cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacterial colonization of the prepuce in boys with vesicoureteral reflux who receive antibiotic prophylaxis

Culture swabs were taken from the periurethral area of 59 consecutive uncircumcised boys with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and 36 boys undergoing circumcision. A pure growth of a uropathogen was isolated in 22 (37%) boys with VUR who were receiving antibiotic prophylaxis and in 10 (28%) boys who underwent circumcision. Antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with VUR was not effective in reducing the bacterial colonization of the prepuce. We recommend circumcision in boys, particularly infants with VUR, to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
THE ROLE OF PROTEIN KINASE C AND CALCIUM IN INDUCTION OF HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE IL-1β GENE EXPRESSION BY GM-CSF

Abstract At infection sites, synthesis of interleukin (IL-)1β by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) facilitates the recruitment of inflammatory cells and enhances the inflammatory response. We investigated the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca 2+ in the induction of PMN IL-1β gene expression by GM-CSF. The PKC inhibitors chelerythrine and H7 blocked induction of IL-1β mRNA expression in human PMNs. HA1004, an H7 analogue with little activity towards PKC, had no inhibitory effect. Similarly, H7 blocked IL-1β transcription in nuclear run-on analysis, while HA1004 had little effect. The intracellular Ca 2+ chelator BAPTA/AM inhibited induction of IL-1β mRNA accumulation and transcription by GM-CSF. At concentrations similar to those used to inhibit IL-1β gene expression, H7, chelerythrine, and BAPTA all inhibited substrate phosphorylation by PKC isolated from PMN lysates. Thus, PKC and Ca 2+ are potential targets for modulating an important PMN immunoregulatory function.
Lymphoma presenting as a salivary gland mass

A retrospective review of 36 cases of lymphoma presenting as a salivary gland mass was conducted over a 34-year period. A significant increase in the occurrence of lymphoma was noted in proportion to other salivary gland tumors (P less than 0.01, chi 2 analysis: 1954-1972, 11 of 714 (1.5%); 1973-1979, 9 of 201 (4.5%); 1980-1987, 16 of 265 (6.0%). The mean age was 61 years, sex distribution was equal, and 75% occurred in the parotid. Only 42% presented with signs or symptoms other than a painless mass. Glandular excision was done in early stages of the disease while biopsy was done at later stages. Frozen section analysis was accurate in all but one case and was useful in determining if biopsy were adequate. All patients were definitively treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Several instructive points are apparent. Any patient presenting with an isolated salivary gland mass can have a lymphoma. There has, in fact, been a significantly increasing proportion of salivary gland lymphoma among the various salivary gland tumors in our patient population. In contrast to other salivary gland tumors, surgery is reserved for diagnosis and not for treatment. A lymph node biopsy may be sufficient to establish a diagnosis, in which case, glandular excision is unnecessary. Most of the patients presented with an asymptomatic isolated salivary gland mass. The presence of adjacent adenopathy, a rubbery feel to the mass, and the intraoperative appearance were the most suggestive signs of lymphoma. Frozen section analysis is helpful in determining the appropriate extent of surgery and is recommended.
Subjacency in a Principle-Based Parser

Recent wide-spread shifts in the conception of grammar from a system of rules to a system of constraints on representation has raised the possibility that a similar refocusing might also be appropriate with respect to performance and in particular natural language processing. This chapter explores certain empirical and theoretical issues relevant to principle-based approaches to parsing with special attention to the processing of long-distance dependencies.
Designing Tunable Bio-nanostructured Materials via Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Lipids and Functionalized Nanotubes

Via the Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) approach, we study the self-assembly of hybrid structures comprising lipids and end-functionalized nanotubes. Individual lipids are composed of a hydrophilic head group and two hydrophobic tails. Each bare nanotube encompasses an ABA architecture, with a hydrophobic shaft (B) and two hydrophilic ends (A). To allow for regulated transport through the nanotube, we also introduce hydrophilic hairs at one end of the tube. The amphiphilic lipids are composed of a hydrophilic head group (A) and two hydrophobic tails (B). We select the dimensions of the nanotube architecture to minimize its hydrophobic mismatch with the lipid bilayer. We find the amphiphilic lipids and functionalized nanotubes to self-assemble into a stable hybrid vesicle or a bicelle in the presence of a hydrophilic solvent. We demonstrate that the morphology of the self-assembled functionalized nanotube-lipid hybrid structures is controlled by the rigidity of the lipid molecules and concentration of the nanotubes.
Exploiting Heterogeneity for Improving Forwarding Performance in Mobile Opportunistic Networks: An Analytic Approach

