cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instructional demand and pretesting in the assessment of social anxiety

A Solomon Four-Group design was used to investigate the effects of pretesting, instructional demand, and their possible interaction on the overt behavior and self-report of socially anxious males. One-half of the subjects were assessed in a low-demand pretest social interaction task. All subjects participated in a posttest social interaction 1 week later where high- and low-demand instructions were crossed with the pretest-no pretest factor. Posttest data indicated that there were no significant instructional demand, testing, or interaction effects. This study does not support the hypothesis of pretest sensitization as a way to reconcile the conflicting results of previous research. The present data are consistent with the claims that social anxiety is not easily influenced by instructional demand effects.
Long-Term Memory and Retrieval at Ages 2, 3, 4.

Abstract Two experiments are reported examining the contents and accessibility of a subset of the knowledge represented in long-term memory by very young children. In Experiment 1, children aged 2 to 4 were asked in a production task to name items commonly found in particular rooms in a house, and then to verify the appropriate locations of a set of miniature replicas of household items in a dollhouse. In Experiment 2, object context was manipulated to observe if further external context improves or changes production. Children 3 and 4 years old were asked to produce appropriate room items under one of three conditons: either presented no room objects as in the first experiment, or given room objects highly- or less-frequently associated in the first study. Very young children revealed considerable knowledge in this domain, and even at the youngest ages, core defining information was retrieved. It was equally clear, however, that young children know much more than they can produce, that there is noticeable improvement in ability to retrieve information over this age range, and that additional external object context does not necessarily facilitate retrieval from long-term memory.
Mental retardation and seizure disorder in Schimke immunoosseous dysplasia

Schimke immunoosseous dysplasia (SID) is a rare, pleiotropic disorder compromising spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, nephrotic syndrome, defective T-cell-mediated immunity, and vascular changes which can lead to cerebral infarcts. The cause is unknown but an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern has been suggested. Understanding of the clinical phenotype is evolving; however, the neurologic spectrum is not well known. We report on a 17-year-old woman who presented with behavior changes, developmental regression, and partial complex seizures in early childhood. Computed tomographic scan of the brain was normal at that time. Short stature and cognitive deficits became evident several months later. At 4 1/2 years, she developed nephrotic syndrome and later malignant hypertension. Recent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed focal encephalomalacia in the parietal regions and a magnetic resonance angiography documented narrowing of the middle cerebral arteries. A skeletal survey showed evidence of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. We have not been able to identify an immune defect. To our knowledge this is the first reported patient with SID, profound mental retardation, and a seizure disorder. This case supports the theory that an intrinsic vascular defect may be more important in the pathogenesis of SID than a T-cell-mediated immune deficit.
Spermidine biases the resolution of Holliday junctions by phage λ integrase

Holliday junctions are a central intermediate in diverse pathways of DNA repair and recombination. The isomerization of a junction determines the directionality of the recombination event. Previous studies have shown that the identity of the central sequence of the junction may favor one of the two isomers, in turn controlling the direction of the pathway. Here we demonstrate that, in the absence of DNA sequence-mediated isomer preference, polycations are the major contributor to biasing strand cleavage during junction resolution. In the case of wild-type phage λ excision junctions, spermidine plays the dominant role in controlling the isomerization state of the junction and increases the rate of junction resolution. Spermidine also counteracts the sequence-imposed bias on resolution. The spermidine-induced bias is seen equally on supercoiled and linear excisive recombination junction intermediates, and thus is not just an artefact of in vitro recombination conditions. The contribution of spermidine requires the presence of accessory factors, and results in the repositioning of Int's core-binding domains on junctions, perhaps due to DNA-spermidine–protein interactions, or by influencing DNA conformation in the core region. Our results lead us to propose that spermidine together with accessory factors promotes the formation of the second junction isomer. We propose that this rearrangement triggers the activation of the second pair of Int active sites necessary to resolve Holliday junctions during phage λ Int-mediated recombination.
Hadamard Differentiability on D0,1]p

We show that a statistical functional is asymptotically normal if it induces a Hadamard differentiable functional defined on the space D0, 1]p. This work involves p-dimensional empirical processes. As an example we illustrate the use of the von Mises method in proving the asymptotic normality of Spearman?s rank correlation coefficient.
Tumor Enucleation vs Sharp Excision in Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy: Technical Benefit Without Impact on Functional or Oncologic Outcomes

