cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production and release of acetylcholinesterase by cultured chick embryo muscle

Abstract The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of cultures from 11-day-old chick embryo muscle cells was studied for up to 4 weeks in vitro. AChE activity was found in mononucleated cells and multinucleated myotubes. The activity increased greatly after fusion. Maximum AChE levels were reached after 7–10 days of incubation and tended to decline thereafter. Multiple forms of AChE found in embryo muscle in situ were present in cultures before and after fusion. Selective inhibitors and substrates were used to show that AChE was released by the cells into their medium. Within a 2-day period the AChE that accumulated in the medium averaged over 6 times that remaining in the cells. Release of AChE from the cells was inhibited by cycloheximide, and AChE levels in cells and medium were much reduced when differentiation was inhibited by bromodeoxyuridine. Little AChE was present in subcultures of fibroblasts from muscle cultures. Acetyl-β-methylcholine and, to a lesser degree, choline itself, prevented the decrease in AChE levels of 2- to 3-week-old muscle cultures.
Treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with alpha lipoic acid and associative conditioning

We have initiated studies to evaluate the suitability of performing therapeutic conditioning trials in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice treated with alpha lipoic acid (ALA). EAE was induced in SJL mice by active immunization with myelin antigen. Once daily subcutaneous injection of ALA served as the unconditional stimulus (US) administered with the conditional stimulus (CS) saccharin-flavored drinking water under a regimen of restricted water access. In the first study, we found that water restriction and saccharin administration were compatible with disease development and effective ALA treatment of EAE mice. In the second study, mice were conditioned to once daily administration of ALA paired with administration of saccharin-flavored water (US+CS) on days 7-16. Test trials spanned experimental days 17-32 in groups receiving either saccharin-flavored water (CS, in the experimental group) versus unflavored water (CSo, in the control group) and compared several measures of EAE severity using multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA). Reduced disease severity in the experimental group (US+CS:CS) compared to the control group (US+CS:CSo) suggested that conditioning had occurred. These results demonstrate an approach for conducting therapeutic conditioning trials in EAE mice and suggest considerations for future investigations.
Adiponectin-mediated antilipotoxic effects in regenerating pancreatic islets.

Pathways that stimulate β-cell regeneration remain of great clinical interest, yet effective therapeutic avenues that promote survival or reconstitution of β-cell mass remain elusive. Using a mouse model with inducible β-cell apoptosis followed by adiponectin-mediated regeneration, we aimed to identify key molecules boosting β-cell viability. In the regenerating pancreatic islets, we examined changes within the transcriptome and observed an extensive up-regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in lipid transport and metabolism. The most prominent targets were further confirmed by quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence. Among the upstream regulators predicted by pathway analysis of the transcriptome, we detected enhanced levels of 2 key transcription factors, Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptorα. Our data suggest that improving pancreatic islet lipid metabolism as an important antilipotoxic phenomenon to boost β-cell regeneration. This is primarily mediated by...
Rational and Irrational Design Loads for “Temporary” Structures

When most structural systems are designed, they have indefinite service lives. In other words, there is no initially planned date at which the structure will be taken out of service. For most structures that have been taken out of service, the decision to do so came very late in their lives. In contrast, there are some structural systems that, from the very beginning, are expected to be in service for relatively short and definite lengths of time. In the structural engineering community, it has become common to refer to structures in the former category as ‘‘permanent,’’ while those in the latter are often referred to as ‘‘temporary.’’ Although it would be more accurate to use the terms ‘‘less temporary’’ and ‘‘more temporary’’ in place of permanent and temporary, respectively, the latter terms will be used in this paper. In this context, the condition of a permanent structure may be deemed temporary if that condition is expected to exist for a short and definite time period. For example, the stability of a damaged structure may be evaluated as a temporary condition if permanent repairs are to be implemented in a short and definite time period, or the bracing that is to provide stability until permanent repairs are made is often treated as a temporary structural system. When a proposed structure or a system of proposed repairs is considered permanent according to the definition outlined previously, it is typically designed according to the standard provisions of a building code, which include specification of associated design loads. Although structural systems that are considered temporary by the above definition can and often are designed or evaluated using permanent structure loads, exceptions are frequently made in which smaller loads are used. Unfortunately, the justifications given for such exceptions are not always rational. The subject of this paper is a critique of justifications that are commonly given for using reduced design loads.
Learning to underachieve

Underachievement is a behavior that can be modified through an awareness of its causes and the introduction of preventative strategies.
Bilirubin toxicity to human erythrocytes: a more sanguine view.

