cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ARTiFACIAL: automated reverse turing test using FACIAL features

Web services designed for human users are being abused by computer programs (bots). The bots steal thousands of free email accounts in a minute; participate in online polls to skew results; and irritate people by joining online chat rooms. These real-world issues have recently generated a new research area called Human Interactive Proofs (HIP), whose goal is to defend services from malicious attacks by differentiating bots from human users. In this paper, we propose a new HIP algorithm based on detecting human face and facial features. Human faces are the most familiar object to humans, rendering it possibly the best candidate for HIP. We conducted user studies and showed the ease of use of our system to human users. We designed attacks using the best existing face detectors and demonstrated the difficulty to bots.
Models for π-π Interactions in “Molecular Metals”. Ionization Energies, Electronic Structure, and Through-Space/Through-Bond Interactions in [2.2]Paracyclophane. A Hartree-Fock-Slater Study

Calculs Xα-DV des interactions mettant en jeu les deux systemes d'electrons π cofaciaux dans le [2.2] paracyclophane et des composes modeles (deux cycles benzene ou p-xylene plans ou courbes)
The hyperfine structure of the Vt-center

The structure of a new electron-deficient color center (V-center) in LiF has been determined from its paramagnetic-resonance hyperfine spectrum. The electron deficiency is localized on three fluoride ions which form an obtuse isosceles triangle lying in a (001) plane with the height along a [110] direction. The orbital of the unpaired electron is primarily determined by the crystalline field and is of the π-type, in contrast to previously discussed V-centers. There is evidence that the electron deficiency is associated with an aggregate of three vacancies, so that the charge is compensated.
Hemochromatosis Heterozygotes May Constitute a Radiation-Sensitive Subpopulation

Abstract Stevens, R. G., Morris, J. E. and Anderson, L. E. Hemochromatosis Heterozygotes May Constitute a Radiation-Sensitive Subpopulation. A primary mechanism of radiation-induced DNA damage is by generation of free radicals. Chronically increased oxidative stress from elevated levels of iron in the body may increase radiation sensitivity by decreasing cellular oxygen radical scavenging capability. Hemochromatosis heterozygotes have elevated body iron. Low-level radiation sensitization by iron may be particularly pertinent for risk of breast cancer. Since 10% of the population appears to be heterozygous for the hemochromatosis gene, a radiosensitizing effect would have pervasive implications.
Transcutaneous bilirubinometry and diagnostic tests: "the right job for the tool".

In the July 2002 issue of Pediatrics , Engle et al1 conclude that in a population of infants at risk for hyperbilirubinemia who are referred for retesting, transcutaneous bilirubinometry has limited usefulness. This study and many like it are quite necessary, but in this case, the result was very predictable provided one accepts the following: 1. No test is perfect. 2. Patients with signs (eg, jaundice) are more likely to be referred for testing. 3. Patients with signs (eg, jaundice) are more likely to have high transcutaneous bilirubin values than those without signs. Engle’s population consisted of infants in whom “the primary caregiver determined that clinically apparent jaundice necessitated retesting.” In contrast, Bhutani et al2 (who reported on the same device) selected a population who, for the most part, had testing done at the time of routine metabolic screening or essentially were all “well” newborns.2 Presumably, some of these infants newborns will later become jaundiced and some will not. Thus, the spectrum of patients tested in each study was different. The specificity of a test answers the question, “If a patient does not have disease, how likely is he to have a negative test?” It is measured as the true-negative rate or as … Reprint requests to (R.E.S.) F5790 Mott Hospital, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0254. E-mail: neoschu{at}med.umich.edu
Why are silyl ethers conformationally different from alkyl ethers? Chair-chair conformational equilibria in silyloxycyclohexanes and their dependence on the substituents on silicon. The wider roles of eclipsing, of 1,3-repulsive steric interactions, and of attractive steric interactions.

An NMR study of the diaxial/diequatorial chair equilibrium in a range of silylated derivatives of trans-1,4- and trans-1,2-dihydroxycyclohexane is reported and discussed with a view to explaining unusually large populations of chair conformations with axial substituents, noted previously for some monosilyloxycyclohexanes and in some silylated sugars. X-ray diffraction studies of three bis-triphenylsilyloxycyclohexanes are reported and show both axial and equatorial silyloxy groups with the exocyclic bonds eclipsed. Eclipsing is also suggested by molecular mechanics (MM3) calculations on such derivatives. Both axial and equatorial tertiary silyl groups have 1,3-repulsive interactions with whatever substituents or hydrogen atoms are at the two adjacent equatorial positions, and these are relieved by rotation toward the eclipsed conformation of the exocyclic C−O bond. The three substituents on silicon interact attractively with the nine atoms at the 3, 4, and 5-positions of the cyclohexane ring and calculati...
A Mini-Midvastus Capsular Approach With Patellar Displacement Decreases the Prevalence of Patella Baja

