cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epistemology, Sex, and the Shedding of Light

"GUESS WHO I SAW in a Chinese restaurant in Washington," Harry asked me. He had just returned from offering expert advice on disaster relief to government officials. "Henry Kissinger." Harry's eyes narrowed and his smile of anticipation vanished. "How did you know?" "I don't know." "Well, guess who he was eating lunch with?" "Liv Ullmann." Harry stopped combing his hair and regarded me with some bitter ness. His eyes had that disappointed look Rachel's had when, a few years ago, she left the dinner table to go to the bathroom and returned to find Harry had finished her hamburger. He assumed she was done. She has never forgotten. "How did you know?" "I don't know. I'm sorry. Tell me how they looked, anyway." That was not the whole truth. I read all the reviews of Liv Ullmann's recent
Summer movements of desert pupfish among habitats at the Salton Sea

Summer movement behavior of native desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius Baird and Girard) was evaluated among various habitats around the Salton Sea, located in southern California. Agricultural drains, shoreline pools, and Salt Creek were sampled six times between June 28 and September 16, 1999. Collected pupfish were marked using fluorescent elastomer implants. Unique marks were used at each site. Movements were detected from locations of recaptured pupfish. Desert pupfish were found in 10 of 12 sites sampled. Of 3239 pupfish captured during the study, 278 were recaptures, including 27 recaptures at areas different from where they were initially marked. The best evidence of pupfish movements was in the southwestern area of the Salton Sea between a drain and a connected shoreline pool. Movements were also observed from lower Salt Creek into a shoreline pool at the mouth of the creek as the water level dropped. The use of the Salton Sea as a migration corridor between habitats was not documented during this short study. The marking technique was successful and showed promise for future mark and recapture studies of desert pupfish.
Lexical Representations for Speech Production and Perception

Publisher Summary Each of us possesses a mental lexicon that characterizes thousands of morphemes and tens of thousands of words. The lexicon contains facts concerning the pronunciation of each item, the syntactic form class(es) of the item, semantic relations among items, and special rules to which the item is subject. The mental lexicon must be accessed for speaking, listening, reading, writing, and making linguistic judgments. Each of these activities requires, at least in part, a different method for the retrieval of information. One might assume that these differing requirements have resulted in the creation of distinct accessing mechanisms for what is still a single mental lexicon. Besides being intuitively attractive, this assumption avoids the need for storing the same information in several different modules. Alternatively, one might hypothesize the existence of several distinct lexicons, each specifically designed to serve the special needs of a given activity. This chapter examines psychological data as well as theoretical arguments concerning the requirements for storage and use of lexical information during speaking and listening.
A Macro Analysis of the Relationship of Product Involvement and Information Search: The Role of Risk

The relationship of the importance and hedonic dimensions of product involvement to information search is analyzed. Four different models of the role of perceived risk in this relationship are compared and tested. It is expected that perceived risk will mediate the effect of the dimensions of product involvement on information search. Previous investigations have used individual consumers as the units of observation and have, therefore, limited the generalizability of their results to a few products at best. In contrast, the study reported in this paper attempts to determine the relationships of interest with products as the units of observation. It is found that perceived risk fully mediates the effect of the importance dimension of product involvement on information search but not of the hedonic dimension. The effect of hedonic involvement on information search is direct.
Rapidly labeled HeLa cell nuclear RNA. II. Base composition and cellular localization of a heterogeneous RNA fraction.

It is demonstrated that a rapidly labeled heterogeneous nuclear RNA fraction (20 to 80 s) from HeLa cell nuclei is 44% GC (similar to DNA) while as previously reported ( Scherrer, Latham & Darnell, 1963 ) the 45 s precursor to ribosomal RNA has a GC content of more than 60% (similar to rRNA). The ribosomal precursor RNA can be separated from a majority of the heterogeneous RNA by the nuclear fractionation techniques of Penman, Smith & Holtzman (1966) . An attempt is made to determine whether the relative rate of synthesis of the heterogeneous nuclear RNA exceeds that which could ultimately be found in the cell cytoplasm as messenger RNA. It appears likely that at least some of this RNA is precursor to cytoplasmic messenger RNA and it is impossible at this time to state whether or not any of this heterogeneous nuclear fraction “turns over” without ever leaving the nucleus.
Maximin sonar system design for detection

A maximin approach is applied to the problem of detecting a point target in white noise and clutter. That is, the reverberation scattering function (which characterizes the clutter) is not assumed to be known exactly. The problem becomes one of finding a signal-filter combination which provides the best possible lower bound on detector performance. A "quasi-universal" solution is obtained for this problem which is applicable in many practical situations. For many other situations a general (but preliminary) theory is developed.
Correction: Characterizing chain processes in visible light photoredox catalysis

Correction for ‘Characterizing chain processes in visible light photoredox catalysis’ by Megan A. Cismesia et al., Chem. Sci., 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c5sc02185e.
A novel low-cost approach to MCM interconnect test

This paper describes a novel and low-cost technique for detecting process-related interconnect faults in MCMs. This method is an alternative to existing test methods such as TDR, TDT electron beam, and capacitance techniques which are either expensive in terms of test equipment, are cumbersome due to the requirement of multiple probes, or provide poor fault coverage. The proposed technique applies a stimulus through a tuned load and a single probe at one end of the interconnect. By measuring the attenuation of the test stimulus due to pole movement relative to known attenuation measurements, interconnect faults such as near-opens, near-shorts, opens, and shorts can be detected. The total test time is small and the hardware cost of test equipment is low. Extensive simulations have been performed to show the validity of the method.
Identification of prolactin in cerebrospinal fluid.

