cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of mother-young contact in Norway rats

Rat dams choose to care for their pups in a relatively warm area, apparently because they have an elevated thermal set point for the regulation of their body temperature. Since the duration of their contact bouts with their pups is limited by an acute hyperthermia that they experience while on the pups, their choice limits the time that they can spend with their pups. When dams could choose the temperature at which they cared for their young they spent only about half the time in contact with their offspring as did dams caring for their pups at the ambient temperature of the laboratory. We conclude that rat dams do not attempt to maximize the duration of their contact bouts with their offspring. Dams also do not attempt to minimize the amount of time that they spend away from their offspring. The duration of the intervals between contact bouts was influenced by the ability of the dams to dissipate the heat gained during the contact bout with the pups. Again, dams did not seek out a cool area in which to spend their interbout intervals, preferring to remain in relatively warm areas. Their thermal preference facilitated the retention of their body heat and prolongation of the interbout intervals. Dams may return to the nest periodically for brief bouts during which the state of the pups is monitored. Pups were found to play both passive and active roles in modulating the overall pattern of maternal contact, for dams maintained contact with pups if the pups were cool, but failure to attach to the nipples soon after contact was established frequently led to rapid bout termination, particularly with warm pups. Contact is maintained if the pups are cool or if they attach to the nipples. Finally, it was found that pups could actively curtail interbout intervals by emitting ultrasonic vocalizations.
Obstacles to communication in children with cri du chat syndrome

Summary Background Cri du chat syndrome (CCS) is a genetic disorder resulting from the deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of this syndrome is the congenital high-pitched cry, which frequently brings these patients to the attention of an otolaryngologist. Speech and language development in children with CCS is notable for a reduced receptive vocabulary and a profound deficit in expressive language. Currently, no clear guidelines have been established for the treatment of the speech and language difficulties exhibited by these patients. In this article, we present a case report and discuss the current literature regarding the challenges to effective communication in CCS. Methods Case report. Case We present a 7-year-old girl with CCS who sought help to improve her ability to communicate. The patient presented with a persistent high-pitched voice unchanged since birth and a breathy dysphonia. Findings on examination were significant for an abnormally oriented larynx with atrophic vocal folds. She continues to undertake intensive speech therapy to assist in her language development. Conclusion CCS is a genetic disorder that universally results in profound deficits in expressive speech. Although patients with CCS commonly present with a high-pitched voice and marked laryngeal abnormalities, they are unlikely to benefit from surgical intervention. Speech and language therapy, including augmentative communication devices, may enhance effective communication and improve the quality of life of these patients.
Acid phosphatase of HeLa cells: properties and regulation of lysosomal activity by serum.

Abstract Although the subcellular distribution profile of acid phosphatase in HeLa cells is typical of a lysosomal enzyme, different lysosomal (70–80%) and supernatant forms (20–30%) have been demonstrated by their differences in pH activity curves, substrate specificities, thermal stability, sensitivity to inhibitors, and kinetics. Enzymes of the lysosomal fraction displayed anomalous kinetics in the hydrolysis of p -nitrophenyl phosphate. The major lysosomal acid phosphatase activity appears to be associated with the membrane. The total acid phosphatase activity in the cell is controlled by the concentration of serum in the medium. The specific activity in the homogenates of cells grown in high serum concentration (30%) is about twice that of cells grown in low serum concentration (1%). This doubling of specific activity holds for the lysosomal enzyme (or enzymes), but little change occurs in the supernatant form (or forms). Two other lysosomal enzymes, β-glucuronidase and N -acetyl-β- d -hexosaminidase, do not increase in specific activity. The serum-dependent formation of acid phosphatase is sensitive to cycloheximide, actinomycin D, and cordycepin. Cycloheximide blocks the increase in enzymatic activity immediately, whereas cordycepin and actinomycin D have no effect for at least 8 h. These findings suggest that de novo protein synthesis is involved in the induction of lysosomal acid phosphatase by serum and that the mRNA for this enzyme is relatively stable.
Urinary Phthalate Metabolites Are Associated With Decreased Serum Testosterone in Men, Women, and Children From NHANES 2011–2012

Context: There is evidence of declining trends in T levels among men in recent decades, as well as trends in related conditions at multiple life stages and in both sexes. There is also animal and limited human evidence that exposure to phthalates, chemicals found in plastics and personal care products, is associated with reduced androgen levels and associated disorders. Objective: To explore relationships between urinary concentrations of 13 phthalate metabolites and serum total T levels among men, women, and children when adjusting for important confounders and stratifying by sex and age (6–12, 12–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–80 y). Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012. Patients or Other Participants: US general population. Interventions: None Main Outcome Measures: Serum total T measured by isotope dilution-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Multiple phthalates were associated with significantly reduced T in both sexes...
An experimental analysis of children's generalization during lexical learning: Comprehension or production

