cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Follow Me! Global Marketers’ Twitter Use

ABSTRACTSocial media have grown into a powerful marketing communications tool in the global economy. Marketers dedicate their time and resources to build trust and rapport with consumers through social media, yet a dearth of academic research addresses their use of Twitter. The present research undertakes an exploratory content analysis, focusing on 44 global brands’ Twitter use. The results indicate that marketers try to imbue human personality into their brands by using human representatives, personal pronouns, and verbs in the imperative form. In addition, information such as brand names and redirecting cues is frequent in brands’ tweets. Overall, marketers tend to exhibit their brand presence and personalities in their Twitter accounts, thereby building relationships with current and potential consumers. This article concludes with some social media marketing implications and future research directions.
First Report of Powdery Mildew on Corylus avellana caused by Phyllactinia guttata in Washington State

Contorted hazelnut is an ornamental tree introduced to North America from Europe. In the fall of 2004 and 2005, powdery mildew caused by Phyllactinia guttata (Wallr.:Fr.) Lev. was observed on conto...
Gallstones: how do we translate an old story into future therapy?

Gallstone disease continues to be a significant problem. The recent identification of mouse genes may help determine susceptibility to the disease. An infectious etiology hypothesis has also been proposed to explain the development of gallstones. Could these discoveries lead to more effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of gallstones?
Post-transplant hypertension in the rat: Effects of captopril and native nephrectomy

In patients with well-functioning renal allografts, the presence of diseased native kidneys appears to be a common cause of elevated blood pressure. We evaluated the role of native kidneys in post-transplant hypertension using a rat model in which the confounding variables of rejection and immunosuppression could be eliminated. To produce disease in native kidneys. PVG rats were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy. Four weeks following renal ablation, these hypertensive animals were transplanted with kidneys from syngeneic PVG donors. Four weeks later, the effects of captopril and native nephrectomy on blood pressure and renal hemodynamics were examined. Animals with remnant native kidneys which received non-rejecting renal isografts had sustained hypertension, elevated plasma renin levels and reduced transplant function. In these animals, administration of captopril reduced systemic blood pressure. Despite the reduction in blood pressure, PAH clearance by the transplanted kidney increased markedly while GFR rose modestly. Removal of the remnant native kidney also acutely lowered blood pressure. However, compared to captopril, native nephrectomy produced a more marked increase in GFR without significantly affecting renal blood flow. In this model of post-transplant hypertension in the rat, elevated blood pressure and reduced isograft function are mediated by the diseased native kidney, in part through the effects of angiotensin II. These data suggest that ACE inhibitors and native nephrectomy may have beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with post-transplant hypertension caused by native kidneys.
Oligoamide duplexes as organogelators

Oligoamide duplexes carrying multiple alkyl side chains were found to serve as gelators for aromatic solvents. The double-stranded backbone was essential for the hierarchical self-assembly of the molecular duplex into fibers of high aspect ratios. The demonstrated gelating abilities may be extended to a large family of analogous H-bonded duplexes having different H-bonding sequences, leading to a unique platform for developing a diverse variety of potential gelators based on a supramolecular and/or a dynamic covalent approach.
Basal Cell Carcinoma and Breast Carcinoma Following Repeated Fluoroscopic Examinations of the Chest

A 69-year-old white Italian woman was first seen at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1981 concerning several skin growths on her back. The patient had had several basal cell carcinomas surgically removed from her back during the preceding 5 years. There was no history of arsenic ingestion or prolonged sun exposure and her family history was negative for skin cancer. The patient had developed pulmonary tuberculosis in 1938 and was treated with pneumothorax therapy. She had had more than 50 fluoroscopic examinations of the chest following this therapy, as well as multiple diagnostic x-ray films since that time. She recalled that she had faced the fluoroscopy beam during the procedure. In 1959, she had a transabdominal hysterectomy for fibroid tumors. In 1980 she underwent a right modified radical mastectomy for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast; biopsies of lymph nodes were negative. Physical examination revealed a thin, white woman with a right mastectomy scar. On the back, clustered in the interscapular region, were multiple scars and nine erythematous nodules with pearly borders, telangiectasia, and translucent surfaces. Within several nodules there were areas of light and dark brown pigmentation. There were no other suspicious lesions on the head, chest, or extremities, nor did the patient show any evidence of the basal cell nevus syndrome. Biopsy of all lesions revealed basal cell carcinoma, some of which were pigmented, without evidence of chronic radiodermatitis. All lesions were treated with curettage and electrodesiccation three times with good cosmetic results (Fig. 1).
Electronic substrate-mediated interactions

Abstract We review electronic substrate-mediated interactions (SMIs), which stem from adsorption-induced perturbations of substrate surface electronic states. We examine the experimental progress that exploits electronic SMIs as a means to control the order and structures of surface self-assemblies, with emphasis on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), a technique that is sensitive to both the spatial and the energetic distributions of surface electronic states. Furthermore, we examine the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of electronic SMIs to control the bulk properties of low-dimensional materials.
Comparing 2 methods of emergent zipper release.

