cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comments on “Use of Mesoscale Climatology in Mountainous Terrain to Improve the Spatial Representation of Mean Monthly Temperatures”

Abstract Pielke and Mehring have recently recommended a method for contouring temperature fields in mountainous terrain. In attempting to extend this method to the more complex terrain on the prototype, federal, oil shale leaseholds it was found that 1) it is difficult to find climatically homogeneous regions with enough climatic stations for meaningful analyses; 2) the method of contouring a height field in terms of a temperature statistic could be generalized to include cases where second-order statistical models are required; and 3) denser data networks increase the probability of finding climatically homogeneous regions—an advantage which outweighs, at least in this region, the usual disadvantages of increased resolution.
Effects of Spatial Variability, Associated with a Frontal Structure, on Predictions of Age-0 Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) Growth around the Pribilof Islands, Bering Sea

Abstract Age-0 walleye pollock growth along a frontal transect around the Pribilof Islands, Bering Sea, was estimated by using a spatially-explicit bioenergetics model. Predicted growth patterns along the transect were tested against the spatial resolution of the model, to examine the extent to which informative results were affected by the input spatial resolution. Results of model implementation to the Pribilof Islands scenario showed that on average fish residing in the offshore region of the transect were exposed to areas in which growth potential was two to three times higher than in the inshore region. Modelling results corroborated well with independent indicators of age-0 pollock growth, such as age-specific length and Fulton condition index from fish collected at the same location examined with the model. In spite of the better feeding and growth potential of the offshore region, age-0 pollock were found mainly in the inshore portion of the transect. Evidently, other factors, besides habitat energetics, needed to be considered to explain the distribution of age-0 pollock around the islands. Predictions of age-0 pollock growth along the transect were highly sensitive to the input spatial resolution of the model, but only at a spatial scale larger than a threshold of about 1000–2500 m. It is proposed that such threshold represents the limit beyond which important physical and biological boundaries are crossed and consequently model predictions derived from average conditions become biased.
Air medical transport of prisoners.

Abstract Introduction The medical problems of the incarcerated population often require emergent transport to medical facilities via air or ground. The transport of this population, however, can be logistically challenging because of the potentially dangerous nature of the patients and requirements for accompanying security personnel. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of prisoners transported by our air medical service from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2008. We examined demographics, reason for call, type of patient, procedures performed by air medical crews during transport, and disposition from the emergency department. Results Twenty-nine patients (0.3%) of the 11,448 helicopter transports during the study period were transported from correctional facilities, 17 of which were medical in nature and 12 of which had a traumatic mechanism. Fifteen (51.7%) were admitted to the operating room or intensive care unit after emergency treatment. The median scene time for these transports was 20.7 minutes and was significantly different from that of both scene and interfacility transports (median scene times of 13.7 and 31.0 minutes, respectively). Conclusion Medical and traumatic problems of this transported population spanned a large variety of emergency complaints. Scene times reflected the nature of these transports and were not excessively long. Air medical programs should be aware of the medical problems of these patients and take measures to protect their crew when transporting this population.
Bank lending, misleading signals, and the latin american debt crisis

This article explores the microfoundations of bank and borrower behavior in the Latin American debt crisis. In the model developed, less developed countries attract loans by signaling their ability and willingness to pay. Some of the signals are “coercive” because they indicate that if income targets are not met, income will be redistributed in order to honor debt obligations. Implicit in such coercive signaling is the borrower's expectation that redistribution will not damage economic productivity. A coercive signal is misleading when feedback effects on social stability and work effort—and thus on the ability to pay—are underestimated or ignored; in this case, it inaccurately predicts repayment prospects. We estimate two equations: (1) private lending to Latin borrowers as a function of our specified signals, and (2) the probability of payments problem as a function of the same set of signals. The results support our borrowing model: coercive signals do enhance lending, and at least one of these signals...
LAPAROSCOPIC COLORECTAL SURGERY: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE LIMITATIONS

75 laparoscopic (L) and laparosco-pically assisted (LA) colorectal procedures have been performed including 32 LA total abdominal colectomies (Group 1), 34 segmental colectomies (Group 2), and 10 stomas and other procedures (Group 3). Indications included colitis in 27 patients, other benign diseases in 36, and carcinoma in 12 patients. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were noted in 14% and in 21% of patients, respectively. However, the complications rate was 50% in the first 25 cases and 13% in the last 25 cases. Length of ileus was 3.8 (2-7) days in Group 1, 3.5 (2-7) days in Group 2, and 3. L and LA colectomy are feasible, although at the present time, the complications rate is more impressive than is the length of hospitalization.
Relative Susceptibility of Attagenus alfierii and A. megatoma Larvae to Several Organophosphorus Insecticides

