cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and characterization of twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Bog Copper, Lycaena epixanthe

We isolated and characterized 12 microsatellite loci from the Bog Copper, Lycaena epixanthe. Loci were screened in 24 individuals from one Maine location. Alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 12, observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.042 to 0.857, and the probability of identity values ranged from 0.032 to 0.780. These loci provide tools for examining the population genetics of Bog Coppers across a fragmented landscape.
Multicompetence and L2 users' associative links: being unlike nativelike

The study set out to examine the effects of multicompetence on proficient L2 users' associative links. Three groups of 36 participants each were recruited – NSs of English, NSs of Bulgarian, and proficient Bulgarian L2 users of English – who completed a familiarity and word association test. The findings revealed that L2 users' natural drive to main connectivity of their lexicons was the motivation for their building lexicosemantic connectedness – which, however, was unlike the patterns of connectivity maintained by the native speakers of both their languages. This showed that, as a result of their developing multicompetence, the L2 users were unlike nativelike in that they developed their lexicosemantic associative links favoring diversity over communality and language-neutral idiosyncrasy over L1 or L2 nativelikeness.
Computational fluid dynamics simulations of an orifice type pulse tube refrigerator: Effects of operating frequency

A numerical study is reported here for the investigation of the fundamental flow and heat transfer processes found in an orifice type pulse tube refrigerator (OPTR). The OPTR is driven by a cyclically moving piston at one end of the system with helium as the working fluid. The regenerator and the various heat exchangers are modeled as porous media and a thermal non-equilibrium model is applied in these regions. The system is studied for different operating frequencies of the driver piston. The simulations reveal interesting steady-periodic flow patterns that develop in the pulse tube due to the fluctuations caused by the piston and the presence of the inertance tube. The predicted secondary-flow recirculation patterns in the pulse tube are found to affect the OPTR performance. When the secondary-flow patterns are well-developed, they help isolate the cold and hot ends of the pulse tube and create a thermal buffer zone at the center of the pulse tube, enhancing the performance of the OPTR.
An analysis of non-native English-speaking graduate teaching assistants’ online journal entries

There has been increasing acknowledgment of the need to pursue studies related to nonnative English-speaking (NNES) professionals. In the last 10 years, a number of studies have discussed the experiences of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in different educational settings and situations. However, the experiences of the NNES graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) teaching predominantly monolingual, White, native English-speaking preservice teachers have not been researched. This paper presents the analysis of personal journal entries in the form of weblogs of three NNES GTAs. The study reports on the experiences shared by these NNES GTAs. Findings will consequently contribute to a better understanding of the experiences, mainly challenges, faced by the NNES GTAs and will be used to offer suggestions and recommendations to teacher education programs and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) educators to evaluate the sources of support the NNES GTAs receive before or during their...
Consultation Practices between School Counselors and School Psychologists: Implications for Training and Practice

ABSTRACT This study examined the extent of partnership between school counselors and school psychologists via consultation. Stratified random samples of 150 school counselors and 150 school psychologists who are members of ASCA and NASP, respectively, were surveyed using a 12-item questionnaire. Despite current trends toward a partnership approach to serving children, limited consultative efforts were noted between school counselors and school psychologists. Implications of the findings and recommendations for practitioners and training programs are discussed.
Nutrition of sorghum plants fertilized with nitrogen or inoculated withAzospirillum brasilense

Sorghum plants were inoculated withAzospirillum brasilense or received an N-amended nutrient solution. Azospirillum inoculation increased plant dry weight and nitrogen assimilation by 25%. Most plant growth responses to Azospirillum were comparable to application of 2.0 mM N. Increased scavenging of nutrients, altered root permeability or nitrogen fixation are possible explanations for these effects.
Plasma Acid Production in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron

Plasma acid is an acidic solution simply produced from water and a carrier gas in an electrical discharge. These produced solutions are of high value for biological decontamination and industrial pollutant abatement applications. While several electrical discharges have been shown to produce plasma acid, the subject of this study is the gliding arc plasmatron, a rotating gliding arc discharge. Air and oxygen were used as gases to carry for distilled water through the discharge, and pH and conductivity of the resulting solution was measured. Consistent with other studies of plasma acid, solutions with a lower pH were obtained with air at the carrier gas than with oxygen, and the conductivity increased appropriately with the pH decrease. Other studies noted a transient change in plasma acid after treatment in an air carrier gas, whereas in this study, oxygen also was observed to temporally decrease the acidity over several days.
Using clinically approved cyclophosphamide regimens to control the humoral immune response to oncolytic viruses

