cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation decreases new world alphavirus multiplication in infected cells

New World alphaviruses belonging to the family Togaviridae are classified as emerging infectious agents and Category B select agents. Our study is focused on the role of the host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the infectious process of New World alphaviruses. Infection of human cells by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) results in the activation of the ERK-signaling cascade. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by the small molecule inhibitor Ag-126 results in inhibition of viral multiplication. Ag-126-mediated inhibition of VEEV was due to potential effects on early and late stages of the infectious process. While expression of viral proteins was down-regulated in Ag-126 treated cells, we did not observe any influence of Ag-126 on the nuclear distribution of capsid. Finally, Ag-126 exerted a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on New World alphavirus multiplication, thus indicating that the host kinase, ERK, is a broad-spectrum candidate for development of novel therapeutics against New World alphaviruses.
Migrant farmworker children: Health status, barriers to care, and nursing innovations in health care delivery

Migrant farmworkers are one of the most health care-impoverished populations in the United States. Mobility, hazardous occupations, cultural diversity, and low socioeconomic status place migrants, and particularly migrant children, at high risk for inadequate health care and preventable health problems. This article presents a synthesis of the existing research on migrant demographics, major health risks, and geographic, financial, and cultural barriers to health care access. Innovative nursing strategies to enhance access and improve the health of migrant children are explored. These include the use of lay community outreach workers, the creation of alternative health care delivery models, and the development of information tracking systems.
Familial clustering of hepatocellular carcinoma in HBsAg-positive patients in the United States

Purpose The impact of familial clustering of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected persons in a low HBV endemic area was investigated.
Relative area and relative luminance combine to anchor surface lightness values

The anchoring of lightness perception was tested in simple visual fields composed of only two regions by placing observers inside opaque acrylic hemispheres. Both side-by-side and center/surround configurations were tested. The results, which undermine Gilchrist and Bonato’s (1995) recent claim that surrounds tend to appear white, indicate that anchoring involves both relative luminance and relative area. As long as the area of the darker region is equal to or smaller than the area of the lighter region, relative area plays no role in anchoring. Only relative luminance controls anchoring: The lighter region appears white, and the darker region is perceived relative to that value. When the area of the darker region becomes greater than that of the lighter region, relative area begins to playa role. As the darker region becomes larger and relative area shifts from the lighter region to the darker region, the appearance of the darker region moves toward white and the appearance of lighter region moves toward luminosity. This hitherto unrecognized rule is consistent with almost all of the many previous reports of area effects in lightness and brightness. This in turn suggests that a wide range of earlier work on area effects in brightness induction, lightness contrast, lightness assimilation, and luminosity perception can be understood in terms of a few simple rules of anchoring.
Cutting frozen sections on a paraffin microtome.

Into a hole drilled in a block of dry ice, a metal microtome object disk is placed to cool. A drop of water is placed on the disk, and the specimen to be cut is fixed in place. By setting the dry ice in a well-insulated box, the specimen is thoroughly frozen. The disk is then clamped in the microtome, and chips of dry ice are wedged between the metal disk and the object clamp of the microtome. This ensures the continued cooling of the specimen while the tissue is being cut.
A molecular analysis of prokaryotic and viral DNA sequences in prostate tissue from patients with prostate cancer indicates the presence of multiple and diverse microorganisms.

BACKGROUND Inflammation, both acute and chronic, is a common feature of prostate histology. While inflammation has been proposed to play an important role in both benign and malignant growth of the prostate, the stimuli for this inflammation remain poorly characterized. Infectious pathogens are potential stimuli for prostatic inflammation. METHODS Universal eubacterial PCR was used to test 170 prostate tissue core samples from 30 cancer patients for 16S rDNA gene sequences. Positive PCR products (n = 64, 37%) were cloned and sequenced. For comparison, tissue samples from 30 patients were cultured using standard clinical microbiological techniques. DNA samples from 200 additional patients were tested by organism-specific PCR for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Propionibacterium acnes, Trichomonas vaginalis, BK virus, Epstein–Barr virus, human cytomegalovirus, human papillomavirus, and xenotropic murine leukemia-related virus. RESULTS 16S sequencing results indicated the presence of 83 distinct microorganisms. Microbiological culture isolated markedly fewer species. In general, organism-specific PCR failed to detect multiple organisms previously reported as common in the prostate. There was no significant association between the presence of particular species of bacteria and histologic evidence of acute or chronic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Most prostates from men undergoing prostatectomy (87%) contain bacterial DNA from one or more species. However, the majority of individual tissue core samples were negative, suggesting regional heterogeneity in the presence of bacteria and a lack of a generalized or ubiquitous prostatic flora. Culture results suggest either the “unculturable” nature of species present in the prostate or that 16S rDNA sequences were derived from non-viable bacteria. Prostate 68: 306–320, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Speciation & the origin of communities

