cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional specificity of chandelier neuron axon terminal alterations in schizophrenia.

Abstract Background: The axon terminals of GABAergic chandelier cells form linear arrays, termed cartridges, that synapse on the axon initial segment of neocortical pyramidal cells. These cartridges are immunoreactive for the GABA membrane transporter-1, and the density of GABA membrane transporter-1-immunoreactive cartridges in the prefrontal cortex has been reported to be reduced in schizophrenia. The goal of this study was to determine if reductions in the density of GABA membrane transporter-1-immunoreactive cartridges in schizophrenia are restricted to the prefrontal cortex. Methods: Relative GABA membrane transporter-1-immunoreactive cartridge density was determined in auditory association area 42, a region previously implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, in 14 matched pairs of subjects with schizophrenia and normal comparison subjects. The results were compared with similar data from prefrontal area 46 in the same subjects. Results: Mean GABA membrane transporter-1-immunoreactive cartridge density in area 42 was decreased by 9.8% in layers II–IIIa, and by 11.9% in layer VI in subjects with schizophrenia, although these differences did not achieve statistical significance. However, the magnitude of the reductions in the density of GABA membrane transporter-1-immunoreactive cartridges in area 42 of the subjects with schizophrenia was not significantly smaller than those in area 46. Conclusions: In subjects with schizophrenia, alterations in chandelier neuron axon cartridges appear to be more marked in the prefrontal cortex than in another cortical region implicated in the illness, although such changes might not be restricted to the prefrontal cortex.
Effects of medium perfusion on matrix production by bovine chondrocytes in three‐dimensional collagen sponges

Various culture systems have been used for examining the anabolic and catabolic functions of isolated chondrocytes as well as for tissue engineering purposes. Perfusion or frequent medium change is beneficial for three-dimensional (3D) cultures of many cell types. In this study, bovine articular chondrocytes (bACs) were grown in 3D collagen sponges with or without medium perfusion (0.33 mL/min) for up to 15 days. The influence of medium perfusion was evaluated using markers of cartilage matrix accumulation, synthesis, and gene expression. Metachromatic matrix, collagen type II, and hyaluronan accumulated around the cells within the collagen sponges. Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (S-GAGs) that accumulated in the sponge exposed to nonperfused control were 130% of that in the perfused sponge at day 7. S-GAG accumulation after 15 days in the nonperfused control was 230% more than at day 7 (p < 0.01). 35S-sulfate incorporation during the final 18 h of culture in the sponge exposed to nonperfusion was 180% greater than that in the perfused sponge (p < 0.01). Quantitative analyses show that at day 7, aggrecan and collagen type II gene expression were 350% and 240% greater, respectively, in the nonperfused culture than in the perfused one. These results indicate that perfused conditions that are beneficial for other cell types inhibit chondrogenesis by articular chondrocytes in 3D culture. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 56: 368–375, 2001
Hematologic aspects of acute viral hepatitis.

The changes that affect all blood elements in acute viral hepatitis fit with the concept that it is a systemic disease in which the consequences of hepatic damage are most prominent. Leukopenia, atypical lymphocytes and macrocytosis are three characteristic, if not pathognomonic, findings. Isotope-labelling technics have unmasked another finding: decreased erythrocyte survival. Shortened life span and macrocytosis are also an erythron response to chronic liver damage.
Listening to Student Concerns: An Instructional Strategy to Expand Student Perspectives.

It is well documented in the literature that relationships influence the lives of young children (birth to second grade). Consequently, it is essential that young children's caregivers and teachers build professional relationships with children's parents, because these relationships influence the children's present and later learning environments both at home and in school. While listening to parents is a well-established value in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education, details about what “listening to parents” means seem less clear in the literature, research, and our own pedagogy as early childhood educators. Incidentally, teacher candidates and advanced teacher students (hereafter referred to as “our students”) sometimes voice concerns related specifically to listening to parents. Yet, answers to such concerns also seem limited in the literature and the research. Therefore, the intent of this reflective position paper is threefold: to provide my fellow teacher educators with three literature-b...
Relationship of vasopressin with NADPH-diaphorase in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system

The relative anatomical distributions of vasopressin and the nitric oxide synthase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) were examined in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system using immunocytochemical and histochemical techniques. Double-labeled neurons were localized predominately to rostral aspects of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. Only scattered double-labeled cells were found throughout the subdivisions of the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. Because previous investigations suggest that nitric oxide may play a critical role in neurotransmission and reductions in NADPH-d have been reported in the neural lobe of salt-loaded animals, the present report of its coexistence with the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system further supports a role for these neuroactive substances in mechanisms modulating fluid homeostasis.
Drug-repositioning screening identified piperlongumine as a direct STAT3 inhibitor with potent activity against breast cancer

Drug-repositioning screening identified piperlongumine as a direct STAT3 inhibitor with potent activity against breast cancer
Asymptotic Degeneracy of the Transfer Matrix Spectrum for Systems with Interfaces: Relation to Surface Stiffness and Step Free Energy

