cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytochemical Studies of Eccrine Sweat Tubules: Cellular Differentiation and Glycogen Content1

In a recent study of the histology and cytochemistry of the eccrine sweat glands, Montagna, Chase and Lobitz (1) made detailed observations on the tubular structure. With toluidine blue stains, they distinguished two types of cells in the single layer of truncated pyramidal cells lining the secretory tubules. The first type was a small “dark” cell with basophilic cytoplasm, the nuclei of which were near the distal end of the cytoplasm. Above the nucleus were one or two small vacuoles. The granules in the basophilic cytoplasm showed a meta-chromatic tinge especially in the terminal portion of the cell. The second type was a large “clear” cell with basal nuclei. These cells contained barely visible basophilic granules, mostly around the nucleus. They found also that both types of cells rested on the basement membrane and reached the lumen.
Body temperature and heat exchange in the hawaiian spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris

Abstract 1. 1. Deep body temperature, regional skin temperature and heat flow, and oxygen uptake were measured. 2. 2. In a free-swimming dolphin deep-body temperature ranged from 36.1–37.9° C (means 37.4, S.E. ± 0.03). 3. 3. There was considerable regional variability in the heat flow from the skin, being greatest from the distal parts of the extremities. 4. 4. Oxygen uptake was 1.5 times that of terrestrial mammals of comparable size. 5. 5. We conclude that these small tropical cetaceans live close to their lower critical temperatures, and depend upon the energy produced by activity, from solar radiation, and marked control over the peripheral insulation to maintain thermal balance.
DELIVERY OF INTERFERON-β TO THE MONKEY NERVOUS SYSTEM FOLLOWING INTRANASAL ADMINISTRATION

We determined the nervous system targeting of interferon-beta1b (IFN-beta1b), a 20 kDa protein used to treat the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, following intranasal administration in anesthetized, adult cynomolgus monkeys. Five animals received an intranasal bolus of [(125)I]-labeled IFN-beta1b, applied bilaterally to the upper nasal passages. Serial blood samples were collected for 45 min, after which the animals were euthanized by transcardial perfusion-fixation. High resolution phosphor imaging of tissue sections and gamma counting of microdissected tissue were used to obtain the distribution and concentration profiles of [(125)I]-IFN-beta1b in central and peripheral tissues. Intranasal administration resulted in rapid, widespread targeting of nervous tissue. The olfactory bulbs and trigeminal nerve exhibited [(125)I]-IFN-beta1b levels significantly greater than in peripheral organs and at least one order of magnitude higher than any other nervous tissue area sampled. The basal ganglia exhibited highest [(125)I]-IFN-beta1b levels among CNS regions other than the olfactory bulbs. Preferential IFN-beta1b distribution to the primate basal ganglia is a new finding of possible clinical importance. Our study suggests both IFN-beta and IFN-alpha, which share the same receptor, may be bound with relatively high affinity in these structures, possibly offering new insight into a neurovegetative syndrome induced by IFN-alpha therapy and suspected to involve altered dopamine neurotransmission in the basal ganglia. Most importantly, our results suggest intranasally applied macromolecules may bypass the blood-brain barrier and rapidly enter the primate CNS along olfactory- and trigeminal-associated extracellular pathways, as shown previously in the rat. This is the first study to finely detail the central distribution of a labeled protein after intranasal administration in non-human primates.
A recombinant PCR approach requiring only three non-chimeric primers to generate a minigene of interest

The recombinant PCR allows construction of chimeric molecules. Here we describe this approach utilizing non-chimeric primers. Unlike previous recombinant PCR methods, this approach eliminates the need of multiple sets of primers and multiple rounds of PCR making it an economical and expeditious alternative. We have used this approach to generate an FGF-1 minigene.
Alumina catalyzed transformations of O-(3-oxobutyl) urethanes

Abstract The alumina-catalyzed transformations of urethane to a secondary amine and a sulfonyl urethane to a sulfonamide are described. Alumina is also shown to catalyze the conjugate addition of p-toluenesulfonamide to methyl vinyl ketone.
Dipolar cycloaddition reaction of (phenylsulfonyl)propadiene with nitrones and alkylation studies of the cycloadducts

Abstract Dipolar cycloaddition of nitrones with (phenylsulfonyl)propadiene give 4-sulfonyl substituted isoxazolidines whose reactions with base and several electrophiles have been studied.
Weight gain and cardiovascular risk after organ transplantation.

