cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A surgical approach appropriate for targeted cochlear gene therapy in the mouse.

Abstract Therapeutic manipulations of the mammalian cochlea, including cochlear gene transfer, have been predominantly studied using the guinea pig as the experimental model. With the significant developments in mouse genomics and the availability of mutant strains of mice with well-characterized hearing loss, the mouse justifiably will be the preferred animal model for therapeutic manipulations. However, the potential advantages of the mouse model have not been fully realized due to the surgical difficulty of accessing its small cochlea. This study describes a ventral approach, instead of the routinely used postauricular approach in other rodents, for accessing the mouse middle and inner ear, and its application in cochlear gene transfer. This ventral approach enabled rapid and direct delivery of liposome–transgene complex to the mouse inner ear while avoiding blood loss, facial nerve morbidity, and mortality. Transgene expression at 3 days was detected in Reissner’s membrane, spiral limbus, spiral ligament, and spiral ganglion cells, in a pattern similar to that previously described in the guinea pig. The successful access and delivery of material to the mouse cochlea and the replication of gene expression seen in the guinea pig demonstrated in this study should promote the use of the mouse in future studies investigating targeted cochlear therapy.
Zidovudine (AZT) overdose in a healthy newborn receiving postnatal prophylaxis

Context. Pediatric medication dosing and administration, faced with inherent challenges of dose to body weight adjustment and variable delivery vehicles, may lead to inadvertent errors effectively resulting in overdose. Zidovudine (AZT), a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), is a commonly prescribed medication to treat HIV-exposed newborns, with limited overdose data in this patient population. Metabolic acidosis with elevated lactate is the most serious consequence of AZT toxicity in the adult population, associated with mortality. Other significant effects may include neutropenia and hepatic dysfunction. Case report. A 4-day-old male infant who received two inadvertent 10-fold overdoses of AZT while being treated for HIV postnatal prophylaxis. The newborn developed a transient metabolic acidosis with elevated lactate that resolved within 24 h, a small increase in AST, and persistent neutropenia for 5 weeks. The patient's mother cited several key factors leading to the dosing error....
Metadata in video databases

Video is composed of audio-visual information. Providing content based access to video data is essential for the sucessful integration of video into computers. Organizing video for content based access requires the use of video metadata. This paper explores the nature video metadata. A data model for video databases is presented based on a study of the applications of video, the nature of video retrieval requests, and the features of video. The data model is used in the architectural framework of a video database. The current state of technology in video databases is summarized and research issues are highlighted.
Acifluorfen Sorption, Degradation, and Mobility in a Mississippi Delta Soil

Potential surface water and groundwater contaminants include herbicides that are applied postemergence. Although applied to the plant canopy, a portion of any application reaches the soil either directly or via subsequent foliar washoff. This study examined sorption, degradation, and mobility of the postemergence herbicide acifluorfen (5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid) in Dundee silty clay loam (fine-silty, mixed, thermic, Aeric Ochraqualf) taken from conventional till (CT) and no-till (NT) field plots. Homogeneous surface and subsurface samples were used in the sorption and degradation studies; intact soil columns (30 cm long and 10 cm diam.) were used in the mobility study. Batch sorption isotherms were nonlinear (Freundlich model) and sorption paralleled organic C (OC) content. All tillage by depth combinations of soil exhibited a time-dependent approach to sorption equilibrium that was well described by a two-site equilibrium-kinetic model. Acifluorfen degradation followed first-order kinetics. No more than about 6% of applied 14 C-acifluorfen was mineralized by 49-d incubation. Extracts of incubated soil gave little indication of degradation products however, 14 C did accumulate in an unextractable fraction. Degradation was faster in the surface soils compared to subsurface soils and faster in CT surface soil compared to NT surface soil. Tillage did not affect acifluorfen degradation in subsurface samples. Elution of Br pulses from the intact soil columns under steady-state, unsaturated flow indicated preferential water flow. Nonequilibrium transport of Br was well described using a two-region, mobile-immobile water model. Inclusion of sorption kinetics in the transport model rather than assuming equilibrium sorption led to improved predictions of acifluorfen retardation. Column effluent contained negligible concentrations of acifluorfen degradation products and, as in the incubation study, an unextractable residue developed in the soil columns. However, unlike results from the incubation study, a greater fraction of applied acifluorfen was apparently bound and there was also evidence of extractable degradation products. Furthermore, first-order rate constants obtained from the batch study underestimated acifluorfen degradation during transport. Faster acifluorfen degradation in the soil columns may have been due to poorer aeration compared to the batch systems.
Correlative Anatomy for the Electrophysiologist, Part II: Cardiac Ganglia, Phrenic Nerve, Coronary Venous System

