cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Punctatin: A new germacradienolide from Liatris punctata☆

Abstract The isolation and structure determination of punctatin (I), a new germacradienolide from Liatris punctata Hook., is reported. The flavone eupatilin was also found.
Impaired mobilization of intracellular calcium in neonatal platelets

Abnormalities in platelet functions including aggregation and the release reaction have long been recognized to be present in neonatal platelets. Because calcium is an important mediator of many platelet functions, we have investigated the mobilization of calcium in neonatal platelets. All umbilical cord blood samples were obtained from healthy, full term gestations. Changes in cytoplasmic calcium levels were monitored using Fura-2 as a fluorescent probe. Fura-2-loaded washed platelets were stimulated with the agonists collagen (2 micrograms/mL) or thrombin (1.0 U/mL). When compared with adult controls, intracellular calcium release in the platelets of the neonate was significantly impaired in response to these agonists. Mean levels for calcium release in adults versus neonates in response to collagen were 168 +/- 120 nM (+/-SD, n = 10), and 61 +/- 69 nM (n = 7, p < 0.05). A decrease in response to thrombin was also observed [1296 +/- 503 nM (n = 8) in adults versus 603 +/- 482 nM (n = 7) in neonates, p < 0.025]. Results similar to those observed with unpaired neonatal and adult platelets were also obtained when neonatal platelets (n = 5) were compared with their paired maternal controls. In further studies, we have documented that the calcium content of the dense tubular system was normal in the neonatal platelet, indicating that the observed impairment in calcium mobilization in the neonate was not due to a decrease in calcium stores. The previously documented abnormalities in neonatal platelet function appear to be due to the impaired mobilization of this important intracellular mediator.
Multiplex PCR for rapid differentiation of three species in the Clostridium clostridioforme group

Clostridium clostridioforme is a relatively antimicrobial resistant, phenotypically heterogeneous anaerobe that has been involved in a variety of infections. 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed three principal species in what has been called Clostridium clostridioforme - Clostridium bolteae, C. clostridioforme, and Clostridium hathewayi. Based on the 16S rDNA sequence information we obtained, we developed a cost-effective, timesaving one-step multiplex PCR assay for rapid and accurate differentiation of these three species. The established multiplex PCR identification scheme was applied to the identification of 88 clinical isolates that had previously been identified phenotypically as C. clostridioforme. The identification obtained from multiplex PCR assays showed 100% agreement with 16S rDNA sequencing identification. This scheme will permit more accurate assessment of the role of these three Clostridium species in infection and of the degree of antimicrobial resistance in each of the species.
Simultaneous determination of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters from fast-reaction kinetic measurements.

A combined stopped-flow temperature-jump apparatus interfaced with a dedicated microcomputer has been used to study the complexation reaction of iron(III) with thiocyanate in aqueous solution. Kinetic rate-constants (k(f) = 143 l.mole(-1) .sec(-1) from T-jump, k(f) = 150 l.mole(-1) .sec(-1) from stopped flow), equilibrium constants (K = 143 from T-jump, K = 150 from stopped flow) and the thermodynamic enthalpy change (DeltaH(c) = -6.7 kJ/mole) could be independently determined from the simultaneous application of the two techniques.
Compact Finite Difference Method for Calculating Magnetic Field Components of Cyclotrons

The compact finite difference method was developed for calculating the off median plane magnetic field components of cyclotrons when only the measured midplane field data are available. It has been shown that the proposed compact finite difference differentiators are better than the finite difference differentiators previously reported by the author. The proposed compact finite difference method was tested by comparing the frequency response, by applying to an analytical magnetic field, and by applying to measured magnetic field data of the K1200 superconducting cyclotron at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. It should be pointed out that this improvement was obtained at the expense of more complicated machinery of mathematics, namely solving matrix problems.
Adhesive Failure of Model Acrylic Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

ABSTRACT An axisymmetric adhesion apparatus was used to characterize the adhesive and viscoelastic properties of acrylic block copolymer layers that behave as model pressure sensitive adhesives. The mechanisms of deformation were summarized and related to the structure and linear viscoelastic response of each model adhesive. In cases where the area between the adhesive layer and adhering surface remained circular and shrunk uniformly during detachment, the adhesive failure criterion can be quantified and compared to predictions from linear elastic fracture mechanics. The nature of adhesive failure can not be reconciled with these traditional, low-strain approaches, but is consistent with models of large strain elasticity, provided that the finite thickness of the adhesive layer is taken into account. A dimensionless ratio involving the adhesive strength, elastic modulus and adhesive layer thickness can be used to define the regime in which the adhesive failure criterion can be quantified with linear elast...
Hospital ethics case consultations: practical guidelines.

