cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel nanoporous bismuth electrode sensor for in situ heavy metal detection

Abstract A novel modified nanoporous bismuth electrode (modified-NPBiE) sensor was prepared by consecutive procedures which consist of bismuth (Bi) and tin (Sn) electroplating, thermal treatment for alloying Bi-Sn film, and selective chemical dealloying of Sn. The newly prepared modified-NPBiE sensor exhibited improved lifetime (2.7 times longer than a conventional nanoporous Bi-filmed electrode with over 40 repeated measurements) sensor with lower relative standard deviation (RSD), indicating enhanced stability and reproducibility for heavy metal detection. Using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV), two noticeable peaks were observed at −0.65 V and −0.45 V associated with stripping currents of Cd2+ and Pb2+ in 0.1 M acetate buffer solution at pH 4.6, respectively. The calibration curves showed strong correlations with respect to various concentrations of Cd2+ and Pb2+ with the limit of detection (LOD) of 1.3 ppb for Cd2+ and 1.5 ppb for Pb2+. The newly modified-NPBiE sensor was then successfully applied for detecting Cd2+ and Pb2+ in a tap water environment and exhibited an acceptable performance for measuring heavy metals with a good reliability.
Simple Phenolic Acids in Soil Culture I: Sorption, K d and K oc

In this chapter the author explores whether the conditional properties of Kd and Koc (sorption coefficients) for phenolic acids could assist in determining how phenolic acids are partitioned in sterilized Cecil and Portsmouth A and B horizon soils. Compares the merit of using sorption, Kd and Koc values based on the batch-equilibrium and desorption techniques with that of sorption, Kd and Koc values based on water, neutral EDTA and/or Mehlich III extractions.
Fabrication of a Self-Curling Cuff with a Soft, Ionically Conducting Neural Interface

Direct current (DC) has the potential not only to excite but also to inhibit neurons. This property of DC stimulus has been used for generating peripheral nerve blocks. One translational challenge of DC-based neuromodulation technologies, especially for pain suppression, is that the commercially available cuff electrodes have metal-tissue interfaces that are incapable of delivering DC safely. Passing DC through any metal-tissue interface generates harmful electrochemical products which can damage the target nerve. To address this issue, we present a fabrication process for making self-curling silicone cuffs with paper/agar based, ionically conducting neural interface. We fabricate monopolar as well as bipolar cuffs and demonstrate that the electrode impedances can be easily controlled by modulating the paper/agar channel dimensions. Further, we perform in-vivo implantation of these electrodes on a rat sciatic nerve to qualitatively validate the self-curling action.
Patients prefer bedside handover and wish to be active partners in it

Commentary on: Oxelmark, L, Whitty, JA, Ulin, K, et al . Patients prefer clinical handover at the bedside; nurses do not: evidence from a discrete choice experiment. International Journal of Nursing S tudies . Epub ahead of print: 27 Sep 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103444 Clinical handover is a valuable source of patient health information for nurses and patients. Numerous studies have found that bedside handover could significantly enhance the delivery of relevant information and decrease miscommunication between patients and nurses.1 Besides, bedside handover could increase patient participation …
Characterization and differential retention of Q beta bacteriophage virus-like particles using cyclical electrical field–flow fractionation and asymmetrical flow field–flow fractionation

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are widely used in medicine, but can be difficult to characterize and isolate from aggregates. In this research, primarily cyclical electrical field-flow fractionation (CyElFFF) coupled with multi-angle light scattering (MALS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) detectors, was used for the first time to perform size and electrical characterization of three different types of Q beta bacteriophage virus-like particles (VLPs): a blank Q beta bacteriophage which is denoted as VLP and two conjugated ones with different peptides. The CyElFFF results were verified with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with MALS was also applied using conditions similar to those used in the CyElFFF experiments, and the results of the two techniques were compared to each other. Using these techniques, the size and electrophoretic characteristics of the fractionated VLPs in CyElFFF were obtained. The results indicate that CyElFFF can be used to obtain a clear distribution of electrophoretic mobilities for each type of VLP. Accordingly, CyElFFF was able to differentially retain and isolate VLPs with high surface electric charge/electrophoretic mobility from the ones with low electric charge/electrophoretic mobility. Regarding the size characterization, the size distribution of the eluted VLPs was obtained using both techniques. CyElFFF was able to identify subpopulations that did not appear in the AF4 results by generating a shoulder peak, whereas AF4 produced a single peak. Different size characteristics of the VLPs appearing in the shoulder peak and the main peak indicate that CyElFFF was able to isolate aggregated VLPs from the monomers partially. Graphical abstract.
Integrating the immune microenvironment of prostate cancer induced bone disease.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer for men in the U.S. but does not impede patient survival until the disease is metastatic. Metastatic lesions most frequently occur in the bone, which exhibits a distinct microenvironment of immune and bone cell populations. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of primary PCa allow for the use of tailored therapeutic approaches based on biomarkers, protein expression, and histopathology. Understanding the molecular and cellular characteristics of primary tumors has advanced therapeutic development and survival for patients with PCa. Personalized medicine has only recently emerged for the treatment of metastatic bone lesions. Tumor induced bone disease (TIBD) in patients with PCa can be classified into lytic, blastic, or mixed pathologies, with most patients exhibiting the blastic phenotype. Progress has been made in treating TIBD, but metastatic PCa has yet to be cured. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have exhibited limited responses in immunosuppressive PCa tumors, but have yet to be assessed in metastatic sites which may be susceptible to an increased inflammatory response. Recent discoveries have uncovered distinct tumor microenvironments (TMEs) of blastic and lytic bone metastases from patients with PCa, identifying actionable targets for therapeutic applications, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapeutics. Enrichment for macrophages and T cells in patient samples suggests metastatic sites may be reappraised as immunologically targetable, despite their immunologically "cold" primary tumors. The practice of performing bone biopsies will help identify unique cellular and protein targets in the bone TME that can guide therapy decisions.
Effects of Backward Walking Training on Balance, Mobility, and Gait in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background and Purpose: Backwards walking has shown promise as an intervention in many at-risk populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the benefits of backward walking training on b...
The Impact of Eliminating Backward Navigation on Computerized Examination Scores and Completion Time.