The susceptibility of Attagenus alfierii Pic and A. Megatoma (F.) to 12 insecticides was determined by direct application of spray solutions to mature larvae. The order in effectiveness at LC95of insecticides tested against A. alfierii was: fenitrothion (O,O -dimethyl O -4-nitro- m - tolyl phosphorothioate) > dicapthon > chlorphoxim > fenthion > dichlorvos > phoxim > C-9491 ( O - (2,5-dichloro- 4-iodophenyl) O,O -dimethyl phosphorothioate) malathion > Dursban® ( O,O -diethyl O -3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate) > Abate® (O,O -dimethyl phosphorothioate O,O -diester with 4,4'-thiodiphenol) > Gardona® (2-chloro-I-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)vinyl dimethyl phosphate) > diazinon. The order of effectiveness against A. megatom A was: dicapthon > fenthion > fenitrothion > chlorphoxim > phoxim > Dursban > malathion> diehlorvos > C-9491 > diazinon > Gardona > Abate. At LC50 and LC50,dicapthon and Dursban were slightly more effective against A. megatoma than A. alfierii, while all other compounds, except malathion, were more effective against A. alfiaii than A. megatoma. Differences between species in susceptibility to each insecticide ranged from being practically equal for malathion to X 6.6 for Abate at LC95.
Toward healthy aging: a theory for community health nursing.

In this research project we explored beliefs about healthy aging in an Appalachian community. A major goal was to develop theory for community health nursing interventions that promote and maintain health during the aging process. A convenience sample of 105 community informants responded to an open-ended interview schedule that elicited beliefs and values of health and aging. The data were analyzed for the purpose of producing grounded theory; a major category that emerged portrayed the aging process as a collection of attitudes about oneself. Health was described as feeling good and being able to enjoy life. The informants reported that health is maintained by good nutrition, exercise, and an environment that is safe and promotes individual growth and development. A beginning theory of independence through self-care and client involvement emerged from the data analysis. A second component of the theory suggested that to promote healthy aging, nursing interventions should be directed toward aggregate populations. Nursing interventions that are grounded in the understanding of cultural beliefs and practices are likely to be more beneficial to clients than those that ignore or displace such beliefs and practices. This theory has the potential of being extended to a variety of settings.
The practice of conversation theory: Understanding and encouraging innovation∗

Abstract This paper discusses the implementation of and theories supporting a computerized version of CASTE (Course Assembly System and Tutorial Environment). CASTE is a systems approach to course assembly and learning and is an embodiment of a theory of learning and innovation called Conversation Theory. Conversation Theory is in agreement with the most advanced scientific theories of physical reality and offers to education a holistic, systems approach to teaching, learning and encouraging innovation.
Segmenting clouds from space: a hybrid multispectral classification algorithm for satellite imagery

This paper reports on a novel approach to atmospheric cloud segmentation from a space based multi-spectral pushbroom satellite system. The satellite collects 15 spectral bands ranging from visible, 0.45 um, to long wave infa-red (IR), 10.7um. The images are radiometrically calibrated and have ground sample distances (GSD) of 5 meters for visible to very near IR bands and a GSD of 20 meters for near IR to long wave IR. The algorithm consists of a hybrid-classification system in the sense that supervised and unsupervised networks are used in conjunction. For performance evaluation, a series of numerical comparisons to human derived cloud borders were performed. A set of 33 scenes were selected to represent various climate zones with different land cover from around the world. The algorithm consisted of the following. Band separation was performed to find the band combinations which form significant separation between cloud and background classes. The potential bands are fed into a K-Means clustering algorithm in order to identify areas in the image which have similar centroids. Each cluster is then compared to the cloud and background prototypes using the Jeffries-Matusita distance. A minimum distance is found and each unknown cluster is assigned to their appropriate prototype. A classification rate of 88% was found when using one short wave IR band and one mid-wave IR band. Past investigators have reported segmentation accuracies ranging from 67% to 80%, many of which require human intervention. A sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 90% were reported as well.
Ionic Naphthalene Thermotropic Copolyesters: Divalent Salts and Tensile Mechanical Properties

Novel ionic naphthalene thermotropic polymers (NTPs), based on wholly aromatic copolyesters, were synthesized, and their tensile mechanical properties were investigated. These ionic NTPs, containing 1 mol % ionic groups with divalent metal counterions (Ba, Ca, Mg, and Zn), exhibited thermotropic liquid crystallinity. Among them, the Ca salt NTP maintained a high molecular weight and exhibited excellent thermal and mechanical properties. Systematic comparison was made among nonionic NTP, ionic NTP (Na salt), and ionic NTP (Ca salt), since they possessed similar molecular weights and since their film specimens were made under similar processing conditions. Ionic NTP with monovalent Na ions showed a moderate increase in tensile modulus and strength over nonionic NTP. However, ionic NTP with divalent Ca ions showed a significant increase: i.e., 76% increase in modulus and 147% increase in strength. An increase in tensile properties arises from enhanced lateral support, via ionic bonds (cross-links), between highly aligned NTP chains. Ionic cross-links can effectively enhance tensile properties of the LCPs, unlike covalent cross-links, which are less effective. This arises from the nondirectional nature of ionic bonds, which makes the bonds thermally labile; thus chains aligned under elongational flow at high processing temperature are reinforced effectively upon cooling. Tensile fracture surface morphologies of ionic NTPs were also investigated as a function of counterion.
Glucosamine enhances heat shock protein 70 expression in vitro and in vivo following injury

