cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plant Growth Substances Produced by Azospirillum brasilense and Their Effect on the Growth of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum L.)

Azospirillum brasilense, a nitrogen-fixing bacterium found in the rhizosphere of various grass species, was investigated to establish the effect on plant growth of growth substances produced by the bacteria. Thin-layer chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography, and bioassay were used to separate and identify plant growth substances produced by the bacteria in liquid culture. Indole acetic acid and indole lactic acid were produced by A. brasilense from tryptophan. Indole acetic acid production increased with increasing tryptophan concentration from 1 to 100 μg/ml. Indole acetic acid concentration also increased with the age of the culture until bacteria reached the stationary phase. Shaking favored the production of indole acetic acid, especially in a medium containing nitrogen. A small but biologically significant amount of gibberellin was detected in the culture medium. Also at least three cytokinin-like substances, equivalent to about 0.001 μg of kinetin per ml, were present. The morphology of pearl millet roots changed when plants in solution culture were inoculated. The number of lateral roots was increased, and all lateral roots were densely covered with root hairs. Experiments with pure plant hormones showed that gibberellin causes increased production of lateral roots. Cytokinin stimulated root hair formation, but reduced lateral root production and elongation of the main root. Combinations of indole acetic acid, gibberellin, and kinetin produced changes in root morphology of pearl millet similar to those produced by inoculation with A. brasilense. Images
Modeling and control of a fuel cell based Z-source converter

This paper presents the analysis of dynamic response of the fuel cells, PWM implementation, and design of a closed-loop controller for a Z-source converter. For an electrical analysis of the fuel cell powered systems, the fuel cell is modeled by a R-C circuit including its voltage-current polarization curve. A discrete-time state space equation is given to implement digital control and a space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique is modified to realize the shoot-through zero vectors that boost the DC-link voltage. Also, two feedback controllers are designed to obtain a sinusoid AC voltage under linear/nonlinear loads: voltage controller in the outer loop and current controller in the inner loop
Disagreement and the Avoidance of Political Discussion: Aggregate Relationships and Differences across Personality Traits

Social networks play a prominent role in the explanation of many political phenomena. Using data from a nationally representative survey of registered voters conducted around the 2008 U.S. presidential election, we document three findings. First, we show that during this period, people discussed politics as frequently as (or more frequently than) other topics such as family, work, sports, and entertainment with frequent discussion partners. Second, the frequency with which a topic is discussed is strongly and positively associated with reported agreement on that topic among these same discussion partners. Supplementary experimental evidence suggests this correlation arises because people avoid discussing politics when they anticipate disagreement. Third, we show that Big Five personality traits affect how frequently people discuss a variety of topics, including politics. Some of these traits also alter the relationship between agreement and frequency of discussion in theoretically expected ways. This suggests that certain personality types are more likely to be exposed to divergent political information, and that not everyone is equally likely to experience cross-cutting discourse, even in heterogeneous networks.
Evidence for disequilibrium of ortho and para hydrogen on Jupiter from Voyager IRIS measurements

Preliminary results of an analysis of the ortho state/para state ratio (parallel/antiparallel) for molecular H2 in the Jovian atmosphere using Voyager IR spectrometer (IRIS) data are reported. The study was undertaken to expand the understanding of the thermodynamics of a predominantly H2 atmosphere, which takes about 100 million sec to reach equilibrium. IRIS data provided 4.3/cm resolution in the 300-700/cm spectral range dominated by H2 lines. Approximately 600 spectra were examined to detect any disequilibrium between the hydrogen species. The results indicate that the ortho-para ratio is not in an equilibrium state in the upper Jovian troposphere. A thorough mapping of the para-state molecules in the upper atmosphere could therefore aid in mapping the atmospheric flowfield.
Teaching with a video system improves the training period but not subsequent success of tracheal intubation with the Bullard laryngoscope.

BackgroundThe Bullard laryngoscope is useful for the management of a variety of airway management scenarios. Without the aid of a video system, teaching laryngoscopy skills occurs with indirect feedback to the instructor. The purpose of this study was to determine if use of a video system would quic
Changes in C Storage by Terrestrial Ecosystems: How C-N Interactions Restrict Responses to CO2 and Temperature

A general model of ecosystem biogeochemistry was used to examine the responses of arctic tundra and temperate hardwood forests to a doubling of CO2 concentration and to a 5°C increase in average growing season temperature. The amount of C stored in both ecosystems increased with both increased CO2 and temperature. Under increased CO2, the increase in C storage was due to increases in the C∶N ratio of both vegetation and soils. Under increased temperature, the increased C storage in the forest was due to a shift in N from soils (with low C∶N ratios) to vegetation (with high C∶N ratios). In the tundra, both a shift in N from soils to vegetation and an increase in C∶N ratios contributed to increased C storage under higher temperatures. Neither ecosystem sequestered N from external sources because the supply rate was low.
Geometric reasoning in feature-based design and process planning