Abstract Background There are several types of emergent zipper release methods described. The standard method can be difficult. The purpose of this study is to determine if an alternate method of zipper release can be easier to accomplish. Methods Subjects were provided with zippers and were taught 2 methods of emergent zipper release using a standard method (cutting the median bar of the actuator) and an alternate method (cutting the closed teeth of the zipper). The elapsed times to successful zipper release for both methods were measured. Results Mean zipper release times were faster for the alternate method (10.5 seconds) compared with the standard method (75.8 seconds) ( P Conclusion The alternate method of zipper release is faster and easier than the standard method of zipper release; however, the optimal procedure is also dependent on the location of the entrapped tissue relative to the zipper actuator and the type of zipper.
Mutations Affecting Lysine-35 of gpNu1, the Small Subunit of Bacteriophage λ Terminase, Alter the Strength and Specificity of Holoterminase Interactions with DNA

Abstract The small subunit of λ terminase, gpNu1, contains a low-affinity ATPase activity that is stimulated by nonspecific dsDNA. The location of the gpNu1 ATPase center is suggested by a sequence match between gpNu1 (29-VLRGGGKG-36) and the phosphate-binding loop, or P-loop (GXXXXGKT/S), of known ATPases. The proposed P-loop of gpNu1 is just downstream of a putative helix–turn–helix DNA-binding motif, located between residues 5 and 24. Published work has shown that changing lysine-35 of the proposed P-loop of gpNu1 alters the response of the ATPase activity to DNA, as follows. The changes gpNu1 K 35 A and gpNu1 K 35 D increase the level of DNA required for maximal stimulation of the gpNu1 ATPase by factors of 2- and 10-fold, respectively. The maximally stimulated ATPase activities of the mutant enzymes are indistinguishable from that of the wild-type enzyme. In the present work, the effects of changing lysine-35 on the cos -cleavage and DNA-packaging activities of terminase were examined. In vitro, the gpNu1 K 35 A enzyme cleaved cos as efficiently as the wild-type enzyme, but required a 2-fold increased level of substrate DNA for saturation, suggesting a slight reduction in DNA affinity. In a crude DNA-packaging system using cleaved λ DNA as substrate, the gpNu1 K 35 A enzyme had a 10-fold defect. In vivo, λ Nu1 K 35 A showed a 2-fold reduction in cos cleavage, but no packaged DNA was detected. The primary defect of the gpNu1 K 35 A enzyme was concluded to be in a post- cos -cleavage step of DNA packaging. In in vitro cos -cleavage experiments, the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme had a 10-fold increased requirement for saturation by substrate DNA. Furthermore, the cos -cleavage activity of gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme was strongly inhibited by the presence of nonspecific DNA, indicating that the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme is unable to discriminate effectively between cos and nonspecific DNA. No cos cleavage was observed in vivo for λ Nu1 K 35 D, a result consistent with the discrimination defect found in vitro for the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme. In a crude packaging system the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme had a 200-fold defect; in a purified packaging system, the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme was found to be unable to discriminate between λ DNA and nonspecific phage T7 DNA, a result indicating that the gpNu1 K 35 D enzyme is also defective in discriminating between λ DNA and nonspecific DNA during DNA packaging.
Caspase-1 as a central regulator of high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with caspase activation. However, a role for pro-inflammatory caspases or inflammasomes has not been explored in diet-induced liver injury. Our aims were to examine the role of caspase-1 in high fat-induced NASH. C57BL/6 wild-type and caspase 1-knockout (Casp1-/-) mice were placed on a 12-week high fat diet. Wild-type mice on the high fat diet increased hepatic expression of pro-caspase-1 and IL-1β. Both wild-type and Casp1-/- mice on the high fat diet gained more weight than mice on a control diet. Hepatic steatosis and TG levels were increased in wild-type mice on high fat diet, but were attenuated in the absence of caspase-1. Plasma cholesterol and free fatty acids were elevated in wild-type, but not Casp1-/- mice, on high fat diet. ALT levels were elevated in both wild-type and Casp1-/- mice on high fat diet compared to control. Hepatic mRNA expression for genes associated with lipogenesis was lower in Casp1-/- mice on high fat diet compared to wild-type mice on high fat diet, while genes associated with fatty acid oxidation were not affected by diet or genotype. Hepatic Tnfα and Mcp-1 mRNA expression was increased in wild-type mice on high fat diet, but not in Casp1-/- mice on high fat diet. αSMA positive cells, Sirius red staining, and Col1α1 mRNA were increased in wild-type mice on high fat diet compared to control. Deficiency of caspase-1 prevented those increases. In summary, the absence of caspase-1 ameliorates the injurious effects of high fat diet-induced obesity on the liver. Specifically, mice deficient in caspase-1 are protected from high fat-induced hepatic steatosis, inflammation and early fibrogenesis. These data point to the inflammasome as an important therapeutic target for NASH.
Hemagglutinins in Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Strains Susceptible and Refractory to Brugia malayi, and Their Role in the Immune Response to Filarial Parasites

