cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fission yield measurements from highly enriched uranium irradiated inside a boron carbide capsule

A boron carbide capsule was previously designed and tested by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Washington State University (WSU) for spectral-tailoring in mixed spectrum reactors. The presented work used this B4C capsule to create a fission product sample from the irradiation of highly enriched uranium (HEU) with a fast fission neutron spectrum. An HEU foil was irradiated inside of the capsule in WSU’s 1 MW TRIGA reactor at full power for 200 min to produce 5.8 × 1013 fissions. After 3 days of cooling, the sample was shipped to PNNL for radiochemical separations and analysis by gamma and beta spectroscopy. Fission yields for products were calculated from the radiometric measurements and compared to measurements from thermal neutron induced fission (analyzed in parallel with the non-thermal sample at PNNL) and published evaluated fast-pooled and thermal nuclear data. Reactor dosimetry measurements were also completed to fully characterize the neutron spectrum and total fluence of the irradiation.
Effects of Phenobarbital on the Distribution Pharmacokinetics Biological Half-Lives of Model Nonmetabolizable Organic Anions in Rats

Abstract The blood level pharmacokinetics of model nonmetabolizable and nonprotein bound anionic compounds (pKa 3.3-3.4), namely, benzoylformic acid (I), D-(-)-mandelic acid (II), and p-methyl ben-zoylformic acid (III), which are excreted in the urine in the unchanged form, were studied in control and phenobarbital-treated rats to determine the effects of phenobarbital on distribution and elimination pharmacokinetic parameters. These compounds were used, also, because they represent three different compartment models in the untreated rats: a three-compartment open model (I), a two-compartment open model (II), and a one-compartment open model (III). The three-compartment open model (I) in the control rats was reduced to a two-compartment open model with only one kinetically distinguishable peripheral tissue compartment in the phenobarbital-treated rats. The pharmacokinetics of II were described by a two-compartment open model in both control and phenobarbital-treated rats but the apparent distribution volumes of the central and peripheral compartments were found to be significantly smaller in phenobarbital-treated rats. One-compartment open model pharmacokinetics were observed for III in both the control and phenobarbital-treated rats with no significant difference in apparent distribution volumes. The transmembrane transport of these compounds, which exist in the body fluids as anions, was previously reported to occur via the aqueous pores of the tissue cell membranes. The decrease in the apparent distribution volumes of these organic anions in the phenobarbital-treated rats was explained in terms of the possible effect of phenobarbital in increasing the protein and phospholipid concentrations of the cell membranes of tissues other than liver. This narrows the size of the aqueous pores of the central and tissue compartment cell membranes and hinders the diffusion of these compounds through the aqueous pores. Regardless of the compartment model displayed by these compounds, the biological half-life of each compound was significantly shorter in the phenobarbital-treated rats than in the control rats. This effect was attributed to the possible induction effect of phenobarbital on the renal tubular secretion carrier mechanism of these compounds in rats.
Hannah Arendt’s Philosophy of Law Approach to International Criminal Law

My argument in this article is that Hannah Arendt has a coherent and well-developed, although not systematic, philosophy of law which she brings to the Eichmann trial specifically and to international criminal law generally. In Part One of the article, I lay out Arendt’s philosophy of law, focusing on her account of the difference between the Greek and Roman conceptions of the law, the status of the consensus iuris, and the status of legal principles. Part Two offers a comparison of Arendt’s and Dworkin’s legal and political principles that animate the law. Part Three takes up Arendt’s approach to international criminal law through an analysis of her report of the Eichmann trial, specifically her account of the unprecedented nature of crimes against humanity, the new type of criminal who commits administrative massacres, and the difference between the criminal and the political trial at the international level.
In Situ Identification of Semen Stains on Common Substrates via Raman Spectroscopy

The spectroscopic identification of body fluids in situ is a major objective in forensic science. This approach offers the confirmatory, nondestructive, rapid, and on-scene identification of various body fluids. Although Raman spectroscopy has shown tremendous promise toward this goal in prior proof-of-concept experiments, a significant challenge which still remains is substrate interference. Here, an approach for detecting semen stains in situ on various substrates using Raman spectroscopy is explored. Simulated semen evidence was prepared on skin, glass, and various fabrics. Raman data were accumulated from stains without any pretreatment using a common confocal mapping spectrometer using 785 nm laser excitation. The results demonstrate that the spectroscopic interferences encountered by substrates can be reduced and eliminated using a combination of existing subtraction techniques and chemometric models. Heterogeneous substrates proved most challenging, however, automatic subtraction treatment, and location of fluid hotspots was able to elucidate a clear spectroscopic signature of semen in every instance.
Surface oxygen in the growth of plasma polymerised thin films

