cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polymorphisms in the CD1d Promoter That Regulate CD1d Gene Expression Are Associated with Impaired NKT Cell Development

CD1d-restricted NKT cells comprise an innate-like T cell population that exerts significant influence over early events in the developing immune response. The frequency of NKT cells is highly variable in humans and in mice, but the basis for this variability remains unclear. In this study, we report a striking deficiency of type I NKT cells in the wild-derived inbred strains PWD/PhJ, SPRET/EiJ, and CAST/EiJ. Investigation of the underlying basis for the lack of type I NKT cells revealed that one strain, PWD/PhJ, exhibited a significant impairment in thymocyte and splenocyte CD1d gene and protein expression. Accordingly, both thymocytes and bone marrow–derived dendritic cells from PWD mice exhibited a significant impairment in the ability to present α-galactosylceramide to NKT cells. The impaired PWD CD1d gene expression was due to impaired CD1d promoter activity. Fine-mapping of the promoter activity revealed that two single nucleotide substitutions at positions −331 and −164 in the proximal promoter were each sufficient to account for the diminished PWD CD1d promoter activity. Examination of the strain distribution pattern of these polymorphisms revealed that, of 19 strains analyzed, only PWD and PWK mice possessed both CD1d promoter polymorphisms. A subsequent examination of the PWK strain revealed that it also exhibited impaired thymocyte CD1d expression and very low numbers of NKT cells. Taken together, these results provide new insight into the control of CD1d gene expression, and they have implications for the evolution of CD1d and type I NKT cells.
Does conservation pay

As conservationists, we often approach the question posed in the title above as, “We hope so,” even while we stress an environmental ethic or adoption of BMPs as a way to avoid regulation. A forthcoming Journal of Soil and Water Conservation article (Harbor, et.al) discovered that building lots with vegetative cover sell for more than bare lots. In fact, the difference is greater than the cost of seeding. This suggests that developers could increase their profits if they planted vegetative covers. A recent development project I was asked to review had a unique concept for maximizing their returns while preserving aspects of the environment. The developer set aside over 20 percent of the acreage and is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore ecological integrity to those acres by planting native grasses and trees, curtailing streambank erosion, and restoring wetlands. The developer will then deed those acres with conservation easements to a local land trust for the long-term management. The company has even platted their development so that there are not home sites on the wooded bluff overlooking the riparian corridor and they are planning for some mixed use commercial in order to reduce dependence …
Inhibition of Triazolam Hydroxylation by Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Hydroxyitraconazole and Fluconazole In‐vitro

The capacity of hydroxyitraconazole, an in-vivo metabolite of the antifungal agent itraconazole, to inhibit human cytochrome P4503A isoforms was evaluated in-vitro using a human microsomal model. Varying concentrations of ketoconazole, itraconazole, hydroxyitraconazole and fluconazole were incubated with human liver microsomes and triazolam (250 μM), an index compound used to profile activity of P4503A isoforms. Formation of α-OH- and 4-OH-triazolam was quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Ketoconazole was the most potent inhibitor of triazolam metabolite formation (mean IC50 0.074–0.076 μM), while fluconazole was less potent (IC50 4.4–4.9 μM). Both itraconazole and hydroxy-itraconazole had similar IC50 values (0.4–0.7 μM), with potency intermediate between ketoconazole and fluconazole. Hydroxyitraconazole may contribute to impaired clearance of P4503A substrates, and consequent pharmacokinetic drug interactions, during treatment with itraconazole in man.
Development of a Luminex-Based Multiplex Assay for Detection of Mutations Conferring Resistance to Echinocandins in Candida glabrata

Echinocandins are the recommended treatment for invasive candidiasis due to Candida glabrata. Resistance to echinocandins is known to be caused by nonsynonymous mutations in the hot spot-1 (HS1) regions of the FKS1 and FKS2 genes, which encode a subunit of the β-1,3-glucan synthase, the target of echinocandins. Here, we describe the development of a microsphere-based assay using Luminex MagPix technology to identify mutations in the FKS1 HS1 and FKS2 HS1 domains, which confer in vitro echinocandin resistance in C. glabrata isolates. The assay is rapid and can be performed with high throughput. The assay was validated using 102 isolates that had FKS1 HS1 and FKS2 HS1 domains previously characterized by DNA sequencing. The assay was 100% concordant with DNA sequencing results. The assay was then used for high-throughput screening of 1,032 C. glabrata surveillance isolates. Sixteen new isolates with mutations, including a mutation that was new to our collection (del659F), were identified. This assay provides a rapid and cost-effective way to screen C. glabrata isolates for echinocandin resistance.
Plasma Retinol and Clearance in Hypervitaminosis A

