cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disparate effects of rotational energy excitation on the electron impact ionization of diatomic molecules: H2 versus N2

Abstract Rotational energy excitation produces disparate effects on the ionization efficiency curves of H 2 and N 2 . While no observable shift in the N 2 ionization curve occurs on heating, the H 2 ionization curve is displaced significantly, indicating that, in the case of H 2 , rotational energy is being efficiently converted into electronic energy.
The influence of age on the recovery of cardiac monoamine oxidase after irreversible inhibition.

Abstract The level of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity of rat heart is dependent on the age of the animal. Activity appears at 1–2 weeks after birth and increases progressively for the following 16–18 weeks. Thereafter the enzyme level remains fairly constant. Irreversible inhibition of cardiac MAO by administration of pargyline is followed by complete recovery of the enzyme, but the rate and duration of recovery are dependent on the age at which inhibition is produced. Thus, pargyline administration to 1-week-old rats resulted in a recovery curve which did not differ from that of controls. Total recovery of cardiac MAO, which was inhibited in rats 8 and 16 weeks old, required 6–8 weeks, with the initial rates of recovery being greater for the older animals.
Surgical treatment of lung cancer: Predicting postoperative morbidity in the elderly population

Objectives Surgical resection is standard treatment for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer; however, perception of postoperative risk may influence the decision to proceed for elderly patients. With population data, we analyzed postoperative complications and morbidity predictors for older patients undergoing lobectomy for stage I non–small cell lung cancer. Methods The Surveillance Epidemiology and End-Results–Medicare linked database (2000–2005) identified patients (ages 66–80 years) undergoing lobectomy for stage I non–small cell lung cancer. We comprehensively evaluated in-hospital postoperative complications (pulmonary, cardiac, infectious, noncardiopulmonary) with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision , diagnosis codes. Logistic regression models were constructed to identify patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics associated with complications. Results In all, 4171 patients were included, 2329 of whom had 4097 in-hospital postoperative complications (55.8%). Pulmonary complications were most common (n = 1598; 38.3%) followed by cardiac (n = 1020; 24.5%). Complications were significantly associated with age at least 75 years, male sex, higher comorbidity index, larger tumors, and treatment at nonteaching hospitals ( P P Conclusions Population-based analysis demonstrated that perioperative complications after lobectomy for stage I non–small cell lung cancer in older patients exceeded 50% and were associated with specific patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Better understanding of the impact of these risk factors may facilitate surgical decision making and encourage implementation of more effective perioperative care guidelines for older surgical patients.
Shared irrigation costs: An empirical and axiomatic analysis

Abstract This paper examines cost-sharing arrangements on a sample of twenty-five irrigation ditches located in a south-central Montana community. These arrangements, variations of serial and average cost sharing, often date back to the corresponding ditch's construction at the turn of the century. We provide axiomatic characterizations of these mechanisms using a list of static and dynamic equity principles that have been embraced by the ranchers actually involved, as revealed by direct phone surveys. We also show that the observed cost-sharing arrangements can be characterized as unique solutions to equity-constrained welfare maximization. Our characterizations provide both theoretical support for the observed longevity of these arrangements and new insight into similarities and differences between serial and (restricted) average cost sharing in a context of irrigation.
Folic Acid Protects against Potato Glycoalkaloid α-Chaconine-Induced Disruption of Frog Embryo Cell Membranes and Developmental Toxicity

To demonstrate whether folic acid can protect Xenopus embryos against reported adverse effects of the potato glycoalkaloid α-chaconine, the frog embryos were exposed simultaneously to the glycoalka...
Low Patient Enrollment Sites in Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trials of Cerebrovascular Diseases: Associated Factors and Impact on Trial Outcomes

Wide variability in patient enrollment among participating sites is a common phenomenon in multicenter trials. We examined stroke trial–related factors associated with the proportion of sites with low patient enrollment and the effect of these low-enrollment sites on trial outcome. We identified efficacy clinical trials enrolling patients with cerebrovascular diseases between 1980 and 2008 using an electronic database. The trials included in our analyses were multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing efficacy endpoints between two or more treatment groups and having >5 sites. Sites enrolling
Cell cycle-dependent glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation and activity.

Proliferating cells display striking cell cycle dependence in sensitivity to gene activation by glucocorticoids; they are sensitive in late gap 1/synthesis (G1/S) (late G1 and S phases) but resistant in gap 2/mitotic (G2/M). Here we describe large cell cycle-dependent variations in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation that accompany, and may account for, the changes in sensitivity. GRs are basally phosphorylated and undergo hyperphosphorylation after hormone-induced activation. Identified phosphorylated sites are all in the N-terminal domain. Several lie in a region required for full transactivating activity and reduction of nonspecific binding to DNA. Most are in consensus sequences for cell cycle-associated kinases, suggesting that such kinases phosphorylate GRs. We now show with WCL2 cells (Chinese hamster ovary cells with overexpressed GRs) that: 1) glucocorticoid treatment fails to hyperphosphorylate GRs in G2/M but doubles phosphorylation in S, more than seen with unsynchronized cells; and 2...
Cooperativity of conventional and unconventional hydrogen bonds involving imidazole

