cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seed Germination of Anise, Caraway, and Fennel in Heavy Metal Contaminated Solutions

The effect of heavy metal combinations (Cd + Cu, Cd + Pb, Cd + Zn, Cu + Pb, Cu + Zn, and Pb + Zn) on seed germination and root growth in anise (Pimpinella anisum), caraway (Carum carvi), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) was investigated. Each test species was exposed to heavy metal test solutions prepared at two concentrations (the critical concentration of the metal in the soil and approximately two times the critical concentration). Distilled water was used as a control treatment. The response to the heavy metal treatments was species specific and early root growth was more readily affected by the heavy metals than was seed germination. Seed germination in a heavy metal environment was not a reliable indicator for metal tolerance of the plants. Caraway, but not the other species, was tolerant to a tested Cd + Pb combination of 6 mg/liter and 100 mg/liter, respectively.
Lion-tailed Macaques ( Macaca silenus ) in a Disturbed Forest Fragment: Activity Patterns and Time Budget

We describe the activity patterns and time budget of a feral group of lion-tailed macaques that were confined to a disturbed forest fragment of 65 ha and compare the results with those obtained for groups in protected forests. The degraded nature of the study site was reflected in low tree densities, low specific diversity, gaps in the girth distribution of trees, and frequent disturbance by humans. The study group of 43 subjects was twice as large as lion-tailed macaque groups in protected habitats. They spent the most time ranging (34.0%), followed by foraging (23.7%), feeding (17.9%), resting (16.0%), and other activities such as social interactions (8.4%). Monthly variations are significant for all activity categories except ranging. Times spent resting and foraging are negatively correlated (r = −0.5) and show significant seasonal differences. Foraging time was highest from September to November, when key food sources such asCullenia andArtocarpus were absent or marginally available. The study group spent most time (40.4%) at canopy levels between 21 and 30 m. They spent more time each day ranging than resting or feeding and more time terrestrially compared with groups in protected forests. Large group size, poor habitat quality, and seasonal variation in food availability were the major variables affecting their time budget, and these variables accounted for differences from the time budgets of groups in protected forests.
Ecology of Naididae (Oligochaeta) from an alkaline bog stream: life history patterns and community structure

Population and community dynamics of naidid oligochaetes were studied from June 1982–December 1983 in a sluggish, alkaline bog stream situated within Cedarburg Bog, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, USA. Temporal differences in periods of peak abundance were observed for five species studied in detail: Chaetogaster diaphanus (mid-August and September), Chaetogaster diastrophus (mid-May), Dero digitata (mid-September), Dero nivea (mid-October), and Pristina leidyi (mid-October). Several correlations of abiotic and biotic parameters to density and percentage of naidids reproducing asexually were calculated. Mean doubling times (days) for field populations were 12.1, 22.7, 62.4, 19.6, 27.7 for C. diaphanus, C. diastrophus, D. digitata, D. nivea, and P. leidyi, respectively. Asexual reproduction by paratomy was the principal method of population increase. Sexual specimens were observed for Stylaria lacustris during June and October–December, D. digitata in September, C. diastrophus and Nais simplex during October, and C. diaphanus in October–November. Generally, a high proportion of the respective population was sexually mature when this type of reproduction occurred. Naididae community diversity index values using the Shannon-Weaver index ranged from 0.19–3.86.
Leukemia stem cells and human acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Leukemias and other cancers have been proposed to contain a subpopulation of cells that display characteristics of stem cells and maintain tumor growth. The fact that most anticancer therapy is directed against the bulk of the tumor, and possibly spares the cancer stem cells, may lie at the heart of treatment failures with conventional modalities. Leukemia stem cells are fairly well described for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but their existence and relevance for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is less clear. Several reports describe subpopulations with primitive phenotypes in clinical ALL samples. However, it has also been suggested that the majority of leukemic subfractions can propagate leukemia in the appropriate experimental setting, and that their hierarchical organization is less strict than in AML. In addition, it is uncertain whether cancer stem cells arise from malignant transformation of a tissue-specific stem cell, or from committed progenitors or differentiated cells that re-acquire a stem cell–like program. In common childhood ALL, current evidence points towards the cell of origin being a committed lymphoid progenitor. In this review, we highlight recent findings relating to the question of leukemia stem cells in ALL.
A polyclonal antiserum against the rabbit progesterone receptor recognizes the human receptor: biochemical characterization.

