept of regularization from the Negative Correlation Learning framework. Statistical tests show that our proposal is competitive in both performance and diversity measures against bagging and boosting ensemble methodologies.
The Impact of Partisan Electoral Regulation: Ballot Effects from the California Alphabet Lottery, 1978-2002

How does partisan regulation of political markets affect elections? We investigate how the partisan control of ballot format, which is expressly regulated - often to the apparent advantage of incumbents and major parties - in all U.S. states, affects voting. Through the analysis of a unique natural experiment, we focus specifically on the longstanding question of whether the name order of candidates on ballots affects election outcomes. Since 1975, California law has mandated randomizing the ballot order with a lottery. Previous studies, relying overwhelmingly on observational data, have yielded largely conflicting results. Using improved statistical methods, our analysis of statewide elections from 1978 to 2002 reveals that ballot order might have changed the winner in twelve percent of all primary races, including major and minor party races. We propose that all electoral jurisdictions should randomize ballot order to minimize ballot effects, and show that randomization may be substantially more cost-effective at reducing voting bias than currently proposed voting technology reforms.
Behavior and Productivity Implications of Institutional and Project Funding of Research: Comment

The relationship between the source of research funds and the amount of time a researcher invests in seeking funds was recently explored by Bredahl, Bryant, and Ruttan (BBR). Based in part on a researcher's behavioral model that is stated to be similar to my earlier professorial model, they conclude that a shift from institutional support to outside, competitively determined support would induce "excess allocation of professional resources (time) to grant seeking." As will be shown, however, when my professorial model is modified to address the question of grantsmanship, somewhat different results emerge. In particular, I show that when a researcher gets satisfaction from grant seeking, a shift toward more competitive grant sources need not result in more time spent seeking grants.
Repeated Coronavirus Disease 2019 Molecular Testing: Correlation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Culture With Molecular Assays and Cycle Thresholds.

BACKGROUND: Repeated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) molecular testing can lead to positive test results after negative results and to multiple positive results over time. The association between positive test results and infectious virus is important to quantify. METHODS: A 2-month cohort of retrospective data and consecutively collected specimens from patients with COVID-19 or patients under investigation were used to understand the correlation between prolonged viral RNA positive test results, cycle threshold (Ct) values and growth of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in cell culture. Whole-genome sequencing was used to confirm virus genotype in patients with prolonged viral RNA detection. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the rate of false-negative COVID-19 diagnostic test results. RESULTS: In 2 months, 29 686 specimens were tested and 2194 patients underwent repeated testing. Virus recovery in cell culture was noted in specimens with a mean Ct value of 18.8 (3.4) for SARS-CoV-2 target genes. Prolonged viral RNA shedding was associated with positive virus growth in culture in specimens collected up to 21 days after the first positive result but mostly in individuals symptomatic at the time of sample collection. Whole-genome sequencing provided evidence the same virus was carried over time. Positive test results following negative results had Ct values >29.5 and were not associated with virus culture. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction results were positive in 5.6% of negative specimens collected from patients with confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Low Ct values in SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests were associated with virus growth in cell culture. Symptomatic patients with prolonged viral RNA shedding can also be infectious.
Restoration of rapids habitat in a Great Lakes connecting channel, the St. Marys River, Michigan

Aquatic habitat has been extensively altered throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes to increase navigation connectivity. In particular, the St. Marys River, a Great Lakes connecting channel, lost >50% of its historic rapids habitat over the past century. In 2016, the natural flow was restored to the Little Rapids area of the St. Marys River. The goal of our study was to evaluate physical and ecological responses to the restoration of the Little Rapids area. Extensive habitat and biological data were collected prior to restoration (2013 and 2014), and after restoration (2017 and 2018). Measured parameters included total suspended solids, current velocity, benthic macroinvertebrates, and larval, juvenile, and adult fishes. Total suspended solids stayed low ( 90% reduction). We observed a 45% increase in richness of larval fish 2 years after restoration and a 131% increase in catch per unit effort. For adult fishes, the proportion of individuals with a preference for fast‐moving waters increased from 1.5 to 45% in the restored area, and from 7 to 15% upstream of the restored area; a similar response was observed for lithophilic spawners. The physical and biological conditions of the Little Rapids improved and resembled conditions typical of rapids habitat extent in other areas of the river and other systems.
Seed Grants of Change: Building Thriving Networks among Female Geotechnical Faculty Members

