cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
La financiación de la educación en África Subsahariana hoy

As showed in another article in this same issue, the gap between countries in relation to education is still significant. The financing of education is one of the aspects that will require more attention in order to close this gap. MDG 2 and 3 were not be reached by about 50 countries (among them several middle income countries), and quality is low in at least hundred countries, so it’s urgent to demand to the governments of these countries and to donor and development agencies to make an extra effort beyond the one already made since the nineties.
[Supplementary Material] Potential Planthopper Vectors of Palm Phytoplasmas in Florida with a Description of a New Species of the Genus Omolicna (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea)

Planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) have been implicated in transmission of phytoplasmas that cause lethal decline in palms. Surveys of insects feeding on palms located in Florida resulted in the discovery of Omolicna joi sp. nov., described here. Patara albida (Hemiptera: Derbidae), a palm feeder, has become established in South Florida. Haplaxius crudus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae), the proven vector of the phytoplasma that causes lethal yellows (LY ), was thought to be restricted to the southern tier of Florida counties, thus limiting the distribution of LY . We found that H. crudus can overwinter consistently as far north as Gainesville (N 29.63380° W -82.37200°). Thus, the northern limit of LY might be a function of the physiology of the pathogens rather than the distribution of the vector. Salta plantas (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) han sido implicados en la transmision de fitoplasmas que causan deterioro letal en palmas. Un muestreo de campo sobre insectos que se alimentan de las palmas en Florida resulto en el descubrimiento de una especie nueva, Omolicna joi sp. nov., que se describe aqui. Patara albida (Hemiptera: Derbidae) se ha establecido en el sur de la Florida. Se pensaba que Haplaxius crudus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae), el vector del amarillamiento letal del cocotero (ALC), estaba restringido a los condados mas surenos de Florida, limitando la distribucion de ALC. Descubrimos que H. crudus pueden invernar tan al norte como Gainesville (N 29.63380° W -82.37200°). Por lo tanto, el limite norte de ALC podria estar basado en la fisiologia del patogeno en lugar de en la distribucion del vector.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: An Interleukin-23 Binding Protein in Mid-Trimester Amniotic Fluid

PROBLEM The binding of mid-trimester amniotic fluid to cytokines was evaluated. METHOD OF STUDY Purified tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, and IL-23 were incubated with amniotic fluid from 25 women undergoing a mid-trimester amniocentesis, or with bovine serum albumin or saline, and cytokine binding to monoclonal antibodies was quantitated by ELISA. Aliquots of amniotic fluid were heated to 95 degrees C for 15 min and then retested for IL-23 binding. The effect of amniotic fluid dilution on IL-23 quantitation was evaluated. RESULTS All amniotic fluids had a negligible effect on TNF-alpha, IL-10, and IL-12 detection. In marked contrast, pre-incubation with amniotic fluid from each subject reduced the subsequent ability to detect IL-23 by >50%. The extent of inhibition was directly proportional to the amniotic fluid dilution and was markedly reduced following heating at 95 degrees C for 15 min. Amniotic fluids from White, Black, Asian, East Indian, and Hispanic women were equally effective. CONCLUSION Interleukin-23 and IL-12 share a common p40 subunit and no inhibition of IL-12 was apparent. It appeared that a component of mid-trimester amniotic fluid specifically interacts with the p19 subunit unique to IL-23. Mid-trimester amniotic fluid reactivity with IL-23 may be a mechanism to limit intra-amniotic neutrophil-derived inflammation.
Cardiac compensation for lack of trabeculae in ErbB2-deficient zebrafish (648.3)

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the major causes of birth defects among infants in the United States. CHD can be characterized by malformations during heart development. Initially, the hea...
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Specialised Applications

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique that rapidly amplifies selected subsets of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or complementary DNA (cDNA) from initially complex biological mixtures. The efficiency of amplification or sequence of the amplified material can then be examined for many purposes, including genotyping or the characterisation of new genes, gene expression patterns, mutations or polymorphisms. Quantitative-PCR (QT-PCR) has become practical and popular over the past decade with the generation of libraries of individual primer sets and arrayed sets of primers by commercial entities. QT-PCR machines can assay up to 384 samples at once, permitting the complete analysis of expression of families of genes, such as signalling kinases or cytokines, in a single experiment. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends-PCR has also become popular to identify microRNAs (ribonucleic acid). PCR is highly useful in structural biology to rapidly modify the boundaries of protein domains intended for crystallisation and in genomics for high-throughput sequencing. Key Concepts: PCR can be conducted on vanishingly small amounts of material. PCR can be used for rapid genotyping or sequencing. PCR is useful for quantitative analysis of gene expression of entire gene families or signalling networks in arrayed assays. PCR is frequently the method of choice for genetic engineering involving mutations, truncations or extensions of existing genes. PCR is a preferred method for high-thoughput library screens. Keywords: RACE-PCR; RT-PCR; polymorphisms; genotyping
Potential role of inorganic polyphosphate in the cycling of phosphorus within the hypoxic water column of Effingham Inlet, British Columbia

