cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Fat-Soluble Fluorescent Brighteners on Microorganisms

We have applied a fat-soluble fluorescent aid to certain microorganisms. The aid, a stilbyl triazole compound, fluoresced more in the presence of certain strains of flocculating brewing yeasts than in the presence of nonflocculating types. The work suggested the possibility that flocculating yeasts may possess more surface lipids than the nonflocculating organisms. The performance of the compound on rapidly growing cell centers and bacterial spores is described, and the possible application of the technique to other areas of microbiology is outlined.
External conversations: An unexpected discovery about the critical friend in action research inquiries

This article is a scholarly reflection of a novice researcher conducting an action research investigation as a professional developer working with a group of elementary teachers. By the third analy...
The Artificial Paradises. I. The Influence of Opium and Hashish on the Literature of French Romanticism and Les Fleur du Mal

(1971). The Artificial Paradises. I. The Influence of Opium and Hashish on the Literature of French Romanticism and Les Fleur du Mal. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 3, Drug Abuse 1971, pp. 107-109.
[3H]Chlorpromazine Photolabeling of the Torpedo Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Identifies Two State-Dependent Binding Sites in the Ion Channel

Chlorpromazine (CPZ), a potent nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) noncompetitive antagonist, binds with higher affinity in the ion channel in the desensitized state than in the closed channel state and with low affinity to additional sites in nAChR-rich membranes. For nAChR equilibrated with agonist, we confirm previous reports that [3H]CPZ occupies a site near the cytoplasmic end of the M2 ion channel domain, photolabeling positions M2−2, M2−6, and/or M2−9 in each subunit. We find that [3H]CPZ also binds at the extracellular end of the channel, photolabeling amino acids at positions M2−16 (α,γ), M2−17 (α,β,δ), and M2−20 (α,β,δ). The photolabeling at the cytoplasmic end of the channel is fully inhibitable by phencyclidine or proadifen, whereas neither drug inhibits [3H]CPZ photolabeling at the extracellular end, establishing that positively charged drugs can bind simultaneously at the cytoplasmic and extracellular ends of the ion channel. [3H]CPZ photolabeling is not detected in the transmembrane do...
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-dependent Modulation of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1A Expression Regulates Lipid Metabolism during Hematopoietic Cell Growth

An abundant supply of extracellular nutrients is believed to be sufficient to suppress catabolism of cellular macromolecules. Here we show that, despite abundant extracellular nutrients, interleukin-3-deprived hematopoietic cells begin to catabolize intracellular lipids. Constitutive Akt activation blunts the increased β-oxidation that accompanies growth factor withdrawal, and in growth factor-replete cells, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling is required to suppress lipid catabolism. Surprisingly, PI3K and Akt exert these effects by suppressing expression of the β-oxidation enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A). Cells expressing a short hairpin RNA against CPT1A fail to induce β-oxidation in response to growth factor withdrawal and are unable to survive glucose deprivation. When CPT1A is constitutively expressed, growth factor stimulation fails to repress β-oxidation. As a result, both net lipid synthesis and cell proliferation are diminished. Together, these results demonstrate that modulation of CPT1A expression by PI3K-dependent signaling is the major mechanism by which cells suppress β-oxidation during anabolic growth.
Transfection of Human Platelets with Short Interfering RNA

Platelets contain mRNAs and are capable of translating mRNA into protein, and it has been previously demonstrated that platelets increase their levels of integrin β3 overtime while in blood bank storage conditions. We are unaware of prior attempts to introduce nucleic acids into platelets. Considering the potential clinical and research utility of manipulating platelet gene expression, we tested whether small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) could be transfected into normal human platelets. Multiple conditions were tested, including lipofectamine versus electroporation, different amounts of siRNA, the effect of different buffers and the presence of plasma during transfection, and the time for optimal siRNA incorporation after transfection. Using flow cytometry to assess transfection efficiency, we found that optimal transfection was obtained using lipofectamine, washed platelets, and 400 pmoles siRNA. Cell sorting of transfected platelets suggested that the incorporated siRNA was able to knockdown the level of a targeted mRNA. This is the first ever demonstration that nucleic acids can be introduced directly into platelets, and offers proof of concept for manipulating gene expression in platelets by nonviral methods. Future technical improvements may permit improving the quality and/or lifespan of stored human platelets.
The Prognostic Significance of Pretreatment Hematologic Parameters in Patients Undergoing Resection for Colorectal Cancer

