cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Body Size Is Positively Correlated With Conspicuous Coloration in Ambystoma Salamanders, but Negatively Correlated With Conspicuous Coloration in Plethodon Salamanders

Conspicuous coloration coupled with secondary defensive mechanisms is known as aposematic coloration and is used in predator avoidance and defense. Classic theory argues that aposematic signals tend to be more effective in larger organisms as they are intrinsically more easily detected by predators and are also more profitable prey items. Thus, it has been hypothesized that conspicuous coloration evolves in tandem with increased body size in aposematic prey because this likely increases the visibility and efficacy of the signal. To test this hypothesis, we used a comparative phylogenetic approach to investigate associations between body size and conspicuous coloration in two North American salamander genera: Ambystoma and Plethodon, both of which secrete noxious compounds to deter predators. Our analyses showed that increased conspicuous coloration co-evolved with increased body size in Ambystoma, yet we found the opposite relationship in the Plethodon clade. We speculate this is likely because Ambystoma are generally larger than Plethodon and exhibit gregarious mating behavior. Future studies should explore the toxicity of slimy skin secretions and how this may contribute to aposematic signaling in salamanders.
Of Discomfort and Disagreement: Unclaimed Bodies in Anatomy Laboratories at United States Medical Schools

Use of unclaimed bodies for anatomy teaching in undergraduate medical education continues, but is ethically controversial. The purposes of this study were to estimate the proportion of United States (US) medical schools using unclaimed bodies in first-year anatomy laboratories, to determine whether schools inform students of this use, and to explore anatomy course leaders' attitudes toward unclaimed body use. Anatomy course leaders from 146 US medical schools that had independent preclinical programs including anatomy were surveyed. Survey results were analyzed with descriptive statistics and statistical tests of association. Free text responses were analyzed using a thematic editing style of qualitative content analysis. Of 89 responses (response rate, 61.0%), 11 schools (12.4%) reported possible use of unclaimed bodies. Course leaders from these schools reported greater comfort with using unclaimed bodies compared to leaders from other schools (P < 0.01). Although most course leaders (49/76, or 64.5%) believed it was important or very important to inform students about use of unclaimed bodies, respondents from schools where unclaimed bodies could be used were more neutral (P < 0.01). Qualitative findings revealed deep disagreement and contradictory views about how unclaimed body use relates to ethical principles of respect for persons and justice. Continued use of unclaimed bodies, varying levels of comfort with their use, and disagreement about the practices' underlying morality suggest a need for greater ethical reflection about the permissibility of unclaimed body use in clinical anatomy and for educational interventions that teach students about its history, ethics, and contemporary practice.
Providing the Spark: Impact of financial incentives on battery electric vehicle adoption

Abstract To overcome adoption barriers and promote battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as an energy efficient consumer transportation option, a number of states offer subsidies to consumers for BEVs. We use a national data set of vehicle registrations and state-level financial incentives to assess the impact of vehicle purchase subsidies on adoption using both difference-in-differences and synthetic controls methods. We find that incentives offered as direct purchase rebates generate increased levels of new BEV registrations at a rate of approximately 8 percent per thousand dollars of incentive offered. Between 2011 and 2015, vehicle rebate incentives are associated with an increase in overall BEV registrations of approximately 11 percent. Our findings indicate incentives offered as state income tax credits do not have a statistically significant effect on BEV adoptions, though we caution this may be a result of limited temporal variation in BEV incentives across our sample. Responses to rebate incentives do not differ significantly by the make of the vehicle purchased (i.e., Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles). We combine our results with recent assessments of marginal environmental costs of electric vehicle charging and measure net welfare effects of BEV subsidy programs. Our analysis indicates these programs are not welfare-improving if only considering benefits associated with avoided emissions. Additional benefits associated with long-term market growth, production cost savings, network externalities, or accelerated innovation could substantially impact the net welfare outcomes.
Green-Solvent-Processed Amide-Functionalized Conjugated Polymers Prepared via Direct Arylation Polymerization (DArP)

Organic electroactive materials that can be processed using simple alcohols, such as ethanol and 1-butanol, are highly desired, since these solvents can be sourced from biomass and present lower ha...
Chapter 5 – MEASURE THEORY

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of measure theory and discusses metric outer measure. If S is any space and μ* is any outer measure on S, then μ* has the additivity property expressed by μ*(A ∪ B ) = μ*A + μ*B provided A ∩ B = O and at least one of A or B is μ-measurable. The theorem that Lebesgue outer measure m* is a metric outer measure is proved. Various properties of lebesgue measure, and σ-algebras are discussed in the chapter. All Borel sets are Lebesgue measurable. The chapter also discusses Lebesgue outer k-measure, Fubini's theorem, outer ordinate sets, and Ergodic theory. Problems on inner measure, and outer measures from measures are also presented in the chapter.
An Exact Method for the Chamber Count of Eosinophils in Capillary Blood and Its Application to the Study of the Diurnal Cycle

The paper describes and evaluates a capillary-tube technic for the chamber count of circulating eosinophils. The outstaning merits of the method are ease of collection, accuracy ard reproducibility of results and the fact that counting can be deferred for hours and even days without vitiation of the accuracy. Application of this method to study of normal subjects indicates a diurnal cycle of eosinophil fluctuation, with a low at noon and a high late at night.
Radiosensitization in non-small cell lung cancer by targeting Akt with nelfinavir.