In 1962 Watson1 observed that a small fraction of the bilirubin in blood from jaundiced newborns is associated with red cells. A few years later, Cheung et al2 showed that red cells undergo time- and concentration-dependent changes in morphology and metabolism, with eventual hemolysis, when incubated with bilirubin in buffer, particularly at concentrations of >340 μM (20 mg/dL). (In retrospect, it seems highly likely that the bilirubin solutions to which the cells were exposed were supersaturated and may have contained aggregated forms of bilirubin.3–7) The bilirubin-induced morphologic changes were illustrated by striking photographs similar to those published some 30 years later, without reference to the earlier work, by others.8,9 These changes were reversible by addition of serum albumin to the incubation medium and did not occur when albumin was present in the medium from the start. Subsequently, Brito et al10 have confirmed and extended these observations and recently reviewed the toxicity of bilirubin to red cells (again without alluding to the seminal earlier work). For the neonatologist, an important question is whether bilirubin-induced hemolysis is clinically significant in neonatal jaundice or in other unconjugated hyperbilirubinemias. The review implies that it is.10 There is, however, much evidence that it is not: 1. Gunn rats and patients with severe Crigler-Najjar syndrome have lifelong unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia yet no abnormal hemolysis. In fact, the human disorder was originally described as a “nonhemolytic jaundice,”11 and patients have been described who showed no abnormal erythrocyte morphology, reticulocytosis, or other evidence of hemolysis despite prolonged exposure to high plasma bilirubin concentrations.12–14 Comparisons between nonjaundiced and jaundiced rats with congenital unconjugated bilirubinemia (Gunn rats) showed no difference in hematocrit values in male rats and only slightly lowered values in jaundiced female rats.15 No difference … Address correspondence to Antony F. McDonagh, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology and the Liver Center, Room S-357, Box 0538, University of California, 513 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143-0538. E-mail: tony.mcdonagh{at}ucsf.edu
Development of spatial cognition and cognitive development

Study of the development of spatial cognition has become a semiautonomous subfield in the study of cognitive development. But, as well as generating knowledge about the nature of spatial representation and behavior in children and adults, the study of spatial cognition raises fundamental, and perennial, questions about the nature of cognitive development and the methodology of cognitive-developmental research.
The third ventricle of monkeys; Scanning electron microscopy of surface features in mature males and females.

Surface features of the ependymal lining of the third ventricle in mature male and female monkeys have been investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Broad aspects of third ventricular morphology from three species of monkey are similar regardless of sex. The lateral walls are heavily ciliated whereas the ventral floor and most ventral parts of the lateral walls are not. Clumps of cilia on the lateral walls are so dense that underlying surface details are usually obscured. There is a transition zone between the ciliated lateral wall and nonciliated ventral floor. The floor and lower part of the lateral walls of the third ventricle exhibit a characteristic polygonal pattern upon which surface specializations such as microvilli, blebs and polymorphous membrane protrusions are superimposed. Ependyma of the choroid plexus of the third ventricle also display membrane specializations. Supraependymal cells are more visible in nonciliated regions.
Variability of the date of HIV diagnosis: a comparison of self-report, medical record, and HIV/AIDS surveillance data.

Purpose We sought to describe and quantify differences among the year of first positive HIV test from patient report, the medical record, and HIV/AIDS surveillance data. Methods We merged two clinic-based studies with overlapping HIV-infected participant populations in North Carolina with the HIV/AIDS Reporting System (HARS) and examined the first positive HIV test year from patient report, the medical record, and HARS. Matches were considered the same year of diagnosis. Results The self-reported year of diagnosis had high agreement with the medical record (67% matched exactly and 19% differed by 1 year, weighted kappa = 0.85), although there were wide 95% limits of agreement (–4.0 earlier to 3.9 years later). On average, the dates of diagnosis from patient report and the medical record were earlier than HARS with wide 95% limits of agreement (7.5 years earlier to 6.0 years later for patient report vs. HARS, 7.7 years earlier to 6.0 years later for medical record vs. HARS). Conclusions These measures could not reliably be used interchangeably as there was wide variability in both directions. Although collection of data from patient report or existing sources is convenient, cost effective, and efficient, there is significant variability between sources.
The Utility of Mental Model Assessment in Diagnosing Cognitive and Metacognitive Processes for Complex Training

This paper illustrates the utility of mental model assessment in discriminating between high and low performers in terms of cognitive and metacognitive processes. Distinct computer-based knowledge elicitation methods were utilized to assess the acquisition of different knowledge types as well as the development of participants' mental models when training for a complex task. Additionally, participants' metacognitive accuracy was also measured. Results suggest that mental model assessment is diagnostic of knowledge acquisition for a complex task and mental model accuracy is related to accuracy in metacognitive processes.
Doing More to Teach Teamwork Than Telling Students to Sink or Swim