Objective. To determine whether elimination of backward navigation during an examination resulted in changes in examination score or time to complete the examination. Methods. Student performance on six examinations in which backward navigation was eliminated was compared to performance on examinations administered to pharmacy students the previous year when backwards navigation was allowed. The primary comparison of interest was change in student performance on a subset of identical questions included on both examinations. Secondary outcomes included change in total examination score and completion time. Results. No significant reduction in examination scores was observed as a result of eliminating backward navigation. The average time that students spent on a question was significantly reduced on two of the six examinations. Conclusion. Restricting pharmacy students’ ability to revisit questions previously answered (elimination of backward navigation) on an examination had no adverse effect on scores or testing time when assessed across three years of the didactic pharmacy curriculum.
Fast 3D printing of large-scale biocompatible hydrogel models

Large scale cell-laden hydrogel models hold great promise for tissue repair and organ transplantation, but their fabrication is faced with challenges in achieving clinically-relevant size and hierarchical structures. 3D bioprinting is an emerging technology, but its application in large, solid hydrogel fabrication has been limited by the slow printing speed that can affect the part quality and the biological activity of the encapsulated cells. Here we present a Fast hydrogeL prOjection stereolithogrAphy Technology (FLOAT) that allows the creation of a centimeter-sized, multiscale solid hydrogel model within minutes. Through precisely controlling the photopolymerization condition, we established low suction force-driven, high-velocity flow of the hydrogel prepolymer that supports the continuous replenishment of the prepolymer solution below the curing part and the nonstop part growth. We showed that this process is unique to the hydrogel prepolymer without externally supplemented oxygen. The rapid printing of centimeter-sized hydrogel models using FLOAT was shown to significantly reduce the part deformation and cellular injury caused by the prolonged exposure to the environmental stresses in layer-by-layer based printing methods. Media perfusion in the printed vessel network was shown to promote cell survival and metabolic function in the deep core of the large-sized hydrogel model over long term. The FLOAT is compatible with multiple photocurable hydrogel materials and the printed scaffold supports the endothelialization of prefabricated vascular channels. Together, these studies demonstrate a rapid 3D hydrogel printing method and highlight the potential of this method in the fabrication of large-sized engineered tissue models.
Tumorigenic epithelial clusters are less sensitive to moderate osmotic stresses due to low amounts of junctional E-cadherin

Abstract The migration of tumorigenic epithelial cells is a critical step for metastatic breast cancer progression. Although the role of the extracellular matrix in breast cancer cell migration has been extensively described, the effect of osmotic stress on the migration of tumor breast epithelial cohorts remains unclear. Most of our understanding on the effect of osmotic stresses on cell migration comes from studies at the level of the single cell in isolation and does not take into account cell-cell interactions. Here, we study the impact of moderate osmotic stress on the migration of epithelial clusters composed of either non-tumorigenic or tumorigenic epithelial cells. We observe a decrease in migration distance and speed for non-tumorigenic epithelial cells but not for tumorigenic ones. To explain these differences, we investigate how osmotic stress impacts the mechanical properties of cell clusters and affects cell volumes. After application of osmotic stress renal epithelial cells become stiffer whereas non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic breast epithelial cells do not. In addition, tumorigenic cells are shown to be less sensitive to osmotic stress than non-tumorigenic cells, and this difference is associated with lower levels of E-cadherin expression. Using EGTA treatments, we confirm that the establishment of cell-cell adhesive interactions is a key component of the behavior of epithelial clusters in response to osmotic stress. This study provides evidence on the low sensitivity of tumorigenic epithelial clusters to moderate osmotic stress and highlights the importance of cadherin-based junctions in response to osmotic stress.
Leveraging Advanced Practice Providers in an Otolaryngology Practice

ObjectiveAdvanced practice providers (APPs) may see patients independently or assist in “collaborative” clinics in otolaryngology practices. Our goal was to redesign the collaborative physician-APP...
Characterizing Measurement Error in Dietary Sodium in Longitudinal Intervention Studies.

