cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular mechanisms of development of the gastrointestinal tract

The gut offers a complex but rich organ system to study visceral pattern formation. The gut is an early evolutionary advance. Data supports that the molecular controls of gut pattern formation are be conserved across species. The gut develops in a stereotyped manner in many different species, by using a basic mechanism of development, the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. Signaling between the endoderm and mesoderm is essential for normal gut development. The signaling molecules involved are just being described and include factors known to be critical in embryonic development of other systems. The gut has four major patterned axes: anterior-posterior (AP), dorsal-ventral (DV), left-right (LR), and radial (RAD). The molecular pathways used to control pattern in each of these axes are the subject of this review. Major advances in the understanding of AP and LR axis formation in the gut have been described within the past few years. RAD and DV axes are now hot topics for investigation. Despite advances in these areas of gut development, basic events remain poorly understood. Discovery of specific factors that control gut pattern formation may provide a template for the study of pattern formation in other visceral/organ systems.
Apportioning global and non-global components of mercury deposition through 210Pb indexing

Abstract Our previous work has documented a correlation between Hg concentrations and 210 Pb activity measured in wet deposition that might be used to help apportion sources of Hg in precipitation. Here we present the results of a 27-month precipitation collection effort using co-located samplers for Hg and 210 Pb designed to assess this hypothesis. Study sites were located on the east and west coasts of North America, in the continental interior, and on the Florida Peninsula. Relatively high variability in Hg/ 210 Pb ratios was found at all sites regionally and seasonally (e.g., overall: 0.99–9.13 ng dpm − 1 ). The ratio of average volume-weighted Hg concentrations and 210 Pb activities showed consistent trends (higher in impacted area), with Glacier Bay in southeast Alaska, exhibiting the lowest value. Assuming that Glacier Bay represents a benchmark for a site with no regional contribution, we estimate less than 50% of the Hg input was “global” at the Seattle and Florida sites. Differences in Hg/ 210 Pb in wet deposition could be due to either a regional/local source contribution of Hg, or a regional/local enhancement in the removal of Hg from the atmosphere (i.e., oxidants), however, this approach is not capable of discerning between these two possibilities. Thus, this method of source apportionment represents an estimate of the maximal amount of Hg contributed by regional sources and may be limited in regions of deep convective mixing.
Stoichiometry of the titration by dihydrogen of oxygen adsorbed on platinum

Abstract The adsorption of dihydrogen and oxygen, as well as the titration by dihydrogen of adsorbed oxygen, was studied volumetrically on platinum powder free of contaminants as determined by Auger electron spectroscopy. The numbers of adsorbed H and O atoms per surface Pt atom are 1.1 and 0.71, respectively. A standard procedure for measurement of the percentage metal exposed for supported platinum is proposed.
LauePt, a graphical-user-interface program for simulating and analyzing white-beam x-ray diffraction Laue patterns.

LauePt is a robust and extremely easy-to-use Windows application for accurately simulating, indexing and analyzing white-beam X-ray diffraction Laue patterns of any crystals under arbitrary diffraction geometry. This program has a user-friendly graphic interface and can be conveniently used by nonspecialists with little X-ray diffraction or crystallography knowledge. Its wide range of applications include (1) determination of single-crystal orientation with the Laue method, (2) white-beam topography, (3) white-beam microdiffraction, (4) X-ray studies of twinning, domains and heterostructures, (5) verification or determination of crystal structures from white-beam diffraction, and (6) teaching of X-ray crystallography.
Scaling in buoyancy-driven turbulent premixed flames☆

A scaling law is proposed that gives the steady-state turbulent flame velocity in the regime where the flame is thin compared with the largest scale of the turbulence, diffusion effects are small compared to the fluid dynamics effects, and the turbulence is driven by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a gravitational field. This is the regime where the fluid dynamic effects dominate diffusion. These conditions exist in premixed hydrocarbon flames approaching the flammability limits and astrophysical objects, such as supernovae. It is proposed that laboratory combustion experiments could be used to calibrate the turbulence model for supernova explosions.
Modernity and culture, the Victorians and cultural studies

(2000). Modernity and culture, the Victorians and cultural studies. Nineteenth-Century Contexts: Vol. 22, Postmodern Victorians, pp. 21-49.
Factors Influencing Lava-Substrate Heat Transfer and Implications for Thermomechanical Erosion