Abstract A new methodology for coupling design and automatic process planning based on form features is described. The approach offers a balance between the computer-aided design and manufacturing planning processes based on an object-oriented, feature-based design environment and feature refinement, a new knowledge-based approach to geometric reasoning in generative process planning. The object-oriented feature representation methodology provides an extensible platform for interactive three-dimensional design of prismatic parts with CSG-like construction, and an internal model that incorporates a hierarchical vector-based tolerance structure. The process planning system, which includes fixture planning, automatically transforms the design feature model through geometric reasoning tasks that merge, classify, sequence, and refine features into machinable cavities. The discussion includes examples from an implementation in a system for quick turnaround machining with which one-of-a-kind prismatic parts can be interactively designed, automatically process planned, and CNC machined in a matter of minutes.
Near-infrared probes: design and applications

Near-Infrared (NIR) absorbing chromophores have been valuable in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. NIR probes and labels have been used for several applications, including solvent polarity, hydrophobicity, DNA sequencing, immunoassays, CE separations, etc. The NIR region (700-1100 nm) is more advantageous for the bioanalytical chemist due to the inherently lower background interference and the high molar absorptivities. NIR dyes can be used as simple probes to investigate biomolecule properties or just simply to detect the presence of biomolecules. Another typical application is the use of NIR fluorophores as labels. In these applications covalent labeling is the preferred method but it requires NIR dyes with appropriate reactive moieties. Due to the hydrophobic nature of NIR chromophores non-covalent labeling may be a viable alternative. For this purpose novel bis(carbocynines) have been developed in our laboratories. These dyes form intramolecular H-aggregates in polar solvents, even at very low concentrations. Spectral properties of this intramolecular dimer greatly depend on the properties of heterocyclic moieties and the length, the location and/or flexibility of the connecting chain. This form of the dye can be described as a clamshell complex with two interacting hydrophobic carbocyanine moieties. This intramolecular H-aggregate has a low extinction coefficient and fluorescence quantum yield. Upon opening the clamshell that can be facilitated by changing microhydrophobicity (i.e., binding to biomolecules) the H-and D- bands are decreased and the monomeric band is increased, with concomitant increase in fluorescence intensity. The main analytical utility of these bis(carbocyanines) is that the free dye (i.e., not complexed to an analyte) has negligible fluorescence in a typical aqueous buffer environment. Examples of different applications of these bis(carbocyanines) are given including forensic applications.
Failure of Oxytocin to Initiate Prolactin or Luteinizing Hormone Release in Lactating Dairy Cows

Abstract The relationship between oxytocin and release of prolactin was investigated in lactating cows. To minimize external stress on the animals, blood samples were withdrawn and treatment solutions administered via indwelling cannulas in the jugular vein. Serum concentrations of prolactin and luteinizing hormone were measured by radioimmunoassays. Injections of 10 or 50 IU oxytocin failed to change prolactin or luteinizing hormone concentrations in the serum. Milking caused a 4.8-fold increase in serum prolactin in some of the same cows that failed to release prolactin after an oxytocin injection. Oxytocin is not responsible for release of prolactin from the anterior pituitary.
Association of hyperglycemia, glucocorticoids, and insulin use with morbidity and mortality in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Background: Studies of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients have shown a significant association of morbidity and mortality with hyperglycemia. We retrospectively evaluated the degree of hyperglycemia as well as its correlation with glucocorticoid and insulin use and assessed its association with hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality. This study preceded the initiation of a standard glycemic control protocol. Methods: We examined medical records at Kosair Children’s Hospital for all PICU admissions from 2008 of patients without diabetes mellitus. Critical illness hyperglycemia (CIH) was defined by having three or more peak glucose values greater than thresholds of 110, 140, 180, and 200 mg/dl. These patients were evaluated for glucocorticoid, insulin use, and outcome measures. Results: We evaluated the eligible 1173 admissions, where 10.5% of these patients reached the highest threshold (200 mg/dl) of CIH. Glucocorticoids were used in 43% of these patients, with dexamethasone being the most common (58%). There was a significant correlation between glucocorticoids and higher peak glucose values, where 81% of the patients who were above the 200 mg/dl cutoff level were treated with glucocorticoids. Only 36.8% in that group were also treated with insulin. Patients at the 200 mg/dl cutoff had the highest median PICU and total hospital length of stays (4 and 10 days, respectfully). Mortality was associated with increasing glucose levels, reaching 18.7% among patients above the 200 mg/dl cutoff. Conclusion: Hyperglycemia was prevalent in the PICU and was associated with increased morbidity, as characterized by increased LOS and increased mortality. Glucocorticoid use was prevalent among patients exhibiting hyperglycemia. Insulin use was uncommon.
Nucleoside transport in primary cultured rabbit tracheal epithelial cells.

