cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Host range expansion of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) following recombination of a 0.6-kilobase-pair DNA fragment originating from Bombyx mori NPV.

We have isolated hybrid baculoviruses of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) and Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV) capable of replicating in both BmN (not susceptible to AcNPV) and SF-21 (not susceptible to BmNPV) cells (A. Kondo and S. Maeda, J. Virol. 65:3625-3632, 1991). Repeated backcross infection of one of these recombinant isolates with AcNPV generated eh-AcNPV, a virus with restriction endonuclease patterns of genomic DNA nearly identical to those of AcNPV but capable of replicating in both BmN and SF-21 cells, i.e., host range expanded. Expanded host range viruses were also isolated following cotransfection of AcNPV DNA with eh-AcNPV DNA cleaved with either HindIII or PstI. Subsequent cotransfection of AcNPV DNA with plasmids from an eh-AcNPV DNA fragment library identified an 11-kbp HindIII fragment that could expand the host range of AcNPV. Subcloning and cotransfection analyses localized a 572-bp SacI-HindIII fragment within this 11-kbp fragment which could alone expand the host range of AcNPV. Mapping and nucleotide sequencing analysis revealed that this fragment was identical to the corresponding 572-bp fragment (BmScH) of BmNPV. Furthermore, this fragment originated from the coding region of the putative DNA helicase gene. Cotransfection of AcNPV DNA with BmScH also generated a host range-expanded virus, eh2-AcNPV. These results indicated that the expanded host range characteristics of eh2-AcNPV were solely the result of recombination within the coding region of the putative DNA helicase gene.
Medical student musculoskeletal education: an institutional survey.

Background: Since the 1910 Flexner Report, medical education continues to undergo curriculum and graduation guideline reform to meet the needs of physicians and patients. Our aims were to (1) assess the quality of musculoskeletal education at our institution’s School of Medicine by reporting the results of the Freedman and Bernstein examination among our medical students across all four years of training, and (2) stratify results according to medical school year, educational module, and intended career. Methods: We surveyed the 460 2009-2010 School of Medicine students via e-mail. The survey contained a validated orthopaedic examination of musculoskeletal competency (passing grade, 70%), demographic questions (e.g., year in training, clinical area of interest, and time dedicated to musculoskeletal topics in medical school education), and a 10-point tool for determining confidence in assessing musculoskeletal disorders. There were 354 responses (77.0%); six were excluded for incompleteness, leaving 348 for analysis. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the association between test scores and days spent studying musculoskeletal material. The unpaired Student t test was used to compare performance among areas of interest and training years, with p < 0.05 being considered significant. Results: The mean score was 51.1%; only sixty-seven (19.3%) of the students passed. Fourth-year students scored significantly higher (59.0%) compared with first-year students (37.3%), but >65% of students in both groups failed. Only 34.2% of the graduating students had completed a musculoskeletal elective. Students who participated in elective musculoskeletal education had a higher pass rate (67.5%) than those who did not (43.9%, p < 0.001). A minimum of fifteen days dedicated to elective study of musculoskeletal medicine significantly increased the chance of passing this examination. First-year through fourth-year students ranked their level of confidence in dealing with musculoskeletal issues as 3.18, 3.82, 3.57, and 4.77, respectively. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to test this examination with medical school class years and have quantifiable results that advocate for incorporation of a dedicated musculoskeletal block in medical student education.
Calcium dependence of neurotensin stimulation of circular colonic muscle of the rabbit

Abstract The effect of neurotensin on smooth muscle contraction was compared in strips from rabbit proximal and distal circular colonic muscle. The effective dose for neurotensin stimulation that caused a 50% response in both tissues was similar (1.3 × 10 −10 M). The maximal isometric stress, however, was greater in the distal colon than in the proximal colon (p 2+ -free" (pCa = 5.1) or La 3+ buffer. Verapamil (10 −6 M) or nitroprusside (10 −4 M) decreased neurotensin stimulation of proximal and distal colon by ~ 40% (p 2+ from the buffer inhibited stimulation of muscle contraction by high extracellular potassium ([K + ] 0 ) more than bethanechol stimulation (p 3+ (1 mM) inhibited the contraction stimulated by bethanechol or increased [K + ] 0 . Although verapamil inhibited contraction by bethanechol and increased [K + ] 0 by ~50%, nitroprusside had no effect on the contraction mediated by these stimulants. 8-Bromo-guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) inhibited neurotensin, but not [K + ] 0 or bethanechol-stimulated contraction. These data suggest (a) neurotensin stimulated colonic contractions at a concentration that is potentially physiologic, (b) neurotensin stimulated colonic smooth muscle directly without neural mediation, (c) neurotensin stimulation of colonic muscle is controlled by [Ca 2+ ] 0 and [cGMP] i .
Are Two Better Than One? Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Plus Angiotensin Receptor Blockers for Reducing Blood Pressure and Proteinuria in Kidney Disease

