cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antifoaming in aqueous foams

Abstract Recent developments are summarized in understanding antifoaming action by oil drops and solid particles, either separately or in combination, on aqueous foams. Of particular significance is a paper by N.D. Denkov [Denkov, N.D., Mechanisms of foam destruction by oil-based antifoams. Langmuir 2004; 20:9463–9505.], which describes research leading to several advances in understanding mechanisms of oil-based antifoams.
Employability of genetic counselors with a PhD in genetic counseling.

The development of a PhD in genetic counseling has been discussed for more than 20 years, yet the perspectives of employers have not been assessed. The goal of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the employability of genetic counselors with a PhD in genetic counseling by conducting interviews with United States employers of genetic counselors. Study participants were categorized according to one of the following practice areas: academic, clinical, government, industry, laboratory, or research. All participants were responsible for hiring genetic counselors in their institutions. Of the 30 employers interviewed, 23 envisioned opportunities for individuals with a PhD degree in genetic counseling, particularly in academic and research settings. Performing research and having the ability to be a principal investigator on a grant was the primary role envisioned for these individuals by 22/30 participants. Employers expect individuals with a PhD in genetic counseling to perform different roles than MS genetic counselors with a master’s degree. This study suggests there is an employment niche for individuals who have a PhD in genetic counseling that complements, and does not compete with, master’s prepared genetic counselors.
Relationship of 1977 state suicide rates to population increases and immigration.

The 1977 suicide rates of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were related significantly to their rates of population increase and immigration. These results, which were replicated with data from 1940, 1950, 1960, and 1970, provide additional support for Durkheim's hypothesized relationship between suicide rates and societal integration, since high rates of immigration and population increase are likely to characterize geographical areas with low social integration. As expected, crime rates and divorce rates were related significantly to suicide rates and to these two indices of social integration.
Automating the construction of gene ontologies.

Manual curation of biological ontologies is recapitulated by an algorithmic approach, supplementing the Gene Ontology and enabling the discovery of relationships among genes and proteins.
Creep properties of Al3Sc and Al3(Sc, X) intermetallics

Abstract A systematic creep study was undertaken for the binary intermetallic Al 3 Sc and the ternary single-phase intermetallic Al 3 (Sc 0.74 X 0.26 ), where X is one of the transition-metals Ti, Y, Zr or Hf. Creep tests were conducted in the temperature range from 673 to 1200 K under a constant compressive stress ranging from 30 to 300 MPa. The binary Al 3 Sc exhibits a stress exponent of 4.4–4.9 indicative of creep controlled by climb of dislocations. The activation energy for creep of Al 3 Sc was 128±6 kJ/mol, close to that for self-diffusion for pure aluminum, in agreement with the Cu 3 Au rule, indicating that diffusion on the Al-sublattice is controlling. Ternary Al 3 (Sc 0.74 X 0.26 ) exhibits a decrease in creep rate by about one order of magnitude for Zr and Hf and by about two orders of magnitude for Ti and Y. For all ternary alloys, a stress exponent of 3.9–5.5 was observed, indicative of dislocation creep. Activation energies for creep of 202±8 kJ/mol were found, showing that ternary substitution for scandium with transition metals affects diffusion on the Al sublattice.
Intensities and line shapes in the v2-fundamentals of 14NH3 and 15NH3☆

Abstract Spectral transmission measurements in the vs2- and va2-fundamentals of 14NH3 and 15NH3 have yielded information that is valuable in the interpretation of spectroscopic scans of Jupiter covering the thermal infrared between 9 and 12 μm. Our experimental data demonstrate that the absorption spectra of the two species of NH3 differ from each other only in line positions but not in the strengths, widths or shapes of lines with the same quantum number designations.
C0 coarse geometry and scalar curvature

In this paper we introduce an alternative form of coarse geometry on proper metric spaces, which is more delicate at infinity than the standard metric coarse structure. There is an assembly map from the K-homology of a space to the K-theory of the C*-algebra associated to the new coarse structure, which factors through the coarse K-homology of the space (with the new coarse structure). A Dirac-type operator on a complete Riemannian manifold M gives rise to a class in K-homology, and its image under assembly gives a higher index in the K-theory group. The main result of this paper is a vanishing theorem for the index of the Dirac operator on an open spin manifold for which the scalar curvature ?(x) tends to infinity as x tends to infinity. This is derived from a spectral vanishing theorem for any Dirac-type operator with discrete spectrum and finite dimensional eigenspaces.
Synaptojanin-1 plays a key role in astrogliogenesis: possible relevance for Down's syndrome