Heterogeneity arises in a wide range of scenarios in mobile opportunistic networks and is one of the key factors that govern the performance of forwarding algorithms. While the heterogeneity has been empirically investigated and exploited in the design of new forwarding algorithms, it has been typically ignored or marginalized when it comes to rigorous performance analysis of such algorithms. In this paper, we develop an analytical framework to quantify the performance gain achievable by exploiting the heterogeneity in mobile nodes’ contact dynamics. In particular, we derive a delay upper bound of a heterogeneity-aware static forwarding policy per each given number of message copies and obtain its closed-form expression, which enables our quantitative study on the benefit of leveraging underlying heterogeneity structure in the design of forwarding algorithms. In addition, we develop a dynamic forwarding policy that performs as an extension of the static forwarding policy while proven to improve the delay performance. We then demonstrate that only a small fraction of total (unlimited) message copies, via both static and dynamic forwarding policies, are enough under various heterogeneous network settings to achieve the same delay as that obtained using the unlimited message copies when the networks become homogeneous. We also show that, given the same number of message copies, our dynamic forwarding policy significantly outperforms the ‘homogeneous-optimal’ forwarding policy (up to about 50 percent improvement in the delay performance), especially when the number of message copies allowed in the networks is small.
Inverse agonism at α2-adrenoceptors in native tissue

Abstract Several α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonists have inverse agonist properties in cell culture systems, usually expressing high levels or a constitutively active form of α 2 -adrenoceptors. In characterizing the binding of α 2 -adrenoceptor agonists to rat brain tissue sections, we found that conditions known to alter agonist affinity for these receptors, particularly the addition of 100 μM GTP, altered the binding of the α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist, [ 3 H](1,4-benzodioxan-2-methoxy-2-yl)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride (RX821002). In further studies, we found that under our conditions [ 3 H]RX821002 demonstrates inverse agonist properties at α 2 -adrenoceptors. This is the first demonstration of inverse agonism at α 2 -adrenoceptors in native tissue. We found that the α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist, (2S,12bS)1′,3′-dimethylspiro(1,3,4,5′,6,6′,7,12b-octahydro-2H-benzo(b)furo(2,3-a)quinazoline)-2,4′-pyrimidin-2′-one (MK-912), did not have clearly discernible inverse agonist properties and acted as a neutral antagonist in these studies. On the other hand, the antagonist rauwolscine actually displayed partial agonist properties in our studies. These findings indicate that the inverse agonist properties of α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonists can be demonstrated in native tissue, as well as in tissue culture, and they strengthen the idea that inverse agonist properties may be of physiological and pharmacological importance.
Epidemiology of Carotid Endarterectomy Among Medicare Beneficiaries 1985–1996 Update

Background and Purpose —This article describes changes in the rate and outcome of carotid endarterectomies among Medicare beneficiaries. Methods —We analyzed International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes as shown on Medicare bills to calculate carotid endarterectomy frequency, rate, and perioperative mortality by patient demography and hospital characteristics. Results —After initially peaking at 61 273 procedures (20.6 per 10 000 beneficiaries) in 1985, the frequency of carotid endarterectomy among Medicare beneficiaries declined to 46 571 (14.3 per 10 000) in 1989 and then rose to 108 275 (28.6 per 10 000) in 1996. Patients were predominantly aged 65 to 74 years, male, and white; surgery occurred mainly in large, urban, nonprofit, and teaching hospitals. Perioperative mortality declined from 3.0% in 1985 to 1.6% in 1996. Conclusions —The frequency and rate of carotid endarterectomy showed prompt response to reports from clinical trials. Perioperative mortality both improved and converged over time but did not attain the rates reported by the trials. Patients aged 85+ years suffered twice the average perioperative mortality.
What Does It Take? Successful Alaska Native Students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

This is a descriptive, qualitative study of successful, Alaska Native students at the upper-division and graduate levels at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Two focus groups were held during spring of 1999, at the university that explored factors contributing to students' academic success and factors acting as barriers to students' academic success. Because more Alaska Native females than Alaska Native males attend and graduate from the university, the groups interviewed were divided along gender lines. Identified as contributing to students' academic success were persistence and hard work; financial support from Native Corporations, family support (both emotional and financial); employment; and the availability of developmental classes on campus (described as important in assisting them to develop academic skills they felt they lacked). Identified as barriers to academic success at the higher education level included poor academic preparation, especially at the high school level, difficulty in financi...
Evidence for the presence of arginine vasotocin (8-arginine oxytocin) and oxytocin in neurohypophyseal extracts from amphibians and reptiles.