Polyclonal antiserum was generated in guinea pigs immunized with the 116 000 Mr rabbit uterine progesterone receptor (PR). The PR antigen was partially purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and preparative sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and the 116 000 Mr band excised and injected into guinea pigs. The antiserum recognized on protein blots rabbit uterine PR of Mr 116 000 and 81 000. The antiserum was judged to be specific for PR from normal and malignant human tissues as determined by sedimentation shift on sucrose gradients, immunoprecipitation studies, protein blotting, and fluorographic analysis using photolabelled samples. Comparison of protein blots probed with this polyclonal antiserum or with a recently obtained monoclonal antibody to human PR indicated that similar PR structures were recognized in rabbit and human samples by both antisera. Characterization of the polyclonal antiserum has demonstrated its suitability for investigating the immunolocalization or PR in normal and malignant human tissues as well as the receptor structure detected on protein blots.
Endoscopic Management of Retained Renal Foreign Bodies

Objectives To review our experience with endoscopic extraction of renal foreign bodies. We assessed the preoperative factors associated with renal failure, operative planning and technique, and postoperative outcomes. Retained foreign bodies in the kidney from previous endoscopic and/or percutaneous manipulation can be technically challenging. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our database from November 1992 through April 2008 for patients who had undergone extraction of a renal foreign body. Results A total of 21 patients were identified who met the selection criteria (11 men and 10 women), with a mean age of 41 ± 22 years. The renal foreign bodies included indwelling ureteral stents (n = 15), nephrostomy tubes (n = 3), the inner core of a guidewire (n = 1), a nephrostomy tube pull string (n = 1), and a laser fiber (n = 1). Of the 21 patients, 15 (71%) required antegrade instrumentation by way of a percutaneous tract to remove the foreign body. Extraction of the nephrostomy pull string, fragmented guidewire, and laser fiber remnant were approached percutaneously. In the case of a retained ureteral stent, all but 2 required a combined antegrade and retrograde approach for extraction. Patients presenting with renal insufficiency (n = 5), defined by a creatinine >1.5 mg/dL, had obstruction resulting from a forgotten ureteral stent that had been left in place for among the longest periods in our cohort (range 1.5-10 years). Two fifths of these patients had improvement in renal function after endoscopic extraction. Conclusions Patients with retained renal foreign bodies benefit from extraction by way of retrograde and/or antegrade endoscopic techniques. In patients presenting with renal failure, improvement in renal function is often seen after extraction of a retained renal foreign body.
Profiles of Steady-State Suction Stress in Unsaturated Soils

Application of the effective stress principle in unsaturated geotechnical engineering problems often requires explicit knowledge of the stress acting on the soil skeleton due to suction pore water pressure. This stress is defined herein as the suction stress. A theoretical formulation of suction stress profiles, based on the soil water characteristics curve, the soil permeability characteristic curve, and previous shear strength experimental verification, is developed. The theory provides a general quantitative way to calculate vertical suction stress profiles in various unsaturated soils under steady flow rate in the form of infiltration or evaporation.
Localized processing for hyperspectral image analysis

Target detection is one of the major tasks in hyperspectral image analysis. Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) is a popular technique for target detection. It designs a finite impulse response filter in such a manner that the filter output energy is minimized subject to a constraint imposed by the desired target of interest. It is particular useful when only the desired target signature is available. When those undesired signatures to be eliminated are also known, Target Constrained Interference Minimization Filter (TCIMF) can be used to minimize the output of undesired signatures to further improve the performance. It has been demonstrated that TCIMF can better differentiate targets with similar spectral signatures. Both CEM and TCIMF involve the calculation of the data sample correlation matrix R and its inverse matrix R-1. The function of R-1 is background suppression. When the target to be detected is very small and embedded at the sub-pixel level, it is difficult to detect it. But if the data sample correlation matrix R can well present the statistics of the background surrounding the pixel containing the object such that R-1 can well suppress the background, the target may still have a chance to be detected. So in this paper we propose a localized processing technique. Instead of using all the pixels in an image scene to calculate the R, only several lines of pixels near the pixel to be processed are used for the R computation. The preliminary result using an HYDICE image scene demonstrates the effectiveness of such a localized processing technique in the detection of targets at sub-pixel level. Interestingly, in some cases it can also improve the performance of CEM in target discrimination.
“You Know, Abraham Was Really the First Immigrant”: Religion and Transnational Migration

The purpose of this article is to summarize what we know about the role that religion plays in transnational migration and to outline a strategy for further research in this area. While migration scholars now generally acknowledge the salience of migrants’ economic, social, and political transnational activities, we have largely overlooked the ways in which religious identities and practices also enable migrants to sustain memberships in multiple locations. My goals in this article are threefold. First, I provide a brief overview of related bodies of work on global, diasporic and immigrant religion and differentiate them from studies of migrants’ transnational religious practices. Second, I selectively summarize what we have learned about the role of religion in transnational migration from prior research. Finally, I propose an approach to future research on these questions.1
Private lives in the public sphere: The German “Bildungsroman” as metafiction

(1994). Private lives in the public sphere: The German “Bildungsroman” as metafiction. History of European Ideas: Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 826-828.
Metabolism of glutamine and glutamate in human lenses