There is increasing interest in gliogenesis as the relevance of glia to both brain development and pathology becomes better understood. However, little is known about this process. The use of multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) to identify changes in phosphoprotein levels in rat neural precursor cells treated with cytokines or retinoic acid showed that phosphorylation of the catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K p110alpha) and dephosphorylation of the inositol phosphatase synaptojanin-1 were common to the gliogenic stimuli. Although PI3K was found to be involved in both neuro- and astrogliogenesis, synaptojanin-1 was specifically involved in astrogliogenesis of neural precursor cells. The role of synaptojanin-1 in astrogliogenesis was further confirmed by analysis of neuron- and glia-specific markers in synaptojanin-1 knockout mouse brain. Additional experiments showed that the Sac1-like phosphatase domain of synaptojanin-1 is responsible for the observed astrogliogenic effect. Our results strongly indicate that phosphatidylinositol metabolism plays a key role in astrogliogenesis. The relevance of our findings for Down's syndrome pathology is discussed.
No universality for the electron power-law index (p) in gamma-ray bursts and other relativistic sources

The gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission is believed to be from highly relativistic electrons accelerated in relativistic shocks. From the GRB high-energy power-law spectral indices β observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) Large Area Detectors (LAD), we determine the spectral index, p, of the electrons' energy distribution. Both the theoretical calculations and numerical simulations of the particle acceleration in relativistic shocks show that p has a universal value ≈2.2-2.3. We show that the observed distribution of p during GRBs is not consistent with a δ-function distribution or a universal p value, with the width of the distribution ≥0.54. The distributions of p during X-ray afterglows are also investigated and found to be inconsistent with a δ-function distribution. The p distributions in blazars and pulsar wind nebulae are also broad, inconsistent with a δ-function distribution.
Instrumental barriers in biological Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Biological applications of infrared spectroscopy have pressed for ever greater instrumental capabilities in terms of spectral sensitivity and quantitative exactness. Improved instrumentation has provided measurement of many vibrational modes in biological samples that previously were lost in noise. With highly optimized sampling conditions, useful measurements have been made with a peak-to-peak noise level less than 5 microabsorbance (5×10−6 absorbance), at 0.5 cm−1 resolution. However, optical and instrumental instabilities often result in sine waves that are not totally removed by the ratio of sample to reference. These often limit effective spectral sensitivity to 50 or 100 microabsorbance, peak-to-peak, and constitute a non-random noise. Non-atmospheric absorptions, especially one at 1959 cm−1 with 0.8 cm−1 band width (FWHM) are reported. The latter is due to a trace impurity in the KBr beam splitter substrate and compensator plate. Improvements in instrumentation and sampling conditions are expected to yield measurements of absorption bands as small as 50 microabsorbance with excellent signal/noise.
New Drugs for the Treatment of Experimental Alcoholism

Abstract This article presents a current overview of the efforts to suppress pharmacologically the craving, dependence, or other factors associated with the self-selection of alcohol in an experimental animal. The contemporary status of the pharmacotherapy of experimental alcoholism similarly is described for different animal models of alcohol drinking. An evaluation is presented of several classes of drug for their efficacy in ameliorating the volitional ingestion of alcohol in the presence of an alternative fluid. Currently, two main experimental animal models of alcoholism are being used in this endeavor: (a) genetic lines or substrains of high alcohol preferring or high drinking rats; and (b) strains of nondrinking or low alcohol preferring rats which are induced chemically to prefer alcohol. Because of technical, methodological, and other issues surrounding the procedures used to assess the efficacy of a drug in reducing alcohol intake, several of the newer findings remain controversial. For example, serious side effects on the intake of food, caloric regulation, motor activity, or other functions would preclude the clinical utility of the drug. However, several drugs which affect monoaminergic neurons as well as opioid systems in the brain now seem to offer promise as agents which do possess clinical benefits. Two of these drugs, FG5606 (amperozide) and FG 5893 are essentially "antialcoholic" or anticraving and are without any significant side effects on cerebral mechanisms responsible for hunger, caloric intake, motor activity, or other physiological process. Amperozide, a 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist with dopamine releasing properties, is particularly notable because of its irreversible nature in attenuating alcohol preference for months after its administration. It is concluded that future pharmacological research on presently available and newly developed compounds will provide exciting opportunities to the clinician who can utilize a particular drug as an adjunctive tool in the therapeutic treatment of the alcoholic individual.
Simplified calculation of aerosol penetration through channels and tubes

Abstract Penetration of a lognormally distributed aerosol undergoing Brownian diffusion in both a long narrow rectangular channel and a circular tube has been calculated by using an approximation method similar to those used in boundary layer analyses and then by utilizing the integration method of lognormal function moments. The approach assumes that the size distribution of an initially lognormally distributed aerosol remains or at least can be correlated with a lognormal distribution function as it passes along the channel. Through this simplified calculation, penetrations of the total number, radius, surface area and mass of the particles plus the mean size and the geometric standard deviation of the size distribution were simultaneously obtained. The results were compared with and agree reasonably well with the existing results of numerical integration.
Ethnography of the menopause-related hot flash