Correlated ab initio calculations are used to investigate the cooperativity of H-bonds between imidazole and a pair of water molecules. H-bonds comprise not only the conventional NH … O and OH … N types, but also CH … O and OH … φ (wherein a proton is donated to the delocalized π cloud lying above the aromatic ring). Conventional and OH … φ H-bonds obey the normal principles of cooperativity, wherein these bonds are strengthened when a central molecule serves simultaneously as both proton donor and acceptor. In contrast, CH … O bonds do not appear to be amenable to such positive cooperativity. When placed in a polarizable medium, all H-bonds weaken as the dielectric constant of the solvent grows. The qualitative aspects of the cooperativity are not affected by the medium, although some weakening is observed. Calculations also consider the effects of cooperativity on other aspects of the complexes, including the intermolecular distance, the effect on the covalent X-H bond length, and IR and NMR spectral data. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
Toxicokinetic and genomic analysis of chronic arsenic exposure in multidrug-resistance mdr1a/1b(-/-) double knockout mice

Multidrug-resistance gene knockout mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, which are deficient in P-glycoproteins, are more sensitive than wild-type (WT) mice to acute arsenic toxicity. This study assessed toxic manifestations of chronic oral arsenic in mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, including oxidative stress and altered gene expression, and investigated altered toxicokinetics as a potential basis of enhanced arsenic toxicity. Thus, mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice were exposed to sodium arsenite (0-80 ppm as arsenic) in the drinking water for 10 weeks at which time hepatic arsenic accumulation, lipid peroxidation (LPO), redox status and change in gene expression level were assessed. All mice survived the arsenic exposure, but body weight gain in the highest dose group was reduced in both mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice. Arsenic induced pathological changes, elevated LPO levels and enhanced glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, in the liver to a greater extent in mdr1a/1b(-/-) than in WT mice. Arsenic also decreased Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity in both mdr1a/1b(-/-) and WT mice. The expressions of certain genes, such as those encoding cell proliferation, GST, acute-phase proteins and metabolic enzymes, were modestly altered in arsenic-exposed mice. The expression of cyclin D1, a potential hepatic oncogene, was enhanced in arsenic-exposed mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice only. At the highest level of exposure, hepatic arsenic content was higher in mdr1a/1b(-/-) than in WT mice, suggesting that enhanced accumulation due to transport deficiency may, in part, account for the enhanced toxicity in these mice. In summary, this study shows that chronic arsenic toxicity, including liver pathology and oxidative stress, is enhanced in mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice, possibly due to enhanced accumulation of arsenic as a result of transport system deficiency.
Improvement of Stability of Oil‐in‐Water Emulsions Containing Caseinate‐Coated Droplets by Addition of Sodium Alginate

The potential of sodium alginate for improving the stability of emulsions containing caseinate-coated droplets was investigated. One wt% corn oil-in-water emulsions containing anionic caseinate-coated droplets (0.15 wt% sodium caseinate) and anionic sodium alginate (0 to 1 wt%) were prepared at pH 7. The pH of these emulsions was then adjusted to 3.5, so that the anionic alginate molecules adsorbed to the cationic caseinate-coated droplets. Extensive droplet aggregation occurred when there was insufficient alginate to completely saturate the droplet surfaces due to bridging flocculation, and when the nonadsorbed alginate concentration was high enough to induce depletion flocculation. Emulsions with relatively small particle sizes could be formed over a range of alginate concentrations (0.1 to 0.4 wt%). The influence of pHs (3 to 7) and sodium chloride (0 to 500 mM) on the properties of primary (0 wt% alginate) and secondary (0.15 wt% alginate) emulsions was studied. Alginate adsorbed to the droplet surfaces at pHs 3, 4, and 5, but not at pHs 6 and 7, due to electrostatic attraction between anionic groups on the alginate and cationic groups on the adsorbed caseinate. Secondary emulsions had better stability than primary emulsions at pH values near caseinate's isoelectric point (pHs 4 and 5). In addition, secondary emulsions were stable up to higher ionic strengths (< 300 mM) than primary emulsions (<50 mM). The controlled electrostatic deposition method utilized in this study could be used to extend the range of application of dairy protein emulsifiers in the food industry.
Regulation of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors by triiodothyronine in cultured rat myocardial cells

Previously, in this laboratory, we established the presence of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors in primary cultures of neonatal rat heart cells. We now report that exposure to l-triiodothyronine (10 nM) regulates the binding characteristics of these receptors.
Effects of morphine, d-amphetamine, and pentobarbital on shock and light discrimination performance in rats.

