cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic functions and intraparticle mass transfer kinetics of structural analogues of a template on molecularly imprinted polymers in liquid chromatography

The parameters of the thermodynamics and mass transfer kinetics of the structural analogues (L-enantiomers) of the template were measured on an Fmoc-L-tryptophan (Fmoc-L-Trp) imprinted polymer, at different temperatures. The equilibrium isotherm data and the overloaded band profiles of these compounds were measured at temperatures of 298, 313, 323, and 333 K. The isotherm data were modeled. The thermodynamic functions of the different adsorption sites were derived from the isotherm parameters, using van't Hoff plots. The mass transfer parameters were derived by comparing the experimental peak profiles and profiles calculated using the lumped pore diffusion (POR) model for chromatography. These data show that (1) the strength between the substrate molecules and the MIP increases with increasing number of functional groups on the substrates; (2) enthalpy is the driving force for the affinity of the substrates for the MIP; (3) surface diffusion is the dominant mass transfer mechanism of the substrates through the porous MIP. For those substrate molecules that have the same stereochemistry as the template, the energetic surface heterogeneity needs to be incorporated into the surface diffusion coefficients. Heterogeneous surface diffusivities decrease with increasing affinity of the substrates for the MIP.
Geometrical aspects of computed tomography: sensitivity profile and exposure profile.

A simple model has been developed for the generation of theoretical sensitivity and exposure profiles perpendicular to the tomographic plane in computed x‐ray tomography. The model incorporates the functional dependence on scanner geometry, focal spot size and shape, and detector sensitivity. The sensitivity and exposure profiles are best depicted as the convolution of functions, when appropriately scaled, describing the focal spot intensity distribution and the transmittance of the pre‐ and postpatient collimators. Predictions of the model agree well with experimental results on both sensitivity and exposure profiles for small and large nominal slice thicknesses from five different computed tomography(CT) x‐ray systems. The CT x‐ray systems selected represent both state of the art and older scanner models. Comparisons are also made on the degree of matching of the sensitivity and exposure profiles for each scanner which can be used as a measure of geometrical efficiency in the direction perpendicular to the tomographic plane.
Overtone spectroscopy of isobutane at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract The spectra of the fundamental and overtones of the CH stretches of (CH 3 ) 3 CH have been measured in liquid argon solutions at 90 K and for the pure liquid sample at 135 K. Absorptions in the visible were obtained with a low temperature cell and a resonant continuous wave laser technique with acoustic detection. Absorptions in the IR and near-IR were observed with a Fourier transform spectrophotometer. Comparison is made between the absorption bands in gas phase, liquid argon solution, and liquid phase isobutane. The spectra of isobutane in solution show improved resolution of the vibrational bands with respect to the room temperature gas phase bands and the pure liquid bands at 135 K. To interpret the experimental results, overtone transitions are described in terms of the local mode model. A harmonically coupled anharmonic oscillator (HCAO) model was used to determine the overtone energy levels and assign the absorption bands to vibrational transitions. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations of geometries and vibrational frequencies were also performed.
An experimental study of new attachment procedure in beagle dogs.

The present pilot study was designed to examine the healing sequence when cells from the PDL are allowed to migrate coronally and populate the curetted root surface. Mucoperiosteal flaps were reflected around the premolars and mandibular incisors of two beagle dogs with naturally-occurring periodontal disease. The roots were thoroughly planed, and grooves were marked at the level of the crest of remaining alveolar bone. Millipore filters (pore size 3 microns) were adapted circumferentially to the roots and sealed to the teeth above the CEJ with cyanoacrylate before suturing the flaps. Histologic analysis of the experimental and sham-operated control teeth was done at 5, 7, 8, 10, and 12 weeks after the surgery. An initial phase of root resorption was followed by new connective tissue attachment coronal to the groove in successful experimental teeth. No new connective tissue attachment could be seen in the controls although the JE appeared to be located slightly coronal to the groove with time. The findings of the present study suggest that the chances of obtaining a new connective tissue attachment may be enhanced if surgical procedures are designed to allow selective population of curetted root surfaces by cells arising from the PDL.
Perturbation of the Electron Transport Mechanism by Proton Intercalation in Nanoporous TiO2 Films

This study addresses a long-standing controversy about the electron-transport mechanism in porous metal oxide semiconductor films that are commonly used in dye-sensitized solar cells and related sy...
Estimating transpiration and the sensitivity of carbon uptake to water availability in a subalpine forest using a simple ecosystem process model informed by measured net CO2 and H2O fluxes

