cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why the omega-3 piggy should not go to market

The paper in your April issue by Lai et al. entitled "Generation of cloned transgenic pigs rich in omega-3 fatty acids" (Nat. Biotechnol. 24, 435–436, 2006) perfectly captures the fundamental problem with American biotech research. That problem is that scientists pursue their research agenda to further scientific knowledge all well and good but when the project succeeds they invent problems for which their research results can be marketed as a solution. This unreflective move from 'pure science' to commercialization may end up as biotech's undoing. Disciplines Biotechnology Comments Postprint version. Published in Nature Biotechnology, Volume 24, Issue 12, December 2006, pages 1472-1473. Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt1206-1472 This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/bioethics_papers/54
Cell Population Dynamics Modulate the Rates of Tissue Growth Processes

The development and testing of a discrete model describing the dynamic process of tissue growth in three-dimensional scaffolds is presented. The model considers populations of cells that execute persistent random walks on the computational grid, collide, and proliferate until they reach confluence. To isolate the effect of population dynamics on tissue growth, the model assumes that nutrient and growth factor concentrations remain constant in space and time. Simulations start either by distributing the seed cells uniformly and randomly throughout the scaffold, or from an initial condition designed to simulate the migration and cell proliferation phase of wound healing. Simulations with uniform seeding show that cell migration enhances tissue growth by counterbalancing the adverse effects of contact inhibition. This beneficial effect, however, diminishes and disappears completely for large migration speeds. By contrast, simulations with the “wound” seeding mode show a continual enhancement of tissue regeneration rates with increasing cell migration speeds. We conclude that cell locomotory parameters and the spatial distribution of seed cells can have profound effects on the dynamics of the process and, consequently, on the pattern and rates of tissue growth. These results can guide the design of experiments for testing the effectiveness of biomimetic modifications for stimulating tissue growth.
Daytime symptoms in primary insomnia: a prospective analysis using ecological momentary assessment.

Objectives To prospectively characterize and compare daytime symptoms in primary insomnia (PI) and good sleeper control (GSC) subjects using ecological momentary assessment; to examine relationships between daytime symptom factors, retrospective psychological and sleep reports, and concurrent sleep diary reports.
Tissue distribution of [14C]DDT in the lobster after administration via intravascular or oral routes or after exposure from ambient sea water.

Abstract A pharmacokinetic approach to studying the fate and distribution of [ 14 C]DDT was employed using the lobster, a species of obvious economic importance. The radioactive pesticide was administered by 3 different routes; intravascular, oral and by exposure from the ambient water. After intravascular administration there was very rapid removal of [ 14 C]DDT from the plasma accompanied by a strikingly persistent increase in the amount of radioactivity in the hepatopancreas. Most (>90%) of the radioactivity in this organ was shown by TLC to be the parent pesticide. Seven days after injection of [ 14 C]DDT approximately 90% of the administered radioactivity was found in the hepatopancreas and the concentrations in this organ decreased with a t 1 2 of 46 days. One month after treatment with 0.1 mg/kg of [ 14 C]DDT, the only other organs which contained more than 1% of the administered dose were egg masses and muscle. When the pesticide was administered to the lobster from ambient water or from food, the hepatopancreatic compartment again dominated, with more than 90% of the absorbed dose occurring in this organ 7 days after treatment. Studies conducted of residue levels in untreated lobsters indicated that the egg masses contained the largest concentration of total DDT metabolites (1 ppm). The hepatopancreas contained about 0.4 ppm while the carcass (muscle) contained about 0.1 ppm. These distribution studies suggest that while the lobster may protect itself from DDT toxicity by sequestering the pesticide in the hepatopancreas and in egg masses, bioconcentration in these tissue could be hazardous to species consuming these parts of the lobster.
Invasion by Sweet Clover (Melilotus) in Montane Grasslands, Rocky Mountain National Park

Abstract Exotic (nonnative) invasion, often fostered by anthropogenic disturbances, can be detrimental to the biodiversity of indigenous plant communities. We examined the impact of two exotic species, Melilotus officinalis and M. alba (yellow and white sweet clover) in the montane grassland community in Rocky Mountain National Park to determine (1) whether native and exotic plant diversity differs between patches within grasslands that are invaded by Melilotus species and patches that are not invaded (control patches) and (2) whether the presence of Melilotus species are associated with specific exotic species. Variables that were recorded included species richness, species composition, and percent cover in invaded and control patches at multiple spatial scales. The results showed that more exotic, annual/biennial, and forb species occurred within patches invaded by Melilotus species, while more native, perennial, and grass species occurred in nearby control patches. Moreover, the invaded patches had sev...
Dominance and reproduction in a parthenogenetic lizard

