cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tenax extraction of sediments to estimate desorption and bioavailability of hydrophobic contaminants: A literature review

Characterizing sediment-associated hydrophobic contaminants is problematic, because assessing the total amount of a compound available for chemical exchange with an organism is difficult. To address this, contaminant concentrations have been normalized for specific sediment characteristics (including organic C content) or the chemical activity has been estimated using passive samplers. Another approach to assess compound availability is to determine the extent of readily desorbed compound using resin extractions of sediment slurries. The present paper reviews the literature that uses Tenax® TA, a 2,6-diphenylene-oxide polymer as an extraction tool to measure bioavailability of hydrophobic organic contaminants in sediment. Some work has assessed the extent of desorption with sequential extractions to characterize the maximum rate and pool sizes for different desorbing fractions of bound contaminant. As such, the rapidly desorbing fraction has been well correlated with the extent of degradation, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of hydrophobic contaminants. A shortcut to measuring the full desorption curve to determine the rapidly desorbing compound is to use a single-point extraction, with 6 h or 24 h extractions being the most common. The Tenax extraction has been shown to be effective with laboratory-spiked sediments, field-collected sediments, laboratory-exposed organisms, field-collected organisms, and studies among laboratories. Furthermore, a literature-based model has described the bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls from independently measured field-collected sediments. Despite the success of this approach, applying the Tenax method to manage contaminated sediments is limited by the absence of a standard set of conditions to perform the extractions, as well as standard methods for using field sediments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:208–220. © 2014 SETAC
Calling the Government to Account: Habeas Corpus after Boumediene

In June 2008, the Supreme Court decided Boumediene v. Bush, holding that Guantanamo detainees have a right to habeas corpus under the Constitution's Suspension Clause. In the more than three years since Boumediene, lower federal courts in Washington D.C., have issued nearly eighty decisions addressing the merits of Guantanamo habeas cases. In the process, they have developed an emerging body of national security detention jurisprudence, with implications that transcend the Guantanamo habeas cases. This Article surveys this post-Boumediene jurisprudence and assesses its implications. Although it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions, the growing body of habeas decisions provides a window into Boumediene’s impact and the legacy of the post-9/11 enemy combatant decisions more generally. In particular, the Article describes the significance and limitations of what Boumediene described as a critical function of habeas: calling the government to account by requiring that it provide a lawful basis for a prisoner’s detention.
The 2010 California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) field study

The California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) field study was conducted throughout California in May, June, and July of 2010. The study was organized to address issues simultaneously relevant to atmospheric pollution and climate change, including (1) emission inventory assessment, (2) atmospheric transport and dispersion, (3) atmospheric chemical processing, and (4) cloud-aerosol interactions and aerosol radiative effects. Measurements from networks of ground sites, a research ship, tall towers, balloon-borne ozonesondes, multiple aircraft, and satellites provided in situ and remotely sensed data on trace pollutant and greenhouse gas concentrations, aerosol chemical composition and microphysical properties, cloud microphysics, and meteorological parameters. This overview report provides operational information for the variety of sites, platforms, and measurements, their joint deployment strategy, and summarizes findings that have resulted from the collaborative analyses of the CalNex field study. Climate-relevant findings from CalNex include that leakage from natural gas infrastructure may account for the excess of observed methane over emission estimates in Los Angeles. Air-quality relevant findings include the following: mobile fleet VOC significantly declines, and NO_x emissions continue to have an impact on ozone in the Los Angeles basin; the relative contributions of diesel and gasoline emission to secondary organic aerosol are not fully understood; and nighttime NO_3 chemistry contributes significantly to secondary organic aerosol mass in the San Joaquin Valley. Findings simultaneously relevant to climate and air quality include the following: marine vessel emissions changes due to fuel sulfur and speed controls result in a net warming effect but have substantial positive impacts on local air quality.
Quantum Dynamics and Vibrational Relaxation

The accurate numerical calculation of general quantum time correlation functions for many-body systems is not possible at present. We discuss several schemes for obtaining approximate quantum time correlation functions using as input only the corresponding classical results, and assess the merits of each scheme by considering three exactly solvable model problems. We then turn to the problem of the vibrational energy relaxation of a high-frequency oscillator in a liquid, where the relaxation rate constant can be related to a certain quantum force−force time correlation function. Focusing specifically on the case of liquid oxygen, we calculate the classical force−force time correlation function using a molecular dynamics simulation and then determine various approximations to the relaxation rate constant by applying the schemes considered earlier. The Egelstaff scheme is found to lead to reasonable agreement with experiment.
Cross‐Transmission of Eimeria spp. (Protozoa, Apicomplexa) of Rodents—A Review

