cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attack Behaviour in Mice inhibited by Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

MARIJUANA and its active major ingredient, Δ-9-tetrahydrocan-nabinol (THC), reduce fighting among previously isolated mice1 and decrease preference for the side of a T-maze where they are rewarded by the opportunity to attack2. The degree of suppression of fighting behaviour seemed to be related to the cannabis resin content of the extract administered1. The behavioural effects which we reported2 could not be assessed for a THC dose-dependent relationship as some mice in the low-dosage group received faulty intravenous injections.
Developmental patterns of torsinA and torsinB expression.

Early onset torsion dystonia is characterized by involuntary movements and distorted postures and is usually caused by a 3-bp (GAG) deletion in the DYT1 (TOR1A) gene. DYT1 codes for torsinA, a member of the AAA+ family of proteins, implicated in membrane recycling and chaperone functions. A close relative, torsinB may be involved in similar cellular functions. We investigated torsinA and torsinB message and protein levels in the developing mouse brain. TorsinA expression was highest during prenatal and early postnatal development (until postnatal day 14; P14), whereas torsinB expression was highest during late postnatal periods (from P14 onwards) and in the adult. In addition, significant regional variation in the expression of the two torsins was seen within the developing brain. Thus, torsinA expression was highest in the cerebral cortex from embryonic day 15 (E15)–E17 and in the striatum from E17–P7, while torsinB was highest in the cerebral cortex between P7–P14 and in the striatum from P7–P30. TorsinA was also highly expressed in the thalamus from P0–P7 and in the cerebellum from P7–P14. Although functional significance of the patterns of torsinA and B expression in the developing brain remains to be established, our findings provide a basis for investigating the role of torsins in specific processes such as neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon/dendrite development, and synaptogenesis.
Effect of causing fetal cardiac asystole on second-trimester abortion.

Abstract Objective: To compare second-trimester abortions with prostaglandin (PG) E2, with and without pretreatment-induced fetal death. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all vaginal PG E2-induced abortions at Westchester Medical Center between January 1996 and April 1998 was done. Only women who sought terminations between 18 and 24 weeks’ gestation by prostaglandin induction were included. These abortions were predominantly secondary to fetal structural and chromosomal anomalies. The study population was subdivided into groups based on the use of pretreatment cardiac puncture with potassium chloride. The groups were compared for maternal, fetal, and procedural characteristics. The χ2 test, Student t test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for analysis. Results: There were no differences between the cardiac puncture and control groups when compared for various maternal and procedural characteristics, fetal weight, and the need for curettage for retained products of conception. However, the required median doses of PG E2 and the initiation to expulsion interval were significantly lower in the cardiac puncture group compared with the control group (2.0 doses compared with 3.0 doses, P Conclusion: Pretreatment-induced fetal death significantly reduced the interval to expulsion and doses of PG E2 required for late second-trimester abortion.
Recent results and future direction of the parity-violating electron scattering program in Hall A at Jefferson Lab

Hall A at Jefferson Lab has recently completed three experiments done using the technique of parity-violating electron scattering. Taken together these experiments are a good demonstration of the versatility of this approach. Looking forward, there are two very large scale parity-violation experiments approved to run in Hall A in the 12 GeV era. These experiments represent a significant increase in precision and technical requirements.
Mating Competitiveness of Irradiated Male Stable Flies, Stomoxys Calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), from a Genetic Sexing Strain

A genetic sexing strain (GSS) of stable flies consisting of dieldrin-resistant males and dieldrin-susceptible females was used in this study. The GSS males were subjected to dieldrin as larvae and irradiated as adults for competitiveness tests against males that were not exposed to dieldrin or radiation. The irradiated GSS males were about equally competitive with untreated males in these tests. Tests with a mutant marker strain showed that females mate only once.
The Extracellular Calcium-sensing Receptor Dimerizes through Multiple Types of Intermolecular Interactions *

Recent studies have shown that the G protein-coupled, extracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](o))-sensing receptor (CaR) forms disulfide-linked dimers through cysteine residues within its extracellular domain and that dimerization of the CaR has functional implications. In this study, we have investigated which of these disulfide linkages are essential for dimerization of the CaR and whether they are required for these functional interactions. Our results confirm the key roles of Cys(129) and Cys(131) in CaR dimerization. However, utilizing cross-linking of the CaR or immunoprecipitation of a non-FLAG-tagged CaR with a FLAG-tagged CaR using anti-FLAG antibody, we demonstrate that CaRs with or without these two cysteines form dimers on the cell surface to a similar extent. In addition, reconstitution of CaR-mediated signaling by cotransfection of two individually inactive mutant CaRs is nearly identical in the presence or absence of both Cys(129) and Cys(131), showing that covalent linkage of CaR dimers is not needed for functional interactions between CaR monomers. These findings suggest that the CaR has at least two distinct types of motifs mediating dimerization and functional interactions, i.e. covalent interactions involving intermolecular disulfide bonds and noncovalent, possibly hydrophobic, interactions.
Direct measurements of the ice-water interfacial temperature for two crystallographic orientations during the freezing of pure water

Abstract Thermocouples have been used to measure the ice-water interfacial temperature of single crystals of ice during the freezing of pure water. Each ice crystal used in these experiments was oriented such that either one of the a -axes was parallel to the growth direction. For freezing rates of 1 to 10 microns per second, the difference in the interfacial temperature for the two above orientations was found to be within the experimental accuracy of ±0.005°C.
Sex differences in mammalian and chicken-II gonadotropin-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in musk shrew brain.