Two- and three-dimensional Ising-type systems are considered in the finite-cross-section cylindrical geometry. An interface is forced along the cylinder (strip in 2d) by the antiperiodic or +− boundary conditions. Detailed predictions are presented for the largest asymptotically degenerate set of the transfer matrix eigenvalues. For rough interfaces, i.e., for 0<T<Tc in 2d,TR<T<Tc in 3d, the eigenvalues are split algebraically, and the spectral gaps are governed by thesurface stiffness coefficient. For “rigid” interfaces, i.e., 0<T<TR in 3d, the eigenvalues are split exponentially, with the gaps determined by thestep free energy.
Influence of support composition on the reduction of nitric oxide over rhodium catalysts

The NO reduction by CO and H/sub 2/ over Rh/SiO/sub 2/, Rh/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, Rh/MgO, Rh/La/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and Rh/TiO/sub 2/ was investigated. Support composition was found to influence the activity, but not the selectivity of Rh. Exceptionally high low-temperature activity was obtained with Rh/TiO/sub 2/. The rate parameters for NO reduction over Rh/TiO/sub 2/ are distinctly different from those for all other catalysts. The high activity of Rh/TiO/sub 2/ is attributed to the presence of catalytically active centers on the support as well as on the surface of the supported Rh crystallites.
Heterochromatic Genome Stability Requires Regulators of Histone H3 K9 Methylation

Heterochromatin contains many repetitive DNA elements and few protein-encoding genes, yet it is essential for chromosome organization and inheritance. Here, we show that Drosophila that lack the Su(var)3-9 H3K9 methyltransferase display significantly elevated frequencies of spontaneous DNA damage in heterochromatin, in both somatic and germ-line cells. Accumulated DNA damage in these mutants correlates with chromosomal defects, such as translocations and loss of heterozygosity. DNA repair and mitotic checkpoints are also activated in mutant animals and are required for their viability. Similar effects of lower magnitude were observed in animals that lack the RNA interference pathway component Dcr2. These results suggest that the H3K9 methylation and RNAi pathways ensure heterochromatin stability.
Male Reproduction: Fertility

Male infertility is defined as the inability to induce a pregnancy with unprotected intercourse with a presumably fertile female partner for a minimum period of 1 year (Sherins & Howards, 1986). Infertility involves a couple and, therefore, can be based on male factors, female factors, or both. A variety of clinical settings can be associated with infertility, and often patients are unaware of any existing abnormality. A male factor is suspected when the female partner shows a normal menstrual cycle with ovulation, adequate duration of the luteal phase, patency of the oviducts, and lack of pelvic pathology, especially endometriosis or tubal adhesions. When evaluating a patient with spinal cord injury, as with any male with infertility, a directed history and physical examination with assessment of reproductive hormone levels and semen characteristics from the basis of evaluation (Table 1). Male factor infertility is suggested if the male has an abnormal semen analysis, with a low sperm count, poor motility, or abnormal morphology (Clark & Sherins, 1986). As is discussed, it is difficult to select minimal criteria for any of these values below which fertility is impossible, unless considering azoospermia or necrospermia (Silber & Rodriguez-Rigau, 1981). Evidence of hormonal abnormalities may indicate testicular failure, although most infertile men have normal reproductive hormone levels. Paraplegia or quadriplegia are associated with an increased incidence of prostatitis and elevated
Debris generation and propagation phenomenology from hypervelocity impacts on aluminum from 6 to 11 km/s

A systematic computational and experimental study is presented on impact generated debris resulting from record-high impact speeds recently achieved on the Sandia three-stage light-gas guns. In these experiments, a targetplate of aluminum is impacted by a titanium-alloy flier plate at speeds ranging from 6.5 to 11 km/s, producing pressures from 1 Mbar to over 2.3 Mbar and temperatures as high as 15000 K (>1 eV). The aluminum plate is totally melted at stresses above 1.6 Mbar. Upon release, the thermodynamic release isentropes will interact with the vapor dome. The amount of vapor generated in the debris cloud will depend on many factors such as the thickness of the aluminum plate, super-cooling, vaporization kinetics, and the distance over which the impact-generated debris is allowed to expand. To characterize the debris cloud, the velocity history produced by stagnation of the aluminum expansion products against an aluminum witness plate is measured using velocity interferometry. X-ray measurements of the debris cloud are also recorded prior to stagnation against the witness plate. Both radiographs and witness-plate velocity measurements suggest that the vaporization process is both time-dependent and heterogeneous when the material is released from shocked states around 230 GPa. Experiments suggest that the threshold for vaporization kinetics in aluminum should become significant when expanded from shocked states over 230 GPa. Numerical simulations are conducted to compare the measured X-ray debris cloud and the time-resolved experimental interferometer record with calculational results using the 3-D hydrodynamic wave-code, CTH. Results of these experiments and calculations are discussed in this paper.
Openness to Experience, Ego Strength and Self-Description as a Function of Repression and Sensitization

