cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aggregation of cationic dyes on acid polysaccharides II. Quantitative parameters of metachromasy

Abstract The strengths of the metachromatic reactions of a phenazine, phenothiazine and two acridine dyes in approximately 1:1 complexes with various acid polysaccharides have been compared using quantitative parameters derived from the spectra of the free and bound dyes. The two components of the metachromatic change, hypochromism and frequency shift, were separately evaluated from changes in total band intensity (oscillator strength) and intensity-weighted average frequency of the band (center of gravity). Changes in extinction coefficient at the monomer band maximum or changes in the ratios of absorption of the ‘monomeric’ and ‘dimeric’ bands did not give the same relative metachromasies as changes in oscillator strength or center of gravity. The shift in center of gravity and loss of oscillator strength generally increased for all dyes as the number of negative sites per pyranose ring increased. This correlation was consistent and striking with methylene blue only and the chemical nature of the negative site did not appear to be critical in this regard. The relative strengths of metachromasy exhibited by the various dyes on a given polymer were not proportional to the dipole moments of their monomeric visible absorption bands. Furthermore, the given dyes showed different patterns of relative metachromasy on the various polymers ranging from a minimal dependence upon average intersite distance for acridine orange to a marked correlation among methylene blue complexes. It was suggested that binding forces may cause changes in intersite structure for some dye-polymer systems and in this way influence their relative metachromasies. The relation between frequency shift and loss of oscillator strength for the various methylene blue complexes was approximately linear, consistent with the idea that hypochromism results in substantial part from dye-dye interactions in these cases.
Event-related potentials in cocaine-exposed children during a Stroop task.

Abstract Objective Prenatal cocaine-exposure may interfere with the ontogeny of prefrontal cortical executive functions due to cocaine's effect on the developing monoaminergic system. This study presents findings regarding cortical functioning in 29 prenatally cocaine-exposed (CE) and non-drug-exposed (NDE) 7- to 9-year-old children participating in event related potential (ERP) studies. Methods ERPs were recorded using 128-electrode high-density arrays while children responded to a standard Stroop paradigm. Results In the Stroop paradigm, CE children generated prolonged responses to the words while the NDE children produced briefer responses. Effects were noted in the region of the initial positive peak (P1), the second negative peak (N2) and the later positive peak (P3). Conclusions Early cocaine exposure may inhibit the specialization and streamlining of brain region involvement during cognitive processing such that task processing is slower to begin, requires more diverse cortical involvement, and requires more time to complete. ERP methodology has considerable potential for studying frontal maturation and may provide additional information to clarify generally the specific effects of prenatal CE on cortical functioning and the developmental course of cognitive functions.
Detection and monitoring of insect resistance to transgenic Bt crops

Abstract Transgenic crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxins have become one of the most important tools for managing corn and cotton insect pests in the US and other countries. The widespread adoption of transgenic Bt crops could place a high degree of selection pressure on the target insect populations and accelerate development of resistance, raising concerns about the long-term durability of Bt plants as an effective pest management tool. Conservation of Bt susceptibility in insects has become one of the most active research areas in modern agriculture. One of the key factors for a successful Bt resistance management plan is to have a cost-effective monitoring system that can provide information on: (i) the initial Bt resistance allele frequencies at low levels in field insect populations; and (ii) early shifts in Bt resistance allele frequencies so that proactive measures for managing resistance can be deployed well before field control failures. Developing such a monitoring program has been difficult because: (i) resistance traits that occur at very low frequencies are hard to detect; (ii) many factors affect the sensitivity and accuracy of a Bt resistance monitoring program; and (iii) monitoring resistance is costly. Several novel methods for detecting Bt resistance alleles developed during the last decade have made a cost-effective monitoring system possible. Future studies should focus on how to improve and standardize the methodologies for insect sampling and Bt resistance detection.
Receptor‐mediated autocrine growth‐stimulatory effect of 5‐hydroxytryptamine on cultured human pancreatic carcinoid cells

