cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative feeding and breeding strategies of a sympatric pair of leopard frogs (Rana pipiens complex)

Ovary weight and fat body weight relative to total body weight were ascertained from samples of Rana magnaocularis and Rana forreri taken routinely from sympatric populations of the two species. Relative fat body weight reaches a maximum in R. forreri in October and November, about 2 months later than in R. magnaocularis (August and September). Relative ovary weight in R. forreri reaches a maximum in July and August, some 8 to 9 months after the fat body peak. In R. magnaocularis, in contrast, maximum relative ovary weight occurs in November, December, and January, only about 2 to 4 months later than the fat body peak. Both species may capitalize on abundant food in late summer to increase fat storage. Maturation of the ova and the laying of eggs are almost completely asynchronous for the two species, however. These differences are considered from the standpoint that they may represent an example of reproductive character displacement via temporal competitive exclusion.
Lifetime distributions and anisotropy decays of indole fluorescence in cyclohexane/ethanol mixtures by frequency-domain fluorometry

We used frequency-domain fluorometry to measure intensity and anisotropy decay of indole fluorescence in cyclohexane/ethanol mixtures at 20 degrees C. In 100% cyclohexane or 100% ethanol the intensity decay of indole appears to be a single exponential with decay times of 7.66 and 4.10 ns, respectively. In cyclohexane containing a small percentage of ethanol (up to 10%), we observed increased heterogeneity in intensity decay, resulting in a 10-fold increase in chi 2R for the single-exponential fit, as compared with the double-exponential model. We obtained comparable or better fits using unimodal Lorentzian and Gaussian lifetime distributions (two floating parameters) than for the two-exponential model (three floating parameters). We believe that the distribution of decay times reflects a range of indole solvation states in the dominately nonpolar solutions. This result suggests that a variety of hydrogen-bonding configurations could be one origin of the distributions of decay times observed for tryptophan emission from proteins. We also measured rotational diffusion of indole in cyclohexane, ethanol and its mixtures at 20 degrees C. The picosecond correlation times required that the mean decay times be decreased by acrylamide quenching (in ethanol) or energy transfer (in cyclohexane). In ethanol we observed nearly isotropic rotation of indole; in cyclohexane we obtained two correlation times of 17 and 73 ps. The shorter correlation time in cyclohexane appears to be due to the slip boundary condition, which was found to be progressively eliminated by small percentages of ethanol. Hence, hydrogen-bonding interactions appear to have a substantial effect on the rotational dynamics of indole.
Fatty Acid Synthesis by Elongases in Trypanosomes

All eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms are thought to synthesize fatty acids using a type I or type II synthase. In addition, eukaryotes extend pre-existing long chain fatty acids using microsomal elongases (ELOs). We have found that Trypanosoma brucei, a eukaryotic human parasite that causes sleeping sickness, uses three elongases instead of type I or type II synthases for the synthesis of nearly all its fatty acids. Trypanosomes encounter diverse environments during their life cycle with different fatty acid requirements. The tsetse vector form requires synthesis of stearate (C18), whereas the bloodstream form needs myristate (C14). We find that trypanosome fatty acid synthesis is modular, with ELO1 converting C4 to C10, ELO2 extending C10 to C14, and ELO3 elongating C14 to C18. In blood, ELO3 downregulation favors myristate synthesis, whereas low concentrations of exogenous fatty acids in cultured parasites cause upregulation of the entire pathway, allowing the parasite to adapt to different environments.
Magnetic depolarization of CS2 vapor fluorescence

Abstract The CS 2 V system (2900–3300 A) has been excited using a high-pressure xenon lamp in conjunction with a fast monochromator and the degree of polarization of the resulting fluorescence has been measured. From the depolarization of the fluorescence (λ ex =3200 A) with applied magnetic field the proudct ḡ π = 7.3 ± 0.9 × 10 −9 sec has been determined from level-crossing studies. Using the radiative lifetime π = 1.5 × 10 −5 sec, the average effective g value of the excited state is estimated to be ḡ = 4.9 ± 4.9 ± 0.6 × × 10 −4 .
Effect of elevated curing temperatures on the strength and durability of concrete

In recent years, high core temperatures of 77–93°C of mass concrete elements during curing have been recorded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). These curing temperatures have been recorded while still maintaining the maximum differential temperature of 20°C between the core and exterior of mass concrete elements as specified by the FDOT. This study was conducted to evaluate the strength and durability of concrete subjected to elevated curing temperatures. Using typical FDOT class IV mass concrete mixes; it is shown that elevated curing temperature resulted in lower later-age strengths. Blending the cement with fly ash and slag, resulted in increased strength and durability when compared to the plain cement mixes.
Isolation of lymphoma cell variants resistant to killing by glucocorticoids

