cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Empiric vaginal metronidazole in the management of the ASCUS Papanicolaou smear: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether empiric treatment with vaginal metronidazole in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) on Papanicolaou smear increases the number of cases that regress to normal on repeated cytologic studies. METHODS: A randomized double-masked trial was designed to compare women with ASCUS on screening Papanicolaou smear who received vaginal metronidazole, 37.5 mg twice daily, or placebo gel twice daily, for 5 days. Normalization of repeated Papanicolaou smear at 3 months was the primary end point. Regression to normal between the two groups was compared by χ2 analysis. Power analysis required 45 women per study arm to demonstrate a 50% improvement in regression to normal among the metronidazole-treated women, at α = 0.05 and 80% power. RESULTS: One hundred and six tubes of gel were dispensed, 54 metronidazole and 52 placebo. Eighty-four women (79%) returned for repeated cytologic examination at a mean of 6.5 months. Overall, 50 women (60%) had normal findings on repeated cytologic examination, and 34 (40%) had persistent abnormal findings. Twenty-two women had repeated ASCUS, and 11 had squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) on repeated cytologic examination. Regression to normal was found in 22 (54%) metronidazole-treated women and 28 (65%) placebo recipients. The number of cases of repeated ASCUS (31% versus 25%) or SIL (15% versus 10%) were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Empiric vaginal metronidazole does not improve the management of women with ASCUS on Papanicolaou smear and should be discouraged.
SU‐FF‐T‐374: Quality Assurance of the On‐Board Imager and Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography Systems

Purpose: To develop a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) program for the On‐Board Imager (OBI) used for patient positioning verification and to present the results of QA tests over extended periods from multiple institutions. Radiographic and cone‐beam computed tomography(CBCT) mode have been evaluated. Methods and Materials: The QA program consists of three parts; (1) safety and functionality (2) geometry and (3) image quality. Safety checks evaluate the functionality of collision interlocks and audible alarms. Functional QA checks the flow of clinical operation during tube warm‐up. Geometry QA checks geometrical accuracy and variation of the OBI/CBCT and hardware/software. Image quality QA includes measurements to monitor accuracy and stability of the OBI/CBCT imaging system. Results: All test items show stable functionality for safety and functional QA on a daily bases. The precision of arm positioning is very high with variation of 1mm and average accuracy of 2 mm. Results of geometry QA have been stable within tolerances through the test periods. All tests for Image quality tests also show consistent results within tolerances. Conclusion: We have developed a practical yet comprehensive set of QA tests for the OBI system. Data collected for these tests over the extended period show that the OBI system has mechanical reliability and stable image quality. Nevertheless, the tests were useful in detecting performance deficits in the OBI system that needed recalibration. After accumulating enough experience and confidence on stability and accuracy, some institutions have reduced the frequency of QA checks. However, it is important that all tests are performed on a regular basis within a suggested period to establish a guideline.
Polar climate studies from space: overview and current issues

The polar regions are expected to be particularly sensitive to anthropogenic global change. Due to the difficulties in modeling high latitude climate and the logistical challenges with polar field work, satellite remote sensing will have an increasingly important role to play in polar climate research. For studies of atmospheric radiation and meteorology, accurate cloud detection and classification is crucial. Modern methods for polar cloud classification utilize both multispectral threshold and automated pattern recognition techniques. For monitoring sea ice concentration, passive microwave sensors offer an all-weather advantage over visible or infrared scanners, although over clear-sky scenes the latter can provide a much finer spatial resolution. The various algorithms for satellite retrieval and remote sensing in the polar regions are constantly being refined and improved.
Limbness in the early chick embryo lateral plate.

Abstract In order for the limb to be useful in the evaluation of early determinants of morphogenesis, it is necessary to understand some of the characteristics associated with “limbness” and, more importantly at the beginning at least, it is necessary to know what regions of the early embryo exhibit limbness qualities. Previous investigators have assumed, without direct experimental evidence, that the flank does not have limbness qualities, even at early stages of development. However, there are a few studies suggesting that the early flank does possess limbness qualities. The purpose of the present study was to determine how extensively the qualities of limbness exist in the early chick embryo. Tissues from the future neck, wing, flank, and leg regions were grafted to host celoms and evaluated for their abilities to form limbs. Limbs developed from all four regions of stage 11–14 embryos, but after stage 14 only grafts from the wing and leg regions formed limbs.
How Nine Third-Grade Teachers Motivate Student Academic Engagement

Nine grade 3 teachers in 8 Catholic schools were observed and interviewed, and student work was collected to determine how the teachers motivated students. Engagement varied dramatically between some classes, covarying with motivating elements of instruction. Engaging teachers did much to motivate their students and little that might undermine academic motivation. Teachers were classified into 3 levels: low, moderately, and highly engaging. In the 3 classrooms characterized by low engagement, teachers were observed to use many practices that undermined motivation. The 4 moderately engaging teachers used many potentially motivating practices in their classrooms but assigned tasks that were low in difficulty. Teachers in the 2 highly engaging classrooms used many potentially motivating practices and required students to complete tasks that were appropriately, cognitively challenging (i.e., students could do them with some effort).
Bioactivity in in situ hydroxyapatite-polycaprolactone composites.

