cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Interactions Between the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (NTS) and Nucleus Accumbens Shell in Modulating Memory for Arousing Experiences

The shell division of the nucleus accumbens receives noradrenergic input from neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) that transmit information regarding fluctuations in peripheral hormonal and autonomic activity. Accumbens shell neurons also receive converging inputs from limbic areas such as the hippocampus and amygdala that process newly acquired information. However, few studies have explored whether peripheral information regarding changes in emotional arousal contributes to memory processing in the accumbens. The beneficial effects on memory produced by emotional arousal and the corresponding activation of NTS neurons may be mediated through influences on neuronal activity in the accumbens shell during memory encoding. To explore this putative relationship, Experiment 1 examined interactions between the NTS and the accumbens shell in modulating memory for responses acquired after footshock training in a water-motivated inhibitory avoidance task. Memory for the noxious shock was significantly improved by posttraining excitation of noradrenergic NTS neurons. The enhanced retention produced by activating NTS neurons was attenuated by suppressing neuronal activity in the accumbens shell with bupivacaine (0.25%/0.5 microl). Experiment 2 examined the direct involvement of accumbens shell noradrenergic activation in the modulation of memory for psychologically arousing events such as a reduction in perceived reward value. Noradrenergic activation of the accumbens shell with phenylephrine (1.0 microg/0.5 microl) produced an enhancement in memory for the frustrating experience relative to control injections as evidenced by runway performance on an extended seven-day retention test. These findings demonstrate a functional relationship between NTS neurons and the accumbens shell in modulating memory following physiological arousal and identifies a role of norepinephrine in modulating synaptic activity in the accumbens shell to facilitate this process.
Treatment of Recurrent Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder: Commentary on the Pittsburgh Study

The publication in this issue of theArchivesof the report from the Pittsburgh (Pa) studies 1 on long-term treatment of recurrent unipolar major depression is important for a number of reasons. 2-4 The major findings are as follows: (1) high rate of recurrence in 1 year for untreated control groups; (2) clinically meaningful and statistically significant prevention of relapse See also p 1093. and recurrence using both imipramine hydrochloride and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT); (3) trend toward value of combined treatment; and (4) the value of high-dose imipramine hydrochloride (over 200 mg/d) and blood level determinations to enhance pharmacotherapy (Fig1). These findings have an immediate practical application to the clinical management and treatment of this important group of patients. While there may be controversy regarding the natural history of major depression, particularly the kraepelinian concept of high rates of remission of the acute episode and favorable outcome over
First Report of a Leaf Spot and Stem Canker Caused by Myrothecium roridum on Watermelon in the United States

Myrothecium roridum Tode:Fr, pathogenic to a number of cucurbit species, causes fruit rots, cankers on crowns and stems, and leaf spots. Hosts include cantaloupe and honeydew (Cucurbita melo) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) (1,3). In June 2004, following a period of heavy rainfall, numerous round-to-oblong, brown lesions with concentric rings were observed on leaves of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cv. Desert King at the Blackshank Farm in Tifton, GA. Disease was localized in the field and severity was low (<5% of leaf area affected). No symptoms were observed on fruit. Sections of tissue were removed from the margin between healthy and diseased tissue and plated on acidified, 25% potato dextrose agar (aPDA). A small plug of agar and mycelium were removed from colonies that emerged from lesions and were transferred to aPDA. Isolated colonies were characterized by a white, floccose mycelium with concentric, dark green-to-black rings of sporodochia bearing viscid masses of conidia. Conidia were cylindrical with rounded ends and measured 6 to 8 × 1.5 to 2.5 μm. The features of the fungus were consistent with the description of Myrothecium roridum (1,2). Pathogenicity tests were conducted in a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Twenty-five watermelon plants (cv. Desert King) were inoculated with a conidial suspension of M. roridum (5 × 105 conidia per ml) plus 0.1% vol/vol Tween 20. Inoculum was applied on leaves and stems until runoff with a hand-held mister, and plants were placed in a dew chamber for 72 h. Ten plants were sprayed with sterile, distilled water to serve as controls. Inoculated and noninoculated control plants were removed from the dew chamber and maintained at 25 to 28°C. Symptoms appeared 8 days after inoculation and were characterized by round, dark lesions with concentric rings; noninoculated plants were symptomless. Sections of symptomatic tissue were plated, and M. roridum was reisolated. Although M. roridum is a common pathogen of melons and cucumber, to our knowledge, this is the first field report of a leaf spot caused by M. roridum on watermelon in the United States. No further occurrences of the disease on watermelon have been observed in Georgia since the initial discovery of M. roridum in 2004; however, losses could be potentially severe if widespread infection of fruit were to occur. References: (1) B. D. Bruton. Crater Rot. Pages 49-50 in: Compendium of Cucurbit Diseases. T. A. Zitter et al., eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1996. (2) M. B. Ellis. Page 552 in: Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 1971. (3) D. F. Farr et al. Page 809 in: Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1989.
In vivo protection by the aminothiol WR-2721 against neutron-induced carcinogenesis.

