cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA synthesis in unfertilized sea urchin eggs can be turned on and turned off by the addition and removal of procaine hydrochloride.

Abstract Unfertilized sea urchin eggs turn on thymidine transport, DNA synthesis and the chromosome cycle in response to procaine hydrochloride. The rates to which these processes activate depend on the extracellular concentration of procaine. Removing procaine turns off DNA synthesis and the chromosome cycle, re-adding procaine turns these processes on once more. Thymidine transport does not turn off after procaine removal. It remains on at the rate it had reached at the time of procaine removal. During a 12-hr period, unfertilized eggs in procaine complete four S-phases, while normal, fertilized embryos complete eight. Tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA is very low in procaine-treated eggs. This is because in procaine the thymidine transport system is relatively inactive compared to that of fertilized eggs. The data suggest eggs may possess homeostatic mechanisms that actively suppress the DNA synthetic pathway and the chromosome cycle. This system for turning on and off DNA synthesis may prove useful in further analyses of the factors controlling DNA synthesis during early development.
Oral contraceptives: therapeutic uses and quality-of-life benefits--case presentations.

Numerous studies have shown that oral contraceptives (OC) provide protection against a wide variety of illnesses and conditions, including loss of bone density, ovarian cysts, menstrual cycle irregularities, dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, benign breast disease, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer. How OC can be used not only for contraception but also to improve health among women throughout their reproductive years is illustrated by four case presentations: an adolescent with menstrual problems; a 25-year-old nulligravida who wishes to delay childbearing; a 35-year-old who has completed her family and requests tubal ligation; and a 45-year-old with perimenopausal symptoms. In view of their numerous health benefits, OC are to reproductive-age women as hormone replacement therapy is to menopausal women.
Nanoscratch behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum coatings

Nanoscratch experiments have been carried out on plasma sprayed aluminum alloy coatings reinforced with 0, 5 and 10 wt.% carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Scratches have been performed at loads of 1000, 2000 and 3000 μN load using Berkovich indenter. The contact and true wear volumes of the scratches have been calculated. The nano-scale wear resistance is shown to increase by 4 times by addition of 10 wt.% CNTs. Improvement in the wear resistance is discussed with respect to strengthening effect and increased elastic recovery by addition of CNTs. Direct evidence of increased recovery and small decrease in the coefficient of friction with CNT content is provided using the true and instantaneous depth plots and the corresponding scanning probe microscope and scanning electron microscope images of the scratches. Friction coefficient was found to be load independent and was found to vary slightly with the CNT content.
Cover Picture: Laser Surface Modification of a Crystalline Al-Co-Ce Alloy for Enhanced Corrosion Resistance (Adv. Eng. Mater. 9/2005)

The cover shows secondary electron images of corroded laser surface modified Al84Co7.5Ce8.5. It is clear that a large portion of the LSM surface layers remain, leading to speculation that the corrosion is preferentially occurring at cracks in the sample surface. More on this topic can be found in the article by J. G. Hoekstra et al. on page 805. The surfaces of Al-Co-Ce bulk crystalline alloys have been successfully laser processed resulting in amorphous-like surface layer formation with enhanced corrosion characteristics. The material system, Al84Co7.5Ce8.5, is one of several next generation alloy compositions scientifically designed to form a metallic glass under the proper processing conditions. This material system exhibits both local composition changes and enhanced corrosion resistance in comparison to their native counterparts.
Basal firing rate of rat locus coeruleus neurons affects sensitivity to ethanol.

Intracellular recordings were made from spontaneously active rat locus coeruleus (LC) neurons in a totally submerged brain slice preparation. Bath application of ethanol (ETOH) (1–60 mM) inhibited the spontaneous firing of LC neurons. These ETOH concentrations are equal to or below ETOH concentrations found in the brain during mild to moderate intoxication. The basal frequency of spontaneous firing of LC neurons ranged from 0.4–7 Hz. For 9 LC neurons which showed complete block of firing by ETOH, the latency to block was found to be directly related to the logarithm of the firing rate (correlation coefficient 0.94). This relationship was not secondary to a relationship between membrane potential and latency to block since for the same 9 neurons, membrane potential and latency to block were not significantly correlated. We conclude that the basal firing rate of a neuron can affect its sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of ETOH.
Community capacity for cancer control collaboration: Weaving an Islander Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training for Pacific Islanders in Southern California