The relationship between comprehension language training and production language training was examined by teaching 12 adults and 12 children a miniature language. The relationship between the two types of training was determined by examining their effects on the generalization of names. The results indicate that production training generalizes more extensively than comprehension training. The advantages and disadvantages of both types of training are discussed.
A high-order spectral method for the study of nonlinear gravity waves

We develop a robust numerical method for modelling nonlinear gravity waves which is based on the Zakharov equation/mode-coupling idea but is generalized to include interactions up to an arbitrary order M in wave steepness. A large number ( N = O (1000)) of free wave modes are typically used whose amplitude evolutions are determined through a pseudospectral treatment of the nonlinear free-surface conditions. The computational effort is directly proportional to N and M , and the convergence with N and M is exponentially fast for waves up to approximately 80% of Stokes limiting steepness ( ka ∼ 0.35). The efficiency and accuracy of the method is demonstrated by comparisons to fully nonlinear semi-Lagrangian computations (Vinje & Brevig 1981); calculations of long-time evolution of wavetrains using the modified (fourth-order) Zakharov equations (Stiassnie & Shemer 1987); and experimental measurements of a travelling wave packet (Su 1982). As a final example of the usefulness of the method, we consider the nonlinear interactions between two colliding wave envelopes of different carrier frequencies.
SU ( 3 ) -Symmetry Breaking and Decays of the 3 2 − Baryons

There exist several coupling-constant sum rules describing the interaction of three arbitrary octets in the presence of octet breaking of $\mathrm{SU}(3)$. For decays of the ${\frac{3}{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ baryon $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ octet to $D$-wave baryon-pseudoscalar-meson composites, one of the sum rules involves observable modes only. Comparison of the sum rule with experimental data yields a test of the octet-dominance hypothesis, and in addition is potentially a probe of mixing phenomena in excited baryon systems.
Implications of Variation in Social-Ecological Systems for the Development of U.S. Fungal Management Policy

Public lands fungal management in the United States developed in direct response to commercial harvesting in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) in the 1980s. In the early 2000s, concerns over declining morel mushroom abundance in national parks in the greater Washington, DC, region (NCR) led to the creation of harvest limits and stimulated research on the social-ecological system of morels in that region. In this article we compare findings from research on morel harvesting conducted at two national parks in the NCR from 2004 to 2007, with fungal management from two federal units in the PNW. We find substantial differences in existing regulatory policies, historical and cultural harvesting practices, and taxonomic and ecological variation in Morchella, indicating the need for regionally specific management. To address these differences, we recommend a participatory approach incorporating the local social-ecological specificities of mushroom harvesting and ecology that are missed at coarser spatial and temporal s...
Kv3-like potassium channels are required for sustained high-frequency firing in basal ganglia output neurons.

The GABA projection neurons in the substantial nigra pars reticulata (SNr) are key output neurons of the basal ganglia motor control circuit. These neurons fire sustained high-frequency, short-dura...
Acquisition of sign language by autistic children. III: Generalized descriptive phrases

Sign language training has emerged as a viable alternative to speech for those autistic children who remain nonverbal in spite of remediation efforts. Yet the variables responsible for the acquisition of specific signing skills have not been fully investigated. The present study was undertaken to validate experimentally a portion of a general language intervention program developed by the authors. Specifically, we focused on descriptive signing that involved action-object phrases. Four autistic children were successfully taught such phrases following an intervention composed of prompting, fading, stimulus rotation, and differential reinforcement. After being trained on a small number of action-object phrases, the children displayed skill generalization to new situations. The results were discussed with respect to the likely need for added incidental teaching to bring about communicative use of the skills taught.
Identification of proteins in small tear volumes with and without size exclusion HPLC fractionation

A protocol for quantitative assay of several proteins in small tear volumes is described. Assays included sandwich ELISA's for IgM, IgA, secretory IgA, IgG, lactoferrin and "serum" albumin, and kinetic assays for lysozyme and peroxidase. All assays were applied to whole stimulated tears and size exclusion (SE) HPLC-separated fractions of stimulated tears. Comparison of results revealed several sources of error in whole tear assays. Tear IgG and albumin levels were considerably lower than reported by others. IgM was routinely detected at very low levels. Secretory IgA levels greatly exceeded "serum" IgA. SE-HPLC-isolated tear specific prealbumin was separated into five sub-fractions by anion exchange HPLC. Due to its ability to identify proteins in very small tear volumes, the protocol will be most useful for assay of non-stimulated tears.
On Some Degenerate Large Deviation Problems