Patterns of biodiversity predicted by the neutral theory rely on a simple phenomenological model of speciation. To further investigate the effect of speciation on neutral biodiversity, we define the metacommunity as a system of populations exchanging migrants and use this framework to study allopatric & parapatric speciation. We find that with realistic mutation rates, our metacommunity model driven by neutral processes cannot support more than a few species. Adding natural selection in the population genetics of speciation increases the number of species in the metacommunity but the level of diversity found in Barro Colorado Island is difficult to reach.
An erosion model for abrasive waterjet milling of polycrystalline ceramics

Abstract A modeling study was conducted on the abrasive waterjet milling (AWJM) of polycrystalline ceramics. The optimum jet incidence angle was determined from experiments. A conclusion from previous studies, which indicated intergranular cracking to be the dominant erosion mechanism, was applied. A hypothesis that links the intergranular cracking to impact-induced stress waves was used. An existing expression for the input stress wave energy was adopted in a crack network model to evaluate material removal. A new material constant “AWJM Erosion Resistance” was defined. The derived erosion model is verified with single-pass AWJM experiments.
Requirement of ets-2 Expression for Xenopus Oocyte Maturation

A molecular clone of the Xenopus laevis ets-2 gene was isolated from an oocyte complementary DNA library. The amount of messenger RNA (mRNA) in each oocyte or embryo was almost constant during oogenesis and was maintained until the blastula stage of embryonic development, indicating that the observed 3.2-kilobase transcript is a maternal message. The only normal adult tissue in which ets-2 mRNA was detected was the ovary. Injection of antisense oligonucleotides homologous to the ets-2 sequence into oocytes led to degradation of the mRNA and blocked hormone-induced germinal vesicle breakdown. The ets-2 product is thus required for the meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes.
Maintenance of episomal SV40 genomes in GM637 human fibroblasts.

Episomal SV40 (SV40: simian virus 40, Polyomavirus maccacae) has been reported in SV40-transformed human fibroblast cell lines the integrated SV40 sequences of which are unlikely to give rise to episomal copies by recombinational mechanisms. The levels of episomal viral DNA in these lines are high, being easily visualized by ethidium staining of agarose gels after electrophoresis. We find that the episomal mutant gmSV40 in GM637 cells represents a persistent lytic infection that can be cured by treatment with neutralizing antibody, leaving only the chromosomally integrated viral genomes. The finding that maintenance of the gmSV40 in GM637 cells is due to persistent infection raises a note of caution for SV40-transformed lines with episomal SV40 genomes because these lines often are used in studies of DNA replication and repair. An infective center assay that does not depend on plaque formation shows that gmSV40 is a host range mutant, with poor infectivity for CV-1 monkey kidney cells and greatly increased infectivity for human cells. Passage of gmSV40 through monkey kidney cells selects for variants with greatly increased infectivity for monkey cells and, independently, for cytopathic variants that produce plaques. Thus plaque assays can give very unreliable infective center values in studies of host range mutants.
Anandamide stimulates phospholipase D activity in PC12 cells but not in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.

The endogenous cannabinoid arachidonoylethanolamide was previously reported to have no effects on the phospholipase D activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the human brain-specific cannabinoid receptor, while in mouse peritoneal cells, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol stimulated this enzyme. In this work, arachidonoylethanolamide (0.1–1 μM) was found to stimulate the phospholipase D-mediated phospholipid hydrolysis in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, but not in mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. The phospholipase D-activating effects of arachidonoylethanolamide were comparable to those elicited by phorbol ester and nerve growth factor, while arachidonic acid (1 μM) had no effects. The results show that, depending on the cell type, arachidonoylethanolamide can be an activator of the phospholipase D system.
Communicating Charisma in Instructional Settings: Indicators and Effects of Charismatic Teaching

Within their classrooms, instructors may engage in a variety of behaviors including those perceived to be charismatic. Though researchers have uncovered instructor behaviors that have been postulated to theoretically represent charisma in the classroom, to date no quantitative data have been presented to support these claims. The current study examined 237 students’ perceptions of their instructors and confirmed that teachers may communicate charisma through nonverbal immediacy, humor, caring, and confirmation. Results are discussed as they pertain to charismatic teaching's influence on students’ intrinsic motivation and students’ perceptions of their learning.
Carbon monoxide levels in microenvironment types of four U.S. cities