The ability of the compound S-2-(aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid, designated WR-2721, to protect against neutron-induced carcinogenesis was investigated. Both sexes of the B6CF1 mouse were injected i.p. with 400 mg/kg of WR-2721 30 min prior to being irradiated by 10 cGy of neutrons. Neoplastic mortality in the groups receiving thiol was either reduced or delayed relative to irradiated mice not given protector. However, the time at which the protective effect of WR-2721 was expressed depended on the sex of the animal. Thiol-related shifts in the time of neoplastic death in females occurred only in the first half of the lifespan. Once a female survived to the mean age at death, no difference in the pattern of mortality could be detected between control and WR-2721-treated mice exposed to neutrons. Irrespective of thiol treatment, the timing of tumour-related death was nearly identical during the first half of life for males exposed to neutrons. In the last half of the lifespan, survival of thiol-protected males was enhanced relative to saline-injected males and even exceeded that observed in the control population.
ACCUMULATION OF DOMOIC ACID BY THE COASTAL DIATOM PSEUDO-NITZSCHIA MULTISERIES: A POSSIBLE COPPER COMPLEXATION STRATEGY

Domoic acid (DA) is a neurotoxic amino acid produced by several members of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Trophic transfer of DA up the food chain has been implicated in the deaths of 100's of marine birds and marine mammals along the central California Coast. The physiological function of DA in Pseudo-nitzschia spp. has not been defined, although some evidence indicates that elevated metal concentrations can induce DA accumulation (Subba RAO et al., 1998, P.S.Z.N. Mar. Ecol. 19:31). Although California coastal waters have experienced a decline in several heavy metals from 1977–1990, copper concentrations have increased by as much as 25% (Stephenson, M. D. & Leonard, G. H., 1994, Mar. Poll. Bull. 28:148). Many algae produce chelators, including amino acids, in response to toxic [Cu2+] (Wu et al. 1998, J. Phycol. 34: 113). Domoic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, has 4 functional groups that may readily form chelation complexes with transition metals like copper. Copper enrichment experiments indicate that while Cu2+ is toxic to Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries at total [Cu] greater than 16.1μM (pCu 6.0), intracellular DA accumulation increases up to this point with no decline in growth rates relative to cultures grown in standard enriched seawater. These data suggest that DA may be accumulated by P. multiseries to mitigate the toxicity of elevated [Cu2+]. Chemiluminescence will be used to quantify the binding affinity (expressed as conditional stability constants, Kc) of DA for Cu2+. Defining the Cu-DA dose response relationship in Pseudo-nitzschia can facilitate prediction of future toxic bloom events.
Ultrastructural localization of serotonin 2A and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors in somata and dendrites of single neurons within rat dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus

Both glutamate and serotonin are potent modulators of autonomic functions involving the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNV) at the level of the area postrema. Moreover, many of the dendrites in this NTS region express both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and serotonin (5HT) 2A receptors, and some of these dendrites may arise from the adjacent DMNV. Thus, single neurons in DMNV may also express both receptors. To test this hypothesis, we used electron microscopic immunocytochemistry for dual localization of the essential R1 subunit of the NMDA receptor (NR1) and the 5HT2A receptor in rat intermediate DMNV, a region serving mainly gastrointestinal functions. Gold particles representing NR1 and peroxidase reaction product for 5HT2A receptors were seen in the cytoplasm, as well as on distinct segments of the plasma membrane of many dendrites. Of the NR1-labeled dendrites, 31% (254/814) also contained 5HT2A immunoreactivity; among the 5HT2A-labeled dendrites, 52% (254/485) expressed NR1. The 5HT2A labeling was also present in numerous small unmyelinated axons, axon terminals, and glial processes. These profiles were largely without NR1 immunoreactivity, although NR1 was detected in some of the dendrites postsynaptic to 5HT2A-labeled terminals. Our results suggest that calcium entry through NMDA channels and 5HT2A receptor activation may dramatically affect postsynaptic excitability of single neurons in the DMNV. In addition, the findings also indicate that the 5HT2A receptor is strategically positioned for involvement in modulation of the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters affecting the postsynaptic activity of DMNV neurons responsive to NMDA activation.
Reliability of Pulse Oximetry in Titrating Supplemental Oxygen Therapy in Ventilator-Dependent Patients

