cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Professional Communication: Publications and Societies

Physiologists interviewed in the course of the Survey, queried on research publication, commonly responded that its aim is to inform others of the results of experiments. Underlying this intent to communicate were varying purposes: ‘to add to knowledge’, ‘to establish a reputation’, ‘because it is expected’, or, a cynical hope, that it might ‘add to the height of the literature rather than to its breadth’ (Preliminary Report IV-H-2, p. 17). Thus the goal of the research physiologist’s effort is to present results and interpretations to other scientists for their criticism, acceptance and, perhaps, their stimulation. Acceptance is gratifying and provides psychological reinforcement for further research; effective and high productivity encourages further investigation and further communication of results and ideas.
Abstract 16078: Risk Classification of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Through Screening of the Electronic Health Record Within a Large Healthcare System

Introduction: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by very high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels. The heterogeneity of clinical risk within FH ma...
Improving Pandemic Response: Employing Mathematical Modeling to Confront COVID-19.

Modeling complements surveillance data to inform COVID-19 public health decision making and policy development. This includes the use of modeling to improve situational awareness, to assess epidemiological characteristics, and to inform the evidence base for prevention strategies. To enhance modeling utility in future public health emergencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the Infectious Disease Modeling and Analytics Initiative. The initiative objectives are to: (1) strengthen leadership in infectious disease modeling, epidemic forecasting, and advanced analytic work; (2) build and cultivate a community of skilled modeling and analytics practitioners and consumers across CDC; (3) strengthen and support internal and external applied modeling and analytic work; and, (4) working with partners, coordinate government-wide advanced data modeling and analytics for infectious diseases. These efforts are critical to help prepare CDC, the country, and the world to respond effectively to present and future infectious disease threats.
How are DSM-III and DSM-III (R) used to make the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder?

Abstract Diagnostic issues with the syndrome of Attention Deficit Disorder are reviewed. DSM-III and the proposed DSM-II1-R classification schemes are similar in several ways. However, they differ in the specific diagnostic criteria to be used and in subtyping of the disorder. Developmental and gender issues in symptom pattern are discussed. Clinical processes and procedures, diagnostic tools and criteria of the disorder are reviewed.
Combining competition and cooperation in supervised inductive learning

Abstract Tools for automatic generation, verification, and maintenance of knowledge bases become more and more important with the amount of widely available information growing. For supervised concept learning in attribute–based spaces, many approaches have been proposed including the symbolic AQ and ID based algorithms. These algorithms exhibit competitive characteristics since either partial covers or the attributes compete for consideration at any given moment. In this paper, we describe a new full memory approach which implements a very unique search mechanism combining the competition with cooperation. This approach uses the VL 1 language in a framework utilizing operators of inductive learning methodology and an inference engine modeled upon genetic algorithms. We also present some experiments indicating the applicability of this approach to both quantitative and qualitative learning.
A General Theory of Wightman Functions

One of the main open problems of mathematical physics is to consistently quantize Yang-Mills gauge theory. If such a consistent quantization were to exist, it is reasonable to expect a ``Wightman reconstruction theorem,'' by which a Hilbert space and quantum field operators are recovered from n-point functions. However, the original version of the Wightman theorem is not equipped to deal with gauge fields or fields taking values in a noncommutative space. This paper explores a generalization of the Wightman construction which allows the fundamental fields to take values in an arbitrary topological *-algebra. In particular, the construction applies to fields valued in a Lie algebra representation, of the type required by Yang-Mills theory. This appears to be the correct framework for a generalized reconstruction theorem amenable to modern quantum theories such as gauge theories and matrix models. We obtain the interesting result that a large class of quantum theories are expected to arise as limits of matrix models, which may be related to the well-known conjecture of Kazakov. Further, by considering deformations of the associative algebra structure in the noncommutative target space, we define certain one-parameter families of quantum field theories and conjecture a relationship with deformation quantization.
Ensuring access to essential services : demand-side housing subsidies

This paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of demand-side subsidy approaches for improving poor households' access to housing services. It begins with a discussion of the rationale for stand-alone housing assistance programs, and a description of the ongoing transition away from traditional supply-side housing assistance to demand-side subsidies. The paper presents model demand-side approaches, but also draws on real world examples to highlight various aspects of program design related to targeting, transparency, price distortion, institutional capacity, administrative complexity, and funding. It also describes how variations in the design of housing-related subsidy programs can appear in response to philosophical, political, and resource considerations. The paper concludes with a discussion of the appropriateness of different subsidy approaches for various situations.
On the Significance of the Poetry of Talking About Celestial Beings in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties for Researching Daoist (Taoist) History