Enhanced activity of the O-glycosylation pathway (O-glcNAc) has been shown to enhance increase heat shock protein (HSP70) expression. Glucosamine (GA) is a vital intermediate in this pathway.
Effects of fresh and aged vehicular particulate emissions on blood pressure in normal adult male rats

Associations between exposure to fine particulate matter and blood pressure responses have been reported in epidemiological studies but findings have proven inconsistent. The objective of this study was to measure effects of primary and secondary components of traffic-derived fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on blood pressure (BP). Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to fresh primary vehicular particles (P), secondary organic aerosol (SOA), photochemically aged primary plus secondary organic aerosols (P + SOA) or filtered air for 5 h per day for three consecutive weeks. Particle concentration target was 50 μg/m3 for all exposures. Blood pressure parameters were measured continuously using implanted transmitters. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean pressure, pulse pressure, and heart rate responses were assessed using mixed effects models. Exposure to P resulted in increased SBP (p = 0.03) and DBP (p = 0.05) that was sustained across weeks. SOA exposure resulted in increases in SBP (p = 0.07) and DBP (p = 0.01) on the first day with this effect decreasing significantly across exposure days (p < 0.0001). P + SOA showed significant increases in SBP (p = 0.002) and DBP (p < 0.0001) across weeks with a magnitude of effect equaling the approximate average of the effect estimates of the P and SOA exposures. Double Sham exposures following SOA and P + SOA showed compensatory decreases in SBP and DBP. No exposure had a significant effect on heart rate. Primary and secondary traffic derived aerosols can substantially increase SBP and DBP, but these increases are lost with continued exposures. Compensatory BP responses resulting after exposure to secondary particles require further investigation to define BP control mechanisms.
Abstract B77: Curcumin deteriorates trabecular and cortical bone in mice bearing metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma

Bone is a major target of metastasis for many malignancies; curcumin has been studied for its role in cancer prevention including early phase clinical trials for its efficacy and safe use with cancer patients. The present study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with curcumin (2% and 4%) on (1) pulmonary metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma and (2) bone microstructural changes in female C57BL/6 mice. Curcumin significantly increased the size of lung metastases, which was accompanied with significant increases in plasma concentrations of angiogenic factors (e.g. angiogenin, VEGF) and inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-1β, MCP-1). Morphometric analysis showed that curcumin at 2% and 4% dietary levels significantly reduced bone volume to total volume ratio (BV/TV), connective density (Conn.D.) and trabecular number (Tb.N.) and significantly increased structure model index (SMI, an indicator of the plate- and rod-like geometry of trabecular structure) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp.) in vertebral bodies, and at the 4% level curcumin significantly reduced BV/TV and Tb.N. and at either level it significantly reduced trabecular thickness (Tb.Th.) in distal femurs compared with the controls. In the mid-shaft of femur, curcumin at the 4% level significantly reduced cortical bone area to total area ratio (Ct.Ar/Tt.Ar.) and cortical thickness (Ct.Th.) compared with the controls. Furthermore, curcumin feeding resulted in dose-dependent decreases in plasma concentrations of osteocalcin (a marker of bone formation) and increases plasma tartrate-resistant acid phosphate 5b (a marker of bone resorption) compared with the controls, indicating that curcumin may deteriorate trabecular and cortical bone by disrupting the balance of bone remodeling. As skeleton is a favored site of metastasis for many cancers, our results that curcumin (1) enhances metastatic growth and (2) results in osteolytic deterioration of bone suggest the need of assessment of bone structural changes for curcumin cancer prevention studies, particularly for human trials with cancer patients who are the risk of malignant spread, to determine the curcumin effects and its interaction with malignancy on skeleton health. Citation Format: Lin Yan. Curcumin deteriorates trabecular and cortical bone in mice bearing metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B77.
Product Distribution from the Fast Pyrolysis of Hemicellulose

Hemicellulose is one of the major constituents of biomass. Surprisingly, only very limited information regarding its product distribution under fast pyrolysis conditions is available in the literature. In the present study, a combination of several analytical techniques, including micro-pyrolyzer-GC-MS/FID, gas analysis, and capillary electrophoresis, were used to study the primary pyrolysis product distribution of hemicelluloses extracted and purified from switchgrass. A total of 16 products were identified and quantified, which accounted for 85 % of the overall mass balance. The pyrolysis behavior of hemicellulose was found to be considerably different than cellulose and was explained on the basis of a proposed mechanism for glycosidic bond cleavage. Further, the effect of minerals and temperature was investigated. The study provides insight into the fast pyrolysis behavior of hemicellulose and provides a basis for developing models that can predict bio-oil composition resulting from overall biomass fast pyrolysis.
Molecular sequence data resolves basal divergences within Simuliidae (Diptera)

