cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing a 10-Item Mania Scale From the Parent General Behavior Inventory for Children and Adolescents

Objective—Bipolar disorder is being diagnosed and treated in children and adolescents at a rapidly increasing rate, despite the lack of validated instruments to help screen for the condition or differentiate it from more common disorders. The goal of the present study was to develop and validate a brief (10 item) instrument in a large sample of outpatients presenting with a variety of different DSM-IV diagnoses, including frequent comorbid conditions. Methods—Parents completed the Parent General Behavior Inventory (P-GBI), a 73 item mood inventory, as part of a screening assessment that included a semi-structured psychiatric interview of both the parent and the child to determine the child’s diagnoses. Results—637 youths completed the diagnostic assessment and the mood inventory. A 10 item form derived from this 73 item inventory had good reliability (.92), correlated .95 with the original scale, and showed significantly better discrimination of bipolar disorders (Area Under ROC Curve [AUROC] of .856 versus .832 for full scale, p < .005), with good precision for estimation of individual scores for cases up to two standard deviations elevated on the latent trait. The 10-item scale also did well discriminating bipolar from unipolar (AUROC = .86) and bipolar from ADHD cases (AUROC = .82). Conclusions—Findings suggest that parents most notice elated mood, high energy, irritability, and rapid changes in mood and energy as the prominent features of juvenile bipolar disorder. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents remains a contentious diagnostic issue. 1–3 Untreated bipolar disorder is likely to follow a progressive course, with each mood episode making it more likely that there will be future recurrences that may be more severe and resistant to treatment. 4–6 There also is concern that bipolar disorder may frequently be misdiagnosed in youths as ADHD, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or unipolar depression. 7–9
Insulin-like growth factor I stimulates myoblast expansion and myofiber development in the limb.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is expressed in the anterior and posterior mesodermal cells of the developing limb. However, a definite role for IGF-I during early limb organogenesis is unknown. To determine the inherent participation of IGF-I during limb organ development, a retroviral delivery system (RCAS) was used to overexpress IGF-I throughout the developing hind limb of stage 24 chicken embryos. The area of the belly of the external gastrocnemius muscle in the IGF-I infected limb was an average of 160, 90, 70, and 80% larger than the contralateral control muscle belly, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days postinjection, respectively (all differences P < 0.01). In comparison to the contralateral control muscles, there were a significantly greater number of muscle fibers in the IGF-I infected muscles (P < 0.05), confirming that the majority of IGF-I-mediated muscle enlargement was due to an increase in total fiber numbers (hyperplasia). Four days postinjection, there was a 32% increase in myoblast to myofiber ratio in the muscle of injected limbs compared with the muscle in the contralateral noninjected control limbs (P < 0.05). This result demonstrates that IGF-I acts to expand the undifferentiated myoblast population, and as a result, more myofibers subsequently develop, and the muscles expressing ectopic IGF-I are enlarged by means of hyperplasia. There was no difference in tibiotarsus and fibula length or diameter between the IGF-I injected and control limb, suggesting that ectopic IGF-I expression within the mesoderm was not a nonspecific growth stimulant of all tissues of the developing limb, but specifically enhanced skeletal muscle development and growth. Ectopic IGF-I expression had no significant effect on myostatin mRNA concentrations. Our results support a model where mesodermally expressed IGF-I acts to regulate the number of primary myofibers, and, therefore, size of skeletal muscles, which form during the initial events of limb myogenesis.
Membrane Type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase Induces Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Prostate Cancer

By mining DNA microarray data bases at GenBank™, we identified up-regulation of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in human primary and metastatic prostate cancer specimens as compared with nonmalignant prostate tissues. To explore the role of up-regulated MT1-MMP in early stage cancer progression, we have employed a three-dimensional cell culture model. Minimally invasive human prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) were transfected with MT1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeric cDNA as compared with GFP cDNA, and morphologic and phenotypic changes were characterized. GFP-expressing LNCaP cells formed multicellular spheroids with cuboidal-like epithelial morphology, whereas MT1-GFP-expressing cells displayed a fibroblast-like morphology and a scattered growth pattern in type I collagen gels. Cell morphologic changes were accompanied by decreased epithelial markers and enhanced mesenchymal markers, consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. MT1-MMP-induced morphologic change and cell scattering were abrogated by target inhibition of either the catalytic domain or the hemopexin domain. We further demonstrated that MT1-MMP-induced phenotypic changes were dependent upon up-regulation of Wnt5a, which has been implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. We conclude that MT1-MMP plays an important role in early cancer dissemination by converting epithelial cells to migratory mesenchymal-like cells.
Studying protein complexes by the yeast two-hybrid system

