cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect on the Zinc Content and Physiological and Biochemical Property of Zinc-rich Rice of Different Direct-planting Density

Zinc-rich rice plants were used as materials to investigate the influence on the zinc content and physiological and biochemical characteristics of stem,leaf and grain under the different direct-planting density,including superoxide dismutase(SOD),phenylalanine solution ammonia enzyme(PAL),polyphenol oxidase(PPO),catalase(CAT) activities and chlorophyll content,etc.The results showed that the direct-planting density have a certain influence on the zinc content and that the zinc content decreased with direct-planting density increasing,while it had little effect on the various enzyme activity.The results also found that the activity of various enzymes in leaves were the highest,then in the stems,and the last in the seeds.Generally considered,it is appropriate to sow zinc-rich rice in between 7500 and 8250 kg/km2 of the seeding rate of planting densities.At that time,the enzyme activity,chlorophyll and zinc content are higher than those of other planting density.
Retention Testing Methodology for STTRAM

Spin-torque transfer RAM (STTRAM) is a promising memory technology due to its low power, high speed, and robustness. However, the shift of retention time from a few years to a few microseconds due to temperature, thermal, statistical, and stochastic variations makes retention testing nontrivial and time consuming. This article analyzes the impact of process variation, temperature, and disturb current on data retention. It provides a design-for-test (DFT) solution to reduce the test time by incorporating a weak write test mode to effectively screen the weak bits from other strong bits. Additionally, it presents an at-burn-in technique and an after-burn-in technique to test data retention. These techniques compress the retention time test to the order of microseconds.
Female Reproductive System Cytology

This chapter describes mimics (benign lesions that can be mistaken for dysplasia or carcinoma) and confounders (malignant lesions that can be mistaken for benign entities) occurring in a Pap-stained monolayer preparation of the cervix/vagina.
Metallic Character of the Al2O3(0001)-(√31 × √31)R ± 9° Surface Reconstruction†

The basal (0001) surface plane of α-Al2O3 has been extensively studied both by experimental techniques and applications of theory. Although this surface is not easily created upon cleavage, it grows in during aluminum oxidation and has been shown to be one of the lowest energy surfaces of alumina. Upon heating under vacuum, this (0001) surface of α-Al2O3 undergoes a series of reconstructions. The final structure obtained at ∼1700 K is an air-stable termination known as the ( × )R ± 9° reconstruction. Alternatively, this reconstructed surface can also be obtained at lower temperatures by aluminum deposition on a clean Al2O3 (1 × 1) basal plane surface. Applying density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation to a model surface, we show that the transformation from the (1 × 1) termination to ( × )R ± 9° is accompanied by a dramatic change in the band gap associated with the ceramic's surface. Specifically, the (1 × 1) termination is insulating for both surface and deeper “bulk-like” ...
Abstract IA02: Tumor plasticity and reactive stroma in breast cancer metastasis

Metastasis represents the most devastating stage of cancer progression. The multi-step cascade of cancer metastasis is driven by both intrinsic changes of cancer cell properties, as well as the stromal reaction to tumor cells. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex process that is associated with dramatic changes in cell adhesion, polarity, and migratory properties, and is intimately associated both with cell fate transitions during embryonic development and with the acquisition of invasive properties during early steps of cancer metastasis. We found that the transcription factor Elf5, a key regulator of alveologenesis in the mammary gland, regulates EMT in both mammary gland development and metastasis. This specific role for Elf5 in suppressing EMT and metastasis was uncovered via analyses of Elf5 conditional knockout animals, various in vitro and in vivo models of EMT and metastasis, an MMTV-neu transgenic model of mammary gland tumor progression, and clinical breast cancer samples. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this role of Elf5 is mediated by the direct transcriptional repression of Snail2/Slug, a master regulator of mammary stem cells and a known inducer of EMT. These findings establish a broad molecular function of Elf5 that extends from being a key cell lineage regulator during normal mammary gland development to serving as a suppressor of EMT and metastasis in breast cancer. The growth of disseminated tumor cells at distant organs represents a critical final stage of metastasis development. Bone metastasis is a frequent occurrence in breast cancer, affecting more than 70% of late stage cancer patients. Increasing evidence suggest that the development of bone metastasis relies on the positive feedbacks from stromal components of the bone microenvironment. Using in vivo imaging technology, we showed that TGFβ is released from bone matrix upon bone destruction, and signals to breast cancer to further enhance their malignancy in developing bone metastasis. We furthered identified Jagged1 as a TGFβ target genes in tumor cells that engaged bone stromal cells through the activation of Notch signaling to provide a positive feedback to promote tumor growth and to activate osteoclast differentiation. More recently, we identified osteoclast-derived miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of osteolytic bone metastasis. Importantly, pharmaceutical inhibitors against TGFβ and Notch signaling pathways and miRNAs blocking osteoclast differentiation significantly reduce the development of bone metastasis, suggesting novel avenues for clinical management of skeletal complications of breast cancer. Citation Format: Yibin Kang. Tumor plasticity and reactive stroma in breast cancer metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research: Genetics, Biology, and Clinical Applications; Oct 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2013;11(10 Suppl):Abstract nr IA02.
Outcomes of Prosthetic Reconstruction of Irradiated and Nonirradiated Breasts with Fat Grafting.