Research was conducted to learn how women of two ethnic groups in the United States experience and describe menopause-related hot flashes, their reports of associated events and activities, and the ways in which they cope with the occurrence of the flashes. The women's cognitive ordering of events was learned through ethnographic inquiry, using questions which were derived from respondent-generated topics. Descriptions and responses to this physiological event were similar, but interpretation differed. Middle-class Anglo American women spoke of the sensations negatively, but for Mexican American women, the menopausal hot flash had positive components of meaning.
Inactivation of Interferon by Serum and Synovial Fluids

The stability of interferons-alpha, -beta, and -gamma (IFN) in serum and synovial fluids were compared. Interferon-beta was the least stable interferon species, losing at least 75% of its activity during incubation in samples of both serum and synovial fluid. Interferon-alpha was the most stable IFN, but interferon-gamma under these conditions approached the stability of the alpha species. The inactivation of IFN-beta was found due to dialyzable factors and hence not classical antibodies.
Identifying discrepancies in electronic medical records through pharmacist medication reconciliation

Abstract Objectives To describe the types and causes of medication discrepancies in the electronic medical record identified by pharmacist medication reconciliation during outpatient medical visits and to identify patient characteristics associated with the presence of discrepancies. Design Observational case series study. Setting Indigent primary care clinic in Pittsburgh, PA, from April 2009 to May 2010. Patients 219 adults presenting for follow-up medical visits and self-reporting medication use. Intervention Medication reconciliation as part of patient interview and concurrent chart review. Main outcome measures Frequency, types, and reasons for medication discrepancies and demographic variables, patient knowledge, and adherence. Results Of 219 patients interviewed, 162 (74%) had at least one discrepancy. The most common type of discrepancy was an incorrect medication documented on the chart. The most common reasons included over-the-counter (OTC) use of medications and patients not reporting use of medications. The presence of one or more medication discrepancies was associated with the use of three or more medications. Patient factors such as gender, age, and race were not associated with discrepancies. Patients able to recall the strength for more than 75% of their medications had fewer discrepancies, while knowledge of the medication name, indication, or regimen had no association with discrepancies. Conclusion Pharmacists play a critical role in identifying discrepancies between charted medication lists and self-reported medication use, independent of adherence. Inaccuracies in charted medications are frequent and often are related to use of OTC therapies and lack of communication and documentation during physician office visits. Knowledge of patient-related variables and other reasons for discrepancies may be useful in identifying patients at greatest risk for discrepancies and interventions to prevent and resolve them.
On teaching comparative criminal justice: Lessons learned

This practice note describes an approach for developing and teaching a course in comparative criminal justice systems. Included are a rationale for the course, some suggestions for selecting venues, and the use of resource and lecture materials, subjective examinations, team presentations, book reviews, research papers, and miscellaneous matters (i.e., guest speakers, videos, and current events). Also discussed are problems involved in providing students with current library resources.
To Strengthen the King’s Hands: Dynastic Legitimacy, Militia Reform and Ideas of National Unity in England, 1745-1760

A national militia has been the cry of every patriot since the Revolution, and this measure, both in Parliament and in the field, was supported by the country gentlemen or Tories, who insensibly transferred their loyalty to the House of Hanover. In the language of Mr. Burke, they have changed the idol, but they have preserved the idolatry.
Chemical monitors based on surface-enhanced raman scattering

This paper presents an overview of the development of chemical monitors using the surface- enhanced raman scattering (SERS) technique. The SERS effect is based on recent experimental observations, which have indicated enhancement of the Raman scattering efficiency by factors up to 108 when a compound is adsorbed on rough metallic surfaces having submicron protrusions. The focus of our research efforts is on the development of SERS-active sensors and instrumentation capable of field analysis and remote sensing.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Episiotomy, operative vaginal delivery, and significant perineal trauma in nulliparous women ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether choice of obstetric instrument at operative vaginal delivery is associated with any differences in the rate of significant perineal trauma and whether this rate is modified by the use of episiotomy. Study Design: The occurrence of significant perineal trauma among 323 consecutive operative vaginal deliveries was evaluated according to type of instrument used and performance of episiotomy. These findings were compared with spontaneous vaginal deliveries during the same period. Results: Among forceps deliveries the use of episiotomy was not associated with a difference in the occurrence of significant perineal trauma (55% vs 46%; relative risk, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-1.9). Among vacuum extraction deliveries an increased rate of such trauma was noted when episiotomy was used (34.9% vs 9.4%; relative risk, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-11.2). There was no difference in the rate of significant perineal trauma according to type of forceps used. In a logistic regression analysis forceps delivery with or without episiotomy was associated with an increase of >10-fold in the rate of significant perineal trauma with respect to vacuum extraction deliveries without episiotomy. Conclusions: Our data suggest that in forceps delivery neither the type of forceps nor episiotomy influences the risk of significant perineal trauma. When vacuum extraction delivery is performed, the use of episiotomy is associated with a higher risk of significant perineal trauma. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:1180-4.)
Digital filtering using complex Mersenne transforms