A total of 169 cross-transmission attempts has been made with 44 (11.8%) of the 372 named species of Eimeria of rodents. Of these, 161 were rodent-to-rodent, 6 rodent-to-lagomorph, and 1 each rodent-to-carnivore and rodent-to-bird. None of the last three categories was successful. In the rodent-to-rodent combinations, 39 (80%) of the 49 attempts to transmit a coccidian species from one rodent species to another of the same genus were successful, and only 14 (12.5%) of the 112 attempts to transmit a coccidium to a rodent of a different genus were successful. Eight of the successful attempts were with E. chinchillae, which was the only truly euryxenous species of Eimeria in the group. Two successful attempts were between between the closely related rodent genera Spermophilus and Cynomys, and two were both of E. separata from Rattus norvegicus to some genetic strains but not to others of Mus musculus. One attempt with E. vermiformis from Mus musculus to Rattus norvegicus required treatment of the rat with the immunosuppressant dexamethasone to succeed. More cross-transmission studies are needed to determine the host spectra of the species of Eimeria and other coccidian genera, and to determine the roles of genetics and immunosuppression in their transmission.
A Stupendous Hammer: Colonial and Post-colonial Reconstructions of Zanzibar's Other Side

Ng'ambo is the historic Other Side of Zanzibar city. The last 50 years have brought two attempts to demolish Ng'ambo and replace it with spaces designed to express the dominance of the state. Differences at first appear to be large between colonial and post-colonial Zanzibar. Yet these reconstructions shared similar objectives, failures and consequences. This paper highlights commonalities between the two projects and ties them to three themes from the literature of colonial cities in Africa concerning colonial urban planning and its post-colonial legacy. These themes include: the bureaucratisation and centralisation of power; the manipulation of space as a means of fostering hegemony; and the alienation of residents from the planning process.
Oral Arginine Does Not Stimulate Basal or Augment Exercise-Induced GH Secretion in Either Young or Old Adults

BACKGROUND Growth hormone (GH) helps maintain body composition and metabolism in adults. However, basal and peak GH decline with age. Exercise produces a physiologic GH response that is subnormal in elderly people. Arginine (Arg) infusion can augment GH secretion, but the efficacy of oral Arg to improve GH response to exercise has not been explored. We investigated whether oral Arg increases GH secretion in young and old people at rest and during exercise. METHODS Twenty young (Y: 22.1 +/- 0.9 y; SEM) and 8 old (O: 68.5 +/- 2.1 y) male and female subjects underwent three different trials following determination of their one-repetition maximum strength (1-RM); exercise only (EO; 3 sets, 8-10 reps at 85% of 1-RM; on 12 separate resistive lifts), Arg only (5.0 g), or Arg + exercise. Blood samples were collected between successive lifts, and GH (ng x ml(-1)) was determined via RIA. RESULTS In Y vs O: Basal GH secreted (area under the curve) was 543.6 +/- 84.0 vs 211.5 +/- 63.0. During EO, values were 986.6 +/- 156.6 and 517.8 +/- 85.5. Both were significantly lower in the older individuals (p < .05). Oral Arg alone did not result in any increase in GH secretion at rest (310.8 +/- 73.2 vs 262.9 +/- 141.2). When Arg was coadministered during exercise, GH release was not affected in either the young or old and appeared to be blunted in the young compared to the exercise only trial in the young. CONCLUSION Based upon these findings, we concluded that oral Arg does not stimulate GH secretion and may impair GH release during resistive exercise.
Revenues and the cost of collecting recreational fees.

This study examines the cost of collecting recreational fees at US national parks and its relation to the number of visitors and the fee revenue collected. The fitted second-order polynomial regression model indicates that the cost of fee collection is indeed a function of fee revenue but is not correlated with the number of visitors. It seems to agree with the parabolic portion of a typical total cost curve where the cost of collection per dollar of revenue diminishes with higher revenue. A cluster analysis underscores the findings of the regression analysis. Further analysis indicates that federal land agencies that make more use of differential pricing schemes benefit from a lower collection cost per dollar of fee revenue.
Coalescence of helium bubbles in aluminum

Abstract The formation and coalescence of helium bubbles in aluminum with annealing at 550°C is examined experimentally using electrical resistivity and electron microscopy. Results for the kinetics of coalescence are compared with those obtained by computer simulation in order to test models based upon various mechanisms for bubble motion. The computer method previously developed is extended from an ideal to a Van der Waals gas and effects due to the surface energy of aluminum are considered. Comparison of experimental and computer results indicates that the motion of helium bubbles in aluminum is not surface-diffusion limited and that it is consistent with the facet nucleation-limited mechanism originally proposed by Willertz and Shewmon.
CNS white matter can be altered to support neuronal outgrowth

Previous work has demonstrated that white matter in the adult mammalian CNS inhibits cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth. This phenomenon has been investigated most recently by culturing neurons on cryostat sections of the adult CNS. Employing this same technique, we have found, in accord with others, that neurons seldom adhere to or grow on central nervous system white matter but will attach and grow on gray matter. In the experiments presented here, embryonic rat hippocampal neurons were grown on cryostat sections from the adult rat CNS, in the presence of brain derived glial cocultures. It was found that the white matter in cryostat sections can be modified by interaction with medium conditioned by brain-derived glial cells. Neurons plated on sections pretreated by such media show significant increases in both attachment and neurite outgrowth. The activity contained in glial conditioned medium is likely complex in nature. While the majority of the activity can be eliminated by heat treatment and trypsinization, neural adhesion but not neurite initiation is affected by protease treatment. Therefore, cell attachment and neurite outgrowth may be regulated by different factors in the conditioned media. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Reactivity of the hydroxyl radical with amygdalin in aqueous solution.