Organ transplantation has become a common and effective approach to the management of patients with organ failure. The improvement in long-term survival has resulted in the emergence of cardiovascular disease as the primary cause of death in renal transplant patients and a significant complication in other organ recipients. A number of factors explain this trend, including a high incidence of hypertension, posttransplant diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity risk factors that are mediated by direct effects of immunosuppressive medications. Weight gain posttransplant affects ~50% of patients and represents a significant problem because of the potential synergism between obesity and immunosuppressive medication-induced effects on cardiovascular disease risk factor development. This review discusses the incidence and implications of cardiovascular disease risk factors in organ transplant recipients, strategies for clinical management, and future research directions. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutriti...
A Boundary Harnack Principle for Infinity-Laplacian and Some Related Results

We prove a boundary comparison principle for positive infinity-harmonic functions for smooth boundaries. As consequences, we obtain (a) a doubling property for certain positive infinity-harmonic functions in smooth bounded domains and the half-space, and (b) the optimality of blowup rates of Aronsson's examples of singular solutions in cones.
Bi- and multilingualism as a metaphor for research

I would like to begin by thanking the editors of the journal, and in particular Carmen Silva-Corvalan, for inviting such a wonderful group of commentators, united in their commitment to spirited yet courteous academic debate and diverse in their academic allegiances, theories, and methodologies. I also thank the commentators for the kindness and generosity of their comments, which offered rich material for reflection. Reading the comments for the first time, I became concerned that a coherent response that addresses the Emotion Stroop Effect in the same breath as the textual explorations of the “third space” may be all but impossible. I thought about the resemblance between the academic enterprise and the phenomenon of bi- and multilingualism, with academic paradigms establishing their own regimes of truth and creating languages that are often mutually incomprehensible. For some, true answers can only come from quantifiable empirical data, others look for veracity in texts and personal testimonies. Some take for granted that “monolingual controls” are a necessary component of solid research on bilingualism, while others doubt the meaningfulness of such a comparison, reminding us that languages are artificial constructions (Makoni and Pennycook, 2007) and questioning the very existence of crosslinguistic influence (Hall, Cheng and Carlson, 2006). And so we proceed with our parallel lines of research inspired by similar questions about the human condition and yet carried out in ways so distinct as to be incompatible.
Using the analytic hierarchy process to select investment in a heterogenous environment

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to apply the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model in selecting an investment. The selection process takes into account the following factors: the investors' characteristics, the investments' characteristics and the investment alternatives. The set of investors' characteristics consists of: wealth, experience, age and the concept of utility functions. When we speak of the investments' characteristics we are referring to such items as: liquidity, taxability, minimum requirement, transaction cost and yield or rate of return. The other set of characteristics are the investment alternatives which include: the Money Market Fund, Government and Municipal Bond Fund, Balanced Fund, Corporate Bond Fund, Blue Chip Stock Fund. In terms of the AHP method, this study does indicate that AHP can add a new perspective to the analysis of portfolio selection and certainly provides researchers an alternative mechanism to the expected utility maximization approach.
A note on frobenius aigebras

Let H be a finite dimensional Hopf algebra and A an H-module algebra. We prove that is Frobenius or quasi-Frobenius algebra if A is Frobenius or quasi-Frobenius as algebra and some other conditions are satisfied which are generalizations of theorems in group actions.
Ocular Hypertension Following Intravitreal Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over the age of 65 years. The advent of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) intravitreal injections has revolutionized the management of exudative AMD. However, multiple case series of sustained elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) after intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents have been reported. Sustained elevated IOP has been reported with all anti-VEGF agents being used in ophthalmology and even in patients without any prior history of glaucoma. No clear correlations to injection frequency or patient characteristics have emerged from the multiple reports so far, but it appears that patients with pre-existing glaucoma or ocular hypertension and those receiving a greater number of injections with shorter injection intervals may be at a higher risk for developing ocular hypertension related to anti-VEGF agents. Until future studies elucidate the pathophysiology of sustained IOP following anti-VEGF injections, it is prudent to recognize the possibility of elevations in IOP in association with anti-VEGF therapy. Treating physicians should look for subtle optic nerve head changes and IOP measurements suspicious for glaucoma and have a low threshold for treating elevated IOP if the patient is likely to require multiple intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Ocular hypertension following anti-VEGF injections appears to be amenable to anti-glaucoma treatment and every effort should be made to preserve the peripheral vision in these patients where central vision is already threatened by exudative AMD.
Analogue neural network for solving the assignment problem

An analogue neural network for solving the assignment problem is presented. The proposed analogue neural network is asymptotically stable and able to generate optimal solutions to the assignment problem. An opamp-based circuit realisation of the analogue neural network is described. An illustrative example is also discussed to demonstrate the performance and operating characteristics of the analogue neural network.
The effect of Connecticut’s mandatory neonatal human immunodeficiency virus testing law on maternal testing in a clinic population