Cardiac Ganglia, Phrenic Nerve, Coronary Venous System. There is an increasing need for invasive electrophysiologists to appreciate the exact anatomy of the epicardial space and the coronary veins. The location of the epicardial fat, the complementary relationship with the main cardiac veins, and the location of sensitive structures (arteries, phrenic nerve, esophagus) have become required knowledge for electrophysiologists, and accessing the epicardial space with this thorough knowledge of the pericardial sinuses and recesses is essential to allow radiographic correlation during catheter manipulation. In this review, we briefly describe the anatomy of the pericardial space and then discuss the specific correlation for the invasive electrophysiologist, highlighting epicardial access, catheter navigation, and avoidance of collateral injury, with specific attention to the important recesses of the pericardial space, their regional anatomy, and radiographic correlation when navigating catheters to these locations. We also discuss the anatomy of the main cardiac veins in the context of catheter mapping and ablation of the epicardial substrate through the venous system and without subxiphoid pericardial access. In part II of this series we discuss the detailed regional anatomy of the cardiac ganglia, phrenic nerve, and coronary venous system.
Prediction of Propeller Performance in Icing Conditions using Vortex Theory

A vortex theory propeller code was developed and validated using experimental data from a previous full-scale propeller test to analyze propeller performance in icing conditions. The code used propeller geometry and blade section aerodynamic performance data as inputs to compute propeller thrust and power coefficients. After initial validation, the code was applied to a different propeller for which clean and iced thrust data were recently acquired in the McKinley Climatic Laboratory. During the McKinley test, ice accretions were documented, allowing iced blade-section aerodynamic performance data to be obtained experimentally in the University of Illinois 15” x 15” wind tunnel by using ice simulations. These blade-section performance data are discussed in detail in this paper. Using these data, the propeller code predicted thrust and efficiency reductions and changes in required power comparable to those measured in the McKinley test for Appendix C icing conditions. Ice shedding was found to be significant for SLD icing conditions and it is recommended that a shedding model be developed and implemented in the propeller performance code to more accurately predict performance degradation in such conditions.
Dimerization of a Specific DNA-Binding Protein on the DNA

Many specific DNA-binding proteins bind to sites with dyad symmetry, and the bound form of the protein is a dimer. For some proteins, dimers form in solution and bind to DNA. LexA repressor of Escherichia coli has been used to test an alternative binding model in which two monomers bind sequentially. This model predicts that a repressor monomer should bind with high specificity to an isolated operator half-site. Monomer binding to a half-site was observed. A second monomer bound to an intact operator far more tightly than the first monomer; this cooperativity arose from protein-protein contacts.
Presynaptic localization of G protein isoforms in the efferent nerve terminals of the mammalian cochlea.

Abstract Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) are known to be involved in receptor-mediated synaptic activity. In order to determine which G protein isoforms, if any, are involved in synaptic regulation in the organ of Corti, we performed an extensive immunocytochemical screening. We localized a Gαq/11 isoform to the efferent nerve terminals using antibodies specific against the α subunit of these proteins. The label was observed in the efferent boutons contacting either the outer hair cells or the afferent fibers at the inner spiral bundle. We compared the localization of this isoform to that of the presynaptic protein SNAP-25 in double labeling experiments. Gαq/11 immunoreactivity was present predominantly in the cytoplasm of the presynaptic boutons in a region of high density of synaptic vesicles, while SNAP-25 was localized predominantly in the plasma membrane of the boutons. No label for these proteins was found at the afferent synapses, including the presynaptic terminals on hair cells. These results suggest that an isoform of the Gq subfamily of the G proteins might be involved in presynaptic modulation of neurotransmitter release at the cochlear efferents.
Urolithiasis associated with protease inhibitors.

ABSTRACT Objective: We evaluated the radiographic characteristics as well as the clinical management of urolithiasis induced by systemic therapy with indinavir sulfate, a protease inhibitor utilize...
The Determination of Anionic Surfactants in Water by an Azure A Method

Abstract Various methods for the analysis of anionic surfactants (such as LAS and ABS) in aqueous solution were reviewed, evaluated, and/or assessed. Emphasis was placed on the development of field test kits based on a modified colorimetric method involving the use of Azure A. The simplified and improved Azure A Method requires only 6 ml of aqueous reagent and 25 ml of chloroform for analyzing one sample. The principles, analytical procedures and limitations of the method are described in detail. A field test kit based on the use of a portable spectrophotometer (or photometer), is proposed for use by the personnel with limited training in chemistry.
Calcium and protein kinase C mediate high-glucose-induced inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase in vascular smooth muscle cells