Studies were performed to determine if prolactin appears in cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) after intravenous administration to rabbits and if prolactin is a normal constituent of CSF in rats. Intravenous administration of a rat pituitary homogenate containing 250 μg of prolactin to adult female New Zeland white rabbits resulted in the appearance of significant quantities of prolactin in the CSF. In rats prolactin was almost undetectable in CSF on diestrous day 2, but significant quantities of prolactin were present in the CSF on the afternoon of proestrus. These results indicate that prolactin can cross the blood-brain barrier and appear in CSF in quantities that may be sufficient to exert behavioral or short loop feedback effects.
An “Arranged Love” Marriage: India's Neoliberal Turn and the Bollywood Wedding Culture Industry

In the last decade of the 20th century, coinciding with India's economic deregulation, the Hindu wedding became a core attraction in popular Indian cinema. Weddings in real life, in turn, became more elaborate organized by a wedding industry, which professionalized and commodifed work that was previously done by an informal economy or outside of it by members of the family. Evoking the Frankfurt School, this paper locates the big wedding as a product of the emerging Bollywood culture industry and its ideological redefinition of nationalism/citizenship as both acts of consumption and the re-enactment of patriarchal and caste-based identities. Challenging the explanatory power of the notion of hybridity and its rejection of “totalization” narratives, the paper asks for a reconsideration of the meta-narratives of class and gender, capital and patriarchy to understand the ways in which global capital is most intimately experienced and lived.
A Siblings Analysis of the Effects of Alcohol Consumption Onset on Educational Attainment

This article examines the relationship between youthful drinking and educational attainment using data on same-sex siblings pairs from the 1979-90 panels of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. We consider different estimators that can be constructed using siblings data, including estimators that adopt key restrictions of the standard regression, family fixed effect, and instrumental variable approaches. We also consider the properties of these estimators under more general conditions and show that under very plausible assumptions the effect of drinking on schooling can be bounded. The study finds that estimates of the schooling consequences of youthful drinking are very sensitive to specification issues. The research concludes that the actual effects of youthful drinking on education are likely to be small. (JEL 112, 121)
A Transition from a Microscopic to a Macroscopic Approach to Steady State Detonation

Recent efforts to understand initiation of reaction in crystalline explosives on the microscopic level during shock or impact have been extended to the macroscopic case. This allows a different approach to the detonation problem. The initiation portion of the detonation wave is determined and when combined with the reaction zone length completely specifies the detonation wave. Detonation in an unconfined cylinderical charge is treated. This approach should have general application beyond the narrow confines of detonation in predicting the initiation response of crystalline explosives to any arbitrary shock or impact.
An extension of the VIRA electron temperature and density models to include solar cycle variations

Abstract The original VIRA ionosphere model was based primarily on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) data obtained at solar maximum (F10.7∼200) in 1979 and 1980 when periapsis was being maintained deep in the Venusian ionosphere. In situ measurements provided data on temperature, composition, density, and drift velocity, while the radio occultation method provided height profiles of electron density, N e . The solar cycle variation was deduced by comparison with the Venera 9 and 10 occultation data from the previous solar minimum. No data were available on the solar cycle variations of other ionospheric parameters, because periapsis had already risen out of the ionosphere by the time solar activity began to decline early in 1983. During the Entry period in the Fall of 1992, however, PVO got a brief glimpse of the nightside ionosphere at lower solar activity (F10.7∼120). During the intervening decade important in situ data were obtained on the upper nightside ionosphere that extends far down stream from the planet. This region was found to be highly sensitive to solar wind interactions and solar activity. In this paper, we discuss ways in which the later PVO data can be used to extend the VIRA model to higher altitudes and to include the solar cycle variations. As an example, we present some pre-entry Orbiter Electron Temperature Probe measurements that provide new clues as to the dayside T e behavior at low solar activity.
Exosite Interactions Impact Matrix Metalloproteinase Collagen Specificities

Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family selectively cleave collagens in vivo. However, the substrate structural determinants that facilitate interaction with specific MMPs are not well defined. We hypothesized that type I–III collagen sequences located N- or C-terminal to the physiological cleavage site mediate substrate selectivity among MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-13, and MMP-14/membrane-type 1 (MT1)-MMP. The enzyme kinetics for hydrolysis of three fluorogenic triple-helical peptides (fTHPs) was evaluated herein. The first fTHP contained consensus residues 769–783 from type I–III collagens, the second inserted α1(II) collagen residues 763–768 N-terminal to the consensus sequence, and the third inserted α1(II) collagen residues 784–792 C-terminal to the consensus sequence. Our analyses showed that insertion of the C-terminal residues significantly increased kcat/Km and kcat for MMP-1. MMP-13 showed the opposite behavior with a decreased kcat/Km and kcat and a greatly improved Km in response to the C-terminal residues. Insertion of the N-terminal residues enhanced kcat/Km and kcat for MMP-8 and MT1-MMP. For MMP-2, the C-terminal residues enhanced Km and dramatically decreased kcat, resulting in a decrease in the overall activity. These changes in activities and kinetic parameters represented the collagen preferences of MMP-8, MMP-13, and MT1-MMP well. Thus, interactions with secondary binding sites (exosites) helped direct the specificity of these enzymes. However, MMP-1 collagen preferences were not recapitulated by the fTHP studies. The preference of MMP-1 for type III collagen appears to be primarily based on the flexibility of the hydrolysis site of type III collagen compared with types I and II. Further characterization of exosite determinants that govern interactions of MMPs with collagenous substrates should aid the development of pharmacotherapeutics that target individual MMPs.
Stochastic models for heterogeneous DNA sequences

The composition of naturally occurring DNA sequences is often strikingly heterogeneous. In this paper, the DNA sequence is viewed as a stochastic process with local compositional properties determined by the states of a hidden Markov chain. The model used is a discrete-state, discrete-outcome version of a general model for non-stationary time series proposed by Kitagawa (1987). A smoothing algorithm is described which can be used to reconstruct the hidden process and produce graphic displays of the compositional structure of a sequence. The problem of parameter estimation is approached using likelihood methods and an EM algorithm for approximating the maximum likelihood estimate is derived. The methods are applied to sequences from yeast mitochondrial DNA, human and mouse mitochondrial DNAs, a human X chromosomal fragment and the complete genome of bacteriophage lambda.
The influence of pretreatment characteristics and radiotherapy parameters on time interval to development of radiation-associated meningioma.

Purpose To identify pretreatment characteristics and radiotherapy parameters which may influence time interval to development of radiation-associated meningioma (RAM). Methods and Materials A Medline/PUBMED search of articles dealing with RAM yielded 66 studies between 1981 and 2006. Factors analyzed included patient age and gender, type of initial tumor treated, radiotherapy (RT) dose and volume, and time interval from RT to development of RAM. Results A total of 143 patients with a median age at RT of 12 years form the basis of this report. The most common initial tumors or conditions treated with RT were medulloblastoma ( n = 27), pituitary adenoma ( n = 20), acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( n = 20), low-grade astrocytoma ( n = 19), and tinea capitis ( n = 14). In the 116 patients whose RT fields were known, 55 (47.4%) had a portion of the brain treated, whereas 32 (27.6%) and 29 (25.0%) had craniospinal and whole-brain fields. The median time from RT to develop a RAM or latent time (LT) was 19 years (range, 1–63 years). Male gender ( p = 0.001), initial diagnosis of leukemia ( p = 0.001), and use of whole brain or craniospinal field ( p ≤ 0.0001) were associated with a shorter LT, whereas patients who received lower doses of RT had a longer LT ( p Conclusions The latent time to develop a RAM was related to gender, initial tumor type, radiotherapy volume, and radiotherapy dose.
Assessment of T cell function with a skin allograft assay.

The adoptive transfer of cytotoxic effector cells to induce accelerated skin allograft rejection in the normal murine host was used as an assay of lymphocyte function in vivo. Splenocytes sensitized in vivo caused specific accelerated skin allograft rejection when administered i.v. at a dose of 5 X 10(7) cells 1 day after grafting. Graft rejection was specific for the immunizing alloantigen and could not be transferred with freeze-thawed or irradiated cytotoxic cells. In this assay the i.v. and local routes of administering cytotoxic cells were effective whereas the i.p. and s.c. routes were not. T cells were necessary in that pretreatment of the cells with anti-Thy-1.2 plus rabbit complement abrogated this phenomenon. Immune cells from spleens of mice sensitized but no longer actively cytotoxic did not demonstrate in vivo activity. If hyperimmunized mice were challenged by i/p. allogeneic tumor, their spleen cells were highly cytotoxic by in vitro assay but acted as suppressor cells in vivo by prolonging skin graft survival. Adoptively transferred in vivo sensitized cells subsequently expanded in number by T cell growth factor did not demonstrate in vivo activity. This skin allograft assay may be used to demonstrate T cell activity in vivo by inducing accelerated allograft rejection, and immune suppression by prolonging graft survival. Also a comparison of in vivo and in vitro effects was possible.
496—Cyclic voltammetric studies on the application of carbon elctrodes in the determination of oxalic acid

