cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Investigation into the People‐Sequential Heuristic Method of Group Formation

This study investigates the people-sequential heuristic method of group formation as proposed by Beheshtian-Ardekani and Mahmood [2] and examined by Muller [9]. Responding to Muller's call for continued research on this topic, we first replicate the seven hypothesis investigations presented in that study and then consider several additional hypotheses designed to more fully examine the value of the process to the group members themselves. The results of this study indicate that the balanced groups assignment method is not effective as a sole means of increasing learning or satisfaction with the project. Of the twelve hypothesized relationships, which, if supported, would favor the use of balanced groups over randomly assigned groups, only one was supported. These findings and their relationship to group learning theory are discussed.
Assessing the impacts of future demand for saline groundwater on commercial deployment of CCS in the United States

Abstract This paper provides a preliminary assessment of the potential impact that future demand for groundwater might have on the commercial deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technologies within the United States. A number of regions within the U.S. have populations, agriculture and industries that are particularly dependent upon groundwater. Moreover, some key freshwater aquifers are already over-utilized or depleted, and others are likely to be moving toward depletion as demand grows. The need to meet future water demands may lead some parts of the nation to consider supplementing existing supplies with lower quality groundwater resources, including brackish waters that are currently not considered sources of drinking water but which could provide supplemental water via desalination. In some areas, these same deep saline-filled geologic formations also represent possible candidate carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage reservoirs. The analysis presented here suggests that future constraints on CCS deployment–due to potential needs to supplement conventional water supplies by desalinating deeper and more brackish waters–are likely to be necessary only in limited regions across the country, particularly in areas that are already experiencing water stress.
Health care in crisis! Can nurse executives' beliefs about and implementation of evidence-based practice be key solutions in health care reform?

Abstract Rising health care costs may be adding to the economic crisis in the United States. Efficient health care delivery systems must be adopted, slowing cost escalation. Evidence-based practice (EBP) may be the answer. This study explores chief nurse executive beliefs in and implementation of EBP in hospitals across the United States. The move toward EBP may have educational implications for associate degree nursing educators.
The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Ritual and Religion, edited by Timothy Insoll, Oxford University Press: New York, 2011, xxvi + 1108 pp. ISBN: 9780199232444. US$150.00 (cloth)

British anthropologist Webb Keane (2008, 124) correctly noted that ‘religion may not always demand beliefs, but it will always demand material forms.’ This important reference work – consisting of ...
Responses of marine fouling communities to sewage abatement in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii

The development of marine fouling communities was followed as part of a sewage abatement study in Kaneohe Bay (Oahu, Hawaii). Panels immersed near the outfall during sewage discharge were dominated by dense mats of blue-green algae and diatoms. This mat was significantly lighter at this station when sewage did not flow into the bay, and it never developed on panels within the same sector of the bay but away from the influence of the outfall. Taxonomic diversity, and the frequency of filamentous algae and the serpulidHydroides elegans were reduced near the outfall during discharge. It is suggested that this reduction in diversity and abundance of certain key foulers is due to competitive exclusion by the dense blue-green and diatom mats, and is not a direct effect of the sewage effluent.
Using technology to transform communities of practice into knowledge-building communities

Knowledge and learning exist as byproducts of social processes such as those that take place in communities of practice. We describe two frameworks for understanding and building online knowledge-building communities, or online communities of practice that enhance collective knowledge. First, the C4P framework is described as a way of understanding how knowledge is created and disseminated by participants in a community of practice. Second, we discuss ways in which technology provides added value for learning in these environments using the DDC (Design for Distributed Cognition) framework, and link this to the particular goals of a knowledge-building community. Examples from two large online communities are discussed.
Ion implanted microstructure barrier in CVD rhenium

Abstract Potassium was ion-implanted at 150 keV into CVD rhenium with a dose of 1 × 1017/cm2. A second layer of CVD rhenium was deposited on top of the first layer. During high-temperature exposure, potassium bubbles were developed in the doped layer. They provide an impenetrable boundary during grain growth at high temperature and the occurrence of transverse grain boundaries through the thickness of the CVD deposits is prevented.
Expression of alternate growth hormone receptor messenger RNA in ovary and uterus of cattle.