Abstract Neurohypophyseal extracts from frogs ( Rana catesbeiana ), toads ( Bufo americanus ), green turtles ( Chelonia mydas ), and caimans ( Caiman crocodilus ) have been studied. These extracts have been assayed on a variety of biological preparations. The patterns of pharmacological activities found indicate that they all contain arginine vasotocin (8-arginine oxytocin). This peptide has been demonstrated previously in birds and teleost fishes. It is quite possibly present in the neurohypophyses of all nonmammalian vertebrates except elasmobranchs. Pharmacological evidence indicates that oxytocin is present also in frog, toad, and turtle extracts.
Bilateral lower-extremity amputation wounds are associated with distinct local and systemic cytokine response

Background Approximately 25% of U.S. military members sustaining extremity amputations in recent military conflicts have bilateral lower-extremity amputations (BLA). We investigated among combat-related extremity wounds whether BLA exhibit different bacterial burden, inflammatory response, and local complications. Methods A total of 75 patients with combat-related extremity wounds (19 BLA) were evaluated for age, tobacco use, body mass index, Injury Severity Score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, and delayed primary closure time. Blood, wound exudates, and muscle biopsies were obtained and analyzed for cytokine and quantitative bacteriology, excluding patients using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and corticosteroids, due to potential effects on their inflammatory profile. Results BLA was not associated with differences in age, tobacco use, body mass index, and delayed primary closure time, but these patients had increased Injury Severity Score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, and rates of critical colonization. Proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (exudate), interleukin (IL)-1 (exudate) and IL-6 (serum) were increased in BLA patients. They also had serum and exudate increased IL-8 and decreased IL-13 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Both wound dehiscence (WD) and heterotopic ossification (HO) were more common in BLA patients. Conclusion BLA patients were more likely to exhibit critical bacterial colonization, a distinct inflammatory response, and develop WD and HO. Modulating this response represents an attractive target in an effort to prevent complications such as WD and HO.
Therapeutic assessment case study: treatment of a woman diagnosed with metastatic cancer and attachment trauma.

This article presents a Therapeutic Assessment (TA) case study of a woman recovering from 4 years of intense medical treatment for stage IV cancer. The inclusion and utility of using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) in the TA is highlighted. The client's attachment classification as unresolved helped identify that her current experiences with dissociation and problems restructuring her life following cancer remission were related to severe childhood sexual abuse, which she had suppressed for decades. The AAP also provided information regarding the unconscious defensive processes the client employed to cope with attachment distress and her inability to find comfort and support from others. These findings were instrumental in guiding the subsequent psychotherapy. The TA process, particularly the assessor–client relationship, facilitated an experience of containing her previously unintegrated and dysregulated affect. A single-case experiment using daily measurements suggested that partici...
Necrotizing enterocolitis is associated with neonatal intestinal injury

Abstract Purpose We hypothesized that a subset of premature newborns has subclinical, intestinal mucosal compromise that predisposes to the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) days or weeks later. Methods Fifty-five newborns of 23 to 36 weeks' gestational age were identified, and urine was collected over the first 90 hours of life. The urinary concentration of intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP u ), a sensitive marker for intestinal injury, was determined. The diagnosis of NEC was based upon clinical condition, pathology, and/or imaging findings. Results Neonatal iFABP u exceeded 800 pg/mL in 27 subjects, including 9 of 9 who subsequently developed stage 2 or 3 NEC. This degree of iFABP u elevation, but not asphyxia, was significantly associated with the development of NEC ( P Conclusion In this population of premature newborns, there was a substantial incidence of intestinal mucosal compromise. All infants who subsequently developed stage 2 or 3 NEC had an elevated iFABP u . This finding suggests a model for the pathogenesis of some cases of NEC, whereby perinatal mucosal injury predisposes to further damage when feedings are initiated. In addition, neonatal iFABP u assessment may represent a tool to identify infants at the highest risk for NEC and allow for the institution of focused, preventive measures.
Laser and ion beam studies of liquid sodium surface chemistry and Na2 evaporation

Laser spectroscopy was used under collisionless conditions to study the internal energy distributions and macroscopic evaporation rate for Na2 evaporating from liquid Na at 480 K under clean and reactive conditions. The Na2 rotational and vibrational population distribution always could be characterized by the surface temperature. The Na2 macroscopic evaporation rate, R, was unaffected by exposure to O2 at pressures below ∼ 10−6 Torr; R increased at 10−6 to 10−5 Torr O2. Benzene vapor decreased R significantly at low exposures. Secondary ion mass spectrometry of the liquid Na surface using 3 keV Ar+ was also examined. Only upper bounds on the very low secondary ion yields for clean Na and Na + O2 could be determined. The ion yields for Na + C6H6 were appreciable under 10−6 Torr C6H6 only after reducing the temperature to ∼ 390 K. The surface chemistry and mechanisms responsible for the variation in macroscopic evaporation rates and ion yields are discussed.
Influence of nitrate‐nitrogen and ammonium‐nitrogen on calcium (45Ca2+) absorption in sorghum root tips

