cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Campylobacter fetus sapA promoter: evidence that the sapA promoter is deleted in spontaneous mutant strains.

Abstract Wild-type Campylobacter fetus cells possess S-layer proteins (S+ phenotype), whereas after laboratory passage, spontaneous stable mutants that do not express these proteins (S- phenotype) arise. To determine the molecular mechanisms by which C. fetus changes to the S- phenotype, we studied wild-type strain 23D, from which the sapA gene encoding the 97-kDa S-layer protein has been cloned, and strain 23B, a spontaneous S- mutant. We compared these strains with another pair of strains, LP (S+) and HP (S-). Southern analysis with the cloned sapA gene as a probe indicated that both pairs of strains have multiple sapA homologs. Using gene disruption and replacement techniques, we constructed an isogenic strain of 23D that differed only in sapA expression (strain 23D:401:1). A 6.0-kb HindIII fragment from 23D:401:1 containing 3.4 kb of sapA upstream region then was cloned into pBluescript to produce pBG101. Nucleotide sequence analysis of sapA upstream region revealed a consensus promoter at -121 bp from the translational start site. Primer extension analysis placed a single in vivo transcription initiation site at the -114-bp position of sapA. A DNA probe derived from the sapA promoter region hybridized to a 5.5-kb HindIII fragment of chromosomal DNA from strain 23D but not to DNA from strain 23B. Northern RNA blot analysis showed no sapA mRNA in strain 23B. These data indicate that the lack of S-layer protein expression in spontaneous mutant strains is caused by the deletion of promoter sequences.
Transient expression of a mutator phenotype in cancer cells

Adaptive mutation has been a controversial topic in bacterial genetics because it posits that cells can mutate "at will" when they find themselves in adverse conditions. Now in a report on p. [1523][1] of this issue, Richards et al. describe a similar phenomenon in cancer cells in which the cells acquire a mutator phenotype when they are not dividing. In his Perspective Loeb describes how these states of increased mutation may underlie the enormous numbers of translocations, deletions, and insertions in the DNA of cancer cells and howthey may actually contribute to the generation of tumors. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/277/5331/1523
Prone position reverses gravitational distribution of perfusion in dog lungs with oleic acid-induced injury.

Although oxygenation improves in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome and in animals with oleic acid- (OA) induced acute lung injury when they are turned from the supine to the pro...
Previous Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection Independent of Body Site Increases Odds of Surgical Site Infection after Ventral Hernia Repair

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections can be difficult to manage in ventral hernia repair (VHR). We aimed to determine whether a history of preoperative MRSA infection, regardless of site, confers increased odds of 30-day surgical site infection (SSI) after VHR. Study Design A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing VHR with class I to III wounds between 2005 and 2012 was performed using Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Perioperative Data Warehouse. Preoperative MRSA status, site of infection, and 30-day SSI were determined. Univariate and multivariate analyses adjusting for confounding factors were performed to determine whether a history of MRSA infection was independently associated with SSIs. Results A total of 768 VHR patients met inclusion criteria, of which 46% were women. There were 54 (7%) preoperative MRSA infections (MRSA positive); 15 (28%) soft tissue, 9 (17%) bloodstream, 4 (7%) pulmonary, 3 (6%) urinary, and 5 (9%) other. Overall SSI rate was 10% (n = 80), SSI rate in the MRSA-positive group was 33% (n = 18), compared with 9% (n = 62) in controls (p Conclusions A history of site-independent MRSA infection confers significantly increased odds of 30-day SSI after VHR. Additional investigation is needed to determine perioperative treatment regimens that might decrease odds of SSI in VHR, and optimal prosthetic types and techniques for this population.
Spectroscopic Challenges of Photoionized Plasmas

The conference “Photoionized Plasmas 2000: The Challenge of High Resolution X-Ray through IR Spectroscopy of Photoionized Plasmas” was held on 2000 November 13–17 at the Lexington campus of the University of Kentucky. Sponsorship for the conference was provided by the NASA Applied Information Systems Research Program and by the University of Kentucky. Conference participants came from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. There were a total of 83 participants. This conference was the third in a series which begin in 1985 with a meeting on modeling ionized nebulae in Meudon, France. The second meeting was held in 1994 at the Lexington campus of the University of Kentucky and was in conjunction with the 70th birthdays of Professors Donald Osterbrock and Michael Seaton. The timing of this third conference was motivated by recent advances in observational astrophysics. With the recent launches of Chandra and XMM-Newton, high-resolution spectroscopy of photoionized plasmas at X-ray energies has become routine. HST and FUSE make the vacuum ultraviolet readily accessible. Ground-based optical telescopes can now obtain spectra of faint galaxies at the very edge of the visible universe. And within a few years SOFIA and SIRTF will routinely provide high-resolution spectra in the midand far-infrared regions. Understanding the astrophysical messages contained in these spectra makes unprecedented demands on our understanding of atomic processes and our ability to simulate conditions in these nonequilibrium plasmas. This meeting brought together developers of plasma emission codes, experts in atomic physics and radiation transport, and the observers who are working to unravel the message in the spectrum. A broad range of physical processes determine the observed spectrum, and a complete simulation of the plasma is an intricate computational problem. The
Subsecond adsorption and desorption of dopamine at carbon-fiber microelectrodes.