AbstractThe Geotechnical Women Faculty (GTWF) project has aimed since its inception in 2016 to promote gender parity among faculty within the subfield of geotechnical engineering and to increase th...
Standards for Surgical Therapy of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) continues to represent a formidable health challenge worldwide based on its unaltered high incidence in certain geographic areas such as East Asia or South America, its commonly advanced stage at diagnosis, and its limited curability for disease in intermediate and advanced stages. Even in the United States, where gastric adenocarcinoma mortality has gradually decreased from the most common form of cancer-related deaths in the 1940s and gastric cancer incidence is among the lowest in the world, curability remains a significant problem. Before the onset of surgical therapy, gastric cancer was incurable. Since the first groundbreaking accomplishments with partial gastrectomy by Billroth in 1881, Y-jejunostomy reconstruction by Roux in 1893, and total gastrectomy by Schlatter in 1897, operative therapy of gastric malignancy has gone through more than a century of continued refinement and ever-improving accomplishments. This chapter intends to highlight the critical objectives, indications, and standard techniques for operative procedures in gastric cancer treatment and to describe the position of surgical therapy within the context of multidisciplinary approaches for mid-stage and metastatic stomach malignancy.
Stimulation of pentose phosphate pathway dehydrogenase enzyme activities in ethionine-treated mice

1. Mice treated with ethionine (intraperitoneally, 5mg./day for 4 days or 10mg./day for 3 days) showed a profound loss of hepatic glycogen, a decrease of glycogen synthetase activity, a development of hypoglycaemia, a two- to five-fold increase in the activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase but no change in 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and an earlier manifestation of the solubilization of phosphorylase as compared with glycogen synthetase. The administration of ATP did not prevent these effects. 2. During the early post-injection period (2–3 days) there was a further enhancement of the activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (tenfold) in the liver and a clear elevation of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity (twofold). Subsequently, the glycogen concentration was restored, followed by an earlier reassociation of glycogen particle with phosphorylase than with glycogen synthetase, along with a disappearance of ethionine effect at about the eighteenth day. 3. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase from both control and ethionine-treated animals showed a marked preference for glucose 6-phosphate as substrate rather than for galactose 6-phosphate, whose rate of oxidation was only 10% of that of the glucose 6-phosphate. 4. Since actinomycin D, puromycin, 5-fluorouracil and dl-p-fluorophenylalanine failed to block the ethionine-enhanced glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, the possibility that new enzyme protein synthesis is responsible for the effect is doubtful.
Health aspects of radiation exposure on a simulated mission to Mars

Publisher Summary A major consideration in planning a manned mission in space is exposure of the space travelers to ionizing radiation. Mission planners want to minimize long-term health effects and prevent acute health effects that could jeopardize a mission. At the radiation doses likely to be received during space travel, the major health concern is fatal cancer—the latency period is in years. However, space travelers who are inadequately shielded from radiation during a large solar-proton event may receive a dose sufficient to cause serious health effects within hours or up to a couple of months after the event. The amount of radiation received by the space travelers on the simulated mission to Mars translates into risks of radiation-induced fatal cancer that, for all but men of ages 55–64, exceed the 3% career limit currently recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements for space crews on low-Earth orbit missions.
Moving Toward Law: Refocusing the Federal Courts’ Plain Error Doctrine in Criminal Cases

This article examines the plain error doctrine in criminal cases in the federal courts. An examination of the earliest plain error cases shows the federal courts’ concern that, without the authority to address errors not preserved with a contemporaneous objection, federal courts would affirm convictions and sentences that were either wrongful or unfair. But the plain error doctrine that the federal courts now employ, as announced in United States v. Olano, is poorly suited to discovering and correcting even the serious errors that the plain error doctrine was intended to remedy. Because the doctrine is discretionary and fact-specific, it fails to generate precedents to guide future courts and litigants and perpetuates a guilt-based approach to evaluating errors. Moreover, Olano’s four-pronged test leads appellate courts away from the most critical inquiry: did the error undermine the fairness and reliability of the defendant’s conviction and sentence? The article proposes a new formulation of the plain error doctrine that addresses these problems.
Encapsulant materials for flip-chip attach