Abstract Background : Addressing cancer health disparities constitutes a national priority in this country, with funding for Pacific Islander efforts initiated 7 years ago by the National Cancer Institute. In 2005, the Weaving an Islander Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (WINCART) was launched in Southern California by a collaboration of community and university organizations to build upon past efforts to decrease cancer health disparities for Chamorros, Native Hawaiians, Marshallese, Samoans and Tongans. Methods : To assess community organizational capacity to participate in collaborative cancer control for Pacific Islanders, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was undertaken. Two staff members per community organization (CBO) performed the SWOT analyses, with grids analyzed for commonalities and differences between all organizations. Results : Staff informants provided many examples of what they perceived as organizational strengths and weaknesses with regards to promoting cancer control for their respective Pacific Islander populations. CBO strengths included strong leadership and extensive community experience. Challenges included limited resources, lack of staff skills in some areas, and difficulty in recruiting volunteers. In addition, many external opportunities and threats to cancer control promotion were identified. Conclusion : Results from the SWOT analyses have been used to identify topics for community organizational trainings and supports within WINCART, with the goals of increasing their participation in the development and implementation of collaborative, community–university driven efforts to decrease cancer disparities for Pacific Islanders in Southern California.
Cranial osteology of the Andean lizard Stenocercus guentheri (Squamata: Tropiduridae) and its postembryonic development.

In spite of the great diversity of iguanian lizards, detailed descriptions of their osteocrania and postembryonic development are rare. Herein, the adult cranial osteology of the tropidurid lizard Stenocercus guentheri and its postembryonic development are described based on cleared and double-stained and dry skeletal specimens from a single Ecuadorian population. The amphikinetic skull of S. guentheri is short and elevated and bears teeth on the premaxilla, maxillae, and pterygoids. Mandibular teeth are present on the dentaries. Ossification of the articular from Meckel's cartilage and growth of the parietal (ossification and investment of the frontoparietal fontanelle) are the most significant ontogenetic changes of the splanchnocranium and dermatocranium, respectively. The ossification of the cartilage separating the bones of the braincase is the most relevant postembryonic ontogenetic event of the neurocranium. The number of teeth does not vary ontogenetically and replacement teeth are present throughout postembryonic life. This study includes a list of the osteocranial characters of Stenocercus that have been used in systematic studies, as well as a discussion of functional morphology and kinesis.
A coercimeter for nondestructive testing of hard alloys

We study the properties of the products made of sintered hard alloys. It is shown that the nondestructive monitoring of their structure should be performed by using the procedure of integral measurements of the coercive force according to the degree of magnetization in an open magnetic circuit. To realize these measurements, we propose to use a specially developed VKS-968 coercimeter with combined magnetization–demagnetization system, pulsed mode of magnetization from the three-phase electric network (220 V, 50 Hz), and noncontact measuring of the demagnetization current by a magnetic modulator. The application of this coercimeter enables us to decrease the measurement error of the coercive force and the simplify structure of the device.
Alternate form reliability of the PPVT‐R for white and black preschool children

Alternate forms of the PPVT-R were compared for 72 preschool children. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients for whites, blacks, males, females, and for the total sample were significant; values ranged from .74 to .86. Using standard scores for analyses, differences between Form L and Form M mean scores were nonsignificant for whites, males, females, and for the total group. However, for black preschoolers, Form L was apparently more difficult to complete successfully than Form M.
Utilizing Cardiac Biomarkers to Detect and Prevent Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiomyopathy

The success achieved in advances in cancer therapy has been marred by development of cardiotoxicity, which causes significant morbidity and mortality. This has led to the development of surveillance protocols for cardiotoxicity utilizing multimodality imaging techniques and investigation of various drugs to treat and prevent cardiotoxicity in this subset of patients. Cardiac biomarkers hold important diagnostic and prognostic value in various cardiac diseases. In this review, we discuss the use of biomarkers in patients receiving chemotherapy, highlighting data behind the use of troponin, B-type natriuretic peptide, and myeloperoxidase. We also discuss the use of dexrazoxane, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and beta blockers in the treatment and prevention of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. Cardiac biomarkers may serve an important role in selecting patients that are at high risk of cardiotoxicity and can potentially be used to guide the administration of drugs to treat and prevent cardiotoxicity.
Laboratory studies on eelgrass seed and seedling predation

Ten species, including crustaceans, molluscs and fish, were examined for predacious activity onZostera marina L. seeds and seedlings. Predation was examined initially by offering seeds or seedlings as a sole food source for a maximum period of one week. Species exhibiting predation of 10% or more of the seeds or seedlings were tested further with bits of clam or scallop as an alternative food source. In these experiments, animals were tested in each of three conditions: 1) alternative food plus seeds or seedlings; 2) alternative food alone; 3) seeds or seedlings alone. In the initial experimentsOvalipes ocellatus, Pagurus longicarpus, andPanopeus herbstii preyed on seeds, andIlyanassa obsoleta, Littorina littorea, andP. longicarpus preyed on seedlings. Limited predation occurred, however, when these animals were presented with seeds or seedlings plus an alternative food. These data suggest that several common crab and snail inhabitants of eelgrass meadows are capable of preying on eelgrass seeds and seedlings, but that this activity may be influenced by the availability of an alternative food source.
Application of Plasma Technology in Iron and Steelmaking

The potential for the application of plasma technology in metal oxide reduction and in iron and steelmaking is outlined and discussed. Recent evolution and developments in the plasma-based reactors employed in the production of iron, steel, and ferroalloys have been reviewed; the current status is outlined in terms of process control, flexibility in the raw materials consumed, product quality, and energy conservation. The advantages and limitations of thermal plasma-based reactors have been critically outlined and their potential to seriously challenge the blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace steelmaking route is considered.
Ovarian cysts in neonates, children and adolescents.