Rate constants were determined for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with amygdalin in aqueous solutions by means of the pulse radiolysis technique. The overall rate constant (phenyl group addition and H-atom abstraction) was 4.1 × 109M−1 sec−1 at 22. The addition rate constant was 3.7 × 109M−1 sec−1. The abstraction rate constant was in the order of 4 × 108M−1 sec−1. This high reactivity is pertinent to models for protection, by amygdalin, against alloxan-induced diabetes.
Synthesis of Both Enantiomers of 4-Hexanolide and 4-Dodecanolide

(1991). Synthesis of Both Enantiomers of 4-Hexanolide and 4-Dodecanolide. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry: Vol. 55, No. 6, pp. 1685-1686.
Recalled aspects of original encoding strategies influence episodic feelings of knowing

We tested the hypothesis that the feeling of knowing (FOK) after a failed recall attempt is influenced by recalling aspects of the original encoding strategy. Individuals were instructed to use interactive imagery to encode unrelated word pairs. We manipulated item concreteness (abstract vs. concrete) and item repetitions at study (one vs. three). Participants orally described the mediator produced immediately after studying each item, if any. After a delay, they were given cued recall, made FOK ratings, and attempted to recall their original mediator. Concreteness and item repetition enhanced strategy recall, which had a large effect on FOKs. Controlling on strategy recall reduced the predictive validity of FOKs for recognition memory, indicating that access to the original aspects of encoding influenced FOK accuracy. Confidence judgments (CJs) for correctly recognized items covaried with FOKs, but FOKs did not fully track the strategy recall associations with CJs, suggesting emergent effects of strategy cues that were elicited by recognition tests but not accessed at the time of the FOK judgment. In summary, cue-generated access to aspects of the original encoding strategy strongly influenced episodic FOKs, although other influences were also implicated.
Thought disorders in schizophrenia before and after pharmacological treatment.

Abstract During the analysis and classification of thought disorders in a group of schizophrenic patients, before and after pharmacological treatment, we came to the following conclusions: 1. 1. There are two types of thought disorders: disturbances of association and of conceptual ability. These types of disorders do not show intercorrelation, at least when assessed experimentally through the object classification test and Kent-Rosanoff association test. 2. 2. Disturbances of association in schizophrenia are more pronounced than disorders of conceptual thinking. They do not seem to be a permanent deficit of schizophrenic functioning. Like the other psychotic symptoms, they appeared at the time of psychotic relapse and were influenced to a great extent by the pharmacological treatment, during which they almost disappeared. 3. 3. Disorders of conceptual thinking are less pronounced and less homogeneous than disturbances of association. Only half of the schizophrenic population was characterized by them. At the same time, these disorders are more stable features of the functional deficit in schizophrenia than disturbances of association; in particular, they changed to only a small extent due to the pharmacological treatment. This hypothesis is consistent with that of Meehl29 and McConaghy30 in relation to the constitutional deficit in schizophrenia.
The Talented Women of the Zhang Family – By Susan Mann

In her ingeniously crafted book, the author presents readers with a new history of China during the late eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Instead of a standard masculine narrative of male f...
Intranasal mucociliary clearance of putative bioadhesive polymer gels

Abstract Rapid clearance of a drug away from the site of absorption is one factor that limits the bioavailability of compounds administered nasally. The effects of putative bioadhesive polymers including methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose, chitosan glutamate, Carbopol 934P, polyethylene oxide 600K and Pluronic F127 on slowing nasal mucociliary clearance were investigated using a rat model. The clearance of these polymer gels from the nasal cavity was measured by following the removal of fluorescently labeled microspheres incorporated into the formulation. Due to the increased residence times of the gel formulations in the nasal cavity, the clearance rate of each polymer gel was slower than the clearance rate of a control microsphere suspension. The clearance rate constants were in the range of 7–57% of the control clearance constants. Methylcellulose gel (3%) resulted in the most prolonged nasal clearance whereas Carbopol 934P aqueous gel (0.2%) had the most rapid clearance. A Carbopol 934P gel with propylene glycol and glycerol formal as cosolvents was prepared to investigate the effect of an in situ gelling system on nasal clearance. The initial clearance of this cosolvent gel was not significantly different than the suspension, yet the total mass recovered was significantly lower than the control. The clearance of a 3% methylcellulose gel formulation from a damaged nasal mucosa was also investigated in order to obtain further information about the characteristics of nasal mucociliary clearance. Results showed that from 4 h through the 7th day following the initial damage, although the initial clearance rate constants were slightly higher, the time for 90% of the observed particle clearance was significantly extended and the total masses recovered were significantly lower than those obtained from a non-damaged mucosa.
Factor XII-dependent increases in thrombin activity induce carboxypeptidase-mediated attenuation of pharmacological fibrinolysis.