Abstract The application of carbon paste and glassy carbon electrodes in the analysis of oxalic acid was investigated by comparing the characteristics of cyclic voltammograms of oxalic acid obtained in various supporting electrolytes (acetate, borate, citrate, phosphate, etc.). when a semi-micro carbon paste electrode (area 0.49 cm2) was used, the oxalic acid was oxidized at +1.0 to +1.2 V vs Ag|AgCl yielding current in the μA range (scan rate 50 mV/s) for oxalic acid concentration of approximately 10−4 M. Oxalic acid oxidation was observed under both acidic and alkaline conditions. The presence of chloride ions or oxygen did not have any deleterious effect on the electrode response. The peak current was reproducible for repeated scans obtained with the same electrode after brief stirring. The glassy carbon electrode was found to be less suitable for oxalic acid oxidation studies because the peaks in the voltammograms were poorly defined and the current response was markedly reduced. These investigations suggest that carbon paste electrodes are sensitive and stable for oxalic acid oxidation studies. A plot of the peak currents obtained with carbon paste electrode for different concentrations of oxalic acid between 1×10−4 M to 1×10−3 M was linear and reproducible. It is suggested that a flow through carbon paste electrode coupled to a chromatographic column can be used in the development of a sensitive method for oxalic acid analysis in biological samples.
Provoking More Productive Discussion of Wicked Problems

Water management is full of wicked problems. These problems often have many conflicting stakeholders with entrenched opposing positions, great complexity, shifting dynamics, and substantial uncertainties (Rittel and Webber 1973; Liebman 1976). Wicked problems elude clean technical and policy solutions. The challenges of solving such wicked problems are borne out mathematically in game theory. For many problems, the parties involved have short-term incentives to behave unproductively. Games of “chicken” or other unproductive or counterproductive deadlocks result when parties follow near-sighted objectives as the overall system continues to deteriorate (Madani and Lund 2010). Elected and agency officials have special challenges dealing with wicked problems because the controversies from addressing them can threaten their careers. One response to these controversies has been frequent use of consensus processes, in which a wide range of stakeholders are assembled to outline solutions themselves, with little governmental direction. Sometimes these processes have been very useful and produce win-win solutions for all parties. However, seeking consensus often becomes a prolonged process of endless discussions and posturing, with very little progress—an elegant way to prolong a deteriorating status quo. Many problems cannot be resolved by a consensus process alone. The demonstration of win-win opportunities is not a sufficient condition for consensus. Stakeholders are usually not ready for the rhetorical and substantive compromises needed for consensus. Decades of work and failure are often needed for stakeholders to obtain the knowledge, perspective, experience, and political position on which consensus on long-term direction is possible (Blomquist 1992; Kelley 1989). Unfortunately, stakeholders are sometimes devoted to outsmarting each other more than solving the long-term problem.
An Improved Method for The Isolation of the Lignan Constituents of Saururus Cernuus by Reverse Phase Column Chromatography

Abstract The above-ground parts of the aquatic weed, Saururus cernuus contain many constituents with varying and significant biological acitivities. In the earlier method of isolation, the concentrated methanolic extract was fractionated by a 2–3 step solvent partition, and the appropriate fractions subjected to two or three steps of chromatography, as well as other manipulations, which together, made the isolation a somewhat elaborate and time-consuming operation, especially when a medium to large-scale extraction is to be carried out. In an effort to simplify this process, the methanolic extract concentrate is now partitioned between benzene and water, and the organic extract subjected directly to reverse phase column chromatography. Most of the lignan constituents could be isolated either directly, or after one small additional column, where necessary. This method has some distinct advantages over the earlier scheme. Besides being simpler, and more readily applicable for large-scale work-up, the chloro...
Release of Genetic Variability through Recombination. II. Drosophila Persimilis.

Two samples of ten second chromosomes each of Drosophila persimilis were chosen for their near normal viability in homozygous condition from populations occupying localities in Yosemite National Park, California. A total of 1900 recombinant chromosomes from these original 20 were tested for viability effects in homozygous condition. Recombinant viabilities are lower on the average than control viabilities, that is they regress toward the average viability of homozygotes in the populations from which they come. The range of viability observed among recombinants extended from lethality to supervitality, but neither the number nor distribution of lethals is greater than or unaccountable by point mutation. This fact is in marked contrast with D. pseudoobscura which certainly produced some lethals synthetically, that is by recombination. Analysis of variance shows a significant increase in the genetic components of variability especially in interaction effects on viability and variance differences over their controls. None the less, the magnitude of this array of variance is not as great as in the sibling species, pseudoobscura. While it is known that both species are highly heterozygous, it is possible that the difference between them in these recombinant effects may be due to less epistatic interaction of nonallelic loci in persimilismore » than in pseudoobscura. On the other hand a real difference in amount of heterozygosity between these species may account for their differences in recombination effects. (auth)« less
The composition of the house of lords: Reform options and consequences