Johnson, D. W., et al. (1998). Maximizing instruction through cooperative learning. Prism, 7(6), 24-29. Goodwin, C , &. Wolter, R. (1998). Student work group/teams: Current practices in engineering and technology curriculum compared to models found in team development literature. ASEE Annual ConfererK:e Proceedings. CD-ROM. Jones, J. D., &. Brickner, D. (1996). Implementation of cooperative learnmg in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings. CD-ROM. Martinazzi, R. (1997). A team-centered grading system based on primarily the team's performance. Proceedings ofthe 1997 Frontiers in Education Conference: 43-47. Martinazzi, R. (1998). Design and development of a peer evaluation instrument for "student learning teams." Proceedings of the 1998 Frontiers in Education Conference, 784-789. Schultz, R. W. (1998). Practical problems in organizing students into groups. Proceedings ofthe 1998 Frontiers in Education Conference, 242-245. Shellnut, J. W., et al. (1996). Forming student project teams based on Hermann Brain Dominance (HBDl) results. ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings. CDROM. Strong, J. T, & Anderson, R. E. (1999, Summer). Free-riding in group projects: Control mechanisms and preliminary data. Jourrud of Marketing Education, 12, 61-67.
Measuring rates of reaction in supercooled organic particles with implications for atmospheric aerosol

The kinetics of heterogeneous reactions involving supercooled organic droplets is reported for the first time. Reactions between ozone and internally-mixed sub-micrometre particles containing an unsaturated alkenoic acid, oleic acid, and an n-alkanoic acid, myristic acid, were studied as a simple model for the oxidation of meat-cooking aerosol. The reactions were followed by monitoring the rate of oleic acid loss using an Aerosol CIMS (chemical ionization mass spectrometry) instrument for real-time particle analysis. Evidence of as much as 32 °C supercooling at room temperature was observed depending on particle composition. FTIR spectra of the aerosol also demonstrate features indicative of supercooling. Particles in which crystallization was induced by cooling below room temperature demonstrated decreased reactivity by a factor of 12 compared to supercooled particles of the same composition. This drastic difference in reactivity could have significant implications for the lifetimes of reactive species in ambient aerosol as well as for the accurate source apportionment of particulate matter.
Global optimization using interval arithmetic

Interval arithmetic provides an efficient method of global optimization. With less efficiency all stationary points of a function can be found. A minimization method is described and applied to an econometric function. The results are compared with the method of simulated annealing on the same function.
Mathematical correction for fingerprint similarity measures to improve chemical retrieval.

In many modern chemoinformatics systems, molecules are represented by long binary fingerprint vectors recording the presence or absence of particular features or substructures, such as labeled paths or trees, in the molecular graphs. These long fingerprints are often compressed to much shorter fingerprints using a simple modulo operation. As the length of the fingerprints decreases, their typical density and overlap tend to increase, and so does any similarity measure based on overlap, such as the widely used Tanimoto similarity. Here we show that this correlation between shorter fingerprints and higher similarity can be thought of as a systematic error introduced by the fingerprint folding algorithm and that this systematic error can be corrected mathematically. More precisely, given two molecules and their compressed fingerprints of a given length, we show how a better estimate of their uncompressed overlap, hence of their similarity, can be derived to correct for this bias. We show how the correction c...
The treatment of carcinoma of the bladder with high energy electrons

Abstract A total of 112 patients with carcinoma of the urinary bladder were treated with high energy electrons or 35 meV X-rays. The vast majority of patients had been rejected for surgery; their average age was 10 years older than in most surgical series. The 5 year survival of patients was low, only 996. Among the 112 patients, 23 were treated with photons and 89 with electrons. The only difference between the groups was the larger sagittal diameter of patients in the smaller group which did not permit treatment with electrons. While none of the X-ray irradiated patients survived 5 years, the 5 year survival of the patients receiving electrons as the chief treatment modality was 14%
Interaction of higher marine fungi with the herbicide atrazine. III. Adsorption of atrazine to the marine fungus Dendryphiella salina

Abstract The adsorption of the herbicide 14C-atrazine to the marine fungus Dendryphiella salina was studied using sodium azide as an inhibitor of active uptake. Adsorption of atrazine (94 ppb) was found to reach equilibrium within six hours. Adsorption as a function of concentration (9.4 to 468 ppb) conformed to the empirically derived Freundlich equation giving a K value of 6.2. Atrazine on the fungal cell surface was easily desorbed by successive artificial seawater washes indicating a relatively loose binding. The ability of the marine fungus D. salina to remove 14C-atrazine from an artificial seawater medium suggests an environmental role in the transport and redistribution of atrazine in estuaries.
Phototherapy-induced hypocalcemia in newborn rats: prevention by melatonin

When young rats are exposed to white fluorescent light the concentration of calcium in their serum decreases. This effect is prevented by shielding the occiput, by inhibiting corticosterone synthesis, and by exogenous melatonin. Furthermore, the expected hypocalcemic response to cortisol injection is prevented by melatonin. Light-induced hypocalcemia may result from increased calcium uptake by bone when the blocking effect of melatonin decreases after pineal inhibition by transcranial illumination.
Inhibition of seedling growth of crop species by recirculating root exudates ofBidens pilosa L.