Summary. Activation of the contact system in patients treated with fibrinolytic agents may be an important source of thrombin that activates thrombin-activated fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and attenuates fibrinolysis. Factor (F)XIIa in plasma increased 2-fold over 60 min in patients given either tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) or streptokinase (SK). To determine whether FXIIa-mediated generation of thrombin and activated TAFI (TAFIa) attenuates fibrinolysis in vitro, plasma clots were incubated with SK (250 U mL−1) or t-PA (2.5 g mL−1) and the rate of lysis was measured. Plasma FXIIa impaired lysis judging from marked acceleration when 2.5 µm corn trypsin inhibitor were added (lysis increased by 172 ± 144% for SK and 40 ± 31% for t-PA vs. no inhibitor, n = 16, P < 0.01). Moreover, inhibition of thrombin with hirudin and TAFIa with carboxypeptidase inhibitor accelerated lysis. We conclude that activation of FXII increases thrombin generation, which promotes TAFIa-mediated attenuation of fibrinolysis.
Survival and differentiation of neurons cultured from the mouse cochlear nucleus on extracellular matrix components.

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effects of several extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on the survival and differentiation of cochlear nucleus (CN) neurons grown in primary cell culture. CN neurons were successfully grown on laminin, collagen and fibronectin, but neuronal survival was significantly decreased on all three substrates relative to poly- d -lysine controls. In addition, analysis of dendrite organization patterns indicated that CN neurons branched more extensively when grown on poly- d -lysine than on any of the ECM components tested. Although dendrite growth has been shown to depend strongly on the presence of ECM components in other neuronal systems, the data from these experiments do not support the hypothesis that laminin, collagen or fibronectin is necessary for the survival and differentiation of CN neurons.
Experimental approach for an in vitro toxicity assay with non-aggregated quantum dots

Engineered nanoparticles are increasingly used in consumer products. While the potential of these products hold great promise, it is not known what potential toxic effects these nanomaterials may have on human health. There is a need to develop affordable, systematic, short-term in vitro assays aimed at allowing rapid assessment of potential toxicity. The method reported in this paper describes a system in which the intestinal lining is mimicked (Caco-2 human intestinal cell line) and provides an environment in which quantum dots (QDs), and possibly other nanomaterials, can be applied. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements assessed whether the epithelial integrity was breached because of QD exposure. QDs were suspended in calcium/magnesium-free phosphate buffered saline to study non-aggregated QDs. To maintain cell integrity, normal cell culture conditions were retained below the epithelium to provide necessary nutrients and ions. Toxicity studies completed here show that the nanosized QDs coated with hydrophilic thioglycolate capping ligands purchased for these experiments caused disruption in the epithelium monolayer and cell death at 0.1 mg/L of QDs. This toxicity was caused by the nano-size of the QDs rather than the cadmium ions or the sodium thioglycolate capping ligands. Aggregated QDs did not cause toxicity as measured by TEER.
Family Reunification—Concepts and Challenges

This article offers an outline for the components of disaster planning and response where considerations for family reunification should occur and describes the challenges and solutions within each. Challenges and solutions are described in 6 areas including practice and planning, clinical services, ancillary support, transportation and accommodations, communication and identification, and psychological support. Family reunification will be more successful if these challenges are understood and solutions are enacted.
The lytic activation of KSHV during keratinocyte differentiation is dependent upon a suprabasal position, the loss of integrin engagement, and calcium, but not the interaction of cadherins

We previously found that KSHV (HHV-8) lytic activation occurs during differentiation of oral keratinocytes in organotypic raft cultures. To further investigate the spatial and temporal aspects of KSHV lytic activation and the roles of integrins, cadherins, and calcium, we used rKSHV.219-infected primary oral keratinocytes in submerged, suspension, and direct suprabasal plating, models of differentiation. We found that early keratinocyte differentiation did not activate lytic KSHV in cells attached to a substratum, with activation only occurring in suprabasal cells. Temporally, KSHV lytic expression occurred between the expression of early and late differentiation markers. Keratinocytes differentiated in suspension culture, which mimics substratum loss that occurs with stratification, activated lytic KSHV. This lytic activation was inhibited by integrin engagement, showing that integrins are a control point for KSHV reactivation. A role for cadherins was not found. Elevated extracellular calcium was necessary, but not sufficient, for lytic activation.
High-MgO composite ceramics for use in sodium-based cells

Abstract A composite glass/ceramic is being developed for use in a sodium-based cell. Numerous ceramics in the high-MgO portion of the MgO-Al2O3-BaO, CaO-B2O3 system were studied to determine whether the thermal expansion behavior matched that of a highly conductive glass electrolyte. The thermal expansion behavior of two composites closely approximated that of the glass. Glass-to-composite seals have been made and thermally cycled from ambient to 450°C. After this cycling, no sign of seal degradation was observed.
Geochemical effects on colloid-facilitated metal transport through zeolitized tuffs from the Nevada Test Site.

