cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist CE prolongs spatial memory duration in a rat delayed radial arm maze memory task

The cannabinoid receptor system plays an integral role in learning and memory. Moreover, the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant has been found to improve performance in a variety of animal memory models. The present study tested whether a novel and potent cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, CE, would prolong the duration of spatial memory. Rats were trained in a two-phase radial arm maze procedure, consisting of acquisition and retrieval tests, which were separated by an 18 h delay. CE was administered 30 min before the acquisition phase, immediately after the acquisition phase, or 30 min before the retrieval test to assess its effects on acquisition and retrieval processes. CE administered before and immediately after the acquisition phase significantly decreased the number of errors committed during the retrieval test. On the other hand, CE administered 30 min before the retrieval test had no effect on the number of errors committed. These findings demonstrate that CE improves memory by acting on consolidation, rather than retrieval, processes and further suggest that the endocannabinoid system has an important role in modulating memory duration.
The conserved cysteine 7.38 residue is differentially accessible in the binding-site crevices of the mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors.

Binding pockets of the opioid receptors are presumably formed among the transmembrane domains (TMDs) and are accessible from the extracellular medium. In this study, we determined the sensitivity o...
Bioturbation depths, rates and processes in Massachusetts Bay sediments inferred from modeling of 210Pb and 239 + 240Pu profiles

Abstract Profiles of 210 Pb and 239 + 240 Pu from sediment cores collected throughout Massachusetts Bay (water depths of 36–192 m) are interpreted with the aid of a numerical sediment-mixing model to infer bioturbation depths, rates and processes. The nuclide data suggest extensive bioturbation to depths of 25–35 cm. Roughly half the cores have 210 Pb and 239 + 240 Pu profiles that decrease monotonically from the surface and are consistent with biodiffusive mixing. Bioturbation rates are reasonably well constrained by these profiles and vary from ∼0.7 to ∼40 cm 2 yr −1 . As a result of this extensive reworking, however, sediment ages cannot be accurately determined from these radionuclides and only upper limits on sedimentation rates (of ∼0.3 cm yr −1 ) can be inferred. The other half of the radionuclide profiles are characterized by subsurface maxima in each nuclide, which cannot be reproduced by biodiffusive mixing models. A numerical model is used to demonstrate that mixing caused by organisms that feed at the sediment surface and defecate below the surface can cause the subsurface maxima, as suggested by previous work. The deep penetration depths of excess 210 Pb and 239 + 240 Pu suggest either that the organisms release material over a range of >15 cm depth or that biodiffusive mixing mediated by other organisms is occurring at depth. Additional constraints from surficial sediment 234 Th data suggest that in this half of the cores, the vast majority of the present-day flux of recent, nuclide-bearing material to these core sites is transported over a timescale of a month or more to a depth of a few centimeters below the sediment surface. As a consequence of the complex mixing processes, surface sediments include material spanning a range of ages and will not accurately record recent changes in contaminant deposition.
HAPTEN-SPECIFIC IgE ANTIBODY RESPONSES IN MICE II. COOPERATIVE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ADOPTIVELY TRANSFERRED T AND B LYMPHOCYTES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF IgE RESPONSE

The present studies have established conditions for the demonstration of cooperative interactions between specific T and B lymphocyte populations in the development of IgE antibody responses in vivo in mice. This has been accomplished by utilizing a system which permits the successful adoptive transfer to irradiated recipients of DNP-specific secondary IgE responses with spleen cells from suitably primed syngeneic donor mice. Thus, adoptively transferred DNP-KLH or DNP-ASC-primed spleen cells produced high levels of anti-DNP antibodies of both IgE and IgG antibody classes in response to challenge with the appropriate homologous priming conjugate but failed to develop more than meager responses to the reciprocal heterologous conjugate. However, when spleen cells from donors primed to the second carrier were concomitantly transferred with hapten-primed lymphocytes, secondary IgE ant-DNP responses were consistently obtained upon challenge with the heterologous conjugate. Moreover, we have been able to elicit augmented primary IgE anti-DNP antibody responses to either DNP-ASC or DNP-KLH after adoptive transfer of spleen cells from donors primed only to the carrier, ASC or KLH, respectively. This adoptive transfer system has enabled us to provide direct proof for the participation of θ-bearing T lymphocytes in antibody responses of the IgE class. Thus, the capacity of ASC-primed spleen cells to effectively cooperate with the DNP-KLH-primed lymphocytes in the adoptive secondary response to DNP-ASC could be abolished by in vitro treatment of such cells with anti-θ serum plus complement. This was true not only for the anti-DNP response of the IgG antibody class, but for the IgE antibody class as well. These studies have, furthermore, demonstrated the capacity to stimulate secondary anti-DNP antibody production in vivo by the concomitant administration of the DNP and relevant carrier determinants on separate molecules. This was more readily seen in the IgE than in the IgG antibody class. Thus, DNP-ASC-primed cells developed significant IgE, but more variable IgG, anti-DNP responses upon challenge with DNP-KLH plus unconjugated ASC. Antibody responses of both classes elicited in this manner were appreciably improved by the transfer of additional carrier (ASC)-primed cells. These and other results presented herein suggest that IgE B lymphocyte precursors may be inherently more sensitive than IgG B cells to at least certain of the functions of T lymphocytes concerned with regulatory mechanisms involved in antibody production.
A Dielectric Sensing Approach for Controlling Matrix Composition During Oxide-Oxide Ceramic Composite Processing

Continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMC’s) made from aluminum oxide fibers and matrices are usually fabricated using a tape casting process. In this process, ceramic slurry consisting of the oxide powder, a polymeric binder and a solvent is infiltrated into a woven ceramic fiber mat. After evaporation of some of the solvent, the resulting flexible tapes can be stacked and sintered to create a composite component. Because the fraction of ceramic powder in the slurry can vary during processing, in-situ compositional sensors are required for on-line feedback control to limit property variations in the composite material. Since the dielectric properties of the slurry components are distinctly different, the effective permittivity of the slurry depends upon its composition. Here, a non-contact capacitance probe has been used to explore the possibility of capacitance sensing for compositional control. Results indicate that the removal of solvent during a precision drying step may be monitored by this approach. The feasibility of monitoring changes in the slurry’s composition during infiltration of the fiber mat is also discussed.
Congenital heart disease

Summary A case of congenital conus stenosis of the right ventricle complicated by a valvular stenosis of inflammatory origin with fusion of the pulmonary cusps forming a pinhole orifice has been described. It was further complicated by the presence of a healed rheumatic endocarditis and a fresh subacute bacterial endocarditis. Complete pertinent clinical and laboratory data have been presented.
Development and evaluation of piezoelectric-polymer thin film sensors for low concentration detection of volatile organic compounds related to food safety applications

Abstract In this study, the regioregular poly (3-hexyl thiophene) (rr-P3HT) based piezoelectric sensors were developed and evaluated to detect alcoholic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with spoiled and Salmonella typhimurium contaminated packaged beef headspace. The drop coating technique was used to deposit thin films of rr-P3HT on both the sides of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode. The QCM polymer sensors were found to provide repeatable and reproducible sensor response to alcohol VOCs with a fast recovery (
A Living-Systems Design Model for Web-based Knowledge Management Systems

Most of the currently available instructional design models were conceptualized to develop instructional solutions to needs and requirements that remain relatively stable over time. Faced with the problem of designing a knowledge management (KM) system that needed to accommodate continuously changing requirements over its fielded lifetime, we developed a new design model that is based on a living-systems approach. In this article, we briefly review currently available instructional systems design models and describe this new model and the mechanisms it contains for accommodating change and growth. We illustrate the application of the phases of the model (analyze initial requirements, design the information architecture, develop the information design, develop the interaction design, implement the Web-based system, and conduct a developmental evaluation of the system) in the development of a KM system with living-system features.
Assertion and conditionals

1. Cartesianism, behaviourism and the philosophical context Part I. Belief: 2. A theory of the mind 3. Belief and decision 4. Computation 5. Truth conditions Part II. Meaning: 6. Realism and truth-theory 7. Assertion Part III. Conditionals: 8. Indicative conditionals 9. Truth and triviality 10. Logic without truth 11. Generalising the probabilistic semantics of conditionals.
Discharge emission studies of rare-earth halide vapors☆

Abstract The discharge spectra of several rare-earth trihalide vapors was observed and the fluorescence lifetimes of certain broadband emissions were measured.
Arachis batizocoi: a study of its relationship to cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea) and its potential for introgression of wild genes into the peanut crop using induced allotetraploids.

Background and aims Arachis batizocoi is a wild relative of cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea), an allotetraploid with an AABB genome. Arachis batizocoi was once considered the ancestral donor of the peanut B genome, but cytogenetics and DNA phylogenies have indicated a new genome classification, 'K'. These observations seem inconsistent with genetic studies and breeding that have shown that A. batizocoi can behave as a B genome. Methods The genetic behaviour, genome composition and phylogenetic position of A. batizocoi were studied using controlled hybridizations, induced tetraploidy, whole-genome in situ fluorescent hybridization (GISH) and molecular phylogenetics. Key results Sterile diploid hybrids containing AK genomes were obtained using A. batizocoi and the A genome species A. duranensis, A. stenosperma, A. correntina or A. villosa. From these, three types of AAKK allotetraploids were obtained, each in multiple independent polyploidy events. Induced allotetraploids were vigorous and fertile, and were hybridized to A. hypogaea to produce F1 hybrids. Even with the same parental combination, fertility of these F1 hybrids varied greatly, suggesting the influence of stochastic genetic or epigenetic events. Interestingly, hybrids with A. hypogaea ssp. hypogaea were significantly more fertile than those with the subspecies fastigiata. GISH in cultivated × induced allotetraploids hybrids (harbouring AABK genomes) and a molecular phylogeny using 16 intron sequences showed that the K genome is distinct, but more closely related to the B than to the A genome. Conclusions The K genome of A. batizocoi is more related to B than to the A genome, but is distinct. As such, when incorporated in an induced allotetraploid (AAKK) it can behave as a B genome in crosses with peanut. However, the fertility of hybrids and their progeny depends upon the compatibility of the A genome interactions. The genetic distinctness of A. batizocoi makes it an important source of allelic diversity in itself, especially in crosses involving A. hypogaea ssp. hypogaea.
DNA damage response and prostate cancer: defects, regulation and therapeutic implications