There were poems of talking about celestial beings in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (220-589 A. D.). These poems formed an important part of the poetic culture in that time. This kind of poetry originated before Han dynasty, such as Qu Yuan’s Li Sao, Travel and other works which described the life and environment of celestial beings. In Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the poetry had the well development and was rich in content, which contained a lot of historical material about Daoism. However, in the past academic research, scholars have not fully used the poetry of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to research Daoism. As historical material of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, these poems show the “worship trend for Daoism”, “Daoist rituals”, “Daoist meditation” and “Daoist metaphors”, and provide material for relevant special research. However, at the same time, due to the special art form of the poetry, these poems may be obscure, difficult to understand, exaggerated and falsely describing things. All of these disadvantages led scholars restrict the use of these poems in the historical study of Daoism.
The End of Alienation? the Rise of Political Trust and Efficacy in the United States

This research centers on three dimensions of political alienation – internal efficacy, external efficacy, and trust. Multivariate analysis of the demographic determinants of political efficacy and trust suggests that females, blacks, latinos were more like to exhibit feelings of internal and external efficacy, but trust is significantly higher only among the well-educated and strong partisans. We then look at the behavioral implications of these attitudes on voter turnout and candidate preference in the 2008 presidential election. Logit analysis of American National Election Study data suggests that internal efficacy increases turnout while external efficacy and trust are insignificant. With regard to candidate preference, those individuals exhibiting internal and external efficacy were more likely to vote for Barack Obama, while trust was insignificant.
Drak-state microring lasers: Using exceptional points for mode management

A semiconductor microring laser based on a dark state configuration is demonstrated. Single mode lasing is achieved by judiciously exploiting non-Hermitian exceptional points.
Analysis of stationary fuel cell dynamic ramping capabilities and ultra capacitor energy storage using high resolution demand data

Current high temperature fuel cell (HTFC) systems used for stationary power applications (in the 200-300 kW size range) have very limited dynamic load following capability or are simply base load devices. Considering the economics of existing electric utility rate structures, there is little incentive to increase HTFC ramping capability beyond 1 kWs-1 (0.4% s-1). However, in order to ease concerns about grid instabilities from utility companies and increase market adoption, HTFC systems will have to increase their ramping abilities, and will likely have to incorporate electrical energy storage (EES). Because batteries have low power densities and limited lifetimes in highly cyclic applications, ultra capacitors may be the EES medium of choice. The current analyses show that, because ultra capacitors have a very low energy storage density, their integration with HTFC systems may not be feasible unless the fuel cell has a ramp rate approaching 10 kWs-1 (4% s-1) when using a worst-case design analysis. This requirement for fast dynamic load response characteristics can be reduced to 1 kWs-1 by utilizing high resolution demand data to properly size ultra capacitor systems and through demand management techniques that reduce load volatility. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DNA BINDING TO ELECTROPOLYMERIZED POLYPYRROLE: THE DEPENDENCE ON FILM CHARACTERISTICS

Evidence is presented that suggests the binding of DNA to electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) is directly related to the presence of positive charge carriers in PPy. The adsorption rate of short radiolabelled ∅X174 DNA fragments (average size 300 bp) onto thin films of electroxidized PPy doped with p-toluene sulfonate was found to vary as a function of: film storage conditions, film age, electrochemical reduction, but not synthesis current density. DNA bound more readily to films stored under dry conditions. DNA binding varied only slightly with the current density used during PPy electropolymerization. The DNA binding levels were significantly reduced with increasing PPy film age. This observation correlated qualitatively, but not quantitatively, with the known loss of PPy conductivity and charge defects with aging. DNA adsorption levels fell off far more rapidly with film age than does conductivity. Oxidized PPy films bound DNA at a higher rate than films which had been reduced subsequent to electroxid...
Preparation and characterization of high surface area, high porosity carbon monoliths from pyrolyzed bovine bone and their performance as supercapacitor electrodes

Bovine cortical bone was pyrolyzed to produce a network of conductive carbon entwined with native hydroxyapatite that maintains its macroscopic structure during pyrolysis and prevents collapse of the carbon. Self-supporting conductive carbon monoliths were prepared by removing the hydroxyapatite with acid or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The specific surface areas of these monoliths were determined by nitrogen adsorption, and their chemical structure was characterized using Raman spectroscopy. The monoliths exhibit specific surface areas and Raman spectra similar to those of amorphous carbons. Capacitance was assessed using the monoliths as the working electrodes in three-electrode cells, and two-electrode devices in which both electrodes were monoliths. Individual monoliths exhibit specific capacitances of 134 ± 11 F/g in aqueous solutions of potassium nitrate and 108 ± 9 F/g in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidizolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. The capacitance of individual 6 mm diameter by 1 mm thick electrodes was typically on the order of 0.2 Farads.
Carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography-assisted endovascular aortic aneurysm repair in the azotemic patient.