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a mitogen for fibroblasts, vascular smooth muscle cells, renal mesangial cells, and jejunal crypt cells. The human carcinoid cell line (termed BON) that we established in our laboratory from a pancreatic carcinoid tumor produces and secretes 5-HT. In this study, therefore, we examined the effect of 5-HT on growth of BON cells. Furthermore, by use of selective 5-HT receptor antagonists, we examined receptor and post-receptor mechanisms by which 5-HT-induced responses were produced. 5-HT stimulated growth of BON cells. 5-HT stimulated phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis in a dose-dependent fashion and inhibited cyclic AMP production in a dose-dependent fashion. The 5-HT1A/1B receptor antagonist, SDZ 21-009, prevented the reduction of cyclic AMP production evoked by 5-HT and inhibited the mitogenic action of 5-HT. The 5-HT1C/2 receptor antagonist, mesulergine, competitively inhibited PI hydrolysis, but did not affect the mitogenic action of 5-HT. The mitogenic action of 5-HT and the reduction of cyclic AMP production evoked by 5-HT were also inhibited by pertussis toxin. These results suggest that 5-HT is an autocrine growth factor for BON cells and that mitogenic mechanism of 5-HT involves receptor-mediated inhibition of the production of cyclic AMP which may be linked to pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP binding protein. 8-bromo-cyclic AMP inhibited growth of BON cells whereas 8-bromo-cyclic GMP had no effect on cell growth. Involvement of protein kinase A in BON cell growth regulation was confirmed by the observation that a cAMP-dependent protein kinase antagonist (Rp-cAMPS) could stimulate BON cell growth.
Characterization of flow in sub-scale cable-in-conduit conductors

The authors measured the pressure drop of supercritical helium and He II counterflow heat transport in subscale cable-in-conduit conductors (CICCs) at a variety of different temperatures. These measurements were made on various conductors with different flow areas, void fractions, and strand diameters. Classical friction factor analysis was used to correlate the pressure drop results. The results of this analysis revealed systematic variations in the friction factor which appear to be dependent on the temperature of the helium. In a separate experiment heat transport in He II contained in the CICCs was analyzed in terms of the Gorter-Mellink relationship to obtain an independent determination of the flow cross-sectional area. These cross-sectional areas were used to reanalyze previously reported pressure drop data on the same conductors. Use of He II counterflow measurements as a general method to characterize the hydraulics of these conductors is discussed. >
Recent advances in neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma, an embryonal cancer of the autonomic nervous system, is the most common cancer diagnosed during the first year of life. Although neuroblastoma accounts for disproportionately high morbidity and mortality among childhood cancers, it has one of the highest rates of spontaneous and complete regression. The author discusses recent advances in our understanding of neuroblastoma.
PRECONDITION OF 'D' ANJOU' PEARS FOR EARLY MARKETING BY ETHYLENE TREATMENT

'D' Anjou' pears (Pyrus communis, L.) harvested at an optimum maturity with the flesh firmness (FF) of 66.7N required 8 weeks of chilling at- 1C in order to initiate normal ripening in an ethylene-free environment at room temperature. If harvested fruit were not exposed to chilling or chilled at- 1C for less than 8 weeks, they could be preconditioned with 100 ppm ethylene for 3 days at 20C to initiate normal ripening. Fruit preconditioned with ethylene were capable of softening normally, reducing extractable juice, decreasing titratable acidity, and showing the climacteric rise of ethylene production during ripening at 20C when treated fruit had been further held at -1C in air for 14 days. The properly ripened fruit developed an acceptable dessert quality. When ‘d'Anjou’fruits had been stored at -1C in air for 8 weeks or longer, they could also be preconditioned without ethylene for 3 days at 20C to enhance ripening capacity. The nonethylene preconditioned fruit were capable of ripening normally following 14 days in simulated transit at -1C and upon arrival in retail markets at room temperature.
Too Much Is Not Enough Hypertension and Sympathetic Vasoconstriction in Contracting Muscles

When young healthy humans, and especially trained endurance athletes, perform activities like running, swimming, or cycling, mean arterial pressure (MAP) does not rise much.1,2 At first glance, this seems counterintuitive, because in normal subjects, cardiac output can increase 4- to 5-fold during heavy exercise, and in elite male athletes, cardiac output values in excess of 40 L/min have been reported.3 The “failure” of MAP to rise is even more puzzling in light of the large exercise-mediated increases in vasoconstricting sympathetic outflow directed at most vascular beds.2 In the athletes, stroke volume can reach 200 mL/beat, making the maintenance of MAP even more impressive. By contrast, in middle-aged subjects with hypertension, mean arterial blood pressure frequently rises markedly during exercise in spite of more modest increases in cardiac output and small stroke volumes.1 How does this happen, and what insight does the article by Zhao et al4 from the Thomas laboratory at University of Texas Southwestern provide on this observation and related phenomenon? First, young subjects are “protected” from a rise in MAP during exercise by marked peripheral vasodilation in the face of the increased sympathetic outflow. Because a high fraction of cardiac output during exercise is directed toward the active skeletal …
Sequence comparison of distal and proximal ribosomal DNA arrays in rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosome 9S and analysis of their flanking regions