Abstract Root‐tip, 1‐cm of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench cv SC283, SC574, GP‐10, and Funk G522DR were exposed to calcium (45Ca2+) at pH 5.5 for 2‐hr in the presence of nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3−‐N) or ammonium‐nitrogen (NH4+‐N). Nitrate (0.1 mM) induced significantly increased 45Ca uptake in Funk G522DR, SC283, and GP‐10 while 0.01 mM NO3 −‐N induced significantly increased 45Ca'uptake in SC574, but 45Ca absorption was significantly decreased at 1 mM NO3—N. In the presence of the NH4+ ion, 45Ca uptake was increased up to 8X that of the NH4 +‐N untreated roots. When ammonium chloride (NH4CI) was used, the Cl− tended to induce an increased 45Ca uptake. Cultivar variation was present.
Online Media, Market Orientation, and Financial Performance in Nonprofits

The combination of social, political, and economic changes causing simultaneously decreasing funding and increasing demand for services is driving nonprofit managers to engage in proactive marketing in a for-profit model, including the use of online media. This research extends the MARKOR model of market orientation to examine the relationship between market orientation practices, as reflected in the utilization of online media, and their effects on the financial viability of nonprofit organizations (NPOs). The Wayback Machine website (http://waybackmachine.org) provided a unique ability to track site content over time, for comparison with each organization's financial indicators at corresponding points in time. The results of this study confirm the positive relationship between higher market orientation via online media presence and improved financial viability for the sampled group of NPOs. This study provides a simple, actionable, and free measure that NPOs can use to assess their current and planned o...
Cluster tool technology

A review is presented of cluster tool concepts, their potential advantages for future IC manufacturing, approaches to cluster tools and cluster tool technologies. As wafer size increases and device feature size decreases, cluster tools should play a more central role in future IC manufacturing, although there are several problems to be overcome before cluster tools are available for a broad spectrum of IC technologies.
The Bacterial Type III Secretion System as a Target for Developing New Antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance in pathogens requires new targets for developing novel antibacterials. The bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS) is an attractive target for developing antibacterials as it is essential in the pathogenesis of many Gram-negative bacteria. The T3SS consists of structural proteins, effectors, and chaperones. Over 20 different structural proteins assemble into a complex nanoinjector that punctures a hole on the eukaryotic cell membrane to allow the delivery of effectors directly into the host cell cytoplasm. Defects in the assembly and function of the T3SS render bacteria non-infective. Two major classes of small molecules, salicylidene acylhydrazides and thiazolidinones, have been shown to inhibit multiple genera of bacteria through the T3SS. Many additional chemically and structurally diverse classes of small molecule inhibitors of the T3SS have been identified as well. While specific targets within the T3SS of a few inhibitors have been suggested, the vast majority of specific protein targets within the T3SS remain to be identified or characterized. Other T3SS inhibitors include polymers, proteins, and polypeptides mimics. In addition, T3SS activity is regulated by its interaction with biologically relevant molecules, such as bile salts and sterols, which could serve as scaffolds for drug design.
"You are the key to security": establishing a successful security awareness program

Educating users on the importance of information security is vital to the mission of any IT organization. At the University of Missouri - Columbia (MU), we recognize that information security can no longer take a back seat to productivity and the two must go hand in hand. We recently implemented a campus-wide information security awareness program to educate students, faculty and staff on this important topic. The program consists of in-person and web-based training, monthly topic-specific campaigns, presentations to specialized groups and guest speakers. The goal is to educate users on specific information security issues and to create overall awareness that will change the way people think and ultimately the way they act. In this paper, we explain how we created and implemented our security awareness program and discuss the stumbling blocks we encountered along the way. We explore different audiences, methods of delivery and what content we believe is vital to a successful program. Finally, we discuss the importance of establishing a flexible program that can be adapted to meet current and future demands while still being relevant to our users. The importance of information security awareness training should not be underestimated. IAT Services, the central IT group at MU, has implemented a comprehensive security awareness program to educate our users about the importance of information security. This paper will explore the creation of the program, the identification of different audiences and methods of information delivery and how to define what content is vital to a successful program. It will also discuss how to successfully maintain a relevant, long-term information security awareness program.
Isolation and Partial Characterization of Secreted Hamster Pituitary Prolactin

PRL secreted by hamster anterior pituitaries was purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Hamster PRL eluted from Sephadex G-100 with an elution volume to void volume ratio of 1.85 and at a salt concentration of 0.13 M NaCl on DEAE-cellulose. Electrophoretic homogeneity of the hormone was demonstrated in several gel systems, and electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate indicated a molecular weight of 22,000 ± 2,000. Hamster PRL did not cross-react with antiserum to mouse PRL. Hamster PRL displayed lactogenic activity in an in vitro mouse mammary gland assay. Hamster PRL displaced [l25I]iodo-PRL from lactating rabbit mammary gland receptors. Thus, with respect to its exclusion properties on Sephadex G-100, its molecular weight, and its biological activity, hamster PRL closely resembles other mammalian PRLs. (Endocrinology 108: 850, 1981)
Behavioral information search by indecisives

Abstract This research examined the behavioral processes by which individual differences in indecision may be reflected in decision-making situations. In Experiment 1, using an information board paradigm, indecisives compared to decisives searched less information and shifted less often among dimensions under a high cognitive load (distracter) condition. In Experiment 2, compared to decisives, indecisives demonstrated more intra- and fewer inter-dimensional shifts while searching the information board under a high cognitive load condition, thereby focusing their search. Indecisives also reported lower self-confidence and greater anxiety in the high cognitive load condition. These studies demonstrate that indecision-prone individuals tend to use a technique adapted as an avoidance strategy.
A novel method for the preparation of nucleoside triphosphates from activated nucleoside phosphoramidates.

