cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of Select New Technologies For Individual Rights and Public Safety

Are the new measures that have been introduced to protect America from terrorism too extensive, undermining our rights? Or are they not extensive enough, leaving the nation vulnerable to future attacks?! This Article focuses on those public safety measures pertaining to communications surveillance and, specifically, to six technologies: cellular phones, Internet communications, strong encryption, Carnivore, the Key Logger System ("KLS"), and Magic Lantern. It examines the law's effect on these technologies as well as on individual rights and the public interest.This Article assumes that both individual rights and public safety must be protected. Given that on many occasions advancing one requires some curtailment of the other, the key question is what the proper balance between these two cardinal values is. The concept of balance is found in the Fourth Amendment. It refers to the right not to be subjected to unreasonable search and seizure! Thus, it recognizes a category of searches that are fully compatible with the Constitution -those that are reasonable. Historically, courts have found searches to be reasonable when they serve a compelling public interest, such as public safety or public health.
The gamma-gamma prime region of the Ni-Al-Cr-Ti-W-Mo system at 850°C

The compositional limits of gamma and gamma-prime phases in nickel-base superalloys are determined experimentally. It is found that gamma-prime had the following range of compositions for the various elements contained in this phase: 72.1 to 78.0 at.% Ni; 7.8 to 17.3 at.% Al; 1.5 to 8.9 at.% Cr; 0.3 to 13.9 at.% Ti, 0.0 to 3.9 at.% Mo, and 0.0 to 7.2 at.% W. The composition of gamma varied as follows: Ni is balanced; 1.9 to 15.4 at.% Al; 6.6 to 30.7 at.% Cr; 0.0 to 3.1 at.% Ti; 0.0 to 8.7 at.% Mo; and 0.0 to 5.0 at.% W. W additions to the gamma appeared to increase somewhat the solubility of Al in this phase. Mo and W added together decreased the solubility of Al in gamma.
Simulating 24-hour, all-slope surface temperatures during summer along a climatic-latitudinal transect

The results presented in this paper are derived from the continuation of the use of two physically-based models of solar radiation and a steady state slope energy budget [1]. Again, climatic observational inputs (Northern Hemisphere Americas), averaged in 10-degree latitude bands, were utilized in order to compute the changing surface temperatures and differences between surface and air temperatures as functions of varying slope angles (0 to 90 degrees) and orientations (south-, west-, and north-facing). We continued to examine two contrasting landscapes: barren and grassy. No simple relations were found among the factors regarding shortwave and longwave radiative absorption, components of the energy budget, and surface temperature trends. A great diversity existed among surface temperatures of different slopes and orientations at any particular latitude. This was accentuated in the higher latitudes. These findings were assumed general enough to encompass most of the possible contrasts encountered in a real-world north-south transect.
Erythritol predicted to inhibit permeation of water and solutes through the conducting pore of P. falciparum aquaporin

Abstract Plasmodium falciparum aquaporin (PfAQP) is a multifunctional channel protein in the plasma membrane of the malarial parasite that causes the most severe form of malaria infecting more than a million people a year. This channel protein facilitates transport of water and several solutes across the cell membrane. In order to better elucidate the fundamental interactions between PfAQP and its permeants and among the permeants, I conducted over three microseconds in silico experiments of atomistic models of the PfAQP–membrane system to obtain the free-energy profiles of five permeants (erythritol, water, glycerol, urea, and ammonia) throughout the amphipathic conducting pore of PfAQP. The profiles are analyzed in light of and shown to be consistent with the existent in vitro data. The binding affinities are computed using the free-energy profiles and the permeant fluctuations inside the channel. On this basis, it is predicted that erythritol, a permeant of PfAQP itself having a deep ditch in its permeation passageway, inhibits PfAQP's functions of transporting water and other solutes with an IC 50 in the range of high nanomolars. This leads to the possibility that erythritol, a sweetener generally considered safe, may inhibit or kill the malarial parasite in vivo without causing undesired side effects. Experimental studies are hereby called for to directly test this theoretical prediction of erythritol strongly inhibiting PfAQP in vitro and possibly inhibiting P. falciparum in vivo .
Control of Breast Cancer Using Organotin Polymers

The efforts described in this article are aimed at designing organotin polymers that control the growth of breast cancer and to identify structure/property relationships that assist in this goal. The growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines is inhibited employing a wide range of organotin condensation polymers. The EC50 values are primarily dependent on the nature of the Lewis base but the CI50 is dependent on both the nature of the Lewis base and Lewis acid. A number of products exhibit CI50 values greater than two including a number of organotin polyethers such as those derived from diethylstilbestrol, dienestrol, short-chained dibutyltin polyethers, and hydroquinone derivatives. In most of these cases the MDA-MB-231 cells exhibit greater inhibition compared to the estrogen receptor (ER) MCF-7 cells. The organotin polymers generally exhibit a superior ability to inhibit MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cell growth compared to the standard cisplatin.
Bradyrhizobium japonicum glnB, a putative nitrogen-regulatory gene, is regulated by NtrC at tandem promoters.