Background: Previous measurement error work that investigates the relationship between a nutritional biomarker and self-reported intake levels has typically been at a single time point, in a single treatment group, or with respect to basic patient demographics. Few studies have examined the measurement error structure in longitudinal randomized trials, and whether the error varies across time or group. This structure is crucial to understand, however, in order to correct for measurement error in self-reported outcomes and properly interpret the longitudinal effects of dietary interventions. Methods: Using two longitudinal randomized controlled trials with internal longitudinal validation data (urinary biomarkers and self-reported values), we examine the relationship between urinary sodium and self-reported sodium and whether this relationship changes as a function of time and/or treatment condition. We do this by building a mixed effects regression model, allowing for a flexible error variance-covariance structure, and testing all possible interactions between time, treatment condition, and self-reported intake. Results: Using a backward selection approach, we arrived at the same final model for both validation data sets. We found no evidence that measurement error changes as a function of self-reported sodium. However, we did find evidence that urinary sodium can differ by time or treatment condition even when conditioning on self-reported values. Conclusion: In longitudinal nutritional intervention trials it is possible that measurement error differs across time and treatment groups. It is important for researchers to consider this possibility and not just assume non-differential measurement error. Future studies should consider data collection strategies to account for the potential dynamic nature of measurement error, such as collecting internal validation data across time and treatment groups when possible.
Blood Pressure Response to Treadmill Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test in Children with Normal Cardiac Anatomy and Function.

Objectives To describe blood pressure (BP) responses during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and propose criteria for abnormal BP responses in children with normal hearts. Study design Treadmill CPET data of children Results Our cohort included 1085 children (boys, 59%) aged 7-17 years. Analysis of variance for systolic BP at peak exercise (peak SBP) and SBP change (Δ) showed significant age and sex effects and age–sex interaction effects (P Conclusions BP responses to treadmill CPET depend on age and sex in children with normal hearts. The proposed criteria for abnormal BP responses in children during CPET will need to be verified in a large pediatric cohort.
Acute elevation of interleukin 6 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 during the onset of pituitary apoplexy in Cushing’s disease

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare endocrine emergency. The purpose of this study is to characterize physiological changes involved in pituitary apoplexy, especially during the acute phase. A Cushing’s disease patient experienced corticotroph releasing hormone (CRH)-induced pituitary apoplexy during inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS). The IPSS blood samples from the Cushing’s disease patient were retrospectively analyzed for cytokine markers. For comparison, we also analyzed cytokine markers in blood samples from two pituitary ACTH-secreting microadenoma patients and one patient with an ectopic ACTH-secreting tumor. Acute elevation of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) was observed in the IPSS blood sample on the apoplectic hemorrhagic site of the tumor. In contrast, such a change was not observed in the blood samples from the contralateral side of the apoplexy patient and in other IPSS samples from two non-apoplexy Cushing’s disease patient and a patient with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome. IL-6 and MMP9 may be involved in the acute process of pituitary apoplexy in Cushing’s disease.
Learning Together: Sharing Circles in Rural Alaska on Cancer Education Priorities for Youth.

Culturally relevant health promotion with youth is an opportunity to reduce health inequities in cancer. This manuscript describes sharing circles conducted with three communities in the Northwest Arctic region of Alaska. The circles were designed to begin understanding community priorities and lay the foundation to develop culturally relevant cancer education. The project was guided by the principles of Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), honored Indigenous ways of knowing, and was grounded in Empowerment Theory. The project team facilitated 13 sharing circles in November 2019 in three communities in the Northwest Arctic. There were a total of 122 participants, including teachers/school staff (31%), community members (30%), high school students (23%), and health professionals (16%). The circles explored youth knowledge, perceptions, questions, concerns, and hopes for cancer information; community members’ desires for youth knowledge about cancer; and how teachers would like content to be formatted for effective inclusion in their classrooms. Common themes from the sharing circles included a desire for information on cancer prevention (all 13 sharing circles) and a need for information on cancer risk factors (12). In most sharing circles, participants shared that cancer information for youth should include stories like those of local people, cancer survivors, and role models (11), visuals (8), and local data and statistics (8). In addition, teachers and school staff in all communities wanted an online resource for teaching about cancer in their classrooms that had short videos/visuals with related lesson plans and activities. “If I learn, I can reduce the chance of getting cancer in the future.”
A comparison of cache aware and cache oblivious static search trees using program instrumentation