Hospital ethics committees provide education, assist in policymaking, and deliver consultation services. In this article, we describe the structure, peration, and institutional framework within which an ethics committee fulfills its missions, with emphasis on the consultation process.
Simulation-Based Training In Brain Death Determination

Despite straightforward guidelines on brain death determination by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), substantial practice variability exists internationally, between states, and among institutions. We created a simulation-based training course on proper determination based on the AAN practice parameters to address and assess knowledge and practice gaps at our institution. Our intervention consisted of a didactic course and a simulation exercise, and was bookended by before and after multiple-choice tests. The 40-min didactic course, including a video demonstration, covered all aspects of the brain death examination. Simulation sessions utilized a SimMan 3G manikin and involved a complete examination, including an apnea test. Possible confounders and signs incompatible with brain death were embedded throughout. Facilitators evaluated performance with a 26-point checklist based on the most recent AAN guidelines. A senior neurologist conducted all aspects of the course, including the didactic session, simulation, and debriefing session. Ninety physicians from multiple specialties have participated in the didactic session, 38 of whom have completed the simulation. Pre-test scores were poor (41.4 %), with attendings scoring higher than residents (46.6 vs. 40.4 %, p = 0.07), and neurologists and neurosurgeons significantly outperforming other specialists (53.9 vs. 38.9 %, p = 0.003). Post-test scores (73.3 %) were notably higher than pre-test scores (45.4 %). Participant feedback has been uniformly positive. Baseline knowledge of brain death determination among providers was low but improved greatly after the course. Our intervention represents an effective model that can be replicated at other institutions to train clinicians in the determination of brain death according to evidence-based guidelines.
A Challenge to Anti-Criterialism

Most theists believe that they will survive death. Indeed, they believe that any given person will survive death and persist into an afterlife while remaining the very same person. In light of this belief, one might ask: how—or, in virtue of what—do people survive death? Perhaps the most natural way to answer this question is by appealing to some general account of personal identity through time. That way one can say that people persist through the time of their death in the same way that people persist through time in general. Then the obvious question is: how—or, in virtue of what—do people persist through time in general? Many different answers to this question have been proposed. Some philosophers think that personal identity through time consists in something, such as psychological or biological continuity. They think that there are informative necessary and sufficient conditions—i.e., criteria—for personal identity through time. These philosophers are criterialists. Other philosophers are anti-criterialists. Anti-criterialists believe that people persist through time, but they deny that there are any informative criteria for personal identity through time. In this paper I develop a challenge to anti-criterialism. I begin by spelling out the commitments of anti-criterialism. Then I argue that there are good reasons for anyone to reject anti-criterialism. And then I argue that theists have special reasons to reject anti-criterialism (This is particularly important and noteworthy because a substantial portion of those who defend anti-criterialism are theists. Examples include [but may not be limited to] Trenton Merricks, Richard Swinburne, Joseph Butler, and Thomas Reid). I conclude that there is an informative criterion for personal identity through time and death, even if we haven’t heard of it yet.
Pharmacology: A false sense of non-self

A drug used for HIV treatment can alter the set of antigens that activates T cells of the immune system, thereby triggering life-threatening reactions against the body's own proteins. See Letter p.554 Immunologically based drug reactions, such as abacavir hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) and carbamazepine-induced Steven–Johnson's syndrome (SJS), have been associated with specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. Here the authors describe a mechanism through which these small-molecule drugs affect antigen presentation and consequently the T-cell response. By binding non-covalently to the antigen-binding cleft of HLAB*57:01, abacavir induces changes in the shape and chemistry of this site, and as a result alters the affinity of endogenous peptide to HLA. Ultimately, this leads to the systemic reaction manifesting as AHS. The generality of the mechanism is captured by showing that carbamazepine binds to the allotype HLA-B*15:02 and induces a similar response.
The Role of Perceptions of Sibling Maintenance Behavior in Ratings of Relationship Satisfaction

This study explored how reports of individuals’ own maintenance behavior and perceptions of their siblings’ maintenance behavior influence relationship satisfaction. Given the nonelective and long-lasting nature of the sibling relationship, the impact of maintenance behavior and perceptions of maintenance behavior on relationship quality may differ from that in romantic relationships. Based on data from adults on their sibling relationships, results indicated that perceptions of sibling maintenance behaviors were significantly associated with relationship satisfaction in a positive direction, but the participant's own behaviors were not. When all variables were included in the model, the positive correlation between participants’ own maintenance behavior and relationship satisfaction became nonsignificant or reversed direction. Reasons for the reduced impact of self-maintenance behaviors are discussed.
Understanding Russia's Uranium Enrichment Complex