The present study aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of nucleoside transport in primary cultured rabbit tracheal epithelial cells (RTEC) grown on a permeable filter support. Uptake of 3H-uridine, the model nucleoside substrate, from the apical fluid of primary cultured RTEC was examined with respect to its dependence on Na+, substrate concentration, temperature and its sensitivity to inhibitors, other nucleosides and antiviral nucleoside analogs. Apical 3H-uridine uptake in primary cultured RTEC was strongly dependent on an inward Na+ gradient and temperature. Ten micromolar nitro-benzyl-mercapto-purine-ribose (NBMPR) (an inhibitor of es-type nucleoside transport in the nanomolar range) did not further inhibit this process. 3H-uridine uptake from apical fluid was inhibited by basolateral ouabain (10 μM) and apical phloridzin (100 μM), indicating that uptake may involve a secondary active transport process. Uridine uptake was saturable with a Km of 3.4 ± 1.8 μM and the Vmax of 24.3 ± 5.2 pmoles/mg protein...
Use of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents in Patients With Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease: Overcoming the Pharmacological and Pharmacoeconomic Limitations of Existing Therapies

Stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is characterized by a glomerular filtration rate of 30 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (reference range, 90-200 ml/min/1.73m2 for a 20-year-old, with a decrease of 4 mL/min per decade), affects approximately 8 million people in the United States. Anemia is common in patients with stage 3 CKD and, if not corrected, contributes to a poor quality of life. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), introduced almost 2 decades ago, have replaced transfusions as first-line therapy for anemia. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of ESAs in the primary care of patients with anemia of CKD and discusses pharmacological and pharmacoeconomic issues raised by recent data. Relevant studies in the English language were identified by searching the MEDLINE database (1987-2006). Two ESAs are currently available in the United States, epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa. More frequent dosing with epoetin alfa is recommended by the labeled administration guidelines because it has a shorter half-life than darbepoetin alfa. Clinical experience also supports extended dosing intervals for both these ESAs. Use of ESAs in the management of anemia of CKD is associated with improved quality of life, increased survival, and decreased progression of renal failure. Some evidence suggests that ESAs have a cardioprotective effect. However, correction of anemia to hemoglobin levels greater than 12 g/dL (to convert to g/L, multiply by 10) appears to increase the risk of adverse cardiac outcomes and progression of kidney disease in some patients. The prescription of ESAs in the primary care setting requires an understanding of the accepted use of these agents, the associated pharmacoeconomic challenges, and the potential risks. This review considers the need to balance effective ESA dosing intervals against the potential risks of treatment.
Evaluation of a multi‐component group treatment program for juvenile delinquents

The present study provided an evaluation of a preliminary version of 'Equipping Youth to Help One Another' [EQUIP; Gibbs and Potter, 1987; Gibbs et al., in press], a multi-component group treatment program for juvenile delinquents and other youths with antisocial conduct disorders. EQUIP assimilates the social skills training, anger management, and moral education components of Aggression Replacement Training [ART; Goldstein and Glick, 1987] into a modified Positive Peer Culture [PPC; Vorrath and Brendtro, 1985) group format. The subjects were 57 male juvenile offenders aged 15-18 who were incarcerated at a medium-security correctional facility. The subjects were randomly assigned either to the EQUIP experimental unit or to one of two control groups. EQUIP subjects relative to control subjects evidenced significant improvements in institutional conduct and recidivism rates, reflecting, to some extent, gains in social skills.
Seasonal along-isobath geostrophic flows on the west Florida shelf with application to Karenia brevis red tide blooms in Florida's Big Bend

Abstract TOPEX/Poseidon/Jason1 (T/P/J) sea surface height (SSH) measurements along tracks 91 and 15, crossing the wide West Florida continental shelf (WFS), were used to estimate seasonal across-shelf SSH gradients. SSH gradients and the knowledge that geostrophic flow approximately follows the isobaths enable estimation of the seasonal along-isobath geostrophic flows. The calculated along-isobath geostrophic flows are southeastward from December to March and northwestward in June, August, and September. The along-isobath geostrophic component of the flow is most likely small during the remaining months and, thus, not discernable in T/P/J SSH measurements. In agreement with previous theoretical, modeling, and observational work, the mid-shelf seasonal surface flow appears to be driven largely by the seasonal along-shore wind stress. Theory for flow driven by seasonal heat flux suggests negligible flow near the surface and on the bulk of the shelf away from the shelf break. Karenia brevis, the Gulf of Mexico ‘red tide’ organism, usually blooms on the southern/central WFS during late summer/early fall. It is likely that the northwestward along-isobath flow in June, August, and September is capable of transporting K. brevis blooms northward to the Big Bend shelf region during these months. K. brevis blooms in 2005 and 2006 are used as a case study to examine the northward transport mechanism. Above-average northwestward along-shore wind stress due to hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico most likely resulted in the northward transport of K. brevis in 2005. Conversely, a K. brevis bloom in 2006 most likely remained on the central WFS as a result of below average along-shore wind stress in 2006.
Dependence systems with the operator-image exchange property