The prognostic value of several hematologic parameters, including platelet, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts, has been studied in a variety of solid tumors. In this study, we examined the significance of inflammatory markers and their prognostic implications in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients with stage I-III CRC who underwent surgical resection at the Stanford Cancer Institute between 2005 and 2009 were included. Patients were excluded if they did not have preoperative complete blood counts performed within 1 month of surgical resection, underwent preoperative chemotherapy or radiation, had metastatic disease at diagnosis, or had another previous malignancy. We included 129 eligible patients with available preoperative complete blood counts in the final analysis. A preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio of>3.3 was significantly associated with worse disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.009, 0.003), as was a preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio of ≤2.6 (P=0.01, 0.002). Preoperative lymphopenia (P=0.002) was associated with worse OS but not DFS (P=0.09). In addition, preoperative thrombocytosis was associated with worse DFS (P=0.006) and OS (P=0.010). Preoperative leukocytosis was associated with worse OS (P=0.048) but not DFS (P=0.49). Preoperative hemoglobin was neither associated with OS (P=0.24) or DFS (P=0.15). Pretreatment lymphopenia, thrombocytosis, a decreased lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and an elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio independently predict for worse OS in patients with CRC.
Comparing Distance Learning and Classroom Learning: Conceptual Considerations.

Abstract Comparison studies have been widely criticized as offering little conceptually to the field of distance learning. However, these studies can serve an important role in advancing our understanding of the phenomenon of distance education. The problem with comparison studies lies not in the “comparison,” but with the media/method confound. This article proposes a schema system based on media attribute theory that can be used to classify both media and delivery systems based on research related to learning and motivation. It is important that comparative studies explain more than just which technologies were used; they must also explain why and how the media and delivery systems were used to support learning and motivation.
Discussion: ‘The Scientific Model of Causality’:

Heckman advocates an approach to causal inference that draws upon structural modeling of the outcome(s) of interest (which he calls scientific), and he contrasts this approach sharply with that arising out of the statistical literature on experimentation. Drawing extensively on several previous papers—for example, Heckman (1997, 2000, 2001) and Heckman and Navarro-Lozano (2004)—Heckman goes even further here, arguing that the statistical literature on causal inference is incomplete because it does not attempt to model the process by which subjects are selected into treatments (or what statisticians have called the ‘‘treatment assignment mechanism’’) and that this literature confounds the task of defining parameters with the tasks of identifying and estimating these parameters. I shall return to these points later. But whereas Heckman distinguishes sharply between these approaches (and hence between certain literatures in economics and statistics), on balance I find the similarities in the approaches he discusses much more profound than the dissimilarities. To elaborate, while there has been and continues to be much philosophical
Density-dependent prenatal androgen exposure as an endogenous mechanism for the generation of cycles in small mammal populations

Abstract Small mammal populations exhibit cyclic fluctuations in their population densities. Several hypotheses regarding the mechanisms underlying these population cycles have been advanced, but none has yet gained general approval. We propose here an endogenous mechanism based on the masculinization of female offspring in response to increased population levels. High population levels trigger the non-specific stress response resulting in high levels of circulating androgens in individuals of the population, including pregnant females. These androgens masculinize female offspringin utero, thereby reducing the reproductive capacity of the next generation and subsequently the population size. We have developed and analysed a mathematical model to investigate the possible role of prenatal androgen exposure in the generation of limit cycles. We find the locus of Hopf bifurcations for this model and show that limit cycles depend on three parameters: (1) the delay between birth and sexual maturation; (2) the slope of the function that relates average prenatal androgen exposure to total population density; and (3) the difference between the maximum birth rates of the low- and high-androgen exposed females. We derive the analytical form relating these parameters at the Hopf-bifurcation locus and discuss its biological ramifications. In brief, in each of these three parameters is sufficiently large, population cycles will results from the endogenous mechanism proposed.
TISSUE WASTING IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, THE ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME, AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Malnutrition is common among individuals suffering from hypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), advanced HIV disease, and in patients with chronic, severe congestive heart failure. Although increased morbidity and mortality has been associated with weight loss in these conditions, the pathophysiology of malnutrition remains somewhat unclear for each. In COPD, the primary postulated mechanism is hypermetabolism resulting in elevated total caloric expenditure arising from increased airway resistance, increased 02 cost of ventilation, increased dietary induced thermogenesis, inefficient substrate use and perhaps, increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. In AIDS, postulated mechanisms include hypermetabolism arising from increased activation of proinflammatory cytokines, along with futile cycling of fatty acids and de novo lipogenesis early in the course of HIV infection; intestinal malabsorption and anorexia also play a role in many inflicted individuals. In cardiac cachexia, dietary and metabolic factors, and levels and activity of cytokines, thyroid hormone, catecholamines and cortisol have been suggested as being responsible for causing weight loss in a most cases.
The measurement of end-user software involvement