Over a period of 50 years, the Soviet Union (and now Russia) has developed a highly-efficient centrifuge technology and a large R&D and industrial complex to produce enriched uranium for nuclear weapons (in the past) and nuclear reactors. The enrichment complex is a crown jewel of the Russian nuclear complex and will remain significant for Russia's economy. Because of its role in the 1993 U.S.-Russian HEU agreement, global nuclear markets, and efforts to control the spread of centrifuge enrichment technology, the Russian enrichment enterprise is also of significant importance to international security.
Immune responses to BK and JC viruses in immunocompromised patients

BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV) are ubiquitous human polyomaviruses that establish persistent asymptomatic infections in immunocompetent individuals, but in a minority of immunocompromised patients, reactivate and cause clinical disease. BKV is associated with BKV nephropathy (BKVN) in kidney transplant recipients and JCV is the etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in AIDS patients. Humoral responses do not appear adequate to protect against reactivation or disease, and both BKVN and PML appear to be due to a failure of cellular immune responses to control the virus. Among the goals of current research is the identification of the functional correlates of cellular immune protection against these viruses in immunocompetent individuals. Such insights may help identify the small subset of patients at risk of BKV and JCV reactivation, aid clinical management and permit the development of immunotherapeutic approaches.
Progress toward a water-vapor differential absorption lidar (DIAL) using a widely tunable amplified diode laser source

Water vapor is one of the most significant constituents of the atmosphere because of its role in cloud formation, precipitation, and interactions with electromagnetic radiation, especially its absorption of longwave infrared radiation. Some details of the role of water vapor and related feedback mechanisms in the Earth system need to be characterized better if local weather, global climate, and the water cycle are to be understood. A Differential Absorption LIDAR (DIAL) with a compact laser diode source may be able to provide boundary-layer water vapor profiles with improved vertical resolution relative to passive remote sensors. While the tradeoff with small DIAL systems is lower vertical resolution relative to large LIDARs, the advantage is that DIAL systems can be built much smaller and more robust at less cost, and consequently are the more ideal choice for creating a multi-point array or satellite-borne system. This paper highlights the progress made at Montana State University towards a water vapor DIAL using a widely tunable amplified external cavity diode laser (ECDL) transmitter. The ECDL is configured in a Littman-Metcalf configuration and was built at Montana State University. It has a continuous wave (cw) output power of 20 mW, a center wavelength of 832 nm, a coarse tuning range of 17 nm, and a continuous tuning range greater than 20 GHz. The ECDL is used to injection seed a tapered amplifier with a cw output power of 500 mW. The spectral characteristics of the ECDL are transferred to the output of the tapered amplifier. The rest of the LIDAR uses commercially available telescopes, filter optics, and detectors. Initial cw and pulsed absorption measurements are presented.
Family, peer, and neighborhood influences on academic achievement among African-American adolescents: one-year prospective effects

Using a 1-year prospective design, this study examined the influence of family status variables (family income, parental education, family structure), parenting variables (maternal support and restrictive control), peer support, and neighborhood risk on the school performance of 120 African American junior high school students. In addition to main effects of these variables, neighborhood risk was examined as a moderator of the effects of parenting and peer support. Family status variables were not predictive of adolescent school performance as indexed by self-reported grade point average. Maternal support at Time 1 was prospectively related to adolescent grades at Time 2. Neighborhood risk was related to lower grades, while peer support predicted better grades in the prospective analyses. Neighborhood risk also moderated the effects of maternal restrictive control and peer support on adolescent grades in prospective analyses. These findings highlight the importance of an ecological approach to the problem of academic underachievement within the African American community.
Regenerative potential of allopregnanolone

The neuroendocrine status of the brain has been linked to the quality of the aging process, to the risk of Alzheimer's disease and to progression of neurodegenerative pathology. Data from multiple levels of analysis ranging from in vitro cellular models to in vivo animal models to clinical investigations indicate that the decline of neurosteroids play a key role in successful aging and prevention of neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer's. Among the neurosteroids in decline during aging is allopregnanolone (APalpha, a metabolite of progesterone, which is reduced in the serum, plasma and brain of aged vs. young subjects. Further, Alzheimer's disease (AD) victims exhibit an even greater reduction in plasma and brain levels of APalpha relative to age-matched neurologically normal controls. Our earlier work has shown that APalpha is a neurogenic agent for rodent hippocampal neural progenitors and for human neural progenitor cells derived from the cerebral cortex. Our ongoing research seeks to determine the neurogenic potential of APalpha in the triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (3 x TgAD) as AD related pathology progresses from imperceptible to mild to severe. Initial analyses suggest that APalpha may maintain the regenerative ability of the brain, modify progression of AD related pathology and reverse learning and memory deficits in 3 x TgAD mice. This review summarizes current APalpha research in different animal models, neural progenitor regeneration within a degenerative milieu and the challenge for developing neuroregenerative therapeutics.
Distribution and declines in cardiac allograft radionuclide left ventricular ejection fractions in relation to late mortality.