In our previous work, hydroxyapatite (HAP) was synthesized under two conditions: one in the presence of polyacrylic acid (in situ HAP) and the other in the absence of polyacrylic acid (ex situ HAP). Composites of both HAPs with polycaprolactone (PCL) were investigated for their applicability as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. In the current work, bioactivity of these composites has been investigated by soaking them in simulated body fluid for different intervals of time. Nucleation and growth mechanism of apatite on these composites has also been investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study suggests that although apatite growth starts with an intermediate phase, it completely transforms to HAP after 4 days of soaking. Nanoindentation results suggest that the apatite growing on in situ HAP/PCL composites has much higher hardness and elastic modulus as compared to the apatite growing on ex situ HAP/PCL composites. The apatite grown on the ex situ composites has a net-like interconnected structure. The observed differences in mechanical properties and morphology of apatite have been described on the basis of nucleation mechanisms. The nucleation of apatite on the in situ HAP/PCL composites proceeds through the formation of a complex between Ca2+ and COO− groups; on the other hand, nucleation occurs because of dissolution reaction of apatite in ex situ HAP/PCL composites. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Row Modifications of a Sparse Cholesky Factorization

Given a sparse, symmetric positive definite matrix C and an associated sparse Cholesky factorization LDL$\tr$, we develop sparse techniques for updating the factorization after a symmetric modification of a row and column of C. We show how the modification in the Cholesky factorization associated with this rank-2 modification of C can be computed efficiently using a sparse rank-1 technique developed in [T. A. Davis and W. W. Hager, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl., 20 (1999), pp. 606--627]. We also determine how the solution of a linear system Lx = b changes after changing a row and column of C or after a rank-r change in C.
Postsynaptic long-term enhancement (LTE) by dopamine may be mediated by Ca2+ and calmodulin.

Abstract Long-term enhancement (LTE), of postsynaptic slow depolarizing responses to a muscarinic agonist (MCh), follows a brief exposure of the rabbit superior cervical ganglion to another transmitter, dopamine (DA). Either reduction of external Ca2+ (to 1.0 mM or 0.2 mM) or presence of a specific calmodulin antagonist (calmidazolium at 5 μM) blocked DA induction of this LTE. However, unlike LTP in hippocampus, induction of LTE is not mediated by depolarization-dependent influx of Ca2+.
Reconciling Open-Mindedness and Belief

Can one be open-minded about a strongly held belief? I defend a reconciliation of the suggested conflict that turns on open-mindedness as an educational aim subordinate to the aim of knowledge, and...
The Gender Influence on US District Court Decisions: Updating the Traditional Judge Attribute Model

ABSTRACT. The present study contributes to the literature on federal lower court decision‐making as well as the broader body of research on gender effects on elite behavior by showing how gender, as a determinant of behavior, is filtered through other sociological determinants of decisional behavior. Starting with the assumption that personal attributes influence decision‐making patterns, our argument is that gender effects are not direct; rather, they subtly and indirectly influence elite behavior by providing another “lens” or “layer” by which a judge will view his or her world. These effects cannot be directly observed using traditional attribute behavioral models. We test our hypotheses with data on 35,038 published decisions by federal district court judges from the 1977 to 2005 terms. The results of this analysis indicate that gender has a subtle and indirect influence on judicial behavior that is not captured by traditional judge attribute models.
THE STATUS OF STATE POLICIES CONCERNING BIRTH CONTROL EDUCATION

A survey was conducted among State Directors of Health Physical Education and Recreation in 1972 to determine if states had written policies relating to sex education. Ultimately there was a response from all of the states and the District of Columbia. Results showed that 24 states did not have written policies relating to sex education; 26 states and the District of Columbia did have such policies. Of the latter only 3 had policies favorable to providing birth control information to students. Some 94% of the states do not have written policies about birth control education in the public schools. Given the high rates of unwanted pregnancies among young people it is important to develop policies which would permit birth control information to be provided in the schools.
English for Specific Purposes: Content, Language, and Communication in a Pharmacy Course Model.