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers each reduce proteinuria and blood pressure. Several studies have compared the antiproteinuric and antihypertensive effects of combination therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers with those of therapy with either drug class alone. This article reviews those trials as well as evidence suggesting a mechanism for the benefits observed with combination therapy.
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations presenting as platypnea-orthodeoxia in graft-versus-host disease

This case highlights the utility of agitated saline studies during transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for detection of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVM) as a viable alternative to contrast-enhanced imaging studies. By carefully studying each pulmonary vein individually during saline contrast studies, TEE is able to demonstrate and localize PAVM. In addition, this report represents the first documentation of PAVM arising as a complication of graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
Brain stem auditory evoked potentials and myelin changes in triethyltin-induced edema in young adult rats.

Abstract The effect of white matter edema induced by triethyltin (TET) intoxication on the brain stem auditory evoked potentials was examined in young adult rats. Results show that animals which received TET had lower body weight, increased brain weight, and increased water content in brain tissue. The amount of myelin (normal flotation density) recovered was reduced in TET-treated rats by approximately 45%, however, the recovery of synaptosomes was normal. The decrease in myelin content in the central nervous system of the TET-treated rats was accompanied by a significant increase in the peak latencies of all brain stem auditory evoked potentials (waves I, II, III, IV) as well as the interpeak (IV – I) difference. The potential latencies and the amount of myelin recovered became normal within 2 weeks after discontinuing TET treatment. These results demonstrate the relationship between the amount of myelin in the central nervous system and the latencies of the brain stem auditory evoked potentials and suggest that they may serve as a noninvasive measure of myelin defect.
Irreducible Proximal Interphalangeal Dislocation of the Fourth Toe: A Case Report

Dislocation of the interphalangeal joints of the lesser toes is an uncommon injury, and complex (irreducible) dislocation has rarely been reported. All previous reports note that, during open reduction, the volar plate is interposed within the joint, thereby blocking reduction. In this case, the medial collateral ligament was the primary obstruction to reduction. Clinically, these dislocations are difficult to appreciate. It is recommended that x-ray studies be performed so that this diagnosis is not overlooked.
An improved set of standards for finding cost for cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background:Guidelines have helped standardize methods of cost-effectiveness analysis, allowing different interventions to be compared and enhancing the generalizability of study findings. There is agreement that all relevant services be valued from the societal perspective using a long-term time hor
Neighborhood Context, Personality, and Stressful Life Events as Predictors of Depression Among African American Women

The neighborhood contexts in which people live affect many aspects of their lives, including their daily stress level, personal safety, and available resources. Contextual effects have been hypothesized for development in general and for mental health in particular (Bronfenbrenner, 1979a, 1979b, 1986; Jessor, 1992, 1993). The MacArthur Foundation issued a set of recommendations calling for systematic consideration of the role of context in the etiology of psychopathology (Boyce, Frank, Jensen, Kessler, Nelson, & Steinberg, 1998). However, to date, neighborhood contexts have received relatively little attention as a factor in mental health. Considerably more work has been done on the effects of neighborhood context on delinquency, crime, physical health, and parenting practices (e.g., Anderson, Sorlie, Backlund, Johnson, & Kaplan, 1997; Brody et al., 2003; Jencks & Mayer, 1990; Jessor, 1992; Jones & Duncan, 1995; LeClere, Rogers, & Peters, 1997; Robert, 1998; Sampson, 1992; Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls, 1997). A key question is the extent to which community context affects people’s mental health beyond the effects of individual-level demographic characteristics, personality, and stressors. In the current study, we tested the extent to which neighborhood context was associated with diagnosable depression in a large sample of African American women, both directly and through interaction with personal risk variables. The personal risk variables we examined were negative life events and the personality trait of negative affectivity. We reasoned that an adverse neighborhood environment would amplify the effects of these known risk factors for depression. In other words, we predicted that women with these individual-level risk factors who reside in impoverished and/or dangerous neighborhoods would be more likely to experience episodes of major depression than would those who reside in more affluent, safe neighborhoods.
Aggregation Kinetics of Dendrimer-Stabilized CdS Nanoclusters

Precipitation of CdS in Starburst PAMAM dendrimer solutions offers a viable method of preparing CdS nanoclusters with long-term optical stability. Photoluminescence and UV−visible spectroscopy data show that the dendrimer stabilizes the precipitated CdS as nanoclusters with characteristic optoelectronic properties not seen in bulk CdS. However, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) indicates power-law growth of aggregates composed of dendrimer-stabilized nanoclusters. Temperature and reactant concentration are dominant variables controlling the aggregation kinetics. Power-law growth of the aggregate diameter and the intensity count rate suggest that the aggregation kinetics are diffusion-limited, at least at higher temperatures and reactant concentrations. The termination of the aggregation process and the stability of the final aggregates are confirmed by the absence of bulk CdS precipitate several months after synthesis. Photoluminescence and UV−visible spectroscopy link the optical properties of the ag...
In-line fiber-optic filter using GaAs ARROW waveguide