We develop numerical simulations of basaltic lava flowing laminarly over a basalt substrate in order to examine the details of the lava dynamics and thermal boundary layers and to understand the implications for substrate heating. As the initial stage of a larger study of thermomechanical erosion in different planetary environments, we aim to understand why erosion occurs on Earth, why erosion features are not ubiquitous given the high temperatures involved, and whether it is a plausible mechanism for the formation of planetary channels such as lunar sinuous rilles and venusian canali. Here we confine our attention to terrestrial lavas with well-known properties and eruption parameters. With relatively simple computational fluid dynamic simulations, most closely representing tube-fed hawaiian basalts (for which erosion has been documented), we demonstrate the importance of incorporating several key factors in models of lava flow/substrate heat transfer, which have commonly been neglected in previous treatments. By addressing the interaction of the flow dynamics and heat transfer in the lava, our work suggests that the development of a temperature gradient in the base of the lava, even for undeveloped flow, has a significant influence on substrate temperature. The sensitivity of the lava–substrate interface temperature to the thermophysical properties of the lava and substrate suggests that a delicate balance is required for partial melting to occur. Thus, it might take weeks of continuous flow to initiate partial melting of the substrate at distances of several kilometers from the vent. These durations exceed the periods of stability typical of lava flowing in tubes; pauses, blockages, surges, and breakouts frequently disrupt the flow. However, natural irregularities in the flow dynamics or substrate topography might help to initiate and maintain substrate melting on shorter timescales by disturbing the intimately coupled dynamic and thermal boundary layers. Although a purely thermal mechanism cannot be ruled out, our findings support the premise that mechanical erosion may play a key role in reports of erosion based on field evidence.
A comparison of continuous epidural infusion and intermittent intravenous bolus doses of morphine in children undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy

Background and Objectives Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is associated with moderate to severe postoperative pain. Although the efficacy of epidural analgesia in this population has been demonstrated, it has not been compared with conventional intravenous (i.v.) analgesia. This prospective study compared the effects of epidural and i.v. morphine regarding postoperative analgesia, side effects, and outcomes in children following SDR. Methods Twenty-seven children were randomized to receive either epidural or i.v. analgesia. Children in the epidural group had a catheter placed by the neurosurgeon and received preservative-free morphine (Duramorph) 30 μg/kg, followed by an infusion of 3 μg/kg/h for 3 days. Children in the i.v. group received morphine 0.05-0.1 mg/kg intraoperatively, followed by 0.02 mg/kg doses postoperatively administered by nurses via a patient-controlled analgesia device. Results The epidural group experienced lower pain scores (P = .04) and fewer muscle spasms (P ≤ .04), and tolerated activity better (P ≤ .02) during the early postoperative period than the i.v. group. Side effects were similar between groups, with no respiratory depression in either group. Parents of children in both groups perceived an adequate level of comfort and were very satisfied with the analgesic technique. Additionally, parents believed that their child9s postoperative pain was less than anticipated (P ≤ .01). Conclusions Both techniques provided effective postoperative analgesia with a similar incidence of side effects; however, our findings suggest that continuous infusions of epidural morphine improved overall comfort with lower pain scores, fewer muscle spasms, and improved tolerance of activity during the initial postoperative period.
Crystallography and morphology of ferrous lath martensite

Abstract In two of our previous reports [1–2], a general scheme for the crystallographic analysis of lath martensite in an Fe-Ni-Mn alloy has been developed. From all outward indications, it appears that the Fe-Ni-Mn martensite is typical of that found in carbon steels. The present investigation is thus aimed to see if the previous information transcends to the lath martensite formed in an Fe-0.2%C steel. The results indicate that (1) parallel laths of the same variant within a given region have the same orientation and habit plane (and correspond to a “packet”) as before; (2) large packets of martensite frequently contain other crystallographic variants, and at least three distinct variants have been identified; (3) no retained austenite between adjacent laths was found. The analyses of the Fe-Ni-Mn and Fe-C lath martensites are mutually consistent.
COMPARATIVE NUMBERS OF γ PARTICLES IN THE FLAGELLATE CELLS OF VARIOUS SPECIES AND MUTANTS OF BLASTOCLADIELLA

Alcoholic methylene blue was shown to be a suitable stain for the Nadi- positive γ particles in zoospores of Blastocladiella emersonii; it was then used to establish the presence of similar particles in the uniflagellate spores of B. britannica and B. simplex. An average of 11-12 particles/spore was found in all three species, thus emphasizing the possibility that γ might be useful for taxonomic evaluations among the Blastocladiales. The gametes of B. cystogena also contain an average of 11.0 particles. In B. emersonii, however, the number of γ particles/spore was increased by growing RS plants in the presence of exogenous bicarbonate.
Asymptotic behavior of the Weber location problem on the plane

The asymptotic behavior of the Weber location problem is investigated. We consider problems wheren demand points are randomly generated in a unit disk by a uniform distribution and all weights are equal to one. The main result of the paper is that the probability that the optimal solution be on a demand point is approximately 1/n. Additional results for a largen: the optimal solution converges almost surely to the center of the disk; the difference between the optimal value of the objective function and the minimal value of the objective function on a demand point converges to 1/2.
Experimental Confirmation of the Importance of Orientation in the Anomalous Chiral Sensitivity of Second Harmonic Generation