Purpose of reviewThis review is intended to increase the understanding of normal ovarian physiology in neonates, prepubescent girls and adolescents and to outline management guidelines for ovarian cysts at each age.Recent findingsUltrasound has increased the level of understanding regarding the deve
Effects of virus infection on the chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate and carbon metabolism of Tolmiea menziesii

Abstract Leaves from variegated Tolmiea menziesii plants, previously found to be virus-infected, have severely lowered chlorophyll (Chl) levels. Yet, infected plants appeared to grow as rapidly in a greenhouse as green, uninfected control plants. On a Chl basis, the photosynthetic (PS) rate of variegated leaves significantly exceeded that of control leaves. The area-based PS rate of the variegated leaves was less than that of the controls at low light levels, but approached the latter's rate at higher intensity. Both types of leaves had similar CO2 compensation points and extents of oxygen inhibition of PS. The variegated leaves had an increased Chl a b ratio and a decreased content of light-harvesting Chi a + b protein. Leaf discs prepared from variegated leaves, when photosynthesizing with 14CO2, produced more labelled glycine and less sucrose than did control discs. The level of PS carbon reduction cycle intermediates was approximately equal in both disc types. We conclude that variegated leaves have a significantly lower amount of antenna Chl but not less reaction center Chl. The increase in labelled glycine in the variegated discs apparently results from viral demand for that metabolite in coat protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Withdrawal of glycine by the virus may be responsible for the lower Chl content of the infected leaves.
Classical liquid-gas interface in thermal equilibrium

The Kac-Siegert transcription of a nonuniform classical fluid is described. It is applied to the energetics and spatial structure of a liquid-gas interface via direct and extended mean-field treatments and put in the context of Gaussian random field studies.
Recoil effects on chemical G-values during ion irradiation of polystyrene

Abstract Measurements of G -values (number of molecules emitted per 100 eV of absorbed radiation energy) have been made for helium and boron ion irradiations of polystyrene (PS) films of different thicknesses. These ions were chosen because the electronic linear energy transfer (LET) values for B + with energy near 200 keV is comparable to the corresponding LET for He + near 400 keV. In contrast, the nuclear of ‘recoil’ LET of B + is several times larger than that of He + throughout the B + depth range. When the G -values for H 2 and C 2 H 2 gas production were measured for these ions, three important findings were noted: (1) The G -values for H 2 and C 2 H 2 showed only a slight increase and decrease respectively with increasing electronic LET. (2) The G ( H 2 ) for B + irradiation was approximately 50% larger than that for He + irradiation. (3) The G ( C 2 H 2 ) was about a factor of five larger for the B + irradiation compared to the He + . In contrast to earlier speculation, no evidence was seen for an electronic LET threshold, above which the G -values rapidly increase. It appears that this anomaly was primarily due to changing the bombarding ion (increasing the atomic number) to reach a larger LET in the measurement. While G -value effects due to different ion-track energy densities are not yet resolved, our findings imply that most of the molecular gases formed from radiochemical reactions in polymers during typical ion irradiations are dependent not simply upon electronic energy, but upon a mechanism involving momentum transfer from the ion to the atomic nuclei of the target.
Effect of intravenous administration of lactate on blood pyruvate level in man.

ConclusionsThe striking rise in pyruvate concentration that accompanies the infusion of lactate in fasting, resting human subjects indicates that circulating lactate contributes to the general metabolic pool.
Tool Path-Based Deposition Planning in Fused Deposition Processes

The fabrication of a functional part requires very high layer quality in the Fused Deposition (FD) processes. The constant deposition flow rate currently used in FD technology cannot meet this requirement, due to the varying geometries of the layers. To achieve a high quality functional part, an overfill and underfill analysis is conducted. A deposition planning approach is proposed, which is based on a grouping and mapping algorithm. Two piezoelectric test parts have been built to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed approach.
Diversity of kresoxim‐methyl sensitivities in baseline populations of Venturia inaequalis

