cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fish Community-Habitat Relations in a Central New York Stream

ABSTRACT Polar ordination of fish capture data from Nine Mile Creek, Onondaga County, New York, indicated the presence of localized midsummer assemblages of fishes that corresponded to pool, riffle, and intermediate transition habitats (pool head, pool tail, run). The white sucker was characteristic of pools; longnose and blacknose dace predominated in riffles. The cutlips minnow, creek chub, northern hog sucker, and tessellated darter used transition habitats extensively. Species diversity was high in the pool, pool head, and run, and low in the riffle and pool tail; differences among habitats were due to variation in both species richness and species evenness.
Synchrotron radiation determination of elemental concentrations in coal

Abstract The variations with depth of the elemental concentrations in vitrinites in a series of vitrites have been determined using radiation from the Cornell high energy synchrotron source. All of the vitrites were selected from a single drill core sample of coal from the Emery coalfield, Utah. The results are compared with similar determinations using the Heidelberg proton microprobe. The advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques are discussed. Results are reported for S, Ca, Ti, Fe, Zn, Br, and Sr. For example, it is found that Fe increases from top to bottom of the coal bed in contrast to S, which decreases from top to bottom of the bed. Other features of the two data sets are also described.
Biosynthesis of squalene and other triterpenes in Mentha piperita from mevalonate-2-14C

Abstract Unlike mono- and sesqui-terpenes, squalene and other triterpenes in peppermint readily incorporate mevalonate-2-14C label (greater than 30% incorporation of R-mevalonate in 4 hr). The labelled squalene produced turns over rapidly. Squalene derived from mevalonate-2-14C in incorporation times of 1, 4 and 7 hr was degraded chemically and shown to be equivalently labelled, according to theory, in the isopentenyl pyrophosphate-derived and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate-derived portions of the molecule. This contrasts with earlier studies on the biosynthesis of mono- and sesqui-terpenes in peppermint from 14C-precursors, in which the isopentenyl pyrophosphate-derived portions of the terpene molecules were found to be preferentially labelled, suggesting the presence of endogenous dimethylallyl pyrophosphate pools. The kinetics of squalene biosynthesis, and the labelling pattern of squalene, suggest that sites of triterpene biosynthesis are readily accessible to exogenous mevalonate and that endogenous dimethylallyl pyrophosphate pools do not participate in triterpene biosynthesis to any appreciable extent. The triterpene biosynthetic sites in peppermint thus appear to differ significantly from the monoterpene and sesquiterpene biosynthetic sites.
Near integration, bank reluctance, and discount window borrowing

Abstract This study puts forth stationarity considerations in explaining the observed breakdown between aggregate Discount Window borrowing and the spread between the Federal Funds rate and the discount rate during the post-1987 period. Tests with biweekly data indicate stationarity for adjustment borrowing, but cannot reject the unit root for the spread. The Goodfriend–Dutkowsky dynamic implicit cost formulation can accommodate the contrasting stationarity properties. Structural restrictions are compatible with stationary borrowing and a stationary or near integrated spread. While empirical findings from the static model indicate greater bank reluctance to borrow over time, the dynamic model gives considerably less support.
Adaptive homodyne phase discrimination and qubit measurement

Fast and accurate measurement is a highly desirable, if not vital, feature of quantum computing architectures. In this work we investigate the usefulness of adaptive measurements in improving the speed and accuracy of qubit measurement. We examine a particular class of quantum computing architectures, ones based on qubits coupled to well-controlled harmonic oscillator modes (reminiscent of cavity QED), where adaptive schemes for measurement are particularly appropriate. In such architectures, qubit measurement is equivalent to phase discrimination for a mode of the electromagnetic field, and we examine adaptive techniques for doing this. In the final section we present a concrete example of applying adaptive measurement to the particularly well-developed circuit-QED architecture.
Chronic Ethanol Consumption Differentially Alters GABAA Receptor α1 and α4 Subunit Peptide Expression and GABAA Receptor-Mediated 36Cl− Uptake in Mesocorticolimbic Regions of Rat Brain