Glutamate is important to lenses as a central intermediate in amino acid metabolism, as well as for synthesis of proteins and glutathione. In rat and calf lenses, the principal source of lenticular glutamate is glutamine, which enters the lens and is deamidated to form glutamate. In contrast, monkey lenses use external glutamate more readily than glutamine. Amino acid metabolism was studied in human lenses by incubating them with amino-labeled [15N]glutamine or [15N]glutamate. The lenticular free amino acids were then isolated and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine 15N-labeled products. The results were compared with those of similar experiments with lenses from other species. Label was measured in aspartate, alanine, serine and proline, as well as lenticular glutamine and glutamate. Glutamine enters lenses more readily than glutamate in all the species examined. Nevertheless, aspartate, alanine and serine were more rapidly labeled by incubating human lenses in [15N]glutamate than in [15N]glutamine. This observation is similar to reports of experiments with monkey lenses, which unlike rat lenses, preferentially utilize glutamate rather than glutamine. In contrast, human lens proline was more rapidly labeled by incubating lenses with [15N]glutamine than with [15N]glutamate. In human lenses, the relatively slow utilization of glutamine for the transamination reactions which form aspartate, alanine and serine appears to result from slow deamidation. The relative preference for glutamine over glutamate as a precursor for proline synthesis in human lenses may be related to the mitochondrial location of the enzymes involved.
Endocrinology and paracrinology Activation of elements of the phosphatidylinositol pathway in the primate corpus luteum by prostaglandin E2

The current study was designed to examine the effects of prostaglandin (PG) E2 on progesterone production by primate luteal cells collected during the late luteal phase. PGE2 inhibited basal and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)-stimulated progesterone production (P < 0.01) in late luteal phase corpora lutea. The ability of PGE2 to activate a second messenger system (phosphatidylinositol pathway) in corpora lutea of rhesus monkeys was also assessed. PGE2 significantly increased the accumulation of inositol phosphates (P < 0.05). This stimulation was not apparent in the early luteal phase but was manifested in the mid-late luteal phase. PGE2 also caused a rapid, yet transient, increase (P < 0.01) in intracellular free calcium ion concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in a large proportion of primate luteal cells. The proportion of luteal cells that responded to PGE2 with an increase in [Ca2+]i was smaller (P < 0.05) in corpora lutea collected during the early luteal phase (12%) in comparison with those collected during the latter half of the luteal phase (63-66%). Changes in [Ca2+]i in response to PGE2 were similar in small and large luteal cells. This study demonstrates that PGE2 activates elements of the phosphatidylinositol pathway in primate corpora lutea. This activation is augmented as the luteal phase progresses. Thus, the inhibitory effects of PGE2 on luteal progesterone production observed in the late luteal phase are associated with activation of elements of the phosphatidylinositol pathway.
Does Design Contribute to Ease of Use: An Exploratory Study of Web Facets in The Result Pages of Two Search Engines

An exploratory study was conduced to examine the design aspects of Web facets found in the search result pages of two search engines: Exalead and Excite. The goal of the study was to determine if Web facet design could contribute to perceived ease of use. This study builds upon findings from an earlier study (Milonas, 2010) in which the results indicated that users perceived the Web facets evident in the search result pages of the Exalead search engine easier to use than those found in Excite. The researcher surmised that the design of these Web facets might have contributed to the difference in perceived ease of use. The relationship between design and user perception in determining the ease of use of Web facets within these two search engines is explored. In the first component of the study, an expert inspection of the various design aspects of the search result pages of Exalead and Excite was conducted. In the second part of the study, five participants conducted an experiment using the Web facets found in the search result pages of the two search engines. Findings of both the expert inspection and the usability evaluation showed that there does not seem to be a significant difference in the design of Web facets within the two search engines. The findings seem to indicate that design of Web facets is not a contributory factor in terms of Web facet ease of use.
Queequeg’s Coffin: Indigenous Literacies and Early American Literature

Birgit Brander Rasmussen, Durham, Duke University Press, 2012, 207 pp. $23.95 (pbk), 978-0-8223-4954-9 Queequeg’s Coffin: Indigenous Literacies and Early American Literature is an excellent example...
Transient Liquid Crystal Measurement of Local Heat Transfer on a Rotating Disk With Jet Impingement

An experimental technique has been developed for measurement of local convection heat transfer characteristics on rotating surfaces, utilizing thin liquid crystal surface coatings in a thermal transient test procedure. The encapsulated liquid crystal coatings used are sprayed directly on the test surface and their response is observed and processed during the transient with automated computer vision and data acquisition system
Grateloupia turuturu (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) is the correct name of the non-native species in the Atlantic known as Grateloupia doryphora