Abstract The glnB gene from Bradyrhizobium japonicum, the endosymbiont of soybeans (Glycine max), was isolated and sequenced, and its expression was examined under various culture conditions and in soybean nodules. The B. japonicum glnB gene encodes a 12,237-dalton polypeptide that is highly homologous to the glnB gene products from Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The gene is located directly upstream from glnA (encoding glutamine synthetase), a linkage not observed in enteric bacteria. The glnB gene from B. japonicum is expressed from tandem promoters, which are differentially regulated in response to the nitrogen status of the medium. Expression from the downstream promoter involves the B. japonicum ntrC gene product (NtrC) in both free-living and symbiotic cells. Thus, glnB, a putative nitrogen-regulatory gene in B. japonicum, is itself Ntr regulated, and NtrC is active in B. japonicum cells in their symbiotic state.
A study of the host-network interface for MPEG based desktop video conferencing

This paper describes the experimental transport of a full motion MPEG-1 system stream (combines audio, video and timing information) over an ATM network. We analysed the factors related to the host interface that affected the video and audio quality. We found that in order to achieve high resolution video conferencing at the desktop, a dedicated hardware decoder is needed. Furthermore, software handling of the MPEG-1 packets introduces jitter greater than 250 ms due to the underlying non-real time operating system. We plan to use the results to define and develop a dedicated network-interface and audio-video decoder-encoder subsystem that unloads the PC and facilitates video conferencing and video playback.
Performance Sensitivity of Sampling Systems- A Unified Approach

Abstract The performance sensitivity of sampled-data systems is studied via discrete-time optimum control theory. A unified approach to sensitivity studies is presented. Internal disturbances (e.g. parameter variations) and external disturbances (e.g. wind gusts) can be treated within the same formulation by studying the performance sensitivity when the system is subject to bounded disturbances. A measure of the performance sensitivity is obtained by determining the worst effect of the bounded disturbance sequence on a chosen performance measure. Such a sensitivity study, when it is posed as an optimum control problem, amounts to solving a two-point-boundary-value problem. A computational technique for the solution is proposed. A sampled-data system which is most insensitive to the effects of the worst disturbances is designed by determining the parameters of the system that minimize the worst effect on the performance sensitivity. An algorithm is developed for such a design procedure. The presentation is illustrated by examples.
Visual contrast enhancement techniques applied to optical coherence tomography images

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an interferometric, noninvasive and non contact imaging technique that generates images of biological tissues at micrometer scale resolution. Images obtained from the OCT process are often noisy and of low visual contrast level. This work focuses on improving the visual contrast of OCT images using digital enhancement and fusion techniques. Since OCT images are often corrupted with noise, our first approach is to use the most effective noise reduction algorithm. This process is followed by a series of digital enhancement techniques that are suitable to enhance the visual contrast of the OCT images. We also investigate any gain in visual contrast if combined enhancement is employed. In the image fusion methods, images taken at different depths are fused together using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and logical fusion algorithms. We answer the question of it is more efficient to enhance images before or after fusion. This work concludes by suggesting future work needed to complement the current one.
Between Stillness and Story: Lessons of Children's Illness Narratives

In answer to an increasingly impersonal medical environment, educators in the medical humanities frequently turn to narrative studies to teach students for an emotionally fulfilling and interpersonally related professional practice. However, to elicit, to interpret, and to integrate patient stories into their work effectively, physicians must be in a state of awareness and attention, attuned to their emotional and intellectual reactions. The experiences of children and their families, in the form of pediatric illness narratives, hold unique insights for physicians in how to engage in an ethical, empathetic, and self-reflective practice. In particular, these narratives demonstrate the importance not only of story but also of stillness or silence to the practice of medicine. The voices of patients and their families hold both literal and allegorical lessons for physicians in how to move toward a medical practice involving not only diagnosis and treatment but also recognition and healing.
Mid-infrared quantum dot barrier photodetectors with extended cutoff wavelengths

A method to extend the cutoff wavelength of mid-infrared barrier photodetectors by incorporating self-assembled InSb quantum dots into the active area of the detector is demonstrated. This approach enables the extension of the cutoff wavelength of barrier photodetectors from 4.2 to 6 m, demonstrating infrared response at temperatures up to 225 K.
Sickle cell anemia in the first 2 years of life.