This paper concerns the issue of obtaining the large deviation principle for solutions of stochastic equations with possibly degenerate coefficients. Specifically, we explore the potential of the methodology that consists in establishing exponential tightness and identifying the action functional via a maxingale problem. In the author's earlier work it has been demonstrated that certain convergence properties of the predictable characteristics of semimartingales ensure both that exponential tightness holds and that every large deviation accumulation point is a solution to a maxingale problem. The focus here is on the uniqueness for the maxingale problem. It is first shown that under certain continuity hypotheses existence and uniqueness of a solution to a maxingale problem of diffusion type are equivalent to Luzin weak existence and uniqueness, respectively, for the associated idempotent Ito equation. Consequently, if the idempotent equation has a unique Luzin weak solution, then the action functional is specified uniquely, so the large deviation principle follows. Two kinds of application are considered. Firstly, we obtain results on the logarithmic asymptotics of moderate deviations for stochastic equations with possibly degenerate diffusion coefficients which, as compared with earlier results, relax the growth conditions on the coefficients, permit certain non-Lipshitz-continuous coefficients, and allow the coefficients to depend on the entire past of the process and to be discontinuous functions of time. The other application concerns multiple-server queues with impatient customers.
How Does the 31P NMR Chemical Shift Change with Phosphorus Bond Length? an Ab Initio NMR Study

In NMR experiments it is difficult to modify the phosphorus bond length, R(P-E), by, for example, isotopic substitution or by placing the molecule in an exited rovibrational state (dynamic NMR).[1] In contrast, ab initio NMR computations can be performed not only for energy minimized structures but also for geometries with systematically modified bond lengths.[2] The first derivative (defined by the slope of the δ31P versus R(P-E) correlation line) characterizes how sensitive the chemical shift is to bond lengthening or shortening, respectively.
Photostabilization of Organic Dyes on Poly(styrenesulfonate)-Capped TiO2 Nanoparticles

Photostabilization of phenosafranin dye on poly(styrenesulfonate)-capped TiO2 nanoparticles has been investigated using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The dye degrades oxidiatively on a native TiO2 surface under visible light excitation as the excited dye participates in the charge injection process. The interaction of the dye with the semiconductor surface can be significantly reduced by capping the TiO2 particles first with poly(styrenesulfonate). The increase in fluorescence emission and decrease in dye degradation rate with increasing polymer capping suggest the protective role of poly(styrenesulfonate) capping. Diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis studies further elucidate surface photochemical processes of phenosafranin on native and polymer-capped TiO2 nanoparticles.
Cholinergic modulation of single lateral geniculate neurons in the cat.

Abstract The effects of physostigmine, nicotine and scopolamine were studied on the activity of single lateral geniculate neurons in the acute cat. Most of the lateral geniculate neurons selected were P-cells. These increased their responses to ipsilateral optic tract and midbrain reticular formation stimulation. Nicotine and physostigmine in doses of 25 μg/kg i.v. significantly increased the spontaneous firing rate of single geniculate neurons. Scopolamine in a dose of 0.5 mg/kg i.v. depressed their firing rates to control levels. Physostigmine enhanced their post-stimulus discharge rate to optic nerve stimulation. This enhancement was depressed by scopolamine. The effects of midbrain reticular formation stimulation were further enhanced by physostigmine and reduced by scopolamine in about 86% of lateral geniculate neurons studied. Generally, the effects of trains of pulses to the reticular formation (250 Hz/sec, 50 msec train duration, 0.05–0.1 msec pulses) were more marked than single stimuli. It is concluded that a major cholinergic facilitatory system exists which influences lateral geniculate neurons. It is postulated that this involves the reticular formation. Evidence is presented for a predominant muscarinic cholinergic mechanism.
Right Ventricular Volumetric Monitoring

The goal of invasive hemodynamic monitoring is to evaluate the components of oxygen delivery and consumption. Parameters obtained from the physiologic profile are used to assess and optimize oxygen delivery to meet the tissue needs of the critically ill patient. Oxygen delivery is defined as cardiac output multiplied by the arterial oxygen content. Research has demonstrated that adequate increases in oxygen delivery improve survival. The primary intervention for optimizing oxygen delivery is appropriate fluid resuscitation. Classic endpoints of adequate fluid resuscitation have been pressure-based parameters, which possess many inherent assumptions. Current clinical issues are directed toward assessment of the patient's status in relation to the oxygen supply-and-demand balance. Identification of therapeutic interventions to achieve the goal of increasing oxygen delivery are paramount. Evaluation of the role of the right ventricle (RV) in biventricular performance and incorporation of volumetric measurements to assess the critically ill patient are presented.
Water on the moon

The Moon is not wet like Earth, and it doesn’t have frozen icecaps like those on Mars. But it might be just a tiny bit damp, both inside and on its surface.
An accurate impression method for implant prosthesis fabrication

The long-term success of an implant prosthesis depends not only on the development of osseointegration, but also on the maintenance of osseointegration after the prosthetic phase. To achieve this, a passive superstructure must be fabricated. Errors that result from the impression transfer method of implant position during the impression procedures often made it necessary to section and solder metal frameworks repeatedly. This article presents a modified impression technique intended to deal with the problems of more traditional impressions with the aim of achieving a more accurate master cast.
On two-dimensional Markov spectral estimation