Objective This report analyzes the safety and efficacy of carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography (CO 2 -DSA) for EVAR in a group of patients with renal insufficiency compared with a concurrent group of patients with normal renal function undergoing EVAR with iodinated contrast angiography (ICA). Methods Between 2003 and 2005, 100 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR using ICA, CO 2 -DSA, or both were retrospectively reviewed, and preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, and follow-up variables were collected. Patients were divided into two groups depending on renal function and contrast used. Group I comprised patients with normal renal function in whom ICA was used exclusively, and group II patients had a serum creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dL, and CO 2 -DSA was used preferentially and supplemented with ICA, when necessary. The two groups were compared for the outcomes of successful graft placement, renal function, endoleak type, and frequency, and the need for graft revision. Comparisons were made using χ 2 analysis, Student t test, and the Fisher exact test. Results A total of 84 EVARs were performed in group I and 16 in group II. Patient demographics and risk factors were similar between groups with the exception of serum creatinine, which was significantly increased in group II (1.8 mg/dL vs 1.0 mg/dL P P Conclusions CO 2 -DSA is safe, can be used to guide EVAR, and provides outcomes similar to ICA-guided EVAR. CO2-DSA protects renal function in the azotemic patient by lessening the need for iodinated contrast and associated nephrotoxicity, but with the tradeoff of longer fluoroscopy and operating room times and increased radiation exposure.
The flying sidekick traveling salesman problem: Optimization of drone-assisted parcel delivery

Abstract Once limited to the military domain, unmanned aerial vehicles are now poised to gain widespread adoption in the commercial sector. One such application is to deploy these aircraft, also known as drones, for last-mile delivery in logistics operations. While significant research efforts are underway to improve the technology required to enable delivery by drone, less attention has been focused on the operational challenges associated with leveraging this technology. This paper provides two mathematical programming models aimed at optimal routing and scheduling of unmanned aircraft, and delivery trucks, in this new paradigm of parcel delivery. In particular, a unique variant of the classical vehicle routing problem is introduced, motivated by a scenario in which an unmanned aerial vehicle works in collaboration with a traditional delivery truck to distribute parcels. We present mixed integer linear programming formulations for two delivery-by-drone problems, along with two simple, yet effective, heuristic solution approaches to solve problems of practical size. Solutions to these problems will facilitate the adoption of unmanned aircraft for last-mile delivery. Such a delivery system is expected to provide faster receipt of customer orders at less cost to the distributor and with reduced environmental impacts. A numerical analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the heuristics and investigates the tradeoffs between using drones with faster flight speeds versus longer endurance.
Anisotropic nuclear magnetic relaxation in metallic scandium

Abstract The orientation dependence of the nuclear magnetic relaxation rate in single-crystal scandium is presented. The relaxation is primarily due to the orbital hyperfine interaction.
A numerical study of Taylor bubbles

Some results of a computational study of axisymmetric Taylor bubbles rising in a vertical tube filled with a quiescent, upward- or downward-flowing liquid are presented. The computational method is based on a finite-volume discretization of the Navier−Stokes equations on a staggered grid. The interface is maintained sharp and is discretized using a set of marker points linked by cubic splines. Independent theoretical results and published data are used for its validation. The simulations illustrate the effect of the Morton and Eotvos numbers on several steady-state and time-dependent processes.
Polymorphism of the C line of palmar dermatoglyphics with a new classification of the C line terminations.

The terminations of the C line of the palm were classified into four modal types according to the direction of their path. These are (1) Ulnar type with 3, 4, 5′, 5″, 6 or 7 terminations; (2) Radial type with terminations in the palmar areas 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13; (3) Proximal type representing the terminations X, x, or 8; and (4) Absent type where no c triradius is present. The frequency of these four modal types exhibits strong racial variation, as well as strong bilateral polymorphism.
Multiblock Copolymers Based upon Increased Hydrophobicity Bisphenol A Moieties for Proton Exchange Membranes

Increasing hydrophobicity multiblock copolymers were synthesized by altering the copolymer composition of the hydrophobic segments. A series of nitrile-containing hydrophobic oligomers consisting of bisphenol A (Bis A), dimethylbisphenol A (DMBPA), and tetramethylbisphenol A (TMBPA) moieties were reacted with a disulfonated poly (arylene ether sulfone) hydrophilic segment to form the multiblock copolymer series. 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopy were used to monitor the progress of the copolymerization reactions and confirm the desired compositions. Membranes cast from the resultant multiblock copolymers had high molecular weight as measured by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and showed strong mechanical properties. As the hydrophobicity of the polymers increased from the Bis A, to the DMBPA, and to the TMBPA systems, the membranes showed a corresponding decrease in water uptake. The reduced water uptake and limited fluorine content produced membranes with significantly reduced methanol permeabilities over that of Nafion or other similar multiblock copolymer membranes. Electrochemical testing showed that the more hydrophobic TMBPA systems showed improved performance at higher methanol concentrations. © 2014 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.086404jes] All rights reserved.
Discussion of “The impact of the options backdating scandal on shareholders” and “Taxes and the backdating of stock option exercise dates”