Abstract Hemagglutinins in the salivary gland extract and in the body fluid from strains of the mosquito, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, susceptible and refractory to the filarial parasite, Brugia malayi, had higher titers against Human A+, B− and O+, and sheep erythrocytes than against rabbit and jird erythrocytes. Hemagglutination activity in the body fluid was low in newly emerged females but increased and stabilized as they became older. Hemagglutination activity of the body fluid was not reduced by freezing at −20°C, but it was destroyed following heating the body fluid to 60°C and 100°C for 45 min, indicating that the hemagglutinins are heat labile, and they are proteins or glycoproteins. Hemagglutinins in the salivary glands exhibited specificities for a broader range of carbohydrate moieties on the surface of Human A+ and sheep erythrocytes than those in the body fluid. Injections of specific carbohydrates in saline solution into B. malayi–infected females of the refractory strain of An. quadrimaculatus 24 hr after the infective blood meal showed that galactose, N-acetyl- d -galactosamine, sorbose and mannose inhibited the increase in encapsulation (melanization) of L1 of B. malayi in the thoracic muscles of An. quadrimaculatus females when compared to those females injected with saline and other carbohydrates. The results suggest that hemagglutinins are present in the salivary gland extract and the body fluid of both strains of An. quadrimaculatus females and they may be involved in the immune response (encapsulation) to filarial parasites in An. quadrimaculatus.
Sacrococcygeal Teratoma and Teratocarcinoma

Although relatively rare, teratomas represent the most common neoplasm of the newborn period and the sacrococcygeal position is the most frequent extragonadal site. Teratomas are tumors that contain elements derived from more than one of the embryonic germ layers and generally all three. Roughly 60% of all sacrococcygeal teratomas contain only benign mature tissue while the remainder of tumors is divided between embryonic and malignant tissue. Fetal interventions including in utero tumor debulking, complete resection, or percutaneous coagulation of the main blood supply with radiofrequency ablation have been attempted under defined circumstances. Prompt recognition and complete surgical excision, regardless of tumor size or patient age is crucial to outcome. Teratomas and teratocarcinomas are congenital presacral lesions, which comprise 66% of all retrorectal tumors and cysts in adults. Diagnosis of retrorectal teratoma in adults is challenging, requiring thorough knowledge of pelvic anatomy and a high index of suspicion. Finally, occasionally teratocarcinomas are advanced and not resectable at presentation. Radiotherapy may have a role in palliation, but chemotherapy has not been found useful.
On the Origin of Leukemic Species

Recent studies (Shlush et al., 2014; Corces-Zimmerman et al., 2014) have demonstrated that leukemias develop from hematopoietic stem cells that acquire preleukemic mutations, allowing clonal expansion and subsequent acquisition of mutations leading to cancer. Preleukemic cells survive chemotherapy and serve as reservoirs for disease, generating new clones and leading to relapse.
A comparison of the cholinesterases of an oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and a clam (Macrocallista nimbosa).

Cholinesterase activities in the hearts and ganglia of an oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and a venerid clam (Macrocallista nimbosa) were measured and compared. Tissue extracts were partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by gel column chromatography. Enzymatic activity was assayed spectrophotometrically; substrates were acetyl-, butyryl-, and propionylthiocholine (ATC, BTC, PTC). Kinetic constants characterizing each enzyme were derived. At all substrate concentrations, the hydrolysis rates of both clam enzymes were in the order: BTC greater than PTC greater than ATC. With oyster enzymes the ranking was ATC greater than or equal to PTC greater BTC. The specific activities of oyster heart and ganglion enzymes were similar. In contrast, clam ganglion extracts were 75-100 times more active than clam heart extracts and, with any substrate, had greater activity than either oyster enzyme. All enzyme preparations proved to be homogeneous on the bases of constant substrate activity ratios in successive column fractions, and of intermediate velocities with mixed substrates. Six cholinesterase inhibitors were tested. The specific acetylcholinesterase antagonist, B.W. 62C47, WAS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AGAINST OYSTER ENZYMES, WHILE THE SPECIFIC ANTIBUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE, ISO-OMPA, almost totally inhibited calm enzyme activity, but had little effect on oyster. Eserine was the most effective inhibitor of both enzymes. In conclusion, the enzymes in oyster tissues are acetylcholinesterases, while clam enzymes are butyrylcholinesterases. Nevertheless, clam ganglion esterase is sifficiently active to hydrolyze the physiological substrate, acetylcholine. These results explain the long-observed differences in isolated heart pharmacology between ostreid and venerid bivalves.
Variable spacial and seasonal hazards of airborne radon