BACKGROUND Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptors in the brain are modulated by chronic ethanol exposure via the regulation of their function and expression throughout the central nervous system. Recent studies show that chronic ethanol exposure alters subsequent ethanol self-administration, effects that are believed to be mediated by subcortical regions of the rat brain including the amygdala (AMG), the nucleus accumbens (NAC), and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). METHODS We evaluated GABA(A) receptor subunit expression using subunit specific (alpha1 and alpha4) immunoblotting of small tissue punches from AMG, NAC, and VTA. GABA(A) receptor-mediated 36 Cl- uptake was measured in these brain areas after chronic ethanol consumption for 2 weeks. RESULTS Regional differences in the effect of chronic ethanol on alpha1 and alpha4 subunit expression were found. In the AMG, alpha1 and alpha4 subunit expressions were significantly decreased by 21.1 +/- 5.5% and 22.0 +/- 7.1%, respectively. In the NAC, there was a decrease of 28.1 +/- 1.3% in alpha4 subunit expression (p < 0.0001), but no change in alpha1 subunit expression was observed. In the VTA, there were no changes in alpha1 and alpha4 subunit expressions. Muscimol-stimulated Cl- uptake was enhanced in the extended AMG, but not the extended NAC of ethanol-dependent rats. The muscimol concentration response curve was left-shifted with a 74% decrease (p < 0.01) in the EC50 and a 42% increase (p < 0.05) in the Emax in the AMG of ethanol-dependent rats. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that chronic ethanol exposure alters GABA(A) receptor expression in the AMG and NAC. Decreased expression of alpha4 subunits is associated with increases in GABA(A) receptor function in the AMG, but not the NAC. These changes may contribute to alcohol drinking behavior and the development of ethanol dependence.
The diffusion of stars through phase space

An orbit-averaged Fokker-Planck equation has been derived to study the secular evolution of stellar systems with regular orbits and the heating of stellar disks. It is shown that a population of stars with an initially Maxwellian peculiar-velocity distribution will remain Maxwellian as it diffuses through orbit space only if: (1) a second-order diffusion tensor is proportional to epicycle energy; and (2) the population's velocity dispersion grows as the square root of time. Scattering by ephemeral spiral waves is able to account for the observed kinematics of the solar neighborhood only if the waves have wavelengths in excess of 9 kpc and constantly drifting pattern speeds.
WE‐G‐108‐02: Oncospace: A Database Designed for Personalized Medicine in Radiation Oncology

Purpose: The Oncospace database aggregates treatment planning and clinical information about prior patients facilitating extraction of knowledge from prior courses of care. The goal is to use this knowledge to influence clinical decisions, quality and safety of care for new patients. Methods: The Oncospace website, built in C# and ASP.NET, accesses the MS SQLServer database for analysis. The data tables are designed to support patient geometry, targets and organs at risk (OAR) and their spatial relationships, dose distributions, toxicities, diagnosis and disease progression, chemotherapy and medications, laboratory values, patient histories and demographics. Data is collected directly from the treatment planning system and the oncology information system (OIS). Point of service data collection is facilitated with tablet (iPad) forms linked to the OIS. Results: Web pages have been built to answer the following: A) For a selected toxicity and OAR, display the dose volume histogram (DVH) and colorize them by the maximum toxicity grade of the patient while identifying a selected patients DVH B) For a selected OAR and percent volume (%V), find the lowest dose achieved from all patients whose %V is closer to the selected target volume? C) For a given diagnosis, toxicity and treatment, display the aggregate trend in toxicity from start of treatment (acute) through several year follow‐up (late)? Oncospace currently supports: and a full H&N database, a multi‐institutional pancreatic stereotactic trial, and shape database for automated planning pancreas cancer. Conclusion: Oncospace can provide fast access to large amounts of data through complex queries designed to answer specific clinical questions to influence the safety and quality of care for new patients. This system can be used in the clinical setting to assess both plan quality and outcome expectations for new patients based on the data of prior patients. Funding for this research was provided by the Commonwealth Foundation, Elekta/IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc., Philips Radiation Oncology Sytems, and the Johns Hopkins University.
Comparison of accuracy and cost of disposable, nonmechanical pumps used for epidural infusions.

Background and Objectives Temporary epidural catheter pumps are used to infuse analgesics in patients with chronic intractable pain. Three brands of disposable, nonmechanical pumps adapted for epidural infusion were tested to determine their flow rate efficacy and their cost effectiveness. Methods Three pump models were tested: the Baxter (2C1075), Homepump (H100020), and SurgiPEACE (SP500-24). Manufacturers of each unit claim to provide a constant 2-mL/h flow rate. A standard setup was used to simulate both the insertion of the catheter into the epidural space and the environmental conditions consistent with patient ambulation. Reservoirs were filled with water and allowed to infuse into a collection receptacle, and flow rates were measured hourly. Four trials were performed with four separate units and flow rate measurements were averaged to determine a flow rate pattern over the entire infusion period. Data were graphed as the percentage of expected flow rate (% of 2 mL/h) versus infusion time (hours), the 90-110% range being defined as acceptable. Results All pumps initially infused at a rate above 110% for the first 3-6 hours, after which a steady decline in flow rate was observed. The Homepump produced a flow rate in the acceptable range for the greatest part of its infusion period (41%), followed by the SurgiPEACE (34%), and the Baxter unit (10.4%). The Baxter unit was also cumbersome to handle and therefore difficult to fill. The Homepump unit was easily handled but offered considerable resistance to filling, with partial loss of fluid. The SurgiPEACE unit was easy to handle and fill; however, in two of the units tested, an initial blockage was encountered, and manual patency of the connector and/or catheter had to be established. Conclusions All three units deviated considerably from the claimed flow rate of 2-mL/h, both at the beginning and at the end of the infusion. Presumably, the decreasing flow rates are responsible for the diminishing pain relief often experienced by patients over the course of the infusion. The Homepump unit appeared to be the most cost-effective and the easiest to handle and maintained an acceptable infusion rate for the greatest percentage of the infusion period. The considerable cost benefit of using a nonmechanical disposable pump as opposed to a costly but more reliable computerized pump appears to warrant further product improvement and development.
A light and electron microscopic analysis of the mossy fibers of the rat dentate gyrus