High-repetition fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were used to quantify and characterize the kinetics of dopamine and dopamine-o-quinone adsorption and desorption at carbon-fiber microelectrodes. A flow injection analysis system was used for the precise introduction and removal of a bolus of electroactive substance on a sub-second time scale to the disk-shaped surface of a microelectrode that was fabricated from a single carbon fiber (Thornel type T650 or P55). Pretreatment of the electrode surfaces consisted of soaking them in purified isopropyl alcohol for a minimum of 10 min, which resulted in S/N increasing by 200−400% for dopamine above that for those that were soaked in reagent grade solvent. Because of adsorption, high scan rates (2000 V/s) are shown to exhibit equivalent S/N ratios as compared to slower, more traditional scan rates. In addition, the steady-state response to a concentration bolus is shown to occur more rapidly when cyclic voltammetric scans are repeated at short in...
Multiexcitation fluorescence and reflectance spectroscopy as a real-time guide to biopsy in vivo

A compact excitation-emission spectrofluorimeter system used to acquire tissue fluorescence and reflectance with fiber optic light delivery and collection is presented. Ten dye cells are pumped by a XeC1 excimer laser, creating laser excitation from 308 nm to 505nm, which is used to excite tissue fluorescence. A xenon-flash lamp is employed to obtain the reflectance spectrum of the corresponding tissue spot. Eleven fluorescence spectra and one white light diffuse reflectance spectrum are collected in vivo in 0.2 seconds and can be potentially analyzed in real time to obtain diagnostic information. The instrument can be used for early cancer detection. The measured fluorescence and reflectance spectra are used to model the intrinsic fluorescence of the tissue, which gives important insight into its biochemical composition (tryptophan, collagen, elastin, NADH, etc.) and metabolic state. Diffuse reflectance provides information about tissue morphology, in terms of the scatterhig and absorption coefficient. By subtracting the diffusely reflected component from the measured reflectance, light scattering spectroscopic (LSS) information due to single backscattering from epithelial cell nuclei can be obtained. LSS provides information about the size distribution of cell nuclei. The parameters give diagnostic information, which can be used to guide the physician in real time while taking biopsies of invisible tissue abnormalities.
A new patient education approach in contact allergic dermatitis: the Contact Allergen Replacement Database (CARD).

Background When a patient is identified by patch testing as being sensitive to a specific contact allergen, he or she is generally advised to read the product labels and avoid products that contain the specific allergen. Patients are often confronted with difficult chemical names, synonyms, and cross-reactants for individual allergens. At the same time, dermatologists may spend a considerable amount of time trying to educate their patients about the avoidance of these allergens and explaining which products may contain them. Methods We applied a new educational approach to inform patients about products that are free of their allergens. Results We present a patient with multiple contact allergens in whom the Contact Allergen Replacement Database was used to educate about specific allergens. This approach has proved to be an invaluable tool for both physicians and their patients in contact allergy counseling.
Protease activity associated with HeLa cell ribosomes.

Abstract HeLa cells contain endoprotease activity, detected by a sensitive, solid phase assay. The endoprotease has the ability to cleave a variety of protein substrates and is trypsin-like in its sensitivity to inhibitors. The activity is in part associated with cellular ribosomes and polysomes. A variety of biological and physical-chemical treatments which alter ribosomes or protein synthesis also directly affect the ribosomal protease activity.
Strategic information and strategic decision making: the EIS/CEO interface in smaller manufacturing companies

Executive information systems (EIS) often focus on providing external data to top management for environmental scanning. However, for many executives, the need for internal information may be just as strong, in order to provide an accurate appraisal of the firm's ability to capitalize on opportunities. Yet much of the environmental scanning research to date focuses on the external environment. To place a framework on this issue, categories for both internal and external data are derived from the management literature. A survey of CEOs for small manufacturing firms indicates that internal information is just as important in analysis of new situations as is the external information. Additionally, the CEOs place no particular order on access to the information. EIS should be designed to allow for access to all categories of information in an order selected by the executive and provide important internal information for making strategic decisions.
Heart Rate and Respiratory Responses as a Function of Task Difficulty: The Use of Discriminant Analysis in the Selection of Psychologically Sensitive Physiological Responses