Abstract Protein complexes are typically analyzed by affinity purification and subsequent mass spectrometric analysis. However, in most cases the structure and topology of the complexes remains elusive from such studies. Here we investigate how the yeast two-hybrid system can be used to analyze direct interactions among proteins in a complex. First we tested all pairwise interactions among the seven proteins of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III as well as an uncharacterized complex that includes MntR and PerR. Four and seven interactions were identified in these two complexes, respectively. In addition, we review Y2H data for three other complexes of known structure which serve as “gold-standards”, namely Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), the yeast proteasome, and bacteriophage lambda. Finally, we review an Y2H analysis of the human spliceosome which may serve as an example for a dynamic mega-complex.
PyElectrode: An open-source tool using structural MRI for electrode positioning and neuron mapping

Neurophysiologists want to place the tip of an electrode in a specific area of the brain. The coordinates of this area can be obtained from standard stereotaxic atlases. However, individual brains may not align with the atlas exactly. Additionally, for chronic recordings, electrodes are placed through a chamber attached to the animal's skull. Thus, the user wants to know where the area of interest is in chamber coordinates, not stereotaxic coordinates. After the chamber has been attached an MRI is often made. This assists in electrode placement, as the location of a target relative to the chamber can be determined based on the atlas. However, doing this in practice requires rough estimation or cumbersome calculations. pyElectrode provides a graphical display and performs calculations necessary to convert between stereotaxic and chamber coordinates, thus facilitating MR-based targeting from an implanted chamber. It also allows the experimenter to visualize recording or stimulation sites during experiments. Finally, it can display and output those sites on an MRI slice background in a format suitable for publication.
Defects and microstructural evolution of proton irradiated titanium carbide

Abstract Titanium carbide has been identified as a candidate material for advanced coated nuclear fuel components, however little is known about the response of TiC to particle irradiation at elevated temperatures. To understand the radiation effects in TiC, proton irradiations were conducted to three doses (0.17, 0.34, and 0.80 dpa) at three temperatures (600 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C), and post irradiation examination was performed with a number of TEM techniques to evaluate the irradiated microstructures. The predominant irradiation induced aggregate defects found by high resolution TEM and diffraction contrast TEM were interstitial Frank-type loops, while unfaulted loops were also identified. By monitoring the loop sizes and densities and accounting for the interstitials which formed the loops, a marked increase in vacancy point defect mobility was observed around 800 °C.
Archaeology and Chinese historiography

Abstract Contemporary Chinese archaeology is an amalgam resulting from three phases of historical development of the discipline: the growth of traditional antiquarianism since 1092, the introduction of Western field archaeology since 1920, and the new prosperity under Socialist management since 1949. In this essay, the principal characteristics of each of these phases of development are discussed with a view to understanding the principal characteristics of Chinese archaeology of the 1980s.
Iseganan HCl: a novel antimicrobial agent

Iseganan HCl is an antimicrobial peptide under development for the prevention of oral mucositis, a severe consequence of some chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens. Several attributes of iseganan make it an optimal candidate for study in this clinical situation where both local and systemic host defenses may be impaired. These include broad spectrum and rapid bactericidal activity, a lack of observed resistance and cross-resistance and stability in biological fluids. Clinical trials of patients receiving stomatotoxic chemotherapy followed by a haematopoietic stem cell transplant show iseganan reduces the occurrence of oral mucositis and ameliorates sequelae such as mouth pain, throat pain and difficulty swallowing. Iseganan is well-tolerated, which is partly attributable to a lack of systemic absorption following topical oral administration. Other promising areas of investigation include topical oral application for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia and nebulisation for treatment of chronic lung infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. Future studies will expand on the role of iseganan as a novel antimicrobial.
The stability during many years of the mid-tidal shore at Penrhyn Bay, North Wales, and a note on the Peat Beds at Rhos-on-Sea

Abstract Although there is a published statement implying the contrary it is here shown that the shore level at Penrhyn Bay, North Wales, seaward of the shingle slope at the foot of the promenade wall, has not changed appreciably within the last half century and more. This is shown not only by reference to old photographs but is also substantiated by the author's knowledge of this shore and of its major structures, natural and man-made, which have remained virtually unchanged since he first came to know them very well almost sixty years ago. Storms have little effect on the almost level boulder-strewn mid-tidal area and human interference apart there is no reason to anticipate any major change in its topography for many years to come. Similarly, peat beds at Rhos-on-Sea, reported to have long since been lost by erosion, still exist.
Learning to simulate ecological models on a microcomputer

Abstract A software package is described that teaches basic concepts of ecological modeling by allowing a student to vary several parameters in models that increase in complexity from one state variable with one inflow (or outflow) to three state variables with seven rate coefficients. Differential equations describing these models are solved with integration routines that provide insight into important differences between linear and nonlinear systems. An understanding of turnover times, simple population processes, and parallel carbon and nutrient flows also emerges. The software is intended to be used at the beginning of a modeling course in order to familiarize students with fundamental operations and principles necessary for constructing and implementing more complex models.
46. HIV-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition in mucosal epithelium facilitates HPV paracellular penetration