Objective To present the benefits and utility of tumor enucleation as an alternative technique to sharp excision during minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN). Methods We retrospectively compared enucleation and sharp excision during MIPN, with the aim of determining benefits and limitations of enucleation in this setting. Results Among 602 patients undergoing MIPN at our institution, 86 and 516 underwent enucleation and sharp excision, respectively, as determined by the surgeon. The nephrometry score was greater in the enucleation vs sharp excision group (mean, 6.7 vs 6.3), but all other preoperative parameters were similar. The mean ischemia and operative times were 4 and 32 minutes shorter in the enucleation group, respectively, likely owing to less frequent entry into renal sinus (21% vs 41%) and need for tumor bed suturing (41% vs 62%), compared with those in the sharp excision group. There was no association with blood loss, positive margins, urine leak, blood transfusion, major complications, renal function, recurrence, or survival. Conclusion Enucleation appears to provide the benefits of reduced surgical entry into the renal sinus, less need for tumor bed suturing, and shorter operative time, without any impact on functional or oncologic outcomes. Given favorable preoperative radiography and intraoperative findings, enucleation is a useful technique for patients undergoing MIPN.
Iron fertilization with volcanic ash

Martin [1990] suggests that intentional iron fertilization of nutrient-rich but iron-starved areas such as the southern oceans and equatorial Pacific might be used to stimulate organic productivity and thereby remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Martin further proposes that low concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide during glacial times were partly the result of increased oceanic productivity stimulated by iron-bearing dust falling into oceans. Martin's work is very controversial both because the effectiveness of iron fertilization of the iron-starved parts of the oceans has been questioned [Peng and Broecker, 1991] and because proposed pilot-scale experiments to test the effects of iron addition on ocean ecology have met resistance from those who fear unanticipated and possibly harmful side effects. Of particular concern are possible long-term effects that would not necessarily be observed in proposed experiments. In this article, it is proposed that periodic additions of iron-bearing volcanic ash to the oceans represent natural iron-fertilization experiments that could be evaluated for their effects on ocean productivity.
Progress on optical verification for occulter-based high contrast imaging

An external occulter is a specially-shaped spacecraft own in formation with a telescope. It enables high-contrast imaging of the dim planetary companions of the neighboring solar system by blocking starlight before it reaches the entrance pupil. Occulters have to be designed via optimization methods that account for diffraction to most effectively block starlight. To predict occulter performance, we must verify the fidelity of the optical propagation models under scaled conditions. In this paper, we measure the contrast of a scaled occulter. The validity of the contrast calibration is determined using a baseline circular occulter. We verify contrast better than 10 -10 , however the measurements do not perform as well as the prediction from theoretical modelling. We attribute this difference to glint scattering off mask edges.
The global ocean circulation: a hydrographic estimate and regional analysis

Abstract Data from fifteen globally distributed, modern, high resolution, hydrographic oceanic transects are combined in a large scale, inverse, box model calculation. The results of the study are presented here through a detailed regional analysis of the global model results. Most features of the integrated circulation are similar to those seen in previous studies. The Atlantic overturning cell is estimated at 18±4×109 kg s−1. Within the Southern Ocean, deep waters from the north meet bottom waters originating in the south. These lower deep waters are carried into the Indian and Pacific basins where they are converted to upper deep and intermediate waters before returning to the Atlantic. The strong and steady source of upper and intermediate waters available from the Southwest Atlantic and the `cold water' path support the argument that this is a consistent source of the feed for the formation of deep waters in the north. Nevertheless, the results indicate that there is westward flow originating in the Agulhas Recirculation region and that this `warm water' connection may be important, and at times dominant. Within the model, the magnitude of Indonesian Passage throughflow waters does not have a direct bearing on the water returning to the North Atlantic and, therefore, it is not considered to be a sensitive component of the global-scale flow. The model, although globally consistent (i.e. displays consistency between the model data and physics), suggests some circulation features which disagree with previously published results. Two such results are a strong flow of warmer waters across the middle and eastern portions of the Atlantic 48°N section, and only a very small southward flow of North Pacific Deep Water across the Pacific 10°N section. The model also provides estimates of the meridional heat transport based upon the globally consistent circulation pattern. The model heat flux estimates are both significantly different from zero and quite robust to changes in initial assumptions with the exception of the choice of wind field. These estimates are examined in light of previously published values.
Long-term retention of concurrent discriminations by monkeys

Five rhesus macaques were measured over a 10-month period on the acquisition and retention of 124 concurrent, simultaneous, two-choice object discriminations. Distinctive properties of acquisition by naive subjects, retention after various intervening training conditions, and additions of new problems to an existing store of information were all issues investigated in various phases of the program of research. The pervasive characteristic observed in all behavioral measures was proficient performance in both acquisition and retention despite large numbers of problems or long retention intervals. Some potential bases and implications of such extensive and durable memory capacities were considered.
CHANGES IN FLUORESCENCE SPECTRA OF CHLOROPLASTS INDUCED BY A NATURALLY‐OCCURRING FACTOR

— –Fluorescence emission changes (measured at – 196°C) of Ricinus chloroplasts incubated in isolation medium, and of chloroplasts from algae and higher plants incubated in Ricinus leaf extract, are described. Such incubation results in a transformation of the three-banded emission spectrum (F735, F698, F685) into a virtually one-banded spectrum, with maximum at 698 nm. That these changes are a consequence of the conversion (deaggregation) of the form of chlorophyll giving rise to F735 into a form contributing to fluorescence at 698 nm is suggested on the basis of room temperature absorption and low temperature fluorescence excitation studies, made concomitantly with the low temperature emission studies.
Amino terminal sequence and location of phosphate groups of the major human casein.