Abstract Pseudo-diploid (2s) and pseudo-tetraploid (4s) cultured mouse lymphoma cells are killed by physiological concentrations of adrenal glucocorticoid hormones. A method is described for the single-step isolation of 2s and 4s variants resistant to dexamethasone, a synthetic adrenal hormone. The transition from steroid sensitivity to resistance is stochastic and occurs at a rate of 3.5 × 10 −6 /cell/generation. Several types of mutagens significantly increase this rate. The chromosome number, growth rate, gross morphology, and cloning efficiency of the steroid-resistant variants are not detectably different from those of their steroid-sensitive parents.
Substitute derviatives in unconstrained optimization: a comparison of finite difference and response surface approximations

Abstract This paper compares the accuracy of unconstrained gradient search using substitute derivatives approximated by finite differences or first-order response surfaces. The finite difference approximation employed was a forward difference with variable step size. Two experimental designs were used to estimate a first-order response surface. They were an augmented factorial and a simplex design. Three gradient search procedures were studied. They were a quasi-Newton algorithm, a conjugate gradient algorithm and a steepest descent algorithm. The results of this study demonstrate that a finite difference approximation will in general outperform a first-order response surface approximation. Further, both the quasi-Newton algorithm with finite difference approximation and the conjugate gradient algorithm with finite difference approximation provide a viable alternative to search procedures based on function comparisons.
Convergence of genetic findings for nicotine dependence and smoking related diseases with chromosome 15q24-25.

Due to the adverse health consequences related to smoking, it is important to understand factors that contribute to nicotine dependence. The most replicated genetic finding for nicotine dependence points to variants on chromosome 15, which includes the α5-α3-β4 nicotinic receptor gene cluster. A compelling functional variant is a polymorphism, rs16969968, which alters an amino acid in the α5 nicotinic receptor subunit. Several prominent studies report that the replicated nicotine dependence locus also influences the risk for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This represents an exciting convergence of genetic findings, and highlights the potential for research on smoking to inform public health.
The commercial development of short wave radio in the United States, 1920–1926

(1991). The commercial development of short wave radio in the United States, 1920–1926. Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television: Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 215-227.
The Littlewood-Offord Problem: Tightest Packing and an M-part Sperner Theorem

Suppose a1, . . . an an are vectors of length at least 1 in m-dimensional real space, not necessarily distinct. Suppose S is an m-dimensional open sphere of diameter d. Let fm(n, d) denote the maximum, over all choices of the ai and S, of the number of sums {ie225-1} which lie in S, where each ɛi is 0 or 1. For example, it is known that{fx225-1} for all m and n. Here we find the tightest packing of all 2n sums in 2 dimensions: f2(n, d) =2n if d > cosec (π/2n). The extremal configuration is to let the ai be n consecutive sides of a regular 2n-gon with unit sides. Bounds on the tightest packing are given for m > 2. A different approach yields an upper bound on fm(n, d) for all m, n, d of the form {ie225-2}, where cm is a constant depending on m. This follows from a new generalization of Sperner's theorem.
Effects of Ag nanoparticles on survival and oxygen consumption of zebra fish embryos, Danio rerio.

Ultrafine silver (Ag) particles, defined as having one dimension in 1–100 nanometer (nm) size range, pose a unique threat to aquatic ecosystems due to their wide use in the healthcare and commercial industries. Previous studies have demonstrated some consequences of nanosilver exposure for earlier life stages of aquatic organisms, but few focus on the effects on metabolic processes such as oxygen consumption. Additionally, few authors have tackled the issue of how size, shape and composition of nanosilver particles are important in determining their level of bioactivity and biodistribution in the aquatic environment. In this study, embryos of the zebra fish, Danio rerio, (n = 2373) were exposed to varying concentrations of two Ag particle sizes, 12 and 21 nm, at time points 24 and 48 h after fertilization. The 12 nm particles were found to be more bioactive with a lethal dose 50 (LD50) concentration of 15.8 μg/mL compared to 50.1 μg/mL for 21 nm particles. The effective dose level (ED) was measured as 12....
Magnetic properties of the mixed oxide LaMnO3–ABO3 (AB=PbZr, BaTi)

Abstract The observation of a possible superexchange mediated ferromagnetism in the mixed oxides (1−x) LaMnO3–x PbZrO3 and (1−y) LaMnO3–y BaTiO3 is reported. The polycrystalline oxides are antiferromagnetic (AF) for x(y) less than 10%, and a transition to ferromagnetism occurs for higher substitution. Important observations on the magnetic properties are as follows: (i) for PbZrO3 substitutions, the low temperature magnetization M and the Curie temperature Tc are relatively large; (ii) a much lower M and Tc are measured for samples substituted with BaTiO3; and (iii) a magnetic transition back to the AF order is evident only for high (y>0.25) BaTiO3 substitutions.
Comparison of resistive index versus pulsatility index in assessing the benign etiology of adnexal masses

Abstract Retrospective analysis of pelvic sonograms with color-guided spectral Doppler evaluation of 189 adnexal masses yielded four malignancies, 20 benign neoplasms, 32 cysts, and 14 endometriomas. Fifty-eight masses were presumed benign on additional imaging. Pulsatility index (PI)
Optimized selection of reliable and cost-effective cyber-physical system architectures