Abstract Growth hormone (GH) receptor mRNA is found within the corpus luteum and endometrium of cattle. However, binding sites for placental lactogen (PL) but not GH are found within these tissues. The objectives were to isolate cDNA for the GH receptor within the reproductive tissues of cattle and to examine these cDNA as potential variants of the GH receptor that bind PL. Ten cDNA clones were isolated from a bovine endometrial cDNA library with a 32 P-labeled cDNA of the GH receptor extracellular domain. On the basis of restriction enzyme digestion, 2 of the 10 cDNA clones contained exon 1. The DNA sequence of these clones was determined by dideoxy nucleotide sequencing. The exon 1 DNA sequence of each clone (exon 113) was different from the previously reported exon 1 for the bovine GH receptor cDNA isolated from liver (exon IA). Analyses of these cDNA sequences showed that exon 113 contained significant homology with placental forms of the GH receptor found in mouse and human. Unlike the human cDNA, the bovine cDNA isolated from endometrium contained an intact third exon. Amplification of GH receptor mRNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, with exon 1A- and 1B-specific forward primers, showed that exon 113 was expressed in liver, corpus luteum, ovary, endometrium, and myometrium. Exon lA was found almost exclusively in liver, and little was found in reproductive tissues. The predicted initiation of protein coding for the GH receptor was within the second exon and was not changed by the splicing of the alternate first exon. This suggests that the alternate mRNA results in the expression of intact GH receptor protein that is similar to that found within liver. Alternative promoters (1B) may control the expression of the receptor outside the liver. Furthermore, mechanisms other than the differential splicing of GH receptor protein may dictate the specificity of PL binding within the endometrium and corpus luteum.
Do different endocytic pathways make different synaptic vesicles

At a wide range of synapses, synaptic vesicles reside in distinct pools that respond to different stimuli. The recycling pool supplies the vesicles required for release in response to modest stimulation, whereas the reserve pool is mobilized only by strong stimulation. Multiple pathways have been proposed for the recycling of synaptic vesicles after exocytosis, but the relationship of these pathways to the different synaptic vesicle pools has remained unclear. Synaptic vesicle proteins have also been assumed to undergo recycling as a unit. However, emerging data indicate that differences in the association with distinct endocytic adaptors such as the heterotetrameric adaptor AP3 influence the trafficking of individual synaptic vesicle proteins, affecting the composition of synaptic vesicles and hence their functional characteristics. These observations might begin to account for differences in the properties of different vesicle pools.
THE ROLE OF MITOMYCIN ANTIBIOTICS IN THE CHEMOTHERAPY OF SOLID TUMORS

Solid tumors have inadequate vascular networks; thus, significantly less blood flows through these tumor vascular beds than through those of the tissue of origin, and as neoplastic masses enlarge, the blood supply to these tumors further decreases [l-3]. This phenomenon is believed to be due in part to a slower growth rate for endothelial cells of blood vessels than for malignant cells; such a differential results in an inability to maintain an adequate vascular supply [4]. In addition, as tumor masses enlarge, changes in interstitial pressure are possible which can cause compression of tumor capillary beds and regional changes in tumor blood flow. The end result of these oxygen deficit producing effects is the formation of chronic and acute hypoxia in the neoplastic cell population (Fig. l), which may have significant impact on the curability of malignant lesions. There is evidence that hypoxic cell populations exist in both animal [5] and human (see ref. 6 for appropriate references) tumors. Characterization of hypoxic cell populations in transplanted animal tumors has shown that most tumors contain between 5 and 30% of the malignant cell population in an oxygen-deficient state [5]. Although tumor enlargement increases the quantity of hypoxic cells, it is clear that micrometastases also contain oxygendeficient cell populations. Oxygen-deficient malignant cells are significantly more resistant to ionizing radiation than their aerobic counterparts (see for example refs 7 and 8) and, in addition, hypoxia may limit the efficacy of chemotherapy. This latter phenomenon is due to the fact that hypoxic cell populations may be composed of cells which are either blocked or are slowly progressing through the cell cycle [g-11]. Thus, cell cycle active agents may have a relatively low efficacy against hypoxic tumor cell populations. Chemotherapeutic agents may also have difficulty in reaching hypoxic regions, since they must diffuse into the
Focused ion beam fabricated bragg grating filters in relaxor ferroelectrics

Abstract In this paper, we discuss the fabrication and characterization of optical waveguide Bragg filters in ion-implanted PMN-32PT [68Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)-32PbTiO3] single crystal substrates. PMN-32PT posses exceptionally high piezoelectric and electro-optic properties and has immediate applications in on-chip optical circuitry. We use commercial modeling programs to design the waveguide filter and fabricate the device using ion-implantation and nano-fabrication techniques. First, slab waveguides are created in mirror polished substrates through He+ ion-implantation process. He+ implantation creates an optical barrier with reduced refractive index. Second, ridge waveguides on the slab are fabricated through standard photolithography and dry etching techniques. Third, Periodic refractive index modulation (grating) on the top of the ridge waveguide is achieved through Focused Ion Beam [FIB] milling which is controlled by Nanometer Pattern Generation System [NPGS]. Photonic bandgaps are observed in 1480–1580 nm wavelength range in these filters. The experimental data shows excellent agreement with the theory.
Medical resources for the anesthesiologist on the Internet.