Several strobilurin fungicides inhibiting fungal respiration by binding to cytochrome b have been introduced recently. A mechanism of strobilurin resistance identified as active in several plant pathogenic fungi is based on the activation of alternative respiration. Thus far, respective studies have been restricted to single isolates of respective pathogens. Here, we report a study on 250 Venturia inaequalis baseline isolates to the strobilurin kresoxim-methyl having a broad sensitivity distribution characterized by a 50-fold difference in sensitivity of the most- and least-sensitive isolates. For the majority (62%) of these isolates, differences in sensitivity were not caused by the interference of alternative respiration with the full inhibitory potency of kresoxim-methyl. Rather, variable dose-responses with largely different degrees of inhibition achieved at a low dose of kresoxim-methyl were found to be responsible. For 38% of the baseline isolates, alternative respiration was already active during the stage of conidia germination. Activation of this pathway was, again, dependent on the strobilurin dose. Selection of sub-populations of isolates resisting low doses of kresoxim-methyl by multiple mechanisms and the recombination among isolates expressing such mechanisms singly can be expected to be slowed by an anti-resistance strategy based on high strobilurin doses. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Pseudo-crown ethers as fixed site carriers in facilitated transport membranes

Abstract Polymerizing pseudo-crown ethers in the pores of a 70 μm thick polyethylene membrane support produced polymeric fixed site carrier membranes for facilitated transport separations. Pseudo-crown ethers were synthesized from the photopolymerization of metal : poly(ethylene glycol 200) diacrylate (PEG200DA) complexes. The metal:monomer complex led to a near-circular conformation of the monomer in which the two reactive endgroups were in close proximity; thus, the probability of intramolecular cyclization (i.e. pseudo-crown ether formation) was increased. Facilitated transport membranes using pseudo-crown ethers as carrier species were selective for alkali metals over transition and lanthanide metals. The K over Na selectivity was as high as 1.5, while the selectivity of K over Nd3+ was as high as 3700. The flux and selectivity of metal ions were a function of carrier concentration and type as well as the cross-linking of the pseudo-crown ether network.
The educational system's integration of evidenced-based principles: what are the obstacles in the dental school environment?

The overwhelming majority of Dental Schools in North America use competency-based curricula. Very few dental schools, however, have implemented Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The PBL system is time intensive, requires significant faculty resources, and relies on the ability of facilitators to meet educational objectives with small groups of students. In dental schools, Evidenced-Based Dentistry (EBD) has been subject to the same lack of implementation as PBL. While the concept of EBD is easily understood, the mechanics of its implementation in patient care is not. When the teaching of EBD occurs, it is taught as a didactic course with little implementation within clinical courses whose purpose is patient care. Factors that slow the integration of EBD into the clinical curricula are multifactorial and include EBD implementation in dental practices, clinical faculty and administrators, postand predoctoral students, educational resources, and available curriculum time. The purpose of this paper is to describe obstacles that retard EBD implementation into clinical curricula and to provide solutions that the UCLA School of Dentistry is pursuing with the work of transitional and clinical researchers.
Long-wave analysis of viscoelastic film leveling

Abstract A one-dimensional model is presented for the surface tension-driven leveling of a viscoelastic film. Lubrication-type arguments are made to reduce the partial differential equations to one spatial dimension. The predictions of the model compare well with the complete two-dimensional solution when the film thickness is small compared to the disturbance length scale. Numerical difficulties are not encountered at high Deborah numbers. The model duplicates the linear analysis for small film disturbances.
High-Tc superconductivity and the Kondo lattice

Abstract Two electron bands rather than one may be required to describe copper-oxygen planes. Physical consequences of a resonating-valence-bond (RVB) state for a two-band system or equivalently a Kondo-lattice state are much different than for a one-band RVB state.
Predicting children's separation anxiety at age 6: The contributions of infant–mother attachment security, maternal sensitivity, and maternal separation anxiety

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the precursors and familial conditions which sustain school-aged children's separation anxiety. In a prospective, longitudinal study of 99 mo...
Determination of uptake rate constants for six organochlorines in midge larvae

Various methods are used to measure the residue-forming potential of organic chemicals in aquatic organisms. The majority of these studies have been conducted with fish and rely on the determination of steady-state partitioning, a method that is expensive, both in terms of time and analytical cost. The midge (Chironomus riparius) is readily available, easily cultured and provides an alternative system with which to study chemical uptake. To evaluate this system, the uptake rate constants of six organochlorines were determined under nonequilibrium conditions, using the midge. Uptake rate constants were calculated from uptake data using a first-order kinetic expression. Significant correlations were found between the uptake constants of the six chlorinated hydrocarbons and their water solubility and octanol/water partition coefficient values. Multiplying the uptake constants by their molecular weight provided values that were highly correlated with log octanol/water partition coefficients (r2 = 0.93) and log aqueous solubility (r2 = 0.97) when analyzed by linear regression. Using the midge, uptake constants can be determined in a short time and may be used to make reliable predictions about the relative penetrating power of many chemicals in aquatic invertebrates.
A new direction for the performance improvement of rechargeable lithium/sulfur batteries