Background:Fat grafting may be beneficial in prosthetic reconstruction of irradiated tissues, but there is a paucity of data on the complication rates associated with this clinical scenario.Methods:All consecutive patients who had undergone fat grafting and prosthetic reconstruction from 2010 to 201
Understanding the Competitive Landscape of News Providers on Social Media

Social media has emerged as a mechanism for online news propagation. This in turn has changed the competitive landscape of news providers, a landscape that was previously partitioned based on the traditional channels of news dispersion. The channels of news distribution refer to - television, newspaper, magazine, radio, news agency and online only. In this paper, we examine similarities and differences in news propagation patterns on social media based on the primary channel of a news provider. We collected news article propagation activity data from Twitter for 32 news providers over a three-week period and analyzed their propagation networks. Our analysis shows that the structural properties of the propagation networks are statistically different based on the type of primary channel. Our study has useful implications for understanding the competition between news providers in an online environment.
Ternary chalcogenides of vanadium and chromium

Abstract A number of compounds with the defect nickel arsenide structure have been prepared. Their crystallographic parameters and electrical properties were determined, including electrical resistivity as a function of temperature and Seebeck voltage. The properties observed for particular metal ions present is discussed and schematic one-electron one-molecule energy level diagrams for these compounds are presented. In all cases, the predictions made are consistent with the electrical properties observed.
Linear and Nonlinear Waves in Gas Dynamics

Although systems of hyperbolic conservation laws form an important model for many phenomena in fluid dynamics, including compressible flow, surface waves in shallow water, reacting fluids, magnetohydrodynamics, and multiphase flow, the underlying theory of quasilinear hyperbolic systems in more than one space variable is poorly developed. This survey outlines a few reasons for the absence of a comprehensive theory and examines some current research on multidimensional problems. When one examines the structure of the characteristics of the gas dynamics equations, it is noteworthy that they fall into two distinct types, which could be called “nonlinear” and “linear”. Each type governs some aspects of a solution, and the two types interact in complicated ways. The study of examples gives many suggestions for further research, although we are still far from a theory.
Zygostates luerorum —A New Species from Bolivia in the Ornithocephalus Clade of Subtribe Oncidiinae (Orchidaceae)

A new species of Zygostates from Cochabamba, Bolivia, is described and illustrated. It is similar to Zygostates apiculata (Lindl.) Toscano, but differs by the distinctly callose sepals, petals, and labellum.
Potential role for histone deacetylation in chronic diazepam-induced downregulation of α1-GABAA receptor subunit expression.

Corroborating evidence indicate that the downregulation of GABAA receptor subunit expression may underlie tolerance to the anticonvulsant and anxiolytic actions of benzodiazepine (BZ) ligands that act as full allosteric modulators (FAMs) of GABA actions at a variety of GABAA receptor subtypes. We and others have shown that 10-14 days treatment with increasing doses of diazepam (a FAM) resulted in anticonvulsant tolerance and decreased the expression of the α1 GABAA receptor subunit mRNA and protein in frontal cortex. In addition, we have also shown that long-term treatment with imidazenil, a partial allosteric modulator of GABA action at selective GABAA receptor subtypes, fail to change the expression of the α1 subunit mRNA or induce tolerance to its anticonvulsant or anxiolytic action. However, little is known regarding the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms on long-term BZ-induced downregulation of GABAA receptor subunit. Therefore, we examined the role of histone acetylation and DNA methylation mechanisms on long-term diazepam-induced downregulation of the α1 subunit mRNA expression in rat frontal cortex. We found that 10 days treatment with increasing doses of diazepam but not imidazenil decreased the expression of the α1 GABAA receptor subunit mRNA and promoter acetylation in frontal cortex. In addition, we also found that 10 days treatment with diazepam but not imidazenil increased the expression of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2 in frontal cortex. Thus, the increased expression of HDAC1 and HDAC2 (class 1 HDACs) and consequently increased histone deacetylation mechanism of this class 1 HDACs, may underlie long-term diazepam-induced decreased expression of the α1 GABAA receptor subunit mRNA in frontal cortex.
Metabolic Crises in the Neonate: Thermoregulation and Hypoglycemia

Next to successful neonatal resuscitation, the two most critical life-support systems essential for the neonate’s ultimate survival and potential are those concerned with thermoregulation and glucose homeostasis. To minimize the stresses of adaptation to an extrauterine life from the maternal source of heat and energy, a well-organized program of management must be instituted in the delivery room and continued in the nursery. The smaller or the more compromised the neonate, the more critical is the need for protocol, personnel, and equipment to provide a minimum of cold stress from the moment of birth and to begin to monitor blood glucose by the first 30–60 min of life. The healthy term infant can and does benefit from such a program, with broader parameters.
Surplus Flow between Frontiers and Homelands