The relationship between physiological response patterns.and task difficulty was investigated by evaluating heart rate and respiratory responses during a choice reaction lime tusk with three levels of task difficulty. The data fit a two-component model or attention containing reactive and sustained responses. There were two reactive responses: An immediate deceleration which was independent of task manipulation; and a short latency response, monotonically paralleling task difficulty, which was characterized by acceleration and an increase in heart rate variability. The sustained component exhibited task dependent deceleration and u generalized reduction in heart rate variability and respiration amplitude variability. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed on the task conditions using physiological responses to determine responses sensitive to task demands. Physiological response patterns were monotonically ordered as a function of task difficulty, suggesting that this technique may have advantages for determining physiological responses most sensitive to psychological manipulation.
Redox Pioneer: Professor Stuart A. Lipton

Abstract Professor Stuart A. Lipton Stuart A. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. is recognized here as a Redox Pioneer because of his publication of four articles that have been cited more than 1000 times, and 96 reports which have been cited more than 100 times. In the redox field, Dr. Lipton is best known for his work on the regulation by S-nitrosylation of the NMDA-subtype of neuronal glutamate receptor, which provided early evidence for in situ regulation of protein activity by S-nitrosylation and a prototypic model of allosteric control by this post-translational modification. Over the past several years, Lipton's group has pioneered the discovery of aberrant protein nitrosylation that may contribute to a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). In particular, the phenotypic effects of rare genetic mutations may be understood to be enhanced or mimicked by nitrosative (and oxidative) modi...
The Three P's of Total Risk Management

Current risk-management practices are based on probabilities of extreme dollar losses (e.g., measures like Value at Risk), but these measures capture only part of the story. Any complete risk-management system must address two other important factors—prices and preferences. Together with probabilities, these compose the three P's of “Total Risk Management.” This article describes how the three P's interact to determine sensible risk profiles for corporations and for individuals—guidelines for how much risk to bear and how much to hedge. By synthesizing existing research in economics, psychology, and decision sciences and through an ambitious research agenda to extend this synthesis into other disciplines, a complete and systematic approach to rational decision making in an uncertain world is within reach.
Predator–prey dynamics between recently established stone crabs (Menippe spp.) and oyster prey (Crassostrea virginica)

Abstract Range expansion and population establishment of individual species can have significant impacts on previously established food webs and predator–prey dynamics. The stone crab (Menippe spp.) is found throughout southwestern North Atlantic waters, from North Carolina through the Gulf of Mexico and the Central American Caribbean, including the Greater Antilles. Recent observations suggest that stone crabs have become better established on certain oyster reefs in North Carolina than in the early 1900s when they we first observed in NC. To assess the predatory impact of stone crabs on oysters, we (1) quantified stone crab densities on subtidal oyster reefs in Pamlico Sound, NC using scuba surveys, and (2) conducted laboratory predation experiments to assess the functional response of stone crabs to varying densities of oysters. We then (3) analyzed previously unpublished functional response data on another important oyster predator, the mud crab Panopeus herbstii. Finally, we (4) compared and contrasted potential predatory impacts of stone, mud and blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). The functional response data and analyses for both stone crabs and mud crabs were consistent with a type II functional response. Mud crabs, on a m2 basis, inflicted the highest proportional mortality on oysters over a 24 hour period, followed by stone and then blue crabs. Proportional mortality did not vary significantly with oyster size; however, relatively small and large oysters were consumed disproportionately less than medium-sized oysters, likely due to the mechanical inability of stone crabs to handle small oysters, and the inability to crush large oysters. Although stone crabs appear to be established in Pamlico Sound at densities equivalent to densities in other systems such as the U.S. Florida Panhandle, their predatory activities on oysters are not expected to have as significant a negative impact on oyster populations compared to other resident predators such as mud crabs.
The Multilocation Multiperiod Inventory Problem: Bounds and Approximations

The multilocation inventory problem can be thought of naturally as an extension of the single location "newsboy" problem to multiple locations with transshipment possible between locations. Previous work has established the form of optimal policies; however, computational results have been limited to the one-period case or to special structures. This paper develops lower-and upper-bounds for the general multiperiod problem. These also suggest approximations to the optimal solution. Computational methods are discussed and tested on small problems.
Mutagenicity and induction of sister chromatid exchange by optically active enantiomers of secondary butyl methanesulfonate.

This report describes experiments in which a chiral alkyl methanesulfonate was used to investigate possible mechanisms by which alkylating agents cause their mutagenic, cytotoxic, and clastogenic effects. Optically active enantiomers and the racemic mixtures of 2-butyl methanesulfonate (2-BMS) were cytotoxic and mutagenic in Chinese hamster V79 cells and in AS52 cells and mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA1535. Within the experimental uncertainties, the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity curves were the same for the R and S enantiomers and for the racemic mixture. The 2-BMS isomers were cytotoxic and induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in CHO-K{sub 1}-BH{sub 4} cells. The cytotoxicity curve was similar to that observed with V79 and AS52 cells. The results can be interpreted two ways. The first interpretation is that 2-BMS reacts via a carbocation, and the second interpretation involves an S{sub N}2 reaction of 2-BMS with DNA. The latter interpretation suggests that the mechanisms of mutagenesis, cytotoxicity, or the induction of SCE cannot distinguish between small (four-carbon) optically active DNA adducts. The authors favor the second interpretation because of solvolysis experiments showing the complete inversion of configuration of optically active 2-octyl methanesulfonate. While they assume that optically active 2-BMS will react using the same mechanismmore » as chiral 2-OMS, they cannot exclude the possibility that 2-BMS reacts via a carbonation intermediate.« less
Flow Imaging and Standoff Detection by Dissociation of Air Molecules