Summary Studies are presented on 54 Negro children with sickle cell anemia, of whom 26 were examined and the diagnosis found before the age of 2 years. In 2 siblings, one studied from birth and the other from the age of 6 weeks, there was no strict correlation between the rise in S hemoglobin, the reciprocal fall in F hemoglobin, and the development of symptoms. Clinical manifestations did not appear in any of the 54 children before 3 months of age. Symptoms were noted, however, either by personal observation or by history in about one half of the patients before the age of 1 year and in three fourths of the patients before 2 years of age. Particularly noteworthy findings were the osteopathy involving, primarily, the metacarpals and proximal phalanges, and the splenomegaly, which in 4 instances was associated with thrombocytopenia.
Diels-Alder polymers. III. Polymers containing phenylated phenylene units

The Diels-Alder reaction of biscyclopentadieneones with diacetylenes produces colorless, soluble, phenylated polyphenylenes of high molecular weight (Mn ≃ 40,000) in nearly quantitative conversions. The polymers are noncrystalline, form clear films, and are stable in air to 550°C. Under nitrogen, the polymers lost approximately half the phenyl groups attached to the phenylene main chain to give brown-black insoluble polyphenylenes of very low crystallinity.
The Emerging Role of Innate Immunity in the Heart and Vascular System For Whom the Cell Tolls

Recent studies suggest that the heart possesses an innate immune system that is intended to delimit tissue injury, as well as orchestrate homoeostatic responses, within the heart. The extant literature suggests that this intrinsic stress response system is mediated, at least in part, by a family of pattern recognition receptors, most notably the Toll-like receptors. Although the innate immune system provides a short-term adaptive response to tissue injury, the beneficial effects of this phylogenetically ancient system may be lost if innate immune signaling becomes sustained and/or excessive; in which case, the salutary effects of activation of these pathways are contravened by the known deleterious effects of inflammatory signaling. Herein, the biology of innate immune signaling in the heart is reviewed, as well as the literature suggesting that the innate immune system is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, viral myocarditis, sepsis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and heart failure. The review concludes by discussing new therapies that are being developed to modulate the innate immune system.
Infrared studies of carbons. XIII The oxidation of polycarbonate chars

Abstract IR photothermal beam deflection spectroscopy was used to record IR spectra of chars, produced by the in vacuo pyrolysis of a polycarbonate resin (PC), at several stages of oxidation. The high-temperature chars seem to be more susceptible to oxidation than the low-temperature PC chars. This behavior is quite unlike that of coals, cellulose based chars, and other carbons. Oxidation of the low temperature chars proceeds mainly through attack on the hydrocarbonaceous side chains and the elimination of carbonate functionality, accompanied by an extensive formation of benzophenone, lactones, and acidic carbonylic species. However, the chars obtained at temperatures higher than 590°C, when polyaromatic domains first form to a significant extent, exhibit the normal oxidation behavior found with chars derived from several types of precursors.
Scope of problem of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract Background As with many uncommon diseases, data in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension are sparse in regard to emergency service visits, hospitalizations, and mortality. The purpose of this investigation is to assess the scope of the problem of Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults in the US and trends from 2001 to 2007. Methods The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, 2007-2011, was used to determine the number of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality of patients aged ≥18 years with Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension. We assessed patients with a discharge code for "primary pulmonary hypertension," and excluded patients with known causes of pulmonary hypertension that are not classified as Group 1. Results There were 64,451 emergency department visits and 52,779 hospitalizations for pulmonary arterial hypertension from 2007-2011 in patients aged ≥18 years. The proportion of all emergency department visits that were for pulmonary arterial hypertension decreased from 16.4/100,000 visits in 2007 to 8.9/100,000 visits in 2011 ( P P P Conclusions Decreasing rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in patients with Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension were shown from 2007-2011. We speculate that this resulted from improved treatment during the period of observation.
Research Versus Problem Solving for the Education Leadership Doctoral Thesis: Implications for Form and Function

Background: A growing literature is questioning the appropriateness of a research dissertation for practitioners in education doctoral programs. Although this literature persuasively critiques the prevailing theory-research orientation of most programs and theses, it goes little beyond exhorting change and describing extant alternatives in a few programs. There is little attention in this literature to the powerful structures and values holding in place the traditional research dissertation. This literature has not examined in-depth distinctions between research and organizational problem solving and the implications for an alternative thesis design for education leadership doctorates. Findings: This article presents four “qualities of acceptability” that alternatives to the traditional research thesis must address: (a) developmental efficacy, (b) community benefit, (c) stewardship of doctoral values, and (d) distinctiveness of design. The author comments on existing proposals from the standpoint of this framework, noting their strengths and shortcomings; elaborates on five key distinctions between research and organizational problem solving; presents theory and research supporting a thesis based on organizational problem solving; and proposes a specific and distinctive thesis design.
The constitution: views from homoeopathy and psychiatry

Abstract The notion that individuals differ in their physical and psychical makeup, and that these differences predispose them to various illnesses, is found throughout medical history in various healing traditions. In this paper, the authors address the use of the concept of constitution and constitutional type in homoeopathy, as well as in psychiatry, and describe an approach toward validating the existence of such types in the population.
Haemodynamic and catecholamine response to isoflurane anaesthesia in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery.