The effects of 2 and 4 mg/kg morphine sulfate, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg d-amphetamine sulfate, and 6 and 12 mg/kg pentobaribital sodium were tested in rats in two different discrete-trial two-choice discrimination tasks. The discriminative stimuli for one task were high and low intensity shocks. In the other, correct choices were signaled by the position of a brief light flash. Morphine (4 mg/kg) significantly disrupted performance of both tasks, with more reliable disturbance occurring in the shock discrimination animals. Pentobarbital (12 mg/kg), while exerting noticeable effects on gross motor behavior, had little effect on discrimination performance; d-amphetamine (1 mg/kg) was disruptive of discrimination performance in only some animals. The results indicate that much of the effect of relatively low doses of morphine on the shock discrimination performance of rats may be due not to its putative specific antinociceptive properties, but to alterations in conceptual-judgmental processes or decreases in motivation (e.g., hunger) unrelated to pain.
Scheme for density separation and identification of compound forms in size-fractionated fly ash

Abstract A scheme has been developed for the separation of compounds in size-fractionated fly ash by linear density gradients. Minor crystalline components such as calcium ferrite, haematite, magnetite, MgO, barite, anhydrite, rutile and mica were identified in addition to the major compounds mullite, quartz and CaO in a fly ash of pulverized subbituminous coal from western USA. The utility of the scheme in identifying minor crystalline components in fly ash has been demonstrated.
Properties of Square-Pyramidal Alkyl-Thiolate FeIII-Complexes, Including an Analogue of the Unmodified Form of Nitrile Hydratase

The syntheses and structures of three new coordinatively unsaturated, monomeric, square-pyramidal thiolate-ligated Fe(III) complexes are described, [FeIII((tame-N3)S2Me2)]+ (1), [FeIII(Et-N2S2Me2)(...
An empirical analysis of the reincorporation decision

The literature suggests two competing explanations for reincorporations: efforts at managerial entrenchment and attempts to improve contractual efficiency. The empirical evidence to date is inconclusive. To seek further evidence, we examine a large sample of firms that changed their state of incorporation over the period 1980–1992. We find that shareholder wealth is decreased by reincorporations that erect takeover defenses, but is increased by reincorporations that establish limits on director liability. Firms that claim they reincorporate to limit the personal liability of their board members and thereby attract better qualified outside directors do, in fact, expand the outside representation on their boards, whereas firms citing other motives do not.
Synthesis, cleavage and sequence analysis of DNA complementary to the 26 S messenger RNA of Sindbis virus.

Conditions for synthesis of long complementary DNA transcripts of Sindbis virus 26 S and 49 S RNA in high yield have been developed. This single-stranded complementary DNA could be cut with HaeIII, HhaI, RsaI or TaqI to give reproducible patterns of discrete, virus-specific fragments that were suitable for subsequent end-labeling and direct sequence analysis. Using these methods we present the strategy used for obtaining nearly the entire 26 S RNA sequence from complementary DNA synthesized in vitro. This approach should prove useful for sequence analysis of any purified RNA available in microgram quantities.
On the growth of the counting function of Stanley sequences

Given a finite set of nonnegative integers A with no three-term arithmetic progressions, the Stanley sequence generated by A, denoted as S(A), is the infinite set created by beginning with A and then greedily including strictly larger integers which do not introduce a three-term arithmetic progression in S(A). Erdos et al. asked whether the counting function, S(A,x), of a Stanley sequence S(A) satisfies S(A,x)>x^1^2^-^@e for every @e>0 and x>x"0(@e,A). In this paper we answer this question in the affirmative; in fact, we prove the slightly stronger result that S(A,x)>=(2-@e)x for x>=x"0(@e,A).
Superconductivity near liquid nitrogen temperature in the PbSrRCaCuO system (R=Y or rare earth)

Abstract Superconductivity close to the boiling point of liquid nitrogen has been discovered in the P-Sr-R-Ca-Cu-O system where R is Y or rare earth. The superconducting compound has been identified as Pb 2 Sr 2 (R,Ca) 1 Cu 3 O 8+ y and the structure of the R=Y compound has been solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The structure consists of double CuO 2 sheets interleaved by (Ca,R), a unit which is common to most of the high- T c copper oxide superconductors. A new structural feature found in this system is a double PbO layer separated by a sheet of copper atoms. A non-superconducting oxide of approximate composition (Y,Ca)Sr 2 (Cu,Pb) 3 O 7− y formed as a second phase in some preparations has been also characterized; its structure is related YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 .
Turbulence dissipation in stirred jars

A two-compartment analytical model was developed to estimate the turbulent dissipation rates in a standard jar stirred by a radial impeller. A simple numerical simulation was also performed to support the analytical arguments. Results of the numerical model showed that away from the impeller, the turbulent dissipation rate rapidly decays proportionally with z−2 , where z is the axial distance. The turbulent velocity away from the impeller region showed a decay proportional to z−0.5 . Although the dissipation rates at the wall boundary layer were higher compared to those in the tank interior, the total energy dissipated in the boundary layer is smaller compared to that expended in the impeller zone.
The use of sucrose as a cryoprotective agent for the labile sheep erythrocyte-complement component-intermediate complex, EAC142☆