This talk will discuss new diagnostics in air based on laser dissociation of oxygen and nitrogen. Three concepts will be highlighted: FLEET, backward lasing in air, and double pulse Radar REMPI trace detection of xenon. Article not available.
Use of Part Lactation Records in Sire Evaluation

Summary Estimates of sire and error components of variance of monthly records, and functions of monthly records and sire components of covariance between functions of monthly records and 10-mo. yield, obtained from the paternal half-sib analysis of monthly milk records of 1,526 Holstein cows sired by 145 sires used in artificial insemination, are used to determine the number of part records required to predict the breeding value of a sire for 10-mo. yield with an accuracy equal to prediction on the basis of a fixed number of 10-mo. records. The estimates of variance components are presented for monthly records, cumulative monthly records, linear functions of sequential monthly records, and cumulative and sequential functions of bimonthly and trimonthly records. The estimates of sire covariance components with 10-mo. yield also are given. The required number of part records of these functions to be as accurate in predicting the breeding value of a bull for 10-mo. milk yield as 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 150, and 200 10-mo. records are listed in tabular form. Corresponding numbers of fifth test-day records required for equal accuracy are 24, 35, 47, 58, 111, 160, and 205. Only slightly more 7- or 8-mo. records than 10-mo. records are needed for equal accuracy of prediction.
Shifts of the Subtropical Shelf Front controlled by atmospheric variations

In the western South Atlantic, off the coast of South America, a band of cold, fresh, nutrient-rich Sub-Antarctic Shelf Water (SASW) meets warm, salty, nutrient-poor Subtropical Shelf Water (STSW) to form the Subtropical Shelf Front (STSF). This front is the shallow-water expression of the major Brazil-Malvinas Confluence Zone and has moved northward and southward during the Holocene (the past ~12,000 years). Bender et al. reconstruct the latitudinal shifts of the STSF over the past 11,000 calendar-equivalent years using records of oxygen and carbon stable isotope compositions of benthic foraminifera and total organic carbon and calcium carbonate content from a sediment record collected off Uruguay. These measurements serve as proxies for ocean water temperature and nutrient content, which can be used to distinguish the SASW and STSW.
Microvortex for focusing, guiding and sorting of particles

We report a microvortex manipulator (MVM) that is a passive, scalable system with great potential for the manipulation and separation of particulate samples in microfluidic environments. The movement of particles is determined by a unique combination of helical flow, buoyant, and gravitational forces. Helical flows are induced by topographically patterned microchannel surfaces, which have previously been used for molecular mixing in microfluidic devices. We illustrate the mechanism of MVM and its applications in passive focusing of beads and cells into parallel streams and guiding of particles and cells. We also explore the application of the unique density-selectivity of microvortex focusing and successfully sort a mixture of two bead populations whose density difference is as small as 0.1 g cm−3.
Reoperation for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression

BACKGROUND Microvascular decompression (MVD) is an effective technique for those who have trigeminal neuralgia (TN) but cannot tolerate, or show no response to medicine. Though the initial success rate is high, some patients may develop severe recurrent neuralgia, especially after a longer period of follow-up. The efficacy of reoperation needs to be evaluated. To know the possible risk factors of recurrence after initial MVD is mandatory to the management of recurrent TN. METHODS Among the 80 cases of TN treated with MVD, five cases showed severe recurrent symptoms within a follow-up period from 9 months-4 years. The symptoms recurred on the same side of the face, and were unresponsive to medical treatment. Brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may reveal the etiology of recurrence. Repeat decompression of the trigeminal nerve was the main goal of reoperation, which was done via a suboccipital approach. RESULTS Over the past 17 years, 80 MVDs for TN have been performed at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. There were five cases of serious postoperative recurrence, which could not be relieved by medicine. Recurrence occurred 1 day-12 months after the initial surgery. Three cases were due to vascular compression, while two were caused by the local effect of Teflon felt. Reoperation produced complete remission in four patients, and partial remission in one. CONCLUSIONS An increasing number of patients may experience severe recurrent TN after initial MVD during a long period of follow-up. Reoperation is safe and beneficial for these patients, but the results are dependent on the etiology of the recurrence. Further vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve can be relieved by MVD. Otherwise, in cases of severe adhesion caused by Teflon, complete microneural lysis can achieve satisfactory results.
Intercalated disks of dog myocardium.