Abstract Portable monitors were used to measure time-averaged personal exposure (10–30 min) to carbon monoxide. Data were collected from January through March 1981 in four cities where ambient carbon monoxide levels have been reported in excess of National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Stamford, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Denver, CO. In each city, personal exposure were measured in three common microenvironment types (indoor, commuting, and residential driving) near fixed stations monitoring ambient levels of carbon monoxide. Measurements recorded at urban-residential fixed monitoring stations (excluding one station in Stamford) underrepresented the time-weighted mean of commuting and residential driving exposures by factors of 0.4 to 0.7. The highest mean commuting and residential driving exposures were found in Los Angeles (16.1 and 7.6 μL/L, respectively). Fixed monitoring stations in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and one station in Stamford overrepresented the time-weighted mean of indoor exposures by factors of 1.1 to 1.3. However, in Denver and another station in Stamford, urban stations underrepresented the mean of indoor exposures by factors of 0.4 to 0.8. The highest mean indoor exposure, 5.9 μL/L, was in Denver. In all four cities, regressing personal exposures on concurrent fixed-site concentrations for all recorded values and for values recorded during 8-h NAAQS exceedance time periods revealed no conclusive linear relationships.
A computer science freshman orientation course

This paper describes an orientation course for beginning computer science majors. The course is different from the CS 1 or computer literacy courses, but similar in intent and content to orientation courses in engineering, business, and other fields. Its purpose is to give students an overview of computer science and an idea of what computer professionals do so that students can make an informed career decision. Other emphases for the course are practice in problem solving, experience working in groups, teaching basic technical (non-programming) skills, social and ethical issues, and making students aware of the resources and opportunities available to them such as internship programs. Influences and constraints on the design of the course and suggested changes the next time the course is taught are also described.
Text Comparison Using Machine-Generated Nuggets

This paper describes a novel text comparison environment that facilities text comparison administered through assessing and aggregating information nuggets automatically created and extracted from the texts in question. Our goal in designing such a tool is to enable and improve automatic nugget creation and present its application for evaluations of various natural language processing tasks. During our demonstration at HLT, new users will able to experience first hand text analysis can be fun, enjoyable, and interesting using system-created nuggets.
Temperature and chemical shocks induce chilling tolerance in germinating Cucumis sativus (cv. Poinsett 76) seeds

Roots of 24-h-old germinated cucumber (Cucumis sativus cv. Poinsett 76) seeds were subjected to thermal and chemical stresses, equilibrated at 25°C for 2 h and chilled at 2.5°C for 96 h. The germinated seeds were then held at 25°C for 72 h after they were chilled and the elongation of the primary root was used as a measure of chilling tolerance. Control roots elongated from an initial length of 0.2 cm to a final length of 6.3 cm at the end of 72 h. while chilled roots elongated to a final length of only 0.4 to 0.6 cm. Exposure to 0.4 M ethanol for 4 h or to 40°C for 1 h induced substantial chilling tolerance and the roots had a final length of 4.1 and 3.1 cm. respectively. Exposure to 7.5°C for 3 h conferred less chilling tolerance (elongation to 1.4 cm). while exposure to other chemicals (i.e. aqueous solutions of Ca(NO3)2, mannitol. methanol and NaCl) produced less, though still significant increases in chilling tolerance. A more severe chilling treatment of 144 h at 2.5°C was required to consistently induce elevated rates of ion leakage. Only the heat and the ethanol shock treatments significantly reduced chilling-induced ion leakage. Inclusion of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide negated the protective effects of these shock treatments. It appears that de novo protein synthesis is required for induction of chilling tolerance by a variety of chemical and thermal shock treatments.
Minimal models and agroecological policy at the regional scale: An application to salinity problems in southeastern Australia

A “minimal” dynamical systems model that couples agricultural activity, native vegetation, and hydrological processes is developed to explore policy options regarding regional-scale soil and water salinization in southeastern Australia. The analysis suggests that although considerable revegetation is required to restore catchment water balance, the current value of water in uses other than agriculture is too low for revegetation to be economically viable. In contrast, groundwater pumping generates significant short-term gains by preventing soil salinization but is not a viable long-term solution. Thus, effective salinity management policy must include mechanisms to increase the value of water in uses other than irrigated agriculture to achieve sufficient long-term revegetation. These results are robust over a wide range of parameter values and thus provide a basis for policy action in the face of uncertainty about groundwater flow characteristics.
Profitability in traditional and emerging lines of black business enterprise

Abstract The literature on Black entrepreneurship identifies two major obstacles to progressive operation of Black-owned businesses: (1) lack of capital and contact with financial institutions and (2) lack of managerial skills and attitudes among Blacks. These explanations are essentially hypotheses and the present study attempts to measure empirically the relative significance of financial capital inputs and human capital inputs as determinants of business profitability. Results of the estimation exercise provide an empirical basis for examining a number of hypotheses concerning historical patterns of Black business development and future developmental prospects of Black entrepreneurship.
Fluid Flow in Coiled Tubing: A Literature Review and Experimental Investigation

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the theoretical and experimental studies of steady, fully-developed flow of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in coiled tubing. The flow mechanisms and characteristics of secondary flow and its effect on the flow resistance have been discussed. Available friction factor correlations have been analyzed and evaluated for accuracy and applicability. Compared with its counterpart of Newtonian fluid, the flow of non-Newtonian fluid in coiled pipes has remained much less studied. The paper also briefly describes the recent development of full-scale experimental investigations on the frictional pressure losses of various fluids in coiled tubing.
Ultrastructural characterization of substance P-like immunoreactive neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in relation to neurons containing catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes.