Abstract An operator on a set S, i.e. an extensive and monotone (but not necessarily idempotent) function on the power set of S, generalizes the familiar notion of closure operator (transitive operator). This is one of several equivalent ways to define a dependence system. In this paper a brief review of dependence system theory precedes a more detailed discussion of some particular properties, e.g. the operator–image exchange property. Once again the duality of operators and resulting duality of properties of dependence systems (defined only when nontransitive operators are admitted), makes it possible to relate properties thus far studied in the context of separate mathematical theories.
The Role of Intentionality in Recovery II. Operational Concepts

• A background for the consideration of intentionial thinking as a determinant in recovery was covered by the senior author in a previous paper• Evidence from folklore, cultural references, clinical experience and research would support the inclusion of thought processes in a comprehensive medical model of illness. However, medicine has lagged in the development of a conceptual framework for illness global enough to include inter-relationships between the patient as a thinking person and his disease. In the service of contributing to such a framework we proposed, in the paper noted above, to use the concept of "intentionality" to explore inter-relationships between thought and bodily processes in postsurgical recovery, using wound healing as a parameter. "Intentionality" can be defined operationally as the process of development of "intentional" subject-object relationships through thinking that brings these together as an "inner reality". (Very simply: when I think, I think about something). "Intentional" as used here implies the subjective awareness of thoughts as motives rather than the consideration of such thoughts as motivated behavior, although these views are obviously complementary in a framework that incorporates existential, psychodynamic and physiologic data. The subject-object relationship that concerns us in medicine is the patient and his disease, the product of which, as Feinstein2
Computational geometry column 59

This column is about patrolling problems in a geometric network. Mobile agents patrol a road network, and have to visit every point in the network as frequently as possible. The goal is finding a schedule that minimizes the idle time, i.e., the maximum time between two consecutive visits of some agent over all points in the network.
Dipole potentials and spontaneous curvature : membrane properties that could mediate anesthesia

General anesthetics alter both the membrane dipole potential and the membrane spontaneous curvature, two membrane properties that are likely to have a significant effect on membrane protein function. The dipole potential is a large hydrocarbon positive potential that appears to arise from the lipid carbonyl groups and/or water at the membrane-solution interface. Anesthetics reduce the magnitude of the membrane dipole potential at clinical levels of anesthetics, while non-anesthetics do not, and these changes in potential could modulate conformational transitions in membrane proteins that are electrically active. When the membrane distribution of anesthetic versus non anesthetic compounds is examined, anesthetics exhibit a preference for the membrane interface, whereas non-anesthetic compounds reside within the membrane hydrocarbon core. The preferential localization of anesthetics within the interface accounts for their effect on the membrane dipole potential, and may also serve to alter the membrane spontaneous curvature or lateral stress through the bilayer.
Use of Assessment Procedures: Learning Disabilities Teachers' Perspectives.

The purpose of this study was to describe learning disabilities teachers' perspectives regarding the use of assessment procedures. We focused specifically on teachers' reports of (a) procedures act...
Paying Attention to Time as one Gets Older

Age-related changes in attention and interval timing as a function of time of day were examined using a temporal bisection task with single and compound auditory and visual stimuli. Half of the participants in each age group were tested in the morning, and half were tested in the afternoon. Duration judgments were found to be shorter for visual signals than for auditory signals. This discrepancy was greater in the morning than in the afternoon and larger for the older than for the younger adults. Young adults showed equal sensitivity to signal duration for single and compound trials and higher sensitivity in the afternoon than in the morning for both signal modalities. In contrast, older adults showed impaired sensitivity on compound trials and the greatest sensitivity overall to single visual trials in the morning. These results suggest that age-related reductions in attentional resources may cause older adults to focus on signals that require controlled attention during specific phases of the circadian ...
Effect of an orally administered arotinoid, Ro 15-0778, on sebum production in man*

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-y-[(E)-alpha-methylstyryl]-naphtalene (Ro 15-0778), a potent inhibitor of sebaceous gland activity in several animal models has been administered to male volunteers in dosages of 1, 2, 3, and 6 mg/kg/day and 2 g/day for 8 weeks. Sebum production was measured before treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy. At the dosage levels of 1,2,3, and 6 mg/kg/day there was no decrease in sebum secretion. With the dosage of 2 g/day, a significant decrease in sebum secretion was seen after 8 weeks of treatment with Ro 15-0778.
Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies of the solvent properties of a new series of room-temperature liquid tetraalkylammonium sulfonates