Abstract Effects of mild and severe hypervitaminosis A on retinol transport and clearance were studied in mature ewes. Excessive vitamin A intake was associated with high concentrations of vitamin A in plasma and liver, with elevated serum enzymes, with decreased feed consumption and packed cell volume, and with epithelial hypcrplasia. Retinol transport in plasma increased 6- to 8-fold with excessive dietary vitamin A, was greater with mild hypervitaminosis A, and increased exponentially with vitamin A concentration in plasma. Clearance of retinol from plasma increased 2-fold with hypervitaminosis A, exhibited a greater response in the mild group, and increased linearly with vitamin A concentration in plasma. The relationship of clearance to vitamin A concentration in liver was described best by a power function. Retinol clearance represents a mechanism to maintain vitamin A concentration in plasma and may be most effective below vitamin A concentrations of 135 μ g/dl plasma. With severe hypervitaminosis A, massive vitamin A accumulates in liver leading to hepatic dysfunction and a resultant decrease in retinol clearance from plasma.
Characterization and dissolution properties of ruthenium oxides

Abstract Ruthenium oxides (RuO2·1·10H2O and RuO2) have been synthesized by forced hydrolysis and oxidation of ruthenium chloride. The resulting materials were extensively characterized to determine the crystallinity, surface area, and ruthenium oxidation state. Surface charging experiments indicate a large quantity of reactive functional groups for both materials and a decrease in the acidity of the surface functional groups with crystallization of the hydrous oxide. Dissolution studies conducted in acidic and basic pH environments indicate Ru-oxides are insoluble in 0.1 M HCl and slightly soluble in 0.1 M NaOH. Oxalate and ascorbate (5 mM) promoted dissolution of RuO2·1·10H2O demonstrated an increase in dissolution rates with decreasing pH and increasing ligand surface coverage. XPS analysis of the RuO2·1·10H2O surface after ligand promoted dissolution revealed the reduction of Ru(IV) to Ru(III) indicating that both ascorbate and oxalate reductively dissolve RuO2·1·10H2O. Dissolution experiments with RuO2 resulted in dissolution only for 5 mM oxalate at pH 3. Dissolution rates calculated for RuO2·1·10H2O and RuO2 are compared with previously published dissolution rates for iron oxides, demonstrating an order of magnitude decrease in the oxalate and ascorbate promoted dissolution.
An identity for T-ordered exponentials with applications to quantum mechanics

Abstract The solution of the Cauchy problem for Liouville's equation φxy = eφ is shown to be equivalent to the calculation of a T-ordered exponential of a two-dimensional variable matrix. This gives rise to an identity for the T-ordered exponential involving two arbitrary functions. The formalism is applied to the time evolution of a magnetic dipole in a time dependent magnetic field and to the one-dimensional Dirac equation with external potential V(x) = (n + 1 2 )λ tanh λx which is relevant for field theoretic applications. A generalization to n-dimensional matrices is also given.
Population and Upland Crop Production in Nang Rong, Thailand

This paper estimates village-level models of the effects of population variables on the area devoted to upland crop production in Nang Rong district, Thailand. The expansion of upland crops is part of the growth of market agriculture in Nang Rong, and a correlate of deforestation in this setting, The results show that population density (measured as density of village settlement) negatively affects area in upland crops while population growth has a positive effect. Changes in land use associated with population change appear to radiate outward from nuclear village centers. As cash economies are established in rural settings, household formation requires a source of income as well as a subsistence stake. Growth in the population of households is a stronger predictor of the area in upland crops than growth in the number of persons.
Satisficing when buying information

Abstract In two studies expected value, expected utility, and satisficing approaches to one's decision to buy information were compared. The task for the first study was to judge the maximum worth of information by bidding to reduce an ambiguous prospect to a risky one when given an option between a risky prospect and an ambiguous one. A within-subjects design was used in which, for the risky prospect, the probability of gain and expected value were varied. The results were inconsistent with both expected value and expected utility models, but were consistent with a satisficing strategy. The second study was similar to the first but with context changes in the stimuli and a slightly different decision task. The results showed that the effects are robust across task and context. The main behavioral effect is that people appear more willing to buy information that may decrease an expected loss than information that may increase an expected gain. A decision justification principle is consistent with that effect.
Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung. A clinicopathologic and ultrastructural study of five cases

Primary sarcomas of the lung are rare malignant neoplasms which have usually been classified as fibrosarcomas or as leiomyosarcomas. Only five cases of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the lung have previously been reported in the literature. The authors reviewed 10 cases of primary pulmonary sarcoma of the lung seen at their institution during the last 12 years, and five of these cases met the morphologic criteria for the diagnosis of MFH. The morphology in these cases is identical to MFH of other body locations, and shows a combination of fibroblast-like and histiocyte-like cells at both the light and electron microscopic level. By electron microscopic examination there was no evidence for anaplastic carcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or leiomyosarcoma. Of the three patients with adequate follow-up, one patient is alive without evidence of disease at 10 years, one died at 5 years without evidence of recurrent sarcoma, and one died at 7 months with liver metastasis. Two other patients are alive without recurrence at 8 months and 1 year, respectively, following surgery. Because MFH is primarily a tumor of the soft tissues of the extremities, patients with MFH of the lung must be carefully evaluated to rule out a metastatic origin. The reported prognosis in patients with primary MFH of the lung is poor, but early surgical resection does offer the possibility of a cure. Cancer 53:1124-1130, 1984.
POLITICAL ECONOMY AND CLASS UNCONSCIOUSNESS

Late capitalism is never late enough; or so it appears in a period of retrenchment. In the Marxist lexicon, capitalism is always digging its own grave. Every phenomenon is the last one. The end is always here or a moment away. Lenin dubbed imperialism the highest and last state of capitalism. Fascism was analyzed as a decrepit and decaying form of capitalism. Post-World War II capitalism was labeled "late." The left periodically forecasts the imminent destruction of capitalism; the reality is more the reverse: capitalism periodically destroys the left. Only two propositions seem certain: capitalism will not collapse tomorrow, nor will it last forever.
Responses of dairy cows to additions of distillers dried grains with solubles in alfalfa-based diets.