The study sought to determine whether persons differing in defensive style (R-S Scale) also differ systematically in their degree of openness to experience, ego strength (Es), and personality functioning (ACL). Using 3 groups of college students, high sensitizers, relative to their more repressed counterparts, were more open to experience, differed significantly on a large number of ACL scales and were no lower on Es than median R-S persons. Findings suggest that sensitizers, while critical, impatient, action-oriented, and personally more troubled, also have the capacity for personal integration (Es) and for more creative potential than previous literature would indicate.
Sea Bed Mechanics

This book summarizes what is known about the interaction of water motions and bottom boundary materials. Classical hydro and soil mechanics topics are woven together with the goal of clearer understanding of the bottom currents that transport pollutants, the dissipation of wave energy, the formation of ripples and dunes, and the transport of sediment.
High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of abscisic acid in plant extracts.

Abstract A HPLC assay for ABA and bound ABA is described. The method uses conventional acid-base ether extractions for partial cleanup of the plant extracts followed by Sephadex G-25 column fractionation. The ABA is separated and detected by HPLC on a 3 m × 2.1 mm i.d. column of SCX-Zipax with a uv detector. The method is sensitive to less than 10 ng of ABA. HPLC analyses of ABA have been performed on extracts of leaves, stems, and roots of soybeans, pinto beans, cotton, apple seedlings, and the albedo and flavedo sections of orange peels.
Motion control of two-link flexible-joint robot with actuator nonlinearities, using backstepping and neural networks

We present a state-feedback control of a two-link flexible-joint robot. The control algorithm does not require the mathematical model representing the robot. Three-layer neural networks approximate the unknown plant functions. The neural network weights are adapted on-line. We use backstepping control structure. We use variable structure control to provide robustness to all uncertainties. For simulation, we obtain parameter values of the Euler-Lagrange model from real experiment. We, then, add backlash, deadzone, and additive disturbances to the Euler-Lagrange model to closely replicate the actual robot. We show through simulation that our controller can handle these actuator nonlinearities effectively.
Coomassie Blue R-250 metachromatic staining of histone 5 from goose and chicken erythrocytes.

Abstract 1. 1. Histone 5 stains metachromatically with Coomassie Blue R-250, a property shared only with collagens and procollagens, histones 1 and 2B, and possibly certain proline-rich salivary gland proteins. 2. 2. Coomassie Blue-stained goose and chicken H5 induce the same degree of metachromasia, which is intermediate between that induced by H1 and H2b. 3. 3. The absorption spectra of all Coomassie Blue-stained gel bands consist of a primary maximum at 555 nm, but the absorption spectra of H5 gel bands also include a prominent shoulder in the vicinity of 525 nm, a region in which H1 gel bands display a secondary maximum. 4. 4. The possible role of proline-rich sequences in the induction of metachromasia is discussed.
Dog bites: an opportunity for parent education in the pediatric emergency department.

ObjectivesThis study focuses on parental report of exposure to dogs and highlights the potential for using a computer kiosk in an urban pediatric emergency department to increase knowledge around dog bite safety.MethodsNine hundred one parents of young children completed a kiosk assessment and recei
High-dose chemotherapy with busulfan and cyclophosphamide and autologous stem cell rescue in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma

There are approximately 8,500 new diagnoses of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) each year in the United States[1]. Patients who do not respond to initial therapy or who relapse after initial response are rarely cured with additional conventional chemotherapy alone. Two randomized trials have compared salvage chemotherapy to high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) with both showing a significant benefit in disease-free survival favoring ASCT[2,3]. ACST has therefore become the standard of care for patients with chemosensitive relapsed or refractory HL.
An integrated CMOS microluminometer for low-level luminescence sensing in the bioluminescent bioreporter integrated circuit.

Abstract We report an integrated CMOS microluminometer for the detection of low-level bioluminescence in whole cell biosensing applications. This microluminometer is the microelectronic portion of the bioluminescent bioreporter integrated circuit (BBIC). This device uses the n-well/p-substrate junction of a standard bulk CMOS IC process to form the integrated photodetector. This photodetector uses a distributed electrode configuration that minimizes detector noise. Signal processing is accomplished with a current-to-frequency converter circuit that forms the causal portion of the matched filter for dc luminescence in wide-band white noise. Measurements show that luminescence can be detected from as few as 4×10 5 cells/ml.
Comparative outcomes of primary autogenous fistulas in elderly, multiethnic Asian hemodialysis patients.