Our aim in this study was to evaluate the prevalence of patella baja after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using 2 different surgical techniques. Postoperative changes in patella height were measured on serial radiographs of 74 TKAs implanted using a mini-midvastus capsular approach without patella eversion (group 1) and 57 TKAs implanted using a standard medial parapatellar capsular approach with patella eversion (group 2). Preoperative and postoperative Knee Society scores, operative data, and complications were compared. With a cutoff level of 5% shortening, the prevalence was 12% in group 1 and 37% in group 2 (P = .001). The presence of patella baja was related to reduced flexion and increased pain as early as 1 year after TKA.
Laboratory simulation of aerothermodynamic phenomena - A review

The issues of laboratory simulation of aerothermodynamic phenomena are discussed. The paper first enumerates the seven aerothermodynamic phenomena that affect the performance of high speed aerospace vehicles but are presently beyond our ability to predict accurately, and defines the types of experiments that need to be made to understand and quantify the phenomena. The facilities suited for these experiments are identified. The causes of uncertainty and difficulty in the experiments are cited. The procedures for calibrating the facilities for these purposes are proposed, and the research and development needed for successful laboratory simulation of aerothermodynamic phenomena are identified.
Crystal structures of spin labeled T4 lysozyme mutants: implications for the interpretation of EPR spectra in terms of structure.

High resolution (1.43-1.8 A) crystal structures and the corresponding electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra were determined for T4 lysozyme derivatives with a disulfide-linked nitroxide side chain [-CH(2)-S-S-CH(2)-(3-[2,2,5,5-tetramethyl pyrroline-1-oxyl]) identical with R1] substituted at solvent-exposed helix surface sites (Lys65, Arg80, Arg119) or a tertiary contact site (Val75). In each case, electron density is clearly resolved for the disulfide group, revealing distinct rotamers of the side chain, defined by the dihedral angles X(1) and X(2). The electron density associated with the nitroxide ring in the different mutants is inversely correlated with its mobility determined from the EPR spectrum. Residue 80R1 assumes a single g(+)()g(+)() conformation (Chi(1) = 286, X(2) = 294). Residue 119R1 has two EPR spectral components, apparently corresponding to two rotamers, one similar to that for 80R1 and the other in a tg(-)() conformation (Chi(1) = 175, X(2) = 54). The latter state is apparently stabilized by interaction of the disulfide with a Gln at i + 4, a situation also observed at 65R1. R1 residues at helix surface site 65 and tertiary contact site 75 make intra- as well as intermolecular contacts in the crystal and serve to identify the kind of molecular interactions possible for the R1 side chain. A single conformation of the entire 75R1 side chain is stabilized by a variety of interactions with the nitroxide ring, including hydrophobic contacts and two unconventional C-H.O hydrogen bonds, one in which the nitroxide acts as a donor (with tyrosine) and the other in which it acts as an acceptor (with phenylalanine). The interactions revealed in these structures provide an important link between the dynamics of the R1 side chain, reflected in the EPR spectrum, and local protein structure. A library of such interactions will provide a basis for the quantitative interpretation of EPR spectra in terms of protein structure and dynamics.
A comparison of consumer experiences with online and offline shopping

(2000). A comparison of consumer experiences with online and offline shopping. Consumption Markets & Culture: Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 187-205.
Distribution of Protein in California Milk in 1983

Abstract The suitability of California raw milks for the production of cheese was evaluated during 1983 by measuring the distribution of nitrogen in 1417 samples of farm milk from four major dairy regions of California. Both Kjeldahl (431 samples) and the Udy dye-binding procedures (986 samples) were used. True protein concentrations measured by Kjeldahl varied from 2.66 to 4.41% and averaged 3.32%. For samples measured by Udy, true protein concentrations ranged from 2.56 to 3.93% and averaged 3.15%. Casein as a percent of true protein varied from 69.1 to 80.4% and averaged 76.4% for samples analyzed by the Kjeldahl procedure. For samples analyzed by the Udy procedure, casein as percent of true protein ranged from 72.8 to 80.7% and averaged 77.0%. There was close agreement between values obtained by the Udy and Kjeldahl procedures, which suggests that milk can be chosen for cheese production on the basis of its casein content using the Udy procedure.
Immunocytochemical evaluation of thyroid neoplasms on thin‐layer smears from fine‐needle aspiration biopsies