Modeling how the role of forests in the carbon cycle will respond to predicted changes in water availability hinges on an understanding of the processes controlling water use in ecosystems. Recent studies in forest ecosystem modeling have employed data-assimilation techniques to generate parameter sets that conform to observations, and predict net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and its component processes. Since the carbon and water cycles are linked, there should be additional process information available from ecosystem H2O exchange. We coupled SIPNET (Simple Photosynthesis EvapoTranspiration), a simplified model of ecosystem function, with a data-assimilation system to estimate parameters leading to model predictions most closely matching the net CO2 and H2O fluxes measured by eddy covariance in a high-elevation, subalpine forest ecosystem. When optimized using measurements of CO2 exchange, the model matched observed NEE (RMSE = 0.49 g C m−2) but underestimated transpiration calculated independently from sap flow measurements by a factor of 4. Consequently, the carbon-only optimization was insensitive to imposed changes in water availability. Including eddy flux data from both CO2 and H2O exchange to the optimization reduced the model fit to the observed NEE fluxes only slightly (RME = 0.53 g C m−2), however this parameterization also reproduced transpiration calculated from independent sap flow measurements (r2 = 0.67, slope = 0.6). A significant amount of information can be extracted from simultaneous analysis of CO2 and H2O exchange, which improved the accuracy of transpiration estimates from measured evapotranspiration. Conversely, failure to include both CO2 and H2O data streams can generate results that mask the responses of ecosystem carbon cycling to variation in the precipitation. In applying the model conditioned on both CO2 and H2O fluxes to the subalpine forest at the Niwot Ridge AmeriFlux site, we observed that the onset of transpiration is coincident with warm soil temperatures. However, after snow has covered the ground in the fall, we observed significant inter-annual variability in the fraction of evapotranspiration composed of transpiration; evapotranspiration was dominated by transpiration in years when late fall air temperatures were high enough to maintain photosynthesis, but by sublimation from the surface of the snowpack in years when late fall air temperatures were colder and forest photosynthetic activity had ceased. Data-assimilation techniques and simultaneous measurements of carbon and water exchange can be used to quantify the response of net carbon uptake to changes in water availability by using an ecosystem model where the carbon and water cycles are linked.
Population genomics of rapid adaptation by soft selective sweeps

Organisms can often adapt surprisingly quickly to evolutionary challenges, such as the application of pesticides or antibiotics, suggesting an abundant supply of adaptive genetic variation. In these situations, adaptation should commonly produce 'soft' selective sweeps, where multiple adaptive alleles sweep through the population at the same time, either because the alleles were already present as standing genetic variation or arose independently by recurrent de novo mutations. Most well-known examples of rapid molecular adaptation indeed show signatures of such soft selective sweeps. Here, we review the current understanding of the mechanisms that produce soft sweeps and the approaches used for their identification in population genomic data. We argue that soft sweeps might be the dominant mode of adaptation in many species.
Behavioral and biochemical responses of mice to the intraventricular administration of ACTH analogs and lysine vasopressin.

Abstract ACTH 1−24 , ACTH 4−10 , ACTH 4−10 (D-phe), lysine vasopressin (LVP) or an amino acid mixture were administered to mice using bilateral intraventricular injections (5×10 −9 moles per mouse). Behavioral observations were made for the subsequent 85 minutes, and the incorporation of subcutaneously injected [ 3 H]lysine into brain proteins assayed for the last 10 minutes of this period. Mice injected with ACTH 1−24 showed the previously reported stretching and yawning syndrome, an effect also observed with ACTH 4−10 (D-phe) but less often. These same peptides also induced a pronounced increase in the proportion of time mice spent grooming. LVP caused a dramatic hyperactivity; mice so injected moved continously about the cage occasionally eating or grooming, but were never still. Injection with ACTH 1−24 or ACTH 4−10 (D-phe), but not ACTH 4−10 or LVP, caused significant increases in the incorporation of [ 3 H]lysine into brain protein.
Integral Equations for the Scattering by a Three Dimensional Inhomogeneous Chiral Body

Integral equations are obtained for the electromagnetic (EM) scattering by an inhomogeneous, isotropic, three dimensional chiral body. The chiral body is assumed to be in free space, and it can be attached to a perfect electric conducting (PEC) body. The integral equations are obtained with the help of vector-dyadic identities and the free space dyadic Green's function. These equations are expressed in terms of a volume integral with the electric field as the unknown and surface integrals where the tangential components of the electric field and its curl are the unknowns. The integral equations are then transformed into a linear system of simultaneous equations by means of the moment method technique. Expressions for the scattered field in the far-zone are also obtained by replacing the dyadic Green's function and its curl with their large argument approximations. Furthermore, closed form expressions are obtained for the fields and dipole moments induced inside an electrically small, homogeneous chiral sp...
Synergistic Up-Regulation of Prostaglandin E Synthase Expression in Breast Cancer Cells by 17β-Estradiol and Proinflammatory Cytokines

Inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and prostaglandins, play a fundamental role in estrogen-dependent breast cancer through their ability to up-regulate aromatase expression and subsequent local production of estrogens in the breast. To study the link between estrogens and inflammation further, we examined the regulation of prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES), a key enzyme in the production of prostaglandin E2. We found that 17beta-estradiol (E2) rapidly and robustly up-regulates PTGES mRNA and protein levels in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells through ER recruitment to an essential estrogen response element located in the 5' flanking region of the PTGES gene. PTGES is also up-regulated by the proinflammatory cytokines TNFalpha or IL-1beta. Surprisingly, the combination of E2 and cytokines leads to a synergistic up-regulation of PTGES in an ER and nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB)-dependent manner. This is in contrast to the mutual transrepression between ER and NFkappaB that has been well characterized in other cell types. Furthermore, we found enhanced recruitment of ERalpha as well as the NFkappaB family member, p65, to the PTGES estrogen response element by the combination of E2 and TNFalpha compared with either E2 or TNFalpha alone. The synergistic up-regulation of PTGES may result in enhanced prostaglandin E2 production, which in turn may further enhance aromatase expression and production of local estrogens. Our findings suggest that a finely tuned positive feedback mechanism between estrogens and inflammatory factors may exist in the breast and contribute to hormone-dependent breast cancer growth and progression.
SimpleGrid 2.0: a learning and development toolkit for building highly usable TeraGrid science gateways

The science gateway approach has been widely employed to bridge cyberinfrastructure and domain science communities for advancing scientific and engineering problem solving. Numerous efforts have been made toward developing Web-based gateway systems to enable efficient and integrated access to cyberinfrastructure resources and services. As the number of science gateways grows rapidly, however, it still remains challenging for a science gateway to be widely adopted and used by its targeted science community users mainly because of the difficulties in efficiently providing transparent access to cyberinfrastructure, creating user-friendly gateway user environments, and developing and integrating domain-specific gateway applications. This paper develops a usability-oriented Web approach to address these difficulties, and extends the SimpleGrid Toolkit to enable the learning and development of highly usable gateway software components. The paper illustrates the use of cutting edge Web 2.0 technologies in building highly interactive and collaborative gateway user environments. Based on service-oriented architecture, a gateway Web service framework is designed and implemented to efficiently convert domain scientific programs into REST Web services. This framework allows flexible service deployment and integration by representing a service as a Web resource that can be accessed using standard Web protocols. SimpleGrid is packaged and documented for efficient learning, as illustrated by the experiences of using the SimpleGrid Toolkit in TeraGrid science gateway tutorials and targeted gateway support.
Mathematics and Scientific Representation

Mathematics and Scientific Representation Christopher Pincock New York, Oxford University Press, 2012 xiv + 330 pp., ISBN 9780199757107, US$65.00 (hardback) In Mathematics and Scientific Representa...
The Robustness of Self-Control in Relation to Form of Delinquency:

This study of a statewide, stratified random sample of 3,335 public high school students is designed to examine the robustness of self-control in predicting alcohol consumption, other drug use, cri...
Variational methods, bounds and size effects for composites with highly conducting interface

Abstract New variational principles are developed for the effective conductivity tensor for anisotropic two-phase electric conductors. Here the interface between phases is assumed to be highly conducting. Extra geometric information is encoded into the principles through the solution operators of simpler transport problems. These operators can be expressed as gradients of simple layer potentials with densities supported on phase interfaces or in terms of simple Dirichlet problems inside each phase region. New upper bounds on the effective conductivity are found that depend upon component volume fractions, a surface energy tensor and a scale-free matrix of parameters. This matrix corresponds to the effective conductivity tensor associated with the same geometry but with perfectly conducting inclusions. New lower bounds are given in terms of two-point correlation functions, component volume fractions, and interfacial geometric parameters. Both upper and lower bounds are found to be optimal for certain choices of interfacial parameters. For isotropic polydisperse suspensions of spheres we are able to estimate the effective conductivity based on measured values of the size distribution of the spheres. Conversely, we are able to characterize the size distribution of the spherical inclusions based on measured values of the effective conductivity.
Indirect Additive Manufacturing Based Casting (I AM Casting) of a Lattice Structure