Rice (Oryzasativa ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare) harbors a ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) cluster in the nucleolar-organizing region at the telomeric end of the short arm of chromosome 9. We isolated and sequenced two genomic clones carrying rice rDNA fragments from this region. The rice rDNA repeat units could be classified into three types based on length, which ranged from 7,928 to 8,934 bp. This variation was due to polymorphism in the number of 254-bp subrepeats in the intergenic spacer (IGS). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis suggested that the rDNA units in rice vary widely in length and that the copy number of the subrepeats in the IGS ranges from 1 to 12 in the rice genome. PCR and Southern blot analyses showed that most rDNA units have three intact and one truncated copies of the subrepeats in the IGS, and distal (telomere-side) rDNA units have more subrepeats than do proximal (centromere-side) ones. Both genomic clones we studied contained rDNA-flanking DNA sequences of either telomeric repeats (5′-TTTAGGG-3′) or a chromosome-specific region, suggesting that they were derived from the distal or proximal end, respectively, of the rDNA cluster. A similarity search indicated that retrotransposons appeared more frequently in a 500-kb portion of the proximal rDNA-flanking region than in other subtelomeric regions or sequenced regions of the genome. This study reveals the repetitive nature of the telomeric end of the short arm of chromosome 9, which consists of telomeric repeats, an rDNA array, and a retrotransposon-rich chromosomal region.
Are there pre-existing neural, cognitive, or motoric markers for musical ability?

Adult musician’s brains show structural enlargements, but it is not known whether these are inborn or a consequence of longterm training. In addition, music training in childhood has been shown to have positive eVects on visual–spatial and verbal outcomes. However, it is not known whether pre-existing advantages in these skills are found in children who choose to study a musical instrument nor is it known whether there are pre-existing associations between music and any of these outcome measures that could help explain the training eVects. To answer these questions, we compared 5- to 7-year-olds beginning piano or string lessons (n D 39) with 5- to 7-year-olds not beginning instrumental training (n D 31). All children received a series of tests (visual–spatial, non-verbal reasoning, verbal, motor, and musical) and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. We found no pre-existing neural, cognitive, motor, or musical diVerences between groups and no correlations (after correction for multiple analyses) between music perceptual skills and any brain or visual–spatial measures. However, correlations were found between music perceptual skills and both non-verbal reasoning and phonemic awareness. Such pre-existing correlations suggest similarities in auditory and visual pattern recognition as well a sharing of the neural substrates for language and music processing, most likely due to innate abilities or implicit learning during early development. This baseline study lays the groundwork for an ongoing longitudinal study addressing the eVects of intensive musical training on brain and cognitive development, and making it possible to look retroactively at the brain and cognitive development of those children who emerge showing exceptional musical talent.
A mathematician among the molasses barrels: Maclaurin's unpublished memoir on volumes Introduction: Maclaurin's memoir and its place in eighteenth-century Scotland

Suppose we are given a solid of revolution generated by a conic section. Slice out a frustum of the solid [14, diagrams pp. 77, 80]. Then, construct a cylinder, with the same height as the frustum, whose diameter coincides with the diameter of the frustum at the midpoint of its height. What is the difference between the volume of the frustum and the volume of this cylinder? Does this difference depend on where in the solid the frustum is taken?The beautiful theorems which answer these questions first appear in a 1735 manuscript by Colin Maclaurin (1698–1746). This manuscript [14], the only original mathematical work by Maclaurin not previously printed, is published here for the first time, with the permission of the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland. (An almost identical copy [15] exists in the Edinburgh University Library.) In this work, Maclaurin proved that the difference between the cylinder constructed as above and the frustum of the given solid depends only on the height of the frustum, not the position of the frustum in the solid. When the solid is a cone, Maclaurin showed that its frustum exceeds the corresponding cylinder by one fourth the volume of a similar cone with the same height. For a sphere, the cylinder exceeds the frustum by one half the volume of the sphere whose diameter is equal to the height of the frustum; this holds, he observed, for all spheres. He derived analogous results for the ellipsoid and hyperboloid of revolution. Finally, for the paraboloid of revolution, he proved that the cylinder is precisely equal to the frustum.
Reinventing black colleges in postethnic America: The case of Knoxville College

A former Knoxville College president recounts struggles and innovative strategies to turn the college around.
Can preclinical medical students be integrated into the continuing medical education process by instructing prehospital care providers