Substance P (SP) and catecholamines, particularly adrenaline, have been implicated in cardiovascular responses mediated by neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL). Immunoperoxidase labeling of an antiserum against SP and/or immunoautoradiographic localization of catecholamine (tyrosine hydroxylase—TH)- or adrenaline (phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase—PNMT)-synthesizing enzymes were examined histologically to determine the cellular basis for a functional interaction involving either synaptic or intracellular relations between these putative transmitters in the adult rat RVL. Peroxidase labeling for SP was localized in perikarya, dendrites, and axon terminals. Most of these perikarya were located medial and ventral to those labeled with TH or PNMT within the same section. However, as others have previously demonstrated by light microscopy, colocalization of SP-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) and PNMT was seen in a few perikarya of colchicine treated animals. Both single- and dual-labeled perikarya contained abundant dense core vesicles. The terminals with SPLI were 0.4–1.4 μm in diameter and contained a few mitochondria, a large population of small, clear vesicles, and from three to 11 large dense core vesicles. In some cases the terminals were seen in continuity with more proximal processes of neurons in the RVL. These terminals formed synapses with a few perikarya and many dendrites, some of which also contained SPLI. In the material dually labeled for TH and SP, terminals with SPLI (n = 32) formed synaptic junctions primarily with TH-labeled dendrites (69%); the remainder were with TH-labeledperikarya (6%) or with unlabeled dendrites (25%). The axosomatic junctions were exclusively symmetric, whereas the majority of axodendritic junctions were primarily asymmetric on small dendrites (0.8–1.0 μm in diameter) or dendritic spines. In sections dually labeled for PNMT and SP, the terminals containing SPLI (n = 37) formed synaptic associations with PNMT-labeled perikarya (11%), PNMT-immunoreactive dendrites (59%), or with perikarya and dendrites lacking PNMT immunoreactivity (30%). The axosomatic junctions were all symmetric and most often associated with the spinous portion of the soma. The axodendritic junctions were primarily asymmetric and were found both on the shaft and spinous portion of the PNMT-labeled dendrites. In addition, both TH- and PNMT-labeled somata and dendrites received symmetric and asymmetric contacts from terminals lacking SPLI. These findings provide ultrastructural evidence that in the rat RVL, SP or a closely related neurokinin located in intrinsic neurons or other afferents provides a major direct input to adrenergic neurons. Additionally, the peptide may modulate the activity of adrenergic neurons through synapses with neurons containing SP or other transmitters or through intracellular interactions.
Metastatic orbital tumors

Ocular metastases can simulate primary orbital tumors, thyroid orbitopathy, or idiopathic orbital inflammation. We retrospectively reviewed the data on 16 patients referred with orbital proptosis which was later determined to be secondary to metastatic disease. Computed tomography appears to be the most useful ancillary test but occasionally the CT pattern is non-diagnostic. CT directed fine needle biopsy is useful in the evaluation of these patients; however, in serous carcinomas false negatives occur. Patients with orbital metastases have mean survival of nine months. Palliation with radiation and chemotherapy is effective in many cases.
A method for computing ion energy distributions for multifrequency capacitive discharges

The ion energy distribution (IED) at a surface is an important parameter for processing in multiple radio frequency driven capacitive discharges. An analytical model is developed for the IED in a low pressure discharge based on a linear transfer function that relates the time-varying sheath voltage to the time-varying ion energy response at the surface. This model is in good agreement with particle-in-cell simulations over a wide range of single, dual, and triple frequency driven capacitive discharge excitations.
Normal intrauterine pregnancy is unlikely in patients who have echogenic material identified within the endometrial cavity at transvaginal ultrasonography.