Macromolecular interactions were demonstrated to yield large chiroptical effects in second harmonic generation measurements of ultrathin surface films. Second harmonic generation (SHG) has recently shown to be several orders of magnitude more sensitive to chirality in oriented systems than common linear methods, including absorbance circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotary dispersion (ORD). Numerous mechanisms have been developed to explain this anomalous sensitivity, with a general emphasis on understanding the molecular origins of the chromophore chirality. In this work, orientational effects alone are shown to be the dominant factor for generating large SHG chiral dichroic ratios in many surface systems. Three distinct uniaxial surface films of SHG-active achiral chromophores oriented at chiral templated surfaces were observed to yield chiral dichroic ratios as great as 40% in magnitude.
Children assess informant reliability using bystanders’ non‐verbal cues

Recent findings show that preschool children are selective with respect to whom they ask for information and whose claims they endorse. In particular, they monitor an informant's record of past accuracy or inaccuracy and use that record to gauge future trustworthiness. We ask if preschoolers also monitor the non-verbal cues of assent or dissent that bystanders display toward an informant's claims and use that information to gauge an informant's trustworthiness. In familiarization trials, 4-year-olds watched as two adult informants made conflicting claims regarding the name of an unfamiliar object. Two adult bystanders consistently signaled assent - via nods and smiles - to the claims of one informant, and dissent - via head shakes and frowns - from the claims of the other informant. When invited to endorse one of the two claims, 4-year-olds mostly agreed with the informant who had received bystander assent. Thus, in the absence of background knowledge about an object's name, children use third-party non-verbal signals to assess the accuracy of conflicting labels. On subsequent test trials, the informants again made conflicting claims about novel object names, but in the absence of the two bystanders. Despite the lack of any informative bystander signals, children with more advanced understanding of mental states continued to display greater trust in the informant who had received bystander assent in the earlier trials.
Hawk Engagement and Preventive Defense on the Korean Peninsula

ion address on January 29, 2002, President George W. Bush announced that as part of its post–September 11 security agenda, the United States would seek to prevent terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda from establishing links with three regimes—North Korea, Iraq, and Iran—that together form an “axis of evil.” These regimes, declared Bush, are intent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with which to threaten the United States and its allies. Bush’s speech raises two dilemmas for the United States and its Asian allies regarding the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea). The arst involves understanding the signiacance of eighteen months of diplomatic initiatives by Pyongyang that began with the normalization of relations with the European Union, followed by a summit with the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) in June 2000, DPRK special envoy Gen. Myongnok Jo’s visit to Washington in August 2000, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s trip to Pyongyang in October 2000. The juxtaposition of Bush’s declaration with these initiatives raises more questions than it answers about U.S. perceptions of North Korea’s intentions. Is the DPRK truly on the path to reform following the long period of uncertainty dating back to President Kim Il-sung’s death in 1994? Is North Korea’s current dictator, Kim Hawk Engagement and Preventive Defense on the Korean Peninsula Victor D. Cha
Kinematic analysis of motor dysfunction in Niemann-Pick type C

Abstract Objective To provide the first descriptive analysis of upper limb motor physiology in Niemann-Pick Type C disease (NP-C). Methods Fifteen patients with confirmed NP-C underwent motor physiology testing using accelerometry and surface EMG (sEMG). Tremor amplitude and frequency were quantified using accelerometry, and sEMG was examined for abnormal patterns consistent with various movement disorders. Results Forty-seven percent of patients had postural tremor in the upper limbs, generally bilateral, with frequencies ranging from 0.3 to 3 Hz, and an average amplitude of 1.20 ± 0.98 mm. Eighty-seven percent of patients had bilateral action tremor with frequencies ranging from 2.0 to 3.7 Hz, and an average amplitude of 5.25 ± 3.76 mm. sEMG revealed long but variable duration, variable amplitude muscle burst discharges during action in some patients, as well as short high frequency irregularly timed bursts in others. Conclusions Accelerometric findings correlated with the clinical findings were most consistent with cerebellar outflow tremors. sEMG revealed a mix of dystonic, myoclonic and choreiform movements. Significance These quantitative methods may serve as ancillary measures of disease pathophysiology, markers of change over time, and methods to evaluate efficacy, and side effects, of new treatments as they are developed.
ADAM8 enhances osteoclast precursor fusion and osteoclast formation in vitro and in vivo.