Abstract Objective: To develop a model introducing medical students (MS) to the continuing medical education (CME) process while simultaneously developing a curriculum to enhance the relevant surgical anatomy knowledge base of the advanced prehospital care provider. Methods: A CME curriculum for teaching human anatomy was developed and approved by the governing state agencies for prehospital education. The curriculum focused on structures relevant to the prehospital care of the trauma patient in a case based format using common scenarios presented by surgery and emergency medicine faculty. Five year-one medical students who completed gross anatomy served as teaching staff and were given a structures list one week prior to the CME course. Human cadavers were prosected by the medical students prior to the CME program under the guidance of the surgical faculty. Course attendees and medical student staff were anonymously surveyed at the end of the program (rating scale 1 = low to 5 = high). Prehospital providers were given a multiple-choice posttest and surveyed at 3 months after the course with regard to applicability to their current practice. Data are means ± SD. Results: Nineteen licensed practicing paramedics attended the course. All of the paramedics scored above the 85% passing cutoff on the posttest (95.6% ± 6.2%). Instructor qualities were rated highly (4.62 ± 0.49) with no instructor rating less than a 3. MS believed themselves well prepared to teach (5 ± 0), and spent 2 ± 0.81 hours in preparation. They were only infrequently faced with questions they were not well prepared to answer (1.25 ± 0.5) and would uniformly participate in CME offerings in the future (5 ± 0). The CME program improved the MS view of CME (3 ± 0), prehospital education (3 ± 1.4), and the surgeon as educator (3.25 ± 1.5). At 3 months, the paramedics felt that the CME program significantly impacted the care they rendered (4.37 ± 0.76), and improved their understanding of injury complexes (4.53 ± 0.61), and resuscitation (4.26 ± 0.73). The cadaver course was uniformly recommended to coworkers (5 ± 0). Conclusions: This model provided prehospital care providers direct contact with clinically relevant human anatomy, enhanced their understanding of pertinent anatomy, and positively impacted their patient care. MS were introduced to the CME process and found it to be one with which they would become reinvolved. Furthermore, the MS felt prepared to present human anatomy, met the expectations of the course attendees, improved their understanding of prehospital education, and positively altered their perception of the surgeon as an educator. This process holds promise as both a model for prehospital education and as a tool for integrating MS into the role of allied health educator early in their career.
An optical self-calibrating technique for the dynamic characterization of PZT's

A system suitable for the measurement of linear sinusoidal vibration amplitudes is described. The signal beam of a Michelson interferometer is focused on the vibrating target while a suitable phase noise is applied to the reference arm of the interferometer. Signal processing is based on the null adjustment of the Bessel coefficients J/sub 1/ and J/sub 2/ derived from the signal provided by a single photodiode placed in the center fringe of the interference pattern. The system has been shown to be self-calibrating and intrinsically immune to mechanical perturbations induced in the interferometer. The technique proposed has been experimentally demonstrated by measuring the vibration amplitude of a PZT device in the amplitude range from 0.4 to 1.7 mu m and in the frequency range from 8 to 22 kHz. >
Getting out of the Way: Learning, Risk, and Choice.

Students learn best when teachers get out of the way. Unfortunately, university classrooms continue to be intensely teacher-centric, are driven by the teacher’s agenda and calendar, and embrace simple models rather complex alternatives. These simple types of learning environments frustrate students’ development of the risk-taking and choice making confidence they need in the workplace. Bain (2004) makes the point that environments embracing choice as a priority, welcoming risk taking, and nurturing students who make mistakes, are better at preparing students for professional success. In this paper, we intend to provide context to the conversation about how learning-risks and agency impact and promote the individual growth of the student when the teacher gets out of the way. Combining a Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) (Beebe, 2001) informed by Action Research (AR) (Stringer, 2007; Schon, 1983; Argyris, 1993) we devised an experiment to determine if a university course would invite more student growth when the environment changed from being teacher-centric with highly structured assignments and critical assessments, to one that embraces the tenets of complexity theory. The purpose of this approach was an attempt to challenge the status quo; to show how complex interactions between risk-taking, agency, learning culture, teacher-facilitator-mentors, peers, coursework, and outcomes are important to students’ preparation for successful professional work. To accomplish this we experimented within a software development course at a large university in the northwestern United States and found students appeared more prepared to move on to the professional workplace when they had experienced risk taking and agency in a learning environment based on complexity theory precepts.
Acute edema of the vulva in pregnancy

Abstract A case of severe edema of the vulva in a patient with toxemia of pregnancy and the nephrotic syndrome is presented. Multiple needle punctures proved effective in reducing the vulvar swelling.
Holmium laser enucleation versus laparoscopic simple prostatectomy for large adenomas.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to compare Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate with another minimally invasive technique, the laparoscopic simple prostatectomy. Materials and methods We compared outcomes of a series of 40 patients who underwent laparoscopic simple prostatectomy ( n = 20) with laser enucleation of the prostate ( n = 20) for large adenomas (> 100 g) at our institution. Study variables included operative time and catheterization time, hospital stay, pre- and post-operative International Prostate Symptom Score and maximum urinary flow rate, complications and economic evaluation. Statistical analyses were performed using the Student's t test and Fisher test. Results There were no significant differences in patient age, preoperative prostatic size, operating time or specimen weight between the 2 groups. Duration of catheterization ( p = .0008) and hospital stay ( p p > .99). Conclusion Holmium enucleation of the prostate has similar short term functional results and complication rates compared to laparoscopic simple prostatectomy performed in large glands with the advantage of less catheterization time, lower economic costs and a reduced hospital stay.
Presenting Our Work as Teachers: Finding the 'Tune' with a Teaching Portfolio