Summary. In most vertebrates, males and females are believed to differ in terms of their investment in offspring. Dominance theory suggests that one way individuals of the sex with lower parental investment can increase reproductive success would be to dominate others of the same sex. The dominant competitors are thought to achieve preferred access to mates, and thus, have greater reproductive success than subordinates. Reproduction in parthenogenetic Cnemidophorus uniparens normally proceeds without males, but individuals exhibit mounting behaviors in captivity that are typical of closely related Cnemidophorus species that reproduce sexually. Thus, these animals provide an unusual opportunity to study the effects of behavior on reproduction apart from copulation and fertilization. In this study relationships between dominance and reproduction were investigated in the unisexual lizard species, C. uniparens. Dominance hierarchies were rapidly established and maintained in the laboratory by agonistic encounters among individuals. The number of times an individual charged its cagemates was positively correlated with the number of clutches and eggs laid. Also, dominant animals who charged their cagemates were likely to win agonistic encounters; recipients of charges usually fled. Hierarchies based on different behaviors were not all related to reproduction. Charges as a predictor of dominance was unrelated to body length, percent increase in body length and time spent in the basking site. However, individuals with a high percent increase in body length spent more time basking. This is likely a result of the increased energy demands of growth in addition to reproduction. Physiological stress as measured by plasma corticosterone titers was unrelated to dominance. We suggest that dominance is an important factor affecting reproduction in C. uniparens.
Determination of total antioxidant capacity of commercial beverage samples by capillary electrophoresis via inline reaction with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol.

This paper demonstrates proof-of-concept for the use of electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA) as a new approach to the determination of total antioxidant capacity (TAC). EMMA is a low-volume, high-efficiency capillary electrophoretic technique that has to date been underutilized for small molecule reactions. Here, nanoliter volumes of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) reagent solution are mixed with an antioxidant-containing sample within the confines of a narrow-bore capillary tube. The mixing is accomplished by exploiting differential migration rates of the reagents when a voltage field is applied across the length of the capillary tube. The ensuing electron transfer reaction between DCIP and the antioxidant(s) is then used as a quantitative measure of the TAC of the sample. Linear calibration using either redox form of DCIP is accomplished with standard solutions of ascorbic acid. Several commercial beverage samples are analyzed, and the TAC values obtained with the reported methodology a...
Compensatory Renal Hemodynamic Injury: A Final Common Pathway of Residual Nephron Destruction

F OLLOWING LOSS of functional renal mass, the residual renal tissue undergoes progressive hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) increases dramatically and this enhancement of SNGFR in remnant units has generally been considered a beneficial response in that the animal's total fall in GFR is thereby mitigated. However, evidence has been developed which suggests that single nephron hyperfiltration may have maladaptive and eventually injurious consequences. For nearly 50 yr it has been recognized that removal of approximately 3,4 or more of the renal mass in the rat, either by surgical resection, infarction, or a combination of these maneuvers, results in a syndrome of progressive azotemia, proteinuria and arterial hypertension. 1.2 Furthermore, striking structural alterations appear in these initially normal residual glomeruli during the course of this process of adaptation, eventuating ultimately in glomerulosclerosis. Shimamura and Morrison 3 carefully documented the progression of glomerular damage in adult rats subjected to surgical resection of approximately 5/6 of their total renal mass. They described an increase in glomerular size within the first 3 mo of nephrectomy. This hypertrophy was accompanied by ultrastructural alterations, including vacuolization of glomerular epithelial cells, deposition of osmophilic droplets within these cells, and "fusion" of foot processes. By about 6 mo, expansion of mesangial matrix became evident along with denudation of cells from areas of glomerular basement membrane. These ultrastructural alterations heralded progressive hyalinization and ultimately sclerosis of these remnant glomeruli. Studies employing unilateral nephrectomy and 3/5 infarction of the remaining kidney
Identification of metabolites from salts of pyridine-2-thiol-1-oxide following intravenous and dermal administration to swine

Abstract Mature female Yorkshire swine were given 14C-labeled zinc pyrithione (ZPT), sodium pyrithione (NPT), and the magnesium sulfate adduct of 2,2′-dithio-bis(pyridine-1-oxide) (MDS) iv and by dermal application. The urine from the iv study contained one major and two minor metabolites. Analyses of these by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that the major metabolite was the S-glucuronide of 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide and one of the minor metabolites was the S-glucuronide of 2-mercaptopyridine. The metabolic pattern after the dermal application was considerably different. Chromatographic evidence indicated that the major metabolites were 2,2′-pyridyldisulfide and 2-(pyridyl-N-oxide) sulfonic acid.
Characterization of Copper(III)-Tetrapeptide Complexes with Histidine as the Third Residue.