The allelopathic effects of root exudates ofBidens pilosa L. on seedling growth ofLactuca sativa L.,Phaseolus vulgaris L.,Zea mays L., andSorghum bicolor (L.) Moench were studied using a root exudate recirculating system that allows continuous exposure of crop plants to allelopathic chemicals. This system maintains an undisturbed rhizosphere and eliminates competition and physical contact between the donor and acceptor plants. Comparison of responses to hydrophobic and hydrophilic root exudates is made possible by removal of hydrophobic compounds using XAD-4. Treatments consisted ofB. pilosa, B. pilosa with an Amberlite XAD-4 resin column attached to the donor pot to remove hydrophobic allelochemicals, and a donor pot without weeds.B. pilosa significantly inhibited seedling growth of all crop species tested. The crop species varied in response to the root exudates, withL. sativa being most sensitive. Larger and olderB. pilosa plants caused greater inhibition of seedling growth ofL. sativa andP. vulgaris than did smaller (younger)B. pilosa plants.B. pilosa with XAD-4 caused significantly less inhibition to all crop species, exceptZ. mays, thanB. pilosa without XAD-4, indicating that the hydrophobic exudates played an important role in the allelopathic growth inhibition. Variability in species response toB. pilosa with and without XAD-4 was probably due to differences in sensitivity to hydophobic and hydrophilic allelochemicals.
Reply to Corbeil et al.: Dedifferentiation and multipotency

We thank Corbeil et al. for raising important points (1) regarding our recent article (2) describing the role of epithelial dedifferentiation in kidney repair. We agree that the forward primer we used to detect CD133 mRNA is in fact not directed against the CD133 transcript. This error resulted from the original primer order in which we mistakenly transcribed an unrelated sequence. Surprisingly, this primer pair did amplify a product with a single peak by quantitative PCR, and that is what we reported in figure 3f of our report (2). We …
On the calculation of doping profiles from C(V) measurements on two-sided junctions

It is shown that for a two-sided junction, the doping profile can only be uniquely determined from C(V) measurements if the doping profile is known on one side. Expressions are derived which enable the calculation of the complete doping profile from C(V) measurements and the knowledge of the doping profile on one side.
Effects of T- and R-state stabilization on deoxyhemoglobin-nitrite reactions and stimulation of nitric oxide signaling.

Abstract Recent data suggest that transitions between the relaxed (R) and tense (T) state of hemoglobin control the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide (NO) by deoxyhemoglobin. This reaction may play a role in physiologic NO homeostasis and be a novel consideration for the development of the next generation of hemoglobin-based blood oxygen carriers (HBOCs, i.e. artificial blood substitutes). Herein we tested the effects of chemical stabilization of bovine hemoglobin in either the T- (THb) or R-state (RHb) on nitrite-reduction kinetics, NO-gas formation and ability to stimulate NO-dependent signaling. These studies were performed over a range of fractional saturations that is expected to mimic biological conditions. The initial rate for nitrite-reduction decreased in the following order RHb > bHb > THb, consistent with the hypothesis that the rate constant for nitrite reduction is faster with R-state Hb and slower with T-state Hb. Moreover, RHb produced more NO-gas and inhibited mitochondrial respiration more potently than both bHb and THb. Interestingly, at low oxygen fractional saturations, THb produced more NO and stimulated nitrite-dependent vasodilation more potently than bHb despite both derivatives having similar initial rates for nitrite reduction and a more negative reduction potential in THb versus bHb. These data suggest that cross-linking of bovine hemoglobin in the T-state conformation leads to a more effective coupling of nitrite reduction to NO-formation. Our results support the model of allosteric regulation of nitrite reduction by deoxyhemoglobin and show that cross-linking hemoglobins in distinct quaternary states can generate products with increased NO yields from nitrite reduction that could be harnessed to promote NO-signaling in vivo.
l-Arginine “Paradox” in Coronary Atherosclerosis

To the Editor: Miner et al1 in a recent work used the steady-state 15N2-arginine to examine the transorgan l-arginine gradients in the peripheral and coronary circulation. They found that during acetylcholine infusion a significant gradient was detected, indicating that the stimulation of NOS induces arginine transport. A body of evidence suggests that l-arginine supplementation improves …
Health value, health locus of control, and the prediction of health protective behaviors

In order to clarify the effects of health locus of control and value placed on participation in health protective behaviors, a questionnaire was formulated that included (a) a 20-item shortened version of the Lau and Ware multidimensional HLC Scale, (b) the 4-item health value index used by Seaman and Seeman, and (c) a 10-item index of health protective behaviors. Interviews were conducted with 213 undergraduate, college students. Results of a multiple regression are presented for the entire sample and separately for those low and high in health value. For the entire sample, health value is a stronger predictor than HLC of participation in HPBs. For the separate equations, a more internal HLC substantially increases participation in HPBs for those high in health value but not for those low in health value. Furthermore, respondents with high health value and internal HLC appear most likely to engage in HPBs.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs): Supporting ASCO's Vision of Cancer Care