Publisher Summary Frontiers are best understood as sets of relations. This chapter highlights the frontier–homeland relations in stratified societies. It presents descriptive and analytic models along with a case study demonstrating the usefulness of these perspectives. The models are designed to elucidate three characteristics of frontiers in stratified societies, namely, their large spatial scale, the systemic quality of interactions, and the role of the production and distribution of social surplus. The case study is drawn from historical-period New England. In addition to adaptations to local ecological situations, cultural variability is also a function of interactions over large areas. Though diffusion is almost synonymous with large-scale interactions in the anthropological literature, recent work makes it clear that a number of other relations have significant spatial dimensions. Frontiers involve large-scale spatial relations and the behavior on frontiers has been addressed from different theoretical positions. A frontier implies at least three cultural forms: (1) the frontier, (2) the homeland, and (3) the aboriginal culture impacted by the expanding homeland culture. Different approaches to spatial process account for these differences in a number of ways.
Rapid anterior capsule contraction after femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery in a patient with retinitis pigmentosa

We report a case of rapid and extreme capsule contraction after uneventful femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) in one eye performed subsequent to uneventful standard phacoemulsification with manual continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) creation in the fellow eye. In the setting of retinitis pigmentosa, the rapid and extreme anterior capsule contraction in the FLACS eye compared with the manual CCC eye might have been the result of release of inflammatory mediators from cell death during the laser capsulotomy combined with a structurally weaker CCC edge.
Functional Polymeric Materials Based on Main‐Group Elements

The past decade has witnessed tremendous advances in the synthesis of polymers that contain elements from the main groups beyond those found in typical organic polymers. Unique properties that arise from dramatic differences in bonding and molecular geometry, electronic structure, and chemical reactivity, are exploited in diverse application fields. Herein we highlight recent advances in inorganic backbone polymers, discuss how Lewis acid/base functionalization of polymers results in unprecedented reactivity, and survey conjugated hybrids with unique electronic structures for sensor and device applications.
Micro-CT-Based Approaches for Quantifying the Morphology of Pulverized Char Particles

Morphological analysis of pulverized coal char particles using two-dimensional (2-D) cross-sectional imaging has been widely employed, but its accuracy has not been adequately assessed. In this study, pulverized coal char particles are imaged in three dimensions (3-D) using high-resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Particle volume, macropore volume, and macroporosity are measured in three dimensions and analyzed as a function of distance from the particle center using averaging at each radial location. A technique for extracting each particle’s average wall thickness, another morphological parameter used for classification, is also presented based on micro-CT imaging. When applied to pulverized bituminous coal char particles, the micro-CT-based analysis revealed a similar spatial distribution of macroporosity among a population that would typically be classified as containing both group II (mixed porous-solid) and group III (dense) particles. Wall thicknesses determined by micro-CT were g...
Sexually Violent Predator Evaluations: Problems and Proposals

In the United States, several states have passed civil commitment laws that allow for the precautionary confinement of sex offenders (often referred to as sexually violent predators [SVPs]) following the completion of their criminal sentence. These statutes require that mental health professionals evaluate SVPs in order to determine whether they are mentally impaired and dangerous enough to warrant continued confinement. However, this evaluation process is a very complex and multifaceted one, which is further complicated by vague use of terminology, differences in and across state statutes, issues in the application and interpretation of psychometric assessment, and difficulty presenting results effectively in a legal setting. Due to the complexity of these issues and the lack of cohesive discussion in this area, authors provide an overview and in-depth analysis of SVP laws specifically focusing on the legal terminology involved; the assessment tasks, tools, and interpretation methods used in evaluation; gaps that are present in several stages of the assessment process; and the extent that these procedures accurately predict recidivism. Additionally, suggestions for the future improvement of the SVP evaluation process are provided.
The Value of Integrated Pediatric Behavioral Health Care

The Triple Aim of health care emphasizes the simultaneous pursuit of enhancing patients’ experience of care, improving population health outcomes, and decreasing per capita costs. Integrated behavioral health is largely accepted as a critical component for achieving the Triple Aim. Pediatric psychologists as well as behavioral health providers are uniquely skilled at addressing the psychosocial challenges that present in pediatric medical settings. This chapter first examines integrated behavioral health-care models in both pediatric primary and specialty care settings. Next, a review of common psychological and behavioral health problems that arise in pediatric medical settings is presented. The value of pediatric psychologists in integrated care settings concludes the chapter.
Jordanian-Israeli Relations Under King Hussein

Most aspects of Jordan’s foreign and domestic policies during the reign of King Hussein somehow are linked to relations with Israel. Jordan’s general alignment with the West during the Cold War often placed the Kingdom in a problematic position in intra-Arab politics against Israel. Moreover, the Palestinian question was both a domestic and a foreign policy issue that threatened the survival of the regime. Throughout his reign, King Hussein frequently relied on his charisma and charm in handling Jordan’s politics through his relationships with Israeli leaders—at first in secret and later publically.
Giant cell tumor of bone: Effect of longer dosing intervals of denosumab on tumor control and bone related complications.