Complex Mersenne Transforms are defined in a ring of integers modulo a Mersenne or pseudo-Mersenne number and can be computed without multiplications. It is shown that under certain conditions, these transforms can be computed by means of fast transform algorithms and permit the evaluation of digital convolutions with better efficiency and accuracy than does the Fast Fourier Transform.
Males increase progestin receptor binding in brain of female voles

In female prairie voles, behavioral estrus is induced by exposure to an unfamiliar male and ovulation is induced by mating. Experiments were conducted to determine whether a saturable high-affinity progestin binding site (PRC) is present in cytosols of brain tissue from females exposed to male stimuli for a period of time which is sufficient to bring most females into heat. PRC were detected in both the medialbasal hypothalamus (MBH) and preoptic area (POA). However, PRC levels increased in response to male stimuli in the MBH but not in the POA. The lack of an increase in the POA could not be attributed to changes in circulating progesterone. These results indicate that social stimuli can influence cellular events within specific areas of the female brain and suggest that one distinguishing feature between the spontaneous and induced ovulators may be the pattern of estrogen-induced progestin receptors within areas of the brain which are involved with the control of sexual behavior and/or ovulation.
Szegő asymptotics for matrix-valued measures with countably many bound states

Let @m be a matrix-valued measure with the essential spectrum a single interval and countably many point masses outside of it. Under the assumption that the absolutely continuous part of @m satisfies Szego's condition and the point masses satisfy a Blaschke-type condition, we obtain the asymptotic behavior of the orthonormal polynomials on and off the support of the measure. The result generalizes the scalar analogue of Peherstorfer-Yuditskii (2001) [12] and the matrix-valued result of Aptekarev-Nikishin (1983) [1], which handles only a finite number of mass points.
Vitamin D Status and Acute Respiratory Infection: Cross Sectional Results from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2006

Vitamin D is a promising, though under-explored, potential modifiable risk factor for acute respiratory infections (ARIs). We sought to investigate the association of vitamin D status with ARI in a large, nationally-representative sample of non-institutionalized individuals from the United States. We analyzed 14,108 individuals over 16 years of age in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2001-2006 in this cross-sectional study. We used locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) to depict the relationship between increasing 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels and ARI. We then performed a multivariable regression analysis to investigate the association of 25OHD levels with ARI, while adjusting for known confounders. The median serum 25OHD level was 21 (IQR 15-27) ng/mL. Overall, 4.8% (95% CI: 4.5-5.2) of participants reported an ARI within 30 days before their participation in the national survey. LOWESS analysis revealed a near-linear relationship between vitamin D status and the cumulative frequency of ARI up to 25OHD levels around 30 ng/mL. After adjusting for season, demographic factors, and clinical data, 25OHD levels <30 ng/mL were associated with 58% higher odds of ARI
Emotion Regulation Deficits in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease

We examined instructed and spontaneous emotion regulation in patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, N = 32), which presents with profound emotional and personality changes; patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, N = 17), which presents with profound memory impairment; and neurologically normal controls (N = 25). Participants were exposed to an aversive acoustic startle stimulus (115 dB) under 3 different conditions: (a) unwarned without instructions to down-regulate, (b) warned without instructions to down-regulate, and (c) warned with instructions to down-regulate. In the last 2 conditions, the warning took the form of a 20-s countdown. In all conditions, visible aspects of the startle response were assessed by measuring overall somatic activity and coding emotional facial expressions. FTLD patients, AD patients, and control participants showed similar patterns of down-regulation in somatic activity across the 3 startle trials. However, differences between the 3 groups emerged in the amount of emotional facial behavior expressed in the startle trials. There were no group differences in response in the unwarned condition, indicating that the startle response was intact in the patients. In the warned with instructions condition, both FTLD and AD patients were moderately impaired in down-regulatory ability compared with controls. In the warned without instructions condition, AD patients and normal controls spontaneously down-regulated their emotional responses, but FTLD patients did not. These findings illuminate specific problems that these patients have in the emotional realm.
A generic architecture of modular embedded system for miniature mobile robots

Miniature robots have many advantages over their larger counterparts, such as low cost, low power, and easy to build a large scale team for complex tasks. Heterogeneous multi miniature robots could provide powerful situation awareness capability due to different locomotion capabilities and sensor information. However, it would be expensive and time consuming to develop specific embedded system for different type of robots. In this paper, we propose a generic modular embedded system architecture called SMARbot (Stevens modular autonomous robot), which consists of a set of hardware and software modules that can be configured to construct various types of robot systems. These modules include a high performance microprocessor, a reconfigurable hardware component, wireless communication, and diverse sensor and actuator interfaces. The design of all the modules in electrical subsystem, the selection criteria for module components, and the real-time operating system are described. Some preliminary experimental results are also presented.
Bioinformatic Approach to Identify Penultimate Amino Acids Efficient for N-Terminal Methionine Excision