[1] The upper basin of Effingham Inlet possesses permanently anoxic bottom waters, with a water column redox transition zone typically occurring at least 40 m above the sediment-water interface. During our sampling campaign in April and July 2007, this redox transition zone was associated with sharp peaks in a variety of parameters, including soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total particulate phosphorus (TPP). Based on sequential extraction results, TPP maxima exhibited preferential accumulation of an operationally defined class of loosely adsorbed organic phosphorus (P), which may contain a substantial fraction of polyphosphate (poly-P). This poly-P may furthermore be involved in the redox-dependent remobilization of SRP. For example, direct fluorometric analysis of poly-P content revealed that particulate inorganic poly-P was present at concentrations ranging from 1 to 9 nM P within and several meters above the TPP maximum. Below the depth of 1% oxygen saturation, however, particulate inorganic poly-P was undetectable (<0.8 nM in situ). Assuming this concentration profile reflects the remineralization of inorganic poly-P to SRP across the redox transition, inorganic poly-P degradation accounted for as much as 4 ± 3% (average ± standard deviation) to 9 ± 8% of the vertical turbulent diffusive SRP flux. This finding is a conservative estimate due in part to sample storage effects associated with our analysis of poly-P content. By comparison, iron-linked P cycling accounted for at most 65 ± 33% of the diffusive SRP flux, leaving ∼25% unaccounted for. Thus, while redox-sensitive poly-P remineralization in Effingham Inlet appears modest based on our direct conservative estimate, it may be higher from a mass balance viewpoint. Poly-P cycling may therefore be an overlooked mechanism for the redox-sensitive cycling of P in some hypoxic/anoxic boundaries, especially iron-poor marine oxygen minimum zones.
Particle Beam Parameters

Particle beams are characterized by a set of quantifying parameters being either constants of motion or functions varying from point to point along a beam transport line. The parameters may be a single particle property like the betatron function which applies to all particles within a beam or quantities that are defined only for a collection of particles like the beam emittances or beam intensity. We will define and derive expressions for such beam parameters and use them to characterize particle beams and develop methods for manipulation of such parameters.
Chance and Counterfactuals1

Suppose the world is chancy. The worry arises that most ordinary counterfactuals are false. This paper examines David Lewis' strategy for rescuing such counterfactuals, and argues that it is highly problematic.
The concentration of cytosolic free calcium in vertebrate rod outer segments measured with fura-2.

The use of fluorescent indicators such as fura-2 (Grynkiewicz et al., 1985) to measure the cytosolic free calcium activity in retinal rods is complicated by the rods' sensitivity both to the fluorescence and to the light that excites it. By stimulating fluorescence from large numbers of rods in whole, loaded retinas and averaging repeated measurements, however, we have been able to monitor changes in free [Ca2+]i during exposure to nonsaturating lights under physiological conditions. Retinas, isolated from the bullfrog Rana catesbeiana, were loaded with fura-2 by incubation and mounted, receptor-side up, in a perfusion chamber placed on the stage of a specially designed apparatus. A step of light delivered from above, whose wavelength alternated between 340 and 380 nm every 110 msec, excited fluorescence from 24 mm2 of retina and evoked a light response (the aspartate- isolated pIII component of the electroretinogram--ERG). By comparing the fluorescence intensities excited by the 2 wavelengths (corrected for background and dark-noise), the free [Ca2+]i of the rod outer segment was determined. In darkness, the [Ca2+]i of the outer segment was found to be approximately 220 nM. A bright light caused it to fall exponentially to approximately 140 nM, with a time constant of approximately 1.6 sec. The value of [Ca2+]i at the onset of illumination was independent of stimulus intensity over a 2 log-unit range, and in all cases the fall was monotonic. After terminating the illumination, [Ca2+]i rose again to its time-zero value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Osteogenesis imperfecta: clinical evaluation and management

A reclassification of osteogenesis imperfecta into a congenita type and two tarda types was made on the basis of ninety observed cases. The congenita type, in which the major lesions include blue sclerae and dentinogenesis imperfecta as well as osteoporosis, many fractures, and bowing of the bones, was seen in twelve patients. The two tarda types, differentiated on the basis of the presence or absence of bowing, were seen in forty-three and thirty-five patients, respectively. The frequency of other findings in the three groups is described, as well as differences in management, genetic pattern of inheritance, and course of the disease.
Using Stakeholder Analysis to Identify Users in Healthcare Information Systems Research: Who is the Real User?