11525Background: Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a benign but locally aggressive bone neoplasm characterized by osteoclast activation causing destructive osteolysis. Denosumab, a human monoclona...
Thoracic Endometriosis: Still a Diagnostic Dilemma.

We report a case of thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) presenting with a five-week history of progressive shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. Investigations revealed a large, right-sided pleural effusion that was bloody on aspiration. A diagnosis of TES was one of the diagnoses entertained and eventually confirmed on finding evidence of pelvic endometriosis on laparotomy. The management of TES should include hormonal therapy, surgical management, or a combination of both.
COVID-19 and Juvenile Probation: A Qualitative Examination of Emergent Challenges and Useful Strategies

The emergence of COVID-19 placed immediate pressure on the juvenile justice system to adapt to changes in case processing and decision-making practices. Juvenile probation agencies were tasked with...
Psychobiological and Pharmacological Approaches to Treatment

Posttraumatic stress disorder appears to be associated with a complex array of abnormalities in several biological systems. Despite the fact that systematic research in this area is at a relatively early stage, robust findings from a number of experimental approaches suggest that PTSD patients exhibit distinctive physiological, neuropharmacological, and neuroendocrinological alterations. In addition, there is a wealth of psychological and neurobiological theory and data that may be directly applicable to our understanding of PTSD. Moreover, unlike most other psychiatric disorders, there are several animal models that may be directly applicable to PTSD, including conditioned fear (Kolb, 1987, 1988), two-factor theory (Keane, Zimering, & Caddell, 1985), learned helplessness to inescapable shock (van der Kolk, Greenberg, Boyd, & Krystal, 1985), and kindling (Friedman, 1988, 1991; van der Kolk, 1987).
Toward Non-Algorithmic AI

In his The Emperor’s New Mind Roger Penrose propounds and defends the thesis that human cognition is beyond the algorithmic. I tackle herein this question concerning the Penrosian position: QUEST Since “quantum computing,” when rigorously unpacked, doesn’t provide a formal foundation for the Penrosian position, and since the same is true of the connectionist’s analog “neural computing,” is there perhaps reason to think the Penrosian position simply cannot be founded upon formal results (in which case many AIniks would dismiss the position out of hand), or is there something else which might provide a mathematical underpinning for the claim that human thought is uncomputable?
Du Désordre à L’ordre: Le Rôle de la Violence dans Horace

Apres Le Cid, Horace surprend par la violence qui se deploie dans la piece. Cette violence est d’autant plus frappante qu’elle touche des etres soudes les uns aux autres par des liens tres etroits. A la violence qui oppose les deux villes Rome et Albe se substitue celle qui fait se massacrer les Horace et les Curiace. La violence atteint son point culminant dans le fratricide d’Horace. Pourtant, a la fin de la piece, le meurtrier est absout et la vie reprend son cours normal. Comment sommes-nous passes de la menace d’extermination qui pese sur les deux villes dans les premiers vers, a l’unite et a l’affirmation de la vie qui s’imposent dans les derniers vers de la piece? Quel est le role de cette violence qui eclate a plusieurs reprises? Pour essayer de repondre a ces questions, nous nous servirons des recherches faites par Rene Girard sur le phenomene de la violence qu’il analyse dans deux de ses ouvrages: La violence et le sacre, et Des choses cachees depuis la fondation du monde.
Cyclic vinyl ether carbanions—II : Preparation and applications to the synthesis of carbonyl compounds

Abstract Conditions for metalation of a variety of cyclic vinyl ethers and reaction of the resulting carbanions with electrophiles are described. Effects of the vinyl ether structure on the relative rates of metalation are discussed. Applications of this methodology to the construction of various types of carbonyl compounds are presented.
On making a difference.

A question being much discussed today, here and elsewhere, is how to be helpful to all children and their families, especially those who are highly vulnerable and at special risk. It is a question that also intrigued Abraham Jacobi, a vigorous advocate for children and a vocal opponent of practices and conditions he viewed as inimical to their best interests. Now, as in Jacobi9s day, the privileged status that society confers on the professions carries implicitly, and increasingly explicitly, the charge that they remain responsive to the needs of the times. In the case of pediatricians, there is the expectation that we will do whatever is in our individual or collective power to help children and their families master the rapid changes and risks that confront them today. Pediatricians are being challenged increasingly to become involved in social as well as biomedical issues and to promote healthy adaptation as well as growth and development. PEDIATRICS AND ADAPTATION These remarks on the potential role of pediatricians in promoting adaptation to developmental, social, educational, and psychosocial issues call for an extension of their traditional role in helping children and parents cope with biomedical problems.1,2 As exemplified in Table 1, such adaptation may be biomedical or psychosocial and prospective, concurrent, or rehabilitative. For successful adaptation to occur, the child or adolescent must advance from the "Risk" box in Figure 1 to the one labeled "Mastery." Those who end in the box labeled "Maladaptation" are life9s losers, penalized by symptoms, poor functioning, and unhappy families.
Heavy traffic resource pooling in parallel-server systems