The Parliament Act of 1911 declared an intention to put the composition of the House of Lords on a popular basis. With the setting up a Royal Commission by the Labour government to make proposals for reform, Nicholas Baldwin reviews plans for reform.
Impacts of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the electric power system in the western United States

An analysis identifying future impacts on the electric power system due to additional load from plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is presented. The operation of the electric power system in the western United States was simulated under a baseline scenario (i.e., without PHEVs) and three scenarios with PHEVs. The latter scenarios assumed different time periods throughout the day when PHEVs would be charging. The study assumed that PHEVs comprised 10% of the total number of light duty vehicles on the road in 2020. Results of the simulations are presented, and the potential impacts of PHEV charging on the power system's generation mix and transmission network are identified. Conclusions are drawn from the analysis that may apply to electric power systems in other parts of the United States.
A turbulent-combustion model for homogeneous charge engines

A turbulent combustion model suitable for multidimensional, homogeneous charge engine calculation was developed. The model is based on the laminar flamelet assumption suggested in the literature for premixed combustion. Unlike previous approaches using this assumption and the variance of a progress variable to estimate the probability of flame occurrence, the new model uses both the laminar flame structure and the relevant turbulence parameters to calculate the dissipation rate of the fluctuating component of the progress variable. This is shown to yield plausible dependence of the turbulent flame speed on the laminar flame speed and on the mixture turbulence. Preliminary testing of the model was made by comparison with engine data. The computed results were in good qualitative agreement with the experimental results, but some quantitative discrepancies were observed. There are several possible causes for the observed discrepancies. One of the most likely causes is the cyclic variability present in the data, which is not accounted for in the model.
Physics of carbon nanotube electronic devices

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are amongst the most explored one-dimensional nanostructures and have attracted tremendous interest from fundamental science and technological perspectives. Albeit topologically simple, they exhibit a rich variety of intriguing electronic properties, such as metallic and semiconducting behaviour. Furthermore, these structures are atomically precise, meaning that each carbon atom is still three-fold coordinated without any dangling bonds. CNTs have been used in many laboratories to build prototype nanodevices. These devices include metallic wires, field-effect transistors, electromechanical sensors and displays. They potentially form the basis of future all-carbon electronics.This review deals with the building blocks of understanding the device physics of CNT-based nanodevices. There are many features that make CNTs different from traditional materials, including chirality-dependent electronic properties, the one-dimensional nature of electrostatic screening and the presence of several direct bandgaps. Understanding these novel properties and their impact on devices is crucial in the development and evolution of CNT applications.
MOLECULAR AND ATOMIC DIPOLE MOMENTS IN HETERONUCLEAR AND HOMONUCLEAR DIATOMICS. DENSITY FUNCTIONAL APPROACH

In our previous work ( Itskowitz, P.; Berkowitz, M. L. J. Phys. Chem. A 1997, 101, 5687), we showed how in the framework of density functional theory the energy of a molecule can be expressed as a functional of the perturbations on atomic densities. In this work we develop an approximation for these perturbations that assigns two charge distributions to each atom. With the help of this approximation, we obtain the values of the net charges for a number of heteronuclear diatomic molecules with the average error of only 5.4% compared to the experimental data. Our approach also allows us to treat homonuclear diatomics in the same way as heteronuclear. In the limit of a point dipole approximation to the charge distribution on an atom in homonuclear diatomics we obtain results which are in a reasonable agreement with the results from ab initio calculations.
Naloxone blockade of myocardial ischemic preconditioning does not require central nervous system participation.

Objective The hypothesis that naloxone blockade of ischemic preconditioning (IP)-induced infarct limitation does not require central nervous system participation was evaluated using quaternary naloxone in anesthetized rabbits (Study I) and naloxone hydrochloride in isolated rabbit hearts (Study II). Methods In Study I, rabbits underwent 30 min coronary artery occlusion and 180 min reperfusion. IP was elicited with a 5 min coronary artery occlusion beginning 15 min before the 30 min occlusion. Intravenous naloxone methiodide, 12.9 mg/kg, was bolused 10 or 1 min before IP. In Study II, rabbit hearts underwent 45 min coronary artery occlusion and 120 min reperfusion. IP was elicited with 2 cycles of 5 min coronary artery occlusion plus 5 min reperfusion, beginning 20 min before the 45 min occlusion. Naloxone hydrochloride, 1µmol/L, was added to the buffer perfusate for 25 min preceding the long coronary artery occlusion. In both studies, infarct size was assessed with tetrazolium, normalized to risk volume, and analyzed using ANOVA. Results In both studies, IP reduced infarct size compared to control (6.3 ± 2,3 vs. 29.5 ± 4,4, P = 0.007, Study I; 11.8 ± 4.7 vs. 47.7 ± 6.7, P = 0.03, Study II). In Study I, IP was not blocked when naloxone methiodide was given 10 min before IP (13.8 ± 4.8 vs. 42.3 ± 5.4, P = 0.004) but was blocked when given 1 min before IP (25.3 ± 7.2 vs. 28.4 ± 5.0, P = ns). In Study II, infarct size was intermediate in the 1µmol/L naloxone hydrochloride+IP group (19.0 ± 6.5 vs. 48.9 ± 8.4, P = ns) but IP was blocked by 100 µmol/L naloxone hydrochloride (62.6 ± 4.5 vs. 56.2 ± 6.7, P = ns). Conclusion Naloxone blockade of IP-induced infarct limitation involves a cardiac mechanism.
Laboratory Evaluation of Platelet Function