Abstract Sucrose (15% w/v) was found to be a useful agent for cryopreservation of sheep erythrocytes in the intermediate state EAC 142 . The ordinarilly very labile SAC 142 , associated with the cells, did not decay to any appreciable degree during periods of storage of 1, 72 or 132 days at −65 to −70°C. Recovery of erythrocytes after freezing and thawing varied. Our best recovery was 76.6% and the poorest was 43.0%. The poorest recoveries were obtained during the latter part of the 132 day experiment after the freezer malfunctioned on day 35 causing a temperature rise to −50°C which lasted for 3 days. The average spontaneous lysis of cells before freezing and thawing was 5.6%. The average spontaneous lysis for cells which had been stored in the frozen state was 6.9%.
Enforce POLA on processes to control viruses

Applying the Principle of Least Authority on processes, instead of just on people, limits damage from viruses and worms.
Finite element based Kerr electro-optic reconstruction of space charge

Recently we used the onion peeling method to reconstruct the axisymmetric electric field distribution of point/plane electrodes from Kerr electro-optic measurements. The method accurately reconstructed the electric field from numerically generated data. However in the presence of experimental noise the performance was less satisfactory. The measurements were especially noisy and unstable near the needle tip which is also the interesting region since most charge injection initiates here. We develop a new algorithm for Kerr electro-optic reconstruction of space charge in axisymmetric point/plane electrode geometries. The algorithm is built on the finite element method (FEM) for Poisson's equation and will be called finite element based Kerr electro-optic reconstruction (FEBKER) hereafter. FEBKER calculates the space charge density directly to avoid the numerical problems associated with taking the divergence of the electric field, uses single parameter light intensity measurements to enable transient analysis, which otherwise is difficult since multiple parameter intensity measurements are slow due to the rotation of polarizers, and is capable of reconstruction even when the number and/or position of measurements are limited by the electrodes and/or the experimental setup. The performance of the algorithm is tested on synthetic Kerr electro-optic data obtained for an axisymmetric point/plane electrode geometry in transformer oil with specified space charge density distributions. The impact of experimental error is analyzed by incorporating random error to the synthetic data. Regularization techniques that decrease the impact of experimental error are applied. In principle FEBKER is applicable to arbitrary three-dimensional geometries as well.
Interferon-inducible gene 202b controls CD8 + T cell-mediated suppression in anti-DNA Ig peptide-treated (NZB × NZW) F1 lupus mice

Administration of an artificial peptide (pConsensus) based on anti-DNA IgG sequences that contain major histocompatibility complex class I and class II T-cell determinants, induces immune tolerance in NZB/NZW F1 female (BWF1) mice. To understand the molecular basis of CD8(+) Ti-mediated suppression, we previously performed microarray analysis to identify genes that were differentially expressed following tolerance induction with pCons. CD8(+) T cells from mice tolerized with pCons showed more than two-fold increase in Ifi202b mRNA, an interferon inducible gene, versus cells from untolerized mice. Ifi202b expression increased through weeks 1-4 after tolerization and then decreased, reapproaching baseline levels at 6 weeks. In vitro polyclonal activation of tolerized CD8(+) T cells significantly increased Ifi202b mRNA expression. Importantly, silencing of Ifi202b abrogated the suppressive capacity of CD8(+) Ti cells. This was associated with decreased expression of Foxp3, and decreased gene and protein expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)β and interleukin-2 (IL-2), but not of interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-10, or IL-17. Silencing of another IFN-induced gene upregulated in tolerized CD8(+) T cells, IFNAR1, had no effect on the ability of CD8(+) T cells to suppress autoantibody production. Our findings indicate a potential role for Ifi202b in the suppressive capacity of peptide-induced regulatory CD8(+) Ti cells through effects on the expression of Foxp3 and the synthesis of TGFβ.
What Do Conceptual Holes in Assessment Say about the Topics We Teach in General Chemistry

Introductory chemistry has long been considered a service course by various departments that entrust chemistry departments with teaching their students. As a result, most introductory courses include a majority of students who are not chemistry majors, and many are health and science related majors who are required to take chemistry. To identify content areas that are either well covered or sparsely covered, approximately 2000 exam items from four types of General Chemistry ACS exams (Full Year General Chemistry, General Chemistry Conceptual, First Term General Chemistry, and Second Term General Chemistry) spanning two decades were aligned to the Anchoring Concepts Content Map (ACCM). ACS exams were chosen as artifacts due to the nature of the exam development by committees consisting of chemists who are experts in the field. The ACCM is developed such that the statements from the first two levels are stable across the entire undergraduate chemistry curriculum, while the third and fourth levels are subdis...
Effects of Participation in a First Women's Studies Course on Collective Self‐Esteem, Gender‐Related Attitudes, and Emotional Well‐Being1