After presenting an overview of content-area ESL and English for specific purposes (ESP), this article describes an experimental course in communication offered to nonnative English-speaking pharmacy students at the University of Maryland and reports the results of an evaluation of the course. A combination of content- area ESL and ESP, the course, which met weekly for one semester, was team-taught by a pharmacist specializing in communication for pharmacists and an ESL specialist. Speech functions deemed necessary for effective oral communication by pharmacists in their professional settings were used as an organizing principle for the syllabus, which also provided for instruction in relevant linguistic structures, for instruction in communication principles and techniques, and for much active student participation. Although better evaluation measures are needed, student evaluations and comparison of the results on pre-and posttests of the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (Educational Testing Service, 1982a) suggest that the course was effective.
Thermal dehydration of some 8-quinolinol chelate hydrates

Abstract The thermal dehydration of the 8-quinolinol chelate hydrates of Ni(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), Mn(II), Mg(II), and Zn(II) was studied by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, h.t.r.s. and d.r.s. Calorimetric data indicated that the heats of dehydration were correlatable with crystal field and electrostatic theory. The thermogravimetric data, applied in a different type of solid state kinetics equation, indicated that there was a difference in type of water bonding between that in the magnesium(II) complex and the other complexes. Changes in reflectance spectra upon dehydration were ascribed to possible changes in coordination for the complexes of Co(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II), involving the d -orbital splittings, and to changes in coordination affecting charge transfer in the complexes of Mg(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II).
Competitive Multi-period Pricing for Perishable Products: A Robust Optimization Approach

We study a multi-period oligopolistic market for a single perishable product with fixed inventory. Our goal is to address the competitive aspect of the problem together with demand uncertainty using ideas from robust optimization and variational inequalities. The demand function for each seller has some associated uncertainty and we assume that the sellers would like to adopt a policy that is robust to adverse uncertain circumstances. We believe this is the first paper that uses robust optimization for dynamic pricing under competition. In particular, starting with a given fixed inventory, each seller competes over a multi-period time horizon in the market by setting prices and protection levels for each period at the beginning of the time horizon. Any unsold inventory at the end of the horizon is worthless. The sellers do not have the option of periodically reviewing and replenishing their inventory. We study non-cooperative Nash equilibrium policies for sellers under such a model. This kind of a setup can be used to model pricing of air fares, hotel reservations, bandwidth in communication networks, etc. In this paper we demonstrate our results through some numerical examples.
Scattering matrix measurements

Abstract A technique is proposed to measure the components of the 2 x 2 scattering matrix of a target. Both relative amplitudes and phase are measured. Absolute amplitudes require irradiance measurements involving a reference scatterer to calibrate the incidence irradiance.
Polychlorinated biphenyls in the electrical machinery industry: an ethnological study of community action and corporate responsibility.

Abstract Environmental and occupational health problems health cannot be understood through purely medical and epidemiological analyses, the social forces affecting biologically adaptive behaviour must also be analyzed. Research on the optical economy of health needs to generate an ethnology of community action relevant to the analyses of corporate structures for which it is best known. In studying the community of Pittsfield, Mass., where a General Electric plant is located, we encountered environmental and occupational health problems in just this context. This essay is, an effort to extend the political economy of health into the ethnological doamin of community research.
The use of intravenous tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil as induction and maintenance immunosuppression in simultaneous pancreas--kidney recipients with previous transplants.

Clinical trials using quadruple immunosuppression that include the combination of tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) have been shown to reduce the incidence of acute rejection episodes in simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation. In attempting to obtain a low rejection rate without antibody induction therapy, we proceeded with the combination of TAC intravenous (i.v.), MMF, and steroids as induction therapy and as primary immunosuppression for recipients with previous transplants. In this study, we analyzed 10 patients who received previous transplants, treated with low-dose TAC i.v. as induction therapy. Group A consisted of 6 patients with previous transplants that underwent SPK and group B consisted of four recipients with previous SPK that underwent cadaveric kidney transplants. For group A, the previous transplants were: living related kidney (LRK) followed by islet cell (IC) transplant (n=2), LRK transplant (n=1), cadaver kidney (CAD) and IC transplant (n=1), SPK (n=1), and three previous CAD kidney transplants (n=1). In group A, all six kidneys were lost due to recurrent diabetic nephropathy, IC possibly to rejection, and the pancreas due to thrombosis. In group B with previous SPK transplants, three recipients lost their kidney to chronic rejection and one to long-term use of a nephrotoxic antibiotic. Currently, in all group A and B patients, the kidney and the pancreas are functioning, although 1 patient in group A developed type 2 diabetes (normal fasting C-peptide). Two patients in group A developed three rejection episodes that responded to steroid treatment. The results indicate the TAC i.v. in combination with oral TAC, MMF, and steroids offer effective induction therapy in patients with previous transplants.
Relationship Between Time in the Operating Room and Incident Pressure Ulcers A Matched Case–Control Study

The objective was to determine the relationship between time in the operating room (OR) and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs), controlling for temporality. The research team identified 931 HAPUs among surgical patients and matched them to 4 controls by hospital length of stay at the time the pressure ulcer (PU) was documented. A regression model estimated the relationship between OR time and HAPU after controlling for matching, age, sex, admission and current Braden score, weight, year, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score. OR time in the 24 hours prior to PU documentation was associated with PUs. Only 5% of HAPUs occurred within 24 hours of extended (>4 hours) surgery and 58% occurred after hospital day 5. Extended surgery is confirmed as a risk factor for PU development. Most PUs do not appear in the immediate postoperative period, and prevention efforts should focus on postoperative patient care, when most HAPUs develop.
A note on processes with random stationary increments