Direct-metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM) methods are being used to fabricate complex metallic cellular structures with a laser or electron beam over a metal powder bed. Even though these processes have excellent capabilities to fabricate parts with cellular mesostructures, there exist several constraints in the processes and applications: limited selection of materials, high thermal stress by the high local energy source, poor surface finish, and anisotropic properties of parts caused by combined effects of one-dimensional (1D) energy based patterning mechanism, the deposition layer thickness, powder size, power and travel speed of laser or electron beam. In addition, manufacturing cost is still high with the Direct-metal AM processes. As an alternative for manufacturing metallic 3D cellular structures, which can overcome the disadvantages of direct-metal AM techniques, polymer AM methods may be combined with metal casting. We may call this “Indirect AM based Casting (I AM casting)”. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of I AM Casting associated with development of a novel manufacturing process — Indirect 3D Printing based centrifugal casting which is capable of producing multifunctional metallic cellular structures with internal cooling channels having a 2mm inner diameter and 0.5mm wall thickness. We characterize polymers by making expendable patterns with a polyjet type 3D printer; e.g., modulus, strength, melting and glass transition temperatures and thermal expansion coefficients. A transient flow and heat-transfer analysis of molten metal through 3D cellular network mold will be conducted. Solidification of molten metal through cellular mold during casting will be simulated with temperature dependent properties of molten metal and mold over a range of running temperatures. The volume of fluid (VOF) method will be implemented to simulate the solidification of molten metal together with a user defined function (UDF) of ANSYS/FLUENT. Finally, experimental validation will be conducted.© 2014 ASME
Meaning and Purpose in the Lives of Persons with AIDS

Little research has been reported that explores meaning-discovery and meaning-making in persons with AIDS. Self-transcendence experiences, as proposed by Reed (1991), may lead to maintenance or restoration of mental health in persons facing end-of-life issues. Nurses who work with persons with life-threatening illness, such as men and women with AIDS, have opportunities to facilitate choices that lead to experiences from which meaning and emotional well-being may be obtained. This study used a phenomenological approach to describe experiences of 10 men and 10 women with AIDS that led to feelings of increased self-worth, purpose, and meaning in their lives. Participants provided oral or written descriptions of experiences associated with feelings of increased connectedness with others, sense of well-being, and hope for longer life. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological technique (1978). Although men and women with AIDS faced some of the same issues, their responses were different. By incorporating gender and individual differences, nurses may be better able to create therapeutic exchanges in which self-transcendence views and behaviors are fostered in both men and women with AIDS.
Striving for normalcy: symptoms and the threat of rejection after lung transplantation.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the psychosocial process of the symptom experience associated with the threat of organ rejection after lung transplantation. A grounded theory approach, including theoretical sampling and constant comparative analyses, was used in a sample of 14 lung transplant recipients who varied in age, gender, underlying lung disease, experience with rejection, and time since transplantation. 'Striving for normalcy' was the core process linking each of the four stages of the symptom experience and interpretation: naivete, vulnerability, discovery, and insight. Each stage was marked by an initiating event, a predictable symptom response, and a dialectic (an internal struggle between recipients' personal perceptions of the situation and the juxtaposed understandings of the situation that they gleaned from transplant clinicians). Each stage was also labeled with a descriptor of the aspect of striving for normalcy that accounted for the variation in the symptom responses that recipients exhibited, the dialectics they faced, and the exemplars for each stage of the process. During the stage of naivete, recipients were elated at improvements after transplantation, and often denied or delayed reporting symptoms. Once they experienced a rejection episode they entered the stage of vulnerability and became more vigilant about symptoms. The discovery stage was marked by the realization that rejection lacked characteristic symptoms; therefore, it was important to recognize any changes from their baseline condition. Recipients who achieved the insight stage realized that until they gave up some independence in exchange for interdependence, extended periods of normalcy eluded them, and embraced a reciprocal relationship with the transplant team. Knowledge that recipients' experience evolves over time from furtive hope during the stage of naivete to qualified hope during the insight stage, directs us to intervene using stage-specific interventions to promote better symptom recognition and reporting.
Preparation of powdered targets

Abstract Routinely successful preparation of sturdy powder targets with uniform thicknesses ranging from 1–20 mg/cm 2 by a conveniently simple technique is discussed. Targets produced are sandwiched between and aligned with Al foils by the procedure. Quality of the targets is verified with scanning electron microscopy and beta radiography. The technique should be applicable to a wide variety of materials.
Thermoplastic Photoconductor For Optical Recording And Storage - New Developments

Two new developments in the thermoplastic-photoconductor medium technology for optical recording are reported. The first concerns a method for utilization of the medium for bit-serial recording which expands the range of potential applications of the medium. The second concerns a unique medium configuration which leads to improved performance in terms of higher diffraction efficiency, long latency between exposure and development and most importantly, a significant reduction of frost noise.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 in renal medulla.