Mark Twain barely contained his use of profanity, a problem his wife abhorred and sought to cure. One evening, he and she were dressing for a formal dinner when a button popped off his shirt. He launched a tirade against buttons, formal shirts, and evening wear. After a few minutes, the profanity subsided. Twain's wife decided to use the moment to remind her husband to govern his language. Calmly, and in a flat voice, she repeated, word for word, the entire tirade. Twain replied, "My dear, you have the words, but you don't have the tune." Much the same could be said of the way scholars describe their teaching. The typical curriculum vitae emphasizes written work over teaching. Promotion portfolios usually consist of a solid discussion of the candidate's intellectual contribution as a researcher, combined with a simple list of courses taught and perhaps some teaching ratings. The presentation has some words about teaching, but none of the music: choices made in course design; risks taken; successes (or learnings from failures); teaching philosophy and style; interpretation of the teaching ratings; growth as a teacher and plans for continued professional development. Absent these, the presentation of one's teaching is like the language of Twain's wife, flat and tuneless. This column summarizes the concept of the teaching portfolio as a way to present the teaching side of one's professional work.
Molecular pathogenesis of long QT syndrome type 2

The molecular mechanisms underlying congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) are now beginning to be understood. New insights into the etiology and therapeutic strategies are emerging from heterologous expression studies of LQTS-linked mutant proteins, as well as inducible pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) from LQTS patients. This review focuses on the major molecular mechanism that underlies LQTS type 2 (LQT2). LQT2 is caused by loss of function (LOF) mutations in KCNH2 (also known as the human Ether-a-go-go-Related Gene or hERG). Most LQT2-linked mutations are missense mutations and functional studies suggest that ~90% of them disrupt the intracellular transport (trafficking) of KCNH2-encoded Kv11.1 proteins to the cell membrane. Trafficking deficient LQT2 mutations disrupt Kv11.1 protein folding and misfolded Kv11.1 proteins are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) until they are degraded in the ER associated degradation pathway (ERAD). This review focuses on the quality control mechanisms in the ER that contribute to the folding and ERAD of Kv11.1 proteins; the mechanism for ER export of Kv11.1 proteins in the secretory pathway; different subclasses of trafficking deficient LQT2 mutations; and strategies being developed to mitigate or correct trafficking deficient LQT2-related phenotypes.
Inoculation of white mice with pfeiffer's bacillusInfluenza studies. IX

Spooner, Scott, and Heath,1 using cultures isolated at Camp Devens early in the influenza outbreak of 1918, stated that Pfeiffer's bacillus is nonpathogenic for white mice, basing their conclusions on more than 100 intraperitoneal injections. A description of the technic and a statement of the amounts injected were not given. Jacobson2 was not able to kill white mice by intraperitoneal injections in amounts of one slant of Pfeiffer's bacillus in pure culture, and he concluded that the organism was nonpathogenic for white mice. But when he grew it "symbiotically," or mixed it with streptococci, the virulence was sufficiently raised for smaller doses to cause the death of this animal. Wolf8 likewise declared that this organism did not invade the blood stream of the mouse even when large amounts of pure culture were injected intraperitoneally, and since he was never able to demonstrate the bacillus in the heart blood, he was of the opinion that in these cases death was due to intoxication. But when he injected a broth culture of streptococcus intraperitoneally or subcutaneously together with one slant of Pfeiffer's bacillus, a fatal septicemia followed, and both organisms were recovered from the heart blood. Roos4 obtained similar results in experiments on simultaneous intraperitoneal injections into white mice of Pfeiffer's bacillus with streptococcus or with sputum. The exact dosage used is not recorded. After such injections, Pfeiffer's bacillus was often demonstrable in the heart blood, and Roos thought that "the symbiosis of these organisms increased the virulence of B. influenzae about ten-fold." Albert and Kelman5 agree with Roos on the question of increase of virulence of Pfeiffer's bacillus in mixed culture with streptococcus or pneumo-
Searching for biomarkers of glaucoma using adaptive optics scanning ophthalmoscopy

This presentation will review the latest linear microscopy techniques applied to imaging the living retina, as well as the normal and pathological retinal structures that can now be visualized non-invasively. Abstract (35 Word Limit): This presentation will review the latest linear microscopy techniques applied to imaging the living retina, as well as the normal and pathological retinal structures that can now be visualized non-invasively. Article not available.
T Cell Receptor Engineering and Analysis Using the Yeast Display Platform