Abstract The amino acid sequence of the first 28 residues of the major human casein was determined. This protein in multi-phosphorylated forms (0 to 5 phosphorous per molecule) was compared to cow beta-casein which is similar in composition but phosphorylated at a constant level. After sequencing the phosphate-free human casein, phosphorylated seryl and threonyl residues were located in three of the other phosphorylated forms by examining the aqueous layer of the phenylthio-hydantoin conversion step during automatic liquid phase sequencing. Phosphate groups on specific seryl/threonyl residues suggest a biosynthetic mechanism involving stepwise phosphorylation or dephosphorylation.
Quantifying the impact of unscheduled line outages on Locational Marginal Prices

In this paper, we present a systematic approach for quantifying the impact of unscheduled line outages on real-time Locational Marginal Price (LMP). The probabilistic LMP is formulated with consideration of generation, load, and topology uncertainties. A computationally efficient 2n+1 point estimation method is adopted to calculate statistical moments of LMP due to unscheduled transmission line outages. The proposed approach is demonstrated in a modified PJM five-bus system. Result of such study is beneficial for power market participants in developing a more comprehensive bidding strategy.
Viradel method for detection of rota virus from seawater

This report describes the use of a virus adsorption-elution (Viradel) technique for the concentration and detection of rotavirus from seawater. Simian rotavirus SA-11 was used as a model virus because it can be readily propagated and plaqued in vitro. The virus adsorbed optimally to fiberglass epoxy filters when seawater was adjusted to pH 3.5 and aluminum chloride added to a concentration of 1.0 mM. Adsorbed virus was eluted with 6% beef extract at pH 10.5 and was further concentrated to a smaller volume by a modification of the organic flocculation method. Using this method, in conjunction with an indirect immunofluorescence test, rotavirus was detected in sewage-contaminated seawater.
Renormalization group study of the one dimensional quantum mechanical XY model

Abstract The one dimensional quantum mechanical XY model is studied by the renormalization group method. To second order in the cumulant expansion, no non-trivial fixed points are found. The calculated free energy is in excellent agreement with that of the exact solution.
Fear of strangers in children and the orienting reaction

The phenomenon of fear of strangers (FS) is reviewed in light of recent findings in neurophysiology, ethology, developmental and cognitive psychology. Responses to strangers by infants are variable, including looking, withdrawal, clinging, rigidity and screaming. Visual fixation of strangers is invariable in humans and animals. The evolutionary survival value of FS in humans has been questioned. The theory that this behavior prevents the dilution of the attachment bond late in infancy when the child cannot flee an enemy is critically examined. Such a behavioral mechanism whereby infants were programmed to fear members of their own species would have been of little survival value in early human hunting and gathering societies where parent mortality was high. Fear of strangers has also been accounted for on the basis of cognitive conflict induced in infants by strangers. This theory does not explain why FS appears in human infants several months after discrimination of familiar from strange objects is perceptually possible. The orienting reaction (OR) elicited by changes in the environment and characterized by heightened arousal might be important in understanding the development of the FS response. The adaptive value of the OR may be the maintenance of an optimal distance between novel stimuli and the infant until such time as informational uncertainty about the stimulus is reduced. Maturation of the OR in the latter part of the first year of life permits the child to consider informational variables involved in a novel object or stranger and determine the nature of his response. Physiological measurements such as EKG could be used experimentally to determine whether an OR is evoked in infants by the appearance of a stranger.
Argumentation logic to assist in security administration

We present our preliminary work in using argumentation logics to reason about security administration tasks. Decisionsabout network security are increasingly complex, involvingtradeoffs between keeping systems secure, maintaining system operation, escalating costs, and compromising functionality. In this paper we suggest the use of argumentation to provide automated support for security decisions. Argumentation is a formal approach to decision making that has proved to be effective in a number of domains. In contrast to traditional first order logic, argumentation logic provides the basis for presenting arguments to a user for or against a position, along with well-founded methods for assessing the outcome of interactions among the arguments. We demonstrate the use of argumentation in a reconfiguration problem, to diagnose the root cause of cyber-attack, and to set policies.
Cytotoxic effects of FK506 on human renal proximal tubule cells in culture.