Background The number of elderly (≥65 years) end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis is rapidly increasing. Vascular access outcomes remain contradictory and understudied across different elderly populations. We hypothesized age might influence primary autogenous fistula use and outcomes in a predominantly diabetic multiethnic Asian ESRD population. Methods Demographic and clinical factors affecting fistula patency and maturation were retrospectively compared among patients with incident ESRD aged Results We analyzed 280 primary fistulas (59% radiocephalic, 33% brachiocephalic, and 8% brachiobasilic) in this cohort consisting of 31.8% aged ≥65 years, 50% Chinese, 39% Malay, 42% women, and 70% diabetic. One- and 2-year primary and secondary patency in patients aged .05). Females and tunneled catheters were the only risk factors for nonmaturation (HR, 1.568; 95% CI, 1.148-1.608, and HR, 1.623; 95% CI, 1.400-1.881, respectively). Conclusions A primary fistula strategy in incident elderly ESRD is feasible and does not result in inferior outcomes. Age should therefore not be a determinant for primary fistula creation.
As time goes by?: the fallacy of thrombolysis in STEMI networks.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is superior to thrombolysis (TL) as reperfusion therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). TL is a rapidly available, but semi-effective therapy (effective reperfusion in 50% of patients only), whereas PPCI is a potentially delayed, but highly effective therapy (effective reperfusion in >90%). Since TL loses its efficacy beyond 2–3 h after symptom onset, it is a significant reperfusion alternative to PPCI in early presenters only. The individual decision to treat an early presenter with PPCI or TL requires the evaluation of the time delay between potential start of TL or PPCI, the PCI-related delay (PRD). PRD is greatest, if TL is given in the prehospital setting. Until now, prehospital TL as the most rapidly available reperfusion strategy has failed to demonstrate any prognostic or even any other relevant benefit compared to PPCI in any subgroup of patients, even with time delays for PPCI of up to several hours. On average, a median PRD of at least 90–120 min can be considered a time corridor of prognostic superiority of PPCI over TL. This is already achieved in contemporary registries and myocardial infarction networks. Therefore, the efforts should not focus on the implementation of a dual reperfusion strategy (PPCI, and prehospital TL in selected cases) in established or upcoming myocardial infarction networks, but concentrate on the availability of PPCI in less than 2 h. TL, as rapid as possible, i.e. prehospital, is a vital treatment option in case of non-existing PPCI facilities within a median time limit of 2 h or even more, a scenario not existing or easily to eliminate in European countries by implementing well organized myocardial infarction networks. This is the mission to be accomplished.
Studies With Corn-Soya Laying Diets 1. Amino Acid Supplementation of Low Protein Diets

Abstract IN MANY areas, economics dictate that corn and soybean oil meal serve as the major sources of amino acids in laying rations. Corn-soya diets calculated to contain 11 percent protein have been shown by Thornton et al. (1957) to sustain satisfactory egg production despite the relatively high energy content of such diets. This protein level is considerably below that recommended by the National Research Council (1954). To date, no experiment has been conducted with corn-soya laying diets in which the level of protein was low enough to measure sizeable responses from supplemental amino acids. In the studies to be reported, the performance of laying pullets fed a ration containing 9 percent protein, in which corn and soybean oil meal were the only sources of protein, was compared with the performance of pullets receiving the same diet supplemented with the amino acids needed to meet the minimal levels suggested by Johnson …
Non-cholinergic synaptic excitation in neostriatum: pharmacological evidence for mediation by a glutamate-like transmitter.

Abstract We studied the synaptic pharmacology of an excitatory pathway in the neostriatum using electrophysiological techniques in tissue slices from rats. In response to single electrical stimuli, two negative, extracellular potentials (N-1 and N-2) were recorded through micropipette electrodes within 150-450 micron of the stimulating cathode. N-2 was reversibly reduced or abolished by reducing the concentration of calcium in the bathing medium, while N-1 was unaffected. Both N-1 and N-2 were reversibly abolished by the local anaesthetic procaine. Single-unit, extracellular action potentials were, at times, associated with either N-1 or N-2. Intracellular recordings showed action potentials at N-2 latency arising from graded, monophasic, depolarizing potentials. Bath-applied cholinoceptor and dopamine receptor antagonists failed to reduce N-2. By contrast, antagonists of excitatory amino acid transmitters reversibly reduced or abolished N-2. gamma-D-Glutamylglycine (GG), (+/-)-cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylic acid (PDA) and DL-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB) blocked N-2 with ED50S of 0.79 mM, 1.0 mM and 1.1 mM, respectively. (-)-Baclofen reversibly blocked N-2 with an ED50 of 0.79 microM; (+)-baclofen was 330 times less potent. The results suggest that N-1 results from direct activation of fibre tracts or cell bodies, while N-2 is a population spike mediated by excitatory synapses whose natural transmitter pharmacologically resembles glutamate.
Production and utilization of white potato starch

About seven percent of the annual American potato crop, or 25,000,000 bushels, is converted into potato starch by 21 factories in Maine and six in Idaho, with a combined capacity of annually producing about 150,000,000 pounds of starch, used principally in sizing textiles but also in the manufacture of paper, food products and adhesives.
Criticizing the Tendency for Evolutionary Psychologists to Adopt Cognitive Paradigms When Discussing Language

Relational Frame Theory (RFT) has opened previously unreceptive areas of empirical behavioral research and illuminated fundamental aspects of human language and cognition. We may gain additional insight into the function of language by understanding the specific contingencies in our environment that have been instrumental in its evolution and development. Evolutionary psychology may help to illuminate the effects of verbal behavior in naturally and sexually selected environments, allowing researchers a better understanding of how and why we form complex relations.
Global Stability of Complex-Valued Neural Networks on Time Scales

In this paper, activation dynamics of complex-valued neural networks are studied on general time scales. Besides presenting conditions guaranteeing the existence of a unique equilibrium pattern, its global exponential stability is discussed. Some numerical examples for different time scales are given in order to highlight the results.
CDNA analysis of the 49 kda Lens fiber cell cytoskeletal protein: A new, lens-specific member of the intermediate filament family?