Pulse oximetry is widely used in the critical care setting, but few studies have examined its usefulness in clinical decision making. One area where pulse oximetry might be useful is in the titration of fractional inspired O2 concentration (FIo2) in ventilator-dependent patients. Unfortunately, documented guidelines for this use do not exist, and in a survey of directors of intensive care units, we found that they employed a wide range of target O2 saturation (SpO2) values. Consequently, we undertook a study to determine if SpO2 could be reliably substituted for measurements of arterial O2 tension (PaO2) when adjusting FIo2 in ventilator-dependent patients. We examined a number of SpO2 target values in 54 critically ill patients aiming for a PaO2 of ≥60 mm Hg, while minimizing the risk of O2 toxicity. In white patients, we found that a SpO2 target of 92 percent was reliable in predicting a satisfactory level of oxygenation. However, in black patients, such a SpO2 reading was commonly associated with significant hypoxemia (PaO2 as low as 49 mm Hg), and a higher SpO2 target, 95 percent, was required. In addition, inaccurate oximetry readings (ie, >4 percent difference between SpO2 and direct SaO2 measurements) were more common in black (27 percent) than in white patients (11 percent, p>0.05). In conclusion, a SpO2 target of 92 percent was reliable when titrating supplemental O2 in white patients receiving mechanical ventilation; however, in black patients, such a SpO2 reading was commonly associated with significant hypoxemia, and a higher SpO2 target, 95 percent, was required to ensure a satisfactory level of oxygenation.
Terrestrial Laser Scanning-Based Structural Damage Assessment

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides a rapid, remote sensing technique to model 3D objects. Previous work applying TLS to structural analysis has demonstrated its effectiveness in capturing simple beam deflections and modeling existing structures. This paper extends TLS to the application of damage detection and volumetric change analysis for a full-scale structural test specimen. Importantly, it provides a framework necessary for such applications, in combination with an analysis approach that does not require tedious development of complex surfaces. Intuitive slicing analysis methods are presented, which can be automated for rapid generation of results. In comparison with conventional photographic and surface analysis methods, the proposed approach proved consistent. Furthermore, the TLS data provided additional insight into geometric change not apparent using conventional methods. As with any digital record, a key benefit to the proposed approach is the resulting virtual test specimen, which is available for posttest analysis long after the original specimen is demolished. Uncertainties that can be introduced from large TLS data sets, mixed pixels and parallax in the TLS analysis are also discussed.
A rapid ultraviolet spectrophotometric lactic dehydrogenase assay

Abstract A simple, rapid ultraviolet spectrophotometric method for the determination of serum lactic dehydrogenase has been developed whereby the reaction is stopped by the addition of a borate buffer pH 10.5. This permits batch analysis and the routine handling of large numbers of samples. Variations in substrate concentration, buffer composition, incubation time, pH, and enzyme concentration have been systematically investigated. The effects of varying proportions of isoenzymes and inhibitors in the NADH have been studied. A method is recommended for calibration of the performance parameters of the spectrophotometers, thus permitting the use of unsophisticated spectrophotometers.
A DESKTOP NETWORKED HAPTIC VR INTERFACE FOR MECHANICAL ASSEMBLY

This paper presents the development of a PC-based 3D human computer interface for virtual assembly applications. This system is capable of importing complex CAD (Computer Aided Design) models, rendering them in stereo, and implementing haptic force feedback for realistic part interaction in virtual environments. Such an application will facilitate wider acceptance of the use of a VR interface for prototyping assembly tasks. This interface provides both visual and haptic feedback to the user, while allowing assembly tasks to be performed on a desktop virtual environment. The network module has the ability to communicate with multiple VR systems (such as CAVE etc.) at geographically dispersed locations using a non-dedicated network channel. The potential benefits of such a system include identification of assembly issues early in the design process where changes can be made easily, resulting in a more efficient and less costly product design process.
Some Notes on the OCDQ

In his study of Canadian schools (mean teacher size 25) Andrews concluded that the use of the OCDQ is valid in both elementary and secondary schools. In this study of 36 large Illinois high schools (mean teacher size 93) Carver and Sergiovanni reveal that 72% of the schools were classified as having a closed climate. No school was placed on the open half of the climate continuum. This distribution differs greatly from that of the original Halpin and Croft study but is more in accord with the results of Watkins' study of nine secondary schools (mean teacher size 52). Carver and Sergiovanni conclude that the OCDQ is unsuited for use in large secondary schools (mean teacher size more than 25–30). With some modifications the instrument might reflect climate in large secondary schools with department chairmen as respondents.
Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations for Bi2O3-based electrolytes

Abstract Development of bismuth oxide containing solid electrolytes for potential use in solid oxide fuel cells is the principal objective of this work. Bismuth-oxide-based solid electrolytes containing alkaline-earth or rare-earth oxides are known to exhibit high ionic conductivity. In the CaO-Bi 2 O 3 , SrO-Bi 2 O 3 , and BaO-Bi 2 O 3 systems, there exist several compounds. A rhombohedral phase in these systems exhibits high ionic conductivity. Experiments were conducted to assess the thermodynamic stability of these materials in reducing environments. Galvanic cells with alkaline-earth fluorides as electrolytes were constructed for determining activity- composition diagrams in these three systems. Specifically, the activities of the alkaline-earth oxides were measured and those of Bi 2 O 3 were determined by Gibbs-Dunhem intergration. The results indicate that the SrO-saturated rhombohedral phase in the SrO-Bi 2 O 3 systems in more stable than the rhombohedral phase in the other two systems. The addition of Y 2 O 3 or rare-earth oxides to Bi 2 O 3 is known to stabilize the high-temperature CaF 2 -type phase to lower temperatures. However, annealing at ≈ 600°C for ⩾200 h destabilizes the cubic phase. This destabilization can be suppressed by the addition of aliovalent dopants to suppress the cation interdiffusion. It has been observed that in Y 2 O 3 -Bi 2 O 3 and Er 2 O 3 -Bi 2 O 3 as well as other rare-earth oxide-Bi 2 O 3 systems, the destabilization can be suppressed by adding ZrO 2 as a dopant. This result is rationalized on the premise that cation interstitials are more mobile compared with cation vacancies in cubic Bi 2 O 3 . The potential use of Bi 2 O 3 -based electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells is examined. It is shown that by a careful manipulation of conduction properties, the interface partial pressure of oxygen in two-layer electrolytes consisting of a thin layer of zirconia on Bi 2 O 3 -based materials can be maintained high enough to prevent electrolyte reduction. Fuel cells nade with such electrolytes should exhibit considerably higher power densities compared with all-zirconia electrolytes.
Presidential Rhetoric and Policy Outcomes: The President and the American Struggle with Heroin Abuse