Summary form only given. We have demonstrated an inline fiber optic filter using a GaAs ARROW waveguide as the overlay. It has a rejection ratio of 11 dB and a bandwidth of 7 nm. The inclusion of quantum wells in the waveguide core will lead to a new class of integrated fiber devices, including modulators, detectors, amplifiers, and lasers.
"Thickness Effect" in Absorption Spectra near Absorption Edges

The details of an observed absorption spectrum are shown to depend upon the thickness of the absorber. This effect is present, at least in principle, regardless of the type of radiation involved. It is discussed here specifically for x-rays, and specifically for the neighborhood of an absorption edge. Measurements of widths and of relative intensities of the component structure are the most sensitively involved, but wavelengths are also slightly affected. The explanation lies in the r\^ole of the effective spectral window of the spectrometer. The effect may be serious when the "tails" of the window are extensive, as is inevitably the case with two-crystal x-ray spectrometers. Features of the extent and shape of the spectral window for the (1, +1) position of the instrument used in this work are roughly determined from the thickness effect.
IGE Model: An Extension of the Ideal Gas Model to Include Chemical Composition as Part of the Equilibrium State

The ideal gas (IG) model is probably the most well-known gas models in engineering thermodynamics. In this paper, we extend the IG model into an ideal gas equilibrium (IGE model) mixture model by incorporating chemical equilibrium calculations as part of the state evaluation. Through a simple graphical interface, users can set the atomic composition of a gas mixture. We have integrated this model into a thermodynamic web portal TEST (http://thermofluids.sdsu.edu/) that contains Java applets for various models for properties of pure substances. In the state panel of the IGE model, the known thermodynamic properties are entered. For a given pressure and temperature, the mixture's Gibbs function is minimized subject to atomic constraints and the equilibrium composition along with thermodynamic properties of the mixture are calculated and displayed. What is unique about this approach is that equilibrium computations are performed in the background, without requiring any major change in the familiar user interface used in other state daemons. Properties calculated by this equilibrium state daemon are compared with results from other established applications such as NASA CEA and STANJAN. Also, two different algorithms, an iterative approach and a direct approach based on minimizing different thermodynamic functions in different situation, are compared.
Adaptive Energy Management in Redundant Hybrid DC Microgrid for Pulse Load Mitigation

This paper investigates the real-time control and energy management of a dc microgrid incorporating hybrid energy sources with various loading schemes. In the proposed dc microgrid, a supercapacitor bank, a power buffer, and a pulse load are directly connected to a dc bus. The proposed system configuration highly improves the grid redundancy and reduces the total power losses. Moreover, the supercapacitor bank not only supplies the pulse load, but also supports the grid during transient periods when it is highly loaded. However, the energy management and control of such a system is more complex, since the heavy pulse load can cause high power pulsation and voltage drop. To reduce the adverse effects of the pulse load, a new real-time energy management system (EMS) with an adaptive energy calculator (AEC) based on the moving average measurement technique is developed. The proposed microgrid was implemented in hardware and experimentally tested. The results were compared with other methods, such as direct voltage control and continuous current averaging approaches. The results show that the developed EMS with AEC technique properly share the power and control the bus voltage under different loading conditions, while the adverse effects of the pulse load are highly reduced.
Hybridized Electric Energy Storage Systems for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Batteries and ultracapacitors have significantly different energy storage and power delivery capabilities. Electrical traction motors in hybrid electric vehicles have characteristic power and energy demands, and a single energy storage technology may not be optimized to meet both the minimum power and energy demands. In this paper, we investigate the effect of combining batteries and ultracapacitors, both actively and passively, to produce a more versatile electrical energy storage system for hybrid electric vehicles. Hybridized energy storage systems result in increased component life cycles, decreased internal resistance losses, and reduced cost and mass when compared to either battery-only or ultracapacitor-only configurations.
Risk factors by molecular subtypes of breast cancer across a population-based study of women 56 years or younger