An experimental comparison of cache aware and cache oblivious static search tree algorithms is presented. Both cache aware and cache oblivious algorithms outperform classic binary search on large data sets because of their better utilization of cache memory. Cache aware algorithms with implicit pointers perform best overall, but cache oblivious algorithms do almost as well and do not have to be tuned to the memory block size as cache aware algorithms require. Program instrumentation techniques are used to compare the cache misses and instruction counts for implementations of these algorithms.
NAMS: A networked acoustic modem system for underwater applications

In this paper, we present a networked acoustic modem system (NAMS) by integrating a high-speed OFDM modem and a comprehensive underwater network protocol stack for underwater applications. This integrated system allows different underwater network protocols to run on top of the OFDM modem platform and can provide high-speed, reliable and efficient communications in underwater environments.
Characterization of Bovine Anterior‐Lens‐Capsule Basement‐Membrane Collagen

Basement membrane collagen was extracted sequentially from bovine anterior lens capsules by repeated pepsinization at very low enzyme-to-collagen ratios. The earliest extracts, derived from 1–7-days pepsinization at 4°C showed that a substantial fraction of basement membrane collagen material did not enter a 6% or 3% sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel. The material that did penetrate the gel ran as discrete bands with molecular weights between 220000 and 140000. The relative proportions of these components could be controlled solely by the duration of pepsinization. Furthermore, as pepsinization was continued or as the quantity of pepsin or the extraction temperature was increased basement membrane collagen peptides with molecular weights between 115000 and 30000 were produced, with little material not entering the gel. The extracts containing collagen chains with Mr > 130000 were precipitable from acetic acid solution at NaCl concentrations of 0.3–0.6 M and could undergo a thermal gelation at pH 7.03. At or near the transition to the lower-molecular-weight species (Mr < 130000), the precipitability at low NaCl concentrations and thermal gelation properties were lost. Correlation of these properties with amino acid composition and with previous electron microscopic studies suggest that strong attractive interactions between pepsin-susceptible molecular end regions are responsible for the salt precipitability and gelation. These end region interactions may also play a role in inhibiting D-periodic striated fibril formation in basement membrane structures in vivo.
On ripple dynamics: IV. Linear propagation of plane-wave packets: Observation

Abstract The propagation of defined wave packets as observed in the laboratory is the subject of this paper. In the previous paper of this series, a numerical method was developed to compute the propagation of transient packets of plane surface waves. In this paper, the computations are applied to specific examples, which are also the subject of experimental observation, of wave packets in the capillary-gravity range of frequencies in a laboratory-scale wave trough. The examples include aqueous and nonaqueous solutions, and an aqueous substrate with a monolayer of oleic acid. An electromechanical wave-maker was used to produce the transient packets; the linearity of its response was verified by comparing observations of wave-packet reversibility with theory.
Honor, Politics, and the Law in Imperial Germany, 1871–1914

Honor in nineteenth-century Germany is usually thought of as an anachronistic aristocratic tradition confined to the duelling elites. In this innovative study Ann Goldberg shows instead how it pervaded all aspects of German life and how, during an era of rapid modernization, it was adapted and incorporated into the modern state, industrial capitalism, and mass politics. In business, state administration, politics, labor relations, gender and racial matters, Germans contested questions of honor in an explosion of defamation litigation. Dr Goldberg surveys court cases, newspaper reportage, and parliamentary debates, exploring the conflicts of daily life and the intense politicization of libel jurisprudence in an era when an authoritarian state faced off against groups and individuals from 'below' claiming new citizenship rights around a democratized notion of honor and law. Her fascinating account provides a nuanced and important understanding of the political, legal and social history of imperial Germany.
Democracy without Competition in Japan: Opposition Failure in a One-Party Dominant State

Despite its democratic structure, Japan's government has been dominated by a single party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 1955. This book offers an explanation for why, even in the face of great dissatisfaction with the LDP, no opposition party has been able to offer itself as a credible challenger in Japan. Understanding such failure is important for many reasons, from its effect on Japanese economic policy to its implications for what facilitates democratic responsiveness more broadly. The principal explanations for opposition failure in Japan focus on the country's culture and electoral system. This book offers a new interpretation, arguing that a far more plausible explanation rests on the predominance in Japan of clientelism, combined with a centralized government structure and electoral protection for groups that benefit from clientelism. While the central case in the book is Japan, the analysis is also comparative and applies the framework cross-nationally.
Pharmacist-led screening program for an inner-city pediatric population