We address the problem of synthesizing safety-critical cyber-physical system architectures to minimize a cost function while guaranteeing the desired reliability. We cast the problem as an integer linear program on a reconfigurable graph which models the architecture. Since generating symbolic probability constraints by exhaustive enumeration of failure cases on all possible graph configurations takes exponential time, we propose two algorithms to decrease the problem complexity, i.e. Integer-Linear Programming Modulo Reliability (ILP-MR) and Integer-Linear Programming with Approximate Reliability (ILP-AR). We compare the two approaches and demonstrate their effectiveness on the design of aircraft electric power system architectures.
Pars plana vitrectomy, fluocinolone acetonide implantation, and silicone oil infusion for the treatment of chronic, refractory uveitic hypotony.

Purpose To assess the feasibility and outcomes of combining fluocinolone acetonide sustained drug delivery implant insertion, pars plana vitrectomy, and silicone oil infusion to treat patients with chronic, refractory ocular hypotony resulting from uveitis. Design Retrospective chart review. Methods A retrospective, institutional chart review was performed. Outcome measures included visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and adverse events. Results A total of 13 eyes of 11 patients were studied. All patients were women, had a mean age of 57 years (range, 26 to 73 years), and had a diagnosis of panuveitis. The mean duration of preoperative hypotony was 42 months (range, 11 to 108 months). Patients were followed up on average for 22 months (range, 9 to 46 months) after the combined surgical procedure. The mean preoperative visual acuity was 20/1000 (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution, 1.7). At the 6- and 12-month visits, the mean visual acuity remained stable at 20/800 (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution, 1.6; P = .74) and 20/600 ( P = .34), respectively. At baseline, the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 2.3 mm Hg. The average IOP was 5.9 mm Hg, 5.1 mm Hg, and 5.0 mm Hg at 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery, respectively. The increase in IOP relative to the baseline IOP was statistically significant at 6 and 12 months ( P = .027 and P = .004, respectively). The duration of preoperative hypotony inversely correlated with the IOP at 6 months ( P = .027). No intraoperative complications were encountered and the procedure was well tolerated. Conclusions Fluocinolone acetonide implantation combined with pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil infusion is feasible and is well tolerated in the management of chronic, refractory ocular hypotony associated with uveitis.
The stability of the Manual Ability Classification System over time.

Aim To evaluate the stability over time of the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels. Method The study group comprised 1267 children with cerebral palsy (746 males, 521 females) who were followed from 2005 to 2010 with two or more registered MACS classifications rated at least 1 year apart. Thirty-five percent of the children (n=445) had four MACS registrations. The children were between 4 and 17 years old at their first rating, The stability over time was also compared between children who were younger (4y of age) or older (≥10y) at the time of their first classification. Results An excellent stability was found between two ratings at 1-year intervals with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97 (95% CI 0.97–0.97) and 82% agreement (n=1267). The stability was also excellent for two ratings performed 3 to 5 years apart (ICC 0.96; 95% CI 0.95–0.97) with an agreement of 78% (n=445). Across four ratings, 70% of the children remained at the same level. The results were similar for younger and older children, indicating that stability was not influenced by age. Interpretation This study provides evidence that MACS levels are stable over time and that the classification has predictive value.
Utilizing the Internet as a Campaign Tool: The Relationship Between Incumbency, Political Party Affiliation, Election Outcomes, and the Quality of Campaign Web sites in the United States

ABSTRACT This research considers the growing use of the Internet by campaigns in the United States at the sub-presidential level and examines whether the Internet can be used as an effective tool. My research examines the candidate Web sites on several dimensions of quality. The Internet quality index reflects attention to both scholarly research regarding information technology and literature on political campaigns and elections. Using a sample of House, Senate, and gubernatorial Web sites, I observed the relative quality of campaign Web sites from the 2002 mid-term election in relation to incumbency and political party affiliation. I also examined electoral success in relation to the Internet quality of the campaign Web sites. The goal of this analysis is to predict the quality of candidate Web sites by incumbency and political party affiliation; and subsequently, to answer the question of whether candidate Web site quality has a relationship to electoral success.
A High-Fecundity Aedine: Factors Affecting Egg Production of the Western Treehole Mosquito, Aedes Sierrensis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Aedes sierrensis is typical of most mosquitoes in that larger females lay more eggs per batch and females blood fed to repletion lay more eggs than those not taking a complete meal. Neither mating nor gonotrophic age affects egg maturation, but mated mosquitoes oviposit more readily than unmated ones. Pupal weight does not correlate with egg weight, survivorship of either sex, number of clutches produced, mating success, day of 1st feeding, or 1st day of oviposition. Aedes sierrensis is unusual in its high weight-specific fecundity and small egg size relative to 5 other Aedes species. High fecundity may be an adaptation allowing individual females of this species to oviposit single egg batches in a greater number of tree holes.
Chemorheology of poly(urethane/isocyanurate) formation