The properties of the underfill and its characteristics, before and after curing, have a significant impact on the assembly process and the reliability of the product. Some of these are flow characteristics, filler settling, filler particle size, voiding, glass transition, coefficient of thermal expansion, adhesion strength, modulus, fracture toughness, etc. The time associated with 'underfilling' a flip chip assembly has to be 'optimized' in order to improve throughput without sacrificing assembly reliability. It depends on a variety of parameters such as the die size, the encapsulant material type, standoff height, etc. Therefore, it is critical to develop an understanding of these parameters and their effect on dispensing time. This paper provides a review of the critical factors that influence the development and implementation of an effective and efficient underfill process for flip chip assemblies. The flow properties (flow front, filler settling, and voiding) of an encapsulant not only have an impact on the dispensing time, but also significantly influence the reliability of the flip-chip assembly. This research studied the effect of encapsulant material type and standoff height on the time taken to flow to specified distances. These factors and the interactions between them were analyzed using statistically designed flow experiments. The effect of these input factors on the flow front, filler settling, and voiding have been considered. A detailed understanding of the material's flow properties and an effective estimate of the encapsulant's flow time can help to develop a robust process.
Statistically designed survey of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and co-planar polychlorinated biphenyls in U. S. meat and poultry, 2002-2003 : Results, trends, and implications

To obtain information on dioxin levels in the human diet, the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture recently determined levels of dioxin-like compounds (dioxins/dibenzofurans/PCBs) in four major slaughter classes (steers and heifers, market hogs, young chickens, and young turkeys) that comprise over 90% of the meat and poultry production in the United States. The data were analyzed and compared to data from smaller surveys carried out from 1994 to 1996. These surveys were conducted by different laboratories nearly 10 years apart, so a direct comparison of the data was not straightforward. Three approaches were taken: (1) comparison with nondetects set to zero, (2) comparison with nondetects set to half the limit of detection, and (3) comparison applying the earlier surveys' limits of detection to the newer data. The data analyses indicated that dioxin levels appear to have declined in three of the four slaughter classes, with young chickens, market hogs, and young turkeys declining 20-80%, while any declines in cattle dioxin levels, if real, are less than those observed in the other slaughter classes. Further study is needed to examine factors that might explain the differences in dioxin levels and distribution profiles in the four slaughter classes. A small number of market hog and steers/ heifers samples had dioxin toxic equivalency levels (TEQs) greater than 2 pg/g lipid weight. Follow-up investigations for those samples indicated a common source for the market hog samples (a dioxin-contaminated mineral supplement), but no commonality was found for the steers/ heifers samples.
Influence of Chlorpheniramine Maleate on Topical Hydroxypropylcellulose Films Produced by Hot-Melt Extrusion

The objective of this investigation is to study the influence of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) on the chemical and physical–mechanical properties of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) hot-melt extruded films without the use of a traditional plasticizer. HPC films containing CPM in concentrations of 1, 5, and 10 wt% were prepared by hot-melt extrusion utilizing a Randcastle Microtruder® (Model #RCP-0750) with a 6-in. flex-film die. The physical–mechanical properties including tensile strength and percent elongation were determined on an Instron according to the ASTM standards. Glass transition temperatures and thermal analysis of the extruded films were determined utilizing a DSC 2920 Modulated DSC and Thermal Analyst 2000 software. The crystalline properties of the drug, polymer, and extruded films were studied via wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) using a Philips Vertical Scanning Diffractometer (Type 42273, Philips Electronic Instrument, Mount Vernon, NY). Gel permeation chromatography was used to study the...
Intraoperative Perfluorocarbon Liquids in the Management of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

Three low-viscosity perfluorocarbon liquids were used intraoperatively for hydrokinetic manipulation of the retina during vitreous surgery for retinal detachment with advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy. All 23 patients had massive proliferative vitreoretinopathy (Grade D, Retina Society classification), and 16 (69.6%) had Grade D-3 with a closed-funnel configuration. In 21 eyes the retina could be flattened intraoperatively by perfluorocarbon liquids without requiring posterior retinotomy for internal drainage of subretinal fluid. The temporary mechanical fixation of the retina provided by this tool facilitated the removal of epiretinal membranes and release of traction. Fifteen eyes (65.2%) maintained long-term retinal reattachment with follow-up of six months or more. These liquids are useful adjuncts in the management of retinal detachment with severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
Dielectrophoretic Trapping of Particles at the Three-Phase Contact Line

Dielectrophoresis of suspended polarizable particles is generated by destabilizing a flat interface between two fluids with a spatially uniform ac field. The strong field gradients that are created near the three-phase contact lines of the electrically formed fluid patterns cause the particles to accumulate there and to build a sharp and distinct boundary between regions enriched in and depleted of particles. This straightforward technique does not require the fabrication of complicated electric devices for the dielectrophoretic manipulation and separation of particles.
The topographic anatomy of the muscles, nerves, and arteries of the bovine female perineum.