Abstract Background Cardiac allograft left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is an important measure of left ventricular systolic function. Despite widespread use of LVEF after transplantation, its normal range and prognostic value in cardiac allografts has not been defined. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study among 292 consecutive adult heart transplant patients. Left ventricular ejection fractions were performed at 1, 3, 12, 24, and 48 months after transplantation using radionuclide ventriculography. Endomyocardial biopsies assessed rejection, right heart catheterization assessed loading conditions, and angiography assessed allograft coronary artery disease. We used Cox proportional hazards model to examine the predictive value of LVEF on late mortality. Results Of the patients who survived ≥4 years, the mean allograft LVEF decreased 4.7 units at 3 months, from 63.8 to 59.7; an additional 4.1 units at 12 months, from 59.7 to 55.6 ( p Conclusions The cardiac-allograft LVEF frequently decreases in the first year after transplantation. The 95th percentile of allograft LVEF value (
Vibrational spectra and conformational behavior of benzyl fluoride

Abstract Infrared and Raman spectra have been obtained for benzyl fluoride and a vibrational assignment has been made. The spectra indicate the presence of a large number of conformers that differ only in the orientation of the C-F bond, as a result of free or nearly free internal rotation.
A novel quantitative approach for eliminating sample-to-sample variation using a hue saturation value analysis program.

OBJECTIVES As computing technology and image analysis techniques have advanced, the practice of histology has grown from a purely qualitative method to one that is highly quantified. Current image analysis software is imprecise and prone to wide variation due to common artifacts and histological limitations. In order to minimize the impact of these artifacts, a more robust method for quantitative image analysis is required. METHODS AND RESULTS Here we present a novel image analysis software, based on the hue saturation value color space, to be applied to a wide variety of histological stains and tissue types. By using hue, saturation, and value variables instead of the more common red, green, and blue variables, our software offers some distinct advantages over other commercially available programs. We tested the program by analyzing several common histological stains, performed on tissue sections that ranged from 4 µm to 10 µm in thickness, using both a red green blue color space and a hue saturation value color space. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that our new software is a simple method for quantitative analysis of histological sections, which is highly robust to variations in section thickness, sectioning artifacts, and stain quality, eliminating sample-to-sample variation.
Surgical Correction of Bilateral Ectopic Ureters in Two Foals

Case reports of ectopic ureters in a 2 1/2-month-old colt and a 4 1/2-month-old filly are presented. Diagnosis was made by retrograde cystography and excretory urography. The ureters were surgically transposed into the bladder. A functional urinary system was reestablished in both foals, but they died of postoperative complications.
Transfer Pricing, Business Restructurings and Intangibles - Case Studies: UPS v. Commissioner; DSG Retail Ltd. v. HMRC

United Parcel Service of America, the largest motor carrier in the US, and DSG Retail the largest retailer of electrical goods in the UK, restructured operations and established captive insurance companies in offshore tax havens. In both instances, these restructurings removed sizeable amounts of income from the domestic tax base. The IRS and HMRC opened transfer pricing audits. The UPS case involved tax year 1984 and was settled in 2003; DSG Retail involved 1997 through 2005 and was settled in 2009. Both settlements came on the heels of government-favorable court decisions, and prior to the addition of Chapter IX to the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations (the Guidelines). The OECD added Chapter IX on Transfer Pricing Aspects of Business Restructurings, to the Guidelines on July 22, 2010. The core transfer pricing issue in a captive insurance case (in OECD terms) is the measure of compensation that should be returned to a domestic company by its captive on the transfer to it of (a) the business opportunity, or (b) the right to provide re-insurance on policies that underwrite risks of retail customers. Twenty days prior to announcing business restructuring additions to the Guidelines, the OECD initiated a new project on transfer pricing and intangibles. The stated reason for the project was that the OECD had experienced considerable difficulty with the treatment of intangibles in the business restructuring meetings. UPS and DSG are case studies for the application of transfer pricing rules in a business restructuring context where a critical element involves the transfer of an intangible. This paper considers how the arguments and outcomes in these cases inform the present discussion on transfer pricing and intangibles. UPS and DSG, when read in conjunction with the new OECD Guidelines on business restructurings, present a full range of analytical approaches to transfer pricing and captive insurance companies. There is Judge Ruwe’s sham transaction approach; there is the profit split approach followed in DSG; there is the possibility of CUPs and TNMMs; then there are the more recent approaches suggested by the OECD – transferring a going concern, and transferring an intangible asset. It will be interesting to see how the new OECD project on the Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles will deal with question like this. It may well be that the answer to an intangible transfers may bring us back full circle to the return on capital profit splits from Grenada Industries and DSG.
Role of the Dinitrogenase Reductase Arginine 101 Residue in Dinitrogenase Reductase ADP-Ribosyltransferase Binding, NAD Binding, and Cleavage