Abstract The concentrations of indoor radon in the basements of homes located in northern Virginia average about 1.4 times the first-floor radon concentration. Basement indoor radon concentrations exhibit seasonal variations which can be related to home use patterns of the occupants. Little indoor radon difference was seen between homes that have concrete block basement walls and poured concrete basement walls, but homes that use oil or gas furnaces for heating have a 25% lower indoor radon than homes that use electrical heating systems. Particular geological units seem to be associated with elevated indoor radon concentrations, and several units are associated with indoor radon concentrations that exceed 4 pCi l −1 (the U.S. Environmental Agency “Action Level”) in more than 40% of the homes. Comparative studies between indoor radon and total-gamma aeroradioactivity show that aeroradioactivity can be accurately used to estimate community radon hazards.
Coal-ash management by U.S. electric utilities: Overview and recent developments

Abstract This article briefly presents the historical and potential costs of coal-ash dam failure and disposal site leakage in the U.S. Highlights of the Environmental Protection Agency's 2014 final rule relating to regulation of coal ash as solid waste under Subtitle D of the Resource and Recovery Act, as well as current uncertainties relating to the cost of implementation and compliance by electric utilities, are discussed.
The perturbation theory of the extended Hartree–Fock approximation for two-electron atoms†

First order perturbation theory of extended Hartree-Fock approximation for ground state of two-electron atoms
Fokas integral equations for three dimensional layered-media scattering

Abstract The scattering of acoustic waves by periodic structures is of central importance in a wide range of problems of scientific and technological interest. This paper describes a rapid, high-order numerical algorithm for simulating solutions of Helmholtz equations coupled across irregular (non-trivial) interfaces meant to model acoustic waves incident upon a multiply layered medium. Building upon an interfacial formulation from previous work, we describe an Integral Equation strategy inspired by recent developments of Fokas and collaborators for its numerical approximation. The method requires only the discretization of the layer interfaces (so that the number of unknowns is an order of magnitude smaller than volumetric approaches), while it requires neither specialized quadrature rules nor periodized fundamental solutions characteristic of many popular Boundary Integral/Element Methods. As with previous contributions by the authors on this formulation, this approach is efficient and spectrally accurate for smooth interfaces.
Adjuvant synergy in the response to hepatitis B vaccines

Abstract The adjuvant properties of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (S-ODN) hexamer consisting of the sequence, 5′-GACGTT-3′, were evaluated in mice using hepatitis B (HBs) protein and DNA vaccines. GACGTT was an effective adjuvant when co-injected with HBs protein intramuscularly or when injected at the same anatomic site within 1 day before or 1 day after injection of the protein. Surprisingly, IL-12 had a negligible adjuvant effect when co-injected with HBsAg; however, when bound to “alum”, IL-12 stimulated a dramatic increase in anti-HBs titers and a switch from a TH2 to a TH1 response profile as evidenced by an increase in IgG2a subclass anti-HBs antibodies and the ability to secrete interferon-γ (IFN-γ) upon in vitro stimulation with an HBs peptide. Interestingly, aluminum phosphate was a far better co-adjuvant (with IL-12) than was aluminum hydroxide even though both “alums” bound >99% of the IL-12. Finally, the combination of IL-12, GACGTT, and aluminum phosphate was found to elicit a markedly polarized TH1 response. The results indicate that aluminum phosphate is highly effective at delivering an antigen (HBsAg) together with TH1 adjuvants such as IL-12 and GACGTT resulting in a shift from a TH2 to a TH1 response.
A chemically diverse conducting polymer-based "electronic nose".

Abstract We describe a method for generating a variety of chemically diverse broadly responsive low-power vapor sensors. The chemical polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of plasticizers has yielded conducting organic polymer films whose resistivities are sensitive to the identity and concentration of various vapors in air. An array of such sensing elements produced a chemically reversible diagnostic pattern of electrical resistance changes upon exposure to different odorants. Principal component analysis has demonstrated that such sensors can identify and quantify different airborne organic solvents and can yield information on the components of gas mixtures.
Unsupervised target subpixel detection in hyperspectral imagery

Most subpixel detection approaches require either full or partial prior target knowledge. In many practical applications, such prior knowledge is generally very difficult to obtain, if not impossible. One way to remedy this situation is to obtain target information directly from the image data in an unsupervised manner. In this paper, unsupervised target subpixel detection is considered. Three unsupervised learning algorithms are proposed, which are the unsupervised vector quantization (UVQ) algorithm, unsupervised target generation process (UTGP) and unsupervised NCLS (UNCLS) algorithm. These algorithms produce necessary target information from the image data with no prior information required. Such generated target information is referred to as a posteriori target information and can be used to perform target detection.
Provocative tests with psychostimulant drugs in schizophrenia.