DNA damage response (DDR) includes the activation of numerous cellular activities that prevent duplication of DNA lesions and maintain genomic integrity, which is critical for the survival of normal and cancer cells. Specific genes involved in the DDR such as BRCA1/2 and P53 are mutated during prostate cancer progression, while various oncogenic signaling such as Akt and c-Myc are activated, enhancing the replication stress and increasing the genomic instability of cancer cells. These events may render prostate cancer cells particularly sensitive to inhibition of specific DDR pathways, such as PARP in homologous recombination DNA repair and Chk1 in cell cycle checkpoint and DNA repair, creating opportunities for synthetic lethality or synergistic cytotoxicity. Recent reports highlight the critical role of androgen receptor (AR) as a regulator of DDR genes, providing a rationale for combining DNA-damaging agents or targeted DDR inhibitors with hormonal manipulation or AR inhibition as treatment for aggressive disease. The aims of this review are to discuss specific DDR defects in prostate cancer that occur during disease progression, to summarize recent advances in understanding the regulation of DDR in prostate cancer, and to present potential therapeutic opportunities through combinational targeting of the intact components of DDR signaling pathways.
RNA folding: pseudoknots, loops and bulges.

The three-dimensional structures adopted by RNA molecules are crucial to their biological functions. The nucleotides of an RNA molecule interact to form characteristic secondary-structure mctifs. Tertiary interactions orient these secondary-structure elements with respect to each other to form the functional RNA. Here we describe the basic structural elements with special emphasis on a novel tertiary motif, the pseudoknot.
Hsp70/Hsc70 regulates the effect phosphorylation has on stabilizing ataxin‐1

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder. The mutation causing SCA1 is an expansion in the polyglutamine tract of the ATXN1 protein. Previous work demonstrated that phosphorylation of mutant ATXN1 at serine 776 (S776), a putative Akt phosphorylation site, is critical for pathogenesis. To examine this pathway further, we utilized a cell-transfection system that allowed the targeting of Akt to either the cytoplasm or the nucleus. In contrast to HeLa cells, we found that Akt targeted to the cytoplasm increased the degradation of ATXN1 in Chinese hamster ovary cells. However, Akt targeted to the cytoplasm failed to destabilize ATXN1 if Hsp70/Hsc70 was present. Thus, Hsp70/Hsc70 can regulate ATXN1 levels in concert with phosphorylation of ATXN1 at S776.
In-line recording and off-axis viewing technique for holographic particle velocimetry.

Prior approaches (e.g., off-axis holography) to overcoming the limitations of in-line holography for particle fields, namely, intrinsic speckle noise and depth resolution, involved an increased complexity of the optical system. The in-line recording and off-axis viewing (IROV) technique employs a single laser beam to record an in-line hologram, which is then viewed off axis during reconstruction. The signal-to-noise ratio and depth resolution of IROV are higher than conventional in-line holography by an order of magnitude and are comparable with off-axis holography. IROV is a much simpler approach than off-axis holography and is highly promising for holographic particle velocimetry. Measurements of the three dimensional flow velocity field of a vortex ring obtained by an IROV-based holographic particle velocimetry system are presented.
Coalescence of Water-in-Shale Oil Emulsions

Abstract The coalescence and interfacial behavior of water-in-shale oil emulsions in the presence of chemical additives was studied using photomicrographic analysis. Both the coalescence and flocculation rate constants were determined as a function of the demulsifier concentration. The coalescence rates increased and the interfacial viscosity decreased with an increase in the temperature. These changes are due to the decrease in bulk and interfacial viscosities with increase in temperature, higher temperatures facilitating better film drainage and hence better coalescence rates. The overall coalescence rate goes through a maximum as the speed of agitation is increased. This maximum may be explained by the mechanism of flocculation and redispersion. The presence of solids was seen to significantly increase the stability of these emulsions.
Enhanced photoluminescent emission of thin phosphor films via pulsed excimer laser melting