Using data from public statements of American presidents, we describe how much attention presidents have given to treatment as a solution to the perceived problem of increasing use of narcotics in society. The data show that treatment got the most attention during the late 1960s and early 1970s. More generally, as a solution to the problem, emphasis on treatment appears to rise during periods of high drug use and fall during years of declining use.
Inner Core Experiments: Teleseismic exploration of the antipode

A seismic experiment at the antipode of a nuclear test will yield high resolution data for the inner core, outer core, and core-mantle boundary of the earth that are not obtainable at any other place on the earth's surface. The antipode to the Nevada test site lies 180° opposite in the Crozet basin of the Southwest Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the Kerguelen Islands. An ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) array deployment at the antipode is feasible with present-day navigation and technology. Current seismic wave propagation techniques can handle the analysis and modeling of data from an antipode experiment. The primary impediments of an antipode experiment are threefold: security of nuclear tests, ship scheduling, funding coordination . Although difficulties are presented by each, they can be overcome.
The Role of Political Millennialism in Early American Nationalism

ter can be apocalyptic. Students of nationalism (Curti 1946; Friedman 1975; Gabriel 1940; Kohn 1957; Lipset 1963; Nagel 1971; Weinberg 1935) have described several contradictory characteristics. One element is interventionism, the assumption that America has a mission to make the world safe for democracy. A second feature is isolationism, the tendency to withdraw from the rest of the world in order to protect the nation at home. The third common characteristic is xenophobia, the sometimes irrational fear of foreign enemies. These contradictory and extreme characteristics have been common features of American
Folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) variants in which almost half the residues are alanine.

Recent studies indicate that a fraction of the information contained in an amino acid sequence may be sufficient for specifying a native protein structure. An earlier alanine-scanning experiment conducted on bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI; 58 residues) suggested that if cumulative mutations have additive effects on protein stability, a native protein structure could be built from BPTI sequences that contained many alanine residues distributed throughout the protein. To test this hypothesis, we designed and produced six BPTI mutants containing from 21 to 29 alanine residues. We found that the melting temperature of mutants containing up to 27 alanine residues (48 % of the total number of residues) could be predicted quite well by the sum of the change in melting temperature for the single mutations. Additionally, these same mutants folded into a native-like structure, as judged by their cooperative thermal denaturation curves and heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation (HMQC) NMR spectra. A BPTI mutant containing 22 alanine residues was further shown by 2D and 3D-NMR to fold into a structure very similar to that of native BPTI, and to be a functional trypsin inhibitor. These results provide insight into the extent to which native protein structure and function can be achieved with a highly simplified amino acid sequence.
How the Chemistry Modeling Curriculum Engages Students in Seven Science Practices Outlined by the College Board

As advanced placement (AP) teachers strive to implement the changes outlined in the AP chemistry redesign, they will have the opportunity to reflect on and evaluate their current practices. For many AP teachers, the new focus on conceptual understanding, reasoning, inquiry, and critical thinking over memorization and algorithmic problem solving will require new and effective curricular materials. The Chemistry Modeling Curriculum offers a robust, research-based set of materials designed to cultivate the science practices outlined in the AP chemistry course description, and foster deeper conceptual understanding. Through this curriculum, students learn how to develop, evaluate, and modify models based on data and observations they collect from simple experiments. They practice communicating their ideas through class discussions and informal whiteboard presentations. Students of the Modeling Curriculum are expected to represent their ideas in a variety of ways including graphically, mathematically, and diag...
Excitation functions of proton-induced reactions in 16O at medium energies