Summary Basal divergences within Simuliidae are inferred from portions of the large nuclear ribosomal subunit (28S), elongation factor-one alpha (EF-1α), dopa decarboxylase (DDC), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), the small mitochondrial ribosomal subunit (12S) and subunit two of NADH dehydrogenase (ND2). Sequences from 28S and EF-1α are presented for a thaumaleid, a chironomid and twenty-five of the thirty-two currently recognized simuliid genera. For DDC, PEPCK, 12S and ND2 the taxon sampling is less extensive, but includes both aforementioned outgroup taxa, Parasimulium Malloch, Simulium Latreille and genera representing each of the two to three major suprageneric taxa of various authors. Phylogenetic analyses of 28S, EF-1α, PEPCK and DDC sequences yield strong support for the basal position of Parasimulium (Parasimuliinae) and division of the remaining simuliids (Simuliinae) into monophyletic sister taxa, Prosimuliini and Simuliini. These groupings are entirely concordant with those recovered in the most intensive analysis of morphological data.
Religious Aspects of the Social Organization of a Castilian Village

The functional context of local religious practices within the structure of formal Catholicism in Spain has received little attention. Close examination of the ceremonial life of a Castilian village, and of the attitudes accompanying ceremonial and nonceremonial events, points to the existence of a complex of political and economic activities that are the chief objects of ritual sanctification and the arena in which religious sanctions function to maintain social control in the community. A survey of the ethnographic literature indicates that religious ceremonial may function in similar contexts in extended areas of the Iberian peninsula. The Castilian case and the available comparative data point to the crucial role of local religious traditions in strengthening territorial ties and in helping to define and integrate some of the fundamental units of the social structure.
ACTH and enkephalin axonal input to paraventricular neurons containing c-fos-like immunoreactivity.

The presence of c-fos like protein in neuronal nuclei has been observed in several areas of the central nervous system. It is associated with activation of these neurons by specific stimuli, in particular stressful stimuli. The present study investigated the expression of c-fos-like immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus following stimulation of small diameter, nociceptive afferents in the hindfoot of the rat. The afferent innervation to these c-fos containing PVN neurons was examined in order to identify putative neurotransmitters which might modulate the activity of stress responsive, i.e. c-fos containing neurons in the PVN. Adrenocorticotropic releasing hormone (ACTH), enkephalin (ENK), and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), peptides whose functions have been related to the regulation of stress behavior, were selected to investigate their potential innervation of c-fos immunolabeled neurons. Analysis of immunocytochemically double-labeled vibratome and semi-thin plastic-embedded sections revealed that ACTH and ENK immunoreactive axonal varicosities were present in close anatomical proximity to a substantial number of parvocellular PVN neurons that contained c-fos in response to noxious stimulation. Few c-fos containing PVN neurons were apposed by CRF axonal varicosities. The resulting data show that a large number of c-fos immunoreactive PVN neurons, though not the majority, is innervated by ACTH and ENK. This suggests that the activity of stress responsive, c-fos expressing neurons can substantially be modulated and regulated by ACTH and ENK and to a lesser degree by CRF.
Understanding and Applying an Integrative Taxonomy of Motivation Sources to Professional and Personal Settings

This exercise incorporates an innovative teaching approach to demonstrate how motivation sources are evident in behavior and decisions. The exercise is based on the integrative typology proposed by Leonard, Beauvais, and Scholl and validated by Barbuto and Scholl. The taxonomy includes five sources of motivation: intrinsic process, instrumental, self-concept external, self-concept internal, and goal internalization. This article provides a brief summary and review of the five sources of motivation, complete instructions for conducting and processing the class exercise for both instructors and students, and a photocopy-ready handout for students.
Numerical Evaluation of the General Yarkovsky Effect: Effects on Eccentricity and Longitude of Periapse

Abstract J. N. Spitale and R. Greenberg (2001, Icarus149, 222–234) developed a nonlinearized, finite-difference solution to the heat equation that yields orbital rates of change due to the Yarkovsky effect for small, spherical, bare-rock asteroids and used it to investigate changes in semimajor axis caused by the Yarkovsky effect. Here, we present results for changes in eccentricity and longitude of periapse. These results may be useful as benchmarks for simplified analytical solutions. Moreover, we explore a range of parameters, some of which are inaccessible to most other approaches. Instantaneous rates can be quite fast: For a 1-m scale body rotating with a 5-h period, de/dt can be as fast as 0.1 per million years (da/dt rates for similar test bodies were reported in J. N. Spitale and R. Greenberg (2001, Icarus149, 222–234)). For more typical rotation periods, these rates would be considerably slower. Output from our calculation method could be used in simulations of asteroid population evolution such as that by W. F. Bottke, D. P. Rubincam, and J. A. Burns (2000, Icarus145, 301–331). On long time scales, impacts would randomize the spin axis before significant orbital evolution could occur. Nevertheless, occasional favorable rotation states might persist long enough for substantial eccentricity changes to accumulate (1) if the body is decoupled from the main belt (e.g., many near-Earth asteroids), (2) if the population of very small (mm-scale) main-belt impactors is less than expected, or (3) if our numerical results are scaled up to km-size bodies.
Institutional Financial Assessment: Methodology and Meaning.