A novel method for the preparation of nucleoside triphosphates has been developed. The strategy employs a highly reactive pyrrolidinium phosphoramidate zwitterion intermediate that undergoes effici...
Latina/o Student Achievement: A Collaborative Mission of Professional Associations of Higher Education

Latina/o student achievement is a priority for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). To date, AAHHE has worked deliberately on this agenda. However, well-established higher education associations such as the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) are in a position to work collaboratively with AAHHE to address the Latina/o educational achievement gap. Using a model of scholarly engagement, we propose a framework and recommendations on how AAU and APLU institutions can work in collaboration with community stakeholders to improving Latina/o student success.
Studying the grammatical aspects of word recognition: lexical priming, parsing, and syntactic ambiguity resolution.

Two experiments are reported examining the relationship between lexical and syntactic processing during language comprehension, combining techniques common to the on-line study of syntactic ambiguity resolution with priming techniques common to the study of lexical processing. By manipulating grammatical properties of lexical primes, we explore how lexically based knowledge is activated and guides combinatory sentence processing. Particularly, we find that nouns (like verbs, see Trueswell & Kim, 1998) can activate detailed lexically specific syntactic information and that these representations guide the resolution of relevant syntactic ambiguities pertaining to verb argument structure. These findings suggest that certain principles of knowledge representation common to theories of lexical knowledge—such as overlapping and distributed representations—also characterize grammatical knowledge. Additionally, observations from an auditory comprehension study suggest similar conclusions about the lexical nature of parsing in spoken language comprehension. They also suggest that thematic role and syntactic preferences are activated during word recognition and that both influence combinatory processing.
Geruchs- und Geschmackssinn

Geruchs- und Geschmacksinn werden meist als viscerale Sinne bezeichnet, da sie eng mit der gastro-intestinalen Funktion zusammenhangen. Sie sind einander funktionsgemas zugeordnet; das Aroma vieler Nahrungsstoffe besteht haufig aus einer Kombination von Geruch und Geschmack. Nahrungsmittel schmecken „fade“, wenn man infolge Schnupfen eine beeintrachtigte Geruchswahrnehmung hat. Die Receptoren fur Geschmack und Geruch sind Chemoreceptoren, die durch — in den Sekreten von Nase und Mund geloste — Molekule gereizt werden. Die Geruchsreceptoren sind auf Distanz wirksam (Telereceptoren); sie haben keine nervose Verbindung zum Thalamus und es besteht keine neocorticale Projektionsflache fur die Geruchsempfindung. Die nervosen Leitungen von den Geschmacksreceptoren verlaufen zum Thalamus und die Geschmacksimpulse finden ihre Projektion in der hinteren Zentralwindung, zusammen mit den Projektionen von Beruhrungs- und Druckreceptoren der Mundhohle.
Controlling (In, Ga)As quantum structures on high index GaAs surfaces

We investigate the formation of (In,Ga)As self assembled quantum structures grown on different orientations of a GaAs substrate along one side of the stereographic triangle between (100) and (111)A surfaces. The samples were grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy, monitored by Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction during the growth and characterized by in-situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. A systematic transition from zero dimensional (In,Ga)As quantum dots to one dimensional quantum wires was observed as the substrate was varied along the side of the triangle within 25o miscut from the (100) toward (111)A, which includes several high index surfaces. We propose an explanation for the role of the substrate in determining the type of the nanostructure that is formed.
C-Axis Resistivity Of Some Stage 1 Donor Compounds

Temperature-dependent c-axis resistivity measurements on LiC6, KC8, RbC8, CsC8 with and without substitutional boron in the starting material, and KHgC4 are presented. The overall behavior is metallic except for the MC8 compounds below 50–100K where ρc increases with decreasing T. This effect appears to be an intrinsic property of stage 1 materials with commensurate 2×2 superlattices.
Phasic versus tonic dopamine release and the modulation of dopamine system responsivity: a hypothesis for the etiology of schizophrenia