We consider a queueing system with r non-identical servers working in parallel, exogenous arrivals into m different job classes, and linear holding costs for each class. Each arrival requires a single service, which may be provided by any of several different servers in our general formulations the service time distribution depends on both the job class being processed and the server selected. The system manager seeks to minimize holding costs by dynamically scheduling waiting jobs onto available servers. A linear program involving only first-moment data (average arrival rates and mean service times) is used to define heavy traffic for a system of this form, and also to articulate a condition of overlapping server capabilities which leads to resource pooling in the heavy traffic limit. Assuming that the latter condition holds, we rescale time and state space in standard fashion, then identify a Brownian control problem that is the formal heavy traffic limit of our rescaled scheduling problem. Because of the assumed overlap in server capabilities, the limiting Brownian control problem is effectively one-dimensional, and it admits a pathwise optimal solution. That is, in the limiting Brownian control problem the multiple servers of our original model merge to form a single pool of service capacity, and there exists a dynamic control policy which minimizes cumulative cost incurred up to any time t with probability one. Interpreted in our original problem context, the Brownian solution suggests the following: virtually all backlogged work should be held in one particular job class, and all servers can and should be productively employed except when the total backlog is small. It is conjectured that such ideal system behavior can be approached using a family of relatively simple scheduling policies related to the c\mu rule.
Flicker defined form, standard perimetry and Heidelberg retinal tomography: Structure-function relationships

Abstract Objective To compare flicker defined form (FDF) perimetry using the Heidelberg edge perimeter (HEP) with standard automated perimetry (SAP) on the Humphrey visual field (HVF) analyzer and to compare their relationship to structural measurements acquired with the Heidelberg retina tomograph. Design Prospective, observational study. Participants Thirty-one glaucomatous eyes with varying severity and 13 normal control eyes were included in this analysis. Methods All subjects underwent FDF testing on the HEP using the 24-2 protocol by the adaptive staircase thresholding algorithm standard strategy and SAP on the HVF analyzer 750 II using the SITA-Standard 24-2 test. Heidelberg retina tomography (HRT) testing was obtained for each patient. Spearman correlation coefficient, mean deviation (MD), and pattern standard deviation measurements by both machines were compared. Results FDF and SAP MD were significantly correlated ( r = 0.81, p p p = 0.003), disc area (FDF MD: p = 0.005; SAP MD: p = 0.059), rim volume (FDF MD: p p p p Conclusions This pilot study shows that the MD parameter of FDF correlated with SAP results. FDF and SAP had significant correlations with HRT parameters in glaucomatous and healthy eyes. The potential utility of FDF in the clinical management of glaucoma requires further investigation.
Analysis of closed-discharge single-screw extrusion of power-law fluids

For rheometry and polymer processing applications, it is important to correlate fluid material properties with extrusion parameters like pressure buildup and revolutions per minute. Previous attempts to obtain such correlations have resorted to numerical techniques or approximate relationships. Here we show that upon a suitable rotation of coordinate axes, analysis of the metering zone in closed-discharge single-screw extrusion is simplified. Taking advantage of such simplification, we have derived an analytic, self-consistent relation between fluid properties and extrusion parameters, where the power-law model is used throughout the analysis.
Serial interface logic built in self test methodology

Today's at-speed testing methodology of the Universal Serial Bus(USB) 2.0 functionality cannot be readily achieved, unless high cost testers are used. Even if high cost testers are used, the success of at-speed testing cannot be guaranteed because of the high-speed interfacing between the off-chip memory, tester and the Device-Under-Test, i.e. the USB2.0. This paper presents a methodology that bridges the gap of the near-end and external loopback methods. The logic built in self test (BIST) proposed encompasses solution to test USB2.0 at-speed, single port and full functional with a low cost tester.
Effects of glycerol and sucrose on the contraction of glycerol-extracted muscle

Abstract Glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle contracted only partially with ATP in media containing varying concentrations of glycerol or sucrose; subsequent addition of CaCl 2 led to further contraction. Preparations, well presoaked in distilled water and which normally contracted maximally with ATP, were influenced by the presence of glycerol and sucrose in the experimental media in a similar way. There were quantitative differences between the effects of glycerol and those of sucrose. Maximally contracted muscle relaxed on substitution of the medium with one containing either glycerol or sucrose. Deoxycholate counteracted the effects of glycerol and sucrose. Glycerol prolonged the relaxing activity of isolated microsomal fractions. It is suggested that glycerol and sucrose maintain or reconstitute the activity of the relaxing factor which may be inactivated by water. In addition, glycerol and sucrose (at relatively high concentrations) appeared to retard the interactions of the contractile system. Both substances also inhibited the ATPase of myofibrils; addition of CaCl 2 , under the present conditions, had no influence.
Intraoperative monitoring of sensory evoked potentials may be neither a proven nor an indicated technique.