407 The majority of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed with advanced disease confined to the chest that is technically unresectable. These patients have a poor prognosis with a median survival of approximately one year. In patients treated with surgery and pre-operative chemo-radiation, median survival improves to 15-17 months due mostly to improved local control. It is thus possible that by sensitizing tumors to definitive chemo-radiation, the same improvement in survival could be seen. We know that mutations in EGFR and Ras are seen in 70% and 20-30% of patients with NSCLC respectively. Both of these have been shown to result in a poorer outcome and resistance to radiation. Erlotnib is currently being used in patients with NSCLC. We have seen that radiation resistance can be abrogated by down-regulation of EGFR but only when it results in downregulation of Akt. Previous studies in NSCLC have found the frequency of Akt activation to range between 67-83%. Nelfinavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, has been shown to abrogate Akt. In this study, we tested the effect of erlotnib and nelfinavir in a panel of NSCLC cell lines in terms of radiation sensitization. Eight lung cancer cell lines were tested (A549, Calu3, H23, H292, Calu1, H1650, H1703, SW1573). Three of the 8 had Phosphorylated EGFR and all 8 had phosphorylated Akt. Only one of the cell lines (Calu1) was sensitized by erlotnib while 6 of the 8 (A549, Calu1, H1650, H1703, SW1573, and H292) were sensitized with nelfinavir. Treatment with erlotnib resulted in down regulation of Akt only in Calu1. This provides further evidence that Akt is involved in the radiation resistance pathway and that targeting it closer to this point results in sensitization to radiation in a greater percentage of tumors. Nelfinavir has been used in HIV patients for the last 10 years with minimal side effects. Clinical trial in non-HIV patients with NSCLC are currenly in progress.
The Indirect Effect of Knowledge Integration in Improving Financial Performance through Green Innovation

Green innovations and productions are critical to improving environmental performance and sustainability. The complex process involved in green innovations has a steep learning curve, but navigation has become critical for companies engaged in green operations. Knowledge plays a critical role the process of innovation. In this study, we propose a framework to investigate the effect of integration of internal and external knowledge processes in improving green innovation and financial performance in the end. Based on the theory of organizational learning and dynamic capabilities, our empirical analysis of 231 Chinese companies shows that the impact of the company's knowledge process integration on environmental performance is achieved through its green product innovation and process innovation. This research makes a huge effort to find ways to improve green innovation and financial performance. The results provide practitioners with useful management implications on how to successfully manage resources to improve green innovation and achieve the expected benefits.
Improving reverse correlation analysis of faces: Diagnostics of order effects, runs, rater agreement, and image pairs

Examinations of the reliability and validity of classification images of faces using the reverse correlation approach remain rare. In the present paper, we focus on order effects of trials, compliance, and reliability effects, as well as the degree of contextual contrast of image pairs. We present different diagnostic methods to examine these three aspects using data from 12 reverse correlation studies conducted both in-lab and online with diverse samples (i.e., from Burkina Faso, China, the Netherlands, the U.S., and an international sample) using five different base faces (i.e., female black, female Asian, female and gender-neutral white, and black/white/female/male morphed composite). For each of the 12 studies, we compare the individual CIs of subgroups of likely non-complier respondents and trials with non-contrastful image pairs to individual CIs of likely compliers and contrastful image pairs. In an appendix, we also examine the effects of filtering out data from individual participants and trials on the signal-to-noise ratio of group CIs. R scripts are publicly available for easy implementation of our suggestions in related research.
Opportunities and Challenges in the World of Retailing and the Importance of Adaption to the New Markets

Global retailing is a sizzling topic nowadays as retailing has evolved into a global, high-tech industry that plays an important role in the global economy. This leads to a trend of the retailing activities practiced by many of retailers to look for expansion in new locations around the world in order to gain more profit and bigger market share. This paper will be discussing the global retailers and their global franchise opportunities as well as the diverse offer and technology for global expansion. On the other hand, the challenges faced by global retailers in international expansion are also discussed in this paper. Lastly, it is important for global retailers to recognize on how to get the globalization right in order to be a successful global retailer.
CovidExpress: an interactive portal for intuitive investigation on SARS-CoV-2 related transcriptomes