Platelets play a central role in hemostasis. Consequently, they lie at the heart of many inherited and acquired bleeding disorders and thrombotic events. The diagnosis of these disorders and monitoring of antiplatelet therapy require a thorough understanding of tests that measure platelet quantity and function. This article outlines basic concepts of platelet physiology and describes the tests that are commonly used in the clinical assessment of platelet function.
Topical ciprofloxacin versus topical fortified antibiotics in rabbit models of Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas keratitis

We tested the antibacterial activity of ophthalmic 0.3% ciprofloxacin against that of 5.0% cefazolin and 1.36% tobramycin in two experimental models of keratitis, using a methicillin-sensitive strain of Staphylococcus aureus and an aminoglycoside-sensitive strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. Both corneas of New Zealand white rabbits were intrastromally injected with either S. aureus or P. aeruginosa. Twenty-four hours later, each eye was topically treated hourly for 24 hours. In the S. aureus model, the control group received Tears Naturale Free (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX), the ciprofloxacin group received 0.3%, ciprofloxacin and the cefazolin group received 5.0% cefazolin. In the P. aeruginosa model, the control group received Tears Naturale Free, the ciprofloxacin group received 0.3% ciprofloxacin, and the tobramycin group received 1.36% tobramycin. One hour after the last eyedrops were administered, the rabbits were killed, and their corneas were processed for quantification of bacteria. For the S. aureus model, the mean (+/- SEM) colony forming units (CFU) of the control, 7.1 x 10(6) (+/- 4.0 x 10(6)); ciprofloxacin, 6.4 x 10(2) (+/- 1.6 x 10(2)); and cefazolin, 1.3 x 10(3) (+/- 1.8 x 10(2)) groups were different (F = 17.5; p = 0.001). The ciprofloxacin and cefazolin groups were not different from each other (p = 0.034). The mean (+/- SEM) CFU for the control group in the P. aeruginosa model was 2.8 x 10(8) (+/- 1.7 x 10(7)). All corneas in the ciprofloxacin and tobramycin groups were sterile.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
New improved lacZ gene fusion vectors

Abstract New plasmid vectors suitable for creating fusions with the lacZ gene have been developed. These vectors represent an improvement over currently available vectors and possess the following features: (1) an undetectable background β-galactosidase (βGal) activity in the absence of fusion, (2) an extended multiple cloning site (MCS), and (3) the ability to conveniently subclone in any one of three translational frames. Medium- and high-copy-number versions of these vectors have been developed.
Approaches to computer lab management: lockdown vs. freedom

Basic approaches to computer lab management range along a spectrum from total lockdown of lab computers to total freedom. Total lockdown, which can be implemented with system permissions and policies as well as software such as FoolProof and OnGuard, usually means that the computers' storage devices, especially the hard drives, are restricted, preventing write access by lab users (temporary drive space is sometimes available). Lab users are not allowed to install programs or save files and need to go through official channels to have their programs installed. This approach is intended to minimize support issues, protect software licenses and protect the institution from unauthorized software use. The total freedom approach allows users to use the lab computer as if it were their own. The lab manager then uses a tool such as PC-Rdist, Ghost, or Assimilator to return the computer to a clean state. This can be done at regular intervals (once a day, once a week etc.), at every startup, or on an as-needed basis. In some cases, users themselves can refresh a lab computer. This approach is intended to allow students flexibility and unlimited access to the computer. Drawbacks include inconsistent computers in the labs (especially between rebuilds) and increased network usage during the rebuilding procedure. This panel will discuss both approaches from technical as well as managerial perspectives. Panelists will represent approaches ranging across the spectrum of management strategies between lockdown and freedom. The panel discussion should be helpful for attendees who support computer labs or provide desktop support.
Endoplasmic reticulum resident protein of 90 kilodaltons associates with the T- and B-cell antigen receptors and major histocompatibility complex antigens during their assembly.

