cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of the vagus nerve and its recurrent laryngeal branch in the development of the human ductus arteriosus

The reason that the normal ductus arteriosus has a muscular media, contrasting with the elastic lamellar structure of the adjacent great arteries, is unknown. We examined the hypothesis that the anatomic relationship of the ductus arteriosus to the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves during early development might be of importance in influencing ductal morphology. Normal human embryos from the Carnegie Embryological Collection and embryos and fetuses from the Hopkins Pathology Collection were studied microscopically, by reconstructions made from serial histologic sections, or by gross dissection. At Carnegie stage 16 the recurrent laryngeal nerves pass medially from the vagus nerve to the laryngeal area and are caudal to the bilaterally symmetric sixth aortic arches. By stage 18 the right sixth aortic arch has disappeared and the left sixth aortic arch is in a more caudal position relative to the larynx. The left vagus nerve and its recurrent laryngeal branch form a sling supporting the distal (or ductus arteriosus component) of the left sixth aortic arch. In subsequent development there is greater relative separation of the larynx and ductus arteriosus. The media of the ductus arteriosus beneath the supporting nerves is thinner and has less elastic fiber formation than the elastic lamellar media of the adjacent aortic arches. The study shows that the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves are in a position to provide mechanical support to the ductus arteriosus during its development and that the morphology of the media of the supported ductus arteriosus differs from that of the adjacent unsupported aortic arches. It is suggested that this local mechanical support may be the reason that the normal ductus arteriosus differentiates as a muscular artery and is therefore able to obliterate its lumen in postnatal life. Without such support the ductal media could develop the abundant elastic fibers characteristic of the normal unsupported aorta and pulmonary trunk and become an abnormal, persistently patent ductus arteriosus.
Organische Phosphorverbindungen XXIV Darstellung und Struktur von ketten‐ und ringförmigen Polyphosphinen

The new triphosphine CH3P[P(C6H5)2]2, m. p. 130–134o, has been prepared in high yield by the interaction of (C6H5)2PH and CH3P[N(CH3)2]2. This triphosphine is cleaved by CH3J and Br2. With sulfur it yields an adduct of the probable structure CH3P[P(S)(C6H5)2]2, m. p. 163,5–166o.
Operating characteristics of a 100 kV, 100 kW plasma ion implantation facility

Abstract The design characteristics of the 100 kV, 100 kW plasma ion implantation (PII) facility at Hughes Research Laboratories are described. The facility is comprised of a vacuum chamber in which parts are implanted and a pulse modulator which provides voltage pulses to implant ions into parts. The vacuum chamber is a horizontally-mounted, 4 ft diameter × 8 ft long, stainless-steel vessel. Parts to be implanted are placed on a rectangular, 3 ft wide × 6 ft long stainless-steel table with a weight capacity of 7000 lb that is electrically isolated from the vacuum chamber walls. For small loads, a 3 ft wide × 3 ft long support table is used with the chamber masked in half using a transparent grid. Plasma production is achieved using remotely-located plasma sources installed in the front, sides or top of the vacuum chamber to tailor the plasma-uniformity profile for the type and size of the part being implanted. The pulse modulator provides high-power (100 kW), high-voltage (100 kV) near-square-wave pulses for ion implantation. Voltage modulation is provided by the Hughes CROSSATRON tm switch, which can achieve turn-ON and turn-OFF times of less than 1 μsec, and maximum pulse currents of 1 kA. Two modes of pulse-modulation are possible; single-polarity, negative-voltage operation for ion implantation and alternating-polarity, positive-and negative-voltage operation for thermally-enhanced ion implantation via electron bombardment of the part surface. To date, over 1000 h of operations have been accumulated for both the vacuum-chamber and the pulse-modulator PII facility. An upgrade of the facility for 250 kV operation is presently under way.
Self or No Self: Views from Self Psychology and Buddhism in a Postmodern Context

This article reviews how self psychology and Buddhism, filtered through a postmodern lens, view the construct of self. Similarities and differences in the notion of the self are explored while clinical implications are considered, when relevant.
Mechanisms of graphite fluoride [(CFx)n] lubrication

Friction, wear and wear life results were compared with optical microscope observations as a function of sliding distance for graphite fluoride rubbed films applied to three surface finishes - polished, sanded and sandblasted. The lubricating process consisted of the plastic flow of thin films of graphite fluoride between flat areas on the rider and on the metallic substrate. If the substrate was rough, flat areas were created during run-in, and the graphite fluoride (CFx)n flowed across them. Wear life was enhanced by restricting radial (or transverse) flow of the graphite fluoride from the contact region by increasing surface roughness. Valleys in the roughened substrate surface served as a reservoir for graphite fluoride and as a deposit site for wear debris. Failure resulted from the gradual depletion of graphite fluoride from the contact region with the subsequent formation of powdery metallic debris that covered both rider and disk surfaces
Rhinovirus type 14 RNA polymerase complexes