Abstract Objective: In October 1999, Connecticut enacted a law requiring testing of newborns for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) if antepartum maternal testing had not been done. This study was performed to determine whether the law increased maternal testing and whether risk factors affected counseling and testing rates. Study design: This was a prospective study of women who delivered at Yale New Haven Hospital and received antenatal care in the resident clinic during two corresponding 3-month periods. Group 1 consisted of deliveries during the year before the law went into effect, when the hospital had a policy of offering voluntary maternal HIV testing, and Group 2 consisted of deliveries after the law. Risk factors examined were age, race, history of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), drug use, STD in pregnancy, and gestational age at entry to care. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Maternal HIV testing significantly increased between Groups 1 and 2 (39.1% versus 91.4%, P P P Conclusions: Legislation mandating newborn HIV testing significantly increased voluntary maternal testing and documentation of test results in a population with significant risk factors.
Life and death of the cell

The study of apoptosis is among the most active and fast-moving areas of biomedical research. New insights into the genetic and biochemical mechanisms involved in this morphologically distinct form of cell death are providing a better understanding of many different diseases and may permit the development of prophylactic and therapeutic agents to regulate and preserve normal cellular functions.
Living in an uncertain world

Discusses some of the changes that are affecting us today and in the future, and some of the ways in which people try to cope with them, hopefully putting us in a better position to work out the consequent changes resulting from the human stimulus/response cycle. Concludes that the telecommunications industry is both a cause and a solution to the problem of change.
Stability of thin-film solid-state electroluminescent devices based on tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) complexes.

The factors affecting the operating life of the light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) based on films of tris(2,2‘-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) both in sandwich (using an ITO anode and a Ga:Sn cathode) and planar (using interdigitated electrode arrays (IDAs)) configurations were investigated. Stability of these devices is greatly improved when they are produced and operated under drybox conditions. The proposed mechanism of the LEC degradation involves formation of a quencher in a small fraction of tris(2,2‘-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) film adjacent to the cathode, where light generation occurs, as follows from the observed electroluminescence profile in the LECs constructed on IDAs, showing that the charge injection in such devices is highly asymmetric, favoring hole injection. Bis(2,2‘-bipyridine)diaquoruthenium(II) is presumed to be the quencher responsible for the device degradation. A microscopic study of photo- and electroluminescence profiles of planar light-emitting electrochemical cells was shown a...
Accounting for periodicities in biology

The attention of biologists is directed to the analogy between a metabolizing system and an electrical circuit with feedback and finite time delay. Periodicities can be explained on the basis of linear chemical kinetics and linear differential equations, although the latter are of infinite order.
Photodynamic inactivation of simian immunodeficiency virus

Abstract A photodynamic flow system employing a dihematoporphyrin ether (DHE) was tested for its ability to inactivate the in vitro infectivity of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIC Mac ) at 630 ± 5 nm with a light fluence of 5 J/cm 2 . Cell-free SIV Mac was inactivated by photoactivated hematoporphyrin derivative in a dose-dependent fashion. Since SIV Mac is closely related to human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) and we have previously reported the successful photodynamic inactivation of HIV-1 in cell-free medium as well as in whole human blood, this technology has the potential for the eradication of transfusion-associated acquired immunodeficiency diseases caused by the above-mentioned retroviruses.
Low-cost flexible ball-grid-array multichip module technology

In pursuit of lower cost packaging solutions, a new type of multichip module (MCM) has been designed and fabricated on flexible polyimide films. The new technology uses a double- sided copper metallized, through-via, polyimide film with a ball-grid-array packaging solution. The enabling technology is the interconnected mesh power system MCM topology which provides the signal wiring and power distribution using two metal layers instead of the four-layer metallization scheme as in conventional MCM topology. One side o the polyimide film has passivation openings where chips are wire bonded; this side is encapsulated to provide structural rigidity and environmental protection of the circuitry. The other side has solder pads where solder spheres are placed and reflowed to create a ball grid array package. The two-layer copper metallized polyimide film substrates with through-vias are obtained either by laser drilling of pre-metallized polyimide films or reactive ion etching of polyimide layers fabricated from their liquid precursor. Issues of solder joint integrity and module warp were investigated. Preliminary test data are also reported.
Predicting Age in the Adult Years from Psychological Assessments of Abilities and Personality

Predictions of chronological age at the time of examination were made from scores on the 12 subtests of the General Aptitude Test Battery and the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire for 970 men ranging in age from 28 to 83 years. Performance on the three ability tests, Disassemble, Tool Matching, and Turn accounted for about 25 percent of the variability in chronological age. Three scales from the Cattell Questionnaire, Factor F (surgency-desurgency), Factor Q3 (high vs. low self-sentiment), and Factor I (sensitive-insensitive) accounted for 8 percent of the variance in age. The combined contribution of both sets of measures to the prediction of age was about 30 percent; the amount of common variance was about 5 percent when these measures were used together to predict age. Scores on the ability tests and the measure of surgency decline with age, while scores on the measures of self-sentiment and sensitivity increased with age.
ENDOR measurement of long-range hyperfine coupling in a nitroxyl radical

