cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global Alcohol Producers, Science, and Policy: The Case of the International Center for Alcohol Policies

In this article, I document strategies used by alcohol producers to influence national and global science and policy.Their strategies include producing scholarly publications with incomplete, distorted views of the science underlying alcohol policies; pressuring national and international governmental institutions; and encouraging collaboration of public health researchers with alcohol industry–funded organizations and researchers.I conclude with a call for an enhanced research agenda drawing on sources seldom used by public health research, more focused resourcing of global public health bodies such as the World Health Organization to counterbalance industry initiatives, development of technical assistance and other materials to assist countries with effective alcohol-control strategies, and further development of an ethical stance regarding collaboration with industries that profit from unhealthy consumption of their products.
Molecular analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from human patients and shellfish during US Pacific north-west outbreaks

Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of haemolysin genes, plasmid profile, serogroup analysis and cellular urease activity for Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from infected human patients and oysters from the Pacific north-western United States between 1988 and 1997. Methods and Results: All of the clinical and environmental isolates tested in this study exhibited the presence of the thermolabile haemolysin gene, tl, confirming that all of the isolates were V. parahaemolyticus. Furthermore, the V. parahaemolyticus isolates that contained either the thermostable direct haemolysin gene, tdh, or the thermostable direct haemolysin-related gene, trh, or both, were also positive for urease. Isolates from infected human patients belong to serogroups O1 and O4, whereas, the isolates from oysters belong to serogroups O1, O4 and O5. These results suggest that the presence of a V. parahaemolyticus serogroup O1 and O4 could indicate the presence of a virulent strain of this pathogen. In this study, the presence of the haemolysin genes, serogroup profiles and urease production in V. parahaemolyticus isolated from human patients correlated with the oysters collected during the outbreaks. However, no significant correlation of the plasmid profiles was detected, based on their distribution and molecular weights, between V. parahaemolyticus isolated from infected human patients and from oysters collected during this outbreak. Conclusions, Significance and Impact of the Study: It is apparent from this study that the identification of the haemolysin genes by multiplex PCR amplification, in conjunction with serogroup analysis and urease production, can be used to monitor shellfish for the presence of potentially pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus.
Tar balls from Deep Water Horizon oil spill: environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) formation during crude weathering.

Tar balls collected from the Gulf of Mexico shores of Louisiana and Florida after the BP oil spill have shown the presence of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra characteristic of organic free radicals as well as transition metal ions, predominantly iron(III) and manganese(II). Two types of organic radicals were distinguished: an asphaltene radical species typically found in crude oil (g = 2.0035) and a new type of radical resulting from the environmental transformations of crude (g = 2.0041–47). Pure asphaltene radicals are resonance stabilized over a polyaromatic structure and are stable in air and unreactive. The new radicals were identified as products of partial oxidation of crude components and result from the interaction of the oxidized aromatics with metal ion centers. These radicals are similar to semiquinone-type, environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) previously observed in combustion-generated particulate and contaminated soils.
Blood, and not urine, BK viral load predicts renal outcome in children with hemorrhagic cystitis following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BK virus is a significant cause of hemorrhagic cystitis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, its role in nephropathy post-HSCT is less studied. We retrospectively evaluated clinical outcomes in pediatric HSCT patients with hemorrhagic cystitis. Although most of these patients had very high urine BK viral loads (viruria), patients with higher BK plasma loads (viremia) had significant renal dysfunction, a worse clinical course, and decreased survival. Patients with a peak plasma BK viral load of >10,000 copies/mL (high viremia) were more likely to need dialysis and aggressive treatment for hemorrhagic cystitis compared to patients with ≤10,000 copies/mL (low viremia). Conversely, most patients with low viremia had only transient elevations in creatinine, and less severe hemorrhagic cystitis that resolved with supportive therapy. Overall survival (OS) at 1 year post-HSCT was 89% in the low viremia group and 48% in the high viremia group. We conclude that the degree of BK viremia, and not viruria, may predict renal, urologic, and overall outcome in the post-HSCT population.
The second kind of fluctuation-dissipation theorem for a nonequilibrium open system in interaction with a reservoir

Abstract By using the time-dependent projection operator method the second kind of fluctuation-dissipation theorem is derived for an open system interacting with a reservoir. The theorem is given in the form of correlation function of fluctuations of random force and interacting random force and brought into the Volterra equation formalism.
Tales of Body/Space Invasions in School

This article discusses the issue of body/space invasion and regulation in the process of schooling. Through the use of collective biography research and collective memory work, the authors examine how selected schooling processes contribute to the construction of students as subjects within classroom discourse. Their method uses poetry as texts that are analyzed in relation to their lived, empirical question: “How are our bodies constituted as schooled beings?” The authors’ interest lies in rendering visible both dominant and resistant forces operating within the classroom, including student and teacher participation within such dynamics. More specifically, they focus on how students and teachers come to understand order through the creation of boundaries and regulations—along with the consequences of transgression.
AN ANALYSIS OF DRYING IN CAPILLARY-POROUS PLANAR MEDIA