Abstract In this work we introduce a new direction for the performance improvement of rechargeable lithium/sulfur batteries by employing an electrolyte that promotes Li anode passivation in lithium polysulfide solutions. To examine our concept, we assemble and characterize Li/Li 2 S 9 liquid cells by using a porous carbon electrode as the current collector and a 0.25 m Li 2 S 9 solution as the catholyte. Results show that Li/Li 2 S 9 liquid cells are superior to conventional Li/S cells in specific capacity and capacity retention. We also find that use of LiNO 3 as a co-salt in the Li 2 S 9 catholyte significantly increases the cell's Coulombic efficiency. More importantly, the cells with LiNO 3 have a ∼2.5 V voltage plateau before the end of charging and demonstrate a steep voltage rise at the end of charging. The former is indicative of the formation of elemental sulfur from soluble lithium polysulfides on the carbon electrode, and the latter provides a distinct signal for full charging. Electrochemical analyses on Li plating and stripping in Li 2 S 9 catholyte solutions indicate that LiNO 3 participates in the formation of a highly protective passivation film on the Li metal surface, which effectively prevents the Li anode from chemical reaction with polysulfide anions in the electrolyte and meanwhile prevents polysulfide anions from electrochemical reduction on the Li surface.
Ischemic heart disease in patients with uremia undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

Ischemic heart disease in patients with uremia undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. The 6-year cumulative incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in 382 dialysis patients (mean age [ sem ], 43 ± 0.7 years) was studied. Of 101 patients with IHD, only 39 developed symptoms following dialysis (cumulative incidence, 20.8%). This group was older than those with IHD, and in 55%, IHD occurred in the first year of dialysis. Analysis by sex and race showed the rate of IHD in men and women to be similar, but the rate in whites was twice that in blacks. In men, the rate was not different from nondialysis men with similar coronary risk factors, whereas in dialysis women, the rate was twice that of a nondialysis cohort. The development of IHD did not adversely affect long-term survival in patients without prior evidence of IHD. Death from myocardial infarction occurred in 3 of 320 patients at risk. Autopsy data in 33 patients revealed 70% stenosis of coronary arteries in 7, 4 of whom had antecedent disease. Our major conclusions are (a) the incidence of IHD during dialysis was not different from similarly matched nondialysis subjects; (b) the rate of IHD in dialysis women was greater than it was in nondialysis subjects; (c) coronary artery disease only affected long-term survival of patients with preexisting disease; (d) autopsy data did not suggest accelerated atherosclerosis. Maladie cardiaque ischemique chez les malades en hemodialyse chronique. L'incidence de la maladie cardiaque ischemique (IHD) a ete etudiee chez 382 malades en hemodialyse dont l'âge moyen etait de 43 ± [ sem ] 7, sur 6 annees cumulees. Parmi les 101 malades atteints d'IHD, seuls 39 ont eu des symptomes a la suite de la dialyse (incidence cumulee 20,8%). Ce groupe etait plus âge que celui indemne d'IHD et, pour 55% des malades, l'IHD est survenue au cours de la premiere annee de la dialyse. L'analyse par sexe et ethnie a montre que la frequence de l'IHD est la meme chez l'homme et chez la femme, mais qu'elle est double chez les blancs par rapport aux noirs. Chez les hommes la frequence n'est pas differente de celle observee chez les individus non dialyses ayant les memes facteurs de risque, alors que chez les femmes la frequence est double de celle d'une population non dialysee. Le developpement de l'IHD n'affecte pas pejorativement la survie a long terme des malades anterieurement indemnes d'IHD. La mort par infarctus du myocarde est survenue chez 3 des 320 malades exposes. Les constatations autopsiques chez 33 malades ont montre des stenoses coronariennes de 70% chez 7 d'entre eux, parmi lesquels 4 avaient une atteinte anterieure a la dialyse. Nos principales conclusions sont: (a) l'incidence de l'IHD au cours de la dialyse n'est pas differente de celle observee chez des sujets apparies non dialyses; (b) la frequence de l'IHD chez les femmes dialysees est plus grande que chez les non dialysees; (c) la maladie coronarienne ne modifie la survie a long terme que si elle est pre-existante a la dialyse; (d) les constatations autopsiques ne suggerent pas une acceleration de la sclerose atheromateuse.
Antenatal Sonographic Detection of a Rare Solid Hepatic Mesenchymal Hamartoma

Mesenchymal hamartomas are benign primitive hepatic tumors of neonates which can be detected by ultrasonography antenatally. Generally these are described as complex cystic masses. We present the first reported case of a sonographically detected solid variant discovered antenatally. Current literature, differential diagnosis, and obstetrical management are briefly discussed.
The distribution of heath balds in the Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina and Tennessee