Twenty-four Holstein cows in wk 3 through 12 of lactation were used to evaluate distillers dried grains with solubles as a protein source for alfalfa-based diets. Diets were formulated containing 0, 10.1, 20.8, or 31.5% distillers dried grains with solubles. Crude protein in these diets was 13.9, 16.0, 18.1, and 20.3%. Milk yield increased linearly with increasing dietary CP, whereas DMI was not affected. Dry matter intake averaged over 4% of BW for all treatments. Intake of undegraded intake protein was .93, 1.27, 1.63, and 1.97 kg/d. Yields of milk protein, casein, and lactose all increased linearly with increasing dietary CP. The proportion of milk N as whey N decreased, whereas N as NPN increased, with increasing dietary CP. Plasma urea N and essential and branched-chain AA increased linearly, and nonessential AA decreased linearly, with increasing dietary CP. Increasing the concentration of CP in the diet from 13.9 to 18.1% by the addition of distillers dried grains with solubles was beneficial to cows fed alfalfa-based diets in early lactation. Little additional benefit was observed by feeding greater than 18.1% dietary CP.
Manual, semiautomated, and fully automated measurement of the aortic annulus for planning of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR/TAVI): Analysis of interchangeability

Abstract Background Preprocedural 3-dimensional CT imaging of the aortic annular plane plays a critical role for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) planning; however, manual reconstructions are complex. Automated analysis software may improve reproducibility and agreement between readers but is incompletely validated. Methods In 110 TAVR patients (mean age, 81 years; 37% female) undergoing preprocedural multidetector CT, automated reconstruction of the aortic annular plane and planimetry of the annulus was performed with a prototype of now commercially available software (syngo.CT Cardiac Function—Valve Pilot; Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). Fully automated, semiautomated, and manual annulus measurements were compared. Intrareader and inter-reader agreement, intermodality agreement, and interchangeability were analyzed. Finally, the impact of these measurements on recommended valve size was evaluated. Results Semiautomated analysis required major correction in 5 patients (4.5%). In the remaining 95.5%, only minor correction was performed. Mean manual annulus area was significantly smaller than fully automated results ( P 2 , respectively). The frequency of concordant recommendations for valve size increased if manual analysis was replaced with the semiautomated method (60% agreement was improved to 82.4%; 95% confidence interval for the difference [69.1%–83.4%]). Conclusions Semiautomated aortic annulus analysis, with minor correction by the user, provides reliable results in the context of TAVR annulus evaluation.
The effect of the density of flowering individuals on the mating systems of nine tropical tree species

The effect of the density of flowering individuals on the mating systems of nine tropical tree species
Solid state dye-sensitized photovoltaic micro-wires (DSPMs) with carbon nanotubes yarns as counter electrode: Synthesis and characterization

Abstract Innovative all solid state dye-sensitized photovoltaic micro-wires (DSPMs) have been developed using low-cost, thermally-stable and highly conductive titanium micro-wires and carbon nanotubes yarns (CNYs). Highly inter-aligned, ultrastrong and flexible CNYs with excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical integrity and catalytic property have been successfully used as counter electrodes (CEs). The open circuit voltage and current density of the DSPMs can remarkably be improved through optimizing the numbers of CNYs and CNYs–TiO2 interface. Optimizing the number of CNYs in the CEs yields a photoconversion efficiency of 0.1959% with prolonged-time stability. The DSPMs were made without expensive transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), liquid electrolytes and glass or plastic cladding. The DSPMs are able to transport photocurrent over a significant distance using a simple cell configuration with a wide range of flexibility (10–180°). These cells are capable of efficiently harvesting incident photon from any direction and generate photocurrent with an efficient reproducibility throughout a large number of illumination on–off cycles.
Thalamo-tectal projections in the frog

Abstract The optic tectum of the leopard frog was examined for evidence of terminal degeneration following lesions in forebrain structures. No evidence was found of a telencephalic tectal projection. Degeneration following lesions in forebrain sites which give rise to tectal afferents are located in the dorsal thalamus, specifically the corpus geniculatum laterale in the rostral thalamus and the nucleus posterolateralis in the caudal thalamus. Corpus geniculatum projects to the ipsilateral tectum where it distributes in both the superficial and deep laminae over the rostromedial one-third of that structure. The rostral portion of the nucleus posterolateralis projects rather sparsely to the ipsilateral tectum. In contrast, the posterior portion of the posterolateral nucleus projects to both the superficial and deep laminae of the rostral two-thirds of the ipsi- and contralateral tectum. The significance of these and reciprocal tectothalamic projections for behavioral expression is considered.
Maternal and embryonic sources of tyrosine hydroxylase during Drosophila embryogenesis