ABSTRACT Analytical solutions are developed for temperature and moisture distributions in a capillary-porous medium by using Luikov's model and applying a solution methodology based on the decoupling of simultaneous heat and mass diffusion problems. A parametric survey is made to illustrate the relative importance of various dimensionless parameters affecting drying.
Carbon interstitial in electron-irradiated silicon☆

Abstract Using photo-EPR measurements on the Si-G12 spectrum in electron-irradiated silicon, it is shown that the carbon interstitial, already known to form a 〈100〉-interstitialcy, also give rise to an electrical level at (Eν + 0.30)eV. We estimated the hole capture cross section of the defect to be σp⩾10−17cm2, using deep-level transient spectroscopy.
Oxytocin knockout (OT KO) mice overconsume palatable carbohydrate solutions, but not palatable lipid solutions.

OT KO mice display enhanced intake of nutritive and non-nutritive sweet solutions (i.e., sucrose and saccharin) compared to wild-type (WT) mice of the same C57BL/6 background strain. The present study further investigated the differential behavioral response of OT KO and WT mice to sucrose solutions, and also examined intake preferences of OT KO and WT mice for palatable but non-sweet isocaloric solutions of carbohydrate and fat. A progressive ratio operant licking procedure demonstrated that OT KO and WT mice display similar motivational drive to consume 10% sucrose. A series of two-bottle intake tests revealed that OT KO mice consume significantly larger amounts of sweet and non-sweet carbohydrate solutions (i.e., sucrose, polycose, and cornstarch) compared to WT cohorts. Intake pattern analyses revealed that OT KO mice overconsume carbohydrate solutions by initiating more drinking bouts compared to WT mice; bout sizes did not differ between the genotypes. In contrast, OT KO and WT mice did not differ in their daily or hourly evening intake of Intralipid, a palatable soybean oil emulsion, except on the first day of exposure. These findings indicate that the absence of OT in mice does not affect their appetitive drive to consume palatable sucrose solutions. Instead, the absence of OT may increase daily intake of palatable sweet and non-sweet solutions of carbohydrate (but not fat) by selectively blunting or masking processes that contribute to post-ingestive satiety. Research supported by National Institutes of Health Grants HD 44898 (JAA) and DK 31135 (AS).
Five Obstacles Facing Military Ethics

Following World War II, when I was a 21-year-old military intelligence lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, a critical friend asked me “Isn’t ‘military intelligence’ an oxymoron?” A similar question, posed far more seriously, must be asked about the term military ethics. I applaud Lieutenant Colonel Roblyer’s desire to enter into dialogue with social psychologists in a journal on peace psychology. I am glad he is concerned with international law and avoiding civilian casualties from bombing runs over military targets. And I agree that—under appropriate circumstances—innocent lives might be saved from following his three concluding recommendations. Unfortunately, I think that Roblyer’s aim to make air warfare ethical in its choice of targets and less injurious to civilians is virtually impossible to achieve. The “appropriate circumstances” that make ethical choices possible are unlikely to occur predictably. Yes, one will kill fewer civilians if one bombs a weapons factory or artillery pieces in a school yard at nighttime than during the day, but such tactical decisions are so heavily outweighed by a multiplicity of contextual influences that they become minor considerations in the overall picture. Despite the injunctions of the Geneva Convention, bomber pilots and air force commanders operate in an environment that powerfully limits their ability to act morally. I will briefly discuss five contextual factors that minimize the ability of local commanders to make moral decisions during an air war: (a) the historical context of war; (b) the organizational context in which military decisions are made and later defended; (c) the weaponry and delivery context; (d) the current situation of combat, where local militias are often indistinguishable from and intermixed with noncombatants; and (e) the psychological context of war, in which enemies are pictured as evil or inhuman. Given these contexts that strongly affect how air war is waged, I believe that, no matter how personally sincere, no midlevel colonel or PEACE AND CONFLICT: JOURNAL OF PEACE PSYCHOLOGY, 11(1), 41–46 Copyright © 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
The Cytosolic Protein G0S2 Maintains Quiescence in Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) balance proliferation and differentiation by integrating complex transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms regulated by cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors. We found that transcripts of G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2) are enriched in lineage− Sca-1+ c-kit+ (LSK) CD150+ CD48− CD41− cells, a population highly enriched for quiescent HSCs, whereas G0S2 expression is suppressed in dividing LSK CD150+ CD48− cells. Gain-of-function analyses using retroviral expression vectors in bone marrow cells showed that G0S2 localizes to the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and early endosomes in hematopoietic cells. Co-transplantation of bone marrow cells transduced with the control or G0S2 retrovirus led to increased chimerism of G0S2-overexpressing cells in femurs, although their contribution to the blood was reduced. This finding was correlated with increased quiescence in G0S2-overexpressing HSCs (LSK CD150+ CD48−) and progenitor cells (LS−K). Conversely, silencing of endogenous G0S2 expression in bone marrow cells increased blood chimerism upon transplantation and promoted HSC cell division, supporting an inhibitory role for G0S2 in HSC proliferation. A proteomic study revealed that the hydrophobic domain of G0S2 interacts with a domain of nucleolin that is rich in arginine-glycine-glycine repeats, which results in the retention of nucleolin in the cytosol. We showed that this cytosolic retention of nucleolin occurs in resting, but not proliferating, wild-type LSK CD150+ CD48− cells. Collectively, we propose a novel model of HSC quiescence in which elevated G0S2 expression can sequester nucleolin in the cytosol, precluding its pro-proliferation functions in the nucleolus.
Results in children managed by cutaneous ureterostomy