This paper responds to the fourth annual report by W. John Minter and Howard R. Bowen on Independent Higher EducationFinancial and Educational Trends in Independent Higher Education, 1978. Primary thesis: established financial reporting does not tend to do justice to a sound assessment of the financial condition of colleges and universities. Because the latter belong to the “service” economy, we must know more than we do about changes in quality. Such studies also must say how well institutional objectives are being achieved. College presidents and deans have tended to provide researchers with overly optimistic information. When they later see that Bowen and Minter report this very fact, they complain that their conclusions are not gloomy enough. Such double standards damage realistic program assessment efforts. The blame falls on the respondents and not on the authors. Neither can the authors be blamed for shortcomings in financial accounting ignoring the total cost of institutional activity. If accounting practice were based on a total cost concept the news about higher education finance would more nearly reflect what we all know is true: colleges and universities are worse off than the statistics say.
Simulation of airflow fields and microparticle deposition in realistic human lung airway models. Part II: Particle transport and deposition

Abstract In Part II, given the airflow fields discussed in Part I, microparticle deposition for a practical range of Stokes numbers, 0.025 ⩽ St ⩽ 0.102 , has been simulated and analyzed, comparing different temporal assumptions, inlet conditions and geometric configurations. The matching steady-state assumption with equivalent Reynolds and Stokes numbers achieves basically the same deposition fraction (DF) values as under transient inhalation conditions. When comparing parabolic vs. realistic inlet velocity profiles, total DF-values are higher for the parabolic inlet flow for all Stokes numbers. Geometric features, such as out-of-plane configurations and cartilaginous rings in the trachea, further change local deposited microparticle concentrations when compared with simple airway models. Furthermore, significant differences were recorded when comparing DFs in some branches of the present realistic model and the Weibel Type A model. For practical purposes, algebraic microparticle-deposition correlations, DF = DF ( Re , St ) , have been obtained for both the left and right upper lung airways. Based on current research results, the out-of-plane model with tracheal rings and realistic inlet condition is recommended for future work.
Structural and biochemical analysis of the Hordeum vulgare L. HvGR-RBP1 protein, a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein involved in the regulation of barley plant development and stress response.

The timing of whole-plant senescence influences important agricultural traits such as yield and grain protein content. Post-transcriptional regulation by plant RNA-binding proteins is essential for proper control of gene expression, development, and stress responses. Here, we report the three-dimensional solution NMR structure and nucleic acid-binding properties of the barley glycine-rich RNA-binding protein HvGR-RBP1, whose transcript has been identified as being >45-fold up-regulated in early—as compared to late—senescing near-isogenic barley germplasm. NMR analysis reveals that HvGR-RBP1 is a multidomain protein comprising a well-folded N-terminal RNA Recognition Motif (RRM) and a structurally disordered C-terminal glycine-rich domain. Chemical shift differences observed in 2D 1H–15N correlation (HSQC) NMR spectra of full-length HvGR-RBP1 and N-HvGR-RBP1 (RRM domain only) suggest that the two domains can interact both in-trans and intramolecularly, similar to what is observed in the tobacco NtGR-RBP1 p...
Dietary carbohydrate intake and endurance exercise performance of trained female cyclists

Abstract Seven highly trained female cyclists (age 22±5 yr, x¯SD; wt:60±5 kg; ht:165±6 cm; V02 max: 55±6 ml/min/kg) rode on a cycle ergometer at 80% V02 max to fatigue following week-long consumption of isocaloric diets containing low (LCHO), moderate (MCHO) or high carbohydrate (HCHO) content (13%, 54%, 72% of total kcal). Total caloric intake was the normal intake for subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to dietary treatments with all subjects eventually consuming all diets. Expired air and blood samples were taken before, during, and at the end of each exercise session. Respiratory exchange (R) values and plasma glucose and lactate concentrations were determined. Results indicated that mean exercise time to fatigue increased with increasing dietary carbohydrate content (LCHO:60±12 min; MCHO:98±13; HCHO:113±28). Exercise time on LCHO was significantly shorter (p
Auditory neuropathy/Auditory dyssynchrony - An underdiagnosed condition: A case report with review of literature

Auditory neuropathy (AN)/auditory dyssynchrony (AD) is a very often missed diagnosis, hence an underdiagnosed condition in clinical practice. Auditory neuropathy is a condition in which patients, on audiologic evaluation, are found to have normal outer hair cell function and abnormal neural function at the level of the eighth nerve. These patients, on clinical testing, are found to have normal otoacoustic emissions, whereas auditory brainstem response audiometry reveals the absence of neural synchrony. Unlike space-occupying lesions, radiologic evaluation reveals normal results. Patients with auditory neuropathy require a different management approach to their auditory and communication problems from approaches used with patients with usual peripheral hearing losses.
Cation Selectivity in Active Transport: Properties of the Turtle Colon in the Presence of Mucosal Lithium