Abstract Phase contrast and histochemical studies were conducted on the intercalated disks of the dog myocardium. Cardiac fibers were dissociated into cellular regions or units by mechanical separation after treatment with various solutions which soften the intercellular cement. The most effective solutions were those made with 0.2 M tris-maleate buffer at pH 7.4. The isolated segments of the myocardial fibers were bound laterally by a smooth cell membrane which continues transversely into a membrane with numerous, minute, fingerlike projections. These fine processes, which, when interlocked with those of the neighboring segment, present the appearance of the classical intercalated disk. In living normal and pathological material, it was observed that the intercalated disk may form a partition between a segment of the fiber which survives and contracts vigorously and an adjoining portion which dies and fails to contract. The intercalated disks react positively for polysaccharides and for various reactive groups in proteins. In addition to mechanical separation of the fibers at the intercalated disks, the fact that sarcoplasmic glycogen, inorganic elements and proteins accumulate against the intercalated disks in fixation artifacts gives proof that they serve as cell boundaries. Moreover, in pathological material, sharp differences in histochemical reactions are obtained in segments of fibers separated by the intercalated disks. Although it was not proven that every segment of the myocardial fiber delimited by the intercalated disks always contains a nucleus, it was observed that in most instances this is so. The present studies have therefore shown that the myocardial fibers are usually divided into “cellular territories or cells” and they do not form a syncytium. These results support the evidence from electron microscopy.
Simulated moving bed chromatography designs for lanthanide and actinide separations using Reillex HPQ™ resin

Abstract In this work, we investigated simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography designs for purifying lanthanides (Ln) and actinides (An). SMB is a technique where chromatographic columns are arranged in a semi-closed-loop manner to separate feed into two product streams efficiently with minimal use of the eluent. Using neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm) as representative Ln elements and surrogates for minor actinides such as americium (Am) and curium (Cm), we investigated SMB designs with the Reillex HPQ™ resin. Using a chromatographic column packed with the resin, model parameters for the SMB design were obtained from the UV–VIS responses of pulse injections of the pure components. The mobile phase used was 0.5–3.0 M nitric acid. A mathematical model based optimization was used to theoretically predict the optimal purification rates for an equimolar mixture of the two components resulting in product purities of up to 99.5%.
Purification and characterization of a protease produced by Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens.

Abstract An extracellular protease produced by Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens has been purified 535 fold by standard purification procedures. The homogeneity of the enzyme preparation was...
NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE HOMOLOGY OF SOME ALGAL RIBOSOMAL RNAs1

Radioactively labeled ribosomal RNA from seven species of algae was purified and hybridized to purified DNA from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard (Chlorophyta). Delta Tm values for the heterologous RNA-DNA duplexes were obtained by thermal dissociation; values ranged from 3.9 to 10.9 C. Organisms traditionally considered to be less closely related to C. reinhardtii showed the greatest delta Tm values. Ulothrix fimbriata Bold and Klebsormidium flaccidum (Kutz.) S., M. & Bl., although similar morphologically, showed very different delta Tm values and would not appear to be closely related by these criteria.
Responding to the Bereaved: A Student Panel Discussion.

A panel discussion in which students describe their own bereavement experiences is discussed. The purpose of this activity is to sensitive class members to bereavement issues and to discuss interpersonal responses that can provide emotional support for grieving individuals. Audience members have responded positively to the activity, reporting that it provides valuable information and increases confidence in their ability to respond to the bereaved. Panelists respond favorably to the opportunity to share their experiences and to function in a teaching capacity. Finally, by encouraging appropriate self-disclosure in a cooperative learning environment, the activity also seems to enhance class morale.
Determinants of in-hospital mortality and length of stay for acute intestinal gangrene

Abstract Background Intestinal gangrene carries high operative mortality and morbidity rates. This study was undertaken to identify predictors of in-hospital death and length of stay. Methods Retrospective review of hospital data over a 6-year period identified 107 patients diagnosed with acute bowel gangrene. Results Among the baseline factors that had a significant univariable association with mortality (51%) were age (P = 0.04), symptom duration (P = 0.01), preoperative and postoperative pH and lactic acid (P ≤0.02), history of hypertension (P = 0.001), and renal failure (P = 0.008). Symptom duration and history of hypertension were independent risk factors for mortality. Longer length of stay was univariably associated with symptom duration (P = 0.006), systemic acidosis (P ≤0.005), vascular etiology (P = 0.04), amount of resected bowel (P = 0.001), and need for second-look procedures (P Conclusions The presence of multiple risk factors predictive of a high mortality rate may aid more realistic decision making for physicians, patients, and family members.
Exploring Epistemic Boundaries Between Scientific and Popular Cultures