Abstract Three different types of non-oxygen containing monomers were plasma polymerised into thin films and then studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the surface oxygen content. These three monomers were benzene, ferrocene, and octafluorocyclobutane. Depth profiling was also used to investigate the oxygen content into the bulk of the films by analysing the newly formed film surfaces after different amounts of argon ion sputtering. The initial oxygen concentration on the surface of the ferrocene films was the largest of the three (>20 at.%) while octafluorocyclobutane films had only a small concentration at the surface (∼0.4 at.%). The benzene films had an intermediate concentration (∼4 at.%). Affinity for oxygen on the benzene films is due to residual activated species including free radicals and dangling bond sites on the film surface. Depth profiling showed a rapid reduction of oxygen (to ∼0.2 at.%) a short distance into the benzene films, indicating that the oxygen adsorbed on the surface after film deposition and exposure to the ambient. For the ferrocene films, a substantial amount of oxygen remained with depth, indicating that oxygen was incorporated into the film during deposition. Due to the chemical nature of fluorine, the as-deposited octafluorocyclobutane films did not exhibit significant affinity towards oxygen.
Smoothing techniques for adaptive online language models: topic tracking in tweet streams

We are interested in the problem of tracking broad topics such as "baseball" and "fashion" in continuous streams of short texts, exemplified by tweets from the microblogging service Twitter. The task is conceived as a language modeling problem where per-topic models are trained using hashtags in the tweet stream, which serve as proxies for topic labels. Simple perplexity-based classifiers are then applied to filter the tweet stream for topics of interest. Within this framework, we evaluate, both intrinsically and extrinsically, smoothing techniques for integrating "foreground" models (to capture recency) and "background" models (to combat sparsity), as well as different techniques for retaining history. Experiments show that unigram language models smoothed using a normalized extension of stupid backoff and a simple queue for history retention performs well on the task.
Role of Endothelium in Shear Stress–Induced Constrictions in Rat Middle Cerebral Artery

Background and Purpose —Luminal shear stress has been reported to constrict cerebral arteries and arterioles of several species. Although the endothelium is not required for this response, it is not known whether the endothelium enhances or attenuates shear stress–induced constrictions. Methods —Middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) were isolated from male Long-Evans rats, mounted in a tissue bath, and pressurized to 80 mm Hg in the absence of luminal flow. In some MCAs, the endothelium was selectively loaded with fura 2 for the measurement of endothelial Ca2+ concentration. Luminal shear stress was increased by adjusting luminal flow while maintaining a constant intraluminal pressure. Results —After the development of spontaneous tone in MCAs without luminal flow, inside diameters were ≈190 μm. MCAs constricted ≈15% when luminal flow was increased to produce a shear stress of 50 dyne/cm2. The shear stress–induced constrictions were more pronounced in vessels without intact endothelium. Scavenging reactive oxygen species with 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene disulfonic acid (Tiron) or superoxide dismutase/catalase significantly inhibited the shear stress–induced constrictions in vessels with intact endothelium and in vessels in which the endothelium had been removed. In intact vessels, endothelial Ca2+ increased 33 nmol/L (from 133±11 to 166±12 nmol/L) when shear stress was increased to 50 dyne/cm2. The presence of N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), L-NAME+indomethacin, or L-NAME+indomethacin+charybdotoxin had no significant effect on the shear stress–induced constrictions in MCAs with intact endothelium. Conclusions —We conclude that the endothelium plays a role in attenuating the shear stress–induced constrictions in rat MCAs. The attenuation does not appear to be by release of NO, prostacyclin, or endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. The endothelium apparently attenuates the constriction by an unknown dilating factor, by a dilating process, or simply by attenuating the mechanical force of the shear stress as it is transmitted to the abluminal side of the vessel.
Tolerance to the impairing effects of alcohol on the inhibition and activation of behavior

Rationale Moderate doses of alcohol impair response inhibition and slow response activation, and some recent work has shown that during a single dose, response inhibition recovers from the impairing effects of alcohol more slowly than response activation. Evidence for a possible lag in tolerance development to inhibitory versus activational mechanisms suggests that as blood alcohol declines, drinkers’ response inhibition might continue to be impaired despite having an unimpaired ability to activate responses; however, this effect has not been studied across repeated doses.
Cytopathology and Coagulopathy Associated with Viral Erythrocytic Necrosis in Chum Salmon

Abstract The 8-month cytopathologic progression of viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) disease in chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta is described. Single to multiple acidophilic, cytoplasmic viral inclusion bodies developed first in mature erythrocytes and then, within 1–2 months, all morphologically identifiable hemopoietic cell types contained VEN inclusions. Cytologic analysis indicated that multinucleate giant erythroblasts, ineffective erythropoiesis, and abnormal erythroid cell maturation occurred. A significant increase in blood coagulation time occurred concomitantly. This severe and chronic blood dyscrasia accounts for some of the pathophysiologic sequelae previously observed.
Oscillatory transepithelial H(+) flux regulates a rhythmic behavior in C. elegans.