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in humans could cause coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since its first discovery in Dec 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has become a global pandemic and caused 3.3 million direct/indirect deaths (2021 May). Amongst the scientific community9s response to COVID-19, data sharing has emerged as an essential aspect of the combat against SARS-CoV-2. Despite the ever-growing studies about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, to date, only a few databases were curated to enable access to gene expression data. Furthermore, these databases curated only a small set of data and do not provide easy access for investigators without computational skills to perform analyses. To fill this gap and advance open-access to the growing gene expression data on this deadly virus, we collected about 1,500 human bulk RNA-seq datasets from publicly available resources, developed a database and visualization tool, named CovidExpress (https://stjudecab.github.io/covidexpress). This open access database will allow research investigators to examine the gene expression in various tissues, cell lines, and their response to SARS-CoV-2 under different experimental conditions, accelerating the understanding of the etiology of this disease to inform the drug and vaccine development. Our integrative analysis of this big dataset highlights a set of commonly regulated genes in SARS-CoV-2 infected lung and Rhinovirus infected nasal tissues, including OASL that were under-studied in COVID-19 related reports. Our results also suggested a potential FURIN positive feedback loop that might explain the evolutional advantage of SARS-CoV-2.
Development and testing of a fully-coupled subsurface-land surface-atmosphere hydrometeorological model: High-resolution application in urban terrains

Abstract To improve simulation of atmospheric-hydrological processes with shallow groundwater in urban areas, a new fully-coupled model was developed. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) atmospheric model in the large-eddy-simulation (LES) mode, the Princeton Urban Canopy Model (PUCM), and the subsurface hydrological model ParFlow (PF) were linked (WRF-PUCM-PF). To evaluate the impact of coupling, model intercomparison was performed by application to a small watershed in suburban Baltimore, Maryland, USA, for scenarios of both homogeneous and heterogeneous geologic properties, using WRF-PUCM with and without the ParFlow component. Homogeneous scenarios isolated the impact of including terrestrial hydrological processes through ParFlow. In response to rain events, the homogeneous WRF-PUCM model output gained and retained a 40% greater amount of soil moisture (area-averaged) compared to the homogeneous WRF-PUCM-PF case. In heterogeneous scenarios, the WRF-PUCM model generated a 10-fold greater area-averaged soil moisture increase over the simulation period compared to the WRF-PUCM-PF case. The WRF-PUCM-PF model output, influenced by lateral hydrology and impervious surfaces, generated lower latent heat flux, resulting in half of the domain having higher land surface temperatures (2–10 °C), compared to the WRF-PUCM model. Overall, the WRF-PUCM-PF model provides a new tool to simulate urban physics and resolve finer urban microclimatic heterogeneity.
Networks, cultures, and institutions: Toward a social immunology

This paper calls for increased attention to the ways in which immune function - including its behavioral aspects - are responsive to social contexts at multiple levels. Psychoneuroimmunology has demonstrated that the quantity and quality of social connections can affect immune responses, while newer research is finding that sickness temporarily affects these same social networks and that some aspects of culture can potentially "get under the skin" to affect inflammatory responses. Social immunology, the research framework proposed here, unifies these findings and also considers the effects of structural factors - that is, a society's economic, political, and environmental landscape - on exposure to pathogens and subsequent immune responses. As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, a holistic understanding of the effects of social contexts on the patterning of morbidity and mortality is critically important. Social immunology provides such a framework and can highlight important risk factors related to impaired immune function.
Influence of Demographic and Health Survey Point Displacements on Point-in-Polygon Analyses

We use Demographic and Health Survey data to evaluate the impact of random spatial displacements on analyses that involve assigning covariate values from ancillary areal and point feature data. We introduce a method to determine the maximum probability covariate (MPC), and compare this to the naive covariate (NC) selection method with respect to obtaining the true covariate of interest. The MPC selection method outperforms the NC selection method by increasing the probability that the correct covariate is chosen. Proposed guidelines also address how characteristics of ancillary areal and point features contribute to uncertainty in covariate assignment.
Human pituitary lutropin. Isolation, properties, and the complete amino acid sequence of the beta-subunit.

Abstract The separation of α and β subunits from human pituitary lutropin is described, and the complete amino acid sequence of the β subunit is proposed. It consists of 115 amino acids with serine and glycine at the amino and carboxyl termini, respectively. The single carbohydrate moiety is linked to asparagine in position 30 and the single tryptophan of the lutropin molecule is located at position 8. The two methionine residues in lutropin-β are in positions 41 and 42. In addition to COOH-terminal heterogeneity, evidence for internal peptide cleavages was observed.
Abstracting for Dimensionality Reduction in Text Classification