Natural colloids were generated from zeolitized tuffs from the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and the effects of colloids on the transport of a strongly sorbing metal, lead [Pb(II)], were investigated in column experiments under different geochemical conditions. Because of the high sorption affinity of Pb(II) for zeolitized tuffs, the migration of Pb(II) without colloids was strongly retarded. The presence of mobile colloids, however, enhanced the mobility of Pb(II). Approximately 75–90% of the eluted Pb(II) was transported as a colloid-associated phase. The migration of colloids was closely related to the geochemical conditions in the background solution. Immobilization of colloids increased as the ionic strength of the background electrolyte solution increased, because of double layer compaction. Remobilization of initially deposited colloids occurred when the ionic strength of the background electrolyte solution was reduced. The mobility of colloids increased with increasing pH and increasing flow rates. These results have significant implications for the migration of strongly sorbing radionuclides and other metals at nuclear testing facilities and metal-contaminated sites and are consistent with the hypothesis that inorganic contaminant migration in the subsurface is a function of geochemical conditions.
Phosphorylation of p16INK4A correlates with Cdk4 association.

Progression through the eukaryotic cell cycle is driven by the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases. The cyclin D-dependent kinase Cdk4 promotes progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle and is deregulated in many human tumors. The tumor suppressor protein p16INK4A (p16) forms a complex with Cdk4 and inhibits kinase activity. Here we report that p16 is phosphorylated, and the phosphorylated form of p16 is preferentially associated with Cdk4 in normal human fibroblasts. We mapped phosphorylation sites on exogenously overexpressed p16 to serines 7, 8, 140, and 152 and found that endogenous p16 associated with Cdk4 is phosphorylated at serine 152. All mapped phosphorylation sites lie outside of the conserved kinase-binding domain of p16 but in regions of the protein affected by mutations in familial and sporadic cancer. Our results suggest a novel regulation of p16 activity.
Quantitative determination of tolerance doses for preoperative and postoperative radiotherapy of bones

A method has been developed for the quantitative determination of the tolerance doses for preoperative and postoperative radiotherapy of bones in New Zealand white rabbits. The midshaft osteotomy was carried out on both ulnae of each rabbit. Localized radiation of 2000, 3000, and 4000 rad (20, 30, and 40 Gy) was given in daily fractions of 500 rad to different groups of rabbits. The diaphyseal area of one forearm of each rabbit was irradiated and the other forearm was used as a control. After healing, the mechanical strength of each ulna was measured. The end point is defined as ‘‘strength reduction dose‐63’’ (SRD6 3), i.e., the dose which would be expected to reduce the mechanical strength of the irradiated, fractured, and healed bone compared with the contralateral unirradiated diaphysis by 63%. The SRD6 3’s for preoperative and postoperative radiotherapy were 4350 rad (43.5 Gy) and 6200 rad (62 Gy), respectively, with a 500 rad (5 Gy)/fraction schedule. Through the use of the nominal standard dose (NSD) formula at 300 rad (3 Gy)/fraction and five fraction per week, these SRD6 3’s are equivalent to 5700 rad (57 Gy) and 8100 rad (81 Gy), respectively.
Inhibition of estrogen synthesis during the last trimester of gestation: changes in endocrine patterns, fetal growth and uterine artery hemodynamics in mares

Equine gestation is characterized by very high circulating concentrations of estrogens in the dam. The physiological roles of estrogens during late gestation are largely unknown, although some studies suggest a relationship between low circulating estrogen concentrations and late term pregnancy loss in the mare. Letrozole is a potent aromatase inhibitor that prevents the conversion of androgens to estrogens in the equine placenta. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of letrozole on circulating concentrations of estrogens, androgens, and progestins, and on uterine hemodynamics during the last trimester of pregnancy in mares, as well as the effect on fetal development. Multiparous mares of mixed breeds were randomly assigned to control (n1⁄46) or treatment (n1⁄46) groups. Treated mares received 500 mg of letrozole orally every 4 days starting at 240 days of gestation until parturition. Weekly, serum samples were analyzed using enzyme immunoassays to determine estrone sulfate (ES), progestins (P), testosterone (T) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) concentrations. To monitor the status of pregnancy: 1) the mean diameter of the fetal eye was measured as an estimate of fetal growth, 2) uterine artery (UA) diameters and 3) Doppler resistance and pulsatility indices (RI and PI) were determined in both uterine arteries by transrectal Doppler ultrasound every second week. Fetal development was evaluated based on foal weight and
High voltage and scanning electron microscopy of the site of stimulus reception of an insect mechanoreceptor.