Poly(urethane/isocyanurate) is a major resin used in the structural reaction injection molding (SRIM) process. In this study, the kinetics and viscosity changes of a poly(urethane/isocyanurate) resin were investigated by the adiabatic temperature/viscosity rise method and differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of the catalyst concentration and the volume ratio of isocyanate to polyol was investigated. It is found that isocyanate trimerization depends on the diffusion effect resulted from the urethane formation. A kinetic model including the diffusion effect is developed, which is able to predict the experimental results. The reaction induced viscosity rise depends on the concentration and the molecular weight of the formed polymer. The measured adiabatic viscosity rise correlates well with the calculated molecular weight growth using the recursive method.
Formation of the Compact Confomer of Kinesin Requires a COOH-terminal Heavy Chain Domain and Inhibits Microtubule-stimulated ATPase Activity

Full-length Drosophila kinesin heavy chain from position 1 to 975 was expressed in Escherichia coil (DKH975) and is a dimer. The sedimentation coefficient of DKH975 shifts from 5.4 S at 1 M NaCl to approximately 6.9 S at <0.2 M NaCl. This transition of DKH975 between extended and compact conformations is essentially identical to that for the heavy chain dimer of bovine kinesin (Hackney, D. D., Levitt, J. D., and Suhan, J. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 8696-8701). Thus the capacity for undergoing the 7 S/5 S transition is an intrinsic property of the heavy chains and requires neither light chains nor eukaryotic post-translational modification. DKH960 undergoes a similar transition, indicating that the extreme COOH-terminal region is not required. More extensive deletions from the COOH-terminal (DKH945 and DKH937) result in a shift in the midpoint for the transition to lower salt concentrations. DKH927 and shorter constructs remaining extended even in the absence of added salt. Thus the COOH-terminal approximately 50 amino acids are required for the formation of the compact conformation. Separately expressed COOH-terminal tail segments and NH2-terminal head/neck segments interact in a salt-dependent manner that is consistent with the compact conformer being produced by the interaction of domains from these regions of the heavy chain dimer. The microtubule-stimulated ATPase rate of DKH975 in the compact conformer is strongly inhibited compared with the rate of extended DKH894 (4 s-1 and 35 s-1, respectively, for kcat at saturating microtubules).
Preserved and foreign cartilage interpositional materials for silastic finger joint implant arthroplasty

Cartilage grafts were implanted as interpositional materials (IPMs) around the stems of silicone finger joint prostheses to protect their surfaces from abrasion with the local bone tissue. The knee joints of New Zealand White rabbits were implanted with finger joint prostheses and grafted with preserved auto- and allografts as well as fresh xenografts. Data were obtained after one month and compared to controls that received only the silicone prostheses. The grafting procedures did not cause any variations in joint function or differences in the amount of lipids absorbed by the prosthesis. A thin fibrous capsule formed about the control implants, whereas the capsules of the grafted legs were greater in thickness and area. Gross examination of the implant surfaces, weight analyses, and light microscopic studies of the number of wear particles found in the surrounding tissue capsules all indicated a reduction in prosthetic wear with grafting. The cartilage grafts were surrounded by inflammatory cells and were losing their proteoglycans. As expected, the xenografts exhibited the most degradation. No differences were noted between the preserved grafts. These results indicate that at one month, cartilage has provided protection for early implant motion. The biodegradable graft was being replaced by fibrous connective tissue. Long-term protection needs to be studied in additional experiments.
Plasmonic Gold Nanostars for Multi-Modality Sensing and Diagnostics

Gold nanostars (AuNSs) are unique systems that can provide a novel multifunctional nanoplatform for molecular sensing and diagnostics. The plasmonic absorption band of AuNSs can be tuned to the near infrared spectral range, often referred to as the “tissue optical window”, where light exhibits minimal absorption and deep penetration in tissue. AuNSs have been applied for detecting disease biomarkers and for biomedical imaging using multi-modality methods including surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), two-photon photoluminescence (TPL), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and X-ray computer tomography (CT) imaging. In this paper, we provide an overview of the recent development of plasmonic AuNSs in our laboratory for biomedical applications and highlight their potential for future translational medicine as a multifunctional nanoplatform.
Flow-cytometric DNA analysis of paraffin-embedded renal cell carcinoma tissue from patients treated by parenchymal-sparing surgery.