Rhinovirus type 14 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complexes were isolated from microsomal and soluble fraction of infected KB cells. Maximum activities were measured at 6 and 7 hours post inoculation (p.i.) for microsomal and soluble polymerases, respectively. Both polymerase activities are considerably reduced by 8 to 9 hours, p.i., an interval in which thein vivo rate of synthesis of viral RNA is maximal.In vitro RNA products of RNA polymerases in both fractions consist of ribonuclease-sensitive and ribonuclease-resistant RNA of heterogeneous sizes. Detergent treatment of the microsomal RNA polymerase(s) did not affect the total amount of RNA synthesized, the proportion of ribonuclease-sensitive RNA synthesized nor the size of the RNA products. The data suggest that RV14 RNA polymerase complexes are initially associated with membranes but are then irreversibly released into the soluble phase of the cytoplasm; possible explanations for this phenomena are discussed.
Effect of Soil Nutrients on Plant Uptake of Fallout Soil calcium and potassium decrease strontium-90/-calcium and cesium-137/potassium ratios in plants

Data are summarized from a study of the uptake of strontium-90 by plants growing in the radionuclide and controlled concentrations of calcium. It was concluded that high levels of soil calcium and potassium decrease strontium-90 and cesium-137 uptake by plants. The depth of feeding of the plant was also found to be an important factor in the natural absorption of radionuclides arising from fall-out from the soil. (C.H.)
Helping Clients, Helping Ourselves: A Social Work Agenda for Achieving Occupational Equity:

This article explores the glass-ceiling barriers and pay inequities experienced by women who are employed in the nonprofit human services. In addition, it reviews past and current initiatives to am...
Prolonged, reversible neurologic symptoms after carpet sea anemone envenomation in a pet store worker

To the Editor: Neuromuscular toxicity due to marine envenomation from the phylum Cnidaria has been well documented, though most frequently following exposure to jellyfish venom.1 We report a case o...
Mapping of the associated phenotype of an absent granular layer in ichthyosis vulgaris to the epidermal differentiation complex on chromosome 1.

Ichthyosis vulgaris (IV) is a mild to severe scaling disorder of uncertain etiology estimated to affect as many as 1 : 250 in the population. Family studies have shown that in many cases IV follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, but gene mapping studies have not been reported. To investigate the genetic basis for inherited IV, we have performed gene linkage studies in two multigenerational families where affected individuals have clinical features of IV but distinct histological features. The epidermis in this disorder characteristically displays non-specific orthohyperkeratosis. Notably, a subset of IV patients with a reduced or absent granular epidermal layer (AGL) have been reported, and decreased filaggrin levels have been described in others. The prominent role of profilaggrin in human keratohyalin suggests that defects in the gene for profilaggrin (FLG), its processing of profillagrin to filaggrin, or a gene involved in profilaggrin regulation may underlie or modify the pathology in IV. Family 1 had seven individuals with IV, severe heat intolerance and epidermis with 1-3 granular layers (consistent with normal epidermal histology). Ichthyosis vulgaris in this family did not segregate with FLG or other genes in the epidermal differentiation complex. In contrast, five of the six IV patients in Family 2, all siblings, had epidermis with no granular layer. Significant evidence was obtained for linkage of IV with the associated AGL phenotype to the epidermal differentiation complex (which includes FLG) assuming either a recessive (max Lod 3.4) or dominant (max Lod 3.6) inheritance model. Sequence analysis of FLG did not reveal a mutation in the amino or carboxyl terminal portions of the coding sequence adjacent to filaggrin repeats. The AGL may represent an endophenotype for IV, and the presence of a modifier of IV pathology at this locus is discussed.
Temperature modulates ethanol sensitivity in mice: generality across strain and sex.

Abstract Findings in our laboratory indicate that body temperature alters ethanol potency as measured by sleep-time, wake-up brain ethanol concentration and mortality in male C57BL/6J mice. The current studies tested the generality of these results. Experiment one tested age-matched, drug-naive, male C57BL/6S and BALB/cS mice. Experiment two tested age-matched, drug-naive, male and female C57BL/6J mice. Each mouse was injected IP with 3.6 g/kg ethanol (20% w/v). After losing its righting reflex, the mouse was placed into a v-shaped sleep tray within a chamber kept at a designated temperature from 12 to 36°C. Upon awakening, rectal temperature was measured and blood and brain samples were taken for gas chromatographic analysis. As in previous studies, ambient temperature modulated the body temperatures and sleep-times of intoxicated animals. More important, wake-up rectal temperatures were positively correlated with sleep-times and negatively correlated with wake-up ethanol concentrations in all animals tested. These results support the hypothesis that brain sensitivity to ethanol depression varies with body temperature in accordance with membrane perturbation theories of anesthesia.
The physical state of water and ions in living cells and a new theory of the energization of biological work performance by ATP.