User involvement in the design of computer-based information systems is broadly accepted as one of the essential principles of information systems development. The MIS literature has devoted considerable attention to the relationship between user involvement and MIS success. In reviewing this literature, Ives and Olson find that user involvement research is characterized by weak measures and conflicting results. They contend that the lack of a conceptual foundation to guide measurement development and the absence of a rigorous program of measurement validation limit our understanding of the nature and efficacy of user involvement. In the near future, much of the use of computers by non-data processing processionals will be conducted in an end-user computing environment. This paper describes efforts to develop an instrument for measuring end-user involvement in the development of a specific application. A factor analysis reveals three dimensions of end-user involvement identified as systems analysis, implementation, and administration. Discriminant validity of these factors is assessed. Using partial correlation, the relative efficacy of involvement in systems analysis vis-a-vis implementation or administration is examined. The results suggest an eight item involvement scale that focuses on project initiation and systems analysis activities. Evidence of the instrument's reliability and validity by nature and type of application is presented.
Acquired Hormonal Dependence of Milk Protein Synthesis in Mammary Carcinoma Cells

In order to study how mechanisms which control hormone-dependent genetic expres-sion may be altered in cancer cells, the synthesis of specific milk proteins by cells of the R3230AC mammary carcinoma was measured. Synthesis of 32P-casein components and lactose synthetase activity can be detected in these cells. 17β-Estradiol interacts with R3230AC mammary carcinoma cells to augment lactose synthetase activity and increase the rate of casein synthesis 3- to 4-fold. The relative rates of synthesis of the various casein components after estradiol treatment are similar to those observed in lactational cells. However, the absolute levels of casein synthesis and lactose synthetase activity in the stimulated cells were only 10% of those of normal lactational cells, reflecting a possible interplay between an altered growth regulatory mechanism and the mechanisms which control genetic expression in normal cells. Studies which compared the hormonal requirements for milk protein synthesis in normal and neoplastic cel...
Effects of cellular uncoupling on conduction in anisotropic canine ventricular myocardium.

Experiments were performed on canine superfused ventricular epicardial tissue slices to determine the effects of 1.0-2.0 mM heptanol, an uncoupling agent, on conduction longitudinal and transverse to myocardial fiber orientation. Conduction velocities were measured between proximal and distal pairs of epicardial electrodes oriented transverse and longitudinal to the direction of a conducted wavefront evoked by pacing at a basic cycle length of 2,000 msec from one margin of the tissue before and after the addition of heptanol. In a separate group of tissues, the dual bipolar orthogonal electrode was used to sequentially map epicardial activation at 40 to 45 sites in a 1 cm x 2 cm area before and 30 minutes after the introduction of heptanol. In a third group of tissues, transmembrane potentials were recorded with standard microelectrode techniques to determine the effects of heptanol on action potential characteristics. Heptanol did not significantly effect action potential amplitude or maximum rate of depolarization. After 1.0 mM heptanol, conduction velocity began to decrease in 1-2 minutes and reached a steady state in 15-20 minutes. Conduction velocity in the longitudinal direction decreased from a control value of 0.56 +/- 0.13 to 0.46 +/- 0.10 M/sec (+/- SD) at 30 minutes after heptanol (p = 0.005). In the transverse direction, it decreased from 0.24 +/- 0.09 to 0.17 +/- 0.05 M/sec (p = 0.002). The ratio of longitudinal to transverse conduction velocities increased from 2.54 +/- 1.00 to 2.94 +/- 0.82 (p = 0.042). Thus, heptanol preferentially slowed conduction in the transverse direction. Because heptanol did not greatly influence active membrane properties, we used cable equations to calculate the time course of the change in effective junctional resistivity, which rose from 133.2 omega.cm before heptanol to 312.2 omega.cm 30 minutes after heptanol administration. We conclude that heptanol slows conduction velocity by selectively increasing junctional resistivity. The preferential slowing of conduction in the transverse direction is most likely due to the fact that more junctional resistances are encountered per unit distance in the transverse than in the longitudinal direction.
The measurement unit problem in estimating demand systems

Abstract When demand systems are estimated from cross-sectional data, confusion regarding the choice of measurement units may arise. We show how two types of measurement units may affect the estimation of demand models.
An Evaluation of a Parent-Developed, Parent-Run Parent Education Program

This article reports on a new approach to parent education in which a group of parents developed a parent education curriculum and facilitated the program. The approach is based upon a model of empowerment that asserts that parents, working collectively, can affect meaningful change in their lives. After describing the HOPE (Helping Our Parents to be Educators) Project, the article explores whether the program successfully influenced parents' abilities to parent well. Using a repeated-measures model, the study found that participation resulted in improved communication within the family, enhanced social support, better attitudes toward the child, and increased parental empowerment.
Timing isn't everything

Synaptic long-term potentiation and depression are determined by the frequency and timing of coactivated synapses. A new model explains many experimental plasticity observations and allows new predictions about neural circuit function.
On the midlatitude thermal response to tropical warmth