Abstract Protons elastically and inelastically scattered from 16O were observed at lab angles between 60° and 160° using NaI(Tl) detectors. The incident beam energy was varied in approximately 200 keV steps from 21.25 to 33.12 MeV and in 500 keV steps at higher energies up to 38.5 MeV. Angular distributions at the same energies were also measured for inelastic proton scattering leaving the 16O nucleus with excitation energies of Q = 6.05, 6.13 MeV and Q = −8;.88 MeV. The excitation functions for the (p, d) and (p, α) reactions were measured at 70° for the same energy range, and the (p, t) reaction was observed above 31 MeV. The elastic scattering angular distributions have been integrated over the angular range 100°–160° and anomalies are observed. An optical-model-with-resonance analysis of the data is presented which indicates states at Ep = 21.6, 22.6, 23.5, 24.7, 26.4, 28.3 and 30.1 MeV with Jπ assignments 9 2 + , 9 2 + , 7 2 + , 7 2 + , 7 2 − , 5 2 − and 5 2 + , respectively. A coupled-channels calculation has also been compared with the elastic and inelastic scattering (Q = −6.05, −6.13 MeV) angular distributions.
The impact of political parties and coalition building on Tunisia's democratic future

This paper examines political parties in Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly as a method to evaluate prospects for the country's democratic future. After reviewing relevant literature on democratic transitions and the relationship between religion and democracy, particularly in the Arab World, it considers Tunisia's prominent parties and coalitions. The political parties' histories of activism, personalism, competition, and weakly differentiated platforms have contributed to the rapid stabilisation of a fragmented party system. While game theory supports the view that the multiplicity of secular opposition parties would benefit from coalition building or mergers, Tunisian parties have taken few concrete steps towards integration. Furthermore, such efforts must consider the possibility of radicalising the on-going debate on the role of religion: a perceived threat from an adamantly secular opposition could alienate Ennahdha, forcing it to acquiesce to more extreme voices in an effort to maintain its do...
pErSpECTiVE TakiNg uNDErmiNES STErEOTypE maiNTENaNCE prOCESSES: EViDENCE frOm SOCial mEmOry, BEhaViOr ExplaNaTiON, aND iNfOrmaTiON SOliCiTaTiON

Four experiments examined the effects of perspective taking on processes contributing to stereotype maintenance: biases in social memory, behavior explanations, and information seeking. The first two experiments explored whether perspective taking influences memory and spontaneous explanations for stereotype-relevant behaviors. Relative to participants in an objective-focus condition, perspective takers exhibited better recall of stereotype-inconsistent behaviors (Experiment 1) and spontaneously generated more dispositional explanations for them (Experiment 2). Perspective taking had little effect, however, on memory and explanations for stereotype-consistent behaviors. The final two experiments examined the effects of perspective taking on information seeking. Employing a trait hypothesis-testing paradigm in which interviewers tested whether an interviewee was an extravert (Experiment 3a) or an introvert (Experiment 3b), we found that perspective-taking interviewers solicited more hypothesis-inconsistent...
Biasing Coevolutionary Search for Optimal Multiagent Behaviors

Cooperative coevolutionary algorithms (CEAs) offer great potential for concurrent multiagent learning domains and are of special utility to domains involving teams of multiple agents. Unfortunately, they also exhibit pathologies resulting from their game-theoretic nature, and these pathologies interfere with finding solutions that correspond to optimal collaborations of interacting agents. We address this problem by biasing a cooperative CEA in such a way that the fitness of an individual is based partly on the result of interactions with other individuals (as is usual), and partly on an estimate of the best possible reward for that individual if partnered with its optimal collaborator. We justify this idea using existing theoretical models of a relevant subclass of CEAs, demonstrate how to apply biasing in a way that is robust with respect to parameterization, and provide some experimental evidence to validate the biasing approach. We show that it is possible to bias coevolutionary methods to better search for optimal multiagent behaviors
Synthesis, Characterization, and Utility of Thermoresponsive Natural/Unnatural Product Macroligands for Affinity Chromatography

The synthesis and characterization of thermoresponsive, water-soluble poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide (PNIPAM) derived macroligands displaying cyclosporin A (CsA) and dexamethasone (Dex) for use as novel affinity resins are described. Characterization of these soluble macroligands, including ligand loading and integrity, was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. One of the CsA macroligands was used in a protein affinity experiment to capture known binding proteins of CsA, the cyclophilins, from Jurkat T-cell lysates.
Alloys: Scandium overtakes zirconium

Nanoscale core–shell precipitates within multicomponent alloys are known to confer strength and thermal stability beyond that expected from the constituent materials. Their formation mechanism has finally been revealed to involve a combination of thermodynamic and kinetic processes.
Open-label study of adalimumab in patients with ulcerative colitis including those with prior loss of response or intolerance to infliximab.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical benefit and tolerability of adalimumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods: Patients with active UC, including those who had lost response or developed intolerance to the chimeric anti-TNF antibody infliximab, were enrolled in a 24-week uncontrolled trial. Patients were treated with subcutaneous adalimumab 160 mg at week 0, 80 mg at week 2, and 40 mg every other week starting at week 4. After week 8 the dose could be escalated to 40 mg weekly for incomplete response. Outcome measures included clinical response and remission and mucosal healing. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled, of whom 13 had previously received infliximab. Seven patients had dose escalation of adalimumab between weeks 8 and 16, from 40 mg every other week to 40 mg weekly, due to incomplete response. The rates of clinical response were 25% at week 8 and 50% at week 24. The rates of clinical remission were 5% at week 8 and 20% at week 24. The rate of mucosal healing was 30% at week 8. The rates of clinical response and remission and mucosal healing were similar in infliximab-naive and previously exposed patients. None of the patients experienced hypersensitivity reactions during treatment with adalimumab. Conclusions: Adalimumab is well tolerated and appears to be a clinically beneficial option for patients with UC, including those who have previously lost their response to or cannot tolerate infliximab. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009)
Spatial and Temporal Distributions in Sandy Soils with Seepage Irrigation: I. Ammonium and Nitrate