Background and Objectives The Internet may be the most powerful information tool currently available to medical professionals. The first article in this Internet series (Reg Anesth Pain Med 1999;24:369-374) served as an introduction to the World Wide Web, while this article describes specific resources available to anesthesiologists searching for medical information. Editor9s Note This series of articles on information technology describes a number of resources. Inclusion in this article does not imply endorsement or support by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA-PM). Each reader is encouraged to personally evaluate specific websites because of the rapidly changing content and location of information on the Internet. This article is available on the ASRA-PM website (www.ASRA.com) with updated links to websites in this article.
Problems associated with homogeneity testing in climate variation studies: a case study of temperature in the northern Great Plains, USA

Global climate change is a controversial issue facing researchers and climatologists today. In order to obtain the most reliable results when studying climate change, the data being analysed must be as homogeneous as possible. A homogeneous time series is one in which trends and variations are caused only by effects of weather and macroclimate. The concept of homogeneity has been addressed by some researchers, but only by testing 'average' time series such as the means and the annuals. This paper utilizes a homogeneity test developed by Alexandersson and applies it to mean monthly maximum, minimum, and mean temperature data from 22 stations in the northern Great Plains, USA. One of these, Valentine, is a first-order station and is used as the reference station. When Valentine was adjusted for a possible inhomogeneity due to its move, it was found that Valentine's adjustments had a distinct seasonal pattern. After testing the other stations against Valentine, it was found that the position of a significant discontinuity in a station's monthly mean or annual series was not always the same in a corresponding monthly maximum and minimum series. In addition, a seasonal pattern similar to that of Valentine was found for each station's adjustment values.
How does hyperfibrinogenemia lead to thrombosis

Summary Two widely accepted tenants are relevant to consideration of this question. (1) The structure of a plasma clot is determined by the rate at which it forms. The rate of formation is determined primarily by the concentration of active thrombin and also the circulating fibrinogen concentration in plasma. High levels of fibrinogen and a low concentration of thrombin result in slow clot formation. (2) Biologically active molecules bind to fibrin and the stiochometry of their binding may effect the balance between thrombosis and fibrinolysis. These include thrombin, plasmin and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and plasminogen. Previously there was no definitive mechanism to explain why elevated plasma fibrinogen is a risk factor for thrombosis and the answer may be multifactorial. Some of our experiments will be discussed, from which a specific mechanism emerges: high plasma levels of fibrinogen result in impaired plasminogen binding to the fibrin gel and thus suppression of fibrinolysis. Direct binding studies showed that t-PA binding to various forms of fibrin gels did not vary substantially (60–70% of the total), but plasminogen binding decreased significantly (35–43%) as fibrinogen concentration increased and thrombin concentration decreased. The gel composition also varied. With long clotting times the gel consisted of fibrin II, fibrin I, and fibrinogen in various proportion. These studies show that when the clotting time is long, the fibrils in the gel are long and plasminogen binding is critically suppressed. Thus, fibrin clots formed with high fibrinogen and approximately physiological thrombin concentration have impaired fibrinolysis due to low plasminogen binding to fibrin and the balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis is shifted in favour of thrombosis.
Developing nursing students' metacognitive skills using social technology

Abstract Nursing students can learn more from the clinical setting with the incorporation of metacognitive practice. This article shows the benefits of metacognition in educating nursing students and uses examples of student work to offer a pedagogical technique for developing metacognition through social technology. The use of Twitter, ePortfolio, and Blackboard are assessed in this article.
MATKRNAL MELATONIN COMMUNICATES DAYLENGTH TO THE FETUS IN DJUNGARIAN HAMSTERS

Daylength (photoperiod) influences the rate of reproductive development In the juveniles of photoperiodic species. Recent studies show that daylength during the prenatal period is perceived by the and that this perception can profoundly influence postnatal reproductive and somatic development. Using photoperiodic Djungartan hamster, we assessed the role of the maternal pineal gland and its hormone, in this prenatal perception of daylength. Maternal plnealectomy eliminated the Influence of photoperlod on testicular and body weights of male pups, suggesting that a product from the maternal gland communicates daylength to the fetus. Infusion of the pineal hormone melatonin into plnealectomlzed for various durations during gestation mimicked the effect of varying the prenatal photoperlod on testicular and body weights. These results indicate that pineal melatonin is involved in this novel form communication from mother to fetus.
Relationship and Interaction between Sodium and Potassium

Compared with the Stone Age diet, the modern human diet is both excessive in NaCl and deficient in fruits and vegetables which are rich in K+ and HCO3- -yielding organates like citrate. With the modern diet, the K+/Na+ ratio and the HCO3-/Cl- ratio have both become reversed. Yet, the biologic machinery that evolved to process these dietary electrolytes remains largely unchanged, genetically fixed in Paleolithic time. Thus, the electrolytic mix of the modern diet is profoundly mismatched to its processing machinery. Dietary potassium modulates both the pressor and hypercalciuric effects of the modern dietary excess of NaCl. A marginally deficient dietary intake of potassium amplifies both of these effects, and both effects are dose-dependently attenuated and may be abolished either with dietary potassium or supplemental KHCO3. The pathogenic effects of a dietary deficiency of potassium amplify, and are amplified by, those of a dietary excess of NaCl and in some instances a dietary deficiency of bicarbonate precursors. Thus, in those ingesting the modern diet, it may not be possible to discern which of these dietary electrolytic dislocations is most determining of salt-sensitive blood pressure and hypercalciuria, and the hypertension, kidney stones, and osteoporosis they may engender. Obviously abnormal plasma electrolyte concentrations rarely characterize these dietary electrolytic dislocations, and when either dietary potassium or supplemental KHCO3 corrects the pressor and hypercalciuric effects of these dislocations, the plasma concentrations of sodium, potassium, bicarbonate and chloride change little and remain well within the normal range.
Eras of judgement