[1] Observations reveal a global-scale thermal response to El Nino and La Nina, featuring a band of tropospheric anomalies opposite in sign to those in the tropics. When an idealized dynamical model is forced by increased tropical heating, a similar response, with an enhanced subtropical thermal gradient, results. In the idealized model, this response is produced by changes in transient eddy fluxes of heat and momentum, and consequent changes in the mean meridional circulation. The similarity between the two-level model results and those from observations, as well as the zonally averaged behavior of a GCM, suggests that the same dynamics operate in nature. This represents a tropical-midlatitude teleconnection distinct from and in addition to that mediated by stationary Rossby wave trains.
A survey of biostatistical consulting units throughout north america

Abstract Individuals who direct units providing biostatistical services in the area of health care frequently encounter a number of issues and problems common to this setting. To facilitate the exchange of ideas and solutions, we conducted a survey of leaders of groups providing biostatistical services in health care research settings throughout the United States and Canada. The survey included information regarding the organizational structures, salary ranges, sources of funding, computer resources, and operational concerns of these units. Respondents identified recruitment of qualified biostatisticians, inadequate institutional funding, lack of coauthorship on collaborative manuscripts, and inadequate time for independent research as major issues. Possible solutions and recommendations regarding these issues were discussed at a meeting of the heads of 19 units participating in the survey. This group, the Heads of Units of Biostatistics (HUBS), continues to meet biannually to discuss these common concern...
The diurnal cycle of outgoing longwave radiation from Earth Radiation Budget Experiment measurements

Abstract The diurnal cycle of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) from the earth is analyzed by decomposing satellite observations into a set of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). The observations are from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanning radiometer aboard the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite, which had a precessing orbit with 57° inclination. The diurnal cycles of land and ocean differ considerably. The first EOF for land accounts for 73% to 85% of the variance, whereas the first EOF for ocean accounts for only 16% to 20% of the variance, depending on season. The diurnal cycle for land is surprisingly symmetric about local noon for the first EOF, which is approximately a half-sine during day and flat at night. The second EOF describes lead–lag effects due to surface heating and cloud formation. For the ocean, the first EOF and second EOF are similar to that of land, except for spring, when the first ocean EOF is a semidiurnal cycle and the second ocean EOF is the half-sine. The fir...
Hyperfibrinolysis and acquired factor XIII deficiency in newly diagnosed pediatric malignancies

Bleeding events in patients with leukemia or malignant tumors can seriously complicate diagnostic interventions or therapeutic procedures, and may increase cancer-associated morbidity and mortality. Bleeding signs due to thrombocytopenia are frequent, especially in patients with malignant
Multiple Bilayer Dipalmitoylphosphatidylserine LB Films Stabilized with Transition Metal Ions

Langmuir−Blodgett films of dipalmitoyl-dl-α-phosphatidyl-l-serine (DPPS) have been transferred from aqueous subphases containing the 0.1 mM transition metal compounds K2PdCl4, K2PtCl4, K2Pt(CN)4, KAuCl4, and Cd[ClO4]2. This report provides a detailed description of the formation and structural characterization of the multiple bilayer films of DPPS that are formed. The films were characterized through a combination of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and solid-state 31P NMR. The results show that the films are layered, there are two types of DPPS molecule in the films, and the metals are incorporated as positive ions that bridge phospholipids by complexing amines of the serine headgroups. Water molecules likely occupy the remaining coordination sites of the metal complexes, leading to a proposed stoichiometry of [Pt(DPPS-)2(OH2)2](DPPS)4. The metal ions stabilize film formation by screening repulsive interactions betw...
ION SHEATH EFFECTS NEAR ANTENNAS RADIATING WITHIN THE IONOSPHERE

A theoretical treatment of the electron displacement in the vicinity of a linear cylindrical antenna immersed in the ionosphere has been developed which explains the surprisingly thick ion sheaths that have been observed experimentally when large RF voltages are applied to the antenna. The force that displaces the electrons is obtained from numerical solutions to the nonlinear differential equation describing their motion, and the results are found to be consistent with the observations.
CLONING AND SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF THE CDNA FOR A PROTEIN FROM COCCIDIOIDES IMMITIS WITH IMMUNOGENIC POTENTIAL

Abstract We have cloned and sequenced the cDNA encoding an immunoreactive protein from the pathogenic fungusCoccidioides immitiswhich stimulates human T cells and has been associated with protective vaccines in mice. The transcript contained an open reading frame encoding 194 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 19.5 kDa, a 151 base 5′ untranslated region (UTR), and a 468 base 3′UTR. A four member repeat motif, usually thr-ala-glu-pro, exists for amino acids 98 through 141. Deduced amino acid sequence derived from the cDNA was identical with previously determined internal amino acid sequence from the native protein, and goat antiserum raised against the purified fungal protein reacted with an inducible fusion protein translated from this cDNA. Using this cDNA to produce recombinant protein will allow direct testing of its role in human immunity to coccidioidomycosis and may lead to new diagnostic tests.
Steady and dynamic models of fuel and air flow in carburetors for small engines