BACKGROUND Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the most reliable diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules. A difficult cytologic diagnosis may be supported by an immunocytochemical study. The efficacy of a panel made up of RET, HBME-1, and Galectin-3 antibodies was evaluated in smears processed by thin-layer cytology (TLC). DESIGN Thyroid FNABs (n = 99) with both conventional (CS) and thin-layer cytology (TLC) smears were studied. The cases were diagnosed as follows: 5 benign lesions (BL), 13 papillary carcinomas (PC), and 81 follicular proliferations (FP). The category of FP was divided into three subgroups according to nuclear features of follicular cells: Follicular neoplasm (FN NOS), oxyphilic follicular neoplasm (OFN), and folliucular lesion with nuclear pleomorphism (FLWNP). Immunostains for HBME-1, Galectin-3, and RET were carried out on TLC slides. RESULTS Among 49 cases undergoing surgery, all 10 PC and 2 BL were histologically confirmed, whereas 15 out of 37 FP (40.5%) were malignant. The complete immunocytochemical panel (ICCP) was positive in 9 of 10 malignancies (90%) and negative in both BLs. Out of 37 FP, the ICCP yielded positive in 15 cases (4 benign, 11 malignant) and negative in 11 (all benign). In the FLWNP subgroup, the ICCP was positive in 11 (84.6%) and negative in 2 histologically benign cases. CONCLUSION The combined panel of antibodies and the nuclear pleomorphism of follicular cells were effective in distinguishing between thyroid nodules requiring surgery from thyroid nodules requiring just follow-up. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
On the performance of some tests for the equality of two discrete distributions with an ordered alternative 1

This paper contains the results of a power study which was designed to determine which tests are better for testing the equality of two discrete distributions with an ordered alternative. The five tests considered are (1) the Two-Sample T-Test, (2) the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, (3) the Likelihood Ratio Test for a stochastically ordered alternative by Robertson and Wright, (4) the Likelihood Ratio Test for a uniformly stochastically ordered alternative by Dykstra, Kochar and Robertson and (5) a Cumulative Chi-Square Test by Nair.
DNA/ANTI‐DNA complexes

The hydrodynamic sizes of antibody/3H-dsDNA immune complexes are correlated with their ability to fix complement in a red blood cell-complement linked binding assay. The results with PM2 dsDNA and a sonicated preparation (with a molecular weight of approximately 5 . 105) suggest that packing considerations are also important in the complement binding reaction. The relevance of these findings with respect to the role of antibody/dsDNA immune complexes in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus is discussed.
Design of a Guided Missile Interceptor Using a Genetic Algorithm

An apportioned pareto genetic algorithm was used to manipulate a solid rocket design code, an aerodynamic designcode,andathree-loopautopilottoproduceguidedmissileinterceptordesignscapableofaccuratelyengaging a high-speed/high-altitude target. Dee nition of the optimization problem required 29 design variables, and 4 primary goals were established to assess the performance of the interceptor designs. Design goals included the following: minimize miss distance, minimize intercept time, minimize takeoff weight, and minimize maximum g loading. In 50 generations, the genetic algorithm was able to develop 2 basic types of external aerodynamic designs that performed nearlythe same, with miss distances less than 1.0ft. The solid rocket motors that propelled these external shapes shared common characteristics such as a large initial burning area and a large combustion chambervolume. Thegeneticalgorithmdid not prefermaximizing theamount offuel within therocket motorcase (high fuel volume ratio). A higher fuel volume ratiotypicallymeans higher launch weight, but does not necessarily guarantee faster intercepts given enite thermal limits. Examination of the intercept trajectories themselves shows that standard proportional navigation guidance works adequately, but could probably be improved by thrust compensation,especiallyduringthelaunchtransient.Thethree-loopautopilotperformswellevenforhigh-altitude engagements, and the analytic gain determination makes the autopilot straightforward to implement.
Using an ADCP to Estimate Turbulent Kinetic Energy Dissipation Rate in Sheltered Coastal Waters

AbstractTurbulent microstructure and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data were collected near Tacoma Narrows in Puget Sound, Washington. Over 100 coincident microstructure profiles have been compared to ADCP estimates of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate (ϵ). ADCP dissipation rates were calculated using the large-eddy method with theoretically determined corrections for sensor noise on rms velocity and integral-scale calculations. This work is an extension of Ann Gargett’s approach, which used a narrowband ADCP in regions with intense turbulence and strong vertical velocities. Here, a broadband ADCP is used to measure weaker turbulence and achieve greater horizontal and vertical resolution relative to the narrowband ADCP. Estimates of ϵ from the Modular Microstructure Profiler (MMP) and broadband ADCP show good quantitative agreement over nearly three decades of dissipation rate, 3 × 10−8–10−5 m2 s−3. This technique is most readily applied when the turbulent velocity is greater than the A...
Complement and neutrophil activation during cardiopulmonary bypass: a study in the complement-deficient dog.