Grateloupia doryphora (Montagne) Howe, originally described from Peru, has repeatedly been reported as an invasive species in Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. Various attempts to explain this species' route of introduction have been unsatisfactory. New evidence from comparative rbcL sequence analysis and morphology suggests that this adventive species in the NE and NW Atlantic corresponds with G. turuturu Yamada, originally described from Japan. This provenance follows a well-recognized trend of invasive marine organisms that have colonized the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea from Pacific NE Asia.
Providing the right computing services in times of financial crisis: a case study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

This paper describes the changes required by an academic computing center when faced with a dramatic shift in computer usage, compounded by a university budget shortfall. It discusses implications of a technology which is changing quickly in an environment where, historically, funding models do not. It describes one possible outcome with regard to academic computing, which is the solution that we at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are working on, that of becoming a smaller but better-focused facility. It discusses how we decided which services to discontinue and which to keep. Finally, it touches briefly on modifying the computing center's internal structure to support these changes.
Heme Oxygenase, a Likely Regulator of cGMP Production in the Brain: Induction in Vivo of HO-1 Compensates for Depression in NO Synthase Activity

To examine the role of carbon monoxide (CO) as a putative neuronal messenger and regulator of cGMP level in vivo, we exploited an animal model to increase brain capability to generate CO. The sole source of CO in mammalian systems is the alpha-meso carbon bridge of the heme molecule cleaved by heme oxygenase isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2. In adult animals, the noninducible isozyme HO-2 is the predominant form in the brain. We chose to increase, rather than inhibit, brain heme oxygenase activity because synthetic metalloporphyrins, such as Zn-protoporphyrin, which are the only known effective inhibitors of the isozymes, are also potent inhibitors of soluble guanylate cyclase, the enzyme that generates cGMP. In newborn rats both heme oxygenase isozymes were found expressed at low levels, and in the cerebellum heme oxygenase activity could be induced by treatment of 2-day-old animals with a selective depletor of glutathione, buthionine-SR-sulfoximine. The increase in activity was accompanied by marked increases in HO-1 protein and the 1.8 kb HO-1 mRNA in the cerebellum. Despite a pronounced decrease in activity of the hemoprotein nitric oxide synthase, no change in cGMP level was observed. The decrease in the synthase could not be explained by an inhibited heme biosynthesis activity. This unchanged level of cGMP suggests that NO is not the only gaseous heme ligand that can activate guanylate cyclase resulting in the generation of cGMP, but rather that CO may also function in this capacity. Increased capability of select cerebellar cell populations to generate CO, as indicated by an increase in their HO-1 protein content, points to the active role of this isozyme in maintenance of cGMP level under stress conditions, when nitric oxide production is compromised. The cell populations expressing HO-1 protein included those in pia matter and glia, such as astrocytes.
Effects of atmosphere on viscosity of selected bituminous and low-rank coal ash slags

The viscosities of nine coal ash slags were measured in air as a function of temperature. Selected slags were also tested in reducing atmosphere and in air with 10% water vapor. In air, the viscosities of the slags can be related to the mole ratio of basic to acidic oxides. An improved fit is obtained from the ratio of oxide ions contributing to the bases to the oxide contributing to the acids. The change in viscosity observed in using hydrogen instead of air appears to be related to the amount of iron originally in the slag. When water vapor is present in air, the viscosity of a high-silica glassy slag decreased. The viscosities of three other slags, with lower silica content, increased slightly, with the increase in potassium content. In the former case, water likely enters the slag and disrupts Si−O−Si bridges. In the latter case, water may form metal−hydroxide complexes with the alkali cations such as potassium. A second effect of water vapor is to reduce the temperature at which the slag begins to cr...
Improving multisource image fusion using thematic content

This study investigates the use of thematic class correspondence in the fusion of hyperspectral data with higher spatial resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. A thematic map derived from the SAR imagery is used to introduce spatial information into the hyperspectral imagery, a spatial-spectral fusion. Because the underlying physical processes measured by the imaging systems substantially differ, classes derived from one may have partial or no relationship to classes from the other. In our approach, SAR-derived class contributions to a mixed hyperspectral pixel are weighted in the fusion process based on their correspondence with spectral classes. Unconstrained and weighted least squares solutions for the resulting linear system are described. A comparison of fusion results is presented with and without use of thematic content.
Zero-degree binary encounter electrons in fast collisions of highly charged F and O ions with H2 targets

Abstract Doubly differential cross sections (DDCS) for binary encounter electrons (BEe) produced by 0.5–2 MeV/u highly-charged F and O ions in collisions with H 2 gas targets have been studied at 0° with respect to the ion beam direction. The measured DDCS of the broad binary encounter peak was well described by a simple impulse approximation (IA) treatment for bare ions, and was demonstrated to provide in situ detection efficiency of the electron spectrometer. The projectile energy dependence of the BEe production for nonbare (clothed) projectiles is found to follow a scaled IA prediction, in which a BEe enhancement is consistently exhibited for the collision energy range studied.
Superior Oblique Transposition for Third Nerve Palsy

Four eyes of three adult patients underwent anterior transposition and advancement of the superior oblique tendon without trochleotomy in the surgical management of oculomotor nerve palsy. In each of the cases, this procedure proved unsatisfactory, either because of inadequate horizontal alignment, postoperative hyperdeviations, or paradoxical ocular movements. Even in these difficult cases, "supermaximum" horizontal rectus muscle surgery appeared to result in satisfactory ocular alignment.
Structural and energetic analysis of RNA recognition by a universally conserved protein from the signal recognition particle.