Many vertebrates have more than one molecular form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) present in brain. In all cases documented to date, GnRH neurons located in the forebrain are critical players in the brain-pituitary-gonadal feedback axis although the details of how steroids regulate GnRH remain elusive. The function of the second form, usually produced in cells in the midbrain, is not known. It has been hypothesized that this GnRH acts as a neurotransmitter. In the musk shrew (Suncus murinus), as in other mammals, the forebrain cells produce mammalian GnRH (mGnRH) and chicken-II GnRH (cGnRH-II) is present in midbrain neurons. Immunocytochemical analyses were performed to examine sex differences and determine whether the presence or absence of the gonads had any affect on cell number and/or fiber area in the major terminal fields of both forms of GnRH. We detected a significant sex difference in the numbers of immunoreactive (ir) neurons containing mGnRH and cGnRH-II. In both GnRH systems, males have significantly more GnRH-ir cells than females. Furthermore, ovariectomy significantly increased the number of mGnRH-ir and cGnRH-II-ir cell bodies in female brains. In females, changes in the size of the immunoreactive fiber area of the medial habenula were identical to those noted for cGnRH-II cells. In males, the major terminal field for the mGnRH fibers was significantly larger in gonad-intact than in castrated males. In sum, ovarian hormones regulate cGnRH-II production and release, as well as some aspects of mGnRH production in neurons. In males, mGnRH fiber area is sensitive to changes in testicular hormones. These data suggest that the phylogenetically conserved cGnRH-II form is regulated by ovarian hormones and, thus, may be involved in the brain-pituitary-gonadal feedback axis.
Regional history, Jewish memory: the purim of Narbonne

Records of traumatic events in the Jewish past provide the historian a rare glimpse at how community leaders interpreted and understood the historical conditions of diasporic Jews as well as their own immediate communities. In 1236 a violent altercation between a Jewish traveler and a local Christian precipitated a mass uprising against the city's Jewish community. Rapid intervention by the local viscount, Don Aymeric, restored peace to the Jewish quarter, averting loss of life or valuable property. Modern interpretations of this text have varied significantly since its discovery in the late nineteenth century. Scholars have struggled to reconcile it with their expectations of the shape and meaning of the Jewish past. Because the thirteenth-century author of this brief narrative suggested a typological link between the events in Narbonne and the story of Purim, the dominant modern interpretation has viewed this account as evidence of a very early Second Purim commemoration. However there is little evidence to support this claim. This article reads the narrative of the “Purim of Narbonne” against other medieval Jewish narratives about the history and legacy of Jewish Narbonne*.
Factors affecting soil microbial community structure in tomato cropping systems

Soil and rhizosphere microbial communities in agroecosystems may be affected by soil, climate, plant species, and management. The management and environmental factors controlling microbial biomass and community structure were identified in a three-year field experiment. The experiment consisted of a tomato production agroecosystem with the following nine treatments: bare soil, black polyethylene mulch, white polyethylene mulch, vetch cover crop, vetch roots only, vetch shoots only, rye cover crop, rye roots only, and rye shoots only. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) Temperature and moisture differences between polyethylene-covered and cover-cropped treatments are partly responsible for treatment effects on soil microbial community composition, and (2) Different species of cover crops have unique root and shoot effects on soil microbial community composition. Microbial biomass and community composition were measured by phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Microbial biomass was increased by all cover crop treatments, including root only and shoot only. Cover cropping increased the absolute amount of all microbial groups, but Gram-positive bacteria decreased in proportion under cover crops. We attribute this decrease to increased readily available carbon under cover-cropped treatments, which favored other groups over Gram-positive bacteria. Higher soil temperatures under certain treatments also increased the proportion of Gram-positive bacteria. Vetch shoots increased the amount and proportion of Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere of tomato plants. The imposed treatments were much more significant than soil temperature, moisture, pH, and texture in controlling microbial biomass and community structure.
Low rate of R132H IDH1 mutation in infratentorial and spinal cord grade II and III diffuse gliomas.