More than half of proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes undergo N-terminal methionine excision (NME). While it is known that the penultimate amino acid affects the efficiency of NME in several bacterial and eukaryotic species, it is experimentally difficult and tedious to verify which amino acid at the penultimate site (the site after initiator Met) is the most efficient for NME in different species. Here we present a new bioinformatic approach to identify penultimate amino acids that are efficient for NME. Amino acids most efficient for NME are alanine, serine and proline in human, and alanine, glycine, valine, proline and serine in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This finding also helps resolve the two hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the presence of+4G site in the Kozak consensus for translation initiation.
Reliability of the self-report version of the panic disorder severity scale.

The interview-administered Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) has been demonstrated to be a reliable and valid measurement of panic disorder severity. The purpose of this paper is to report on the reliability and usefulness of the self-report form (PDSS-SR). The PDSS and PDSS-SR were administered to 108 psychiatric outpatients with and without panic disorder. The internal consistency of the instruments was analyzed with Cronbach's alpha. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 25 of these subjects by using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). In addition, decrease in panic symptoms was measured after cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) treatment on 27 subjects. Cronbach's alpha was.917 for PDSS-SR and.923 for the PDSS. The PDSS-SR had good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.81) and was sensitive to change with treatment, with a mean decrease of 7.3 (S.D.=5.1). The self-report version of the PDSS is a reliable format, which could be useful in clinical and research settings.
LIP‐1 phosphatase controls the extent of germline proliferation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans germline cells are maintained in an undifferentiated and mitotically dividing state by Notch signaling and the FBF (for fem-3 binding factor) RNAbinding protein. Here, we report that the LIP-1 phosphatase, a proposed homolog of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatases, is required for the normal extent of germline proliferation, and that lip-1 controls germline proliferation by regulating MAP kinase activity. In wild-type germ lines, LIP-1 protein is present in the proximal third of the mitotic region, consistent with its effect on germline proliferation. We provide evidence that lip-1 expression in the germline mitotic region is controlled by a combination of GLP-1/Notch signaling and FBF repression. Unexpectedly, FBF controls the accumulation of lip-1 mRNA, and therefore is likely to control its stability or 3 0 -end formation. In a sensitized mutant background, LIP-1 can function as a pivotal regulator of the decision between proliferation and differentiation. The control of germline proliferation by LIP-1 has intriguing parallels with the control of stem cells and progenitor cells in vertebrates.
Bexarotene Induces Cellular Senescence in MMTV-Neu Mouse Model of Mammary Carcinogenesis

Previous studies have shown that retinoids and rexinoids can prevent breast cancer in animal models and in women with increased risk of developing the disease. The cellular effects of these vitamin A analogues have been primarily associated with induction of differentiation and inhibition of proliferation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that bexarotene (LGD1069, Targretin), a rexinoid, can not only inhibit cell proliferation but also induce cellular senescence in mammary epithelial cells, premalignant lesions, and tumors of the MMTV-Neu model of mammary carcinogenesis, which develops estrogen receptor-negative tumors. Mice with palpable mammary tumors were treated for 4 weeks with bexarotene at 80 or 40 mg/kg body weight, and senescent cells were determined by SA-β-Gal assay. Bexarotene decreased in a dose-dependent manner the multiplicity of premalignant lesions and tumors, and this was associated with inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cellular senescence and apoptosis. By double labeling of senescent cells, first by SA-β-Gal and then by antibodies against genes related to cellular senescence, we found that p21, p16, and RARβ, but not p53, were upregulated by bexarotene in mammary tumors and in breast cancer cell lines, suggesting involvement of multiple signaling pathways in mediating the senescence program of rexinoids. These findings indicate that, in addition to cell proliferation and apoptosis, cellular senescence could be used as a potential biomarker of response in breast cancer prevention and therapy studies with rexinoids and possibly with other antitumor agents.
SpiderRadio: A cognitive radio network with commodity hardware and open source software

In this article we present SpiderRadio, a cognitive radio prototype for dynamic spectrum access networking. SpiderRadio is built using commodity IEEE 802.11a/b/g hardware and the open source MadWiFi driver. This helps us in developing and testing our prototype without having to buy and manage several licensed spectrum bands. We begin with a discussion of the key research issues and challenges in the practical implementation of a dynamic spectrum access network. Then the lessons learned from the development of dynamic spectrum access protocols, designing management frame structures, software implementation of the dynamic spectrum access network protocol stack, and testbed experimental measurement results are presented. Several trade-offs in prototype implementation complexity vs. network performance are also discussed. We also identify potential security vulnerabilities in cognitive radio networks, specifically as applied to SpiderRadio, and point out some defense mechanisms against these vulnerabilities.
Regional synthesis of last glacial maximum snowlines in the tropical Andes, South America