We used remote sensing and a geographic informa- tion system to model the distribution of evergreen shrub communities, called 'heath balds', in the Great Smoky Moun- tains, North Carolina and Tennessee, USA. The 421 heath balds averaged 1.8 ha in size and covered 0.3% of the land- scape. They reached their greatest importance on upper slopes (92% had relative slope positions > 80), convex topography (82% occurred on sites with a curvature greater than 2.6), and elevations between 1100 and 1600 m (94% of the balds). Although heath balds were found in old-growth watersheds, the two watersheds with the greatest number of balds burned extensively after logging in the early 1900s. Bald occurrence was positively correlated with burned sites, old growth condi- tion, and a highly acidic rock type. Heath balds showed a striking geographic pattern, with 88.1% of the area of this community found in six watersheds comprising only 35.4% of the study area. Despite similar topography, geology, and his- tory, the eleven other watersheds had only 11.9% of the bald area while comprising 64.4% of the study area. Multivariate models showed that this community occurs on only 0.4 to 9.0% of the seemingly appropriate sites. Once established, this shrub community, with its dense evergreen canopy and thick leaf litter, is resistant to tree invasion. Both forest and shrub communities are stable on sites that are seemingly ideal for heath bald occurrence.
Differences in the Role of Job‐Relevant Information in the Budget Participation‐Performance Relationship among U.S. and Mexican Managers: A Question of Culture or Communication

This study extends the stream of participative budgeting literature and, specifically, the work of Frucot and Shearon (1991). This study employs an expanded version of the path model introduced to this literature by Kren (1992) to examine and compare the budget participation‐performance relationship for U.S. and Mexican mid‐level managers. The expanded path model allows the examination of both the direct effects of budget participation on performance and the indirect effects of budget participation on performance that run through job satisfaction and job‐relevant information. The primary findings of this study are that while there are strong associations between budget participation and performance for both U.S. managers working in the U.S. and Mexican managers working for U.S.‐controlled maquiladoras in Mexico, the causal mechanisms connecting budget participation to performance are quite different between these two groups. The information‐communication aspect of the budget participation‐performance rela...
Field Quality Measurements at High Ramp Rates in a Prototype Dipole for the FAIR Project

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has built a prototype superconducting dipole for the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at GSI that can be ramped at a high rate (1-4 T/s). To characterize the field quality at such high ramp rates, a measurement system consisting of 16 printed circuit windings was developed. In this system, the signals induced in all the windings as the magnet is ramped are analyzed to obtain the field harmonics. Initial measurements with this system suffered from somewhat poor resolution of the ADCs used for data acquisition. Also, only a few low order harmonics could be obtained with the 16 signals. These drawbacks have been addressed by replacing the ADCs with HP3458A voltmeters and by combining data taken with two different orientations of the probe. This has allowed us to measure very precisely (10 ppm of the dipole field) all the harmonics up to the 26-pole at ramp rates up to 4.3 T/s. The data analysis and results with this improved system are presented.
On the mechanism of human T cell suppression.

Previous evidence from several laboratories suggests that CD8+ T suppressor cells may be important regulatory elements governing specific unresponsiveness of lepromatous lepromatous leprosy patients to M.leprae. To analyse the mechanism of suppression, CD8+ Ts clones were established from lesions and peripheral blood of lepromatous patients and tested for ability to suppress antigen-responsive CD4+. Th clones or PBL. Suppression required induction by specific M.leprae antigen, but was effected in an antigen-non-specific fashion. The Ts clones failed to exhibit cytotoxicity of four antigen-exposed MHC-matched target cells: (i) an ori-SV40 transformed macrophage line; (ii) EBV transformed B cell lines; (iii) primary macrophages; and (iv) M.leprae responsive CD4+ cells. The possibility that Ts clones induce functional inactivation of CD4+ clones in vitro was investigated. M.leprae-responsive CD4+ clones were preincubated with Ts CD8+ clones, APC, and antigen for 16 h, after which the CD8+ cells were removed. The CD4+ clones with M.leprae and APC remained unresponsive to restimulation with APC and antigen for at least 10 days, although they responded to IL-2. Addition of IL-2 to the pre- or post-incubation cultures neither prevented the induction of unresponsiveness, nor reversed it. Earlier models of tolerance have suggested that receptor occupancy in the absence of second signals induces tolerance in B and T cells. Under conditions in which antigen responses of Th clones were HLA-DR-restricted, the Ts clones were able to suppress the response of DR mismatched Th clones. Thus, the effect of the Ts cells, like mechanisms requiring antigen presentation without a second signal, appears to be induction of clonal anergy in Th cells, perhaps by a novel mechanism.
Optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence imaging in uveitis

The current role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging in the diagnosis and management of uveitis is summarized in this article. OCT can be useful to detect and monitor cystoid macular edema and epiretinal membrane, two findings that are very common in intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis. Both OCT and FAF demonstrate unique findings in several forms of posterior uveitis including birdshot chorioretinopathy, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome, acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy, acute zonal occult outer retinopathy, multifocal choroiditis and Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease. Advances in OCT have allowed detection of alterations in retinal microstructure (spectral-domain OCT) as well as variations in choroidal thickness (enhanced-depth imaging OCT). With new advances in imaging, OCT and FAF have been shown to be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of and differentiating between various forms of uveitis. Both imaging techniques ma...
SOST Inhibits Prostate Cancer Invasion