Objective To determine the utility of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy pattern, detected by flow cytometry, in predicting the outcome of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients and methods DNA content was retrospectively assessed by flow cytometry in 28 primary paraffin-embedded RCCs from 24 patients (16 men and eight women, mean age 61.9 years, range 40–89) who had undergone renal parenchymal-sparing surgery. Results Tumour recurred locally in three patients, two with diploid tumours and one with aneuploid tumour. Two patients with diploid tumours had metastatic disease 11–58 months after surgery. Only one patient with aneuploid tumour developed metastatic disease. There was no difference in local recurrence or metastases with the type of renal parenchymal-sparing surgery used (enucleation or partial nephrectomy) nor any significant difference in overall survival (P= 0.11). Conclusion While DNA content might be of considerable predictive value for patients with RCC, these results showed that there was no difference in mortality rate, recurrence rate, or type of renal parenchymal-sparing surgery used between aneuploid and diploid tumours.
Agaridoxin: A fungal catecholamine which acts as an alpha 1 agonist of mammalian hypothalamic adenylate cyclase

Abstract Agaridoxin, a catecholamine isolated from mushrooms, and 4 synthetic analogues cause activation of adenylate cyclase in the presence of guanylyl imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) in membrane particles prepared from rat hypothalamus. These compounds also activate adenylate cyclase preparations from rat kidney, liver and cerebral cortex. In the presence of tyrosinase, these compounds are readily oxidized to quinones which lack agonist activity. Studies with selective adrenergic blockers suggest that agaridoxin acts at an α 1 -type receptor. Agaridoxin-mediated adenylate cyclase stimulation is most effectively antagonized by WB-4101 and phenoxybenzamine, while propranolol and yohimbine are without inhibitory effect. Agaridoxin and the α 1 agonist methoxamine inhibited the binding of [ 3 H]WB-4101 in rat hypothalamic and cerebral cortical membranes. The values of K i for both compounds are lower than that of norepinephrine. The agaridoxin analogue, 4-aminocatechol hydrochloride, is a more effective and potent adenylate cyclase activator than agaridoxin or methoxamine.
Do LEED-certified buildings save energy? Yes, but ...

We conducted a re-analysis of data supplied by the New Buildings Institute and the US Green Buildings Council on measured energy use data from 100 LEED-certified commercial and institutional buildings. These data were compared to the energy use of the general US commercial building stock. We also examined energy use by LEED certification level, and by energy-related credits achieved in the certification process. On average, LEED buildings used 18–39% less energy per floor area than their conventional counterparts. However, 28–35% of LEED buildings used more energy than their conventional counterparts. Further, the measured energy performance of LEED buildings had little correlation with certification level of the building, or the number of energy credits achieved by the building at design time. Therefore, at a societal level, green buildings can contribute substantial energy savings, but further work needs to be done to define green building rating schemes to ensure more consistent success at the individual building level. Note, these findings should be considered as preliminary, and the analyses should be repeated when longer data histories from a larger sample of green buildings are available.
Characteristics and survival patterns of solid organ transplant patients developing de novo colon and rectal cancer.

Immunosuppression used in transplantation is associated with an increased incidence of various cancers. Although the incidence of colorectal cancer in transplant patients seems to be equal to nontransplant population, the effects of immunosuppression on patients who develop colorectal cancer are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to define the characteristics and survival patterns of transplant patients developing de novo colorectal cancer. The Israel Penn International Transplant Tumor Registry was queried for patients with colorectal cancer. Analysis included patient demographics, age at transplantation and colorectal cancer diagnosis, tumor stage, and survival. Age and survival rates were compared to United States population-based colorectal cancer statistics using the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. A total of 150 transplant patients with de novo colorectal cancer were identified: 93 kidney, 29 heart, 27 liver, and 1 lung. Mean age at transplantation was 53 years. Age at transplantation and colorectal cancer diagnosis was not significant for gender, race, or stage of disease. Compared to National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database, transplantat patients had a younger mean age at colorectal cancer diagnosis (58 vs. 70 years; P < 0.001), and a worse five-year survival (overall, 44 vs. 62 percent, P < 0.001; Dukes AB Dukes C, 20 vs. 66 percent, P < 0.001; and Dukes D, 0 vs. 9 percent, P = 0.08). Transplant patients develop colorectal cancer at a younger age and exhibit worse five-year survival rates than the general population. These data suggest that chronic immunosuppression results in a more aggressive tumor biology. Frequent posttransplantation colorectal cancer screening program may be warranted.
Conflict mitigation system for collaborative engineering

Large-scale engineering projects typically involve many different types of professionals who must interact and communicate with one another. This interaction produces conflicts that need to be resolved. A framework is presented in which the rationale used in a collaborative design environment for designing an artifact is also used for conflict mitigation. The framework contains mechanisms for checking interactions and prompting hypotheses about the reasons for the interactions. These hypotheses, once verified by the designers, improve conflict resolution by assisting them in coordinating and negotiating conflicts. This, in turn, enhances communication during the design process and consequently increases productivity in the engineering industry.
Polyol Synthesis of Platinum Nanoparticles: Control of Morphology with Sodium Nitrate