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in southwest Florida is typically grown on fumigated, raised beds with polyethylene mulch under seepage irrigation. An average grower's N rate currently exceeds the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) recommendation (224 kg N ha -1 maximum). Excess nutrients are subject to runoff and leaching, which raises environmental concerns in Florida watersheds. A field study was conducted to elucidate N spatial distribution in tomato beds during the 2006 spring and winter growing seasons with 224 and 358 kg N ha -1 rates. Ammonium N was highest for both seasons during 0 to 1 wk after planting (WAP) at the 0- to 10-cm depth in the fertilizer band, but rarely moved vertically. Lateral movement of NH 4 + -N was observed through 7 WAP, however, probably due to diffusion. Nitrate N at 0 to 10 cm in the band peaked during 3 to 4 WAP, indicating about 3 wk of nitrification in the spring; however, this process was shortened to 1 to 2 wk in the winter, probably due to greater bacterial activity with warmer temperatures in the beginning of the winter than the spring (average 8°C in the first 3 wk). Both lateral and vertical movements of NO 3 - -N were observed in the spring, even at the 20- to 30-cm depth. A rise and subsequent fall of the water table level during 5 to 8 WAP particularly enhanced NO 3 - -N downward movement, which was attributed to greater diffusivity of NO 3 - -N than NH 4 + -N. Minimizing water table fluctuations and applying a reduced N rate are critical to reduce NO 3 - -N leaching loss.
Coumaphos exposure and incident cancer among male participants in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS).

BackgroundCoumaphos is an organophosphate livestock insecticide. Previous research in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort observed a positive association between coumaphos and prostate cance...
Audio content-based feature extraction algorithms using J-DSP for arts, media and engineering courses

J-DSP is a java-based object-oriented online programming environment developed at Arizona State University for education and research. This paper presents a collection of interactive Java modules for the purpose of introducing undergraduate and graduate students to feature extraction in music and audio signals. These tools enable online simulations of different algorithms that are being used in applications related to content-based audio classification and Music Information Retrieval (MIR). The simulation software is accompanied by a series of computer experiments and exercises that can be used to provide hands-on training. Specific functions that have been developed include modules used widely such as Pitch Detection, Tonality, Harmonicity, Spectral Centroid and the Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC). This effort is part of a combined research and curriculum program funded by NSF CCLI that aims towards exposing students to advanced multidisciplinary concepts and research in signal processing.
A technique for studying one and the same section of a cell in sequence with the light and electron microscope

SUMMARY Methods for mounting and staining relatively thin sections on electron microscope grids, in order that one and the same section of a cell can be photographed in sequence with the light and electron microscope are described. Toluidine blue is used as a stain and hexachlorabuta-1,3 diene as a medium which enables the grid carrying the stained sections to be temporarily mounted under a coverslip and examined with an oil-immersion lens. Results obtained with pollen mother cells of Fritillaria lanceolata at zygotene are illustrated.
Advancements in adenoviral based virotherapy for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a leading gynecologic malignancy with relatively grim survival statistics. There is a significant need for the development of new treatment options for this malignancy. The development of virotherapy as a treatment option for ovarian cancer has the potential to improve patient survival. Adenoviruses have multiple advantages as vectors for virotherapy including a well-understood structure and the ability to infect cells easily. We will outline the advances in virotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer, with particular attention directed toward adenoviral vectors.
An Empirical Assessment of a Simple Contingent‐Claims Model for the Valuation of Risky Debt

In this second installment, the author addresses some of the problems associated with empirically validating contingent‐claim models for valuing risky debt. The article uses a simple contingent claims risky debt valuation model to fit term structures of credit spreads derived from data for U.S. corporate bonds. An essential component to fitting this model is the use of expected default frequency; the estimate of the firms' expected default probability over a specific time horizon. The author discusses the statistical and econometric procedures used in fitting the term structure of credit spreads and estimating model parameters. These include iteratively reweighted non‐linear least squares are used to dampen the impact of outliers and ensure convergence in each cross‐sectional estimation from 1992 to 1999.
Evolution of High Tooth Replacement Rates in Sauropod Dinosaurs