FK506 has been used as the primary immunosuppressive agent administered after a variety of organ transplants, with less reported nephrotoxicity than that of cyclosporine. This study examined in vitro cytotoxicity of FK506 on normal human renal proximal tubule cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed by neutral red inclusion and trypan blue exclusion; morphology was assessed by light and transmission electron microscopy. Neutral red inclusion decreased to less than 10% of the control after 3 days exposure to 200µg/ml FK506. Forty microgram per milliliter FK506 caused a decrease in neutral red inclusion to 61% of the control on Day 7, with recovery to 86% on Day 12. Similarly, trypan blue exclusion decreased to 66% of the control following 7 days exposure to 40µg/ml FK506, and confluency of the monolayer was reduced to 50% as evidenced by phase contrast microscopy. After a 12-day exposure, treated monolayers became more confluent. On ultrastructural examination, FK506-treated cells exhibited increased cytoplasmic vacuolation and lipid inclusion. These data suggest that FK506 is reversibly and mildly toxic to monolayers of human renal proximal tubule cells and are consistent with clinical reports of reversible nephrotoxicity.
HoPE receives the 2002 Excellence in Geophysical Education Award

“A little over a year ago, I decided to nominate the American Museum of Natural History's Hall of Planet Earth (HoPE) for the AGU Excellence in Geophysical Education Award.” “I took this step with some trepidation, knowing that I had some conflict of interest, having just started to work there on leave from LLNL. However, I had taken the job because of the opportunity to communicate my science to the general public, and I was inordinately pleased with the many opportunities that abounded, thanks to the hard work and foresight of the people who had built HoPE. So when Deane Rink suggested we nominate HoPE for this award, I decided to go for it, nominating the four people most responsible for putting it all together: Ed Mathez, Heather Sloan, Jim Webster, and Ro Kinzler.
Loss of flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation occurs early in the development of atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUNDHealthy arteries exhibit endothelium-dependent dilation in response to both local acetylcholine and increased blood flow. In humans, clinically overt coronary artery disease is characterized by loss of dilation to both acetylcholine and blood flow. The temporal relation, however, between functional abnormalities of the endothelium and the development of atherosclerosis has not been established.METHODS AND RESULTSWe examined endothelial vasodilator function in vivo at an early stage of the development of atherosclerosis. Two groups of seven Macaca fascicularis monkeys were studied; one group was fed a high cholesterol diet (0.73-1.0 mg cholesterol per calorie) for 11 months. Cholesterol feeding was associated with increased plasma cholesterol levels and with intimal thickening of the iliac arteries but with no reduction in luminal diameter. Endothelium-dependent vasomotor responses of the iliac arteries were then examined in vivo by quantitative contrast angiography. Acetylcholine produced signif...
Systemic lupus erythematosus and discoid lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology that affects numerous organ systems including the renal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and central and peripheral nervous systems. The practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon needs to understand the potential complications of SLE and the alterations in treatment protocols which would be necessary to safely treat a patient with SLE. This article outlines the disease process, prevalence and presentation, and specific variants, and discusses treatment regimens available for incorporation into current practice.
Development of a smart-grid cyber-physical systems testbed

Emerging future smart grids will substantially increase the sophistication and diversity of control, communications, and power systems technologies. While many of these technologies are well established in their particular area, the interactions that result when combining them into a fully functioning cyber-physical system can result in many unexpected behaviors. Therefore, appropriate test platforms will become necessary to evaluate the performance of these systems in order to reveal unintended and potentially harmful interactions between subsystems before deploying such technologies in the field. In this paper, we discuss the design and development of a testbed to evaluate various smart-grid based control technologies through the use of controller hardware-in-the-Ioop real-time simulation. In particular, the focus of this testbed is to examine various “intelligent” and distributed control algorithms. The relevance of the testbed is illustrated through a case-study of a smart-grid solution known as the Distributed Grid Intelligence (DGI), which is part of the Future Renewable Electrical Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) project. In this case-study, we describe the impacts of various interactions such as communication timings, available computational resources, and distribution and decentralization of higher-level control on a microgrid's operations. Based on the case study, this paper concludes with recommendations for future expansion and improvements to the test bed in order to better serve the smart grid research community.
Nutritional Considerations in the Patient with Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis, or delayed gastric emptying, has many origins and can wax and wane depending on the underlying cause. Not only do the symptoms significantly alter quality of life, but the clinical consequences can also be life threatening. Once a patient develops protracted nausea and vomiting, providing adequate nutrition, hydration, and access to therapeutics such as prokinetics and antiemetics can present an exceptional challenge to clinicians. This article reviews the limited evidence available for oral nutrition, as well as enteral and parenteral nutritional support therapies. Practical strategies are provided to improve the nutritional depletion that often accompanies this debilitating condition.
Bovine liver dihydropyrimidine amidohydrolase: pH dependencies of the steady-state kinetic and proton relaxation rate properties of the Mn(II)-containing enzyme.