Oncolytic viruses can be neutralized in the bloodstream by antiviral antibodies whose titers increase progressively with each exposure, resulting in faster virus inactivation and further reductions in efficacy with each successive dose. A single dose of cyclophosphamide (CPA) at 370 mg m(-2) was not sufficient to control the primary antiviral immune responses in mice, squirrel monkeys and humans. We therefore tested clinically approved multidose CPA regimens, which are known to kill proliferating lymphocytes, to determine if more intensive CPA therapy can more effectively suppress antiviral antibody responses during virotherapy. In virus-susceptible mice, primary antibody responses to intravenously (i.v.) administered oncolytic measles virus (MV) or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were partially or completely suppressed, respectively, by oral (1 mg × 8 days) or systemic (3 mg × 4 days) CPA regimens initiated 1 day before virus. When MV- or VSV-immune mice were re-challenged with the respective viruses and concurrently treated with four daily systemic doses of CPA, their anamnestic antibody responses were completely suppressed and antiviral antibody titers fell significantly below pre-booster levels. We conclude that the CPA regimen of four daily doses at 370 mg m(-2) should be evaluated clinically with i.v. virotherapy to control the antiviral antibody response and facilitate effective repeat dosing.
Pseudospin symmetry and new collective modes of the Hubbard model.

The Hubbard model possesses a SU(2) pseudospin symmetry, which contains the U(1) phase symmetry as a subgroup. The existence of such symmetry leads to interesting experimental consequences if the U(1) phase symmetry is spontaneously broken, i.e., if the ground state is superconducting. In this case, there must exist a pair of massive collective modes which together with the usual Goldstone mode form a triplet representation of the psuedospin group. These collective modes are collisionless and couple directly to external charge disturbances with wave number \ensuremath{\pi} and can therefore be detected experimentally as sharp resonances.
Chronic combined exposure to cadmium and arsenic exacerbates nephrotoxicity, particularly in metallothionein-I/II null mice.

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) are important inorganic toxicants in the environment. Humans certainly have the potential to be exposed to the mixtures of Cd and As, but the toxicological interactions of these inorganic mixtures are poorly defined. Metallothionein (MT) is a cysteine-rich, metal-binding protein that plays an important role in Cd detoxication, but its role in As toxicity is less certain. To examine the role of MT in Cd- and/or As-induced nephrotoxicity, MT-I/II-knockout (MT-null) mice and background-matched wild-type (WT) mice were fed CdCl 2 (100 ppm Cd) in the diet, NaAsO 2 (22.5 ppm As) in the drinking water, or Cd plus As for 4 months. Subsequently, nephrotoxicity was examined by morphological and biochemical techniques. Chronic exposure to Cd produced more renal toxicity than As, and the combination of Cd and As produced even more renal injury than caused by either of the chemicals given alone. In mice receiving Cd plus As, proximal tubule degeneration and atrophy, glomerular swelling and interstitial fibrosis were more severe than those produced by either inorganic. Furthermore, lack of MT rendered MT-null mice more sensitive than WT mice to the nephrotoxicity produced by chronic Cd- and/or As-exposure. MT-null mice were especially susceptible to the toxicity produced by the combination of Cd and As, as evidenced by decreased body weight, enzymuria, glucosuria, proteinuria and nephropathy. In conclusion, this study indicates that As may potentiate Cd nephrotoxicity during the long-term, combined exposure, and that intracellular MT plays a role in decreasing the nephropathy of combined exposure to Cd and As.
Use of magnetically purified Plasmodium falciparum parasites improves the accuracy of erythrocyte invasion assays

Merozoite invasion of erythrocytes is a crucial step for the asexual cycle of Plasmodium falciparum. Multiple invasion pathways, which involve different ligand-receptor interactions, have been identified in P. falciparum by examining the entry of purified parasite into erythrocytes with different surface receptors, either mutant or under different enzyme treatments. The most critical step for a successful invasion assay is the isolation of erythrocytes infected with viable schizonts. Here, we applied a magnetic column to purify the schizonts for the erythrocyte invasion assay. Comparing to Percoll-sorbitol purification method, this modified approach showed great improvement on reproducibility and reliability of invasion assay, particularly for short-term, culture-adapted parasite isolates. The magnetic purification method is an excellent alternative for parasite isolates that do not tolerate or with unknown sensitivity to Percoll-sorbitol exposure.
Silylated hydrophobic zeolites with enhanced tolerance to hot liquid water

Abstract Untreated USY zeolites have low tolerance to hot liquid water, which makes them unsuitable for upgrading of biomass-derived liquid compounds in biphasic systems. However, the stability of USY zeolites can be greatly improved by functionalizing their external surface with organosilanes. Here, the structural stability of a commercial H-USY zeolite (Si/Al = 30) in the presence of hot liquid water has been investigated after functionalization with organosilanes of varying alkyl chain length (C2–C18). The structural tolerance of various samples to liquid water has been compared upon exposure to reaction conditions in water/oil emulsions at 200 °C. In another set of experiments, structural changes have been monitored after exposure to increasing partial pressures of pure water vapor until a liquid phase is formed. The losses in crystallinity, surface area, and microporosity have been quantified by N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS). It is shown that the rate of collapse of the crystalline structure is not determined by the chemical potential of the water molecule inside the zeolite, but rather by the presence of a liquid aqueous phase, which favors dissolution and mobility of ions. Therefore, the zeolite deconstruction under hot liquid water can be described as a phenomenon that is more similar to the recrystallization that occurs under synthesis conditions than to a chemical attack, which explains the stability improvement obtained upon hydrophobization. Finally, the activity losses of the different zeolites in the presence of water have been evaluated by using the alkylation of m-cresol in a liquid biphasic system as a probe reaction, which is relevant to biomass conversion processes.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of aluminosilicate gels prepared in high-alkaline and salt-concentrated solutions