Summary In C. elegans , rhythmic defecation is timed by oscillatory Ca 2+ signaling in the intestine [1–5]. Here, by using fluorescent biosensors in live, unrestrained worms, we show that intestinal pH also oscillates during defecation and that transepithelial proton movement is essential for defecation signaling. The intestinal cytoplasm is acidified by proton influx from the lumen during defecation. Acidification is predicted to trigger Na + /H + exchange activity and subsequent proton efflux. The Na + /H + exchanger NHX-7 (PBO-4) extrudes protons across the basolateral membrane and is necessary for both acute acidification of the pseudocoelom and for strong contractions of the posterior body wall muscles during defecation. This suggests that secreted protons transmit a signal between the intestine and muscle. NHX-2 is a second Na + /H + exchanger whose distribution is limited to the apical membranes facing the intestinal lumen. RNA interference of nhx-2 reduces the basal pH of the intestinal cells, reduces the rate of proton movement between the lumen and the cytoplasm during defecation, and extends the defecation period. Thus, the cell may integrate both pH and calcium signals to regulate defecation timing. Overall, these results establish the defecation cycle as a model system for studying transepithelial proton flux in tissues that maintain systemic acid-base balance.
Secretion of aldosterone by adrenal glands of propylthiouracil-treated rats.

Dietary administration of the antithyroid drug, propylthiouracil (PTU), to rats for 20 weeks reduced rate of secretion of aldosterone 26% (mμg/min/adrenal/100 g body wt) to 69% (mμg/min/adrenal) below that of euthyroid controls. Reduction in rate of secretion of aldosterone occurred in association with reduced adrenal blood flow as well as with reduced total pressor activity of kidneys (assumed to be renin). The latter was the result of smaller kidneys of treated rats rather than a reduction of unit concentration of the pressor material. Rate of metabolism of deoxycorticosterone by liver slices of PTU-treated rats (both unit and total activity) was similar to that of euthyroid controls. Hence, reduced rate of secretion of aldosterone by adrenals of PTU-treated rats was apparently not associated with reduced rate of hepatic metabolism of the hormone. Daily administration of 8-10 μg thyroxine/100 g body wt to PTU-treated rats for 2 weeks returned rate of secretion of aldosterone to that of euthyroid control...
Selective Visual Masking in Speechreading

Using digital video technology, selective aspects of a face can be masked by identifying the pixels that represent it and then, by adjusting the gray levels, effectively eliminate that facial aspec...
Surgical implications of necrotizing fasciitis in children with chickenpox

Abstract Varicella (chickenpox) affects approximately 90,000 children each year. Although most cases resolve, some develop necrotizing soft tissue infections secondary to group A streptococcus and staphylococcus . Delay in diagnosis is common. At the time of initial presentation, the need for surgical intervention is not always clear. The authors conducted a retrospective review of 30 patients with varicella (seen from December 1993 to June 1995) for whom there was clinical concern for necrotizing soft tissue infection. Various parameters were examined, including tachycardia, band count, temperature, and clinical symptoms, to differentiate the children who required surgery from those who did not. Of the 30, 22 underwent surgery. Eighteen had necrotizing fasciitis and required debridement, and four had abscesses that were incised and drained. Eight patients had simple cellulitis and did not require operation. Group A streptococcus was the most common organism cultured. All patients were treated with appropriate antibiotics. Twenty of the 22 surgical patients had elevated band count (≥5%), 21 had tachycardia, and 18 were febrile at the time of presentation (>4 days after the onset of chickenpox). Although all patients with necrotizing fasciitis had tachycardia, this sign was a less specific indicator for surgery than was increased band count. Severe pain, erythemia, and induration was the most common signs/symptoms in the surgical patients. The survival rate for these 30 patients was 100%, and there was little long-term morbidity. The authors recommend immediate surgical intervention for children with chickenpox who present more than 2 or 3 days after the onset of the viral illness with symptoms that include fever, tachycardia, and an elevated band count in association with an erythematous, indurated, painful lesion. With this sign/symptom complex, the presumptive diagnosis must be necrotizing fasciitis until proven otherwise. If the patient has suspicious symptoms or if these symptoms are associated with tachycardia or an elevated band count, the patient warrants admission, institution of intravenous fluids, nafcillin, clindamycin, and close observation over several hours. If the symptoms progress over the next few hours or if the tachycardia persists despite rehydration and antibiotics, the patient should be taken to the operating room for exploration. The authors strongly endorse such exploration despite the risk of a negative operation, because the morbidity and mortality associated with delayed surgical treatment are potentially significant. With prompt aggressive surgical and medical treatment, a good outcome can be anticipated for these patients.
A defective response to Hedgehog signaling in disorders of cholesterol biosynthesis