Abstract Bernile and Jarrell provide extensive analysis regarding the impact of backdating the stock option exercise price on stock returns for a sample of firms identified by the Wall Street Journal . Dhaliwal, Erickson, and Heitzman investigate whether executives backdate the exercise date to obtain favorable tax consequences. This discussion comment focuses on several fundamental issues that confront researchers examining the backdating scandal and other related decisions. Specifically, we discuss the decision models for executives engaged in backdating and the potential role of social networks among directors, selection considerations, institutional voting behavior, and how backdated options can be replicated with existing equity instruments.
Odd-even staggering in the K = 1, 2, 3 and 4 rotational bands of deformed odd-odd nuclei

Abstract An analysis of the rotational structure of the K = |Ω p − Ω n | bands in the odd-odd nuclei from the rare earth region reveals an odd-even staggering in the level energies. Such an odd-even effect is present, sometimes very prominently, in almost all the K − bands with K values ranging from 1 to 4. We find that complete Coriolis coupling calculations are able to explain most of the staggering in the four nuclei studied. However, the K = 2 + and K = 4 − bands in 182 Re cannot be explained satisfactory.
Applications of hierarchical image segmentation techniques: Aorta segmentation

The segmentation of objects from complex images is difficult due to indistinct boundaries between objects and similarity of objects. We have used a hierarchical segmentation approach to accurately distinguish between objects and identify the corresponding boundaries. This approach has been used successfully to extract the aorta from transverse magnetic resonance (MR) images of the abdomen. The procedure to segment the abdominal aorta involves three progressive steps: aorta detection, aorta extraction, and estimation of the aorta wall boundary. Comparison of hierarchical segmentation techniques with single-step segmentation methods (e.g., region-growing, edge-detection) shows that hierarchical segmentation yields more reliable results.
Experiments in software reliability: Life-critical applications

Digital computers are being used more frequently for process control applications in which the cost of system failure is high. Consideration of the potentially life-threatening risk, resulting from the high degree of functionality being ascribed to the software components of these systems, has stimulated the recommendation of various designs for tolerating software faults. The author discusses four reliability data gathering experiments which were conducted using a small sample of programs for two problems having ultrareliability requirements: n-version programming for fault detection, and repetitive run modeling for failure and fault rate estimation. The experimental results agree with those of M. Nagel and J.A. Skrivan (1982) in that the program error rates suggest an approximate log-linear pattern and the individual faults occurred with significantly different error rates.
In vitro translation of immediate early, early, and late classes of RNA from vaccinia virus-infected cells.

Abstract Cytoplasmic RNA, isolated at various times after vaccinia virus infection, was translated in a message-dependent cell-free system prepared from rabbit reticulocytes. Supplementation of the system with calf liver tRNA specifically increased translation of viral RNA. Virtually all of the [35S]methionine-labeled viral proteins from infected cells that were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate -polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis appeared to be synthesized in the cell-free system. When programmed with RNA extracted at 2 hr after infection, early viral proteins were made and formation of cellular proteins was diminished. Primarily late proteins were synthesized using RNA extracted at 4 or more hr after infection, suggesting that the switch in protein synthesis is regulated principally by changes in RNA concentration rather than by modification of the translation apparatus of the cell. However, the vaccinia virus-mediated inhibition of host protein synthesis that occurred in the presence of actinomycin D was not associated with a decrease in translatable cellular mRNA. Immediate early RNA and early RNA were obtained by infecting cells in the presence of inhibitors of protein and of DNA synthesis, respectively. Analysis of the in vitro translation products did not reveal a class of early genes that require protein synthesis for expression. On the contrary, seven polypeptides, of which a 28,000-dalton species was most prominent, were synthesized in relatively greater amounts with immediate early RNA than with early RNA. All early and late mRNA species appear to be polyadenylylated, and a correlation between RNA sedimentation and molecular weight of translation product was obtained.
'The Milosovic Trial - Live!': An Iconomic Analysis of International Law's Claim of Legitimate Authority

It has been argued that international law has recently "come of age", that it is a fully-fledged legal system like any other. It has also been argued that in order for a normative system to qualify as "law" it must, at the least, claim to possess legitimate authority and to be supreme to other normative systems. This article examines one highly visible development in international law - the criminal war trials - from a sociological perspective, trying to discern whether and how international law claims legitimate authority and supremacy. Specifically, it focuses on a deeply symbolic example of international criminal adjudication: the Milosevic trial. The article offers a sociological reading of the symbolism of the interpersonal dynamics of the Milosevic trial and concludes that what is in fact attempted, and perhaps achieved, through internationalizing the transitional-justice trials is the internationalization of the transition process itself. The subject of the transition from an illiberal and illegitimate regime to a liberal and legitimate one is not in fact the former-Yugoslavia, but the 'international community' itself. The rule of law that the ICTY seeks to vindicate is not only law as such, and not necessarily the law of the former-Yugoslavia, but the rule of international law.
Prevention of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in osteocytes and osteoblasts by calbindin-D28k.