Background Tooth replacement rate can be calculated in extinct animals by counting incremental lines of deposition in tooth dentin. Calculating this rate in several taxa allows for the study of the evolution of tooth replacement rate. Sauropod dinosaurs, the largest terrestrial animals that ever evolved, exhibited a diversity of tooth sizes and shapes, but little is known about their tooth replacement rates. Methodology/Principal Findings We present tooth replacement rate, formation time, crown volume, total dentition volume, and enamel thickness for two coexisting but distantly related and morphologically disparate sauropod dinosaurs Camarasaurus and Diplodocus. Individual tooth formation time was determined by counting daily incremental lines in dentin. Tooth replacement rate is calculated as the difference between the number of days recorded in successive replacement teeth. Each tooth family in Camarasaurus has a maximum of three replacement teeth, whereas each Diplodocus tooth family has up to five. Tooth formation times are about 1.7 times longer in Camarasaurus than in Diplodocus (315 vs. 185 days). Average tooth replacement rate in Camarasaurus is about one tooth every 62 days versus about one tooth every 35 days in Diplodocus. Despite slower tooth replacement rates in Camarasaurus, the volumetric rate of Camarasaurus tooth replacement is 10 times faster than in Diplodocus because of its substantially greater tooth volumes. A novel method to estimate replacement rate was developed and applied to several other sauropodomorphs that we were not able to thin section. Conclusions/Significance Differences in tooth replacement rate among sauropodomorphs likely reflect disparate feeding strategies and/or food choices, which would have facilitated the coexistence of these gigantic herbivores in one ecosystem. Early neosauropods are characterized by high tooth replacement rates (despite their large tooth size), and derived titanosaurs and diplodocoids independently evolved the highest known tooth replacement rates among archosaurs.
The multipliable body

In the modern understanding of the living body, bodily division is both fatal and distinctive; in the contemporary, the body is biologically and technologically multiple. Four premodern religious phenomena suggest yet another, much more fluid and multiple, conception of the living, spirited body. In relics, the divided body of the saint retains its miraculous vitality across its scattered locations, even restoring wholeness to other bodies. In transubstantiation, the host multiplies, according to the Eucharistic formula, ‘the body of Christ’ in all its specificity. Stigmata multiply the wounds of that body onto those of devout believers, yet retain the identity of these wounds as Christ's. The development of wound imagery furthers this curious multiplying of the nonetheless carefully numbered wounds; they may appear arrayed behind the body of Christ or even heraldically arranged on their own. The very ontology of the body is different here.
Effects of expectations on loudness and loudness difference

To determine how expectations affect loudness and loudness difference, in two experiments we induced some subjects to expect loud sounds (condition L), some to expect soft sounds (condition S), and others to have no particular expectations (control). In Experiment 1, all subjects estimated the loudnesses of the same set of three moderately loud 1-kHz tones. Estimates were greatest for subjects in condition S and smallest for subjects in condition L. Control subjects’ estimates were intermediate but closer to those of condition S subjects. In Experiment 2, subjects estimated the difference in loudness for pairs of moderately loud 1-kHz tones. Again, estimates were smallest for condition L subjects; estimates were greatest for control subjects, and condition S subjects’ estimates were closer to control estimates than to condition L estimates. This pattern of results is explainable by a combination of (1) Parducci’s (1995) range-frequency theory and (2) a gain control mechanism in the auditory system under top-down governance (Schneider, Parker, & Murphy, 2011).
Intrinsic Rate of Increase over Different Generation Time Intervals of Insect and Mite Species with Overlapping Generations

The generation interval ( G ) (i.e., egg to first offspring egg) for an insect or mite species was considered as a biological time unit for arthropod species. For species with an oviposition period longer than G , the rate of population increase ( r ) can be determined at G, 2G , and maximal time as rG, r2G , and rm , respectively. The ratios, rG/rm and r2G/rm , were used to evaluate the accuracy of rG and r2G in presenting the expected rm . Calculation of rG, r2G , and rm for Galendromus helveolus (Chant) revealed no significant differences between rG, r2G , and rm . Comparison of rG, r2G , and rm from 40 sets of published data revealed mean rG/rm = 0.954 (SD = 0.059, n = 40) and mean r2G/rm = 0.994 (SD = 0.01, n = 26). Only rG and rm were calculated for species that had a shorter oviposition period than 2G . At all studied case intervals, eggs laid after 2G of oviposition period did not contribute significantly to the calculated rm value. These results demonstrate savings both in time and money in designing experiments for determining the rm value for a species with a long oviposition period.
USING ETHNOGRAPHY TO UNDERSTAND TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COLLEGE LIFE

Ethnography in the field of postsecondary education has served as a magnifying glass bringing into focus university culture and student life. This paper highlights the ways in which ethnography is especially useful for understanding more recent dynamics and shifts in higher education. The authors utilize existing literature to uphold the relevancy of ethnography, while exploring its opportunities for research on adult students, online education, and for-profit colleges in particular. They conclude with methodological recommendations and directions for both qualitative research and higher education scholarship.
Detecting a first-order transition in the QCD phase diagram with baryon–baryon correlations