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle (VSMC) proliferation is a key feature in diabetes-associated atherosclerotic disease. Since nitric oxide inhibits VSMC tone, migration, adhesion, and proliferation, we examined the effects of high glucose on IL-1β-induced NO release from VSMCs in culture. Confluent smooth muscle cells, preincubated with either 5 mmol/L (mM) or 20 mmol/L (mM) glucose for 48 hours, were stimulated with IL-1β. Nitrite was measured in the culture medium after 24 hours. IL-1β-induced a 15-fold increase in NO production in normal glucose medium. Glucose (10 to 30 mmol/L (mM)) significantly reduced the response to IL-1β. High glucose (20 mmol/L (mM) inhibited IL-1β-evoked NO production by approximately 50%. IL-1β-stimulated [3H] citrulline-forming activity of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was also significantly lower in high-glucose-exposed cells, and this was reflected in diminished cellular levels of NOS protein. To assess the role of protein kinase C (PKC), membrane PKC activity was measured, and glucose (20 mmol/L (mM)) significantly increased it. Immunoblotting of the membranes revealed a glucose-induced increase in the PKC βII isoform. 1,2-Dioctanoyl-glycerol, a PKC activator, mimicked the high-glucose effect on IL-1β-induced NO release, while staurosporine, a PKC inhibitor, reversed it. The role of calcium in the glucose-mediated inhibition of cytokine-induced NO release was determined by treatment with BAPTA, an intracellular chelator of calcium. BAPTA partially reversed the inhibitory effects of glucose. Increasing intracellular calcium by A23187, an ionophore or thapsigargin, an inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, significantly decreased IL-1β-induced NO release and NOS expression. These results indicate that glucose-induced inhibition of IL-1β-stimulated NO release and NOS expression may be mediated by PKC activation and increased intracellular calcium.
Treatment and prevention of Rhus toxicodendron poisoning

S INCE the is801ation of the toxic principle of pois’on ivy in 1907,l the sequence of events, particularly in regard to prevention and treatment of Rhus poisoning, has been rather colorful. In 1907 it was found that the toxic constituent of Rh#u.s toxicodendrorz. was of a glucoside nature and was in part precipitated by lead acetate.l The treatment advocated was the use of potassium permanganate, and satisfactory results were claimed on a small series of one patient.l The chewing of the Rhus leaf, a practice dating back many years, was reemphasized in 1916 and excellent results were claimed as a preventive measure.2 This method was brought forward again in 1932, and the chewing of a small leaf in early spring was advocated as a preventive measure.3 That the toxic ingredient of R#hus does not injure mucous membrane is well accepted, but particularly in the child, the chewing of the leaf not infrequently leads to a dissemination of the poisonous principle on the skin around the mouth which makes this procedure rather impracticable. The next step in oral administration was the use of the alcoholic extract.4* ’ This was given diluted in water or in capsules with milk sugar. Favorable results were claimed,5 but the treatment required several weeks and is considered too tedious6 Even as an adjunct to the injection treatment the oral method merely adds to the complexity of the pr0cedure.j’ 6 Excellent results are reported by the combined method in one series of cases, the dose varying from 5 to 15 minims hypodermically and 15 to 30 minims by mouth, depending upon severity of case.ll In the search for a simplified method the injection treatment came into vogue. This at first consisted of the use of the alcoholic extract.5y 6 The dosage varied from four injections5 to ten or twelve injections.6 Care had to be taken to avoid overdosage due to too rapid absorption of the alcoholic extract. Also in most cases there was a good deal of pain accompanying the injection due to the effect of the alcohol on subcutaneous tissues. The painful nature of these injections led to the formulation of the almond oil extract which is not painful when injected, is nontoxic and is more potent than the alcoholic extract.7 The almond oil extract is the method of choice today. The injection method has met with its ob-
Comparison of a Cross-Flow and Microconcentric Nebulizer for Chemical Speciation Measurements Using CZE-ICP-MS

A standard cross-flow nebulizer and commercially available microconcentric nebulizer (MCN-100) have been compared for capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements. Metallothionein samples were separated and detected to characterize the performance of the two nebulizers for chemical speciation measurements. The MCN-100 offered improved sensitivity and lower detection limits compared to the cross-flow nebulizer, but provided slightly poorer resolution. The detection limit for 114Cd in metallothionein solutions was 90 ng/ g with the cross-flow nebulizer and 10 ng/g with the MCN-100 for ~ 4 nL injections. These values correspond to absolute detection limits of 360 fg Cd in the injected sample with the cross-flow nebulizer and 40 fg Cd for the MCN-100. Quantitation of Cd in metallothioneins (rabbit liver and horse kidney) with the use of a well-characterized rabbit liver metallothionein sample as the calibration standard is reported. Measured Cd concentrations agreed with results obtained by both graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and solution nebulization ICP-MS.
Use of the mobilized sinus with total urogenital mobilization.