We give systematic methods for two-dimensional (2-D) spectral estimation from raw data using Gaussian Markov random field (MRF) models. The MRF models considered in this paper characterize the statistical dependence of the observation y(s) on its neighbors in all directions. Due to the modeling assumption, the 2-D spectrum is an explicit function of the parameters of the MRF model. Thus, the spectral estimation problem reduces to that of estimating the appropriate structure and the parameters of the MRF model. A tractable algorithm for maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of parameters is obtained by using doubly periodic boundary conditions for the given data. Asymptotically consistent decision rules are used to choose the appropriate neighbor set of the MRF model. The MRF spectral estimate obtained using the doubly periodic boundary conditions has the property that its inverse discrete Fourier transforms are in perfect agreement with the periodic sample correlation values of the given observations, over a symmetric window identical to the structure of the MRF model. Using this result, and the fact that the 2-D maximum entropy spectral (MES) estimate has a structure similar to the MRF power spectrum, we show that the MRF spectral estimate developed in this paper is a good approximation to the MES estimate. This result provides a reasonable basis (i.e., maximum likelihood) on which to justify the use of the MES estimate with correlation estimates obtained from a finite piece of data samples.
Analysis of series deviance in a parallel state transition diagram and applications to fault tolerant computing

Abstract In this paper the effect of deviance on a parallel state transition diagram is analyzed. The attributes of deviance are identified by a modification in the system characterization which resembles the effects of fault/failure on a fault tolerant system operation. The steady state availabilities of two deviances are determined and the applicability of these results to static and dynamic N Modular Redundancy Systems, is presented.
Effects of 9-ene-tetrahydrocannabinol on uterine estrogenicity in the mouse.

Abstract Several early (Phase I) and late (Phase II) estrogenic effects of 9-ene-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were examined in the adult mouse uterus. An injection of THC (2.5 or 10 mg/kg body wt) in ovariectomized mice neither stimulated uterine water imbibition or accumulation of [ 125 I]bovine serum albumin (Phase I responses) at 6 h, nor antagonized these Phase I responses elicited by estradiol-17β (E 2 ). With respect to Phase II responses, although single injections of THC (2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/kg body wt) alone were ineffective in influencing uterine weight at 24 h or incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine at 18 h, this drug interfered with these responses elicited by E 2 in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, an injection of THC in progesterone (P 4 )-primed ovariectomized mice modestly enhanced (61%) uterine incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine. However, E 2 -stimulated uterine thymidine incorporation in P 4 -primed ovariectomized mice was antagonized by THC treatment. Effects of THC on blastocyst implantation were examined. Single or multiple injections of various doses of THC neither induced implantation in P 4 -primed delayed implanting mice, nor interfered with E 2 -induced implantation. Furthermore, daily injections of THC (10 mg/kg body wt) during the periimplantation period had no apparent adverse effects on implantation, or on experimentally induced decidualization (deciduomata). The data suggest that THC is neither pro- nor antiestrogenic with respect to Phase I responses. However as regards Phase II responses, THC is modestly proestrogenic in the P 4 -treated uterus, but is antiestrogenic in the presence of E 2 . These estrogen agonistic/antagonistic effects of THC on uterine Phase II responses do not adversely affect the process of implantation and decidualization.
How restrictive is the Prais-Houthakker model?

Abstract The Prais-Houthakker model has been commonly used in the analysis of the influence of socio-demographic variables on household consumption behavior. However, it has been recently criticized for being too restrictive. This paper derives the necessary and sufficient conditions that make the Prais-Houthakker model consistent with consumer theory. While some restrictions presented in the literature are sufficient to make the Prais-Houthakker model consistent with consumer theory, less restrictive conditions are derived that can validate the Prais-Houthakker model on theoretical grounds.
Regional Variation in Antenatal Corticosteroid Use: A Network-Level Quality Improvement Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Examination of regional care patterns in antenatal corticosteroid use (ACU) rates may be salient for the development of targeted interventions. Our objective was to assess network-level variation using California perinatal care regions as a proxy. We hypothesized that (1) significant variation in ACU exists within and between California perinatal care regions, and (2) lower performing regions exhibit greater NICU-level variability in ACU than higher performing regions. METHODS: We undertook cross-sectional analysis of 33 610 very low birth weight infants cared for at 120 hospitals in 11 California perinatal care regions from 2005 to 2011. We computed risk-adjusted median ACU rates and interquartile ranges (IQR) for each perinatal care region. The degree of variation was assessed using hierarchical multivariate regression analysis with NICU as a random effect and region as a fixed effect. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2011, mean ACU rates across California increased from 82% to 87.9%. Regional median (IQR) ACU rates ranged from 68.4% (24.3) to 92.9% (4.8). We found significant variation in ACU rates among regions ( P P CONCLUSIONS: We found significant variation in ACU rates among California perinatal regions. Regional quality improvement approaches may offer a new avenue to spread best practice.
Conditions for anomaly-free W and super-W algebras