Abstract Solid-state 29 Si, 27 Al, and 23 Na magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR techniques in combination with X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) are used to characterize aluminosilicate gels as a function of composition, pH, and reaction times. These gels were prepared at 80 °C using initial solutions with low Si/Al ratios, high alkaline and salt concentrations that are characteristic of nuclear tank wastes. XRD data show that cancrinite and sodalite are the main crystalline phases in the aluminosilicate gels produced. It is found that the pH and the salt content have significant effects on the nature of the aluminosilicate gels. Higher pH appears to increase the rate of crystallization, the degree of overall crystallinity and the percentage of cancrinite phases in aluminosilicate gels, whereas the high-salt concentration promotes the formation of cancrinite and sodalite and prohibits the formation of other zeolites. Complementary to XRD, NMR is extremely useful for providing the information on the structure of amorphous intermediate gels with no long-range order.
Contaminant Stratigraphy of the Ballville Reservoir, Sandusky River, NW Ohio: Implications for Dam Removal

The Ballville Dam (Sandusky River) is one of the major structures in the Lake Erie watershed, impounding 1.7 million m3 of water and sediment. Removal of the dam would open > 40 km of suitable upstream habitat for aquatic species, but there are concerns about contaminated sediment in the reservoir. In cooperation with the Ohio EPA, sediment cores were evaluated for 18 metals and 138 organic contaminants. Geochronology was provided by 137Cs and 210Pb, recognition of historical flood horizons, and stratigraphic correlation to 14 previously dated cores. Seven metals (Al, As, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) exceeded Threshold Effect Levels (TEL) and four others (Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn) were close. Only Fe exceeded the Probable Effect Levels (PEL) although Al, As and Ni were close. Most metal concentrations were uniform throughout the cores (when normalized for Al content), with the exception of upward increases in Cr and Se, and downward increases in Mn. DDT residues (DDD and DDE) exceeded PEL values between 50–125 cm in the cores (corresponding to mid-1940s to late-1970s). Total petroleum hydrocarbons (C15 to C24) showed moderate levels (1-9 mg/kg) of petroleum pollution. Finally, PAH concentrations reach TEL values only below the redox zone (pre-1950) in the sediments. Possibly this is an historical archive of a 757,000-liter toluene spill reported in 1988 on the Sandusky River upstream of the reservoir. Removal of the dam would require dredging or release downstream of 0.35 million m3 of sediment to re-establish the channel of the Sandusky River. Sediment contamination in the Ballville reservoir involves concentrations less than or equal to those in existing Lake Erie sediment, and the effects would be diluted by mixing with downstream or nearshore Lake Erie sediments.
Fiscal policy with multilevel governments

Abstract This paper analyzes the impact on federal fiscal policy of local government reactions in the short run. The various governments produce public goods using private sector inputs. Many of the results depend on complementarity or substitutability between public and private goods and the relative efficiency of the governments. However, even when the local governments are as efficient as the federal government in production, an exact switch of activities from federal to local governments is not neutral since the different levels of government have different transactions needs.
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity: the case of heterophylly in aquatic plants

Abstract Phenotypic plasticity may play a key role in the adaptation of organisms to changing environmental conditions. A special case of plasticity is represented by heterophylly, the ability of semi-aquatic plants to produce different types of leaves below and above water. Submerged leaves are thin and lack both a cuticle and stomata, whereas aerial leaves are thicker, cutinized and bear stomata. The striking variability in the submerged, floating and aerial leaves of heterophyllous aquatics has historically been considered a paradigmatic example of adaptive phenotypic plasticity. An extensive body of developmental and physiological research reveals that heterophylly is quite often mediated by similar environmental cues across diverse taxa, which may imply a common underlying mechanism. Patterns of plasticity in response to environmental cues in the laboratory are consistent with the hypothesis of individual adaptation to heterogeneous environments, and the distribution of this trait among phylogenetically related aquatic angiosperms suggests either convergent or parallel evolution in their descent from terrestrial ancestors. Yet, critical evaluations of the ecological and evolutionary significance of this trait are scarce. In this essay, we discuss the patterns of plasticity revealed by experimental manipulative studies of heterophylly in the context of the general problem of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, and suggest avenues for future research that are needed in assessing the ecological and evolutionary significance of this trait.
Digoxin cardiotoxicity in aging anesthetized F344 rats