The signal recognition particle (SRP) is a ribonucleoprotein complex responsible for targeting proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum in eukarya or to the inner membrane in prokarya. The crystal structure of the universally conserved RNA-protein core of the Escherichia coli SRP, refined here to 1.5 A resolution, revealed minor groove recognition of the 4.5 S RNA component by the M domain of the Ffh protein. Within the RNA, nucleotides comprising two phylogenetically conserved internal loops create a unique surface for protein recognition. To determine the energetic importance of conserved nucleotides for SRP assembly, we measured the affinity of the M domain for a series of RNA mutants. This analysis reveals how conserved nucleotides within the two internal loop motifs establish the architecture of the macromolecular interface and position essential functional groups for direct recognition by the protein.
Evidence of common ancestry for the maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) Y438N allele in non-Mennonite MSUD patients.

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare (1/185,000) autosomal recessive inborn error of branched-chain amino acid metabolism characterized by increased plasma leucine, isoleucine, and valine levels. Though, genetically heterogeneous in the worldwide population, MSUD in Old Order Mennonites (1/150-176) is the result of a tyrosine to asparagine substitution (Y438N; previously Y393N) in the E1alpha subunit of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) complex. Due to endogamous practices, the presence of Y438N in all reported Mennonite MSUD patients has historically been attributed to a founder effect. However, we have also identified the Y438N defect in eight MSUD patients of non-Mennonite lineage. To evaluate the genetic origin of this defect in these non-Mennonite patients, we examined Mennonite MSUD families and non-Mennonite MSUD families using microsatellite markers located on chromosome 19q13.1-13.2 (location of E1alpha gene, BCKDHA). Haplotype analyses revealed a major and four minor haplotypes that cosegregate with the Y438N allele in the Old Order Mennonite MSUD patients and carrier relatives. Analyses of eight non-Mennonite MSUD patients reveal that three of the non-Mennonite MSUD patients shared common Mennonite Y438N haplotypes, strongly suggesting Mennonite ancestry. However, the remaining non-Mennonite patients carry Y438N haplotypes that are significantly different from the Mennonite Y438N haplotype, suggesting that the occurrence of the defect in these families is due to either pre-Mennonite or de novo events.
The history of social choice in Russia and the Soviet Union

In this conference we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of "Social Choice and Individual Values" by Kenneth Arrow [14]. Fyodor Dostoevski once said that the literature of the second half of the 19th century grew out of Nikolai Gogol's short novel, "An Overcoat." To paraphrase Dostoevski, we can say that the theory of social choice after 1951 grew out of "Social Choice and Individual Values." Although social decisions are universal, very little work was completed in Russia and the Soviet Union on the theoiy of social choice up until recent times. Thus I am first going to discuss briefly the histoiy of social choice in Russia. I restrict myself to the period up to 1 991 , since I believe this was the year in which a new era in Russian history began. The development of social choice after 1991 is a subject for future investigation.
Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide promotes a Th1 type immune response in immunized mice.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is prevalent worldwide and results in chronic gastritis, which may lead to peptic ulcer disease or gastric cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the role that H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plays in stimulating host immune responses in the context of a vaccine. We compared H. pylori SS1 sonicate (LPS+) to a sonicate depleted of LPS (LPS-) in immunized BALB/c mice. Naive splenocytes produced high levels of TNF-alpha and IL-10 after incubation with LPS+ sonicate, while cells incubated with LPS- sonicate did not. Mice immunized with LPS+ sonicate developed a prominent innate response characterized by increased TNF-alpha and IL-10, as well as a strong antigen specific Th1 response including, IFN-gamma, IL-2 and high IgG2a serum titers. Mice that received LPS- sonicate were strongly Th2 biased in their immune response, with significantly more IL-4 than IFN-gamma and serum IgG1 titers higher than IgG2a. Together these studies suggest that H. pylori LPS in a whole cell sonicate vaccine promotes a Th1 immune response that may aid in protection or clearance of H. pylori infection.
“Hamartoma” of the Spleen (Splenoma) in Children:

Hamartomas of the spleen or splenomas, are uncommon benign tumorous growths in this organ which have not been well characterized in children. We report four patients, 4 to 11 years old, who had splenomegaly and splenic "hamartomas" associated with different hematologic conditions (refractory microcytic anemia, sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and dyserythropoietic hemolytic anemia). All patients had total splenectomy as a primary therapeutic approach or to lessen their transfusion requirements. In only one patient was a focal splenic mass identified preoperatively with contrasted computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). None of the patients showed a mass by ultrasonography. Gross examination showed enlarged spleens (315-724 g) which on cut surface revealed a single nodule in one and multiple bulging nodules in three specimens. The nodules varied from 1.3 to 7 cm and were indistinct from the surrounding nonlymphoid splenic (i.e., red pulp) parenchyma. Histology of the nodules showed red splenic pulp with variable histiocytic proliferation, focal extramedullary hematopoiesis, lympho-plasmacytosis, fibrosis, and siderotic-calcific deposits. Intranodular small T- and B-cell lymphoid aggregates but no organized secondary follicles or periarteriolar sheaths were seen. Proliferation antigen Ki-67 (Mib-1) immunostains showed a low (< 5%) proliferation index in the nodules and surrounding tissue. Reticulin stains did not show a capsule or border between the normal spleen and the nodules. The critical histologic differential diagnosis for these lesions is with benign vascular tumors. These can be identified by their more disorderly pattern, by immunohistochemistry and by their higher proliferation index. It is our contention that these splenic nodules are not true hamartomas, as they seem to result from remote ischemic or infectious/inflammatory insults, leading to the fibro-inflammatory reaction and deposition of calcium and hemosiderin that is better designated with the descriptive term of splenoma. Review of the literature and our own experience indicates that most children with splenic hamartomas or splenomas as we prefer to call them, have an underlying hematologic disorder likely made worse by a state of hypersplenism that explains the consistent improvement in the blood values after splenectomy.
ACTORS', PARTNERS', AND OBSERVERS' PERCEPTIONS OF SARCASM

This study compared actors', partners', and observers' perceptions of the amount of sarcasm used by participants (n = 80) in videotaped conversations. Significant differences were found among perceptions of actors, partners, and observers. Of the three perspectives, actors perceived themselves as using the greatest amount of sarcasm, followed by partners' perceptions of actors. Observers perceived actors as using the least amount of sarcasm. Correlations conducted to assess whether partners and observers recognized actors' individual attempts at sarcasm during the conversations were generally low.
Functional imaging of the embryonic pacemaking and cardiac conduction system over the past 150 years: technologies to overcome the challenges.

Early analyses of cardiac pacemaking and conduction system (CPCS) development relied on classic histology and visual inspection of the beating heart. Current techniques that facilitate delineation of the CPCS include the use of specific antibody markers and transgenic mouse lines specifically expressing reporter genes. Assaying the function of tiny embryonic hearts required an increase in the level of spatial and temporal resolution. Current methods for such analyses include the use of intracellular and extracellular microelectrodes, echocardiography, rapid optical imaging using fluorescent dyes, and most recently optical coherence tomography. This review will focus on methods developed to investigate the functional emergence of the embryonic cardiac conduction system. Where appropriate, the methods used to delineate the anatomic pathways will also be discussed. The combination of techniques to capture both morphological and functional data from the CPCS will further improve with continued interdisciplinary collaboration. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE EFFECTS OF CONTAINER SIZE AND TRANSPARENCY ON GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF LOBSTERS CULTURED INDIVIDUALLY1

The high rates of cannibalism observed in American lobsters (Homarus americanus) held in communal rearing systems dictate that for a majority of the culture period the animals must be held individually in order to prevent these losses. An experiment was conducted to assess the dependence of growth rate, molting frequency, and survival on the amount of horizontal surface area provided for each lobster. Eight sizes of individual containers ranging from 6 to 750 cm2 were provided. Parallel experiments were conducted in containers made of both transparent and translucent materials so that the effects of visual communication also could be determined. The experiments have been in progress for 24 months. Growth and survival have been severely reduced in the smaller rearing containers. Molting frequency was not as severely affected. No significant differences in growth were found between lobsters in visual contact and visual isolation. Equations describing the relationship between space and growth are presented and estimates are made of the effects of space requirements on the design of a commercial lobster culture facility.
Resource-oriented software quality classification models