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of tyrosine to L-DOPA and is rate limiting in catecholamine biosynthesis, is biochemically expressed in late stage wild-type Drosophila oocytes as well as in early embryogenesis. Null mutant alleles of TH (pale) are embryonic lethals with death occurring in the late embryonic or early larval periods of development. Staging of embryos demonstrated that inhibition of the enzymatic activity of TH by α-methyl-p-tyrosine (αMT) retards the progression of embryos primarily during the organogenesis stages of embryonic development, with lesser effects on earlier and later stages. On the other hand, time of gene action studies with a conditional temperature sensitive pale mutant (plets1) at its restrictive temperature (29°C) indicate an onset of tyrosine hydroxylase gene action beginning in the oocyte stage of development. Thus, maternal as well as embryonic effects on the secretion and/or functionality of this enzyme may play roles in the early developmental program of the organism. genesis 45:152-155, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structural reconfiguration and informal coordination in administrative organizations

This paper considers the problem of determining the optimal design of public organizations in terms of maximizing their reliability against institutional failures. To capture both the individual and the system-level aspects of organizational decisionmaking, first we present an analytical model that characterizes the optimal decision behavior of a single decision maker (unit, agent, in general: DM) in the context of a binary decision task. In this sense, reliability of a DM against the two possible error types: implementation of the wrong policy (error of comission, Type I error) and failure to act when it is necessary (error of omission, Type II error) are interpreted as the result of a particular decision strategy. Individual expertise is represented in the form of a Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve that, in turn, depicts the necessary trade-off between the two errors when selecting an appropriate decision strategy. Component decisions are then combined along the lines of organizational structure which is described using a graph formalism. We show that the task of finding the best organizational design involves a joint optimization over structure and strategy, and implement the normative model in the context of a detailed example. Our numerical results suggest that when DMs coordinate their decision rules, there is little difference in the performance of various organizational structures.
Hydrogenation catalysts based on palladium complexes with poly(vinylpyridine)

Abstract The conditions for the preparation of catalysts based on the interaction of PdCl2 with poly(vinylpyridine) were studied. The activity of polymer-metal complexes in hydrogenation can be considerably changed by variation in temperature, initial ratio of PdCl2 and polymer in solution, and contact time of the resulting complexes with the initial solution. The complex, prepared at 25°C from ethanolic solutions of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and PdCl2 (molar ratio polymer: Pd = 1:1), and kept in the initial solution for 3 days, was found to be an active catalyst for hydrogenation. The reduction of this complex with NaBH4 leads to an increase in its catalytic activity.
Comment on “Modeling Low-frequency Magnetic-field Precursors to the Loma Prieta Earthquake with a Precursory Increase in Fault-zone Conductivity,” by M. Merzer and S. L. Klemperer

MERZER and KLEMPERER (1997) present a model to explain ultra-low-frequency (ULF) magnetic noise anomalies associated with the Loma Prieta Earthquake (LPE). These authors state directly, ‘‘It is impossible to demonstrate that any claimed earthquake precursor was truly precursory, that is, forewarning of, rather than merely prior to, the earthquake, because the earthquakes and anomalies cannot be experimentally generated.’’ Nevertheless a sharp increase of the low-frequency contribution to the magnetic field at a distance of 7 km from the epicenter was observed three hours before the earthquake. This increase was superimposed on other changes in the low-frequency magnetic field in the previous weeks. The authors go on to suggest a plausible mechanism for the sharp increase in low-frequency magnetic field strength three hours before the earthquake as due to a roughly 15-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of the fault zone. The authors give three possible mechanisms for this anomaly: 1) An increase in the salinity of the fluids in the fault zone, 2) an increase in porosity, and 3) a change in the exponent of Archie’s law (ARCHIE, 1942) for the electrical conductivity as a power of the porosity from 2 to 1. The purpose of this comment is chiefly to provide support for the third scenario of the authors. Its purpose is not to defend the MERZER and KLEMPERER (1997) treatment against unrelated criticism (EGBERT, 2002) that the result of even a large increase in electrical conductivity may be mitigated through effects of the mutual inductance between the fault zone and the crust. In a recent contribution (HUNT, 2004a) I demonstrated that Archie’s law is a consequence of the relevance of continuum percolation theory to electrical conduction in porous media. The derivation was developed from the dependence of the electrical conductivity on volumetric water content. It was argued that the volumetric water content, h, was, in continuum percolation, the variable that could be tuned to sweep a system through a percolation transition and that, as a consequence, the electrical conductivity of a porous medium in which the solid
Delayed Enhancement of Ascites After IV Contrast Material Administration at CT: Time Course and Clinical Correlation