UNLABELLED In first-trimester patients with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, pelvic ultrasonography (US) is often performed to assess the status of the pregnancy. Identification of echogenic material within the endometrial cavity in the absence of a gestational sac has been attributed to the presence of either retained products of conception or clotted blood. However, to the authors' knowledge, no study has directly addressed whether this finding reliably excludes the diagnosis of a normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP). OBJECTIVE To determine whether the identification of echogenic material within the endometrial cavity at transvaginal US excludes the diagnosis of a normal IUP. METHODS Data were collected retrospectively from August 1991 to August 1997 on consecutive urban teaching hospital ED patients with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding who had a transvaginal US performed during the ED visit that demonstrated echogenic material within the endometrial cavity. Patients were excluded if they had a dilatation and evacuation (D + E) procedure performed prior to the exclusion of a normal IUP by other means [open cervical os, falling quantitative beta--human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) values, a progesterone value 3,000 mIU/mL] or if they were lost to follow-up. Patients were followed until a final diagnosis was ultimately determined. RESULTS A total of 83 patients with echogenic material were identified. Of these, three patients were excluded because a D + E was performed prior to an IUP being excluded by other means, and two patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 78 enrolled patients, none had a final diagnosis of normal IUP. Ectopic pregnancy was confirmed in nine patients, five of whom had no adnexal or cul de sac findings to suggest this diagnosis. CONCLUSION In symptomatic patients who have echogenic material but no gestational sac visualized within the endometrial cavity at US, the likelihood of a normal IUP is low.
Removal of extracellular calcium after conditioning stimulation disrupts long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices

During a conditioning stimulus, the influx of Ca2+ into neurons appears to be crucial for the induction of long-term potentiation at CA1 hippocampal synapses. We report here that extracellular Ca2+ is also required for full production of long-term potentiation during a critical period following the conditioning stimulus. In control slices, removal of extracellular Ca2+ (0 mM Ca2+/10 mM Mg2+) for 15 min eliminated synaptic transmission. Following reintroduction of normal extracellular solution, synaptic responses recovered fully within 15 min. However, removal of extracellular Ca2+ 15-30 min after theta burst stimulation significantly decreased the magnitude of long-term potentiation. A time window seems to exist for this effect, since either earlier or later Ca2+ removal was less effective. The effect of the 0 mM Ca2+/10 mM Mg2+ solution was observed in the absence of afferent stimulation, suggesting that evoked synaptic activity is not required. Perfusion with an extracellular solution containing Cd2+ (40 microM), a broad spectrum inhibitor of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, or a low concentration (50 microM) of Ni2+, which preferentially blocks T-type, low-voltage-activated Ca2+ channels, also caused a significant decrease in potentiation, whereas an inhibitor of L-type, high voltage-activated Ca2+ channel, nifedipine (20 microM), had no effect. These results suggest that the presence of extracellular Ca2+ during a specific period after high-frequency synaptic activity is necessary for the maintenance of long-term potentiation, and that voltage-gated Ca2+ channels play a role in the stabilization of synaptic plasticity.
A sense of movement elicited in paralyzed distal arm by focal magnetic coil stimulation of human motor cortex.

Abstract Two magnetic coils (MCs) of special design (Cadwell Laboratories) were used to elicit movements predominantly of one or a few digits by percutaneous stimulation of human motor cortex. When cortically elicited movements were ischemically blocked, the MC still elicited discrete sense of digit movement; a sense of movement map was constructed by stimulating at different scalp sites. Our findings support the existence of corollary discharge.
Post-deposition heat treatments for ion beam sputter deposited calcium phosphate coatings

Abstract Calcium phosphate coatings produced using the ion beam sputter deposition process are amorphous. To produce crystalline coatings, a series of different post-deposition heat treatments were conducted. Heat treatments conducted at temperatures less than 500 C did not produce crystalline phases in the coatings. A 500°C post-deposition heat treatment provided the energy required to produce a hydroxyapatite (HA)-type coating as determined using X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR). Although post-deposition heat treatments can reduce the adhesion of a coating to its substrate, the 500°C heat treatment did not decrease the coating bond strength. Heat treatments conducted at 600°C were found to produce crystalline HA-type coatings but these heat treatments significantly reduced the coating bond strength. Cracks were observed on the surface of the 600 C heat treated coatings. FTIR analysis revealed a new absorption band at 820cm −1 for the 600 C heat treated coatings, suggesting the formation of a new phase.
Optimal performance of constrained control systems

This paper presents a method to compute optimal open-loop trajectories for systems subject to state and control inequality constraints in which the cost function is quadratic and the state dynamics are linear. For the case in which inequality constraints are decentralized with respect to the controls, optimal Lagrange multipliers enforcing the inequality constraints may be found at any time through Pontryagin’s minimum principle. In so doing, the set of differential algebraic Euler–Lagrange equations is transformed into a nonlinear two-point boundary-value problem for states and costates whose solution meets the necessary conditions for optimality. The optimal performance of inequality constrained control systems is calculable, allowing for comparison to previous, sub-optimal solutions. The method is applied to the control of damping forces in a vibration isolation system subjected to constraints imposed by the physical implementation of a particular controllable damper. An outcome of this study is the best performance achievable given a particular objective, isolation system, and semi-active damper constraints.
Quantitative microbiology of pressure sores in different stages of healing