Two proteins, with molecular weights of 49 (CP49) and 115 kDa (CP115) as judged by SDS PAGE, have been shown by immunocytochemistry to be components of the beaded filament, a cytoskeletal structure thus far demonstrated only in the lens fiber cell. We have used antibodies reactive with CP49 to screen a mouse lens cDNA expression library. An immunoreactive clone with an approximately 1.0 kb insert was identified and purified. DNA sequence analysis shows the presence of an open reading frame that extends from the upstream cloning site for 660 bases. Contained within this reading frame are 2 peptide sequences nearly identical to 2 peptide sequences obtained from purified bovine CP49. Northern analysis revealed that the mRNA for the CP49 is not detectable in mouse brain, muscle, lung, liver, or heart. A search of the Genbank database showed that the partial cDNA sequence for the murine CP49 is unique, but that this partial sequence shows a strong similarity to multiple members of the intermediate filament fam...
Deficiency in Methionine, Tryptophan, Isoleucine, or Choline Induces Apoptosis in Cultured Cells

Cells in culture die by apoptosis when deprived of the essential nutrient choline. We now report that cells (both proliferating PC12 cells and postmitotic neurons isolated from fetal rat brains) undergo apoptosis when deprived of other individual essential nutrients (methionine, tryptophan or isoleucine). In PC12 cells, deficiencies of each nutrient independently led to ceramide accumulation and to caspase activation, both recognized signals of several apoptotic pathways. A similar profile of caspases was activated in PC12 cells deprived of choline, methionine, tryptophan or isoleucine. More than one caspase was involved and these caspases appeared to transmit parallel signals for apoptosis induction because only broad-spectrum caspase inhibitors, but not inhibitors for specific individual caspases inhibited apoptosis in choline- or methionine-deprived cells. The induction of these caspase-dependent apoptosis pathways likely did not involve the same upstream signals. Choline deficiency perturbed choline metabolism but did not affect protein synthesis, whereas amino acid deficiencies inhibited protein synthesis but did not perturb choline metabolism. In addition, a subclone of PC12 cells that was resistant to choline deficiency-induced apoptosis was not resistant to tryptophan deficiency-induced apoptosis. These observations suggest that deficiency of each studied nutrient activates different pathways for signaling apoptosis that ultimately converge on a common execution pathway.
Does antiaromaticity imply net destabilization

An analysis is presented of the results of earlier ab initio computational studies of cyclobutadiene, cyclooctatetraene, and 1.4-dihydropyrazine. The first and third of these are normally categorized as antiaromatic. All three molecules are polyenes, even when the last two are forced into planar conformations. There is no driving force for extensive z- delocalization, even when it would appear to have been facilitated. Calculated isodesmic energies show a net destabilization only in the case of cyclobutadiene, which we attribute to strain and repulsion between the z- electrons of the C=C double bonds. The other two molecules have negative isodesmic energies, indicative of net stabilizing effects. We conclude that the concept of antiaromaticity is useful for identifying molecules that resist the apparent opportunity for extensive z- delocalization, but that it does not intrinsically imply net destabilization. 0 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Formation of vertical cracks in solution-precursor plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

When tailored to make durable thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), the Solution Precursor Plasma Spray (SPPS) process produces a microstructure containing uniformly vertical cracks. These cracks provide a high degree of strain tolerance to the ceramic top coat. In order to understand the formation of vertical crack in SPPS process, coatings of various thicknesses were deposited on a variety of substrates with vastly different thermal properties. These coatings were characterized in the as-sprayed state and after heat treatment. It has been determined that the tensile stress derived from the pyrolysis of precursor occurring during coating deposition or post heat-treatment is the major driving force for the formation of vertical cracks in SPPS TBCs.
The Operating Frequency of Regenerative Oscillatory Systems

The operating frequency of regenerative oscillatory systems is quantitatively derived in terms of the natural frequency, the damping constant, and the phase of the driving force. As an example the results are used to calculate the change in rate of a pendulum clock due to a given variation in the phase of the driving impulses. Applications to other types of systems are briefly indicated.
Assessing Local Capacity for Federal Grant-Getting

Local areas, consisting of governments, special districts, and nonprofits, benefit from the receipt and use of federal funds in support of local programs and projects. This study examines the combined effects of political and administrative capacity factors that influence flows of federal grant funds into local areas. The effects of these capacity dimensions are measured and tested using pooled cross-sectional time-series analysis. The results indicate clearly that institutional measures of capacity must take into account not only political dimensions but also administrative and need/demand dimensions. These results help to explain the disparity observed between high- and low-capacity areas and provide some general lessons for enhancing local grant-getting capacity under differing conditions.
A 54-year-old woman with incidentally discovered mass on a chest radiograph.