Copper(III) complexes of Gly2HisGly and Aib2HisGly are characterized, where Gly is glycine, His is l-histidine, and Aib is α-aminoisobutyric acid. Their respective reduction potentials (V vs NHE) are 0.978 and 0.826. Both Cu(III) complexes undergo amine deprotonation with pKa values of 8.79 and 8.81, respectively. The influence of the 5−5−6 membered chelate rings on the E°‘ and pKa values is examined relative to the Cu(III)−tripeptide complexes without histidine that have 5−5−6, 5−6−5, 6−5−5, and 5−5−5 membered linked-consecutive rings. The presence of a six-membered ring in the third peptide residue causes a decrease of ∼1.0 pKa unit relative to a 5−5−5 membered ring system. Imidazole coordination from histidine compared to carboxylate coordination causes an additional decrease of 1.3 pKa units. Decompositions of CuIII(H-2Gly2HisGly) and CuIII(H-2Aib2HisGly) complexes are measured over the pH range 0.3−4.7. The kinetics and the reaction products show that abstraction of a proton at the α carbon of the hi...
The Legacy Sediment Record within the Munroe Falls Dam Pool, Cuyahoga River, Summit County, Ohio

ABSTRACT Dams decrease stream gradient and flow velocity, and often trap a stream's sediment load. For 188 years, sedimentation in the Munroe Falls dam pool on the Cuyahoga River, Ohio created a sediment record of both natural and anthropogenic variability. A wooden dam, first constructed in 1817, was replaced with a 3.66-m-high stone dam in 1902 to better serve local industrial needs. Before this dam was removed in 2005, a coring and transect profiling study was undertaken to characterize the dam pool sediments. To a distance of 600 m upstream of the Munroe Falls Dam, only ~30 cm of sediment overlaid the bedrock in the thalweg, indicating that the deep-water channel was an area of sediment transport. However, in the low-velocity shallow-water margins of the dam pool, up to 3 m of organic-rich, clayey silt had accumulated above pre-dam floodplain deposits. Past flooding events are recorded in these dam pool sediment deposits by an increase in woody debris and sand. A distinctive lithology having an oily s...
Retrieval of answer-sentences and answer-figures from papers by text searching

Abstract Retrieval of passages from documents rather than whole documents as units speeds both user access to wanted information and the screening out of false retrievals. Passage retrieval services are already available to many lawyers. Results of an experiment reported here suggest that high quality passage retrieval services for scientists are now feasible. The experimental results are for biomedical retrieval questions, but reasons are given which support generalizing them. Since only titles, abstracts and words from figures (tables graphs, etc.) need be in computer-readable form, the retrieval procedures used are now economically feasible. Several characteristics of the results are especially noteworthy. (1) Search words for input to the computer search were selected by a person with only limited biomedical knowledge, aided primarily by a medical dictionary and medical textbooks (no thesauri or other cross-reference systems were used). (2) Recall averaged 90% and the lowest recall for any question was 75%. (3) The false retrieval rate averaged three falsely retrieved sentences per answer-paper retrieved, though for one question this value rose to 12. (4) Each answer-paper was retrieved by retrieval of a sentence, figure or (occasionally) title which was either in itself an answer-passage or became so when “automatically augmented”. In the latter case the computer annotated the passage with a qualification such as “multiple-case result” on the basis of words in the title or abstract. (5) Search of the words in figures in addition to those in titles and abstracts raised recall from 35% to 80%.
Pro-Environmental Behavior: Does It Matter How It’s Measured? Development and Validation of the Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale (PEBS)

Many empirical studies examine the performance of pro-environmental behavior. A review of 49 recent studies revealed 42 unique measures of pro-environmental behavior. Analysis of these studies indicates a lack of consistency among the various behavioral measures. To address the issue of inconsistency in such a critical variable, I developed a new measure, the Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale (PEBS). The behaviors included in this scale are those identified by environmental scientists as having the greatest impact on the environment. Principal components analysis generated a 19-item scale with four dimensions. Coefficient alpha for the full scale was .76. Coefficient alphas for the subscales ranged from .62 to .74. Bivariate Pearson correlations between the PEBS and the New Ecological Paradigm Scale, the Environment Identity Scale, and the Environmental Regulations Attitude Scale demonstrated the scale’s construct validity. Test-retest correlations were strong, demonstrating reliability of the PEBS.
Maternal effects in infant and adult phenotypes of 5HT1A and 5HT1B receptor knockout mice.

The influence of the pre- and postweaning maternal environment on the offspring's phenotype was examined in 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor knockout mice (KO1A and KO1B, respectively). We have previously shown that, when born to and raised by homozygous dams of the same genotype, adult KO1A are more anxious than wild-type (WT) mice, and adult KO1B are hyperactive and slightly less anxious than WT mice. We extend our studies here to the behavioral results of the offspring's own genotype, when the dam's genotype is constant, and the effects of the dam's genotype when the offspring's genotype is constant. In Experiments 1 and 2, KO1A-/- pups produced less ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) than controls in an isolation test on postnatal Day 7 when born to and reared by KO1A dams, either -/- or +/-. Heterozygous F1 pups reared by KO1A-/- dams produced more USV and were less anxious in the plus-maze at 2 to 3 months of age than F1 pups born to and reared by WT dams (Experiment 3). F1 pups reared by KO1B-/- dams produced less USV and were more anxious in the plus-maze than F1 pups reared by WT dams (Experiment 4). The results support a role for maternal effects that may comprise direct effects such as the dam's behavior and nutritional care of the pup, and possibly more complex indirect effects through the establishment of idiosyncratic dam-pup dyadic interactions. We recommend that breeding techniques that rely on same genotype (mutant-mutant or WT-WT) breeding pairs not be used to generate offspring when the focus of research is the study of gene function, but rather when familial effects need to be studied.
Mathematics and beauty: Time-discrete phase planes associated with the cyclic system, {x(t) = -f(y(t)), y(t) = f(x(t))}.