Purpose: The surgical treatment of urogenital sinus anomalies has undergone significant advances in recent years. Total urogenital mobilization, which mobilizes the urogenital sinus, vagina and urethra en bloc toward the perineum, represents one of these advances.Materials and Methods: We have improved our results with total urogenital mobilization by incorporating the mobilized urogenital sinus tissue into the repair rather than discarding it, as described originally. We have found this a readily available, easily manipulated and well vascularized flap that is a significant aid to reconstruction.Results: We present our 3 favored means of using the mobilized sinus tissue to create a mucosa lined vestibule, a posterior vaginal wall flap and an anterior vaginal wall flap.Conclusions: We believe that our techniques result in a further advancement in the cosmetic and surgical outcomes in these patients, and are beneficial in the reconstructive surgery armamentarium.
Lazy consistency using loosely synchronized clocks

This paper describes a new schemefor guaranteeing that transactions in a client/server system observe consistent state while they are running. The scheme is presented in conjunction with an optimistic concurrency control algorithm, but could also be used to prevent read-only transactions from conflicting with read/write transactions in a multi-version system. The scheme is lazy about the consistency it provides for running transactions and also in the way it generates the consistency information. The paper presents results of simulation experiments showing that the cost of the scheme is negligible. The scheme uses multipart timestamps to inform nodes about information they need to know. Today the utility of such schemes is limited because timestamp size is proportional to system size and therefore the schemes don’ t scale to very large systems. We show how to solve this problem. Our multipart timestamps are based on real rather than logical clocks; we assume clocks in the system are loosely synchronized. Clocks allow us to keep multipart timestamps small with minimal impact on performance: we remove old information that is likely to be known while retaining recent information. Only performance and not correctness is affected if clocks get out of synch.
Plasma Assisted Oxidation of Si at Temperatures Below 800°C

A system for plasma assisted oxidation of Si at temperatures below 800°C is described. Oxides grown in this system have an unusual thickness versus time relationship. The first 110 nm of oxide exhibit a t1/2 dependence. Any additional growth shows a t1/3 dependence. Pressure, oxygen concentration, and rf power are all important parameters in determining the growth rate and uniformity of the oxide layers. Breakdown measurements on these oxide layers show that post oxidation annealing is necessary if these oxides are to compete with thermal oxides. The type of annealing is very important in determining the breakdown voltage. The results of various annealing procedures are described. The effects of heating the wafers independent of the heat generated by the plasma, and the frequency dependence of the growth are discussed.
In vivo oxygen detection using exogenous hemoglobin as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance microscopy.

In this work we show that exogenous molecular hemoglobin (Hb) is an effective indicator of relative local oxygen tension in magnetic resonance (MR) microscopy studies in vivo. This approach is more sensitive than other MRI oximetry methods; it can be used at higher resolutions and in specimens with no blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) effects. Using injection studies in flies, we show that Hb can permeate through relatively dense neural tissue, and that it is not obviously disruptive to physiology. Hb-injected flies show large changes in signal intensity (40–50%) when external O2 levels are manipulated artificially from 0% to 21%. Oxygen-dependent contrast changes produced by exogenous Hb are detected in T2-weighted imaging experiments, and can be roughly calibrated if necessary. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of a contrast agent technique that may be useful for functional MRI (fMRI) studies of metabolism at tens of microns resolution. Magn Reson Med 49:609–614, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Benefits of Real-Time Transit Information and Impacts of Data Accuracy on Rider Experience

When presented in a practical format, real-time transit information can improve sustainable travel methods by enhancing the transit experience. This paper identifies the positive shift realized by the continued development of the OneBusAway set of real-time transit information tools. In addition, the paper analyzes real-time prediction errors and their effects on the rider experience. In 2012, three years after the development of location-aware mobile applications, a survey of current OneBusAway users was conducted to compare the results with the previous 2009 study. Results show significant positive shifts in satisfaction with transit, perceptions of safety, and ridership frequency as a result of the increased use of real-time arrival information. However, this paper also provides a perspective of the margin of error riders come to expect and the negative effects resulting from inaccuracies with the real-time data. Although riders on average will ride less when they have experienced errors, a robust issu...
Ligand-assisted enhancement of CO2 capture in metal-organic frameworks.

Using density functional theory with a van der Waals-corrected functional, we elucidate how CO2 binds to a novel “BTT-type” metal–organic framework (MOF) featuring open metal centers. We show that CO2 binds most favorably to open metal cation sites, but with an adsorption energy that can be three times more sensitive to the choice of the bridging ligand than to metal cation choice. A strong, three-site interaction between CO2 and the open-metal site is predicted, with the binding energy enhanced by up to a factor of 2, depending on the ligand. The CO2-MOF binding can be attributed to a combination of electrostatics and vdW dispersive interactions, both of which are critically sensitive to the local environment, and both of which contribute nearly equally to the overall binding strength. We show that a judicious choice of the organic linker and the metal center allows the binding energy to be tuned from 34.8 kJ/mol (for CaBTTri) to a maximum of 64.5 kJ/mol (MgBTT).
Circuit partitioning for distributed VHDL fault simulation