Morphological control over platinum nanoparticles was realized by varying the amount of NaNO3 added to a polyol process, where H2PtCl6 was reduced by ethylene glycol to form PtCl42- and Pt0 at 160 °C. As the molar ratio between NaNO3 and H2PtCl6 was increased from 0 to 11, the morphology of Pt nanoparticles evolved from irregular spheroids with rounded profiles to tetrahedra and octahedra with well-defined facets. Absorption spectroscopy studies suggest that nitrate was reduced to nitrite by PtCl42- in the early stage of the synthesis, and the nitrite could then form stable complexes with both Pt(II) and Pt(IV) species. As a result, the reduction of Pt precursors by ethylene glycol was greatly slowed. This change in reaction kinetics altered the growth rates associated with different crystallographic directions of the Pt nanocrystals and ultimately led to the formation of different morphologies.
Essential Medicines for the Whole World

The concept of essential medicines1 is as relevant to the whole world now as it was for some countries in 1975 when the concept was developed.2,3 Basically, the concept is that medicines needed to satisfy the priority health-care needs of a population should be made available at all times to everyone in the population within the context of a functioning health-care system (see Box 1). Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2007) 82, 500–503. doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100388
Maxi-K+ channel in single isolated cochlear efferent nerve terminals.

Abstract Patch clamp recordings were obtained from isolated cochlear efferent nerve terminals. Channel activity was found in 85% of membrane patches, was present in on-terminal and excised patches and was characterized to originate from a maxi-K + channel. An average of 2.0 ± 0.1 ( N = 33) maxi-K + channels were found per active patch. In symmetrical solutions, the current-voltage relationship was linear and the single-channel conductance was 221±5 pS ( N = 22). The open probability of the maxi-K + channel increased with depolarization of the membrane potential and with an increasing free Ca 2+ concentration on the cytosolic side. The open probability was insensitive to changes in the free Ca 2+ concentration on the extracellular side. TEA (20 mM) and charybdotoxin (10 −7 M) decreased the open probability to nearly zero from the extracellular side but had no effect from the cytosolic side. The high incidence with which this channel was found suggests that the maxi-K + channel is physiologically relevant which might include protection against overstimulation of the efferent synapse.
Quantification of homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase expression in a fungus degrading ethylbenzene.

A quantitative real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was utilized to quantify the expression of ElHDO in the fungus Exophiala lecanii-corni during the biodegradation of ethylbenzene and other volatile organic pollutants. The assay was applied to measure the impact of pollutant mixtures on ElHDO expression relative to that of a housekeeping gene (18S rRNA). Three compounds were tested in mixtures with ethylbenzene: methyl propyl ketone, phenylacetate and o-xylene. These chemicals repressed, induced, or had no effect on ethylbenzene degradation, respectively. The results demonstrate that the gene target expression value (TN) is a useful parameter for evaluating the effect of pollutant mixtures on gene expression. TN was found to reflect macroscopic changes in ethylbenzene utilization rates although these two parameters were not related in a linear fashion for all compounds. The assay was log-linear over 5 orders of magnitude of RNA concentration and reproducible between samples (the largest TN standard deviation was 20%). The comparative qRT-PCR assay used in this research represents a viable alternative to absolute quantification methods to monitor in situ fungal gene expression in natural and engineered environmental systems.
GABA receptors: are cellular differences reflected in function?

The putative involvement of GABAA and GABAB receptors in various behavioral and physiological effects is summarized in Table III. A division of function among the two types of GABA receptors appears to exist. GABAA receptors mediate feeding, cardiovascular regulation, anxiolytic effects, and anticonvulsive activity. GABAB receptors, on the other hand, are involved in analgesia, cardiovascular regulation, and depression. Although there is some overlap and shared functions among the receptor types, it is evident that GABAA and GABAB receptors have different behavioral and physiological profiles. Feeding, anticonvulsive activity and anxiety, for example, primarily involve GABAA receptors. Analgesia and depression, on the other hand, are GABAB effects. In those cases where GABAA and GABAB receptors mediate similar functions (e.g. cardiovascular regulation), they do so by affecting different transmitter systems and cellular mechanisms. It is proposed, therefore, that GABAA and GABAB receptors differ not only at the cellular level, but that they also have different functions in the mammalian central nervous system. The association of different subtypes of a receptor with different functions and mechanisms of action is not unique to the GABA system. D1 and D2 receptors in the dopamine system, for example, also exhibit some separation of function as do the mu, delta and kappa types of opiate receptors. Different subtypes of neurotransmitter receptors, therefore, appear to be a general organizing principle used by the brain to transduce chemical signals into different functional responses. A better understanding of the exact processes through which cellular signals are transformed into functional responses is a goal of future research.
Elastosis and other stromal reactions in benign and malignant breast tissue: an ultrastructural study.