Abstract In the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), newly synthesized subunits of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), membrane-bound immunoglobulin (mIg), and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens must fold correctly and assemble completely into multimeric protein complexes prior to transport to the cell surface. Although folding and assembly may occur spontaneously, the concept that molecular chaperones facilitate these events is emerging. Here, an intracellular protein of 90-kDa apparent molecular mass, denoted IP90, was shown to be an ER resident protein that associated with partial complexes of the TCR, mIg, and MHC class I proteins but was absent from fully assembled complexes. We speculate that IP90 might participate in folding and assembly processes of these and other multisubunit protein complexes during their transit through the ER.
CALIBRATION OF SUGARCANE RESPONSE TO CALCIUM SILICATE ON FLORIDA HISTOSOLS

Silicon is considered a beneficial nutrient for sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) and yield responses to Si applications on Florida organic soils have been well documented. Growers need calibrated Si recommendations to be able to make cost-effective decisions regarding Si applications. The objective of this study was to develop a soil-test Si calibration based on yield responses to Ca silicate on Everglades Histosols. Twelve paired commercial field comparisons and three small-plot tests of Ca silicate application were conducted. Strong responses in t cane ha−1 and t sucrose ha−1 were determined with acetic acid-extractable soil Si <15 g m−3, with some response to approximately 25 g m−3. Recommendations were developed over this range with a maximum Ca silicate rate of 6.7 t ha−1. Optimum leaf Si concentration was determined to be ≥ 6.0 g kg−1, with 0.95 and 0.80 relative yield at 5.0 and 2.5 g kg−1, respectively.
Dimensional Changes During Early Healing After a Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft Procedure

Background: The subepithelial connective tissue graft (CTG) is a popular means to treat gingival recession and augment keratinized tissue. Studies exist that examine long-term outcomes of this procedure; however, changes in tissue dimensions during early healing (0 to 21 days postoperatively) are unknown. The aim of this study is to examine bucco-lingual tissue dimension (gingival tissue thickness [GT]) changes during early CTG healing using a non-invasive technique.Methods: Thirteen patients who had treatment planned for CTG on a single tooth were recruited for the study. Using a customized acrylic stent, GT was measured preoperatively, at surgery completion, and at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days postoperatively. CTG was performed using an envelope technique. GT changes were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance.Results: All CTG procedures were considered successful with no postoperative complications. GT increased 1.5 mm immediately after surgery (baseline) compared to the preoperative measurement. ...
The influence of enaminones on the transport and oral bioavailability of P-glycoprotein substrate therapeutic agents

Abstract Objective: The enaminones have shown high P-gp affinity and may act as P-gp modulators. This study investigated the potential inhibition of the enaminones on paclitaxel efflux in vitro compared to cyclosporin A, a known P-gp inhibitor, and the effectiveness of select enaminones on paclitaxel oral absorption in rats. Methods: Caco-2 transport of [ 14 C ]paclitaxel was evaluated in presence of various enaminones at 10−5 M. Concentration–effect (10−10 M to 10−4 M) profiles for the enaminones, DM27 and/or DM40, with paclitaxel and cyclosporin A were determined. Male Sprague–Dawley (250–275 g) rats were orally administered either [ 14 C ]paclitaxel (30 μCi/kg) or [ 14 C ]paclitaxel/DM27 (7 mg/kg) and blood samples were collected. Paclitaxel brain concentrations were measured. Results: Papp(A–B) of [ 14 C ]paclitaxel, with DM27 and DM40 at 10−5 M, was significantly (P
Sodium transport-related proteins in the mammalian distal nephron - distribution, ontogeny and functional aspects.

The mammalian distal nephron plays a pivotal role in adjusting urinary sodium excretion. Successive portions of the renal tubule are formed to adapt to this function, and an axial heterogeneity of the distal segments has been defined. The specific transport properties of these epithelia are accomplished by the expression of proteins (cotransporters, exchangers, channels) governing the movement of ions on either cell side. Molecular cloning of these proteins has had a marked impact on the study of their localization and function in the healthy and diseased kidney. Electroneutral cation-chloride cotransporters [Na(K)CC] have been localized to the thick ascending limb and the distal convoluted tubule using specific probes. Proteins implicated in the function of aldosterone target cells, such as the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11HSD2), an enzyme that confers mineralocorticoid specificity, have been found in the terminal portion of the nephron and the collecting duct. A mineralocorticoid-sensitive component of thiazide-sensitive NaCl transport has been identified in the distal convoluted tubule. Analysis of the ontogeny of these proteins in the maturing kidney has provided a detailed picture of epithelial differentiation and morphological specialization of the renal tubule. The study of mutations of the proteins related with NaCl transport has led to the identification of the molecular causes of inherited human diseases associated with hypo- or hypertension, and the respective sites of an impaired ion transport could be mapped to the renal tubule.
Minimax robust image fusion using an estimation theory approach

Image fusion is studied using a very basic and reasonable mathematical model for the observed images. The model attempts to characterize the statistical aspects of the problem, including the impact of random distortions, like noise. The image fusion problem is posed as an estimation problem where the best fusion algorithm minimizes the mean square error between the fused image and the true scene. The optimum image fusion approach is described for the case where all the parameters of the model are known. A robust image fusion approach is proposed for cases where various parameters of the model are unknown which may be the case in practice. It is shown that the robust image fusion approach will provide a mean square error which is always smaller than a given bound, thus limiting the loss from not knowing the exact model parameters. Further, our results imply that ignoring correlation between the noises from different sensors is a robust approach, a fact which has not been rigorously demonstrated elsewhere. Numerical results are presented which further verify the robustness of the proposed approach.
Stability of plasma γ-aminobutyric acid with time in healthy controls