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), desmosterolosis and lathosterolosis are human syndromes caused by defects in the final stages of cholesterol biosynthesis. Many of the developmental malformations in these syndromes occur in tissues and structures whose embryonic patterning depends on signaling by the Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins. Here we report that response to the Hh signal is compromised in mutant cells from mouse models of SLOS and lathosterolosis and in normal cells pharmacologically depleted of sterols. We show that decreasing levels of cellular sterols correlate with diminishing responsiveness to the Hh signal. This diminished response occurs at sterol levels sufficient for normal autoprocessing of Hh protein, which requires cholesterol as cofactor and covalent adduct. We further find that sterol depletion affects the activity of Smoothened (Smo), an essential component of the Hh signal transduction apparatus.
Synthesis, crystal structure, and thermal properties of {[Cd2(L1)3(sac)4]⋅2CH2Cl2}∞: A coordination polymer with non-interpenetrating ladders containing cadmium in a rare, trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment (L1 = 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadiene, sac = saccharinate)

The new coordination polymer, {[Cd2(L1)3(sac)4]⋅2CH2Cl2}∞:, has been prepared from the reaction of 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadiene (L1) with [Cd(sac)2(H2O)4].2H2O(sac = saccharinate) in a methylene chloride/ethanol solvent mixture. The compound features a non-interpenetrating ladder motif constructed from Cd(L1)3 T-shaped units. The Cd atoms are coordinated to three nitrogen donor atoms from three L1 ligands and two nitrogen donor atoms from two saccharinate ligands in a rare, trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment. The compoundwas further characterized by IR spectroscopy and DTA/TGA. {[Cd2(L1)3(sac)4]⋅2CH2Cl2}∞: crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 10.8747(19)A, b = 12.626(2)A, c = 15.749(3)A, α = 111.839(3)°, β = 97.442(3)., and γ = 106.239(3)°
Determinants of Seafood Purchase Behavior: Consumers, Restaurants, and Grocery Stores

United States sales of seafood increased about 50% from the 1950s to a peak of 16.1 pounds per capita in 1987. Because of an accelerating rate of growth in the early 1980s, there were optimistic projections of 20 pounds per capita sales for the year 2000. These projections of increased consumption coincided with growing recognition of the nutritional advantages of seafood over other meats (National Research Council, Lees). However, instead of growing, consumption per capita has flattened, just as it had previously leveled off in the 1950s and 1960s (table 1). Seafood sales of about 15 pounds per capita are now a cause of concern to both wild-catch and aquaculture producers. Their concerns are heightened by the continuing gains in per capita consumption of pork, chicken, and turkey since 1987. In this paper key determinants of seafood demand in the United States are examined. Atten-
Text Mining in Cancer Gene and Pathway Prioritization

Prioritization of cancer implicated genes has received growing attention as an effective way to reduce wet lab cost by computational analysis that ranks candidate genes according to the likelihood that experimental verifications will succeed. A multitude of gene prioritization tools have been developed, each integrating different data sources covering gene sequences, differential expressions, function annotations, gene regulations, protein domains, protein interactions, and pathways. This review places existing gene prioritization tools against the backdrop of an integrative Omic hierarchy view toward cancer and focuses on the analysis of their text mining components. We explain the relatively slow progress of text mining in gene prioritization, identify several challenges to current text mining methods, and highlight a few directions where more effective text mining algorithms may improve the overall prioritization task and where prioritizing the pathways may be more desirable than prioritizing only genes.
Effect of Lactogenic Hormone, Growth Hormone and Thyroxine in the Lactating Albino Rat.

SummaryEffects of lactogenic hormone (LGH) alone and in combination with growth hormone (GH) and L-thyroxine (T4) upon lactation in the rat have been studied. All rats were nursed on day 14 of lactation with aid of 1 USP unit of oxytocin (OXT) under standardized conditions. One mg LGH alone did not show galactopoietic effects when injected daily from day 7–14. Under combined action of 1 mg LGH and 1 mg GH/day from 7–14, litter weight gain and amount of milk on day 14 have been significantly increased. Addition of 3.0 μg T4/100 g body weight/day from day 7–14 to LGH plus GH resulted in a more highly significant increase in milk yield in comparison to oxytocin alone than did treatment with LGH plus GH. The increase in mean milk yield of 84% over untreated controls by 4 hormones is the highest so far attained in laboratory.
Characterization and identification of spatial artifacts during 4D-CT imaging