This study show for the first time that calbindin-D28k can prevent glucocorticoid-induced bone cell death. The anti-apoptotic effect of calbindin-D28k involves inhibition of glucocorticoid induced caspase 3 activation as well as ERK activation. Introduction: Recent studies have indicated that deleterious effects of glucocorticoids on bone involve increased apoptosis of osteocytes and osteoblasts. Because the calcium-binding protein calbindin-D28k has been reported to be anti-apoptotic in different cell types and in response to a variety of insults, we investigated whether calbindin-D28k could protect against glucocorticoid-induced cell death in bone cells. Materials and Methods: Apoptosis was induced by addition of dexamethasone (dex; 10−6 M) for 6 h to MLO-Y4 osteocytic cells as well as to osteoblastic cells. Apoptosis percentage was determined by examining the nuclear morphology of transfected cells. Caspase 3 activity was evaluated in bone cells and in vitro. SELDI mass spectrometry (MS) was used to examine calbindin-D28k-caspase 3 interaction. Phosphorylation of calbindin-D28k was examined by32P incorporation as well as by MALDI-TOF MS. ERK activation was determined by Western blot. Results: The pro-apoptotic effect of dex in MLO-Y4 cells was completely inhibited in cells transfected with calbindin-D28k cDNA (5.6% apoptosis in calbindin-D28k transfected cells compared with 16.2% apoptosis in vector-transfected cells, p < 0.05). Similar results were observed in osteoblastic cells. We found that dex-induced apoptosis in bone cells was accompanied by an increase in caspase 3 activity. This increase in caspase 3 activity was inhibited in the presence of calbindin-D28k. In vitro assays indicated a concentration-dependent inhibition of caspase 3 by calbindin-D28k (Ki = 0.22 μM). Calbindin-D28k was found to inhibit caspase 3 specifically because the activity of other caspases was unaffected by calbindin-D28k. The anti-apoptotic effect of calbindin-D28k in response to dex was also reproducibly associated with an increase in the phosphorylation of ERK 1 and 2, suggesting that calbindin-D28k affects more than one signal in the glucocorticoid-induced apoptotic pathway. Conclusion: Calbindin-D28k, a natural non-oncogenic protein, could be an important target in the therapeutic intervention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
Social Control of Pesticides — Some Health Effects

Proliferating pest problems, sharply rising pest control costs, increasing environmental pollution, rising rates of injury and death due to pesticide poisoning, and burgeoning pesticide‐related legal entanglements leave little doubt in the minds of most citizens that a crisis in chemical pest control exists. The underlying cause of today's pesticide dilemma lies in the lack of ecological consideration given the synthesis, experimental development, registration and utilisation of newly developed synthetic pesticides. The production of synthetic organic pesticides increased from an estimated 464,000 pounds in 1951 to approximately 1.4 billion pounds in 1980. Increases in production were followed by the recognition that such increased use of synthetic chemicals would be accompanied by extensive human and environmental impact. With the rapid increase in the use of pesticides, there has been a corresponding increase in public attention and public concern about this impact on human health.
Collisional quenching and excitation cross-sections of the CO2+ A2Π(1→3,0,0) and B2Σ+ (0,0,0) excited states from electron-impact ionization

Abstract Imaging of the electron-beam fluorescence from CO 2 excited by 10–20 keV electrons was used to calculate the excitation and collisional quenching cross-sections for the CO 2 + A 2 Π (1→3,0,0) and B 2 Σ + (0,0,0) excited states. The quenching cross-sections obtained are 49 ± 13 × 10 −16 and 83 ± 17 × 10 −16 cm 2 for the A 2 Π (1 → 3,0,0) and B 2 Σ + (0,0,0) excited states, respectively. The excitation cross-sections obtained for the A 2 Π (1 → 3,0,0) state were 4.36 × 10 −19 cm 2 for 10 keV electrons and 2.46 × 10 −19 cm 2 for 20 keV electrons. Excitation cross-sections obtained for the CO 2 + B 2 Σ + (0,0,0) state were 7.14 × 10 −19 cm 2 for 10 keV electrons and 3.51 × 10 −19 cm 2 for 20 keV electrons. The excitation cross-sections scaled with beam energy as E −1 ln E .
Analysis of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid by thin layer chromatography: elimination of interference by glyceryl guaiacolate.