Dinitrogenase reductase is posttranslationally regulated by dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase (DRAT) via ADP-ribosylation of the arginine 101 residue in some bacteria. Rhodospirillum rubrum strains in which the arginine 101 of dinitrogenase reductase was replaced by tyrosine, phenylalanine, or leucine were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis of the nifH gene. The strain containing the R101F form of dinitrogenase reductase retains 91%, the strain containing the R101Y form retains 72%, and the strain containing the R101L form retains only 28% of in vivo nitrogenase activity of the strain containing the dinitrogenase reductase with arginine at position 101. In vivo acetylene reduction assays, immunoblotting with anti-dinitrogenase reductase antibody, and [adenylate-(32)P]NAD labeling experiments showed that no switch-off of nitrogenase activity occurred in any of the three mutants and no ADP-ribosylation of altered dinitrogenase reductases occurred either in vivo or in vitro. Altered dinitrogenase reductases from strains UR629 (R101Y) and UR630 (R101F) were purified to homogeneity. The R101F and R101Y forms of dinitrogenase reductase were able to form a complex with DRAT that could be chemically cross-linked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide. The R101F form of dinitrogenase reductase and DRAT together were not able to cleave NAD. This suggests that arginine 101 is not critical for the binding of DRAT to dinitrogenase reductase but that the availability of arginine 101 is important for NAD cleavage. Both DRAT and dinitrogenase reductase can be labeled by [carbonyl-(14)C]NAD individually upon UV irradiation, but most (14)C label is incorporated into DRAT when both proteins are present. The ability of R101F dinitrogenase reductase to be labeled by [carbonyl-(14)C]NAD suggested that Arg 101 is not absolutely required for NAD binding.
ARGINASE: A CRITICAL REGULATOR OF NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHESIS AND VASCULAR FUNCTION

1. Arginase is the focal enzyme of the urea cycle hydrolysing L-arginine to urea and L-ornithine. Emerging studies have identified arginase in the vasculature and have implicated this enzyme in the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and the development of vascular disease. 2. Arginase inhibits the production of NO via several potential mechanisms, including competition with NO synthase (NOS) for the substrate L-arginine, uncoupling of NOS resulting in the generation of the NO scavenger, superoxide and peroxynitrite, repression of the translation and stability of inducible NOS protein, inhibition of inducible NOS activity via the generation of urea and by sensitization of NOS to its endogenous inhibitor asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine. 3. Upregulation of arginase inhibits endothelial NOS-mediated NO synthesis and may contribute to endothelial dysfunction in hypertension, ageing, ischaemia-reperfusion and diabetes. 4. Arginase also redirects the metabolism of L-arginine to L-ornithine and the formation of polyamines and L-proline, which are essential for smooth muscle cell growth and collagen synthesis. Therefore, the induction of arginase may also promote aberrant vessel wall remodelling and neointima formation. 5. Arginase represents a promising novel therapeutic target that may reverse endothelial and smooth muscle cell dysfunction and prevent vascular disease.
Rates of benthic bacterivory of marine ciliates as a function of prey concentration

article i nfo Feeding rates of protozoa on bacteria attached to particles have been determined much less frequently than grazing rates on suspended bacteria, yet in sediments most bacteria are associated with particles. This study measured the ingestion rates of benthic bacterivorous ciliates over a range of attached bacteria concentrations. Using bacteria that were transformed to express green fluorescent protein as a natural tracer, bacteria were cultured in sediment microcosms to concentrations ranging from 10 8
Understanding memory impairment with memory models and hierarchical Bayesian analysis

a b s t r a c t The study of human episodic memory is a topic that interests cognitive and mathematical psychologists as well as clinicians interested in the diagnosis and assessment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD). In this paper, we use simple cognitive models for the recognition and recall tasks typically applied in clinical assessments of ADRD to study memory performance in ADRD patients. Our models make use of hierarchical Bayesian methods as a way to model individual differences in patient performance and to facilitate the modeling of performance changes that occur during multiple recall tasks. We show how the models are able to account for different aspects of patient performance, and also discuss some of the predictive capabilities of the model. We conclude with a discussion on the scope to improve on our results by discussing the link between memory theory in psychology and clinical practice.
Land cover and rainfall interact to shape waterbird community composition