Abstract The essential Zn(II) in bovine liver dihydropyrimidine amidohydrolase (DHPase) was removed by incubation with 2,6-dipicolinic acid and replaced with Mn(II). Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of Mn(II) binding show that there are four binding sites per tetramer, and the dissociation constant at pH 7.5 is 13.5 μ m . The substitution of Mn(II) for Zn(II) increases the specific activity of the enzyme approximately sixfold but has only a small effect (twofold increase) on the Km for 5-bromo-5,6-dihydrouracil (BrH2Ura). The pH dependence of the catalytic properties of Mn(II)-DHPase is the same as for the Zn(II) enzyme (Lee, M., Cowling, R., Sander, E., and Pettigrew, D. (1986) Arch. Biochem. Biophys.248, 368–378). The pH dependence is well described in terms of the ionization of a single group with a pK of about 6 in the free enzyme. The ionization of this group is required for catalytic activity. The substitution of Mn(II) for Zn(II) does not affect the pH dependence of DHPase catalysis and therefore strongly suggests that the ionizable group is an amino acid residue at or near the active site, rather than a metal-bound water molecule. The pH dependence of the enhancement of the paramagnetic effect of the DHPase-Mn complex on the relaxation rate of the solvent water protons also is well described in terms of the ionization of a single group with a pK of about 6. Ionization of the group which is involved in catalysis also perturbs the environment of the bound Mn(II). The ionization of the active site group does not affect the number of exchangeable water molecules but does affect the symmetry of the environment of the bound Mn(II) and its electron relaxation.
Urban biosphere and society: partnership of cities--introduction.

: This paper reports on issues of conservation, equitable use of resources, and the improvement of quality of life for all persons living in densely populated cites. Case studies are presented that examine UNESCO's concept of biosphere reserve, demonstrating the elasticity and usefulness of the concept as a way to promote global sustainability and governance on local, regional and global levels.
Occurrence and Transport of Organic Microcontaminants in the Duluth-Superior Harbor

Abstract A large number of organic compounds were identified in sediments and suspended solids from St. Louis Bay in the Duluth harbor. Most of the organic compounds appeared to be naturally occurring plant decomposition products consisting of non-halogenated hydrocarbons, organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, amines, esters, alcohols, and phenols. However, the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were confirmed by GC/MS methods. Particulate levels of PAH compounds such as fluorene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were found to lie in the 0.2 to 3 μg/g range. PCBs associated with suspended particles from St. Louis Bay and the Superior harbor were at concentrations of 0.2 to 0.9 μg/g and less than 0.1 μg/g, respectively. Measurements of PCBs in water from the St. Louis Bay showed an average value of 19 ng/L. Considering the concentration of PCBs in water and particulates in conjunction with average suspended solids levels, it was calculated that 81% of the PCBs were dissolved in water and 19% associated with suspended particles. It was estimated that suspended solid transport of PCBs and PAH to Lake Superior is less than 0.01% of airborne transport.
Turned on for degradation: ATPase-independent degradation by ClpP

Clp is a barrel-shaped hetero-oligomeric ATP-dependent protease comprising a hexameric ATPase (ClpX or ClpA) that unfolds protein substrates and translocates them into the central chamber of the tetradecameric proteolytic component (ClpP) where they are degraded processively to short peptides. Chamber access is controlled by the N-terminal 20 residues (for Escherichia coli) in ClpP that prevent entry of large polypeptides in the absence of the ATPase subunits and ATP hydrolysis. Remarkably, removal of 10–17 residues from the mature N-terminus allows processive degradation of a large model unfolded substrate to short peptides without the ATPase subunit or ATP hydrolysis; removal of 14 residues is maximal for activation. Furthermore, since the product size distribution of Δ14-ClpP is identical to ClpAP and ClpXP, the ATPases do not play an essential role in determining this distribution. Comparison of the structures of Δ14-ClpP and Δ17-ClpP with other published structures shows R15 and S16 are labile and that residue 17 can adopt a range of rotomers to ensure protection of a hydrophobic pocket formed by I19, R24 and F49 and maintain a hydrophilic character of the pore.
Advanced motor developments for electric vehicles

Advances in motors and drives can make a significant improvement in the performance and cost effectiveness of electric vehicles (EV's)--increasing the vehicle range by as much as 20 percent, while reducing costs as much as 15 percent below present levels. Preliminary studies suggest that improvements in conventional dc motors and drives can only achieve modest improvements (about 3 percent in range and 10 percent in costs). Two advanced motor concepts-- electronically-commutated motors and permanent-magnet motors-- appear more promising.
Regge-pole dominance in a heavy-ion DWBA calculation

Abstract We show Regge-pole dominance in a representative heavy-ion DWBA calculation and display various pole manifestations in both calculated elastic and transfer quantities.
Swashbuckling Students: An Exploratory Study of Internet Piracy