The psychotogenic effects of psychostimulant drugs have provided a major line of evidence in support of the DA hypothesis of schizophrenia. To evaluate the effects of psychostimulant (PS) drug in schizophrenia and the clinical variables which may influence their expression, we reviewed 36 studies of PS drugs in patients with schizophrenia. Approximately 40% evidence a psychotogenic response to PS administration in doses that are subpsychotogenic in normals. Specific clinical variables appear to modify this response, including diagnosis, degree and type of psychopathology, stage of illness and pharmacologic status at the time of testing. Non-amphetamine-like PS drugs, e.g., methylphenidate, appear to have greater psychotogenic potency than amphetamine-like PS drugs. These results suggest the presence of a subgroup of schizophrenic patients who exhibit psychotic symptom activation with PS in a state dependent or independent fashion. This biologic phenomenon may be clinically exploitable and should be investigated further.
Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black Middle-Class Neighborhood

Black middle-class neighborhoods have higher internal poverty rates and are closer to high-poverty and high-crime areas than white middle-class neighborhoods, which presents particular challenges to neighborhood social organization. This study uses ethnographic data from a black middle-class neighborhood in Chicago to explore how residents manage this ecological context. The author finds that dense social networks fostered by residential stability facilitate the informal supervision of neighborhood youth and enhance the activities of formal organizations and institutions. Nevertheless, the incorporation of gang members and drug dealers into the networks of law-abiding kin and neighbors thwarts efforts to completely rid the neighborhood of its criminal element. The conflicting effects of dense networks challenge traditional social organization theory
Glutamine supplementation reduces glutathione levels and stimulates apoptosis in DMBA-induced mammary tumors

Our previous studies have established that glutamine supplementation reduced significantly tumor development in DMBA-breast cancer model and restored the depressed serum- and normal tissue levels of the natural anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH). Since it is now well known that there is a relationship between GSH levels and apoptosis, we hypothesized that GLN reduces GSH levels of cancer cells, which results in stimulation of apoptosis and inhibition the tumor development. In order to prove our hypothesis, we examined the levels of GSH in the tumorous tissues of DMBA-treated female Sprague-Dawley rats by a standard enzymatic recycling method. The activity of caspase-3 enzyme, which is one of the main executive enzymes in apoptosis, was assayed by a commercial colorimetric enzyme assay. In addition, we compared the Bcl-2 and Bax mRNAs levels in tumors from GLN- and non-GLN fed animals by relative RT-PCR. The results have shown that oral GLN supplementation significantly reduced GSH levels by 30% in the cancer cells, which was accompanied by 40% increase in the enzyme activity of caspase-3. GLN supplementation resulted also in a significant up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene expression. In conclusion, our results suggest that GLN supplementation is a critical regulator of GSH synthesis in malignant diseases and inhibits DMBA-induced carcinogenesis in mammary glands through stimulation of apoptosis.
Snapin Mediates Incretin Action and Augments Glucose-Dependent Insulin Secretion

Impaired insulin secretion contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Treatment with the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) potentiates insulin secretion and improves metabolic control in humans with T2DM. GLP-1 receptor-mediated signaling leading to insulin secretion occurs via cyclic AMP stimulated protein kinase A (PKA)- as well as guanine nucleotide exchange factor-mediated pathways. However, how these two pathways integrate and coordinate insulin secretion remains poorly understood. Here we show that these incretin-stimulated pathways converge at the level of snapin, and that PKA-dependent phosphorylation of snapin increases interaction among insulin secretory vesicle-associated proteins, thereby potentiating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). In diabetic islets with impaired GSIS, snapin phosphorylation is reduced, and expression of a snapin mutant, which mimics site-specific phosphorylation, restores GSIS. Thus, snapin is a critical node in GSIS regulation and provides a potential therapeutic target to improve β cell function in T2DM.
Laser-induced damage and fracture in fused silica vacuum windows

Laser-induced damage, that initiates catastrophic fracture, has been observed in large ({le}61 cm dia) fused silica lenses that also serve as vacuum barriers in Nova and Beamlet lasers. If the elastic stored energy in the lens is high enough, the lens will fracture into many pieces (implosion). Three parameters control the degree of fracture in the vacuum barrier window: elastic stored energy (tensile stress), ratio of window thickness to flaw depth, and secondary crack propagation. Fracture experiments were conducted on 15-cm dia fused silica windows that contain surface flaws caused by laser damage. Results, combined with window failure data on Beamlet and Nova, were used to develop design criteria for a ``fail-safe`` lens (that may catastrophically fracture but not implode). Specifically, the window must be made thick enough so that the peak tensile stress is less than 500 psi (3.4 MPa) and the thickness/critical flaw size is less than 6. The air leak through the window fracture and into the vacuum must be rapid enough to reduce the load on the window before secondary crack growth occurs. Finite element stress calculations of a window before and immediately following fracture into two pieces show that the elastic stored energy is redistributed if the fragments ``lock`` in place and thereby bridge the opening. In such cases, the peak stresses at the flaw site can increase, leading to further (i.e. secondary) crack growth.
The 5-HT1A agonist tandospirone disrupts retention but not acquisition of active avoidance learning

To determine the effects of the 5-HT1A partial agonist tandospirone on acquisition and retention, mice were trained on a one-way active avoidance task and tested for retention 24 h later. Groups of mice were injected with either saline or 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg tandospirone 30 min before acquisition. Training was complete when animals achieved a criterion of five avoidances in a block of six trials. Results showed that tandospirone did not alter the rate of acquisition of the avoidance response, but retention was significantly disrupted by the 1- and 5-mg/kg doses. These findings confirm previous suggestions that 5-HT1A agonists can cause anterograde amnesia.
GESTATIONAL AGE ESTIMATION IN SICK NEWBORNS