We studied the psychological sequelae of participation in a first women's studies course. It was hypothesized that this course would impact women's social identities (collective self-esteem, CSE) and attitudes about gender (sexist and feminist beliefs). Further, we hypothesized that more liberal attitudes about gender would enhance mood, whereas awareness of devaluation (public CSE) would reduce mood. Female students enrolled in Psychology of Women (n= 55) and Introductory Psychology (n= 41) provided data at the beginning and end of an academic semester. As predicted, Psychology of Women students endorsed significantly more liberal attitudes about gender and awareness of devaluation over the course of the semester. Further, acceptance of feminist attitudes buffered against anxiety, whereas awareness of devaluation increased anxiety. The net effect was a nonsignificant change in anxiety for Psychology of Women students over time.
Resolving islands of security problem for DNSSEC

The DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) were developed to add origin authentication and integrity. DNSSEC defined a public key infrastructure over DNS tree hierarchy for the public key validation. In DNSSEC, a parent zone authenticates public keys of its child zones. The authentication hierarchy is broken when a parent does not support DNSSEC. This paper proposes an effective mechanism to overcome this partial deployment problem. Our solution uses a public bulletin board for zones to post their DNSKEY information. Resolvers use posted key information to find key authentication chains that can be used to validate the DNSKEY. Bulletin Board(BB) provides complete trust relationship information when the key authentication hierarchy is broken, and distributes the complete key information even when false zones provide the invalid keys. The bulletin board does not guarantee the correctness of DNSKEY information, but it does guarantee the completeness of the key information. Our approach helps DNS zones to deploy DNSSEC even when their parent zones do not deploy DNSSEC, and it does not require any changes to the current DNSSEC protocol and the existing software.
Treating acute pain: do's and don'ts, pros and cons.

The mechanisms of action of centrally and peripherally acting analgesics are reviewed. Therapeutic implications are cited.
Analysis of Survival Data by a Weibull-Generalized Poisson Distribution

In life-testing and survival analysis, sometimes the components are arranged in series or parallel system and the number of components is initially unknown. Thus, the number of components, say Z, is considered as random with an appropriate probability mass function. In this paper, we model the survival data with baseline distribution as Weibull and the distribution of Z as generalized Poisson, giving rise to four parameters in the model: increasing, decreasing, bathtub and upside bathtub failure rates. Two examples are provided and the maximum-likelihood estimation of the parameters is studied. Rao's score test is developed to compare the results with the exponential Poisson model studied by Kus [17] and the exponential-generalized Poisson distribution with baseline distribution as exponential and the distribution of Z as generalized Poisson. Simulation studies are carried out to examine the performance of the estimates.
DBTTF-TCNQ: A fractionally-charged organic salt with a mixed-stack crystalline motif

Abstract X-Ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that the organic charge-transfer salt formed from the donor(D) DBTTF and the acceptor(A) TCNQ exists as a mixed stack(…DADA…) crystalline array. From the donor and acceptor geometries and solid state infrared spectrum, an unusual charge transfer(for a …DADA… motif) of 0.47e is derived. The Madelung contribution, −2.9 eV/DA pair, has been evaluated and found to be deficient relative to the cost of ionization of the components.
Omega EP, laser scalings and the 60 MeV barrier: First observations of ion acceleration performance in the 10 picosecond kilojoule short-pulse regime

Omega EP is capable of producing 1000 J in 10 ps and is currently the most energetic short-pulse laser in the world. The performance of EP in terms of proton beam energies is compared with other laser systems worldwide at similar intensities. Omega EP results are discussed in the context of these lasers and the empirical ~ 60 MeV barrier, which has existed since the discovery of forward laser-accelerated protons in 2000 [1–2].
Macroscopic realism and quantum measurement: measurers as a natural kind

The notion of macroscopic realism has been used in attempts to achieve consistency between physics and everyday experience and to locate some boundary between the realms of classical mechanics and quantum meachanics. Its ostensibly underlying conceptual components, realism and macroscopicity, have most often appeared in the foundations of physics in relation to quantum measurement: reality became a prominent topic of discussion in quantum physics after the notion of element of reality was defined and used by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen in that context, and macroscopicity is often explicitly assumed to be an essential property of any measuring apparatus. However, macroscopicity turns out to be a rather vaguer and less consistently understood notion than typically assumed by physicists who have not explicitly explored the notion themselves. For this reason, it behooves those investigating the foundations of quantum mechanics from a realist perspective to look for alternative notions for grounding quantum measurement. Here, the merits of treating the measuring instrument as a ‘natural kind’ as a means of avoiding anthropocentrism in the foundations of quantum measurement are pointed out as a means of advancing quantum measurement theory.
A summary of laser and microwave flow control in high-speed flows

Laser and microwave discharge in air has emerged as an effective method for flow control in high-speed flows. Computational and experimental research has demonstrated its capability for significant drag reduction and mitigation of adverse interactions in high-speed flows. The paper presents a summary of key computational and experimental studies performed at Rutgers University in collaboration with the Joint Institute for High Temperatures (Moscow, Russia) and St. Petersburg State University (St. Petersburg, Russia).
Pharmacokinetics in mice of a [3H]-labeled phosphorothioate oligonucleotide formulated in the presence and absence of a cationic lipid