(CHEST 2009; 135:1673–1678) A 54-year- old, female nonsmoker was referred for evaluation of a chest mass. The mass was discovered on radiographic evaluation for flu symptoms during an emergency department visit. The patient reported a 1-year anterior left rib discomfort, which was believed to be musculoskeletal. The patient denied dyspnea, cough, wheezing, sputum production, hemoptysis, fever, or weight loss. A review of other systems revealed cold-related hand pain and insomnia. Her medical and surgical history included anxiety, oophorectomy for ovarian cysts, and ganglion cyst excision. There was no relevant occupational history. Her physical examination, pulmonary function test, and basic laboratory results were unremarkable.
Male postcopulatory reproductive success in the beetle, Diaprepes abbreviatus

For most species that have been studied, considerable variation exists in male postcopulatory reproductive success, including female sperm use, reproductive investment and remating patterns. We investigated postcopulatory sexual selection in the beetle Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by examining the correlation of two measures of a male's success (proportion of eggs fertilized (P2) and number of eggs that a female laid after mating with him) with male body size, copulatory behaviour and copula duration. We allowed each female to mate with an irradiated sterile male and a normal male. Relative duration of intromission (i.e. the difference in the intromission durations of the two males) and relative stroking rate, but not the absolute duration and stroking rate, were positively correlated with P2. The number of eggs that a female laid was negatively related to the thrusting rate of her mate. Irradiated males mated for a shorter duration and thrusted at a lower rate than normal males. Irradiated males also fertilized a lower proportion of eggs than normal males, and females were more likely to remate after mating with an irradiated male than after mating with a normal male. These findings suggest that behavioural traits may influence male postcopulatory reproductive success. Furthermore, since variation in male stroking rate and intromission duration are associated with variation in male fertilization success, these traits may have evolved through postcopulatory sexual selection.
Induction and the possible mechanism of ventricular tachycardia after catheter ablation with direct current shocks in dogs

Cathodal DC shocks (150-J) were administered via the His bundle to 20 closed-chest dogs, and in a further three dogs 25-J cathodal shocks were given via the left ventricular endocardium. In 18 dogs, including three that underwent left ventricular ablation, Holter electrocardiograms were recorded from 1 to 7 days after ablation, and 4 weeks after ablation. There were frequent episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) from the first few hours after ablation to 4 days after ablation in all dogs, but both the rate and the coupling interval of VT were variable. In five conscious dogs stimulated 1 day after ablation, it was difficult to induce and terminate VT repeatedly. There was a direct relationship between the paced cycle length and the interval of the last paced beat to the initiating VT beat in three out of four dogs. In the fourth dog there was an inverse relationship. There was no transient entrainment with ventricular burst pacing during VT in any of the four dogs tested. The effects of lidocaine (2-3 mg.kg-1), verapamil (0.2-0.4 mg.kg-1), and propranolol (0.2 mg.kg-1) on VT were tested within 2 days of ablation in 10 conscious dogs. In general, both lidocaine and verapamil terminated VT, and propranolol slowed VT. In conclusion, VT soon after ablation possibly results from triggered activity, although abnormal automaticity cannot be ruled out.
Survey of the Alien Flora of the Allegheny River Islands Wilderness, Pennsylvania

Abstract The Allegheny River Islands Wilderness (ARIW) consists of seven islands located along 90 km of the Allegheny National Wild and Scenic River in northwestern Pennsylvania. I surveyed riparian plant communities in the ARIW to provide an inventory of the species composition and distribution of the alien flora and to identify species of potential management concern. Forty alien plant species (17.8% of the total surveyed flora) were tallied from 42 survey sites across the seven islands of the ARIW. The largely herbaceous floodplain scour community supported the greatest number of alien plant species (35 species; 18.9% of the community flora), followed by the Acer saccharinum–Platanus occidentalis floodplain forest community (23 species; 16.8% of the community flora) and the P. occidentalis–Carya cordiformis–Ulmus rubra floodplain forest community (14 species; 12.4% of the community flora). Ten alien plant species (24.4% of the alien flora) occurred across all three community types. The alien flora of t...
ATP mediates excitatory synaptic transmission in mammalian neurones.