The stroma and stromal reaction in normal breast, benign, and malignant breast tissue was studied by electron microscopy. Elastosis is the main stromal response in infiltrating duct and lobular carcinomas. Medullary carcinoma elicits no significant elastosis but intraductal carcinoma has significant local elastosis. Benign conditions such as fibroadenoma and sclerosing adenosis produced no significant elastosis. The high number of elastic fibers and the high microfibril:elastin ratio indicate that most of the elastic fibers are recently secreted, probably by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. The factors stimulating the increased production of elastic fibers and the prognostic significance of elastosis remain unclear. Cancer 40:700–706, 1977.
Comparison of the Vitek Gram-Positive Susceptibility 106 Card and the MRSA-Screen Latex Agglutination Test for Determining Oxacillin Resistance in Clinical Bloodstream Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

The Vitek automated susceptibility testing system with a modified Gram-Positive Susceptibility (GPS) 106 Card (bioMerieux Vitek, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) and a rapid slide latex agglutination test (MRSA-Screen; Denka Seiken Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) were evaluated for their ability to detect oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. The oxacillin-salt agar screen (OS) test, the reference broth microdilution method, and the detection of the mecA gene by PCR were compared with the commercial products. A total of 200 contemporary (1999) bloodstream infection isolates were collected from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, representing diverse geographic areas throughout the world. Among the 99 mecA-positive isolates, 3 isolates were found negative by the MRSA-Screen. Another two isolates did not grow on OS plates and had MICs of 0.5 and 2 microg/ml with the Vitek GPS card. All 101 mecA-negative isolates were also found negative by the MRSA-Screen and were categorized as susceptible by the GPS card. Overall, the MRSA-Screen, GPS card, and OS test had sensitivities of 96.9, 98.0, and 98.0% and specificities of 100.0, 100.0, and 98.0%, respectively. MRSA-Screen was a rapid (</=15 min) and simple test to perform, and the GPS card provided results in <8 h. Both methods were sensitive and specific for detecting staphylococcal oxacillin resistance in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
Sensation seeking, coping with stress, and readiness to engage in therapy: does ego development influence the psychosocial functioning of substance-abusing mothers?

Ego development, the capacity to derive coherent, nuanced meaning from one's life experiences, often has significant impact on psychosocial adjustment during adulthood. Research with nonclinical populations has indicated links between higher ego development and healthy emotional coping and interpersonal relationships. Emerging research with substance-abusing mothers suggests that higher levels of ego development are associated with improved parenting but also with increased rates of psychopathology. Less is known about how ego development is related to other psychosocial factors important for substance-abusing mothers' functioning and capacity to parent, including the proclivity to engage in risky behaviors, adaptive coping behaviors, and readiness to engage in psychotherapy. The present study examines these links. Participants included 182 methadonemaintained women who expressed interest in a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of a relational parenting intervention for substance-abusing mothers (Luthar, Suchman, & Altomare, 2007). Data were analyzed using a series of MANCOVAs and ANCOVAs controlling for maternal IQ and depression. Mothers with higher levels of ego development reported more adaptive coping techniques and greater readiness to engage in psychotherapy but also reported a heightened desire for strong sensations. Findings are discussed in light of mothers' psychological processes and parenting capacities. The significance of findings for developing parenting interventions for substance-abusing mothers is also discussed. Language: en
Multidisciplinary treatment planning. Tumor boards

A brief review of the current status of cancer treatment based on hospital consultations, cancer treatment plans, and cancer management protocols is presented. Some potential for the development of clinical indicators around these various consultation activities are explored. The utilization of hospital tumor conference and tumor boards as a mechanism for multidisciplinary treatment planning and consultation is reviewed and possible utilization of a measure of such activities as potential clinical indicators is presented.
Failure to make normal α ryanodine receptor is an early event associated with the crooked neck dwarf (cn) mutation in chicken

We have investigated the molecular basis of the Crooked Neck Dwarf (cn) mutation in embryonic chickens. Using biochemical and pharmacological techniques we are unable to detect normal alpha ryanodine receptor (RyR) protein in intact cn/cn skeletal muscle. Extremely low levels of alpha RyR immunoreactivity can be observed in mutant muscles, but the distribution of this staining differs from that in normal muscle and colocalizes with the rough endoplasmic reticulum immunoglobulin binding protein, BiP. This suggests the existence of an abnormal alpha RyR protein in mutant muscle. In day E12 cn/cn muscle the levels of RyR mRNA are reduced by approximately 80%, while the levels of other muscle proteins, including the alpha 1 subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor, the SR Ca(2+)-ATPase, calsequestrin, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and their associated mRNAs are essentially normal in cn/cn muscle. There is also a failure to express alpha RyR in cn/cn cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Expression of the beta RyR, a second RyR isoform, is not initiated in normal skeletal muscle until day E18. In cn/cn skeletal muscle significant muscle degeneration has occurred by this time and the beta RyR is found at low levels in only a subset of fibers suggesting the reduced levels of this isoform are a secondary consequence of the mutation. The cardiac RyR isoform is found in cn/cn cardiac muscle, which contracts in a vigorous manner. In summary, a failure to make normal alpha RyR receptor appears to be an event closely associated with the cn mutation and one which may be largely responsible for development of the cn/cn phenotype in embryonic skeletal muscle.
Ultrasound-guided cervical transforaminal injection and selective nerve root block