Purpose: The purpose of this work is twofold: First, to characterize the artifacts occurring in helical 4D-CT imaging; second, to propose a method that canautomatically identify the artifacts in 4D-CT images. The authors have designed a process that can automatically identify the artifacts in 4D-CT images, which may be invaluable in quantifying the quality of 4D-CT images and reducing the artifacts from the reconstructed images on a large dataset. Methods: Given two adjacent stacks obtained from the same respiration phase, the authors determine if there are artifacts between them. The proposed method uses a “bridge” stack strategy to connect the two stacks. Using normalized cross correlation convolution (NCCC), the two stacks are mapped to the bridge stack and the best matching positions can be located. Using this position information, the authors can then determine if there are artifacts between the two stacks. By combining the matching positions with NCCC values, the performance can be improved. Results: To validate the method, three expert observers independently labeled over 600 stacks on five patients. The results confirmed that high performance was obtained using the proposed method. The average sensitivity was about 0.87 and the average specificity was 0.82. The proposed method also outperformed the method of using respiratory signal (sensitivity increased from 0.50 to 0.87 and specificity increased from 0.70 to 0.82). Conclusions: This study shows that the spatial artifacts during 4D-CT imaging are characterized and can be located automatically by the proposed method. The method is relatively simple but effective. It provides a way to evaluate the artifacts more objectively and accurately. The reported approach has promising potential for automatically identifying the types and frequency of artifacts on large scale 4D-CT image dataset.
Systematic Review: Comparative Effectiveness of Treatments to Prevent Fractures in Men and Women with Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis

This systematic review of 76 randomized trials and 24 meta-analyses found good evidence that several agents, including alendronate, zoledronic acid, and estrogen, reduced the risk for vertebral and...
A Brief Introduction to Usable Security

Researchers have studied usable computer security for more than 20 years, and developers have created numerous security interfaces. Here, the authors examine research in this space, starting with a historical look at papers that address two consistent problems: user authentication and email encryption. Drawing from successes and failures within these areas, they study several security systems to determine how important design is to usable security. Their discussion offers guidelines for future system design.
Politically Allocated Land Rights and the Geography of Electoral Violence: The Case of Kenya in the 1990s

Large literatures in political theory and political economy argue that private property regimes help support liberal electoral regimes by constraining majoritarian politics, lowering the stakes of ...
An evaluation of vector Fortran 200 generated by Cyber 205 and ETA-10 pre-compilation tools

Vectorizing pre-compilers such as KAP/205 and VAST-2 complement the efficient use of FORTRAN on the CDC Cyber 205. With the advent of the ETA-10 and its EOS/VSOS environment, the performance of these FORTRAN 200 pre-processors has come under closer scrutiny. The extent or quantity of vectorization that can be achieved has been examined elsewhere with reference to a test set of FORTRAN DO-loops. The quality of the translated code is another issue which deserves attention of course. KAP/205 and VAST-2 will be contrasted in this respect to reveal differences in the vectorized FORTRAN.
The JNK Pathway Regulates the In Vivo Deletion of Immature CD4+CD8+ Thymocytes

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAP kinase pathways are triggered upon ligation of the antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR). During the development of T cells in the thymus, the ERK pathway is required for differentiation of CD4−CD8− into CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes, positive selection of DP cells, and their maturation into CD4+ cells. However, the ERK pathway is not required for negative selection. Here, we show that JNK is activated in DP thymocytes in vivo in response to signals that initiate negative selection. The activation of JNK in these cells appears to be mediated by the MAP kinase kinase MKK7 since high levels of MKK7 and low levels of Sek-1/MKK4 gene expression were detected in thymocytes. Using dominant negative JNK transgenic mice, we show that inhibition of the JNK pathway reduces the in vivo deletion of DP thymocytes. In addition, the increased resistance of DP thymocytes to cell death in these mice produces an accelerated reconstitution of normal thymic populations upon in vivo DP elimination. Together, these data indicate that the JNK pathway contributes to the deletion of DP thymocytes by apoptosis in response to TCR-derived and other thymic environment– mediated signals.
Computational complexities of honey-pot searching with local sensory information

We investigate the problem of searching for a hidden target in a bounded region of the plane, by an autonomous robot, which is only able to use limited local sensory information. We formalize a discrete version of the problem as a "reward-collecting" path problem and provide efficient approximation algorithms for various cases.
Fading Effects on the Performance of a Spread Spectrum Multiple Access Communication System

The effects of fading on the performance of a spread spectrum multiple access communication system using direct sequence modulation are investigated. Expressions for the system signal-signal-to-noise ratio and for the mean and variance of the desired and interfering users are derived in terms of the spreading code and fading correlation functions. The system error probability is also evaluated for the special case of slow Rayleigh fading. The results suggest that under conditions of fading and interference, long code sequences may be required to maintain low error rates.
The state of research for AIDS-associated opportunistic infections and the importance of sustaining smaller research communities.