Excluding specific neurosurgical indications for cortical localization or peripheral nerve surgery, the use of sensory evoked potentials as a monitor in the operating room should be controversial at this time. Whether appropriate or not, legal and medical forces have largely established the use of somatosensory evoked potential monitoring as a standard during procedures that threaten the integrity of the spinal cord. The author believes that such monitoring should not replace the use of a “wake-up” test during these procedures because of the recognized possible occurrence of false negative results (i.e., normal evoked potentials despite abnormal spinal cord function). Another apparent established practice is monitoring of brainstem auditory evoked potentials to recognize the onset of disturbance in the auditory system. It has not been established that other recommended evoked potential monitoring practices, such as somatosensory evoked potential monitoring for such purposes as recognizing cerebral ischemia, or brainstem auditory evoked potential monitoring for recognizing untoward medullary stimulation, are as good as or better for these purposes than currently recognized and simpler monitors.
DNA elongation rates and growing point distributions of wild-type phage T4 and a DNA-delay amber mutant.

Abstract The rates of DNA elongation by wild-type phage T4 and a gene 52 DNA-delay am mutant were estimated by pulse-labeling infected cells with tritiated thymidine and visualizing the gently extracted DNA by autoradiography. The estimated rate of chain elongation of wild-type DNA was 749 nucleotides/second early in synthesis and 516 to 581 nucleotides/second at a later time. The rate of DNA elongation by the am mutant was measured to be 693, 758 and 829 nucleotides/second during successive stages of synthesis, indicating that elongation was not slower than in wild-type. The kinetics of DNA increase after infection of host cells by wild-type phage T4 or by the gene 52 DNA-delay am mutant was followed using [methyl-3H]thymidine uptake into acid-insoluble material. It was found that DNA increase in both wild-type and am infections could be represented as exponential during early times and linear during late times of DNA synthesis. From the rates of DNA increase and the rates of DNA elongation we were able to estimate the number of growing points per chromosome equivalent of template DNA during the exponential and linear phases. Our estimates for wild-type phage were 0.55 and 0.71 to 0.80 growing points per chromosome equivalent of template DNA in the exponential and linear phases, respectively. For the am mutant we found 0.14 and 0.12 to 0.13 growing points per chromosome equivalent of template DNA during the exponential and linear phases, respectively. The apparent lower incidence of growing points in the am mutant infections suggests that the mutant may be defective in the initiation of growing points.
Asymptomatic Papule on the Lower Leg

REPORT OF A CASE A 38-year-old Filipino man presented for evaluation of a slowly growing papule on his left lower leg. The asymptomatic papule had been present for 1 year. Physical examination was remarkable for a 5×5-mm reddish-pink, firm papule over the medial aspect of the left lower leg (Figure 1). The papule had a flat, smooth surface centrally and a collarette of fine scale at the periphery. The skin adjacent to the papule had brown hyperpigmentation. The cutaneous examination was also remarkable for a Becker nevus over the right upper arm. A punch excision from the left lower leg is shown inFigures 2through4. What is your diagnosis? DIAGNOSIS: Clear-cell acanthoma. HISTOPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS Hematoxylin-eosin—stained sections revealed a sharply demarcated, acanthotic epidermis composed of large keratinocytes that stained lighter than the adjacent epidermis. Parakeratosis and an absent granular layer were
OPTIMAL CORRECTION OF SUBJECT PRESCRIPTION ON AN ADAPTIVE SCANNING SYSTEM FOR RETINAL IMAGING

The effect on image quality of subject's prescription on an AOSLO is assessed. Models considering different configurations available in literature have been studied. Factors to consider when implementing these configurations on real systems are addressed.
Prospective, randomized, single-blinded comparative trial of intravenous levetiracetam versus phenytoin for seizure prophylaxis.

Anti-epileptic drugs are commonly used for seizure prophylaxis after neurological injury. We performed a study comparing intravenous (IV) levetiracetam (LEV) to IV phenytoin (PHT) for seizure prophylaxis after neurological injury. In this prospective, single-center, randomized, single-blinded comparative trial of LEV versus PHT (2:1 ratio) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (NCT00618436) patients received IV load with either LEV or fosphenytoin followed by standard IV doses of LEV or PHT. Doses were adjusted to maintain therapeutic serum PHT concentrations or if patients had seizures. Continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring was performed for the initial 72 h; outcome data were collected. A total of 52 patients were randomized (LEV = 34; PHT = 18); 89% with sTBI. When controlling for baseline severity, LEV patients experienced better long-term outcomes than those on PHT; the Disability Rating Scale score was lower at 3 months (P = 0.042) and the Glasgow Outcomes Scale score was higher at 6 months (P = 0.039). There were no differences between groups in seizure occurrence during cEEG (LEV 5/34 vs. PHT 3/18; P = 1.0) or at 6 months (LEV 1/20 vs. PHT 0/14; P = 1.0), mortality (LEV 14/34 vs. PHT 4/18; P = 0.227). There were no differences in side effects between groups (all P > 0.15) except for a lower frequency of worsened neurological status (P = 0.024), and gastrointestinal problems (P = 0.043) in LEV-treated patients. This study of LEV versus PHT for seizure prevention in the NSICU showed improved long-term outcomes of LEV-treated patients vis-a-vis PHT-treated patients. LEV appears to be an alternative to PHT for seizure prophylaxis in this setting.
The Decline of African American Theology? A Critical Response to Thabiti Anyabwile