It is generally accepted that the sensitivity to toxic effects of digitalis increases with advancing age; however, the relative contribution of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to this aging-related change is presently unknown. The current study was designed to determine if senescence affects digitalis tolerance in an animal model and if observed changes are mediated by altered cardiac or autonomic nervous system responsiveness. Male, F344 rats of three age groups (4, 14 and 25 months) were anesthetized and infused intravenously with digoxin at a rate of 880 micrograms/kg per min. Two separate anesthetic regimens were employed: (a) an age-adjusted dose of urethane in spontaneously breathing animals (AR1); and (b) a non-age-adjusted dose of alpha-chloralose plus urethane in mechanically ventilated rats (AR2). Heart rate, EKG and arterial blood pressure were monitored continuously; baroreceptor reflex function was estimated before and 10 min following the start of digoxin infusion by examining the response to bilateral carotid occlusion. The infusion time required for digoxin-induced AV-dissociation was significantly reduced by senescence in rats anesthetized by AR1. However, doses of digoxin required to elicit ventricular extrasystoles and death were not significantly different among age groups in this anesthetized model and serum digoxin levels did not differ at the time of cardiac arrest. Similarly, AR2 animals showed a significant aging-related decrease in the time to AV-dissociation. However, in contrast to AR1, animals in AR2 displayed an aging-associated increase in the doses of digoxin required to produce ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest. Thus, results suggest that aging in the F344 rat may, by pharmacodynamic mechanisms, promote the sensitivity to digoxin-induced AV-dissociation but not to ventricular arrhythmias or cardiac arrest.
Developments in the shot peening process

Abstract Fatigue strength improvements of the order of 20%–40% are possible with the generation by controlled shot-peening of predictable compressive stresses at the surface of components. The control of the process is now more standardised than previously.
A practice-based tool for engaging stakeholders in future research: a synthesis of current practices

Abstract Objective A major goal of patient-centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research is to increase the involvement of stakeholders throughout the research process to provide relevant and immediately actionable information. In this report, we review the current practices for engaging stakeholders in prioritizing research. Study Design and Setting To evaluate the range of approaches to stakeholder engagement, we reviewed the relevant literature and conducted semistructured interviews with (1) leading research organizations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; and (2) eight Evidence-based Practice Centers that engage stakeholders in comparative effectiveness research. Results We identified 56 articles related to stakeholder engagement in research prioritization. Studies and research organizations interviewed frequently used mixed methods approaches combining in-person venues with structured ranking or voting processes such as Delphi. EPCs similarly used group web/conference calls combined with Delphi ranking or voting. Research organizations reported difficulties engaging the public and policy makers, and EPCs reported challenges engaging federal stakeholders. Conclusion Explicit and consistent use of terminology about stakeholders was absent. In-person techniques were useful to generate ideas and clarify issues, and quantitative methods were important in the prioritization of research. Recommendations for effective stakeholder engagement and a reporting checklist were developed from the accumulation of findings.
Update on Radiology of Emphysema and Therapeutic Implications

Emerging treatments require appropriate CT targeting of a selected lobe or lobes and target airways to obtain a successful response. CT scan is used in pretreatment planning to select patients and plan treatment strategy and posttreatment to confirm correct deployment of devices and assess treatment response. Increasingly treatments are being developed to treat patients who have emphysema who require accurate quantitation of extent and distribution of the process. Functional assessment can be made by inference of detailed anatomic correlates and by direct measurement of regional function using dynamic scan protocols. This article summarizes the current role of imaging in the assessment of patients who have emphysema.
Transient analysis of TE-plane wave reflection from a layered medium

—Transient scattering of plane electromagnetic waves from a lossy layered medium for TM polarization is studied. The frequency-domain reflection coefficient is expanded as an infinite series of multiple reflections, and the time response of each term in the series is found using an analytical inverse Fourier transform. This requires that the transient interfacial reflection coefficients be found. The most general situation is quite complicated, and so only the case where a wave is incident from a lossless to a lossy medium (or vice versa) is considered. The theoretical results are validated by comparison to both a numerical inverse Fourier transform and to direct time-domain measurements.
Outcomes of Surgery in Patients 90 Years of Age and Older

During the 11-year period 1975 through 1985, seven hundred ninety-five patients 90 years of age and older underwent operative procedures at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Overall serious morbidity within 48 hours after surgery was 9.4%, and the mortality was 1.6%. The 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year mortality rates were 8.4%, 31.4%, and 78.8%, respectively. Short-term morbidity and both short- and long-term mortality were highly associated with the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification of the patient. Emergency procedures carried a significantly higher risk for morbidity and mortality within the 48-hour period and, to a lesser extent, for long-term mortality. Overall, poorer patient survival was associated with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class; male sex; preoperative renal, liver, and central nervous system impairment; and surgery on the mouth, nose, or pharynx. When compared with age-, sex-, and calendar Year-matched peers from the general population, there was a modest decrease in patient survival at 1 year that reversed by 2 years, with observed survival at 5 years comparable to the rate expected. ( JAMA . 1989;261:1909-1915)
Antithrombotic therapy in patients with mechanical and biological prosthetic heart valves