The quantitative microbiology of 25 pressure sores in different stages of healing was examined in 25 patients with spinal cord injury. When grossly necrotic tissue was present (stage 1), 5.8 isolates per patient with a density of 6.4 log10/g was recovered, with comparable findings for aerobes and anaerobes. In the absence of necrotic tissue but with the presence of undermining (stage 2), 1.5 aerobic and 0.2 anaerobic isolates were recovered per patient with a mean density of 2.7 and 0.1 log10/g of tissue for aerobic and anaerobic isolates, respectively. The lesions were almost sterile in patients with no necrotic tissue and no undermining (stage 3). Foul smell was always associated with the presence of anaerobes in deep tissue cultures, however, six patients with nonfoul-smelling lesions yielded anaerobes. A 75% quantitative concordance was seen between swab and biopsy culture results. The quantitative concordance between peripheral and central biopsy culture results was 63%, showing variability in results from different sampling areas. No relationship was observed between the density of microorganisms and the eventual outcome of the myocutaneous flap procedure.
Withdrawal-like symptoms in young and adult rats maternally exposed to methadone.

Abstract Rats of 30, 45, 60 and 120 days of age, maternally exposed to methadone (5 mg/kg daily) during gestation and /or lactation, were evaluated on a variety of behavioral and physiological parameters related to drug withdrawal. Animals were tested before and after an acute injection of naloxone (10 mg/kg). Prior to maloxone injection, methadone-exposed rats were subnormal in body temperature at 30 days of age, hypoalgesic at 45 days, and weighed less than controls at 60 days. Additionally, and in contrast to control rats, methadone-exposed animals at most ages displayed head shake and wet-dog shake behaviors. After naloxone administration, methadone-exposed rats exhibited an increase in the mean number of head and wet-dog shakes over pre-injection levels. Although control rats injected with naloxone also demonstrated head shakes (at all ages) and wet-dog shakes (at 45 days), these behaviors were usually not of the magnitude as noted for methadone-exposed offspring receiving naloxone. Perturbations in body weight and hypothermia during development, along with head shake and wet-dog shake behaviors which were exacerbated following naloxone administration, suggest a protracted state of physical dependence/withdrawal and/or permanent damage as a result of perinatal exposure to methadone.
Atomistic Simulations of End-Linked Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Networks: Structure and Relaxation

The structure and elastic moduli of end-cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) networks are studied using molecular dynamics (MD). The systems consist of 2000 PDMS chains of length 20 monomers and 1000 chains of length 40 monomers with varying amounts of cross-linker molecules. The networks are formed dynamically within the MD simulations. Starting from an equilibrated melt, tetrakis(dimethylsiloxy)silane cross-linkers are attached randomly to a fraction of the chain ends. When a free end comes within a short capture distance from an unsaturated cross-linker, a bond is formed between the chain and the cross-linker. The kinetics of the cross-linking process are studied as a function of the stoichiometry of the number of cross-linkers and are found to agree with earlier predictions. Stress relaxation simulations are performed on the fully formed networks by straining each system at four different rates and recording the tensile stress during the relaxation period. Results for the elastic moduli of the n...
Rate Constants for Slow Conformational Transitions and Their Sampling Errors Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to estimate the rate constants for slow transitions between two states characterized by different lifetimes of a fluorescent probe. The fluorescence decay for this system is a biexponential, the coefficients of each exponential being the fraction of time spent by the system in each of the states. This paper explains how to estimate the rate constants for the transitions and derives the sampling error for the estimates on the assumption that the data are gathered on M molecules, each monitored for a time T. Results of the analysis indicate that the dominant factor in determining the precision of the rate constant is M and that the role of T is less significant.
Intravenous acth and oral cortisone in the treatment of bronchial asthma

N THE past two years many investigators have shown that ACTH and corti- sone will relieve the symptoms of the majority of patients with bronchial asthma within 48 to 72 hours. However, this relief is only temporary; with cessation of therapy, symptoms usually recur within 4 to 6 weeks, occasionally within 24 hours and more rarely will recur as late as two hundred and eighty days after therapy. In view of the temporary nature of this remission (which is achieved at considerable expense), we have attempted to determine whether intravenous ACTH would be more effective, less costly, and provide a greater period of freedom than ACTH by the previously used routes. Recently, Renold and associates,* and others29 3 reported that ACTH given intravenously by means of a slow, prolonged infusion was very effective in much smaller dosages than those employed by the intramuscular route. The purpose of this paper is to present our observations on the use of intravenous ACTH therapy in sereve intractable asthma or status asthmaticus, and also on the use of oral cortisone therapy for the maintenance of remission following such treatment.
Vortex wakes of rotorcraft

This paper presents an overview of the complex unsteady vortical flows that comprise the wakes of rotary-wing aircraft; of the effects these tangled vortical structures have on the performance, noise, and vibration; and of some of the recent attempts to measure, predict, and control the phenomena. The main points are illustrated with a number of examples from the recent literature and technical conferences.
Status of Double Chooz