Abstract ENDOR and EPR spectra of doxyl cyclododecane (3,3-dimethyl-1-oxa-1-azas-piro[4.11]hexadec-4-yloxy) and the analog deuterated at the positions adjacent to the point of attachment of the doxyl ring yield hyperfine coupling values for seven of the protons in the molecule. Computer simulations using these results provide a more detailed understanding of the variable temperature EPR spectra.
Two NAC transcription factors from Citrullus colocynthis , CcNAC1, CcNAC2 implicated in multiple stress responses

NAC (no apical meristem, Arabidopsis transcription activation factor 1 and 2, cup-shaped cotyledon 2) transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. Two novel NAC TFs were isolated from Citrullus colocynthis, a highly drought-tolerant cucurbit species: CcNAC1 and CcNAC2 each with conserved A–E NAC domains. Subcellular location of CcNAC1 and CcNAC2 investigated via transient expression of 35S::CcNAC1::GFP and 35S::CcNAC2::GFP fusion constructs in Arabidopsis protoplasts, revealed nuclear localization. The transactivation ability of CcNACs was examined in the GAL4 yeast assay system, and showed that only the C-terminal domain of CcNAC1 has the ability to activate reporter genes LacZ and His3. The CcNAC genes accumulated in a tissue-specific manner with expression levels in male flowers of C. colocynthis higher than leaves, hypocotyls or roots. Genome walking was used to isolate the CcNAC1 and CcNAC2-promoter regions. A high number of stress-related sequence motifs were detected, especially in the CcNAC1 promoter. C. colocynthis seedlings were treated with PEG, abscisic acid, salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), H2O2, ethylene, gibberellic acid (GA), wounding or salt. High CcNAC1 expression levels were detected following JA application, and wounding, while high CcNAC2 levels followed treatment with GA, JA, SA, and wounding, indicative of differential regulation of these stress responsive TFs in this cucurbit species.
The fermionic energy-momentum tensor in terms of currents in an external gauge field

Abstract It is shown that for two-dimensional massless Dirac fields interacting with external gauge fields, the energy-momentum tensor can be expressed in terms of the current via the Sugawara-Sommerfield formula.
Facilitation of ovulation with antiestrogens in immature rats primed with pregnant MARE's serum (PMS)

Abstract Appropriate amounts of U-11555A, MRL-41, and MER-25 given at 10:00 AM at 24 days of age markedly increased the incidence of ovulation in immature rats given a single injection of 12 IU PMS 2 days earlier. The mixture of cis and trans MRL-41 was more effective than the trans form in producing ovulation. The cis form showed only little, if any, ability to facilitate ovulation. These data suggest that antiestrogens altered the steroid levels essential for the release of ovulating hormone and consequently induced ovulation.
Expression and characterization of PhzE from P. aeruginosa PAO1: aminodeoxyisochorismate synthase involved in pyocyanin and phenazine-1-carboxylate production.

Abstract PhzE from Pseudomonas aeruginosa catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, pyocyanin, and other phenazines, which are virulence factors for Pseudomonas species. The reaction catalyzed converts chorismate into aminodeoxyisochorismate using ammonia supplied by a glutamine amidotransferase domain. It has structural and sequence homology to other chorismate-utilizing enzymes such as anthranilate synthase, isochorismate synthase, aminodeoxychorismate synthase, and salicylate synthase. Like these enzymes, it is Mg 2 + dependent and catalyzes a similar S N 2" nucleophilic substitution reaction. PhzE catalyzes the addition of ammonia to C2 of chorismate, as does anthranilate synthase, yet unlike anthranilate synthase it does not catalyze elimination of pyruvate from enzyme-bound aminodeoxyisochorismate. Herein, the cloning of the phzE gene, high level expression of active enzyme in E. coli , purification, and kinetic characterization of the enzyme is presented, including temperature and pH dependence. Steady-state kinetics give K chorismate = 20 ± 4 μM, K Mg 2 + = 294 ± 22 μM, K L-gln = 11 ± 1 mM, and k cat = 2.2 ± 0.2 s − 1 for a random kinetic mechanism. PhzE can use NH 4 + as an alternative nucleophile, while Co 2 + and Mn 2 + are alternative divalent metals.
Structure-based predictions of Rad1, Rad9, Hus1 and Rad17 participation in sliding clamp and clamp-loading complexes