Switch-level faults, as opposed to traditional gate-level faults can more accurately model physical failures found on an integrated circuit. However, one problem with switch-level fault simulation is that of long simulation times. This paper addresses this problem by performing distributed switch-level fault simulation using a novel switch-level circuit partitioning technique. Transistor reverse level order circuit partitioning is shown to produce groups of transistors that share fan-in at nodes. Using this partitioning technique, results show that distributed switch-level fault simulation achieves increased speed-up over distributed switch-level fault simulation using random fault set partitioning techniques.
The protein structure initiative structural genomics knowledgebase

The Protein Structure Initiative Structural Genomics Knowledgebase (PSI SGKB, http://kb.psi-structuralgenomics.org) has been created to turn the products of the PSI structural genomics effort into knowledge that can be used by the biological research community to understand living systems and disease. This resource provides central access to structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), along with functional annotations, associated homology models, worldwide protein target tracking information, available protocols and the potential to obtain DNA materials for many of the targets. It also offers the ability to search all of the structural and methodological publications and the innovative technologies that were catalyzed by the PSI's high-throughput research efforts. In collaboration with the Nature Publishing Group, the PSI SGKB provides a research library, editorials about new research advances, news and an events calendar to present a broader view of structural biology and structural genomics. By making these resources freely available, the PSI SGKB serves as a bridge to connect the structural biology and the greater biomedical communities.
Estrogen modulation of morphine analgesia of visceral pain in female rats is supraspinally and peripherally mediated.

Abstract We have recently reported a sex difference in morphine-induced analgesia in a visceral pain model. To test the hypothesis that estrogen plays a role in mediating this sex difference, the effect of morphine on the visceromotor response (vmr) to colorectal distention was compared between ovariectomized (OVx) and OVx with estrogen replacement (E2) rats. After demonstrating that estrogen attenuates the potency of systemically administered morphine, we tested peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal sites for estrogen modulation of μ-opioid receptor (MOR) activity. The peripheral MOR antagonist naloxone methiodide reversed the effect of systemic morphine. The peripheral MOR agonist loperamide also attenuated the vmr and in addition was more potent in OVx rats than E2 rats, demonstrating estrogen modulation of peripheral μ-opioid analgesia. Intrathecally injected morphine attenuated the vmr, with no difference in potency noted between the 2 groups. Morphine given by intracerebroventricular injection was more potent in OVx rats than in E2 rats, suggesting estrogen modulation of supraspinal μ-opioid receptors. Results from all administration routes revealed that the potency of morphine in OVx and E2 rats was similar to male and intact female rats, respectively, 20 suggesting that estrogen is one of the key factors contributing to the sex difference in μ-opioid analgesia. Perspective Female rats are less sensitive to morphine analgesia of visceral pain than male rats. This study demonstrates that estrogen decreases the analgesic potency of peripheral and supraspinal but not spinal morphine in a model of visceral pain and may be a key factor contributing to the sex difference in μ-opioid analgesia.
Association of placental villous edema with neonatal outcome in pregnancies with histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis

surviving to surgical repair was 1.85 per 10,000 live births. Incidence by region varied significantly (p!0.01). The Central Coast had the lowest rate, at 1.24 per 10,000. The highest incidences were in the Mountain Region and Inland Desert with 2.69 and 2.80 per 10,000. These differences cannot be explained using maternal demographics including age, race, or education. CONCLUSION: Gastroschisis incidence in California is skewed by region of maternal residence during pregnancy. Further research is needed to identify possible maternal characteristics or exposures which explain this discrepancy.
The Role of Auditors' Emotions and Moods on Audit Judgment: A Research Summary with Suggested Practice Implications

SUMMARY: The reality for auditors is that, during the audit process, they will experience emotional reactions, such as liking or disliking toward client personnel, or anxiety about components of tasks. Auditors also may experience different moods while conducting audits. Research reveals that an important consequence of auditors experiencing emotions and moods is that these reactions can influence their decision making. We provide a summary of the results and practice implications associated with several studies in a stream of research that has examined the impact of auditors' emotions and moods on audit judgments.
Light regulation of the photosynthetic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in Hydrilla verticillata.

The submersed monocot, Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle, is a facultative C4 NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) plant in which the C4 and Calvin cycles co-exist in the same cell. Futile cycling is avoided by an intracellular separation of carboxylases between the cytosol and chloroplasts. Of the two sequenced H. verticillata phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) isoforms, hvpepc3 and hvpepc4, transcript expression of the latter was substantially up-regulated during C4 induction, especially in the light. Western blots revealed two PEPCspecific bands in C3 and C4 leaf extracts; the lower band dominated in the C4 and underwent post-translational phosphorylation in the light as determined by immunological studies. This band probably represents the photosynthetic isoform, HVPEPC4, despite the lack of the C4 signature serine (Flaveria residue 774; Hydrilla 779). In C4 leaves, PEPC activity increased 14-fold, was enhanced by leaf exposure to light, and showed allosteric regulation. Glucose-6-phosphate acted as a positive effector, but malate was inhibitory, with I50 values of 0.4 and 0.2 mM in the light and dark, respectively, similar to those of other C4 PEPC isoforms. In contrast, in C3 leaves, transcript expression of both isoforms was weak, with little evidence of diel regulation, and the PEPC proteins showed essentially no indication of phosphorylation. PEPC activity in C3 leaves was low, light independent and followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics. It was tolerant to malate, with 10-fold higher I50 values than the PEPC from C4 leaves. These data suggest that hvpepc4 encodes the C4 photosynthetic PEPC, and hvpepc3 encodes an anaplerotic form.
Prolactin modulates the gonadotropin response to the negative feedback effect of testosterone in immature male rats.