Advancements in computer technology have led to the development of a new form of criminal offence: internet piracy. Internet piracy, or the illegal duplication and reproduction of copyrighted music, movies, and computer software costs entertainment and software companies billions of dollars annually. Despite the escalating costs due to internet piracy, to date few studies have examined the incidence of internet piracy. The present study attempts to rectify this lack of research attention by examining the occurrence of internet piracy among college students, as well as identifying variables related to pirating behaviours. Surveys were distributed to 114 college students at a medium-sized land grant University in the upper Mid-West. Multiple regression is used to examine the ability of variables traditionally associated with deviance (e.g., social bonding and strain variables) to predict internet piracy. Findings from this study, as well as limitations and recommendations for future research, are presented.
Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro testing of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles targeted using folic acid-conjugated dendrimers

Organic-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (OC-SPIONs) were synthesized and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. OC-SPIONs were transferred from organic media into water using poly(amidoamine) dendrimers modified with 6-TAMRA fluorescent dye and folic acid molecules. The saturation magnetization of the resulting dendrimer-coated SPIONs (DC-SPIONs) was determined, using a superconducting quantum interference device, to be 60 emu/g Fe versus 90 emu/g Fe for bulk magnetite. Selective targeting of the DC-SPIONs to KB cancer cells in vitro was demonstrated and quantified using two distinct and complementary imaging modalities: UV–visible and X-ray fluorescence; confocal microscopy confirmed internalization. The results were consistent between the uptake distribution quantified by flow cytometry using 6-TAMRA UV–visible fluorescence intensity and the cellular iron content determined using X-ray fluorescence microscopy.
Automating Po´lya theory: the computational complexity of the cycle index polynomial

Abstract In this paper we investigate the computational difficulty of evaluating and approximately evaluating Polya′s cycle index polynomial. We start by investigating the difficulty of determining a particular coefficient of the cycle index polynomial. In particular, we consider the following problem, in which i is taken to be a fixed positive integer: Given a set of generators for a permutation group G whose degree, n, is a multiple of i, determine the coefficient of xn/ii in the cycle index polynomial of G. We show that this problem is #P-hard for every fixed i >1. Next, we consider the evaluation problem. Let y1, y2, ... stand for an arbitrary fixed sequence of non-negative real numbers. The cycle index evaluation problem that is associated with this sequence is the following: Given a set of generators for a degree n permutation group G, evaluate the cycle index polynomial of G at the point (y1, ..., yn). We show that if there exists an i such that yi ≠ yi1 and yi ≠ 0 then the evaluation problem associated with y1, y2, ..., is #P-hard. We observe that the evaluation problem is solvable in polynomial time if yj = yj1 for every positive integer j and that it is solvable in polynomial time if yj = 0 for every integer j >1. Finally, we consider the approximate evaluation problem. We show that it is NP-hard to approximately solve the evaluation problem if there exists an i such that yi > yi1. Furthermore, we show that it is NP-hard to approximately solve the evaluation problem if y1 = y2 = ··· = y for some positive non-integer y. We derive some corollaries of our results which deal with the computational difficulty of counting equivalence classes of combinatorial structures.
Acute Toxicity of Tetramethylbenzenes: Durene, Isodurene and Prehnitene

ABSTRACTOral LD50 (rat), primary skin irritation (rabbit), cutaneous sensitization (guinea pig) and eye irritation (rabbit) studies were conducted on the three tetramethylbenzene isomers: durene, isodurene and prehnitene. The order of oral toxicity was isodurene > prehnitene > durene. Durene was not a skin irritant, while isodurene and prehnitene each produced a mild positive skin response (erythema). None of the tetramethylbenzenes were skin sensitizers or eye irritants. Durene, isodurene and prehnitene are only slightly toxic on an acute toxicologic basis and only pose an acute health hazard when injested in excessive quantities.
Global and Domestic Governance: Modes of Interdependence in Regulatory Policymaking

This article examines how the regulatory policies of countries are interdependent. In particular, it identifies three modes of interdependence: competitive, coordinative, and informational. In the competitive mode the essential structure of interdependence is for countries to attempt to have distinctive policies that provide some advantage over other countries, but where the equilibrium set of policies is suboptimal for all. In the coordinative mode, there is an advantage for all countries to adopt the same policy, but exactly which policy is adopted may have significant distributional consequences. Lastly, in the informational mode, the choices and experiences of countries produce informational externalities, pointing the way for other countries to policy decisions. This article examines the logic underpinning each of these modes of interdependence, and draws out the governance implications of each mode.
Tacit subjects: belonging and same-sex desire among Dominican immigrant men

Carlos Ulises Decena, Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 2001, 309 pp., $23.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-8223-4945-7 In Tacit subjects, Carlos Ulises Decena presents an in-depth portrait of the lives...
MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION IN SOIL IN CONTAINERS