There is a growing interest in efficient models of text mining and an emergent need for new data structures that address word relationships. Detailed knowledge about the taxonomic environment of keywords that are used in text documents can provide valuable insight into the nature of the subject matter contained therein. Such insight may be used to enhance the data structures used in the text data mining task as relationships become usefully apparent. A popular scalable technique used to infer these relationships, while reducing dimensionality, has been Latent Semantic Analysis. We present a new approach, which uses an ontology of lexical abstractions to create abstraction profiles of documents and uses these profiles to perform text organization based on a process that we call frequent abstraction analysis. We introduce TATOO, the Text Abstraction TOOlkit, which is a full implementation of this new approach. We present our data model via an example of how taxonomically derived abstractions can be used to supplement semantic data structures for the text classification task. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expression of the mitochondrial genome in HeLa cells: IV. Titration of mitochondrial genes for 16 s, 12 s and 4 s RNA☆☆☆

Abstract RNA-DNA hybridization experiments utilizing separated strands of HeLa mitoehondrial DNA and purified 16 s, 12 s and 4 s mitochondrial RNA species from HeLa cells have indicated the existence of one 16 s gene and one 12 s gene per mitoehondrial DNA molecule, which are located in the heavy mitoehondrial DNA strand, and of approximately eleven genes for 4 s RNA: of these about eight appear to be located in the heavy strand and about three in the light strand.
Inhibition of Gαi2 Activation by Gαi3 in CXCR3-mediated Signaling

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) convey extracellular stimulation into dynamic intracellular action, leading to the regulation of cell migration and differentiation. T lymphocytes express G alpha(i2) and G alpha(i3), two members of the G alpha(i/o) protein family, but whether these two G alpha(i) proteins have distinguishable roles guiding T cell migration remains largely unknown because of a lack of member-specific inhibitors. This study details distinct G alpha(i2) and G alpha(i3) effects on chemokine receptor CXCR3-mediated signaling. Our data showed that G alpha(i2) was indispensable for T cell responses to three CXCR3 ligands, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11, as the lack of G alpha(i2) abolished CXCR3-stimulated migration and guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate (GTPgammaS) incorporation. In sharp contrast, T cells isolated from G alpha(i3) knock-out mice displayed a significant increase in both GTPgammaS incorporation and migration as compared with wild type T cells when stimulated with CXCR3 agonists. The increased GTPgammaS incorporation was blocked by G alpha(i3) protein in a dose-dependent manner. G alpha(i3)-mediated blockade of G alpha(i2) activation did not result from G alpha(i3) activation, but instead resulted from competition or steric hindrance of G alpha(i2) interaction with the CXCR3 receptor via the N terminus of the second intracellular loop. A mutation in this domain abrogated not only G alpha(i2) activation induced by a CXCR3 agonist but also the interaction of G alpha(i3) to the CXCR3 receptor. These findings reveal for the first time an interplay of G alpha(i) proteins in transmitting G protein-coupled receptor signals. This interplay has heretofore been masked by the use of pertussis toxin, a broad inhibitor of the G alpha(i/o) protein family.
Attention to body mass index by child psychiatry providers when prescribing second-generation antipsychotic medication to children: a survey study using a clinical vignette.

Aim: We sought to determine whether weight and body mass index measurement were taken into consideration when prescribing second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication to a child. Methods: Two hundred clinicians were surveyed using a hypothetical clinical case vignette at a child psychopharmacology, postgraduate medical education course. The vignette described an overweight 10-year-old boy who was about to be prescribed an SGA medication to control psychotic symptoms. The reference to the patient's being ‘overweight’ was purposefully included to determine if providers would assess the patient's risk of morbidity from the metabolic side effects of the SGAs at the time of prescribing. Results: Only 7.0% of prescribers listed either ‘body mass index’ or a combination of ‘height’ and ‘weight’ as part of their next treatment steps for an overweight child before prescribing an SGA. Conclusions: These results suggest the need for education as to the importance of body mass index monitoring when prescribing second-generation antipsychotic medications to children.
McCollum, Elmer Verner (1879–1967)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: McCollum, Elmer Verner (newer knowledge of nutrition)
FINANCE GAME: UM JOGO DE APOIO À EDUCAÇÃO FINANCEIRA

Vivemos hoje um momento em que se explora cada vez mais o consumismo excessivo e em que muitas pessoas gastam mais do que ganham, vivendo em um constante endividamento. A educacao financeira se mostra extremamente necessaria desde a infância, para que decisoes sensatas e planejadas possam ser tomadas. Diante desse cenario, este artigo apresenta um jogo educativo de apoio a educacao financeira, que objetiva apoiar a tomada de decisoes visando o equilibrio financeiro e a qualidade de vida. Para seu desenvolvimento foi utilizada a metodologia XisOA. O jogo foi bem avaliado por uma especialista da area de educacao, que tambem apontou aspectos a serem melhorados, e, da mesma forma, foi bem avaliado na opiniao de algumas criancas que o jogaram.
Bordetella bronchiseptica in a paediatric cystic fibrosis patient: possible transmission from a household cat.