AIM Renal medulla is a major site for production and action of prostaglandins (PGs). The renal medullary functions as well as structural integrity are in part dependent on PGs under certain physiological or pathophysiological conditions. The two COX isoforms, COX-1 (constitutive form) and COX-2 (inducible form) are both abundantly expressed in renal inner medulla at basal state, raising a question of which COX isoform may mediate the known functions of PGs in the region. As in many other cell types, COX-1 expression in renal medulla is unlikely subject to robust regulation. In contrast, COX-2 expression in renal medulla is markedly stimulated by chronic salt loading, dehydration and endotoxaemia in vivo. At cellular levels, the signalling pathways responsible for the COX-2 stimulation in renal medullary cells seem to involve both the mitogen-activated protein kinases and NF-kappa B. It is likely that in response to various insults that are detrimental to renal medulla, the induction of PG synthesis may become more dependent on COX-2 than COX-1, and this phenomenon may be relevant to the cytoprotective response against the insults.
Development of radioligands with optimized imaging properties for quantification of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by positron emission tomography

Abstract Aims There is an urgent need for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) to study the role of the nicotinic system in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, schizophrenia, drug dependence and many other disorders. Greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the nicotinic system could direct the development of medications to treat these disorders. Central nAChRs also contribute to a variety of brain functions, including cognition, behavior and memory. Main methods Currently, only two radiotracers, (S)-3-(azetidin-2-ylmethoxy)-2-[18F]fluoropyridine (2-[18F]FA) and (S)-5-(azetidin-2-ylmethoxy)-2-[18F]fluoropyridine (6-[18F]FA), are available for studying nAChRs in human brain using PET. However, the “slow” brain kinetics of these radiotracers hamper mathematical modeling and reliable measurement of kinetic parameters since it takes 4–7 h of PET scanning for the tracers to reach steady state. The imaging drawbacks of the presently available nAChR radioligands have initiated the development of radioligands with faster brain kinetics by several research groups. Key findings This minireview attempts to survey the important achievements of several research groups in the discovery of PET nicotinic radioligands reached recently. Specifically, this article reviews papers published from 2006 through 2008 describing the development of fifteen new nAChR 11C-and 18F-ligands that show improved imaging properties over 2-[18F]FA. Significance The continuous efforts of radiomedicinal chemists led to the development of several interesting PET radioligands for imaging of nAChR including [18F]AZAN, a potentially superior alternative to 2-[18F]FA.
Effect of Plant Residue on Germination of Selected Rice Cultivars

The effects of rice straw and alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) residue on germination of selected rice cultivars grown in Louisiana were studied. Germination was influenced by both plan...
Pyrosequencing-based validation of a simple cell-suspension polymerase chain reaction assay for Campylobacter with application of high-processivity polymerase and novel internal amplification controls for rapid and specific detection.

Although Campylobacter is an important food-borne human pathogen, there remains a lack of molecular diagnostic assays that are simple to use, cost-effective, and provide rapid results in research, clinical, or regulatory laboratories. Of the numerous Campylobacter assays that do exist, to our knowledge none has been empirically tested for specificity using high-throughput sequencing. Here we demonstrate the power of next-generation sequencing to determine the specificity of a widely cited Campylobacter-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and describe a rapid method for direct cell suspension PCR to quickly and easily screen samples for Campylobacter. We present a specific protocol which eliminates the need for time-consuming and expensive genomic DNA extractions and, using a high-processivity polymerase, demonstrate conclusive screening of samples in 99%) sensitive, and spike-back experiments demonstrated a detection threshold of <10(2) CFU mL(-1). Additionally, we present 2 newly designed broad-range bacterial primer sets targeting the 23S rRNA gene that have wide applicability as internal amplification controls. Empirical testing of putative taxon-specific assays using high-throughput sequencing is an important validation step that is now financially feasible for research, regulatory, or clinical applications.
Explicit conditions for controllability of linear systems with time lag

The concept of controllability for systems with time delay is discussed and sufficient conditions, displayed explicitly in terms of the known system coefficient matrices, are given. The notion of controllability for systems with delay(s) is then related to systems without delay.
Factors associated with the psychological and behavioral adjustment of siblings of youths with spina bifida.