In this article, the key concepts of the association-induction hypothesis and their experimental verifications were reviewed: According to this hypothesis, the bulk of cell water exists in the state of multilayers polarized and oriented by the backbones of certain proteins existing in an extended state. The major intracellular cation, K+, is also adsorbed but singly and on different protein sites (i.e.,β &γ-carboxyl groups). The living protoplasm of protein, ion and water represents a three-dimensional cooperative assembly under the control of certain cardinal adsorbents, of which ATP is a prime example. Association of ATP with the cardinal site of a key protein may produce a cooperative change in the electron distribution of the protein with consequent change of the state of ion and water adsorption. Such an alteration in the physical state of water leads to a change in the solubility of various solutes in this water as well as permeability of various solutes (e.g., Na) through this water. In contrast to the conventional concept, the role of ATP is not to provide a package of energy held in a special chemical bond. Rather, as a cardinal adsorbent, ATP acts by means of its specific electronic interaction with the protein molecules, maintaining the protein—ion—water system at a higher energy state. Dephosphorylation of ATP leads to a cooperative shift of the electron state of the whole assembly to a lower energy state. Restoration to the original resting state follows the resynthesis of ATP (where energy is injected into the system) and its readsorption on the cardinal site. Living cells typically reside in a liquid environment. The discontinuity of the cell interior from the external milieu, essential for the normal functioning of the living cell, has long been a subject of central interest in mechanistic biology. Prominent in this discontinuity is the much higher concentration of K+ and much lower concentration of Na+ in the cell interior than in the cell environment, seen in virtually all living cells. We shall begin the present article with a discussion of the subject.
Cyber-Communication: Finding Its Place in School Counseling Practice, Education, and Professional Development

Cyber- or computer-mediated communication is transforming school counselor education in curriculum delivery, supervision, and professional development, as well as changing the nature of interactions among counselors, school personnel, parents, counselor educators, students, and field supervisors. This article describes how new technologies are influencing school counseling practice and helping counselor educators to train the next generation of school counselors. The article encourages a critical dialogue about the issues, ethics, and unanswered questions pertaining to the use of computer technology in school counselor practice and education.
Hydrogen bonding in amine–epoxide adducts

The infrared spectra of several alcohols and aminoalcohols were measured in bulk and in dilute solution in the 2800–4000 cm.−1 region to determine the nature of hydrogen bonding in these compounds. An epoxy resin was cured with both an aliphatic monoamine and a diamine, and the OH-stretching bands of the polymers were studied in the temperature range 30–200°C. It is concluded that the hydroxyl groups in the polymers are extensively involved in long-range hydrogen bonding, particularly of the OHN type, at room temperature. The shift in the bonded OH band to lower frequency with increasing temperature is attributed to a shift from long range to short range bonds. Even at 200°C. there are relatively few free hydroxyl groups in these polymers.
Influence of arthritis-related protein (BBF01) on infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi B31

Background: Lyme borreliosis, caused by tick-borne Borrelia burgdorferi, is a multi-phasic, multi-system disease in humans. Similar to humans, C3H mice develop arthritis and carditis, with resolution and periodic bouts of recurrence over the course of persistent infection. Borrelia burgdorferi arthritis-related protein (Arp/BBF01), a highly conserved protein among B. burgdorferi s.s. isolates, has been shown to be antigenic in humans with Lyme borreliosis, and a target for antibody-mediated disease resolution in the mouse model. Results: A mutant strain of B. burgdorferi s.s. deficient of the arp gene and a complemented version of that mutant were created and examined for phenotypic effects in mice compared to wild-type B. burgdorferi. Deletion of arp did not abolish infectivity, but did result in a higher infectious dose compared to wild-type B. burgdorferi, which was restored by complementation. Spirochete burdens in tissues of C3H-scid mice were lower when infected with the arp mutant, compared to wild-type, but arthritis was equally severe. Spirochete burdens were also lower in C3H mice infected with the arp mutant, but disease was markedly reduced. Ticks that fed upon infected C3H mice were able to acquire infection with both wild-type and arp mutant spirochetes. Arp mutant spirochetes were marginally able to be transmitted to naive hosts by infected ticks. Conclusion: These results indicated that deletion of BBF01/arp did not abrogate, but diminished infectivity and limited spirochete burdens in tissues of both immunocompetent and immunodeficient hosts, and attenuated, but did not abolish the ability of ticks to acquire or transmit infection.
Prenatal stress induces long term stress vulnerability, compromising stress response systems in the brain and impairing extinction of conditioned fear after adult stress