Developing high-quality software within the allotted time and budget is a key element for a productive and successful software project. Software quality classification models that provide a risk-based quality estimation, such as fault-prone (fp) and not fault-prone (nfp), have proven their usefulness as software quality assurance techniques. However, their usefulness is largely dependent on the availability of resources for deploying quality improvements to modules predicted as fp. Since every project has its own special needs and specifications, we feel a classification modeling approach based on resource availability is greatly warranted.We propose and demonstrate the use of a resource-based measure, i.e., "Modified Expected Cost of Misclassification" (MECM), for selecting and evaluating classification models. It is an extension of the "Expected Cost of Misclassification" (ECM) measure, which we have previously applied for model-evaluation purposes. The proposed measure facilitates building resource-oriented classification models and overcomes the limitation of ECM, which assumes that enough resources are available to enhance all modules predicted as fp. The primary aspect of MECM is that it penalizes a model, in terms of costs of misclassifications, if the model predicts more number of fp modules than the number that can be enhanced with the available resources. Based on the resources available for improving quality of software modules, a practitioner can use the proposed methodology to select a model that bestsuits the projects goals. Hence, the best possible and practical usage of the available resources can be achieved. The application, analysis, and benefits of MECM is shown by developing models using Logistic Regression. It is concluded that the use of MECM is a promising approach for practical software quality improvement.
The role of noninvasive and invasive diagnostic imaging techniques for detection of extra-cranial venous system anomalies and developmental variants

The extra-cranial venous system is complex and not well studied in comparison to the peripheral venous system. A newly proposed vascular condition, named chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), described initially in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has triggered intense interest in better understanding of the role of extra-cranial venous anomalies and developmental variants. So far, there is no established diagnostic imaging modality, non-invasive or invasive, that can serve as the “gold standard” for detection of these venous anomalies. However, consensus guidelines and standardized imaging protocols are emerging. Most likely, a multimodal imaging approach will ultimately be the most comprehensive means for screening, diagnostic and monitoring purposes. Further research is needed to determine the spectrum of extra-cranial venous pathology and to compare the imaging findings with pathological examinations. The ability to define and reliably detect noninvasively these anomalies is an essential step toward establishing their incidence and prevalence. The role for these anomalies in causing significant hemodynamic consequences for the intra-cranial venous drainage in MS patients and other neurologic disorders, and in aging, remains unproven.
How To Make Computer Holograms

When you make an ordinary hologram the wave propagation takes place in exact agree-ment with Maxwell's equations, even if you don't understand Maxwell. But if you simulate wave propagation in the computer you must understand exactly what you are doing since the computer cannot help you as nature does in an actual experiment. An unprogrammed computer is absolutely dumb, nature is not. Thus, producing computer holograms is an educational exercise. You gain intuitive insight into the fabulous sampling theorem. And you can also study systematically why it is sometimes good to use a diffuser in contact with the object. In other words, computer holography lets you explore by simulation. This subject will come up 'again at the end of this paper.
Gender, Gender Role, and Physical Appearance

Abstract The relations among gender, gender role, and self-perceptions of physical appearance were examined in this research. Women and men who differed in their gender roles rated the attractiveness of, importance of, and desire to change their physique and facial appearance. Results indicated that women considered all components of appearance except height to be more important than did men and were more interested in changing their appearance than were men. Masculine women perceived themselves as “too large” but were more satisfied with their facial appearance than were traditional (feminine) women. Few physical attributes distinguished among the male gender-role groups. Directions for future research on the relation among gender, gender role, and physical appearance are discussed.
Intracellular studies of dopamine neurons in vitro: pacemakers modulated by dopamine.

Abstract Intracellular recordings from dopamine (DA)-sensitive neurons in rat substantia nigra tissue slices revealed that these neurons exhibit spontaneous pacemaker-like activity. DA-sensitive neurons had higher input resistances, larger time constants and less linear voltage responses to current injection than did non-DA-sensitive neurons in the zona compacta. The administration of DA produced an inhibition of firing rate, a hyperpolarization and a decrease in input resistance. These effects were blocked by (−)sulpiride, a selective D 2 antagonist. A reversal potential of −88 ± 14 mV was calculated for the DA-induced hyperpolarization suggesting the involvement of potassium ions in the mechanism of DA action.
Recruitment of medial prefrontal cortex neurons during alcohol withdrawal predicts cognitive impairment and excessive alcohol drinking.

Chronic intermittent access to alcohol leads to the escalation of alcohol intake, similar to binge drinking in humans. Converging lines of evidence suggest that impairment of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) cognitive function and overactivation of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) are key factors that lead to excessive drinking in dependence. However, the role of the mPFC and CeA in the escalation of alcohol intake in rats with a history of binge drinking without dependence is currently unknown. To address this issue, we examined FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog (Fos) expression in the mPFC, CeA, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens and evaluated working memory and anxiety-like behavior in rats given continuous (24 h/d for 7 d/wk) or intermittent (3 d/wk) access to alcohol (20% vol/vol) using a two-bottle choice paradigm. The results showed that abstinence from alcohol in rats with a history of escalation of alcohol intake specifically recruited GABA and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons in the mPFC and produced working memory impairments associated with excessive alcohol drinking during acute (24–72 h) but not protracted (16 –68 d) abstinence. Moreover, abstinence from alcohol was associated with a functional disconnection of the mPFC and CeA but not mPFC and nucleus accumbens. These results show that recruitment of a subset of GABA and CRF neurons in the mPFC during withdrawal and disconnection of the PFC–CeA pathway may be critical for impaired executive control over motivated behavior, suggesting that dysregulation of mPFC interneurons may be an early index of neuroadaptation in alcohol dependence.
Focusing on seismology education