Applying IS research to the healthcare context is an important endeavor. However, IS researchers must be cautious about identifying individual roles, the context of the setting, and postulating generalizability. Much of IS theory is rooted in organizations, their business processes, and stakeholders. It is not a simple matter to generalize healthcare IS research, assuming that it is equivalent to organizational IS research. Hospitals, emergency rooms, and laboratories are different from the â€œbusiness environmentâ€ , and â€œhealthcare sersâ€ vary considerably in their roles. Therefore, IS researchers need to understand the healthcare setting before they can appropriately apply IS theory. Obviously, if we are studying the wrong person, or group of people, we cannot expect to get relevant results. In order to alleviate confusion regarding â€œwho is the user?â€ in healthcare IS research, we provide examples of healthcare scenarios, perform simplified stakeholder analysis for each scenario, and identify the stakeholders.
Calculating the position of the sun

Abstract The procedure for calculating the position of the sun by computer is discussed. The equations used to generate the values in The American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac are presented in a simplified form that allows the position of the sun to be calculated rapidly to an accuracy of 0.01°.
Sibling Relationships in Classical Athens: Brother-Sister Ties

This article examines the private orations of classical Athens for evidence of the relations between brothers, brothers and sisters, and brothers-in-law. Although affection could exist between male...
VACUUM IN SCHWARZSCHILD SPACE-TIME

For a conformally coupled scalar field we calculate the renormalized value of $〈{\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{2}〉$ for the Hartle-Hawking vacuum in Schwarzschild spacetime for the region exterior to the horizon. We find that the mode-sum expression for ${〈{\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{ren}}$ separates naturally into two parts, a part that has a simple analytic form coinciding with the approximate expression of Whiting and Page, and a remainder that is small. We evaluate the remainder numerically and also provide an analytic approximation to it. Our results agree with, but are substantially more accurate than, those previously given by Fawcett.
Immunostaining of Dissected Zebrafish Embryonic Heart

Zebrafish embryo becomes a popular in vivo vertebrate model for studying cardiac development and human heart diseases due to its advantageous embryology and genetics 1,2. About 100-200 embryos are readily available every week from a single pair of adult fish. The transparent embryos that develop ex utero make them ideal for assessing cardiac defects 3. The expression of any gene can be manipulated via morpholino technology or RNA injection 4. Moreover, forward genetic screens have already generated a list of mutants that affect different perspectives of cardiogenesis 5. Whole mount immunostaining is an important technique in this animal model to reveal the expression pattern of the targeted protein to a particular tissue 6. However, high resolution images that can reveal cellular or subcellular structures have been difficult, mainly due to the physical location of the heart and the poor penetration of the antibodies. Here, we present a method to address these bottlenecks by dissecting heart first and then conducting the staining process on the surface of a microscope slide. To prevent the loss of small heart samples and to facilitate solution handling, we restricted the heart samples within a circle on the surface of the microscope slides drawn by an immEdge pen. After the staining, the fluorescence signals can be directly observed by a compound microscope. Our new method significantly improves the penetration for antibodies, since a heart from an embryonic fish only consists of few cell layers. High quality images from intact hearts can be obtained within a much reduced procession time for zebrafish embryos aged from day 2 to day 6. Our method can be potentially extended to stain other organs dissected from either zebrafish or other small animals.
Effect of gamma irradiation at various temperatures on air and vacuum packed chicken tissues II. Fatty acid profiles of neutral and polar lipids separated from muscle and skin irradiated at 2–5°C

Abstract Chicken muscle and skin were separately irradiated in air and under vacuum packaging at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 10 kGy using 137Cs (dose rate = 0.1 kGy/min). Lipids were isolated as neutral and polar subclasses from muscle samples and as total lipid extracts from skin. Lipids were converted to fatty acid methyl esters, analyzed by capillary gas chromatography and the data compiled as fatty acid profiles by statistical computer analysis. Normalized reports were assembled from this data for the three lipid extract types. Only negligible changes in fatty acid profiles were observed for the neutral lipids of muscle and for the fatty acyl residues of skin lipids. Minor changes of interest, however, were observed for the polyunsaturated fatty acyl residues in the polar lipid fractions of muscle tissue, especially at higher irradiation doses (6 and 10 kGy). Comparisons were made between these results and those of an earlier study were similar tissues were irradiated at -20°C. No new fatty acyl residues or other artifacts due to γ-irradiation were found in detectable amounts by gas chromatography in any of the lipid fractions isolated.
Barriers and Strategies for Recruiting Study Participants in Clinical Settings

Recruiting participants for research studies is often a challenging task. Recruitment requires careful planning, collaboration, and flexibility on the part of researchers and health care providers at the recruitment sites. This article describes six major barriers to recruiting study participants as identified from a review of the literature and from the coauthors' research experiences. These barriers include challenges related to regulations of the Health Insurance Portabililty and Accountability Act (HIPAA), health care providers' work burden, providers' financial disincentives, competition, health care provider concerns regarding research, and provider protection of patients. Each barrier is described, and specific strategies are suggested based on the empirical literature. In some instances, the coauthors' experiences are also shared.
An Analysis of Academic Library Web Pages for Faculty.