The αβ heterodimeric T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes peptide antigens that are transported to the cell surface as a complex with a protein encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). T cells thus evolved a strategy to sense these intracellular antigens, and to respond either by eliminating the antigen-presenting cell (e.g., a virus-infected cell) or by secreting factors that recruit the immune system to the site of the antigen. The central role of the TCR in the binding of antigens as peptide-MHC (pepMHC) ligands has now been studied thoroughly. Interestingly, despite their exquisite sensitivity (e.g., T cell activation by as few as 1-3 pepMHC complexes on a single target cell), TCRs are known to have relatively low affinities for pepMHC, with K D values in the micromolar range. There has been interest in engineering the affinity of TCRs in order to use this class of molecules in ways similar to now done with antibodies. By doing so, it would be possible to harness the potential of TCRs as therapeutics against a much wider array of antigens that include essentially all intracellular targets. To engineer TCRs, and to analyze their binding features more rapidly, we have used a yeast display system as a platform. Expression and engineering of a single-chain form of the TCR, analogous to scFv fragments from antibodies, allow the TCR to be affinity matured with a variety of possible pepMHC ligands. In addition, the yeast display platform allows one to rapidly generate TCR variants with diverse binding affinities and to analyze specificity and affinity without the need for purification of soluble forms of the TCRs. The present chapter describes the methods for engineering and analyzing single-chain TCRs using yeast display.
Evaluation of a Tabletop Emergency Preparedness Exercise for Pharmacy Students

Objective. To describe the implementation and effect of an emergency preparedness laboratory activity on student knowledge, willingness to participate in emergency preparedness training, current level of preparedness, and the importance of a pharmacist's role in disaster response. Design. Second-year pharmacy students in the infectious disease module participated in a laboratory activity based on a basic disaster response tabletop exercise format. Three case-based scenarios involving infectious diseases were created by participating faculty members. Assessment. Surveys before and after the laboratory were used to assess the activity's effect on student knowledge, willingness to participate in emergency preparedness training, current level of preparedness, and the importance of a pharmacist's role in disaster response. In addition, the postsurvey assessed student perceptions of the activity's success at accomplishing faculty-specified outcomes from Appendix B of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE) Standards. Conclusion. Implementation of an emergency response laboratory activity may improve overall students' knowledge of, confidence in, and understanding of their role as pharmacists in an emergency response, while incorporating a variety of skills and knowledge outcomes.
Research progress of the ursolic acid in loquat leaf

Objective To study the research advance of the pharmacologic effect,extraction and separation and determination methods of ursolic acid and it's derivatives in the leaves of Eriobotrya japonica.Methods Based on the related papers during the recent ten years,the pharmacologic effect,extraction and separation and the determination methods of the ursolic acid and it's derivatives were reviewed.Results and Conclusions The ursolic acid and it's derivatives in the leaves of Eriobotrya japonica have certain pharmacological activities on depressing blood glucose,antivirus,antitumour and reducing inflammation etc.It has important value of development and utilization.
A Robust Analytical Approach for the Identification of Specific Protein Carbonylation Sites: Metal-Catalyzed Oxidations of Human Serum Albumin

ABSTRACTThe formation of protein carbonyls in the metal-catalyzed oxidation of human serum albumin (HSA) is characterized using a new analytical approach that involves tagging the modification site with multiple hydrazide reagents. Protein carbonyl formation at lysine and arginine residues was catalyzed with copper and iron ions, and the resulting oxidation patterns in HSA are contrasted. A total of 18 modification sites were identified with iron-ion catalysis and 14 with copper-ion catalysis. However, with the more stringent requirement of identification with at least two tagging reagents, the number of validated modification sites drops to 10 for iron and nine for copper. Of the 14 total validated sites, there were only five in common for the two metal ions. The results illustrate the value of using multiple tagging agents and highlight the selective and specific nature of metal-catalyzed protein oxidations.
Quality Matters: Content Literacy for English Language Learners

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require students to read and comprehend complex content texts. They specify three dimensions of a text that simultaneously contribute to text complexity across the curriculum: qualitative dimensions, quantitative dimensions, and reader and task considerations. In literacy instruction, recognizing and analyzing the qualitative dimension of a content text is the most challenging for teachers (Frey, Fisher, & Lapp, 2012). This article describes a TESOL course project to target the qualitative analysis of complex texts assigned to in-service content teachers pursuing a TESOL endorsement. Building on the definition of text complexity specified in the CCSS and drawing on the text analysis tools of systemic functional linguistics, the project requires the teachers to conduct a comparative qualitative analysis of two quantitatively comparable content texts to enhance their own understanding of text complexity in order to design effective teaching strategies to support content literacy development of English language learners. An analysis of two literary texts is presented to illustrate the breadth and depth of this project, with suggestions of teaching strategies.
Tax aspects of outpatient drug transactions in nonprofit hospitals