The perineal muscles and fasciae are described and illustrated, and the diaphragma urogenitalis, components of m. sphincter urethrae, and m. ischio-cavernosus are described for the first time in the cow. The nerves of the pudendal plexus are discussed comparatively with the object of suggesting appropriate names based on their homology to the condition in other animals and man. The rami musculares to m. levator ani and m. coccygeus may originate from nn. sacrales 3 et 4, or n. pudendus, or n. rectalis caudalis. The combination of rami musculares with n. rectalis caudalis was formerly called by veterinary anatomists n. hemorrhoidalis medius, a term which should be abandoned because it is not listed in Nomina anatomica, and because it has also been applied to n. splanchnicus pelvinus in the horse. N. pudendus is large and its rami cutanei supply regio femoris caudalis as well as regio perinealis. It also gives rise to n. perinealis profundus, which supplies the genital muscles. The pudendal nerve ends by dividing into ramus mammarius and n. dorsalis clitoridis. There may be one or two nn. rectales caudales. They supply m. sphincter ani externus and adjacent parts of m. levator ani and the genital muscles. The distribution of arteria urogenitalis (vaginalis) and a. pudenda interna are described and illustrated.
Magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy for structural studies of protein interfaces. resonance assignments of differentially enriched Escherichia coli thioredoxin reassembled by fragment complementation.

De novo site-specific backbone and side-chain resonance assignments are presented for U-15N(1−73)/U-13C,15N(74−108) reassembly of Escherichia coli thioredoxin by fragment complementation, determined using solid-state magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy at 17.6 T. Backbone dihedral angles and secondary structure predicted from the statistical analysis of 13C and 15N chemical shifts are in general agreement with solution values for the intact full-length thioredoxin, confirming that the secondary structure is retained in the reassembled complex prepared as a poly(ethylene glycol) precipitate. The differential labeling of complementary thioredoxin fragments introduced in this work is expected to be beneficial for high-resolution structural studies of protein interfaces formed by protein assemblies by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
Complex constrained consensus

In a network of m > 1 agents, constrained consensus means that all m agents reach an agreement on a specific value of some quantity via local interactions while their states are restricted to lie in different closed convex sets. This paper formulates and solves two generalized versions of the basic constrained consensus problem. The first version deals with the case when the constraint set of each agent is complex so that the projection operation on the whole constraint set is computationally expensive or even prohibitive. The second version models the constrained flocking problem in which each agent can only sense the current headings of its neighbors and independently updates its heading at times determined by its own clock. Two constrained consensus algorithms are proposed for the two versions. Both are guaranteed to reach a consensus under appropriate assumptions.
Cell Cycle Analysis Using Flow Cytometry

SummaryThis manuscript reviews the utility of flow cytometry for the study of cell proliferation. The applications of univariate DNA distribution analysis to cytokinetic studies of asynchronous and perturbed cell populations are discussed briefly. The newly developed technique for simultaneous flow cytometric measurement of cellular DNA content and amount of incorporated bromodeoxyuridine is discussed in more detail. The cytochemistry required for this analysis is reviewed as are its applications to: (a) determination of the fractions of cells in the G1-, S- and G2 + M phases of the cell cycle; (b) determination of the G1-, S- and G2 + M phase durations and dispersions and growth fraction for asynchronous cells; (c) detection of ara-C resistant cells present at low frequency in an otherwise sensitive population; and (d) analysis of the cytokinetic response of a solid murine tumour to treatment in vivo with a cell cycle specific agent.
Analysis of explosives using chemical ionization mass spectroscopy

Abstract Methane chemical ionization (MeCI) mass spectra of several explosives, including nitrate esters, nitramines, nitroaromatics, and stabilizers, are presented. The predominance of the pseudomolecular ion (M+H)+ greatly facilitates identification of these temperature-sensitive compounds. Structural effects and mechanistic pathways rationalizing formation of the major ions are included. Gas chromatographic (GC) separation of selected explosive formulations are shown. GC chemical ionization mass spectra response factors for ethylene glycol dinitrate, nitroglycerin, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene show nanogram sensitivity of this technique.
Use of spin-labelling techniques to probe the dynamics of He+ ion neutralization at clean metal surfaces

Abstract Recent experiments have revealed a marked correlation in the spins of the electrons involved in Auger neutralization of (polarized) He + ions incident on a clean Au(1 0 0) surface. A theoretical model is discussed which suggests that the experimental data can be explained by considering the perturbation in surface electronic structure induced by the presence of the ion. The factors that influence the induced density of states and its spin dependence are considered including the surface work function, the widths of the atomic levels, and the ion velocity parallel to the surface. The results indicate that comparisons between theory and experiment can provide new insights into the dynamics of ion neutralization at surfaces.
The effect of pulsed irradiation on the swelling of 316 stainless steel in fusion reactors