Abstract We construct the BRST charge for the W∞, W1+∞ and super-W∞ algebras. The criterion of nilpotency in general gives divergent expressions for the central charge, which can be regularised using zeta-function techniques. We discuss the ambiguities inherent in such procedures, and present a well-defined prescription for regularising all the higher-spin anomalies. Since the ghost system should provide a realisation of the algebra, the anomaly-cancellation conditions must be consistent for all spin levels, provided that the regularisation scheme is a consistent one, and we verify this explicitly up to spin 18. For W∞, we find c=−2, in agreement with a recent investigation where the spin 2, 3 and 4 anomalies were examined. For W1+∞, we find that anomaly-freedom requires c=0, whilst for super-W∞, we find c=−2, implying that the total central charge is 3 2 c=−3 . We find that the intercept α0 is zero for all the algebras W∞, W1+∞ and super W∞.
Toward a New Frontier in Myocardial Reperfusion Therapy Emerging Platelet Preeminence

For more than a decade, intravenous thrombolytic therapy has been validated for the reduction of mortality in evolving MI.1 2 3 Reperfusion therapy is the standard of care for patients with acute MI who present early (within 12 hours of symptom onset) and have significant ECG ST-segment elevation.4 However, the limitations of the therapy are especially impressive. First, even the most potent established thrombolytic therapy does not achieve restoration of early and complete coronary blood flow in ≈50% of patients.5 This ≈50% failure rate is particularly important because the relationship of successful reperfusion and survival is quite strong,5 6 such that the death rate among patients who fail to achieve early reperfusion is at least twofold to threefold higher.5 6 7 Second, thrombolytic therapy induces a relatively high rate of intracerebral hemorrhage. Although the incidence is ≈1 in 150 to 200 treated patients,8 the event is usually catastrophic, resulting in fatality or a disabling stroke. Of note, the ability to predict intracerebral bleeding is quite limited; save for the commonly present demographic factors of the aged and hypertension, little is known about who is predisposed or why this dreaded complication occurs. In the recently completed third Global Utilization of Strategies to Open Occluded Arteries (GUSTO-III) trial, which assessed reteplase and alteplase, the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke was increased compared with previous trials. The overall rate of 0.9%, or ≈1 in 100 patients, reflects, in part, the enrollment of more elderly and hypertensive patients9 and emphasizes the significance of the problem in contemporary trials and likely clinical practice. Third, thrombolytic therapy has been shown to be inferior to catheter-based reperfusion for achieving infarct vessel patency and reducing the incidence of death or nonfatal MI.10 11 12 13 14 Furthermore, the incidence of hemorrhagic …
The anatomy of the SP50 bacteriophage DNA molecule

Abstract Evidence is presented which indicates that SP50 bacteriophage contain non-permuted, linear, duplex DNA molecules with a molecular weight of 100 × 106 daltons. Alkaline sucrose sedimentation studies show that about half of both of the SP50 single polynucleotide chains contain interruptions, apparently located at random, although the exact number of interruptions depends on the host strain.
Preliminary Evaluation of the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program for Renewable Power Projects in the United States

This article evaluates the first year of the Section 1603 Treasury cash grant program, which enables renewable power projects in the U.S. to elect cash grants in lieu of the federal tax credits that are otherwise available. To date, the program has been heavily subscribed, particularly by wind power projects, which had received 86% of the nearly $2.6 billion in grants that had been disbursed as of March 1, 2010. As of that date, 6.2 GW of the 10 GW of new wind capacity installed in the U.S. in 2009 had applied for grants in lieu of production tax credits. Roughly 2.4 GW of this wind capacity may not have otherwise been built in 2009 absent the grant program; this 2.4 GW may have supported approximately 51,600 short-term full-time-equivalent (FTE) gross job-years in the U.S. during the construction phase of these wind projects, and 3,860 longterm FTE gross jobs during the operational phase. The program’s popularity stems from the significant economic value that it provides to renewable power projects, relative to the otherwise available tax credits. Although grants reward investment rather than efficient performance, this evaluation finds no evidence at this time of either widespread “gold-plating” or performance problems.
Neuronal aging in tissue and cell cultures: A review

Since the pioneering works of Hayflick and his associates reported that normal human fibroblasts (diploid cells) lose the ability to divide when they are maintained for long periods in culture conditions, tissue (cell) culture techniques have been used extensively in the study of the aging process at the cellular level (1,2). The ability of normal human fibroblasts to divide is limited to 50 population doublings over a period of 7 to 9 months. It seems that some kind of clock mechanism operates in normal cells controlling their capacity to reproduce. However, not all cell types have the fibroblasts' capacity for rapid reproduction. Highly specialized cell types such as skeletal muscle and neurons do not divide after the perinatal period. It is for this reason that the replicating capacity of cultured cells cannot be utilized alone as the main index of the aging process in neural tissue culture. To study the aging process in neural tissue culture, then, one has to turn one's attention to morphological and functional changes expressed in individual neurons and glial cells during the extended period of maintenance in vitro.
Design and Performance Features of the Marine LM1600 Gas Turbine