The Dubowitz examination for estimation of gestational age is often difficult or impossible to administer in its entirety in sick infants, especially those receiving ventilatory support. A shortened version of the examination has been devised which permits assessment of gestational age with minimal loss of predictive accuracy. The complete Dubowitz examination was administered to 112 infants from 29 to 42 weeks gestational age. Factor analysis and stepwise regression were performed to identify the items that contributed preponderantly to the total variance. Three non-discriminating items (edema, skin color, posture) were eliminated on the basis of these analyses, as well as three additional items (lanugo, head lag, ventral suspension) which cannot be assessed in infants on respirators. The shortened scale correlated highly with the total Dubowitz score (r = .985), providing an instrument which can be administered to seriously ill infants with little loss of predictive accuracy (95% confidence limit ± 1 week).
Outcome of acute otitis media with abnormal tympanometric patterns in children.

Objective: To assess the ability of ED tympanometry to identify those children with acute otitis media who are at greater risk for treatment failure, recurrent infection, or persistent middle ear effusion. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed in the EDs of a county hospital and a university medical center. One hundred seventeen children, aged 5 months to 5 years, with acute otitis media and abnormal tympanometric patterns were categorized into three groups —low compliance, high pressure, and low pressure—based on the initial patterns. All the children received oral amoxicillin for ten days. They had repeat tympanometry and otoscopy at 14- and 60-day follow-up visits, and were followed to determine clinical outcomes. Results: Initial treatment success was equivalent for all groups: low compliance 93% (95% confidence interval 81%-97%), high pressure 91% (95% CI 71%-98%), and low pressure 89% (95% CI 59–99%). Rates of relapse, reinfection, 90-day non-recurrence, and persistent otoscopic and tympanometric middle ear effusion did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: ED tympanometry of children with acute otitis media is unable to provide prognostic information regarding treatment failure, recurrent infection, or persistent middle ear effusion.
Use of biomarkers to assess environmental health

Environmental pollution has received considerable coverage in the news media. This has stimulated public interest and generated pressure on private industries and governmental agencies to take corrective action. Because the environmental issues have at times been presented in a simplistic and sensational manner, the corrective response by regulatory agencies and industry is often cursory and narrow. An approach, using biomarkers (biological responses), for assessing the biological and ecological significance of contaminants present in the environment is described. Living organisms integrate exposure to contaminants in their environment and respond in some measurable and predictable way. Responses are observed at several levels of biological organization from the biomolecular level, where pollutants can cause damage to critical cellular macromolecules and elicit defensive strategies such as detoxication and repair mechanisms, to the organismal level, where severe disturbances are manifested as impairment in growth, reproduction, developmental abnormalities, or decreased survival. Biomarkers can provide, not only evidence of exposure to a broad spectrum of anthropogenic chemicals, but also a temporally-integrated measure of bioavailable contaminant levels. A suite of biomarkers are evaluated over time to determine the magnitude of the problem and possible consequences. Pragmatically, the biomarker approach will help to assess the health of the environment,more » and, in addition, will enable scientists to defend the advice they provide concerning environmental issues.« less
Incidental probability learning: Effects of task- relevant vs. irrelevant stimulus dimensions

Relative effects of probabilities associated with task-relevant and irrelevant stimuli were studied in a probability learning paradigm. Four groups of 24 subjects each received different training experiences prior to sequentially predicting 200 occurrences of a green or yellow color. For 200 training trials subjects predicted the shape of arrows outlined on a green or yellow background. During training the two arrow shapes and background colors varied on independent probability distributions (i.e., each dimension either 75:25 or 50:50); during testing the colors varied on a 75:25 schedule. Regardless of the distribution of background colors during training, subjects who received a 75:25 distribution of arrow shapes during training predicted significantly more occurrences of the more probable color during testing than did subjects who received a 50:50 distribution of arrow shapes. Thus, the frequency bias associated with task-relevant stimuli in a probability learning paradigm influenced subsequent predictions of another stimulus dimension, but the probability distribution of the irrelevant stimulus dimension in the first task did not affect subsequent prediction strategies for the same dimension.
Crystallization of small quantities of glass (or a liquid) segregated in grain boundaries

Abstract It is shown that complete crystallization of small quantities of glass segregated in grain boundaries in a ceramic, e.g. hot-pressed silicon nitride, will be more difficult than crystallization of a bulk glass of the same composition. The reason is that the fluid in the grain boundaries is constrained and may therefore support hydrostatic stresses. Any volume change during phase transformation, therefore, will give rise to strain energy which would oppose the transformation. There may be conditions when the glass may not crystallize at all, or it may crystallize only partially. These conditions are derived in terms of thermodynamic parameters and microstructural parameters, e.g. the volume fraction of the glass phase.
Overexpression, purification, and characterization of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase from Leishmania donovani.