Abstract Objectives To identify the prevalence of asthma, obesity, hypertension, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among youth and provide recommendations for follow-up care. Methods This cross-sectional study consisted of 12 health screenings for children between 5 and 17 years of age in various inner city, lower socioeconomic, and predominantly black communities throughout the city of Pittsburgh, PA. The screenings were conducted by pharmacists and student pharmacists from April 2010 to April 2012. Asthma, obesity, hypertension, and ETS screenings were offered at each event. Results A total of 144 children (50% girls, 89% black, non-Hispanic) were enrolled. Sixteen percent of the study population had a previous diagnosis of asthma; 4% were poorly controlled, and 18% were identified as having potential, undiagnosed asthma. Fifty-three percent were at an unhealthy weight (0.7% underweight, 24.3% overweight, 28.5% obese), 24% had abnormal blood pressure (12.8% prehypertension, 8.5% stage 1 hypertension, 2.8% stage 2 hypertension), and 26% had ETS exposure equivalent to that of smokers (0.7% light smokers, 17.5% smokers, and 7.7% heavy smokers). Overall, 177 specific referrals were made. The incidence of hypertension ( P P = 0.019) with increased weight classification. Conclusion Within this self-selected inner city, predominantly black pediatric population, there were high rates of positive screens for potential asthma, obesity, hypertension, and smoking. Additionally, the risk for high ETS exposure and hypertension increased with increasing weight. This study highlights the importance of pharmacists in disease screening and the need for alternative prevention and management strategies in disparate pediatric populations.
Structure-Based DNA-Targeting Strategies with Small Molecule Ligands for Drug Discovery

Nucleic acids are the molecular targets of many clinical anticancer drugs. However, compared with proteins, nucleic acids have traditionally attracted much less attention as drug targets in structure-based drug design, partially because limited structural information of nucleic acids complexed with potential drugs is available. Over the past several years, enormous progresses in nucleic acid crystallization, heavy-atom derivatization, phasing, and structural biology have been made. Many complicated nucleic acid structures have been determined, providing new insights into the molecular functions and interactions of nucleic acids, especially DNAs complexed with small molecule ligands. Thus, opportunities have been created to further discover nucleic acid-targeting drugs for disease treatments. This review focuses on the structure studies of DNAs complexed with small molecule ligands for discovering lead compounds, drug candidates, and/or therapeutics.
Mycophenolate mofetil decreases rejection in simultaneous pancreas- kidney transplantation when combined with tacrolimus or cyclosporine

Background Historically, the acute rejection rates in simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) recipients have been extremely high (50-80%), with many second and third rejection episodes despite the use of quadruple immunosuppression (antibody induction and cyclosporine [CsA]-azathioprine [AZA]-based maintenance immunosuppression). Although this acute rejection has rarely led to graft loss, it has been a great cause of morbidity and of significantly increased cost. In an attempt to decrease the acute rejection rate and related morbidity in SPK transplant recipients, we compared two state-of-the-art immunosuppression regimens in a prospective, randomized, single-center study. Methods. Patients who received SPK transplants were randomized to receive either tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, n=18) or CsA (Neoral formulation) and MMF (n=18). All patients received OKT3 induction and prednisone, which was tapered to 5 mg/day by 6 months after transplantation. All rejection episodes were biopsy proven. In addition, metabolic control (Hgb A1c , hypertension, serum cholesterol), drug toxicity, and infection also were measured. Data were compared with that of a historical group (n=18) who received conventional CsA (Sandimmune formulation) and AZA-based immunosuppression. Results. The incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection was 11% in both the TAC-MMF and CsA-MMF groups with only two patients in each group experiencing a rejection episode. This rejection rate was significantly decreased from that of the CsA-AZA historical group (77%, P<0.01). There were no significant differences in infection rates, including cytomegalovirus, or in metabolic control (Hgb A1C , hypertension, and cholesterol levels). All patients remained on their initial immunosuppression regimen for the first 3 months after transplantation. Between 3 and 6 months after transplantation, three patients were switched from TAC to CsA for recurrent migraine headaches, posttransplant diabetes, and chronic cytomegalovirus infection. Two patients in the CsA-MMF group died of nonimmunologic causes (aspiration pneumonia and arrhythmia) between 3 and 6 months after transplantation. Conclusions. The data from this study show that MMF treatment significantly decreases the incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection in SPK transplant recipients compared with AZA-treated historical controls. In addition, we conclude that TAC and CsA (Neoral), when combined with MMF, yield similar, low acute rejection rates with similar graft function and metabolic control.
Generalizations of Arnold’s version of Euler’s theorem for matrices