Abstract Portraits of time-discrete phase planes associated with the cyclic system [ x (t) = −f(y(t)), y (t) = f(x(t)) } are presented, where f is a frequency modulation term of the general form, f(x) = sin[x + sin(ϱx)]. The resulting trajectories are of interest artistically and mathematically, and they reveal a visually striking and intricate class of patterns ranging from stable points to hierarchies of stable cycles and to apparently random fluctuations. The computer-based system presented is special in its primary focus on the fast characterization of simple cyclic systems using an interactive graphics system with a variety of controlling parameters.
Fine-needle aspiration cytology of idiopathic pancreatic islet cell adenosis

A 68-yr-old woman was hospitalized because of abdominal pain, an enlarged pancreatic head by CT, and a questionable 4-cm mass in the liver. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the pancreatic head disclosed a highly cellular specimen consisting of clusters of cytologically bland, monotonous, small nuclei and variable but generally sparse cytoplasm. Because of the differentiated monomorphic character of the cell clusters, the postaspiration differential cytopathologic diagnosis included islet cell tumor, acinic cell tumor, carcinoid, lymphoma, and well differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and hepatic biopsy yielded a grossly normal pancreas and a cirrhotic liver. Histologic examination of the pancreas revealed a spotty but extensive spectrum of islet changes ranging from normal to bland hyperplasia, nesidioblastosis, microadenosis, and neuroendocrine microadenomas, all appearing in a light and electron microscopic context of an otherwise normal pancreas. This case highlights the differential diagnostic ambiguities presented by a continuum of pancreatic islet cell proliferations, especially among patients in whom there are no known predisposing factors for such diffuse preneoplastic or neoplastic changes.
Proliferative characteristics and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) of colony-forming cells (CFU-S) in acute myelogenous leukemia.

Abstract Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and cell cycle progression of colony-forming cells (CFU-S) from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia were studied using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and sister chromatid differential staining. The mean SCE rate of CFU-S was 7.99, which is similar to that reported for human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Cultures treated with BrdU at culture initiation and then harvested 72–120 hr later indicated a cell cycle time ( T C ) of ∼60 hr. However, cells allowed to proliferate for 72–120 hr prior to the addition of BrdU showed T C values of 12–36 hr. Analysis of serial cultures from one patient revealed a heterogeneous population with a mean T C of 19.5 hr. These cell cycle times are considerably shorter than previously published reports and suggest that leukemic cells have the potential to divide rapidly.
Perforated ileal diverticulitis. An atypical presentation with definitive diagnosis by laparoscopy.

An atypical presentation of ileal diverticulosis definitively diagnosed and treated with laparoscopy is presented. While jejunoileal diverticula are often asymptomatic, they may lead to chronic or acute symptoms. The large majority of complications secondary to small-bowel diverticulitis present with an acute abdomen similar to appendicitis but they also may appear with atypical symptoms. As a result, identification of jejunoileal diverticulosis can be quite difficult and surgery is often required in order to reach an absolute diagnosis. Surgical exploration, resection of the involved segment, and primary reanastamosis may be indicated in instances of symptomatic diverticular disease of the small bowel. Current laparoscopic techniques make this procedure well suited for both diagnosis and treatment of jejunoileal diverticula. In this report, the surgical incision was directed and limited under laparoscopic guidance while still allowing the benefit of thorough examination of the abdominal contents.
Axenic cultivation of Phytomonas davidi Lafont (Trypanosomatidae), a symbiote of laticiferous plants (Euphorbiaceae).

