cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chinese Buddhist Nuns in the Twentieth Century: A Case Study in Wuhan

In this paper, through working at the intersection of the works on nationalism and women, and the literature on Buddhist nuns during the Republican period, I aim to take up questions of gender relations in the broader studies of Buddhism and Buddhist modernization. I explore the Buddhist nuns' movement by examining the establishment of various academies for female Buddhists. I also analyze the writings by female Buddhists in the twentieth century. In so doing, I argue that the Buddhist nuns' revival movement fitted into the broader women's liberation discourse and the national modernization project during this time. This paper promises to provide insights into the history of women and nationalism from a Buddhist perspective, and shed light on gender-related issues of modern Chinese Buddhism in the course of China's modernization.
The Problematics of the “Bottom of the Pyramid” Approach to International Development: The Case of Micro-Entrepreneurs’ Use of Mobile Phones in Morocco

Over the past decade a significant philosophical shift has taken place in the development world, emphasizing privatization, market participation, microfinance, and other approaches to poverty alleviation over top-down, statist interventions. At the same time, some of the claims and results associated with such programs have met with pointed critiques. This paper examines some of these debates in the context of mobile phone adoption among low-income skilled and semi-skilled laborers in Morocco. There is no question that access to productive resources, greater access to markets, and associated measures can benefit people with low incomes, as this paper discusses. As we also discuss, however, there are a number of factors that limit the success of such interventions, perhaps none more so than the level to which economic actors have the ability to determine the use and disposition of productive resources, and to form their own productive relationships via such resources. In this sense, perhaps not surprisingly, economic assistance can never be dissociated from political empowerment.
Pills on the World Wide Web: reducing barriers through technology

Oral contraceptive pills are safe, effective, and available without a prescription in most countries. Despite support from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to provide oral contraceptives as an over-the-counter medication, US women are still required to have a prescription to obtain them. Use of online applications and the Internet has made most things easier to obtain in our society and this includes contraceptive methods. Several online ventures are now underway to enable US women to obtain oral contraceptives without visiting a medical provider's office. Women's health care professionals should encourage these novel approaches, as they will improve contraceptive access. As US women experiment with innovative health care models, providers will need to lead, follow, or be left behind.
Complete nucleotide sequence of a cryptic plasmid from the marine bacterium Vibrio splendidus and identification of open reading frames.

Abstract A 2.3-kb replication-proficient fragment was previously obtained from a cryptic plasmid (pPS41) isolated from a marine Vibrio splendidus isolate (P. A. Sobecky, T. J. Mincer, M. C. Chang, A. Toukdarian, and D. R. Helinski, 1998, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64, 2822–2830). Analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence of plasmid pPS41 revealed two additional open reading frames (ORFs). Analysis of ORF-1 revealed that its translated product has 125 amino acids with a predicted MW of 16,978 and ORF-2 encodes a putative protein of 151 amino acids with a predicted MW of 19,802. The ORF-2 encoded protein showed 31 to 35% sequence homology to proteins identified to have a role in plasmid mobilization. These proteins are encoded on plasmids found in Escherichia coli and Pasteurella multocida. Plasmid pPS41 could be mobilized by a conjugative plasmid at frequencies of 1 × 10−2 to 2 × 10−2.
Assessing the Denominational Identity of American Evangelical Colleges and Universities, Part II: Faculty Perspectives and Practices

This article presents results from Phase II of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) Denominational Study, a multi-institutional examination of the state of denominational identity at evangelical Christian colleges, their faculty, and the students they serve. This phase of the study involved the administration of an online survey that was completed by 1,557 full-time faculty serving in 37 denominationally-affiliated evangelical Christian colleges. On the whole, faculty expressed a strong sense of affinity toward the sponsoring denominations of their respective institutions, though less than half attended a local congregation in the same denominational tradition. In addition, personal theological traditions were reported to influence faculty classroom practice on a number of dimensions. Faculty also perceived that college leaders and administrators placed a significant amount of importance on the denominational identities of their respective institutions, reporting that denominational id...
The two-week sabbatical.

Could short, non-traditional sabbaticals help scientists better organize their research groups and make improvements to their laboratory's IT infrastructure? Bruce Gibb ponders this question.
Cost sharing vs. multiple research projects in cooperative R&D

Abstract When a two-firm research joint venture can operate two research labs, research cooperation occurs only when each lab's probability of success is relatively high. This contrasts with the case where the cooperative venture shares one lab and forms at low as well as high success probabilities.
Development and Characterization of a High Performance Thin-Film Planar SOFC Stack

A planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was fabricated using a tape-cast Ni/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode support, a YSZ thin-film electrolyte, and a composite cathode of YSZ and (La 0 . 8 5 Sr 0 . 1 4 ) 0 . 9 8 MnO 3 (LSM). Using pure hydrogen as the fuel gas, a three-cell stack with a cross-flow design and external manifolds produced peak power densities of 0.85 and 0.41 W/cm 2 at 800 and 700°C, respectively. Using wet methane as the fuel gas, the stack produced a peak power density of 0.22 W/cm 2 at 700°C. Individual cells in the stack showed identical current-voltage characteristics. Stack lifetime was limited because of degradation of the cells from oxidation products coming from the metallic interconnect used.
On the localization of ribonucleases in bacteria.