Thin-films of (Y{sub 0.92}Eu{sub 0.08}){sub 2}O{sub 3} were synthesized through chemical vapor deposition of {beta}-diketonate precursors onto glass and sapphire substrates. The films were weakly luminescent in the as-deposited condition and were composed of spherical particles 3 {mu}m in diameter. A KrF laser was pulsed for 25 ns from 1{endash}3 times on the surface of the films. One pulse was sufficient to melt the film and repeated pulses caused ablation of the material. Melting of the film smoothed the surface, increased the density, and increased the photoluminescent emission intensity. {copyright} {ital 1998 Materials Research Society.}
Intercontinental transport of pollution and dust aerosols: implications for regional air quality

We use the global model GOCART to examine the impact of pollution and dust aerosols emitted from their ma- jor sources on surface fine particulate matter concentrations at regional and hemispheric scales. Focusing on the North America region in 2001, we use measurements from the IM- PROVE network in the United States to evaluate the model- simulated surface concentrations of the "reconstructed fine mass" (RCFM) and its components of ammonium sulfate, black carbon (BC), organic matter (OM), and fine mode dust. We then quantify the RCFM budget in terms of the RCFM chemical composition, source type, and region of origin to find that in the eastern U.S., ammonium sulfate is the domi- nant RCFM component ( 60%) whereas in the western U.S., dust and OM are just as important as sulfate but have con- siderable seasonal variations, especially in the NW. On an annual average, pollution aerosol (defined as aerosols from fuel combustion for industrial and transportation uses) from North America accounts for 65-70% of the surface RCFM in the eastern U.S. and for a lower proportion of 30-40% in the western U.S.; by contrast, pollution from outside of North America contributes to just 2-6% ( 0.2µg m 3 ) of the total RCFM over the U.S. In comparison, long-range transport of dust brings 3 to 4 times more fine particles than the transport of pollution to the U.S. (0.5-0.8 µg m 3 on an annual aver- age) with a maximum influence in spring and over the NW. Of the major pollution regions, Europe has the largest poten- tial to affect the surface aerosol concentrations in other con- tinents due to its shorter distance from receptor continents and its larger fraction of sulfate-producing precursor gas in the outflow. With the IPCC emission scenario for the year 2000, we find that European emissions increase levels of am- monium sulfate by 1-5µg m 3 over the surface of northern Africa and western Asia, and its contribution to eastern Asia
Sex-specific mouse liver gene expression: genome-wide analysis of developmental changes from pre-pubertal period to young adulthood

Early liver development and the transcriptional transitions during hepatogenesis are well characterized. However, gene expression changes during the late postnatal/pre-pubertal to young adulthood period are less well understood, especially with regards to sex-specific gene expression. Microarray analysis of male and female mouse liver was carried out at 3, 4, and 8 wk of age to elucidate developmental changes in gene expression from the late postnatal/pre-pubertal period to young adulthood. A large number of sex-biased and sex-independent genes showed significant changes during this developmental period. Notably, sex-independent genes involved in cell cycle, chromosome condensation, and DNA replication were down regulated from 3 wk to 8 wk, while genes associated with metal ion binding, ion transport and kinase activity were up regulated. A majority of genes showing sex differential expression in adult liver did not display sex differences prior to puberty, at which time extensive changes in sex-specific gene expression were seen, primarily in males. Thus, in male liver, 76% of male-specific genes were up regulated and 47% of female-specific genes were down regulated from 3 to 8 wk of age, whereas in female liver 67% of sex-specific genes showed no significant change in expression. In both sexes, genes up regulated from 3 to 8 wk were significantly enriched (p < E-76) in the set of genes positively regulated by the liver transcription factor HNF4α, as determined in a liver-specific HNF4α knockout mouse model, while genes down regulated during this developmental period showed significant enrichment (p < E-65) for negative regulation by HNF4α. Significant enrichment of the developmentally regulated genes in the set of genes subject to positive and negative regulation by pituitary hormone was also observed. Five sex-specific transcriptional regulators showed sex-specific expression at 4 wk (male-specific Ihh; female-specific Cdx4, Cux2, Tox, and Trim24) and may contribute to the developmental changes that lead to global acquisition of liver sex-specificity by 8 wk of age. Overall, the observed changes in gene expression during postnatal liver development reflect the deceleration of liver growth and the induction of specialized liver functions, with widespread changes in sex-specific gene expression primarily occurring in male liver.
Sodium balance in the American alligator

Alligators in fresh water regulate their plasma and cloacal fluid electrolytes at concentrations similar to those of other crocodilians. They have an exchangeable Na pool of 60.8 μmol/gm and a unidirectional Na efflux of 3.9 μmol/100 gm·hr. Of this 11% is excreted from the cloaca, 43% presumably diffuses across the body integument, and the remaining 46% is lost from the head region. The integumental Na efflux is estimated to be 0.01 μmol/cm2·hr. In fresh water the net flux is 0.5 μmol/100 gm·hr, which suggests that nondietary Na uptake can compensate for 86% of unidirectional Na loss.
Asymmetrical bargaining in the conference on security and cooperation in Europe