When the correlation theory is considered for the processes with random stationary increments, Yaglom (1955) has developed the spectral representation theory. In this note, we complete this development by obtaining the inversion formula of the spectrum in terms of the structure function.
Highly Conserved Asparagine in the Basic Domain of Myc Is Dispensable for DNA Binding, Transformation, and Apoptosis

Abstract The basic region of c-Myc and other basic helix–loop–helix (b-HLH)-containing proteins bind to the palindromic DNA sequences CANNTG. For the myogenic factor MyoD, a member of the b-HLH family, mutation of several basic region residues abrogates muscle differentiation, but not DNA binding. One of the amino acid positions displaying this behavior in MyoD aligns with a highly conserved asparagine in Myc. This conserved asparagine displays complete tolerance for alanine substitution as measured by DNA binding. To test the possibility of whether the basic region of Myc encodes a second biological function, the conserved asparagine in c-Myc (N360) was mutated to alanine and tested for the Myc-dependent functions of cellular transformation and apoptosis. In contrast to the deleterious effects of such mutations in MyoD, the alanine mutant functions normally for both Myc-dependent cellular transformation and apoptosis induction. Therefore, a basic region function distinct from DNA binding may not be a general feature of HLH transcription factors.
Spermatozoa of Ciona intestinalis and analysis of ascidian fertilization

The complex array of vestments which surrounds the ascidian oocyte indicates that spermatozoa of these urochordates may be highly modified to effect penetration through the egg-envelopes and to achieve successful fusion with the female gamete. Examination of the spermatozoa of Ciona intestinalis reveals, however, that they lack an acrosomal vesicle and do not possess detectable amounts of actin. Furthermore, the spermatozoa do not undergo observable morphological alterations when exposed to ammoniated seawater, a treatment known to produce aggregation and an acrosome reaction in other organisms. Ciona spermatozoa do contain significant quantities of proteases. It is hypothesized that the localization of these enzymes may be related to the ridge-like surface ornamentation which is observed as a component of the head region of Ciona spermatozoa.
The Importance of Accounting for Job Quality: Charting U.S. Economic Performance with Alternative Labor Market Indicators

These authors argue that traditional measures of employment and unemployment are not adequate. In the traditional data, a low-paying job counts as much as a high-paying one. The authors create new indicators to determine how well Americans are doing. They show that a strikingly low percentage of American workers have what the authors define as adequate jobs, although the rate has improved since 1979. Serious job-quality deterioration has occurred, however, for those, especially men, who have at least a high school diploma but no more than two years of college.
40Ar/39Ar geochronology of Ferrar Dolerite sills from the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica: Implications for the age and origin of the Ferrar magmatic province

The Ferrar Dolerite constitutes the hypabyssal phase of the tholeiitic Ferrar Group of Antarctica. Sills with compositions representing most of the range of geochemical variation of the Ferrar Dolerite, and separated by distances of as much as 1400 km, have been analyzed by the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar method on feldspar and biotite separates. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for five individual sills range from 176.2 to 177.2 Ma and show no significant difference. These ages reflect crystallization at 176.7 ± 1.8 Ma (where the uncertainty includes provision for systematic uncertainty in the age of the neutron-fluence monitor calibrated relative to MMhb-1 at 513.5 Ma). Combining data from these sills with previous determinations on coeval lavas and underlying pyroclastic units indicates an age of 176.6 ± 1.8 Ma for the Ferrar tholeiitic rocks as a whole. The duration of magmatic activity was less than approximately 1 m.y. By extension, other rocks in the Ferrar magmatic province, which occur from southeastern Australia, along the Transantarctic Mountains to the Theron Mountains, are inferred to have this age. The short duration of magmatic activity as well as the consistent pattern of geochemical variation and distinctiveness of the Ferrar rocks suggest that magmas were transported laterally by an extensive dike swarm which is inferred to have originated in the Weddell Sea sector of the province.
Development and survivorship of Carpophilus hemipterus (L.), Carpophilus mutilatus Erichson and Carpophilus humeralis (F.) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) over a range of constant temperatures