ADAM8 expression is increased in the interface tissue around a loosened hip prosthesis and in the pannus and synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but its potential role in these processes is unclear. ADAM8 stimulates osteoclast (OCL) formation, but the effects of overexpression or loss of expression of ADAM8 in vivo and the mechanisms responsible for the effects of ADAM8 on osteoclastogenesis are unknown. Therefore, to determine the effects of modulating ADAM expression, we generated tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)–ADAM8 transgenic mice that overexpress ADAM8 in the OCL lineage and ADAM8 knockout (ADAM8 KO) mice. TRAP-ADAM8 mice developed osteopenia and had increased numbers of OCL precursors that formed hypermultinucleated OCLs with an increased bone-resorbing capacity per OCL. They also had an enhanced differentiation capacity, increased TRAF6 expression, and increased NF-κB, Erk, and Akt signaling compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. This increased bone-resorbing capacity per OCL was associated with increased levels of p-Pyk2 and p-Src activation. In contrast, ADAM8 KO mice did not display a bone phenotype in vivo, but unlike WT littermates, they did not increase RANKL production, OCL formation, or calvarial fibrosis in response to tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in vivo. Since loss of ADAM8 does not inhibit basal bone remodeling but only blocks the enhanced OCL formation in response to TNF-α, these results suggest that ADAM8 may be an attractive therapeutic target for preventing bone destruction associated with inflammatory disease. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Carbon monoxide poisoning from spray paint inhalation

Summary This case report emphasizes the varied manifestation of CO poisoning and its genesis from methylene chloride. Because DCM is now an ingredient in many popular spray paints, the ingredients should be checked routinely in toxic exposures. Manufacturer's suggestions concerning the use these products in ventilated areas to avoid harmful effects do not always protect the consumer, and the public should be well informed regarding this issue.
The Large Field Renormalization Operation for Classical N-Vector Models

A renormalization operation of the large field densities for the classical $N$-vector models is constructed in this paper. It allows to improve bounds of these densities, and thus to prove all inductive hypotheses. This completes the construction and analysis of the full renormalization group flow for these models. The results will be used in the next paper to analyze the correlation functions.
Numerical modelling of ice‐jam flooding on the Peace–Athabasca delta

Ice jamming during the spring breakup of the ice cover in the lower reaches of the Peace River has been identified as the main agent of flooding and replenishment of the Peace-Athabasca delta (PAD) ecosystems. The relative rarity of major ice jams in the lower Peace River following construction of the Bennett Dam has resulted in serious habitat degradation and risk to local ecology, and concern has been raised over potential climate change impacts. This issue is under active study that encompasses use of various types of model, field data collection, and analysis of archived records. An important component of the study aims at determination of threshold flows that can result in significant flooding when a jam is in place in the PAD reach of the Peace. This question is investigated by means of RIVJAM, a numerical model that computes the water surface and thickness profiles of a jam in a given river reach. First, the model is calibrated using field data obtained during the 1996 and 1997 ice-jam floods. Calibration coefficients are shown to be the same for both events and consistent with default values determined from previous applications in other rivers. A by-product of the calibration process is the quantification of the flow reversals occurring under high-stage conditions in the three major tributaries of the lower Peace. Next, the model is applied with increasing flow values and the resulting water surface profiles are compared with bank elevations. These comparisons indicate that an incoming flow of at least 4000 m 3 s -1 is required to produce significant flooding of the delta. The calibrated model can also be used to examine the efficacy of controlled water releases at the Bennett Dam as a means of enhancing flooding potential.
THE USE OF INSERVICE PROGRAMS TO DIAGNOSE SOURCES OF RESISTANCE TO INNOVATION.

A novel approach to the evaluation of in-service programs in the propagation of change in elementary school science-one which employs techniques of engineering research in locating sources of resistance.
Radionuclide Expert Images Of Cardiac Wall Motion Abnormalities

At present, the phase and amplitude images are used in nuclear medicine to aid the diagnosis of cardiac regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA). These images contain only part of the information present in the original radionuclide images, and have to be mentally integrated with other information to obtain a diagnosis. The proposed expert images offer a direct diagnosis in terms of eight degrees of RWMA of cardiac left ventricle from normal to dyskinetic. They are based on a multiparametric description of the pixel time behavior in equilibrium gated studies, on image filtering, and signal, prediction and pattern analyses: a physician "teaches" the computer by drawing boundaries of domains of regional wall motion abnormality classes into images of well defined cases, and the computer then emulates on new, unknown cases diagnostic drawings as they would be drawn by the physicians. The proposed expert images represent a step beyond the categories of present functional images.
Patterned microstructures formed with MeV Au implantation in Si(1 0 0)

Abstract Energetic (MeV) Au implantation in Si(1 0 0) (n-type) through masked micropatterns has been used to create layers resistant to KOH wet etching. Microscale patterns were produced in PMMA and SU(8) resist coatings on the silicon substrates using P-beam writing and developed. The silicon substrates were subsequently exposed using 1.5 MeV Au3+ ions with fluences as high as 1 × 1016 ions/cm2 and additional patterns were exposed using copper scanning electron microscope calibration grids as masks on the silicon substrates. When wet etched with KOH microstructures were created in the silicon due to the resistance to KOH etching cause by the Au implantation. The process of combining the fabrication of masked patterns with P-beam writing with broad beam Au implantation through the masks can be a promising, cost-effective process for nanostructure engineering with Si.
Self-consistent theory of localization in topologically disordered systems