The intensive health management activities associated with spina bifida (SB) often command a pervasive presence in the lives of families and may place some members at risk for psychosocial difficulties. However, research on the risk and protective factors associated with sibling adjustment is limited. Anchored upon a social-ecological theoretical framework, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationships between select individual, family, and peer factors and sibling adjustment. A convenience sample of 224 adolescent siblings and parents of youths with SB responded to anonymous mailed surveys. Siblings completed measures of attitude toward spina bifida, family satisfaction, warmth and conflict in the sibling relationship, peer support, and three dimensions of adjustment—self-concept, prosocial behavior, and behavior problems. Parents provided SB clinical data and family demographics. The individual, family, and peer factors explained a significant amount of variance in sibling self-concept, prosocial behavior, and behavior difficulties, with R 2 ranging from .27 to .57. Differing patterns of the relationships between the ecological factors and sibling adjustment emerged. Findings highlight multi-level opportunities to intervene and support siblings. Minimizing threats and bolstering protective influences on sibling adjustment is an essential component of family-centered services in SB.
Behaviour of selenium in GaAs

Abstract The relation between Se concentration and room temperature free electron density in GaAs is analysed theoretically assuming that part of the Se forms neutral complexes V Ga Se 3 ( V Ga is a Ga vacancy). Incomplete equilibration during cooling and the role of vacancy concentration is discussed. Results are dependent upon values of the binding enthalpy of the complex, h b , and formation enthalpy of vacancies, H S , in the combination H B −H s 2 . The theory is in good agreement with published experiments (1) on doping efficiency and (2) on dependence on annealing temperature for fixed Se content. A value of H B −H S 2 ≈ 1.8 eV is derived, yielding an estimate of about 4 eV for the binding energy of the complex.
A simple depletion model of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles cannot account for paired-pulse depression

Paired-pulse depression (PPD) is a form of short-term plasticity that plays a central role in processing of synaptic activity and is manifest as a decrease in the size of the response to the second of two closely timed stimuli. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, PPD is still commonly thought to reflect depletion of the pool of synaptic vesicles available for release in response to the second stimulus. Here it is shown that PPD cannot be accounted for by depletion at excitatory synapses made by hippocampal neurons because PPD is unaffected by changes in the fraction of the readily releasable pool (RRP) released by the first of a pair of pulses.
What’s new in general thoracic surgery

Abstract "What's New in Surgery" evolves from the contributions of leaders in each of the fields of surgery. In every instance the author has been designated by the appropriate Council from the American College of Surgeons' Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. This feature is now presented in issues of the Journal throughout the year.
Cardiac Hemangioma Presenting with Angina Pectoris

A 60-year-old female presented with a two-year history of exertional chest pain and progressive dyspnea. Resection of a cardiac hemangioma arising from the area of the bifurcation of the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries resulted in complete resolution of her symptoms. The symptoms were likely caused by coronary steal.
A Comparison of the Hemostatic Effects of Notoginseng and Yun Nan Bai Yao to Placebo Control

Introduction: We previously demonstrated the hemostatic effects of notoginseng using a rat bleeding model. Yun Nan Bai Yao is a proprietary product for external use in China to treat bleeding but the hemostatic effects have not been proven. This study was conducted to compare the hemostatic effects of notoginseng to that of Yun Nan Bai Yao and placebo control.Methods: Rats (n = 37) were randomized into 3 groups and their tails were transected 5 mm from the tip in this blinded investigation. Group 1 received placebo (wheat flour, n = 17), group 2 received notoginseng (n = 10) and group 3 received the Yun Nan Bai Yao (n = 10). The total bleeding time was determined and compared among groups.Results: Bleeding time in minutes was 29.7% and 22.3% lower in the notoginseng and Yun Nan Bai Yao groups than the placebo group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was found between the two active groups (p = 0.418).Conclusions: When applied externally, both notoginseng and Yun Nan Bai Yao...
Determinants of mortality among postmenopausal women in the women's health initiative who report rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We measured anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody levels and determined use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) among women in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). Using these data, we undertook this study to assess total mortality over 10 years of followup among white, black, or Hispanic women with self-reported RA in the WHI. Methods Using stored baseline serum, we measured anti-CCP, rheumatoid factor (RF), and antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in 9,988 women who reported having RA. Based on a previous chart review study, probable RA was defined as either self-reported RA and anti-CCP positivity, or anti-CCP negativity and DMARD use. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the relationship of self-reported RA, DMARD exposure, and anti-CCP positivity to total mortality, using followup data through April 2009. Results At baseline, the mean age was 62.8 years; 24.5% of subjects were black and 10% were Hispanic. Prevalence of anti-CCP positivity was 8.1% (n = 812), and 217 women were anti-CCP negative but had reported use of DMARDs; therefore, 1,029 women (of 9,988) were classified as having probable RA, and 8,958 were classified as unlikely to have RA (with data on DMARD use missing for 1 subject). Age-adjusted mortality rates were ∼2-fold higher for anti-CCP–positive women, with 20.2 deaths per 1,000 person-years, as compared to 11.4 deaths per 1,000 person-years among anti-CCP–negative women with self-reported RA who never used DMARDs. Among women who did not report any arthritis at baseline, we found 8.3 deaths per 1,000 person-years. The increased risk among anti-CCP–positive women with RA was not explained by age, RF positivity, ANA positivity, or DMARD use. Conclusion Anti-CCP–positive RA was associated with substantial excess mortality among postmenopausal women in the WHI. This result was not explained by the risk factors we measured.
3-D imaging of large scale buried structure by 1-D inversion of very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) data