Stress is a risk factor for the development of affective disorders, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders. However, not all individuals who experience either chronic stress or traumatic acute stress develop such disorders. Thus, other factors must confer a vulnerability to stress, and exposure to early-life stress may be one such factor. In this study we examined prenatal stress (PNS) as a potential vulnerability factor that may produce stable changes in central stress response systems and susceptibility to develop fear- and anxiety-like behaviors after adult stress exposure. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were immobilized for 1 h daily during the last week of pregnancy. Controls were unstressed. The male offspring were then studied as adults. As adults, PNS or control rats were first tested for shock-probe defensive burying behavior, then half from each group were exposed to a combined chronic plus acute prolonged stress (CAPS) treatment, consisting of chronic intermittent cold stress (4 °C, 6 h/d, 14 days) followed on day 15 by a single session of sequential acute stressors (social defeat, immobilization, cold swim). After CAPS or control treatment, different groups were tested for open field exploration, social interaction, or cued fear conditioning and extinction. Rats were sacrificed at least 5 days after behavioral testing for measurement of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in specific brain regions, and plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone. Shock-probe burying, open field exploration and social interaction were unaffected by any treatment. However, PNS elevated basal corticosterone, decreased GR protein levels in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and decreased TH mRNA expression in noradrenergic neurons in the dorsal pons. Further, rats exposed to PNS plus CAPS showed attenuated extinction of cue-conditioned fear. These results suggest that PNS induces vulnerability to subsequent adult stress, resulting in an enhanced fear-like behavioral profile, and dysregulation of brain noradrenergic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity.
Photon band gap properties and omnidirectional reflectance in Si∕SiO2 Thue–Morse quasicrystals

Aperiodic one-dimensional Si∕SiO2 Thue–Morse (T–M) multilayer structures have been fabricated in order to investigate both the band gap properties with respect to the system size (band gap scaling) and the omnidirectional reflectance at the fundamental optical band gap. Variable angle reflectance data have experimentally demonstrated a large reflectance band gap in the optical spectrum of a T–M quasicrystal, in agreement with transfer matrix simulations. We explain the physical origin of the T–M omnidirectional band gap as a result of periodic spatial correlations in the complex T–M structure. The unprecedented degree of structural flexibility of T–M systems can provide an attractive alternative to photonic crystals for the fabrication of photonic devices.
On the determination of high-pressure mass diffusion coefficients for binary mixtures

A model for high-pressure binary diffusion coefficient calculation is proposed based on considerations originating from recasting both the low pressure kinetic theory and the Stokes-Einstein infinite dilution expressions into forms consistent with corresponding states theory.
The Relative Merits of Monitoring and Domestic Wells for Ground Water Quality Investigations

The results of two studios of the effect of agricultural hind use on shallow ground water quality indicate that monitoring wells may be a better choice than domestic wells for studies of pesticide occurrence or transport, or for use as early-warning indicators of potential drinking water contamination. Because domestic wells represent the used resource, and because domestic well water may be affected by historical rather than current pesticide and land-use practices, domestic wells would be the best choice for an investigation of drinking water quality. The key difference between the domestic and monitoring wells appears to be that the monitoring wells in this study were installed exclusively to sample the shallowest possible ground water. For these studies. 48 shallow domestic wells and 41 monitoring wells were located randomly within two land-use settings (row crops and orchards) in an irrigated agricultural region of eastern Washington and sampled for 145 pesticides (including nine pesticide degradates) and common water quality indicators. Constructing and sampling monitoring wells required approximately four times the resources (including manpower and materials) as locating and sampling domestic wells. Sample collection and quality assurance procedures and analytical techniques were identical except that a portable submersible pump was required for monitoring wells. In both land-use sellings, no significant difference in nitrate concentration was found between well types; however, the average number of pesticides detected per well was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the monitoring wells. A greater variety of pesticides was detected in monitoring wells: many were detected only in monitoring wells. More than 60% of detections of pesticides that were found only in domestic wells were of compounds that are no longer in use. These differences in ground water quality found in this studs relate lo the depth of the well and are apparently related lo the age of ground water in the two types of wells and the greater effects of sorption, degradation, dilution, and dispersion that accompany longer ground water residence times. The decision to invest resources in monitoring wells should be made in light of the study objective and should consider these differences in results from the two types of wells as well as the relative costs.
Clarifying metformin's role and risks in liver dysfunction