Background The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated epithelial lesions in HIV-infected individuals is substantially higher than in HIV-negative individuals. HIV may increase the risk of mucosal HPV infection by induction of an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype that leads to reduced epithelial barrier functions. Methods: To model the effect of EMT on HPV entry, we used oral epithelial biopsies, and oral and anal keratinocytes from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals. EMT was defined as loss of adherens and tight junctions, and induction of vimentin expression. To study epithelial HPV entry we used HPV-16 pseudovirions (PsVs) containing a plasmid expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). PsV penetration was evaluated using confocal microscopy to detect RFP-generated fluorescence. Results: Compared with oral epithelia from HIV-uninfected individuals, oral epithelia from HIV-infected individuals had reduced adherens and tight junctions and expressed vimentin. Keratinocytes isolated from oral and anal tissues of HIV-infected individuals also showed loss of E-cadherin and induction of vimentin expression. Exposure of oral epithelial cells from HIV-uninfected individuals to HIV and HIV tat, gp120, and nef proteins induced EMT with reduced cell junctions and epithelial polarity, and allowed paracellular passage of HPV-16 PsV. Oral mucosal epithelial tissues treated with HIV tat and gp120 also lost tight junctions and allowed PsV paracellular penetration, leading to PsV entry into basal/parabasal cells. Conclusions: HIV-associated EMT in oral epithelia, and oral and anal keratinocytes leads to impaired barrier function. This facilitates entry of HPV/PsV into basal/parabasal cells, and may contribute to the increased incidence of HPV-associated malignancy in HIV-infected individuals.
Edge effects in silicon photodiode arrays

Photodiode arrays used in laser diffraction particle sizing instruments must be calibrated to account for detector-to-detector variations in sensitivity. We have calibrated an Insitec EPCS-P ring detector (planar-diffused, p on n silicon photodiode array) by scanning a focussed laser beam across the detector surface. A deconvolution of the known intensity distribution of the laser beam from the measured signal resulted in detector response as a function of position. Detector response was approximately constant over the region of the ideal active detector and it decreased exponentially in the region beyond the ideal detector boundary. A diffusion length constant of 50 microns gave the best fit to the measured data. Theoretical predictions of calibration factors based on measured detector response agreed reasonably well with Malvem and Insitec calibration factors obtained from the traditional uniform light illumination method. This indicates that edge effects in different ring detectors are similar.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Improving the Performance of Gypsum Wallboard in Wood Frame Shear Walls

The overall goal of this project was to design a wood frame shear wall that could withstand greater displacement before damage occurred to the gypsum wall board (GWB). A total of 14 shear walls consisting of seven different designs with two walls built per design were tested to failure. Six of these walls had 1,105×610 mm window openings and eight did not. Shear wall test behavior generally agreed with the ASCE/SEI 41-06 performance-based drift criteria. The results of the shear wall visual failure comparison indicated that all innovative shear wall designs outperformed the control designs at 1% drift. This was because less GWB damage was observed in the innovative shear wall designs. At 2 and 3% drift, two designs performed worse than the control. Three designs performed superior to the control designs at 2 and 3% drift. The greater performance of all these designs can be attributed to the increase in strength and stiffness of these shear walls. However, superior performance of the two designs was attri...
Awakening to maker methodology: the metamorphosis of a curious caterpillar

For a couple of years, I have used what I now see to be the Maker Methodology to develop a project called "Drawdio." I first learned parts of the methodology from fellow academics who are practicing it at my lab as an un/partially/multi named part of Media Lab culture [1]. I refined how I viewed the meaning of this way of conducting research further through my interactions with several pockets of the maker community. In this paper, I will try to make more concrete what and why Maker Methodology is. Ultimately, we'll need to make close case studies of other researchers who are already using this methodology, slowly refining the nuances. But first, I'll start with a narrative about how I came to know the Maker Methodology as a slice through one project.
Optimization of experiment resource utilization during manned space station missions.