University of Kentucky, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Lexington, Kentucky, USAa; University of Cincinnati, Department of Biological Sciences, Cincinnati, Ohio, USAb; Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USAc; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USAd; and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the Cincinnati VAMC, Cincinnati, Ohio, USAe
Analyzing via impedance variations with a stochastic collation method

In this paper, we describe a systematic approach to optimize and analyze the equivalent characteristic impedance of practical via structures. The procedure consists of (a) optimizing via structures for impedance matching using a Genetic algorithm, and (b) numerically characterize, by stochastic collocation method, the sensitivity of the equivalent characteristic impedance to the manufacturing uncertainties in the various geometrical parameters of a via structure. Such procedure naturally leads to a rigorous methodology for EM design/control in the presence of multiple sources of uncertainty.
Antisera against a component on the oxygen-evolving side of system II reaction: Antisera prepared against an extract from frozen and thawed chloroplasts

Extracts of repeatedly frozen and thawed chloroplasts elicit production of antibodies that act specifically on the oxygen-evolving side of system II. Inhibition of electron flow from water to 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) (mainly a system II reaction) by this antiserum is about 15% with respect to broken chloroplasts with control serum, but this inhibition increases to 30% when photosystem II (PS II) particles are used as test systems. The inhibition of electron flow from water to NADP+ (reactions involving both photosystems I (PS I) and II), by the same antiserum, is also 15%; however, no inhibition is observed for electron flow from reduced DCPIP to NADP+ in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) (a system I reaction). Likewise, no inhibition is observed in electron flow from diphenylcarbazide (DPC) to DCPIP (mainly a system II reaction) in Tris-washed (0.8 M, pH 8.0) chloroplasts that have lost the ability to evolve oxygen. The implications of the above results are discussed in terms of effects on the oxygen-evolving side of PS II.
Vitamin A and Retinoic Acid in the Regulation of B-Cell Development and Antibody Production

Signaling by vitamin A through its active metabolite retinoic acid (RA) is critical for the normal development and functions of the hematopoietic and immune systems. B cells, as both factories for antibody production and part of the immune regulatory system, are critical to a successful vaccination response. RA is a factor in the development and competence of mature B cells, in B cell proliferation, and in the regulation of transcription factors associated with B cell differentiation, class switch recombination, and the generation of antibody-secreting plasma cells. Emerging evidence suggests that RA can function alone and in combination with other immune system stimuli to augment the formation of germinal centers, leading to increased primary and secondary antibody responses. Taken together, RA could be a useful component in vaccine strategies and/or for immunotherapy.
Polish Mathematics between the Two Wars (1919–39)

The Polish mathematical school of the period 1919–1939 was an interesting phenomenon: first, because of its achievements, and secondly, because of the place and circumstances in which it arose.
Modeling stroke risk after coronary artery bypass and combined coronary artery bypass and carotid endarterectomy

Background and Purpose— The goals of this study were to compare the ability of statewide and institutional models of stroke risk after coronary artery bypass (CAB) to predict institution-specific results and to examine the potential additive stroke risk of combined CAB and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with these predictive models. Methods— An institution-specific model of stroke risk after CAB was developed from 1975 consecutive patients who underwent nonemergent CAB from 1994 to 1999 in whom severe carotid stenosis was excluded by preoperative duplex screening. Variables recorded in the New York State Cardiac Surgery Program database were analyzed. This model (model I) was compared with a published model (model II) derived from analysis of the same variables using New York statewide data from 1995. Predicted and observed stroke risks were compared. These formulas were applied to 154 consecutive combined CAB/CEA patients operated on between 1994 and 1999 to determine the predicted stroke risk from CAB alo...
Phosphate nutrition effects on growth, phosphate transporter transcript levels and physiology of alfalfa cells

Phosphorus deficiency reduces forage yield and stand persistence of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Our objectives were to isolate and characterize a high-affinity phosphate-transporter (P-transporter) from alfalfa roots (Medicago sativa L.); determine how phosphorus (P) nutrition impacts P-uptake, growth, and carbohydrate and protein metabolism of alfalfa cells; and learn how expression of the P-transporter is influenced by P nutrition. An 1087-base pair (bp) sequence was isolated using RT-PCR that possessed high nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity to high-affinity P-transporters. Cultured cells were sampled at 3-day intervals for 9 days while growing in media containing P concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 mM. Media P concentrations declined rapidly in all P treatments by day 6. Low media P concentrations (0, 0.1 and 0.5 mM) reduced cell growth rates compared to higher media P levels (2.5, 5 and 10 mM). Suspension cell cultures supplied 0.5, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM P had lower starch concentrations by day 3 compared to cells cultured in media containing 0 and 0.1 mM P. Steady-state transcript levels for the high-affinity P- transporter were high in P-deprived cells, but declined within 1 day when cells were provided 10 mM P.
Maxwell Garnett theory for mixtures of anisotropic inclusions: Application to conducting polymers