The axon collaterals of dentate granule cells have been analyzed with the aid of a computerized microscope, following intracellular injections of horseradish peroxidase in hippocampal slice preparations. The axon of each granule cell gives rise to approximately seven primary collaterals; these collaterals usually divide into secondary and tertiary branches, which form an extensive plexus within the hilar region of the dentate gyrus. Individual axon collaterals vary greatly in length, but most have been found to be between 100 and 300 microns long. On average, the summed lengths of the collaterals (exclusive of the parent mossy fiber) are approximately 2,300 microns. Except for an occasional collateral that is given off by a mossy fiber in the proximal part of field CA3 of the hippocampus, the collaterals of the granule cell axons are confined to the hilar region; they are rarely seen in the granule cell layer itself and have never been observed in the molecular layer. In the longitudinal dimension of the dentate gyrus, most of the collaterals are contained within a zone about 400 microns wide. The distribution of the collaterals within the hilar region is correlated with the location of the granule cell body. Those that arise from cells near the tip of the suprapyramidal blade tend to be confined to the region above field CA3; those from cells nearer the crest and from the infrapyramidal blade ramify widely throughout the hilus. Two types of varicosities are present on the collaterals. Numerous small (approximately 2 microns), round varicosities are distributed unevenly along the collaterals; in electron micrographs these varicosities can be seen to make asymmetric synaptic contacts with dendritic shafts. On average, each granule cell collateral plexus has about 160 of these varicosities. The second type of varicosity is irregular in shape and ranges from 2 to 4 microns in diameter; there is usually only one such varicosity per collateral. In all respects except size, these varicosities resemble the expansions found on the parent mossy fibers. Mossy fiber trajectories in the proximal part of field CA3 were studied after extracellular injections of HRP into localized regions of the granule cell layer. Granule cells at different locations around the blade send their mossy fibers to different depths within the pyramidal cell layer in the proximal part of field CA3. However, further distally, mossy fibers from all parts of the granule cell layer contribute to the suprapyramidal bundle that occupies the stratum lucidum.
Ultrafast lasers for nanomaterial growth and processing

Summary form only given. As robust sources for an increasing number of industrial applications, ultrafast lasers with sub-picosecond pulse duration have experienced a steady growth over the past decades. In this presentation, recent progress of ultrafast laser-based nanoscale material growth and processing will be discussed, along with selected emerging applications of laser-produced nanomaterials in the development of renewable energy technologies. One example of energy technologies that has benefited greatly from laser-based materials development is efficient electricity transmission by utilizing high critical temperature superconductor wires. Pulsed laser deposition, which typically involves applying a nanosecond laser beam to ablate a target material followed by depositing the precursor vapor onto a substrate, is an effective technique for developing superconductors as well as many other industrial materials. However, a main technical obstacle for making materials at the nanometer scale using nanosecond lasers is the formation of micron-sized particulates from the ejected melts. Ultrafast lasers, with pulse duration shorter than the characteristic time of thermal diffusion, enable nanomaterials fabrication with reduced micro-sized particulates when operated in the so-called non-thermal ablation regime. Under very high irradiation power of ultrafast lasers, electrons in the target material can be heated much faster than they are cooled through electron-phonon interactions. Emission of high-density energetic electrons from the target surface can take place, followed by separation between the escaped electrons and the positively charged parent ions, which eventually leave the surface with the buildup of a strong electric field. Consequently, ultrafast laser pulses are able to ablate solid materials without encountering significant thermal processes (e.g., melting), therefore enabling high quality nanomaterial growth. In the meantime, direct write of nanoscale structures with minimal lateral damage in the material can be realized. Utilizing femtosecond laser pulses, we are developing a variety of nanomaterials and nanostructures that have practical applications for high capacity solid-state hydrogen storage and high efficiency solid-state lighting.
Warming leads to divergent responses but similarly improved performance of two invasive thistles

Plants’ responses to climate change are complex. Even the same net performance changes may involve different responses of multiple life history traits. Here we show that two congeneric thistles, Carduus nutans and Carduus acanthoides, both grew taller under increased temperature, albeit following divergent response patterns. For C. nutans, warming advanced bolting more than flowering, leading to a longer growing period before flowering and ultimately taller plant height at the end of the growing season. Carduus acanthoides maintained the same length of growing period because of equally shifted events in the phenological sequence, however, post-flowering growth rate was increased, which also led to enhanced final plant height. As seeds from taller plants disperse farther, their responses imply that future invasion spread rates of these two species will increase. Similar consequences due to divergent responses in life history traits, as demonstrated in this study, suggest that considering only ultimate performance outcomes, and not the underlying processes generating such outcomes, is not enough to understand the impacts of climate change.
The culture of Peyer's patches.