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a zoonotic respiratory pathogen commonly found in domesticated farm and companion animals, including dogs and cats. Here, we report isolation of B. bronchiseptica from a sputum sample of a cystic fibrosis patient recently exposed to a kitten with an acute respiratory illness. Genetic characterization of the isolate and comparison with other isolates of human or feline origin strongly suggest that the kitten was the source of infection.
The choice of a group spokesman in bargaining: Member or outsider?

Abstract This experiment explored the effects of forces stemming from a spokesman's constituency membership and his accountability on bargaining behavior in a simulation setting. Representatives were either constituency members who had taken part in developing the position they were to represent or were outsiders. Half of the representatives were required to have their agreed upon solution ratified by their constituencies while the remaining spokesmen merely had to present their solution. Results indicated that constituency member representatives experienced greater difficulty in negotiations. Behavioral as well as self-report measures demonstrate the importance and complexity involved in the use of a group spokesman. The accountability manipulation was found to be of lesser consequence.
Intrafollicular action of estrogen in regulating pituitary-induced ovarian progesterone synthesis and oocyte maturation in Rana pipiens: Temporal relationship and locus of action

Previous studies demonstrated that estrogen inhibited frog pituitary homogenate (FPH) and progesterone-induced oocyte maturation. In order to determine whether estrogen interfered with intrafollicular progesterone synthesis, experiments were designed to study the effect of exogenous estrogen (estradiol-17 beta) on FPH-induced progesterone production in amphibian (Rana pipiens) ovarian follicles cultured in vitro. Intrafollicular progesterone concentrations were monitored directly using radioimmunoassay and the occurrence of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was used as a biological indicator of the action of steroids on oocyte maturation. FPH elicited a rapid and dramatic increase in follicular progesterone concentration (1000-3000 pg per follicle) which preceded germinal vesicle breakdown. Addition of estrogen to the culture medium inhibited FPH-induced progesterone production and the accompanying GVBD in a dose-dependent fashion. The presence of estrogen did not enhance the degradation of preloaded progesterone, suggesting estrogen impeded progesterone synthesis rather than enhanced progesterone metabolism. The temporal relationship between estrogen and FPH interaction was assessed by varying the relative time of hormone addition, after which intrafollicular progesterone concentration and GVBD were monitored. Progesterone production and GVBD were drastically inhibited when estrogen was added before or simultaneously with FPH. However, when addition of estrogen was delayed until after FPH simulation, a progressive loss of the inhibitory effect of the steroid on progesterone accumulation and GVBD was observed. Thus, the estrogen-sensitive phase was confined to the early portion of FPH stimulation. Continuous presence of estrogen in the culture system was not required to inhibit FPH-induced events. A short exposure (15 min) of follicles to estrogen was sufficient to inhibit oocyte maturation, whereas progesterone synthesis was not significantly affected. With longer exposure, however, FPH-induced progesterone production was impeded. Washing estrogen-treated follicles did not reverse the inhibitory effect of estrogen, however the follicles remained responsive to exogenous progesterone stimulation and exhibited GVBD. Results suggest that the inhibitory effects of estrogen on FPH action and progesterone production were not reversible under the in vitro culture conditions. To determine whether specific follicular components were involved in estrogen inhibition, progesterone production was assessed following selective removal of different follicle components by microdissection prior to being treated with FPH and estrogen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Oxime-based click chemistry in the development of 3-isoxazolecarboxylic acid containing inhibitors of Yersinia pestis protein tyrosine phosphatase, YopH.

Pathogenicity of Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) relies on several effector proteins, including YopH, a protein-tyrosine phosphatase. Previously, we screened a library of analogues based on the ubiquitous PTP substrate, p-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP) and found that incorporation of a 3-phenyl substituent (6-nitro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl dihydrogen phosphate (1)) enhanced affinity. The current study reports the conversion of 1 from a substrate to inhibitor by replacing the hydrolysable phosphoryl group with a 3-isoxazolecarboxylic acid moiety and by introduction of an aminooxy group and subsequent diversification using oxime-based click chemistry. As reported herein, this approach led to the identification of non-promiscuous low micromolar affinity bidentate YopH inhibitors.
Effect of Conductor Verbalization, Dynamic Markings, Conductor Gesture, and Choir Dynamic Level on Singers' Dynamic Responses.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of conductor verbalization, dynamic markings, conductor gesture, and choir dynamic level on individual singers' dynamic responses in music. Singers (N = 144) sang along with nine renditions of a tune while watching a videotape of a conductor, listening to a choir through headphones, and referring to the music. Instructions regarding the dynamic level (soft or loud) were given under four conditions: (a) verbal instructions, (b) written instructions, (c) changes in conducting gesture, and (d) volume changes in the choir. Results indicated that verbal instructions from the conductor elicited significantly stronger dynamic performance responses (alpha = .05) than did the other three instructional conditions. Singers responded significantly better on instructions pertaining to soft singing than they did on instructions relating to loud singing. Comparisons were made between conductors, college singers, and high school singers, and eye contact was also exam...
Targeted nanoparticles for cancer therapy