Thabiti Anyabwile’s recent book, The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity , presents a historical and theological critique of developments in the African American theological tradition. Yet Anyabwile’s polemic is questionable as it is based on Reformed theology’s reading of the Bible. This essay raises questions about the methodological underpinnings of Anyabwile’s thesis, particularly its problematic and uncritical application to the African American Christian experience, and suggests in turn that the author should have written another kind of book to further the conversation about African American theology.
Biasing of silicon transistors

A modification of the voltage-feedback bias circuit applicable to modern silicon transistors is described, and formulas are given for the calculation of performance. For moderate power-supply potentials, variations in VCE can be held within 1.0 V for a temperature rise of 75 degC.
Dimerization-Induced Inhibition of Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Function Through an Inhibitory Wedge

The function and regulation of the receptorlike transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are not well understood. Ligand-induced dimerization inhibited the function of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–RPTP CD45 chimera (EGFR-CD45) in T cell signal transduction. Properties of mutated EGFR-CD45 chimeras supported a general model for the regulation of RPTPs, derived from the crystal structure of the RPTPα membrane-proximal phosphatase domain. The phosphatase domain apparently forms a symmetrical dimer in which the catalytic site of one molecule is blocked by specific contacts with a wedge from the other.
Biliary lipids alter ion transport during cholesterol gallstone formation.

Recent studies indicate that gallbladder absorption increases during the early stages of experimentally induced cholesterol gallstone formation. The purpose of the present study was to ascertain whether this change results from an alteration in gallbladder mucosal function per se or is a response of an otherwise healthy mucosa to the presence of cholelithogenic bile. Prairie dogs were fed either a control chow or a 1.2% cholesterol-enriched chow for 9 (Pre-GS) or 21 (Chronic-GS) days. Gallbladders were mounted in an Ussing-type chamber and electrophysiologic indices of ion transport were determined. Mucosal function was assessed independently by exposing the gallbladder to Ringer's solution in the absence of biliary lipids. Ion transport was similar in control and Pre-GS gallbladders but was significantly reduced in Chronic-GS animals. Gallbladders were subsequently exposed to model bile solutions containing bile acids and phospholipids in concentrations selected so as to reflect the relative concentration of bile salts and phospholipids in normal and cholesterol gallstone animals. The cross-comparison of control gallbladders exposed to nonlithogenic bile with Pre-GS gallbladders exposed to model cholelithogenic bile, therefore, simulates the in vivo situation and directly assesses the role of biliary lipids as a determinant of ion transport. When this comparison was performed there was a significant increase in short-circuit current (P < 0.05) and potential difference (P < 0.05) in Pre-GS animals as compared to controls. We propose that the increase in gallbladder absorptive function results from exposure of an otherwise healthy, functioning mucosa to cholelithogenic bile, and not from a change in mucosal function per se.
No association between common variations in the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha2 subunit gene (CHRNA2) and bipolar I disorder.

Abstract The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha2 subunit gene (CHRNA2) maps to the bipolar susceptibility locus on chromosome 8p21–22. Given the biological role of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the substantial comorbidity of nicotine dependence in psychiatric disorders, the CHRNA2 gene is a plausible candidate gene for bipolar disorder (BPD). We tested the hypothesis that variations in the CHRNA2 gene confer susceptibility to bipolar I disorder in a case-control association study. Genotypes of one amino acid substitution polymorphism (Ala125Thr) and five non-coding variations across the CHRNA2 gene were obtained from 345 unrelated bipolar I patients and 273 control samples. Genotypes and allele frequencies were compared between groups using chi-square contingency analysis. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers was calculated, and estimated haplotype frequencies were compared between groups. We observed no statitistically significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies for all six variations between bipolar patients and controls, but we did demonstrate strong LD throughout the gene. Haplotype analysis showed that no combinations of alleles were associated with illness. Our results suggest that common variations in the CHRNA2 gene are unlikely to confer susceptibility to BPD in this sample. Further studies are required to elucidate the susceptibility locus for BPD on chromosome 8p21–22.
Mechanical stimulation of bone in vivo reduces osteocyte expression of Sost/sclerostin