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence and clinical predictors of delayed contrast enhancement of ascites.MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this retrospective study, 132 consecutive patients with ascites who underwent repeated abdominopelvic CT examinations performed within 7 days of each other were identified. These patients included 112 patients who received and 20 who did not receive IV contrast material at the initial CT examination. For each examination, we recorded the CT attenuation of the ascites. For the follow-up scan, the presence of delayed enhancement of ascites was defined as an increase in CT attenuation > 10 HU over baseline. The Fisher's exact test, unpaired Student's t test, and logistic regression were used to determine predictors of delayed enhancement of ascites.RESULTS. A threshold increase in the attenuation of ascites by > 10 HU or more between the initial and follow-up CT examinations occurred only when IV contrast material was given with the initial examina...
Time-course of processing in feed-forward connectionist networks: an analysis of the exclusive-or problem

Abstract Although most of the work based on feed-forward connectionist networks has emphasized accuracy, time-course of processing issues can also be considered by processing the inputs in cascade. In this Monte Carlo simulation study, two functional classes of solutions of the exclusive-or problem that arise in a feed-forward network comprised of two input units. two hidden units, and one ouput unit are described. These two classes of solutions are distinguished by the time-course of activation of the output unit in response to one particular input: for one class, the activation of the output unit is virtually unchanged over time, but for the other class, the activation initially increases before it subsequently decreases. After examining the basis for this distinction, networks with different architectures are considered to determine the effect of increasing as well as decreasing the degrees of freedom. In the discussion, the implications of a time-course of activation that changes nonmonotonically in feed-forward networks without, as well as with, lateral inhibitory connections for simulating fast errors in choice-response time experiments (e.g., noise/compatibility and word naming) are examined. The implications or functionally distinct solutions in simulating individual differences are also considered.
Fine Mapping on Chromosome 10q22-q23 Implicates Neuregulin 3 in Schizophrenia

Linkage studies have implicated 10q22-q23 as a schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility locus in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) and Han Chinese from Taiwan populations. To further explore our previous linkage signal in the AJ population (NPL score: 4.27, empirical p = 2 x 10(-5)), we performed a peakwide association fine mapping study by using 1414 SNPs across approximately 12.5 Mb in 10q22-q23. We genotyped 1515 AJ individuals, including 285 parent-child trios, 173 unrelated cases, and 487 unrelated controls. We analyzed the binary diagnostic phenotype of SZ and 9 heritable quantitative traits derived from a principal components factor analysis of 73 items from our consensus diagnostic ratings and direct assessment interviews. Although no marker withstood multiple test correction for association with the binary SZ phenotype, we found strong evidence of association by using the "delusion" factor as the quantitative trait at three SNPs (rs10883866, rs10748842, and rs6584400) located in a 13 kb interval in intron 1 of Neuregulin 3 (NRG3). Our best p value from family-based association analysis was 7.26 x 10(-7). We replicated this association in the collection of 173 unrelated AJ cases (p = 1.55 x 10(-2)), with a combined p value of 2.30 x 10(-7). After performing 10,000 permutations of each of the phenotypes, we estimated the empirical study-wide significance across all 9 factors (90,000 permutations) to be p = 2.7 x 10(-3). NRG3 is primarily expressed in the central nervous system and is one of three paralogs of NRG1, a gene strongly implicated in SZ. These biological properties together with our linkage and association results strongly support NRG3 as a gene involved in SZ.
Dry ridge etching of AlGaAs GRINSCH lasers

Abstract Optical confinement properties of AlGaAs GRINSCH ridge lasers are sensitive to the width and the depth of the ridge. Optimum waveguide confinement requires excellent control during the ridge etch. This paper describes a Cl 2 reactive ion etching process and its associated endpoint technique which achieves such process control.
Chemical and anatomical changes in Liquidambar styraciflua L. xylem after long term exposure to elevated CO2

The anatomical and chemical characteristics of sweetgum were studied after 11 years of elevated CO2 (544 ppm, ambient at 391 ppm) exposure. Anatomically, branch xylem cells were larger for elevated CO2 trees, and the cell wall thickness was thinner. Chemically, elevated CO2 exposure did not impact the structural components of the stem wood, but non-structural components were significantly affected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to detect differences between the CO2 treatments by considering numerous structural and chemical variables, as well as tree size, and data from previously published sources (i.e., root biomass, production and turnover). The PCA results indicated a clear separation between trees exposed to ambient and elevated CO2 conditions. Correlation loadings plots of the PCA revealed that stem structural components, ash, Ca, Mg, total phenolics, root biomass, production and turnover were the major responses that contribute to the separation between the elevated and ambient CO2 treated trees.
Gender differences in cocaine dependent patients: a 6 month follow-up study

Abstract This 6-month follow-up study compared 64 men and 37 women hospitalized for cocaine dependence. Drug histories, sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) scores were compared during hospitalization; cocaine use and ASI scores were compared at 6 months. During hospitalization, women had significantly more severe family and social problems; men had more antisocial personality disorder. At follow-up, significantly more women had remained abstinent; family/social problem severity no longer differed. This replicates previous research showing better treatment outcome for cocaine dependent women. This may be related to specific characteristics of women who enter mixed-gender cocaine treatment programs.
Ultrastructure of the ventriculus of the honey bee, Apis mellifera (L.) : cytochemical localization of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and nonspecific esterase