Abstract Formulation of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides with cationic lipids enhances the pharmacological activity of the oligonucleotide in cellular based assay systems. The effect of cationic lipid formulation on the pharmacokinetic behavior of a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide in mice was investigated in the present study. In the absence of any formulation, the phosphorothioate oligonucleotide exhibited a plasma T 1 2 of 10.2 min and was broadly distributed to many peripheral tissues with liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and skin being the major organs of disposition. Formulating the oligonucleotide with a DMRIE/DOPE (50:50) formulation, such that there was a 2.5:1 positive charge excess on the lipidic structure, resulted in marked changes in the distribution of the oligonucleotide. Significant increases in the amount of oligonucleotide distributed to liver, lung and spleen were observed when the oligonucleotide was formulated with cationic lipids. These results suggest that it is possible to change the biodistribution of phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides by formulating with cationic liposomes.
Cation Reversal of Inhibition of Growth by Valinomycin in Streptococcus pyogenes and Clostridium sporogenes

Study of the antimicrobial spectrum of valinomycin revealed that, in addition to the gram-positive bacteria reported in literature, Streptococcus pyogenes and Clostridium sporogenes are also susceptible to this antibiotic. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the antibiotic for S. pyogenes grown aerobically and anaerobically did not differ markedly, negating the hypothesis that oxidative phosphorylation is involved in the mechanism of action of this antibiotic. This conclusion is further strengthened by the inhibition of growth of C. sporogenes , an obligate anaerobe. In a medium with a low K + concentration, the MIC for S. pyogenes was 0.02 μg/ml, the lowest ever recorded for this antibiotic. The inhibition of growth of S. pyogenes and C. sporogenes was readily reversed by addition of K + to the medium, indicating a compensation for net efflux of K + from the cells when the transmembrane potential reached equilibrium. In contrast to these bacteria, Bacillus subtilis was less susceptible to the antibiotic when the potassium concentration of the medium was low. The addition of potassium in the presence of valinomycin increased the inhibition of growth, which appears to result from dissipation of metabolic energy as in the mitochondrial system.
Operation of Cogeneration Plants with Power Purchase Facilities

This paper presents an economic dispatching scheme for a cogeneration plant with thermal needs and power purchase facilities. Part of the demanded electric power is generated locally in the plant while the rest is purchased, via a tie-line, from a neighboring utility company. The primary objective of the developed scheme was to share the load among the in-plant generating units and the tie-line such that the best economical mix is achieved while the on site process steam needs are satisified. The developed scheme is applicable to a wide class of mix generation plants. The Boise Cascade paper mill of International Falls, Minnesota, is used for a case study as a typical cogeneration installation.
MOTHER'S BIRTH WEIGHT AFFECTS PREGNANCY OUTCOME

Low birth weight (LBW) is recognized as the most important correlate of infant mortality, but many of the factors responsible for LBW are unknown. The relationship between maternal birth weight and infant birth weight was prospectively studied in the Buffalo, New York cohort of the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Among 1348 middle-class white women delivering singleton offspring, maternal birth weight was significantly associated with infant birth weight (p<.001). This association remained significant after adjustment for maternal age, height, weight, weight for height, smoking, education, socioeconomic index, parity, gravidity, pregnancy weight gain, and infant sex. Compared to women weighing 8 pounds or more at birth, women weighing 4 to 6 pounds were at 3.5 times the risk, and women weighing 6 to 8 pounds were 1.7 times the risk of having a LBW infant. Maternal birth weight was more important than smoking and comparable to prepregnancy weight in predicting the occurrence of LBW. Gestational age was not significantly different between groups. These data suggest the possible role of genetic and familial factors in the determination of birth weight. The relationship between LBW and infant mortality may depend on maternal birth weight.
Analysis of the indel at the ARMS2 3′UTR in age-related macular degeneration

Controversy remains as to which gene at the chromosome 10q26 locus confers risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and statistical genetic analysis is confounded by the strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) across the region. Functional analysis of related genetic variations could solve this puzzle. Recently, Fritsche et al. reported that AMD is associated with unstable ARMS2 transcripts possibly caused by a complex insertion/deletion (indel; consisting of a 443 bp deletion and an adjacent 54 bp insertion) in its 3′UTR (untranslated region). To validate this indel, we sequenced our samples. We found that this indel is even more complex and is composed of two side-by-side indels separated by 17 bp: (1) 9 bp deletion with 10 bp insertion; (2) 417 bp deletion with 27 bp insertion. The indel is significantly associated with the risk of AMD, but is also in strong LD with the non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism rs10490924 (A69S). We also found that ARMS2 is expressed not only in placenta and retina but also in multiple human tissues. Using quantitative PCR, we found no correlation between the indel and ARMS2 mRNA level in human retina and blood samples. The lack of functional effects of the 3′UTR indel, the amino acid substitution of rs10490924 (A69S), and strong LD between them suggest that A69S, not the indel, is the variant that confers risk of AMD. To our knowledge, it is the first time it has been shown that ARMS2 is widely expressed in human tissues. Conclusively, the indel at 3′UTR of ARMS2 actually contains two side-by-side indels. The indels are associated with risk of AMD, but not correlated with ARMS2 mRNA level.
Methodological quality and citation frequency of the continuing medical education literature