A recent result, conjectured by Arnold and proved by Zarelua, states that for a prime number p, a positive integer k, and a square matrix A with integral entries one has $${\textrm tr}(A^{p^k}) \equiv {\textrm tr}(A^{p^{k-1}}) ({\textrm mod}{p^k})$$ . We give a short proof of a more general result, which states that if the characteristic polynomials of two integral matrices A, B are congruent modulo p k then the characteristic polynomials of A p and B p are congruent modulo p k+1, and then we show that Arnold’s conjecture follows from it easily. Using this result, we prove the following generalization of Euler’s theorem for any 2 × 2 integral matrix A: the characteristic polynomials of A Φ(n) and A Φ(n)-ϕ(n) are congruent modulo n. Here ϕ is the Euler function, $$\prod_{i=1}^{l} p_i^{\alpha_i}$$ is a prime factorization of n and $$\Phi(n)=(\phi(n)+\prod_{i=1}^{l} p_i^{\alpha_i-1}(p_i+1))/2$$ .
A Social Psychological Model for Predicting Sexual Harassment

This article presents a Person X Situation model of sexual harassment. In the tradition of Lewin (1951), this model suggests that sexually harassing behavior may be predicted from an analysis of social situational and person factors. Sexual harassment is a behavior that some people do some of the time. The social norms in specific organizational settings may “permit” sexual harassment. Certain individuals may possess proclivities for sexual harassment. When individuals with a proclivity for sexual harassment are placed in social situations that permit or accept this sort of behavior, the behavior is most likely to occur. From a review of research relating social norms in organizational settings and sexual harassment incidence, women are found more likely to experience sexual harassment in workplaces where men perceive the social norms as permitting such behavior. Research on sexual harassment proclivities in men also is reviewed. A profile of men who are high in the likelihood to sexually harass (LSH) is developed through an examination of correlations between the LSH scale and (1) standard self-report inventories, (2) social cognitive measures, and (3) social behaviors measured in laboratory settings. Possible applications of the Person X Situation analysis to different forms of sexual harassment are discussed.
Oncocytic variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a case report and review of the literature.

Identification of Hurthle cells on fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid leads to a wide differential diagnosis including benignand malignant entities. We report the cytological and histological findings of a patient with an oncocytic variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with concurrent Hashimoto's thyroiditis. FNA revealed a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with Hurthle cells demonstrating abnormal chromatin patterns, nuclear enlargement, pleomorphism, intranuclear cytoplasmic invaginations, and foci of papillary aggregates. Because of the degree of nuclear atypia and suspicion for concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma, a total thyroidectomy was performed revealing a papillary arrangement of Hurthle cells with classic PTC nuclear changes and associated Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This report discusses cytopathological features of a rare variant of PTC (oncocytic subtype) in the background of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We also briefly discuss the differential diagnosis and diagnostic pitfalls of Hurthle cell lesions, with a review of the literature.
Early adolescent executive functioning, intrauterine exposures and own drug use.

Abstract Individual differences in adolescents' executive functioning are often attributed either to intrauterine substance exposure or to adolescents' own substance use, but both predictors typically have not been evaluated simultaneously in the same study. This prospective study evaluated whether intrauterine drug exposures, the adolescents' own substance use, and/or their potential interactions are related to poorer executive functioning after controlling for important contextual variables. Analyses were based on data collected on a sample of 137 predominantly African-American/African Caribbean adolescents from low-income urban backgrounds who were followed since their term birth. Intrauterine substance exposures (cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes) and adolescents' substance use were documented using a combination of biological assays and maternal and adolescent self-report. At 12–14 years of age, examiners masked to intrauterine exposures and current substance use assessed the adolescents using the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), an age-referenced instrument evaluating multiple dimensions of executive functioning (EF). Results of covariate-controlled analyses in this study suggest that when intrauterine substance exposures and young adolescents' substance use variables were in the same analysis models, subtle differences in specific EF outcomes were identifiable in this non-referred sample. While further study with larger samples is indicated, these findings suggest that 1) research on adolescent substance use and intrauterine exposure research should evaluate both predictors simultaneously, 2) subtle neurocognitive effects associated with specific intrauterine drug exposures can be identified during early adolescence, and 3) intrauterine substance exposure effects may differ from those associated with adolescents' own drug use.
Anatomic distribution of nitric oxide synthase in the heart

Nitric oxide synthase is a useful maker for nitric oxide's scope. Localized by either NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry or immunohistochemical methods, most nitric oxide synthase activity in the normal heart is present in endothelium along the extensive network of arteries, veins and capillaries within myocardium. This endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase also exists in the endocardium lining the cavities. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase appears much less prominent, although the exact amount of this isoform in the heart is uncertain. Scattered nerves and ganglion cells are localized by the histochemical methods. While there is no inducible nitric oxide synthase in the normal heart, macrophages associated with repair following various forms of cardiac damage contain this isoform. For all nitric oxide synthases, however, species variation and variability among models underscore the importance of correlative studies of structure and function.
PGE2 and LTB4 inhibit cytokine-stimulated nitric oxide synthase type 2 expression in isolated rat hepatocytes