Traditionally, cervical transforaminal injections have been performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Real-time fluoroscopy with contrast injection is necessary to minimize intra-arterial injections. But even with strict guidelines, multiple instances of inadvertent intra-arterial injections with resultant spinal cord injury have been reported. This has led some practitioners to question the use of this procedure and whether the benefits outweigh the risks. The use of ultrasound (US) imaging to facilitate nerve blocks has increased recently. US allows visualization of soft tissues, as well as nerves and vessels, and also permits visualization of the injectate around the nerve. Unlike fluoroscopy and computed tomography, US does not expose the patients or personnel to radiation, and the image can be performed continuously while the injectate can be visualized in real time, thereby increasing the precision of injection. US imaging can be used to obtain well-defined images of the cervical neural foramina with real-time visualization of the spinal nerves and vessels and may improve the safety of the technique. It may facilitate identifying anomalous critical vessels at unexpected locations relative to the intervertebral foramen and avoiding injury to such vessels, which is the leading cause of the reported complications from cervical nerve root injections.
Common Issues in World Regions: A Video Series

(1992). Common Issues in World Regions: A Video Series. The Social Studies: Vol. 83, No. 6, pp. 258-260.
CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT AMPLIFICATION AND ITS MEANING FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE

Social science is viewed as requiring a paradigm fundamentally different from that currently in use which reflects essentially the habits of classical physics. Its basic characteristic is the prevalence of minor and major events which amplify sequentially in such a way as to converge toward or diverge from expected outcomes. Other distinguishing characteristics of social science are discussed in the context of amplification and include the historicity of its subject matter, the everpresent tension between stability and change, the frequent primacy of phenotypic specificity over a genotypic generality, the importance of context and meaning in the constitution of data, and the altering effects of theory on reality. Recognition of these characteristics requires a change in the role of the investigator so as to include him more intimately in the research process. It also suggests the usefulness of substitution of an orientative sample for the usual representative sample to take into account the researcher's n...
A general index of self-reported sleep: the sleep quotient

Utilizing multiple sleep measures, a practice common to virtually all sleep assessments, poses problems both for statistical analyses in the form of inflated Type I error rate and for interpretation by the inability to specify general sleep change. A sleep quotient (SQ) is proposed that appears to overcome these problems. The paper presents archival norms for self-report sleep data, demonstrates the use of these norms in transforming novel data to standardized units, and casts the standardized score in the form of an intelligence quotient, now called a SQ, with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Previously published data are reanalyzed by use of SQ scores, methods of interpreting SQ data are demonstrated, and advantages of SQ analyses are described. The SQ appears to be a valid, useful composite sleep index permitting the measurement of general sleep.
Reducing the Uncertainties in Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing

Airborne particles, which include desert and soil dust, wildfire smoke, sea salt, volcanic ash, black carbon, natural and anthropogenic sulfate, nitrate, and organic aerosol, affect Earth's climate, in part by reflecting and absorbing sunlight. This paper reviews current status, and evaluates future prospects for reducing the uncertainty aerosols contribute to the energy budget of Earth, which at present represents a leading factor limiting the quality of climate predictions. Information from satellites is critical for this work, because they provide frequent, global coverage of the diverse and variable atmospheric aerosol load. Both aerosol amount and type must be determined. Satellites are very close to measuring aerosol amount at the level-of-accuracy needed, but aerosol type, especially how bright the airborne particles are, cannot be constrained adequately by current techniques. However, satellite instruments can map out aerosol air mass type, which is a qualitative classification rather than a quantitative measurement, and targeted suborbital measurements can provide the required particle property detail. So combining satellite and suborbital measurements, and then using this combination to constrain climate models, will produce a major advance in climate prediction.
That's news to me: Readers' responses to brief newspaper articles.

The present study extended the exploration of readers' imaginative processes (i.e., spontaneous imagery and emotional response) to a new genre of texts: newspaper articles. A corpus of 50 articles was collected from a well-defined population of naturally occurring texts (i.e., articles with one or more subheadings and three to five paragraphs before the first subheading from the international section of the New York Times). The articles, reduced to titles and datelines and the text down to the first subheading (100–180 words), were randomly divided into sets of 25 which were used in two experiments. Undergraduates rated their response to the story (e.g., familiarity, interest, comprehension, imagery, emotional response) on 6-point Likert-type scales. In both experiments, ratings on all scales demonstrated high reliability and considerable variability across stories. As in previous studies with literary texts and feature journalism articles, imagery and affective responses (i.e., emotional response, story ...
Limits on the amplification of evanescent waves of left-handed materials

We investigate the transfer function of the discretized perfect lens in finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and transfer matrix method (TMM) simulations; the latter allow to eliminate the problems associated with the explicit time dependence in FDTD simulations. We also find that the finite discretization mesh acts like imaginary deviations from µ=e=−1 and leads to a crossover in the transfer function from constance to exponential decay around k∥,max limiting the attainable super-resolution. We propose a simple qualitative model to describe the impact of the discretization. k∥,max is found to depend logarithmically on the mesh constant in qualitative agreement with the TMM simulations.