Human land cover can degrade estuaries directly through habitat loss and fragmentation or indirectly through nutrient inputs that reduce water quality. Strong precipitation events are occurring more frequently, causing greater hydrological connectivity between watersheds and estuaries. Nutrient enrichment and dissolved oxygen depletion that occur following these events are known to limit populations of benthic macroinvertebrates and commercially harvested species, but the consequences for top consumers such as birds remain largely unknown. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to understand how land cover and annual variation in rainfall interact to shape waterbird community composition in Chesapeake Bay, USA. The MDS ordination indicated that urban subestuaries shifted from a mixed generalist-specialist community in 2002, a year of severe drought, to generalist-dominated community in 2003, of year of high rainfall. The SEM revealed that this change was concurrent with a sixfold increase in nitrate-N concentration in subestuaries. In the drought year of 2002, waterbird community composition depended only on the direct effect of urban development in watersheds. In the wet year of 2003, community composition depended both on this direct effect and on indirect effects associated with high nitrate-N inputs to northern parts of the Bay, particularly in urban subestuaries. Our findings suggest that increased runoff during periods of high rainfall can depress water quality enough to alter the composition of estuarine waterbird communities, and that this effect is compounded in subestuaries dominated by urban development. Estuarine restoration programs often chart progress by monitoring stressors and indicators, but rarely assess multivariate relationships among them. Estuarine management planning could be improved by tracking the structure of relationships among land cover, water quality, and waterbirds. Unraveling these complex relationships may help managers identify and mitigate ecological thresholds that occur with increasing human land cover.
Electrothermally activated SU-8 microgripper for single cell manipulation in solution

The development of a SU-8-based microgripper that can operate in physiological ionic solutions is presented. The electrothermally activated polymer gripper consists of two "hot-and-cold-arm" actuators that are fabricated in a two-mask surface micromachining process. The high thermal expansion coefficient of SU-8 (52 ppm//spl deg/C) compared to silicon and metals, allows the actuation of the microgripper with small average temperature elevations (10 - 32/spl deg/C) at low voltages (1-2 V). The polymer microgripper can be used for the manipulation of single cells and other biological species in solution with minimal undesired interactions.
A circuit-fed, tile-approach configuration for millimeter-wave spatial power combining

A circuit-fed, spatially combined transmitter array is described for operation at 44 GHz. The array contains 256 elements where each element consists of a MMIC amplifier and a circularly-polarized microstrip patch antenna. The array is constructed using 16-element tile-approach subarrays, Each subarray is a two RF-level (3-D) multi-chip module (MCM) containing integrated microstrip patch antennas. The basic construction of the transmitter array resembles tile-approach phased arrays; however, the implementation has been tailored for the power combining application. The peak performance at 43.5 GHz is: EIRP of 40.6 dBW (11570 watts), effective transmitted power (Peff) of 5.9 watts, DC-to-RF efficiency of 7.3%, and system gain of 35 dB.
Television Pickup Tubes and the Problem of Vision

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a contrast of almost endless variety and complexity of picture pickup devices with the simplicity and universality of the performance scale according to which any of these devices may be judged. It underlines the highly not very unique character of any one pickup tube—and there are scores of them. It was introduced as a selfevident argument for singling out only a few pickup tubes for close attention and these for the one purpose of tracing the successive realized approximations to ideal pickup tube performance. A complete general relation is derived for the amount of information that a picture pickup device can furnish as a function of the brightness of scene at which it is directed. Because the final limitations of pickup devices are set by the quantum nature of light, because these limitations have not been widely discussed, and because the particular devices in the new developing field of television are of less interest for the mechanics of their operations, the emphasis throughout has been on the setting up of an absolute scale of performance according to which the many and diverse pickup devices can be oriented.
Aquatic plant community composition and distribution along an inundation gradient at two ecologically-distinct sites in the Pantanal region of Brazil

In spite of its size and biological significance, we know little about the ecology of the Pantanal, a 140,000 km2 floodplain in west-central Brazil. Increasing human pressures make this lack of understanding particularly critical. Using transects and 1 m2 circular plots, we documented floristic composition and interacting-environmental conditions associated with littoral herbaceous vegetation along inundation gradients at two ecologically-distinct sites in the Pantanal. We recorded water depth and percent cover for each species in Baia Piuval, a bay in the Bento Gomes River (Mato Grosso), and in a bay in the Acurizal Reserve (Mato Grosso do Sul). Baia Piuval and Acurizal plots contained a total of 22 and 18 macrophyte species, respectively. At both sites Eichhornia azurea and Salvinia auriculata occurred most frequently as dominant or co-dominant species. Chi2 analysis, used to quantify zonations along depth gradients, generated four different groups of species ( p < 0.05) for Baia Piuval. For Acurizal, two significantly different groups ( p < 0.05) occurred with an intermediate assemblage of species that could be assigned to either group. Canonical correspondence analysis, used to analyze species distributions, showed a pattern consistent with the Chi2 results for Baia Piuval but not for Acurizal. Higher species richness and diversity occurred where dry season and low water levels coincided and richness was generally highest in proximal plots where water depths were lowest. Our results are consistent with the few other plant ecological studies reported for the Pantanal. This study can be considered additive to needed baseline data on biota and ecology of this region of South America.
Masked trial of topical anesthesia for retinopathy of prematurity eye examinations.