ASCO's vision for cancer care in 2030 is built on the expanding importance of panomics and big data, and envisions enabling better health for patients with cancer by the rapid transformation of systems biology knowledge into cancer care advances. This vision will be heavily dependent on the use of health information technology for computational biology and clinical decision support systems (CDSS). Computational biology will allow us to construct models of cancer biology that encompass the complexity of cancer panomics data and provide us with better understanding of the mechanisms governing cancer behavior. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality promotes CDSS based on clinical practice guidelines, which are knowledge bases that grow too slowly to match the rate of panomic-derived knowledge. CDSS that are based on systems biology models will be more easily adaptable to rapid advancements and translational medicine. We describe the characteristics of health data representation, a model for representing molecular data that supports data extraction and use for panomic-based clinical research, and argue for CDSS that are based on systems biology and are algorithm-based.
Characterization of ion-assisted, coevaporated CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin films

Methylammonium Lead Iodide CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 is an organometal halide perovskite system that is used as an absorber in solar cells. Coevaporation of Methylammonium Iodide (CH 3 NH 3 I) and Lead Iodide (PbI 2 ) requires treatment of the resulting CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 thin film to catalyze the reaction between CH 3 NH 3 I and PbI 2 and create a pure perovskite phase. Two methods are studied: post-deposition annealing and ion-assisted deposition. Both routes aid in forming a pure perovskite phase. Annealing leads to highly crystalline thin films, and ion beam irradiation leads to more amorphous films. The effects that such crystal structure has on the material's optical properties and morphology is explored.
Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment: understanding intra- and intergenerational connections.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which intimate partner violence and different forms of child maltreatment occur within and across childhood and adulthood for a high-risk group of women. Method Low-income adult women were interviewed, retrospectively, regarding their experiences with intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in childhood and adulthood, and intra- and intergenerational relationships between multiple forms of family violence were identified. Results Analyses demonstrated weak to moderate associations between various forms of violence within generations. Only weak support was found for the transmission of violence hypothesis that maltreated children are more likely to grow up to maltreat their own children. Stronger support was found for the theory of learned helplessness, whereby children maltreated or witness to violence during childhood are more likely to be victimized as an adult. Conclusion The results from this study suggest that interventions with children who are identified for one form of victimization should be assessed for other forms of victimization, and interventions should also address learned behaviors or beliefs associated with continued or future victimization.
Enhancement of the behavioral effects of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoid agonists by phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride

Abstract Marijuana’s effects in humans are most often reported as intoxicating or therapeutic; yet, some humans report dysphoria or other negative affect. To evaluate whether differences in endocannabinoid levels might account for this variability, the present study examined whether sensitivity to cannabinoids changed when anandamide (AEA) metabolism was inhibited through administration of phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) a non-specific irreversible amidase inhibitor. Male Long Evans rats were trained to discriminate 3 mg/kg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) versus vehicle in 2-lever drug discrimination procedure. ED50s for THC and CP 55,940 were lower when administered with PMSF than alone. PMSF administration also potentiated characteristic cannabimimetic effects of THC in ICR mice. Potentiation of AEA’s in vivo effects by PMSF were also observed, primarily as a consequence of PMSF inhibition of the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase. Enhancement of the effects of THC and CP 55,940 through this mechanism is unlikely, as these cannabinoids are predominantly metabolized through the P450 system. Mass spectrometry revealed that, in the presence of THC, endogenous AEA levels in the brain decreased and that this decrease was prevented by PMSF, suggesting that increased AEA levels may have acted additively with exogenously administered cannabinoids to increase cannabimimetic effects. These findings may account for the varying affect in response to marijuana in humans or cannabinoids in animals while also suggesting that metabolic inhibitors of AEA may potentiate marijuana’s intoxicating effects in humans. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder’.
Ion implantation at elevated temperatures

A kinetic model has been developed to investigate the synergistic effects of radiation-enhanced diffusion, radiation-induced segregation and preferential sputtering on the spatial redistribution of implanted solutes during implantation at elevated temperatures. Sample calculations were performed for Al and Si ions implanted into Ni. With the present model, the influence of various implantation parameters on the evolution of implant concentration profiles could be examined in detail.
Essay Review: Restroom Reading