Abstract A time-dependent rate theory formulation has been used to study the effects of pulsed irradiation on point defect and void behavior at elevated temperatures. It is found that point defects in pulsed tokamaks, θ-pinchs and inertial confinement fusion reactors (ICFR) display non-steady-state behavior. The pulsed nature of the irradiation has been shown to produce considerable deviations from steady-state void growth behavior at high temperatures (0.3 T m to 0.5 T m ). In particular, the amount of swelling in the first-wall can be reduced for ICFR pulsing conditions and pulse widths ranging from a nanosecond to a microsecond. The amount of reduction increases with increased pellet yield at a fixed operating temperature, geometry and ICFR plant power output.
Formation of shock waves in reactive magnetogasdynamic flow

Abstract The propagation of acceleration waves in reactive magnetogasdynamic flow, which is induced by the motion of a piston advancing with a finite acceleration in to a constant state of rest has been studied in the article along with the characteristic path by using the characteristics of the governing quasilinear system as the reference co-ordinate system. A differential equation governing the growth and decay of an acceleration wave is derived and integrated numerically. The critical time for formation of shock wave is obtained. The effect of magnetic field and chemical reaction on shock formation time are studied.
Biochemical changes in temperature-activated statoblasts of an ectoproct bryozoan

Dormant Statoblasts germinate after prolonged treatment at 4° C, followed by incubation at 25° C. At 25° C, the activation period preceding germination is about 3 days; the polypide develops and buds once during the 3 days following germination. During the activation period, respiration increases 4-fold and no significant changes in DNA, RNA or protein occur. Polysomes and ribosomes in the 8,000-g supernatant increase. A dramatic 4-fold increase in respiration occurs between 2 and 6 hours after germination, and little subsequent increase occurs. DNA and RNA increase steadily after germination, but protein remains constant. Actinomyc in D blocks post-germination development but does not prevent germination. No germination inhibitor is released by statoblasts.
Is formalizing events necessary for full exploitation

Part of what makes event extraction difficult is the lack of a clear definition of the event concept. We argue that a good definition would be a positive contribution to Information Extraction and its applications. We give a preliminary discussion of a logical definition to stimulate discussion.
Prevention of the mutagenic activation of an antischistosomal isothiocyanate in primates by an antibiotic

Administration of 4 nitro-4′ isothiocyano-diphenylamine (CGP 4540, amoscanate) to two nonhuman primates, Macaca mulatta and Cebus apella, resulted in the appearance of mutagenic material in the urines of these animals. Mutagenic metabolites of this drug could also be detected in the urines when the drug was administered to primates infected with Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum. As observed previously in mice, the mutagenic activation of amoscanate can be prevented in primates by coadministration of a single oral dose of erythromycin with no concomitant reduction in antischistosomal activity. The protective effect of erythromycin was confirmed in several crossover experiments. This dissociation of mutagenic from chemotherapeutic effects provides an opportunity to reduce serious potential long-term risks of this anti-schistosomal drug.
Major Heavy Mineral Assemblages and Heavy Mineral Provinces of the Central California Coast Region

Five distinct heavy mineral assemblages are found in late Cenozoic and modern sediments along the central California coast. Nine heavy mineral provinces distributed in the central California Coast Ranges and adjacent continental shelf are formed by these assemblages. They are: (1) hornblende-sphene, derived from granodiorite and quartz diorite rocks; (2) hornblende-garnet, derived from mixed granitic and metamorphic rocks; (3) glaucophane-jadeite, derived from Franciscan rocks; (4) augite, derived from Cenozoic volcanic rocks; and (5) hornblende-augite-hypersthene, derived from volcanic and plutonic rocks. These assemblages are based on nonmicaceous, nonopaque minerals in the sand-size fraction of sediments. Micaceous and opaque minerals differ greatly in hydraulic properties from most heavy minerals. They are generally not indicative of provenance but instead are useful indicators of depositional environment.
Critical Amino Acid Residues in Transmembrane Span 7 of the Serotonin Transporter Identified by Random Mutagenesis