Abstract A metabolic by-product of glyceryl guaiacolate has been reported to interfere with analysis of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) measured by the standard chemical reaction with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol. By using a thin-layer Chromatographic method both glyceryl guaiacolate and its metabolic by-product were separated from 5-HIAA and did not interfere with quantitation of 5-HIAA, which was performed by reaction with Ehrlich's reagent and densitometric scanning of the thin-layer plates. Glyceryl guaiacolate administered to 12 patients in a dose of 800 mg per day did not produce false positive results. The method should prove to be useful because it obviates the necessity to eliminate glyceryl guaiacolate and the many non-prescription items that may contain it prior to collection of urine for analysis of 5-HIAA.
Identification of Signaling Protein Complexes by Parallel Affinity Precipitation Coupled with Mass Spectrometry

Protein-protein interactions play a pivotal role in both inter- and intra-cellular signaling. Identification of signaling protein complexes can thus shed important new insights into cell communications. We developed a parallel affinity precipitation protocol to overcome the disadvantages of the tandem affinity purification procedure, such as the potential disruption of target protein conformation, subcellular localization or function by epitope tags, the potential need of large amounts of cell culture or generation of stable cell lines, and relatively long duration the two-step precipitation takes. This new simplified assay of protein interaction is quick, economic and specific. This paper describes the details in the design and method of the assay.
New reactions of 3-vinylindoles

Abstract The conversion of 5-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,12-hexahydroindolo[2,3-a] quinolizinium iodide ( 3 )_ into 1,2-dimethyl-3-(2-indolycarbonyl) piperidine ( 4 ) is described along with subsequent transformations of 4 and related compounds. A reaction scheme is proposed for this transformation and is supported by a carbon-14 tracer experiment and model studies. Several transformations were encountered in which 3-vinylindoles undergo nucleophilic addition to the vinyl group to give products in which the nucleophile is attached to the C atom adjacent to the indole nucleus.
Morphometric analysis of the membranes and organelles of small intestinal enterocytes. II. Lipid-fed hamster

We have carried out a comprehensive morphometric (mainly stereologic) analysis of the lipid-absorbing enterocyte of the hamster small intestine. Geometrically, we have estimated the absolute volume of an average lipid-absorbing enterocyte to be 1890 μm3. Absolute volumes and surface areas of organelles and membranes and numbers of ribosomes were derived and statistically compared with analogous absolute data from fasted hamster enterocytes reported in the preceding paper. Our results support the view that absorbed lipid is accomodated by conversion of lamellar to vesicular ER and Golgi membranes and not by additional net membrane. Parts of this study were presented at the 19th Annual Meeting of The American Society for Cell Biology in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Early top-down influences on bistable perception revealed by event-related potentials

A longstanding debate exists in the literature concerning bottom-up vs. top-down influences on bistable perception. Recently, a technique has been developed to measure early changes in brain activity (via ERPs) related to perceptual reversals (Kornmeier & Bach, 2004). An ERP component, the reversal negativity (RN) has been identified, and is characterized as an increase in negative potential over the posterior scalp from 150 to 350 ms for perceptual reversals compared to perceptual stability. This finding, although interesting, has not helped resolve issues related to the bottom-up vs. top-down debate because top-down influences have not been directly manipulated. The current study focused on resolving some of these issues by measuring the RN while observers maintained one of three 'intentional approaches', (1) try to reverse perception as often as possible, (2) try to stabilize perception for as long as possible, and (3) maintain a passive approach. Enhancements in RN amplitude were found for the intention-to-reverse condition compared to the passive condition. This finding suggests an early influence (150 ms) of top-down control on perceptual reversals of bistable figures. Results are discussed in terms of competing attention shifting vs. fatigue-based theories of bistable perception.
Examining the association of job tenure, employment history, and organizational status with employee dissent

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between temporal and structural components of organizational life (i.e., job tenure, employment history, and organizational history) and employee dissent. This was accomplished by comparing respondents’ reports about their tendencies to use varying strategies for dissent to their reports about present job tenure, number of full‐time employers, total years work experience, and organizational status. Structural equation models were used to examine the association between temporal measures (job tenure, number of full‐time employers, total years work experience), structural measures (organizational status) and dissent constructs. Findings indicated that articulated dissent use was associated with management status, whereas latent dissent use was associated with nonmanagement status, increases in present job tenure and decreases in number of full‐time employers and total years work experience.
Intercorrelations and internal consistency of limb muscle-action strengths of patients with renal disease.

This study involved the retrospective analysis of instrumented measurements of strength from six muscle actions of 15 patients with renal disease. Most measurements were correlated significantly (Cronbach alpha > .92). These findings extend those obtained in studies of healthy individuals and patients with stroke and suggest the presence of a common underlying construct, limb muscle strength.
INTRAPERITONEAL AND INTRACEREBRAL ROUTES IN SERUM PROTECTION TESTS WITH THE VIRUS OF EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS : I. A COMPARISON OF THE TWO ROUTES IN PROTECTION TESTS.