Objectives To explore why some clinicians hesitate to use metformin in patients with liver disease and whether routine monitoring of transaminases before and during metformin therapy is substantiated. Data sources A Medline literature search was conducted (1966 to June 2008) using the terms metformin, lactic acidosis, liver disease, chronic liver disease, hepatotoxicity, hypoxia, risks, and predisposing factors. Data synthesis Manufacturer prescribing information and some current medical and lay press literature caution against metformin use in patients with liver disease. This recommendation is interpreted variably by different prescribers, with some believing that the caution implies metformin can cause or worsen liver injury. Others believe that liver disease predisposes patients to developing lactic acidosis. A clearer understanding of how and when to screen for liver dysfunction in patients before and during metformin therapy is thus warranted. Conclusion Metformin does not appear to cause or exacerbate liver injury and, indeed, is often beneficial in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver frequently presents with transaminase elevations but should not be considered a contraindication to metformin use. Literature evidence of liver disease being associated with metformin-associated metabolic acidosis is largely represented by case reports. Most such patients had cirrhosis and were also actively using alcohol. Patients with cirrhosis, particularly those with encephalopathy, may have arterial hypoxemia, which heightens the risk of developing lactic acidosis. For this reason, identifying patients with cirrhosis before initiating metformin seems prudent. Because cirrhosis can exist in the face of normal liver transaminases, however, and because metformin is not considered intrinsically hepatotoxic, withholding metformin from patients with abnormal transaminases or routinely monitoring transaminases before or during metformin treatment is not supported.
Porcine Streptococcus suis in Minnesota

the number of new water acres used for catfish production in the delta region of west-central Mississippi. This increase in production was reflected by the establishment of the fish health diagnostic laboratory at Belzoni in June 1986 and the subsequent increase in the aquatic diagnostic case load of the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service. The fish health diagnostic laboratory case load has remained relatively constant since 1986, which may reflect a decreasing growth rate of this industry in Mississippi or failure of producers to seek diagnostic laboratory support. However, the industry continues to expand within Mississippi and in adjoining states and other areas of the country. Bacterial diseases continue to be a major economic factor for commercial catfish farmers. Motile Aeromonas septicemia, columnar-is disease (Cytophaga spp.), and enteric septicemia of catfish (E. ictaluri) were the most prevalent bacterial diseases identified. During epizootics, early and accurate disease diagnosis is critical to catfish producers to minimize losses. Affected fish frequently eat less and thus have limited exposure to antimicrobials. Therapeutic administration of antibiotics is expensive and too frequently is not cost effective. Therefore, prevention of diseases by minimizing stress and exposure to pathogens is the best management strategy. Acknowledgements. We acknowledge Dr. T. E. Wellbom for the development of, implementation of, and perseverance in maintaining the quality of this data base. T. E. Schwedler, Rachel H. Josey, and Virgie L. Freund were instrumental in maintaining collection and entry of these data. We thank Paula Rogers and Debbie Wright for assistance in preparation of this manuscript, which is submitted as publication #J-7773, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State, MS.
Judicious Incentives: International Public Policy Responses to the Globalization of Environmental Management

Public policymakers and regulators worldwide are grappling with the desire to improve environmental quality through appropriate regulation of business, while also streamlining government. Concurrently, environmentally conscience consumers are calling for improved environmental performance by industry. As a result of these pressures, regulators and lawmakers worldwide are attempting to craft effective policies that create adequate incentives for environmental protection on the part of firms, in the face of decreasing budgets and an increased demand for the use of market-based incentives. To aid decision makers as they struggle with these concerns, this study provides a detailed case examination of the dilemmas and responses of national-level regulators as they try to develop appropriate responses to the rise of international and “voluntary” management regimes. To accomplish these goals, this article compares the public policy responses of governments around the world to one such voluntary international environmental regime: ISO 14001. ISO 14001 is a form of industry self-regulation in response to market forces calling for harmonization in environmental management and as a result of consumer and trade-partner demands. This study examines the relationships between regulators and the regulated in order to understand if ISO 14001 certified firms are receiving regulatory relief or other forms of public policy/regulatory benefits as a result of their certification. It will also examine the impact that government incentives (or their absence) are having on the certification decisions of firms around the world. This information helps us to begin to understand how the trends toward smaller government and voluntary environmental regimes are affecting one another.
The metabolism of estrone sulfate in the female rhesus monkey

In order to study the metabolism of estrone sulfate in the adult female rhesus monkey, we gave four monkeys a pulse injection of [3H]estrone sulfate and obtained blood samples at 15, 30, 60, 120, 300, and 1,440 minutes after the pulse. All blood samples were analyzed for [3H]estrone sulfate. The mean +/- SE for the initial volume of distribution was 4.6 +/- 0.9 L. The mean metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was 42.0 +/- 2.9 L/day. In addition, 2 monkeys were infused for 240 minutes with [3H]estrone sulfate and 5 monkeys were infused for 240 minutes with [3H]estrone sulfate/[14C]estrone. Three blood samples were obtained during the last hour of the infusions and analyzed for radioactivity as estrone sulfate, estrone, and estradiol, and MCRs, conversion ratios, and [rho]BB values were calculated. The mean +/- SE for the MCR was 67.5 +/- 8.3 L/day, and for the conversion ratio, estradiol to estrone sulfate was 0.054 +/- 0.016. The mean [rho]BB value for estrone sulfate conversion to estrone was 43.6 +/- 3.4% and for estrone conversion to estrone sulfate was 33.5 +/- 6.6%. Thus estrone sulfate is cleared slowly and is converted to both estrone and estradiol. The hydrolysis of estrone sulfate to estrone is not significantly different than the conversion of estrone to estrone sulfate.
Ramanujan's Lost Notebook