Abstract Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP, 0.1-100 microM), produced inward currents in patch-clamped coeliac neurones from guinea-pig when studied in either the whole cell configuration or in excised (outside-out) patches. The P2-purinoceptor antagonists suramin (80-230 microM) or reactive blue 2 (2-20 microM) depressed the ATP-induced currents but not those produced by acetylcholine. Excitatory post-synaptic currents (e.p.s.cs) were observed in cultured neurones. E.p.s.cs had similar current-voltage relationships to currents evoked by ATP in excised patches and were reduced by suramin or reactive blue 2 to a similar extent as ATP currents. The results suggest that ATP is the excitatory neurotransmitter in cultures of these neurones.
An Idiographic Approach to Organizational Behavior Research: The Use of Single Case Experimental Designs and Direct Measures

The underlying assumptions of the dominant nomothetic (group-centered, standardized, and controlled environmental contexts, and quantitative methodologies) and idiographic (individual-centered, naturalistic environmental contexts, and qualitative methodologies) research perspectives are examined. An interactive theoretic (i.e., real people interacting in real organizations) for organizational behavior is suggested—a theoretic assumption that lends itself to an idiographic approach. Intensive single-case experimental designs and direct observational measures are proposed as a potentially powerful methodology for idiographic research of organizational behavior.
The Effects of Diplomatic Engagement and Disengagement on the Severity of Ongoing Genocides or Politicides

This study tests the effects of diplomatic engagement or disengagement on reducing the severity of ongoing instances of genocide or politicide. I argue that neither diplomatic measure will be effective in slowing or stopping the killing. I argue that diplomatic disengagement merely reduces the flow of information without credibly signaling intent or commitment, while diplomatic engagement does not challenge perpetrators. Neither policy raises the costs of perpetrating genocide or politicide, and therefore neither are expected to be useful in mitigating ongoing atrocities. Ordered logit analyses of ongoing genocides and politicides from 1976 to 2008 confirms these assumptions, and demonstrate that changing levels of diplomatic engagement with atrocity perpetrators may make policymakers feel like they are “doing something,” but does little to reduce the lethality of ongoing mass killing. Under one set of circumstances, increased engagement even exacerbates the atrocities.
Biomechanical consequences of a tear of the posterior root of the medial meniscus. Surgical technique.

Background: Tears of the posterior root of the medial meniscus are becoming increasingly recognized. They can cause rapidly progressive arthritis, yet their biomechanical effects are not understood. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of posterior root tears of the medial meniscus and their repairs on tibiofemoral joint contact pressure and kinematics. Methods: Nine fresh-frozen cadaver knees were used. An axial load of 1000 N was applied with a custom testing jig at each of four knee-flexion angles: 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°. The knees were otherwise unconstrained. Four conditions were tested: (1) intact, (2) a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus, (3) a repaired posterior root tear, and (4) a total medial meniscectomy. Fuji pressure-sensitive film was used to record the contact pressure and area for each testing condition. Kinematic data were obtained by using a robotic arm to record the position of the knees for each loading condition. Three-dimensional knee kinematics were analyzed with custom programs with use of previously described transformations. The measured variables were axial rotation, varus angulation, lateral translation, and anterior translation. Results: In the medial compartment, a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus caused a 25% increase in peak contact pressure compared with that found in the intact condition (p < 0.001). Repair restored the peak contact pressure to normal. No difference was detected between the peak contact pressure after the total medial meniscectomy and that associated with the root tear. The peak contact pressure in the lateral compartment after the total medial meniscectomy was up to 13% greater than that for all other conditions (p = 0.026). Significant increases in external rotation and lateral tibial translation, compared with the values in the intact knee, were observed in association with the posterior root tear (2.98° and 0.84 mm, respectively) and the meniscectomy (4.45° and 0.80 mm, respectively), and these increases were corrected by the repair. Conclusions: This study demonstrated significant changes in contact pressure and knee joint kinematics due to a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus. Root repair was successful in restoring joint biomechanics to within normal conditions. Clinical Relevance: This study provides a biomechanical rationale for surgical repair of posterior root tears of the medial meniscus. Clinical studies are required to define the appropriate patient population for, and to determine the clinical efficacy of, surgical treatment of this injury.
Word Segmentation of Informal Arabic with Domain Adaptation

Segmentation of clitics has been shown to improve accuracy on a variety of Arabic NLP tasks. However, state-of-the-art Arabic word segmenters are either limited to formal Modern Standard Arabic, performing poorly on Arabic text featuring dialectal vocabulary and grammar, or rely on linguistic knowledge that is hand-tuned for each dialect. We extend an existing MSA segmenter with a simple domain adaptation technique and new features in order to segment informal and dialectal Arabic text. Experiments show that our system outperforms existing systems on newswire, broadcast news and Egyptian dialect, improvingsegmentationF1 scoreonarecently released Egyptian Arabic corpus to 95.1%, compared to 90.8% for another segmenter designed specifically for Egyptian Arabic.
Speculative execution within a commodity operating system