Prostaglandins have been shown to have a wide range of effects on nitric oxide synthesis when studied in different cell populations. The proximity of hepatocytes to eicosanoid-producing endothelial cells and Kupffer cells prompted us to determine the effects of PGE2 and LTB4 on hepatocyte NO production by the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, NOS-2) in vitro. PGE2 decreased hepatocyte NO synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner when the cells were stimulated with a combination of cytokines or IL-1 alone. LTB4 had a similar effect. PGE2 had to be present at the time of cytokine exposure to produce maximal inhibition of NO synthesis. Reduced synthesis of N02 was associated with reduced NOS-2 mRNA levels suggesting that the induction of NOS-2 was inhibited. These findings demonstrate that eicosanoids can regulate hepatocyte NO synthesis in vitro.
ASSESSMENT OF THE NUMBER AND EXPRESSION OF P-TYPE H+-ATPASE GENES IN TOMATO

Seven genomic fragments encoding isoforms of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plasma membrane H+-ATPase were cloned and characterized. Genomic DNA gel-blot analysis indicated that probes corresponding to LHA1 through LHA7 hybridized to a common set of seven to nine restriction fragments at moderate stringency and to single, distinct fragments at high stringency. RNA gel-blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based RNA analyses indicated that LHA1, LHA2, and LHA4 transcripts were present in all organs examined (roots, hypocotyls, stems, immature leaves, mature leaves, green fruit, and red ripe fruit). LHA1 mRNA was present at similar abundance in all organs, LHA2 mRNA was most abundant in hypocotyls and leaves, and LHA4 mRNA was most abundant in roots and hypocotyls. RNA gel-blot and RNA-based PCR assays indicated that LHA3, LHA5, LHA6, and LHA7 mRNA was present at very low or nondetectable levels in all organs, suggesting that these genes are either expressed at very low levels or in organs not examined or that they are regulated by hormonal or environmental cues that were not tested. Indoleacetic acid (IAA) treatment of tomato hypocotyl segments resulted in modest changes in abundance of LHA1, LHA2, and LHA4 transcripts, but these changes were not correlated with the time course of IAA-induced growth. In addition, constitutively silent LHA genes were not activated by IAA. These results indicate that at least seven genomic sequences are present in tomato that may encode plasma membrane H+-ATPases, at least three of which are expressed relatively abundantly at the mRNA level.
Modeling Concurrent Binding of Multiple Molecular Species in Cell Adhesion

Abstract Cell adhesion provides not only physical linkage but also communication between the cell and its environment. As such, it is important to many cellular functions. Recently, the probability distribution of forming a low number of specific adhesive bonds in a short-duration contact has been described (Chesla et al., Biophys. J. , 1998, 75:1553–1572). This model assumes that binding occurs between a single receptor species and a single ligand species. However, cell adhesion molecules rarely work alone in physiological settings. To account for these in vivo situations, we extended the previous model to include concurrent interactions of multiple receptor–ligand species, introducing the concept of independent binding. Closed-form solutions have been obtained for cases where competition is absent or can be neglected. In two companion papers (Williams et al., Biophys. J. , 2000, 79:1858–1866; 2000, 79:1867–1875), the model developed herein has been applied to analyze two sets of experiments designed such that the validity of the theory was also tested.
The Lamellar Systems of Cytoplasmic Membranes in Dividing Spermatogenic Cells of Drosophila virilis

Spermatogenic cells of Drosophila virilis were studied by light and electron microscopy. The persistence of a "nuclear wall" during the meiotic divisions has been reported by a number of early cytologists, but this interpretation has been a subject of debate. Electron micrographs of dividing spermatocytes reveal the presence of multiple layers of paired membranes surrounding the nuclear region. These lamellar membrane systems are not typical of the nuclear envelope, but were interpreted as such by light microscopists. The membranes constituting a pair are separated by an interspace of approximately 100 A and successive pairs are 200 to 400 A apart. These spacings are similar but not identical to those found in the lamellar systems of the Golgi complex. The cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum in this material are devoid of attached ribonucleoprotein particles, are more precisely ordered than in vertebrate cells, and show a uniform, narrow intracisternal space of approximately 100 A. The conspicuous asters appear to be made up of similar paired membranes radiating from the centriolar region. The primary spermatocyte has numerous dictyosomes and a well developed endoplasmic reticulum in cisternal form, but no typical Golgi complex or endoplasmic reticulum is found during the meiotic division stages of metaphase to telophase. Evidence is presented that these cytoplasmic organelles contribute to the formation of the extensive lamellar systems that appear during meiosis. The results of the Golgi silver staining methods and staining tests for phospholipids, basophilia, and the PAS reaction, indicate that the lamellar arrays of membranes present during meiosis are indistinguishable from the Golgi complex in their tinctorial properties.
Tracer dispersion in two-dimensional rough fractures.