Music, what's the point? Steven Pinker has called it useless, with no adaptive value. Oliver Sacks and Daniel Levitin beg to differ. In their respective books Musicophilia and This is Your Brain on Music, they cite courtship and cognitive development among its purposes. Laura Garwin, once Nature's North American editor but now to be found in the concert hall, reviews both books. And with Laura's roots in the physical sciences, it is Galileo's way with a tune that seems to impress most. Other topics covered in the Autumn Books package include the nature of the scientific process, how mathematicians think, toxicity, and lab-lit.
Ceramic thermal barrier coatings with improved corrosion resistance

Abstract A method for limiting the ingress of corrosive species into physical vapor deposited zirconia thermal barrier coatings by inserting dense ceramic sealing layers into the usual columnar (segmented) ceramic microstructure has been examined. The concept was evaluated by sputtering a series of ZrO 2 -20Y 2 O 3 deposits onto In792 substrates coated with a CoCrAlY bondlayer. In each coating the majority of the ceramic layer was deposited with a porous columnar (segmented) microstructure. This microstructure provided the ceramic with excellent tolerance to thermal cycling. To reduce their permeability to liquid and gaseous species, selected coatings were modified by inserting several dense ceramic sealing layers into the columnar ceramic microstructure. Subsequent thermal cycle and corrosion testing showed that the inclusion of dense ZrO 2 -20Y 2 O 3 interlayers was effective in blocking the ingress of liquid Na 2 SO 4 without degrading the thermal cycle durability of the deposit. Dense ceramic layers of ZrO 2 -20Y 2 O 3 did not, however, appear to reduce the diffusion of oxygen through the coating. This was determined by comparing the oxidation rates of the underlying bondlayers. Inclusion of dense, 3 μm thick layers of either ZrSiO 4 or SiAlON into the middle of ZrO 2 -20Y 2 O 3 deposits also failed to reduce bondlayer oxidation significantly. The use of intermediate sealing layers has been shown to block the infiltration of deleterious species, such as Na 2 SO 4 ; however, methods for significantly slowing the diffusion of oxygen were not identified.
Patients discharged with a prescription for acetaminophen-containing narcotic analgesics do not receive appropriate written instructions.

To determine whether patients given prescriptions for acetaminophen-containing narcotic analgesics receive appropriate discharge instructions to reduce their intake of or stop taking other acetaminophen-containing products, we evaluated discharge instructions given by an urban, tertiary-care emergency department from September 1 to September 18, 2001 to find patients discharged while taking narcotic-analgesic compounds containing acetaminophen. We evaluated these discharge instructions to determine whether they included instructions to reduce or discontinue the use of acetaminophen compounds. Among the 1,505 discharge instructions evaluated, we found that 108 patients were discharged with a narcotic-analgesic combination product containing acetaminophen. Of these 108 patients, none of those given a prescription for such an acetaminophen-containing product was instructed to reduce or discontinue the use of other acetaminophen products. Emergency physicians, during the specified study period, did not explain to their patients the need to reduce the use of other acetaminophen-containing products when prescribing acetaminophen-containing medications. Further inquiry into this potentially dangerous activity is warranted.
DNA markers and pollen morphology reveal that Praecitrullus fistulosus is more closely related to Benincasa hispida than to Citrullus spp.