A review of 59 children with severe hydronephrosis managed by cutaneous ureterostomy reveals that the procedure is safe, quick, and effective in draining the kidney. Although chronic bacteriuria is common, pyelonephritis is rare. The major drawback of this technique for temporary urinary diversion in children is that the subsequent urinary reconstruction is formidable and more difficult than primary repair. The complications of urinary diversion using this technique are low, however, and it may remain the safest form of diversion available for long-term use in children with dilated ureters.
Epigenetics in the Human Brain

Many cellular constituents in the human brain permanently exit from the cell cycle during pre- or early postnatal development, but little is known about epigenetic regulation of neuronal and glial epigenomes during maturation and aging, including changes in mood and psychosis spectrum disorders and other cognitive or emotional disease. Here, we summarize the current knowledge base as it pertains to genome organization in the human brain, including the regulation of DNA cytosine methylation and hydroxymethylation, and a subset of (altogether >100) residue-specific histone modifications associated with gene expression, and silencing and various other functional chromatin states. We propose that high-resolution mapping of epigenetic markings in postmortem brain tissue or neural cultures derived from induced pluripotent cells (iPS), in conjunction with transcriptome profiling and whole-genome sequencing, will increasingly be used to define the molecular pathology of specific cases diagnosed with depression, schizophrenia, autism, or other major psychiatric disease. We predict that these highly integrative explorations of genome organization and function will provide an important alternative to conventional approaches in human brain studies, which mainly are aimed at uncovering group effects by diagnosis but generally face limitations because of cohort size.
Utilizing a Health Behavior Model to Design Drug Education/Prevention Programs

The underlying philosophical and practical problems encountered when designing drug education/prevention programs are reviewed. The necessity for utilizing a health behavior model as the basis for any prevention program is discussed and the Health Belief Model is proposed as the model of choice. The Health Belief Model is described and its most relevant components are outlined. The drug education material and teaching methodology which complement the model are reviewed as well as specific suggestions regarding selection of the most appropriate material for inclusion in the program.
A Polyplot for Visualizing Location, Spread, Skewness, and Kurtosis

A plot that includes multiple location and spread statistics can provide useful information about the shape of a distribution, not only with respect to location and variability but also with respect to skewness and kurtosis. We propose a plot containing the interquartile range, mean absolute deviation, standard deviation, and range of a dataset. The comparison of the spread statistics gives information about kurtosis and the comparison of the location statistics gives information about skewness. After the distribution has been divided into two parts by the median, the interquartile range can be thought of as the distance between the medians in each half of the distribution. We explain how the mean absolute deviation with respect to the median can similarly be visualized as half the distance between the means in each half of the distribution. An R function to produce the polyplot is available as an online supplement.
Bimolecular condensation reactions in the gas phase. The Schiff base synthesis

Abstract Chemical ionization mass spectra of mixtures containing primary amines and aldehydes (or ketones) display ion/molecule reactions which give products that correspond in mass to products of the well-known Schiff base synthesis. Collision-induced dissociation of these ions and comparison of the resulting spectra with those of authentic compounds confirm the occurrence of the Schiff base reaction in the gas phase. Secondary amines also undergo gas phase condensation reactions with such substrates as benzaldehyde. This reaction does not parallel the behavior observed in solution and the difference is ascribed to the charge state of the products chosen for observation. Another point of distinction is that α-hydrogen-bearing carbonyl substrates react with secondary amines in the gas phase to produce N,N-disubstituted iminium ions, whereas enamines are produced in solution. This distinction is again not deep-seated for, on protonation in the gas phase, enamines give ions which behave identically to the condensation products and are therefore assigned iminium structures. The mass spectral methods utilized here provide a rapid means for directly characterizing reaction intermediates. It has proven possible in particular instances to isolate the loosely bound ion/molecule complex and, in other cases, the protonated carbinolamine itself. Both these intermediates are precursors of the dehydration products.
Effects of anticonvulsant drugs on 4-aminopyridine-induced seizures in mice.