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing interest in using nanotechnology for cancer therapy. The development of smart targeted nanoparticles (NPs) that can deliver drugs at a sustained rate directly to cancer cells may provide better efficacy and lower toxicity for treating primary and advanced metastatic tumors. We highlight some of the promising classes of targeting molecules that are under development for the delivery of NPs. We also review the emerging technologies for the fabrication of targeted NPs using microfluidic devices.
Investigating the Impact of Menu Labeling on Revenue and Profit in a Foodservice Operation

Executives and foodservice managers are concerned about the possible adverse financial impact of menu labeling. To examine the financial impact of four menu labeling approaches, a 23-week study was conducted in a hospital cafeteria. A quasi-experimental, single group, interrupted time-series design was used to test hypotheses that mean differences in the item sales, revenue, and gross profit derived from the menu-labeled items would not differ among four menu-labeling conditions. No significant changes observed in the study provide empirical evidence that menu labeling did not significantly impact sales, revenue, or gross profit.
Weight Change After Antiretroviral Therapy and Mortality

Background. Weight gain after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is common, but its implication for mortality is unknown. We evaluated weight change in the first year after ART initiation and its association with subsequent mortality. Methods. Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) who initiated ART between 2000 and 2008, with weight recorded at baseline and 1 year later, were followed another 5 years for mortality. Baseline body mass index (BMI) was classified as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥30 kg/m2). We used multivariable Cox models to assess mortality risk with adjustment for disease severity using the VACS Index. Results. The sample consisted of 4184 men and 127 women with a mean age of 47.9 ± 10.0 years. After 1 year of ART, median weight change was 5.9 pounds (2.7 kg) (interquartile range, −2.9 to 17.0 pounds, −1.3 to 7.7 kg). Weight gain after ART initiation was associated with lower mortality among underweight and normal-weight patients. A minimum threshold of 10- to 19.9-pound (4.5 to 9.0 kg) weight gain was beneficial for normal-weight patients (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, .41–.78), but there was no clear benefit to weight gain for overweight/obese patients. Baseline weight, CD4 cell count status, and hemoglobin level were strongly associated with weight gain. Risk for weight gain was higher among those with greater disease severity, regardless of weight at initiation. Conclusions. The survival benefits of weight gain after ART initiation are dependent on starting BMI. Weight gain after ART is associated with lower mortality for those who are not initially overweight.
Pursuing the Parameters: Validating the Multiple Intelligences Inventory for Teachers.

Assessing intelligence can be a perplexing endeavor. How intelligence is defined directly influences the assessment procedures used. Traditionally, intelligence was viewed as a single, static entity. However, reconceptualizations of the nature of intelligence are changing this view. The present study attempted to validate an instrument that teachers may use to assess student abilities in the seven intelligence areas proposed by Howard Gardner (1983).
The Shah and the Bomb

There are several reasons to fear that Iran will produce nuclear weapons. The country is making an enormous investment in nuclear reactors. The Shah gave a press interview in 1974 hinting at a weapons program. The Indian detonation of a “peaceful nuclear device” puts pressure on a near-neighbor like Iran. Yet there are also reasons to hope that this move will not be made. The Iranian investment in nuclear industry may not be premature in terms of peaceful economic purposes, and may thus not prove any military intent. A great deal of time will pass in any event before a real weapons potential is reached. A mixed forecast is thus in order, neither optimistic nor pessimistic. The Shah may well feel that Iran is better off keeping the entire Middle East free of nuclear weapons, as through its proposed Nuclear-Free Zone. Yet the policy process in Iran may make it difficult to get enough push behind this proposal.
Limiting conditions of the “physical attractiveness stereotype”: Attributions about divorce

Abstract College students read a transcript describing a couple in the process of filing for a divorce, and made attributions about perceived “blame” or “responsibility” for the divorce, recommended financial settlement, predictions of future behavior, and personality traits of the man and woman. Stated reasons for divorce (adultery of either spouse or incompatibility), physical attractiveness of the husband and wife (established by photographs), and sex of subject varied in a between-subjects design. Attractiveness of both partners strongly influenced personality ratings with socially desirable personality traits associated with high attractiveness. Reason for divorce also affected personality ratings, but in a less unidirectional manner. Reason for the divorce was also related to perceived responsibility, to recommended financial settlement, and to predictions of future behavior. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Special Section Guest Editorial:Laser Damage III