Young (12 to 15 day old) mice are approximately as susceptible to the virus of equine encephalomyelitis, Eastern or Western strain, when it is given intraperitoneally as are adult mice when the virus is injected intracerebrally. With this susceptibility by the intraperitoneal route as a basis, the injection of immune serum-virus mixtures intraperitoneally was found to result in protection in dilutions which give rise to infection after intracerebral inoculation. The difference of protective power by the two indicated routes was shown not to depend on the amount of inoculum nor on the age of the intracerebrally injected mice. Incubation at 37 degrees C. for 2(1/2) hours neither increases nor diminishes the protective action of immune serum when the intraperitoneal method is employed. The phenomenon of selective protection in different tissues is elicited by the sera of hyperimmunized mice, guinea pigs, and rabbits and by sera derived from horses infected with the disease in nature or exposed to it by contact. Of four horses recovered from the malady, all showed antibody in their sera; of others exposed by contact, four of nine animals revealed antiviral bodies, when the intraperitoneal technique was employed. These tests on horse sera have pointed to the potential value of this procedure for epidemiological studies. Finally, the reaction itself has significance through its bearing on the mechanism of immunity.
Busting myths about "species"

Species A History of the Idea, by John S. Wilkins. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2009. Pp. xiv + 288, index. H/b $31.95. It is a claim often repeated, and reinforced by the periodic publication of hefty monographs on the subject (Coyne and Orr 2004), that there is a “species problem” in evolutionary biology. Ernst Mayr, in his 1942 book, wrote it into the ground floor of the New Synthesis. But what, exactly, is the species problem – and, perhaps more importantly, how did it arise in the first place? John Wilkins’s book admirably tackles the first question by means of the second – offering a deep, thorough, and contextualized understanding of the species problem, clarifying a number of essential issues in that debate, and, in the process, correcting a number of persistent misconceptions about the idea of species from Plato to Darwin. An encyclopedic work with an impressively broad scope, Wilkins’s Species falls, broadly, into two parts. The first narrates the history of the concept of species from its roots in Plato and Aristotle to Darwin’s development of evolutionary theory. After a brief bridge, the second looks at the roots of the contemporary species problem, laying out both its historical outlines and the vast array of contemporary positions one finds in the debate over the concept of species. Let’s consider each in turn.
Response of Soybean Yield Components to Management System and Planting Date

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] area has increased tremendously in the upper Midwest over the last decade, but little information exists regarding the impact of management systems on soybean yield components. Our objective was to assess the effect of management system and planting date on soybean seed yield components and their development for environments typical of the upper Midwest. A field study was conducted from 1997 to 2000 using five management systems. Two newer released cultivars (CX232 and Spansoy 250) and one older cultivar (Hardin) were planted at two planting dates. Few interactions were observed in this study. Management system influenced development of the different yield components and produced seed mass ranging from 10.5 to 16.5 g 100 seed -1 , seed number from 2878 to 3824 seeds m -2 , pod number from 1182 to 1571 pods m -2 , and seeds per pod from 2.36 to 2.49 seeds pod -1 . Harvest index ranged from 56.2 to 58.0% across management systems. Hardin produced the highest harvest index (60.1%) and Spansoy 250 the lowest harvest index (54.5%). Tillage system affected yield components, with no-tillage systems having 15, 9, and 9% greater seed mass, seed number per square meter, and pod number per square meter than the conventional tillage system, respectively. Early planting date produced higher seed number, pod number, and harvest index but lower seed number per pod than the late planting date. In conclusion, differences in yield components and their development emphasize the complexity of plant compensation in response to management system and tillage system.
Trends in overweight and physical activity among U.S. military personnel, 1995-1998.

Abstract Background. The purpose of this study was to deter mine whether changes in physical activity patterns account for the increasing prevalence of obesity, utiliz ing a large, representative sample of male and female U.S. military personnel. Methods. Data from the 1995 and 1998 waves of the Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Military Personnel were utilized. Overweight was defined as body mass index ≥25. Respondents were classified as physically active if they reported ≥3 days/week of vigorous activity. Three sequential multivariate logistic regression models were analyzed separately for males and females with overweight regressed on year of study (1995 or 1998), demographic characteristics, and physical activity. Results. Some 50% of military personnel in 1995 and 54% in 1998 were classified as overweight, representing a significant increase in overweight over the 3-year period for both males and females. Overweight military personnel were more likely to be male, older, African American or Hispanic, married, and enlisted personnel. Physical activity levels were high, with around 67% of the sample engaging in regular, vigorous physical activity. Although physical activity levels increased among male personnel between 1995 and 1998, there was not an independent association between physical activity and overweight, and changing physical activ ity patterns did not account for the increase in over weight from 1995 to 1998. Conclusions. The U.S. military is experiencing a trend toward increasing overweight that mirrors the pattern among the general population. The results of this study suggest that the rise in overweight among the military is not explained by a decrease in physical activity.
Cancer pain: Psychological management using hypnosis

In the treatment of cancer, particularly when pain is a serious symptom, psychological support of a patient is important and can, in fact, facilitate ongoing oncologic treatment. Hypnosis represents a psychological technique of great potency for reducing pain, increasing patients' life-enhancing attitudes, and helping patients deal with death and separation. Ultimately, the value of hypnosis lies in enabling an individual to potentiate inner capacities for creating psychological quiescence and physical comfort. For a suffering cancer patient, relief that comes from within can provide a much-needed experience of personal efficacy and strength.
Early pulmonary changes associated with high-frequency jet ventilation in newborn piglets.