Haemodynamic and plasma catecholamine responses were evaluated during isoflurane anaesthesia in ten patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Following thiopen-tone induction the patients were anaesthetized with isoflurane 1.5-2.0 per cent in oxygen. The results show that after 10 minutes of isoflurane anaesthesia there was a significant increase from baseline in heart rate, 68 to 80; cardiac output, 3.75 to 4.61; and plasma epinephrine, 0.80 to 1.33 μg/1. Conversely, there was a significant reduction in systemic vascular resistance index, 3388 to 2260, and plasma norepinephrine, 1.10 to 0.88 μg//l. Twenty-five minutes later, after sternotomy, heart rate, cardiac output and the level of plasma epinephrine were still elevated, and systemic vascular resistance index and plasma norepinephrine remained lowered (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates significant catecholamine responses during isoflurane anaesthesia. The increase in plasma epinephrine paralleled the increase in heart rate and cardiac output, and the decrease in plasma norepinephrine paralleled the decrease in systemic vascular resistance. Based upon these findings we conclude that catecholamine responses contribute to the cardiac and peripheral cardiovascular changes observed with isoflurane anesthesia.
Surgeon volume compared to hospital volume as a predictor of outcome following primary colon cancer resection.

Background and Objectives A strong association between high hospital procedure volume and survival following colon cancer resection has been demonstrated. However, the importance of surgeon case volume as a determinant of outcome has been less well studied, and it is unclear whether hospital or surgeon volume is the more powerful predictor of outcomes. Methods A retrospective population-based cohort study utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database identified 24,166 colon cancer patients aged 65 years and older who had surgery for a primary tumor diagnosed in 1991–1996 in a SEER area. Hospital and surgeon-specific procedure volume was ascertained based on the number of claims submitted over the 6-year study period. Outcome measures were mortality at 30 days and 2 years, overall survival, and the frequency of operations requiring an intestinal stoma. Age, sex, race, comorbid illness, cancer stage, socioeconomic status, emergent hospitalization, and the presence of obstruction/perforation were used to adjust for differences in case-mix. Results After adjusting for surgeon procedure volume, high hospital procedure volume remained a strong predictor of low post-operative mortality rates (P < 0.001 for each outcome with and without adjustment for surgeon procedure volume). Surgeon-specific procedure volume was also an important predictor of surgical outcomes (P = 0.002 for 30-day mortality, P = 0.001 for 2-year mortality), although this effect was attenuated after adjusting for hospital volume (P = 0.03 for 30-day mortality, P = 0.02 for 2-year mortality). Hospital volume and surgeon volume were each an important predictor of the ostomy rate. Among high volume institutions and surgeons, individual providers with unusually high ostomy rates could be identified. Conclusions Both hospital and surgeon-specific procedure volume predict outcomes following colon cancer resection; but hospital volume may exert a stronger effect. Therefore, efforts to optimize the quality of colon cancer surgery should focus on multidisciplinary aspects of hospital care rather than solely on intraoperative technique. J. Surg. Oncol. 2003;83:68–78. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics and Its Collaboration with Georgia Tech

A new National Laboratory for Optoclectronics located in Wuhan, China is introduced and its collaboration model with Georgia Tech is outlined. Their joint effort is establishing an international platform for scholars from the world to do research and education on new frontiers of photonics and electronics.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is found in many conditions and may present with malabsorption, diarrhea, and malnutrition. Whereas dietary modifications and supplements might help, the primary treatment strategy is the judicious use of antibiotics. The most effective antibiotics, shown either empirically or by clinical trials, are the quinolones, tetracycline, amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, clindamycin, and metronidazole. In an unpredictable fashion, some patients fail to respond to one of these antibiotics, but often will respond to a second. These conditions are often chronic and require periodic or cyclical treatment. In some conditions seen in the elderly or in hypochlorhydric patients the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is inconsequential and does not require therapy. Surgical management is reserved for the select situations in which there is a clear-cut structural defect.
Linguistic markers of emotion in mothers of sickle cell carrier infants: What are they and what do they mean?

Abstract Objective The objectives were to examine emotion-related language in mothers’ narratives about newborn screening, and test the correlations between language and self-reported emotion and behavior. Methods Transcripts of interviews with mothers of infant sickle cell carriers were analyzed with word count software for the prevalence of emotion-related words in narratives about newborn screening. Word counts were compared to population norms for spoken language using one-sample t -tests. Anxiety-related words were correlated with self-reported anxiety and avoidance of genetic testing. Results 187 transcripts were analyzed, in which there was a higher percentage of anxiety words ( m = .38%) than population norms ( m = .18%), t (186) = 10.59, p r s (185) = .24, p = .001. Self-reported previous anxiety, but not word use, was correlated with mothers’ avoidance of undergoing genetic testing themselves r s (152) = .25, p = .002. Conclusion Mothers of sickle cell carrier infants reported anxiety upon learning their child's condition. Anxiety-related words in maternal narratives were correlated with their reports of past, but not present, emotions. Practice implications Researchers and clinicians should use caution in assuming that word choices reflect state emotions. Self-report methods may be preferable for predicting behavioral outcomes.
Effect of hexachlorophene on monovalent cation transport in human erythrocytes. A mechanism for hexachlorophene-induced hemolysis.