Abstract The gene encoding S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase in Leishmania donovani was subcloned into an expression vector (pPROK-1) and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant L. donovani AdoHcy hydrolase was then purified from cell-free extracts of E. coli using three chromatographic steps (DEAE-cellulose chromatofocusing, Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration, and Q-Sepharose ion exchange). The purified recombinant L. donovani enzyme exists as a tetramer with a molecular weight of ∼48 kDa for each subunit. Unlike recombinant human AdoHcy hydrolase, the catalytic activity of the recombinant L. donovani enzyme was shown to be dependent on the concentration of NAD + in the incubation medium. The dissociation constant ( K d ) for NAD + with the L. donovani enzyme was estimated to be 2.1 ± 0.2 μM. The K m values for the natural substrates of the enzyme, AdoHcy, Ado, and Hcy, were determined to be 21 ± 3, 8 ± 2, and 82 ± 5 μM, respectively. Several nucleosides and carbocyclic nucleosides were tested for their inhibitory effects on this parasitic enzyme, and the results suggested that L. donovani AdoHcy hydrolase has structural requirements for binding inhibitors different than those of the human enzyme. Thus, it may be possible to eventually exploit these differences to design specific inhibitors of this parasitic enzyme as potential antiparasitic agents.
USN Land Based Testing of the WR21 ICR Gas Turbine

Development of the Northrop Grumman / Rolls-Royce WR21 Intercooled Recuperated (ICR) Gas Turbine, begun in 1992, is now well advanced and system testing has been completed on eight engine builds at the Royal Navy’s Admiralty Test House located at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Pyestock in the United Kingdom. Test activity is shortly to move to the US Navy’s Test Site at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division – Ship Systems Engineering Station in Philadelphia, PA, where a new test facility has been built to carry out some final development testing and an endurance test. A previous paper on this subject (94-GT-186) defined a test program leading to a design review and the beginning of Qualification Testing.The development program has since evolved and it is the aim of this paper to summarize engine testing to date and set out the plan for conclusion of development testing. The paper will describe the development of the Philadelphia Test Site, as a combined site for the US Navy’s Integrated Power System (IPS) and ICR testing. This will include a description of the advanced, high-accuracy Data Acquisition System (DAS). Finally, the test program and the development and endurance test objectives will be outlined.Copyright © 1999 by ASME
Effect of storage temperature and sprout inhibitors on mealiness, sloughing, and specific gravity of Russet Burbank potatoes

Idaho-grown Russet Burbank potatoes were evaluated at monthly intervals during 12 months of storage to determine changes in mealiness, sloughing, and specific gravity. Storage treatments included untreated samples stored at 38 F, 45 F, and 52 F; two samples stored at 45 F, one of which had been treated with MH sprout inhibitor and the other with CIPC; and one untreated sample stored at 38 F and conditioned at room temperature one week before evaluation.
Causal and Epiphenomenal Use of the Selective Attention Strategy in Prose Comprehension

Abstract The purpose of this study is to differentiate between causal and epiphenomenal uses of selective attention in a prose learning situation. Attention is defined along two continua for the purposes of the study: attention duration (reflected by reading times) and attention intensity (reflected by probe reaction times). Forty-eight, more successful and less successful, sixth graders read a short passage about a nature walk after being assigned one of two reading objectives. Subjects learned and recalled text elements made salient by the objective instructions better than other text elements. Furthermore, they focused attention duration on those same text elements. Causal analyses revealed that there was no causal relation among salience, attention, and learning for any of these readers. For the more successful readers, the relation was epiphenomenal; attention appeared in the vicinity of salient text items but was not directly related to subjects′ learning of them. For the less successful readers, the relation was weak in all areas. The results are discussed in terms of the development of the ability to effectively use selective attention and the notion of using attention duration as an indicator of information processing in studies dealing with locating and learning written information.
On the perception of objects and their orientations.

A novel paradigm, description-depiction classification (DDC), was used to test whether knowledge of object orientation in the picture plane precedes or follows object identification. Undergraduate students were asked to verify the identities and orientations of depicted objects against preceding descriptions, e.g. 'UPRIGHT CAR'. The results showed that identity mismatches were verified faster and more accurately than orientation mismatches, regardless of whether subjects had to discriminate small (90 deg) or large (180 deg) differences in orientation. These findings suggest there is primacy for identity information in that (a) subjects determine object identity before they determine object orientation, and (b) even when orientation is determined, identity information tends to dominate the response. This is the signature of a perceptual-cognitive system that has evolved to rapidly identify objects, not their orientations, contra to theories of recognition that assume orientation is determined before an object has been classified at the basic level.
Fast Causal Information Transmission in a Medium With a Slow Group Velocity