Abstract Fifteen tetraalkylammonium salts of the functionalized sulfonic acids N,N-bis(2-hydroxy- ethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, 2-(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid and 2-hydroxy-4- morpholinopropanesulfonic acid were synthesized and the eight organic salts that were liquid at room temperature were characterized by physical, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. All liquid salts were viscous at room temperature but after dilution with a suitable cosolvent could be used as mobile phases in liquid chromatography. For this application, the rapid deterioration of silica-based column packings was more of a deterrent than the physical properties of the salts. The tetraalkylammonium sulfonates had wide liquid ranges and were stable as column packings up to 150–180°C, making them suitable for use in gas chromatography. Their solvent properties were characterized by solvatochromic parameters [ET(30), π*, α and β] and by thermodynamic parameters determined by gas chromatography. Good agreement was found between the predictions of the two methods. The liquid salts showed strong orientation and solvent hydrogen bond acceptor capacity with weak hydrogen bond donor capacity in spite of the functionalization of the anions. The most probable reason for the weak hydrogen bond donor capacity of the anions is the unavailability of these functional groups for solute interactions owing to their preferential involvement in the formation of anion association complexes. The chemically defined structure, unique solvent properties and wide usable temperature ranges make the tetraalkylammonium sulfonates useful stationary phases for gas chromatography.
Chiropractic treatment of lumbar spine synovial cysts: a report of two cases.

Objective To present the treatment of low back and radicular pain due to synovial cysts of the lumbar spine including chiropractic distraction manipulation and physiological therapeutic care. Clinical features Two patients (71-year-old man and 59-year-old woman) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–diagnosed large synovial cysts at the L3 through L4 and L4 through L5 vertebral levels, respectively, had lower extremity pain, numbness, and tingling of the respective L4 and L5 dermatomes. Intervention and outcome Chiropractic distraction manipulation was performed at the level of the synovial cyst. The manipulation was performed daily until 50% pain relief was attained, followed by diminished frequency of care. Physiotherapy included positive galvanism, iontophoresis, tetanizing electrical stimulation, stabilization exercises, and home cryotherapy. The male patient's pain was reduced by 50% in 14 days and 100% at 60 days. Range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine increased, walking distance increased from 1 to 2 blocks to 1 mile without pain, and repeat MRI showed reduced size of the cyst. The female patient, under the same treatment regimen, was pain free in 6 weeks. Conclusion Chiropractic distraction manipulation and physiological therapeutic care relieved 2 patients with low back and radicular pain attributed to MRI-confirmed synovial cysts of the lumbar spine. This treatment may be an initial conservative treatment option for synovial cysts with careful patient monitoring for progressive neurologic deficit which would necessitate surgery. Distraction manipulation may be a safe and effective conservative treatment of synovial cyst causing radicular pain; further data collection of clinical outcomes is warranted.
DICER-ARGONAUTE2 complex in continuous fluorogenic assays of RNA interference enzymes.

Mechanistic studies of RNA processing in the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC) have been hindered by lack of methods for continuous monitoring of enzymatic activity. “Quencherless” fluorogenic substrates of RNAi enzymes enable continuous monitoring of enzymatic reactions for detailed kinetics studies. Recombinant RISC enzymes cleave the fluorogenic substrates targeting human thymidylate synthase (TYMS) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α subunit (HIF1A). Using fluorogenic dsRNA DICER substrates and fluorogenic siRNA, DICER+ARGONAUTE2 mixtures exhibit synergistic enzymatic activity relative to either enzyme alone, and addition of TRBP does not enhance the apparent activity. Titration of AGO2 and DICER in enzyme assays suggests that AGO2 and DICER form a functional high-affinity complex in equimolar ratio. DICER and DICER+AGO2 exhibit Michaelis-Menten kinetics with DICER substrates. However, AGO2 cannot process the fluorogenic siRNA without DICER enzyme, suggesting that AGO2 cannot self-load siRNA into its active site. The DICER+AGO2 combination processes the fluorogenic siRNA substrate (Km=74 nM) with substrate inhibition kinetics (Ki=105 nM), demonstrating experimentally that siRNA binds two different sites that affect Dicing and AGO2-loading reactions in RISC. This result suggests that siRNA (product of DICER) bound in the active site of DICER may undergo direct transfer (as AGO2 substrate) to the active site of AGO2 in the DICER+AGO2 complex. Competitive substrate assays indicate that DICER+AGO2 cleavage of fluorogenic siRNA is specific, since unlabeled siRNA and DICER substrates serve as competing substrates that cause a concentration-dependent decrease in fluorescent rates. Competitive substrate assays of a series of DICER substrates in vitro were correlated with cell-based assays of HIF1A mRNA knockdown (log-log slope=0.29), suggesting that improved DICER substrate designs with 10-fold greater processing by the DICER+AGO2 complex can provide a strong (~2800-fold) improvement in potency for mRNA knockdown. This study lays the foundation of a systematic biochemical approach to optimize nucleic acid-based therapeutics for Dicing and ARGONAUTE2-loading for improving efficacy.
GaAs power f.e.t.s with electron-beam-defined gates

The fabrication of GaAs power f.e.t.s having 1 ?m electron-beam-defined gates with 4800 ?m total gatewidth is described. The microwave performance at X-band is compared with that of conventionally defined devices having 2 ?m gate lengths.
Targeting astrocyte signaling for chronic pain.