Diffuse gliomas not only are more frequent in the cerebral hemispheres but also occur in the brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord. In adult populations, 5 % or less localize to the infratentorium [6, 14]. Primary tumors of the spinal cord are uncommon and only 2.5 % are diffuse gliomas [6]. In the brainstem, many gliomas are diagnosed solely by radiology and even when a biopsy is obtained it tends to be of minute size, rendering interpretations challenging. Accurate diagnostic ancillary studies on such specimens would therefore be valuable.
Cut the Cord: Low-Power Far-Field Wireless Powering

Although the idea of eliminating cords seems attractive, the efficiency will always be better when a wire or cable is used to deliver power. So, what are the applications that warrant wireless powering, and especially wireless powering at longer ranges? It might be appropriate to remember a quote by Rudyard Kipling in this introduction: I keep six honest serving men (they taught me all I knew) Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who Let us start by answering the main questions related to wireless powering. There are essentially three types, Figure 1(a) inductive, capacitive or resonant reactive near-field coupling; (b) far-field directive power beaming; and (c) far-field nondirective power transfer.
Resisting Good News: Reactions to Breast Cancer Risk Communication

Many women overestimate their percentage risk of breast cancer, even after they have received careful estimates from health professionals. In 2 experiments with 134 young adult women, 6 variables were explored that might influence such risk perception persistence. In Study 1, each of the following explanations was unrelated to persistence: public commitment, self-consistency, and unique causal risk models. In Study 2, two individual difference measures, pessimism and differences in understanding percentages, were unrelated to risk perception persistence. However, providing a "risk anchor" based on downward social comparison processes resulted in better risk acceptance at posttest that persisted at a 2-week follow-up assessment. This article discusses why comparison anchors might be important in risk feedback situations and concludes with recommendations for professionals who wish to provide accurate risk information and have patients adopt that information.
Leukemia suppressor function of Egr-1 is dependent on transforming oncogene

We have shown that deregulated expression of either c-Myb or E2F-1 blocks terminal differentiation of M1 myeloid leukemia cells at the blast stage, whereas deregulated c-Myc blocks differentiation at the intermediate stage. Each of these oncogenes potentiates M1 leukemia in vivo. The zinc-finger transcription factor Egr-1 abrogates the block in M1 terminal differentiation imparted by oncogenic c-Myc or E2F-1, suppressing their leukemia-promoting function in nude mice. In this study, we asked whether Egr-1 also abrogates the block in terminal differentiation and suppresses leukemia imparted by deregulated c-Myb. Interestingly, the ectopic expression of Egr-1 in M1 cells expressing deregulated c-Myb only partially abrogated the block in terminal differentiation and did not suppress the leukemic phenotype. Two important implications from these data are that the leukemia suppressor function of Egr-1 is not directly related to how early the transforming oncogene blocks the differentiation program and that the tumor suppressor function of Egr-1 is dependent on the specific oncogene. Egr-1 is dominant to c-Myc- and E2F-1-, but not to c-Myb-, driven leukemia. These findings extend the notion that the molecular nature of genetic lesions responsible for leukemia determines the effectiveness of any given tumor suppressor.
On randomness, determinism and computability

Abstract This paper discusses the meaning and relationship of randomness and determinism. A fundamental development of chaotic dynamical systems is given with examples. Such systems are seen to exhibit randomness in the usual sense of unpredictability. The formal definition of randomness in terms of algorithmic incompressibility is also discussed. The role of recursion in computability and randomness is also discussed.
Infrastructure and Economic Impacts of Changes in Truck Weight Regulations in Montana

The overall impacts of changes in truck weight limits on the economy in Montana were determined. Four scenarios were considered with different maximum allowable gross vehicle weights (GVWs). Three scenarios, with maximum GVWs of 36,300 kg (80,000 lb), 39,300 kg (88,000 lb), and 47,900 kg (105,500 lb), represented reductions in GVWs. The fourth scenario represented an increase in allowable GVW to 58,100 kg (128,000 lb). Predictions were made of the vehicle fleets under each scenario and of the changes in demands and performance of the highway infrastructure. Only nominal changes in infrastructure demands were observed across all scenarios (maximum of $1.5 million). Case studies of the impacts expected on selected industries within the state were conducted. Changes in transportation costs of 4 to 54 percent were predicted under the 36,300 kg (80,000 lb) scenario, which were estimated to be 0.2 to 4.1 percent of the value of the goods produced. Changes in transportation costs typically were at least an order...
Stroke: Organizing the disorganized: improving TIA patient care.

Patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) at high short-term risk of stroke can be identified. Evidence-based treatments can decrease this risk; however, organization of care of TIA patients is suboptimal. The National Stroke Association provides recommendations for improving TIA-related care delivery, but symptom recognition and treatment response remain a challenge.
Sunk-Cost Effects on Purely Behavioral Investments

Although the sunk-cost effect is a well-documented psychological phenomenon in monetary investments, existing literature investigating behavioral investments (e.g., time, effort) has not replicated this effect except when such investments relate to monetary values. The current explanation for this discrepancy proposes that purely behavioral sunk-cost effects are unlikely to be observed because they are difficult to book, track, and balance in a mental account. Conversely, we argue that, through an effort-justification mechanism, people account for the amount of behavioral resources invested when selecting an alternative, in which case they may fall prey to purely behavioral sunk-cost effects. The results of two experiments support this prediction. Because many decisions involve behavioral investments, behavioral sunk-cost effects should be pervasive psychological phenomena.
Plastic deformation modes in perforated sheets and their relation to yield and limit surfaces

Abstract Construction of mechanism-based plasticity theories for the homogenized response of heterogeneous materials requires identification of plastic deformation modes as a function of loading direction relative to the microstructural details. Herein, we employ an efficient homogenization theory to identify for the first time such deformation modes in plates under plane stress with hexagonal arrays of circular holes at small and intermmediate pore volume fractions, and establish their relation to the branches of initial and subsequent yield and limit surfaces. Newly introduced maps of the intrinsic geometric features of point-wise yield surfaces provide full-field picture of the investigated microstructures’ propensity for plastic strain initiation and localization. The identified characteristic plastic modes provide a rational explanation for the evolving geometric features of subsequent yield and limit surfaces whose branches represent different plastic flow mechanisms, as well as a basis for the construction of a mechanism-based homogenized plasticity theory for use in structural analysis algorithms. The results suggest the need for composite yield surfaces comprised of multiple branches in the construction of mechanism-based homogenized plasticity theory for the investigated class of porous materials.
Normative Beliefs and Self-Efficacy for Nonviolence as Moderators of Peer, School, and Parental Risk Factors for Aggression in Early Adolescence

This study examined the direct effects of beliefs about aggression and nonviolence on physical aggression and their role as protective factors that buffer adolescents from key risk factors in the peer, school, and parenting domains. Multilevel analyses were conducted on data from 5,581 adolescents representing two cohorts from 37 schools in four communities collected at the beginning and end of the sixth grade and at the end of the following 2 school years. Individual norms for aggression at Wave 1 moderated relations of delinquent peer associations and parental support for fighting with physical aggression. Self-efficacy for nonviolence at Wave 1 moderated relations of school risk, delinquent peer associations and parental support for fighting with physical aggression. There was clearer evidence for protective effects for self-efficacy for nonviolence for girls than for boys.
PhenoHM: human–mouse comparative phenome–genome server

PhenoHM is a human-mouse comparative phenome-genome server that facilitates cross-species identification of genes associated with orthologous phenotypes (http://phenome.cchmc.org; full open access, login not required). Combining and extrapolating the knowledge about the roles of individual gene functions in the determination of phenotype across multiple organisms improves our understanding of gene function in normal and perturbed states and offers the opportunity to complement biologically the rapidly expanding strategies in comparative genomics. The Mammalian Phenotype Ontology (MPO), a structured vocabulary of phenotype terms that leverages observations encompassing the consequences of mouse gene knockout studies, is a principal component of mouse phenotype knowledge source. On the other hand, the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) is a composite collection of various human-centered biomedical terminologies. In the present study, we mapped terms reciprocally from the MPO to human disease concepts such as clinical findings from the UMLS and clinical phenotypes from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man knowledgebase. By cross-mapping mouse-human phenotype terms, extracting implicated genes and extrapolating phenotype-gene associations between species PhenoHM provides a resource that enables rapid identification of genes that trigger similar outcomes in human and mouse and facilitates identification of potentially novel disease causal genes. The PhenoHM server can be accessed freely at http://phenome.cchmc.org.
Influence of Nanoparticle Design on Binding Efficiency

The shape of nanoparticles plays a vital role in their transportation and adhesion in to cardiovascular system. The specific adhesion of nanoparticles to vascular surface has numerous potential applications such targeted drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and cancer treatment. This paper proposes a novel modeling method that provides insights of the dynamic interaction between nanoparticle and vessel wall. The ligand-receptor adhesion kinetics along with brownian dynamics is coupled with hydrodynamics to study the dynamic delivery process. The binding probability of two different shaped nanoparticles is evaluated and compared using Brownian adhesion dynamics model. Nanorod is found to contact and adhere to the wall surface easier than conventional nanosphere under same vascular flow conditions. This research work will explore the shape effect on targeted delivery process and eventually that will help researchers to design micro/nanoparticles for enhanced targeted adhesion to cells of interest.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Design and feasibility of a memory intervention with focus on self-management for cognitive impairment in epilepsy

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a self-management intervention targeting cognitive dysfunction to improve quality of life and reduce memory-related disability in adults with epilepsy. The intervention incorporates (1) education on cognitive function in epilepsy, (2) self-awareness training, (3) compensatory strategies, and (4) application of these strategies in day-to-day life using problem-solving therapy. In addition to the behavioral modification, formal working memory training was conducted by utilizing a commercially available program in a subgroup of patients. Our findings suggest that a self-management intervention targeting cognitive dysfunction was feasible for delivery to a rural population with epilepsy, with 13 of 16 enrolled participants completing the 8-session program. Qualitative data indicate high satisfaction and subjective improvement in cognitive functioning in day-to-day life. These findings provide support for further evaluation of the efficacy of this intervention through a randomized controlled trial.
Development of ammoniacal lixiviants for the in-situ leaching of chalcopyrite