This work presents the mathematical model of a complex flow network containing short metering orifices, compressible flow, and two-phase flow in small diameter pipes. It has been developed to study the steady and dynamic flows in a carburetor for small engines. It extends the previously published models by incorporating a detailed review of two-phase flow pressure drop, the effect of the fuel well on the control of air-bleed flow, and dynamic flow. The homogeneous two-phase flow model, which is commonly used in previous models, was compared to an empirical correlation derived from experiments in small pipes and found to be in poor agreement. In order to assess dynamic flow conditions, the model was extended by solving instantaneous one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in single-phase pipes. This strategy proved successful in explaining the mixture enrichment seen under pulsating flow conditions. The model was also used to derive a sensitivity analysis of geometries and physical properties of air and fuel.
On the lattice theory, free volume theory, and effective volume theory of the thermodynamics of polymer solutions

Abstract The lattice theory [1, 2] of the thermodynamics of polymer solutions introduced in the early 1940s has been very useful for qualitatively explaining the state of polymer chains in solution. However, the model also contained unreasonable postulations. On this Flory stated in his book published in 1953 [3], “The adoption of a lattice scheme is not in itself a necessarily hazardous idealization. The succeeding postulate, namely, that the same lattice may be used to describe the configurations of both pure components and of the solution, is a much more serious one from the standpoint of application to real solutions. It requires (among other things) that the geometry of the two molecular species be virtually identical”. Further discussion is given under the heading “Approximations and Limitations of the Lattice Treatment”, where another important limitation is stated by the closing comment: “of importance here is the realization that the theory as developed so far is inappropriate, generally speaking...
Multiple opiate receptors in guinea-pig ileum.

Abstract Actions of the prototypic μ-, κ-, and σ-opiate receptor agonists, morphine (M) ketocyclazocine (K) and SKF-10,047. (S), respectively, were examined and differentiated using the guinea-pig ileum preparation. S, like M and K, depressed the electrically stimulated ileum. Naloxone antagonized the depressant actions of the prototypic drugs with different potencies. PA2 values of naloxone for M, K, and S, respectively, were 8.81, 7.58 and 7.74. Relative cross tolerance of each prototypic drug to normorphine, a comparison standard, was also examined in morphine-pretreated ilea and quantitatively estimated as follows: (1) the median effective dose of each drug and of the standard drug normorphine were determined in the nontolerant ileum (IC50NT) and in ilea with varying degrees of tolerance IC50T); (2) cross-tolerance ratios (IC50T/IC50NT) of each drug and of normorphine were calculated for the varying degrees of tolerance; (3) cross-tolerance ratios of each drug were plotted against those of normorphine, the data were fit by a least squares straight line, and the slope of the line determined as the Relative Cross Tolerance Index (RCTI). RCTI for M was 2.21. K and S, however, had lower RCTI's of 0.44 and 0.64 respectively. In the morphine-pretreated tolerant ilea, slopes of the dose response curves of the prototypic drugs were found to differ: while M and K possessed steep and constant slopes for ilea with different degrees of tolerance, the slopes for S became shallower as ilea became more tolerant to morphine. A maximum ceiling effect of less than 50% depression was obtained for S in the most highly tolerant ilea. The above observations are consistent with possible existence of the three types of hypothesized opiate receptors in the guinea-pig ileum.
Regulation and Biological Effect of Endogenous Insulin- Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-5 in Human Osteoblastic Cells*

U-2 human osteosarcoma cells secrete a 29/32/34 kilodalton (kDa) insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) identified as O-glycosylated IGFBP-5. Treatment of U-2 cells with IGF-I markedly increased medium levels of IGFBP-5 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner; other skeletal regulatory factors (GH, insulin, PTH, dexamethasone, beta-estradiol, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, transforming growth factor-beta) had no effect. IGF-I increased IGFBP-5 levels in the culture medium 10-fold without influencing IGFBP-5 messenger RNA abundance. IGF-I, IGF-II, and the IGF-I analog [1-27Gly(4)38-70] IGF-I bound IGFBP-5 with high affinity and, when added to U-2 cultures, effectively promoted IGFBP-5 accumulation in the medium. On the other hand, des(1-3)IGF-I and [QAYL]IGF-I, IGF-I analogs that did not bind IGFBP-5, failed to elicit an increase in medium IGFBP-5. Cell-free incubation of recombinant human (rh) IGFBP-5 in U-2 conditioned medium resulted in a marked reduction of detectable rhIGFBP-5; the presen...
Immune Response and Resistance to Stress and Edwardsiella ictaluri Challenge in Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Fed Diets Containing Commercial Whole‐Cell Yeast or Yeast Subcomponents