Abstract Hexachlorophene-induced hemolysis, as studied by phase contrast microscopy, appeared to be a result of osmotic swelling. Both swelling and subsequent hemolysis were markedly delayed by addition of the non-penetrating solute sucrose to the incubation mixture. Binding studies indicated that hexachlorophene is associated primarily with the erythrocyte membrane, the remainder being found in the cytoplasm. Hexachlorophane induced a dose-dependent, first-order efflux of Na+ and K+ from red cells. The rates of hemolysis and K+ efflux induced by hexachlorophene were much greater than would be expected if this compound were acting simply as a metabolic inhibitor and/or an inhibitor of (Na+-K+-Mg2+)-ATPase. It is suggested that hexachlorophene induces the efflux of Na+ and K+ from red cells by directly altering the permeability of the cellular membrane. Further, hexachlorophene-induced hemolysis is probably a secondary event resulting from osmotic swelling subsequent to increased membrane permeability.
ON PHOTOPRODUCTION OF ULTRAVIOLET EMISSION LINES

In this note, it is pointed out that removal of inner electrons by photoionization can produce ultraviolet emission lines of observable intensity. In the case of C(+) + hnu = more than C(2+) + e, ionization by photons with energies greater than 31 eV produces ions which then preferentially populate the excited C III 3P state. Calculations show that photoproduction of lines such as C III 1909 A can be competitive with collisional excitation in low-temperature, low-ionization nebulae such as H II regions, and could affect abundance or ionization studies. In general, this production mechanism should be considered whenever the ultraviolet lines have intensities a few tens of percent of H-beta.
Theory for nonequilibrium behavior of anisotype graded heterojunctions

Abstract An analysis for the terminal behavior and capacitance of anisotype graded heterojunctions is presented. A closed form expression for the I–V characteristics is derived using the depletion approximation and the rigid band model. The expression is valid for uniform nondegenerate doping and low-level injection. The transition region is modeled to extend beyond the space-charge region with a constant bandgap gradient. Variations of the dielectric constant, carrier lifetime and mobility are ignored. The nonsaturating nature of the reverse current is demonstrated. The effects of variations of bandgap and electron affinity on the I–V characteristics and junction capacitance are discussed. Numerical results for a graded nGe-pGaAs device are given.
Common Carotid Artery Stenosis and Amaurosis Fugax

Background Clinical characteristics of common carotid artery (CCA) stenosis have been reported relatively rarely, compared with those of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. The current retrospective study aimed to clarify the symptomatology of CCA stenosis. Methods Summarized records of patients admitted were reviewed to identify patients with CCA stenosis or extracranial ICA stenosis. Clinical histories and neurologic symptoms were identified and analyzed. Results CCA stenosis was present in 12 patients (symptomatic, n = 8; asymptomatic, n = 4). Among symptomatic patients, 4 (50%) had amaurosis fugax. Among 137 patients with symptomatic extracranial ICA stenosis, amaurosis fugax occurred in 9 patients (6.6%). Conclusions Frequency of amaurosis fugax was significantly higher in CCA stenosis than in ICA stenosis. Patients with CCA stenosis may be susceptible to transient hemodynamic insufficiency of the retina as a result of simultaneous reductions in blood supplies from both the external carotid artery and the ICA.
Evidence for parallel processing in the frog's auditory thalamus.

We have conducted anatomical and physiological experiments to investigate the functional organization of the dorsal thalamus in the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens pipiens). Our studies provide evidence for parallel auditory processing at this level of the frog's brain. Acoustically evoked potentials were recorded from the posterior and central thalamic nuclei and several differences in sound-evoked activity were noted between them: (1) the amplitude of acoustically evoked potentials (AEPs), in response to a standard search stimulus, was always greater in the central, as opposed to the posterior, nucleus; (2) the posterior, but not central, nucleus exhibited the phenomenon of nonlinear summation when 350-Hz and 1,700-Hz tones were presented simultaneously rather than individually; and (3) the central, but not posterior, nucleus showed selectivity for the repetition rate of pulsed sound signals. The posterior and central thalamic nuclei also possessed distinct innervation patterns as revealed by the HRP transport patterns arising from these structures. The central nucleus was reciprocally connected with the major auditory relay stations along the frog's central auditory pathway including the superior dive, nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, and the torus semicircularis. Major projections to the lateral thalamic nucleus, ventral hypothalamus, and the telencephalic striatal complex were also observed. The posterior nucleus, on the other hand, established reciprocal connections primarily with the medial reticular nucleus, ventral mid-brain tegmentum, and structures constituting of the ventral thalamic nuclei, particularly the nucleus of Bellonci. Thus, time and frequency cues contained within the species mating call, and conveying information concerning species identity, appear to be processed independently within the frog's thalamus with separate neural channels for each.
Nitric Oxide Releasing Nanoparticles for Treatment of Candida Albicans Burn Infections