A self-consistent theory of localization of excitations in a tight-binding model of topologically disordered materials such as liquids and gases is proposed. This analysis yields an estimate of the mobility edge for coherent exciton and phonon propagation. Dipolar excitons represent a special case which is commented upon.
The Use and Nonuse of Companion Animals by Volunteers in Nursing Homes: A Comparative Study

AbstractThis report compares motivation and satisfaction of volunteers who visited residents in nursing homes accompanied by a dog with volunteers who visited the same residents but without a dog. The sample consisted of 40 people, 21 of whom were accompanied by a pet. A questionnaire of 111 items were developed and administered to all participants. Both groups of volunteers had equivalent volunteer experience and their reasons for volunteering were almost identical. No significant differences between the two groups were identified, possibly because of the small size of the sample, but an increased level of staff-volunteer interaction was reported for the pet group.
Care Partners and Online Patient Portals

Each year, more than 65 million people in the United States (29% to 39% of the population) provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family member or friend.1 Such caregivers, who help with both basic life functions and managing medical care, are critical to helping people maintain their health and remain in their communities.2 Many chronically ill and older people also have loved ones who, distinct from caregivers, serve as “care partners.” These care partners do not provide day-to-day care or serve as surrogate decision makers but do help navigate health care—facilitating communication with physicians, discussing complex issues requiring shared decision making, and assisting with challenging self-management tasks. The care partner or partners may include a spouse, parent, friend, or relative who assists with health, perhaps across geographic distance.
Relation between fractal dimension and spatial correlation length for extensive chaos

SUSTAINED nonequiibrium systems can be characterized by a fractal dimension D⩾0, which can be considered to be a measure of the number of independent degrees of freedom1. The dimension D is usually estimated from time series2 but the available algorithms are unreliable and difficult to apply when D is larger than about 5 (refs 3,4). Recent advances in experimental technique5–8 and in parallel computing have now made possible the study of big systems with large fractal dimensions, raising new questions about what physical properties determine D and whether these physical properties can be used in place of time-series to estimate large fractal dimensions. Numerical simulations9–11 suggest that sufficiently large homogeneous systems will generally be extensively chaotic12, which means that D increases linearly with the system volume V. Here we test an hypothesis that follows from this observation: that the fractal dimension of extensive chaos is determined by the average spatial disorder as measured by the spatial correlation length e associated with the equal-time two-point correlation function —a measure of the correlations between different regions of the system. We find that the hypothesis fails for a representative spatiotemporal chaotic system. Thus, if there is a length scale that characterizes homogeneous extensive chaos, it is not the characteristic length scale of spatial disorder.
The role of consolidation therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer with persistent N2 disease after induction chemotherapy

Background Persistent pathologic mediastinal nodal involvement after induction chemotherapy and surgical resection is a negative prognostic factor for stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients. This population has high rates of local-regional failure and distant failure, yet the effectiveness of additional therapies is not clear. We assessed the role of consolidative therapies (postoperative radiation therapy and chemotherapy) for such patients. Methods In all, 179 patients with stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center were treated with induction chemotherapy followed by surgery from 1998 through 2008; 61 patients in this cohort had persistent, pathologically confirmed, mediastinal nodal disease, and were treated with postoperative radiation therapy. Local-regional failure was defined as recurrence at the surgical site or lymph nodes (levels 1 to 14, including supraclavicular), or both. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival outcomes were assessed by log rank tests. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify factors influencing local-regional failure, distant failure, and overall survival. Results All patients received postoperative radiation therapy after surgery, but approximately 25% of the patients also received additional chemotherapy: 9 (15%) with concurrent chemotherapy, 4 (7%) received adjuvant sequential chemotherapy, and 2 (3%) received both. Multivariate analysis indicated that additional postoperative chemotherapy significantly reduced distant failure (hazard ratio 0.183, 95% confidence interval: 0.052 to 0.649, p = 0.009) and improved overall survival (hazard ratio 0.233, 95% confidence interval: 0.089 to 0.612, p = 0.003). However, additional postoperative chemotherapy had no affect on local-regional failure. Conclusions Aggressive consolidative therapies may improve outcomes for patients with persistent N2 disease after induction chemotherapy and surgery.
Simulations of time-dependent fluorescence in nano-confined solvents