Transmembrane span 7 of the rat brain serotonin transporter was subjected to random mutagenesis. Of the 27 amino acid residues mutated, six were identified as functionally important by their sensitivity to nonconservative mutations. These residues were Asn-368 and Tyr-385, where substitutions that retained hydrogen-bonding ability were preferred; Gly-376 and Gly-384, where only glycine was accepted; Phe-380, where a phenyl ring was preferred; and Met-386, where hydrophobic substitutions were preferred. Mutations that did not preserve these structural characteristics were highly detrimental to serotonin transport activity. These six residues form a stripe that runs at an angle down the side of the putative α-helix, lending support to this structural prediction. Mutations at some of these positions also specifically impaired transport activity under low Na+ conditions. Other mutations at nearby positions in transmembrane span 7 also impaired activity in low Na+, although the activity of the mutants in high Na+ was similar to wild type. These results suggest that at least some of the six critical residues play a role in Na+ binding or perhaps in the coupling of Na+ binding to later steps in the transport cycle. These residues may be important in other aspects of the transporter's function as well.
A second CYP26 P450 in humans and zebrafish: CYP26B1.

A new P450 gene has been found in humans. It has 44% sequence identity to CYP26A1 from human and mouse, which places it in a new subfamily, CYP26B. There is only one human EST from a retinal library (AA012833) that matches the coding region. No homologous ESTs are found in mouse. A zebrafish EST AI721901 shows 68% identity to the human protein. This zebrafish EST is only 41% identical to the zebrafish CYP26A1 protein sequence, so it represents the homolog of the human CYP26B1 sequence. It is not known if this gene product will act on all-trans-retinoic acid like the CYP26A1 protein or if it might hydroxylate the 9-cis- or 13-cis-retinoic acid isoforms not recognized by CYP26A1. The importance of the CYP26A1 P450 in mouse and zebrafish development flags the CYP26B1 gene as a potential developmental gene.
Suppression of phagocytic and bactericidal functions of rat alveolar macrophages by the organic component of diesel exhaust particles.

Exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) was shown to increase the susceptibility of the lung to bacterial infection in rats. In this study, the effects of DEP on alveolar macrophage (AM) phagocytic and bactericidal functions and cytokine secretion by AM and lymphocytes in response to Listeria monocytogenes infection were investigated in vitro and the roles of different DEP components in these processes were compared. Exposure to DEP or the organic extracts of DEP (eDEP) significantly decreased the phagocytosis and killing of L. monocytogenes by AM obtained from normal rats. Washed DEP (wDEP) also decreased AM phagocytosis and bacterial killing to a lesser extent, whereas carbon black (CB) reduced AM phagocytosis but had no significant effect on AM bactericidal activity. DEP or eDEP concentration-dependently suppressed L. monocytogenes-induced secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-12 by AM and of IL-2 and interferon-γ by lymphocytes obtained from L. monocytogenes-infected rat...
The relationship between land use and organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and fish in the Central Columbia Plateau, Washington and Idaho, USA

We analyzed streambed sediment and fish in the Central Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington and Idaho for organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (sigma PCB). Our objective was to assess the effects of land use on the occurrence and distribution of these compounds; land uses in the study area included forest, dryland and irrigated farming, and urban. We detected 16 organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and fish tissue; fish usually had more compounds and a greater frequency of detection. The most frequently detected compound was sigma DDT (sum of six isomers), which was found in 52% of bed sediment samples and 94% of whole fish composite samples. The other commonly detected compounds were dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene, and sigma chlordane (sum of cis- and trans-chlordane, cis- and trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane, heptachlor, and heptachlor epoxide). Forest was the only land use with no detections of organochlorine compounds in either fish or bed sediment. Hexachlorobenzene was the only organochlorine pesticide detected at concentrations that differed significantly among land uses: concentrations were higher in the dryland farming areas than in the irrigated farming or urban areas. In agricultural areas irrigated by surface water, sigma DDT concentrations in both streambed sediment and fish tissue were related to the percentage of land irrigated by water delivered via furrows (gravity irrigation), although sigma DDT was not detectable in bed sediments until gravity irrigation exceeded 30%. Because of the relation between gravity irrigation and soil erosion, our study supports the importance of controlling soil erosion in order to reduce the overall loading of organochlorine compounds to surface waters.
Substitution in R&D across countries

Abstract Suppose imitation becomes easier in developing countries due to international technology diffusion or other reasons. If imitation also occurs in the North, Northern imitators (as well as innovators) would become less secure from low-cost Southern imitations. Does the resulting rise in Southern imitation lead to a decrease in Northern imitation (and perhaps even innovation)? If so, does the overall rate of imitation rise or fall? This paper builds a product cycle model with imitation in both the North and the South (along with innovation in the North) to address questions related to the level and composition of imitation across countries.
Diffusion through the liquid‐liquid interface: Part II. Interfacial resistance in three‐component systems