This paper describes the ultrastructure of the site of mechanical stimulation of the cockroach campaniform sensillum. The cuticular “cap” of the sensillum has been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high voltage transmission electron microscopy (HVEM). The SEM was used to study the upper and lower surfaces of the extracellular chitinous cap. The internal composition of the cap was analyzed by HVEM. Two significant structural features were observed: (1) the dome of the cap contains a reinforcing ring, the “cuticular collar,” as an integral part of its substructure; and (2) the dome of the cap is firmly attached to the surrounding exoskeleton at two specific points located at each end of the oval dome. The functional implications of these two structures is discussed.
Responses of alfalfa and Barley to foliar application of N and P on a coal mine spoil

To ensure adequate growth of plants on the highly impoverished and erodable surface mined lands, the application of N and P fertilizers by suitable methods is essential. In the present study, five growth chamber experiments were conducted to evaluate the relative efficacy of foliar and spoil application of N and P using alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. var. Erand) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. Manker) as test crops on a freshly exposed coal mine spoil collected from western North Dakota. In general, barley responded to both N and P, but alfalfa mainly to P. Growth responses of barley to foliar or spoil-applied N+P were substantial and similar in magnitude. However, the yields were much higher when the plants received 3–4 sprays of 1.5–2.2% urea, with P supplied through the spoil. Increasing the number of 2.2% urea sprays from 1 to 3 increased the growth response from 40 to 243%. In another study, increasing the concentration of foliar-applied urea from 0 through 1% resulted in further increases in the dry weights of barley at all the levels of spoil-applied (0, 25, 75, 225 μg/g) N.
Substrate heterogeneity causes the nonlinear kinetics of insoluble cellulose hydrolysis.

Nonlinear kinetics are commonly observed in the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. This nonlinearity could be explained by any or all of the following three factors: enzyme inactivation, product inhibition, or substrate heterogeneity. In this study, four different approaches were applied to test the above hypotheses using two Thermomonospora fusca endocellulases, E2 and E5. The lack of stimulation of cellulase activity by beta-glucosidase rules out the possibility of product inhibition as a cause of the observed nonlinearity. The results from the other three approaches all provide strong evidence against enzyme inactivation and strong evidence for substrate heterogeneity as the cause of the nonlinear kinetics. The most direct evidence for substrate heterogeneity is that pretreatment of swollen cellulose with either E2cd or E5cd gave a product that was hydrolyzed at a much (3- to 4-fold) slower rate than untreated swollen cellulose even though the initial treatment degraded only 15-18% of the substrate. Furthermore, the activation energy of E2 catalyzed hydrolysis of swollen cellulose increased from 10 kcal/mol for the initial rate to 29 kcal/mol for hydrolysis after 24% digestion.
Collisional contributions to the dynamic Stark effect in coherently driven three-level systems

A theoretical investigation of collisional contributions to the gain line shape of coherently driven three-level systems is presented. The theory differs from previous work in that it includes, in addition to the usual thermal-bath mechanisms, direct collisional coupling between optically active states. It is shown that for stronger coupling between the stimulated levels than between the pump and two-quantum levels (i) the small signal gain g obtained with off-resonant pumping is greater than that obtained with resonant pumping, (ii) the unsaturated gain profile becomes asymmetric in proportion to the degree of pump detuning, and (iii) the unsaturated gain asymmetry is translated into the emission profiles gI obtained with nonzero values of stimulated intensities I. These results may be of particular importance in the case of optically pumped submillimeter lasers which exhibit large differences in the thermalization rates of the pump (V-V) and stimulated (R-R) transitions.
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a breast-cancer targeting ultrasound contrast agent.

Ultrasound (US) is used widely in the context of breast cancer. While it is advantageous for a number of reasons, it has low specificity and requires the use of a contrast agent. Its use as a standalone diagnostic and real-time imaging modality could be achieved by development of a tumor-targeted ultrasound contrast agent (UCA); functionalizing the UCA with a tumor-targeting agent would also allow the targeted administration of anti-cancer drugs at the tumor site. In this article, clinical US techniques are used to show that mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), functionalized with the monoclonal antibody Herceptin®, can be used as an effective UCA by increasing US image contrast. Furthermore, in vitro assays show the successful localization and binding of the MSN-Herceptin conjugate to HER2+ cancer cells, resulting in tumor-specific cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate the potential of MSNs as a stable, biocompatible, and effective therapeutic and diagnostic (“theranostic”) agent for US-based breast cancer imaging, diagnosis, and treatment.
Lack of Effect of Noradrenergic Denervation of the Hypothalamus and Medial Preoptic Area on the Feedback Regulation of Gonadotropin Secretion and the Estrous Cycle of the Rat