SYNOPSIS. Phytomonas davidi (Trypanosomatidae) originally discovered by Lafont in 1909 on the island of Mauritius was rediscovered in Euphorbia cyathophora in Florida. Successful cultures were established in diphasic medium consisting of duck blood agar and modified Phillips’medium as overlay. Optimal growth was obtained when Mansour's medium was used as overlay and poorest growth when Cowperthwaite's medium buffered at pH 5.0 was utilized for this purpose. Marked changes tending toward choanomastigotes rather than the elongate twisted promastigotes were observed in cultures.
Collaboration between rural school and public youth services librarians

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to determine the types of collaborative activities public youth services and school librarians in rural locations engage in and to ascertain whether there are methods that youth service librarians believe can be employed to improve collaborative activities with public school librarians. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed method design was implemented with an online self-administered survey. The survey contained open and closed-ended questions. Findings – The findings indicate that many public librarians serving youth in rural locations find it important to collaborate with school librarians. Yet, they struggle to build strong collaborative relationships. Factors such as time, a lack of school librarian administrative support, and a lack of understanding about the roles of school librarians and public librarians, are collaborative barriers. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to a purposive sample of 80 public librarians serving youth in rur...
Passive flow control by membrane wings for aerodynamic benefit

The coupling of passive structural response of flexible membranes with the flow over them can significantly alter the aerodynamic characteristic of simple flat-plate wings. The use of flexible wings is common throughout biological flying systems inspiring many engineers to incorporate them into small engineering flying systems. In many of these systems, the motion of the membrane serves to passively alter the flow over the wing potentially resulting in an aerodynamic benefit. In this study, the aerodynamic loads and the flow field for a rigid flat-plate wing are compared to free trailing-edge membrane wings with two different pre-tensions at a chord-based Reynolds number of approximately 50,000. The membrane was silicon rubber with a scalloped free trailing edge. The analysis presented includes load measurements from a sting balance along with velocity fields and membrane deflections from synchronized, time-resolved particle image velocimetry and digital image correlation. The load measurements demonstrate increased aerodynamic efficiency and lift, while the synchronized flow and membrane measurements show how the membrane motion serves to force the flow. This passive flow control introduced by the membranes motion alters the flows development over the wing and into the wake region demonstrating how, at least for lower angles of attack, the membranes motion drives the flow as opposed to the flow driving the membrane motion.
The Nasal Septum of the Dog: Is It Visible RadiographicaIly?

Occlusal nasal radiographs of a normal dog taken before and after resection of the cartilaginous nasal septum were compared. No differences were seen in the midline linear radiopacities previously referred to as the nasal septum. It is concluded that the cartilaginous nasal septum is not visible radiographically and that the midline linear radiopacities visible in normal dogs are the vomer bone.
Covariance of density and velocity fields of a gas‐solid suspension

This note concerns the accuracy of measurement of local particle density (cloud density in number or mass per unit volume) of a gas‐solid suspension in pipe flow, inasmuch as such a system is susceptible to fluctuations in density and velocity.
Identification of Palmitoylation Sites within the L-type Calcium Channel β2a Subunit and Effects on Channel Function

The hydrophilic β2a subunit of the L-type calcium channel was recently shown to be a membrane-localized, post-translationally modified protein (Chien, A. J., Zhao, X. L., Shirokov, R. E., Puri, T. S., Chang, C. F., Sun, D. D., Rios, E., and Hosey, M. M. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 30036-30044). In this study, we demonstrate that the rat β2a subunit was palmitoylated through a hydroxylamine-sensitive thioester linkage. Palmitoylation required a pair of cysteines in the N terminus, Cys3 and Cys4; mutation of these residues to serines resulted in mutant β2a subunits that were unable to incorporate palmitic acid. Interestingly, a palmitoylation-deficient β2a mutant still localized to membrane particulate fractions and was still able to target functional channel complexes to the plasma membrane similar to wild-type β2a. However, channels formed with a palmitoylation-deficient β2a subunit exhibited a dramatic decrease in ionic current per channel, indicating that although mutations eliminating palmitoylation did not affect channel targeting by the β2a subunit, they were important determinants of channel modulation by the β2a subunit. Three other known β subunits that were analyzed were not palmitoylated, suggesting that palmitoylation could provide a basis for the regulation of L-type channels through modification of a specific β isoform.
On the scales of measurement

Abstract Let X = 〈 X , ≧, R 1 , R 2 …〉 be a relational structure, 〈 X, ≧ 〉 be a Dedekind complete, totally ordered set, and n be a nonnegative integer. X is said to satisfy n -point homogeneity if and only if for each x 1 ,…, x n , y 1 ,…, y n such that x 1 ≻ x 2 ≻ … ≻ x n and y 1 ≻ y 2 … ≻ y n , there exists an automorphism α of X such that α ( x 1 ) = y i . X is said to satisfy n -point uniqueness if and only if for all automorphisms β and γ of X , if β and γ agree at n distinct points of X , then β and γ are identical. It is shown that if X satisfies n -point homogeneity and n -point uniqueness, then n ≦ 2, and for the case n = 1, X is ratio scalable, and for the case n = 2, interval scalable. This result is very general and may in part provide an explanation of why so few scale types have arisen in science. The cases of 0-point homogeneity and infinite point homogeneity are also discussed.
Growth parameters of embryogenic suspension cultures of interior spruce (Picea glauca-engelmannii complex) and black spruce (Picea mariana Mill.)