The GE LM1600 gas turbine is a lightweight, efficient prime mover for commercial and military marine applications. This gas turbine is a derivative of the F404 fighter jet engine whose mission objectives strongly emphasize reliability and ease of maintenance in an austere marine environment. These objectives were important to the U.S. Navy because the F/A-18 fighter jets powered by this engine are based in aircraft carriers where parts warehousing and maintenance capabilities are limited. To achieve these objectives, component designs were simplified and the total number of components was substantially reduced. These features and its modular construction make the LM1600 attractive for marine applications. Numerous marine propulsion system configurations are possible, including various combinations utilizing diesel engines or steam gas turbines as well as options for shaft or electric drive. The first commercial installation of the marine LM1600 gas turbine is already in progress, and sea trials will have commenced in late 1990. This paper describes the design, performance, installation, and maintenance features of the marine LM1600 gas turbine.
Filtering harmonic noise encountered in reverse VSP

Surface seismic noise is often be the dominant component recorded during reverse vertical seismic profiling (RVSP). In the RVSP technique the seismic source is lowered into the wellbore while receivers are deployed on the surface. It is not uncommon that the desired direct and reflected seismic signals are several times below the background noise level. An adaptive noise filter is presented and applied to both synthetic and to real data. The filter is designed to suppress stationary harmonic noise as might be generated by reciprocating engines at a drill rig site. A finite difference algorithms is used to model both the seismic signals and the noise encountered in an RVSP environment. Real RVSP data are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the filter in removing harmonic background noise.
Modulation of La Crosse Virus Infection in Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes Following Larval Exposure to Coffee Extracts

The mosquito-borne La Crosse virus (LACV; Family Bunyaviridae) may cause encephalitis, primarily in children, and is distributed throughout much of the eastern United States. No antivirals or vaccines are available for LACV, or most other mosquito-borne viruses, and prevention generally relies on mosquito control. We sought to determine whether coffee extracts could interfere with LACV replication and vector mosquito development. Both regular and decaffeinated coffee demonstrated significant reductions in LACV replication in direct antiviral assays. This activity was not due to the presence of caffeine, which did not inhibit the virus life cycle. Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito larvae suffered near total mortality when reared in high concentrations of regular and decaffeinated coffee and in caffeine. Following larval exposure to sublethal coffee concentrations, adult Ae. albopictus mosquitoes had signficantly reduced whole-body LACV titers five days post-infection, compared to larvae reared in distilled water. These results suggest that it may be possible to both control mosquito populations and alter the vector competence of mosquitoes for arthropod-borne viruses by introducing antiviral compounds into the larval habitat.
Fast 3D Single Molecule Tracking with Multifocal Plane Microscopy in Polarized Epithelia Reveals a Novel Cellular Process of Intercellular Transfer

The study of intracellular trafficking processes represents a fundamental problem in many areas of biomedical research. Single molecule imaging approaches are well suited to study heterogeneous processes in live cells. However, 3D single molecule imaging of intracellular trafficking events in a thick sample such as an epithelial-cell monolayer poses several technical challenges. Specifically, we require a methodology that not only enables fast 3D tracking of single molecules across a cell monolayer, but also enables the imaging of the cellular environment with which the single molecule interacts. Current approaches that are widely used for 3D single molecule imaging/tracking are not well suited for studying the intracellular trafficking pathways due to restricted imaging depth, poor temporal resolution, and the ability to track only a few molecules at one time. Here we show that multifocal plane microscopy (MUM), a 3D imaging modality developed by our group, provides the much needed solution to this longstanding problem by demonstrating fast 3D tracking of quantum dot labeled transferrin molecules in a ∼10 micron thick epithelial cell monolayer.The use of MUM led to the unexpected discovery of a novel cellular process, intercellular transfer, that involves the rapid exchange of Tf molecules between two adjacent cells in the monolayer. We also report 3D single molecule tracking of endocytosis and exocytosis at the lateral plasma membrane of cells in the monolayer. This lateral membrane has been notoriously difficult to image with other cellular imaging modalities. A detailed characterization of these events based on the temporal and 3D intracellular spatial behavior of Tf molecules has been made. The methods and approaches used in this study have broad applicability to investigate 3D trafficking pathways in other cell systems and models.
Utilization of Cell Chromosome Number for diagnosing Cancer Cells in Effusion

THE karyological study of cancer cells has recently been a field of increased interest. While noting that most human cancer cells have abnormal idiograms, the various contributions have been concerned largely with the theoretical nature of cancer and have provided only a minimal amount of clinically useful information1–5. Jacob6 has suggested that malignancy may be diagnosed by chromosome counts. It therefore appears worthwhile to emphasize that determining the approximate number of chromosomes of cells frequently will provide accurate diagnoses of cancer.
Strategies to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions

To the Editor The Viewpoint by Dr Butler and colleagues 1 seems to misinterpret our recent work 2 by suggesting that none of the 10 widely promoted strategies for reducing readmission for patients with heart failure was effective. Our study 2 evaluated the relationship between riskstandardized readmission rates and hospital strategies to improve transitions in care. A total of 599 hospitals (91% response rate) enrolled in the Hospital-to-Home quality campaign sponsored by the American College of Cardiology completed the survey. We found several individual strategies that were associated with significantly lower risk-standardized 30-day readmission rates in multivariable analysis. These strategies included partnering with community physicians and physician groups, partnering with local hospitals, having nurses responsible for medication reconciliation, arranging for follow-up visits before discharge, having a process in place to send all discharge or electronic summaries directly to the patient’s primary care physician, and assigning staff to follow up on test results after the patient is discharged. Hospitals that implemented more strategies had lower readmission rates by a clinically significant margin, although the magnitude of effects for any single strategy was modest. Physicians and researchers may be more satisfied with a magic bullet that single-handedly reduces readmissions; however, it is prudent to recognize the complexity of these processes and accept that multiple simultaneous interventions are needed to lower readmissions. If findings such as ours are misinterpreted to conclude nothing works, the national goals for improving important patient outcomes are unlikely to be achieved.
B. anthracis associated cardiovascular dysfunction and shock: the potential contribution of both non-toxin and toxin components

The development of cardiovascular dysfunction and shock in patients with invasive Bacillus anthracis infection has a particularly poor prognosis. Growing evidence indicates that several bacterial components likely play important pathogenic roles in this injury. As with other pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria, the B. anthracis cell wall and its peptidoglycan constituent produce a robust inflammatory response with its attendant tissue injury, disseminated intravascular coagulation and shock. However, B. anthracis also produces lethal and edema toxins that both contribute to shock. Growing evidence suggests that lethal toxin, a metalloprotease, can interfere with endothelial barrier function as well as produce myocardial dysfunction. Edema toxin has potent adenyl cyclase activity and may alter endothelial function, as well as produce direct arterial and venous relaxation. Furthermore, both toxins can weaken host defense and promote infection. Finally, B. anthracis produces non-toxin metalloproteases which new studies show can contribute to tissue injury, coagulopathy and shock. In the future, an understanding of the individual pathogenic effects of these different components and their interactions will be important for improving the management of B. anthracis infection and shock.
Sex Ratios of Black Crappies Harvested during Spring Fisheries on Two Minnesota Lakes: Are Males in the Majority?

Abstract Sex-selective fishing mortality can alter the demographics and life history patterns of fish populations, yet the extent of this mortality is rarely investigated in harvest-oriented recreational fisheries. Potential differences in habitat use between sexes and nest-guarding behavior suggest that male black crappies Pomoxis nigromaculatus could dominate angler harvest during spring fisheries. We examined the potential for male-dominated harvest in spring (late April to mid-June) recreational fisheries for black crappies occurring on two north-central Minnesota lakes. In the three spring fisheries we examined, males represented between 45% and 57% of all black crappies harvested by anglers, but sex ratios (expressed as the percentages of males) did not significantly deviate from 1:1. However, a temporal pattern in sex ratios was observed on Lake Hubert, where female black crappies dominated angler harvest before 19 May in both 2005 and 2006 (41–42% male) while the harvest on or after 19 May was dom...
Evidence for a Detrimental Effect of Bicarbonate Therapy in Hypoxic Lactic Acidosis

Lactic acidosis, a clinical syndrome caused by the accumulation of lactic acid, is characterized by lactate concentration in blood greater than 5 mM. Therapy usually consists of intravenous sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), but resultant mortality is greater than 60 percent. The metabolic and systemic effects of NaHCO3 therapy of hypoxic lactic acidosis in dogs were studied and compared to the effects of sodium chloride or no therapy. Sodium bicarbonate elevated blood lactate concentrations to a greater extent than did either sodium chloride or no treatment. Despite the infusion of NaHCO3, both arterial pH and bicarbonate concentration decreased by a similar amount in all three groups of dogs. Additional detrimental effects of NaHCO3 were observed on the cardiovascular system, including decreases in cardiac output and blood pressure that were not observed with either sodium chloride or no treatment. Thus there is evidence for a harmful effect of NaHCO3 in the treatment of hypoxic lactic acidosis.
Calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine selectively enhances cytotoxic effects of strong vs weak DNA binding antitumor drugs in doxorubicin-resistant P388 mouse leukemia cells.