Bibliometric analysis of research reports in continuing medical education that were evaluated for their methodological quality is used to assess the relation between methodological rigour and citation frequency. There is a positive, significant but low correlation between rigour and citation, and evidence that rigorous work will be cited independent of where the article is published. There is no strong evidence that study design is correlated with subsequent citation. Of the five methodological standards used in the bibliography, outcome measure is the best predictor of citation frequency. In certain cases citation measures might be used as guides to or indicators of methodologically rigorous research reports.
Serving Customers and Consumers Effectively in the Twenty-First Century: A Conceptual Framework and Overview

In this article, the authors first propose and discuss a conceptual framework pertaining to the theme of this special issue. This framework portrays “markets” as consisting of “customers” and “consumers,” specifies the distinction as well as linkages between the two, and outlines specific components of individual linkages between pairs of entities within markets. Using this framework as a backdrop, the article then provides an overview of the rest of the special issue by discussing how each of the remaining articles relate to the framework and to one another.
Evaluation of Protective Jackets Used on Reinforced Concrete Piles: Case Study of Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel

Corrosion of reinforced concrete piles located in a marine environment is of great concern, as it can reduce the load capacity of the piles and shorten their effective life. The Hampton Roads bridge and tunnel, located where the James River discharges into the Chesapeake Bay, was constructed with precast prestressed concrete piles, which have been exposed to a marine environment for 53 years. In the early 1980s, the Virginia Department of Transportation installed protective jackets on the piles to address the effects of chloride contamination and corrosion damage of the piles. The jackets were constructed by placing reinforcing mesh and a fiberglass stay-in-place form around an existing pile, and grouting the annular space with a mortar fill. The objective of these jackets was to prevent or mitigate corrosion activity by blocking water, oxygen, and chlorides from reaching the pile reinforcement. A study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the protective jackets through the use of visual evalua...
Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Acetaminophen Toxicity in Mice: Relationship to Reactive Nitrogen and Cytokine Formation

The relationship between acetaminophen (APAP) reactive metabolite formation, nitrotyrosine (NT) production, and cytokine elevation in APAP toxicity was investigated. Mice were dosed with 300 mg/kg of APAP and sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was elevated by 4 h. The relative amount of NT correlated with toxicity and was localized in the necrotic cells. IL-1b was increased at 1 h, whereas IL-6, MIP-2, and MCP-1 were increased by 4-8 h. To determine the importance of reversible versus toxic events, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was administered to mice either before APAP or 1, 2, or 4 h after APAP. The animals were sacrificed at 12 h. NAC treatment before APAP resulted in serum AST, serum nitrate plus nitrite as a measure of nitric oxide (NO) production, and hepatic cytokine levels that were similar to the controls. No APAP protein adducts or NT was present in these animals. In mice treated with NAC at 1 h, cytokines and serum AST were normal at 12 h, but APAP protein adducts were present in the hepatic centrilobular areas. No NT was present in these animals. In mice treated with NAC at 2 h and sacrificed at 12 h, serum AST was reduced by 80%. APAP adducts and NT were present in the centrilobular areas. Mice receiving NAC at 4 h had no protection from toxicity and serum nitrate plus nitrite. The NT and cytokine levels were similar to those of mice receiving APAP alone. The data suggest a relationship between metabolic events in APAP toxicity and the upregulation of NO, and IL-1b. IL-6, MIP-2, and MCP-1 appear to follow the toxicity. While it is a pre-requisite event, covalent binding per se does not appear to be a toxic event in the development of toxicity.
Does supplemental feeding of red squirrels change population density, movements, or both?

Supplemental feeding increased the number of red squirrels ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) captured on two trapping grids, leading Sullivan (Journal of Mammalogy, 71:579–590, 1990) to infer that the population density of residents had increased. This conclusion is questionable because the residency status of captured squirrels was unknown.
Antipsychotic drugs: is more worse? a meta-analysis of the published randomized control trials

Effectiveness and side-effects of high- versus low-dose neuroleptic treatment of chronic psychosis have been assessed through a meta-analysis of 22 published randomized control trials comparing different neuroleptic doses. No incremental clinical improvement was found at doses above 375 mg equivalent of chlorpromazine, while a significant increase in adverse reactions was observed.
How to Rule the World: An Introduction to Xenophon's The Education of Cyrus