Clinical management of chronic pain after nerve injury (neuropathic pain) and tumor invasion (cancer pain) is a real challenge due to our limited understanding of the cellular mechanisms that initiate and maintain chronic pain. It has been increasingly recognized that glial cells, such as microglia and astrocytes in the CNS play an important role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Notably, astrocytes make very close contacts with synapses and astrocyte reaction after nerve injury, arthritis, and tumor growth is more persistent than microglial reaction, and displays a better correlation with chronic pain behaviors. Accumulating evidence indicates that activated astrocytes can release proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin [IL]-1β) and chemokines (e.g., monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1]/also called CCL2) in the spinal cord to enhance and prolong persistent pain states. IL-1β can powerfully modulate synaptic transmission in the spinal cord by enhancing excitatory synaptic transmission and suppressing inhibitory synaptic transmission. IL-1β activation (cleavage) in the spinal cord after nerve injury requires the matrix metalloprotease-2. In particular, nerve injury and inflammation activate the c-Jun N-terminal kinase in spinal astrocytes, leading to a substantial increase in the expression and release of MCP-1. The MCP-1 increases pain sensitivity via direct activation of NMDA receptors in dorsal horn neurons. Pharmacological inhibition of the IL-1β, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, MCP-1, or matrix metalloprotease-2 signaling via spinal administration has been shown to attenuate inflammatory, neuropathic, or cancer pain. Therefore, interventions in specific signaling pathways in astrocytes may offer new approaches for the management of chronic pain.
Modeling biophysical controls on land surface temperature and reflectance in grasslands

Abstract The influence of soil moisture and vegetation density on land surface reflectance and temperature is investigated at a grassland site in northeastern Kansas. To do this, a forward model is developed and validated against measurements from a helicopter mounted multi-spectral sensor. Soil background reflectances are calculated as a function of soil type and moisture content and are incorporated into calculations of surface reflectance using a canopy radiative transfer model. Surface temperature is predicted using a two-layer framework that includes the effects of soil moisture on soil thermal properties. Variation in vegetation density is included in both models via the canopy leaf area index. Results from model simulations show good correlation between normalized values of modeled and observed surface spectral reflectance. Comparison of modeled vs. observed temperature data show that a relatively parsimonious set of variables (net radiation, air temperature, soil thermal properties, and leaf area index) may be used to model land surface temperature with good accuracy. These results support previous empirical and modeling studies suggesting that for land areas characterized by fractional vegetation cover, the slope of the relationship between spatially distributed NDVI and surface temperature measurements is diagnostic of mean soil moisture, while variation around the slope is indicative of local variation in soil moisture.
Stable isotopes and elements as biological markers to determine food resource use pattern by Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae)

Abstract The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) is a pest of durable grain commodities, spices, and stored tobacco. Larvae cause most feeding damage to commodities; adult L. serricorne rarely feed and are good fliers. Since L. serricorne can potentially disperse between different landscapes and may feed on different hosts, understanding insects' host use pattern may help to direct management efforts to specific commodity storages. In this study, quantitative and qualitative differences of carbon and nitrogen isotopes and five inorganic elements (Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn) present in the insect body tissue were used to identify the dietary history of L. serricorne. Adults reared on different hosts in the laboratory, including respective rearing media and insects collected from different field locations, were used in the study. The δ13C values in the laboratory, reared L. serricorne, were similar to the values of respective rearing media with an enrichment of about 1‰ in the insect body. The enrichment for δ15N value greatly increased from host to insect body and varied about +3.30 to +5.73‰ in beetles. There was a distinct difference in δ13C values for insects raised on C3-based or C4-based hosts. A majority of the field-collected beetles showed δ13C values similar to expectations for a C3 plant (−20 to −28‰); however, a few beetles showed evidence for feeding on C4 plants (
Relationship between subjective experiences and psychopathological dimensions in schizophrenia.