A simple and efficient method for large scale three-dimensional (3D) subsurface imaging of inhomogeneous background is presented. One-dimensional (1D) multifrequency distorted Born iterative method (DBIM) is employed in the inversion. Simulation results utilizing synthetic scattering data are given. Calibration of the very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) experimental waveforms is detailed along with major problems encountered in practice and their solutions. This discussion is followed by the results of a large scale application of the method to the experimental data provided by the VETEM system of the U.S. Geological Survey. The method is shown to have a computational complexity that is promising for on-site inversion.
An Argument for WTO Oversight of Ecolabels

When the World Trade Organization (WTO) determined that the U.S.’s “dolphin-safe” tuna labels violated WTO obligations, environmentalists disparaged the organization for “ensur[ing] thousands of dolphins horrible deaths in tuna nets.” When another decision found that the U.S.’s meat labeling rules violated WTO dictates, consumer protection groups similarly lambasted the international institution for “leading a race to the bottom in consumer protection.” But these decisions pushed U.S. regulators to institute stronger measures that are more protective of dolphin and consumer safety. These strengthened protections are not accidental. The WTO opposed the original measures because they created uneven burdens, distorting trade without corresponding environmental or consumer benefit. Its intervention thus pushed the United States to improve its labeling systems for wider environmental and consumer benefit. This paper argues that such regulation by the WTO can improve environmental marketing more broadly, despite traditional environmentalist opposition to WTO intervention.
Optochemical nanosensors and subcellular applications in living cells

What may be the smallest anthropogenic devices to date, spherical sensors (wireless and fiberless) with radii as small as 10 nm have been produced. This class of optochemical PEBBLE (Probe Encapsulated By Biologically Localized Embedding) sensors covers a wide range of analytes (pH, calcium, oxygen and potassium included here) with excellent spatial, temporal and chemical resolution. Examples of such sensors for the monitoring of intracellular analytes are given. Methods, such as pico-injection, liposomal delivery and gene gun bombardment, are used to inject PEBBLE sensors into single cells. These PEBBLEs have caused minimal perturbation when delivered and operated inside single mammalian cells, such as human neuroblastoma, mouse oocytes or rat alveolar macrophage.
Biotin accounts for less than half of all biotin and biotin metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid of children.

Background Biotin is likely transported into cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) via one or more specific transporters. Concentrations of biotin in CSF measured by using modern analytic techniques that are specific for biotin and biotin metabolites have not previously been reported. Objectives We aimed to accurately measure the concentration of biotin and major biotin metabolites, biotin sulfoxide (BSO) and bisnorbiotin (BNB), in the CSF of children. Design Concentrations of biotin were determined initially as total avidin-binding substances (TABS) in CSF obtained by lumbar puncture from 55 children. Biotin, BSO, and BNB were quantitated by HPLC and an avidin-binding assay in CSF samples from a subset of 11 children. Results Concentrations of TABS in CSF averaged 1.6 nmol/L with substantial variability (SD = 1.3 nmol/L). CSF concentrations of biotin and biotin analogs varied widely, but substantial amounts of BSO were detected in every sample. Biotin accounted for 42 +/- 16%, BSO for 41 +/- 12%, and BNB for 8 +/- 14% of the total. It was surprising that the molar sum of biotin, BSO, and BNB on average was >200-fold the TABS concentrations from the same CSF sample. Using several analytic approaches, we found no masking of detection, nor did we find degradation of biotin or BSO. Gel electrophoresis and streptavidin Western blot detected several biotinylated proteins in CSF. Conclusions Biotin appears to be bound to protein covalently, reversibly, or both, and this binding likely accounts for the increase in detectable biotin after HPLC. Protein-bound biotin may play an important role in biotin nutriture of the brain.
A 1-nm emittance lattice for the Advanced Photon Source storage ring

We present a triple-bend lattice design that uses the current APS tunnel. The new lattice has a 1 nm-rad effective emittance at 7 GeV. A forty-period symmetric optics is presented. For the benefit of some X-ray user experiments, an optics with four special straight sections of one-third the beam size of normal sections was investigated as well. The associated nonlinear optical difficulties are addressed and simulation results are presented.
Coronal Field Opens at Lower Height During the Solar Cycles 22 and 23 Minimum Periods: IMF Comparison Suggests the Source Surface Should Be Lowered