Enzymatic activities with specificities similar to those of ribonuclease (RNAase) I (EC 2.7.7.1.6), II and II of E. coli were found thus far in all bacterial species examined (15 species; unpublished work). Since these enzymes are likely to have, in the different bacteria studied, a similar role in RNA metabolism their cellular localization might give some indication on their possible metabolic function. It is an accepted practice to separate bacterial cell free extracts Into a supernatant and a ribosomal pellet, and to determine to what extent the protein in question sediments with the ribosomal pellet and to suggest from it a cellular localization. The experiments performed here suggest that finding a protein in the ribosomal pellet does not necessarily suggest that it is localized on the ribosome in the intact cell.
Role of Nonlinear Serial Elasticity on Airway Smooth Muscle Contraction

Both the elevated shortening velocity and maximal shortening capacity of airway smooth muscle (ASM) in asthmatic airways have been associated with airway hyperresponsiveness, even though the isometric force-generating capacity of the muscle is the same as in normal airways. This paradox may be partly explained by the relaxing role of tidal breathing, which is associated with perturbed equilibria of myosin binding. We have developed a theoretical model of airway narrowing to quantitatively assess how and in what degree the observed alterations in ASM contractility and nonlinear ASM serial elasticity (SE) can account for hyperresponsiveness in asthma. The model includes the elasticity and geometry of the lungs, ASM contractility, and the dynamics of breathing. The airway caliber, proportional to ASM length, is dynamically determined by the balance between the airway wall reaction force (AWRF) and ASM contractile force. AWRF depends on the instantaneous difference between pleural pressure and airway pressure at each generation of Weibel's symmetrical bronchial tree, elasticity and geometry of the airway wall, tethering of the airway to the lung parenchyma, and the state of lung inflation. ASM contractile force depends on myosin binding kinetics and the level of ASM activation. From equliriated ASM length the airway resistance is calculated. The model enables simulation of breathing in normal and asthmatic airways exposed to an increasing dose of spasmogen. Increasing the dose causes a contraction of the ASM, narrowing of the airways, and an exponential increase airway resistance. We show that an airway with asthmatic or sensitized muscle (increased level of myosin LC20 phosphorylation, by 30-50%) narrows faster and significantly more than a normal airway. These results lead to a plausible mechanism by which the rate of bridge cycling and its regulation may account for airway excessive narrowing in asthma.
Arteriographic changes in femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans. A five-year follow-up study.

THE majority of patients afflicted with arteriosclerosis obliterans of the femoral artery have, as the only major symptom, intermittent claudication. In many of these, particularly the elderly, the disability in terms of restricting what would otherwise be their normal activities is slight. Indications for operative arterial reconstruction in them must be determined by the prognosis for limb and life without operation. Some studies on this subject have appeared. Boyd1 has shown that the prognosis is favorable for arteriosclerotic limbs suffering from intermittent claudication as the only symptom of ischemia. He found that the risk of amputation was 7 per cent . . .
Modeling Choices for Virtual Screening Hit Identification

Making suitable modeling choices is crucial for successful in silico drug design, and one of the most important of these is the proper extraction and curation of data from qHTS screens, and the use of optimized statistical learning methods to obtain valid models. More specifically, we aim to learn the top-1 % most potent compounds against a variety of targets in a procedure we call virtual screening hit identification (VISHID). To do so, we exploit quantitative high-throughput screens (qHTS) obtained from PubChem, descriptors derived from molecular structures, and support vector machines (SVM) for model generation. Our results illustrate how an appreciation of subtle issues underlying qHTS data extraction and the resulting SVM models created using these data can enhance the effectiveness of solutions and, in doing so, accelerate drug discovery.
Stability of a Limiting Case of Plane Couette Flow

A fluid is supposed to be viscous and incompressible. The flow examined is $u=gy$; $v=0$ ($0l~yl\ensuremath{\infty}$; $\ensuremath{\infty}lxl\ensuremath{\infty}$). Its stability is investigated by the method of small vibrations. Accepting the legitimacy of the usual expansions, the problem is reduced to the solution of a transcendental equation containing one parameter apart from the unknown. It is rigorously shown that the solutions of this equation are such as to make all modes of vibration of the flow damped.
KapB is a lipoprotein required for KinB signal transduction and activation of the phosphorelay to sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