If mucosal Na is completely replaced by Li the isolated turtle colon exhibits a steady-state short-circuit current (I sc) consistent with the transport of Li from mucosa to serosa.I sc persists in the absence of a transmural electrochemical gradient for Li and is abolished by amiloride or ouabain. In the presence of mucosal Li the amiloridesensitive, transepithelial cation transport path can be described as a constant emf in series with a variable conductance. A comparison of equivalent circuit parameters, however, reveals that in the presence of mucosal Li the apparent emf of the cation transport path is markedly reduced, but the conductance of the active path may be greater than, equal to, or less than that observed in the presence of Na. In tissues characterized by a relatively low cellular conductance in the presence of Na, Li substitution increases the amiloridesensitive conductance, whereas, in tissues characterized by an initially high active “Na-conductance”, the amiloride-sensitive conductance is reduced in the presence of Li. Thus, the approximate identity ofI sc in some tissues after cation substitution is a fortuitous consequence of an increased amiloride-sensitive conductance in the presence of mucosal Li coupled with adecreased apparent emf for Li transport. The addition of small amounts of Li to Na-containing mucosal or serosal solutions inhibits active Na transport, suggesting that Li exerts a “toxic” effect on the transport machinery apart from its ability to serve as a substitute cation. Transmural Na flux measurements reveal that, when the mucosal bathing solution contains comparable amounts of Na and Li, the net flow of Na through the active path isless than the totalI sc. The ratio ofI sc to the net Na flux approaches unity as the mucosal Li concentration approaches zero, confirming the notion that the “extra current” is carried by Li ions. The ratio ofI sc to the net Na flux is a linear function of the mucosal Li∶Na concentration ratio and the slope of this relation can be interpreted to indicate that the ratio of the apparent rate coefficients for Li and Na movement through the active path is about 0.75.
Human Islet Oxygen Consumption Rate and DNA Measurements Predict Diabetes Reversal in Nude Mice

There is a need for simple, quantitative and prospective assays for islet quality assessment that are predictive of islet transplantation outcome. The current state-of-the-art athymic nude mouse bioassay is costly, technically challenging and retrospective. In this study, we report on the ability of 2 parameters characterizing human islet quality: (1) oxygen consumption rate (OCR), a measure of viable volume; and (2) OCR/DNA, a measure of fractional viability, to predict diabetes reversal in nude mice. Results demonstrate that the probability for diabetes reversal increases as the graft's OCR/DNA and total OCR increase. For a given transplanted OCR dose, diabetes reversal is strongly dependent on OCR/DNA. The OCR and OCR/DNA (the 'OCR test') data exhibit 89% sensitivity and 77% specificity in predicting diabetes reversal in nude mice (n = 86). We conclude that the prospective OCR test can effectively replace the retrospective athymic nude mouse bioassay in assessing human islet quality prior to islet transplantation.
Enhancement of Melphalan Toxicity by Octanol in Ovarian Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines: Effects of Altered Cell-Cell Communication, Glutathione Levels, and Plasma Membrane Fluidity

A2780 and COLO-316 ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines were exposed to 1.0 mM 1-octanol for 12 hr in order to evaluate the potential effects of inhibition of gap junction-mediated intercellular communication (GJIC) on cellular responses to the chemotherapeutic drug melphalan. Other cellular endpoints relevant to drug-resistance mechanisms which were monitored after treatments included cellular glutathione levels, glutathione S-transferase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and plasma membrane lipid mobility. In cells which were sensitive to melphalan, octanol enhanced melphalan toxicity in the GJIC-competent (A2780/S) but not GJIC-incompetent (COLO-316/S) sensitive cells. Although octanol increases plasma membrane lipid mobility in A2780/S and COLO-316/S, it appears that enhancement of A2780/S sensitivity to melphalan may be due to inhibition of GJIC. In melphalan-resistant cells (A2780/R and COLO-316/R), 1.0 mM octanol treatment for 12 hr combined with melphalan reversed the resistance of the cells to the drug. Therefore, alterations in cellular glutathione metabolism and effects on the plasma membrane in addition to uncoupling of GJIC may be involved in sensitizing communication-competent and communication-incompetent resistant cells because COLO-316/R lacks gap junction-mediated intercellular communication. Further, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential provided an index of acquired drug resistance and the efficacy of melphalan and combined octanol/melphalan toxicity.
Oxbow Lakes as Indicators of River Channel Change: Leaf River, Mississippi, USA

This study uses oxbow lakes to ascertain the extent and nature of change in a river's form, focusing on the effects of post-1950s floodplain gravel extraction on the geomorphology of the Leaf River in southeastern Mississippi, USA. The river and oxbow lakes of a 5 km reach were examined for the effects of local and upstream floodplain and in-channel gravel mining. Data from 12 cross-sections suggests that the present-day river is 35% wider and 12% shallower than the cross-sectional geometry in cutoffs that pre-date 1955. Field measurements reveal that the Leaf River was relatively stable from at least 1911 to the early 1940s, but has since undergone an average of 2.65 m of degradation in the study reach. Survey data from a nearby USGS stream gage show that degradation began abruptly in the mid 1970s, most likely as a result of in-stream mining and pit avulsions on a major tributary that deprived downstream areas of bed load and created profile adjustments.
Acid phosphatase production by mercuric ion- or penicillin-resistant and -sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.