Abstract Peyer's patches from germ free rats have been cultured in vitro by using segments of everted intestine. Lymphocytes survived reliably for 7 days and some for 12–14 days. Reticular cells always appeared viable. Advantages of this system and further uses for it are discussed.
High-Performance Evaluation of Finite Element Variational Forms via Commuting Diagrams and Duality

We revisit the question of optimizing the construction and application of finite element matrices. By using commuting properties of the reference mappings and duality, we reorganize stiffness matrix construction and matrix-free application so that the bulk of the work can be done by optimized matrix multiplication libraries. We provide examples, including numerical experiments, with the Laplace and curl-curl operators as well as develop a general framework. Our techniques are applicable in general geometry and are not restricted to constant coefficient operators.
Individual Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Congeners Produce Tissue- and Gene-Specific Effects on Thyroid Hormone Signaling during Development

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are industrial chemicals linked to developmental deficits that may be caused in part by disrupting thyroid hormone (TH) action by either reducing serum TH or interacting directly with the TH receptor (TR). Individual PCB congeners can activate the TR in vitro when the metabolic enzyme cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) is induced, suggesting that specific PCB metabolites act as TR agonists. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we compared two combinations of PCB congeners that either activate the TR (PCB 105 and 118) or not (PCB 138 and 153) in the presence or absence of a PCB congener (PCB 126) that induces CYP1A1 in vitro. Aroclor 1254 was used as a positive control, and a group treated with propylthiouracil was included to characterize the effects of low serum TH. We monitored the effects on TH signaling in several peripheral tissues by measuring the mRNA expression of well-known TH-response genes in these tissues. Aroclor 1254 and its component PCB 105/118/126 reduced total T4 to the same extent as that of propylthiouracil but increased the expression of some TH target genes in liver. This effect was strongly correlated with CYP1A1 expression supporting the hypothesis that metabolism is necessary. Effects were gene and tissue specific, indicating that tissue-specific metabolism is an important component of PCB disruption of TH action and that PCB metabolites interact in complex ways with the TR. These are essential mechanisms to consider when evaluating the health risks of contaminant exposures, for both PCB and other polycyclic compounds known to interact with nuclear hormone receptors.
Lack of cytomegalovirus transmission after pancreatic islet transplantation

In spite of antiviral prophylaxis, the transmission rate of cytomegalovirus (CMV) after solid organ transplantation remains high. In contrast, CMV transmission has never been reported following pancreatic islet transplantation (PIT). Eleven (seven CMV seronegative, four CMV seropositive) recipients underwent a total of 26 PITs. Following PIT recipients were monitored clinically and tested monthly for CMV antigenemia. Valganciclovir was given to all patients for 100 days after each PIT. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 24 months (median 14.5 months). Pancreatic islet grafts were procured from 18 CMV seropositive and 8 seronegative donors (69% and 31% of donors, respectively). In total there were 6 R+D+, 3 R+D-, 12 R-D+, and 5 R-D-PITs. No patient developed CMV antigenemia or symptoms consistent with CMV infection at any time following PIT. Routine posttransplant testing of PIT recipients demonstrated that neither CMV transmission nor CMV infection occurred after PIT.
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd): delay-of-reinforcement gradients and other behavioral mechanisms

sagvolden, johansen, aase, and russell (sagvolden et al.) examine attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd) at levels of analysis ranging from neurotransmitters to behavior. at the behavioral level they attribute aspects of adhd to anomalies of delay-of-reinforcement gradients. with a normal gradient, responses followed after a long delay by a reinforcer may share in the effects of that reinforcer; with a diminished or steepened gradient they may fail to do so. steepened gradients differentially select rapidly emitted responses (hyperactivity), and they limit the effectiveness with which extended stimuli become conditioned reinforcers, so that observing behavior is less well maintained (attention deficit). impulsiveness also follows from steepened gradients, which increase the effectiveness of smaller, more immediate consequences relative to larger, more delayed ones. individuals who vary in the degree to which their delay gradients are steepened will show different balances between hyperactivity and attention deficit. given the range of adhd phenomena addressed, it may be unnecessary to appeal to additional behavioral processes such as extinction deficit. extinction deficit is more likely a derivative of attention deficit, in that failure to attend to stimuli differentially correlated with extinction should slow its progress. the account suggests how relatively small differences in delay gradients early in development might engender behavioral interactions leading to very large differences later on. the steepened gradients presumably originate in properties of neurotransmitter function, but behavioral interventions that use consistently short delays of reinforcement to build higher-order behavioral units as a scaffolding to support complex cognitive and social skills may nonetheless be feasible.
Dopamine accumulation after dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibition in rat heart as an index of norepinephrine turnover