The K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) causes epileptiform activity in in vitro preparations and is a potent convulsant in animals and man. In mice, 4-AP produces behavioral activation, clonic limb movements and wild running, followed by tonic hindlimb extension and death (ED97, 13.3 mg/kg, s.c.). We evaluated the ability of a series of anticonvulsant drugs to protect against 4-AP-induced seizures using lethality as the endpoint. Drugs with a phenytoin-like profile of activity were protective with ED50 values (all in mg/kg, i.p.) of 34.4 for phenytoin, 18.6 for carbamazepine, 26.9 for felbamate, and 41.5 for zonisamide. Phenobarbital and valproate also protected against 4-AP-induced seizures and lethality (ED50s, 30.6 and 301, respectively). In contrast the NMDA antagonists (+/-)-CPP and (+)-MK-801 were inactive as were the GABA enhancers diazepam, vigabatrin and tiagabine; the antiabsence drug ethosuximide; and the L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nimodipine. We conclude that drugs like phenytoin which block seizure spread are effective antagonists of seizures induced by K+ channel blockade. Drugs with specific actions on other cellular targets may be weak or inactive, presumably because they are unable to attenuate the spread of intense (non-NMDA receptor mediated) excitation evoked by 4-AP.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: the stock market casts its vote…

In December 1995, Congress overrode a presidential veto to enact the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. This legislation was aimed at curbing abuses in class action securities litigation, and providing firms with relief from frivolous lawsuits brought on the basis of stock price volatility. While the intent of lawmakers in drafting this legislation was clear, the impact of the Reform Act for shareholders of firms that are likely targets of securities litigation was uncertain. In particular, it was unclear if the cost savings from reduced litigation would outweigh the potential losses due to decreased protection from fraudulent managers, and it was also unclear if the impact of the legislation would differ for firms with different governance structures. This paper provides an economic answer to these questions by analyzing the stock market's response to the initial passage, the veto, and subsequent veto override of the Reform Act. We examine the stock price performance of firms in four industries—biotechnology, computers, electronics, and retailing—that are likely to be affected by securities litigation reform. We document a significantly negative stock price response to rumors of the presidential veto and a significantly positive response to the subsequent House override vote, indicating that investors agreed with Congress that the positive effects of the Act predominate. We also examine reactions across subsets of firms with different levels of institutional ownership, different levels of insider ownership and with different board structures, and find evidence that the positive factors outweigh any increased susceptibility to managerial fraud or inability to bring meritorious suits, even among firms with weak internal governance structures. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Male-female differences in the relative contribution of endothelial vasodilators released by rat tail artery.

Abstract Several different vasodilator substances can be released by vascular endothelium in response to mechanical stimuli and vasoactive agents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a male–female difference in the relative contributions of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) to endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Perfusion pressure was measured in isolated tail arteries from male and female rats. Vasodilators released by mechanical shear stress were assessed by constricting the artery with methoxamine; acetylcholine was applied to induce receptor-mediated vasodilation. We used an inhibitor of NO synthase, N G -monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA), and elevated levels of K + (27 mM) to reveal the relative contributions of NO and EDHF, respectively. Indomethacin was present in all experiments to block prostanoid production. The results indicate that NO was the primary vasodilator released by male tail arteries in response to both mechanical stress and acetylcholine (the L-NMMA-sensitive component of the combined L-NMMA/K + effect was 83 ± 8% and 101 ± 4%, respectively). However female tail arteries appeared to utilize both NO and EDHF for vascular relaxation (e.g., L-NMMA sensitivity: 58 ± 9%; K+-sensitivity: 42 ± 9% in mechanical stress experiments). These findings suggest endothelial regulation differs between males and females.
Quadratic Dynamical Systems and Algebras