Differences in incidence, prognosis, and treatment response suggest gene expression patterns may discern breast cancer subtypes with unique risk factor profiles; however, previous results were based predominantly on older women. In this study, we examined similar relationships in women ≤ 56 years, classified by immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 for 890 breast cancer cases and 3,432 frequency-matched population-based controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for tumor subtypes were calculated using multivariate polytomous regression models. A total of 455 (51.1%) tumors were considered luminal A, 72 (8.1%) luminal B, 117 (13.1%) non-luminal HER-2/neu+, and 246 (27.6%) triple negative. Triple negative tumors were associated with breast feeding duration (per 6 months: OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.90). Among premenopausal women, increasing body size was more strongly associated with luminal B (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.07-2.77) and triple negative tumors (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.22-2.28). A history of benign breast disease was associated only with increased risk of luminal A tumors (OR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.43-2.50). A family history of breast cancer was a risk factor for luminal A tumors (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.38-2.70) regardless of age, and triple negative tumors with higher risks for women <45 (OR = 5.02, 95% CI 2.82-8.92; P for age interaction = 0.005). We found that little-to-no breastfeeding and high BMI were associated with increased risk of triple negative breast cancer. That some risk factors differ by molecular subtypes suggests etiologic heterogeneity in breast carcinogenesis among young women.
A linear accelerator couch attachment for extended ssd treatments

Abstract An attachment to an existing linear accelerator couch is described that extends the range of SSD's at which patients can be treated. This couch attachment, which is mounted on castors for ease of mobility, is attached to and locks into the rail of the accelerator couch such that the axis of the new device is normal to the existing couch. All motions of this assembly are then under the control of the existing couch. The overall size of the couch attachment is 215 cm × 90 cm, sufficiently large to treat all clinically used fields.
Magnetic moments of excited states in 190Os, 192Os and 192Pt

Abstract The γ-γ perturbed angular correlation technique and the strong hyperfine magnetic fields experienced by osmium and platinum impurities embedded in an Fe lattice host, were used in obtaining the following results: 190 Os : / gm 2 + = 0.54 ± 0.06 n . m ., μ 4 + = 0.88 ± 0.48 n . m . 192 Os : μ 2 + = 0.56 ± 0.08 n . m . 192 Pt : μ 2 + = 0.56 ± 0.06 n . m ., μ 2 +' = 0.62 ± 0.14 n . m . All but one of the measurements were performed with two high-resolution Ge(Li) detectors. The 4 + state in 190 Os was investigated with two NaI spectrometers.
Gap junction structures. VIII. Membrane cross-sections

Profiles of negatively stained gap junctions have been measured by grid sectioning. After normal levels of electron irradiation, the membrane thickness shrinks to about half that of unirradiated controls, but no shrinkage occurs in the hexagonal lattice plane. Even under low irradiation conditions, there is significant thinning of the membranes. Edge views, in which rows of connexons are aligned parallel to the beam, were obtained from grid sections, folds in normal negatively stained specimens, and sections of a positively stained specimen. Averaging these micrographs with the translational and mirror symmetry of the projected lattice image displays conserved and variable features in the stain distribution of different specimens. Variations in the relative amount of negative stain in the gap at the surfaces and in the channel are uncorrelated with the irradiation but appear to depend on the local staining conditions and the integrity of the connexons. The dimensions measured from previously unirradiated grid sections, folds, and positively stained sections are in accord with x-ray diffraction measurements. Radiation-induced shrinkage can be accounted for by mass loss principally from the membrane bilayer. Disordering of the surface structure appears to be correlated with the radiation sensitivity of the bilayer; in contrast, the gap structure is well preserved under a variety of conditions.
Electroreductive cyclization reactions: Attempts to use 2(5h)furanones (α,β-unsaturated butenolides). Dominance of acid-base over cyclization chemistry

Abstract The potential utility of butenolides as substrates in the electroreductive cyclization reaction has been investigated. A variety of butenolides bearing either an α,β,-unsaturated ester, an α,β,δ,-unsaturated ester, allylic bromide, bromide, mesylate or aldehyde functionality on the appending side chain have been examined. The performance of each of these systems under electroreductive cyclization reaction conditions is severely limited by the presence of acidic protons at C5 of the butenolide ring and at C1 of the appending side chain.
INCREASED BRAIN GLUCOSE AND GLYCOGEN AFTER HYDROCORTISONE: MECHANISMS OF ACTION

We have previously reported that in young mice hydrocortisone (100 mg/kg s.c. from 10 to 20 days of age) doubled brain glucose (J. Neurochem. 16:107, 1969). Possible explanations were increased glucose transport from the blood to the brain or decreased glucose utilization by the brain. In this study brain metabolism was estimated from the rate of fall of total available and potential high energy phosphate after decapitation (O.H. Lowry, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 239:18, 1964). 5 litters of mice (treated as above) were either frozen whole in liquid N2 or decapitated and the heads frozen after 15 and 30 sec. Zero time hydrocortisone mice had significantly elevated brain glucose (56%, p < 0.001) and glycogen (16%, p = 0.004). Brain ATP, P-creatine and lactate were unchanged. The fall of high energy phosphate during 30 sec. of ischemia was 6.63 mmoles/kg in controls and 6.44 mmoles/kg in hydrocortisone treated animals indicating no change in cerebral metabolic rate. The brain to plasma glucose ratio, an index of glucose transport when the metabolic rate is normal, was 90% higher in the hydrocortisone animals, namely 0.207 vs. 0.109 in controls. Other explanations for the increased glucose and glycogen, such as inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway and (although less likely) increased gluconeogenesis as in other tissues after hydrocortisone, are currently under investigation.
Feeding cessation effects of chlorantraniliprole, a new anthranilic diamide insecticide, in comparison with several insecticides in distinct chemical classes and mode-of-action groups