KinB is one of the two major histidine kinases that provide phosphate input in the phosphorelay to produce SpoOA approximately P, the key transcription factor controlling the initiation of sporulation. A search for insertion mutants affected in activation of KinB-dependent sporulation led to the identification of the lgt locus encoding the lipoprotein glyceryltransferase required for the lipid modification of prolipoproteins before their cleavage and translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane. In parallel, a putative lipoprotein signal peptide cleavage site was detected in KapB, known to be strictly required for KinB-mediated sporulation and located downstream of KinB in a single transcription unit. Using PhoA peptide fusions, we have shown that KapB signal-peptide can direct active alkaline phosphatase to the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane in an LGT-dependent manner, strongly suggesting that KapB is a lipoprotein tethered to the outer face of the cytoplasmic membrane via a lipid anchor. As KapB proved to be dispensable for expression of the kinBkapB operon, a chimeric kinase was built consisting of KinA sensor domain fused to KinB kinase domain (KinA'-'B) to assess (i) the involvement of KapB in catalysis of the kinase reaction, and (ii) the ability of KinB to phosphorylate SpoOF in vitro. It was shown that KapB is dispensable for both in vivo and in vitro activation of the phosphorelay by the KinA'-'B chimera and that KinA'-'B phosphorylates SpoOF directly in vitro. Models for the role of KapB in regulating KinB activity are discussed.
Perceived Speed of Colored Stimuli

The influence of contrast and color on perceived motion was measured using a speed-matching task. Observers adjusted the speed of an L cone contrast pattern to match that of a variety of colored test patterns. The dependence of speed on test contrast was the same for all test colors measured, differing only by a sensitivity factor. This result suggests that the reduced apparent speed of low contrast targets and certain colored targets is caused by a common cortical mechanism. The cone contrast levels that equate perceived speed differ substantially from those that equate visibility. This result suggests that the neural mechanisms governing speed perception and visibility differ. Perceived speed differences caused by variations in color can be explained by color responses that are characteristic of motion-selective cortex.
Fish Meals as Amino Acid Sources in Chick Rations

Abstract MOST of the protein of poultry rations is at present of plant origin. It is unlikely that these plant proteins will ever be replaced extensively by animal proteins; nevertheless, it is reasonable to assume that animal sources of amino acids which effectively supplement plant sources will be used increasingly as more information about them becomes available. Fish meal was for many years used primarily as a protein concentrate, but has recently served primarily as a source of water-soluble vitamins (vitamin B12 and some unidentified factors). The continuing development of other sources of vitamins has resulted in reconsideration of fish meal as a source of amino acids. Fish muscle proteins, which comprise most of the total protein of fish meals, are known to be of high protein quality (Geiger, 1948; Deuel et al., 1946a, b). It has also been established that the muscle proteins in various species of fish have similar …
Macromolecular selectivity of chick chorioallantoic membrane microvessels during normal angiogenesis and endothelial differentiation

Abstract Progressive angiogenesis and endothelial differentiation in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) serve to accommodate oxygen demands of the growing embryo. The present study evaluated CAM microvascular endothelial permselectivity during the most rapid phase of angiogenesis (day 10) and after initiation of endothelial cytodifferentiation (day 14). Chick embryos were incubated using established shell-less culture techniques tor intravital and ultrastructural observations. Systemic microinjections of FITC-dextrans (40, 70 and 150 KDa) provided an index of endothelial permselectivity after 2.5 min and 10 min perfusions. Ultrastructural examinations of the same dextran probes served to detect small intermittent foci within the perivascular interstitium. Although minor variations of dextran particle distributions around specific segments of the microcirculation were observed ultrastructurally, perivascular accumulation was not sufficient to elicit a detectable fluorescent signal. Thus, substantial accumulation of the graded-dextran series in the perivascular intcrstitium was not detected. Morphometric analyses of the precapillary, capillary, and postcapillary microvascular segments served to demonstrate a continuous endothelium which displayed cytoplasmic attenuation at day 14. Plasmalemmal vesicles were few and uniform within the microvascular units at day 10. A three-fold increase in vesicle densities characterized the precapillary endothelia at day 14. Average widths of the endothelial junctional clefts were homogeneous within the segmental microvascular endothelia at both days 10 and 14. Junctional cleft lengths were also homogeneous, except the significantly longer capillary endothelial clefts observed at day 10. These results are consistent with the concept that, despite certain differences in segmental vesicle densities and junctional cleft lengths, neovascularization of the CAM is achieved without excessive macromolecular efflux across the microvascular endothelia.
High Fidelity Methods for Modeling Nonlinear Wave Propagation in One-Dimensional Waveguides

In this paper, two new methods are proposed to study wave propagation in materials with constitutive law that have nonlinear terms. In the first method, the gauge transformation is used to derive the dynamic shape function. A perturbation method is then applied in order to derive an equation for the wavenumber. The influence of the nonlinearity takes the form of a dependence of the wavenumber on the magnitude of the corresponding frequency component. Under the small amplitude and weak nonlinearity assumptions of the perturbation method, the wavenumber is incorporated into the spectral finite element method (SFEM). The second approach is a numerical method based on alternating frequency-time (AFT) iterations. The nonlinear term represented as a residual nonlinear force term is reduced through the alternating iterations between the time-domain and the frequencydomain. Finally, response behaviors under impact loading predicted with these methods are studied and compared to equivalent linear response behavior. Copyright © 2012 by ASME.
Model-free deconvolution techniques for estimating vascular transport functions