Abstract Dopamine concentration in rat heart is normally very low, only a few percent of the concentration of norepinephrine. After treatment of rats with a dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitor, l-cyclohexyl-2-mercapto-imidazole (CHMI), there was a rapid increase in dopamine concentration even before norepinephrine concentration had decreased perceptibly. This accumulation of dopamine was readily measured by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Since the percentage change in dopamine was much greater than the percentage change in norepinephrine, especially at early times, measurement of dopamine accumulation rather than norepinephrine decline was considered as a useful measure of norepinephrine turnover. Drugs that act on noradrenergic receptors and are known to alter norepinephrine turnover were found to alter the rate of dopamine accumulation. Clonidine and guanabenz decreased dopamine accumulation after CHMI, whereas piperoxan (but not prazosin) increased dopamine accumulation after CHMI. Pergolide, a dopamine agonist whose lowering of blood pressure and cardiac rate has been suggested to be due to suppression of neurogenic release of norepinephrine, also decreased dopamine accumulation after CHMI. The results suggest that measuring dopamine accumulation may have advantages over measuring norepinephrine disappearance after dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibition as an indicator of norepinephrine turnover in heart.
Expression of Nodal and Nodal Receptors in Prostate Stem Cells and Prostate Cancer Cells: Autocrine Effects on Cell Proliferation and Migration

BACKGROUND Nodal, a TGFβ like growth factor, functions as an embryonic morphogen that maintains the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. Nodal has been implicated in cancer progression; however, there is no information on expression and functions of Nodal in prostate cancer. In this study, we have investigated the expression of Nodal, its receptors, and its effects on proliferation and migration of human prostate cells.
Results of lumbar discectomy: a study using 15 different evaluation methods.

Ninety-two patients who had undergone a primary excision of a lumbar disc were evaluated using 15 different criteria that evaluate the surgical outcome 2–15.5 years (average 8.8 years) following operation. The satisfactory results ranged from 62% to 84%. Criteria which relied on the subjective opinion of the patient gave the best results, while on the contrary the worst results were those that relied on functional criteria, such as return to work, return to previous employment, general activity level and need of further treatment. This variability in results observed with the same group of patients depends to a great extent on the nature of criteria used as well as on the design of those criteria. The study concludes that the reported outcomes for lumbar spinal surgery are influenced by the selection of the criteria used for the assessment of the end results.
Which Medications Are Associated With Incident Delirium

Meperidine Surgical Nested case control OR 2.7 (1.3-5.5) Oxycodone Surgical Nested case control OR 0.7 (0.3-1.6) Parenteral morphine dose equivalent <10 mg during 24 h Orthopedic surgery Prospective cohort RR 25.2 (1.3-493.3) RR, Relative risk; OR, odds ratio. Fourteen studies, including 3 randomized controlled trials, were included, but because of heterogeneity in study populations and methods, meta-analysis was not conducted. The mean age of subjects in 12 studies was more than 65 years, and no trial was based in the ED. The only high-quality randomized controlled trial to evaluate a single medication evaluated haloperidol in hip surgery patients and observed no association with incident delirium. One moderate-quality multivariate analysis of a prospective cohort observed an increased risk of delirium with neuroleptic medications (OR 4.5). Among opioids, meperidine was more highly associated with delirium than other narcotic alternatives (OR 2.7; moderate quality). On the other hand, oxycodone in a mixed population of surgical patients had no association with delirium (moderate quality). When opioids were evaluated as a class in postoperative orthopedic patients, an inverse relationship was observed between the dose and the risk of
Rapid confocal imaging of large areas of excised tissue with strip mosaicing.

Imaging large areas of tissue rapidly and with high resolution may enable rapid pathology at the bedside. The limitedfieldofviewofhigh-resolutionmicroscopesrequires the merging of multiple images that are taken sequentially to cover a large area. This merging or mosaicing of images re- quires long acquisition and processing times, and produces artifacts. To reduce both time and artifacts, we developed a mosaicing method on a confocal microscope that images morphologyinlargeareasofexcisedtissuewithsub-cellular detail. By acquiring image strips with aspect ratios of 10:1 and higher (instead of the standard ∼1:1) and "stitching" them in software, our method images 10×10 mm 2 area of tissue in about 3 min. This method, which we call "strip mosaicing," is currently three times as fast as our previous method. C 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
Acute-Onset, Bilateral Lower Extremity Pain in a 30-Year-Old Man