Commodity operating systems are traditionally tuned to improve performance, but in the pursuit of faster operation, reliability is sacrificed. Therefore, common abstractions, such as asynchronous file system I/O, explicitly relax reliability guarantees (e.g., delay writes to disk by 30 seconds) in favor of better performance. The main concern of this thesis is to mitigate the performance/reliability tradeoff through the use of a general purpose mechanism, called Speculator, which implements multi-process speculative execution within the Linux kernel. Speculator is a tool for masking the latency of predictable, but slow, operations. It allows a critical, synchronous operation to be executed asynchronously. Thus, additional work is completed without sacrificing the benefits (i.e., the guarantees) of synchronous execution. Support for speculative execution is implemented using three techniques. First, Speculator tracks and propagates the causal dependencies (via speculations) of a process via inter-process communication mechanisms such as files, pipes, FIFOS and UNIX sockets. Second, Speculator buffers the output of speculative processes until the speculations upon which the output depends have been committed. Finally, should a speculation fail, Speculator can roll back each dependent kernel object and process. This dissertation shows that Speculator can be used to create new abstractions that replace synchronous abstractions within local file systems, distributed file systems and runtime security checks. Abstractions built using Speculator allow a pro grammer to develop applications for a reliable, synchronous abstraction while obtaining the performance of one that is asynchronous. Specifically, by using Speculator to build new abstractions, I can virtually eliminate the overhead of synchronous I/O for local file systems, build a distributed file system that provides strong consistency and safety guarantees while out-performing existing systems with weaker guarantees, and accelerate slow, sequential runtime security checks by parallelizing them across many cores. Finally, the speculative abstractions that I have built do not require application modification; the benefits of speculation are transparent.
Primary Productivity in the Sea: Reef Corals in Situ

Although it is well known that primary production is generally higher in near-shore waters than in adjacent oceanic regions, this inequality in tropical reefs, where nutrient concentrations are not higher than in the oceanic water that bathes them (1), is particularly difficult to explain. Progress in answering this fundamental question has been hampered by the tremendous diversity of reef habitats and photosynthetic organisms, the methodological difficulties of working on them (2), and inaccuracies and confusion in the interpretation of data obtained in early field studies (3). In this paper, I present information on annual surface light energy inputs to a coral reef; patterns of light utilization by one group of primary producers, the reef corals; and equations designed to allow interpretation of studies on the oxygen metabolism of symbiotic invertebrates.
Zinc oxide nanowire gamma ray detector with high spatiotemporal resolution

Conventional scintillation detectors are typically single crystals of heavy-metal oxides or halides doped with rare-earth ions that record the recombination of electron-hole pairs by photon emission in the visible to ultraviolet. However, the light yields are typically low enough to require photomultiplier detection with the attendant instrumental complications. Here we report initial studies of gamma ray detection by zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires, grown by vapor-solid deposition. The nanowires grow along the c-axis in a wurtzite structure; they are typically 80 nm in diameter and have lengths of 1- 2 μm. The nanowires are single crystals of high quality, with a photoluminescence (PL) yield from band-edge exciton emission in the ultraviolet that is typically one hundred times larger than the PL yield from defect centers in the visible. Nanowire ensembles were irradiated by 662 keV gamma rays from a Cs-137 source for periods of up to ten hours; gamma rays in this energy range interact by Compton scattering, which in ZnO creates F+ centers that relax to form singly-charged positive oxygen vacancies. Following irradiation, we fit the PL spectra of the visible emission with a sum of Gaussians at the energies of the known defects. We find highly efficient PL from the irradiated area, with a figure of merit approaching 106 photons/s/MeV of deposited energy. Over a period of days, the singly charged O+ vacancies relax to the more stable doubly charged O++ vacancies. However, the overall defect PL returns to pre-irradiation values after about a week, as the vacancies diffuse to the surface of these very thin nanowires, indicating that a self-healing process restores the nanowires to their original state.
EXAFS Spectroscopic Analysis of Heterobinuclear TiOMn Charge-Transfer Chromophore in Mesoporous Silica

Analysis of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements of binuclear TiIVOMnII visible light charge-transfer chromophores anchored on silica nanopore surfaces reveals an oxo-bridged structure of a Ti and a Mn center. For TiMn-SBA-15 samples with 1 mol % for each metal, Ti and Mn K-edge EXAFS curve fitting indicates a common TiMn distance of 3.3 A (Ti edge: 3.36 ± 0.05 A; Mn edge: 3.25 ± 0.07 A) and a bond angle of 111°. The first sphere coordination of the two metal centers, a distorted tetrahedral for Ti and a pseudo octahedral for Mn, is largely preserved upon formation of the linkage of the binuclear unit. Increasing the Ti loading from 1 to 3% does not introduce titania clusters, whereas loading of Mn beyond 2% leads to some Mn oxide cluster formation. The binuclear unit retains its structural integrity upon prolonged exposure to air or heating at high temperature (350 °C) in the presence of oxygen. The oxidation state increase of the Mn center upon calcination is accompanied by a sh...
Comparative toxicity of ten insecticides against the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

LC50 values were determined for 10 insecticides against the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, by exposing adults to residues on glass for 24 h. Dichlorvos and propetamphos were most toxic against the cat flea. Other compounds tested, in descending order of toxicity, were diazinon, chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, phosmet, fenthion, chlorfenvinphos, temephos, and tetrachlorvinphos.
Buying Group Structure: Constriction at the Top:

The author evaluates opposing views of the relation between environmental uncertainty and buying group structure. In an empirical study of buying group structures among airlines and producers of co...