Inhibitors of Wnt signaling have been shown to be involved in prostate cancer (PC) metastasis; however the role of Sclerostin (Sost) has not yet been explored. Here we show that elevated Wnt signaling derived from Sost deficient osteoblasts promotes PC invasion, while rhSOST has an inhibitory effect. In contrast, rhDKK1 promotes PC elongation and filopodia formation, morphological changes characteristic of an invasive phenotype. Furthermore, rhDKK1 was found to activate canonical Wnt signaling in PC3 cells, suggesting that SOST and DKK1 have opposing roles on Wnt signaling in this context. Gene expression analysis of PC3 cells co-cultured with OBs exhibiting varying amounts of Wnt signaling identified CRIM1 as one of the transcripts upregulated under highly invasive conditions. We found CRIM1 overexpression to also promote cell-invasion. These findings suggest that bone-derived Wnt signaling may enhance PC tropism by promoting CRIM1 expression and facilitating cancer cell invasion and adhesion to bone. We concluded that SOST and DKK1 have opposing effects on PC3 cell invasion and that bone-derived Wnt signaling positively contributes to the invasive phenotypes of PC3 cells by activating CRIM1 expression and facilitating PC-OB physical interaction. As such, we investigated the effects of high concentrations of SOST in vivo. We found that PC3-cells overexpressing SOST injected via the tail vein in NSG mice did not readily metastasize, and those injected intrafemorally had significantly reduced osteolysis, suggesting that targeting the molecular bone environment may influence bone metastatic prognosis in clinical settings.
Trajectories of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Cognitive Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objective To characterize the course of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to examine baseline individual-level predictors and associated cognitive and functional outcomes. Design A 2-year prospective cohort study. Setting Multicenter clinical settings. Participants Five hundred sixty individuals with MCI at baseline. Measurements NPS severity (measured using Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire) and cognitive and functional outcomes were assessed at baseline and every 6 months thereafter. Potential individual-level predictors were collected at baseline. Results Three latent classes of NPS courses were identified using growth mixture modeling: a stable class in which a low NPS burden remained relatively unchanged over time (N = 503, 89.8%); a worsened class in which an initially moderate NPS burden increased (N = 39, 7.0%); and an improved class in which an initially high NPS burden decreased (N = 18, 3.2%). There were no associations between class membership and baseline individual characteristics. Members of the worsened class were 1.74 times more likely to be diagnosed with incident Alzheimer disease (AD) than members of the stable class (95% confidence interval: 1.07–2.84). The worsened class also showed significantly more rapid declines in cognitive and functional outcomes than the stable class. Class membership did not predict rate of brain atrophy. Conclusions Patients with MCI may experience different trajectories of NPS over time. Patients with worsening NPS may be at greater risk of developing AD and severe cognitive and functional impairment.
On the Position Error Bound in Cooperative Networks: A Geometric Approach

Location-awareness is of great importance in future wireless networks. In harsh environments or when only limited infrastructure is available, cooperation among nodes can yield significant performance benefits. To realize these benefits, it is crucial to understand the fundamental behavior of localization. The squared position error bound (SPEB), based on the infor- mation inequality, is a fundamental limit on the localization performance. Although the SPEB can be applied to any type of network topology and any transmission technology, it is not intuitive as a design tool. In this paper, we provide a novel geometric interpretation of the localization information, enabling new insights into how and when cooperation is beneficial, and how location-aware networks should be designed. er- Rao bound (CRB), squared position error bound (SPEB), equivalent Fisher information (EFI), ranging information (RI), wideband networks.
Recombinant human interleukin (IL)-1 beta-mediated regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) stabilization, nuclear translocation and activation requires an antioxidant/reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive mechanism.

ABBREVIATIONS AEBSF: 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzene sulfonyl fluoride-HCl ARNT: aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator BSA: bovine serum albumin CREB: cAMP-responsive element binding protein DPI: diphenylene iodonium DHR: dihydrorhodamine DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide DMTU: 1,3-dimethyl-2-thiourea DTT: dithiothreitol EMSA: electrophoretic mobility shift assay [...]
Tracing particle cycling in the upper ocean with 230Th and 228Th: An investigation in the equatorial Pacific along 140°W