Tax issues related to sales of medications to outpatients by pharmacies in nonprofit hospitals are described. Hospitals are increasing their emphasis on development of ambulatory-care programs. Two aspects of the tax implications of such services are (1) whether revenue from sales of medications to ambulatory patients constitutes "unrelated business income" for the nonprofit hospital and thus is taxable and (2) whether engaging in dispensing of medications to ambulatory patients might jeopardize the tax-exempt status of the hospital. Various rulings from the Internal Revenue Service and court cases are reviewed. Sales of medications to members of the general public who are unrelated to the hospital are taxable. Sales of medications for the convenience of hospital patients, and irregular and intermittent sales to the public by a pharmacy that normally serves only "patients," are tax exempt. Sales of medications to the public probably do not jeopardize the tax-exempt status of a hospital so long as the primary purpose of the hospital is consistent with permissible tax-exempt purposes.
Gastric lesions in transforming growth factor β-1 heterozygous mice

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF beta 1) is known to inhibit the growth of many epithelial cell types in culture. Consequently, it is important to determine whether it has any tumor suppressor activity in vitro. Fifteen heterozygous and eight wild type TGF beta 1-deficient mice were examined to determine if there was a difference in lifespan or lesion development due to the loss of one TGF beta 1 allele. Mice were killed when there was evidence of neoplasia or severe illness. There was no significant difference in the lifespan of the two groups. Hyperplastic lesions in the glandular mucosa were seen in 10 TGF beta 1 (+/-) mice. These lesions were localized to the lesser curvature of the stomach, extending from the limiting ridge to the pylorus. Seven of the 10 glandular hyperplastic lesions in the TGF beta 1 (+/-) mice had features similar to human gastritis cystica profunda. Associated with the glandular invasion of the muscularis were a mixed inflammatory infiltration of the surrounding muscular wall and mucosa with chronic vasculitis in the tissues adjacent to these lesions. In contrast to the distinct genotypic differences in lesion incidence observed in the glandular stomach, there was no significant difference in lesion incidence in other organs. The increased incidence of the hyperplastic lesions in the TGF beta 1 (+/-) mice is highly suggestive that allelic loss of TGF beta 1 plays an important role in the genesis of these lesions. However, allelic loss of TGF beta 1 does not cause alterations in the incidence of neoplasia.
Where Are We, When Are We, and Who Are We to Each Other? Connectedness and the Evolving Meanings of International Education

Focusing on a new branch campus in South Korea of an American university, this paper examines connectedness and social identity for students who are already international by virtue of their secondary education abroad, as they return “home” for higher education. Such already international students are part of a relatively invisible population, excluded from aggregate calculations of “international students.” Drawing on a decade’s work on student diversity at the main US campus, a year at the Korea campus, and a range of written accounts from students in both campuses, this research considers their identity and connectedness from the perspective of a basic set of coordinates: which “where” are we, which “who” are you (or me or us), and how will that matter for our interaction?
Plant functional traits and environmental conditions shape community assembly and ecosystem functioning during restoration

Summary Recovering biological diversity and ecosystem functioning are primary objectives of ecological restoration, yet these outcomes are often unpredictable. Assessments based on functional traits may help with interpreting variability in both community composition and ecosystem functioning because of their mechanistic and generalizable nature. This promise remains poorly realized, however, because tests linking environmental conditions, functional traits, and ecosystem functioning in restoration are rare. Here, we provide such a test through what is to our knowledge the first empirical application of the ‘response–effect trait framework’ to restoration. This framework provides a trait-based bridge between community assembly and ecosystem functioning by describing how species respond to environmental conditions based on traits and how the traits of species affect ecosystem functioning. Our study took place across 29 prairies restored from former agricultural fields in southwestern Michigan. We considered how environmental conditions affect ecosystem functioning through and independently of measured functional traits. To do so, we paired field-collected trait data with data on plant community composition and measures of ecosystem functioning and used structural equation modelling to determine relationships between environmental conditions, community-weighted means of functional traits and ecosystem functioning. Environmental conditions were predictive of trait composition. Sites restored directly from tillage (as opposed to those allowed to fallow) supported taller species with larger seeds and higher specific leaf area (SLA). Site age and fire frequency were both negatively related to SLA. We also found a positive relationship between soil moisture and SLA. Both trait composition and environmental conditions predicted ecosystem functioning, but these relationships varied among the measured functions. Pollination mode (animal pollination) increased and fire frequency decreased floral resource availability, seed mass had a negative effect on below-ground biomass production, and vegetative height increased decomposition rate. Soil moisture and fire frequency both increased while site age decreased above-ground biomass production, and site age and soil moisture both increased decomposition rate. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that both trait composition and environmental conditions play a role in shaping ecosystem function during restoration, and the importance of each is dependent on the function of interest. Because of this, environmental heterogeneity will be necessary to promote multiple ecosystem functions across restored landscapes. A trait-based approach to restoration can aid interpretation of variable outcomes through insights into community assembly and ecosystem functioning.
Sediment velocity estimation using iterative 3-D migrations of short offset seismic reflection data in deep water