Abstract Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is known to cause complement and neutrophil activation, but the relative importance and interaction of these components in CPB-induced inflammation is unknown. In this study, a strain of dogs genetically deficient in the third component of complement (C3) was used to determine the contribution of C3 to neutropnil activation and pulmonary injury after CPB. Eleven dogs (5 C3-deficient and 6 controls) underwent 150 minutes of hypothermic CPB (28 °C) followed by 2 hours of observation. Before CPB, C3 levels were normal in controls and less than 1% of normal in C3-deficient dogs. In control dogs, functional activity of C3 decreased to 53.2% of baseline after 1 hour of CPB and there was immunohistochemical evidence of C3 deposition in lung after CPB; C3-deficient dogs had no C3 deposition in lung. Although similar degrees of neutropenia occurred during CPB in the two groups, expression of neutrophil adhesion molecule subunit CD18 was significantly lower in C3-deficient dogs than controls after 1 hour of CPB (45.9 ± 3.7 versus 82.9 ± 10.0 mean fluorescence units; p −1 · min −1 ; p
Creation and implications of a phenome-genome network

Although gene and protein measurements are increasing in quantity and comprehensiveness, they do not characterize a sample's entire phenotype in an environmental or experimental context. Here we comprehensively consider associations between components of phenotype, genotype and environment to identify genes that may govern phenotype and responses to the environment. Context from the annotations of gene expression data sets in the Gene Expression Omnibus is represented using the Unified Medical Language System, a compendium of biomedical vocabularies with nearly 1-million concepts. After showing how data sets can be clustered by annotative concepts, we find a network of relations between phenotypic, disease, environmental and experimental contexts as well as genes with differential expression associated with these concepts. We identify novel genes related to concepts such as aging. Comprehensively identifying genes related to phenotype and environment is a step toward the Human Phenome Project.
Microconstituent-Induced Pitting Corrosion in Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3

Abstract Free corrosion immersion experiments were conducted on a commercial airframe material, Al 2024-T3 (UNS A92024), in 0.5 M sodium chloride (NaCl) solution to investigate the role of microcon...
Mechanogenomic control of DNA exposure and sequestration.

There is longstanding recognition and appreciation for striking differences in the structure, assembly and organization of regulatory machinery in normal and cancer cells. Drawings from 100 years ago of Galeotti’s comparisons of cancer cell and normal cell chromosomes illustrated gross differences in chromatin structure and chromosome numbers in human tissue harboring a tumor.1 Tumor-related perturbations in nuclear structure-function interrelationships are well documented by prominent perturbations in the size and number of nucleoli, indicating the reconfiguration of the nuclear infrastructure that supports ribosomal gene expression and consequently protein biosynthesis. However, how higher order chromatin structure is controlled and maintained by the cancer cell and its microenvironment, compared to normal cells, has remained beyond our reach. The work presented by Maniotis et al2 in this issue of The American Journal of Pathology shows there are striking differences in restriction enzyme sensitivity between tumor cell and normal cell genomes. Furthermore, Maniotis et al propose that the mechanical contiguity and coordination of nuclear proteins bound to DNA, the cytoskeleton, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) may work in concert to provide a cytoarchitectural resistance mechanism deep within the cell. When verified in other laboratories, these findings may constitute the basis for a paradigm shift in the way we view how the genomes of higher eukaryotic cells, and malignant cells in particular, are regulated.
The foundations of development and deprivation in the visual system

The pioneering work of Torsten Wiesel and David Hubel on the development and deprivation of the visual system will be summarised, together with some comments on their influence, and some personal reminiscences by the author.
Pulmonary and Nasal Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Allergy Inhalation Aerosol Delivery Systems

Most respiratory infections, diseases and allergic reactions have varying degrees of inflammation. Inflammation is a natural immunodefensive response to the presence of allergens or foreign particles that come into contact or affect the cells and tissues within the respiratory tract. The three main types of therapeutic drug classes available for anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effects are corticosteroids, antihistamines and decongestants. Corticosteroid drugs for pulmonary inhalation and/or nasal delivery include beclomethasone dipropionate, budesonide, ciclesonide, fluticasone furoate, fluticasone propionate, mometasone furoate, and triamcinolone acetonide. Antihistamine drugs for nasal delivery include azelastine and olopatadine. Two common decongestants available are oxymetazoline and phenylephrine. Another therapeutic class, the anticholinergic agents, such as ipratropium bromide and tiotropium bromide, are used in pulmonary delivery in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mast cell stabilizer therapeutic class, cromolyn sodium, can be used to prevent and relieve nasal allergic symptoms. Additionally cromolyn sodium was the first dry powder inhaler product for pulmonary drug delivery several decades ago and currently is on the market as a pressurized metered dose inhaler for pulmonary inhalation delivery. Based on the devices used in pulmonary drug delivery, this route can be subdivided into three categories; namely nebulizers, pressurized metered dose inhalers, and dry powder inhalers. Nasal delivery of anti-inflammatory and antiallergy drugs is most commonly available commercially in an aqueous spray form. This article comprehensively reviews and discusses different kinds of drugs used for anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects via the pulmonary and nasal delivery route, as well as their mechanisms of action, marketed products, disease state indications while highlighting drug delivery and therapeutic aspects.
Adaptive Changes of Glycerol 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Level in Rat skin: Efifects of Starvation, Alloxan Diabetes and Insulin1