Web sites are increasingly used by academic libraries to promote key services and collections to teaching faculty. This study analyzes the content, location, language, and technological features of fifty-four academic library Web pages designed especially for faculty to expose patterns in the development of these pages.
Magnetic field effects on heterogeneous triplet—triplet annihilation in anthracene-doped phenanthrene

Abstract The orientation of an 8 kG magnetic field with respect to the crystallographic axes is shown to affect the intensity of anthracene delayed fluorescence in an anthracene-doped phenanthrene crystal. These results are consistent with the calculated locations of level-crossing resonances for anthracene trapped-phenanthrene triplet exciton heterofusion. The line shapes of these level crossing resonances appear to be rather different from those reported for other cases of heterofusion or homofusion magnetic field resonances.
Graphene Nanoribbon Tunnel Transistors

A graphene nanoribbon (GNR) tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) is proposed and modeled analytically. Ribbon widths between 3 and 10 nm are considered to effect energy bandgaps in the range of 0.46 to 0.14 eV. It is shown that a 5-nm ribbon width TFET can switch from on to off with only 0.1-V gate swing. The transistor achieves 800 muA/mum on -state current and 26 pA/mum off-state current, with an effective subthreshold swing of 0.19 mV/dec. Compared to a projected 2009 n MOSFET, the GNR TFET can provide 5times higher speed, 20times lower dynamic power, and 280 000times lower off-state power dissipation. The high performance of GNR TFETs results from their narrow bandgaps and their 1-D nature.
Pneumopylephlebitis and intramesocolic diverticular perforation

The insidious presentation of intramesocolic perforation in diverticulitis has been reviewed, and two cases of intramesocolic perforation associated with pneumopylephlebitis have been reported. Review of the two previously reported cases of pneumopylephlebitis associated with diverticular perforation suggests that these may have been intramesocolic perforations as well. Exploratory laparotomy is clearly indicated in cases of pneumopylephlebitis. In patients with recurrent sepsis without a probable source, a water-soluble contrast enema is recommended. If conservative measures fail, an exploratory laparotomy should be performed to exclude intramesocolic abscess.
Single photon emission computed tomography

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is becoming an increasingly important part of routine clinical nuclear medicine. By providing tomographic reconstructions in multiple planes through the patient, SPECT expands the clinical applications in nuclear medicine as well as providing better contrast, edge definition and separation of target from background activities. Imaging techniques have been developed for the evaluation of regional cerebral blood flow using radiolabeled amines. Thus cerebral functional imaging can be used in the diagnosis of acute cerebral infarction, cerebral vascular disease, dementia and epilepsy. SPECT plays a complementary role in the evaluation of coronary artery disease, particularly when it is coupled with thallium-201 and exercise testing. SPECT extends our diagnostic capabilities in additional areas, such as liver and bone scintigraphy as well as tumor imaging with gallium-67.
Disposition of moracizine (ethmozine) in healthy subjects after oral administration of radiolabelled drug

Moracizine (ethmozine) is a phenothiazine derivative with demonstrated antiarrhythmic activity. To characterize the pharmacokinetics and material balance relationships in humans, we have given14C-moracizine·HCl as a single oral dose of 500 mg (50 μCi) to six healthy men. Plasma, urine, and faecal samples were collected for 7 days after administration and the concentrations of total radioactivity and intact moracizine were determined by liquid scintillation counting and HPLC, respectively.
“IT'S HARD TO CHANGE WHAT WE WANT TO CHANGE” Rape Crisis Centers as Organizations

Like other groups associated with social movements, rape crisis centers have been judged co-optive by some and progressive by others. This article argues that organizational theory yields fuller explanations of their dynamics and character. In a case study, two subcultures—dubbed the politicized and service perspectives—developed and epitomized fundamentally different approaches to sexual violence. These subcultures emerged for a number of reasons, including the organization's goals, the character of the fiminist movement, and organizational features such as permeability, a broad constituency, a collective goods orientation, and an emphasis on open discourse. This article argues that similar organizational and environmental features in rape crisis centers and other social movement-related organizations are associated with organizational fluidity and conflict. While these groups may not be cohesive and stable actors for broad social change, they contribute incrementally to long-term shifts in gendered soci...
Assessing cross-cultural marketing theory and research: A commentary essay

Abstract Cross-cultural research (CCR) is extremely important for advancing understanding of the range and limits of theoretical constructs and frameworks across different cultural contexts. CCR also provides an important understanding of the differences between countries and cultures. This commentary essay examines the review conducted by Engelen and Brettel (2010) and comments on shortcomings, as well as identifying areas where more needs to be done. A critical first step is to properly define the unit of analysis. This step is particularly critical as the concept of “national culture” is becoming increasingly less relevant and the appropriate culture unit for examination is often a smaller, more homogeneous grouping within a given geographic location. This view allows more meaningful inferences to be made and controls for possible contextual confounds, as well as providing a richer understanding of the limits of national culture in an increasingly global economy.
An ultrastructural study of hepatic granulomas and schistosome egg shells in murine hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni.