In many problems dealing with the use of water by plants, containers of various sizes are adopted, in which the system is sealed against loss of moisture by evaporation from the surface, and against loss by drainage. These containers are usually weighed at intervals, and water added in measured quantities to bring about the moisture conditions desired by the investigator. Generally, these experiments contain several series of containers that are supposed to be moistened uniformly, and kept at moisture contents less than that of the field capacity of the soil used. A report was made on the distribution of moisture in soil following an irrigation in various field experiments (1, 3, 5, 6), in which it was shown that water moves but slowly from soil at field capacity to adjoining dry soil, and that, in the absence of roots, the line of demarcation between the wet and the dry soil does not change during relatively long periods of time. In another paper (2) evidence was presented which showed that the movement of moisture from a wet to a dry soil in containers, takes place in the same way that it does under field conditions. The lack of uniform distribution of moisture by autoirrigators was shown by the accumulation of roots immediately around and below the porous cones. A device for automatically bringing the moisture in a soil in a container up to the field capacity is described by Johnston and Atkins (4). The following results show some of the soil-moisture conditions obtained in experiments with sunflower plants in containers, when the soil was wetted to the field capacity, and when attempts were made to moisten soil at the permanent wilting percentage, to a moisture content less than that of the field capacity. Three soils, a sand, a loam, and a clay adobe, were used. The containers were all brought to a uniform weight for convenience in handling, and a known weight (about 600 grams) of oven dry soil was placed in each. The soil was moistened to its field capacity and dwarf sunflowers planted. When the sunflower plants had reached a height of about 12 cm. and each had 3 pairs of full sized leaves, they were allowed to wilt. The wilting percentages obtained agreed with those obtained in previous trials with these soils. After wilting, various amounts of water were added to the surface of the soil. The plants were then cut off and the container sealed until the following day when the cans were cut longitudinally with a hack saw, and photographed. Soil samples of the top and bottom portions were taken for the determination of the moisture content. The moisture equiva-
Presentations and outcomes of patients with acute decompensated heart failure admitted in the winter season.

Abstract Background Seasonal variations in cardiovascular disease is well recognized. However, little is known about the presentations and outcomes of Japanese heart failure (HF) patients in the winter season. Methods and results We used a single hospital-based cohort from the Shinken Database 2004–2012, comprising all new patients (n = 19,994) who visited the Cardiovascular Institute Hospital. A total of 375 patients who were admitted owing to acute decompensated HF were included in the analysis. Of these patients, 136 (36%) were admitted in winter. Winter was defined as the period between December and February. The HF patients admitted in winter were older, and had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus than the patients admitted in other seasons. Patients with conditions categorized as clinical scenario 1 tended to be admitted more commonly in winter. HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was more common in HF patients admitted in winter than in those admitted in other seasons. Beta-blocker use at hospital discharge was more common in the patients admitted in other seasons. Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank test results indicated that the incidences of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and HF admission were comparable between the patients admitted in winter and those admitted in other seasons. Conclusions HF admission was frequently observed in the winter season and HF patients admitted in the winter season were older, and had higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and preserved LVEF suggesting that we might need to pay more attention for elderly patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and HF with preserved LVEF to decrease HF admissions in the winter season.
Wet‐Chemical Synthesis of Phase‐Pure FeOF Nanorods as High‐Capacity Cathodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

It is challenging to prepare phase-pure FeOF by wet-chemical methods. Furthermore, nanostructured FeOF has never been reported. In this study, hierarchical FeOF nanorods were synthesized through a facile, one-step, wet-chemical method by the use of just FeF3⋅3H2O and an alcohol. It was possible to significantly control the FeOF nanostructure by the selection of alcohols with an appropriate molecular structure. A mechanism for the formation of the nanorods is proposed. An impressive high specific capacity of approximately 250 mAh g(-1) and excellent cycling and rate performances were demonstrated for sodium storage. The hierarchical FeOF nanorods are promising high-capacity cathodes for SIBs.
OKADAIC ACID, A PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE INHIBITOR, BLOCKS CALCIUM CHANGES, GENE EXPRESSION, AND CELL DEATH INDUCED BY GIBBERELLIN IN WHEAT ALEURONE CELLS