Abstract Doxorubicin-resistant P388 mouse leukemia cells are cross-resistant to anthracycline and non-anthracycline DNA intercalators as well as to natural and semisynthetic anthracyclines which bind weakly or not at all to DNA. In the presence of a nonlethal concentration of 5 μM trifluoperazine cytotoxic effects of the strong DNA binding drugs actinomycin-D, mitoxantrone and m-AMSA were enhanced 2-fold enhancement in the cytotoxic effects (but not accumulation and retention) of the strong DNA binder N,N-dimethyladriamycin-14-valerate only in doxorubicin resistant cells. In contrast, cell kill, drug accumulation and retention in P388/S and P388/DOX cells treated with the weak DNA binders N-benzyl-adriamycin-14-valerate and 7(R)-O-methylnogarol, and DNA-nonbinding N,N-dibenzyldaunorubicin was similar with or without trifluoperazine treatment. The study demonstrates that the calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine induces a specific and marked enhancement in the cytotoxic effects of strong vs weak DNA binding antitumor drugs in doxorubicin-resistant cells.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and related compounds: environmental and mechanistic considerations which support the development of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs).

Halogenated aromatic compounds, typified by the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), biphenyls (PCBs), and diphenylethers (PCDEs), are industrial compounds or byproducts which have been widely identified in the environment and in chemical-waste dumpsites. Halogenated aromatics are invariably present in diverse analytes as highly complex mixtures of isomers and congeners and this complicates the hazard and risk assessment of these compounds. Several studies have confirmed the common receptor-mediated mechanism of action of toxic halogenated aromatics and this has resulted in the development of structure-activity relationships for this class of chemicals. The most toxic halogenated aromatic is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and based on in vivo and in vitro studies the relative toxicities of individual halogenated aromatics have been determined relative to TCDD (i.e., toxic equivalents). The derived toxic equivalents can be used for hazard and risk assessment of halogenated aromatic mixtures; moreover, for more complex mixtures containing congeners for which no standards are available (e.g., bromo/chloro mixtures), several in vitro or in vivo assays can be utilized for hazard or risk assessment.
Natural History of Ovarian Cancer Metastasis: An Integrated Approach

Abstract Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma (EOC) is the sixth most common malignancy in women and the leading cause of death of gynecological cancer in the world. EOC has a predisposition to metastasis to the peritoneal cavity. A late stage peritoneal dissemination results in ascites and high mortality rates with an overall survival of 20 to 30 percent at 5 years after surgery. While many studies in the literature address the issue of distant metastasis, the biology of peritoneal tumor spread in advanced ovarian cancer is not clear. Development of peritoneal carcinomatosis involves well-defined critical steps, including cell shedding and transport, interaction and adhesion to the mesothelial layer, and colonization of and proliferation into the sub-mesothelial microenvironment. It is now appreciated that there must be an initiation of a pre-metastatic niche within the target organ, one that facilitates the survival of tumor cells in a non-receptive organ. We think that a dual approach looking at oncogenomics a...
Roads Scholars: Part-Time Faculty Job Satisfaction in Community Colleges

Are part-time faculty members satisfied with their roles in higher education? Data from part-time faculty responses regarding their experiences in higher education vary. Valadez and Antony (2001) analyzed data from 6,811 part-time faculty collected from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) 1992–1993 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF). They concluded two-year part-time faculty members are satisfied with their roles, but they are concerned with issues regarding salary, benefits, and long-term job security. Similar findings were published by Leslie and Gappa (2002). Other researchers, however, have found dissimilar results (Townsend & Hauss, 2002; Jacoby, 2005). The paradoxical findings from these surveys suggest there are unanswered questions regarding part-time faculty job satisfaction in community colleges. Using survey responses from part-time faculty teaching at the 13 community colleges comprising the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), this study identified statisti...
Positive Correlation Between the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Internal Health Locus of Control

Background Because many people with chronic medical conditions use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), understanding their psychosocial characteristics may be useful for identifying effective interventions. The health locus of control (HLOC) measures the perception of controlling one's own health outcomes by various attributes. People with a high internal HLOC believe that the outcome of their own health seeking is related to their behavior or personal investment. Earlier evidence has shown that a higher internal HLOC is a predictive factor of positive treatment outcomes. Objective This study measured the correlation between the degree of CAM use and the level of HLOC. Design An online cross-sectional survey was conducted via public bulletin boards and invitational e-mails. Data from 123 usable responses were analyzed for bivariate correlation between CAM use and HLOC. Subjective reports of various medical modalities were classified into six CAM domains and one conventional biomedicine domain. Subscales of HLOC included internal, chance, and powerful others. Chronic conditions, health status, and demographics were self-reported. Results Internal HLOC significantly correlated with CAM use (Spearman's rho, P P > .130). Further analysis of this correlation for those people with chronic conditions could not identify a particular domain used more by people with a high internal HLOC ( P > .187), but the lesser use of conventional medicine was significant ( P Conclusion Complementary and alternative medicine is either empowering or has empowered patients to use CAM. People who use CAM may have a better prognosis and better management of chronic conditions.