Abstract At 8, 11, 33, and 52 weeks after exposure to cereariae of Schistosoma mansoni, mice with overt hepatosplenic disease were sacrificed and their livers were taken for light and electron microscopic study. Hepatic granulomas were encountered at all intervals. The three major cellular components (eosinophils, fibroblasts, and macrophages) were intermingled without apparent order and were interspersed with the more sparse cellular elements (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and plasma cells). Both eosinophils and fibroblasts displayed phagosomes, but never in the large numbers observed in macrophage derivatives. In addition to abundant phagosomes, these cells (the epithelioid and multinueleated giant cells) were characterized by a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, many free cytoplasmic ribosomes, and plasma membranes that were focally thrown into numerous slender tentacles which interdigitated extensively and formed elaborate imbricated or spiraled configurations. While the macrophage derivatives seemed to function prineipally by phagocytosis, they also appeared eapable of extracellular digestion, since schistosome egg shells disintegrated in proximity to intact epithelioid or multinueleated giant cells. Intact schistosome egg shells appeared fenestrated and displayed on their outer aspeets unmerous microspicules that projected toward and frequently contacted the encompassing inflammatory elements. It was suggested that the shell fenestrations might facilitate diffusion of antigenic materials from the schistosome eggs to the surrounding granuloma phagocytes, and that the shell microspicules might function as mechanical irritants to contiguous cells.
Investigation of Methods for Target State Estimation Using Vision Sensors

Identifying object location and orientation are important tasks in target tracking and obstacle avoidance. This paper proposes an algorithm for identifying target location, size, and orientation without any prior knowledge based on machine vision. The algorithm uses target measurements taken from a video camera to update estimates of the target. Two forms of the Kalman filter were compared as methods for estimating the targets’ states. The first, the extended Kalman filter (EKF), uses a Taylor series expansion about the current state to estimate the nonlinear measurement update. The second, the square-root unscented Kalman filter (SRUKF), a form of the unscented Kalman filter (UKF), uses perturbed sigma points to estimate the mean and covariance of the measurement update. The algorithm was tested using periodic vehicle motion and random target location, orientation, and area. Both Kalman filter methods converged on the targets’ 3-D position, orientation, and area but required an irregular trajectory to accurately estimate the orientation and area. The estimators were simulated using identical parameters to compare them based on equivalent conditions. This produced similar results from the EKF and SRUKF and therefore neither showed a significant improvement over the other.
Young children and e-reading: research to date and questions for the future

The practice of reading is rapidly moving from print to screen. Young children are not immune from this trend; indeed, many children's principal literacy experiences occur using iPads and other handheld digital devices. This transition raises important questions about how the emergence and development of literacy might change in these new environments. This paper reviews research to date on e-reading, both in the pre-tablet and tablet era, within the context of what we know more generally about literacy development. We then propose topics for future research and discuss methodological issues related to the investigation of these topics. Our goal is to spark further discussion about how to study young children's literacy development in the emerging e-reading era.
Convergence of least squares identifiers of time series with martingale difference and binary white Markov generating processes

Abstract This paper gives some results concerning the convergence of sequential least squares (SLS) identifiers of autoregressive (AR) time series models. Convergence depends on the second moment ergodicity (SME) of the generating (input) process to the time series model. Since SME conditions are difficult to prove for specific generating sequences, this paper proves this condition to be satisfied with respect to two concrete classes of generating sequences, namely, martingale difference sequences and binary white noise Markov sequences to give insight to the convergence of identifiers via binary white noise interrogation inputs. This extends the result of Mann and Wald of convergence for the case of independent and identically distributed (IID) input processes to concrete non-IID input classes.
Maximizing Wireless Mesh Network Coverage

As an emerging technology, wireless communication revolutionizes the way data are shared and transferred. In particular, wireless mesh network (WMN) technology allows data transmission from one nod...
Rape Causal Attitudes Among Adolescents

Five possible causes of rape—male dominance, female precipitation, society, male sexuality, and male pathology—were compared among high school students from California. Participants (N = 453) completed a group‐administered questionnaire as part of a rape‐education high school outreach provided by two rape crisis centers. Gender, ethnicity, age, and communication sources about rape, including pornography, were related to attitudes about the causes of rape. Within gender, girls rated male pathology the highest of the five causes of rape, and boys rated female precipitation highest. Between genders, girls rated male pathology and male dominance higher and female precipitation lower than did boys. In particular, both female precipitation and male sexuality scores were related to gender, communicating about rape with parents, exposure to pornography, the number of socializing agents with whom girls have discussed rape, girls’ beliefs that they have learned about sex from pornography, and the number of pornogra...
Photostability and pH sensitivity of CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots in living cells