Bargaining relationships in formal international conferences and negotiations may involve structural asymmetries. A comprehensive analysis of these asymmetries in bargaining may be found in a synthesis of literature from formal game theory, structural-manipulative approaches to bargaining, social psychology, and the study of political influence. Propositions based on this literature focus on two factors which are likely to contribute to asymmetrical outcomes in negotiations: unequal costs to the negotiators from the failure to agree, and unequal resources available to employ in bargaining or influence attempts. An analysis of bargaining in the section of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) dealing with the issues of European security gave qualified support to these propositions. Influence over the final text in the CSCE agreement is related to a rough index of losses which would have resulted for individual nations from the failure to reach agreement in the CSCE. In addition, influence over the final text is related to each nation's resources, especially military resources. More significantly, the two superpowers exerted considerable asymmetrical influence over what was not included in the CSCE agreement, thus exercising a substantial veto. Thus, the asymmetrical outcomes within the CSCE negotiations were reflective of both differences in “threat potential,” that is, in the losses which actors would receive if no agreement had ensued, as well as differences in resources.
Unmet psychosocial needs of Pennsylvanians with cancer: 1986-2005.

BACKGROUND. The purpose of the current study was to identify unmet psychosocial needs of cancer survivors, understand the distribution of needs across subgroups, and compare unmet needs in 2005 with those identified by Houts et al. in 1986. METHODS. Using a sequential mixed methods design, qualitative interviews were conducted with 32 cancer survivors or family members to identify the psychosocial needs of people from the time of cancer diagnosis through survivorship. These data were used to modify a needs assessment that was mailed to a stratified random sample of survivors obtained from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry. RESULTS. A total of 614 survivors returned usable questionnaires. Nearly twothirds of respondents reported experiencing at least 1 unmet psychosocial need, particularly emotional, physical, and treatment-related needs. It is likely that unmet needs in insurance, employment, information, and homecare increased during the 20-year interval between surveys. Demographics associated with increased unmet need included later stage of disease at the time of diagnosis, younger age, more comorbidities, and lower income. CONCLUSIONS. Unmet psychosocial need remains high despite 20 years of effort to address psychosocial issues. This may be due to a mismatch between needs and services. Unmet need may be related to access issues, a lack of awareness of resources, ‘‘new’’ needs that have arisen in a changing healthcare climate, and patient preferences for types of service. Cancer treatment staff should be especially alert for psychosocial problems in younger individuals with an additional illness burden. Cancer 2007;110:631–9. � 2007 American Cancer Society.
Facilitating social and natural science cross-disciplinarity: Assessing the human and social dynamics program

Research that integrates the social and natural sciences is vital to address many societal challenges, yet is difficult to arrange, conduct, and disseminate. This article analyses the cross-disciplinary character of the research supported by a unique US National Science Foundation program on Human and Social Dynamics (HSD). It presents evidence that research publications deriving from this support chiefly pertain to the Social and Behavioral Sciences, but extend widely into the Bio and Medical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering. Integration scores, based on the diversity of references cited, indicate that the HSD-derived publications are notably more interdisciplinary than those of comparable programs. Diffusion scores, together with science overlay maps, show that uptake of the HSD publications extends into the natural, as well as social, sciences. Research networking analyses, together with a new composite mapping approach, point toward successful catalysis of a new research community. The measures and maps of cross-disciplinary research activity that are advanced here may prove useful in other research assessments. Copyright The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.
A thermally stable polymer molecular composite

A molecular composite of rigid-rod poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) and flexible-coil poly(benzimidazobenzophenantroline) has been prepared, characterized, and shown to be thermally stable to at least 300°C. These results suggest that stable miscible blends of rodlike and coil-like polymers can be prepared by controlling the T g of the flexible-coil polymer
Gentamicin administered in vivo reduces protein synthesis in microsomes subsequently isolated from rat kidneys but not from rat brains

Abstract Gentamicin injected in vivo, in doses equivalent to those used therapeutically in humans, produced a decrease in the protein synthesizing capacity of microsomes subsequently isolated from rat kidneys, but not of microsomes isolated from rat whole brains. The decreases in eukaryotic cell protein synthesis observed following in-vivo administration of gentamicin were similar to those observed following the addition of gentamicin to microsomes in vitro.
LIM kinase1 modulates function of membrane type matrix metalloproteinase 1: implication in invasion of prostate cancer cells