Purpose To observe the effect of a topical anesthetic on pain and corneal clarity in premature infants undergoing eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods ROP examinations were performed on premature infants who were randomized to receive either proparacaine 0.5% or an artificial tear solution in the right eye. All infants received an artificial tear solution in the left eye. Assessment of discomfort was performed by use of the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) during examination of the right eye, with a painful event defined as a PIPP score ≥11. The left eye was then examined and a comparison of corneal clarity was made between the 2 eyes. Results A total of 39 examinations were performed on 34 infants: artificial tear solution was administered 17 times and topical proparacaine anesthetic 22 times. The mean PIPP score for those receiving artificial tears was 10.4 compared with 8.8 for the anesthetic group ( p = 0.17). Of the examinations without anesthetic, 65% were painful, compared with 27% with anesthetic ( p = 0.04). No effect on corneal clarity was observed in any examination. Conclusions The use of a topical anesthetic appears to marginally decrease pain and has no adverse effect on subjectively assessed corneal clarity during examination of premature infants for ROP.
Obesity and disease management: effects of weight loss on comorbid conditions.

ANDERSON, JAMES W. AND ELIZABETH C. KONZ. Obesity and disease management: effects of weight loss on comorbid conditions. Obes Res. 2001;9:326S‐334S. Objective: This review is designed to quantitate the effects of obesity and weight gain on risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and to review the effects of weight loss on CHD risk factors. Research Methods and Procedures: After a comprehensive review of the literature related to body weight and weight gain on CHD risk, the relative risks (RRs) were tabulated. Values were averaged and meta-analysis techniques were used to estimate the variance-adjusted RR. Results: Young persons with higher body mass index values have a significantly higher risk for CHD than do slender young people. For every 1% above a desirable body mass index, the risk for CHD increases by 3.3% for women and by 3.6% for men. Every kilogram of weight gain after high school increases risk for CHD by 5.7% for women and 3.1% for men. Weight loss significantly decreases major CHD risk factors. For every kilogram of weight loss the following favorable changes occur: fasting serum cholesterol, 21.0%; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 20.7%; triglycerides, 21.9%; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 10.2%; systolic blood pressure, 20.5%; diastolic blood pressure, 20.4%; and blood glucose, 20.2 mM. Discussion: Obesity and/or weight gain are associated with major risk for CHD. Weight loss significantly improves serum lipid parameters, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose values. Effective treatment approaches are available for most overweight or obese individuals but a major challenge is to enable these individuals to engage in these programs. Professional and consumer education is essential for advancing effective intervention strategies for overweight individuals.
Mediating the Mediation Debate Conflict Resolution and the Local State in China

China's elaborate system of local mediation committees has piqued researchers' curiosity for decades and sparked an argument in these pages. Crucial questions—concerning how much mediation actually takes place, what kinds of disputes are mediated, who seeks mediation, and how successful it is—have gone unanswered for lack of data. This article addresses these issues using original surveys from Beijing and villages in six provinces, supplemented by participant-observation research on actual instances of mediation. We find that mediation is fairly common in the country-side while occurring in a narrow set of contexts in the city. Those who are actively involved in institutions of grassroots governance are much more likely than others to seek such remedies, and in rural China, women pursue it more than men do. Modernization may diminish the salience of this form of dispute resolution, yet it is far from extinct, even in contemporary society.
Quantum rate-distortion theory for memoryless sources

We formulate quantum rate-distortion theory in the most general setting where classical side information is included in the tradeoff. Using a natural distortion measure based on entanglement fidelity and specializing to the case of an unrestricted classical side channel, we find the exact quantum rate-distortion function for a source of isotropic qubits. An upper bound we believe to be exact is found in the case of biased sources. We establish that in this scenario optimal rate-distortion codes produce no entropy exchange with the environment of any individual qubit.
Infant formula and infant nutrition: bioactive proteins of human milk and implications for composition of infant formulas