Several lines of evidence suggest that ~-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an importaat role in mood disorders. Drugs whose primary effect is on the GABA system, such as progabide and valproic acid, have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of depression (Lloyd et al 1983) and mania (Pope et a11990). GABAA receptors were elevated in frontal cortex from post.morten suicide brain (Cheetham 1988), and an inverse correlation between conical GABA levels in biopsy specimens and degree of depression was reported (Honig et al 1989). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of GABA were lower in patients with depression (Gerner et a11984). Plasma levels of GABA were lower in 40%-50% of patients with unipolar depression, and also in bipolar patients whether depressed, manic, or euthymic (Petty et al 1990; Berrettini et al 1982). Plasma for GABA determination is readily obtained, compared with CSF or brain tissue. Additionally, plasma GABA correlates well with CSF GABA (Uhlhaas et al 1986) in healthy controls. In laboratory animals, plasma GABA reflects brain GABA activity (Loscher 1979). Plasma GABA is low in both depressed and manic patients, does not correlate with symptom severity, and does not normalize with clinical improvement on follow-up (Petty et ai 1990).
Schema mappings and data examples

Schema mappings are high-level specifications that describe the relationship between two database schemas. They are considered to be the essential building blocks in data exchange and data integration, and have been the focus of extensive research investigations. Since in real-life applications schema mappings can be quite complex, it is important to develop methods and tools for illustrating, explaining, and deriving schema mappings. A promising approach to this effect is to use "good" data examples that illustrate the schema mapping at hand.In this talk, we present an overview of recent work on characterizing schema mappings via a finite set of data examples. We show that every LAV schema mapping (i.e., a schema mapping specified by a finite set of local-as-view tuple-generating dependencies) is uniquely characterized by a finite set of universal data examples with respect to the class of all LAV schema mappings. We also show that this type of result does not hold for arbitrary GAV schema mappings (i.e., schema mappings specified by a finite set of global-as-view tuple-generating dependencies). After this, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for a GAV schema mapping to be uniquely characterizable by a finite set of universal examples with respect to the class of all GAV schema mappings. Along the way, we establish tight connections between unique characterizability of schema mappings, Armstrong databases, and homomorphism dualities.
Glacial Geology of the Reedy Glacier Area, Antarctica

The Reedy Glacier is an outlet from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and flows through the Transantarctic Mountains to the Ross Ice Shelf. The higher parts of the mountains consist of plateau remnants at about 3000 to 3500 m elevation. A shallow depression in this surface is filled with 40 m of till underlain by mass-wasted sandstone bedrock. The basal till consists of granite fragments, probably derived from a hill nearby. The remainder has a clay-rich matrix and contains fragments of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks that were probably derived from the plateau surface. All the till except the superficial layer was apparently deposited by temperate, wet-based ice. In an ice-free area at 1400 m elevation alongside the Reedy Glacier, about halfway between the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Ross Ice Shelf, stranded lateral moraines indicate former ice levels 750 m, 400 m, and 260 m above the present glacier surface. Granitic boulders on the surface at 750 m are highly weathered, those at 400 m are moderately weathered, and those at 260 m are virtually unweathered. Toward the head of the glacier these three sets of stranded moraines progressively approach each other and are also closer to the present ice surface. There is no evidence that the ice of the Polar Plateau has varied much since its establishment. Alongside the Reedy Glacier at about 1500 m elevation, 90 m of ice-marginal lake sediments are exposed. At present virtually no meltwater is present. Inactive solifluction flows occur further up the glacier at about 2000 m elevation. The till sequence on the high plateau is believed to indicate progressive refrigeration and the replacement of a small, local glacier by a temperate, local ice cap that later became polar and dry-based. The temperate ice cap must have antedated the Antarctic Ice Sheet and probably existed during the Pliocene. The variations in thickness of the Reedy Glacier after it had become an outlet of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet are thought to have been determined mainly by the position of the grounding line of the Ross Ice Shelf, which was controlled by eustatic changes in sea level, so that the glacier thickened during northern hemisphere glaciations. The lake sediments and solifluction flows indicate “interglacial” conditions 6° to 10° C warmer than at present.
Identifying the anxiety antecedents of a psychosomatic reaction: A transcript

This transcript shows the elicitation of information indicating that a patient's episodes of anorexia nervosa were based upon anxiety occasioned by “desertion” by people important to her.
Spectrally resolved photo depopulation of electron trapping defects in amorphous silica films

Abstract Techniques similar to those employed in studies of defect photo-conductivity have been used to examine the electronic structure of electron trapping defects in thin films of amorphous SiO 2 thermally grown on Si substrates. Analysis of spectrally resolved photo depopulation of the filled trap states indicates that they consist of an inhomogeneously broadened distribution peaked approximately 2.2 eV below the silicon dioxide conduction band edge.