Background LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) is an actin and microtubule cytoskeleton modulatory protein that is overexpressed in a number of cancerous tissues and cells and also promotes invasion and metastasis of prostate and breast cancer cells. Membrane type matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MT1-MMP) is a critical modulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover through pericellular proteolysis and thus plays crucial roles in neoplastic cell invasion and metastasis. MT1-MMP and its substrates pro-MMP-2 and pro-MMP-9 are often overexpressed in a variety of cancers including prostate cancer and the expression levels correlate with the grade of malignancy in prostate cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to determine any functional relation between LIMK1 and MT1-MMP and its implication in cell invasion.
NIH Electronic Cigarette Workshop: Developing a Research Agenda

Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) represent an emerging public health issue. These devices deliver nicotine along with other constituents, including flavorants, via an inhalable aerosol. Their uptake is rapidly increasing in both adults and youths, primarily among current smokers. Public debate is increasing on how these devices should be regulated and used, yet only limited peer-reviewed research exists. To develop a informed policy for e-cigarettes, their effects on human behavior, physiology, and health need to be understood.
Band structures of II-VI semiconductors using Gaussian basis functions with separable ab initio pseudopotentials: Application to prediction of band offsets.

We describe the implementation of a separable pseudopotential into the dual space approach for ab initio density-functional calculations using Gaussian basis functions. We apply this Gaussian dual space method ~GDS/DFT! to the study of II-VI semiconductors ~II5Zn, Cd, Hg; VI5S, Se, Te, Po!. The results compare well with experimental data and demonstrate the general transferability of the separable pseudopotential. We also introduce a band-consistent tight-binding ~BC-TB! model for calculating the bulk contributions to the valenceband offsets ~VBO’s !. This BC-TB approach yields good agreement with all-electron ab initio GDS/DFT results. Comparisons between BC-TB results of VBO obtained with and without p-d coupling demonstrate quantitatively the importance of d electrons and cation-d ‐anion-p coupling in II-VI systems. Agreement between ab initio results and experimental results is excellent.
A Rodent Model of Protein Turnover Used to Design an Experiment for Measuring the Rates of Channeling, Recycling and Protein Synthesis

We described previously a mechanistic model of whole-body protein turnover in rodents. Channeling was defined as the flow of amino acids from the extracellular compartment to aminoacyl tRNA and protein synthesis. Recycling was defined as the flow of amino acids from protein degradation to aminoacyl tRNA (protein synthesis) without mixing with the intracellular pool of amino acids. In this paper, the model is applied to tissues and whole body and is used to develop an experimental protocol for estimating protein fractional synthesis rate, recycling and channeling. Channeling, recycling and protein synthesis must be estimated simultaneously because changes in specific radioactivities over time are highly dependent on the rate of protein synthesis. Injection-specific radioactivities, body weights and experimental variation were used with the model to generate data at different rates of recycling and channeling. The data generated were then used to determine the best time points and experimental method to estimate percentages of recycling, channeling and protein synthesis rate by the iterative Method of Maximum Likelihood. Specific radioactivity at each time point was based on simulated data from three rodents at each of six time points. Predicted protein synthesis rates were within 5%/d of observed rates for all methods. Predicted rates of recycling and channeling were generally within 15% of observed rates except recycling in muscle at high channeling and high recycling. Standard deviations of the predictions of percentages of channeling and recycling were between 0.148 and 44.5% for the pulse dose method, 0.0655 and 197% for the continuous infusion method and 0.351 and 962% for the flooding dose method. The experimental design that yields the best estimates of channeling, recycling and protein synthesis is the pulse dose. Changes in amino acid specific radioactivities in the extracellular, aminoacyl tRNA and protein pools were greatest and should be measured at 2, 6, 10, 40, 70 and 100 min in the pulse method.
Feminist Media Criticism and Feminist Media Practices

This article explores four thematic areas in feminist media criticism. First, it considers how gender informs norms and values that pattern industry production practices and conventions. Next, it explores how feminist criticism has influenced one of the emergent areas in media scholarship: reception studies. This particular subgenre of media studies examines how audiences actively engage the mediascape around them. Third, the focus shifts to the rising influence of black feminist criticism, which has identified many of the tensions within feminism and also has pointed toward new modes of media criticism and practice. Fourth, the article examines how feminism has informed the study of masculinity. The final section of the article identifies and briefly discusses two areas that will forge new directions in feminist media studies: the burgeoning sex industry and globalization.
Understanding the Essex Junto: Fear, Dissent, and Propaganda in the Early Republic

Abstract Historians have never formed a consensus over the Essex Junto. In fact, though often associated with New England Federalists, propagandists evoked the Junto long after the Federalist Party...
Static detection of loop-invariant data structures