Candida albicans is a leading fungal cause of burn infections in hospital settings, and sepsis is one of the principle causes of death after a severe burn. The prevalence of invasive candidiasis in burn cases varies widely, but it accounts for 3-23% of severe infection with a mortality rate ranging from 14% to 70%. Therefore, it is imperative that we develop innovative therapeutics to which this fungus is unlikely to evolve resistance, thus curtailing the associated morbidity and mortality and ultimately improving our capacity to treat these infections. An inexpensive and stable nitric oxide (NO)-releasing nanoparticle (NO-np) platform has been recently developed. NO is known to have direct antifungal activity, modulates host immune responses and is a significant regulator of wound healing. In this study, we hypothesized that NO-np would be an effective therapy in the treatment of C. albicans burn infections. Using a murine burn model, NO-np demonstrated antifungal activity against C. albicans in vivo, most likely by arresting its growth and morphogenesis as was demonstrated in vitro. Moreover, we showed that NO-np significantly accelerated the rate of wound healing in cutaneous burn infections when compared to controls. The histological evaluation of the affected tissue revealed that NO-np treatment modified leukocyte infiltration, minimized the fungal burden, and reduced collagen degradation, thus providing potential mechanisms for the therapeutics’ biological activity. Together, these data suggest that NO-np have the potential to serve as a novel topical antifungal which can be used for the treatment of cutaneous burn infections and wounds.
Antiviral Activity of Retrocyclin RC-101, a Candidate Microbicide Against Cell-Associated HIV-1

Abstract Microbicides have been evaluated mostly against cell-free HIV-1. Because semen contains both cell-free and cell-associated HIV-1, HIV-1 transmission could occur via either or both sources. Therefore, it is important to examine the antiviral activity of microbicides against cell-associated HIV-1. The cyclic antimicrobial peptide retrocyclin RC-101 has been shown previously to have antiviral activity against cell-free HIV-1, with no associated cellular toxicity. In this article we have examined the antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell-associated HIV-1. The results demonstrate potent antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell–cell HIV-1 transmission in both CD4-dependent and CD4-independent assays against CCR5- and CXCR4-tropic HIV-1, with no cellular toxicity. Furthermore, this antiviral activity was retained in the presence of human seminal plasma. The potent antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell-associated HIV-1 reported here, and the previously reported antiviral activity in cervical tis...
A REVISED REFERENCE CATALOGUE OF GALACTIC SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

This paper reviews observations made over recent years that have led to the identification of many new galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) and have clarified the nature of several objects that had been thought to be SNRs. A revised reference catalogue of 155 galactic SNRs is presented, complete with notes on the newly identified remnants, those objects no longer thought to be SNRs, the questionable objects in the catalogue, and possible candidate SNRs. The selection effects applicable to the identification of galactic SNRs are discussed, with particular reference to the limitations that they impose upon statistical studies.
SU‐HH‐BRB‐02: A Study on the Focusing Power of Dynamic Photon Painting

Purpose: Cross‐firing technique is widely used in photon‐based radiosurgery to create sharp dose falloff near the target. In this technique, a large number of beams are focused to the isocenter in order to minimize contribution from individual beams. In this study, we investigated a technique called dynamic photon painting (DPP), where a radiation beam changed dynamically in direction to irradiate a target, to significantly enhance dose falloff rate. The dynamic motion of the beam source is equivalent to focusing tens of thousands of beams, creating a sharp dose gradient that potentially rival proton Bragg peaks. Materials and Methods: To study DPP, we took a Cybeknife cone beam and rotate it in a hemispherical trajectory to create DPP dose kernels. The parameters determining a kernel include: (1) range of latitude angles from 0 to 90 degrees, (2) range of longitude angles from 0 to 360 degrees, and (3) source to axis distance (SAD). Using these dose kernels, a complex 3D dose distribution can be created via traversing or “painting” a kernel inside a 3D target volume. Results: We found: (1) The dose gradient of DPP kernels rivals that of proton Bragg peaks. (2) As the latitude angular range increases, the dose gradient of DPP kernel increases in the plane defined by the circle of latitude and decreases in the plane defined by the circle of longitude. (3) As the starting latitude angle increases, the dose distribution of low dose regions becomes less regular in the plane of the circle of longitude. (4) When DPP kernels are used in treatment planning via dose painting, we get better plans than Gamma Knife radiosurgery.Conclusions: We have demonstrated that Dynamic Photon Painting has the potential to rival proton therapy and outperform Gamma Knife radiosurgery for our studied cases.
Attending to what matters: flexibility in adults' and infants' action perception.