The modern glaciers of the tropical Andes are a small remnant of the ice that occupied the mountain chain during past glacial periods. Estimates of local Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) snowline depression range from low (e.g., 200–300 m in the Junin region, Peru), through intermediate (600 m at Laguna Kollpa Kkota in Bolivia), to high (e.g., 1100–1350 m in the Cordillera Oriental, Peru). Although a considerable body of work on paleosnowlines exists for the tropical Andes, absolute dating is lacking for most sites. Moraines that have been reliably dated to � 21 cal kyr BP have been identified at few locations in the tropical Andes. More commonly, but still rarely, moraines can be bracketed between about 10 14 C kyr (� 11.5 cal kyr BP) and 30 14 C kyr BP. Typically, only minimum-limiting ages for glacial retreat are available. Cosmogenic dating of erratics on moraines may be able to provide absolute dating with sufficient accuracy to identify deposits of the local LGM. Ongoing work using cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al in Peru and Bolivia suggests that the local LGM may have occurred prior to 21 cal kyr BP. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.
Effects of Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake and Acute Stimulation on Aldosterone Output by Isolated Human Adrenal Cells

The regulation of steroidogenesis by isolated cells prepared from human adrenal glands was assessed after crude separation into capsular (containing mainly glomerulosa cells with a 30–35% contamination of fasciculata cells) and decapsular (consisting almost entirely of zona fasciculatareticularis cells) fractions. Cortisol and corticosterone but not aldosterone were produced by the decapsulated cell preparation, ACTH (α 1-24) but not angiotensin II or potassium significantly increased cortisol production by these cells. Basal aldosterone production by the glomerulosa cell fraction increased significantly when cells were obtained from individuals who were sodium restricted (3-fold) or potassium loaded (17-fold). In addition, the conversion of corticosterone into aldosterone was significantly nificantly increased by sodium restriction (2-fold) and potassium loading (4-fold). The addition of ACTH (α 1-24) potassium or angiotensin II significantly increased aldosterone production from the glomerulosa cell fra...
Effect of Restricted Daylength During the Growing Period on Semen Quality and Fertility of Turkey Toms

Abstract Two trials were conducted in which three daylength and light intensity treatments were applied to 144 growing turkey toms from 8 to 28 weeks of age. Treatments were (1) six hours of artificial light, (2) natural light and daylength, and (3) simulated natural daylength. At 28 weeks of age all toms were placed on 14 hours of daily light. Individual torn semen quality was evaluated every two weeks for six months, and on alternate weeks, eight hens were inseminated with semen pooled by treatment replicate to obtain fertility (May to December). Seasonal decline in semen production, sperm concentration, semen volume, and fertility was observed for toms on natural daylength after three months of production. Toms on six hours of light and those on simulated natural light maintained high levels of production and quality for the entire six month period. Semen production expressed as the average number of toms producing semen, sperm concentration, and fertility were significantly lower (P It was concluded that natural light was less desirable than controlled light for “off season” growing of toms.
Baculovirus Stimulates Antiviral Effects in Mammalian Cells

Herein, we report that Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus, a member of the Baculoviridae family, is capable of stimulating antiviral activity in mammalian cells. Baculoviruses are not pathogenic to mammalian cells. Nevertheless, live baculovirus is shown here to induce interferons (IFN) from murine and human cell lines and induces in vivo protection of mice from encephalomyocarditis virus infection. Monoclonal antibodies specific for the baculovirus envelope gp67 neutralize baculovirus-dependent IFN production. Moreover, UV treatment of baculovirus eliminates both infectivity and IFN-inducing activity. In contrast, the IFN-inducing activity of the baculovirus was unaffected by DNase or RNase treatment. These data demonstrate that IFN production can be induced in mammalian cells by baculovirus even though the cells fail to serve as a natural host for an active viral infection. Baculoviruses, therefore, provide a novel model in which to study at least one alternative mechanism for IFN induction in mammalian cells.
The Development of Awareness of Iron-Withholding Defense

In William Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear, the Earl of Gloucester is attacked by the king's enemies who, in Act III, Scene 7, proceed to gouge out Gloucester's eyes. Gloucester's servant exclaims: "I'll fetch some flax, and whites of eggs,/To apply to his bleeding face." That raw egg white contains an anti-infective principle presumably was known to many persons of Shakespeare's day. Indeed, egg-laying creatures have been employing the principle for countless millenia. In 1944, microbiologists Arthur Schade and Leona Caroline observed that the antimicrobial action of the principle could be neutralized by iron [I]. The anti-infective factor subsequently was determined to be an 80 kDa ironbinding protein that is now termed ovotransferrin (OTf). The hen's egg, a perishable commodity in a semipermeable membrane within a fragile porous shell, is deposited in an environment heavily contaminated with bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. For thousands of years, hens successfully have employed the concept of ironwithholding defense to protect their precious legacy from infectious rot. The birds place a generous quantity of iron in the yolk for the developing embryo to use as a catalyst for DNA synthesis and for a variety of energy-yielding enzymatic systems. To prevent potential microbial invaders that migrate through the porous shell from obtaining lifeessential iron, the hens place none of the metal in the white, while including OTf as 12 percent of the solids. Moreover, OTffunctions best in an alkaline milieu, thus our biochemically erudite birds adjust the pH of the white to 9.5. When Schade and Caroline observed the great potency and very broad spectrum of the antimicrobial activity of OTf, they predicted that additional examples of host iron-withholding defense would be found.
Winter cover crops to minimize nitrate losses in intensive lettuce production