In order to determine the effect of noradrenergic denervation of the hypothalamus and preoptic area on the regulation of gonadotropin secretion in the rat, bilateral injections of 6-OH-dopamine (8 μg free base in 2 μl) or vehicle were made in caudal, ventral pons. After the placement of such lesions, concentrations of norepinephrine were markedly reduced throughout the hypothalamus and preoptic area (median eminence, 60–76%; arcuate nucleus, 75–80%; dorsomedial nucleus, 65–81%; suprachiasmatic nucleus, 70%; periventricular nucleus, 85%; paraventricular nucleus, 74%; ventromedial nucleus, 82%; and medial preoptic area, 82%), whereas concentrations of dopamine in these same areas were unchanged. Despite the placement of such lesions, serum LH and FSH levels in both intact and castrated rats were not significantly different from FSH and LH values in nonlesioned controls (intact and castrated). In addition, all lesioned female animals reinitiated consecutive 4-day estrous cycles, with the mean number of days ...
Rachischisis Totalis Without Acrania in a Newborn Male

Abstract Background Rachischisis totalis is a rare open neural tube defect often associated with lethal acrania. When acrania is not present, mortality remains high and morbidity for survivors is extreme. Patient We describe is a term newborn with in-utero diagnosed rachischisis totalis without acrania and Chiari II malformation with subsequent hydrocephalus. Results At birth, clinical examination revealed rachischisis totalis without acrania. The spinal defect extended from the mid-cervical to the lower sacral vertebrae. Serial cranial ultrasonography and brain MRI revealed Chiari II malformation with severe hydrocephalus. The spinal defect was closed and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed to relieve the hydrocephalus. The clinical course was complicated by significant central apnea, often necessitating aggressive resuscitation and chest compressions. The infant has survived with expected severe developmental delay but has graduated from hospice care. Conclusion This report demonstrates that survival with variable function and quality of life is possible with severe open neural tube defects. A multidisciplinary team approach including family-centered care must be used early to overcome the many ethical challenges that such patients present.
A watched pot sometimes boils: a study of duration experience

Abstract The ‘watched pot’ phenomenon — the lengthening of duration experience when one is attentively and perhaps impatiently waiting for some event to occur — was studied in three experiments. In them, each observer attended for a duration of 270 sec to a liquid-containing beaker on an electrical burner. Observers who were told that the experiment concerned time perception (prospective paradigm) reproduced the duration as longer than those told that it concerned visual perception (retrospective paradigm). In the prospective paradigm, reproductions were longer if the liquid did not boil than if it did, and an interruption (task-unrelated questioning) shortened reproductions if the liquid did not boil but had no effect if it did. In the retrospective paradigm, if there was boiling or questioning or both, reproductions were longer than if there was neither. Results have implications for hypotheses about duration experience.
Click Dimers To Target HIV TAR RNA Conformation

A series of neomycin dimers have been synthesized using "click chemistry" with varying functionality and length in the linker region to target the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) TAR RNA region of the HIV virus. The TAR (Trans-Activation Responsive) RNA region, a 59 bp stem-loop structure located at the 5'-end of all nascent viral transcripts, interacts with its target, a key regulatory protein, Tat, and necessitates the replication of HIV-1. Neomycin, an aminosugar, has been shown to exhibit multiple binding sites on TAR RNA. This observation prompted us to design and synthesize a library of triazole-linked neomycin dimers using click chemistry. The binding between neomycin dimers and TAR RNA was characterized using spectroscopic techniques, including FID (fluorescent intercalator displacement), a FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) competitive assay, circular dichroism (CD), and UV thermal denaturation. UV thermal denaturation studies demonstrate that binding of neomycin dimers increases the melting temperature (T(m)) of the HIV TAR RNA up to 10 °C. Ethidium bromide displacement (FID) and a FRET competition assay revealed nanomolar binding affinity between neomycin dimers and HIV TAR RNA, while in case of neomycin, only weak binding was detected. More importantly, most of the dimers exhibited lower IC(50) values toward HIV TAR RNA, when compared to the fluorescent Tat peptide, and show increased selectivity over mutant TAR RNA. Cytopathic effects investigated using MT-2 cells indicate a number of the dimers with high affinity toward TAR show promising anti-HIV activity.
Dr Poulter's Antarctic Snow Cruiser

In 1939 Dr Thomas C. Poulter, Director of the Armour Institute, Chicago and a veteran of Byrd's second Antarctic expedition, designed and constructed a 30 tonne wheeled vehicle known as the Snow Cruiser for use with the US Antarctic Service Expedition. Designed for self-contained long-distance travel, the vehicle had many new features including twin diesel engines, independent electric drive and steering on each of its four wheels, and a light aircraft carried on the roof. It was built in Chicago and tested briefly on sand dunes nearby, before being driven to Boston amid much public interest for shipment to Antarctica. At the Bay of Whales the vehicle quickly became bogged down in snow, and never moved farther south than the expedition's winter quarters. Modern evaluation of wheel-snow interaction suggests that the Snow'Cruiser unladen was three to five times too heavy for its tyres to support it on snow surfaces. It was nevertheless a bold attempt to push forward the frontiers of mobility in exploration, which failed in a spectacular fashion. The vehicle was left behind when the expedition returned home, and has subsequently been lost.
Nation-states as empires, empires as nation-states: two principles, one practice?