Our previous study demonstrated an impairment of lipid synthesis in skin of starved rats and alloxan-diabetic rats, and that L-glycerol 3-phosphate may play a regulatory role in lipid synthesis. In a continued study, we have examined the level of cytoplasmic L-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GDH) (L-glycerol 3-phosphate: NAD+ oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.1.1.8) in rat skin. The enzyme level was found to decrease markedly in alloxan diabetes and after starvation. The level in normal rat skin, as determined in the 105,000×g supernatant of skin homogenates, was 12.5±0.9 nmoles of NADPH/min/mg protein. The value dropped to 4.2±0.6 after the animal was rendered dia betic with alloxan, and to 4.7±0.6 after 60 hrostarvation. The enzyme level was restored to normal 12–24 hr after the administration of insulin to the diabetic animal or refeeding the starved animal. Administration of actinomycin D or puromycin 30 min prior to the administration of insulin prohibited the increase of the enzyme in skin of the diabetic ...
AstroWheelie: A wheelchair based exercise game

Exercise is necessary to maintain physical fitness and well-being. However, many people who have limited use of their legs and need the aid of a wheelchair may find it difficult to get an adequate amount of physical activity each day. In this work, we describe AstroWheelie, a version of the classic arcade game "Asteroidstrade" which is played by using a wheelchair as the game interface. AstroWheelie encourages exercise in a enjoyable game that is appropriate for all age groups.
Racial Differences in Clinical Outcomes From Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of CALGB 9342 and 9840—Cancer and Leukemia Group B

Purpose African American women are more likely to be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the time of presentation than whites, and have shorter survival once diagnosed. This study examines racial differences in clinical outcomes in the setting of two large cooperative group randomized clinical trials. Patients and Methods The study cohort consisted of 787 white (80%) and 195 African American (20%) patients with metastatic breast cancer enrolled in two successive Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) trials using taxanes in the metastatic setting. Differences in overall survival (OS), response incidence, and time to treatment failure (TTF) were examined by race. In addition, differences in the incidence of baseline and treatment-related toxicities were examined. Results With 779 deaths (166 African Americans and 613 whites), median OS was 14.3 months for African Americans and 18.75 months for whites (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.63). When adjusted for prognostic factors, African America...
Effect of Cocaine on Decidual Prolactin Secretion in Vitro

The physiological role of decidual prolactin production is still unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether cocaine could affect in vitro prolactin secretion from human decidua. Fresh decidua obtained at term during elective cesarean section (n = 4) was placed in 8 ml Gey's buffer with varying concentrations (0, 10−6, 10−5, 10−4 M) of cocaine in a 5% CO2, 95% air incubator at 37oC for 24 hr. At intervals, 4 and 24 hr, 0.8-ml aliquots were taken and the prolactin concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Prolactin concentrations rose after exposure to cocaine at all concentrations, but this increase was only statistically significant at the highest concentration (10−4 M) after 24 hr incubation. We conclude that cocaine stimulates the secretion or release of prolactin from human decidua in vitro. Whether this may play a role in the premature labor induced by cocaine awaits further investigation.
CB5-02: New Rules: Dealing With Conflicts of Interest in Public Health Service Funded Research: What Every Institution and Every Investigator Needs to Know

Background/Aims New regulations regarding researcher Conflicts of Interest (COI) for federally funded research have just been promulgated by the Federal Government. All investigators and institutions conducting such research are required to comply with these new COI rules by August 24, 2012. The aims of this presentation are to 1) familiarize investigators and research administrators with these new regulations, and 2) discuss what steps institutions need to take in order to be in compliance. In addition, specific rules dealing with institutional COI that exist nowhere else also are in place for the FDA Mini-Sentinel Project. These rules will be discussed in detail.
LIZARDS OF THE MUSSENTUCHIT LOCAL FAUNA (ALBIAN–CENOMANIAN BOUNDARY) AND COMMENTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE CRETACEOUS LIZARD FAUNA OF NORTH AMERICA

A diverse fauna of lizards has been recovered from the Cedar Mountain Formation (Albian-Cenomanian boundary) of central Utah. These lizards are a component of the now recognized Mussentuchit local fauna and, like many of the other vertebrate groups within this fauna, show striking similarities to their North American Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) counterparts. Unlike the Late Cretaceous lizard faunas, the lizards from the Mussentuchit local fauna also include at least one ''paramacellodid,'' a group common to Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous lizard faunas of North America. Comparison with other Cretaceous lizard faunas from both North America and Asia indicates that the changes in the North American lizard fauna represented by the lizards of the Mussentuchit local fauna are likely the result of the introduction of taxa from Asia during the Early Cretaceous. Supposedly herbivorous taxa are found among the Polyglyphanodontine lizards from the Late Cretaceous of North American and Asia, but the general changes in the Cretaceous lizard fauna of North America cannot be convincingly shown to be linked to the concurrent angiosperm radiation. Later influxes of Asian lizard taxa prior to the Campanian may explain the relatively sudden appearance of additional groups of lizards in the early Campanian of North America. Whereas there is good evidence to support the hypothesis of an Asian influence on the Cretaceous lizard fauna of North America, there is insufficient evidence to determine what, if any, influence may have come from Europe or South America.
Effects of heavy ions on rabbit tissues: loss of electroretinogram and DNA repair in retinal photoreceptor cells.