Abstract Vertical distributions of 230 Th and 228 Th were measured in large-volume (2000 to 3000 liter) seawater samples collected with the Multiple Unit In-Situ Large-Volume Filtration System (MULVFS) and in-situ Fe/Mn-fiber enrichment technique. The samples were from the upper ∼800 m of the water column in the central equatorial Pacific along ∼140°W during two survey cruises of JGOFS EqPac in February/March (Survey 1) and August/September (Survey II) 1992. Significantly lower activities of 230 Th and 228 Th relative to those of their parent isotopes exist in the upper-ocean water column due to their particle-reactive behavior. The activities of these thorium isotopes also show large temporal variations, in response to surface productivity changes. During Survey I, a period of the El Nino, the 230 Th and 228 Th activities were higher than those measured during Survey II (a non-El Nino period), reflecting a depressed ocean productivity and particle flux under El Nino conditions. Vertical profiles of 230 Th show a minimum at about 50 to 100 m, suggesting maximal particle scavenging in this depth range. Below this depth interval is a 230 Th chemocline (rapid increase in 230 Th activities with depth) and a 228 Th activity maximum. The occurrence of the 230 Th chemocline and the 228 Th maximum just below the euphotic zone is a manifestation of active particle regeneration. Based on the extent of radioactive disequilibria between 228 Th and 228 Ra and between 230 Th and 234 U, we have estimated vertical fluxes of the two Th isotopes and of the particle mass. The export particle flux reaches a maximum in the lower portion of the euphotic zone, followed by a rapid decrease resulting from intensive particle remineralization in the 230 YTrh chemocline/ 228 Th maximum region. The scavenging rates of 228 Th and 230 Th are not balanced by their in-situ production and radioactive decay. The imbalance is attributable to their diffusional and advective transport. From the vertical profiles of particle fluxes derived from 228 Th and 230 Th, export fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) at the base of the euphotic zone are estimated to be 0.6–1.3 mmol Cm −2 day −1 during El Nino, and 1.5–5.0 mmol Cm −2 day −1 during the non-El Nino period. These values are small compared to the new production, indicating that much of the organic matter must be removed from the euphotic zone in dissolved form. Deeper at ∼800 m, the POC fluxes are reduced to 0.14–0.50 mmol Cm −2 day −1 (El Nino) and 0.5–1.1 mmol Cm −2 day −1 (non-El Nino).
Market prominence biases in sponsor identification: Processes and consequentiality

It has been recently suggested that sponsor identification may be biased in favor of prominent brands. All things equal, consumers are more likely to attribute sponsorship to brands that they perceive to be more prominent in the marketplace, such as large-share brands. This article offers additional empirical evidence for this phenomenon and examines the underlying processes. The results of a controlled laboratory experiment replicate the phenomenon and show that this bias arises only when consumers are unable to retrieve the name of the sponsor directly from memory. In other words, direct retrieval is the default process of sponsor identification. The prominence bias is therefore more likely to occur in cluttered media environments where learning the event-sponsor associations is difficult. The findings further suggest that this bias emanates from a relatively controlled hypothesis-testing process that combines retrieval and constructive processes. During identification, the prominence of the brand is used as a confirmation cue that either validates or conflicts with people's vague recollections. The results also indicate that prominent brands identified or misidentified as sponsors do in fact benefit from enhanced brand image. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Characterization of environmental risk of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and their potential to control exotic invasive species

Genetically engineered (GE) organisms could result in ecological harm in many ways in natural environments. Ecological harm can be assessed based on standard principles of risk assessment. Risk is the probability of harm as a result of a hazard, which in this case is a GE organism; its harm may not be known or knowable a priori, however, due to the large number of biotic interactions in nature in which it could be involved. We contend that for a GE organism to be a risk, it must be able to spread in nature. Thus, we do not have to determine all, or any, possible harms; we only need to be certain the organism will not spread if it escapes. Predicting the potential of a GE organism to spread is possible because the ultimate fate of a transgene will be determined by natural selection. Thus, environmental risk assessment can be accomplished by measuring six net fitness components that are common to all organisms, transgenic or wild type: juvenile and adult viability, fecundity, fertility, age at sexual maturity, and mating success. These components can be measured in secure settings. Previously, we focused on the environmental risk posed by GE organisms created to enhance agricultural productivity. Here we review the potential of using GE biotechnology for biological control of an existing undesirable exotic species. GE biological control might be employed to induce a ‘Trojan gene effect’ (Muir and Howard, 1999; 2002a,b) to eliminate such species, by introducing genes which cause male-biased sex ratios, inducible fatality, or selfish gene effects.
Rapid test for toxicity in wastewater systems

A test employing sewage bacteria was developed for rapid screening of chemical toxicity in wastewater systems. The procedure entails incubation of sewage samples with 2–(p–iodophenol)–3–(p–nitrophenyl)–5–phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT) followed by concentration of bacteria on membrane filters, dissolution of the filters with concomittant extraction of INT-formazan in dimethylsulfoxide, and spectrophotometric determination of the INT-formazan. Preliminary results indicate that the test is sensitive to both heavy metals and toxic organics. Chemical concentrations inhibiting 50% of the response in controls (IC50's) for Ni+ +, Zn+ +, Cu+ +, Hg+ +, phenol, 3,4-dichlorophenol, sodium dodecyl sulfate, tetrachloroethylene and formaldehyde were 4.8, 3.9, 0.59, 0.07, 1531, 74, 156, and 11.6 mg/l, respectively. IC50 values obtained with sewage from different collection systems or with sewage from the same system sampled on different days were in good agreement.