Mission simulation mathematical modeling technology developed for optimization of experiment program management and operational planning for manned space station missions
Some comments on flotation kinetics

Etude theorique. Caracterisation des modeles de flottation utilise dans l'industrie chimique et metallurgique
Single turnover studies with oxy-cytochrome P-450cam☆

Abstract The catalytic step of bacterial cytochrome P -450 cam , i.e., the step of the reaction cycle in which the product 5-exo-hydroxycamphor is formed and released by the enzyme, has been studied by stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Our approach has been to observe a single-turnover reaction between reduced putidaredoxin and oxygenated camphor-bound cytochrome P -450 cam . Multiple turnovers are prevented by using the inhibitor metyrapone to trap the cytochrome after product release, which prevents binding of another camphor molecule. The time course of the reaction has been measured at several wavelengths and has been found to be biphasic. The relatively slow second phase of the reaction is the reduction of ferric, metyrapone-bound cytochrome P -450 cam . The first phase coincides with the formation of product stoichiometrically with cytochrome P -450 cam , as measured by gas chromatography. A detailed kinetic study of the first phase reveals a hyperbolic dependence of initial rate upon putidaredoxin concentration at a fixed, limiting concentration of cytochrome P -450 cam . The V max is 53 μ m per second per μ m cytochrome, and the K m for putidaredoxin is 33 μ m . The hyperbolic relationship between initial rate and putidaredoxin concentration supports a model in which the cytochrome rapidly binds putidaredoxin, then undergoes one or more slower intracomplex steps.
Shimmering holograms and cellular motion in osteogenic tumors

Time-dependent speckle holograms from inside tumor spheroids using short-coherence near-infrared light provide quantitative measures of the state of health of the tumor tissue. Holographic optical coherence imaging (OCI) records full-frame en face images from successive depths inside a tumor in a so-called
People and food

Each year the world must feed an additional 95 million people. However each year we lose 24 billion tons of top soil and trillions of gallons of ground water. These factors lead to only 1 conclusion the world is going to suffer from wide-spread starvation unless both the problems of population growth and agriculture waste are solved. The amount of energy from the sun captured by green plants and organisms using photosynthesis minus the energy used by those organisms for their own life processes is called the net primary product (NPP) currently human activity uses up 30% of the NPP and all other forms of life on earth rely on the NPP to survive. The more we use the less nonhuman life can exist. Deforestation and development of agricultural land reduces the NPP. These activities also contribute to global warming as does our use of fossil fuels. The outcome of the model discussed in this article is that without significant reduction in world population global warming and starvation surely loom in our future.
Endothelin Mediation of Insulin and Glucose-Induced Changes in Vascular Contractility

Abstract Although the prevalence of hypertension in diabetic patients is high and many factors participate, hyperinsulinemia cannot be discarded as a contributing factor. Insulin could act directly on smooth muscle altering intracellular calcium levels that mediate contraction and glucose transport or could induce the secretion of endothelin by the endothelial cells lining the vessels. The aim of the present report was to study the effect of different glucose and insulin concentrations on rat vascular smooth-muscle contractile characteristics and to determine whether insulin effects are mediated by endothelin. Femoral arteries obtained from Wistar rats were placed in an in vitro chamber and superfused with different glucose and/or insulin solutions. The contractile response to KCl 80 mmol/L, measured by the force generated, showed a significant decrease with high extracellular glucose concentrations (11 mmol/L). Insulin caused a dose-dependent increase in arterial contraction induced by KCl. This increase was significant when arteries were stimulated with 80 mmol/L KCl in the presence of 5.5 mmol/L glucose, but when 40 mmol/L KCl was used, an increase was observed with both 5.5 and 11 mmol/L glucose. The insulin-induced contraction was significantly reduced in the presence of hyperimmune anti-endothelin serum and in the presence of endothelin receptor ET A and ET B antagonists PD 151,242 and BQ-788, respectively. These results suggest that hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia may contribute to hypertension in diabetes and that responses to insulin are mediated partially by endothelin, thus explaining why non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients show an increase in arterial pressure before the onset of nephropathy.
Multidecadal Climate Variability and Drought in the United States

The history of multidecadal climate variability and drought in the United States during the past millennium is reviewed, and recent research into the physical mechanisms that produce long-term aridity is examined. Numerous multiyear droughts that have major social repercussions for contemporary and prehistoric societies can be identified in instrumental and proxy records. The 16th-century megadrought in the Southwest was the worst long period of aridity in the past 500 years. A prolonged period of aridity in the western United States from 900 to 1300 AD, which coincided with the Medieval Warm Period, is indicative of a mean shift in climate that ended in roughly 1400 AD. While the causes of these and other multiyear droughts are still under investigation, there is strong statistical and modeled evidence that persistent La Nina-like sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific force hemispheric and zonal symmetry in multidecadal droughts. In other words, persistent cooler than normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific force anomalous atmospheric circulations that produce multiyear droughts not only in the Great Plains and the Southwest, but also in the Mediterranean region of Europe, the Pampas region of South America, the steppes of Central Asia, and the outback of Western Australia. Other possible causes of long period drought include low-frequency variability in the north Pacific and Atlantic oceans and global warming in the Anthropocene.
Religiosity and substance use and abuse among adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey.