As a contribution to the study of empire and imperial ambition, the present study considers the greatest analysis—Xenophon's The Education of Cyrus—of one of the greatest empires of antiquity—the Persian. Xenophon's lively and engaging account permits us to watch Cyrus as he builds a transnational empire, at once vast and stable. Yet Xenophon is ultimately highly critical of Cyrus, because he lacks the self-knowledge requisite to happiness, and of the empire, whose stability is purchased at the price of freedom. Cyrus finally appears as a kind of divinity who strives to supply the reward for moral excellence that the gods evidently do not. Xenophon implies that any truly global empire would have to present itself as a universal providential power capable of bestowing on human beings a blessed happiness that as such transcends our very mortality.
On the strong perfect graph conjecture

Ciaude Berge [l, 21 has defined a graph G to be perfect if x(H) = w(H) holds for every induced subgraph H of G. (Here x is the chromatic number and w is the largest size of a clique.) He has proposed two conjectures on perfect graphs; the first of them (a graph is perfect if and only if its complement is perfect) has been proved by Lovsisz [3]. Moreover, Lovsisz [4] has proved that every nonperfect graph contains an induced subgraph H with more than a(H) w(H) vertices. (Here 1y stands for the largest size of a stable set.) It follows immediately that every minimal nonperfect graph G with ar(G) = 01 and o(G) = w has exactly n = OIW + 1 vertices. Using this result, Padberg [5] has proved that every minimal nonperfect graph has exactly n cliques of size w (resp. stable sets of size a) and their incidence vectors form a nonsingular matrix. The results of Lovasz and Padberg represent steps towards a proof of Berge’s second conjecture (known as the “strong perfect graph conjecture”) which goes as follows.
A wireless body sensor network for the prevention and management of asthma

We present an application of an open source platform for wireless body sensor network called DexterNet to the problem of children's asthma. The architecture of the system consists of three layers. At the body sensor layer (BSL), the integrated monitoring of a child's activities, geographic location, and air pollution exposures occurs. At the personal network layer (PNL), a wireless mobile device worn by the child summarizes the sensed data, and provides information feedback. The mobile device communicates wirelessly over the Internet with the third global network layer (GNL), in which a web server provides the following four information services: a clinical module that supports the healthcare management of asthma cases, a personal health module that supports individual prevention of asthma attacks, a community module that supports participatory sensing, and a health research module that supports the collection of anonymous sensor data for research into the risk factors associated with asthma. We illustrate the potential for the system to serve as a comprehensive strategy to manage asthma cases and prevent asthma attacks.
Information-Processing Differences of College-Age Readers Differing in Reading Comprehension and Speed

The present study examined information-processing differences among four types of readers, specifically high comprehension-high speed, high comprehensionlow speed, low comprehension-high speed, and low comprehension-low speed college-age readers. Performance was compared on a variety of information-p rocessing tasks, including letter reordering, word reordering, reading span, verification of real words and nonwords, and verification of real sentences and nonsense sentences. Tasks were categorized as lower order tasks involving reaction time and/or elementary-word tasks, or higher order tasks requiring access of word meanings or semantic decision-making. Results indicated that good comprehenders tended to outperform poor comprehenders on all types of tasks. Although highand low-speed readers performed differentially on some tasks, the pattern of results is less clear. Performance on tasks was discussed in light of speed and comprehension variables and type of information-processing task. Differences in working memory were proposed as a source of individual differences in reading performance.
Fluorescent in situ hybridization for detection of “Brachyspira hampsonii” in porcine colonic tissues

Swine dysentery is classically associated with infection by the strongly beta-hemolytic Brachyspira hyodysenteriae; however, the proposed novel species "Brachyspira hampsonii" has also been isolated from clinical cases of dysentery in the United States and Canada. Microbial culture is highly sensitive for detecting Brachyspira in clinical samples but requires several days for completion and is often followed by molecular testing for speciation. Alternatively, in situ hybridization using molecular probes applied to sections of formalin-fixed tissue can provide rapid, culture-independent identification of agents observed histologically. Accordingly, a fluorescent in situ hybridization assay was developed for confirmation of a clinical diagnosis of swine dysentery associated with infection by "B. hampsonii." An oligonucleotide probe (Hamp1210) targeting a specific 23S ribosomal RNA sequence of "B. hampsonii" was developed following sequence analysis and comparison of numerous Brachyspira spp. clinical isolates with reference sequences available in GenBank. The application of Hamp1210 and a previously published probe for B. hyodysenteriae (Hyo1210) to diseased colonic tissues successfully detected the target species in both experimentally infected pigs and naturally infected pigs from field cases, and the Hamp1210 probe consistently detected both clade I and clade II isolates of "B. hampsonii"; however, a strong positive signal was also observed in a single case where the Hamp1210 probe was applied to tissues infected with Brachyspira intermedia. In situ hybridization incorporating the Hamp1210 probe can reduce the delay from sample submission to pathogen identification in cases of swine dysentery associated with "B. hampsonii" infection where formalin-fixed tissues are available.