Sclerostin, the protein product of the Sost gene, is a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Among bone cells, sclerostin is found nearly exclusively in the osteocytes, the cell type that historically has been implicated in sensing and initiating mechanical signaling. The recent discovery of the antagonistic effects of sclerostin on Lrp5 receptor signaling, a crucial mediator of skeletal mechanotransduction, provides a potential mechanism for the osteocytes to control mechanotransduction, by adjusting their sclerostin (Wnt inhibitory) signal output to modulate Wnt signaling in the effector cell population. We investigated the mechanoregulation of Sost and sclerostin under enhanced (ulnar loading) and reduced (hindlimb unloading) loading conditions. Sost transcripts and sclerostin protein levels were dramatically reduced by ulnar loading. Portions of the ulnar cortex receiving a greater strain stimulus were associated with a greater reduction in Sost staining intensity and sclerostin-positive osteocytes (revealed via in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively) than were lower strain portions of the tissue. Hindlimb unloading yielded a significant increase in Sost expression in the tibia. Modulation of sclerostin levels appears to be a finely tuned mechanism by which osteocytes coordinate regional and local osteogenesis in response to increased mechanical stimulation, perhaps via releasing the local inhibition of Wnt/Lrp5 signaling.
Chemistry behind the News: Sick Cows, Protein Geometry, and Politics

Ten years ago in Great Britain, the first reports of a mysterious disease of the central nervous system in cattle marked the quiet start of one of the century's most catastrophic livestock epidemics. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). It has focused attention on a group of infectious, genetic, and sporadic mammalian diseases attributed to most unorthodox disease agents called prions.
Distinct Roles for MAX Protein Isoforms in Proliferation and Apoptosis

MAX is a basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper protein that plays a central role in the transcriptional control of Myc oncoproteins. MYC-MAX heterodimers stimulate transcription, whereas MAX homodimers, or heterodimers between MAX and members of the MAD family of basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper proteins, repress transcription. Max exists in two major isomeric forms, MAX(L) and MAX(S), which differ from one another only by a 9-amino acid insertion/deletion. We show here that MAX(L) is much more effective at homodimeric DNA binding than MAX(S). In NIH3T3 cells, MAX(L) was able to repress a c-Myc-responsive reporter gene whereas MAX(S) either stimulated the reporter gene or had little effect on its expression. In comparison to control cell lines or those stably over-expressing MAX(S), MAX(L)-over-expressing cell lines showed reduced expression of transiently expressed or endogenous c-Myc responsive genes, grew more slowly, possessed a higher growth factor requirement, and showed accelerated apoptosis following growth factor deprivation. Differential effects on growth and apoptosis represent two previously unrecognized properties of MAX proteins. These can at least partly be explained by the differences in their DNA binding abilities and their effects on target gene expression.
Self-definition by opposition: A consequence of minority status.

The purpose of this article is to describe within a multi-faceted psychodynamic approach the effect of race in an African American patient population. The patients discussed herein are primarily middle class and were seen in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I utilize Pine's (1990) recent clinical synthesis describing the four psychologies currently used in psychanalytic theory construction and treatment.
IBS: Lubiprostone: trials and tribulations

The selective, chloride channel 2 activator, lubiprostone, facilitates intestinal-fluid secretion and stimulates gastrointestinal motility. These effects increase stool frequency and improve abdominal discomfort for patients with constipation-predominant IBS, which makes lubiprostone the newest addition to the treatment armamentarium for these patients. Findings from a new, pivotal, phase III study by Drossman and colleagues support the use of lubiprostone in such patients.
Three needs, two buckets, one well

Education is more than the process by which teachers at all levels reproduce their kind. Must its contribution to professsional expertise and to human excellence be so patchy and so strangely packaged?
Folding and assembly in rhodopsin. Effect of mutations in the sixth transmembrane helix on the conformation of the third cytoplasmic loop.

Previous studies on bovine opsin folding and assembly have identified an amino-terminal fragment, EF(1–232), which folds and inserts into a membrane only after coexpression with its complementary carboxyl-terminal fragment, EF(233–348). To further characterize this interaction, EF(1–232) production was examined upon coexpression with carboxyl-terminal fragments of varying length and/or amino acid composition. These included fragments with incremental deletions of the third cytoplasmic loop (TH(241–348) and EF(249–348)), a fragment composed of the third cytoplasmic loop and sixth transmembrane helix (HF(233–280)), a fragment composed of the sixth and seventh transmembrane helices (FG(249–312)), and EF(233–348) and TH(241–348) fragments with Pro-267 or Trp-265 mutations. Although EF(1–232) production was independent of the third cytoplasmic loop and carboxyl-terminal tail, both the sixth and seventh transmembrane helices were essential. The effects of mutations in the sixth transmembrane helix on EF(1–232) expression were dependent on the length of the third cytoplasmic loop. Although Pro-267 mutations in EF(233–348) failed to stabilize EF(1–232) expression, their introduction into TH(241–348) was without discernible effects. However, Trp-265 substitutions in the EF(233–348) and TH(241–348) fragments conferred significant EF(1–232) production. Therefore, key residues in the transmembrane helices may exert their effects on opsin folding, assembly, and/or function by influencing the conformation of the connecting loops.