ABSTRACT Objective To replicate previous findings among adults of an inverse association between religiosity and substance use among a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Method Subjects were 676 (328 female and 348 male) adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey who were assessed for substance use and abuse with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Religiosity was assessed through affiliation with religious denomination and through response to 7 questions concerning belief and practice. Results Confirmatory factor analyses replicated in adolescents the 2 religiosity factors of personal devotion and personal conservatism previously identified by Kendler among adults, although the 2 factors were more highly correlated in adolescents than in adults. Personal devotion (a personal relationship with the Divine) and affiliation with more fundamentalist religious denominations were inversely associated with substance use and substance dependence or abuse across a range of substances (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or any contraband drug). Personal conservatism (a personal commitment to teaching and living according to creed) was inversely associated with use of alcohol only. Conclusion Low levels of religiosity may be associated with adolescent onset of substance use and abuse.
Transaction cost-enhanced entry mode choices and firm performance.

According to transaction cost theory, firms select the international mode of entry that provides the most efficient form of governance. However, previous scholarship largely neglects the impact of transaction cost variables on entry mode choice and firm performance. In this study, we add transaction cost variables to a set of variables previously used to predict firm mode choice and performance. We theorize and find that firms selecting these ‘transaction cost-enhanced international entry modes’ perform better than firms using other modes of entry. Based on our results, we conclude that ‘enhanced’ transaction cost theory appears to be normative as well as descriptive with respect to international entry mode decisions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Humorous Communication and Its Effectiveness in Coping With Interpersonal Transgressions

Interpersonal transgressions can have a profoundly negative impact on individuals in relationships, as well as on the relationship itself. The transactional model of emotion and coping was used to investigate the intra- and interpersonal benefits of humor enactment on relationship satisfaction following an interpersonal transgression. One hundred twenty-seven participants (44.1% were men) completed measures assessing the relationship of humor orientation (HO), 2 indicators of coping effectiveness, relationship satisfaction, and degree of emotional hurt caused by the transgression. Although results do not provide full support for the mediation of coping effectiveness, there is support for the influence of trait HO on coping with interpersonal transgressions and subsequent relational satisfaction in that HO was positively related to general coping efficacy and perceived situation-specific humor coping effectiveness.
A MEMS thermopneumatic silicone rubber membrane valve

Abstract In this paper, a technology for fabricating silicone rubber membranes and integrating them with other processes on a silicon wafer has been developed. Silicone rubber has been found to have exceptional mechanical properties, including low Young's modulus, high elongation, and good sealing. An integrated normally open valve using a silicone rubber membrane and 3M PF5060 liquid for thermopneumatic actuation has been fabricated and tested. For a 1.34 LPM (1 min −1 ) air flow, 280 mW power input is required to close the valve at 20 psi inlet pressure. Due to the high permeability of silicone rubber, most liquids used in thermopneumatic systems will be lost, necessitating more work to find a suitable barrier material compatible with silicone rubber.
Locational security impact factors for security index constrained economic dispatch problem

In security constrained economic dispatch, the generation is determined such as to minimize cost to supply the load while fulfilling all of the operational constraints in normal operation and contingency cases. The formulation of a security index provides a quantitative measure for the security in the system and also allows for the determination of the impact of generators on security. Hence, in this paper, first two different security indices are formulated: a violation-based security index and a risk-based security index. These security index formulations are used to introduce locational security impact factors which similarly to the information that locational marginal prices provide for generation economics, give insights into the location dependent impact on system security. These impact factors are then integrated into an iterative approach for the determination of the optimal generation settings given a specific bound on the desired level of system security.
Report on deficiencies in hydrologic research

The members of the Section of Hydrology of the American Geophysical union will find on the desk in the registration office copies of a new report entitled “Deficiencies in hydrologic research” which has just come today from the Government Printing Office. I believe that members of this Section will be particularly interested in this report, and perhaps a little review of its antecedents will not be out of place. Stimulus toward the expansion of national undertakings in the hydrological research field may be said to have begun with the work of the Mississippi Valley Committee in 1934. At that time attention was called in the very elaborate report prepared by the Committee to the grave lack of hydrologic data in planning for large-scale water-undertakings. As a result largely of the points of view brought out in this report, the successor to the Mississippi Valley Committee, the National Resources Committee, established under the direction of its Water Resources Committee a special Advisory Committee on Hydrologic Data. This Committee surveyed in a rather intensive fashion the entire situation from a national standpoint the deficiencies in basic hydrologic data which existed in the country. Through the cooperation of Government agencies and competent consultants, the Advisory Committee produced a report in 1936 which undertook to present the existing status of the collection and publication of hydrologic data in the United States and to make recommendations for supplementing such data by expanded programs. As a result of this report, several of the Federal agencies were able to secure funds for carrying out in part or entirely specific recommendations in this report.
Effects of environmental stress cascade up through four trophic levels in a salt marsh study system.