The effects of hyperprolactinemia (hyperPRL) and hypoprolactinemia (hypoPRL) on pituitary gonadotropin secretion and the feedback sensitivity to testosterone (T) were evaluated in immature male rats. At 34 days of age, rats were divided into three groups: group 1, controls, injected with oil; group 2, treated with bromocriptine mesylate (CB-154; 250 μg in oil/rat -day); and group 3, subjected to the transplantation of one pituitary from an adult female rat under the kidney capsule and treated with oil. The treatments were continued for 14 days. On day 8, each of these groups were further divided into three subgroups: intact, castrated, and castrated plus T treated. T treatment consisted of injection of T propionate (TP; 50 μg in oil/rat) on alternate days starting immediately after castration. Blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture throughout the study. Plasma PRL levels were significantly reduced by CB- 154 treatment and significantly increased by the pituitary graft (P < 0.001). In intact immat...
STUDIES ON THE AGENT OF INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS : I. PROPAGATION OF THE AGENT IN TISSUE CULTURE AND IN THE EMBRYONATED HEN'S EGG

Two viral agents have been procured from patients with infectious hepatitisin two widely separated outbreaks of the disease by transfer of acute stage serum and stool filtrates to and passage in tissue cultures of rabbit liver cells in roller tubes and minced chick embryos in Simms-Sanders medium followed by passage in the amniotic cavity of the chick. Cultures of both agents, designated the Akiba and NL strains of virus, induced mild hepatitis without jaundice in the majority of volunteers tested after an incubation period of from 9 to 38 days. Although these agents have not been identified definitely as the virus of infectious hepatitis, the available evidence, as discussed, is compatible with the suggestion that such they are.
Non–AIDS-defining cancer in HIV-infected people

Since the advent of HAART, the natural history of HIV disease has been changing, with decreased risk of life-threatening opportunistic infections and prolonged survival. Concurrently, a variety of non-AIDS-defining cancers have been reported with increased incidence in HIV-infected adults, including anal cancer, Hodgkin's disease, head and neck cancer, testicular cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer of the skin, and melanoma. It appears that these tumors may have a more aggressive clinical course in HIV-infected people. Available data, however, suggest that antitumor response and survival in HIV-infected people with malignancy are improved in people with higher CD4 counts. The possible mechanisms for the increased incidence and altered clinical course of these malignancies in HIV-infected people remain unclear.
Two new halictine bees in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)

Two new halictine bees (Halictidae: Halictinae) are described and fifrom females preserved in Early Miocene (Burdigalian) amber from the Dominican Republic. Oligochlora semirugosa sp. n. (Augochlorini) is similar to O. micheneri Engel but diff ers in the shape of the pronotal dorsolateral angle, the partially rugulose gena (entirely imbricate in the latter species), and the sculpturing of the face, mesosoma, and metasomal terga. Nesagapostemon moronei gen. n. sp. n. (Caenohalictini) resembles Eickwortapis in the absence of carinae bordering the dorsal horizontal surface of the propodeum while having the vertical posterior surface encircled. Th e genus diff ers from Eickwortapis in the much larger and more robust body size (nearly twice as large), the non-slanting and shorter horizontal surface of the propodeum, sculpturing, and pilosity of the hind legs. A second specimen of O. grimaldii Engel is recorded and a provisional key to halictid bees in Dominican amber is provided.
Fine-Scale Volume Heterogeneity in a Mixed Sand/Mud Sediment off Fort Walton Beach, FL

As part of the effort to characterize the acoustic and physical properties of the seafloor during the high-frequency 2004 Sediment Acoustics Experiment (SAX04), fine-scale variability of sediment sound speed and density was measured in a medium quartz sand using diver cores and an in situ conductivity probe. This study has a goal of providing environmental input to high-frequency backscatter modeling efforts. Because the experiment was conducted immediately following exposure of the site to Hurricane Ivan, measurements revealed storm-generated sedimentary structure that included mud deposits and trapped sand pockets suspended in the mud. Fluctuations of sediment sound speed and density were measured downcore at 1- and 2-cm increments, respectively, with standard laboratory techniques. Sediment density was also measured on a very fine scale with an in situ conductivity probe [in situ measurement of porosity (IMP2)] and by means of computed tomography (CT) imaging of a diver core. Overlap between the locations of the diver cores and the conductivity probe measurements allowed an examination of multiple scales of sediment heterogeneity and a comparison of techniques. Sediment heterogeneity was characterized using estimates of covariance corresponding to an algebraic form for the power spectrum of fluctuations obtained from core, conductivity, and CT measurements. Correcting for sampling brings the power spectra for density fluctuations determined from the various measurements into agreement, and supports description of heterogeneity at the site over a wide range of scales by a power spectrum having a simple algebraic form.
Division of Household Labor Between Spouses: How Do Central and Eastern Europe Differ from the West?