A novel mechanism for regulating dopamine activity in subcortical sites and its possible relevance to schizophrenia is proposed. This hypothesis is based on the regulation of dopamine release into subcortical regions occurring via two independent mechanisms: (1) transient or phasic dopamine release caused by dopamine neuron firing, and (2) sustained, "background" tonic dopamine release regulated by prefrontal cortical afferents. Behaviorally relevant stimuli are proposed to cause short-term activation of dopamine cell firing to trigger the phasic component of dopamine release. In contrast, tonic dopamine release is proposed to regulate the intensity of the phasic dopamine response through its effect on extracellular dopamine levels. In this way, tonic dopamine release would set the background level of dopamine receptor stimulation (both autoreceptor and postsynaptic) and, through homeostatic mechanisms, the responsivity of the system to dopamine in these sites. In schizophrenics, a prolonged decrease in prefrontal cortical activity is proposed to reduce tonic dopamine release. Over time, this would elicit homeostatic compensations that would increase overall dopamine responsivity and thereby cause subsequent phasic dopamine release to elicit abnormally large responses.
The recycling of L-citrulline to L-arginine in a chicken macrophage cell line

L-Arginine is the only biological substrate of nitric oxide synthase in a reaction yielding NO and L-citrulline as co-products. The resynthesis of L-arginine from L-citrulline has been observed in murine macrophages. However, it is not known whether avian macrophages have a similar capacity for the synthesis of arginine. The present studies were carried out to determine whether L-citrulline can support NO (measured as nitrite) production in the HD11 cell, a chicken macrophage cell line. When added to media lacking L-arginine, L-citrulline supported a low level of nitrite accumulation: about 4 to 11% of the amount of nitrite formed from an equivalent concentration of L-arginine. Aspartic acid was not limiting for NO production from citrulline.
Efficiency in Coalition Formation Games

A natural extension of superadditivity is not sufficient to imply that the grand coalition is efficient when externalities are present. We provide a condition, analogous to convexity, that is sufficient for the grand coalition to be efficient and show that this also implies that the (appropriately defined) core is nonempty. Moreover, we propose a mechanism which implements the most efficient partition for all coalition formation games and characterize the resulting payoff division.
Solar zenith angle correction of global NDVI time-series from AVHRR

Previous studies found that global NDVI time-series products from many different producers have the same kind of systematic errors, including the increase of NDVI values with the aging of a NOAA POES satellite and a drop of NDVI values when a new satellite replaced the old one. By examining the NOAA/NASA pathfinder AVHRR Land product, this study found that the increase of solar zenith angles due to the orbital drifting of the NOAA satellites is the main cause of the systematic errors. It is also found that statistically NDVI values increase linearly with the increase of solar-zenith angles, and this relationship is basically the same for NOAA-7, NOAA-9, and NOAA-11. By using the regression method, we obtained the rate of increase of NDVI values with the increase of solar-zenith angle. The rate is 0.1571 NDVI units per radian. The rate was applied back to the global annual maximum NDVI composites from 1982 to 1994 derived from NOAA/NASA Pathfinder AVHRR Land product to compensate the increase of solar-zenith angles. Results showed that most of the increase in NDVI values related to the aging of NOAA satellites was removed.
Research challenges and applications for underwater sensor networking

This paper explores applications and challenges for underwater sensor networks. We highlight potential applications to off-shore oilfields for seismic monitoring, equipment monitoring, and underwater robotics. We identify research directions in short-range acoustic communications, MAC, time synchronization, and localization protocols for high-latency acoustic networks, long-duration network sleeping, and application-level data scheduling. We describe our preliminary design on short-range acoustic communication hardware, and summarize results of high-latency time synchronization
Noninvasive sizing of subcellular organelles with light scattering spectroscopy

A long-standing impediment for applications of optical techniques in cellular biology is the inability to characterize subcellular structures whose dimensions are much less than about 1 /spl mu/m. In this paper, we describe a method based on light scattering spectroscopy that can find the size distribution of subcellular organelles as small as 100 nm with an accuracy of 20 nm. We report experiments using aqueous suspensions of subcellular organelles enriched in mitochondria, zymogen granules, and microsomes. From the observed light scattering spectra, we extract size distributions that are in excellent agreement with the results of electron microscopy. Further studies are underway to extract the shapes of organelles in addition to their sizes.
Uptake and Clearance of Edwardsiella ictaluri in the Peripheral Blood of Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Fingerlings during Immersion Challenge

Uptake and clearance of Edwardsiella ictaluri in the peripheral blood of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fingerlings were monitored for 216 h after exposure to E. ictaluri for 4 h and 8 h under static conditions. Most fish exposed to E. ictaluri developed bacteriemia 24 h post-exposure, and by 72 h post-exposure E. ictaluri was recovered from all the blood of all exposed fish. The number of E. ictaluri colony forming units (CFU) in the blood of moribund fish ranged between 1.7 × 103 to 1.6 × 105 CFU/50 μL whole blood. Clearance of bacteria from the blood was observed by 216 h post-exposure and all fish surviving bacterial exposure developed agglutinating antibody against E. ictaluri. The pathogenesis of the infection was accompanied by the shedding of viable E. ictaluri into the water which may serve as a mechanism by which fish to fish transmission occurs.
Plant response to a global greenhouse event 56 million years ago