The Double Chooz experiment will be the next reactor based neutrino oscillation measurement. The collaboration has made significant progress toward the initiation of the experimental construction. Here, we present details of the design, testing and development that have been ongoing, as well as the expected schedule for construction and installation of the experiment. We are currently on our target path to begin data taking in 2008.
Gas plume species identification in airborne LWIR imagery using constrained stepwise regression analyses

Identification of constituent gases in effluent plumes is performed using linear least-squares regression techniques. Airborne thermal hyperspectral imagery is used for this study. Synthetic imagery is employed as the test-case for algorithm development. Synthetic images are generated by the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) Model. The use of synthetic data provides a direct measure of the success of the algorithm through the comparison with truth map outputs. In image test-cases, plumes emanating from factory stacks will have been identified using a separate detection algorithm. The gas identification algorithm being developed in this work is performed only on pixels having been determined to contain the plume. Constrained stepwise linear regression is used in this study. Results indicate that the ability of the algorithm to correctly identify plume gases is directly related to the concentration of the gas. Previous concerns that the algorithm is hindered by spectral overlap were eliminated through the use of constraints on the regression.
Critical frames in educational research: Feminist and post‐structural perspectives

(1992). Critical frames in educational research: Feminist and post‐structural perspectives. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 31, Qualitative Issues in Educational Research, pp. 87-99.
Partitioning Hardware and Software for Reconfigurable Supercomputing Applications: A Case Study

Often reconfigurable systems are reported to have 10× to 100× speedup over that of a software system. However, the reconfigurable hardware must usually be combined with software to form an entire system. This system integration presents a hardware/software co-design problem with many system engineering issues. Here, we present traffic acceleration on the Cray XD1 supercomputer and describe the costs involved in different hardware/software trade-offs.
HIV Treatment Scale-up in Africa: The Impact of Drug Resistance

The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to individuals infected with HIV in many African countries has greatly increased since 2004, as result of coordinated efforts of funding agencies and individual governments in rolling out HIV care and treatment. As the numbers of individuals receiving ART rises, the long-term clinical outcomes of ART among patients on treatment, needs to be further understood. In many resource-limited countries, the data on patterns of HIV resistance to antiretroviral drugs and the effect of HIV subtype diversity on resistance remains limited. Patients’ social economic situations and deficiencies in health systems could promote non-adherence that facilitates the development of drug resistance. Here we explore available data on HIV-1 resistance to ART in Africa, in relation to the drug regimens used, HIV-1 subtype diversity and its implication on drug resistance. We specifically examine reported HIV resistance associated with treatment, transmitted resistance, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs. Finally, we identify specific measures both in terms of research and public health efforts to contain and prevent drug resistance development in patients on treatment.
Author Reply: Vitacco, Erickson, and Lishner: Holding Psychopaths Morally and Criminally Culpable:

Psychopathy is characterized by pronounced emotional deficits, yet individuals with psychopathic traits generally understand the law and the likely punishments for violating it. Vitacco, Erickson, and Lishner (2013) suggest that because of this appreciation, there is no question that psychopaths are criminally responsible. We make the modest argument that increasing psychological and neurological evidence calls into question whether conventional assumptions about an offender’s culpable states of mind hold true for psychopaths. It is likely, we suggest, that a wide range of deficits found in psychopaths impair their ability to calculate risks of harm and utilize information about the consequences of their behavior.
Gender differences in sleep disorders.

Purpose of reviewTo evaluate recent evidence regarding gender differences in sleep.Recent findingsWomen have better sleep quality compared with men, with longer sleep times, shorter sleep-onset latency and higher sleep efficiency. Despite this, women have more sleep-related complaints than men. The
Oxytocin analogs with substitutions in postions 3 and 4.

Synthesis and biological properties are reported for some analogs of oxytocin with replacements of the isoleucine residue in position 3, i.e., (3-proline)oxytocin and(3-D-alanine)oxytocin, and the glutamine residue in position 4, i.e., (4-D-alanine)-oxytocin and (4-D-leucin)oxytocin. (3-Proline)oxytocin exhibited smaller than0.02 U/MG oxytocic activity, 0.005 plus or minus smaller than 0.001 U/mg rat pressor activity and 0.003 plus or minus 0.0001 U/mg antidiuretic activity. (3-D-Alanine)oxytocin had no agonistic activity in the bioassays tested except for the rat antidiuretic assay (smaller than 0.0005 U/mg). The 4-D-alanine analog showed 0.05 plus or minus 0.003 U/mg oxytocic activity, 0.07 plus or minus 0.01 U/mg avian vasodepressor activity, and smaller than 0.001 U/mg rat antidiuretic activity. (4-D-Leucine)oxytocin possessed 0.001 plus or minus U/mg rat pressor activity, and showed slight inhibitory properties in the oxytocic and avian vasodepressor assays, inhibiting the oxytocin response in the latter assay by about 60% at a girnibe-to-analog ratio of 1:5000. The activity profiles of the analogs are compared to that of oxytocin and are discussed on the basis of the proposed solution conformation of oxytocin.
Examination of Adult Primary Human Kidney Cell Cultures for Adventitious Viral Agents