Abstract Action perception is selective in that observers attend to and encode certain dimensions of action over others. But how flexible is action perception in its selection of perceptual information? One possibility is that observers consistently attend to particular dimensions of action over others across different contexts. Another possibility, tested here, is that observers flexibly vary their attention to different dimensions of action based on the context in which action occurs. We investigated 9.5-month-old infants’ and adults’ ability to attend to drop height under varying contexts—aiming to drop an object into a narrow container versus a wide container. We predicted differential attention to increases in aiming height for the narrow container versus the wide container because an increase in aiming height has a differential effect on success (i.e., getting the object into the container) depending on the width of the container. Both adults and infants showed an asymmetry in their attention to aiming height as a function of context; in the wide container condition increases and decreases in aiming height were equally detectable, whereas in the narrow container condition observers more readily discriminated increases over decreases in aiming height. These results indicate that action perception is both selective and flexible according to context, aiding in action prediction and infants’ social–cognitive development more broadly.
Quality Matters: Assessing the Impact of Attending More Selective Institutions on College Completion Rates of Minorities

This paper examines the impact of attending different categories of selective institutions on students’ college completion. Specifically, it explores differences in the impact that selectivity of an institution has by race and ethnicity. The analysis accounts for the impact of individual and institutional characteristics and corrects for omitted variables with proxies for student motivation. The results suggest that students who attend the most selective institutions and highly selective institutions, as opposed to non-selective ones, are more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree. This result holds for African American and Hispanic students. After correcting for the problem of sorting of students into specific types of institutions, the results of the models suggest that the coefficient of selective institutions might have a small upward bias. The positive effect of selective institutions on attainment suggests that they have the potential to increase the graduation rates of minorities while narrowing the persistent college completion gap.
Geometry of carbonate bodies: A quantitative investigation of factors influencing their evolution

The geometries of the depositional surfaces of a series of carbonate bodies were modeled using a computer program that simulates the effects of physical and chemical environmental parameters on the deposition rates of carbonate accumulations. These parameters are: food supply (influence of nutrients), available light, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, crustal movement and eustatic fluctuation.
The relationship between anxiety and sleep–wake behavior after stressor exposure in the rat

Disturbed sleep is a common subjective complaint among individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorders. In rodents, sleep is often recorded after exposure to various foot-shock paradigms designed to induce an anxiety state. Although differences in sleep-wake architecture are noted, the relationship to specific level of anxiety is often assumed or absent. Utilizing the elevated plus-maze (EPM) after exposure to escapable shock (ES), inescapable shock (IS) or fear conditioning (FC), resulting differences in sleep architecture were compared to an objective measure of anxiety. Male Wistar rats were implanted with EEG, EMG and hippocampal theta electrodes to record sleep-wake behavior. After recovery and recording of baseline sleep, rats were exposed to one of five manipulations: ES, IS, FC or control (CES or CIS; utilizing either chamber with no shock exposure). Shortly after experimental manipulation, the EPM was employed to quantify traditional and ethological measures of anxiety and polygraphic signs of sleep-wake behavior were recorded continuously for 6 h. Although no significance was observed in EPM measurements across groups, profound differences in sleep architecture were present. Individual correlation analysis revealed no differences in anxiety level and total percentage of time spent in sleep-wake states. These results indicate that differences in sleep architecture after foot-shock exposure may not be simply due to increased anxiety. Rather, individual anxiety may be exacerbated by disrupted sleep. To fully understand the relationship between anxiety and sleep-wake behavior, a more objective analysis of anxiety after stressor exposure is mandated.
Protein tyrosine and serine–threonine phosphatases in the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus: Identification and potential functions

Protein phosphatases, in coordination with protein kinases, play crucial roles in regulation of signaling pathways. To identify protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and serine–threonine (ser–thr) phosphatases in the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus genome, 179 annotated sequences were studied (122 PTPs, 57 ser–thr phosphatases). Sequence analysis identified 91 phosphatases (33 conventional PTPs, 31 dual specificity phosphatases, 1 Class III Cysteine-based PTP, 1 Asp-based PTP, and 25 ser–thr phosphatases). Using catalytic sites, levels of conservation and constraint in amino acid sequence were examined. Nine of 25 receptor PTPs (RPTPs) corresponded to human, nematode, or fly homologues. Domain structure revealed that sea urchin-specific RPTPs including two, PTPRLec and PTPRscav, may act in immune defense. Embryonic transcription of each phosphatase was recorded from a high-density oligonucleotide tiling microarray experiment. Most RPTPs are expressed at very low levels, whereas nonreceptor PTPs (NRPTPs) are generally expressed at moderate levels. High expression was detected in MAP kinase phosphatases (MKPs) and numerous ser–thr phosphatases. For several expressed NRPTPs, MKPs, and ser–thr phosphatases, morpholino antisense-mediated knockdowns were performed and phenotypes obtained. Finally, to assess roles of annotated phosphatases in endomesoderm formation, a literature review of phosphatase functions in model organisms was superimposed on sea urchin developmental pathways to predict areas of functional activity.
Multi Wavelength Contrast Telephotometry: Instrument Design And Data Interpretation