The time-dependent fluorescence of a model diatomic molecule with a charge-transfer electronic transition in confined solvents has been simulated. The effect of confining the solvent is examined by comparing results for solutions contained within hydrophobic spherical cavities of varying size (radii of 10–20 A). In previous work [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 6618 (2002)] it was found that the solute position in the cavity critically affects the absorption and fluorescence spectra and their dependence on cavity size. Here we examine the effect of cavity size on the time-dependent fluorescence, a common experimental probe of solvent dynamics. The present results confirm a prediction that motion of the solute in the cavity after excitation can be important in the time-dependent fluorescence. The effects of solvent density are also considered. The results are discussed in the context of interpreting time-dependent fluorescence measurements of confined solvent systems.
Noncompetitive and competitive NMDA antagonists exert anticonvulsant effects by actions on different sites within the neuronal network for audiogenic seizures

Abstract Excitant amino acids are implicated in audiogenic seizure (AGS) susceptibility in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat (GEPR). In the present study systemic administration of NMDA receptor antagonists significantly decreased AGS severity in the GEPR. Systemic administration of the competitive NMDA antagonists 3-((±)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonate (CPP) and 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid and the noncompetitive antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) were effectively anticonvulsant in the GEPR. The inferior colliculus is the most critical nucleus for AGS initiation in the GEPR and an excitant amino acid is implicated as an important excitatory transmitter in inferior colliculus neurons. Systemically administered CPP significantly reduced inferior colliculus neuronal firing in the normal behaving rat and the GEPR concurrently with blockade of AGS and this effect occurred at nearly all sound intensities tested. Systemic administration of MK-801, while effective in blocking AGS, produced no consistent change in inferior colliculus neuronal firing, which is consistent with its very low potency in blocking AGS with bilateral microinjection into the inferior colliculus. These findings suggest that an important action of competitive, but not noncompetitive, NMDA antagonists is on brain stem auditory nuclei, especially the inferior colliculus, that are critical to AGS. MK-801 appears to exert its anticonvulsant effects in AGS network sites beyond the inferior colliculus. These findings and recent inferior colliculus slice studies suggest that NMDA receptors in inferior colliculus may have quantitatively different properties from those in other brain regions. These differences in NMDA receptor function in inferior colliculus may reflect NMDA receptor heterogeneity observed in binding studies. The differential effects of competitive and noncompetitive NMDA antagonists on inferior colliculus neuronal firing may be one of the first examples of the functional significance in vivo of NMDA receptor heterogeneity.
Effects of selection and opportunities for recombination in doubled‐haploid populations of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Doubled-haploid breeding systems are typically based on sampling gametes from F, plants. However, in the case of repulsion linkages, additional recombination could be advantageous. Pre-selection of gamete donors might also shift progeny performance in a desired direction. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of an additional round of recombination and assess the effectiveness of preanthesis selection in the production of barley doubled haploids. Assessments were conducted on : 1. 100 F 1 -derived lines representing a subset of lines used in previous genome-mapping studies ; 2. 100 random F 2 -derived lines ; and 3. 50 F 2 -derived lines from gamete donors selected for early heading. An additional round of recombination had only a modest effect on generating more favourable genotypes. Pre-anthesis selection was ineffective in generating an earlier heading population. According to published quantitative-trait locus (QTL) analyses based on the F 1 -derived population, there are few repulsion linkages between QTL determining the traits measured in this experiment. Any advantages to be gained from postponing the generation of derivation of doubled haploids must be weighed against the delay and additional cost.
Automated analysis of lesion depth and integrated reflectivity in PS-OCT scans of tooth demineralization.

Background and Objectives Several studies have demonstrated that polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to nondestructively measure the severity of subsurface demineralization in enamel and dentin, track lesion progression over time and measure remineralization. The purpose of this study was to develop methods for the automated assessment of the depth and severity of demineralization in PS-OCT scans. Materials and Methods Subsurface caries-like lesions of increasing depth and severity were produced in adjoining windows on 10 bovine enamel samples via exposure to demineralization for periods of 1–4 days. PS-OCT scans were acquired for each sample and analyzed using various methods to calculate the lesion depth and severity. Edge detection algorithms were most successful for measurement of the lesion depth for improved assessment of lesion severity. Results Edge-finding algorithms were able to detect significant differences (P<0.05) in the lesion depth and severity between each of the periods of demineralization and sound enamel. The lesion depth and mineral loss were also measured with polarized light microscopy and transverse microradiography after sectioning the teeth for comparison. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the depth and severity of early lesions can be calculated automatically for rapid analysis of PS-OCT images. Lasers Surg. Med. 42:62–68, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Transmission of Anaplasma marginale by Boophilus microplus: Retention of Vector Competence in the Absence of Vector-Pathogen Interaction