Objective: Subjective experiences are subtle, self-experienced disturbances, a thorough description of which is provided within the framework of the concept of basic symptoms. Recent studies have shown that subjective experiences have important diagnostic implications for schizophrenia and related disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between subjective experiences and psychopathological dimensions in schizophrenia.Method: Sixty-seven outpatients with schizophrenia were evaluated. Subjective experiences were comprehensively assessed using the Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ). Symptoms of schizophrenia were evaluated using the Manchester Scale (MS). Pearson's partial correlation analysis was performed between the FCQ and the MS scores, controlling for the influence of extrapyramidal adverse effects.Results: The analysis revealed that the MS positive symptom score had significant positive correlations with the FCQ total score and subscales scores. The MS negative...
Pharmacology of Immunosuppressive Medications in Solid Organ Transplantation

The multitude of immunosuppressants available for solid organ transplantation allows for many combinations of immunosuppressive therapies that can be tailored to a patient’s specific lifestyle and immunosuppression needs. Newer agents currently being studied offer even more possibilities for the future to further reduce the incidence of acute rejection and prolong graft and patient survival.
COLLISION-INDUCED DISSOCIATION OF SINGLY CHARGED PEPTIDE IONS IN A MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER DESORPTION IONIZATION ION TRAP MASS SPECTROMETER

Abstract We document the systematics of collision-induced dissociation of singly charged peptide ions in a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) ion trap mass spectrometer. We show that singly charged peptide ions with m/z ratios extending to 3500 can be effectively fragmented using a newly devised excitation scheme, termed red shifted off-resonance large amplitude excitation (RSORLAE), and classify the dominant features of the resulting collision-induced dissociation spectra as follows. (1) Peptides ions with a m/z value of m/z
Overcoming Apartheid: Can Truth Reconcile a Divided Nation?

Overcoming Apartheid: Can Truth Reconcile a Divided Nation? By James L. Gibson. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2004. 448p. $47.50 cloth, $22.50 paper. In this engaging and meticulously constructed statistical analysis of attitudes among South Africa's apartheid-defined racial groups (African/black, Coloured, Asian, white), James Gibson sets out to do two things. One is to map the state of political reconciliation among these groups. The second is to measure the impact of South Africa's truth and reconciliation process, focusing on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), in promoting reconciliation. The analysis is based largely on a national opinion survey carried out in 2000 and 2001, but also draws comparatively, where possible and appropriate, on a similar survey from 1997.
Is Network Clustering Detectable in Transmission Trees

Networks are often used to model the contact processes that allow pathogens to spread between hosts but it remains unclear which models best describe these networks. One question is whether clustering in networks, roughly defined as the propensity for triangles to form, affects the dynamics of disease spread. We perform a simulation study to see if there is a signal in epidemic transmission trees of clustering. We simulate susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) epidemics (with no re-infection) over networks with fixed degree sequences but different levels of clustering and compare trees from networks with the same degree sequence and different clustering levels. We find that the variation of such trees simulated on networks with different levels of clustering is barely greater than those simulated on networks with the same level of clustering, suggesting that clustering can not be detected in transmission data when re-infection does not occur.
Overcoming specialty bias: another important reason for multidisciplinary management of soft tissue sarcoma.

Using a national survey of sarcoma experts with an exceptionally high response rate, Wasif and colleagues1 present an interesting study designed to evaluate whether physician specialty influences adjuvant treatment recommendations in the multidisciplinarymanagement of soft tissue sarcomaand the perceived benefit of thesemodalities. They reveal a specialty bias in treatment recommendations for soft tissue sarcomaof theextremities thatprovidesunique insights intounderstanding theexistingvariation in treatment approaches for this relatively rare disease. This study1 raises some important issues regarding thecurrent treatment of soft tissue sarcomaand the factors influencing recommendations for adjuvant therapy. Not surprisingly, Wasif and colleagues1 identified physician specialty–associatedvariation inadjuvant treatment recommendations for many clinical scenarios involving soft tissue sarcomaof the extremities. These findings suggest that the quality of available evidence may be insufficient to standardize clinical decision making and, importantly, that physician specialtymay play a prominent role in treatment decisions. This may be based on training paradigms (ie, better knowledge of the literature in one’s own domain), or it may also be self-serving (eg, physician reimbursement may prompt utilization of their services).Nonetheless, thecoordinatingphysician’s specialtymay have the greatest effect on the treatment plan and use of adjuvant therapies by controlling subsequent referrals. Given its rarityandhistologicheterogeneity, soft tissuesarcoma presents several unique challenges in patient management. To address this challenges, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has compiled comprehensive patient treatment guidelines that are universally available and updatedannuallybyamultidisciplinaryspecialistpanel fromeach member institution.2 Although the majority of evidence on which theguidelines arebased is level 2A (basedon lower level evidence) for the vast majority of recommended interventions, there is consensusamong themultispecialtypanels.Additional histology-specific studies on the role and sequenceof adjuvant treatment may guide treatment for specific histologic subtypes. In the end, we concur with Wasif and colleagues1 andwith theNationalComprehensiveCancerNetwork sarcoma panel: All sarcoma patients should be managedby amultidisciplinary teamwith expertise in sarcoma to mitigate individual physician and physician specialty treatment bias.
First wall fusion blanket temperature variation — slab geometry☆