Abstract Quadratic dynamical systems come from differential or discrete systems of the form Ẋ = Q ( X ) or X ( k +1)= Q ( X ( k )), where Q : R n → R n is homogeneous of degree 2; i.e., Q (α X ) = α 2 Q ( X ) for all α∈ R , X ∈ R n . Defining a bilinear mapping β: R n × R n → R n by β( X , Y ) ≔ 1 2 [ Q ( X + Y )− Q ( X )− Q ( Y )], we view XY ≡β( X , Y ) as a multiplication, and thus consider A =( R n , β) to be a commutative, nonassociative algebra. The quadratic systems are then studied with the general theme that the structure of the algebras helps determine the behavior of the solutions. For example, semisimple algebras give a decoupling of the original system into systems occurring in simple algebras, and solvable algebras give solutions to differential systems via linear differential equations; the general three-dimensional example of the latter phenomenon is described. There are many classical examples and the scope of quadratic systems is large; every polynomial system can be embedded into a higher dimensional quadratic system such that solutions of the original system are obtained from the quadratic system. For differential systems, nilpotents of index 2 ( N 2 =0) are equilibria and idempotents ( E 2 = E ) give ray solutions. The origin is never asymptotically stable, and the existence of nonzero idempotents implies that the origin is actually unstable. Nonzero equilibria are not hyperbolic, but can be studied by standard algebra techniques using nondegenerate bilinear forms as Lyapunov functions. Periodic orbits lie on "cones." They cannot occur in dimension 2 or in power-associative algebras. No periodic orbit can be an attractor but "limit cycles" (invariant cones) can exist. Automorphisms of the algebra A leave equilibria, periodic orbits, and domains of attraction invariant. Also, explicit solutions can be given by the action of automorphisms on an initial point; the general three-dimensional example of this is described. Thus if there are sufficient automorphisms, Hilbert′s sixteenth problem in R 3 has the following answer: if the periodic orbits of fixed period are isolated, then there is only one cone of periodic solutions; this cone is almost an attractor. For discrete systems there are many similarities to the differential systems. For example, orbits can be given by automorphisms, and again, the general three-dimensional example of this is described. However, distinctions become more obvious using algebras; for example, if the algebra A is nilpotent, then for the differential system, the solutions are unbounded, but for the discrete system, the trajectories iterate to zero in A ; also idempotents E 2 = E are the fixed points for the discrete system, and E is unstable if there exist suitable nilpotents N 2 =0. The interplay between algebras and dynamical systems can solve old problems, but more importantly, it can create new opportunities in both areas.
p53 Dimers Associate with a Head-to-Tail Response Element to Repress Cyclin B Transcription

DNA damage induced by the topoisomerase I inhibitor SN38 activates cell cycle checkpoints which promote cell cycle arrest. This arrest can be abrogated in p53-defective cells by the Chk1 inhibitor 7-hydroxystaurosporine (UCN-01). Previously, we compared p53 wild-type MCF10A cells with derivatives whose p53 function was inhibited by over-expression of the tetramerization domain (MCF10A/OD) or expression of shRNA against p53 (MCF10A/Δp53). Treatment of SN38-arrested MCF10A/OD cells with UCN-01 abrogated S, but not G2 arrest, while the MCF10A/Δp53 cells abrogated both S and G2 arrest. The MCF10A/OD cells had reduced levels of cyclin B, suggesting that tetramerization of p53 is not required for repression of cyclin B gene expression. In the present study, we analyzed p53 oligomerization status using glutaraldehyde cross-linking. Following SN38 treatment, MCF10A cells contained oligomeric forms of p53 with molecular weights approximating monomers, dimers, trimers, and tetramers. However, MCF10A/OD cells possessed only monomers and dimers suggesting that these complexes may be involved in repression of cyclin B. While genes transcriptionally activated by p53 contain a consensus sequence with elements repeated in a head-to-head orientation, the cyclin B promoter contains similar elements oriented head-to-tail. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed that p53 associates with this head-to-tail element in both MCF10A and MCF10A/OD. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) using a biotin-labeled probe containing the head-to-tail element showed a shift in mobility consistent with the molecular weight of tetramers and dimers in MCF10A nuclear extract, but only the dimer in MCF10A/OD nuclear extract. Taken together, these results suggest a novel mechanism whereby p53 dimers associate with the head-to-tail element to repress cyclin B transcription.
Social Signals Influence Hormones Independently of Calling Behavior in the Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)

Social signals play an important role in regulating hormone-behavior relationships. In anurans (frogs and toads), acoustic signals are an essential aspect of reproductive behavior; however, the physiological consequences of receiving social signals has remained largely undescribed. Each night for 5, 10, or 20 days, we presented acoustically isolated male treefrogs with a conspecific mating chorus, an array of tones, or no sound. We recorded calling rate of individuals throughout the experiment and collected blood before and after treatment. Days of stimulus exposure had no effect on any dependent measure. Acoustic treatment influenced steroid levels; testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and corticosterone increased only in the group exposed to the chorus. Chorus-exposed males also showed an increase in stimulus-evoked calling. We found no correlation between androgens and calling within each treatment group. In addition, noncallers in the chorus group had higher levels of androgens than males in the tone or no sound groups. Further, chorus-exposed males with zero, low, or high rate of calling had similar levels of androgens. These data indicate that social signals increase circulating androgens independently of calling behavior. Elevated corticosterone associated with chorus reception did not inhibit calling behavior, and corticosterone showed no correlation with androgen levels.
Impact of long-term treatment with neurotoxic dideoxynucleoside antiretrovirals: implications for clinical care in resource-limited settings