The effective dielectric function ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}$ for a medium of anisotropic inclusions embedded in an isotropic host is calculated using the Maxwell Garnett approximation. For uniaxial inclusions, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}$ depends on how well the inclusions are aligned. We apply this approximation to study ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}$ for a model of quasi-one-dimensional organic polymers. The polymer is assumed to be made up of small single crystals embedded in an isotropic host of randomly oriented polymer chains. The host dielectric function is calculated using the effective-medium approximation (EMA). The resulting frequency-dependent ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ closely resembles experiment. Specifically, $\mathrm{Re}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is negative over a wide frequency range, while $\mathrm{Im}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ exhibits a broad ``surface plasmon'' band at low frequencies, which results from localized electronic excitations within the crystallites. If the host is above the conductivity percolation threshold, $\mathrm{Im}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ has a low-frequency Drude peak in addition to the surface plasmon band, and $\mathrm{Re}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is negative over an even wider frequency range. We also calculate the cubic nonlinear susceptibility ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of the polymer, using a nonlinear EMA. At certain frequencies, ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{e}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ is found to be strongly enhanced above that of the corresponding single crystals. Our results suggest that the electromagnetic properties of conducting polymers can be understood by viewing the material as randomly inhomogeneous on a small scale such that the quasistatic limit is applicable.
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis: guidelines, issues, and alternatives

AMY E. HURLEY, TERRI A. SCANDURA, CHESTER A. SCHRIESHEIM, MICHAEL T. BRANNICK, ANSON SEERS, ROBERT J. VANDENBERG AND LARRY J. WILLIAMS Department of Professional Studies, Chapman University, U.S.A. Department of Management, University of Miami, U.S.A. Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, U.S.A. Department of Management, Virginia Commonwealth University, U.S.A. Department of Management, The University of Georgia, U.S.A. Department of Management, University of Tennessee, U.S.A.
Evaluating Research: Other Issues of Research Methodology in Evidence-Based Medicine/Evidence-Based Practice

Appraising the quality of research studies for practice use is Step 3 of the evidence-based practice (EBP) practice decision-making process. It can be a difficult task and requires professional expertise quite distinct from doing clinical assessment (Step 1 in EBP) or locating research resources (Step 2 in EBP). Chapter 6 addressed the key role of research design in appraising research quality. While research design is one very important aspect of evaluating evidence-based medicine (EBM) and EBP research reports, it is hardly the only important methodological issue. In addition to research designs, a number of related methodological choices also are important for making valid claims about treatments, diagnostic tests, or prognosis. These include the quality and comprehensiveness of the sample, the validity and sensitivity of the outcome measures, the definition of the treatment under investigation, and the careful use of the correct statistical tests. These methods work in combination to yield valid and rigorous results in quantitative clinical research. In this chapter, we will review each of these issues in order.
“Flipping” the Academic Half-Day to Create an Opportunity for Faculty Development

Barriers to providing faculty development have been noted by a variety of authors and include space, time, compensation, and reward [1, 2]. Recommendations to improve faculty development include providing funding for and recognition of faculty development, sharing resources (for instance, through MedEdPORTAL), allocating space and budgets, and increasing grant availability for educational projects [2]. In our institution, resident didactic time (one-half day per week for all residents, all on the same day) has been “protected” (meaning that faculty members cover the clinical services and provide direct patient care in the absence of trainees) since 2003. We were able to use the structure of the protected academic halfday and “flip” it so faculty members would have an opportunity to participate in protected time for faculty development in educational strategies.
Multinuclear NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopy of site directed mutants of the diabetes drug target protein mitoNEET suggest that folding is intimately coupled to iron–sulfur cluster formation

Abstract Further understanding of the mitochondrial protein mitoNEET could lead to advancements in drug design for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases. Previous studies have shown that mitoNEET's iron–sulfur cluster plays a key role in its biochemistry. In order to gain insight into the structural stability and folding of mitoNEET's iron–sulfur clusters, mutants were created using site-directed mutagenesis. NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis of these mutants suggested that half had successfully hindered protein folding that in turn, increased lability and eventually loss of functional iron–sulfur clusters. Understanding the significance of this coupling of lability to misfolding could be key to learning mitoNEET‘s mode of action in mitochondria. These findings may allow mitoNEET to be utilized for therapeutics and a better understanding of mitochondrial-based diseases.
Prevention of experimental cyclosporin-induced interstitial fibrosis by losartan and enalapril

The pathogenesis of renal scarring in chronic cyclosporin nephropathy is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade by enalapril and losartan in a salt-dependent model of cyclosporin-associated chronic tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF). Rats kept on normal or low-salt diet were given cyclosporin, cyclosporin+enalapril, cyclosporin+losartan, cyclosporin+enalapril#losartan, or vehicle for 14 and 28 days. Cyclosporin reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in rats fed either diet, but only salt-depleted animals developed significant TIF. Cyclosporin also impaired renal concentrating ability and caused tubular enzymuria. Renin-angiotensin system blockade decreased blood pressure (BP) and promoted afferent arteriolar vasodilatation. Losartan reduced plasma renin activity and prevented cyclosporin-induced increment of cortical alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA. Renin-angiotensin blockade did not improve GFR and tubular function; however, it strikingly prevented TIF development, even in presence of very low BP. Rats treated with cyclosporin, hydralazine, and furosemide achieved BP values similar to losartan or enalapril groups, but there was no protection against interstitial fibrosis development. These results suggest that cyclosporin-related chronic interstitial injury is mediated by angiotensin II and that the mechanisms promoting the interstitial scarring can be dissociated from glomerular and tubular dysfunction in cyclosporin nephropathy.
Drivers' attitudes toward wildlife-vehicle collisions with reptiles and other taxa