SummaryTwelve primary adult human kidney cell cultures were examined by several techniques for the presence of adventitious viral agents. Although no definite cytopathic effects were observed in 11 of the cell cultures, 7 of these exhibited suspicious fluorescent foci after staining by the indirect fluorescent-antibody technique 4 to 7 weeks after initiation of the cultures. Electron microscopy (EM) studies, utilizing negative staining and thin sections, were done on several of the cell cultures, but no virus particles were observed. Passage attempts in primary and continuous cell cultures did not reveal the presence of transmissible viral agents in any of the 11 cell cultures. One cell culture, obtained from a 58-year-old male who died shortly after a myocardial infarction, showed cytopathic changes 28 days after initiation. EM examination of the cell pellet showed typical adenovirus particles which were identified as a type 2 adenovirus. In contrast to observations with subhuman primate tissues, latent ...
Principles of MAP Kinase Signaling Specificity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

▪ Abstract Cells respond to a plethora of signals using a limited set of intracellular signal transduction components. Surprisingly, pathways that transduce distinct signals can share protein components, yet avoid erroneous cross-talk. A highly tractable model system in which to study this paradox is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which harbors three mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction cascades that share multiple signaling components. In this review we first describe potential mechanisms by which specificity could be achieved by signaling pathways that share components. Second, we summarize key features and components of the yeast MAPK pathways that control the mating pheromone response, filamentous growth, and the response to high osmolarity. Finally, we review biochemical analyses in yeast of mutations that cause cross-talk between these three MAPK pathways and their implications for the mechanistic bases for signaling specificity. Although much remains to be learned, curre...
Granular support vector machines for medical binary classification problems

We propose a new learning model called granular support vector machines for data classification problems. Granular support vector machines systematically and formally combines the principles from statistical learning theory and granular computing theory. It works by building a sequence of information granules and then building a support vector machine in each information granule. In this paper, we also give a simple but efficient implementation method for modeling a granular support vector machine by building just two information granules in the top-down way (that is, halving the whole feature space). The hyperplane used to halve the feature space is selected by extending statistical margin maximization principle. The experiment results on three medical binary classification problems show that finding the splitting hyperplane is not a trivial task. For some datasets and some kernel functions, granular support vector machines with two information granules could achieve some improvement on testing accuracy, but for some other datasets, building one single support vector machine in the whole feature space gets a little better performance. How to get the optimal information granules is still an open problem. The important issue is that granular support vector machines proposed in This work provides an interesting new mechanism to address complex classification problems, which are common in medical or biological information processing applications.
Asymptotic stability of two-dimensional digital filters under quantization

The stability of 2-D digital filters implemented with two's complement quantization is investigated. The difference equation model is considered for the following cases: (i) quantization after each product and (ii) quantization after a complete sum of products. For both cases, sufficient conditions are established for asymptotic stability. The 2-D state-space Roesser's (1975) model is also considered under two's complement quantization, and a sufficient condition is derived for its stability. Some examples are given to illustrate the results. >
Expectations of primary care patients in rural Karnataka

Objective: To study the expectations and satisfaction levels of patients attending a primary care service in a rural area of Karnataka state, India. Methodology: The study was conducted at the clinic of the Community Health Training Centre of St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. One hundred six successive patients were interviewed on expectations of treatment and charges while they waited for the consultation. They were interviewed a second time on satisfaction with treatment and charges while they were leaving the centre after consultation. Results: Patients were aware of what type of treatment they wanted and most expectations of treatment were met. However, overall levels of satisfaction were not significantly associated with met expectations for treatment, but were dependent on met expectations for charges. Conclusion: Primary Care physicians must always be aware of the socio-economic status of their patients, while prescribing treatment.
Isoprenoid Biosynthesis. Metabolite Profiling of Peppermint Oil Gland Secretory Cells and Application to Herbicide Target Analysis

Two independent pathways operate in plants for the synthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate, the central intermediates in the biosynthesis of all isoprenoids. The mevalonate pathway is present in the cytosol, whereas the recently discovered mevalonate-independent pathway is localized to plastids. We have used isolated peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil gland secretory cells as an experimental model system to study the effects of the herbicides fosmidomycin, phosphonothrixin, methyl viologen, benzyl viologen, clomazone, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl diphosphate, alendronate, and pamidronate on the pools of metabolites related to monoterpene biosynthesis via the mevalonate-independent pathway. A newly developed isolation protocol for polar metabolites together with an improved separation and detection method based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry have allowed assessment of the enzyme targets for a number of these herbicides.