Photophysical properties of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) are primary determinants of their efficacy as fluorescence probes in biological systems. Our minimally passivated core/shell/shell QDs are smaller than the QDs with thick polymer coats that are often used for cellular probes, permitting less restricted access to intracellular compartments and at the same time a greater sensitivity to environmental conditions. We report here a reversible photoinduced fluorescence enhancement (photoactivation) of endocytosed mercaptoacetic-acid-capped CdSe quantum dots (MAA QDs) and the pH dependence of MAA QD photoluminescence in SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer cells. The fluorescence emission of MAA QDs taken up directly by SKOV-3 cells without the need for extra capping ligands or permeabilization steps remains bright and stable for at least 14 days. These intracellular fluorescent nanocrystals do not colocalize with low-pH lysosomes, and the emission of the MAA QDs in fixed cell preparations is quenched by acidic buffer, suggesting that a low-pH environment in cellular vesicles quenches QD fluorescence. Photoactivation of intracellular MAA QD luminescence is dependent on the excitation energy and is related to the metabolic activity of the cells. These active interactions between cells and nanocrystals demonstrate the potential of MAA QDs as intracellular environmental sensors.
Perspectives on attachment and psychoanalysis.

Attachment theory and research have emphasized the importance of understanding the individual as existing withing a network of relationships. The idea of development being relationship based, and interactions with the primary caretaker leading toward the internalization of a relationship experience, is quite different from and complements psychoanalytic ideas about development. In this article, attachment as a relationship approach for understanding development is contrasted with relevant psychoanalytic perspectives. Current theoretical and research concepts focusing on affect development and the evolution of the parent-infant relationship are discussed. A broader understanding of attachment is presented, which includes two ideas. The first is that internal representations build on internal working models of development. The second is that the attachment concept, combined with systems theory, is a way to conceptualize aspects of family theory and therapy. Finally, clinical implications of attachment theory and research are discussed.
Motion of decaying vortex rings with non-similar vorticity distributions

The motion and decay of circular vortex rings with an inner viscous core is considered by systematic matching of inner and outer asymptotic expansions. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are reduced to a coupled integro-differential system. A method of construction of solutions for the integro-differential system is presented. The initial vorticity distribution may be non-similar. Also presented is a method for introducing a time shift which makes the first term in the series solution for the vorticity to be the “best” approximation. The analysis is then applied to the motion and decay of a pair of coaxial vortex rings.
Therapeutic Letter Writing from School Counselors to Students, Parents, and Teachers.

This article discusses therapeutic letter writing by school counselors as a way of enhancing effectiveness of direct services to students. Writing as an effective therapeutic tool has been well-doc...
Treatment of MTBE using fenton's reagent

This article addresses the removal of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) from water, using Fenton's Reagent. Although complete mineralization of MTBE by Fenton's Reagent was not achieved, greater than 99 percent destruction of MTBE was realized. This was accomplished at a Fe+2:H2O2 ratio of 1:1 and 1 hour of contact time. In all tests, twice the stoichiometric ratio of H2O2 to MTBE was used. The major by-products were tertiary-butyl alcohol, tertiary-butyl formate, and acetone with traces of 2-methyl-1-propene (isobutylene). While small quantities of O2 evolved, no significant quantity of CO2 gas was detected.
Bongó Itá: leopard society music and language in West Africa, Western Cuba, and New York City

The Abakua mutual-aid society of Cuba, recreated from the Ekpe leopard society of West Africa's Cross River basin, is a richly detailed example of African cultural transmission to the Americas. Its material culture, such as masquerades and drum construction, as well as rhythmic structures, are largely based on Ekpe models. Its ritual language is expressed through hundreds of chants that identify source regions and historical events; many can be interpreted by speakers of Efik, the pre-colonial lingua franca of the Cross River region (Miller 2005). With the help of both Ekpe and Abakua leaders, I have examined relationships between the musical practices of West African Ekpe, Cuban Abakua, as well as Cuban migrants to the United States whose commercial recordings have evoked West African places and events historically relevant to Abakua, meanwhile contributing to the evolution of North American jazz.
Development of In Vivo Impedance Spectroscopy Techniques for Measurement of Micropore Formation Following Microneedle Insertion

Microneedles (MNs) provide a minimally invasive means to enhance skin permeability by creating micron-scale channels (micropores) that provide a drug delivery pathway. Adequate formation of the micropores is critical to the success of this unique drug delivery technique. The objective of the current work was to develop sensitive and reproducible impedance spectroscopy techniques to monitor micropore formation in animal models and human subjects. Hairless guinea pigs, a Yucatan miniature pig, and human volunteers were treated with 100 MN insertions per site following an overnight prehydration period. Repeated measurements were made pre- and post-MN treatment using dry and gel Ag/AgCl electrodes applied with light verses direct pressure to hold the electrode to the skin surface. Impedance measurements dropped significantly post-MN application at all sites (p < 0.05, irrespective of electrode type or gel application), confirming micropore formation. In the Yucatan pig and human subjects, gel electrodes with direct pressure yielded the lowest variability (demonstrated by lower %relative standard deviation), whereas dry electrodes with direct pressure were superior in the guinea pigs. These studies confirm that impedance measurements are suitable for use in both clinical and animal research environments to monitor the formation of new micropores that will allow for drug delivery through the impermeable skin layers.
Injection of mitochondria into human cells leads to a rapid replacement of the endogenous mitochondrial DNA