As a culture, object-orientation encourages programmers to create objects, both short- and long-lived, without concern for cost. Excessive object creation and initialization can cause severe runtime bloat, which degrades significantly application performance and scalability. A frequently-occurring coding pattern that may lead to large volumes of (temporary) objects is the creation of objects that, while allocated per loop iteration, contain values independent of specific iterations. Finding these objects and moving them out of loops requires sophisticated interprocedural analysis, a task that is difficult for traditional dataflow analyses such as loop-invariant code motion to accomplish.Our work targets data structures that are loop-invariant, and presents a static type and effect system to detect loop-invariant data structures. For each loop, our analysis inspects each logical data structure in order to find those that have disjoint instances per loop iteration and contain loop-invariant data. Instead of automatically hoisting them to improve performance (which is over-conservative), we report hoistability measurements for each disjoint loop data structure detected by our analysis. Eventually these data structures are ranked based on these measurements and are presented to the user to help manual tuning. We have performed a variety of studies on a set of 19 moderate/large-sized Java benchmarks. With the help of hoistability measurements, we found optimization opportunities in most of the programs that we inspected and achieved significant performance improvements in some of them (e.g., 82.1% running time reduction).
Laryngology litigation in the United States: Thirty years in review.

Objectives/Hypothesis Malpractice claims pertaining to laryngology procedures are a potentially important source of information that could be used to minimize the risk of future litigation and improve patient care. Study Design A retrospective review of two publicly available databases containing jury verdicts and settlements. Methods The LexisNexis Jury Verdicts and Settlements and WestlawNext legal databases were reviewed for all lawsuits and out-of-court adjudications related to the practice of laryngology. Data including patient demographics, type of surgery performed, plaintiff allegation, nature of injury, outcomes, and indemnities were collected and analyzed. Results Of 87 cases meeting inclusion criteria, 56 were decided by a jury and 31 were adjudicated out of court. Vocal cord surgery was the most commonly litigated surgery. The two most commonly cited legal allegations were physical injury and negligence. No statistical difference for legal outcome was found when death or vocal cord injuries occurred. Complications in procedures that utilized a laser predicted an unfavorable outcome (P = 0.013). A payout was made in over one-half of cases, but defendants were favored in over two-thirds of cases decided by a jury. The average indemnities were significant for both jury verdicts ($4.6 million) and out-of-court settlements ($0.9 million). Conclusion An awareness of laryngology malpractice litigation has the potential to provide better patient care and help laryngologists avoid potential risks for litigation. The factors determining legal responsibility in laryngology cases underscore the importance of close communication with anesthesiologists and careful evaluation of hoarseness in all patients regardless of risk factors. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 2015
The Possession of Jesus

This article reads Jesus’ baptism in Mark as an experience of possession akin to that of the demoniacs. It suggests several possible readings of Mark in light of this baptismal possession: (1) as a story of heavenly rape similar to that of the Lukan Mary’s overshadowing by the spirit; (2) as a story like the possessed of cinematic horror; (3) as a story of a colonial holy warrior’s enthusing possession by the spirit and subsequent dispossession and failure vis-a-vis empire; and (4) as a story of one entrapped by an obsessive script. The readings’ cumulative effect is a different perspective on the Markan Jesus’ first and last words – the announcement of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14) and his final lament (15:34, 37) – than is common in Markan scholarship. The sayings become descriptions of Jesus’ possession and the subsequent loss of that spirit.
The evolution of hydroxyurea therapy in chronic myelogenous leukemia.

The evolution of hydroxyurea as a chemotherapeutic agent has been unique. Hydroxyurea inhibits synthesis of DNA, has antitumor activity, and is myelosuppressive. It has attained a significant role in the management of chronic myelogenous leukemia. A nonrandomized comparison of bus&an and hydroxyurea concluded that hydroxyurea was the preferable agent in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia and was associated with less life-threatening toxicity. Because of its systemic effects, hydroxyurea is also used in the treatment of polycythemia and psoriasis. Copyright 0 1992 by W.B. Saunders Company H YDROXYUREA (Hydrea, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Evansville, IN) is a chemotherapeutic agent whose development as an antineoplastic agent has led to its clinical application in a wide variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. Hydroxyurea (CH4N202) was first synthesized in 1869’ (Fig 1). In biologic studies2 conducted in 1928, anemia and megaloblastosis developed in rabbits treated with large doses of hydroxyurea. Depression of leukocyte formation in the bone marrow was also observed. From 1958 to 1964, the antitumor activity of hydroxyurea was demonstrated in animal screening studies. 3-8 Based on these observations, hydroxyurea was selected for clinical evaluation in the treatment of oncologic diseases. Initial clinical studies7v9 with hydroxyurea demonstrated bone marrow depression, marrow megaloblastosis, and objective regressions in patients with a variety of solid tumors and with acute and chronic leukemia. Although limited objective improvements in solid tumors were noted, there appeared to be a consistent drop in leukocyte counts, decrease in splenomegaly, and improvement in anemia in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Subsequent studies were therefore undertaken to assess hydroxyurea’s mechanism of action and its potential role in CML treatment.
Revisiting tuberculosis risk in Peace Corps Volunteers, 2006-13.