Combinatorial proofs are given for certain entries in Ramanujan's lost notebook. Bijections of Sylvester, Franklin, and Wright, and applications of Algorithm Z of Zeilberger are employed. A new bijection, involving the new concept of the parity sequence of a partition, is used to prove one of Ramanujan's fascinating identities for a partial theta function.
Partial Ejaculatory Duct Obstruction Causing Early Demise of Sperm

We report a case of partial ejaculatory duct obstruction secondary to a mullerian duct cyst presenting with failure to fertilize and early demise of sperm during in vitro fertilization.
Microtubule-Driven Conformational Changes in Platelet Morphogenesis

Blood platelets form from mature megakaryocytes in a complicated multi-stage process that remains poorly understood. During the final stages of platelet formation, it is hypothesized that platelet-precursors, called preplatelets, undergo a microtuble-driven structural transformation from spherical to bar-bell shaped, before eventually separating into platelets. Initially, a microtubule band forms at the equator of the preplatelet. As sliding microtubules extend the contour length of the band, the preplatelet membrane deforms to accommodate the longer band. Eventually, the extensional force generated by the microtubules is overpowered by the force required to bend the preplatelet cortex, and the microtubule band is forced to twists upon itself to continue elongating without further increasing the bending energy of the membrane. The conformation shift of the microtubule is accompanied by a transformation in the shape of the preplatelet from a spheroid to an elongated bar-bell. In addition, the BAR-domain-possessing protein CIP4 has recently been found to serve a multi-functional role during platelet formation by inducing membrane curvature, altering membrane mechanical properties, and recruiting the cleaving protein dynamin to regions of high curvature. However the effects of CIP4 on the microtubule-platelet membrane system during microtubule elongation remain unknown. To elucidate this interplay, we employ a combination of variational techniques and Monte Carlo simulations. Using these methods, we calculate the equilibrium shapes of the microtubule-membrane system as a function of microtubule-band length, and investigate how these conformations depend on the extensional force generated by the microtubules, the mechanical properties of the membrane, and the concentration CIP4. The results are used to outline conditions leading to thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) and thrombocytosis (elevated platelet count). Finally, the extension of the model to other stages of platelet formation is discussed.
Steganalysis of additive-noise modelable information hiding

The process of information hiding is modeled in the context of additive noise. Under an independence assumption, the histogram of the stegomessage is a convolution of the noise probability mass function (PMF) and the original histogram. In the frequency domain this convolution is viewed as a multiplication of the histogram characteristic function (HCF) and the noise characteristic function. Least significant bit, spread spectrum, and DCT hiding methods for images are analyzed in this framework. It is shown that these embedding methods are equivalent to a lowpass filtering of histograms that is quantified by a decrease in the HCF center of mass (COM). These decreases are exploited in a known scheme detection to classify unaltered and spread spectrum images using a bivariate classifier. Finally, a blind detection scheme is built that uses only statistics from unaltered images. By calculating the Mahalanobis distance from a test COM to the training distribution, a threshold is used to identify steganographic images. At an embedding rate of 1 b.p.p. greater than 95% of the stegoimages are detected with false alarm rate of 5%.
Dynamic behavior of microscale particles controlled by standing bulk acoustic waves

We analyze the dynamic behavior of a spherical microparticle submerged in a fluid medium, driven to the node of a standing bulk acoustic wave created by two opposing transducers. We derive the dynamics of the fluid-particle system taking into account the acoustic radiation force and the time-dependent and time-independent drag force acting on the particle. Using this dynamic model, we characterize the transient and steady-state behavior of the fluid-particle system as a function of the particle and fluid properties and the transducer operating parameters. The results show that the settling time and percent overshoot of the particle trajectory are dependent on the ratio of the acoustic radiation force and time-independent damping force. In addition, we show that the particle oscillates around the node of the standing wave with an amplitude that depends on the ratio of the time-dependent drag forces and the particle inertia.
The herbarium of Paul A. Fryxell (pf) and U.S. Department of Agriculture, College Station, Texas, integrated into The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium (NY)

The herbarium specimens amassed by Paul A. Fryxell while working at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, College Station, Texas, were moved in October 1993 to The New York Botanical Garden and integrated into the Herbarium in 1994. The collection is particularly rich in specimens of the Malvaceae and other families of the Malvales, the areas of Fryxell’s taxonomic specialty. Also included is the cotton reference herbarium of the former Cotton Branch of the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, which consists of voucher specimens of germplasm introductions of cotton (Gossypium) from expeditions and from test plots in the United States and Mexico. A total of 19,918 specimens, including 167 type specimens, have been incorporated into The New York Botanical Garden Herbarium.
The Civilizing Process, Vol. 1: The History of Manners