The repair of damaged DNA is coupled to the completion of DNA replication by several cell cycle checkpoint proteins, including, for example, in fission yeast Rad1Sp, Hus1Sp, Rad9Sp and Rad17Sp. We have found that these four proteins are conserved with protein sequences throughout eukaryotic evolution. Using computational techniques, including fold recognition, comparative modeling and generalized sequence profiles, we have made high confidence structure predictions for the each of the Rad1, Hus1 and Rad9 protein families (Rad17Sc, Mec3Sc and Ddc1Sc in budding yeast, respectively). Each of these families was found to share a common protein fold with that of PCNA, the sliding clamp protein that tethers DNA polymerase to its template. We used previously reported genetic and biochemical data for these proteins from yeast and human cells to predict a heterotrimeric PCNA-like ring structure for the functional Rad1/Rad9/Hus1 complex and to determine their exact order within it. In addition, for each individual protein family, contact regions with neighbors within the PCNA-like ring were identified. Based on a molecular model for Rad17Sp, we concluded that members of this family, similar to the subunits of the RFC clamp-loading complex, are capable of coupling ATP binding with conformational changes required to load a sliding clamp onto DNA. This model substantiates previous findings regarding the behavior of Rad17 family proteins upon DNA damage and within the RFC complex of clamp-loading proteins.
Mobility control schemes with quick convergence in wireless sensor networks

In the near future, wireless sensor networks (WSN) performing sensing and communication tasks will be widely deployed as technology rapidly advances. Communication is one of the essential functionalities of these networks while power and computation resources in each sensor are limited. Recently, attention has been drawn to using mobility control to minimize energy consumption in wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we are going to provide quickly converging mobility control schemes to achieve optimal configuration in a single data flow. The key idea of our schemes is to use the optimal location information of each relay node as a guide for node movement while maintaining the connectivity of relay nodes along the dataflow. Experimental results show that our schemes can speed up the convergence process to nearly the optimal and reduce the cost of it almost to the minimum, compared with the best results known to the date.
Development and evaluation of an automated streaming potential measurement device

The streaming potential and other colloidal properties of aqueous suspensions of bleached kraft fibers were evaluated by a new laboratory instrument, the Streaming Potential Jar (SPJ). This device provides precise streaming potential data under moderately high electrical conductivity levels of 0.5 to 10 mS/cm. Features of the SPJ include automated operation, rapid acquisition and processing of data, continuous stirring, and applied pressures up to 276 kPa. The SPJ also provides data related to drainage rates and the turbidity of the filtrate. Test results showed a high degree of linearity of the streaming potential signals with applied pressure and little dependence of the results on the solids levels of the fiber slurries. These results, which are consistent with the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski equation, tend to justify the level of applied pressure used in this work. Changes in streaming potential with increasing pH were consistent with expected dissociation of surface-bound carboxyl groups on the fibers. The absolute magnitudes of the streaming potential values of bleached kraft pulps were strongly affected by increasing concentrations of Na2SO4. However, a high repeatability of measurements was obtained throughout the range of conductivities considered; relative standard deviations of streaming potentials were consistently below 3%. Titrations with
Hardware support for spin management in overcommitted virtual machines

Multiprocessor operating systems (OSs) pose several unique and conflicting challenges to System Virtual Machines (System VMs). For example, most existing system VMs resort to gang scheduling a guest OS's virtual processors (VCPUs) to avoid OS synchronization overhead. However, gang scheduling is infeasible for some application domains, and is inflexible in other domains. In an overcommitted environment, an individual guest OS has more VCPUs than available physical processors (PCPUs), precluding the use of gang scheduling. In such an environment, we demonstrate a more than two-fold increase in runtime when transparently virtualizing a chip-multiprocessor's cores. To combat this problem, we propose a hardware technique to detect several cases when a VCPU is not performing useful work, and suggest preempting that VCPU to run a different, more productive VCPU. Our technique can dramatically reduce cycles wasted on OS synchronization, without requiring any semantic information from the software. We then present a case study, typical of server consolidation, to demonstrate the potential of more flexible scheduling policies enabled by our technique. We propose one such policy that logically partitions the CMP cores between guest VMs. This policy increases throughput by 10–25% for consolidated server workloads due to improved cache locality and core utilization, and substantially improves performance isolation in private caches.
Vehicular networking for intelligent and autonomous traffic management

Traffic congestion has become a daily problem that most people suffer. This not only impacts the productivity of the population but also poses a safety risk. Most of the technologies for intelligent highways focus on safety measures and increased driver awareness, and expect a centralized management for the traffic flow. This paper presents a new approach for enabling autonomous and adaptive traffic management through vehicular networks. By allowing data exchange between vehicles about route choices, congestions and traffic alerts, a vehicle makes a decision on the best course of action. Unlike centralized schemes that provide recommendations, our VANET-based Autonomous Management (VAM) approach factors in the destination and routes of nearby vehicles in deciding on whether rerouting is advisable. In addition, VAM leverages the presence of smart traffic lights and enables coordination between vehicles and lightcontrollers in order to ease congestion. The collective effect of all vehicles will be an autonomous reshape of the traffic pattern based on their destinations and road conditions. The simulation results demonstrate the advantage of VAM.
Measuring Free Bilirubin: The Clinical Perspective