BACKGROUND: Chlorantraniliprole is a novel anthranilic diamide insecticide, efficacious for control of lepidopteran insect pests, as well as some species in the orders Coleoptera, Diptera and Hemiptera. In this study, the speed of action of chlorantraniliprole was compared with that of seven commercial insecticides by means of ingestion bioassays against larvae of Plutella xylostella L., Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). RESULTS: Based on feeding cessation and reduction in feeding damage, chlorantraniliprole is among the fastest-acting insecticides available for control of lepidopteran pests, comparable in speed of action with methomyl, lambda-cyhalothrin and esfenvalerate, and faster than emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, methoxyfenozide and metaflumizone. CONCLUSION: The speed of action of chlorantraniliprole against target pest species, based on time for feeding cessation and reduction in feeding damage, is significantly greater than that of most recently developed insecticides and comparable only with the speed of action of the fast-acting carbamates and pyrethroids. In addition, chlorantraniliprole has a favorable toxicological and ecotoxicological profile. It belongs to a new chemical class with a novel mode of action and is effective against insect populations that have developed resistance to other insecticide groups, thus representing an attractive new tool for integrated pest management programs. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
A fluorescence-based high-throughput assay for antimicrotubule drugs

With the advent of combinatorial chemistry and the extensive libraries of potential drugs produced from it, there is a growing need for rapid sensitive, high-throughput screening for drug potency. Microtubules are important targets for anticancer agents, and new antimicrotubule compounds are of continued interest in drug development. The in vitro potency of antimicrotubule drugs may be evaluated by measuring the extent of tubulin assembly. The extent of polymerization is proportional to the turbidity of the solution, which usually has been measured as apparent absorption. The turbidity method has inherent problems that hinder its adaptation to a high-throughput format, such as a requirement for high protein concentrations and a high coefficient of variation. We present here a high-throughput assay for antimicrotubule activity in which fluorescence is used to monitor microtubule assembly. Both assembly-inhibiting and assembly-promoting compounds can be evaluated. The assay is rapid and easy to perform, and the data are reliable, with good accuracy and reproducibility.
Cytosolic expression of the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SacB protein inhibits tissue development in transgenic tobacco and potato

SUMMARY Fructans are linear or branched polymers containing a single sucrose and repeating fructose residues. An early model for fructan biosynthesis in higher plants suggested that partial synthesis of the polymer occurred in the cell cytosol. The current model suggests that synthesis requires the interaction of two separate fructosyltransferases located in the vacuole. Tobacco lines containing a chemically induced promoter, directing expression of the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SacB gene in the present study, provided an opportunity to regulate and target fructan synthesis to the cytosol of transgenic plants. Induced expression of the gene led to rapid destruction of leaf tissue. Amino acid substitution at a highly conserved site (Arg331) in the SacB gene reduced the fructosyltransferase efficiency without reducing the invertase activity of the enzyme. Expression of the mutant gene in transgenic tobacco also resulted in leaf damage. However, the appearance of necrotic tissue was greatly delayed. The results suggest that the phenotype is due to accumulation of fructan in the cytosol. Fructan metabolism in the cytosol of potato tubers was also detrimental to development. Tuber size and starch synthesis was significantly reduced in lines containing the untargeted gene. Transgenic tobacco and potato containing the SacB gene offer an opportunity to study the metabolism of fructan and the effect of accumulation on plant cell development.
Brain White Matter Abnormalities in Female Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A MAPP Network Neuroimaging Study

Purpose: Several chronic pain conditions may be distinguished by condition specific brain anatomical and functional abnormalities on imaging, which are suggestive of underlying disease processes. We present what is to our knowledge the first characterization of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome associated white matter (axonal) abnormalities based on multicenter neuroimaging from the MAPP Research Network.Materials and Methods: We assessed 34 women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and 32 healthy controls using questionnaires on pain, mood and daily function. White matter microstructure was evaluated by diffusion tensor imaging to model directional water flow along axons or fractional anisotropy. Regions correlating with clinical parameters were further examined for gender and syndrome dependence.Results: Women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome showed numerous white matter abnormalities that correlated with pain severity, urinary symptoms and impaired quality of life...
Chronic whole-body hypoxia induces intussusceptive angiogenesis and microvascular remodeling in the mouse retina.