SummaryOptic and proximate tissues of New Zealand white rabbits were exposed to the Bragg plateau regions of 530 MeV/amu Ar ions and 365 MeV/amu Ne ions and also to 60Co γ rays. The linear energy transfers (LET∞s) for the radiations were 90 ± 5, 35 ± 3 and 0·3 keV/µm, respectively. Single acute exposures to all three radiations caused only limited changes in the electroretinogram (ERG) until a critical dose was approached. At that dose, which was 45 ± 3 Gy for all three types of radiation, a sudden loss in the b-wave of the ERG occurred. From less accurate measurements, it appeared that the response of the a-wave of the ERG was similar. The critical dose for ERG loss was reflected also in the rejoining of strand breaks in the DNA of retinal photoreceptor cells. Above the critical dose, the rejoining of DNA strand breaks was limited; below the critical dose, the rejoining of DNA strand breaks approached completion even though it took days to do so. In the latter respect, the response of photoreceptor cells...
Deforestation and Emerging Greenhouse Gas Compliance Regimes: Toward a Global Environmental Law of Forests, Carbon and Climate Governance

This chapter reviews the current status of and prospects for efforts to include emissions from deforestation (and international forest carbon activities in general) in emerging greenhouse gas compliance regimes at the international level; future iterations of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS); and in the United States. Three lessons emerge from this survey. First, in contrast to international climate policy debates during the 1990s and the early 2000s, deforestation has clearly emerged as a viable object of climate governance. Second, the policy architecture that is taking shape in the effort to bring reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) into climate governance is decidedly pluralistic, with important developments occurring at multiple levels and across multiple jurisdictions, illustrating the development of a “global environmental law” of forests, carbon, and climate governance. Third, the United States (at both national and sub-national levels) has emerged as an important driver of efforts to construct a workable governance structure for compliance-grade REDD programs by signaling that emerging GHG compliance systems in the U.S. (most notably, California) could include provisions recognizing REDD activities in tropical forest jurisdictions around the world.
Topiramate-Associated Weight Loss in a Veteran Population

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to see whether patients in a real-world setting taking topiramate for varied indications experience significant weight loss. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study from the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. Patients were new topiramate users between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2013 with body mass index > 25 kg/m2 and medication possession ratio > 0.5. Primary outcome determined if topiramate users experienced significant changes in weight and body mass index. Secondary outcome analyzed predictive factors associated with 5% weight loss using logistic regression models. Patients were followed up 1 year post index date. Results: A total of 767 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients lost an average of 5.6 lbs (216.1 lbs preweight vs. 210.5 lbs postweight) at an average follow-up of 7.8 months. A total of 43.2% (92/213) of females lost 5% of their body weight compared to 29.4% (163/554) of males. Females (odds ratio 1.73; 95% confiden...
mCry3A-Selected Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Colony Exhibits High Resistance and Has Reduced Binding of mCry3A to Midgut Tissue.

Several Bt maize events expressing various insecticidal Cry protein genes have been commercialized for management of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We used high efficacy (>99.7%) experimental maize events that express mCry3A for selections under laboratory conditions to develop a western corn rootworm colony resistant to mCry3A at higher levels than published results. The resistance ratio (RR) to mCry3A was >97-fold based on LC50 values in diet-based bioassays after six generations of selections when compared to that of an unselected Control colony. Using a sublethal seedling assay (SSA) method, we confirmed that the colony had no cross-resistance to maize event DAS-59122-7, which expresses Cry34/35Ab. Reciprocal crosses between the mCry3A-resistant colony and the susceptible colony were performed to test the inheritance of resistance. Larval survival and development evaluated by the SSA method indicated that resistance to mCry3A was inherited autosomally and was incompletely recessive (h = 0.23–0.25). Specific binding of mCry3A to brush border membrane vesicles of midgut tissue revealed reduced binding in the resistant colony when compared to binding in the susceptible colony. This is the first report where resistance in western corn rootworm has been shown to involve reduced binding of a Cry3-class protein in midgut tissue.
Effect of hydrocortisone on human cells in tissue culture.