1. What are the patient’s most striking clinical and laboratory findings? 2. What is the differential diagnosis? 3. What are unusual features of this case? 4. What additional laboratory investigations should be performed and why? 5. What is this patient’s most likely diagnosis? 6. How would the patient have presented had his symptoms persisted for more than 6 hours without treatment? 7. How would such a patient be managed and why? 8. What is the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and pathology of the disease present in the patient presented in this case study?
Mechanisms of Decreased Susceptibility to β-Defensins by Treponema denticola

Treponema denticola, a periodontal pathogen, is relatively resistant to human beta-defensins, which are small cationic antimicrobial peptides produced by a number of cells, including the gingival epithelium. Using two independent methods, we previously demonstrated that T. denticola proteases are not responsible for decreased vulnerability to defensins. In this study, we confirmed that the major outer membrane protease, dentilisin, is not responsible for T. denticola insensitivity to defensins and examined several other possible mechanisms, including reduced binding to the bacterial surface and efflux pump activity. It has been suggested that some bacteria mask their surfaces with serum proteins. T. denticola grown in a serum-free medium did not exhibit increased susceptibility to human beta-defensin 2 and 3 (hβD-2 and hβD-3, respectively), suggesting that cloaking of the outer surface with host proteins is not involved in defensin resistance. Nonetheless, we demonstrated that T. denticola binds significantly less hβD-2 and -3 than susceptible organisms bind, suggesting that the unusual outer membrane composition of T. denticola may discourage cationic peptide binding. Efflux pumps have been shown to mediate resistance to antibiotics and cationic peptides in other bacteria, and their role in T. denticola's relative resistance to β-defensins was investigated. Three inhibitors of bacterial ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux pumps had no effect on T. denticola's susceptibility to hβD-2 or -3. In contrast, a proton motive force inhibitor, carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone, increased the susceptibility of T. denticola to killing by hβD-3, demonstrating a potential role for efflux pumps (other than ABC pumps) in resistance to this peptide. Our data suggest that the combination of decreased defensin binding and efflux of any peptide which enters the cytoplasm may explain T. denticola's relative resistance to human beta-defensins.
Patterns for RANTES Secretion and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 Expression Mediate Transepithelial T Cell Traffic Based on Analyses In Vitro and In Vivo

Immune cell migration into and through mucosal barrier sites in general and airway sites in particular is a critical feature of immune and inflammatory responses, but the determinants of transepithelial (unlike transendothelial) immune cell traffic are poorly defined. Accordingly, we used primary culture airway epithelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells to develop a cell monolayer system that allows for apical-to-basal and basal-to-apical T cell transmigration that can be monitored with quantitative immunofluorescence flow cytometry. In this system, T cell adhesion and subsequent transmigration were blocked in both directions by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) or intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) (induced by interferon γ [IFN-γ] treatment of epithelial cells). The total number of adherent plus transmigrated T cells was also similar in both directions, and this pattern fit with uniform presentation of ICAM-1 along the apical and basolateral cell surfaces. However, the relative number of transmigrated to adherent T cells (i.e., the efficiency of transmigration) was increased in the basal-to-apical relative to the apical-to-basal direction, so an additional mechanism was needed to mediate directional movement towards the apical surface. Screening for epithelial-derived β-chemokines indicated that IFN-γ treatment caused selective expression of RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), and the functional significance of this finding was demonstrated by inhibition of epithelial–T cell adhesion and transepithelial migration by anti-RANTES mAbs. In addition, we found that epithelial (but not endothelial) cells preferentially secreted RANTES through the apical cell surface thereby establishing a chemical gradient for chemotaxis across the epithelium to a site where they may be retained by high levels of RANTES and apical ICAM-1. These patterns for epithelial presentation of ICAM-1 and secretion of RANTES appear preserved in airway epithelial tissue studied either ex vivo with expression induced by IFN-γ treatment or in vivo with endogenous expression induced by inflammatory disease (i.e., asthma). Taken together, the results define how the patterns for uniform presentation of ICAM-1 along the cell surface and specific apical sorting of RANTES may serve to mediate the level and directionality of T cell traffic through epithelium (distinct from endothelium) and provide a basis for how this process is precisely coordinated to route immune cells to the mucosal surface and maintain them there under normal and stimulated conditions.
“For the Hungry Have No Past nor Do They Belong to a Political Party”: Debates over German Hunger after World War II

When World War II finally came to an end, the Allied forces were primed to face a world of hunger. Since the earliest days of the conflict, experts throughout Europe and Asia had been predicting that the unfathomable scale of the war would result in a massive and permanent restructuring of the global food economy. Military victory itself was cast as inextricably intertwined with control over foodstuffs. In 1940, the British nutritionist and future Director-General of the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, Sir John Boyd-Orr, had warned that “we are only at the beginning of what looks like a long grim struggle, in which food may be, as it was in the last war, the decisive factor for victory.” Even more ominously, such experts foresaw the end of the war as ushering in a world defined less by peace and more by hunger. Australian economist and humanitarian Frank Lidgett McDougall axiomatically declared that “the exigencies of war and of the relief period will in the next few years render almost all men everywhere in the world highly food-conscious.” The recognition of the global ramifications of hunger meant that, as Nick Cullather put it in his recent article on the history of the calorie, “the construction of a postwar international order began with food.”
Personality and Performance at the Beginning of the New Millennium: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go Next?