Researchers at the U.S. Bureau of Mines are investigating the ammonia-oxygen leaching of chalcopyrite at conditions anticipated in an in-situ environment. Two major problems were identified in a review of the literature: (1) providing sufficient oxidant to drive the leaching reaction, and (2) decreased leaching kinetics due to the build-up of a ferric oxide reaction product layer at the mineral surface. Preliminary characterization studies were performed in a 2-1, well-mixed autoclave system incorporating automated sampling and data acquisition. A statistical experimental design was utilized to determine which parameters were most influential in the dissolution of copper from relatively pure chalcopyrite specimens. The most significant leaching parameters for the ammoniacal leaching of copper from chalcopyrite were determined to be temperature, oxidant concentration, ammonium hydroxide concentration, and an interaction between temperature and the ammonium hydroxide concentration. Preliminary leaching studies indicate that further research must be undertaken to evaluate oxidant delivery to an in-situ orebody and that the addition of organic compounds, such as simple sugars or polyvinyl alcohols, stabilize at least some of the reacted iron in solution, which could result in decreased passivation due to the formation of an iron oxide coating. In order to determine the practicality and effectiveness of this approach, researchers have been investigating several types of organic additives, the extent to which iron is sequestered, and methods to control the sequestered iron.
A Probabilistic Approach to the Spatial Assessment of River Channel Instability

The deterministic approach to the analysis of river channel instability has not proved to be a completely useful basis for geographic predictions of channel behavior. Economic estimates for benefits of structural channel control projects commonly account for flood inundation, but in arid and semiarid regions these estimates are incomplete because they fail to take into account destructive channel migration and erosion. As a solution, a method whereby historical records of channel locations are reduced to spatially defined probabilistic functions allows calculation of the probability that given parcels of near-channel terrain will be destroyed by erosion. The probability of erosion for any given parcel over a given period of time is directly proportional to the sizes of the annual floods during the period and inversely proportional to two distance measures: distance upstream and distance laterally to the channel. In a test of the probabilistic geographic method using data on the locations of Rillito Creek, Arizona, from 1871 to 1978, erosion probability maps accurately characterized the locations of observed changes. In a 50-year simulated period, erosion ultimately produced economic losses that were 5 times greater than potential inundation losses.
The direct demonstration of histamine release in allergic reactions in the skin using a skin chamber technique.

Abstract We have adapted a skin chamber technique to permit sampling of fluid at the skin window sites of pollen antigen-induced allergic reactions. Low background levels of histamines are formed in control chambers, whereas significantly increased (p
In vivo human pharmacodynamics of the psychodysleptic 4-BR-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine labelled with 'BRor 'BR.

Abstract The psychodysleptic compound 4-Br-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine (4-Br-DPIA) was synthesized with 82Br or 77Br and administered to five human subjects in three oral and three intravenous experiments. In vivo organ concentrations were measured by gamma ray scintigraphy with computerized area integration, and by whole-body counting. Urine was analyzed by solvent separation, and thin layer chromatography of dansylated metabolites. The urine contained less than 5% radiobromine precipitable by acidic AgNO3, demonstrating that the Br label remained organically bound. Upon intravenous administration, radioactivity appeared immediately in the lungs by first-pass extraction, was rapidly released and reached maximum concentrations in the liver at 0.5–1.5 hr, plasma at 2–3 hr and brain at 3–6 hr. Orally the pattern was the same except that the initial lung concentration did not occur. This sequence of maximum organ concentrations suggests that a metabolite of 4-Br-DPIA is the centrally active compound which concentrates in the brain. Solvent separation of urine showed 81.8% of metabolites to be aqueous soluble and 12.5% free base; slower whole-body excretion correlated with higher levels of free base in the urine. The methods used demonstrate a new approach to the study of in vivo distribution and kinetics of drugs which can be labelled with gamma-emitting radioisotopes.
Structure and variability of the Western Maine Coastal Current

Abstract Analyses of CTD and moored current meter data from 1998 and 2000 reveal a number of mechanisms influencing the flow along the western coast of Maine. On occasions, the Eastern Maine Coastal Current extends into the western Gulf of Maine where it takes the form of a deep (order 100 m deep) and broad (order 20 km wide) southwestward flow with geostrophic velocities exceeding 20 cm s−1. This is not a coastally trapped flow, however. In fields of geostrophic velocity, computed from shipboard-CTD data, the core of this current is roughly centered at the 100 m isobath and its onshore edge is no closer than 10 km from the coast. Geostrophic velocity fields also reveal a relatively shallow (order 10 m deep) baroclinic flow adjacent to the coast. This flow is also directed to the southwest and appears to be principally comprised of local river discharge. Analyses of moored current meter data reveal wind-driven modulations of the coastal flow that are consistent with expectations from simple theoretical models. However, a large fraction of the near-shore current variance does not appear to be directly related to wind forcing. Sea-surface temperature imagery, combined with analysis of the moored current meter data, suggests that eddies and meanders within the coastal flow may at times dominate the near-shore current variance.
The effect of phenylephrine on Müller muscle. A blepharogram study of eyelid motion.