Do not do what 1 have just done. Do not try to read this book straight through. Instead, put it on your bedside table and read bits and pieces for 20 min or so each day. Better still, buy a second copy and put it in the guest bedroom or the outhouse or wherever visitors retreat to sev? eral times a day when they come to stay with you. At worst, you will have fascinating discussions over the dinner table. At best, your visitors will escape your teenagers and have spent time with one of the most fascinating minds of our generation. With the death of Ernst Mayr, Edward O. Wilson has inherited the mantle of the world's most distinguished evolutionary biologist. Born in Alabama in 1929, he moved to Harvard for graduate work, staying there for 50 years as he worked up through the ranks of student, fellow, assistant professor until finally he was a university professor. He has won numerous prizes, including two Pulitzer Prizes, for Wilson is not just a great scholar but also a brilliant teacher, a terrific lecturer, and an important public voice. His career has been marked by controversy. His most important book is Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, published in 1975. (As a bibliophile and book collector I dare not tell you what I paid for a first edition, first printing. It was an order of magnitude more than I paid for Richard Lewontin's The Genetic Basis of Evolutionary Change.) After a magnificent survey of the world of animal social behavior, Wilson ended with a chapter on our own species. And all hell let loose. Perhaps expectedly the social scientists did not much like this. Insecure at the best of times, with good reason they feared a take-over by the biologists. Perhaps expectedly the philosophers did not much like this. Very few have come to terms with the fact that being the end result
The Theory and Use of Financing Accounts

IT HAS FREQUENTLY BEEN OBSERVED that, while the national income accounts are based on a usable economic theory, the national financing accounts, whose construction is under way or in prospect in many countries of the world, have no such basis.' The framework of the income accounts lies in the Keynesian analysis of saving and investment as an explanation of the cause of the expansion or contraction of income. The key to the need for financing accounts and for integrated income and financing accounts is to be found in the fact that the income accounts are deficient in two respects as a source of data on the variables in the Keynesian analysis. Investment as measured in the income accounts is not a wholly satisfactory measure of the investment variable of income analysis; and the income accounts omit entirely data on money and other financial assets, which are variables that play roles in the income analysis as necessary as those of saving and investment. The need for financing accounts is the need to measure the strategic variable, money, and to provide data on other financial assets in a form in which the causes and effects of changes in the economy's preferences for money and other types of financial asset can be analyzed. The need for integrated income and financing accounts is the need to provide a single set of data that will include measurements of income, savings, investments, money, and other financial assets in a form in which the effects on income of autono-
Cancer Progression in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate Mouse Is Related to Energy Balance, Body Mass, and Body Composition, but not Food Intake

Calorie restriction can inhibit or delay carcinogenesis, reportedly due to a reduction in calorie intake rather than by concurrent changes in body mass and/or composition. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that body mass and/or composition have an important effect, independent of energy intake, on the benefits or hazards associated with calorie restriction or overeating, respectively. In the first experiment, transgenic mice that spontaneously develop prostate cancer [transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP)] were housed at 27 degrees C or 22 degrees C and pair fed the same diet for 21 weeks (95% of ad libitum intake at 27 degrees C). In the second experiment, TRAMP mice were housed at 27 degrees C or 22 degrees C and fed the same diet ad libitum for 21 weeks. Despite a similar calorie intake, pair-fed mice at 27 degrees C (PF27) were heavier (28.3 +/- 3.3 versus 17.6 +/- 1.6 g at 21 weeks; P < 0.001; mean +/- SD) and had greater fat (6.4 +/- 2.1 versus 1.9 +/- 0.3 g; P < 0.001) and lean mass (P < 0.001) than pair-fed mice at 22 degrees C. Furthermore, PF27 mice had greater levels of serum leptin (P < 0.001), lower levels of adiponectin (P < 0.05), and a greater frequency of prostatic adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05). In contrast, ad libitum-fed mice housed at 22 degrees C consumed approximately 30% more calories than ad libitum-fed mice at 27 degrees C, but there was no difference between groups in body composition or cancer progression. These results imply that the ability of calorie restriction to inhibit or delay cancer incidence and progression is mediated in part by changes in energy balance, body mass, and/or body composition rather than calorie intake per se, suggesting that excess calorie retention, rather than consumption, confers cancer risk.
The effects of low water contents on physiological activities of seeds