SummaryThe average total amount of acid phosphatase produced by 46 strains of S. aureus in a sub-group of phage group I lysed by phage 80, was found to be 25% greater than the average of 19.1 units for 30 strains in the sub-group not lysed by phage 80. In turn, both of these phage group I sub-groups produced more enzyme than the 69 phage group III strains, for which the mean was 12.0 units. There were no significant differences in the amount of acid phosphatase produced by strains in phage group I without an 80 in their pattern or in phage group III when the strains within each of these 2 groups were segregated according to either penicillin-resistance or mercuric-ion resistance. The percentage of strains resistant to mercuric ions was much greater among penicillin-resistant strains than in penicillin-sensitive strains.
A phase II trial of cisplatin, ifosfamide, and mesna in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine malignant mixed müllerian tumors with evaluation of potential molecular targets.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of cisplatin, ifosfamide, and mesna in uterine malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) and to evaluate the expression of clinically relevant molecular markers. Methods Women with advanced or recurrent MMMT were treated every 28 days with cisplatin (75 mg/m 2 ), ifosfamide (1.2 gm/m 2 ), and mesna (240 mg/m 2 ). Treatment continued until disease progression or for six courses in the case of nonmeasurable disease. Immunohistochemical analysis for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2/neu, C-kit, Abl, and PDGFR-β expression were performed. Results Sixteen patients received 1–10 cycles; 2 died of disease progression after 1 cycle; 3 stopped after 1 cycle because of toxicity. Of 6 with measurable disease, 2 had a partial response, 1 had stable disease (SD), and 3 had progression (RR 33%). Partial response durations were 6 and 9 months; SD duration was 6 months. Of 5 patients without measurable disease, 4 received 6 cycles; 1 received 4 cycles. Four died of recurrent disease and 1 was without disease 6.5 years after treatment. Thirty-six percent experienced at least one neutropenic G3 or G4 event. All experienced G1 gastrointestinal toxicity. Four required dose reductions. At 7.5 months, only 1 with measurable disease was still living. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that 24% expressed ER or PR, 19% expressed HER-2/neu , and none expressed C-kit . However, 45% expressed Abl and 100% expressed PDGFR-β. Conclusions Although the combination of cisplatin, ifosfamide, and mesna in patients with MMMT had moderate activity, the high toxicity and short response duration in this uncommon, aggressive malignancy suggest that this regiment continues to be a disappointing treatment choice for uterine MMMT. HER-2/Neu , Abl , or PDGFR-β expression may be of value in order to investigate novel multimodality treatment strategies.
Collective Dreams: Political Imagination and Community

Collective Dreams: Political Imagination and Community. By Keally D. McBride. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005. 192p. $45.00.The concept of community weighs heavily in the history of social and political theory but even more so in the collective imagination. The idea and varying visions of community traverse concepts of identity, public sphere, and state in theoretical discourses. Community also insinuates itself into discussions and decision making at the most practical level. Keally D. McBride's book offers a creative and probing exploration of how community has been imagined by theorists and how imagined communities inform practice. It does not claim to be a comprehensive synthesis of competing views, but rather succeeds as a provocative set of thematically linked, exploratory essays. While McBride acknowledges at the outset the importance of the analytic task of delineating the various conceptualizations of community, her project makes its contribution by explicating how visions of the political imagination of different eras inform the imagination of community. She shows how the resulting set of ideals and images creates and constrains real-world political possibilities. Throughout, she offers subtle judgments and useful provocations and, in the end, this book emerges as an important resource for everyone who values the possibilities of community, but wishes to remain critical of the concept's many traps and seductions.
An infected urachal cyst presenting as an acute abdomen – A case report

Abstract INTRODUCTION An infected urachal cyst is one of a spectrum of presentations of urachal pathology, all of which are rare in adulthood. PRESENTATION OF CASE We report the case of a 45-year-old obese Russian lady who presented with a 2-week history of suprapubic pain radiating to the right iliac fossa. Although previously fit and well, she had a history of 17 miscarriages. Both USS and CT suggested a complicated inflammatory mass in the lower abdomen. Ultimately the diagnosis was made by laparotomy, which revealed an abscess of an urachal cyst. The infected cyst and bladder dome were excised. The patient made a good recovery with an uneventful follow up. DISCUSSION Urachal cysts are the commonest type of urachal anomaly. Infection is the usual mode of presentation amongst adult cases otherwise the condition usually remains asymptomatic. An infected urachal cyst is an important diagnosis to make as complications include sepsis, fistula formation, and rupture leading to peritonitis. Treatment is by complete excision, however, techniques have been debated. CONCLUSION This is a rare but important diagnosis however we recommend that in patients with atypical histories, it should be included in the differential diagnosis.
The paradoxical effect of NMDA receptor stimulation on electrical activity of the sensorimotor cortex in freely behaving rats: analysis by combined EEG-intracerebral microdialysis.