Objectives A minority of HIV-infected patients taking an antiretroviral (ARV) regimen containing dideoxynucleosides (d-drugs) such as stavudine (d4T) and didanosine (DDI) experiences dose-limiting neuropathic pain and paraesthesias, usually within weeks of starting these drugs. Because d-drugs are among the few affordable options available in developing countries, continuing d-drug therapy would be a desirable strategy for many HIV-infected individuals. Therefore, we evaluated the safety of continuing d-drug therapy. Methods In a US cohort, we compared the rates of worsening neuropathic symptoms and signs in HIV-infected individuals on stable ARV regimens that did (n=252) or did not (n=250) include d-drugs. Rates of worsening were compared using proportional hazards model and the log-rank test. Results The risk ratios (RR) were not significantly larger for worsening neuropathy signs [0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84–1.07] or symptoms (0.99; 95% CI 0.88–1.14) in patients taking d-drugs continuously compared to those not taking d-drugs. Conclusions Continued d-drug exposure among patients tolerating an initial trial did not increase the risk of worsening neuropathy compared to non-d-drug-containing regimens. If applicable in developing countries, these findings suggest that in most patients d-drugs can be continued safely in the long term without increasing the risk of worsening neuropathy.
Acetylcholine-calcium interactions in the canine atrium and sinus node

Abstract Although the enhancement of acetylcholine release by extracellular calcium is well recognized, the potential arrhythmogenicity of vagal-calcium interactions has not been studied. We used anesthetized mongrel dogs and recorded: ECG, arterial pressure, and electrograms from the sinus node, sulcus terminalis, right atrium, right ventricle, and His bundie. All animals were autonomically decentralized. The sinus node artery was catheterized, its distribution was verified, and it was autologously perfused via the femoral artery. Vagal stimulation was carried out during autologous blood perfusion of the sinus node artery and again during perfusion with oxygenated Tyrode solution, with calcium concentrations ranging from 1.8 to 16.2 mmol. Vagal slowing of rate was accentuated in the presence of calcium concentrations as low as 2.7 mmol. Further increments in calcium concentration resulted in vagally-induced atrial fibriliation. Fibrillation was characterized by rapid, regular repetitive activity which was superceded by chaotic atrial rhythm at about 10 seconds and blocked by atropine. Elevations in calcium alone (5.4 to 16.2 mmol) resulted in atrial fibrillation which was chaotic in appearance and not blocked by atropine. We couclude that increases in calcium concentration within the distribution of the sinus node artery are arrhythmogenic alone, and also enhance vagally-induced changes in atrial rhythmicity.
School Leadership in Changing Cultural Contexts: How Mississippi Superintendents are Responding to Hurricane Katrina

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi Gulf Coast superintendents were faced with changes in their communities, schools, and school districts of a magnitude that they could not have imagined. This narrative study was based on multiple interviews conducted in 2005 and 2006 of 7 Gulf Coast superintendents. The study investigated how these superintendents have responded to the devastation of Katrina and how they perceive their leadership roles to have changed as a result. The study found that the superintendents have changed their priorities and focuses and have drawn on their personal strength and resilience to serve the people in their school districts and their communities.
Persistence and Efficacy of Spinosad Residues in Farm Stored Wheat

Degradation and insecticidal effectiveness of spinosad residues were evaluated in Kansas during November 2000 to November 2001 in farm bins holding wheat (34-metric ton capacity). About 50 kg of hard red winter wheat from each of three bins were brought to the laboratory and treated separately with 1-ml aqueous suspensions of spinosad to provide rates of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 3, 6 mg (AI)/kg of wheat. Wheat treated with distilled water served as the control treatment. Untreated and spinosad-treated wheat samples (250 g each) were placed in three plastic pouches of two different mesh sizes, and buried 2.5 cm below the grain surface. Pouches with large mesh openings were used to monitor insect infestations and kernel damage in untreated and spinosad-treated samples. Pouches with small mesh were used for extracting spinosad residues and for conducting laboratory bioassays with adults of the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) at 28°C and 65% RH. Wheat temperature and relative humidity near the pouches during the 1 yr of storage ranged from −10 to 32°C and 50 to 70%, respectively. Moisture of wheat samples varied from 12.4 to 13%. Observed spinosad residues on wheat samples were 25% less than the calculated rates of 0.1 to 6 mg/kg. However, these residues were stable during the 1 yr of storage, and killed all R. dominica adults exposed for 14 d in the laboratory. Mortality of T. castaneum adults increased with an increase in spinosad rate. The linear regression slope of LD50s (0.3–2.7 mg/kg) against storage time was not significantly different from zero, indicating no loss in spinosad toxicity to T. castaneum adults. Insect species, insect numbers, and kernel damage over time in wheat samples inside pouches with large mesh openings were highly inconsistent, and failed to accurately characterize spinosad performance. Laboratory bioassays with R. dominica and T. castaneum adults using grain from pouches with small mesh openings accurately gauged spinosad persistence and insecticidal activity under the field conditions.
Neural networks for nonlinear programming

The dynamics of the modified canonical nonlinear programming circuit are studied and how to guarantee the stability of the network's solution. By considering the total cocontent function, the solution of the canonical nonlinear programming circuit is reconciled with the problem being modeled. In addition, it is shown how the circuit can be realized using a neural network, thereby extending the results of D.W. Tank and J.J. Hopefield (ibid., vol.CAS-33, p.533-41, May 1986) to the general nonlinear programming problem. >
THE INFLUENCE OF THE ADRENAL GLANDS ON RESISTANCE : III. SUSCEPTIBILITY TO HISTAMINE AS A TEST OF ADRENAL DEFICIENCY.