The sociology of emotions concerns itself with the social dimensions of human affectivity and its expression. It is a relatively new subdiscipline identified with the works of such contemporary figures as Hochschild (1979, 1983), Kemper (1978a,b), Scheff (1979, 1983), and Denzin (1984).’ Despite its newness or, perhaps because of it, sociologists of emotions now claim a variety of classic works as part of its current perspective, for example, Scheler’s Ressentiment (1961), Simmel’s (1950) treatment of the social psychological implications of secrecy and betrayal, and Lynd’s work on the role of shame and its relationship to guilt (1958). As classic statements of the primacy of social factors in the development and maintenance of human affects, each, by implication, considers human emotionality within a framework of social and historical change. The History of Manners should be recognized as one such classic statement for the sociology of emotions. Much of its importance as social science is to be found in its thoroughgoing historical perspective on human emotions, With high originality,Elias displays human emotions by giving us a history of etiquette. His thesis is that the history of Western society from the late Middle Ages to the nineteenth century represents a gradual transformation in people’s ideas concerning manners and bodily propriety. Central to this transformation were decisive changes in the feeling of shame, repugnance, and embarrassment that attended a wide range of human bodily functions such as eating, spitting, nose-blowing, urinating, and defecating. Originally published in 1939 as a two-volume work in German, Vber den Prozess der Zivilisation waited nearly forty years for an English translation. In 1978 volume one appeared as The History of Manners, in 1982 the second volume as Power and Civility. Both may be read as separate books, the first dealing with the development of civilized manners and the second with the rise of the modem state. For Elias the two volumes constitute one attempt to interconnect the process of “civilizing” and the centralization of power in the form of the modem state. Power and Civility explains the changes in affects studied in The History of Manners by tracing the development of the absolutism of the modem state from earlier forms of feudal anarchy. I have deliberately reviewed only the first volume here, convinced that it stands as a lasting contribution to the sociology of the emotions regardless of the explanatory value of Elias’s grand design. The History of Manners attempts to show in detail how the psychological makeup of modem man has been shaped by certain fundamental changes in standards of shame and delicacy which occurred in Western Europe over a five-hundred-year period, changes due to the rise of a new political economy. In this review the intention is to present Elias’s argument and to highlight those elements in it which bear most directly on the sociological study of emotions.
Strong coupling QED with two fermionic flavors

Abstract We report the recent results of our simulation of strong coupling QED, with non-compact action, on lattices 104 and 164. Since we are dealing with two staggered fermionic flavors, we use hybrid algorithm to do the simulation. In addition to the measurement of the chiral order parameter Ψ Ψ> , we also measure magnetic monopole susceptibility, χ, throughout the region of chiral transition.
Double cnoidal waves of the Korteweg-de Vries equation: a boundary value approach

Double cnoidal waves of the Korteweg-de Vries equation are studied by direct solution of the nonlinear boundary value problem. These double cnoidal waves, which are the spatially periodic generalization of the well-known double soliton, are exact solutions with two independent phase speeds. The equation is written in terms of two phase variables and expanded in two-dimensional Fourier series. The small-amplitude solution is obtained via the Stokes' perturbation expansion. This solution is numerically extended to larger amplitude by employing a Newton-Kantorovich/continuation in amplitude/ Galerkin algorithm. The crests of the finite amplitude solution closely match the sech 2 solitary wave form and the three cases of solitary wave interaction described by Lax are identified for the double cnoidal waves. This simple approach reproduces specific features such as phase shift upon collision, distinction between instantaneous and average phase speeds, and a "paradox of wavenumbers".
Localization of bioluminescence in the siphonophore Nanomia cara

The base of the tentacle of the developing physonect larva (Nanomia cara) has a bioluminescent region. The ability to produce light in the larva is transitory; this ability first appears at about two days of development and is disappearing by eight days, as the larva begins to feed. Subsequently paired bilaterally symmetrical bioluminescent organs are found on the nectophores and the bracts of the adult colony. In both the larva and the adult, bioluminescence is mediated by a calcium specific photoprotein. In all cases the photocytes lack a green fluorescent protein.
Resveratrol Induced Serine Phosphorylation Of p53 Causes Apoptosis In A Mutant p53 Prostate Cancer Cell Line

Purpose: Resveratrol (Calbiochem, La Jolla, California) is a naturally occurring stilbene reported to cause apoptosis in various cultured cancer cells. In the current study the effect of resveratrol was determined in the androgen insensitive DU 145 prostate cancer cell line. Induction of apoptosis and activation of apoptosis related signal transduction pathways were measured.Materials and Methods: DU 145 cells were treated with resveratrol and apoptosis was measured by determining nucleosome content. Activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2), p53 content and serine-15 phosphorylation of p53 were measured by immunoblot. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay of p53 binding to DNA, and measurement of p21 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase messenger RNA were also done.Results: Resveratrol induced apoptosis in DU 145 cells. The stilbene activated MAPK and caused increased abundance of p53 and serine-15 phosphorylated p53. Resveratrol induced seri...
Surgical treatment of pediatric posttraumatic palmar midcarpal instability: case report.