Laser damage of optical materials, first reported in 1964, continues to limit the output energy and power of pulsed and continuous-wave laser systems. In spite of some 48 years of research in this area, interest from the international laser community to laser damage issues remains at a very high level and does not show any sign of decreasing. Moreover, it grows with the development of novel laser systems, for example, ultrafast and short-wavelength lasers that involve new damage effects and specific mechanisms not studied before. This interest is evident from the high level of attendance and presentations at the annual SPIE Laser Damage Symposium (aka, Boulder Damage Symposium) that has been held in Boulder, Colorado, since 1969. This special section of Optical Engineering is the first one devoted to the entire field of laser damage rather than to a specific part. It is prepared in response to growing interest from the international laser-damage community. Some papers in this special section were presented at the Laser Damage Symposium; others were submitted in response to the general call for papers for this special section. The 18 papers compiled into this special section represent many sides of the broad field of laser-damage research.more » They consider theoretical studies of the fundamental mechanisms of laser damage including laser-driven electron dynamics in solids (O. Brenk and B. Rethfeld; A. Nikiforov, A. Epifanov, and S. Garnov; T. Apostolova et al.), modeling of propagation effects for ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses (J. Gulley), an overview of mechanisms of inclusion-induced damage (M. Koldunov and A. Manenkov), the formation of specific periodic ripples on a metal surface by femtosecond laser pulses (M. Ahsan and M. Lee), and the laser-plasma effects on damage in glass (Y. Li et al). Material characterization is represented by the papers devoted to accurate and reliable measurements of absorption with special emphasis on thin films (C. Muhlig and S. Bublitz; B. Cho, E. Danielewicz, and J. Rudisill; W. Palm et al; and J. Lu et al.). Statistical treatment of measurements of the laser-damage threshold (J. Arenberg) and the relationship to damage mechanisms (F. Wagner et al.) represent the large subfield of laser-damage measurements. Various aspects of multilayer coating and thin-film characterization are considered in papers by B. Cho, J. Rudisill, and E. Danielewicz (spectral shift in multilayer mirrors) and R. Weber et al. (novel approach to damage studies based on third-harmonic generation microscopy). Of special interest for readers is the paper by C. Stolz that summarizes the results of four “thin-film damage competitions” organized as a part of the Laser Damage Symposium. Another paper is devoted to thermal annealing of damage precursors (N. Shen et al.). Finally, the influence of nano-size contamination on initiation of laser damage by ultrashort pulses is considered in paper of V. Komolov et al.« less
Electroconvulsive shock exposure prevents neuronal apoptosis after kainic acid-evoked status epilepticus

In the aftermath of prolonged continuous seizure activity (status epilepticus, SE), neuronal cell death occurs in the brain regions through which the seizure propagates. The vulnerability to adrenalectomy-induced apoptotic neuronal death was recently reported to be reduced by prior exposure to repeated daily noninjurious electroconvulsive shock (ECS). The present studies identified apoptosis and apoptosis-associated gene products in the neurodegenerative response to experimentally controlled periods (1 or 2 h) of SE in the rat, and determined whether exposure to ECS can interrupt these apoptotic responses mechanisms. Internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and the presence of apoptotic-like neurons (as assessed by in situ double labeling technique) was detected in hippocampus and rhinal cortex at 24 h after SE. Under these conditions, levels of both mRNA and protein encoded by the ‘death promoting’ bcl-XS gene were increased in the same brain areas. Pretreatment of animals for 7 days with low intensity (minimal) ECS conferred resistance to SE-evoked neurodegeneration, as assessed histopathologically by silver staining. Associated with this neuroprotective action was a reduction in the incidence of apoptosis-like neuronal morphology and DNA fragmentation, and a prevention of the increase in Bcl-XS protein and mRNA in hippocampus and rhinal cortex. These data suggest that pre-exposure to controlled, brief noninjurious seizures decreases vulnerability to programmed neuronal cell death, that this neuroprotective action occurs upstream from Bcl-XS, and that increases in bcl-XS gene expression may serve as a sensitive indicator of neurodegeneration following SE.
NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS FOR LOVE WAVE DISPERSION ON A HALF-SPACE WITH DOUBLE SURFACE LAYER

The IBM 650 computer of the Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory, Columbia University, was programmed to obtain numerical solutions for the period equation for Love waves on a half-space with a double surface layer. Solutions including higher modes for seven models of the continental crust-mantle system are presented. This group of related cases shows that certain properties of the solutions are diagnostic of crustal structure. These relationships are illustrated graphically.
Television in medicine and biology

Finding wide application in the classroom, the operating room, and the laboratory, television methods are quickly proving themselves as a valuable aid to medical science. The television microscope and other applications are described in this article.
Does Limb-salvage Surgery Offer Patients Better Quality of Life and Functional Capacity than Amputation?