Dietary supplementation of yeast or yeast subcomponents (YYS) as commercial preparations of β-glucan (MacroGard®; Biotec-Mackzymal, Tromso, Norway; and Betagard A®; Aqua-In-Tech, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA), mannan oligosaccharide (Bio-Mos™ Aqua Grade; Alltech, Nicholasville, KY, USA), or whole-cell Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Levucell SB20®; Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI, USA) at the manufacturer’s recommended levels was evaluated on the physiological performance of juvenile channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Fish were fed YYS diets for 4 wk, followed by 2 wk of control diet. Fish were sampled at the end of each feeding period (4 and 6 wk) to measure hematological and immune parameters and growth and to determine the effects of dietary β-glucan on resistance to Edwardsiella ictaluri infection and to low-water stress (6 wk). Supplementation of YYS in diets did not affect growth performance, hematology, or immune function. Survival from E. ictaluri infection was from 5 to 17.5% higher in fish fed YYS diets than in the control group, but the increases were not significant. Some improvement in stress resistance was observed in YYS-fed catfish after exposure to low-water stress. Stress reduction in fish fed diets supplemented with yeast subcomponents has been reported previously, but thus far, no explanation has been proposed for this effect. The present study and the previously published research suggest that dietary YYS supplementation does not appear to improve resistance of channel catfish to E. ictaluri.
Palivizumab, pneumococcal and influenza vaccination in cystic fibrosis

Respiratory exacerbations of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease have been associated with increased mortality, hospitalization, antibiotic administration, health costs and diminished quality of life. Preventive strategies such as vaccination against common respiratory pathogens have been developed to reduce the frequency of pulmonary exacerbations.1 Children with CF are vaccinated as per the normal childhood vaccination schedule. They are equally at risk from the common childhood diseases but are particularly susceptible to respiratory complications. Young children with CF may miss out on the normal immunizations schedule through illness and general practitioners need to be aware that cough is not a reason to withhold or delay vaccination. Adults may be more susceptible to infections despite being vaccinated in infancy as immunity reduces over time. The extent of damage caused by vaccine preventable diseases in CF is not known.2 The potential benefit of supplemental vaccination strategies is discussed below.
Corticosterone stress response in tree swallows nesting near polychlorinated biphenyl- and dioxin-contaminated rivers

We assayed baseline and stress-induced corticosterone concentrations from adult female and nestling tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, from New England, U.S.A., sites with different levels of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Corticosterone was compared over 2 years from a highly contaminated PCB site along the Housatonic River (Berkshire County, MA, USA), a midrange contaminated site upstream, and a reference site. Adult females (n=29), sampled only in 2003, showed an inverted-U association with PCBs, with higher stress-induced corticosterone with midrange contamination than at the high-contamination site. In nestlings, stress-induced corticosterone was highest for the highly contaminated site compared with the other sites in 2003 (n=53, 29 nests), with no difference among sites in 2004 (n=93, 27 nests). In 2004, we began testing mechanisms underlying these changes in nestlings at the high- and low-PCB sites. Corticosterone response to dexamethasone injection (used to test negative feedback) was not different between sites, but stress-induced corticosterone was reduced at the contaminated site after adrenocorticotropin hormone injection (used to test adrenal responsiveness), suggesting an inhibited ability to mount a stress response. We also compared nestlings from a stretch of the Woonasquatucket River, Rhode Island, U.S.A., heavily contaminated with TCDD (n=80, 43 nests) with nestlings from an upstream site that had lower levels of TCDD and the Berkshire County reference site. Although there were no stress-induced differences, baseline corticosterone was lower at the higher TCDD site than at the reference site. Altogether these findings suggest that tree swallows chronically exposed to high PCB and TCDD levels exhibit altered baseline and stress-induced corticosterone responses, but the patterns of alteration might not be predictable.
Not All Laughs are Alike: Voiced but Not Unvoiced Laughter Readily Elicits Positive Affect

We tested whether listeners are differentially responsive to the presence or absence of voicing, a salient, distinguishing acoustic feature, in laughter. Each of 128 participants rated 50 voiced and 20 unvoiced laughs twice according to one of five different rating strategies. Results were highly consistent regardless of whether participants rated their own emotional responses, likely responses of other people, or one of three perceived attributes concerning the laughers, thus indicating that participants were experiencing similarly differentiated affective responses in all these cases. Specifically, voiced, songlike laughs were significantly more likely to elicit positive responses than were variants such as unvoiced grunts, pants, and snortlike sounds. Participants were also highly consistent in their relative dislike of these other sounds, especially those produced by females. Based on these results, we argue that laughers use the acoustic features of their vocalizations to shape listener affect.
Electrical and Optical Properties of a IV-VI Semiconductor Structure on Silicon

Recent optical characterization results obtained from a IV-VI semiconductor structure containing a 30 nm PbSe multiple quantum well (MQW) active region sandwiched between PbSrSe/BaF2 top and bottom distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) on silicon are described.
A zero-input interface for leveraging group experience in web browsing