The round melon Praecitrullus fistulosus (Stocks) Pangalo has been cultivated in Asia since ancient times and has been considered an underexploited crop in the western world. In the USA, there is an increased interest in using P. fistulosus as a commercial vegetable, and possibly as a rootstock for grafting watermelon, melon, or cucumber. However, the taxonomic classification of P. fistulosus is incomplete and for many years it has been considered a close relative of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus subsp. vulgaris (Schrad. ex Eckl. et Zeyh.) Fursa] and was previously classified as Citrullus lanatus subsp. fistulosus (Stocks) Duthie et J.B. Fuller. Here, we used two sets of DNA markers to assess the genetic similarity of P. fistulosus in relation to Citrullus spp. {including Citrullus lanatus subsp. vulgaris, C. lanatus subsp. lanatus, Citroides group [also known as C. lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai subsp. lanatus var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf. ex Greb.], and C. colocynthis (L.) Schrad.}, Cucumis spp. (including C. melo, C. sativus, C. anguria, C. meeusei, C. zeyheri), Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn., Lagenariasiceraria (Mol.) Standl. and Cucurbita spp. (including C. moschata Duchesne and the winter squash C. maxima Duchesne). The first marker set comprised 501 markers that were produced by 38 primer pairs derived from watermelon expressed sequenced tags (ESTs) containing simple sequence repeat (SSR) motifs (designated as EST-SSR primers; produced 311 markers), and by 18 primer pairs derived from ESTs that do not contain SSR motives (designated here as EST-PCR primers; produced 190 markers). The second marker set comprised 628 markers that were produced by 18 sequence related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) primer pairs. The phylogenetic data indicated that among these cucurbit species, the wax gourd B. hispida is the closest to the P. fistulosus. Pollen observations, using light microscopy, indicated that each of the cucurbit genera examined here has unique pollen morphology. The Cucurbita spp. have globular pollen grains with a stigmatic surface. The L.siceraria has polygonal pollen grains with symmetrical boundaries, while the Citrullus spp. and Cucumis spp. have ovular (conical) and triangular shaped pollen grains (respectively). The B. hispida and P. fistulosus have spherical or semispherical pollen grains. These pollen features appear to be in agreement with the phylogenetic relationships of these two species based on DNA markers. Analysis with 12 SRAP primer pairs revealed low genetic diversity among 18 United States Plant Introductions (PIs) of P. fistulosus, indicating the need to expand the germplasm collection of this cucurbit crop.
Apparatus for Measurement of Viscoelastic Properties of Glass

An apparatus for the precision measurement of the motion of torsion pendulums having glass samples as their elastic elements is described. The temperatures used range from -90° to 1200°F.; the range of frequencies is 0.1 to 10 cycles per second. Both the decay of a simple pendulum and sustained oscillation of a driven pendulum are used. The basic observation used for all measurements is elapsed time, the least increment of which is 10 microseconds with the apparatus used. Examples of the data obtained for The American Ceramic Society standard sample of soda-lime glass and for fused silica are given.
Unmet Potential for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in the United States

In this issue of Circulation , Ford et al1 report trends in the prevalence of a low-cardiovascular-risk profile in US adults over ≈30 years based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Low risk was defined as the absence of cigarette smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight, and diabetes mellitus. These authors show that the prevalence of a low-risk profile increased in the 1970s and 1980s (reflecting decreases in smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension) but decreased between 1988 to 1994 and 1999 to 2004 because of a greater prevalence of overweight, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The authors previously described reasons for the large decline in cardiovascular mortality between 1980 and 2000, including improvements in medical treatment and reductions in the population prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors.2 They estimated that the decline in coronary heart disease mortality between 1980 and 2000 resulting from reductions in risk factors was 24% for total cholesterol, 20% for systolic blood pressure, and 12% for smoking. In contrast, greater prevalences of adiposity and diabetes mellitus increased cardiovascular mortality by an estimated 8% and 10%, respectively. The new data showing a reversal of the trend for the prevalence of the low-risk factor profile suggest that the decline in cardiovascular mortality may end, raising important questions about the future health and longevity of Americans. Article see p 1181 More detailed analyses heighten concerns about trends in cardiovascular health within the United States. Using vital statistics data, Ford and Capewell3 previously described that the age-adjusted coronary heart disease mortality declined from 1980 to 2002 by 52% in men and 49% in women. When distinguishing by age group, however, we see a continuous decline in older men and women (≥55 years of age) up to 2002, whereas for younger men and women (35 to 55 years of …
NDE applications of compressed sensing, signal decomposition and echo estimation

In this investigation, a compressed sensing (CS) sampling scheme is closely incorporated into ultrasound signal decomposition. The CS is used to exploit the sparsity of ultrasound echo signals and thereby significantly reduce the sampling rate with 20–30 times lower than the Nyquist rate. Furthermore, the time-of-arrivals (TOAs) of dominant echoes are estimated with the sparse sampling. The estimated TOAs along with a priori information of the transducers are used for model-based signal decomposition on the incomplete ultrasonic data, where Gaussian Chirplet (GC), a commonly used echo model, is adopted. Parameters of GC echoes are estimated for pattern recognition and defect characterization in the presence of noise with SNR as low as −5 dB. Through an experimental study, the decomposition results and estimated parameters confirm the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed technique. The study has a broad range of application in signal analysis including sparse representation, parameter estimation, and defect detection.
Matching mass spectra against a large data base during GC/MS analysis

Abstract The data base of reference mass spectra has been expanded to contain 79,525 different spectra of 67,510 different compounds. The Probability Based Matching system for the identification of unknown mass spectra has been implemented on a commercial gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) system for the identification of mass spectra of GC-separated components during the GC/MS run. Ordering of the reference file has made possible the search of a 41,000 spectra data base in 10 seconds during GC/MS analysis. For the interpretation of unknown mass spectra not in the reference file, the Self-Training Interpretive and Retrieval System has also been implemented on the same GC/MS instrument for off-line use.
Neurobiological issues in Tourette syndrome