In an investigation of the transfer of solute molecules across the liquid-liquid interface, the transfer of acetic acid, benzoic acid, oleic acid, and cholesterol between benzene and water was measured. Experiments were carried out with a laminar jet apparatus wherein the organic phase was spread as a thin film on the surface of an aqueous jet. The results indicate that any interfacial resistance in these systems is negligibly small.
Influence of arbuscular mycorrhiza on growth and reproductive response of plants under water deficit: a meta-analysis

Despite a large body of literature that describes the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on plant response to water deficit, reviews of these works have been mainly in narrative form, and it is therefore difficult to quantify the magnitude of the effect. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the effect of mycorrhizal colonization on growth and yield of plants exposed to water deficit stress. Data were compared in the context of annual vs. perennial plants, herbaceous vs. woody plants, field vs. greenhouse conditions, degree of stress, functional group, regions of plant growth, and mycorrhizal and host species. We found that, in terms of biomass measurements, mycorrhizal plants have better growth and reproductive response under water stress compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. When variables such as habit, life cycle, or water stress level are considered, differences in mycorrhizal effect on plant growth between variables are observed. While growth of both annual and perennial plants is improved by symbiosis, perennials respond more favorably to colonization than annuals. Overall, our meta-analysis reveals a quantifiable corroboration of the commonly held view that, under water-deficit conditions, plants colonized by mycorrhizal fungi have better growth and reproductive response than those that are not.
A methodology for analysis of assembly operations’ difficulty

Typical mechanical products can be assembled in various sequences of assembly operations. These sequences can have an impact on the assembly time, machine utilization and even on the product quality. In order to select the best sequence of assembly operations, it is required to properly evaluate the various sequences of assembly operations. This, in turn, requires to consistently evaluate each assembly operation in the sequence. The assembly operations can be evaluated by various criteria and the focus of this paper is the operation's difficulty. This paper describes a methodology to analyse the degree of difficulty of the sequence of assembly operations, performed to assemble a product. This methodology consists of analysis of each operation individually, and then an analysis of the entire sequence. The degree of difficulty of the individual operation is represented using fuzzy triangular values, generated using an expert system. Once each operation is assigned a fuzzy degree of difficulty, the entire se...
Identification of functional T cell subsets and surface antigen changes during activation as they relate to RT6

Abstract The functional and phenotypic heterogeneity of the rat peripheral T lymphocyte antigen RT6 has been examined. The in vivo popliteal graft-vs-host reaction (GvHR), in vitro MLR, and the generation and effector populations of cytotoxic T lymphocyte were used to examine the response of RT6-positive (RT6+) or -negative (RT6−) subsets of CD4 and CDS T cells to alloantigen. T lymphocytes with the CD4+RT6+ surface phenotype are necessary and sufficient for inducing a strong GvHR. T lymphocytes with the CD4+RT6−, CD8+RT6+, and CD8+RT6− surface phenotypes do not contribute or induce a strong GvHR. Both the CD4+RT6i+ and the CD4+RT6− T cells proliferate in the MLR assay. CTL precursors are a mixture of CD8+RT6+ and CD8+RT6− phenotypes, but only cells bearing the RT6− phenotype are potent CTL effector cells. Data presented in this paper also demonstrate that the RT6.1 alloantigen, present on the majority of rat T cells, modulates on cortisone-resistant thymocytes (CRT) and peripheral T cells. Although freshly isolated CRTs do not express the RT6.1 epitope, RT6+ cells develop when CRTs are placed into culture. Peripheral T cells that are RT6− will also become RT6+ in culture. Stimulation of T cell cultures with a mitogen causes the loss of the RT6.1 antigen, as detected by the DS4.23 mAb. The effect is more pronounced in cultures of CRTs than peripheral T cells. Following a return to a nonactivated state, the T cells reexpress RT6. The loss and reexpression of RT6 may be related to activation and/or differentiation of T cells.
Correlating first- and second-rib fractures noted on spine computed tomography with major vessel injury