Tracer diffusion and hydrodynamic dispersion in two-dimensional fractures with self-affine roughness are studied by analytic and numerical methods. Numerical simulations were performed via the lattice-Boltzmann approach, using a boundary condition for tracer particles that improves the accuracy of the method. The reduction in the diffusive transport, due to the fractal geometry of the fracture surfaces, is analyzed for different fracture apertures. In the limit of small aperture fluctuations we derive the correction to the diffusive coefficient in terms of the tortuosity, which accounts for the irregular geometry of the fractures. Dispersion is studied when the two fracture surfaces are simply displaced normally to the mean fracture plane and when there is a lateral shift as well. Numerical results are analyzed using the Lambda parameter, related to convective transport within the fracture, and simple arguments based on lubrication approximation. At very low Peclet number, in the case where fracture surfaces are laterally shifted, we show using several different methods that convective transport reduces dispersion.
On the Birch-Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture of Elliptic Curves E D : y 2 = x 3−D 2 x

We prove in this paper that the BSD conjecture holds for a certain kind of elliptic curves.
Observation of ions from a spark discharge in SF6 at 13–67 kPa

Abstract We have observed and identified positive ions produced in a spark discharge in SF6 at high pressure. The ion species were found to be very sensitive to impurities. In purified SF6 the ions were sulfur-rich and complex before reacting to form chemically stable long-lived products.
Initial studies on an in vivo action spectrum for melanoma induction

Abstract Vitamin D production is initiated by exposure of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin to the UVB (280–320 nm) component of sunlight, resulting in the formation of photoproducts, which are subsequently metabolically activated to biologically active moieties in a series of dark reactions as described elsewhere in this symposium. Irradiation of the skin with UVB has, however, other effects not all of which are beneficial. Most notable is the initiation of skin cancer. Non-melanoma skin cancer is clearly initiated by UVB but for the most lethal of the skin cancers, cutaneous malignant melanoma, although associated with sunlight exposure, the wavelengths responsible have not been clearly identified. Using a mouse model for UV-induced melanoma, we have recently shown that UVB, not UVA (320–400 nm), is also responsible for melanoma initiation. A balance therefore needs to be struck between the healthy effects of exposure to UVB in sunlight—vitamin D formation—and the deleterious effects of which the most potentially serious is melanoma initiation. A powerful tool in determining this balance would be an understanding of the action spectra or wavelength dependence for each of these effects. Here we describe methodologies, approaches and potential pitfalls for action spectra determination illustrated by our experience with the HGF/SF transgenic mouse model for UV-induced melanoma.
On phytoplankton growth rates and particulate C: N: P ratios at low light1

In a series of continuous culture experiments involving N-limited growth of the chrysophyte Pavlova lutheri (Mono) I found that large deviations in cellular C: N: P ratios from the Redfield ratio of 106 : 16 : 1 occurred only as a function of low relative growth rate and not of low light intensity. By contrast, light-limited phytoplankton in continuous culture can attain the Redfield chemical proportions at all combinations of light intensity and dilution rate. Because the absolute magnitude of the maximum growth rate is variable with respect to light intensity and other abiotic factors, the chemical composition of particulate matter can be used as a diagnostic tool to estimate the degree of nutrient deficiency of both laboratory-grown and natural phytoplankton populations at all light intensities. There is an abundance of data from recent oceanic studies to substantiate the possibility that the chemical composition of oceanic phytoplankton typically is in the Redfield proportions. These results support the hypothesis that oceanic phytoplankters are growing at relative growth rates close to unity.
MinK Residues Line a Potassium Channel Pore

MinK has neither the P region nor signature sequence that characterizes pore-forming subunits of all known K+ channels. A specific minK region has now been identified that affects external blockade by 2 common probes of K+ channel pores. When mutated to cysteine, residues in this region render minK susceptible to covalent blockade by methanethiosulfonate ethylsulfonate and alter reversible inhibition by tetraethylammonium. The 2 blockers are found to share overlapping binding site determinants and to interact. Since inhibition by external tetraethylammonium is sensitive to voltage and to the internal concentration of permeant ions, we argue that tetraethylammonium blocks by occluding the external end of a water-filled transmembrane pore. These findings support the view that minK is directly involved in forming a K+-selective ion conduction pathway.
Developing Academic Language: Got Words?.

Concerns about how to build academic vocabulary and weave its instruction into curricula are common among classroom teachers. The column includes a review of the research and some practical suggestions for teachers.
Vernier acuity and aging.

Purpose/background: Many visual functions change with age. Hyperacuity vernier thresholds, however, seem to remain practically invariant with age. Methods: We critically review reports on age-related changes in hyperacuity thresholds and present new data using two and three-point vernier hyperacuity thresholds. Results: It appears as though the vernier (two dot or two line) alignment hyperacuity thresholds are not sensitive to age. Significance: Based on these studies we propose that hyperacuity (vernier) thresholds be used as a benchmark, or a gold standard for aging studies. This measurement can serve as a valuable control and reference for other clinical studies of aging.