The Tourette syndrome (TS) represents an intriguing disorder that overlaps the clinical fields of neurology and psychiatry. Composed of a spectrum of familial, involuntary motor and vocal tics and co-morbid neuropsychological problems, this disorder has become a model for investigators interested in neurobehavioral research. Although the subject of numerous reports since Tourette's original description in 1885, over the past decade there has been a rapid expansion of knowledge pertaining to the phenomenology of tic syndromes and their associated problems, the role of genetic and environmental factors, and the underlying pathophysiology. The role of frontal-subcortical circuits, dopaminergic neurotransmission, and second messenger systems are highlighted. This report provides a framework for understanding current neurobiological issues in TS.
The Effects of Age on Postprandial Thermogenesis at Four Graded Energetic Challenges: Findings in Young and Older Women

There remains controversy over the effect of age on postprandial thermogenesis, with some studies observing decreased postprandial thermogenesis in older subjects and other studies finding no effect of age. We investigated this issue in 8 young (25.2+/-1.8 years) and 8 older (72.2+/-2.1 years) healthy glucose-tolerant women with normal thyroid hormone status. Repeated measures of the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) were obtained following consumption of test meals containing 0, 1046, 2092, and 4184 kilojoules (kJ) by using indirect calorimetry. TEF at each meal size was determined once in the older subjects and twice in the younger subjects (during follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle) for a total of 96 measurements. There was a positive dose-response between meal size and TEF (p < .001) that was not significantly affected by age group. The best single predictor of TEF expressed as a percentage of meal energy content was waist-to-hip ratio (R2=67.416, p < .02). These results indicate that aging is not associated with decreased TEF in the absence of factors such as a hypothyroid state or glucose intolerance.
Monoclonal antibodies and rabbit antisera recognizing 4-aminobiphenyl—DNA adducts and application to immunoaffinity chromatography

Monoclonal antibodies and rabbit antisera were produced that recognized 4-aminobiphenyl, its major DNA adducts and other metabolites. The antigens used to raise these antibodies were synthesized by coupling the aromatic amine to protein through a diazotization reaction. The goal of this immunization strategy was to induce antibodies that also cross-reacted with most 4-aminobiphenyl-derived metabolites. A total of 20 mice and four rabbits were immunized and every animal produced a strong immune response for 4-aminobiphenyl and its derivatives. Two IgG1 monoclonal antibodies, 3D6 and 2E11, were isolated from two different mouse spleen cell fusions. One of the monoclonal antibodies, 3D6, had a high recognition for the three major 4-aminobiphenyl-DNA adducts: N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, N-(deoxyadenosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl and N-(deoxyguanosine-N2-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, with affinity constants between 2 and 4 x 10(9) l/mol. In addition, one of the rabbit anti-sera had an affinity constant for the DNA adducts of 2.1 x 10(9) l/mole. Thus, the strategy to use a diazotization coupling reaction was successful at producing high-affinity aminobiphenyl-DNA adduct-specific antibodies. Preparative immunoaffinity resins were made for each monoclonal antibody. These resins quantitatively bound 500 ng each [3H]N-acetyl-aminobiphenyl, [3H]N-aminobiphenyl and [3H]N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl. Preliminary experiments were performed to test the applicability of the preparative monoclonal antibody immunoaffinity column to isolate [3H]4-aminobiphenyl-derived metabolites in dosed rat and dog urine. About 70% of the radioactivity in rat or dog urine could be bound to the immunoaffinity columns. The combined immunoaffinity column/HPLC analysis of the dog urine led to the identification of a novel urinary metabolite, N-formyl-aminobiphenyl. HPLC analysis of a rat urine sample tentatively found 4-aminobiphenyl, N-acetyl-4-aminobiphenyl and N-formyl-4-aminobiphenyl by co-chromatography, and these compounds accounted for 20, 6.8 and 6.5% of the total radioactivity in the chromatogram respectively. Taken together, these data show that these 4-aminobiphenyl-specific monoclonal antibodies can be used in immunoaffinity columns to isolate metabolites and DNA adducts from biological samples.
The gaze selects informative details within pictures

The visual fixations of 20 Ss viewing each of two pictures were measured. Each picture was later divided into 64 squares, and 20 other Ss judged their recognizability on a 10-point scale. Both measures gave high readings for unusual details and for unpredictable contours. Although they were judged to be highly recognizable, all the redundant (or predictable) contours received few fixations. Areas of mere texture scored low on both measures. The relations between fixation densities and estimated recognizability suggest that a scene may be divided into informative features and redundant regions. Not only do the eyes have to be aimed, they are usually aimed intelligently, even during the casual inspection of pictures.
Connoisseurship and drunkenness in Tokyo.