Physiological activity changes in seeds when water content is changed from 0 to 40%. The limited metabolism of dry seeds allows for studies of the role of water in the biochemical reactions of living systems. At very low water contents, seeds exhibit limited biochemical activity, however light reactions and some oxidative processes are possible. As water content is increased, enzymatic reactions are increasingly facilitated. At moisture contents of about 24% mitochondrial electron transport is detectable. Changes in the physiological activity of seeds occur at discrete moisture levels that are reflective of discrete changes in the thermodynamic properties of water.
Association between evening admissions and higher mortality rates in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Background. Previous research investigating the relationship between the time of admission and mortality rates has yielded inconsistent results and has not been conducted in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patient population. Objective. To determine whether an association between the time of admission (weekday versus weekend and daytime versus evening) and the risk of death exists among pediatric patients included in a cohort of children admitted to a national sample of PICUs. Design/Methods. We analyzed retrospectively a cohort of consecutive admissions to 15 PICUs included in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Evaluations database. The odds of death were analyzed by using mixed-effects, multivariate, logistic regression, with clustering at the hospital level. The primary independent variables were admission to the PICU on a weekend and admission to the PICU during evening hours. The severity of illness was adjusted by using the Pediatric Risk of Mortality III probability of death score. Patients. All 20 547 emergency PICU admissions made between May 1995 and December 2001 were included in the analyses. Main Outcome Measures. The primary outcome was death within 48 hours after admission to the PICU. Results. Pediatric patients admitted to the PICU during evening hours had higher odds of death (odds ratio [OR]: 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.62) than did those admitted during daytime hours. Subgroup analyses revealed higher odds of death among patients admitted with shock (OR: 4.09; 95% CI: 1.65–10.1), with congenital cardiovascular disease (OR: 3.90; 95% CI: 1.37–11.1), or after cardiac arrest (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.04–3.13). There was no association between mortality rates and the day of admission (weekend admissions versus weekday admissions). Conclusions. An increased risk of death exists for some pediatric patients admitted to the PICU during evening hours. It remains necessary to determine whether this finding results from differences in the structure of care, processes of care, or both.
Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder as a Prognostic Factor in Cocaine‐Abusing Buprenorphine‐Maintained Patients Treated with Desipramine and Contingency Management

Depression is common among patients who abuse both opiates and cocaine, and its treatment has had mixed success. This study compares buprenorphine-maintained patients with lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD, N = 53) with those never depressed (ND, N = 96) on cocaine and opiate-free urines during a 12-week outpatient double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. The 149 subjects were assigned to four groups: 1) desipramine (DMI) + contingency management (CM); 2) DMI + noncontingency management (NCM); 3) placebo + CM; and 4) placebo + NCM. Depression assessments included Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Inventory, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV interview for diagnosis of lifetime MDD. Urine toxicologies were performed thrice weekly and the CES-D was performed monthly. The MDD group had a larger proportion of females (45% vs 21%, P = 0.02) and were more likely to be married (13.2% vs 7.3%, P = 0.02) than the ND group. Treatment retention did not vary by depression status. Hierarchical Linear Modeling found that depressive symptoms decreased comparably across the four treatment groups. Although participation in CM improved drug-free urines more for patients with MDD than for the ND group (Z = 2.44, P = 0.01), treatment with DMI was significantly more efficacious for the ND group than for the MDD group (Z = -2.89, P = 0.003). These results suggest that patients with MDD may respond better to behavioral treatments such as CM than to desipramine plus buprenorphine. The ND cocaine-abusing, opiate-dependent patients may be more responsive to the anticraving effects of DMI.
Homeostatic Role of Interferons Conferred by Inhibition of IL-1-Mediated Inflammation and Tissue Destruction

In addition to their well known immune and proinflammatory activities, IFNs possess homeostatic functions that limit inflammation and tissue destruction in a variety of conditions such as arthritis, osteolysis, and multiple sclerosis. The mechanisms underlying the homeostatic actions of IFNs are not well understood. We report here that both type I and type II IFNs (IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, and IFN-gamma, respectively) suppressed a broad range of proinflammatory and tissue-destructive activities of IL-1, including induction of inflammatory mediators, production of matrix metalloproteinases, macrophage tissue invasion, and cartilage degradation. IFN-alpha attenuated IL-1-mediated cell recruitment in vivo. IFNs completely suppressed the activation of IL-1 signal transduction pathways in macrophages. The mechanism of IFN-mediated inhibition of IL-1 action and signaling was modulation of IL-1R expression, which was also observed in vivo. IFN-gamma-mediated down-regulation of IL-1R type I expression was dependent on Stat1, a transcription factor typically considered to be a key mediator of macrophage activation by IFNs. These results identify cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the homeostatic role of IFNs in limiting inflammation and associated tissue destruction.
Not all visual memories are created equal

Two experiments examined how well the long-term visual memories of objects that are encountered multiple times during visual search are updated. Participants searched for a target two or four times (e.g., white cat) among distractors that shared the target's colour, category, or were unrelated while their eye movements were recorded. Following the search, a surprise visual memory test was given. With additional object presentations, only target memory reliably improved; distractor memory was unaffected by the number of object presentations. Regression analyses using the eye movement variables as predictors indicated that number of object presentations predicted target memory with no additional impact of other viewing measures. In contrast, distractor memory was best predicted by the viewing pattern on the distractor objects. Finally, Experiment 2 showed that target memory was influenced by number of target object presentations, not number of searches for the target. Each of these experiments demonstrates ...
An embedded overlay concept for microsystems packaging