The solar cycle 23 minimum period has been characterized by a weaker solar and interplanetary magnetic field. This provides an ideal time to study how the strength of the photospheric field affects the interplanetary magnetic flux and, in particular, how much the observed interplanetary fields of different cycle minima can be understood simply from differences in the areas of the coronal holes, as opposed to differences in the surface fields within them. In this study, we invoke smaller source surface radii in the potential-field source-surface (PFSS) model to construct a consistent picture of the observed coronal holes and the near-Earth interplanetary field strength as well as polarity measurements for the cycles 23 and 22 minimum periods. Although the source surface value of 2.5 R ⊙ is typically used in PFSS applications, earlier studies have shown that using smaller source surface heights generates results that better match observations during low solar activity periods. We use photospheric field synoptic maps from Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) and find that the values of ≈ 1.9 R ⊙ and ≈ 1.8 R ⊙ for the cycles 22 and 23 minimum periods, respectively, produce the best results. The larger coronal holes obtained for the smaller source surface radius of cycle 23 somewhat offsets the interplanetary consequences of the lower magnetic field at their photospheric footpoints. For comparison, we also use observations from the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) and find that the source surface radius of ≈ 1.5 R ⊙ produces better results for cycle 23, rather than ≈ 1.8 R ⊙ as suggested from MWO observations. Despite this difference, our results obtained from MWO and MDI observations show a qualitative consistency regarding the origins of the interplanetary field and suggest that users of PFSS models may want to consider using these smaller values for their source surface heights as long as the solar activity is low.
A distributed software system architecture for wireless Peer-to-Peer collaborative learning

Students often turn to their peers for help in order to learn a new concept or lesson introduced by a teacher in class. This establishes roles of tutor and learner between students, which can also reverse depending on the subject, with the teacher as a third-party mediator. We discuss our design of a distributed software system architecture that seeks to harness the tutor-learner relationship between peers into a collaborative learning system. Our goal is to provide a verifiable, portable, and inexpensive system of coordinated wireless handhelds that both promotes learning of lesson plans by the students and enhances the tutoring skills of students.
Differential alaserpin expression during development of the antennae in the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta

The expression of alaserpin, a serine protease inhibitor, was studied in the developing adult olfactory system of Manduca sexta. Alaserpin mRNA in the antenna was identical to alaserpin from larval fat body, by restriction mapping and partial sequencing of clones isolated from a male pupal stage 6 antennal cDNA library. Northern and primer extension analysis showed that alaserpin transcripts were the same length at all stages and were present at stages 3 and 6, declined at stages 9-15, reappeared at stage 18, and persisted in adults. Western blotting revealed that alaserpin was present at stages 3-12, declined at stage 15, and disappeared at stage 18 and in adults. Immunocytochemistry at stage 6 revealed labeled cells closely associated with neurite bundles and scattered throughout the receptor cell layer. An occasional cell was seen in the antennal lumen. Labeled cells were segmentally distributed along the length of the antenna. The results suggest that alaserpin may have a role in antennal morphogenesis and olfactory neuron axon outgrowth.
Bullying in childhood and religious/spiritual status in adulthood among internal medicine outpatients

The relationship between abuse in childhood and religiosity/spirituality status in adulthood has been previously studied, but not in a medical sample or with the current study measure. Using a cross-sectional consecutive sample of 317 internal medicine outpatients, we asked participants, “As a child, were you the victim of either physical or sexual abuse?,” and assessed religiosity/spirituality status with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12). We found that among the cohort with abuse in childhood, seven of twelve scales as well as the overall FACIT-Sp-12 score demonstrated statistically significant differences, with abused participants consistently evidencing lower religiosity/spirituality scores.
Evolving Methods in Genetic Epidemiology. I. Analysis of Genetic and Environmental Factors in Family Studies

tors also associated with risk, and it is the combination of genetic and environmental factors that is important. It remains a major challenge to the field of genetic epidemiology to develop and implement study designs and analytic approaches capable of combining information from observable environmental risk factors into a comprehensive analysis of etiologic mechanisms.
STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF ENDOGENOUS PYROGEN PRODUCTION : III. Human Blood Monocytes

The characteristics of pyrogen production and release by human blood monocytes were investigated. A dose-response assay of monocyte pyrogen in rabbits indicated a linear relationship of temperature elevation to dose of pyrogen at lower doses. Monocytes did not contain pyrogen when first obtained, nor did they release it spontaneously even after 5 days of incubation in vitro. Pyrogen production was apparent 4 h after stimulation by endotoxin or phagocytosis, and continued for 24 h or more. Puromycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, prevented both initiation and continuation of pyrogen production and release. Pyrogen-containing supernates retained most pyrogenic activity during overnight incubation even in the presence of activated cells. Lymphocytes appeared to play no role in either initiation or continuation of pyrogen production in these studies.