Abstract Although aggregate alcohol consumption in Japan is declining, national data overlook important anomalies and local trends. One is that young adults are drinking in greater volume and frequency than previously observed in the postwar era, while health concerns pertaining to alcohol consumption struggle for national recognition against largely uncritical views of intoxication. This article focuses on the connoisseurship of alcohol among Tokyo's young adults, particularly knowledge and breadth of sampled varieties, an emergent and growing pursuit that encourages drinking and structures drunkenness. Connoisseurship and drunkenness, the article argues, serve as means to assert expertise, sophistication and global competence – a form of cultural capital among young urbanites who increasingly find themselves on the economic and social margins, disconnected from the official institutions of Japanese society. Most of the data presented here were gathered over 14 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Tokyo (interviews, online survey and participant observation), supplemented by ongoing participation in online conversations on the popular social media website www.mixi.jp. Ethnographic attention reveals how alcohol consumption is discussed as a culturally meaningful pursuit illustrative of major societal shifts and challenges confronting Japan.
Evidence for the solubilization of the intestinal intrinsic factor receptor by sonication of ileal brush borders.

Abstract The uptake of intrinsic factor-cobalamin complex by guinea pig ileal brush borders is inhibited by particle-free sonicates of distal but not proximal brush border preparations. This finding suggests that sonication releases intrinsic factor receptor from ileal brush borders in a form which is not sedimented by centrifugation for 1 h at 105 000× g .
Clinical significance of echogenic foci in fetal lungs.

Purpose We reviewed our experience with echogenic foci in fetal lungs. Methods During the period January 1991 through December 1995, 16,292 patients underwent comprehensive ultrasound examinations between 16 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Echogenic foci in the lungs were identified in 8 fetuses. All 8 underwent karyotyping, fetal echocardiography, screening for infectious agents, and follow-up sonography. The neonatal outcome was obtained in each case. Results The 5 fetuses in whom echogenic foci in the lungs were the only abnormal finding all had normal outcomes. One fetus had echogenic foci identified in 1 lung and the abdomen. This fetus tested positive for cytomegalovirus, and the pregnancy was terminated. Two fetuses with echogenic foci in the lungs had associated anomalies: 1 had an omphalocele, and the other had cerebral ventriculomegaly. Both of these pregnancies were terminated. Conclusions In our series, isolated echogenic pulmonary foci were rare findings that carried a good prognosis. When echogenic foci in the lungs are identified, careful evaluation for associated abnormalities is warranted. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound25: 493–495, 1997.
Have we met the expectations of heart and lung transplantation in children

Abstract Heart transplantation in children has been a relatively common practice for more than 15 years, and lung transplantation, while in use as a therapeutic modality for a shorter period of time, has 10 years of follow-up data for review. Because they are expensive, time-consuming, labor-intensive procedures, it is reasonable to review what has transpired to evaluate the effectiveness of these procedures, not only from the standpoint of survival, but in the applicability and availability to all who need it, and successful long-term outcomes including quality of life in those who receive it. Health care expense can be justified by improved results that reach expectations in the areas of applicability, availability, and survival. The applicability issue has, in large part, been achieved in transplantation in children. The goal of comprehensive availability can be met by providing alternatives to transplantation, advancing artificial organ research, and overhauling the organ donor programs to improve organ retrieval. To better meet expectations for survival, further advances in transplant immunology and solutions to the problems of post-transplant coronary artery disease and bronchiolitis obliterans will have to occur. Copyright 2003 Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Proposed electrically-pumped, III–V-metal hybrid plasmonic lasers

We propose an electrically-pumped hybrid plasmonic laser through the integration of a semiconductor quantum well laser with a thin metal film. Due to the coupling between the TM waveguide mode in the III–V active layer and the LRSPP mode around the metal thin film, light can be confined in both regions and optical gain can be provided by the active layer. We have shown that the quasi-odd supermode is the preferred lasing mode because of its larger confinement factor and lower modal loss compared to the quasi-even supermode. Through optimizing the gap distance between the active region and the metal film, we can obtain low threshold and a large amount of optical energy confined around the metal film for the hybrid plasmonic laser.
Chemical trends for defect energy levels in Hg (1-x) Cd x Te

The chemical trends for the energy levels of ${\mathrm{sp}}^{3}$-bonded substitutional defects in ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{(1\ensuremath{-}x)}{\mathrm{Cd}}_{x}\mathrm{Te}$ are predicted and appear to be in general agreement with what is known about defect levels in this small-band-gap semiconductor alloy.
Java security: from HotJava to Netscape and beyond

The introduction of Java applets has taken the World Wide Web by storm. Information servers can customize the presentation of their content with server-supplied code which executes inside the Web browser. We examine the Java language and both the HotJava and Netscape browsers which support it, and find a significant number of flaws which compromise their security. These flaws arise for several reasons, including implementation errors, unintended interactions between browser features, differences between the Java language and bytecode semantics, and weaknesses in the design of the language and the bytecode format. On a deeper level, these flaws arise because of weaknesses in the design methodology used in creating Java and the browsers. In addition to the flaws, we discuss the underlying tension between the openness desired by Web application writers and the security needs of their users, and we suggest how both might be accommodated.
Dynameomics: Large-scale assessment of native protein flexibility