An embedded overlay concept for packaging hybrid components containing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is described. This packaging process is a derivative of the chip-on-flex (COF) process currently used for microelectronics packaging. COF is a high performance, multichip packaging technology in which die are encased in a molded plastic substrate and interconnects are made via a thin-film structure formed over the components. A laser ablation process has been developed which enables selected areas of the COF overlay to be efficiently ablated with minimal impact to the packaged MEMS devices. Analysis and characterization of the ablation procedures used in the standard COF process was performed to design a new procedure which minimized the potential for heat damage to exposed MEMS devices. The COF/MEMS packaging technology is well-suited for many microsystem packaging applications such as micro-optics and radio frequency (RF) devices.
Adolescents' substance-related risk perceptions: antecedents, mediators and consequences

The current study examined the hypothesis that adolescents' absolute and comparative perceptions of vulnerability to potential negative consequences of substance use mediate the relation between traditional predictors of use, and actual substance use. The data support the hypothesis in that absolute risk perceptions mediate the relations between parental communication about substances, peer substance use and risk-taking tendency, and subsequent adolescent use. Comparative risk perceptions, however, are only weakly related to these three predictors, and do not predict subsequent use. The data also replicate earlier findings that behavioral willingness mediates the relation between risk perceptions and behavior. Methodological and applied implications are discussed.
MORTALITY OF JAMAICAN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

A retrospective study of all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who died at the University Hospital of the West Indies over a 14-year period is presented. The major cause of death was infection followed by renal failure. Gram-negative organisms were the major microbiological agents causing infections. Side-effects of therapy were common, in particular bone marrow depression and haemorrhage related to anticoagulants. It appears that controlling severe lupus activity without increasing the risk of lifethreatening complications remains an important goal in the treatment of SLE.
The Industrial Ecology of Emerging Technologies

Summary The modern world increasingly reflects human activities, to the point that many scientists are referring to this era as the “Anthropocene,” the Age of Humans. A major domain of human activity involves sociotechnical systems, which can be characterized as occurring in constellations of coevolving technological, cultural, institutional, economic, and psychological systems lasting over many decades. The current constellation, still in its early stages of development, brings together five powerful technology systems—nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, information and communication technology, and cognitive science—that are even more complex than historical precedents because they enable not just far more powerful capabilities to design domains external to humans but also the potential to design individual humans themselves. Understanding the implications of this sociotechnical landscape for industrial ecology suggests profound theoretical challenges as well as important new areas of research.
Cyclic strain inhibits acute pro-inflammatory gene expression in aortic valve interstitial cells.

Mechanical in vitro preconditioning of tissue engineered heart valves is viewed as an essential process for tissue development prior to in vivo implantation. However, a number of pro-inflammatory genes are mechanosensitive and their elaboration could elicit an adverse response in the host. We hypothesized that the application of normal physiological levels of strain to isolated valve interstitial cells would inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Cells were subjected to 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% strain. Expression of VCAM-1, MCP-1, GM-CSF and OPN was then measured using qRT-PCR. With the exception of OPN, all genes were significantly up regulated when no strain was applied. MCP-1 expression was significantly lower in the presence of strain, although strain magnitude did not affect the expression level. VCAM-1 and GM-CSF had the lowest expression levels at 15% strain, which represent normal physiological conditions. These findings were confirmed using confocal microscopy. Additionally, pSMAD 2/3 and IκBα expression were imaged to elucidate potential mechanisms of gene expression. Data showed that 15% strain increased pSMAD 2/3 expression and prevented phosphorylation of IκBα. In conclusion, cyclic strain reduces expression of pro-inflammatory genes, which may be beneficial for the in vitro pre-conditioning of tissue engineered heart valves.
Couples' Views of the Effects of Natural Family Planning on Marital Dynamics

Purpose: Natural Family Planning (NFP) requires periodic abstinence and partner cooperation to prevent pregnancy. The aim of this study was to learn about the effects of modern NFP methods on marital relationships. Design: Descriptive survey. Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to 1400 randomly selected couples known to use NFP and residing in the United States of America; 334 couples (24%) responded. Content analysis was used to identify meanings and themes. Numeric analyses were used to determine frequencies. Findings: Nearly two-thirds of the qualitative comments were positive. Four themes were identified in the positive responses: relationship enhancements knowledge improvements spirituality enrichments and method successes. Three negative themes were identified: strained sexual interactions worsened relationships and method problems. Although about one-fourth of the comments indicated that NFP presented challenges the majority (74%) found it beneficial often resulting in stronger bonds better communication and improved knowledge. Conclusions: NFP had more positive than negative effects and its use warrants further consideration. (authors)
Convergence of cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we examine the conditions and behavior of several common convergence dynamics from game theory and show how they influence the structure of networks of cognitive radios. We then apply these to previously proposed distributed power control algorithms and describe how they impact network complexity.