Ventriculi (midguts) from 5-day- and 30-day-old honey bees, Apis mellifera (L.), were examined ultrastructurally and cytochemically. Midgut epithelia were composed of regenerative cells, endocrine cells, and pleomorphic columnar cells. Regions of the midgut were encountered in which the cytogeny of the columnar cells, the content of discharged vesicles, and the structure of the peritrophic membrane varied. In 5-day-old bees, regional variation in the ultrastructure of the cells indicated that absorption occurred primarily in the middle of the gut and that regulated enzyme secretion appeared to be confined to the posterior midgut. In 30-day-old bees, reduced pollen consumption was accompanied by diminished cell activity in the posterior midgut. Our ultrastructural data suggest that the honey bee, like other insects, may rely on countercurrent flow to distribute enzymes and nutrients efficiently throughout the ectoperitrophic and endoperitrophic compartments. Acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterase activity were localized cytochemically in primary and secondary lysosomes. Alkaline phosphatase activity was localized on the elongate microvilli of the striated border and within large electron-lucent microbodies. The association of alkaline phosphatase activity with the peroxisomal microbodies and their relation to phospholipid metabolism are discussed.
Are immunosuppressive medications associated with decreased responses to routine immunizations? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Long-term immunosuppressive medications are being used more commonly for a variety of medical conditions, including immune-mediated diseases and organ transplantation. While these medications are often necessary, they are associated with an increased risk of serious infections. Vaccination may be a way to prevent a variety of infections but vaccine responses among patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies have been variable. PURPOSE: To systematically review the literature describing immune responses among patients on immunosuppressive therapies to vaccinations including influenza, pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis A and B, tetanus toxoid, pertussis, varicella, and zoster. DATA SOURCES: English language citations in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 1985 to 2010. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts to identify prospective, controlled studies reporting pre- and post-vaccination titers of recommended vaccines in patients receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapies for full-text review. DATA EXTRACTION: Three reviewers independently assessed study characteristics including treatment regimens and pre- and post-vaccination titers. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of the 972 identified titles, fifteen met inclusion criteria. Ten studies assessed the effects of immunosuppressive medications on responses to influenza vaccine, four studies investigated responses following pneumococcal vaccination, and one study assessed both influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. Five of the studies that evaluated influenza vaccination showed partially diminished responses among individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapies, while one of the pneumococcal vaccine studies showed significantly decreased responses following vaccination. Patients treated with more than one immunosuppressive medication were the least likely to respond to vaccination. LIMITATIONS: The heterogeneity of reported outcomes limits generalizeability. CONCLUSIONS: Immunosuppressive therapy, particularly combination regimens, may blunt response to influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. To ensure the best chance of response, immunizations should be administered prior to initiation of immunosuppressive medications whenever possible.
A note on a characterization of the generalized log‐logistic distribution

The log-logistic distribution (LLD) is very useful in a wide variety of applications, especially in the analysis of survival data (O'Quigley and Struthers 1982; Bennett 1983; Cox and Snell 1989). The LLD is very similar in shape to the log-normal distribution, however it has the advantage of having simple algebraic expressions for its survivor and hazard functions and a closed form for its distribution function. It is therefore more convenient than the log-normal distribution in handling censored data. However, due to the symmetry of the log-logistic distribution, it may be inappropriate for modelling censored survival date, especially for the cases where the hazard rate is skewed or heavily tailed. In this article we present a generalization of the LLD and refer to this as the generalized log-logistic distribution (GLLD). The suggested GLLD reflects the skewness and the structure of the heavy tail and generally shows some improvement over the LLD. In addition, we generalize a result characterizing the log-logistic distribution given by Shoukri, Mian, and Tracy (1988) and introduce two characterization theorems of the GLLD.
Recombinant murine cytomegalovirus vector activates human monocyte-derived dendritic cells in a NF-κB dependent pathway

To evaluate the potential use of recombinant murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as an antigen delivery vector, we examined the cytokine and CD80 and CD86 expression profiles of MCMV encoding either enhanced green fluorescent protein gene (MCMV-EGFP) or human immunodeficiency virus-1 glycoprotein gp120 gene (MCMV-gp120) infected monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DC) and investigated the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in Mo-DC activation. Results showed that MCMV triggered the induction of inflammatory cytokines and/or CD80 and CD86 up-regulation in Mo-DC. UV-inactivated MCMV exhibited a reduced production of inflammatory cytokines and a lowered expression of CD80 and CD86 compared with live MCMV infection. Treatment of cells with a NF-κB peptide inhibitor prior to MCMV infection reduced the induction of cytokines and CD80 and CD86 up-regulation. Overall, the results suggest that recombinant MCMV vectors activate human Mo-DC in a NF-κB dependent pathway. The abortive infection or de novo gene expression greatly enhances the activation of Mo-DC by MCMV vectors.
Susceptibility of a New World monkey to Plasmodium falciparum from man.