Science studies have long been concerned with the complex interrelationship between scienti?c research and popular culture’s interpretations and reconstructions of scienti?c ?ndings (Kember 2003; Lancaster 2003; Penley 1997, among others). Disparities between the two are often presented as popular culture’s misinterpretation or misrepresentation of scienti?c facts; however, in this essay I argue that a more theoretically lucrative approach understands these con?icts as complex social and cultural negotiations over epistemological boundaries between scienti?c and popular cultures. Understanding such differences is tremendously important in mediated societies where scienti?c research is mostly understood through its representation in the popular culture. In this paper, I examine what is at stake in popular representations of scienti?c research and how the popular culture is often seen as threatening to the epistemic boundaries of scienti?c culture. Using the recent controversy over The Oprah Winfrey Show’ s presentation of controversial medical practices as a case study, this essay examines how distinctions between scienti?c and popular ways of knowing are constructed, represented and managed. I argue that scienti?c knowledge should be viewed as a complex and often con?icted cultural discursive practice that signi?es boundary negotiations between scienti?c and popular cultures.
Ultrastructure of cuticle formation in the nematodes Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Nematospiroides dubius.

The ultrastructure of cuticle formation was studied in the third molt of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis , a parasite of rats. For comparative purposes, early events in the formation of adult cuticle during the fourth molt of Nematospiroides dubius , a parasite of mice, were also examined. In the former, the third cuticle became separated from the hypodermis plasma membrane, and a filamentous coat was deposited on the external surface of the membrane. The surface coat increased in size and the hypodermis plasma membrane folded regularly to form plicae which circumscribed the worm. An inner layer was deposited between the hypodermis plasma membrane and the filamentous outer layer, which in turn differentiated into the triple-layered limiting membrane of the fourth cuticle. Corresponding events in formation of adult cuticle in N. dubius were similar to those seen in N. brasiliensis . These observations indicated that the cuticle, in both organisms, formed external to the hypodermis plasma membrane.
Making Ideas Work: Ralph Bedell and the NDEA Institutes.

Ralph Bedell, professor emeritus of educational and counseling psychology, was interviewed to gain insight info the influence of the National Defense Counseling and Guidance Institutes on the history of counseling and to learn about the man who was responsible for the NDEA program.
Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction with Diabetes Management Provided by Clinical Pharmacists in the Patient-Centered Medical Home

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model is a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to healthcare that focuses on actively involving the patient in clinical decision making. Multiple studies have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes from utilizing clinical pharmacists in the primary care setting, particularly in management of diabetes. No study has evaluated patient satisfaction with pharmacist in the PCMH model. Our objective was to evaluate patient satisfaction of care received in pharmacist-managed primary care clinics among patients with diabetes mellitus within the PCMH. This study was a single-center, cross-sectional analysis of patients who were seen by a clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS). The setting for this study was eight outpatient primary care clinics within a Veterans Affairs healthcare system where diabetes management services were provided by eight CPSs. A total of 1,468 patients with a hemoglobin A1c >7.0 % who were seen in clinic by a CPS at the primary care clinics between 1 October 2008 and 1 April 2012 were mailed the Modified Diabetes Disease State Management Questionnaire (DDSM-QM). The DDSM-QM was a 15-item questionnaire that assessed overall patient satisfaction with pharmacist care, as well as patient satisfaction within three major domains: ‘service,’ ‘self-management,’ and ‘knowledge’. A response rate of 42.7 % was attained, with 627 patients consenting to participate by completing and returning the self-administered questionnaire. The mean overall satisfaction score was 90.6 ± 10.6 % (mean ± standard deviation). Mean percentage scores within the ‘service,’ ‘knowledge,’ and ‘self-management’ domains were 92.0 ± 10.8, 89.7 ± 11.3, and 89.2 ± 12.0 %, respectively. Patients with diabetes seen by a CPS within the PCMH model were very satisfied with the care they received overall.
Role of faculty in promoting lifelong learning: Characterizing classroom environments

Calls for educational reform emphasize the need for student-centered learning approaches that foster lifelong learning. To be a lifelong learner includes characteristics consistent with those of self-directed learners, such as being curious, motivated, reflective, analytical, persistent, flexible, and independent. Educational research has shown that the building of these aptitudes involves a complex interplay among nearly every aspect of human development. Instructor support of students' self-directed learning (SDL) development relies on understanding and balancing these factors in the classroom. Engineering educators play a critical role in influencing outcomes related to SDL through their design of courses that support students' transitions from controlled to autonomous learning behaviors. This study will examine a variety of engineering courses and pedagogical approaches. Each will be characterized using instructor course information, videotaped classroom observations of instructor-student and student-student interactions, student and instructor responses to surveys, and focus groups. Finally, the students' capacity for SDL will be measured using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. This approach should provide for rich, contextualized descriptions of what instructors and learners do, how instructors and students relate to each other, and how students view their classrooms. This work-in-progress paper will describe our initial work in this multiyear study.
Internet assisted laboratories: design, educational use, and pedagogical evaluation

We discuss the design considerations of Internet Assisted Laboratories (Ilabs), their educational use for teachers and students in the classroom and for homework, and the results of several pedagogical evaluations at Stanford University of remote optics Ilabs we have used since 1998.
The effect of peroxynitrite on sphincter of Oddi motility.