In this paper we present two methods which can be used to numerically deconvolve indicator dilution curves to obtain vascular transport functions. In the first method, direct algebraic deconvolution is made stable and practical by the damped least squares method. The second method involves a time-shift of the output curve which is based on the first and second moments of the input and output curves. This method is stable, computationally simple and can provide reasonable estimates of the transport function.
Effects of Particle Size and Forage Composition on Functional Specific Gravity

Abstract Functional specific gravity of forage particles influences the rate at which they pass from the rumen. Effects of forage constituents (neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, lignin, protein, fat, and ash) and particle size on change of functional specific gravity in vitro were investigated. Rate of change of functional specific gravity was higher in legumes than in grasses. Hay samples were ground through 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-mm screens in a Wiley mill and immersed in water. Specific gravity measurements were at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, and 48h. Specific gravities of samples with small particles were higher at all times than those of samples with large particles. Particle size influenced rate of change of specific gravity. Specific gravities of four hays that had been placed in the rumen in nylon bags for 1, 2, and 4h were measured by flotation technique. Prior to incubation in the rumen, approximately 80% of the particles were lighter than .9 specific gravity in three of the forages. After 1h in the rumen, no more than 28% of any of the samples floated in the .9 specific gravity solution. Specific gravity of ground forage samples changed rapidly in vivo.
Issues Every Plan to Reform Health Care Financing Must Confront

This paper focuses on three main issues of fundamental health care reform. First, should experience rating--the linkage of premiums to actual loss experience--be retained? Despite widespread support for experience rating among economists, the paper argues that it should be abandoned for reasons of efficiency and equity. Second, would abandonment of experience rating cause much redistribution? The paper shows that redistribution among industries could require significant transitional adjustments. Third, should companies or individuals be subject to an insurance mandate? The paper calls for combining individual mandates, which have long-term advantages, with employer mandates, which have short-run pluses.
Culture as History: The Transformation of American Society in the Twentieth Century

Culture as History: The Transformation of American Society in the Twentieth Century Warren I. Susman. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2003. Warren Susman is a pioneer and a bridgebuilder. Trained as a historian, he took up the cause of American studies and served both areas well. He even began to explore popular culture, although he never joined "the movement." This book shows how an original thinker can come up with startling new ideas and connections. It is partly autobiographical, because "the writing of history is as personal an act as writing fiction." When he began his own studies in the 1930s, his mentor Merle Curti praised him for undertaking what Susman called "a serious intellectual struggle with my father." Susman replied to his mentor, "I was stunned at your suggestion, supposing my undertaking was an act of disinterested scholarship. If works of history are autobiographical, that does not mean that is all they are." Certainly not in his case. Susman praises Dr. Curti for discussing dime novels and for his use of many off-beat sources. That is exactly what Susman does, coming to see America through the notion of "culture of abundance" and of paradox. We live, he says, in a "hieroglyphic civilization" in which images always supplement ideas. His photographs are one of the highlights of the book. He centers them on critical themes: Our Father, Our Skyscraper, Our Daily Bread, Our Flag, Our Town, and Our Church. In our world of images-turned-icons, we can literally see the fundamental tensions that define the "hieroglyphic civilization" that we have created. Another distinctive feature of America: no previous culture has been so shaped by communication technology or has spent so much of its energy and resources analyzing communication and its problems. He hits home; I spent years in "communications studies" niches. Like Susman, I ended up wondering "whether anyone could really communicate at all. ("What we have here is a problem of communication.") Of course, we have had a few great communicators: Jefferson, Calhoun, Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Susman always pops up with a surprise. He respects President Roosevelt's cultural role without limit, but adds, "If we want to know how people experienced the world in the 1930s, I argue that Mickey Mouse may be more important than President Roosevelt in that understanding" (103). All ages demand symbols that sometimes conflict. In the 1940s, for example, we suffered the pain and anguish of the Okies of the Dust Bowl-and were singing "Oh! What a Beautiful Morning!" in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1943). Conflicting symbols. Or again: we painstakingly reconstructed colonial Williamsburg as a hedge against the rising techno-industrial order. …
Are the kinematics of the knee joint altered during the loading response phase of gait in individuals with concurrent knee osteoarthritis and complaints of joint instability? A dynamic stereo X-ray study