In deep ocean settings where water depth greatly exceeds the source-to-receiver length, the geometry is insufficient for accurate determinations of velocity from reflection-moveout. However, velocities are crucial for estimates of physical properties and image processing. ‘Focusing analyses’ with conventional post-stack two-dimensional migration improves images, but does not produce geologically meaningful velocities except in the special case of a two-dimensional earth. For the more general case of the three-dimensional earth there is no a priori method to determine the degree of geometrical complexity. We present a technique using a short-offset three-dimensional (3-D) data set over the 5 km deep trench west of the Lesser Antilles. These data illustrate highly sensitive post-stack 3-D focusing analyses (± 20 m s−1 interval velocities), and the relationship of these seismically derived velocities to rock velocities. In our Barbados example we were able to establish the presence of a widespread 80-160 m thick low-velocity zone at and above the main low-angle fault. This observation suggests the water-rich decollement ‘leaks’ water into the overlying sections. Also evident is a low-velocity section associated with turbidite sands. These results are confirmed with sparse logging data and well samples. Deep-water short offset 3-D experiments provide a potentially effective approach for velocity estimation, replacing the operational complexity of long-offsets with simpler short-offset techniques. In areas of structural complications and abundant diffracted energy, it is a surprisingly accurate method, utilizing the high fidelity 3-D wavefield and the information carried in ‘zero-offset’ diffraction ellipsoids. The velocity used to properly collapse a diffraction ellipsoid is explicitly the velocity of propagation in the media since the travel path is known exactly. Thus, the derived velocities should closely represent rock velocities, unlike the 2-D case where the propagation geometry is not known.
Numerical Response and Impact of Laricobius nigrinus (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) on Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) in Their Native Range.

To determine if key attributes for a successful biological control agent are possessed by the predator, Laricobius nigrinus Fender, field studies were conducted in its native range of Seattle, WA. The relationship between adult and immature L. nigrinus abundance to different densities of its prey, Adelges tsugae Annand, were determined. In a second study, predator and prey densities, and survivorship of each sistens A. tsugae stage were determined to gauge the impact of predation. The predator strongly aggregated and increased its reproduction when prey density increased, the two mechanisms of a numerical response. Immature predator–prey ratios were high and average prey density was low in comparison with invaded areas of the eastern United States. Survivorship of aestivating first-instar sistens A. tsugae was low and survivorship of each instar (second, third, and fourth) and adults was high and increased with each stage. When pooled, however, the survivorship of sistens second instar–ovisac stages was low primarily owing to L. nigrinus larval consumption of ovisacs. In its native range, L. nigrinus has key attributes of a successful biological control agent, such as a strong numerical response, high predator–prey ratios, and an important larval impact on A. tsugae populations. Demographic data could serve as important benchmarks for future studies to determine if L. nigrinus and other predators can regulate densities of A. tsugae below eastern hemlock’s physiological damage threshold in the eastern United States.
Disposition of Remifentanil in Obesity: A New Pharmacokinetic Model Incorporating the Influence of Body Mass.

Background The influence of obesity on the pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior of remifentanil is incompletely understood. The aim of the current investigation was to develop a new population PK model for remifentanil that would adequately characterize the influence of body weight (among other covariates, e.g., age) on the disposition of remifentanil in the general adult population. We hypothesized that age and various indices of body mass would be important covariates in the new model. Methods Nine previously published data sets containing 4,455 blood concentration measurements from 229 subjects were merged. A new PK model was built using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. Satisfactory model performance was assessed graphically and numerically; an internal, boot-strapping validation procedure was performed to determine the CIs of the model. Results Body weight, fat-free body mass, and age (but not body mass index) exhibited significant covariate effects on certain three-compartment model parameters. Visual and numerical assessments of model performance were satisfactory. The bootstrap procedure showed satisfactory CIs on all of the model parameters. Conclusions A new model estimated from a large, diverse data set provides the PK foundation for remifentanil dosing calculations in adult obese and elderly patients. It is suitable for use in target-controlled infusion systems and pharmacologic simulation.
Analysis of Surface Contamination from Chemical Cleaning and Ion Implantation

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has played an increasingly larger role in the development cycle of semiconductor products. This technique has be­come deeply involved in the determination of dopant distributions throughout the semiconductor films. At the same time, surface cleanliness requirements have in many cases fallen below the detectability limits of Auger and ESCA into the realm of SIMS.