Eggs of Carpophilus humeralis (F.) and Carpophilus mutilatus Erichson developed at constant temperatures from 20-37.5°C, while Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) completed development at temperatures from 20-42.5°C. Carpophilus hemipterus completed larval and pupal development at all temperatures up to and including 40°C. Carpophilus mutilatus reached adulthood at 37.5°C, but C. humeralis was only able to complete egg to adult development at temperatures up to 32.5°C. Rates of development changed in a linear fashion with temperature. The development of C. hemipterus eggs and larvae was faster at all temperatures than the other two species ( P < 0.05). Developmental duration from egg to adult for the three species ranged from 47-65 days at 20°C to 14-18 days at 32.5°C. The fastest development was recorded for C. hemipterus at 37.5°C (13.4 days). Lower developmental zeroes ( DZ) were similar for the eggs, larvae and pupae of each species, ranging between 14.0-16.0°C. Estimates of DZ for egg-adult development were 15.3°C (mutilatus), 15.4°C (humeralis) and 14.6°C (hemipterus). Egg to adult development required 260.4 (hemipterus), 297.6 (humeralis) or 320.0 (mutilatus) degree- days. Survivorship was greatest for all species at temperatures between 25-30°C, with the larval stage suffering most mortality from higher or lower temperatures. The use of degree-day estimates to predict timing of adult generations of Carpophilus spp. is discussed with respect to the management of these pests in stone fruit orchards in southern Australia.
The loss of diatoms in the spring bloom

The sinking of diatoms towards the end of the spring bloom contributes to the loss of organic material below the mixer layer. Earlier work is reviewed. The study of Peinert et al . ( Neth. J. Sea Res. 16, 276 (1982)) in the Kieler Bucht was reworked assuming that the algal reproductive rate can be derived from the ratio of a radiocarbon measurement to stock in carbon. This method revealed a somewhat greater loss. The material of Marshall & Orr ( J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 16, 853 (1930)) was reworked with an estimate of the diatom sinking rate. It was assumed that the difference between the algal reproductive rate and the grazing rate was constant in the shortest intervals of time and depth. A method was developed to estimate production, the quantity grazed and the quantity sunk. During the spring outburst, diatoms are lost, probably by detrainment, but at the end of the outburst there is a sudden loss. The quantity grazed may have been estimated somewhat more precisely.
Earnings and announcement time lags

Abstract This research is addressed to the issue of whether films that generate lower (higher) than expected earnings figures release those figures to the public later (earlier) than expected. Earnings expectations were gathered from the Value Line Investment Service and expectations of a firm's earnings announcement date were generated via each of five simple models. The results indicate that lower (higher) actual earnings relative to forecasted earnings are most likely to be released to the public later (earlier) than expected. Thus, investors might have the opportunity to act on the anticipation of bad news before its actual announcement to the public.
The Lamb shift in hydrogenic ions

Recent experimental progress and probable future directions in the study of the Lamb shift in high Z hydrogenic ions are reviewed. Advances in techniques and instrumentation have allowed an extension of Lamb shift studies to hydrogenic ions of increasingly higher nuclear charge (Z) using heavy-ion accelerators. New calculational techniques have been applied to high-Z systems. This has stimulated wide interest because the large enhancement that occurs in the Lamb shift due to an approximate Z4 dependence allows sensitive studies of QED interactions in the high-field regime and suggests the possibility of observing new and unexpected phenomena. The major experimental methods are the Stark quenching of the metastable 2s1/2 state in accurately known applied fields and the laser resonance absorption technique. The accuracy of experiments and calculations is considered.
Deformational Styles in the Proterozoic Pinal Schist, Pinal Peak, Arizona: Microstructural and Quartz cAxis Analyses

A >5 km thick, north-dipping shear zone in the Pinal Peak map area, near Globe, Arizona, reveals contact metamorphism of the Pinal Schist through intrusion of the Proterozoic Madera Diorite. In Pinal Schist, sillimanite and rare andalusite occur in the metamorphic aureole around the diorite, but not elsewhere in this or adjoining map areas, where metamorphic grade is interpreted to be low greenschist facies. Deformation was synchronous in the schist and the diorite and is recorded by a well-developed, generally N- and NW-trending elongation lineation. Field interpretations of ductile deformation fabrics generally indicate top-to-the-south or reverse (present day coordinates) displacement. Microstructures in the Pinal Schist, the Madera Diorite, and the Pinal-Madera contact zone include S-C fabrics, mica "fish," asymmetric σ-type tails on porphyroclasts, and grain-shape and lattice-preferred mineral orientation, most of which indicate top-to-the-south (locally SE to SW) displacement, consistent with field ...
Calcium-mediated intracellular acidification and activation of Na(+)-H+ exchange in adrenal glomerulosa cells stimulated with potassium.

Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation by Na(+)-H+ exchange is important in cellular responses to hormones and growth factors, particularly those which raise cytosolic Ca2+ (Cai). Since elevation of Cai occurs when adrenal glomerulosa cells are stimulated by angiotensin II (Ang II) and high external K+ (Ko), we evaluated the relationship of Na(+)-H+ exchange to calcium movement particularly during high Ko stimulation of bovine glomerulosa cells. Inhibition of Na(+)-H+ exchange by dimethylamiloride markedly reduced aldosterone secretion in response to 8 mM Ko. This high Ko stimulation was accompanied by a rise in dimethylamiloride-sensitive Na+ influx and pHi acidification which was extracellular Ca2+ (Cao) dependent. High Ko also produced a rise in Ca2+ influx, Cai levels and Ca2+ efflux at 37 C. However, at 4 C, Ca2+ influx remained intact, but Ca2+ efflux and cellular acidification were inhibited. In contrast, Ang II produced protein kinase C (PKC) activation accompanied by a Na(+)-H+ exchange-dependent rise...
Atomic transport of oxygen in nonstoichiometric oxides

Abstract Atomic transport of oxygen in nonstoichiometric oxides is an extremely important topic that overlaps science and technology. In many cases, diffusion of oxygen controls sintering, grain growth, and creep. High oxygen diffusivity is critical for efficient operation of many fuel cells. Additionally, oxygen diffusivities are an essential ingredient in any point defect model. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is the most accurate modern technique for measuring oxygen tracer diffusion. This paper will briefly review the principles and applications of SIMS for the measurement of oxygen transport. Case studies will be taken from recent work on ZnO and selected high-temperature superconductors.
Sterols in decomposing Spartina alterniflora and the use of ergosterol in estimating the contribution of fungi to detrital nitrogen1

Changes in concentrations of free sterols in decomposing Spartinn dternijloru indicate that this marsh grass may be a significant source ofsterols, primarily sitosterol, to tidal waters. These tidal waters may then transport the sterols {adsorbed to particulate matter) to nearby coastal sediments. Estimates of bacterial and fkngal biomass in the detritus show that the living cells of these microbes account for only a minor part of the relative increase in nitrogen observed during decomposition. Biomass was cstimatcd by direct counts for bacteria and by measuring the concentration of ergosterol-a sterol specific to fungi.
Spatially resolved spectrophotometry of Comet P/Stephan-Oterma

Observations of Comet P/Stephan-Oterma were made with an Intensified Dissector Scanner spectrograph on the McDonald Observatory 2.7-m telescope during the period from July 1980 to February 1981. These spectra cover a range of heliocentric distances from 2.3 AU preperihelion to 1.8 AU postperihelion. A small aperture was used to map the spatial distributions of the gases in the coma. Column densities of the observed cometary emissions (CN, C3, CH, and C2) were calculated, and it is shown that Stephan-Oterma appeared nearly spherically symmetric. These date are used by Cochran (1985) to constrain chemical models of Stephan-Oterma.
Is elevated norepinephrine an etiological factor in some cases of schizophrenia

A number of hypotheses have been put forth regarding the etiology of schizophrenia, including the dopamine hypothesis, NMDA receptor hypofunction hypothesis, and others. A lesser known theory is that elevated noradrenergic signaling plays a causative role in the disease. This paper briefly re-examines the merits of this hypothesis, including as it relates to some recently published studies. Several lines of evidence are investigated, including: endogenous level studies of norepinephrine (NE); modulation of the disease by noradrenergic drugs; association of the disease with bipolar disorder and hypertension, since these latter two conditions may involve elevated NE transmission; and effects of psychological stress on the disease, since stress can produce elevated release of NE. For many of these lines of evidence, their relationship with prepulse inhibition of startle is examined. A number of these studies support the hypothesis, and several suggest that elevated NE signaling plays a particularly prominent role in the paranoid subtype of schizophrenia. If the hypothesis is correct for some persons, conventional pharmaceutical treatment options, such as use of atypical antipsychotics (which may themselves modulate noradrenergic signaling), may be improved if selective NE transmission modulating agents are added to or even substituted for these conventional drugs.
Development and reversibility of altered skeletal muscle arteriolar structure and reactivity with high salt diet and reduced renal mass hypertension.

Objective:To determine the development and reversibility of the altered vasodilator reactivity of cremasteric arterioles in rats on high-salt diet and with reduced renal mass hypertension (RRMHT). Methods:Sprague Dawley rats were fed high-salt (HS) or low-salt (LS) diet and RRMHT rats were fed HS diet (HSRRM) over 4 weeks, after which a group of HS and HSRRM rats were fed LS diet for 4 additional weeks (HS/LS and HS/LSRRM), while all others remained on their original diet. Changes in arteriolar diameter to dilator agonists (acetylcholine, iloprost, cholera toxin, forskolin, and sodium nitroprusside) and to Ca2+free solution plus adenosine (to determine maximum diameter) were measured with a videomicrometer. Results:Reduced vasodilator reactivity developed over 4 weeks with HS diet and RRMHT, although more rapidly and to a greater extent with RRMHT. In HS rats, the reduced reactivity was completely reversible with restoration of LS diet. Complete recovery of dilator reactivity to control levels did not occ...
The Effects of Hypertriglyceridemia on Plasma Free Hemoglobin Levels and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support