Abstract Enhanced stability of conifer somatic embryo suspensions could improve their utility for mass propagation. For this purpose, growth characteristics of interior spruce ( Picea glauca-engelmannii complex) and black spruce ( Picea mariana Mill.) embryogenic lines in suspension were determined over a 21-day period as well as the characteristics of several other parameters which might be correlated with growth. Maximum growth for both species in terms of dry weight occurred between day 2 and day 8 whereas the number of embryos per ml (4000–6000) peaked on day 10 or later. Settled culture volume, packed culture volume, osmolarity and medium conductivity were closely correlated with growth. However, osmolarity was considered the best non-destructive growth parameter because only microliters of supernatant were required for its determination. Carbohydrate, nitrogen and potassium utilization were also monitored. Neither ammonium, nitrate nor potassium were found to be limiting but carbohydrate supply could be a growth restricting factor.
Tuning Riboswitch Regulation through Conformational Selection

The SMK box riboswitch, which represents one of three known classes of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-responsive riboswitches, regulates gene expression in bacteria at the level of translation initiation. In contrast to most riboswitches, which contain separate domains responsible for ligand recognition and gene regulation, the ligand-binding and regulatory domains of the SMK box riboswitch are coincident. This property was exploited to allow the first atomic-level characterization of a functionally intact riboswitch in both the ligand-bound state and the ligand-free state. NMR spectroscopy revealed distinct mutually exclusive RNA conformations that are differentially populated in the presence or in the absence of the effector metabolite. Isothermal titration calorimetry and in vivo reporter assay results revealed the thermodynamic and functional consequences of this conformational equilibrium. We present a comprehensive model of the structural, thermodynamic, and functional properties of this compact RNA regulatory element.
The brief adult assessment scale: A validation study

Objective: The Brief Adult Assessment Scale (BAAS) is a multidimensional assessment scale designed for use by practitioners and researchers that measures the severity of client problems in 16 areas...
Transformation of the icosahedral phase in rapidly quenched Al-rich AlMn alloys

Abstract Crystallization of the quasicrystalline icosahedral phase formed in Al-rich AlMn alloys has been studied by constant heating rate DTA, XRD, and TEM. Heats and activation energies of transformation were obtained, and evidence presented which suggests that the transformation is diffusion controlled.
The family as provider of long-term care: efficiency, equity, and externalities.

The passage of the baby-boom generation into old age raises the prospect of intense pressures on public programs benefiting the elderly, limiting any contemplated expansion of programs serving thos...
Second homeowners hosting friends and relatives

Recent research has brought attention to the characteristics and behaviours of residents who host visitors in a destination. This research examines the role of non-resident second homeowners in hosting visiting friends and relatives (VFR) in a destination. The exploratory research expands the scope of research on hosts by examining second homeowners and their willingness to host VFR. The purpose of this study was to develop a willingness to host scale and use it to examine the hosting of friends and relatives in second homes.
The broadband bonus: Estimating broadband Internet's economic value

How much economic value did broadband Internet create? Despite the importance of this question for national policy, no research has estimated broadband's incremental contribution to U.S. GDP by calibrating against historical adoption and incorporating counterfactuals. This study provides benchmark estimates for 1999 through 2006 and finds that broadband accounts for $28 billion of the $39 billion observed in 2006. Depending on the estimate, households generated $20-$22 billion of broadband revenue and approximately $8.3-$10.6 billion was additional revenue created between 1999 and 2006. Consumer surplus accounted for $4.8-$6.7 billion of this amount, which is not measured in GDP. An Internet-access Consumer Price Index would have to decline by 1.6-2.2% per year for it to reflect this unmeasured value. These estimates differ from existing benchmarks by an order of magnitude and relate to several policy debates.
Acute Hepatic Failure in a Child Treated With Lamotrigine

An 8-year-old boy with a known seizure disorder that was being treated with lamotrigine developed acute hepatic failure. The patient, who had been well previously, presented with jaundice, elevated liver enzymes, and a coagulopathy. After discontinuation of lamotrigine and aggressive resuscitation, the patient made an uneventful recovery. We believe that the hepatic failure in our patient was secondary to the use of lamotrigine. We recommend careful monitoring of liver function when lamotrigine is administered.
Benzophenone Incorporated Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogels as Photo-Induced Antimicrobial Materials

Photoactive antimicrobial hydrogels were produced by incorporating benzophenone (BP) into glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Structural and functional properties of the BP incorporated PVA/GA (BP:PVA/GA) hydrogels were investigated by FTIR, XRD, SEM, and antimicrobial tests. The durability of the functions was also examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy, HPLC, MS, and antimicrobial tests. The concentrations of BP and GA in the BP:PVA/GA hydrogels affected the formation of the hydrogels as well as their structures. All BP:PVA/GA hydrogels showed antimicrobial abilities under UVA (365 nm) irradiation, and the effectiveness increased as the amounts of BP in the hydrogels increased. In particular, as-prepared BP:PVA/GA hydrogels exhibited prominent durability in the photo-induced antimicrobial ability. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1780–1787, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Teacher Activism: Enacting a Vision for Social Justice