Isolated human mitochondria containing a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coded chloramphenicol resistance marker were injected into cells from two different human sensitive cell lines, 143BTK- and HT1080-6TG, which had been partially depleted of their mtDNA by ethidium bromide treatment. On the basis of the available evidence concerning the tolerance of introduced volumes into mammalian cells, it is estimated that, on the average, less than one mitochondrion was introduced into each cell. Under selective conditions, the mitochondria became established in the recipient cells with a frequency greater than 2-3 x 10(-3). An analysis of multiple mtDNA and nuclear DNA polymorphisms revealed a rapid replacement of the resident mtDNA by the exogenous mtDNA. Six to ten weeks after microinjection, this replacement was complete in all but one of the HT1080-6TG transformants, and nearly complete in the majority of the 143BTK- transformants. The quantitative behavior of the mtDNA of the transformants at very early stages of selection strongly suggests that intracellular mtDNA selection played a crucial role in this replacement, with significant implications for mitochondrial genetics.
Evaluation of attitudinal changes in a program of community consultation.

Mental health students consulted with policemen once weekly for 14 weeks, discussing interpersonal conflicts in which the officers had intervened. Pre- and post-measures of participants' attitudes were obtained. Officers' attitudes, as measured, did not change; their initially high self-evaluation was maintained. Consultants came to perceive individual policemen in a more positive-realistic way, as less aggressive and more interested in understanding human behavior, and the police system itself in a more negative way—becoming more cynical about it. The findings seem particularly noteworthy since the Kent State University and Jackson State College shootings occurred during the consultation period.
The single Drosophila ZO-1 protein Polychaetoid regulates embryonic morphogenesis in coordination with Canoe/afadin and Enabled.

Adherens and tight junctions play key roles in assembling epithelia and maintaining barriers. In cell culture zonula occludens (ZO)–family proteins are important for assembly/maturation of both tight and adherens junctions (AJs). Genetic studies suggest that ZO proteins are important during normal development, but interpretation of mouse and fly studies is limited by genetic redundancy and/or a lack of null alleles. We generated null alleles of the single Drosophila ZO protein Polychaetoid (Pyd). Most embryos lacking Pyd die with striking defects in morphogenesis of embryonic epithelia including the epidermis, segmental grooves, and tracheal system. Pyd loss does not dramatically affect AJ protein localization or initial localization of actin and myosin during dorsal closure. However, Pyd loss does affect several cell behaviors that drive dorsal closure. The defects, which include segmental grooves that fail to retract, a disrupted leading edge actin cable, and reduced zippering as leading edges meet, closely resemble defects in canoe zygotic null mutants and in embryos lacking the actin regulator Enabled (Ena), suggesting that these proteins act together. Canoe (Cno) and Pyd are required for proper Ena localization during dorsal closure, and strong genetic interactions suggest that Cno, Pyd, and Ena act together in regulating or anchoring the actin cytoskeleton during dorsal closure.
Identification of GRO1 as a critical determinant for mutant p53 gain of function

Mutant p53 gain of function contributes to cancer progression, increased invasion and metastasis potentials, and resistance to anticancer therapy. The ability of mutant p53 to acquire its gain of function is shown to correlate with increased expression of progrowth genes, such as c-MYC, MDR1, and NF-κB2. However, most of the published studies to identify mutant p53 target genes were performed in a cell system that artificially overexpresses mutant p53. Thus, it remains unclear whether such mutant p53 targets can be regulated by endogenous physiological levels of mutant p53. Here, we utilized SW480 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells, in which endogenous mutant p53 can be inducibly knocked down, to identify mutant p53 target genes that potentially mediate mutant p53 gain of function. We found that knockdown of mutant p53 inhibits GRO1 expression, whereas ectopic expression of mutant R175H in p53-null HCT116 cells increases GRO1 expression. In addition, we found that endogenous mutant p53 is capable of binding to and activating the GRO1 promoter. Interestingly, ectopic expression of GRO1 can rescue the proliferative defect in SW480 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells induced by knockdown of mutant p53. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous GRO1 inhibits cell proliferation and thus abrogates mutant p53 gain of function in SW480 cells. Taken together, our findings define a novel mechanism by which mutant p53 acquires its gain of function via transactivating the GRO1 gene in cancer cells. Thus, targeting GRO1 for cancer therapy would be applicable to a large portion of human tumors with mutant p53, but the exploration of GRO1 as a potential target should take the mutation status of p53 into consideration.
Technical Note: The Use of Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzers for Inference on Infauna-Sediment Relationships