Abstract Background Joint instability has been suggested as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis and a cause of significant functional decline in those with symptomatic disease. However, the relationship between altered knee joint mechanics and self-reports of instability in individuals with knee osteoarthritis remains unclear. Methods Fourteen subjects with knee osteoarthritis and complaints of joint instability and 12 control volunteers with no history of knee disease were recruited for this study. Dynamic stereo X-ray technology was used to assess the three-dimensional kinematics of the knee joint during the loading response phase of gait. Findings Individuals with concurrent knee osteoarthritis and joint instability demonstrated significantly reduced flexion and internal/external rotation knee motion excursions during the loading response phase of gait (P Interpretations The rotational patterns of tibiofemoral joint motion and joint alignments reported for individuals with concurrent knee osteoarthritis and joint instability are consistent with those previously established for individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, the findings of similar translatory tibiofemoral motion between groups suggest that self-reports of episodic joint instability in individuals with knee osteoarthritis may not necessarily be associated with adaptive alterations in joint arthrokinematics.
Action spectrum for inactivation by ultraviolet light of bacteriophage T4 substituted with 5-bromodeoxyuridine

Abstract 5-Bromodeoxyuridine-substituted T4 phage was found to be about 4–5 times more sensitive to inactivation by ultraviolet light than unsubstituted T4 in the wavelength range between 235 and 289 mμ; above 289 mμ the relative sensitivity increased very rapidly to a maximum of 500–1000 near 313 mμ before decreasing again at about 334 mμ. No significant increase in sensitivity was noted at 365 or 404 mμ. The results imply that 5-bromodeoxyuridine nucleotides are involved in the primary steps of the photochemical inactivating reactions and that there is no electronic transition of 5-bromodeoxyuridine in the 300–334 mμ region capable of causing inactivation comparable to that due to the 280 mμ pi to pi∗ transition; they are compatible with the hypothesis of exciton travel. The action spectrum of T6 bacteriophage was also determined.
Diphenoxylate poisoning in children.

Summary Two cases of diphenoxylate hydrochloride with atropine sulfate (Lomotil) poisoning in children are presented; both patients recovered following appropriate therapy. Early symptoms are due to atropinism; these are followed by progressive depression of the central nervous system which may require resuscitative measures and repeated administration of nalorphine. The pharmacology of diphenoxylate is reviewed.
Isotope dilution for quantitation of steroid estrogens and nonylphenols by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in septic, soil, and groundwater matrices.

Abstract A simplified, in-line solid-phase extraction and clean-up process is presented for rapid extraction and analysis of steroid estrogens and nonylphenols by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Isotope dilution with multiple deuterated standards has been developed, evaluated, and verified using this method against standard addition for the analysis of estrone, estradiol, estriol, ethinylestradiol, and 4-nonylphenols in septic, soil, and groundwater matrices. The accuracy and precision of isotope dilution was comparable to standard addition yet was able to quantify analytes with the use of fewer samples by including [ 2 H 4 ]estradiol, [ 2 H 4 ]ethinylestradiol, [ 2 H 4 ]nonylphenol, and estradiol-17-acetate as internal standards. Specific details and validation of the method are presented as are data showing the occurrence of estrogens and nonylphenols in an on-site wastewater treatment (septic) system with advanced stages of pretreatment and recirculation to an office building for non-potable reuse.
A method for the elimination of the spurious mode of backward-wave oscillations

For a given power output and voltage range, the minimum length of a backward-wave oscillator can be calculated from published data from any normal range of circuit loss and space charge regimes. As this circuit increases in length the rf oscillations become more insensitive to variations of beam current, but soon a point is reached where a new line appears in the spectrum at a slightly lower frequency. This new frequency corresponds to a second solution of the boundary value equation; and because the system is already in a state of oscillation, nonlinear mixing very rapidly fills the spectrum on either side of the main oscillation as the circuit length or the current is increased beyond that point. Thus, the optimum length of the circuit is a matter of compromise unless the starting current of the spurious mode can be appreciably increased or, as is indicated in this paper, can, in fact, be made infinite.
Histological characteristics and altered expression of interleukins (IL) IL-13 and IL-15 in endometria of levonorgestrel users with different uterine bleeding patterns

Objective To determine the relationship between uterine bleeding patterns in levonorgestrel users with endometrial histology and expression of interleukins (IL) IL-13 and IL-15. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Academic research center. Patient(s) Questionnaires were sent to patients (n = 578) who had levonorgestrel implants concerning bleeding patterns; 35 of these patients were identified to have regular cycle (n = 13), amenorrhea (n = 8), or metrorrhagia (n = 14). Intervention(s) Endometrial biopsies, serum, histology, and immunostaining. Main outcome measure(s) Endometrial histological assessment and immunostaining for IL-13 and IL-15 and for blood levonorgestrel, E 2 , and progesterone levels by ELISA or RIA. Result(s) No correlation was found between circulating levonorgestrel, E 2 , or progesterone levels with the bleeding patterns, although a trend toward a lower E 2 level was observed in patients with amenorrhea who had inactive endometrium. There was a direct correlation between bleeding patterns and endometrial histology, as well as IL-13 and IL-15 expression in patients with regular cycles and metrorrhagia, demonstrating secretory and proliferative endometrium, respectively. Some patients in each group were also identified as demonstrating endometritis. Conclusion(s) Endometrial histology may assist directing therapy and subsequently increasing compliance in progestin-only contraceptive users with irregular bleeding who fail to respond to standard therapies. Altered endometrial expression of IL-13 and IL-15, key cytokines in inflammatory and immune cell trafficking, may influence events, leading to irregular bleeding.
High-Risk Driving Behaviors among Adolescent Binge Drinkers