1. Permanent therapy with oral anticoagulants offers the most consistent protection in patients with mechanical heart valves. 2. Antiplatelet agents alone do not consistently protect patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valves, including patients in sinus rhythm with St. Jude Medical valves in the aortic position. 3. Levels of oral anticoagulants that prolong the INR to 2.0 to 3.0 appear satisfactory for patients with St. Jude Medical bileaflet and Medtronic-Hall tilting disk mechanical valves in the aortic position, provided they are in sinus rhythm and the left atrium is not enlarged. Presumably, this is also true for the CarboMedics bileaflet valve, based on the observation of no clinically important difference in the rate of systemic embolism with this valve and the St. Jude Medical bileaflet valve. 4. Levels of oral anticoagulants that prolong the INR to 2.5 to 3.5 are satisfactory for tilting disk valves and bileaflet prosthetic valves in the mitral position. 5. Experience in patients with caged ball valves who had prothrombin time ratios reported in terms of the INR is sparse, because few such valves have been inserted in recent years. The number of surviving patients with caged ball valves continues to decrease. It has been suggested that the most advantageous level of the INR in patients with caged ball or caged disk valves should be as high as 4.0 to 4.9. However, others have shown a high rate of major hemorrhage with an INR that is even somewhat lower, 3.0-4.5. The problem is self-limited, however, because few such valves are being inserted. 6. In patients with mechanical heart valves, aspirin, in addition to oral anticoagulants, has been shown to diminish the frequency of thromboemboli. The risk of bleeding is somewhat increased if the INR is 2.0 to 3.0 or 2.5 to 3.5. However, if the INR is 3.0 to 4.5, the risk of bleeding becomes excessive with aspirin. There are no investigations in which aspirin 80 mg/d in combination with oral anticoagulants was evaluated. 7. Data are insufficient to recommend dipyridamole over low doses of aspirin in combination with warfarin. Whether dipyridamole plus aspirin is more effective than aspirin alone when used with warfarin is undetermined. 8. Patients with bioprosthetic valves in the mitral position as well as patients with bioprosthetic valves in the aortic position may be at risk for thromboemboli during the first 3 months after operation. 9. Among patients with bioprosthetic valves in the mitral position, oral anticoagulants at an INR of 2.0 to 2.3 were as effective as an INR of 2.5 to 4.0 and were associated with fewer bleeding complications during the first 3 months after operation.10. Aspirin may reduce the long-term frequency of thromboembolism in patients with bioprosthetic valves.
Œstrogen Protection against Acute Digitalis Toxicity in Dogs

Grinnell and Smith1 have demonstrated that castrated female dogs prophylactically treated with œstradiol-17β are much more resistant to a toxic intravenous dose of digoxin than are untreated castrated controls.
Helium implantation effects in SAP and aluminum

Abstract A series of 300 keV He implantations of Al and SAP 930 have been conducted at temperatures between 150 and 773 K. The He re-emission was monitored during implantation and the samples were examined with a scanning electron microscope after implantation. Both Al and SAP 930 were found to blister after a critical He dose was reached at temperatures above 473 K, both underwent flaking below that temperature, with blistering re-appearing in SAP 930 at an implantation temperature of 150 K. The surface deformation and He re-emission are strongly dependent on microstructural effects in the intermediate temperature regime.
Consistency of sample estimates of risk averse stochastic programs

In this paper we study asymptotic consistency of law invariant convex risk measures and the corresponding risk averse stochastic programming problems for independent, identically distributed data. Under mild regularity conditions, we prove a law of large numbers and epiconvergence of the corresponding statistical estimators. This can be applied in a straightforward way to establish convergence with probability 1 of sample-based estimators of risk averse stochastic programming problems.
Comparative developmental toxicity of cationic and neutral rhodamines in mice.