1. Although in recent years there have been a number of studies demonstrating trophic cascades in terrestrial systems, it is still unclear what environmental conditions enable or enhance such cascades, especially among four trophic levels. 2. In this study, the influence of environmental stress (increased soil pore water salinity) on a four trophic level study system in a Florida salt marsh was examined by experimentally increasing soil pore water salinity. Effects of increased salinity on the quality of the host plant, Batis maritima, were assessed, as were resulting effects on the lepidopteran herbivore Ascia monuste, and the primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids of its caterpillars. 3. Increased salinity altered host-plant quality, which subsequently affected the consumer species. These effects of altered plant quality cascaded up through the herbivore and primary parasitoid to the hyperparasitoid Hypopteromalus inimicus, influencing its density, sex ratio, body size, and initial egg load. 4. These results demonstrate how heterogeneity in environmental stress can result in effects that cascade up through four trophic levels. We suggest that such strong effects at higher trophic levels may be more likely in systems in which relationships are more specific and intimate such as those among hosts, parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids.
If you build it, they might come

Roy and Laura Welch examine why researchers seem reluctant to be more directly involved in the annotation of microbial genomes.
Cyclic Nucleotide Metabolism in Pineal Homogenates

Adenylate cyclase (AC) in pineal particulate fractions from rabbit, rat, cow, and the vole Microtus montanus was stimulated by L-norepinephrine (NE) and L-isoproterenol (ISO). NE stimulation of rabbit and bovine pineal AC was biphasic, with a plateau between 0.01 microM and 1.0 microM and additional stimulation by NE above 1.0 microM. Stimulation by different ISO concentrations gave a typical hyperbolic curve, and optimal stimulation by ISO exceeded that by NE. Melatonin decreased ISO and NE stimulation of AC 10-20%. Although, alpha-adrenergic agonists increase beta-agonist-mediated adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation in intact pinealocytes, similar amplification of AC stimulation was not seen with broken-cell preparations. Most (60-70%) pineal guanylate cyclase (GC) was recovered in supernatant fractions after centrifugation of homogenates at 110,000 x g; this soluble GC was unaffected by potential agonists. Low concentrations (0.01-1 nM) of NE, ISO, and phenylephrine (PE) stimulated GC in impure and purified membrane fractions, but each inhibited at concentrations above 10 microM. All concentrations of ISO and NE inhibited GC in the presence of the alpha-agonist PE. Melatonin alone did not affect particulate GC, but L-ISO stimulation was not seen in the presence of equivalent concentrations of melatonin. The in vitro data are consistent with both alpha- and beta-receptor regulation of cyclic nucleotide metabolism in pinealocytes. Endogenous NE may differentially regulate cyclic AMP and guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) in pineal; low NE concentrations that stimulate GC have only a slight effect on AC, but higher NE concentrations that inhibit GC maximally stimulate AC. Particulate GC and AC also were resolved by equilibrium centrifugation, to give several discrete peaks of enzyme activity. The results support the existence of several forms of AC and GC, which have different responses to adrenergic agonists.
Factors associated with psychiatric malpractice: How to avoid being sued for it

Abstract Professional negligence by a doctor is called malpractice. Psychiatrists are not often sued for malpractice but the cost of defending such legal actions has increased dramatically. A study of malpractice claims revealed that dissatisfaction with treatment, particularly medication, was the most frequent complaint. Typical patients were depressed, had seen their doctor for less than one month, and complained of physical injuries more often than emotional trauma. Many of the lawsuits filed against psychiatrists were abandoned, some were settled by negotiation, and very few were tried in court. Of those tried, the defendant psychiatrist prevailed in 95 per cent of cases. The average cost of closing a case was £10,140 (US$15,920). The significance of these findings is discussed. Review of a large number of psychiatric malpractice cases suggests that the quality of the doctor-patient relationship is a major factor in a patient's decision to sue.
Medically induced preterm birth and the associations between prenatal care and infant mortality

Abstract Purpose During the last 30 years, the use of prenatal care, both the proportion of women receiving the recommended number of visits and the average number of visits, has increased substantially. Although infant mortality has decreased, the incidence of preterm birth has increased. We hypothesized that prenatal care may lead to lower infant mortality in part by increasing the detection of obstetrical problems for which the clinical response may be to medically induce preterm birth. Methods We examined whether medically induced preterm birth mediates the association between prenatal care and infant mortality by using newly developed methods for mediation analysis. Data are the cohort version of the national linked birth certificate and infant death data for 2003 births. Analyses were adjusted for maternal sociodemographic, geographic, and health characteristics. Results Receiving more prenatal care visits than recommended was associated with medically induced preterm birth (odds ratio [OR], 2.44; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.40–2.49) compared with fewer visits than recommended). Medically induced preterm birth was itself associated with greater infant mortality (OR, 5.08; 95% CI, 4.61–5.60) but that association was weaker among women receiving extra prenatal care visits (OR 3.08; 95% CI, 2.88–3.30) compared with women receiving the recommended number of visits or fewer. Conclusions These analyses suggest that some of the benefit of prenatal care in terms of infant mortality may be in part due to medically induced preterm birth. If so, the use of preterm birth rates as a metric for tracking birth policy and outcomes could be misleading.
Adsorptive control of water in esterification with immobilized enzymes. Continuous operation in a periodic counter-current reactor.