Background: Binge drinking is common among adolescents. Alcohol use, particularly binge drinking, has been associated with neurocognitive deficits and increased risk-taking behaviors, which may contribute to negative driving outcomes among adolescents even while sober. Objectives: To examine potential differences in self-reported risky driving behaviors between adolescent binge drinkers and a matched sample of controls on measures of (1) compliance with graduated licensing laws, (2) high-risk driving behaviors, and (3) driving outcomes (i.e., crashes, traffic tickets). Methods: This study examined driving behaviors and outcomes in adolescent recent binge drinkers (n = 21) and demographically and driving history matched controls (n = 17) between the ages of 16–18 years. Results: Binge drinkers more frequently violated graduated licensing laws (e.g., driving late at night) and engaged in more “high-risk” driving behaviors, such as speeding and using a cell phone while driving. Binge drinkers had more traffi...
Problem-Based Learning: A Paradigm Shift or a Passing Fad?

The use of problem-based learning in medical education and other educational settings has escalated. What once was considered a "fringe" innovation has become much more mainstream. The author raises issues surrounding whether PBL will become such a successful innovation that it becomes the "norm", or whether its popularity and widespread adoption will fade and be replaced by another, newer innovation.
Effect of the anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) drug maribavir (MB) on the activities of cytochrome p450 (CYP) 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A, N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE-2 (NAT-2), and xanthine oxidase (XO) as assessed by the cooperstown 5+1 drug cocktail

Background The effect of repeated dose oral MB on CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A, NAT-2, and XO activity were evaluated in healthy volunteers. Methods A drug interaction study was conducted with 20 (16 MB, 4 placebo) healthy nonsmoking adults (10 women). Genotypic EMs were given by mouth, 2 mg/kg caffeine (CYP1A2, NAT-2, XO), 10 mg warfarin (W)+ 10 mg vitamin K (CYP2C9), 40 mg omeprazole (OMP) (CYP2C19), 30 mg dextromethorphan (DM) (CYP2D6), and 0.075 mg/kg midazolam (MDZ) (CYP3A) 4 days before (day −4) and after 7 days (day 7) of 400 mg MB twice daily (continued for 10 days). Biomarker measurements (urinary or plasma metabolic ratios, plasma AUC or total body CL) were determined. Least squares geometric mean ratios (LS-GMR) and 90% confidence intervals (90% CI) were calculated. Results (see Table) Conclusions Repeated dose MB may decrease CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 activity, although the clinical significance of the effect remains to be determined. No effect was observed on CYP1A2, 2C9, 3A, NAT-2, or XO. These results will guide further evaluation of the drug-drug interaction potential for MB. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P19–P19; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.075 Table 1. Parameter N LS-GMR Day7/Day-4 90% CI * 90 CI outside the 0.8–1.25 interval indicates that equivalence was not demonstrated CYP1A2 (1X + 1U + AFMU/17U) 15 0.86 0.80–0.92 CYP2C9 (W AUC0-∞) 16 1.01 0.95–1.07 CYP2C19 (OMP/5-OH) 16 1.71 1.50–1.92* CYP2D6 (DM/DX) 16 1.18 0.94–1.41* CYP3A (MDZ CL/F) 16 1.13 1.01–1.24 NAT-2 (AFMU/1X + 1U) 15 0.96 0.86–1.06 XO (1U/1X + 1U) 15 1.02 1.00–1.04
Places for Self-Selling in Ulpian, Plautus and Horace: The Role of Vertumnus

Ulpian refers to “places” frequented by those who “declare themselves for sale.” Plautus places persons who “sell themselves” in Rome’s Tuscan Quarter and arguably links this activity with the statue of Vertumnus. This article argues that Vertumnus presided over a place where individuals sold themselves into slavery and/or, less likely, sponsored a kind of labor-exchange.
Accuracy of prehospital sphygmomanometers.

Abstract The first requisite for valid blood pressure determination is a correctly calibrated manometer. A total of 125 aneroid sphygmomanometers in prehospital use were calibrated against a mercury manometer standard. A total of 43 (34.4%) aneroid instruments deviated by more than ±4 mm Hg tolerance (average of four readings). A deviation of greater than ±8 mm Hg was shown by 10.4% (13) of the maeters. These aneroid gauges are easily calibrated by prehospital personnel using a mercury standard and Y-tube connection. Departments with routine maintenance policies had fewer inaccurate instruments. Emergency medical services advisors should ensure periodic maintenance and calibration of sphygmomanometers used in emergency care situations.
Correlated molecular and multicenter multipole moments in ground and excited stages from multiple reference double-excitation configuration interaction calculations