Introduction Patients with aggressive lower extremity musculoskeletal tumors may be candidates for either above-knee amputation or limb-salvage surgery. However, the subjective and objective benefits of limb-salvage surgery compared with amputation are not fully clear.
The systems genetics resource: a web application to mine global data for complex disease traits

The Systems Genetics Resource (SGR) (http://systems.genetics.ucla.edu) is a new open-access web application and database that contains genotypes and clinical and intermediate phenotypes from both human and mouse studies. The mouse data include studies using crosses between specific inbred strains and studies using the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel. SGR is designed to assist researchers studying genes and pathways contributing to complex disease traits, including obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart failure, osteoporosis, and lipoprotein metabolism. Over the next few years, we hope to add data relevant to deafness, addiction, hepatic steatosis, toxin responses, and vascular injury. The intermediate phenotypes include expression array data for a variety of tissues and cultured cells, metabolite levels, and protein levels. Pre-computed tables of genetic loci controlling intermediate and clinical phenotypes, as well as phenotype correlations, are accessed via a user-friendly web interface. The web site includes detailed protocols for all of the studies. Data from published studies are freely available; unpublished studies have restricted access during their embargo period.
Photoelectron emission from a platinum electrode into liquid ammonia solutions

Abstract Photoelectron emission from a Pt electrode into liquid NH 3 under Ar-ion laser illumination at wavelengths corresponding to 2.41, 2-54, 2-71 and 3.41 eV is described. Plots of photocurrent ( i ) versus electrode potential ( V ) in the “five-halves law” ( i 0,4 versus V ) form show “two-slope” plots that yield threshold potentials and electron injection levels. Based on these, an energy level diagram involving injection of electrons at energies 0.13–0.97 eV above the solvated electron level (wwch is -1.3 eV versus vacuum) is proposed.
Paraffins, olefins, naphthenes and aromatics analysis of selected hydrocarbon distillates using on-line column switching high-performance liquid chromatography with dielectric constant detection

Abstract A novel analytical method is introduced that measures the volume fraction of paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics (PONA) in hydrocarbon liquids having distillation endpoints (American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM D 2887) of at least 300°C. The method uses on-line column switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with dielectric constant detection (DCD), i.e., HPLC-DCD. A specially configured hydrocarbon group-type analyzer system is used. The PONA separations are achieved using an olefin-selective column, an unsaturate-selective column, three naphthene-selective columns, two six-port switching valves, and Envron 123 as the mobile phase. The HPLC-DCD system ensures a genuine uniformity of response (less than 2.5% relative standard deviation) independent of the carbon number distribution of the sample or the group type. Unity response factors are sufficient for accurate quantitation. On the basis of complex solutions of hydrocarbon standards, the accuracy for each structural group type is within 2% absolute. The chromatographic limit of detection of the present system for naphthenes is less than 4.0 vol.% (ca. 40 μg), for a kerosene fuel containing a wide carbon number distribution of both mono- and di-cycloparaffins, and is approximately 1.0 vol.% (ca. 10 μg) for olefins. Sample turnaround time is approximately one hour. The results of the PONA analysis scheme are compared to those of the standard fluorescent indicator adsorption (FIA) liquid displacement method (ASTM D 1319), an alternative to the FIA method developed in this laboratory using HPLC-DCD, and a mass spectrometric method (ASTM D 2789) on standard mixtures and real-world products. For determining total naphthenes and olefins in the gasolines and kerosenes selected for study, the HPLC-DCD system was superior.
EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMONIA IN MICE FOLLOWING THE INHALATION OF STREPTOCOCCUS HAEMOLYTICUS AND OF FRIEDLANDER'S BACILLUS.

The results of these experiments support the previous observations that mice react in different ways to the inhalation of different bacteria. If normal mice are sprayed with hemolytic streptococci or Friedlander's bacillus, these organisms may be recovered from the lungs and heart's blood for a number of days after exposure. A large number of mice so exposed die of a septicemia during the 30 days following spraying. Consolidation of one or more lobes is not rare. If normal mice are exposed to an atmosphere of pneumococci, however, the organisms rapidly disappear from the lungs and only an occasional mouse succumbs to pneumococcus septicemia. In order to cause the pneumococcus to invade, the mice must first be alcoholized. If mice are first alcoholized and then exposed to a pneumococcus atmosphere, the pneumococci persist for a longer time in the lungs and a number will die of septicemia, a state of affairs which resembles that seen after the administration to normal mice of the other two organisms studied. In order to produce pneumococcus lobar consolidation, however, the mice must be first partially immunized and then allowed to inhale the organisms while under the influence of alcohol. A large percentage of both the normal and immune mice so alcoholized die within 5 days of exposure. There also appears to be a definite relation between the mortality and the length of time inspired bacteria persist in the lungs. Whether this lag in removal allows multiplication of the bacteria and massive infection to occur has not been determined. Following inhalation of pneumococcus, the organisms were either removed rapidly and without apparent detriment to the animal, or, as in the case of the alcoholized mice, invasion occurred, in which event the mouse usually succumbed rapidly, localization in the lung only occurring in partially immune animals. In the case of the hemolytic streptococci and Bacillus friedlaenderi, however, the whole process of removal and infection seems to be slower. Infection and pneumonia occurred more often. These organisms seem to possess much greater invasive power when inhaled than the pneumococcus, though on intraperitoneal or subcutaneous inoculation, pneumococcus is highly virulent for normal mice.