Purpose: The blepharogram technique is used to study the effect of a drug on blinking. The authors show that ocular instillation of phenylephrine, a stimulant of Muller muscle of the eyelid, accelerates the up phase of the blink. Methods: Motion of a tiny search coil glued to the eyelid moving in a weak magnetic field modifies an induced alternating current which is amplified and used to display the position of the upper eyelid in degrees on the ordinate of a graph with time in milliseconds on the abscissa. The graph is called a blepharogram. Blepharogram studies and individual blink analysis show the effect of phenylephrine on eyelid motion (blinking). Results: Instillation of phenylephrine accelerated the up phase of the blink in all ten experimental subjects. In 65% of subjects, phenylephrine also produced or increased newly described N and M blepharogram patterns. Conclusion: This is the first instrumental detection of the effect of a pharmacologic agent on eyelid motion. The blepharogram technique provides insight into eyelid physiology and can be used to study any neuromuscular condition that affects eyelid motion.
Convective heat losses from a pipe buried in a semi-infinite porous medium

Abstract An analytical solution is presented for steady-state low Rayleigh number convection induced by a pipe buried in a saturated, semi-infinite, permeable medium. The medium surface may be inclined with respect to the gravity vector. Both the cylinder and the medium surfaces are maintained at constant uniform temperatures. Two cases are considered. In the first case, the surface of the medium is impermeable to fluid motion while in the other percolation through this surface is allowed. The complicated geometry is handled in an elegant manner through the use of bicylindrical coordinates. The results include a description of the flow and the temperature fields as well as a correlation for the Nusselt number. In addition, it is demonstrated that an optimal burial depth exists for which heat losses from the pipe are minimized. The analytical results are compared with numerical calculations.
Customer satisfaction and retail sales performance: an empirical investigation

Abstract We measure the links between store attribute perceptions and customer satisfaction, and between customer satisfaction and sales performance. Our data set consists of six waves of customer satisfaction and sales data for about 250 retail outlets over the period 1998–2001 for a publicly held supermarket company. We construct a statistical model to address nonlinearities and asymmetries in the satisfaction-sales performance links, and we illustrate how retailers can affect store revenues by managing customer satisfaction. Contributions of our study include the analysis of behavioral consequences of customer satisfaction in the food retail sector, the accommodation of complexities in the satisfaction-sales performance links based on an empirical model of first differences, and a discussion of how managers can employ the results for customer satisfaction policies.
Tandem laser-induced fluorescence and mass spectrometry detection for high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the in vitro metabolism of doxorubicin.

Structural characterization, identification, and quantification of xenobiotics and their metabolic products commonly require the use of at least two different techniques. This has been the case in the analysis of metabolic products of doxorubicin, a widely used fluorescent anthracycline for the treatment of tumors and leukemia. In this work, we combine high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a tandem laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and mass spectrometry (MS) detection scheme for the characterization of doxorubicin and its metabolites produced in the postmitochondrial fraction prepared from Fischer 344 rat liver. LIF detection allowed quantification of the metabolic compounds while MS detection aided in the identification of the metabolites. Using this HPLC-LIF-MS methodology, the disapperance of doxorubicin and the appearance of 7-deoxydoxorubicinone and 7-deoxydoxorubicinolone were monitored over the course of 40 min. This application demonstrates the potential of the tandem LIF-MS detection ...
Impact of two types of Internet-based information on medical students' performance in an Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE).

Abstract Objectives Internet-based information has potential to impact physician–patient relationships. This study examined medical students’ interpretation and response to such information presented during an objective clinical examination. Method Ninety-three medical students who had received training for a patient centered response to inquiries about alternative treatments completed a comprehensive examination in their third year. In 1 of 12 objective structured clinical exams, a SP presented Internet-based information on l-theanine – an amino acid available as a supplement. In Condition A, materials were from commercial websites; in Condition B, materials were from the PubMed website. Results Analyses revealed no significant differences between Conditions in student performance or patient (SP) satisfaction. Students in Condition A rated the information less compelling than students in Condition B ( z = −1.78, p = .037), and attributed less of the treatment's action to real vs. placebo effects ( z = −1.61, p = .053). Conclusions Students trained in a patient centered response to inquiries about alternative treatment perceived the credibility of the two types of Internet-based information differently but were able to respond to the patient without jeopardizing patient satisfaction. Approach to information was superficial. Training in information evaluation may be warranted.
Big data meets public health