LABORATORY investigations of the biological and biochemical characteristics of malarial parasites from man have been hampered by the lack of infected patients and of susceptible laboratory animals. In order to prolong the cultivation of plasmodial species in vitro1, we sought a supply of blood infected with Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. Apart from nine cases of human malaria and two samples of frozen human infected blood, no steady supply for our experiments was available in the Bay area of California. Storing or freezing the blood causes the parasite to change before the experiments are begun.
Comparison of efficacy of cysteamine in depleting prolactin immunoreactivity in different hyperprolactinemic animal models.

Abstract We have examined the effects of cysteamine on its ability to deplete proclatin in various states of hyperproclactineman. Administration of subtoxic dosesof cysteamine (75 and 150 mg/kg,sc) dramatically reduces serum proclatin levels as well as pituitary prolactin content in a dose-dependent manner in estrogen-primed brown IrishACI female rats. A similar dose-dependent decrease in anterior pituitary prolactin levels was observed in two ectopic prolactin secreting pituitary tumor models (MtTW15 and 7315a). However, a significant reduction in serum prolactin levels was seen in these sam tumor bearing animals at only the 150 mg/kg dose of cysteamine. Interestingly, the prolactin content of each of the prolactin secreting tumors, although reduced by cysteamine administration, the effect was neither dose-dependent nor as dramatic as that observed in the anterior pituitary gland proper. These data demonstrate that cysteamine can significantly lower prolactin concentrations in hyperprolactinemia. Further, ectopic prolactin secreting pituitary tissue appears less sensitive to the prolactin-depleting effects of cysteamine. This latter finding may explain, in part why serum prolactin levels were not as severely reduced in the eptopic tumor bearing female rats as in estrogen-induced hyperprolactinemic animals.
Relative phase between quantum transmission and reflection amplitudes in one dimension

Abstract The relative phase between transmission and reflection coefficients for a one-dimensional quantum mechanical scattering problem for parity conserving potentials is shown to be π/2.
Cuticular lipids of insects—IV. hydrocarbons of the cockroaches Periplaneta japonica and Periplaneta americana compared to other cockroach hydrocarbons

Abstract 1. 1. The cuticular hydrocarbons of the cockroach Periplaneta japonica are of five classes (saturated, 9-ene, 6,9-diene, 3-methyl and 13-methyl) ranging from 27 to 31 carbons. The major cuticular hydrocarbons are cis-9-nonacosene, 38%; cis,cis-6,9-nonacosadiene, 17%; n- heptacosane , 9–16%; and 3-methyl-heptacosane, 12–14%. Males were observed to have appreciable quantities of cis-9-heptacosene (10%) whereas only trace quantities were observed on females. 2. 2. The cuticular hydrocarbons of P. americana are pentacosane, 10%; 3-methylpentacosane, 16%; cis,cis-6,9-heptacosadiene, 71%; heptacosane, 2%; and C39 to C43 hydrocarbons, 1%. The C39 to C43 hydrocarbons are cis-15-hentetracontene, cis-15-tritetracontene, 3-methylhentetracontane, n- nonatriacontane , n- tritetracontane , tritetracontadiene and hentetracontadiene. This is a bimodal spectrum of hydrocarbons with ranges of 25 to 29, and 39 to 43 carbons.
Ståhl's bargaining model

Abstract A non-cooperative foundation for the Raiffa bargaining solution is derived in Stahl's finite horizon bargaining model.
Humans use Compression Heuristics to Improve the Recall of Social Networks

The ability of primates, including humans, to maintain large social networks appears to depend on the ratio of the neocortex to the rest of the brain. However, observed human network size frequently exceeds predictions based on this ratio (e.g., “Dunbar’s Number”), implying that human networks are too large to be cognitively managed. Here I show that humans adaptively use compression heuristics to allow larger amounts of social information to be stored in the same brain volume. I find that human adults can remember larger numbers of relationships in greater detail when a network exhibits triadic closure and kin labels than when it does not. These findings help to explain how humans manage large and complex social networks with finite cognitive resources and suggest that many of the unusual properties of human social networks are rooted in the strategies necessary to cope with cognitive limitations.
External-cavity, actively mode-locked grating-coupled surface-emitting laser and amplification characteristics of a grating-coupled semiconductor optical amplifier

An external-cavity, actively mode-locked grating-coupled surface-emitting semiconductor laser (GCSEL) is demonstrated for the first time to the authors’ knowledge. The mode-locked oscillator generates a train of optical pulses at a 297-MHz pulse-repetition frequency. The optical pulse from the oscillator has a width of 22.6 ps and a spectral bandwidth of 0.07 nm at 975.9 nm, giving a time–bandwidth product of 0.50. In addition, amplification characteristics of a grating-coupled semiconductor optical amplifier are studied with a continuous-wave external-cavity GCSEL.
OntoMiner: bootstrapping and populating ontologies from domain-specific Web sites