A periodic counter-current adsorptive-reactor system is developed to carry out continuous esterifications in organic solvents with immobilized enzymes. The system comprises a number of fixed-beds distributed between a reaction-adsorption zone and a regeneration zone and operated in a "merry-go-round" sequence. Water formed in the reaction is adsorbed preventing the formation of a free-water phase and deactivation of the biocatalyst. The adsorbed water is, in turn, recovered by desorption in the regeneration zone. The concept is tested experimentally on a laboratory-scale using, as a model, the esterification of isoamyl alcohol and propionic acid in hexane catalyzed by an immobilized lipase. Pure isoamyl alcohol is used as a regenerant to remove excess water from the biocatalyst. In the periodic steady-state, improvements in ester productivity greater than 50% over that achievable with a conventional fixed-bed reactor are demonstrated experimentally with just two beds in a series arrangement. Use of a water-selective adsorbent in conjunction with the biocatalyst provides further improvements by reducing accumulation of water on the enzyme. A mathematical model is also developed to predict the thermodynamic activity of water along the reactor and describe the dynamic behavior of the system. The model, based on independently developed rate and equilibrium parameters, successfully predicts the experimental behavior and provides an effective tool for scale-up and optimization.
An analysis of optical rotatory dispersion curves of synthetic polypeptides

A two-term Drude equation was proposed to he substituted for the Moffitt-Yang equation as an empirical expression in order to analyze and regenerate observed optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) curves of synthetic polypeptides and proteins. A convenient graphical method was introduced to evaluate four parameters involved in the present expression. The method was demonstrated in detail with an observed ORD curve of sodium poly-α, L-glutamate (NaPLG) at pH 4.35. A number of ORD curves of poly-γ-benzyl-L-glutamate (PBLG) in both helix and random-coil were analyzed. For all ORD curves examined, the critical wavelengths, λ0 and λ1, were found to be 193 and 226 mμ. Aromatic solvents wore found to constitute a group distinct from other helix-forming solvents. A far ultraviolet ORD curve of NaPLG was also analyzed with use of Natanson's equation which contains two damping factors. It was concluded that for an exact description of the ORD curve of helical polypeptides a third term, probably negative, should be taken under consideration. An illustrative application of the present method to the data of the helix-coil transition of NaPLG shed much light on the relation between the four parameters and its molecular conformation as a function of pH.
Design and Fabrication of Silica Nanotube Arrays and Nanofluidic Devices

Silica nanotube arrays have been fabricated from vertical silicon nanowire templates prepared by Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) epitaxial growth. The silicon nonowire arrays are uniformly oxidized by a dry oxidation process in a tube furnace heated to 1000 °C and filled with pure O2 , which gives SiO2 sheaths with continuous silicon wire cores inside. A dry etch process with XeF2 as etchant removes the silicon cores, thus silica nanotube arrays are obtained. The resulting silica nanotubes are more than 10 μm long with an inner diameter range from 10 to 200 nm. A nonofluidic device has been fabricated based on individual silica nanotubes. The nanotube is drop-casted onto a silica substrate from a solution and after the solution is dried out, a 200 nm thick chrome layer is sputter deposited. A 3 μm wide Cr gate structure is patterned across the silica nanotube. Photoresist is patterned to define the hydrophilic (silica) and hydrophobic (photoresist) regions. The hydrophilic regions form a reservoir at each side of the nanotube, thus giving us a nanofluidic device. Ion current flow through the nanotube has been measured in 1 M KCl solution and the measured current matches the theoretical estimation reasonably well.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Introduction to nematode evolution and ecology

Copyright: © 2005 David H.A. Fitch. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: david.fitch@nyu.edu Introduction to nematode evolution and ecology* David H.A. Fitch, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003 USA
A biomechanical analysis of two reconstructive approaches to the posterolateral corner of the knee