The experience of a trusted group of colleagues can help users improve the quality and focus of their browsing and searching activities. How could a system provide such help, when and where the users need it, without disrupting their normal work activities? This paper describes Context-Aware Proxy based System (CAPS), an agent that recommends pages and annotates links to reveal their relative popularity among the users colleagues, matched with their automatically computed interest profiles. A Web proxy tracks browsing habits, so CAPS requires no explicit input from the user. We review here CAPS design principles and implementation. We tested user satisfaction with the interface and the accuracy of the ranking algorithm. These experiments indicate that CAPS has high potential to support effective ranking for quality judgment - by users
Modeling and Sensing Issues for Machine Diagnostics

As motivated by the need to develop automated machine diagnostics for manufacturing systems, modeling and sensing issues for model based diagnostic systems are explored. Developing models of machine systems are argued to be important for accurately isolating and interpreting machine fault signals obtained from remote sensors. The idea of modeling faults as an unknown inputs to a model of the normally operating machine is introduced. A simultaneous state and input observer can then be used to determine the number of sensors and possible sensor locations required to observe the fault inputs. This technique is demonstrated by detecting a bearing fault in a computer simulated machine tool spindle system. Good results are obtained although the results are shown to be sensitive to measurement noise. Methods for dealing with the noise are discussed. Modeling faults as inputs to a model and monitoring them with a state and input observer appears to be a promising machine diagnostics technique.
Effect of cellular senescence on the albumin permeability of blood-derived endothelial cells.

In this study, we tested the hypotheses that endothelial cells (ECs) derived from human umbilical cord blood (hCB-ECs) exhibit low permeability, which increases as hCB-ECs age and undergo senescenc...
Morphological control of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent signals.

Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated calcium signals represent an important mechanism for transmitting external stimuli to the cell. However, information about intracellular spatial patterns of InsP3 itself is not generally available. In particular, it has not been determined how the interplay of InsP3 generation, diffusion, and degradation within complex cellular geometries can control the patterns of InsP3 signaling. Here, we explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of [InsP3]cyt during a bradykinin-induced calcium wave in a neuroblastoma cell. This is achieved by using a unique image-based computer modeling system, Virtual Cell, to integrate experimental data on the rates and spatial distributions of the key molecular components of the process. We conclude that the characteristic calcium dynamics requires rapid, high-amplitude production of [InsP3]cyt in the neurite. This requisite InsP3 spatiotemporal profile is provided, in turn, as an intrinsic consequence of the cell's morphology, demonstrating how geometry can locally and dramatically intensify cytosolic signals that originate at the plasma membrane. In addition, the model predicts, and experiments confirm, that stimulation of just the neurite, but not the soma or growth cone, is sufficient to generate a calcium response throughout the cell.
Laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) do not use binaural phase differences to localize sound

The ability of Norway rats to use binaural time- and intensity-difference cues to localize sound was investigated by determining their ability to localize pure tones from 500 Hz to 32 kHz. In addition, their ability to use the binaural time cues present in the envelope of a signal was determined by presenting them with a 1-kHz tone that was amplitude modulated at either 250 or 500 Hz. Although the animals were easily able to localize tones above 2 kHz, indicating that they could use the binaural intensity-difference cue, they were virtually unable to localize the lower-frequency stimuli, indicating that they could not use the binaural phase (time) cue. Although some animals showed a residual ability to localize low-frequency tones, control tests indicated that they were using the transient interaural intensity difference in the onset of a sound that exists after it reaches the near ear but before it reaches the far ear. Thus, in contrast to earlier studies, we conclude that the Norway rat is unable to use the ongoing time cues available in low-frequency tones to localize sound, raising the possibility that the rat may not use interaural time differences to localize sound.
Ergodic computations with continued fractions and Jacobi's algorithm

Ergodic computational aspects of the Jacobi algorithm, a generalization to two dimensions of the continued fraction algorithm, are considered. By means of such computations the entropy of the algorithm is estimated to be 3.5. An approximation to the invariant measure of the transformation associated with the algorithm is obtained. The computations are tested by application to the continued fraction algorithm for which both entropy and the invariant measure are known.
Modeling discharge deposit formation and its effect on lithium-air battery performance

Lithium-air batteries show a great promise in electrochemical energy storage with their theoretical specific energy comparable to gasoline. Discharge products such as Li2O2 or Li2CO3 are insoluble in several major nonaqueous electrolytes, and consequently precipitate at the reaction sites. These materials are also low in electric conductivity. As a result, the reduced pore space and electrode passiviation increase the reaction resistance and consequently reduce discharge voltage and capability. This work presents a modeling study of discharge product precipitation and effects for lithium-air batteries. Theoretical analysis is also performed to evaluate the variations of important quantities including temperature, species concentrations, and electric potentials. Precipitation growth modes on planar, cylindrical and spherical surfaces are discussed. A new approach, following the study of ice formation in PEM fuel cells, is proposed. Validation is carried out against experimental data in terms of discharge voltage loss.
The effect of acute treadmill walking on cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent children