Rhodamines 123 and 6G (Rh 123 and Rh 6G) are cationic fluorescent dyes that inhibit oxidative phosphorylation following their selective accumulation within mitochondria. Neutral rhodamines (e.g., Rh 116 and Rh B) do not share these properties. To determine if cationic and neutral rhodamines differ in their effect on mammalian development, pregnant CD-1 mice were injected i.p. with Rh 123, Rh B, or Rh 116 at doses of 15 mg/kg/day. The rhodamines were given alone or in combination with 500 mg/kg/day 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG), an inhibitor of glycolysis, daily on gestation days 7–10 (copulation plug = day 1). Additional pregnant mice were similarly treated with Rh 6G at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/day. Controls were given saline equimolar to the dose of 2-DOG. Treatment with Rh 6G, alone or in combination with 2-DOG, significantly increased the incidences of prenatal mortality (17% and 35%, respectively) when compared with the control incidence (6%). Treatment with Rh 123 or Rh 6G, alone or with 2-DOG, inhibited fetal growth. Treatment with the neutral rhodamines had little effect on prenatal survival or growth. Exposure to Rh 6G, with or without 2-DOG, was associated with high incidences of gross malformations (41% and 61%, respectively). Rh 116 or Rh B, with or without 2-DOG, and Rh 123 alone were not associated with statistically significant teratogenic effects, but results of the latter treatment were suggestive of such an effect (9.1% grossly malformed fetuses vs. 0% for controls). The incidences of skeletal malformations were significantly increased in the test groups given Rh 6G + 2-DOG, Rh 123 + 2-DOG, or Rh 6G alone. These results suggest a relationship between the charge on the rhodamine molecule and effects on the conceptus, and these effects may have been mediated at least in part by interference with mitochondrial metabolism.
Metabolism of methyl n-amyl ketone (2-heptanone) and its binding to DNA of rat liver in vivo and in vitro

Methyl n-amyl ketone (2-heptanone), a reported metabolite of 2-ethylhexanol which in turn is a primary metabolite of plasticizers such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, is metabolized in male Fischer 344 rats to CO2, acetate and a variety of compounds that could be either anabolic or catabolic or a combination of the two. A significant percentage of the radioactivity given orally (gavage) as [2-14C]-2 heptanone, at least 10%, was not excreted from the body in 48 h. Radioactivity was incorporated into liver protein in the form of three unidentified products as well as [14C]arginine, and into DNA both as 14C-labeled normal nucleosides (50-75%) and as presently unidentified hydrophobic materials (25-50%). Urea and cholesterol were significantly labeled, indicative of anabolic reutilization of [2-14C]-2-heptanone breakdown products. The 2-heptanone also bound to DNA spontaneously in vitro, to the extent of 400 pmol/mg DNA.
Role of Liver in Pathophysiology of NIDDM

Glucose homeostasis is physiologically maintained by the balance between glucose production by the liver and glucose utilization by the peripheral tissues. Insulin controls hepatic glucose production and promotes glucose utilization by the skeletal muscle. In non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), postabsorptive hepatic glucose production is increased and exhibits a positive correlation with fasting plasma glucose concentration. This increase in hepatic glucose production is the main cause of fasting hyperglycemia in NIDDM. Between the two processes by which the liver produces glucose (gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis), gluconeogenesis appears to be drastically increased in NIDDM. The increase in gluconeogenesis accounts for most of the increased hepatic glucose production in this condition, and a positive correlation has been found in NIDDM subjects between the rates of gluconeogenesis and fasting plasma glucose concentration. Increased production of gluconeogenic precursors (lactate, alanine, glycerol) fuels this increased gluconeogenesis, but some type of intrahepatic mechanism is also present in NIDDM that increases the hepatic conversion of these substrates into glucose. Hyperglucagonemia and increased hepatic free fatty acid oxidation might be responsible for this increase hepatic gluconeogenic efficiency in NIDDM. Reduced suppression of hepatic glucose production after carbohydrate ingestion also plays an important role in the impairment in postprandial glucose homeostasis in NIDDM. In NIDDM subjects splanchnic extraction of an oral glucose load is not decreased, but hepatic glucose production is suppressed less than in nondiabetic subjects after the load. Residual hepatic glucose production after glucose ingestion is also correlated with fasting plasma glucose in NIDDM. Preliminary data suggest that in the postprandial state increased gluconeogenesis represents the primary mechanism responsible for impaired suppression of hepatic glucose production. Given the primary role of increase hepatic gluconeogenesis in the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia in NIDDM, development of new drugs aimed at correcting the factors that might cause increased gluconeogenesis (e.g., increased free fatty acid oxidation and hyperglucagonemia) might open the way for new form of treatment of this disorder.
Germinal center reaction in the joints of mice with collagen-induced arthritis : An animal model of lymphocyte activation and differentiation in arthritic joints

Objective To establish an animal model and provide a basis for investigating the role of germinal center (GC) reaction in autoimmune arthritis. Methods DBA/1 mice were immunized with bovine type II collagen (CII) to elicit collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Sections of arthritic joints were examined by in situ immunohistochemical studies, and purified cells from affected joints were subjected to flow cytometry analysis. Results De novo GC reaction was induced in the arthritic joints of male DBA/1 mice by immunization with bovine CII. In comparison with GCs formed in lymphoid tissues, such as spleen and lymph nodes, we found that these GCs formed in the joint tissues of mice with CIA were morphologically typical, as determined by immunohistologic and flow cytometric assays. Conclusion The local immune responses in murine CIA induced ectopic GC formation, as observed in the synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This system will allow for the first time the direct study of the role of the GC reaction in autoimmune arthritis in an animal model.
From the Podium to the PC: A Study on Various Modalities of Lecture Delivery within an Undergraduate Basic Pharmacology Course