As we begin the new millennium, it is an appropriate time to examine what we have learned about personality-performance relationships over the past century and to embark on new directions for research. In this study we quantitatively summarize the results of 15 prior meta-analytic studies that have investigated the relationship between the Five Factor Model (FFM) personality traits and job performance. Results support the previous findings that conscientiousness is a valid predictor across performance measures in all occupations studied. Emotional stability was also found to be a generalizable predictor when overall work performance was the criterion, but its relationship to specific performance criteria and occupations was less consistent than was conscientiousness. Though the other three Big Five traits (extraversion, openness and agreeableness) did not predict overall work performance, they did predict success in specific occupations or relate to specific criteria. The studies upon which these results are based comprise most of the research that has been conducted on this topic in the past century. Consequently, we call for a moratorium on meta-analytic studies of the type reviewed in our study and recommend that researchers embark on a new research agenda designed to further our understanding of personalityperformance linkages.
Metabolites of the marine sponge

Abstract The major constituent of Plakortis zygompha was (Z)-7-methyl-4-octen-3-one 1 , a highly volatile, sweet-smelling oil. The sponge also contained several derivatives of 3-hydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-4-pentenoic acid.
The Importance of Investment Strategy

Superior stock picking is common among active equity fund managers. The reason stock picking skill is not detected by many performance studies is over-diversification, which overwhelms the superior performance of top holdings. Managers who do not over-diversify outperform by an astonishing 6% to 12% annually. The style grid is a significant contributor to this over-diversification problem. In addition, the grid does not help investors identify successful active managers, since stock characteristics, such as market-cap and PE, are unrelated to superior performance. Using self-declared investment strategy for organizing the active equity universe frees managers to pursue a narrowly defined strategy and helps in identifying successful managers within each strategy. I provide statistically significant evidence that funds are more alike within strategies than across, that strategy clustering funds is superior to either random or style grid clustering (which itself is inferior to random clustering), and that each of the 10 strategies generates returns in a unique way. Furthermore, stocks can be strategy categorized based on the collective judgment of the strategy managers who hold them. The resulting strategy stock pools move about the equity universe over time, independent of stock characteristics. Those managers who hold the largest number of own strategy stocks outperform those who hold the least by a statistically and economically significant 3.21% annually.
Phase and delay extraction in Q/sup 2/PSK: ML receivers using systolic array processing

A maximum likelihood decision-directed (MLDD) receiver structure is derived for a data-transmission system which employs quadrature-quadrature phase-shift keying (QQPSK) as the modulation scheme. The receiver is derived by treating the problems of sequence decision, sample timing, and carrier phase as a composite estimation problem. It is shown that the resulting maximum likelihood estimates are asymptotically unbiased. Cramer-Rao lower bounds are derived for the estimates and plotted for different cases. Symbol detection is carried out by means of a modified Viterbi algorithm, and a parallel structure is developed for estimating carrier phase and delay time for high-speed data transmission. It is shown that the resulting synchronizer can be simplified for application in data systems using QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation). Interaction between detection and synchronization is studied. It is shown that the parallel estimator is well-suited for high-speed digital signal processing and lends itself easily to systolic array implementation. >
Changing Patterns of Power in Cold War Politics: The Mysterious Case of Vladimír Komárek

The story of the arrest and imprisonment of Vladimir Komarek sheds valuable light on relations between Czechoslovakia and the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Komarek, who had worked as an intelligence officer against the Czechoslovak Communist regime in the 1950s, was a U.S. citizen traveling to the Soviet Union on business when he was dramatically captured by the Czechoslovak authorities. Pressure from the U.S. government and private individuals, as well as conflicts between the Czechoslovak secret service and other, more liberal, elements in the Czechoslovak government, ultimately led to Komarek's release. Czechoslovakia's eventual willingness to cooperate in the Komarek case signaled a new approach to relations with the West, an approach that would have significant consequences during the Prague Spring of 1968.
Effects of the Northern Fowl Mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago), on Egg Quality of White Leghorn Hens

Interior egg quality and shell thickness of eggs from hens infested with the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago), were compared with eggs from mite free hens. Egg shells of mite infested hens were significantly thicker (P greater than or equal to .05) but within the normal biological range. There were no differences in either Haugh units or yolk color between the two groups of hens.
The Negligence Liability of a Peace Officer Pursuing a Speeder