In 1959, Gerald Odell first proposed that albumin and tissue compete for binding bilirubin and that this competition is mediated by a very low concentration of free bilirubin (Bf)2 (bilirubin not bound to plasma proteins). He argued that displacement of albumin-bound bilirubin by binding competitors could explain the reported high incidence of kernicterus in premature infants receiving sulfonamide prophylaxis (1). This sentinel publication led to a flurry of proposed binding tests, most of which were nonspecific competitive-binding assays, until 1974, when Jacobsen and Wennberg presented a method for measuring Bf in infant plasma that was based on the observation that only unbound bilirubin serves as a substrate for enzymatic oxidation by horseradish peroxidase (2). Several studies from Japan, where the peroxidase assay had been adapted to a semiautomated instrument, identified a clear relationship of Bf with acute neurotoxicity in premature infants (3) and with acute auditory impairment in term infants (4). Enthusiasm was tempered in the US by a perceived difficulty in performing the assay and by confusion regarding the poor correlation between Bf and outcome in premature babies who died with kernicterus at very low total bilirubin (Bt) concentrations (5). The reported high incidence of death of infants with kernicterus was isolated to specific care centers: Very high Bf/Bt ratios in affected infants indicated very poor binding, and the phenomenon of lethal kernicterus at low Bt concentrations largely disappeared after cessation of benzyl alcohol use as a preservative in multiple-dose vials or solutions for parenteral therapy (6). Kernicterus is still occasionally observed at low Bt concentrations in babies with sepsis or …
Psychological Trauma and Schizotypal Symptoms

In a sample of 75 women recruited from the community, we measured trauma/maltreatment history and symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder, using both questionnaire and interview measures. As hypothesized, individuals with histories of trauma/maltreatment had elevated levels of schizotypal symptoms. Among types of trauma/maltreatment, reported childhood neglect was especially strongly associated with schizotypal symptoms. Although posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, depression, dissociation, and difficulty identifying one's emotions were all associated with schizotypal symptoms, they could not account completely for the association between trauma/maltreatment and schizotypal symptoms.
Distance simulation in virtual audio displays

Advances in the field of audio virtual reality have focused on the simulation of direction in virtual audio displays. The potential to add elementary distance cues to these displays remains largely unexploited. A number of audio cues have been identified that provide exocentric, or relative, and egocentric, or absolute, distance information. Two of these cues, intensity and first-order reflections, are examined closely in this paper. These cues can be simulated in a virtual audio display using simple geometric calculations and digital signal processing techniques. A short experiment examining the effectiveness of these cues was performed. Subjects were asked to make absolute distance judgements based on simulated sound sources while listening to loudspeakers directly or binaural recordings. Half of the trials contained intensity cues only and half contained intensity and reflection cues. The results show that the subjects were able to rank the distances correctly in each condition, but the data fail to verify the effectiveness of the reflection cue when presented over headphones. >
Claudication symptom experience in men and women: Is there a difference?

Previous research has shown that differences exist between men and women in clinicians' perception of some cardiovascular symptoms, such as angina associated with coronary heart disease. 1 However, a gap exists in literature about the potential gender differences in the experience of claudication symptoms related to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The specific aim of this study was to determine whether differences exist between men and women with PAD in their experience of claudication. A qualitative analysis of a parent study in which men and women with PAD described their claudication symptoms was used to address the objective. In the parent study, open-ended, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with 38 patients (24 men, 14 women) ages 44 to 83 years (mean 65) from 2 United States medical centers during 1996 to 1997 to report patient experience of PAD. 12 In the present study, a content-analysis approach was used to examine these interviews and explore whether different patterns were present in the way men and women describe their claudication symptoms. Four major themes were identified in how patients described their claudication symptoms: (1) symptom descriptions; (2) pathophysiology descriptions; (3) response descriptions; and (4) understanding of disease process. Overall, no striking gender differences in the claudication symptom experience of this subject group were evident. However, some subtle gender differences were identified. Regardless of gender, it is important for clinicians to remember that many different types of claudication symptom descriptions exist. The subtle gender differences in claudication descriptions reported during the interviews could be investigated through further interview sessions with questions developed specifically to elicit information about the claudication experience and possible gender differences in these descriptions. Assessment and care management should expand to include symptom experience beyond classic claudication.
An experimental and analytical study of natural convection with appreciable thermal radiation effects