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The fossil record provides information about the long-term response of plants to CO2-induced climate change. The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a 200000-yr-long period of rapid carbon release and warming that occurred ∼56 million years ago, is analogous to future anthropogenic global warming. METHODS: We collected plant macrofossils in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, United States, from a period spanning the PETM and studied changes in floristic composition. We also compiled and summarized published records of floristic change during the PETM. KEY RESULTS: There was radical floristic change in the Bighorn Basin during the PETM reflecting local or regional extirpation of mesophytic plants, notably conifers, and colonization of the area by thermophilic and dry-tolerant species, especially Fabaceae. This floristic change largely reversed itself as the PETM ended, though some immigrant species persisted and some Paleocene species never returned. Less detailed records from other parts of the world show regional variation in floristic response, but are mostly consistent with the Bighorn Basin trends. CONCLUSIONS: Despite geologically rapid extirpation, colonization, and recolonization, we detected little extinction during the PETM, suggesting the rate of climate change did not exceed the dispersal capacity of terrestrial plants. Extrapolating the response of plants from the PETM to future anthropogenic climate change likely underestimates risk because rates of climate change during the PETM may have been an order of magnitude slower than current rates of change and because the abundant, widespread species common as fossils are likely resistant to extinction.
Steady flow in rapidly rotating variable-area rectangular ducts. Part 3. Inertial perturbations for small divergences

This paper is part of a series treating the flow in a variable-area, rectangular duct which is rotating about an axis that is perpendicular to the duct's centre-line and parallel to one pair of walls (sides). The speed of rotation is assumed to be sufficiently large that viscous effects are confined to boundary layers and free shear layers and that inertial effects are much smaller than viscous effects everywhere. Earlier papers present inertialess solutions for a prototype with parallel sides everywhere, parallel top and bottom upstream of a cross-section, and straight, symmetrically diverging top and bottom downstream of the same cross-section. The present paper presents inertial perturbations to the inertialess solutions for the prototype when the slope of the diverging top and bottom is small. This paper begins to bridge the gap between papers treating inertialess flows in ducts with arbitrary geometries and papers treating flows with significant inertial effects in ducts with restricted geometries.
5-Vinylpyrimidines. Synthesis via organopalladium intermediates

Reactions of 1,3-dimethyl-5-iodouracil or 2,4-dimethoxy-5-iodopyrimidine with vinyl acetate in the presence of a catalytic amount of diacetato-bis (triphenylphosphine) palladium (II) resulted in good yields of the corresponding 5-vinylpyrimidines. The reactions are viewed as resulting from regioselective addition of an initially formed 5-pyrimidinyl palladium species to the double bond of vinyl acetate followed by elimination of a palladium acetate with regeneration of the double bond and formation of the 5-vinylpyrimidine product.
Visualizing the Spinal Neuronal Dynamics of Locomotion

Modern imaging and simulation techniques have enhanced system-level understanding of neural function. In this article, we present an application of interactive visualization to understanding neuronal dynamics causing locomotion of a single hip joint, based on pattern generator output of the spinal cord. Our earlier work visualized cell-level responses of multiple neuronal populations. However, the spatial relationships were abstract, making communication with colleagues difficult. We propose two approaches to overcome this: (1) building a 3D anatomical model of the spinal cord with neurons distributed inside, animated by the simulation and (2) adding limb movements predicted by neuronal activity. The new system was tested using a cat walking central pattern generator driving a pair of opposed spinal motoneuron pools. Output of opposing motoneuron pools was combined into a single metric, called "Net Neural Drive", which generated angular limb movement in proportion to its magnitude. Net neural drive constitutes a new description of limb movement control. The combination of spatial and temporal information in the visualizations elegantly conveys the neural activity of the output elements (motoneurons), as well as the resulting movement. The new system encompasses five biological levels of organization from ion channels to observed behavior. The system is easily scalable, and provides an efficient interactive platform for rapid hypothesis testing.
Viscoplastic behavior of a notch root at 650 C: ISDG measurement and finite element modeling

Viscoplastic behavior of the nickel-based superalloy, Inconel 718, at a notch root has been investigated by conducting isothermal tensile, creep and cyclic elastoplastic tests at 650 C which is the working temperature of the material in aircraft engines. A laser-based interferometric technique was extended to measure biaxial strains over a gage length of 150 {micro}m at the notch root; the computer controlled system permits real-time measurements. A thin-film pure silicon coating and an argon atmosphere were used to prevent oxidation of the reflective indentations that serve as the strain gages. The measured strains were used to evaluate the Bodner-Partom constitutive model which was incorporated into the ABAQUS finite element code. Material constants in the model were determined from uniaxial tests on smooth specimens. The predicted strains agree reasonably well with the measured ones for all three kinds of loadings.
Climate Variability Induced by Anomalous Buoyancy Forcing in a Multilayer Model of the Ventilated Thermocline

Climate variability induced by surface cooling in a four-moving-layer model of the ventilated thermocline is studied. The perturbations propagate within the characteristic cones defined by streamlines in individual layers where the potential vorticity anomaly is created. Each time the characteristic cones cross a new outcrop line, the number of characteristic cones doubles. Thus, climate variability in a multilayer model can have very complicated structure in the horizontal plane, with anomalies of alternating sign. The vertical structure of such perturbations defines a class of dynamical thermocline modes.
Does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Promote Ethics in Corporate Governance?