Whether arthropod vectors retain competence for transmission of infectious agents in the long-term absence of vector-pathogen interaction is unknown. We addressed this question by quantifying the vector competence of two tick vectors, with mutually exclusive tropical- versus temperate-region distributions, for genetically distinct tropical- and temperate-region strains of the cattle pathogen Anaplasma marginale. The tropical cattle tick Boophilus microplus, which has been eradicated from the continental United States for over 60 years, was able to acquire and transmit the temperate St. Maries (Idaho) strain of A. marginale. Similarly, the temperate-region tick Dermacentor andersoni efficiently acquired and transmitted the Puerto Rico strain of A. marginale. There were no significant quantitative differences in infection rate or number of organisms per tick following feeding on cattle with persistent infections of either A. marginale strain. In contrast, the significantly enhanced replication of the Puerto Rico strain in the salivary gland of B. microplus at the time of transmission feeding is consistent with adaptation of a pathogen strain to its available vector. However, the transmission of both strains by B. microplus demonstrates that adaptation or continual interaction between the pathogen and vector is not required for retention of vector competence. Importantly, the results clearly show that reestablishment of acaricide-resistant B. microplus in the United States would be associated with A. marginale transmission.
Natural killer cell dysfunction in patients with systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and macrophage activation syndrome

Abstract Objectives To assess natural killer (NK) and cytotoxic functions in patients with systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthrithis (soJRA) complicated by macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Methods NK cells (CD56+/TCRαβ−), NK T cells (CD56+/TCRαβ+) and CD8+ cells were assessed for perforin expression by flow cytometry. NK cytotoxic activity was measured after coincubation of mononuclear cells with an NK-sensitive K562 cell line. Results Two major patterns of immunologic abnormalities were detected. Four of 7 patients had decreased NK activity, low NK cell numbers, and mildly increased levels of perforin expression in CD8+ and CD56+ cytotoxic cells. Three remaining patients with MAS, however, had decreased NK activity associated with low levels of perforin expression in all cytotoxic cell populations, a pattern indistinguishable from that in carriers of perforin-deficient familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Remarkably, two of these patients had previous episodes of MAS. Conclusions NK dysfunction is an immunologic abnormality common to both familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and MAS of soJRA. The extent of NK cell abnormalities in soJRA needs to be further investigated. (J Pediatr 2003;142:292-6)
Partial antagonism of 8-OH-DPAT'S effects on male rat sexual behavior with a D2, but not a 5-HT1A, antagonist

The serotonin agonist 8-hydroxy-di-propylaminotetralin (8-OH-DPAT), injected systemically or directly into the medial preoptic area (MPOA), reduces the ejaculatory threshold in male rats. While 8-OH-DPAT has been characterized as an agonist at the 5-HT1A receptor, it also acts at other receptor sites including the dopamine D2 receptor. The current experiments investigated whether 8-OH-DPAT injected into the MPOA facilitates male sexual behavior through stimulation of the 5-HT1A receptor or the dopamine D2 receptor. Experiment 1 co-administered 8-OH-DPAT (6 μg) with either the 5-HT1A antagonist 4-iodo-N-[2-[4-(methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-2-pyridinyl-benzamide hydrochloride (MPPI) (10 μg) or the D2 antagonist raclopride (10 μg). Raclopride blocked 8-OH-DPAT's facilitative effects on ejaculation frequency and latency, while the 5-HT1A antagonist was ineffective. In Experiment 2, 8-OH-DPAT (500 μM), retrodialyzed into the MPOA through a microdialysis probe, enhanced male copulatory behavior similarly to the microinjection, increasing ejaculation frequency and decreasing ejaculation latency, postejaculatory interval and mount frequency. Retrodialyzing 8-OH-DPAT through a microdialysis probe in the MPOA had been previously shown to increase extracellular levels of dopamine and serotonin. The data from the present studies suggest that the effects of 8-OH-DPAT in the MPOA on male rat copulatory behavior may be mediated, at least in part, either directly through 8-OH-DPAT's activity at D2 receptors or indirectly through 8-OH-DPAT's ability to increase extracellular dopamine.
The Pedagogical Toolbox: Computer-Generated Visual Displays, Classroom Demonstration, and Lecture

This analogue study compared the effectiveness of computer-generated visual displays, classroom demonstration, and traditional lecture as methods of instruction used to teach neuronal structure and processes. Randomly assigned 116 undergraduate students participated in 1 of 3 classrooms in which they experienced the same content but different teaching approaches presented by 3 different student-instructors. Then participants completed a survey of their subjective reactions and a measure of factual information designed to evaluate objective learning outcomes. Participants repeated this factual measure 5 wk. later. Results call into question the use of classroom demonstration methods as well as the trend towards devaluing traditional lecture in favor of computer-generated visual display.
Randomized clinical trial of self versus clinical administration of subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate

Abstract Objectives To evaluate feasibility, acceptability, continuation, and trough serum levels following self-administration of subcutaneous (sc) depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). Study design Women presenting to a family planning clinic to initiate, restart or continue DMPA were offered study entry. Participants were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to self- or clinician administered sc DMPA 104 mg. Those randomized to self-administration were taught to self-inject and were supervised in performing the initial injection; they received printed instructions and a supply of contraceptive injections for home use. Participants randomized to clinician administration received usual care. Continued DMPA use was assessed by self-report and trough medroxyprogesterone acetate levels at 6 and 12 months. Results Two hundred fifty women were invited to participate, and 137 (55%) enrolled. Of these, 91 were allocated to self-administration, and 90/91 were able to correctly self-administer sc DMPA. Eighty-seven percent completed follow-up. DMPA use at 1 year was 71% for the self-administration group and 63% for the clinic group (p=0.47). Uninterrupted DMPA use was 47% and 48% for the self and clinic administration groups at 1 year (p=0.70), respectively. Serum analyses confirmed similar mean DMPA levels in both groups and therapeutic trough levels in all participants. Conclusions Sixty-three percent of women approached were interested in trying self-administration of DMPA, even in the context of a randomized trial, and nearly all eligible for enrollment were successful at doing so. Self-administration and clinic administration resulted in similar continuation rates and similar DMPA serum levels. Self-administration of sc DMPA is feasible and may be an attractive alternative for many women. Implications Self-administration of sc DMPA is a feasible and attractive option for many women. Benefits include increased control over contraceptive measures and less time spent on contracepting behaviors. Globally, self-administration has the potential to revolutionize contraceptive uptake by increasing the number of women with access to DMPA.
Effect of testing techniques on software reliability estimates obtained using a time-domain model

Since the early 1970s, researchers have proposed several models to estimate software-reliability as testing progresses. Among these, the time-domain models are the most common. We present empirical evidence to show that the testing method does affect the reliability estimates using one of these models, viz, the Musa basic execution-time model. The evidence suggests that: (1) reliability models need to consider additional data, generated during testing, such as some form of code coverage, to obtain accurate reliability estimates; and (2) further research is necessary to determine which testing method, or combination thereof, leads to higher reliability. >
When Government Subsidizes Its Own: Collective Bargaining Laws as Agents of Political Mobilization

Government policies can activate a political constituency not only by providing material resources to, or altering the interpretive experiences of, individual citizens, but also by directly subsidizing established interest groups. We argue that state laws mandating collective bargaining for public employees provided organizational subsidies to public sector labor unions that lowered the costs of mobilizing their members to political action. Exploiting variation in the timing of laws across the states and using data on the political participation of public school teachers from 1956 to 2004, we find that the enactment of a mandatory bargaining law significantly boosted subsequent political participation among teachers. We also identify increased contact from organized groups seeking to mobilize teachers as a likely mechanism that explains this finding. These results have important implications for the current debate over collective bargaining rights and for our understanding of policy feedback, political parties and interest groups, and the bureaucracy
An affinity-based scoring scheme for predicting DNA-binding activities of modularly assembled zinc-finger proteins

Zinc-finger proteins (ZFPs) have long been recognized for their potential to manipulate genetic information because they can be engineered to bind novel DNA targets. Individual zinc-finger domains (ZFDs) bind specific DNA triplet sequences; their apparent modularity has led some groups to propose methods that allow virtually any desired DNA motif to be targeted in vitro. In practice, however, ZFPs engineered using this ‘modular assembly’ approach do not always function well in vivo. Here we report a modular assembly scoring strategy that both identifies combinations of modules least likely to function efficiently in vivo and provides accurate estimates of their relative binding affinities in vitro. Predicted binding affinities for 53 ‘three-finger’ ZFPs, computed based on energy contributions of the constituent modules, were highly correlated (r = 0.80) with activity levels measured in bacterial two-hybrid assays. Moreover, Kd values for seven modularly assembled ZFPs and their intended targets, measured using fluorescence anisotropy, were also highly correlated with predictions (r = 0.91). We propose that success rates for ZFP modular assembly can be significantly improved by exploiting the score-based strategy described here.
Coordinate Regulation of the IL-4, IL-13, and IL-5 Cytokine Cluster in Th2 Clones Revealed by Allelic Expression Patterns

The cytokines IL-4, IL-13, and IL-5 are markers for the Th2 subset of effector T cells and are often expressed together. These cytokine genes are organized within 140 kb of orthologous DNA in both mouse and human. Using IL-4-expressing CD4+ T cell clones derived from F1 mice, we identified allelic polymorphisms for each of these cytokines and assessed the parental identity of the cytokine mRNAs. Both monoallelic and biallelic expression occurred for each gene and for an additional gene, IL-3, that lies with GM-CSF over 450 kb telomeric on the same chromosome. When coexpressed in T cell clones, IL-4 was expressed from the same allele as IL-13 or IL-5 in 81% of instances. In contrast, there was only 52% concordance of these three cytokines at the allelic level among clones that expressed IL-3. Independent expression of the cytokine alleles occurs commonly in T cells, but the clustered locus encompassing IL-4, IL-13, and IL-5 is subject to coordinate regulation.