This study was designed to determine the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor stimulation on the electrical activity of neocortex in freely behaving rats. Electroencephalogram (EEG) recording and intracerebral microdialysis were conducted simultaneously in the same site of the sensorimotor cortex, where the basal extracellular concentrations of aspartate and glutamate were 2.1 ± 0.7 mM and 11.5 ± 2.4 mM, respectively. Microdialysis with NMDA solutions (ranging from 10.0 mM to 10.0 mM) reduced the amplitude of the EEG activity and decreased the power of all frequency bands, with a virtual elimination of the high frequency waves, in a dose-dependent manner. These EEG changes were reversed after washing out the drug from the microdialysis fluid, and could be effectively antagonized with the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate. Remarkably, the NMDA actions were not associated with epileptiform behavioral or electrographic events. Control studies demonstrated that in the same experimental conditions, cholinergic receptor agonist carbachol caused seizures, and microdialysis with NMDA in the hippocampus readily induced epileptiform spikes. Our study shows that NMDA receptor stimulation in the rat sensorimotor cortex, although excitatory at synaptic level, can depress the local EEG activity. This may indicate that the NMDA receptor-mediated signals are processed by the neocortical network in a different way than by many other brain circuitries including hippocampus. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Preparation and properties of compounds of the complex metal oxides Y2BaMO5 (M ≡ Cu, Zn) with added hydrogen

The complex metal oxides Y 2 BaMO 5 (M≡Cu, Zn) have been found to react directly with H 2 gas to form crystalline hydrogen addition compounds. X-ray diffraction data for H x Y 2 BaCuO 5 indicate that the reaction sequence for this oxide consists of the formation of a solid solution phase up to x≃2.1, in which the partial molar volume of H, V H , is nearly zero, followed by the precipitation of a hydrogen-rich phase
A fully adaptive reaction-diffusion integration scheme with applications to systems biology

Adaptive integration schemes for ODE systems typically function by adjusting the time step size so as to keep the truncation error below some desired value. For adaptive integration of PDE systems involving coupled kinetic reaction and diffusion operations, truncation error arises not only from the individual propagators but also from their method of coupling. A common second-order accurate method for coupling operators is Strang's method of operator splitting. We derive an expression for the truncation error resulting from Strang splitting reaction and diffusion operators for an arbitrary number of spatial dimensions, and demonstrate its use in adaptive time step algorithms. In addition, we present explanations of the second order implicit reaction and diffusion operators, and their individual error calculations used in our implementation of the scheme. Finally, using example simulations we discuss the use of this calculation for problems in systems biology.
Distribution of tubulin and actin in neurites and growth cones of differentiating nerve cells

Embryonic chick nerve cells, from dissociated dorsal root ganglia, were cultured on polylysine substrata and examined for tubulin and actin distribution by indirect immunofluorescence. Antibodies generated against chick brain tubulin produced specific fluorescence in growth cones, neurites, and cell bodies without revealing distribution differences or substructure in the nerve cells. However, at reduced antitubulin concentrations, differences were resolved. Tubulin fluorescence remained uniform and intense in neurites and cell bodies, but exhibited reduced intensity and patterning in growth cones. Nonneuronal cells in the reduced intensity and patterning in growth cones. Nonneuronal cells in the cultures served as controls for typical cytoplasmic tubulin fluorescence distribution. Straining controls demonstrated that fluorescence resulted from tubulin-antitubulin binding. Analogous studies, using antibodies generated against chick brain actin, demonstrated distribution differences at reduced antiactin concentrations, including “hot spots” of intense fluorescence in growth cones and a paucity of fluorescence in neurites.
Distributed grooming, routing, and wavelength assignment for dynamic optical networks using ant colony optimization

The physical resource assignment problem in dynamic optical networks, often referred to as the routing and wavelength assignment problem, is very important for the development of optical transport networks. Research has been done to optimize this operation so that the overall connection blocking can be minimized. Traffic grooming adds another dimension to this problem by introducing opportunities for multiplexing low-bit-rate traffic into a high-bit-rate stream. The ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm is a metaheuristic method that is inspired by the foraging behavior of ants and has been widely implemented in solving discrete optimization problems. This paper proposes an ACO to solve the grooming, routing, and wavelength assignment problem. Unlike previous work, our work includes considerations of mixed line rate, physical impairments, and traffic grooming functionality. Comprehensive simulation tests show how variations on the ACO algorithms' implementation affect performance. A comparison is made between this distributed algorithm and a centralized algorithm that we propose, a grooming adaptive shortest path algorithm (GASP). Although GASP shows better efficiency in terms of blocking probability, ACO shows great robustness and adaptivity to varying network and traffic conditions.