Abstract Currently, little is known about the response of the adult retinal microvasculature to hypoxia. To test the hypothesis that chronic systemic hypoxia induces angiogenesis and microvascular remodeling in the adult mouse retina, adult 10-week old female C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to 10% O 2 for 2 or 3 weeks. After hypoxia exposure, retinas were harvested, whole-mounted, and processed for immunohistochemistry. Retinas were stained with lectin, anti-smooth muscle α-actin antibody, and anti-NG2 antibody to visualize microvascular networks and their cellular components. Confocal microscopy was used to obtain images of superficial retinal networks. Images were analyzed to assess vessel diameter, vascular length density, branch point density, and the presence of vascular loops, a hallmark of intussusceptive angiogenesis. Both 2 and 3 weeks of hypoxia exposure resulted in a significant increase in the diameters of arterioles and post-arteriole capillaries ( p p p ≤ 0.001). Our results demonstrate, for the first time, intussusceptive angiogenesis as a tissue-level mechanism of vascular adaptation to chronic systemic hypoxia in the adult mouse retina and contribute to our understanding of hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and microvascular remodeling in the adult animal.
Toward a blackboard framework for opportunistic planning and dynamic scheduling in a modular job shop scheduling system

This paper addresses a proposed scheduling system architecture for developing job shop production schedules in a modular fashion. The blackboard architecture forms a base framework to which application-specific plug-in modules can be applied in a toolkit manner. The issues relating to the implementation of such a flexible architecture and the current status of the HORIZON Project are discussed.
A comparison between Debye-Hückel screening and the stark effect on the determination of the last observable spectral line from a hydrogen-like plasma

Abstract An analytic expression is derived for the critical temperature which marks the boundary between the two regimes in which the disappearance of spectral lines (emitted by transitions from levels near the continuum) from a hydrogen-like plasma is caused by either the Inglis Teller effect or the Debye-Huckel screening effect.
Two enhancements of the gravity algorithm for multiple spike train analysis

The gravity method for neuronal assembly analysis represents each neuron as a particle in N-space with a time varying charge that is a filtered version of the corresponding spike train, with appropriate rules for forces between and movements of the charged particles. Resulting trajectories reflect neuronal timing relationships. The usual short time constants in the filter restrict aggregation to highly synchronized neurons and reduce the sensitivity for delayed correlations; long time constants in the filter reduce selectivity. Here we describe an enhancement that modifies rules for assigning charge increment times to allow mixtures of short and long lag correlations. Charge increments for each pair are offset from the actual spike times by time lags defined by features in corresponding cross-correlograms; no such charge offsets are invoked if the correlogram is flat. Tuning increases charge products and aggregation of long lag correlated pairs. A second enhancement uses a new three-dimensional display of particle pair trajectories to parse the type of neuronal relationship. For each pair, we record and display the interparticle distance and the distance each particle moves from its original location in the N-space. The resulting trajectories cluster according to the type of interaction between the represented neurons. Results from simulated networks and in vivo multi-site recordings show that these modifications detect assembly properties not identified by the standard methods.
Abnormalities of Carbamyl Phosphate Synthetase and Ornithine Transcarbamylase in Liver of Patients with Reye's Syndrome

Urea cycle function was evaluated in liver obtained from six patients with Reye's syndrome and from five control subjects. Reye's syndrome patients demonstrated normal activities for the extramitochondrial portion of the urea cycle, but showed marked abnormalities of the mitochondrial enzymes, i.e., carbamyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) (Tables 2,3). CPS activity was reduced to less than 15% of control values in all four patients from whom tissues was obtained during the first 72 hr after the onset of encephalopathy. Two patents from whom tissue was not obtained until after 9 days of symptoms showed no reduction in CPS activity. The OTC activity was also reduced (3-67% of control values) in the four patients from whom tissue was obtained early in the illness. In addition, greater than 60% reduction in Vmax and Km for carbamyl phosphate was noted in all four patients in whom sample size permitted kinetic analysis, including both patients in whom CPS and OTC activity were not markedly reduced. The same kinetic abnormality as well as decreased CPS activity were experimentally produced in normal rate liver incubated in the presence of 1.0 mM 4-pentenoic acid, a short chain fatty acid and known hepatic mitochondrial toxin (Table 4).
Lipid requirements of some warmwater species

Abstract Some fish, such as rainbow trout and certain marine species, require n−3 fatty acids, while other species have a requirement for n−6 fatty acids and may also require at least low levels of n−3 fatty acids for proper nutrition. Channel catfish appear to require fatty acids from both the n−3 and n−6 families, though the proper ratio between the two, while apparently important, has not been precisely determined. Tilapia have a demonstrated requirement for n−6 fatty acids and grow poorly on diets containing high levels of linolenic acid. Both catfish and tilapia may have a requirement for n−3 fatty acids that can best be met from high molecular weight fatty acids such as 20:5n−3 and 22:6n−3. Ambiguities in data collected to date indicate the need for protracted studies and evaluation of the fatty acid patterns of polar lipids rather than total lipids if the actual fatty acid requirements of warmwater fish species are to be properly characterized.
Organization of collection development and management in academic libraries