We suggest baryon-baryon correlations as an experimentally accessible signature for a first-order phase transition between a baryon-rich phase, like quarkyonic, and a baryon-suppressed hadronic phase in the QCD phase diagram. We examine the consequences of baryon-rich bubble formation in an expanding medium and show how the two-particle correlations vary in the transverse and longitudinal direction depending on the strength of the radial flow, the bubble temperature, and the time when the baryons are emitted.
The (9Be, 8B) reaction and the unbound nuclide 10Li

Abstract Counter-telescope and recoil-coincidence techniques were employed to study the 9Be(9Be, 8B)10Li reaction at 121 MeV. A cross section of ≈ 30 nb/sr (c.m.) was observed, indicating a 10Li mass excess of 33.83 ± 0.25 MeV. This corresponds to 10Li being unbound to 9Li + n by 0.80 ± 0.25 MeV.
Piloting XP on four mission-critical projects

According to proponents, extreme programming creates focused, efficient software development that heavily emphasizes customer involvement. As software developers for mission-critical two-way radio systems in Motorola's commercial, government, and industrial solutions sector, we'd been hearing a lot about XP's benefits. Software development teams constantly battle to increase productivity while maintaining or improving quality . Four Motorola teams piloted extreme programming to see if it would let them satisfy their customers' constantly changing requirements while improving productivity.
Selection criteria for combined resection of synchronous colorectal cancer hepatic metastases: a cautionary note

Purpose Combined resection of primary colorectal cancer and synchronous hepatic metastases has been shown to be safe and associated with acceptable oncologic outcomes in selected patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if selection criteria for combined resection could be identified using major morbidity or mortality as an avoidable outcome.
Thermodynamic review and calculations—alkali-metal oxide systems with nuclear fuels, fission products, and structural materials

Abstract This paper considers the phase equilibria of alkali metal oxides and their combinations with other oxides relevant to nuclear fuels, fission products, and structural materials. The other oxides include those of the lanthanides, the actinides, iron, nickel, aluminum, silicon, as well as those of periodic table groups IIA, IVB, VB, VIB, and VIA. The alkali metal halides, chalcogenides, and hydroxides are also included. Techniques are developed to permit calculation of phase equilibria and Ellingham diagrams in ternary and higher-order systems. These techniques include estimation of previously unknown 298.15 K values of the enthalpies of formation and the entropies of many compounds.
Distribution of etanidzole into human brain tumors: Implications for treating high grade gliomas

Etanidazole was developed as an oxygen-mimetic radiosensitizer less lipophilic than misonidazole. Sensitization depends on an adequate concentration of drug in the tumor at the time of irradiation. Therefore, due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier, brain tumors may theoretically be difficult to radiosensitize due to the hydrophilic characteristics of etanidazole. Based on previous reports of loss of BBB integrity in brain tumors, we investigated the ability of etanidazole to penetrate into malignant gliomas of patients receiving etanidazole as part of a Phase I continuous infusion protocol. The patients had completed previous external beam irradiation. Twenty-two patients were studied and their etanidazole plasma and biopsy data were compared to the 2-compartment model derived from a second group of 19 patients with bolus etanidazole. Etanidazole concentration in brain tumor biopsies varied widely and appeared to be clustered into a higher and a lower pharmacokinetic group having mean tumor to well-perfused second compartment ratios of 1 and 0.25, respectively. Both high and low etanidazole concentrations were evident in different biopsies obtained from the same patient. Correlations between histology and tissue concentrations suggested that the higher level correspond to malignant tissue. These data indicate that the blood brain barrier is disrupted to varying degrees by the brain tumor and/or prior irradiation and that etanidazole penetrates into brain tumors.
Some observations regarding the potential effects of doming of tropical peat deposits on the composition of coal beds

Abstract Several important concepts relative to the origin of coal beds can be gleaned from studies of modern domed and planar peat deposits in tropical-subtropical settings. These are: (1) laterally, some portions of a single continuous peat deposit may be domed and some portions may be planar; (2) domed deposits are most often found to have begun as planar deposits; (3) domed-formed peat facies may be overridden by planar-formed peat facies, due to such factors as sea level rise and/or increased rate of local and basinal subsidence; (4) domed peat facies tend to have less mineral matter and contain fewer inorganic splits than planar facies; (5) sulfur intrusion from marine waters can be retarded by doming, allowing low-sulfur peats to form relatively near to the coastline; (6) marine transgression can cause high-sulfur, marine-influenced, planar, peat facies to override freshwater domed or planar facies, resulting in enrichment of the upper parts of these underlying facies in sulfur and ash; (7) dome-formed peat facies tend to be thicker and more uniform in composition than planar-formed facies, with dome-formed peat facies having the potential to produce the more uniform bright coal types (clarains and vitrains) and planar-formed peat facies often producing duller coal types and/or alternating, durainic (inertinite-rich) and vitrainic (wood-derived) bands; (8) actively developing peat domes in wet settings often exhibit no appreciable increase in inertinitic material toward their tops; although the tops of either domed or planar peat deposits can be enriched in inertinitic material if the water table is lowered by either local or regional changes in hydrology or climate.