A contrast telephotometer, capable of simultaneouly measuring the brightness of two adjacent objects at various wavelengths, was designed and constructed. The instrument was used to measure the contrast of Mormon Mountain (located 30 km southeast of Flagstaff, AZ) against the horizon sky. Measurements were initiated on September 11, 1974, and data taken through August 29, 1975 are presented here. A theoretical model was formulated to examine the dynamics of contrast variations as a function of observation angle, tropospheric and stratospheric aerosol extinction coefficients. Calculations and measurements indicate that while measurements in the blue portion of the visible spectrum are primarily sensitive to aerosol within the mixing layer, contrast measurements in the red portion of the spectrum are sensitive to aerosol above the mixing layer. The relationship between wavelength, contrast and vertical aerosol distributions is quite dependent on observation angle. Because contrast is related to both tropospheric and stratospheric aerosol concentrations, the instrument is well suited to measure contrast changes caused by spatial variations in aerosol concentrations that take place over hundreds of kilometers. Contrast is directly related to visibility and consequently the contrast telephotometer is also a direct measure of visibility as a function of spatially varying aerosol loads.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Species specificity of mitochondrial DNA flanking the 18S rRNA gene in two species of cucurbitaceae

Abstract Mitochondrial DNA is evolving slowly among species of Brassica and Lycopersicon. In contrast we have observed in cucurbits that at least 101 kilo bases (kb) out of 330 kb of watermelon mitochondrial DNA sequences are not found in muskmelon. The organization of the DNA flanking the mitochondrial 18S rRNA genes was compared in watermelon ( Citrullus vulgaris Schrad., cv. Dixie Queen) and muskmelon ( Cucumis melo L., cv. Iroquois), which differ 7-fold in mitochondrial genome size. Seventeen clones containing the 18S rRNA gene, averaging 14.9 ± 2.0 kb in size, were isolated from a lambda 1059 library of muskmelon mitochondrial DNA. The data are consistent with a single 18S rRNA gene in muskmelon mitochondrial DNA. Electron microscopy of heteroduplexes between watermelon and muskmelon clones containing the 18S rRNA gene show that the regions flanking the 18S gene in these two species are unrelated in nucleotide sequence. Southern blot analysis showed that the flanking sequences are unique to the respective species. At a reduced hybridization criterion these flanking sequences showed additional inter and intra species hybridization to both mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA indicating that the flanking regions contain either short reiterated sequences or longer sequences that have diverged greatly. Thus, in a region spanning 5% of the entire watermelon mitochondrial genome only a single highly conserved sequence, the 18S rRNA gene, is found.
Estimates of seasonal variation in fossil fuel CO2 emissions

Seasonal variations are evident in the atmospheric CO2 concentration, and attempts to understand the causes of the variations require an estimate of the seasonal pattern of the fossil fuel CO2 sour...
Physiological Studies on Pea Tendrils: VI. The Characteristics of Sensory Perception and Transduction

Tendrils may be said to possess a sense of touch, and the direction and amplitude of the coiling response can be used to define the characteristics of this sense. These characteristics are, first, that the tendril will coil only in response to ventral mechanical stimulation, that this coiling can be inhibited by subsequent dorsally presented stimulation, and that dorsal stimulation alone causes no coiling. This phenomenon seems to be due to some asymmetry in the response system. Second, the nature of the response is always determined by the location (i.e., dorsal or ventral) of the last stimulation the tendril experienced. Third, the ability of dorsally presented stimulation to reverse ventrally stimulated coiling is gradually lost. Complete escape from reversibility is attained if the interval between ventral and dorsal stimulation reaches 9 minutes. Fourth, the magnitude of response is determined by both the number and the frequency of the stimuli. Both ventrally stimulated coiling and dorsally stimulated inhibition of coiling can be temporarily stopped by a 9-minute cold break at 10 C, given immediately after stimulation. As soon as the tendrils are restored to room temperature, they proceed to respond to the stimulus.The pulling ability of the tendrils generated by contact coiling, as measured by an electronic monitoring system, is of the order of 6 milligrams per minute. Whenever these two factors have been compared, pulling weight parallels contact coiling, regardless of treatment.The relationship between the stimulus and the response appears to follow rules very similar to those followed by various sensory response systems in animals. It is therefore proposed that many of these systems may have functional characteristics in common.
Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and the Risk for Dementia

IMPORTANCE In animal studies, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to impact neuronal survival and function and improve synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. Circulating BDNF levels increase with physical activity and caloric restriction, thus BDNF may mediate some of the observed associations between lifestyle and the risk for dementia. Some prior studies showed lower circulating BDNF in persons with Alzheimer disease (AD) compared with control participants; however, it remains uncertain whether reduced levels precede dementia onset.