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the biceps femoris tenodesis and popliteofibular ligament reconstruction on knee biomechanics. Ten human cadaveric knees were tested in the intact, posterolateral corner (PLC)-deficient, and PLC-reconstructed conditions using a robotic/universal force moment sensor testing system. The knees were subjected to: (1) a 134 N posterior tibial load, and (2) a 10 Nm external tibial torque applied to the tibia at full extension, 30° and 90° of flexion. External tibial rotation of the intact knee ranged from 18.3±4.6° at full extension to 27.9±4.6° at 30° under the 10 Nm external tibial torque. These values increased after sectioning the PLC by 2.8°–7.5° at 30° and 90° respectively. After the popliteofibular ligament reconstruction, external tibial rotation values were not significantly different from those for the intact knee at any angle tested, while values following the biceps tenodesis were as much as 5.7° greater than the intact knee. Under the 134 N posterior tibial load, there were minimal decreases in posterior tibial translation of up to 0.9 mm with the biceps tenodesis and up to 1.6 mm with the popliteofibular ligament reconstruction compared to the intact knee. The in situ forces in the biceps tenodesis were not significantly different than the intact PLC at full extension or 30°, while the in situ forces in the popliteofibular graft were not significantly different at any flexion angle. Our data suggests that by restoring external tibial rotation the popliteofibular ligament reconstruction more closely reproduces the primary function of the PLC as compared to the biceps tenodesis.
Transcolonic endoscopic abdominal exploration: a NOTES survival study in a porcine model.

Background Published reports on NOTES (natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery) have thus far been limited to the transgastric method. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the transcolonic approach as a means of accessing and systematically exploring the abdominal cavity in a survival study design. Design Six pigs were placed under general anesthesia and were prepped with multiple tap-water enemas, followed by instillation of a cefazolin suspension and a povidone-iodine lavage. Equipment was prepared with a high-level chemical disinfection, and an aseptic technique was used. An incision was made in the anterior colonic wall, and abdominal exploration was performed by using a double-channel endoscope. The incision was subsequently closed with endoscopic clips, endoloops, or a prototype closure device. Patients Six female Yorkshire pigs that weighed 25 to 30 kg. Results Stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, small bowel, colon, and peritoneal surfaces were identified in all animals in less than 3 minutes. The lower pelvic organs were not consistently visualized. All animals were alive for 14 days without apparent complications. At necropsy, the colonic incision sites were completely closed and appeared well healed. Microscopic inflammatory changes were seen at the closure site in all animals, including microabscesses. Incision-related adhesions were identified in 4 of 6 animals. Conclusions This study demonstrated the use of a novel transcolonic approach to successfully access and explore the abdominal cavity. In contrast to the transgastric method, a transcolonic approach provides more consistent identification of structures in the upper abdomen and provides better en face orientation and scope stability. Therapeutic interventions in the upper abdomen, including organ resection, may be more tenable by using a transcolonic method; however, further studies are needed to address issues of sterility and colonic closure.
Interactive searching and interface issues in the Okapi best match probabilistic retrieval system

Abstract We explore some interface design issues raised by the development and evaluation of a highly interactive information retrieval (IR) system based on a probabilistic retrieval model with relevance feedback. The Okapi system uses term frequency weighting functions to display retrieved items in a best match ranked order; it can also find additional items similar to those marked as relevant by the searcher. Its query expansion mechanism has been implemented in several different ways, and subjected to a number of evaluative studies. The object has been to compare the effectiveness of automatic and interactive query expansion in different user interface environments. In automatic query expansion, the system extracts terms from items judged relevant by the searcher and immediately creates a new query to search for more items. In the interactive versions the extracted terms are displayed, and the searcher may intervene in the construction of a modified query for the next phase of the search. These contrasting approaches serve to illustrate the interplay between different principles of human computer interaction and the information retrieval task. The discussion focuses on the nature of interaction in IR and the interrelationship between functional visibility, the user's cognitive loading, and the balance of control between user and system.
Managing Exposure to Indoor Air Pollutants in Residential and Office Environments

Abstract Sources of indoor air pollutants in residential and office environments can be managed to reduce occupant exposures. Techniques for managing indoor air pollution sources include: source elimination, substitution, modification, pretreatment, and altering the amount, location, or time of use. Intelligent source management requires knowledge of the source's emission characteristics, including chemical composition, emission rates, and decay rates. In addition, knowledge of mechanical and natural outdoor air exchange rates, heating/air-conditioning duct flow rates, and local exhaust fan (e.g., kitchen, bathroom) flow rates is needed to determine pollutant concentrations. Finally, indoor air quality (IAQ) models use this information and occupant activity patterns to determine instantaneous and/or cumulative individual exposure. This paper describes a number of residential and office scenarios for various indoor air pollution sources, several ventilation conditions, and typical occupant activity patterns. IAQ model predictions of occupant exposures for these scenarios are given for selected source management options. A one-month period was used to compare exposures; thus, long-term exposure information is not presented in this paper.