This qualitative study focused on educators who participated in grassroots social justice groups to explore the role teacher activism can play in the struggle for educational justice. Findings show teacher activists made three overarching commitments: to reconcile their vision for justice with the realities of injustice around them; to work within their classrooms to create liberatory space; and to work collectively against oppression as activists. To enact these commitments, they engaged in particular practices common across the teachers despite their years in the classroom or their geographic location. A framework of teacher activism is revealed through the commitments and practices of the teacher activists, which can help support other teachers who are interested in working toward equity and justice in their classrooms and in the streets.
Signal transduction mechanisms involving nitric oxide

L'interaction entre l'oxyde nitrique (NO) et le groupement prosthetique de l'heme de la guanylate cyclase cytosolique est responsable du mecanisme de signal transduction qui provoque la biosynthese de GMP cyclique dans les cellules cibles suite a uen stimulus exterieur. Les implications physiologiques et pathophysiologiques sont presentees dans cette revue
Endogenous opiate involvement in acute and chronic stress-induced changes in plasma LH concentrations in the male rat.

Abstract The present study was carried out to examine the possible role of the endogenous opioid peptides (EOP's) on the pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) response to both acute and chronic stress and to food deprivation. Thirty minutes after acute (2 min.) exposure to ether, plasma LH levels were elevated compared to controls; morphine (MOR) treatment prior to stress prevented this response. More prolonged etherization (15 minutes) significantly depressed circulating LH, whereas naltrexone (NALT), a specific opiate antagonist, reversed this decline. Immobilization for 8 hours resulted in a significant initial increase in LH release, followed by a decline toward baseline levels. Naltrexone treatment increased the magnitude of the acute LH rise, and attenuated the subsequent decrease in plasma LH.
Challenges and Progress in Predicting Biological Responses to Incorporated Radioactivity

Prediction of risks and therapeutic outcome in nuclear medicine largely rely on calculation of the absorbed dose. Absorbed dose specification is complex due to the wide variety of radiations emitted, non-uniform activity distribution, biokinetics, etc. Conventional organ absorbed dose estimates assumed that radioactivity is distributed uniformly throughout the organ. However, there have been dramatic improvements in dosimetry models that reflect the substructure of organs as well as tissue elements within them. These models rely on improved nuclear medicine imaging capabilities that facilitate determination of activity within voxels that represent tissue elements of approximately 0.2-1 cm(3). However, even these improved approaches assume that all cells within the tissue element receive the same dose. The tissue element may be comprised of a variety of cells having different radiosensitivities and different incorporated radioactivity. Furthermore, the extent to which non-uniform distributions of radioactivity within a small tissue element impact the absorbed dose distribution is strongly dependent on the number, type, and energy of the radiations emitted by the radionuclide. It is also necessary to know whether the dose to a given cell arises from radioactive decays within itself (self-dose) or decays in surrounding cells (cross-dose). Cellular response to self-dose can be considerably different than its response to cross-dose from the same radiopharmaceutical. Bystander effects can also play a role in the response. Evidence shows that even under conditions of 'uniform' distribution of radioactivity, a combination of organ dosimetry, voxel dosimetry and dosimetry at the cellular and multicellular levels can be required to predict response.
Treatment outcome in methadone detoxification: relationship to initial levels of illicit opiate use

Two groups each of 10 patients enrolled in a 90-day outpatient detoxification program were classified on the basis of high (92.5% of tests) and low (7.5% of tests) rates of opiate-positive urine test results during two weeks of dosage stabilization. Pretreatment demographic variables did not differ between the two groups. Relapse to opiate use during the detoxification occurred in patients who were initially opiate free. By the end of the dose reduction period, opiate-positive rates were 60% and 87% of tests for the low and high opiate use groups, respectively. Sedative use and missed clinic days showed similar trends for both groups during the detoxification, although different patterns of drop-out from treatment were noted. Symptomatology increased during dose reduction for the low- but not for the high-frequency opiate group. In general, treatment outcome appeared equally poor for patients who showed low or high levels of illicit opiate drug use early in detoxification treatment.
IPP: a web-based interactive programming portfolio

The portfolio is a well-established method for documenting student learning outcomes. This paper presents the development of a web-based interactive programming portfolio methodology at our institution. This methodology allows the reviewer to easily interact with the computer program under review through the use of Java applets. Both an evaluation form as well as detailed rubrics for the evaluation of the portfolio entry is accessible from the web page containing the portfolio entry. These resources allow reviewers to easily submit their feedback electronically to our students.
Mammalian cell cultures for study of influenza virus. II. Virus propagation.