The aim of this article is to assess the difference between East and West European countries with respect to women's involvement in housework. I use the rational choice theory to model individual-level mechanisms that determine what share of the household's chores is done by the female partner, and perform a multilevel regression test using European Social Survey (Round 2, 2004) data. The absolute involvement of women in housework in postcommunist countries does not differ much from the rest of the Europe. However, after accounting for the mechanisms determining the level of women's involvement in housework, a significant difference becomes visible between postcommunist and other countries.
“American Hunger”: Challenging Epistemic Injustice Through Collaborative Teacher Inquiry

Teacher education for high-poverty schools is often understood as preparing teachers to master a set of best practices in order to hit the ground running and address the needs of students who are behind because of the achievement gap. Our own work has suggested that a necessary dimension of teacher learning across the lifespan involves interrogating and resisting the ideologies that implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, conflate poverty with intellectual inferiority. We believe pre-service and in-service teachers ought to become better attuned to the rich resources already present in all communities, an undertaking that requires building relationships with students and families rather than learning strategies to “fix” them. This chapter is based on a 4-year partnership around literacy and engagement with teachers and students in a U.S. public school serving predominantly African American boys. We draw on the work of feminist theorists, in particular the related concepts of epistemic injustice and epistemic resistance, to analyze the impact of systemic inequalities on the school community as well as the teachers’ challenges to deficit views of students. Through their work as part of a teacher inquiry community, the educators in our research site identified the effects of a hyper-remedial curriculum geared towards testing and worked to design alternative curricular spaces that nurtured students’ capacities for critical and literary investigation.
Dose Dependence of Strength After Low-Temperature Irradiation in Metallic Materials

This study intends to review and characterize the low-temperature (<473 K [200 °C]) irradiation-hardening behaviors in metallic materials and to propose new interpretations on the dose dependence of strength, particularly in the prehardening and saturation regimes. The analysis of results of yield stress-dose curves indicate that four dose-dependence regimes exist: the prehardening, main hardening, saturation, and embrittlement regimes. The semilog plots of yield stress vs dose data revealed that the prehardening regime displaying zero hardening or softening was common at least for the alloys with low-dose data available. It was observed that the dose range of the prehardening regime increased with the strength of material, which indicates that slower initiation in irradiation hardening is expected when strength is higher. For the majority of the metallic materials analyzed, it was reconfirmed that the exponent of the power-law hardening function was evaluated to be about 0.5 in the main hardening regime and about 0.1 in the saturation regime. In these positive hardening regimes, the low strength pure metals such as Fe, Ta, Cu, and Zr displayed lower hardening exponents. The minimum dose to the saturation of irradiation hardening was in the range of 0.003 to 0.08 dpa, depending on the category of materials. It was also reaffirmed that there exists a strong relationship between the saturation in irradiation hardening and the occurrence of plastic instability at yield.
Composition of sediment records late Quaternary paleogeographic evolution of Santa Clara Valley, California

Gravel and sand samples from alluvium in five wells in the Santa Clara Valley, California (USA), have particle compositions that help constrain patterns of Quaternary basin evolution and sediment dispersal within the valley. Samples were collected from depths as great as 307 m, and paleomagnetic results obtained by other workers suggest that the sediment sampled ranges in age to ca. 800 ka. The gravel contains common to abundant Mesozoic graywacke and metavolcanic rocks; less common clast types indicate derivation from other Mesozoic rocks. Clasts having lithologies that match Cenozoic source rocks are minor in amount. The abundance of metavolcanic rocks, as well as serpentinite, blueschist, and eclogite, among the less common gravel clasts, generally increases with depth in each well. Sand samples contain a variety of mostly metamorphic heavy minerals, including some distinctive blueschist facies minerals. Blue amphibole and chrome spinel are rare to common in the sand, and their abundance also increases with depth. The most useful clasts for determining the location of the sediment source are the metavolcanic rocks and some of the less common clasts. Metavolcanic rocks, common in modern outcrops only in the Santa Cruz Mountains south and west of the Santa Clara Valley, also are common in the gravel. In contrast, with only a few exceptions at shallow levels in the northeasternmost wells, distinctive gravel clasts with sources east of the valley are nearly absent. These observations suggest that most of the sediment was derived from the south and west. Thus, the topographic asymmetry of the valley, with its modern axial drainage east of the valley center, evidently has persisted for at least the past 800 k.y. The increased abundance of pebbles of serpentinite, blueschist, and eclogite and of sand-sized particles of blue amphibole and chrome spinel with depth suggests a change in source through time. The source for these clasts in the deeper levels, and perhaps also some of the metavolcanic clasts, evidently was a basement high within the valley that was gradually buried as the basin filled with sediment. The gravel in the wells has a composition different from that of any previously described outcrops of Pliocene and Pleistocene nonmarine gravels, including the Santa Clara Formation, exposed around the margins of the Santa Clara Valley. This difference suggests that the Santa Clara Formation and similar units are not present in the parts of the valley penetrated by the wells.
Symmetry at Infinity