The cereal aleurone functions during germination by secreting hydrolases, mainly alpha-amylase, into the starchy endosperm. Multiple signal transduction pathways exist in cereal aleurone cells that enable them to modulate hydrolase production in response to both hormonal and environmental stimuli. Gibberellic acid (GA) promotes hydrolase production, whereas abscisic acid (ABA), hypoxia, and osmotic stress reduce amylase production. In an effort to identify the components of transduction pathways in aleurone cells, we have investigated the effect of okadaic acid (OA), a protein phosphatase inhibitor, on stimulus-response coupling for GA, ABA, and hypoxia. We found that OA (100 nM) completely inhibited all the GA responses that we measured, from rapid changes in cytosolic Ca2+ through changes in gene expression and accelerated cell death. OA (100 nM) partially inhibited ABA responses, as measured by changes in the level of PHAV1, a cDNA for an ABA-induced mRNA in barley. In contrast, OA had no effect on the response to hypoxia, as measured by changes in cytosolic Ca2+ and by changes in enzyme activity and RNA levels of alcohol dehydrogenase. Our data indicate that OA-sensitive protein phosphatases act early in the transduction pathway of GA but are not involved in the response to hypoxia. These data provide a basis for a model of multiple transduction pathways in which the level of cytosolic Ca2+ is a key point of convergence controlling changes in stimulus-response coupling.
Gabapentin withdrawal syndrome in the presence of a taper.

Objective: To report a case report of a geriatric patient with a 5-year history of gabapentin use for enhanced bipolar control, who was tapered off of gabapentin over 1 week. The patient displayed unique withdrawal symptoms after the taper of gabapentin. Methods: The patient is an 81-year-old white female with a life-long history of schizoaffective disorder with bipolar type I tendencies who had been prescribed gabapentin for 5 years. Results: The patient displayed moderate upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and somatic complaints 1 day after termination of gabapentin. These symptoms gradually worsened until 10 days after, at which time she acutely developed severe mental status changes, severe somatic chest pain, and hypertension. Physical examination, electrolytes, electrocardiogram, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance angiography were all normal. Upon reintroduction of gabapentin, the patient returned to baseline within 1–2 days. Conclusions: Gabapentin is widely utilized currently for the chronic treatment of recalcitrant migraines, bipolar illness, pain, and epilepsy. It has a wide therapeutic index with few side effects and drug interactions, is not hepatically metabolized, and is excreted by the kidneys. Past reports have suggested that some withdrawal symptoms can present after 1–2 days upon abrupt discontinuation of gabapentin after chronic use within young to middle-aged patients. These symptoms mimic that of alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal purportedly due to a similar mechanism of action. Unique to this case is that this geriatric patient developed debilitating withdrawal symptoms after a gradual, week-long taper of gabapentin along with flu-like symptoms. It is proposed herein that a gabapentin taper should follow a course similar to that of a benzodiazepine taper – slowly and over a period of weeks to months.
Transcription, biochemistry and localization of nematode annexins

The transcription of three annexin genes in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, was detected by reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction amplification of messenger RNAs. The highest level of expression was from the nex-1 gene, with lower levels detected for the nex-2 and nex-3 genes. The expression of nex-1 was reduced in the Dauer larval stage relative to the other annexins, correlating with the absence of the spermathecal valves, a major site of nex-1 protein localization. Recombinant nex-1 protein was expressed in yeast, isolated by calcium-dependent binding to acidic phospholipids, and its membrane binding and aggregating activities characterized using bovine chromaffin granules as a representative intracellular substrate. Binding to granule membranes was promoted by calcium with half-maximal binding seen at 630 microM calcium. Chromaffin granule aggregation was similarly promoted by the nex-1 protein at 630 microM calcium. This low sensitivity to calcium suggests the annexin can only be activated in vivo near the plasma membrane or other sources of calcium. Sequences including the nex-1 promoter were fused to the gene for green fluorescent protein and this construct was introduced into nematodes by microinjection. Examination of transgenic offspring revealed specific nex-1 promoter activity in the pharynx, the hypodermal cells, the vulva, and the spermathecal valve, locations in which the annexin may function in collagen secretion/deposition and membrane-membrane interactions. A sensitive anti-nex-1 antibody labelled with rhodamine was injected into body cavities of the nematode but did not detect extracellular nex-1 protein. Therefore, this annexin is apparently cytosolic and may function on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane of the spermathecal valve to chaperon the folding of this membrane during the opening and closing of the valve.
Consequences of event rate heterogeneity across non-randomized study sub-groups.

Analyses to compare non-randomized groups are more and more common in both post hoc analyses of randomized clinical trials data and in analyses of long-term observational data. In such cases, it is quite likely that there are unknown or uncollected sources of heterogeneity in event rates. Research has shown that an underlying source of heterogeneity in event rates which is not included in proportional hazards regression models leads to biased estimates for included covariate effect estimates and lower power to test them whether the source of heterogeneity is assumed to be fixed or random. We demonstrate here using several post hoc analyses of clinical trials data that a potentially common problem may be that the non-randomized groups which are to be compared have differential variability in their event rates. We then show through simulation that such underlying heterogeneity which varies across the groups, when ignored in the modelling, can lead to an attenuated regression effect estimate for comparing the two groups to each other, lower rejection rates for the effect, and Wald-based confidence intervals with potentially much lower coverage than nominal. When the groups are not significantly different, but heterogeneity differs between them, an analysis ignoring the heterogeneity can even result in a significant negative comparison. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.