Empires and nation-states are generally opposed to each other, as contrasting and antithetical forms. Nationalism is widely held to have been the solvent that dissolved the historic European empires. This paper argues that there are in fact, in practice at least, significant similarities between nation-states and empires. Many nation-states are in effect empires in miniature. Similarly, many empires can be seen as nation-states “writ large.” Moreover, empires were not, as is usually held, superseded by nation-states but continued alongside them. Empires and nation-states may in fact best be thought of as alternative political projects, both of which are available for elites to pursue depending on the circumstances of the moment. Ultimately empires and nation-states do point in different directions, but it is not clear that the future is a future of nation-states. Empires, as large-scale and long-lasting multiethnic and “multicultural” experiments, may have much to teach us in the current historical phase of globalization and increasingly heterogeneous societies.
Modeling and Simulation: Part 1

The previous six chapters have provided us with a general idea of what a model is and how it can be used. Yet, if we are to develop good model building and analysis skills, we still need a more formal description, one that permits us a precise method of discussing models. Particularly, we need to understand a model’s structure, its capabilities, and its underlying assumptions. So let us carefully re-consider the question—what is a model? This might appear to be a simple question, but as is often the case, simple questions can often lead to complex answers. Additionally, we need to walk a fine line between an answer that is simple, and one that does not over-simplify our understanding. Albert Einstein was known to say—“Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler.” We will heed his advice.
Measurement of adhesion for thermally sprayed materials

Thermally sprayed coatings have a distinctive microstructure which can be described as 'a three-dimensional layered structure of discs which are interlaced to form a material of composite nature'. The coatings are normally greater than 25 μm in thickness and can thus be described as bulk coatings. The minimum microstructural detail would be a single splat (often described as a lamella), which is about 5 μm in thickness and up to 80 μm in diameter. This paper focuses on methods used to define and measure the adhesion of coatings or deposits formed by thermal spray technology. The properties distinguished include those of strength and toughness. Measurements such as the tensile adhesion (according to ASTM C633) and double cantilever beam (DCB) tests will be addressed to illustrate the relevance (if any) of such methods to present industrial practice. Acoustic emission studies have also assessed a function termed as the 'crack density function', i.e. a product of the number of cracks and crack size. Other me...
Perineal and lower extremity reconstruction.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Perform a preoperative assessment of patients undergoing perineal and lower extremity reconstruction. 2. Describe the various tissue flaps used to perform these reconstructions and the advantages and disadvantages of each. 3. Provide appropriate postoperative care and interventions to maximize outcomes. BACKGROUND The lower extremity and perineum provide the foundation for upright posture and ambulation. These areas are made up of intricate contours with variable skin types and must withstand the functional demands of organ orifice support and weight-bearing forces. Successful reconstruction calls for careful preoperative planning and consideration of the site-specific demands. METHODS The authors reviewed literature regarding the most current treatment strategies for lower extremity and perineal reconstruction. RESULTS Perineal reconstruction is typically related to genitourinary or digestive tract abnormalities, mainly malignancies. Local and regional flaps are the mainstay of therapy, depending on their availability and the need for adjuvant therapy. Postoperatively, pressure reduction and closed-suction drainage are of major consideration. The lower extremities are prone to trauma, and these wounds often involve underlying and exposed bony abnormalities, and this must be considered in operative planning. Significant defects may be reconstructed with local or regional flaps and free-tissue transfer. The location of the wound and extent of surrounding tissue compromise are of major concern when determining flap coverage. Postoperatively, transition to ambulation and weight-bearing status is paramount. CONCLUSIONS Reconstruction of the lower extremity and perineum requires recognition of the high functional demands of these areas. Local and regional flaps and free tissue transfer allow reconstruction of complex wounds in these areas. Selecting the correct flap and navigating the postoperative recovery to arrive at functional restoration remain a significant challenge.
Using electronic circuits to model simple neuroelectric interactions

The Hodgkin-Huxley description of electrically excitable conductances is combined with the Eccles description of synaptic conductances to provide the basis of an electronic model of nerve-cell membrane. The models are used to explore neuroelectric interactions between spatially distributed regions of a single neuron and neuroelectric activities in very small groups of neurons. Among other things, oscillations are found to conduct with progressively increasing phase lead along an axon model. Miniature reflected spikes from a trigger region are able to reset slow potentials in an integrative region. Spike synchrony is found to be common in a mutually inhibiting pair of neural models. Spike bursts occur in a mutually exciting pair. Electrical connection between trigger regions is found to be excitatory or inhibitory, depending on phase relations. A simpler electronic model, is described and shown to be reasonably adequate for simulation of small neural nets.