Exposure of patients to significant hemolysis can lead to serious clinical sequelae. Plasma free hemoglobin (pFHgb) is used during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support to monitor ongoing hemolysis that is a consequence of mechanical forces applied to the red blood cells. This publication presents the case of a 3-year-old child who required ECMO support due to severe pneumonia. During her ECMO course, she developed severe elevations of pFHgb that were of questionable validity. Additional laboratory findings suggested a concurrent hypertriglyceridemia to be the potential cause for these false elevations. Linear regression analysis was employed and revealed a statistically significant (P = .006) moderate correlation between pFHgb and triglyceride levels (R = .69). The analysis reinforces the theory that hypertriglyceridemia may lead to false increases in pFHgb, which may complicate a patient’s clinical picture and influence management decisions. Therefore, it should not be the sole value used t...
Prediction of early recurrent myocardial ischemia and coronary reocclusion after successful thrombolysis: A qualitative and quantitative angiographic study

To determine the association of qualitative and quantitative measurements of the myocardial infarct-related coronary narrowing with subsequent recurrent ischemia/reocclusion after successful thrombolysis, 47 patients treated with high-dose (150 mg) tissue plasminogen activator over 6 to 8 hours were studied in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. No patient underwent emergent coronary angioplasty. All patients had Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 2 flow or higher at the baseline (90-minute) angiogram; 31 patients had a protocol 24-hour catheterization as well. Eighteen patients had recurrent ischemia/reocclusion whereas 29 had an uneventful hospital course. There was no significant difference in baseline clinical characteristics between the 2 groups. Twenty-five (86%) of those with an uneventful course had TIMI grade 3 flow at baseline angiogram compared with 56% of patients with recurrent events. No significant difference in angiographic morphologic characteristics was found between the 2 groups at baseline catheterization. At 24 hours, however, none of the patients who subsequently had recurrent events had a concentric narrowing, while 13 (58%) of them had a complex morphology. In contrast, quantitative parameters of minimal lumen diameter, percent area stenosis and percent diameter stenosis at baseline and 24 hours were not significantly different between those who did and did not have recurrent ischemia/reocclusion. These findings suggest that the degree and quality of coronary flow at baseline catheterization are more important determinants of sustained patency and event-free hospitalization than are quantitative dimensions or coronary morphology. In addition, narrowings that fail to become concentric within the first 24 hours are more likely to be associated with subsequent ischemia or reocclusion during the early periinfarct period.
Neural foundations to moral reasoning and antisocial behavior

A common feature of the antisocial, rule-breaking behavior that is central to criminal, violent and psychopathic individuals is the failure to follow moral guidelines. This review summarizes key findings from brain imaging research on both antisocial behavior and moral reasoning, and integrates these findings into a neural moral model of antisocial behavior. Key areas found to be functionally or structurally impaired in antisocial populations include dorsal and ventral regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, hippocampus, angular gyrus, anterior cingulate and temporal cortex. Regions most commonly activated in moral judgment tasks consist of the polar/medial and ventral PFC, amygdala, angular gyrus and posterior cingulate. It is hypothesized that the rule-breaking behavior common to antisocial, violent and psychopathic individuals is in part due to impairments in some of the structures (dorsal and ventral PFC, amygdala and angular gyrus) subserving moral cognition and emotion. Impairments to the emotional component that comprises the feeling of what is moral is viewed as the primary deficit in antisocials, although some disruption to the cognitive and cognitive-emotional components of morality (particularly self-referential thinking and emotion regulation) cannot be ruled out. While this neurobiological predisposition is likely only one of several biosocial processes involved in the etiology of antisocial behavior, it raises significant moral issues for the legal system and neuroethics.
Intrabox and extrabox cues in avoidance responding: effect of septal lesions.

A combination of conflicting intrabox and extrabox cues was necessary to produce deficient acquisition of two-way avoidance responding relative to one-way responding in normal rats. Septal lesions impaired one-way avoidance acquisition by delaying the first avoidance response. In two-way acquisition, the faster acquisition of septal rats may be attributable either to an inability to inhibit responding or to an inability to utilize certain types of cues. Until the effects of septal lesions upon the ability to process olfactory and spatial information have been determined, disinhibitory interpretations of changes in avoidance responding must be held in question. One of the most reliable behavioral changes which can be observed following septal lesions in rats and cats is an enhancement of shuttle-box avoidance responding (e.g., King, 1958; McCleary, 1961). McCleary (1966) and many other investigators have interpreted this improved learning ability as an impaired ability to inhibit responding, rather than a direct facilitating effect, i.e., the septal lesion is thought to reduce the conflict involved in returning to the location in which shock was received on a previous trial. Although this is an attractive interpretation in view of the multitude of behavioral changes following these lesions which can be interpreted as disinhibitory in nature (McCleary, 1966), the behavior of rats with septal lesions in other avoidance tasks is difficult to attribute to an altered ability to inhibit responding. For example, the acquisition of a one-way avoidance response, which supposedly does not require the inhibition of responding, is frequently slower following septal lesions (Hamilton, 1969; Kenyon & Krieckhaus, 1965; McNew &
Aristocrats in Bourgeois Italy: The long goodbye: aristocrats in politics and public life: 1848–1914