In 1854, as cholera swept through London, John Snow, the father of modern epidemiology, painstakingly recorded the locations of affected homes. After long, laborious work, he implicated the Broad Street water pump as the source of the outbreak, even without knowing that a Vibrio organism caused cholera. “Today, Snow might have crunched Global Positioning System information and disease prevalence data, solving the problem within hours” ( 1 ). That is the potential impact of “Big Data” on the public's health. But the promise of Big Data is also accompanied by claims that “the scientific method itself is becoming obsolete” ( 2 ), as next-generation computers, such as IBM's Watson ( 3 ), sift through the digital world to provide predictive models based on massive information. Separating the true signal from the gigantic amount of noise is neither easy nor straightforward, but it is a challenge that must be tackled if information is ever to be translated into societal well-being.
Thermodynamics of several boron acid complexation reactions studied by variable-temperature 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopy

Abstract Borate ions, RB(OH)−3, react with polyols to form anionic complexes via the reaction RB(OH)−3+H2L⌉har2;Cx−+2H2O. In the present study thermodynamic parameters of several such reactions were determined by variable-temperature 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopy. The systems studied were: B(OH)−4/1,2-ethanediol; B(OH)−4/1,2-propanediol; C6H5B(OH)−3/1,2-ethanediol; CH3B(OH)−3/1,2-propanediol; and CH3B(OH)−3/1,2-dihydroxybenzene. The first four systems have very similar stability constants and thermodynamic parameters. The reactions are all exothermic (ΔH° ∼ −20 kJ mol−1) and values of ΔS° are quite negative (ΔS° ∼ −60 J mol−1 K−1). The negative entropy is attributed primarily to a loss of configurational entropy in the ligand on complexation. This assertion was further investigated by studying the complexation of CH3B(OH)−3 with the rigid ligand 1,2-dihydroxybenzene. The CH3B(OH)−3/1,2-dihydroxybenzene reaction is characterized by a stability constant which is greater by four orders of magnitude than those of the other systems and this increase is shown to be entirely due to much more positive values of ΔS°.
Phase diagrams for Si:H film growth by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Phase diagrams for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of thin film silicon (Si:H) describe the thicknesses and deposition-parameter values at which different microstructural and phase transitions are detected during film growth, using real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) as a probe. In such diagrams, the positions of the transitions are plotted in the plane defined by the Si:H bulk layer thickness ( d b ) and by the value of a key deposition parameter, usually the hydrogen-to-silane dilution ratio R =[H 2 ]/[SiH 4 ]. In this study, phase diagrams of d b vs. R are presented for Si:H films prepared under different rf PECVD conditions on crystalline silicon substrates. The variable parameters explored here include the rf plasma power, substrate temperature, and total gas pressure. The presented diagrams provide insights into the film growth processes that yield optimum electronic quality amorphous and microcrystalline Si:H at elevated deposition rates (>0.3 nm/s).
Index of refraction of GaAsAlxGa1−xAs superlattices and multiple quantum wells

A theoretical study of the index of refraction of superlattices and its variation as a function of frequency and the superlattice parameters, i.e., layer width and AlAs composition, is presented. Gamma-region exciton and valence-band mixing effects are included in the model. It is found that these two effects have an important influence on the value of the index of refraction and that superstructure effects rapidly decrease for energies greater than the superlattice potential barriers. Because of the quasi-two-dimensional character of the Gamma-region excitons, the results indicate that the superlattice index of refraction can vary by about two percent at the quantized, bound-exciton, transition energies. Overall, the theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Reinstatement of nicotine seeking is mediated by glutamatergic plasticity

Nicotine abuse and addiction is a major health liability. Nicotine, an active alkaloid in tobacco, is self-administered by animals and produces cellular adaptations in brain regions associated with drug reward, such as the nucleus accumbens. However, it is unknown whether, akin to illicit drugs of abuse such as cocaine or heroin, the adaptations endure and contribute to the propensity to relapse after discontinuing nicotine use. Using a rat model of cue-induced relapse, we made morphological and electrophysiological measures of synaptic plasticity, as well as quantified glutamate overflow, in the accumbens after 2 wk of withdrawal with extinction training. We found an enduring basal increase in dendritic spine head diameter and in the ratio of AMPA to NMDA currents in accumbens spiny neurons compared with yoked saline animals at 2 wk after the last nicotine self-administration session. This synaptic potentiation was associated with an increase in both AMPA (GluA1) and NMDA (GluN2A and GluN2B) receptor subunits, and a reduction in the glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1). When nicotine seeking was reinstated by presentation of conditioned cues, there were parallel increases in behavioral responding, extracellular glutamate, and further increases in dendritic spine head diameter and ratio of AMPA to NMDA currents within 15 min. These findings suggest that targeting glutamate transmission might inhibit cue-induced nicotine seeking. In support of this hypothesis, we found that pharmacological inhibition of GluN2A with 3-Chloro-4-fluoro-N-[4-[[2-(phenylcarbonyl)hydrazino]carbonyl]benzyl]benzenesulfonamide (TCN-201) or GluN2B with ifenprodil abolished reinstated nicotine seeking. These results indicate that up-regulated GluN2A, GluN2B, and rapid synaptic potentiation in the accumbens contribute to cue-induced relapse to nicotine use.
Circularly polarized quadrature excitation for Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