1. The resistance of rats to histamine is greatly diminished after adrenalectomy. 2. This susceptibility to histamine is proposed as a functional test for deficient adrenal cortex function.
Heme Uptake by Microscilla marina and Evidence for Heme Uptake Systems in the Genomes of Diverse Marine Bacteria

The ability to acquire diverse and abundant forms of iron would be expected to confer a survival advantage in the marine environment, where iron is scarce. Marine bacteria are known to use siderophores and inorganic iron, but their ability to use heme, an abundant intracellular iron form, has only been examined preliminarily. Microscilla marina, a cultured relative of a bacterial group frequently found on marine particulates, was used as a model organism to examine heme uptake. Searches of the genome revealed analogs to known heme transport proteins, and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis of these genes showed that they were expressed and upregulated under iron stress and during growth on heme. M. marina was found to take up heme-bound iron and could grow on heme as a sole iron source, supporting the genetic evidence for heme transport. Similar putative heme transport components were identified in the genomes of diverse marine bacteria. These systems were found in the genomes of many bacteria thought to be particle associated but were lacking in known free-living organisms (e.g., Pelagibacter ubique and marine cyanobacteria). This distribution of transporters is consistent with the hydrophobic, light-sensitive nature of heme, suggesting that it is primarily available on phytoplankton or detritus or in nutrient-rich environments.
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE, CUCULIINAE)

In the course of revising the subfamily Cuculliinae of the Noctuidae, it has become obvious that many of the species have been placed in genera where they do not belong, and others have been merely “dumped” into the most convenient genus; it is to rectify the above conditions that the following genera are described.
Hovering of a rigid pyramid in an oscillatory airflow

We investigate the dynamics of rigid bodies (hollow ‘pyramids’) placed within a background airflow, oscillating with zero mean. The asymmetry of the body introduces a net upward force. We find that when the amplitude of the airflow is above a threshold, the net lift exceeds the weight and the object starts to hover. Our results show that the objects hover at far smaller air amplitudes than would be required by a quasi-steady theory, although this theory accounts qualitatively for the behaviour of the system as the body mass becomes small.
The radical act of 'mommy blogging': redefining motherhood through the blogosphere

This article provides an alternative to the masculine construction of the blogosphere by analyzing 'mommy bloggers' through the lenses of feminism and autobiography. It uses the event of the 2005 BlogHer conference as a starting point for a discussion about the mommy blogger phenomenon, wherein a constellation of ensuing conversations challenge the use of the title 'mommy blogger' and the activities that are encompassed by it. In qualitatively examining the form and content of mommy blogs, this article ultimately argues for their potential to build communities and to challenge dominant representations of motherhood within our society.
Differences in ewe and wether behavior when bonded to cattle

Abstract Under mixed stocking, both intra- and inter-species associations exist. Sheep normally do not associate with cattle when the two species are grazed together. However, sheep can be made to consistently stay close to (bond) and follow cattle if forced in close association with cattle at an early age for a period of time. The cohesiveness of this inter-species association under free-ranging conditions varies due to many factors, including sheep gender. Bonded wethers stay nearer to cattle than do bonded ewes. However, the distance of separation between bonded sheep groups and cattle groups during grazing increases over time. Though the mechanisms(s) for these phenomena are not presently understood, keeping a few bonded wethers with bonded ewes may enhance the establishment and maintenance of consistently coherent range flerds (flocks + herds).
Efficient Discovery of Spectrum Opportunities with MAC-Layer Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks

Sensing/monitoring of spectrum-availability has been identified as a key requirement for dynamic spectrum allocation in cognitive radio networks (CRNs). An important issue associated with MAC-layer sensing in CRNs is how often to sense the availability of licensed channels and in which order to sense those channels. To resolve this issue, we address (1) how to maximize the discovery of spectrum opportunities by sensing-period adaptation and (2) how to minimize the delay in finding an available channel. Specifically, we develop a sensing-period optimization mechanism and an optimal channel-sequencing algorithm, as well as an environment- adaptive channel-usage pattern estimation method. Our simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed schemes and its significant performance improvement over nonoptimal schemes. The sensing-period optimization discovers more than 98 percent of the analytical maximum of discoverable spectrum-opportunities, regardless of the number of channels sensed. For the scenarios tested, the proposed scheme is shown to discover up to 22 percent more opportunities than nonoptimal schemes, which may become even greater with a proper choice of initial sensing periods. The idle-channel discovery delay with the optimal channel-sequencing technique ranges from 0.08 to 0.35 seconds under the tested scenarios, which is much faster than nonoptimal schemes. Moreover, our estimation method is shown to track time-varying channel-parameters accurately.
Development and Application of a Mouse Intestinal Loop Model To Study the In Vivo Action of Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin

Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) is responsible for causing the gastrointestinal symptoms of C. perfringens type A food poisoning, the second most commonly identified bacterial food-borne illness in the United States. CPE is produced by sporulating C. perfringens cells in the small intestinal lumen, where it then causes epithelial cell damage and villous blunting that leads to diarrhea and cramping. Those effects are typically self-limiting; however, severe outbreaks of this food poisoning, particularly two occurring in psychiatric institutions, have involved deaths. Since animal models are currently limited for the study of the CPE action, a mouse ligated intestinal loop model was developed. With this model, significant lethality was observed after 2 h in loops receiving an inoculum of 100 or 200 μg of CPE but not using a 50-μg toxin inoculum. A correlation was noted between the overall intestinal histological damage and lethality in mice. Serum analysis revealed a dose-dependent increase in serum CPE and potassium levels. CPE binding to the liver and kidney was detected, along with elevated levels of potassium in the serum. These data suggest that CPE can be absorbed from the intestine into the circulation, followed by the binding of the toxin to internal organs to induce potassium leakage, which can cause death. Finally, CPE pore complexes similar to those formed in tissue culture cells were detected in the intestine and liver, suggesting that (i) CPE actions are similar in vivo and in vitro and (ii) CPE-induced potassium release into blood may result from CPE pore formation in internal organs such as the liver.
Analyzing Ultra-Scale Application Communication Requirements for a Reconfigurable Hybrid Interconnect

The path towards realizing peta-scale computing is increasingly dependent on scaling up to unprecedented numbers of processors. To prevent the interconnect architecture between processors from dominating the overall cost of such systems, there is a critical need for interconnect solutions that both provide performance to ulta-scale applications and have costs that scale linearly with system size. In this work we propose the Hybrid Flexibly Assignable Switch Topology (HFAST) infrastructure. The HFAST approach uses both passive (circuit switch) and active (packet switch) commodity switch components to deliver all of the flexibility and fault-tolerance of a fully-interconnected network (such as a fat-tree), while preserving the nearly linear cost scaling associated with traditional low-degree interconnect networks. To understand the applicability of this technology, we perform an in-depth study of communication requirements across a broad spectrum of important scientific applications, whose computational methods include: finite-difference, latticebolzmann, particle in cell, sparse linear algebra, particle mesh ewald, and FFT-based solvers. We use the IPM (Integrated Performance Monitoring) profiling layer to gather detailed messaging statistics with minimal impact to code performance. This profiling provides us sufficiently detailed communication topology and message volume data to evaluate these applications in the context of the proposed hybrid interconnect. Overall results show that HFAST is a promising approach for practically addressing the interconnect requirements of future peta-scale systems.
Continuous Readout Photon Counting Imaging Detector

We describe the development of an imaging photon counting detector using microchannel plates and a wedge-and-strip readout system. Several detectors of this type have already been fabricated ranging from open face detectors for the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) (<1000 A) to sealed tubes sensitive to Far Ultraviolet (FUV) (1000-2000 A) radiation. Recently, we have developed a similar sensor to operate in the visible (400-800 nm) spectral region using a S20 photocathode. This device is compact and its construction is ruggedized and suitable for airborne and spaceborne applications. We will describe the results of our evaluations of the visible sensor in terms of their position resolution, gain, pulse height, quantum efficiency, non-linearity and dark count characteristics. Imaging applications of this sensor with a Fabry Perot spectrometer will be presented.
Commentary: The Professional Obligation of Physicians in Times of Hazard and Need

Those who read only the introductory section of “Physician Obligation in Disaster Preparedness and Response,” the statement from the AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, apparently an elaboration on CEJA Opinion 3-I-04, E-9.067, will find an expression of laudable professional responsibility in the face of a disaster. There the AMA authors explicitly acknowledge “that unique responsibilities beyond planning rest on the shoulders of the medical profession” (emphasis added). They also declare that, “physicians are needed to care for victims. In some instances, this will require individual physicians to place their health or their lives at risk” (emphasis added). As the AMA authors note, these responsibilities have been accepted at least since the writing of Thomas Percival in 1803 and endorsed by the AMA in posting their 1847 code. The commitments are also asserted in the preamble of the AMA's most current Principles of Medical Ethics , which states that “a physician must recognize responsibility to patients, first and foremost ,” and again in Principle VIII, which states that “[a] physician shall, when caring for a patient, regard responsibility to the patient as paramount” (emphasis added).
Linear-time resource allocation in security games with identical fully protective resources

Game theory has become an important tools for making resource allocations decision in security domains, including critical infrastructure protection. Many of these games are formulated as Stackelberg security games. We present new analysis and algorithms for a class of Stackelberg security games with identical, fully protective defender resources. The first algorithm has worst-case complexity linear in the number of possible targets, but works only for a restricted case. The second algorithm can find and optimal resource allocation for the general case in time O(n ċ log(n)).