Since the graphs of y = x2 and y at the points (0, 0) and (1, 1) and are symmetric about the line y = x, the question seems like a reasonable one. However, rather than simply answer the question for y = x2 and y = x-, I replied by asking the same question concerning any pair of functions of the form y = xn and y = /, where n is a positive integer, since they possess the same points of intersection and symmetry. This paper is devoted to answering that question. Thus for each positive integer n, define fn,(x) = xn and f(x) = r = x1/n. For n = 1, fi (x) = x = f'1(x), so that no area is bounded by f, (x) and f-'1(x). However, for n > 1, fn (x) and fn-'(x) bound a region Rn of finite area between (0, 0) and (1, 1). We proceed now to derive a general formula for the coordinates (x,, yn) of the centroid Cn of Rn in terms of n (n > 1). Since any invertible function and its inverse are symmetric about the line y = x, we have x, = y,. (See Figure 1.) Thus a single function of n provides the coordinates (x,, Yn) of Cn. At first glance, many students conjecture that the region Rn is also symmetric about the line y = 1 x. (See Figure 2.) Based on the assumption of this additional symmetry, the students conclude that Rn must have centroid Cn (1, 1) at the intersection of y = x and y = 1 x. However, if f(x) > g(x) for a < x < b and R is a plane lamina of constant density p whose area is bounded by f(x) and g(x) over the interval [a, b], then the mass and first moments of R are
Balancing the Needs for Space Research and National Security in the ITAR

Current export control policies, drafted during the Cold War, require reassessment in light of fundamental changes in the international security environment. The interconnectedness of the global economy, brought about by new technologies that facilitate international collaboration and knowledge sharing, is challenging the American export control framework. Underlying is a tension between the needs for innovation, driven by the free exchange of ideas, and security needs, aiming to prevent potentially sensitive knowledge and hardware from falling into the wrong hands. Academic space research institutions are particularly affected by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) United States Munitions List, which controls broad categories of space systems. Many members of the academic community champion a reactionary approach whereby restricting research in a given area requires that a risk be demonstrated. This stands in contrast to the precautionary approach towards the proliferation of space technology embodied in the ITAR wherein the risk of technology transfer is mitigated through the liberal use of restrictions, controls and State Department oversight. Effective export controls must balance the benefits of requiring that certain technologies be used exclusively by certain U.S. interests with the danger of undermining future innovation. A notional model, supported by interviews and analyses, describes the longand short-term effects of ITAR upon national security. The notional model provides valuable insight into the dynamics of shortand longterm national security needs and the influence of export control on those needs. Further refinement of the model will allow the influence of potential changes in ITAR procedures to be evaluated and understood. The effects on national security of strengthening or relaxing components of export restrictions can be understood through an expansion of the model and by holding interviews with a variety of stakeholders involved in the innovation, legislation, and enforcement processes.
Geometry of a Ram-Air Parachute Canopy in Steady Flight from Numerical Simulations

This paper discusses the application of Finite Element-based simulations to examine the geometry of a fully inflated, MC-4 ram-air parachute canopy in steady flight using a prescribed pressure distribution. A novel approach for the inflation of the canopy from its cut-pattern was devised and implemented in LS-DYNA software suite. The effects of net pressure, pressure distribution, and material properties were explored by assessing various measures of the canopy geometry. Five specific measured considered were: maximum spanwise extent of the canopy, radius of a circular arc fitted to the upper leading edge of the canopy, radius of individual half-cell openings, distance from the top of the canopy to the slider, and the maximum vertical distance between the canopy center and tip at the leading edge. A set of mesh refinement runs provided guidelines for acceptable average element area. Variation of net applied pressure over a broad range resulted in minimal, less than 5%, change in the specific measures of the canopy geometry.
Slide Agglutination Test for Rapid Diagnosis of Pre-Eruptive Typhus Fever:

SummaryA specific antigen found in the serum of typhus fever patients during the pre-eruptive stage of typhus fever can be demonstrated by a slide agglutination test which employs sensitized dye particles.