We treated a 6-year-old child able to extend her wrist only to within 30° of the neutral position secondary to posttraumatic palmar midcarpal instability with palmar and dorsal capsulodesis and pinning. More than 8 years after surgery, she has no complaints referable to her wrist and has 30° of active wrist extension. Although unpredictable in adults, soft-tissue reconstruction is a treatment option in the pediatric patient with posttraumatic palmar midcarpal instability.
Pharmaceuticals in U.S. health care: determinants of quantity and price.

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry has again become the focus of considerable controversy. In understanding the economics underlying this industry, distinctions between short, medium and long-run costs are critical, as is that between economic and accounting costs. Consumers' heterogeneous valuations create strong incentives for non-uniform pricing and targeted marketing. The conflict between static efficiency (price new drugs low, near short-run marginal cost) and dynamic efficiency (price new drugs high, maintain incentives for innovation) is deep and enduring. This trade-off is becoming more severe as the relative costs of bringing new drugs to market have increased sharply.
Language and Ideology, vol. 2: Descriptive Cognitive Approaches.

Language and Ideology, vol. 2: Descriptive Cognitive Approaches. Rene Dirven. Roslyn Frank. and Cornelia Hie. eds. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 2001. vi. 267 pp.
Analytical approach for fast computation of magnetic flux leakage due to surface defects

In this work, a fast analytical expression for the magnetic flux leakage due to a surface defect rotated at arbitrary angle to the external applied magnetic field was developed. The analytical results were compared with the numerical results (based on finite element method) and showed excellent agreement. The current work represents an important advancement in the development of fast algorithms for the simulation of magnetic flux leakage for magnetic non-destructive inspection such as magnetic flux leakage (MFL) or magnetic particle inspection (MPI).
CAFFEINE AND THE OLFACTORY BULB

Caffeine, a popular CNS stimulant, is the most widely used neuroactive drug. Present in coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks as well as over-the-counter and prescription medications, it influences millions of users. This agent has achieved recent notoriety because its dependency consequences and addictive potential have been re-examined and emphasized. Caffeine's central actions are thought to be mediated through adenosine (A) receptors and monoamine neurotransmitters. The present article suggests that the olfactory bulb (OB) may be an important site in the brain that is responsible for caffeine's central actions in several species. This conclusion is based on the extraordinarily robust and selective effects of caffeine on norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and particularly serotonin (5HT) utilization in the OB of mice. We believe that these phonomena should be given appropriate consideration as a basis for caffeine's central actions, even in primates. Concurrently, we review a rich rodent literature concerned with A, 5HT, NE, and DA receptors in the OB and related structures along with other monoamine parameters. We also review a more limited literature concerned with the primate OB. Finally, we cite the literature that treats the dependency and addictive effects of caffeine in humans, and relate the findings to possible olfactory mechanisms.
Imaging mid-ocean ridge transitions with satellite gravity

Gravity maps derived from satellite altimeter measurements provide unprecedented me. Dium-resolution coverage of sparsely surveyed mid-ocean ridges in the southern oceans. A spectral analysis of 76 000 km of coincident shipboard and satellite gravity measurements shows that satellite altimeters can accurately resolve features with half-wavelengths as short as 13 km. The coverage and resolution of these gravity data allow us to determine accurately both the location of poorly charted ridge axes and the variation in axial anomaly character along the ridge axis, although their detailed morphology is not resolved. The results of this study support earlier studies that showed a transition from spreading-rate-dependent axial gravity lows to rate-independent axial highs with increasing spreading rate. Four such transitions are imaged on the Southeast Indian Ridge and Pacific Antarctic Ridge. We expect that these transitions are the result of a temperature-sensitive threshold phenomenon and may be influenced by nearby hot spots.
Correlates of Markers of Oxidative Status in the General Population

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease. However, limited information exists on the factors that may influence oxidative status in the general population. In a random sample of the population of two counties in western New York, levels of several markers of oxidative status (i.e., thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, erythrocyte glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase) were determined. A total of 894 men and 903 women aged 35-79 years were included in the study (1996-1999). In addition, a number of sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics and cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured. Age, markers of glucose metabolism (e.g., plasma glucose level) and insulin resistance (e.g., serum triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index), and postmenopausal status in women were associated with increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant potentials. Oxidative status and antioxidant potentials appear to be significantly associated with a number of major cardiovascular disease risk factors; most of them are linked to abnormalities in glucose and insulin metabolism.