Background. Nitric oxide (NO . ) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that induces sphincter of Oddi relaxation. Superoxide (O 2 .- )-scavenging enzymes are present in enteric plexuses of the sphincter of Oddi and O 2 .- alters sphincter of Oddi motor function. O 2 .- rapidly oxidizes nitric oxide (NO . ) to form peroxynitrite (ONOO - ), thus terminating the biological activity of NO . . The aim of our study was to determine the effects of ONOO - on sphincter of Oddi motility in vitro. Materials and methods. Adult opossums were sacrificed and the sphincter of Oddi was removed and placed in a tissue bath containing oxygenated Krebs solution at 37°C. In the first series of experiments, force transducers recorded tension in a transverse orientation at two sites along the spontaneously contracting sphincter of Oddi. In a second series of experiments, circular muscle strips were precontracted with carbachol and stimulated by an electrical field. Results. ONOO - , superoxide dismutase (SOD), N ω -nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), or oxyhemoglobin were added to the tissue baths. ONOO - decreased the frequency of contractions in the spontaneously contracting sphincter of Oddi. Adding hemoglobin increased the frequency of contractions. ONOO - also increased the stimulation-induced relaxation compared to controls. The increase in relaxation induced by ONOO - was inhibited by oxyhemoglobin and L-NNA but not SOD. Pretreatment with oxyhemoglobin prevented the increase in the stimulation-induced relaxation caused by ONOO - . Conclusion. These results suggest that hemoglobin binds ONOO - or that ONOO - generates NO.
Online Resources for Assessing the Quality and Safety of Dietary Supplements

Vol. 43, No. 4 July/August 2003 Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org) 543 ent labeling, and proper manufacturing practices. Products that pass will be awarded the program’s certification mark. Along with USP, other nonprofit groups, such as Consumer Labs (CL), the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), and NSF International, have established certification programs. A recent review of these initiatives is available at www.supplementquality.com/ testing/Quality_ seals.html. CL (www.consumerlabs. com) provides independent testing of health, wellness, and nutrition products and publishes the results online. To bear the CL Seal of Approval, a product must pass a voluntary certification program. While manufacturers must pay a fee to become certified, test samples are purchased independently from retailers, and blinded tests are conducted at academic or commercial laboratories selected for their analytic expertise. Both NNFA (www.nnfa. org/services/science/gmp.htm) and NSF International (www. nsf.org/dietary) have established GMP guidelines and standards for quality control and assurance, cleanliness, checking the identity and potency of ingredients, and testing of final products for potency, purity, and bioavailability. NNFA’s TrueLabel program is a dietary supplement label registration program required for all NNFA supplier members. Products must be registered in order to be displayed at the annual NNFA Marketplace trade show. Products are subject to random testing by independent laboratories, and companies whose products fail to comply with the association’s standards are excluded from membership. NNFA plans to publish lists of products that fail in its newsletters. Although NNFA’s GMP Certification Program is open only to NNFA members, any company can apply to have their products certified by NSF International. Both groups have similar standards, developed in collaboration with several other industry trade organizations. Lists of certified manufacturers, distributors, and products are available online at the organizations’ respective Web sites. The adoption and implementation of all these initiatives and programs would help ensure documented safety and efficacy, uniform testing standards, GMPs, and professional oversight for dietary supplements and herbal resources.
The use of microhardness to determine the strengthening and microstructural alterations of 14 MeV neutron irradiated metals

Abstract Microhardness has been found to be an effective post-irradiation analytical tool. The hardening of recrystallized copper and type 316 stainless steel irradiated up to 1 × 1018n/cm2, E = 14 MeV, at the Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS)-II has been studied. It was determined that for these metals the increase in hardness varies directly with the measured increase in the 0.2% offset yield strength. Furthermore, the coupled use of microhardness and transmission electron microscope techniques provides an estimate of the defect population which was not resolved by TEM. This estimate, in turn, was used to evaluate the magnitude of the proportionality constant used in the strong barrier model of radiation induced hardening.
Virtual Resonance and Frequency Difference Generation by van der Waals Interaction

The ability to explore the interior of materials for the presence of inhomogeneities was recently demonstrated by mode synthesizing atomic force microscopy [L. Tetard, A. Passian, and T. Thundat, Nature Nanotech. 5, 105 (2009).]. Proposing a semiempirical nonlinear force, we show that difference frequency !� generation, regarded as the simplest synthesized mode, occurs optimally when the force is tuned to van der Waals form. From a parametric study of the probe-sample excitation, we show that the predicted !� oscillation agrees well with experiments. We then introduce the concept of virtual resonance to show that probe oscillations at !� can efficiently be enhanced.
Fashion in Science: Does it Exist?