Background The need to evolve with our ever-changing student bodies has never been as great as it is today, particularly given the advanced technological aptitude of today’s students. Purpose This retrospective study evaluates student outcomes as they relate to overall course score and composite quiz and examination scores from a basic pharmacology course taught over three separate semesters using three different lecture delivery modalities: traditional in-class; blended; and online-only. Sample A total of 48 students from a US university’s health sciences bachelor degree programme enrolled in one of these three sections between 2009 and 2010. Design and methods A one-way analysis of variance test with Tukey’s honestly significant difference post hoc testing was utilized to determine if any statistical difference existed between the studied outcomes for each of the three teaching modalities. A p-value of less than or equal to 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The students enroll...
Limitations to the detection of deception: True and false recollections are poorly distinguished using an event-related potential procedure

The utility of using indices of neural function to identify deception relies on finding highly reliable and valid approaches that adequately identify the guilty and exonerate the innocent. A class of approaches, based on the guilty knowledge technique (GKT), assume that guilty individuals will recognize specific crime-relevant details, whereas innocent individuals will not. Memory distortions, however, may limit the accuracy of such procedures. To investigate these limits, two studies were conducted to examine whether brain electrical activity could differentiate true from false recollections elicited by the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. The design of each study maximized the opportunity of finding electrocortical differences between true and false recognition. Each study found very high rates of false recognition, with little evidence that brain electrical activity could differentiate true from false memories. Results suggested that under certain conditions both true and false recollections can produce a pattern of brain activity indicative of recognition.
Infrared evidence for the segregation of silica-supported Pt-Pd bimetallic clusters in oxidizing atmospheres

Silica-supported coprecipitated 1:1 platinum-palladium catalysts of 18% metal dispersion were prepared and carbon monoxide adsorption was studied by IR spectroscopy for the air oxidized or hydrogen-reduced catalyst forms. The intensity of the bridged CO species with bands below 2000/cm was used as an indicator for surface segregation of palladium. The results showed that the metal clusters are bimetallic clusters after the initial reductions, and that they segregate into palladium- and platinum-rich clusters in the presence of oxygen or nitrogen dioxide formed from nitric oxide and carbon monoxide.
Empowerment of women for health promotion: a meta-analysis.

Abstract The objective of this paper is to identify conditions, factors and methods, which empower women and mothers (WAM) for social action and health promotion movements. WAM are the primary caregivers in almost all cultures; they have demonstrated bold leadership under extreme adversity. Consequently, when empowered and involved, WAM can be effective partners in health promotion programs. The methodology includes a meta-analysis of 40 exemplary case studies from across the world, which meet predetermined criteria, to draw implications for social action and health promotion. Cases were selected from industrialized and less-industrialized nations and from four problem domains affecting quality of life and health: (1) human rights, (2) women's equal rights, (3) economic enhancement and (4) health promotion. Content analysis extracted data from all cases on six dimensions: (1) problem, (2) impetus/leadership, (3) macro-environment, (4) methods used, (5) partners/opponents and (6) impact. Analysis identified seven methods frequently used to EMPOWER (acronym): empowerment education and training, media use and advocacy, public education and participation, organizing associations and unions, work training and micro-enterprise, enabling services and support, and rights protection and promotion. Cochran's Q test confirmed significant differences in the frequencies of methods used. The seven EMPOWER methods were used in this order: enabling services, rights protection/promotion, public education, media use/advocacy, and organizing associations/unions, empowerment education, and work training and micro-enterprise. Media and public education were more frequently used by industrialized than non-industrialized societies (χ2 tests). While frequencies of methods used varied in all other comparisons, these differences were not statistically significant, suggesting the importance of these methods across problem domains and levels of industrialization. The paper integrates key findings into an empowerment model consisting of five stages: motivation for action, empowerment support, initial individual action, empowerment program, and institutionalization and replication. Implications for policy and health promotion programs are discussed.
Pediatric great vessel anomalies: initial clinical experience with spiral CT angiography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of spiral computed tomographic (CT) angiography for the diagnosis of pediatric great vessel anomalies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Techniques used in adult CT angiography were modified to allow imaging of 15 children aged 1 month to 12 years. Two-dimensional axial images and three-dimensional shaded surface display images of the airway and great vessels were generated from volumetric CT data and evaluated prospectively. Findings were correlated with results obtained at surgery (five patients), autopsy (one patient), bronchoscopy (one patient), or other imaging studies (eight patients). RESULTS: In 14 patients, CT angiography accurately demonstrated vessel anomalies, including double or right aortic arch (seven cases), aberrant subclavian artery (six cases), innominate artery compression syndrome (one case), unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis (one case), and pulmonary artery enlargement (three cases). One patient had normal vasculature. CONCLUSION: CT angiography is feasible in ch...
Test of an equation for nonisothermal moisture transport in wood