For over a century, ecologists and evolutionary biologists have investigated the association between sedimentary characteristics and the infaunal communities inhabiting sediments. Relationships between infauna and, specifically, sediment grain size distributions, have provided a common methodology to predict the distributions, composition, and diversity of soft-sediment communities. Wet/dry sieve methods have traditionally been used to determine grain size distributions, but laser particle size analyzers are becoming increasingly popular and have been shown to measure sediment grain size distributions more efficiently and more accurately than wet/dry sieve methods. An additional, but underexplored, advantage of laser particle size analyzers is their ability to provide uncommonly reported or alternative grain size statistics that can be used to estimate sediment characteristics that are not easily measured using sieve techniques. In particular, measures of sediment heterogeneity are arbitrary and tedious to measure with previously used sieve and microscope techniques. Here, we propose that grain size coefficient of variation, measured using a particle size analyzer, is an improved metric for sediment heterogeneity. We show that grain size coefficient of variation is related to infaunal richness in intertidal habitats along the northern Gulf of Mexico matching previous results relating sediment heterogeneity to infaunal richness. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of particle size analyzers and how the use of alternative metrics from laser particle size analyzers may assist the field of benthic ecology.
Sexuality Training, Education and Therapy in the Healthcare Environment: Taboo, Avoidance, Discomfort or Ignorance?

Multiple sources of resistance are present in the healthcare environment to comprehensive assessment and intervention efforts in regard to sexuality. The authors survey both the diversity of needs and values presented by consumers, and encourage providers to equip themselves educationally, emotionally and ethically so that they can deliver relevant, holistic services to consumers.
Public Willingness to Take a Vaccine or Drug Under Emergency Use Authorization during the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

On April 26, 2009, the United States declared a public health emergency in response to a growing but uncertain threat from H1N1 influenza, or swine flu. In June, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. In the U.S., hospitalizations due to swine flu numbered 6,506 on August 6, 2009, with 436 deaths; all 50 states have reported cases. The declaration of a public health emergency, followed by the approval of multiple Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) by the Food and Drug Administration, allowed the distribution of unapproved drugs or the off-label use of approved drugs to the public. Thus far, there are 2 antiviral medications available to the public as EUA drugs. It is possible that an H1N1 vaccine will be initially released as an EUA in the fall in the first large-scale use of the EUA mechanism. This study explores the public's willingness to use a drug or vaccine under the conditions stipulated in the FDA's nonbinding guidance regarding EUAs. Using Knowledge Networks' panel, we conducted an i...
Selection of a hepatitis C virus with altered entry factor requirements reveals a genetic interaction between the E1 glycoprotein and claudins.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global health problem, with more than 180 million people currently infected worldwide.1 Chronic HCV infection can result in severe liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, making HCV the leading cause of liver transplants in the Western hemisphere.2 HCV cell entry is a complex, multistep process requiring the two viral envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2, and many host factors (reviewed in a previous work3). Many of these host factors cannot be classified as classical receptors because a physical association with HCV has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to provide genetic evidence for an interaction between the tight junction protein claudin-1 (CLDN1) and the HCV glycoproteins. CLDN1 is an integral membrane protein with four transmembrane domains, intracellular termini, and two extracellular loops (EL1 and EL2). Residues located in EL1 modulate HCV cell-entry functionality.4 CLDN usage is also influenced by viral determinants; whereas all genotypes of the virus can use CLDN1, some HCV genotypes can also use CLDN6 and CLDN9 as HCV cell-entry factors.5-8 Physical binding between the HCV glycoproteins and CLDN1 have been difficult to explore because of the lack of purified, soluble forms of CLDN1 and the HCV E1 glycoprotein. Whereas the capacity for CLDN1 to associate with E1 or E2 has been demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation,9 CLDN1 mutations that impair HCV cell-entry functionality have not been shown to affect such interactions, and this assay does not reveal whether HCV interactions with CLDN1 are direct or mediated through additional proteins. Thus, it remains to be determined whether CLDN1 and the HCV glycoproteins functionally interact. To better understand how HCV uses CLDN1 to enter cells, and to provide evidence for potential physical interactions between this host protein and the virus, we sought to identify a genetic interaction between HCV and CLDN1. By selecting viruses capable of entering CLDN1 knockout (KO) cells, we identified a single-amino-acid change in HCV E1 that confers the ability of a previously solely CLDN1-dependent virus to utilize CLDN6. This genetic interaction implies a physical interaction between HCV E1 and CLDN1.
Thermodynamic Effects on Desinent Cavitation on Hemispherical Nosed Bodies in Water at Temperatures From 80 Deg F to 260 Deg F

Desinent cavitation on hemispherical nosed bodies in water at various temperatures and velocities, considering isothermal case for surface nuclei