Although scientists generally consider fashion, which they define as the selection of problems on the basis of non-scientific criteria, as a form of deviance, it is not necessary to postulate deviant motives on the part of the scientist in order to interpret the phenomenon of fashion in science. The phenomenon of rapid acceptance of scientific information can be explained more satisfactorily as a process of exceptionally rapid growth in a scientific field. The conditions which produce an exceptional rate of growth are described. The theoretical development of the field and the relative number of scientists attracted to it determines whether a field exhibiting this type of growth will be labeled “fashionable.” Whether this label is deserved also depends on the theoretical development of the field.
Dual effect of sodium nitroprusside on potentials recorded from mouse hippocampal slices

Abstract The purpose of this research was to estimate the usefulness of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a donor of nitric oxide (NO) in the study of synaptic plasticity. The influence of SNP, K3Fe(CN)6 and K4Fe(CN)6 on the evoked potential recorded from mouse hippocampal slices was evaluated. When slices were exposed to 1 mM SNP for no longer than 15 min, a facilitation of the population spike was observed following perfusion. Longer, 60 min exposure of the slices to 1 mM SNP prevented this perfusion-induced amplification of the potential and blocked the induction of LTP by subsequently applied high frequency stimulation (HFS). SNP at lower concentrations (0.2 mM) had no effect. SNP (1 mM) suppressed the NMDA component of the population spike. Light inactivated, 1.0 mM SNP, when applied for 15 min, reduced the potential and subsequently induced LTP. However, longer exposure of the slices to the light inactivated 1 mM SNP made the potential unstable and blocked induction of LTP. K3Fe(CN)6 and K4Fe(CN)6, molecules structurally related to SNP but unable to generate NO, transiently amplified the population spike and its NMDA component. We suggest that SNP, which is often used as nitric donor, exerts a dual inhibitory and facilitatory action on hippocampal evoked potentials. The possible mechanisms of these actions are discussed.
Nursing theory: the comparison of four theoretical proposals

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to describe theory and its relationship to nursing knowledge and practice, and (2) to compare the theoretical proposals of Imogene King (1975), Dorothea Orem (1971), Martha Rogers (1970) and Sister Calista Roy (1970).
Mammals and their biomass on a Brazilian ranch

Sixty-four species of wild mammals were recorded in deciduous forest, cerrado, and other vegetation types at Acurizal, a ranch located in the Pantanal area of southwestern Brazil. The total biomass of these species was about 380 kg/km² of which tapir contributed 25%, deer 22%, peccaries 15%, capybara 12%, edentates 8.5%, primates 5%, and carnivores 4%. Livestock had a biomass of over 3750 kg/km², a figure 10 times greater than that of the native mammals. The low biomass of wild mammals can be attributed to habitat modification (periodic floods, conversion of forest to pasture, annual grass fires), hunting for meat and hides, disease, especially in capybara, and seasonal changes in the abundance of fruit, leaves and other food. An analysis of food habits revealed several trends in resource use: terrestrial mixed browsers and grazers - tapir and deer - contributed most to the biomass; primary grazers were absent, except for the semi-aquatic capybara; and arboreal folivores were rare, comprising only howler monkey and porcupine, with 3% of the total biomass. Nearly 2/3 of the non-volant species,including various carnivores, subsist at least data from the Pantanal are compared with partly on seeds and fruit, and many species also eat insects and other invertebrates. In the seasonal environment of Acurizal, most species either have a flexible diet or specialize on a predictable resource. Biomass data from the Pantanal are compared with those from other neotropical areas, especially with the ecologically similar 11anos of Venezuela.
Role of the basic sciences in the practice of cardiology.

The hallmark of the cardiologist is the skill with which he recognizes and treats all aspects of heart failure. However, no physician should undertake the treatment of heart failure without a thorough understanding of what is and what is not heart failure; the importance, in achieving an optimal therapeutic success, of identifying both the nature of the underlying heart disease and the factors immediately responsible for precipitating heart failure; the drugs and other measures effective in the management of heart failure and their integration into a sound rationale of therapy; and the harm that may be caused by therapy injudiciously or erroneously applied.
The effect of a tilted magnetic field on the equilibrium of a pure electron plasma

If the magnetic field in a pure electron plasma containment device is not aligned with the axis of the conducting walls, the electrons in the device will accumulate at the ends of the plasma where the magnetic field lines come closest to the walls and the electrons bound to the field lines can be closest to their image charges. If the plasma is also offset radially from the center (as with an l=1 diocotron mode), then more density will accumulate at one end than the other. As the plasma revolves around the center, the electrons will slosh from one end to the other, creating a measurable signal. This signal has been experimentally measured and its origin verified using a three‐dimensional equilibrium code. This signal can be used experimentally to align the magnetic field with the conducting walls.