First- and second-rib fractures diagnosed on plain radiographs have been associated with traumatic aortic injury. We examined whether such fractures diagnosed on computed tomography (CT), which is of greater sensitivity than plain radiograms for rib fractures, are associated with traumatic vascular injury. We identified 1,894 patients who had undergone a chest CT angiogram with indication of trauma between 2005 and 2008. Among these, 185 patients were selected at random. The main mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accident or a fall. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with first- and/or second-rib fractures and those without. Proportions of patients with major vessel injury noted on CT angiography were compared between groups. Information regarding displacement of the fracture, location of the fracture, detection upon plain film, and gender of the patients was also evaluated and correlated with incidence of major vessel injury. Fisher’s test and χ2 analysis were used to determine significance of the data. Incidence of major vessel injury was similar between patients with and without first- and/or second-rib fractures (7% vs. 9%, respectively; p = 0.59). No subset of type of rib fracture was associated with greater incidence of aortic injury. First- and second-fractures are not associated with greater incidence of aortic injury. Thus, the previous axiom that first- and second-rib fractures should result in increased examination for aortic injury may not hold true.
Chlorophyll a in Arctic sediments implies long persistence of algal pigments

Abstract Sediment cores were collected from the shelf, slope, and basin of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas during May–June (under ice cover) and July–August (largely ice-free) 2004. Measurements of chlorophyll a (chl a ), total organic carbon (TOC), and C/N ratios were made in surface and some subsurface core increments. Surface sediment chl a decreased with increasing water depth. Significant positive correlations were found between chl a and TOC and chl a and C/N ratios in the basin (>2000 m), but there were significant negative correlations between chl a and C/N ratios on the shelf (⩽200 m). Chl a values generally declined in down-core profiles, but in some deeper slope and basin cores, measurable inventories of subsurface chl a were present at depth. In some cases, these subsurface chlorophyll inventories coincident with peak activities of the anthropogenic radionuclide 137 Cs were detected, which had maximal deposition following the atmospheric nuclear weapons testing era in the 1960s. A sedimentation rate independently determined for one of these cores using 210 Pb was consistent with the depths of subsurface 137 Cs peaks in slope sediments reflecting steady, relatively undisturbed deposition over a several-decade period. The depth of penetration of 137 Cs in some continental slope sediments, together with detectable chl a, suggests that chl a can be buried in some of these deeper-water sediments under cold conditions for decadal periods in the absence of deposit feeders. Because organic deposition from the water column is episodic at high latitudes and concentrated following the spring bloom, these buried sources of organic materials, whether on the shelf or in deeper basin sediments, may ultimately be important for benthic invertebrates that could utilize this food source during times of the year when primary production flux from the overlying water column is reduced.
The current status of the lepton g factors

The past three years have seen new measurements of the $g$-factor anomalies of the free leptons (${e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}, {\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$). At the same time there have been several major theoretical advances including a quantum electrodynamic calculation of the sixth-order coefficient of the electron anomaly. In this article we review these recent developments in detail, however we also: (1) present a historical overview of $g$-factor measurements and their interpretation since the early days of quantum theory, (2) discuss several experiments which are currently being attempted but which have not yet yielded results of high precision, (3) attempt to predict the most likely course of $g$-factor research in the near future. An extensive Bibliography and Tables summarizing both historical events and current work are included.
Extreme Genome Repair

Slade et al. (2009) describe in this issue how the genome of the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans gets reassembled after being shattered by high-dose radiation. In contrast to the extreme nature of the damage, the steps of repair appear surprisingly ordinary. So, why can't all organisms carry out extreme genome repair?
Medical hypnosis and orthopedic hand surgery: pain perception, postoperative recovery, and therapeutic comfort.

Abstract Orthopedic hand-surgery patients experience severe pain postoperatively, yet they must engage in painful exercises and wound care shortly after surgery; poor patient involvement may result in loss of function and disfigurement. This study tested a hypnosis intervention designed to reduce pain perception, enhance postsurgical recovery, and facilitate rehabilitation. Using a quasi-experimental research design, 60 hand-surgery patients received either usual treatment or usual treatment plus hypnosis. After controlling for gender, race, and pretreatment scores, the hypnosis group showed significant decreases in measures of perceived pain intensity (PPI), perceived pain affect (PPA), and state anxiety. In addition, physician's ratings of progress were significantly higher for experimental subjects than for controls, and the experimental group had significantly fewer medical complications. These results suggest that a brief hypnosis intervention may reduce orthopedic hand-surgery patients' postsurgical...
Three Near-Death Experiences with Premonitions of What Could Have Been

Abstract: We analyze three near-death experiences involving a unique type of prophetic vision that has not previously been reported in the literature. These visions involve a brief glimpse of what circumstances would have been like for the near-death experiencers' family in the aftermath of the experiencers' deaths, had they actually died.