Academic librarians are being bombarded with an accelerating stream of news: new services, new public relations, new information formats, new technologies and new catalogs have been introduced during the past 10 to 15 years. Innovations are not always successfully assimilated by large academic libraries and dislocations associated with change in one department often affect the entire library. Coping strategies have been envisioned and even implemented, but usually are grafted onto existing, traditional organizational structures. Therefore, collection development and management in academic libraries is most sensibly addressed in terms of the larger library organization.
Crowdsourcing human-robot interaction: new methods and system evaluation in a public environment

Supporting a wide variety of interaction styles across a diverse set of people is a significant challenge in human-robot interaction (HRI). In this work, we explore a data-driven approach that relies on crowdsourcing as a rich source of interactions that cover a wide repertoire of human behavior. We first develop an online game that requires two players to collaborate to solve a task. One player takes the role of a robot avatar and the other a human avatar, each with a different set of capabilities that must be coordinated to overcome challenges and complete the task. Leveraging the interaction data recorded in the online game, we present a novel technique for data-driven behavior generation using case-based planning for a real robot. We compare the resulting autonomous robot behavior against a Wizard of Oz base case condition in a real-world reproduction of the online game that was conducted at the Boston Museum of Science. Results of a post-study survey of participants indicate that the autonomous robot behavior matched the performance of the human-operated robot in several important measures. We examined video recordings of the real-world game to draw additional insights as to how the novice participants attempted to interact with the robot in a loosely structured collaborative task. We discovered that many of the collaborative interactions were generated in the moment and were driven by interpersonal dynamics, not necessarily by the task design. We explored using bids analysis as a meaningful construct to tap into affective qualities of HRI. An important lesson from this work is that in loosely structured collaborative tasks, robots need to be skillful in handling these in-the-moment interpersonal dynamics, as these dynamics have an important impact on the affective quality of the interaction for people. How such interactions dovetail with more task-oriented policies is an important area for future work, as we anticipate such interactions becoming commonplace in situations where personal robots perform loosely structured tasks in interaction with people in human living spaces.
Pure Al matrix composites produced by vacuum hot pressing: tensile properties and strengthening mechanisms

Abstract Al matrix composites reinforced by spherical intermetallic particles, were consolidated from gas atomized elemental Al and Al–Cu–Fe alloy fine powders (
Developing Native Multispecies Sod: An Alternative Rehabilitation Method for Disturbed Lands

Natural and anthropogenic disturbance provides a mechanism for resetting the species assemblage within natural communities. Following anthropogenic disturbance particularly, there are generally more weedy species. Restoration of ecosystem structure and function in disturbed areas could aid in the control of these undesirable species. Attempts to re-establish vegetation via direct sowing, hydroseeding, drill seeding, imprinting or plugging of either native or non-native species can be effective, but can result in increased erosion and weed proliferation prior to desirable cover of the intended species. The use of native species for rehabilitation can be preferable because non-native species are often less suited to the local environment and can pose a threat to the integrity of adjacent ecosystems. Native multispecies sod could become a useful rehabilitation tool, but research is needed to determine which species to use and the appropriate number of species to include. Mixtures of 4–7 native species were grown for 7 months, and clipped dry biomass, species percent abundance, and total ground cover were assessed over time in order to determine the suitability of 20 native species for sod production. Despite differences between mixtures at some harvests, all mixtures established and produced similar biomass by the end of the study. Final percent cover varied widely among species; 16 of the 20 species increased significantly over the course of production. Differences in total ground cover between mixtures were explained by the growth of the particular species rather than any synergistic effect of species diversity.
Kinetics of an optically pumped metastable Ar laser

In recent studies, an optically pumped Ar*/He laser has been demonstrated using the Ar 4p[1/2]1→4s[3/2]2 transition at 912.55 nm. Time-resolved data for this system, recorded using CW laser excitation and pulsed discharge production of Ar* 4p[3/2]2, yielded laser output pulses that were of unexpectedly short duration. It was speculated that radiative relaxation from the upper laser level to the 4s[3/2]1 state (607 cm-1 above 4s[3/2]2) caused termination of the laser pulse. In the present study this hypothesis has been tested by observing the energy transfer kinetics of the 4s[3/2]2 and 4s[3/2]1 states in Ar/He gas mixtures. Following pulsed laser excitation out of 4s[3/2]2, population recovery was observed on a μs time scale. Energy transfer from 4s[3/2]1 to 4s[3/2]2, induced by collisions with He, was characterized. The rate constant was found to be (1.0±0.5)x10-13 cm3 s-1. These observations confirmed that radiative transfer to 4s[3/2]1 was responsible for the short duration laser pulses. Modeling of a fully CW optically pumped Ar* laser shows that radiative transfer to 4s[3/2]1 reduces the number density of the Ar* atoms involved in lasing, but is otherwise benign.
II. The effect of the exclusion of bile on the absorption of foodstuffs