Human milk contains an abundance of biologically active components that are highly likely to contribute to the short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding. Many of these components are proteins; this article describes some of these proteins, such as α-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, osteopontin, and milk fat globule membrane proteins. The possibility of adding their bovine counterparts to infant formula is discussed as well as the implications for infant health and development. An important consideration when adding bioactive proteins to infant formula is that the total protein content of formula needs to be reduced, because formula-fed infants have significantly higher concentrations of serum amino acids, insulin, and blood urea nitrogen than do breastfed infants. When reducing the protein content of formula, the amino acid composition of the formula protein becomes important because serum concentrations of the essential amino acids should not be lower than those in breastfed infants. Both the supply of essential amino acids and the bioactivities of milk proteins are dependent on their digestibility: some proteins act only in intact form, others act in the form of larger or small peptides formed during digestion, and some are completely digested and serve as a source of amino acids. The purity of the proteins or protein fractions, potential contaminants of the proteins (such as lipopolysaccharide), as well as the degree of heat processing used during their isolation also need to be considered. It is likely that there will be more bioactive components added to infant formulas in the near future, but guidelines on how to assess their bioactivities in vitro, in animal models, and in clinical studies need to be established. The extent of testing needed is likely going to depend on the degree of complexity of the components and their bioequivalence with the human compounds whose effects they are intended to mimic.
A Dual-Supply 4GHz 13fJ/bit/search 64×128b CAM in 65nm CMOS

This paper describes a 64times128b content-addressable-memory (CAM) for 4GHz operation in 1.2V 65nm CMOS technology. A full rail, dual supply, level converter free global bitline accelerator technique results in 21% reduction in search power with iso-performance over optimized high-performance conventional implementation, enabling 13fJ/bit/search operation
Conformity behavior and need for affiliation

Abstract : Eighty male high school juniors and seniors participated in a conformity experiment, using a modified version of the Crutchfield (1955) apparatus. The investigation studied the relationship between conformity behavior and affiliative motivation. The Ss, of varying need for affiliation (n Aff), were subjected to a simulated group pressure situation in which each S was asked for his judgment of a given perceptual problem in the face of four earlier erring, but unanimous, judgments. A conformity response was defined as yielding to this erring majority on those slides which all Ss in a pretest were able to answer correctly. The results indicated that high n Aff Ss conform significantly more than low in Aff Ss. (Author)
Reduced glucose clearance as the major determinant of postabsorptive hyperglycemia in diabetic rats

The relationships between postabsorptive glucose concentration and hepatic glucose output (HGO) and glucose clearance were studied in rats one day after treatment with various doses of streptozotoc...
Some considerations for optimal efficiency and low noise in large power combiners

This paper examines some relationships between important design parameters in large combiner systems and key performance objectives such as power, efficiency, noise, and graceful degradation. Results are derived for the combining efficiency of general combiner systems, and used to contrast spatial and corporate combiners and identify optimum combiner topology for a given device technology. The influence of array size on excess phase noise is quantified and shown to decrease with increase numbers of devices. Results are also presented for the degradation in combining efficiency due to statistical variations in amplifier characteristics, appropriate to large combiners, showing that phase errors are the dominant factor in power degradation.
Renewing the Call to Criminalize Domestic Violence: An Assessment Three Years Later

Domestic violence as defined by our criminal justice system bears little resemblance to the abuse inflicted on over half a million women by intimate partners each year. Premised on a transactional model of crime that isolates and decontextualizes violence, the law applied to domestic abuse conceals the reality of an ongoing pattern of conduct occurring within a relationship characterized by power and control. Reforming our substantive criminal law to recognize and criminalize the violent exercise of power and control in intimate relationships represents the next phase of law's evolving response to this type of violence. Since writing "Recognizing and Remedying the Harm of Battering: A Call to Criminalize Domestic Violence," which was published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology in 2004, I have presented these propositions to a number of audiences, both within and outside of the legal academy, and I have endeavored to reinforce the article's call for a fundamental shift in how we criminalize battering. "Renewing the Call to Criminalize Domestic Violence: An Assessment Three Years Later" considers the progress that has been made toward this end, and argues that recent developments in the United States Supreme Court's Confrontation Clause jurisprudence make the impetus for reform even greater.
Las Acciones Colectivas Y La Tutela De Los Derechos Difusos, Colectivos Individuales En Brasil: Un Modelo Para Países De Derecho Civil (Class Actions in Brazil -- a Model for Civil Law Countries) [Spanish]

This is a book written in Spanish on class action suits in civil law systems, with especial examination of the institutions of Brazil. After a brief introduction, the second chapter reviews differences in the legal systems of Brazil and the United States, focusing on general aspects of civil procedure and class action suits. The third chapter provides a history of the Brazilian class action movement, as well as remarks on the uncertain future of that movement. Chapter four reviews the concept of a class action and examines the distinctions between a class action and a collective action. The fifth chapter examines the different types of group rights protected by class actions, such as diffuse, collective, and individual rights. Chapter six discusses incompatibilities between concepts of individual civil rights and collective rights and reports on Brazil's experiences. Chapter seven examines the ways in which these seeming incompatibilities may be reconciled, including potential legislative remedies and an exploration of Brazil's approach to reconciling them. Chapter eight discusses issues of lis pendens in class actions. The ninth and final chapter is the conclusion. The appendix is the Class Action Model Code in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. This book is the translation of the article Class Actions in Brazil published in English in The American Journal of Comparative Law.