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Act impacts ethics in corporate governance. It examines ethical issues in corporate failures and reviews aspects of the Act that promote ethics in corporate governance. It also identifies limitations of the Act in promoting ethics in corporate governance, and presents a summary and conclusion.
ACT-R models of information foraging in geospatial intelligence tasks

We describe the development of computational cognitive models that predict information selection behavior in simulated geospatial intelligence tasks. These map-based tasks require users to select layers that visualize different types of intelligence, and to revise probability estimates of attack by hypothetical insurgent groups. Our first model has vast amounts of task-specific declarative memory and selects information layers that provide maximum expected information gain. This first model exhibits layer selection sequences that are almost identical to a rational (Bayesian) model, but fails to predict the layer selection sequences of human participants' performing the tasks. Our second model integrates instance-based learning with reinforcement learning and information foraging theory to predict the selection of information layers. The second model replicates the distribution of participants' layer selection sequences well. We conclude with some limitations that our current ACT-R model has and the role of cognitive models in the intelligence analysis tasks.
Output‐only damage detection using vehicle‐induced displacement response and mode shape curvature index

Summary Most of the existing bridge superstructure damage detection methods are based on acceleration or strain response due to ambient excitation. This paper proposes a bridge damage detection procedure that utilizes vehicle-induced displacement response without requiring prior knowledge about the traffic excitation and road surface roughness. This study is partially motivated by the recent advances in convenient measurement of structural displacements enabled by video-based sensors. Vehicle–bridge interaction analysis shows that when subjected to moving vehicles, the bridge displacement response is dominated by the first-order mode component. This justifies the proposed damage detection method that only requires the first-order mode shape curvature. While conventionally the mode shapes are extracted based on operational modal analysis, the first-order mode shape is extracted by directly analyzing the power spectral density functions of measured bridge displacement responses under vehicle excitations. Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the feasibility and performance of the proposed damage detection method using three damage scenarios including damage at single, double, and multiple locations, each involving several extents of damage defined by the reduction in element stiffness. The results reveal that all the damage cases can be successfully identified. Furthermore, the damage detection performance is evaluated for cases involving different classes of road surface roughness and less measurement points. The study demonstrates the potential of the proposed model-free and time-efficient method for damage detection of bridge structures. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing vertebrate biodiversity in a kelp forest ecosystem using environmental DNA.

Preserving biodiversity is a global challenge requiring data on species' distribution and abundance over large geographic and temporal scales. However, traditional methods to survey mobile species' distribution and abundance in marine environments are often inefficient, environmentally destructive, or resource-intensive. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a new means to assess biodiversity and on much larger scales, but adoption of this approach for surveying whole animal communities in large, dynamic aquatic systems has been slowed by significant unknowns surrounding error rates of detection and relevant spatial resolution of eDNA surveys. Here, we report the results of a 2.5 km eDNA transect surveying the vertebrate fauna present along a gradation of diverse marine habitats associated with a kelp forest ecosystem. Using PCR primers that target the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene of marine fishes and mammals, we generated eDNA sequence data and compared it to simultaneous visual dive surveys. We find spatial concordance between individual species' eDNA and visual survey trends, and that eDNA is able to distinguish vertebrate community assemblages from habitats separated by as little as ~60 m. eDNA reliably detected vertebrates with low false-negative error rates (1/12 taxa) when compared to the surveys, and revealed cryptic species known to occupy the habitats but overlooked by visual methods. This study also presents an explicit accounting of false negatives and positives in metabarcoding data, which illustrate the influence of gene marker selection, replication, contamination, biases impacting eDNA count data and ecology of target species on eDNA detection rates in an open ecosystem.
Phototherapy and the Risk of Photo-Oxidative Injury in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

Phototherapy has been used to treat newborns with jaundice for more than 50 years with the presumption that it is safe and effective for all infants. In fact, this presumption may not be true for all infants, especially the smallest and most immature. The safety and efficacy of phototherapy have never really been questioned or adequately tested in the latter, yet clinical applications of phototherapy have been further refined as its mechanisms of action have been better understood and alternative light sources have become available. This article addresses what is known about the possible risks of photo-oxidative injury in extremely low birth weight infants.