Correlated molecular multipole moments and compact correlated cumulative atomic multipole moment (CCAMM) representation of molecular charge distribution in ground as well as in excited states have been derived directly from multiple reference double-excitation configuration interaction (MRD-CI) wave functions for BH and H 2 CO molecules using several extended basis sets with multiple polarization functions. This approach extends previously introduced uncorrelated and correlated CAMMs, and allows obtaining inexpensive modeling of electrostatic effects involving molecules in excited electronic states
Floristic Diversity in Managed Forests: Demography and Physiology of Understory Plants Following Disturbance in Southern New England Forests

Current interest in the conservation of biodiversity is generating a need for forest management and silvicultural techniques designed to maintain the integrity of ecosystems while satisfying society's need for timber resources. The conservation of forest understory plant communities should be a major emphasis of this effort as they contain the majority of plant diversity in most U.S. forests and play a significant role in many ecosystem functions. This article reviews the literature regarding plant responses to disturbance—most importantly changes in light environments—and applies that information to forest management. A comparison of developmental plasticity and rapid acclimation as response pathways is used to discuss plant level responses. At the landscape level, diversity models, silviculture treatments, and site characteristics are used to discuss changes in understory community composition following disturbance. Results of ongoing research on the effects of forest management on floristic patterns fo...
The role of neuropeptide Y in the amygdala on corticotropin-releasing factor receptor-mediated behavioral stress responses in the rat.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the most abundant peptides in the brain and has been shown to be a critical regulator of emotionality, most notably for its effect in decreasing anxiety-like behaviors. The stress response in both humans and animals has been shown to involve a cascade of biological events initiated by corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), another centrally acting peptide. Interestingly, NPY and CRF are present in similar brain regions mediating stress responses and may act in an opposing fashion. The basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) is a distinct division of the amygdala and contains CRF receptors and the highest concentration of NPY neurons. The current study investigates the behavioral effects in rodents when NPY is injected directly into the BLA prior to the pharmacological stressor, urocortin I (Ucn; a CRF receptor agonist) or the emotional stressor, restraint. The animals that underwent restraint were evaluated in the social interaction (SI) test, while those injected with Ucn ...
An analytical method for the separation of dopamine metabolites in cellular extracts by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Abstract An analytical scheme using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed to separate radiolabeled catecholamines in cell extracts derived from mammalian cells grown in tissue culture. Four different types of chromatographic systems have been employed to effect separations of groups of metabolites that possess similar organic functional groups. Data obtained by thin-layer chromatography are also presented and it is demonstrated that HPLC is the system of choice for the separation and quantitative analysis of metabolites of dopamine in physiological fluids.
The rotation-inversion spectrum of ammonia

Abstract The rotation-inversion spectrum of ammonia (NH3) has been observed in the wavenumber region between 35 cm−1 and 240 cm−1, with a resolution of ∼0.08 cm−1. The K splitting (due primarily to centrifugal distortion) is extensive and many lines due to single transitions are observed. The best resolved of these unblended lines are used in a rotational analysis. The major rotational constants obtained are B0 = 9.94378 ± 0.00057 cm−1, D 0 J = (8.407 ± 0.076) × 10 −4 cm −1 , and D 0 JK = (−1.564 ± 0.015) × 10 −3 cm −1 .
ELAG 2002: report of a library systems seminar on the Semantic Web

The 26th annual seminar of the European Library Automation Group (ELAG) was held in Rome in April 2002. This report provides an overview of the papers presented, including those describing relevant developments in Italy (such as the Italian Digital Library), those covering the theme of the seminar (semantic Web and libraries), as well as papers on functional requirements for bibliographic records and others. Workshops are a key feature of the ELAG seminars and a brief mention is made of these.
Extinction of globin gene expression in human fibroblast × mouse erythroleukemia cell hybrids

We have chosen human fibroblast x mouse erythroleukemia hybrid cells as a model system to examine regulation of unique genes. The globin genes were studied as a marker of erythroid differentiation. Three separate hybrid cell lines were incubated in 2% dimethylsulfoxide, an agent which induces erythroid differentiation of the parental erythroleukemia cells. Neither human nor mouse globin mRNA sequences could be detected by a sensitive molecular hybridization assay which utilized globin complementary DNA. However, DNA from one of the cell lines was shown to contain both the mouse and human globin genes. Thus, loss of the genes by chromosomal segregation did not account for their failure to be expressed. Cocultivation of the mouse erythroleukemia cells with excess human fibroblasts did not prevent erythroid differentiation of the erythroleukemia cells in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide. Similarly globin gene expression was preserved in tetraploid cells generated by fusion of two erythroleukemia lines. Thus, extinction of globin gene expression in the human fibroblast x erythroleukemia hybrids occurred at the level of mRNA production and appeared to be due to the presence of the fibroblast genome within the hybrid cell.
Coordination outside formal organization: consensus-based decision-making and occupation in the Occupy Wall Street movement

Previous work has shown that a vital component for successful collective action is formal organization, in particular because it facilitates internal coordination. But how is coordination achieved in the absence of formal organization? To answer this question, this article presents findings drawn from an ethnographic study on Occupy Wall Street (OWS) in New York City. It first introduces the concept of ‘autonomy’ to discuss the particular challenge faced within the decentralized structure of OWS of developing coordination. It then shows how the practice of holding mass assemblies and the occupation of Zuccotti Park itself each served, in incidental and unintentional ways, as mechanisms of coordination. These findings confirm previous work on the importance of coordination and build upon it by demonstrating that not only is coordination possible outside formal organization, but that it is also in some cases achieved without conscious intention. This suggests the utility of moving beyond an overly rational ...
Electrolyte changes and the electrocardiogram in diabetic acidosis.