Wildlife-vehicle collisions threaten most wildlife taxa as road and traffic densities increase across landscapes. While the biophysical effects of roads on wildlife are well-studied, research on psychosocial factors that influence wildlife-vehicle collisions remains sparse. Road characteristics and species behavior are often used to estimate the frequency of collisions, but drivers' attitudes and intentions toward striking animals may put persecuted species at an elevated risk. To inform management and education of road impacts to wildlife, especially reptiles, we surveyed patrons of Jekyll Island (JI), Georgia, USA: to (1) measure their degree of concern for broad impacts of wildlife-vehicle collisions; (2) gauge their degree of disfavor with hitting animals of different taxa with a vehicle; (3) understand specific predictors influencing attitudes toward hitting deer, turtles and snakes. Respondents were more concerned with personal safety and impacts to wildlife than damage to vehicles. They were most upset with collisions involving large mammals (bears and deer), domesticated animals (dogs and cats) and turtles, and they were least upset with hitting snakes. Respondents that showed concern for wildlife and had visited JI nature centers were more likely to be upset with hitting each taxa. Our results support previous psychosocial findings regarding negative attitudes toward snakes but additionally demonstrate that these attitudes can remain alongside positive attitudes toward other taxa, such as mammals and turtles. These findings can inform our ability to predict the frequency of wildlife-vehicle collisions and tailor conservation messages toward taxa when negative attitudes exist.
Loneliness and substance use: the influence of gender among HIV+ Black/African American adults 50+

Estimates suggest 30% of adults report the highest levels of loneliness. Though men are more likely than women to use illicit substances and engage in heavy drinking, the prevalence of substance use in women is growing and their escalation toward dependence occurs more rapidly. Loneliness and substance use have greater relevance within the HIV+ population, with higher rates of substance misuse than the general population. However, the association between loneliness and substance use within HIV+ individuals remains understudied. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that there would be an association between loneliness and substance moderated by gender in HIV+ older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2013 and January 2014. Study participants included 96 HIV-positive Black/African American men and women recruited through the University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service (UF CARES) in Jacksonville, Florida. Participants completed an interviewer-administered assessment examining mental and behavioral health. Pearson correlations examined associations between loneliness and substance use. Binary logistic regression analyses stratified by gender examined the association between loneliness and substance use while controlling for covariates. Among women, loneliness was associated with illicit drug use, AOR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.23-9.21, p = .018 and heavy drinking, AOR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.07-5.71, p = .033. No significant associations were found between loneliness and illicit drug use, and heavy drinking in men. Substance use among women in this population may be linked to loneliness. Interventions should be gender specific. Further research into this association is necessary as it will likely have important clinical implications for this population.
Interference of Sb(III) in the Determination of Hexavalent Chromium in Thermoplastic Matrices

Due to the adverse health effects of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), pigments and other materials containing Cr(VI) were largely banned for use in electrotechnical products under the EU RoHS Directive [1]. While there are several effective methods to determine the presence of total chromium in electrotechnical plastic matrices, a validated compliance test method that is capable of discerning Cr(VI) from the non-regulated forms of Cr(III) is not yet available. One of the challenges in developing a standardized compliance test for Cr(VI) is the low recovery of Cr(VI) compounds from polymer matrices This study identified antimony trioxide (ATO), a common synergist added to enhance the ignition resistance of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), as a source of matrix interference in the quantitative determination of hexavalent chromium extracted from polymer matrices. ATO reduces hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium prior to complexation of Cr(VI) with diphenylcarbazide (DPC) leading to false negatives. EDTA ...
Isolation and Characterization of a Papovavirus from Human Urine

SummaryA virus (RFV) isolated from the urine of a human renal transplant patient and grown in human embryo kidney (HEK) cell culture had properties associated with the polyoma-SV40 subgroup of papovaviruses. Virions with papovavirus capsomeric structure, 37-43 nm in diameter, contained circular, supercoiled DNA of 2.9 × 106 daltons. Density gradient analysis revealed 2 classes of particles in infected cell cultures; full virions at 1.34 g/cm3 and empty virions at 1.29 g/cm3. Both full and empty particles agglutinated human type O erythrocytes. Infectivity and hemagglutinin were resistant to chloroform. Hemagglutination-inhibition tests and plaque neutralization tests in HEK cells indicated that RFV was related to, but distinct from SV40 virus. Antibodies against RFV were present in at least 81% of 400 human adult sera and high titers of HI antibodies against RFV were present in pooled human immune globulin.
Public Accounting: Marketing a Changing Profession

The accounting profession is changing at a rapid pace. The easing of restrictions on advertising, the mergers and acquisitions among accounting firms and with non-accounting firms, and the flood of...