A 2-year study conducted in Salinas, California in 1989–91 showed that soil nitrate (NO3–N) concentrations were reduced by cover crops during a short winter fallow period and that this practice can be compatible with year-round vegetable crop production schedules by planting and incorporating cover crops directly on the beds into which the lettuce crop will be direct seeded in the early spring. Cover crops grown the first year were oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus cv. Renova), white senf mustard (Brassica hirta cv. Martigena), white mustard (Brassica alba), Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia cv. Phaci), rye (Secale cereale cv. Merced) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). Only phacelia and Merced rye were included in the second year. In both years, all of the cover crops depleted soil NO3-N and soil moisture relative to the fallow control. Estimates of cover crop root length, based on core sampling to 60 cm soil depth, averaged 18800 m/m2 after 17 weeks of growth the first year and 12500 m/m2 after 13 weeks of growth the second year. Above-ground dry matter production averaged 449 g/m2 (12·8 g N/m2) the first year and 161 g/m2 (61 g N/m2) during a shorter growing period and under the more adverse growing conditions of the second year. Following cover crop incorporation with a rotary tiller, soil ammonium (NH4-N), N03-N and net mineralizable N (anaerobic incubation) peaked after c. 1 week, then gradually declined for 1 month. Cover-cropped plots sustained higher net mineralizable N levels than the fallow control after incorporation. Nitrate concentrations after spring rains were lower in soils left fallow during winter. The subsequent lettuce crop was not affected by cover crop treatment.
On the mechanism of conductivity enhancement in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) film through solvent treatment

The conductivity of a poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) film is enhanced by more than 100-folds on adding some organic compounds into PEDOT:PSS aqueous solutions or by treating the PEDOT:PSS film with organic solvents, such as ethylene glycol (EG), 2-nitroethanol, methyl sulfoxide or 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. The mechanism for this conductivity enhancement was studied through various chemical and physical characterizations. The PEDOT:PSS film which is soluble in water becomes insoluble after treatment with EG. This strongly suggests an increased interchain interaction among the PEDOT chains. Raman spectroscopy indicates that this increased interchain interaction results from conformational changes of the PEDOT chains, which change from a coil to linear or expanded-coil structure. The increased interchain interaction and conformation changes are further confirmed by the temperature dependence of conductivity and the electron spin resonance (ESR). It is found that EG treatment lowers the energy barrier for charge hopping among the PEDOT chains, lowers the polaron concentration in the PEDOT:PSS film by ∼50%, and increases the electrochemical activity of the PEDOT:PSS film in NaCl aqueous solution by ∼100%. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements show that the surface morphology of the PEDOT:PSS film changes as well after the EG treatment. Conductivity enhancement was also observed when other organic compounds were used, but it was strongly dependent on the chemical structure of the organic compounds, and observed only with organic compound with two or more polar groups. These experimental results support our proposal that the conductivity enhancement is due to the conformational change of the PEDOT chains and the driving force is the interaction between the dipoles of the organic compound and dipoles or charges on the PEDOT chains.
Dietary Reference Intakes for Zinc May Require Adjustment for Phytate Intake Based upon Model Predictions

The quantity of total dietary zinc (Zn) and phytate are the principal determinants of the quantity of absorbed Zn. Recent estimates of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for Zn by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) were based on data from low-phytate or phytate-free diets. The objective of this project was to estimate the effects of increasing quantities of dietary phytate on these DRI. We used a trivariate model of the quantity of Zn absorbed as a function of dietary Zn and phytate with updated parameters to estimate the phytate effect on the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and Recommended Daily Allowance for Zn for both men and women. The EAR predicted from the model at 0 phytate was very close to the EAR of the IOM. The addition of 1000 mg phytate doubled the EAR and adding 2000 mg phytate tripled the EAR. The model also predicted that the EAR for men and women could not be attained with phytate:Zn molar ratios > 11:1 and 15:1, respectively. The phytate effect on upper limits (UL) was predicted by first estimating the quantity of absorbed Zn corresponding to the UL of 40 mg for phytate-free diets, which is 6.4 mg Zn/d. Extrapolation of the model suggested, for example, that with 900 mg/d phytate, 100 mg dietary Zn is required to attain 6.4 mg absorbed Zn/d. Experimental studies with higher Zn intakes are required to test these predictions.
MECHANISMS OF AND CONDITIONS FOR REPULSIVE VAN DER UAALS AND REPULSIVE HYDROGEN BONDING INTERACTIONS