Abstract Correlation of electrolyte and pH changes with serial electrocardiographic changes was made in thirteen patients during therapy for severe diabetic acidosis. Sagging of the S-T segments was a prominent feature of the electrocardiogram on entry when acidosis was marked. This change usually disappeared within twenty-four hours. In nineteen instances of depressed S-T segment, the pH or carbon dioxide combining power was low in sixteen (84 per cent). However, in 31 per cent of the patients whose records showed isoelectric S-T segments, the pH or Carbon dioxide combining power was low. Experimentally, depression of the S-T segment occurs with moderate elevation of the serum potassium but there was no correlation in our series with changes in serum potassium levels. The etiology of this change requires further study. Thirty-seven records showed prolonged Q-T intervals, many of these occurring one to four days after intensive therapy had been instituted. Sixteen (43 per cent) of these were associated with low total or ionized serum calcium or potassium. Twenty-one (57 per cent) of the patients whose records showed prolonged Q-T intervals had normal levels of serum calcium and potassium. There were seven patients in whom the Q-T interval was markedly prolonged; in six of these the serum calcium or potassium levels were below normal. These findings suggest that in some cases other factors than serum calcium and potassium depletion may be responsible for the prolongation of the Q-T interval. There was a high degree of correlation between low T waves and low serum potassium levels. The T waves increased in amplitude with return of the potassium to normal or elevated levels. The relationship of low serum magnesium to the electrocardiographic changes needs additional study. The complex nature of the factors present in diabetic acidosis which may affect the myocardium is discussed. These factors include the relationship between extracellular and intracellular electrolytes, cardiac nutrition in acidosis and ketosis, and the effects of anoxia and azotemia.
Near Surface Structure of Solvent-free Processed Polyimide Thin Film

The surface structure of solvent-free processed poly(pyromellitic dianhydride−oxydianiline) PMDA−ODA is probed using grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS). The films are cured below the (bulk) glass transition temperature of the polyimide. The surface-influenced ordering in the top 10 nm of the film is comparable to that of films which were cast and cured from polymeric precursor solutions in a polar solvent that complexed prior to the conversion to polyimide (PI). This shows that the surface effects are the dominant force to influence the near surface ordering. The crystal orientation closer to the surface has more fiber texture with the b-axis perpendicular to the surface and the a- and c-axes randomly oriented in the film plane. Line shape analysis as a function of X-ray penetration depth and changes in the unit cell dimensions suggests that the distortion is at the ether linkage of the ODA unit. The decrease in crystal distortion and amorphous halo peaks relative to crystalline peaks, as penetrati...
To be an outpatient, or not to be — selecting the right patients for ambulatory surgery

Abstract Selecting the right patients for ambulatory surgery is an integral part of ensuring that quality of medical care is delivered in this setting. Outpatient surgery's exponential growth of the 1980s has spilled over into the last decade of this century, projecting that by the year 1995 over 60% of all elective surgery will be performed on an outpatient basis. Accordingly, we have witnessed the change in composition of ambulatory surgery patients. This article discusses the adaptation that physicians have made to meet the demands of the changing face of ambulatory surgery. Modes of preoperative screening and patient selection will be reviewed.
Absence of high affinity dopamine receptor in GH3 cells: a prolactin-secreting clone resistant to the inhibitory action of dopamine

Dopamine (DA) and DA agonists bind with high affinity to anterior pituitary receptors which mediate the inhibition of PRL release. Spiperone (SPIP), a DA antagonist, has also been successfully used to characterize pituitary DA receptors with a dissociation constant (Kd) of less than 1 nm. We studied the binding of SPIP to GH3D6 cells which secrete only PRL and GH. This clone was derived from a radiation-induced tumor of the rat anterior pituitary. Equilibrium binding of [3H]SPIP to living GH3 cells showed no high affinity receptors, but a low affinity (Kd = 0.83 μm) and saturable (0.06 fmol/cell) population of sites was observed. In addition, saturable binding with a similar affinity (Kd = 0.57 μm) was noted in broken GH3 cells. The interaction was completely reversible and temperature dependent. The concentrations of various ligands required to compete for half of the [3H]SPIP binding to whole cells were: chlorpromazine, 0.17 μm; haloperidol, 0.68 μm; pimozide, 0.77 μm; d-butaclamol, 1.16 μm; 1-butaclamo...