An experimental and theoretical investigation has been carried out to determine the effect of thermal radiation on a natural convection boundary layer formed adjacent to a vertical flat surface with uniform heat flux input. In the experiment, the gases air, argon and ammonia were used as the fluid medium, thus permitting the observation of radiation effects in non-abosrbing and absorbing media. Experimental results were obtained for three different wall emittances at ambient pressures ranging from 2 to 8 atmospheres in air and argon and from 2 to 7 atmospheres in ammonia. An interferometer was used to measure the temperature distributions in the boundary layer and to evaluate the conductive (convective) heat flux from the surface into the fluid medium. The experimental temperature distributions and heat-transfer results obtained in ammonia gas are compared to the predictions of a perturbation analysis developed by the present writers. General agreement between theory and experiment is found. The presence of a radiating gas is seen to increase the convective heat transfer by as much as 40 % for the conditions of the present experiments. The results further indicate that the temperature distributions and wall-temperature gradients are strongly affected by both variations in the surface emittance and variations in gaseous emission and absorption. For non-absorbing gases, the experimental results are found to be in general agreement with existing theory. It is also shown that the experimental temperature distributions agree very well with theoretical predictions obtained by treating the convection and radiation processes as independent and superimposed.
Enhancing mobile ad hoc networks with free-space optics

A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) offers a cost-effective solution for communications in areas where infrastructure is unavailable, e.g., emergency response, disaster recovery, and battlefield scenarios. Traditional MANETs operate in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum, where the available bandwidth faces the challenge of rapidly increasing demands. Free-space optics (FSO) provides an attractive complement to RF wireless MANETs because of its high bandwidth and interference-free operation. We have made an effort to combine the main advantages of MANET and FSO technologies by equipping the network nodes with hybrid communications capabilities. Computer models of such a network were created using the network simulator OPNET Modeler. Various indicators of network performance, including packet loss ratio, end-to-end delay, throughput, etc., were obtained through simulation and examined. The analysis will be of significant assistance in the design and implementation of such next-generation MANETs.
Rebuilding after Katrina: A Population-Based Study of Labor and Human Rights in New Orleans

Hurricane Katrina, which landed just east of New Orleans, Louisiana on the morning of August 29, 2005, displaced hundreds of thousands of citizens, caused over 1,800 fatalities, and left much of the city in ruins. In its aftermath, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor lifted certain labor and wage restrictions for a period of time in an attempt to accommodate survivors who had lost security documents as well as expedite the rebuilding process. As clean up efforts got underway, reports of abuse - coupled with the easing of labor regulations, virtually no monitoring of construction sites, and the city’s lack of adequate housing and healthcare - suggested that unscrupulous contractors could easily be exploiting their workers.The International Human Rights Law Clinic and the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley collaborated with the Payson Center for International Development and Technology Transfer at Tulane University to conduct a study of the situation of construction workers in New Orleans. The study took place in March 2006 and examined both documented and undocumented workers using three research methods: key informant interviews, targeted sampling, and random sampling. Researchers interviewed 25 key informants including legal advocates, social service providers, community activists, representatives of minority and immigrant groups, and representatives of federal, state, and local government agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi, among others. Researchers also used targeted sampling to interview 148 Latino workers in different sites in New Orleans and Kenner, with the goal to determine the needs of Latino workers as they represent the largest group of undocumented workers. In addition, a random sampling of 212 workers of all origins working in Orleans parish was conducted to provide quantitative information on workers’ experiences.
Cultural Methods and Mineral Content of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Fruit

Mineral content in edible portions of vegetables may be affected by cultural methods. This study was conducted to determine if fertiliser rate and irrigation regime affected mineral (N, NO 2 , NO 3 , P, PO 4 , K, SO 4 , Ca, Fe, Na, Mg, and Mn) of eggplant (Solanum melongena L, cv Black Bell) fruit. The experiment on a Bernow fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Glossic Paleudalf soil at Lane (OK, USA) with three fertiliser rates and three irrigation regimes. The data were analysed as a split-plot with harvests as the sub-plot. All P was accounted for by PO 4 . Levels of NO 2 and NO 3 comprised <0.001% of the N content. Harvest number affected only N, P, K, SO 4 and Mg levels in both years, and Na in one year. For many of the minerals the highest levels in fruit were not consistent over harvests in both years. When there was less precipitation, and fertiliser was applied at the recommended rate, fewer irrigations per week were necessary to increase levels of N, P and K in fruit. The interaction of irrigation and fertiliser can affect mineral content of fruit and should be considered when fertiliser recommendations are made.
America's Germany: Present at the Creation

Thomas Alan Schwartz. America's Germany: John J. McCloy and the Federal Republic of Germany. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1991. xiii + 404 pp. Notes, illustrations, selected bibliography, index. $29.95.
Comments on the electric modulus formalism model and superior alternatives to it for the analysis of the frequency response of ionic conductors