New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law provides the rules of the road for all vehicles with two exceptions. Of importance here, section 1104 exempts drivers of authorized emergency vehicles from certain rules of the road. The purpose of this article to examine the exemption under 1104 granted to a police officer in pursuit of a speeder. This is important because, while the officer has the right to drive contravention of the law, other vehicles on the highway do not have a statutory duty to yield the right of way unless signaled audibly. Furthermore, the officer is required to act as a reasonably prudent man in fulfilling these official duties. This article reviews government immunity from liability for acts committed while in pursuit.
Departing Thoughts from IJTMB’s Practice & Education Section Editor: Critical Inquiry, Dichotomy vs. Continuum, and Improving TMB Discourse

For the past three years, I have had the great privilege of serving as Editor of first the Practice Section alone and then also the Education Section of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (IJTMB), a journal unique in its mission to link the complementary components of research, education, and practice for the therapeutic massage and bodywork (TMB) field. IJTMB’s mission is what drew me to the role of editor. My career and scholarly work includes, or has included, each component. Along the way, I have focused a lot of my energy and voice to encourage other TMB professionals to become more knowledgeable about, and involved in, the TMB component that seems to get the least “love”: research.(1–4) I have so enjoyed facilitating the important contributions of others from the TMB field as they have submitted to, and published in, IJTMB during my tenure. By going through the process of scientific dialogue, these contributors have navigated a challenging yet rewarding journey; congratulations and “thank you” to all involved: authors, mentors, reviewers, and fellow editors!
Alternative Heterojunction Partners for CIS-Based Solar Cells; Final Report: 1 January 1998--31 August 2001

This report summaries work carried out in three areas: CIGSS cells based on ZnO buffer layers, cells with ZnS buffer layers, and general studies of the effects of buffer layers on device performance. These investigations were conducted mainly with CIGSS substrates provided by Siemens Solar Industries. ZnO buffer layers were grown by MOCVD and ZnS layers were deposited by chemical-bath deposition. Active-area efficiencies of 13.4% and 12.8% were achieved for cells based on ZnO and ZnS buffer layers, respectively.
Magnetic Properties and Crystallography of Selected Co/Pt Multilayers with Rare-Earth Additions

We have sputter-deposited a series of Pt/Co multilayers with differing amounts of rare-earth (RE) in an effort to improve the uniaxial perpendicular anisotropy in these structures. The present work investigates the influence on the magnetic properties of Tb and Ho incorporated both at the interfaces of Pt/Co multilayers and into the Co layers. The uniaxial anisotropy improved significantly only for those multilayers that showed poor perpendicular anisotropy in the undoped state, in particular, those with large (~30 A) bilayer periods. High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to study these multilayers in cross-section. The multilayer structures present strong [111] texture with grain sizes ranging from 200 to 600 A. It is found that the RE does not produce a significant change in the growth texture of the multilayers until a critical amount is introduced beyond which the multilayer structure amorphizes resulting in a compositionally modulated amorphous film.
Interactions of antifouling monolayers: Energy transfer from excited albumin molecule to phenol red dye

Albumin, as an antifouling agent preventing non-specific adsorption, is widely applied in biosensor construction and in the design of nanocarriers for theranostic applications. However, albumin is not completely inert and it interacts with many endogenous and exogenous compounds. The present work investigates the interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with phenol red dye (PR), a common component of cell-growth media. PR was found to bind to BSA, with the affinity constant KA = (2.5 ± 0.8) × 105 L mol−1, and that it quenches the intrinsic BSA fluorescence through the Forster non-radiative resonance energy transfer (FRET) via static modes, with critical FRET distance of R0 = 2.65 nm. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy measurements indicated a conformational transition of BSA in the presence of PR to a conformation with tyrosine residues surrounded by a more hydrophobic environment. Thermodynamic parameters, ΔH°,ΔG° and ΔS°, determined using fluorescence and isothermal titration microcalorimetry, indicated that entropic contribution played a major role at ambient temperature. It was also found that common metal ions increased KA but Ca2+ and Fe3+ decreased it.
Metamaterial Resonators for Dynamic Spatial Millimeter-Wave Modulators

Many phase spatial modulators exist at optical frequencies such as liquid crystal cells. We present an alternative for millimeter-waves based on metamaterial resonators that produces strong phase modulation from a small tuning range.
Fault Judging Method for SF_6 Gas Insulated Switchgear via Measuring Hydrolysable Fluoride with Ion Chromatography

Ion chromatography is used for measuring hydrolysable fluoride in sulfur hexafluoride(SF6) gas to understand the variation trend of hydrolysable fluoride in SF6 gas in the case of simulated discharge and overheating.The volume fractions of the hydrolysable fluoride in both normal and faulty SF6 insulated equipments are obtained.Accordingly,the reference values of hydrolysable fluoride content for judging the fault in SF6 insulated equipment is given.