Abstract The first wall of a fusion blanket is approximated by a slab, with the surface facing the plasma subjected to an applied heat flux, while the rear surface is convectively cooled. The relevant parameters affecting the heat transfer during the early phases of heating as well as for large times are established. Analytical solutions for the temperature variation with time and space are derived. Numerical calculations for an aluminum and stainless steel slab are performed for a wall loading of 1 MW(th)/m2. Both helium and water cooling are considered.
Performance evaluation methods for multiple-target-tracking algorithms

Scoring methods are described for evaluating the performance of a multiple target tracking (MTT) algorithm fairly, without undue bias towards any particular type. The methods were initially developed by individuals and further developed and adapted by the members of the SDI panels on tracking. Ambiguous track-to-target truth association is the fundamental difficulty in MTT performance evaluation. The methods use a global nearest neighbor assignment algorithm to uniquely associate tracks to targets. With the track- to-target associations, the methods employ measures of effectiveness for track purity, data association, state estimation accuracy, and credibility of filter calculated covariance.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electoral volatility and the structure of competition: A reassessment of voting patterns in Britain 1959–1992

This article reconsiders the conclusions of Bartolini and Mair (1990) who suggest that the higher net volatility in Europe since the 1970s is due to an increase in the number of competing parties. Using survey data from the British Election Surveys and controlling for the presence of Liberal candidates, the author concludes that there has been no increase in overall volatility in Britain between 1959 and 1992.
Differential survival of skin and heart allografts in radiation chimaeras provides further evidence for Sk histocompatibility antigen

CERTAIN inbred mice, lethally irradiated and inoculated with bone marrow and spleen cells from F1 hybrids, reject donor-strain skin grafts although they are permanent haemopoietic chimaeras1–3. After rejection their serum is specifically cytotoxic in vitro for donor-strain epidermal cells but not lymphoid cells4, and their leukocytes are stimulated specifically in mixed cultures by donor-strain epidermal cells but not leukocytes5. Thus epidermal cells contain distinctive surface alloantigens (skin-specific or ‘Sk’ alloantigens) which have been suggested to function in vivo as histocompatibility antigens. If this is correct, the rejection of donor-strain skin grafts by persistent chimaeras could be explained as a loss of ‘self-tolerance’ to donor-strain Sk antigens by grafted haemopoietic cells as they proliferate in allogeneic recipients in the absence of these antigens1,2. This interpretation is strengthened because donor-strain skin grafts are not rejected if radiation chimaeras receive donor-strain Sk antigen in the form of epidermal cell suspensions at the time of marrow restoration and thereafter6.
Oocyte-follicle cell relationships in a starfish

The follicle cells which surround the oocytes of starfish are known to both release the hormone 1-methyladenine and to respond to it by an active movement which forms a component of the spawning response to the hormone. In Patiria miniata these flagellated cells are located peripheral to the oocyte and have long cytoplasmic processes which penetrate the vitelline layer to the egg surface to form an adhering zonule-like junction. Within the follicle cell cytoplasm are located elongate filamentous bands which appear to represent a component of the contractile mechanism that mediates follicle cell response to 1-methyladenine. These bands do not resemble the filaments of vertebrate smooth muscle cells (quantity, distribution and size of filaments; lack of dense bodies in the filament mass), nor the contractile units of the superficial epithelium of lower vertebrate follicles.
Physical interactions among human checkpoint control proteins HUS1p, RAD1p, and RAD9p, and implications for the regulation of cell cycle progression.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe hus1 promotes radioresistance and hydroxyurea resistance, as well as S and G2 phase checkpoint control. We isolated a human cDNA homologous to hus1, called HUS1. The major focus of this report is on a detailed analysis of the physical interactions of the HUS1-encoded protein and two other checkpoint control proteins, RAD1p and RAD9p, implicated in the cellular response to DNA damage. We found that HUS1p interacts with itself and the N-terminal region of RAD1p. In contrast, the C-terminal portion of the checkpoint protein RAD9p is essential for interacting with HUS1p and the C-terminal region of RAD1p. Since the N-terminal portion of RAD9p was previously demonstrated to participate in apoptosis, this protein likely has at least two functional domains, one that regulates programmed cell death and another that regulates cell cycle checkpoint control. Truncated versions of HUS1p are unable to bind RAD1p, RAD9p, or another HUS1p molecule. RAD1p-RAD1p and RAD9p-RAD9p interactions can be demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation, but not by two-hybrid analysis, suggesting that the proteins associate as part of a complex but do not interact directly. Northern blot analysis indicates that HUS1 is expressed in different tissues, but the mRNA is most predominant in testis where high levels of RAD1 and RAD9 message have been detected. These studies suggest that HUS1p, RAD9p, and RAD1p form a complex in human cells and may function in a meiotic checkpoint in addition to the cell cycle delays induced by incomplete DNA replication or DNA damage.