Background. Risk of tuberculosis (TB) is generally considered to be low for long-term travellers, though risk varies with travel destination, duration and purpose. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) serve for 27 months as community-level development workers in various countries around the world and may be exposed to TB in the course of their service. This study examines recent trends in TB in PCVs and compares rates with a previous analysis published by Jung and Banks. Methods. Tuberculosis case data submitted to the Peace Corps’ Epidemiologic Surveillance System by Peace Corps Medical Officers and gathered from Federal Employees Compensation Act claims for latent TB infection (LTBI) and active TB between 2006 and 2013 were aggregated and analysed for trends and significance. Results. Overall, there were 689 cases of LTBI and 13 cases of active TB, for a rate of 0.95 cases of LTBI [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–1.02] and 0.02 cases of active TB (95% CI 0.01–0.03) per 1000 Volunteer-months. Both are significantly lower than rates presented in the initial study ( P < 0.001). Per-country incidence rates for LTBI ranged from 0.00 to 4.52 cases per 1000 Volunteer-months. Per-country active TB rates ranged from 0.00 to 0.78 cases per 1000 Volunteer-months. Among the 13 cases of active TB, there was one successfully treated case of extensively drug-resistant TB. Conclusions. Overall rates of both active and latent TB in PCVs were significantly lower compared with the previous study period. PCVs continue to have statistically significantly higher rates of active TB compared with the general US population but lower rates compared with other long-term travellers.
Precipitation and Elephants, Not Fire, Shape Tree Community Composition in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Savannas are spatially diverse, variable and are susceptible to high rates of disturbance from fire and herbivory. There is significant interest in woody cover dynamics in relation to disturbance regimes. Less effort has been devoted to understand processes that drive tree community composition. In this study, tree species composition data collected at the landscape scale in the Serengeti were used to identify key environmental factors driving variation in species composition. A system of 38 plots clustered within 10 sites spanning the mean annual precipitation (MAP) gradient was used to assess the relative role of bottom-up (precipitation, soil nutrients and soil texture) vs. top-down factors (fire and elephant herbivory) on tree community composition. We developed candidate models relating tree species composition (based on multivariate community analysis) to different combinations of plot-level environmental covariates. Results suggest that tree community composition is largely driven by MAP and is associated with elephant population density. Strikingly, we found no evidence that fire influences species compositional turnover. In a second analysis, we used structural equation model (SEM) to explore the possible direction of association between elephant density and tree species composition. We compared a model that included elephant effects on composition to one that included community composition effects on elephant density. Results suggest that variation in elephant population density across space is more likely to drive tree community composition and not vice versa. We propose that precipitation and herbivory, rather than fire, determine tree species composition in Serengeti Acacia tree community.
Current Adoption Tax Benefit Legislation

In this article, he discusses the 2001 legislation that expanded the adoption tax credit and exclusion and made them permanent. He describes some ambiguities that were created by the 2001 updates in the law and also shows how most of those ambiguities have been resolved by subsequent, recent legislation. He also suggests additional clarifications that would be helpful.
A Comment on "Consumer Preferences for Alternative Retail Credit Plans"

In an analysis of preferences for credit plans, it is convenient to take the first factor as given and to consider the trade-offs among the others. The remaining six factors are not all independent. Though trade-offs among some of these factors are a matter of individual preferences, other trade-offs are unambiguous quid pro quos. For example, an increase in the required downpayment exactly matched by an increase in the trade-in allowance ought to leave anyone totally indifferent. Similarly, although consumers may differ as to how long an extension in the length of the plan they would accept in exchange for a given reduction in the size of the monthly payment, all consumers would agree that given the price, downpayment, trade-in allowance, monthly payment size, and finance charge, the number of
Carcinoma of the Anal Canal

Carcinoma of the anal canal accounts for 1.5 percent of digestive-system cancers in the United States, with an estimated 3400 new cases in 2000.1 Thirty years ago, anal cancer was believed to be caused by chronic, local inflammation of the perianal area2,3 and was treated with an abdominoperineal resection, necessitating a permanent colostomy.4 As the result of a series of epidemiologic studies, it is now apparent that the development of anal cancer is associated with infection by human papillomavirus, which is usually sexually transmitted. Moreover, in the majority of patients, the condition can be cured by concurrent chemotherapy and . . .
Some Interesting Fixed Points

Introduction In this note we look at the solution of two problems drawn from the field of mathematics of finance. These problems are interesting because they provide us with real-world examples of fixed-point problems. (Recall that a fixed point xo of a function f is a point in the domain of f such that f(xo) = xo.) The second of the two examples to be considered also shows that, in practice, the "most obvious" way of writing an equation in the form x =f(x) may not produce a convergent sequence; it is sometimes necessary to recast the equation in some other form in order to guarantee convergence of the sequence generated by the resulting iterative scheme. Finally, because the numerical computations are easily performed with a pocket calculator, a student can generate the required sequences readily and thus reinforce his understanding of the mathematical concepts involved.