A quadrature method for producing circularly polarized excitation for selective detection of positive or negative ions has been proposed for Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The new technique achieves the same post-excitation ion cyclotron orbital radius at half the excitation rf voltage of conventional linearly polarized (dipolar) excitation, and is especially useful for exciting and detecting dynamically trapped ions of one charge state in a mixture of simultaneously trapped positive and negative ions. Circularly polarized single-frequency resonant excitation is accomplished experimentally by simultaneous application ofa sinusoidal rf voltage to one pair of electrodes of a cubic ICR ion trap and a 90° or 270° phase-shifted voltage of the same frequency to a second orthogonal pair of electrodes, followed by conventional dipolar detection. Selective excitation of 35C1+ or 35CI− ions from a dynamically trapped mixture of 35C1+ and 35C1− ions is demonstrated. Circularly polarized broadb excitation by use of frequency-sweep or stored-waveform (SWIFT) excitation is proposed and discussed.
Mutagenesis of the catalytic subunit of rabbit muscle protein phosphatase-1

We have generated site-directed mutants of the catalytic subunit of rabbit muscle ppase-1. Since it is known that ppase-1 and ppase-2A are highly susceptible to inactivation by sulfhydryl reagents, we have mutagenized the six cysteine residues conserved between these two enzymes to serines. The six mutants were purified to near homogeneity by affinity chromatography on inhibitor-2-Sepharose and characterized. All six exhibited enzymatic activity. These results indicate that the catalytic mechanism of ppase-1 is different from that of the protein tyrosine phosphatases which involve a cysteinyl phosphate intermediate.
Toward a Unified Security-Safety Model

A mutually supportive relationship between the safety and security communities will help achieve more dependable real-world computing systems. A common language for risk management is a critical first step in bridging the gap between these domains. The proposed unified risk framework provides this common expression with limited changes to existing taxonomies
Durative adverbials and homogeneity requirements

Abstract Modifiers which specify the duration of some eventuality have been used to distinguish telic and atelic predicates since Vendler (1957) and Dowty (1979) . In -adverbials appear only with telic or non-homogeneous event descriptions and for -adverbials with atelic or homogeneous event descriptions. These restrictions are usually stipulated for durative modifiers directly or they follow from some property specific to the head of the modifier. This paper argues that no such stipulations are necessary. First, it is claimed that homogeneity must be defined as cumulativity and not as downward or upward monotonicity. Second, it is argued that the (non-)cumulativity of the modifier PPs coincides with the (non-)cumulativity of the predicate of times it modifies. The same cumulativity value for predicates and durative modifiers can be ensured by an agreement process and no additional assumptions are necessary.
The quenching diameter of ozone flames

Abstract The quenching diameters of various ozone-oxygen and pure ozone flames have been determined experimentally, as a function of composition, temperature and pressure. The quenching diameter, d c , for pure ozone equals 90μ at 298°K and 1·0 atm; it is the smallest of all known flames.
An In Vivo Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Potential: Hematopoietic Origin of Cardiac Valve Interstitial Cells

Recent studies evaluating hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) potential raise the possibility that, in addition to embryonic sources, adult valve fibroblasts may be derived from HSCs. To test this hypothesis, we used methods that allow the potential of a single HSC to be evaluated in vivo. This was achieved by isolation and clonal expansion of single lineage-negative (Lin-), c-kit(+), Sca-1(+), CD34- cells from the bone marrow of mice that ubiquitously express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) combined with transplantation of individual clonal populations derived from these candidate HSCs into a lethally irradiated congenic non-EGFP mouse. Histological analyses of valve tissue from clonally engrafted recipient mice revealed the presence of numerous EGFP+ cells within host valves. A subpopulation of these cells exhibited synthetic properties characteristic of fibroblasts, as evidenced by their expression of mRNA for procollagen 1alpha1. Further, we show by Y-chromosome-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of female-to-male transplanted mice that the EGFP+ valve cells are the result of HSC-derived cell differentiation and not the fusion of EGFP+ donor cells with host somatic cells. Together, these findings demonstrate HSC contribution to the adult valve fibroblast population.
The Effect of Pre-irradiation Chemotherapy on Event-free and Overall Survival in Pediatric Low-grade Glioma

Purpose/Objective(s):Chemotherapy is considered the treatment of choice for inoperable intracranial low-gradeglioma (LGG) in young children. Children under the age of 5 years who receive radiation therapy (RT) risk significant cognitive effects and vasculopathy. Although older patients have fewer complicationswithRT, somewould consider the use of chemotherapy to be appropriate regardless of age. We sought to determine if chemotherapy administered prior to RT reduced progression-free or overall survival.