SummaryHydrocortisone inhibited the growth of cells in a synthetic medium. Degree of inhibition was proportional to concentration of the hormone and duration of exposure. The inhibition in nuclear multiplication was relatively greater than the inhibition of protein synthesis. The cells grown in media with hydrocortisone had larger, more variable nuclei, increased amounts of acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterase and decreased amounts of succinic dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Miss Virginia Jentoft and Miss Barbara Jennings.
Apholate Chemosterilization of the Cereal Leaf Beetle

Apholate was found to be an effective chemosterilant for the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.). When adults of both sexes were dipped in a 0.05% aqueous concentration for 30 seconds, 100% sterility was induced. When only males were treated, a 0.1% aqueous concentration was needed to effect complete sterility; longevity of treated males was reduced at the sterilizing dosage. Sterilized males retained their normal mating behavior, but early mortality reduced their mating effectiveness in comparison with the normal males. A ratio of treated males to untreated males of about 12:1 would be required to reduce egg viability to less than 1%. The early mortality of the treated males would necessitate frequent release of sterilized beetles. Histologic sections revealed no damage to the testes of males treated with 0.1% apholate, and motile spermatozoa were found in treated males 21 days after treatment.
Regrettable Sex: An Exploratory Analysis of College Students' Experiences

This study examined 392 regrettable sex stories submitted by college students attending a large public university in the northeast. Stories were coded for common themes. In nearly half the sexual episodes (49%), the individuals were drinking. However, only 16% cited “I was drunk” as the primary reason for regretting the sexual experience. Other common reasons cited by students for regretting a sexual experience were: “It was a disappointing first time” (25%), “It was unprotected sex” (22%), “I was cheating on my partner” (17%), “It was a one-night stand” (17%), and “It ruined our friendship” (11%). Implications for educating college students are discussed.
Fluorescent Granules at the Glomerular Pole of Human Kidneys.

ConclusionsFluorescent granules are sometimes found at the glomerular pole of human kidneys. They are absent in normal animals and in dogs with experimental renal hypertension.
Development of a Best Evidence Statement for the Use of Pressure Therapy for Management of Hypertrophic Scarring

Pressure therapy has been considered standard, first-line intervention for the treatment of hypertrophic scars since its introduction in the 1960s. Although widely used, this scar management technique has historically been based on a wide array of anecdotal evidence as opposed to strong scientific support. Evidence has become more prevalent in recent years, necessitating a synthesis to develop an evidence-based clinical guideline. The clinical question was asked, "Among individuals with or at risk to develop active hypertrophic scars, does treatment with pressure therapy improve aesthetic and functional outcomes?" An evidence-based practice project was completed with aims to synthesize relevant literature to determine recommendations for the use of pressure therapy in individuals at risk for hypertrophic scars. A systematic search of the literature was conducted for the dates January 1950 to February 2014 of the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews, Burntherapist.com, Cochrane Libraries, Ebsco, Google Scholar, OT Seeker, Ovid, MedLine, PEDro.org, Pubmed.gov, Pubmed Clinical Queries, and hand search of relevant articles through use of reference lists. Search terms included scar, hypertroph*, pressure therapy, compression therapy, pressure garment, burn, scald, trauma as well as MeSH terms cicatrix and hypertrophic. Articles were reviewed in terms of ability to answer the clinical question as well as strength of conclusions. A total of 45 articles were found and critiqued, 28 of which were relevant to the clinical question. Evidence strength ranged from level 1 to level 5. Results from the studies were synthesized to create clinical recommendations to guide treatment. Based on best available evidence, it is recommended that pressure therapy is utilized to decrease scar height and erythema that it is used for grafts and wounds requiring 14 to 21 days to heal, for 23 hours/day for 12 months, fit to achieve 20 to 30 mm Hg of pressure, fit by a skilled technician, and replaced every 2-3 months. In addition, it is not recommended that pressure therapy is used to treat abnormal pigmentation, nor used to hasten scar maturation. This literature search revealed insufficient evidence addressing the impact of pressure therapy on scar pliability. Among individuals with or at risk to develop active hypertrophic scars, treatment with pressure therapy does improve outcomes, particularly for aesthetic concerns including scar thickness and erythema. Applicability of research to practice: The practical treatment recommendations presented may improve consistency and efficacy of pressure therapy utilization at the point of care.
Perforations of the GI Tract in Newborn Infants

Many deaths of neonates with gastrointestinal perforations are preventable if the physician is alert to signs and symptoms that suggest both the presence and the site of such lesions; awareness must extend to “preperforative” situations. Decompression of a severely distended infant via catheter is often a necessary maneuver to gain time for laparotomy and definitive surgery.
Childhood: A study in philosophical psychology

Childhood can be examined from the point of view of implicit philosophy and psychological drives. The movement is from infant solipsism to the translation of subjective categories into the terms of description of material objects. In the years from 3 to 5, curiosity is marked here and there by positive attachment to particular things promising security. The social role is promoted by considerations of space and time and by the development of adaptive plasticity. Then development splits off into self-conscious on the one hand and causality on the other as an ego-object appears among objects. For the first time there is an organized self in an organized environment.
People-Centered Liberalism: An Alternative Approach to International State-Building in Sierra Leone and Liberia

Efforts to build stable states in Africa have often been conditioned by ideological and policy debates about the right approach for enhancing freedom and social wellbeing. Since independence, Afric...
Focal-spot optimization by polarization modulation