Reported moisture and temperature distributions in wood exposed to a temperature gradient under conditions of zero flow were used to compute changes in moisture content per change in Kelvin temperature, dm/dT. Corresponding theoretical values were calculated from a model based on nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Comparison of the measured and theoretical values supports the notion that moisture transport in wood can be modeled successfully with thermodynamic methods.
Combined vibrational, conformational and electron diffraction studies of 10-methyl-trans-2-decalone

Abstract The molecular structure of 10-methyl-trans-2-decalone was studied by combined vibrational, conformational energy and vapor phase electron diffraction analyses, in an attempt to test the range of applicability of this procedure, ra = 1.543 A ± 0.003 and ra = 1.109 A ± 0.013 were found for the average C-C and C-H bond distances, respectively. The investigation revealed that, at 110° C, the vapors of the molecule consist of one conformer which has both rings in chair forms. Torsional angles in both six-membered-rings differ significantly from those in cyclohexane. The study shows that the applied procedure can provide a clear, though qualitative description of the free molecular structures of medium sized systems which cannot be meaningfully investigated by any other vapor phase experiment.
Polymorphic microsatellite loci for Diaprepes root weevil ( Diaprepes abbreviatus L.)

Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) is an insect pest of the US agriculture that originated from the Caribbean islands. Larvae are of economic importance in both nursery and commercial cit- rus plantings due to root feeding. Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers were devel- oped from a (CA) n -enriched genomic library of Diaprepes root weevil. Three to eight alleles were observed for each locus during screening of 17 to 25 individuals. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.182 to 0.864 and 0.587 to 0.835, respectively. These markers will be useful to characterize the genetic variability and track the migration patterns of pop- ulations of D. abbreviatus (L.).
On decomposability of periodic semigroups of non-negative matrices

We answer a question of H. Radjavi by showing, for positive integers r and n, there exists an indecomposable semigroup S of non-negative matrices satisfying the equation Xn+1=X, where r is the smallest rank of non-zero elements of S, if and only if every prime divisor of r divides n.
Computer-based speech recognition as a replacement for medical transcription.

OBJECTIVE: We have implemented computerized speech recognition in a high-volume clinical setting using a newly developed commercial software system. This paper compares the performance of the computerized system with conventional transcription during a trial week followed by 3 months of routine clinical use. CONCLUSION: The speech recognition system was used for 97% of the cases during the trial week and 87% of cases during the months of continuous use. For a similar mixture of cases, no change occurred in the length of reports after introduction of the computerized system. Speech recognition decreased the time until the report became available by 99% and resulted in a substantial savings in transcription costs. We conclude that speech recognition by computer is practical in a high-volume clinical implementation.
Effects of green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on newly developed high-fat/Western-style diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on newly developed high-fat/Western-style diet-induced obesity and symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat/Western-style (HFW; 60% energy as fat and lower levels of calcium, vitamin D3, folic acid, choline bitartrate, and fiber) or HFW with EGCG (HFWE; HFW with 0.32% EGCG) diet for 17 wks. As a comparison, two other groups of mice fed a low-fat diet (LF; 10% energy as fat) and high-fat diet (HF; 60% energy as fat) were also included. The HFW group developed more body weight gain and severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome than the HF group. The EGCG treatment significantly reduced body weight gain associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels compared to those of the HFW group. Fatty liver incidence, liver damage, and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Moreover, the EGCG treatment attenuat...
Archaeobotanical remains from late 6th/early 5th millennium BC Tel Tsaf, Israel

This study illustrates how archaeobotanical information is a key line of evidence for investigating the emergence of social complexity in the southern Levant during the late 6th/early 5th millennium BC. The ability of emerging elites to produce surplus agricultural produce was an important factor in social stratification. Excavations at the site of Tel Tsaf (5200–4600 cal BC) in the central Jordan River Valley, Israel revealed four courtyard buildings each containing a number of large storage silos indicating that the inhabitants of the site had the ability to store large amounts of comestibles. The results of the archaeobotanical analysis indicate the presence of barley (Hordeum sp.), wheat (Triticum sp., Triticum dicoccum, Triticum monococcum), lentil (Lens culinaris), and pea (Pisum sativum) throughout the site. Analysis of flotation samples from the silos indicate that cereals were stored relatively free of processing debris, but that weeds mimicking crops (wild grasses of a similar size to the cultivars) had not been removed. This suggests a relatively high degree of labor organization due to the large amount of work involved in cleaning cereals of processing debris post-harvest.
Methionine dependence in cancer cells - a review.

Methionine dependence is a defect found in many cancer cell lines that inhibits their growth in culture when methionine is replaced by its immediate precursor, homocysteine, in the culture medium. Normal cultured cells do not have this defect. This report lists the diverse and large number of animal and human cancer lines that are methionine-dependent, and critically reviews the cell biology and methionine biochemistry of the phenomenon.