Key to the Semantic Web idea are ontologies that can transform legacy HTML documents into Semantic Web documents and encode domain knowledge to facilitate automated reasoning. The techniques presented in the paper can help bootstrap and populate specialized domain ontologies.
Active Listening in Peer Interviews: The Influence of Message Paraphrasing on Perceptions of Listening Skill

Perhaps no communication skill is identified as regularly as active listening in training programs across a variety of disciplines and activities. Yet little empirical research has examined specific elements of active listening responses in terms of their effectiveness in achieving desired interpersonal outcomes. This study reports an experiment designed to test the influence of a specific element of active listening responses, namely, the message paraphrase. One hundred and eighty undergraduate students participated in peer interviews in which they received either a paraphrased reflection or a simple acknowledgement in response to their expressed opinions regarding comprehensive examinations. The results of data analysis indicated that message paraphrases were associated with the social attractiveness of the listener but were not associated with participants' conversational satisfaction or perceptions of feeling understood by the listener.
Halo characteristics and their influence on companion searches at the Starfire Optical Range

To image extrasolar planets at their large contrast, high-resolution adaptive optics (AO) is needed to correct atmospheric seeing. The 1.5-m AO system at the Starfire Optical Range was used to confirm theoretical models. Halo levels were reduced by a factor of 4, on average, from 0.5 to 3.0 arc sec radius, which when combined with the increased Strehl ratio improved the gain by a factor of 80. Speckle lifetimes ranged from 5 to 30 ms at 0.3 arc sec, which is much longer than the 0.6-ms AO update time. These results show good agreement with predictions for current technology and reveal no limitations, in principle, to the detection of planets by use of AO systems with higher speeds and resolutions.
New bio-inorganic photo-electronic devices based on photosynthetic proteins

The photosynthetic reaction center (RC) is one of the most advanced light sensing and energy converting materials developed by Nature. Its coupling with inorganic surfaces is attractive for the identification of the mechanisms of interprotein electron transfer (ET) and for the possible applications for the construction of protein-based innovative photoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. Using genetically engineered bacterial RC proteins and specifically synthesized organic linkers, we were able to construct self-assembled and aligned biomolecular surfaces on various electrodes, including gold, carbon, indium tin oxide (ITO), highly ordered pyrrolytic graphite (HOPG) and carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays. Our results show that, after immobilization on the electrodes, the photosynthetic RC can operate as a highly efficient photosensor, optical switch, and photovoltaic device.
Silver Toxicity With the Use of Silver-Impregnated Dressing and Wound Vacuum-Assisted Closure in an Immunocompromised Patient

Silver-containing topical agents are used to help prevent infectious complications in wound therapy. Toxicity from topical silver agent exposure was initially reported in 1975 and was clinically characterized by granulocytopenia. Currently, the data regarding potential toxicity associated with silver-impregnated devices are limited. A 23-year-old patient receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented with necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall and scrotum from a Crohn disease–related psoas-enteric fistula. Surgical debridement of the soft-tissue and abdominal musculature was performed to the peritoneum. Silver-containing foam sponges and wound vacuum-assisted closure were applied directly to the peritoneum 2 weeks after initial debridement. Subsequently, the patient developed leukopenia, and workup revealed the serum silver level was 4 times normal level. Silver-impregnated sponges were discontinued and silver-free sponges and wound vacuum-assisted closure therapy resumed, followed by leukopenia resolution. Silver toxicity associated with routine application of silver-impregnated sponges has not been previously reported.
Processes regulating watershed chemical export during snowmelt, Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Abstract In the Central Rocky Mountains, snowfall dominates precipitation. Airborne contaminants retained in the snowpack can affect high elevation surface water chemistry during snowmelt. At the Fraser Experimental Forest (FEF), located west of the Continental Divide in Central Colorado, snowmelt dominates the annual hydrograph, and accounts for >95% of annual stream water discharge. During the winters of 1989–1993, we measured precipitation inputs, snowpack water equivalent (SWE) and ion content, and stream water chemistry every 7–10 days along a 3150–3500 m elevation gradient in the subalpine and alpine Lexen Creek watershed. The study objectives were to (1) quantify the distribution of SWE and snowpack chemical content with elevation and aspect, (2) quantify snowmelt rates, temperature of soil, snowpack, and air with elevation and aspect, and (3) use change in upstream–downstream water chemistry during snowmelt to better define alpine and subalpine flowpaths. The SWE increased with elevation ( P P − 3°C) temperatures throughout winter which resulted in significant snowpack ion loss. By snowpack PWE in mid May, the snowpack had lost almost half the cumulative precipitation H + , NH 4 + , and SO 4 2− inputs and a third of the NO 3 − input. Windborne soil particulate inputs late in winter increased snowpack base cation content. Variation in subalpine SWE and snowpack ion content with elevation and aspect, and wind redistribution of snowfall in the alpine resulted in large year-to-year differences in the timing and magnitude of SWE, PWE, and snowpack ion content. The alpine stream water ion concentrations changed little during snowmelt indicating meltwater passed quickly through surface porous soils and was well mixed before entering the stream. Conversely, subalpine stream water chemistry was diluted during snowmelt suggesting much melt water moved to the stream as shallow subsurface lateral flow.