Structure is only the first step in understanding the interactions and functions of proteins. In this paper, we explore the flexibility of proteins across a broad database of over 250 solvated protein molecular dynamics simulations in water for an aggregate simulation time of ∼6 μs. These simulations are from our Dynameomics project, and these proteins represent approximately 75% of all known protein structures. We employ principal component analysis of the atomic coordinates over time to determine the primary axis and magnitude of the flexibility of each atom in a simulation. This technique gives us both a database of flexibility for many protein fold families and a compact visual representation of a particular protein's native-state conformational space, neither of which are available using experimental methods alone. These tools allow us to better understand the nature of protein motion and to describe its relationship to other structural and dynamical characteristics. In addition to reporting general properties of protein flexibility and detailing many dynamic motifs, we characterize the relationship between protein native-state flexibility and early events in thermal unfolding and show that flexibility predicts how a protein will begin to unfold. We provide evidence that fold families have conserved flexibility patterns, and family members who deviate from the conserved patterns have very low sequence identity. Finally, we examine novel aspects of highly inflexible loops that are as important to structural integrity as conventional secondary structure. These loops, which are difficult if not impossible to locate without dynamic data, may constitute new structural motifs.
The adiabatic binding energy of NbAr

Abstract The resonant photodissociation spectrum of supersonically cooled and isolated NbAr+ has been observed in the visible. A vibrational structure of two electronic transitions, labeled here as the B-X and the b-X, are analyzed. Assignment of the diabatic dissociation limits of the b state (Nb+ (4d43G5) + Ar (1S0)) and the B state (Nb+ (4d3 5s 5P2) + Ar (1S0)), places the adiabatic binding energy of the ground state of NbAr+ at 3106 ± 10 cm−1. NbAr+ is only slightly more strongly bound (130 cm−1) than the isoelectronic VAr+, and more weakly bound than CoAr+ or NiAr+. Trends in the inductive contribution to the binding of metal ions complexed with argon are presented.
Empirical analysis and prediction of nitrate loading and crop yield for corn–soybean rotations

Nitrate nitrogen losses through subsurface drainage and crop yield are determined by multiple climatic and management variables. The combined and interactive effects of these variables, however, are poorly understood. Our objective is to predict crop yield, nitrate concentration, drainage volume, and nitrate loss in subsurface drainage from a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation as a function of rainfall amount, soybean yield for the year before the corn–soybean sequence being evaluated, N source, N rate, and timing of N application in northeastern Iowa, U.S.A. Ten years of data (1994–2003) from a long-term study near Nashua, Iowa were used to develop multivariate polynomial regression equations describing these variables. The regression equations described over 87, 85, 94, 76, and 95% of variation in soybean yield, corn yield, subsurface drainage, nitrate concentration, and nitrate loss in subsurface drainage, respectively. A two-year rotation under average soil, average climatic conditions, and 125 kg N/ha application was predicted to loose 29, 37, 36, and 30 kg N/ha in subsurface drainage for early-spring swine manure, fall-applied swine manure, early-spring UAN fertilizer, and late-spring split UAN fertilizer (urea ammonium nitrate), respectively. Predicted corn yields were 10.0 and 9.7 Mg/ha for the swine manure and UAN sources applied at 125 kg N/ha. Timing of application (i.e., fall or spring) did not significantly affect corn yield. These results confirm other research suggesting that manure application can result in less nitrate leaching than UAN (e.g., 29 vs. 36 kg N/ha), and that spring application reduces nitrate leaching compared to fall application (e.g., 29 vs. 37 kg N/ha). The regression equations improve our understanding of nitrate leaching; offer a simple method to quantify potential N losses from Midwestern corn–soybean rotations under the climate, soil, and management conditions of the Nashua field experiment; and are a step toward development of easy to use N management tools. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Graduate teaching practicum: preparation for careers in academic medicine.

This article describes an interdisciplinary short course on instructional methods presented at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The course is offered annually to students in the graduate programmes in biomedical sciences as well as to clinical fellows. It aims to prepare future academicians for the teaching role in medical school through an array of practical educational experiences. Summarised here are the course's objectives and learning activities.
Recent Progress On Laser-Induced Modifications And Intrinsic Bulk Damage Of Wide-Gap Optical Materials

In this paper we provide a comprehensive review of our recent work on the nonlinear interaction between high intensity pulsed laser beams and transparent solids. New experimental techniques used to measure multiphoton absorption and energy deposition in wide-gap alkali halides in the prebreakdown regime have led to hard evidence refuting the avalanche model of laser-induced damage at visible laser wavelengths. These measurements, performed in specially purified materials, have allowed the discovery of the roles of laser-induced excitations in energy absorption, leading to the conclusion that virtually all lattice heating occurs via a nonlinear absorption of laser photons by multi-photon-excited free electrons. These results yield an experimentally confirmed theoretical definition of intrinsic, single pulse laser damage thresholds at 532 nm wavelength in three- and four-photon bandgap alkali halides. Extending this work to multipulse effects in the subthreshold intensity regime, we have formulated a new model of bulk damage based on thermomechanical stress induced by accumulation of multiphoton-generated lattice defects.