It is widely believed that the velocity of information upsiloni encoded on an optical pulse is equal to the group velocity upsilong, at least when upsilong is less than the speed of light in vacuum c. On the other hand, several authors suggest that upsiloni=c, although the size of the signal traveling at this velocity may be small, thereby making it difficult to measure. Here, we measure upsiloni for pulses propagating through a resonant "slow-light" medium where upsilong approximately 0.006c. We find upsiloni=1.03c(+0.49c)-0.25c, or that upsiloni approximately 168upsilong, clearly demonstrating that the speed of information cannot be generally described by upsilong, but is characterized by its own velocity.
Voltammetric determination of the complexation parameters of zinc in marine and estuarine waters

Abstract Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at the rotating disk electrode was used to probe the zinc-organic ligands interactions in Narragansett Bay Water samples and in samples collected in the Slope Water region off the U.S. mid-Atlantic Bight. In Narragansett Bay Water, two distinct groups of complexing ligands were detected, which have conditional stability constants (log K ) of 7.7 and 7.0 and represent solution and surface complexation respectively. In samples collected near the western edge of the Gulf Stream two classes of dissolved organic ligands could be distinguished, with average stability constants (log K 1 , log K 2 ) of 9.3 and 7.6. Because of the complexity of the systems studied, the complexation properties of these ligands had to be measured over a range of pH values and/or a range of electrode rotation rates, to obtain correct and precise estimates of their stability constants. This type of approach gave a complex but coherent interpretation of all the ASV data (i.e. variation of the ASV signal with zinc concentration, pH and electrode rotation rate), and is to be particularly recommended to workers confronted with new or complex marine systems.
CpG Methylation in Neurons: Message, Memory, or Mask?

The study of CpG methylation of genomic DNA in neurons has emerged from the shadow of cancer biology into a fundamental investigation of neuronal physiology. This advance began with the discovery that catalytic and receptor proteins related to the insertion and recognition of this chemical mark are robustly expressed in neurons. At the smallest scale of analysis is the methylation of a single cytosine base within a regulatory cognate sequence. This singular alteration in a nucleotide can profoundly modify transcription factor binding with a consequent effect on the primary 'transcript'. At the single promoter level, the methylation-demethylation of CpG islands and associated alterations in local chromatin assemblies creates a type of cellular 'memory' capable of long-term regulation of transcription particularly in stages of brain development, differentiation, and maturation. Finally, at the genome-wide scale, methylation studies from post-mortem brains suggest that CpG methylation may serve to cap the genome into active and inactive territories introducing a 'masking' function. This may facilitate rapid DNA-protein interactions by ambient transcriptional proteins onto actively networked gene promoters. Beyond this broad portrayal, there are vast gaps in our understanding of the pathway between neuronal activity and CpG methylation. These include the regulation in post-mitotic neurons of the executor proteins, such as the DNA methyltransferases, the elusive and putative demethylases, and the interactions with histone modifying enzymes.
Within-individual variability in neurocognitive performance: age- and sex-related differences in children and youths from ages 8 to 21.

Objective The transition from childhood to adulthood is characterized by improved motor and cognitive performance in many domains. Developmental studies focus on average performance in single domains but ignore consistency of performance across domains. Within-individual variability (WIV) provides an index of that evenness and is a potential marker of development. Method We gave a computerized battery of 14 neurocognitive tests to 9138 youths ages 8-21 from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. Results As expected, performance improved with age, with both accuracy and speed peaking in adulthood. WIV, however, showed a U-shaped course: highest in childhood, declining yearly into mid-adolescence, and increasing again into adulthood. Young females outperformed and were less variable than males, but by early adulthood male performance matched that of females despite being more variable. Conclusion We conclude that WIV declines from childhood to adolescence as developmental lags are overcome, and then increases into adulthood reflecting the emergence of cognitive specializations related to skill-honing and brain maturation.
How inaccurate is weight as a metric for patient size? Comparing patient weight to effective diameter for size-specific dose estimation

One of the biggest challenges in dose monitoring is customization of CT dose estimates to the patient. Patient size remains a highly significant variable. One metric that has previously been used for patient size is patient weight, though this is often criticized as inaccurate. In this work, we compare patients’ weight to their effective diameters obtained from a CT scan of the chest or the abdomen. CT exams of the chest (N=163) and abdomen/pelvis (N=168) performed on adult patients in July 2012 were randomly selected for analysis. The effective diameter of the patient for each exam was determined using the central slice of the scan region for each exam using eXposure™ (Radimetrics, Inc., Toronto, Canada). In some cases, the same patient had both a chest and abdominopelvic CT, so effective diameters from both regions were analyzed. In this small sample size, there appears to be a linear relationship between patient weight and effective diameter when measured in the mid-chest and mid-abdomen of adult patients. However, for each weight, patient effective diameter can vary by 5 cm from the regression line in both the chest and the abdomen. A 5-cm difference corresponds to a difference of approximately 0.2 in the chest and 0.3 in the abdomen/pelvis for the correction factors recommended for size-specific dose estimation by the AAPM. This preliminary data suggests that weight-based CT protocoling may in fact be appropriate for some adults. However, more work is needed to identify those patients in whom weight-based protocoling is not appropriate.