SummaryCollagenase-dispersed human and porcine lung cells in primary culture unequivocally propagated human strains A and B, and swine influenza viruses, respectively. Swine lung cells also propagated human influenza A viruses to some extent. Swine virus infection destroyed, and human virus infection less severely damaged porcine and human lung cells respectively. Rabbit lung cells were insusceptible to human and swine influenza viruses. Swine kidney cells propagated egg-infectious swine influenza virus and hemagglutinin without cytopathogenic effect.
Cholera toxin B-subunit gene fusion: structural and functional analysis of the chimeric protein.

A synthetic peptide, encoding amino acid residues 345 to 359 of the glucosyltransferase B enzyme of Streptococcus mutans GS-5, was genetically fused to the N-terminal end of the B-subunit gene of cholera toxin. The protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and retained the antigenicity associated with cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) as well as that associated with glucosyltransferase B. The addition of 15 amino acids to the N-terminal end of CTB did not appear to affect the gross structure of the protein significantly. The chimeric protein monomers assembled into a functional oligomer which exhibited only minor conformational differences from native CTB as measured by circular dichroism. The chimera bound to GM1 ganglioside and thus retained the biological activity of CTB. These results demonstrate that genetic fusion of small peptides to the N terminus of CTB has only a minimal effect on the structure and function of the protein. Furthermore, the chimera was shown to be immunogenic when fed to mice. This work has important implications in the construction of CTB chimeras for use as oral vaccines. Images
Relationship of Texture to pH and Collagen Content of Yellowtail Flounder and Cusk

There were measurable and significant differences in texture between flounder and cusk; flounder had a greater percent soluble collagen and a higher average pH than cusk, regardless of sampling location on the fillet (head or tail section) or chronological age. However, regression analysis of single species linear relationships indicated that collagen solubility and pH had little or no effect on mechanical texture measurements. Total collagen, age, and sampling location had no effect on texture in cooked flounder or cusk. No consistent linear relationships between texture and the chemical measurements studied were found; however, the data do suggest that, within a species, certain sampling locations may provide a reliable measure of texture.
NEW OPTICAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE PRESENCE OF A COMPACT CENTRAL OBJECT IN CASSIOPEIA A

Deep optical imaging at the location of the pointlike X-ray source at the center of the 300 yr old Cassiopeia A supernova remnant discovered in the Chandra first-light observation is presented. R-band images obtained with the Steward Observatory 2.3 m telescope and direct CCD on four nights in 1999 September are used to set a new brightness limit of R 26.3 mag (1 σ) on the presence of any optical object associated with the X-ray source. This new limit implies MR 10.3 mag and LX(0.2-10 keV)/Lopt 800. Accretion models are the most constrained by the optical results. Binary accretion models and scenarios involving very low accretion rates from a disk onto a neutron star or a black hole similar to models for quiescent transient low-mass X-ray binaries are effectively ruled out. Fallback accretion models may be ruled out in some circumstances, but the emitted optical and infrared flux is sensitive to the location of the transition radius, the geometry of the disk, and its inclination to the line of sight.
Selective CVD tungsten contact plug technology with plasma pre-treatment

Low-resistance contact plug technology using selective CVD of W by the SiH/sub 4/ reduction of WF/sub 6/ with SF/sub 6/ pretreatment was developed. This technology solved problems such as encroachment, wormholes, Si consumption, and poor adhesion encountered in only the H/sub 2/-reduction system or only the SiH/sub 4/-reduction system without pretreatment. The contact resistance in this system is lower than that in conventional metallization with Al-Si/Si contacts. It is predicted that this technology will become important for improving the reliability of the interconnection for submicron VLSI. >
Detecting doctored images using camera response normality and consistency

The advance in image/video editing techniques has facilitated people in synthesizing realistic images/videos that may hard to be distinguished from real ones by visual examination. This poses a problem: how to differentiate real images/videos from doctored ones? This is a serious problem because some legal issues may occur if there is no reliable way for doctored image/video detection when human inspection fails. Digital watermarking cannot solve this problem completely. We propose an approach that computes the response functions of the camera by selecting appropriate patches in different ways. An image may be doctored if the response functions are abnormal or inconsistent to each other. The normality of the response functions is classified by a trained support vector machine (SVM). Experiments show that our method is effective for high-contrast images with many textureless edges.
Nanofilm coatings for transport control and biocompatibility

Ultrathin nanofilm coatings are proposed as novel dual-purpose materials for sensor applications. Flux-based biosensors, such as those employing enzymes, require incorporation of a diffusion-limiting coating to balance the incoming substrates with reaction kinetics to obtain a measurable signal. Furthermore, if the sensors will be used in vivo, the outer surface must be biocompatible, which requires resistance to adsorption of proteins. An attractive solution for controlling diffusion and blocking nonspecific adsorption is the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method, which allows for the construction of nanocomposite ultrathin films comprising multiple layers of polymers with alternating charge. This paper describes the construction and characterization of nanofilms with different compositions to assess their biocompatibility and permeability to model analytes such as glucose and urea.