Question: What happens when you lock 50 scientists, educators, and science outreach specialists in a hotel for 3 days? Answer: The birth of an exciting new science education initiative! A secluded site in Baltimore was the gathering place for nearly 50 U.S.-based seismologists, K-12 teachers, science education scholars, and science policy leaders with interests in science outreach and education.
Copyright as Information Policy: Google Book Search from a Law and Economics Perspective

The copyright system has long been understood to play a critical role when it comes to the development and distribution of creative work. Copyright serves a second fundamental purpose, however: it encourages the development and distribution of related technologies like hardware that might be used to duplicate creative work and software that can manipulate it. When it comes to issues of online infringement, then, copyright policy serves two goals, not one: protect the incentives copyright has long served to provide authors, and at the same time facilitate the continued emergence of innovative Internet services and equipment. In this Chapter, I use the Google Book Search litigation as a lens through which to study copyright law’s efforts to serve these two sometimes-competing masters. The Google case is an ideal lens for this purpose because both the technology implications and the authorship implications are apparent. With respect to the technology, Google tells us that the only way for it to build its Book Search engine is to have copyright law excuse the infringement that is today by design part of the project. With respect to authorship, copyright owners are resisting that result for fear that the infringement here could significantly erode both author control and author profitability over the long run. I myself am optimistic that copyright law can and will balance these valid concerns. The Chapter explains how, discussing not only the formal legal rules but also the economic intuitions behind them.
Enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid by platinum deposition on ruthenium nanoparticle surfaces

PtRu alloy nanoparticles were prepared by the spontaneous adsorption of Pt(acac)2 on the surface of freshly prepared octanethiolate-protected ruthenium (RuSC8) nanoparticles. UV–vis spectroscopic measurements suggested that the adsorption was facilitated by the strong affinity of the platinum metal center to the ruthenium surface. Scanning tunneling spectroscopic studies showed that the resulting PtRu nanoparticles exhibited enhanced conductance as compared to the original ruthenium nanoparticles, where the adsorbed Pt centers might serve as the effective sites for electron-tunneling across the tip/particle/substrate junction. The nanoparticles were then loaded onto a glassy carbon (GC) electrode and their catalytic activities in the electro-oxidation of formic acid were examined and compared. Remarkably, despite the presence of an organic protecting monolayer on the particle surface, apparent electrocatalytic activity was observed. Voltammetric measurements suggested that a Pt skin layer was formed on the Ru nanoparticle surface, most likely as a result of electro-reduction of the adsorbed Pt(acac)2. On the basis of the onset potential and current density in the electro-oxidation of HCOOH, the resulting PtRu nanoparticles displayed much higher electrocatalytic activity than the Ru counterparts and commercial PtRu nanoparticle catalysts from BASF. It was also found that the electrocatalytic activity of the PtRu nanoparticles was comparable to that of FePt alloy nanoparticles and PtRu bulk electrocatalysts, despite a minimal loading of Pt in the catalysts. Consistent responses were observed in electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements, where the charge-transfer resistance on PtRu/GC was found to be at least an order of magnitude smaller than that on Ru/GC and commercial PtRu catalysts. These measurements suggest that the PtRu thin-layer nanoparticles might be used as a promising candidate for the electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid.
A single-cell assay of beta-galactosidase in recombinant Escherichia coli using flow cytometry.

A flow cytometric method was developed for the assay of beta-galactosidase in single Escherichia coli cells. A new fluorogenic substrate for beta-galactosidase, C(12)FDG, contains a lipophilic group that allows the substrate to penetrate through cell membranes under normal conditions. When the substrate is hydrolyzed by intracellular beta-galactosidase, a green fluorescent product is formed and retained inside the cell. Consequently, the stained beta-galactosidase-positive cells exhibit fluorescence, which is detected by flow cytometry. This new assay was used to analyze the segregational instability caused by a reduction in specific growth rate of the plasmid-bearing cells in the T7 expression system. Induction results in a substantial accumulation of intracellular beta-galactosidase along with a rapid increase in the fraction of plasmid-free cells. Once the cells lose the plasmid, they no longer produce beta-galactosidase, which is reduced by at least half every generation; thus, after staining, the fluorescent, plasmid-bearing cells can be distinguished from the nonfluorescent, plasmid-free cells using flow cytometry. This article describes the feasibility of the flow cytometric assay for single E. coli cells and reports the optimal assay conditions. A direct relationship between beta-galactosidase activity and green fluorescence intensity was found, and the fractions of recombinant cells in batch cultures were analyzed after various levels of induction.