The effect of an acute bout of moderate treadmill walking on behavioral and neuroelectric indexes of the cog- nitive control of attention and applied aspects of cognition involved in school-based academic performance were as- sessed. A within-subjects design included 20 preadolescent participants (age9.50.5 years; eight female) to assess ex- ercise-induced changes in performance during a modified flanker task and the Wide Range Achievement Test 3. The resting session consisted of cognitive testing followed by a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment to determine aerobic fitness. The exercise session consisted of 20 min of walking on a motor-driven treadmill at 60% of estimated maximum heart rate followed by cognitive testing once heart rate re- turned to within 10% of pre-exercise levels. Results indicated an improvement in response accuracy, larger P3 amplitude, and better performance on the academic achievement test following aerobic exercise relative to the resting session. Collectively, these findings indicate that single, acute bouts of moderately-intense aerobic exercise (i.e. walking) may im- prove the cognitive control of attention in preadolescent chil- dren, and further support the use of moderate acute exercise as a contributing factor for increasing attention and aca- demic performance. These data suggest that single bouts of exercise affect specific underlying processes that support cognitive health and may be necessary for effective function- ing across the lifespan. © 2009 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
On Philosophy in American Law: Jurisprudence: Beyond Extinction?

Of the various subjects of legal study, jurisprudence is the one in which the most momentous and profound questions about law are addressed, or in which, as Holmes put it, we might hope to "connect . . . with the universe and catch an echo of the infinite." Or so we might suppose . . . but it seems we would be wrong. In recent years, at least, the questions addressed under the headings of "jurisprudence" or "philosophy of law" hold little interest for any but the purest (i.e., the most incorrigibly academic) of theorists. It is hard to resist the impression that the questions are merely semantic, and that some of the most powerful minds in the profession are amusing themselves with word play. How to account for this peculiar state of affairs? Is jurisprudence a dinosaur that has outlived its time? This essay, written for a general-audience symposium collecting short interpretations of the state of jurisprudence today, reflects on those questions, and suggests that classic jurisprudential claims and questions have been translated into a secular vocabulary and framework that deprive them of their meaning and significance.
ED evaluation and management of implantable cardiac defibrillator electrical shocks

Patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators not infrequently present to the emergency department after experiencing an implantable cardiac defibrillator shock. This review considers the management of such patients in the emergency department, including appropriate, inappropriate, and phantom shocks as well as electrical storm.
Demonstration of the Properties A, B, M, N and Rh in Red-Cell Stromata.

SummaryFrom 250 cc of packed erythrocytes approximately 10 cc of red-cell stromata can be obtained. The titers of the group substances, A, B, and Rh, in the stromata are almost proportionately higher than the corresponding titers of the original erythrocytes. However, the calculated rise in titer was not obtained for properties M and N, suggesting that these may have been damaged by the processing of the cells. The possible use of red-cell stromata for treating sensitized Rh-negative individuals is discussed.
The Eighth International Workshop on the Biology of Lactation in Farm Animals: introduction.

This volume represents the span of invited papers presented at the Eighth International Workshop on the Biology of Lactation in Farm Animals (BOLFA) held in Pirassununga, Brazil, August 21 to 23, 2006. That meeting was the first BOLFA workshop not held as a companion to a European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) or American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) meeting, and the first outside of North America or Europe. Despite these venue departures from the norm, the workshop format of interactive discussion on topics related to milk production in farm animal species was unchanged. This volume begins with a paper from Antonella Baldi’s group (Baldi et al., 2008) that provides a historical perspective of previous BOLFA workshops with an emphasis on nutritional factors that influence mammary function. It sets the stage for the later papers that consider aspects of milking management and mastitis treatment to improve milk yield in farm animal species. The next series of contributions focus on environmental and management influences on mammary function. Dahl (2008) summarizes recent developments in the study of photoperiod exposure during the dry period and develops a hypothesis that prolactin-mediated events influence mammary cell turnover and metabolic gene expression in the liver. These findings lead to a discussion of similarities between photoperiodic and thermal influences on prolactin-related responses, and the potential for a common pathway for environmental effects. Without competent milk ejection, lactation fails. More thorough understanding of what stressors lead to disruptions in the milk ejection reflex, or inhibit it completely, will allow for the development of new meth-
Respiratory pathogenicity of Brucella.

references to infection via the respiratory route by the Brucella group either in the experimental or natural animal and human disease. In the original studies of the Mediterranean Fever Commission, Shaw1 was able to demonstrate infection in monkeys by intranasal instillation of Br. melitensis, but only after repeated exposure of each of two animals. No data concerning the doses or virulence of the organisms were presented in Shaw's report. Many investigators have reported observations on human cases which have led them to suspect strongly the possibility of acquiring Brucella infection by inhalation. The number of reports of Brucella infections in which pulmonary localization have been seen is still small and experiments designed to investigate the type and severity of infection via the respiratory route seemed desirable.