Because of the past and continuing wide usage of the 1973 original modulus formalism (OMF) model for analyzing dispersive frequency-response data of ion-conducting materials, it is important to discuss and demonstrate its theoretical and experimental inadequacies to help avoid its future use and to describe and illustrate important alternatives to it. The OMF fits data with a K1 response model alone, one indirectly derived from stretched-exponential temporal behavior, while the corrected modulus formalism (CMF) involves the composite CK1 model, one that includes in addition a separate free, parallel bulk dielectric parameter, eD∞. The crucial error of the OMF approach is its identification of a high-frequency-limiting dielectric constant intrinsic to K1 response and associated entirely with conductive effects, with the full high-frequency-limiting dielectric constant of the material, e∞, one that must include the non-ionic, primarily dipolar quantity eD∞. Comparison here of OMF fitting results with those of the CMF CK1 model for both an experimental data set and an exact one derived from it demonstrate the incorrectness of the OMF and the virtues of the CK1 alternative. The OMF fitting approach, but not the CMF one, leads to crucial inconsistency between the estimates of its β shape parameter for fits of the data expressed at all immittance levels except those of σ′ and e″, where it yields the same results as the CK1. Its incorrect β estimates, extensively used in the Ngai coupling model and interpreted as being associated with ion–ion correlations, also lead to erroneous “excess wing” effects in plots of the imaginary part of the data and fit at the modulus level. Further, OMF modulus-level fits yield non-physical estimated values of the characteristic relaxation time of the K1 model. Finally, some possible alternatives to the CK1 model are discussed for situations involving dielectric-system dispersion.
OH airglow phenomena during the 5–6 July 1982 total lunar eclipse

The first photographs of the OH airglow we took during a lunar eclipse revealed large (20–30-km) east–west waves from horizon to horizon which drifted northward at 10–15 m/sec. These waves were not typical of the ripples we have found to be well-correlated with lower lunar transit.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in oral contraceptive users varies according to progestin type

Commentary on: O Lidegaard, LH Nielsen, CW Skovlund, et al.. Risk of venous thromboembolism from use of oral contraceptives containing different progestogens and oestrogen doses: Danish cohort study, 2001–9.BMJ2011;343:d6423.
Host queen killing by a slave-maker ant queen: when is a host queen worth attacking?

A new colony of the slave-making ant Polyergus breviceps is initiated when a newly mated gyne invades a host nest and kills the resident queen. This process seems to result in chemical camouflage of the invading gyne and allows her to usurp the position of colony reproductive. Young, recently mated Formica gynes, however, are not attacked. To determine whether worker and/or immature presence is the basis for aggression, we placed eggs, larvae, pupae and workers from mature F. gnava queens with newly mated F. gnava queens and observed the responses of introduced P. breviceps queens. Because no newly mated gyne was attacked, we tested newly mated F. gnava queens (1) once they had produced eggs, (2) when the offspring reached the larval, pupal and callow stages of development, and (3) every 2 weeks until aggression ensued. Eventually all F. gnava queens were attacked but only 29 weeks after having mated. Thus, although offspring are the ultimate benefit from attacking an established F. gnava queen, P. breviceps queens detect mature queens using another time-dependent feature that is reliably indicative of reproductive status. The similarity of host queen hydrocarbon profiles, often correlated with reproductive status in other ant species, suggests that other compounds reflect queen fecundity and produce a kairomonal effect, or that another cue signals host queen and colony suitability. Our findings indicate P. breviceps gynes have evolved to respond aggressively to a host gyne cue that appears long after mating, preventing attacks on gynes without the workers necessary for colony founding.
Flow sorting and culture of plant protoplasts

Conditions have been established for the rapid flow analysis of leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi using a flow cytometer-cell sorter. A procedure based upon chlorophyll autofluorescence was devised to permit the systematic evaluation of flow conditions in order to identify those under which protoplast damage was minimized. These conditions were employed for the flow sorting of protoplasts, following which it was possible to regenerate the sorted protoplasts into complete plants. The application of flow sorting is discussed for the rapid identification and selection of somatic hybrids produced by protoplast fusion.
Automatic segmentation and classification of ionic-channel signals

An automatic channel detection algorithm is proposed. This algorithm is based on sequential minimization of an index which is usually used in cluster analysis. The algorithm consists of two stages, namely segmentation and classification. In the first stage, the signal samples are segmented based on the assumption that the samples in each segment should be sequentially connected. In the second stage, the resultant segments are classified with no regard to their connectivities. The algorithm is computationally fast and globally optimum. The criterion function used in this algorithm is the ratio of the within-class variation over the between-class variation. An information-theoretic criterion that can be used mainly as a stopping rule in the segmentation stage is also proposed. Results on synthetic and real channel currents suggest that this algorithm will substantially increase the productivity of many laboratories involved in ionic-channel research. >