The Revolution of 1848 fundamentally transformed the political and legal framework within which Piedmont's titled nobility had long exercised leadership and exerted power. The triumph of constitutional government and full civil equality that year not only ended the aristocracy's virtual monopoly of high state office in the Kingdom of Sardinia; it also eliminated their last remaining institutional privileges. Indeed, the nobility ceased to exist as a separate corporative body in the new parliamentary order that emerged from the Statute . Officially, only individual noble families remained and they now represented at best just one component of a much larger and heterogeneous ruling class, defined more by wealth and education than birth and privilege. Such changes unavoidably entailed a significant reduction in the direct political power wielded by the old nobility in the decades after 1848. The loss of their formal institutional status in the state, however, did not mark the end of aristocratic involvement in politics. On the contrary, Piedmont's titled families managed to keep some of their old roles while carving out new ones for themselves that together still assured them an influential place in public life both locally and at the national level in the second half of the nineteenth century.
T-cell-mediated cross-strain protective immunity elicited by prime–boost vaccination with a live attenuated influenza vaccine

Summary Background Antigenic drift and shift of influenza viruses require frequent reformulation of influenza vaccines. In addition, seasonal influenza vaccines are often mismatched to the epidemic influenza strains. This stresses the need for a universal influenza vaccine. Methods BALB/c mice were vaccinated with the trivalent live attenuated (LAIV; FluMist) or inactivated (TIV; FluZone) influenza vaccines and challenged with PR8 (H1N1), FM/47 (H1N1), or HK/68 (H3N2) influenza virus. Cytokines and antibody responses were tested by ELISA. Furthermore, different LAIV dosages were applied in BALB/c mice. LAIV vaccinated mice were also depleted of T-cells and challenged with PR8 virus. Results LAIV induced significant protection against challenge with the non-vaccine strain PR8 influenza virus. Furthermore, protective immunity against PR8 was dose-dependent. Of note, interleukin 2 and interferon gamma cytokine secretion in the lung alveolar fluid were significantly elevated in mice vaccinated with LAIV. Moreover, T-cell depletion of LAIV vaccinated mice compromised protection, indicating that T-cell-mediated immunity is required. In contrast, passive transfer of sera from mice vaccinated with LAIV into naive mice failed to protect against PR8 challenge. Neutralization assays in vitro confirmed that LAIV did not induce cross-strain neutralizing antibodies against PR8 virus. Finally, we showed that three doses of LAIV also provided protection against challenge with two additional heterologous viruses, FM/47 and HK/68. Conclusions These results support the potential use of the LAIV as a universal influenza vaccine under a prime–boost vaccination regimen.
Calibration of the characteristic frequency of an optical tweezer using a recursive least-squares approach

We describe the use of a recursive least-squares approach for calibration of the characteristic frequency of an optical tweezer. Unlike commonly used off-line calibration methods, the RLS algorithm does not require data averaging to reduce the effects of Brownian motion. We use computer simulations to demonstrate that the RLS algorithm can be used to efficiently calibrate the characteristic frequency of a trapped, 10-micron diameter polystyrene bead. However, experimental results suggest that applying the RLS method to an actual optical tweezer system is more difficult because of the measurement errors and laboratory noise.
Comment on "Green's-function calculation of the lattice response near the vacancy in Si."

A fallacious claim is made by Lannoo and Allan [Phys. Rev. B 25, 4089 (1982)] that a soft phonon mode, which might result from a vacancy in Si, could produce a large entropy of formation for the vacancy in $\mathrm{Si}(g15{k}_{B})$. The fallacy results from the use of a formula that is valid only in the harmonic approximation and cannot be applied to the case of a soft mode. The actual value of the entropy associated with a soft mode, if there were one, would not exceed $3.4{k}_{B}$. It could be negative.
Developmental Biology of Citrus Mealybug Under Conditions Typical of California Rose Production

The developmental biology of citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), was studied at constant and varying temperatures on roses, Rosa hybrida L. Mealybug populations were sampled daily to determine thermal constants and day-degrees (DD) at 18.3°C, 26.6 d/15.5°C night and a fluctuating temperature averaging 20.3°C. The thermal constant at 18.3°C was 289 DD for females and 346 DD for males; the median number of days from egg to adult was 39 for females and 47 (±1 SEM) mean days for males. At fluctuating temperatures averaging 20.3°C, the thermal constant for females was 365 DD and 421 DD for males; the median number of days from egg to adult for females was 39, and 45 (±2.0 SEM) mean days for males. For females reared at 26.6°C during the day and 15.5°C during the night, the thermal constant was 326 DD, and the median days to egg hatch, second instar, third instar, and adulthood were 6, 17, 26, and 32, respectively. The lower developmental threshold was determined to be 10.9°C for the egg stage. Information about development of the citrus mealybug on roses is discussed in terms of effective pest management.