ABSTRACT: To assess the short-term effects of highfrequency jet ventilation (HFJV) on the neonatal lung, 28 newborn piglets were studied. Nine piglets were unventilated except during brief pulmonary measurements, nine animals were conventionally ventilated (arterial CO2 tension 35-45 torr, arterial O2 tension 70-80 torr) for 4 h, and 10 piglets were ventilated with HFJV for the same period. Pulmonary function was analyzed using a computerized technique and tracheobronchial aspirates were examined for biochemical indicators of lung injury; after 4 h, bronchoalveolar lavage was obtained for surfactant composition and activity, and lung sections were examined by light and electron microscopy. Results showed that HFJV provided adequate ventilation at lower inspiratory pressure compared with conventional ventilation (8.6 ± 0.3 versus 13.8 ± 1.3 cm H2O; P < 0.01), while pulmonary mechanics did not vary significantly among the three animal groups. Tracheobronchial aspirates from HFJV animals had higher elastase activity versus unventilated piglets (118.5 ± 14.1 versus 57.7 ± 8.4 μg/mL; P < 0.01), as well as higher albumin concentration versus unventilated animals (94.2 ± 18.7 versus 23.2 ± 6.5 μg/mL; P < 0.01). In addition, there were small but statistically significant differences between all three groups in the distribution of surfactant phospholipids in bronchoalveolar lavage, although biophysical activity was normal. Scanning electron microscopy revealed flattening of Clara cells in the terminal bronchioles of HFJV animals due to loss of glycogen and secretory granules. These data indicate that despite lower peak inspiratory pressures, HFJV can cause subtle biochemical changes in lungs. Further studies are indicated to determine if these changes precede significant lung injury.
Patient dissatisfaction with results of technically satisfactory surgery

In many instances, successful cosmetic surgery may be followed by dissatisfaction by the patient. This results from many factors, broadly classified into three categories: those attributable to the patient; those attributable to the surgeon; and those resulting from interaction between the surgeon and the patient. Careful preoperative evaluation and detailed explanations of sequelae and expected results can help avoid some of these problems.
Effects of the agricultural pesticides atrazine, deethylatrazine, endosulfan, and chlorpyrifos on an estuarine microbial food web

Aricultural pesticide runoff is a critical issue for many southeasternestuaries. The estuarine microbial food web plays an important role in nutrient cycling and transfer of nutrients to higher trophic levels. The present study examined the effects of agricultural pesticides on the estuarine microbial food web. Polyurethane foam substrates were used to collect microbial communities from a reference tidal creek in the North Inlet National Estuarine Research Reserve (Georgetown, SC, USA). Colonized substrates were brought into the laboratory and exposed to the following commonly used agricultural pesticides: atrazine (and a metabolite, deethylatrazine), endosulfan, and chlorpyrifos. Chlorophyll a, phototrophic carbon assimilation, dissolved oxygen, and phototrophic biovolume were significantly reduced at concentrations of 50 and 250 μg/L atrazine and deethylatrazine. Generally, inhibition of the phytoplankton resulted in increased bacterial abundance and productivity, whereas heterotrophic ciliate and flagellate abundances were not affected. Total bacterial abundance, but not heterotrophic bacterial productivity, was significantly reduced with endosulfan treatments of 1 and 10 μg/L. Endosulfan was primarily found to target the cyanobacteria. Changes in biomass reflected compositional shifts in the phototrophs. The abundance of heterotrophic ciliates and flagellates was significantly reduced at 10 μg/L chlorpyrifos. Bacterial abundance and productivity increased, whereas phototrophic variables decreased. Agricultural pesticides were found to alter both functional and structural aspects of the estuarine microbial food web.
Development of radiation hard semiconductor sensors for charged particle tracking at very high luminosities

The RD50 collaboration (sponsored by the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN) has been exploring the development of radiation hard semiconductor devices for very high-luminosity colliders since 2002. The target fluence to qualify detectors set by the anticipated dose for the innermost tracking layers of the future upgrade of the CERN large hadron collider (LHC) is 1016 1 MeV neutron equivalent (neq) cm−2. This is much larger than typical fluences in space, but is mainly limited to displacement and total dose damage, without the single-event effects typical for the space environment. RD50 investigates radiation hardening from many angles, including: Search for alternative semiconductor to replace silicon, improvement of the intrinsic tolerance of the substrate material (p- vs. n-type, initial doping concentration, oxygen concentration), optimization of the readout geometry (collection of holes or electrons, surface treatment), novel detector designs (3D, edge-less, interconnects).