Polarization modulation in the near field of a coherent beam is investigated theoretically and experimentally for focusing and correcting wavefront aberrations.
Glass is Heavy, Too: Testing the Field-Processing Model at the Modena Obsidian Quarry, Lincoln County, Southeastern Nevada

The field-processing model (FPM) relates degree of resource processing at procurement site to round-trip travel distance. Typically applied to food getting, its extension to stone tools is part of a larger trend to broaden the scope and strengthen the theoretical foundation of inference from lithic data. This trend guided the FPM's application at the Modena obsidian quarry in the Great Basin, which follows earlier analyses by comparing the proportion by reduction stage of biface preforms between quarry and outlying sites and the technological characteristics of debris assemblages. It also uses two ratio-scale methods, slope of the regression of preform weight upon the first principal-component of linear dimensions, which declines with reduction, and slope of cumulative-count of flakes upon flake size, which increases with reduction. Results support the FPM and previous studies that document early-stage reduction at quarries vs. later-stage reduction across the landscape. The essential next step in FPM testing requires data on pattern and extent of biface reduction as a continuous function of distance from source. As useful as are existing measures and approaches, newly defined ratio-scale measures can particularly expedite testing of the FPM in its continuous terms.
General pharmacokinetic model for drugs exhibiting target-mediated drug disposition.

Drugs that bind with high affinity and to a significant extent (relative to dose) to a pharmacologic target such as an enzyme, receptor, or transporter may exhibit nonlinear pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior. Processes such as receptor-mediated endocytosis may result in drug elimination. A general PK model for characterizing such behavior is described and explored through computer simulations and applications to several therapeutic agents. Simulations show that model predicted plasma concentration vs. time profiles are expected to be polyexponential with steeper distribution phases for lower doses and similar terminal disposition phases. Noncompartmental parameters always show apparent Vss and CLD decreasing with dose, but apparent clearance decreases only when the binding process produces drug elimination. The proposed model well captured the time-course of drug concentrations for the aldose reductase inhibitor imirestat, the endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan, and recombinant human interferon-β 1a. This type of model has a mechanistic basis and considerable utility for fully describing the kinetics for various doses of relevant drugs.
Biochemistry of Methotrexate: Teaching an Old Drug New Tricks

Chemotherapy, despite its shortcomings, continues to be one of the major modalities in the treatment of cancer. Most of the drugs in current use were discovered empirically, i.e., through screening programs. In recent years, however, a more rational approach for drug development has emerged, based upon a four-stage strategy: a) the first stage involves the identification of opportune targets. These are usually biochemical parameters that are closely related to cell replication, e.g., DNA (or RNA) or enzymes responsible for the synthesis of the nucleic acids and their nucleotide precursors. Illustrative of this approach is the work of Weber (1), who has developed a comprehensive program for identifying enzymes that are rate-limiting in the synthesis of purine or pyrimidine nucleotides and are present in increased amounts in tumor cells; b) Sites on the target for drug interaction are defined. For DNA, these are nucleotide sequences with enhanced susceptibility to intercalating or covalent-binding agents; specificity of these sites, however, is usually not stringent. Substrate-binding sites on enzymes offer better possibilities for specificity. Some insight into the dimensions of these sites and the amino acids that interact with ligands can be obtained by comparison of binding constants for substrates and inhibitors, by chemical modification with group-specific reagents, and by NMR measurements. Accurate three-dimensional pictures of the sites, however, require X-ray diffraction analyses of the crystalline enzymes. This latter technique has been employed in the elegant studies of Kraut and Matthews [reviewed in (2)] for visualizing the Methotrexate (MTX) binding site on dihydrofolate reductase; c) Information about the drug-binding sites, along with computer graphic modeling, then provides guidance for the chemical synthesis of compounds tailored to fit with a high degree of specificity and affinity. Montgomery, Robins, Hitchings and Elion are among the leaders in this field; d) Finally, promising compounds that interact satisfactorily with their targets are examined for other criteria necessary for clinical acceptance, viz., facile uptake by cells (via active transport or diffusion),cytotoxicity (with selectivity toward tumor cells), distribution to tumorbearing sites in the body, and favorable pharmacologic characteristics such as resistance to metabolism and/or excretion.
Telemedicine consultation for patients with diabetes mellitus: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

IntroductionThere is a widening discrepancy between the increasing number of patients with diabetes mellitus and the health care resources available to manage these patients. Telemedicine has been ...
Purification of single-stranded DNA by co-polymerization with acrylamide and electrophoresis

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides are useful as aptamers, hybridization probes and for emerging applications in DNA nanotechnology. Current methods to purify ssDNA require both a strand-separation step and a separate size-separation step but may still leave double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) impurities in the sample. Here, we use commercially available acrydite DNA primers to immobilize one strand of a PCR product within a polyacrylamide matrix. Electrophoresis moves the non-crosslinked DNA into the gel where the single-stranded product of desired size can be recovered. Our results show this method produces high yields of pure ssDNA.