ABSTRACT The surface thermodynamic equations are tabulated for the apolar and polar interactions between two similar and between two different materials, in vacuo, as well as immersed In a third liquid medium. The Interaction mechanisms are explained and the conditions are given under which some of these reactions will become repulsive. The curious analogy between the apolar Interaction between two different materials, immersed in an apolar liquid, and the polar interaction between two similar materials, immersed in a polar liquid, Is elaborated upon.
Effects of added lard fed to broiler chickens during the starter phase. 2. Serum lipids

Abstract The effects of lard added to starter diets on various serum lipids were determined in broiler chickens between 14 and 42 d of age. Nonisocaloric starter diets were formulated to contain either 0, 3, or 7% added lard, where the megacaloric percentages of all major nutrients were held constant. Birds received either 0, 3, or 7% added lard in starter diets through 10 d of age (S1), followed by either 3 or 7% added dietary lard through 21 d of age (S2). All possible combinations of the three S1 diets and two S2 diets yielded six total dietary treatments. A common grower diet was provided after 21 d. Concentrations of various serum lipids were determined weekly from 14 to 42 d of age. The effects of both the S1 and S2 diets on total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) were inconsistent and were influenced by sex between 14 and 42 d of age. However, serum triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations showed progressive increases over the 14 to 42 d period in birds that received dietary lard at either level in the S1 diet. These same serum constituents also increased to the greatest extents over the same period when birds were provided 3% added lard in the S2 diet. It was concluded that the response of broiler chickens between 14 and 42 d to different levels of dietary lard were influenced by age of feeding during the starter period. Furthermore, the specific effects of the diets on serum cholesterol, LDLC, and HDLC concentrations between 14 and 42 d varied with the sex and age of the bird.
Minimally invasive surgical staging for esophageal cancer.

Background: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is increasing in the United States, and the 5-year survival rate is dismal. Preliminary data suggest that conventional imaging is inaccurate in staging esophageal cancer and could limit accurate assessment of new treatments. The objective of this study was to compare minimally invasive surgical staging (MIS) with conventional imaging for staging esophageal cancer. Methods: Patients with potentially resectable esophageal cancer were eligible. Staging by conventional methods used computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest and abdomen, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), whereas MIS used laparoscopy and videothoracoscopy. Conventional staging results were compared to those from MIS. Results: In 53 patients, the following stages were assigned by CT scan and EUS: carcinoma in situ (CIS; n=1), I (n=1), II (n=23), III (n=20), IV (n=8). In 17 patients (32.1%), MIS demonstrated inaccuracies in the conventional imaging, reassigning a lower stage in 10 patients and a more advanced stage in 7 patients. Conclusions: In 32.1% of patients with esophageal cancer, MIS changed the stage originally assigned by CT scan and EUS. Therefore, MIS should be applied to evaluate the accuracy of new noninvasive imaging methods and to assess new therapies for esophageal cancer.
Relationship of pleural effusions to increased permeability pulmonary edema in anesthetized sheep.

Abstract We studied anesthetized sheep to determine the relationship between increased permeability pulmonary edema and the development and mechanism of pleural effusion formation. In 12 sheep with intact, closed thoraces, we studied the time course of pleural liquid formation after 0.12 ml/kg i.v. oleic acid. After 1 h, there were no pleural effusions, even though extravascular lung water increased 50% to 6.0 +/- 0.7 g/g dry lung. By 3 h pleural effusions had formed, they reached a maximum at 5 h (48.5 +/- 16.9 ml/thorax), and at 8 h there was no additional accumulation of pleural liquid (45.5 +/- 16.9 ml). Morphologic studies by light and electron microscopy demonstrated subpleural edema but no detectable injury to the visceral pleura, suggesting that the pleural liquid originated from the lung and not the pleura. In nine sheep, we quantified the rate of formation of pleural liquid by enclosing one lung in a plastic bag. By comparing in the same sheep the volume of pleural liquid collected from the enclosed lung to the volume found in the opposite intact chest, we estimated the rate of liquid absorption from the intact chest to be 0.32 ml/(kg.h); we had previously reported a liquid absorption rate of 0.28 ml/(kg.h) in normal sheep. These studies also supported the conclusion that the majority of the pleural liquid originated from the lung because we could account for all of the pleural liquid that was formed and cleared. The volume of pleural liquid collected from the enclosed lungs was equal to 21% of the excess lung liquid that formed after oleic acid-induced lung injury. Thus, the pleural space and parietal pleural lymphatic pathways are important pathways for the clearance of pulmonary edema liquid after experimentally induced increased permeability pulmonary edema.