When bile was excluded from the intestine of a dog there was a definite diminution of the absorption of fat. Carbohydrate utilization was not impaired. There was an increased loss of nitrogen which was independent of the amount of protein in the diet, but proportional to the bulk of the feces.
Radiocarbon content of pre‐bomb marine mollusks and variations in the 14C Reservoir age for coastal areas of the Barents and Kara Seas, Russia

Fourteen mollusks, collected alive between 1900 and 1945 from the Russian Barents and Kara seas, were analyzed by AMS 14C dating to evaluate variations in the 14C marine reservoir for arctic coastal sites, which is important for correcting ages in paleoenvironmental time-series and advancing understanding of the exchange of carbon. The 14C ages on the mollusks reveal a range of marine reservoir values (R(t)) from 159 14C yr to 764 14C yr. The oldest R(t) values of 764 to 620 14C yr are for the bivalve Portlandia arctica, which often inhabit cold and low salinity waters and muddy substrates. The depleted 14C content for this bivalve reflects possibly the incorporation of old carbon from freshwater inputs and/or the consumption of old organic matter from the underlying sediments and pore waters. Other mollusks with sessile habitats and pelagic food sources gave significantly lower R(t) values between 159 and 344 14C yr. The youngest R(t) values indicate enrichment in 14C and may partially reflect enhanced transfer of 14C-enriched CO2 from the atmosphere to the ocean surface with wind-generated wave agitation. This study underscores that a variety of processes can lead to variable 14C depletion and enrichment of surface waters yielding a ca. 600 year age span for contemporaneous arctic mollusks. There may be added uncertainty in the 14C reservoir correction for deposit-feeder species such as Portlandia sp. and perhaps for certain benthic foraminifera (e.g. Nonion labradoricum) because these taxa often incorporate old organic matter from the substrate. A reservoir correction of ≥700 years may be more appropriate for infaunal, deposit-eater species, particularly in glacier-dominated environments. Mollusks and foraminifera with sessile habits and pelagic food sources should be selected preferentially for 14C dating, because their shells may more closely reflect the 14C content of the global-ocean mixed layer.
Sources of error in relating electrical and acetylcholinesterase activity

Abstract The desheathed vagus nerve bundle of the rabbit presents no noticeable barrier to the penetration of acetyl-β-methylcholine (MeCh), which is the specific substrate of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). An attempt was therefore made to determine the minimum level of AChE activity required for electrical activity, by exposing the intact preparation to the organophosphate inhibitor, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP). Conduction appeared to be completely blocked by 5 × 10 −2 M DFP but not by 5 × 10 −4 M DFP. With MeCh as substrate, the AChE activities of the intact nerve at the two DFP concentrations above were not significantly different. Intact nerves exposed to 5 × 10 −4 M and 5 × 10 −8 M DFP had higher AChE activities than nerves homogenized in these concentrations of DFP. Vagus nerves from rabbits poisoned in vivo with DFP continued to conduct and had signifiantly higher AChE activity than nerves treated with 5 × 10 −2 M DFP in vitro which were not conducting. The bundle of nerves used is composed of about 23,000 fibers, and we can only measure the average enzyme activity. The activity in single fibres after an inhibitor may vary greatly from the initial value to zero. Under these circumstances it is obviously impossible to evaluate the critical level of enzyme activity required for conduction. The importance of this difficulty in attempting to correlate electrical and enzyme activity in multifiber preparations has not been adequately appreciated in the past. It is apparent that, for an unequivocal estimate of the critical level of acetylcholinesterase activity, use of a single fiber preparation is essential.
Rhythmic cortisol secretion in the equine: Analysis and physiological mechanisms

Abstract Four Thoroughbred mares (no. 1–4) were maintained under constant temperature (24°C) and controlled light (L/D:12/12 with lights on at 06.00 hr) conditions. They were fed and watered ad libitum with fresh feed and water given at 09.00 hr. After a 45‐day pre‐conditioning period, blood samples were obtained by veinipuncture at 4‐hr intervals for 14 days to determine circadian and day‐to‐day variation. The horses exhibited a circadian rhythm with maximum values attained at about 12.00 hr, however, there are periods of days in which no rhythm is distinguishable. Ultradian rhythms with mean periods of 105 to 128 and 24 to 31 min are superimposed upon the circadian rhythm. The individual rhythms are quite variable from horse to horse and within the same horse. During periods of decline in plasma cortisol with metabolic half‐lives of approximately 70 min, secretion of cortisol was very low or had ceased. During periods of increasing plasma concentration, secretion was occurring at a faster rate than degr...