cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Product yields from irradiated glycylglycine in oxygen-free solutions: Monte Carlo simulations and comparison with experiments.

The radiation chemistry of photon-irradiated aqueous solutions of biological molecules may be considered under four distinct time regimes: physical transport (≤10–15 s); prechemical conversion of H2O+, H2O*, and subexcitation electrons into free radicals and molecular products (10–15 s to 10–12 s); chemical reactions within individual electron tracks (10–12 s to 10–6 s); and chemical reactions within overlapping tracks (>10–6 s). We have previously reported of the use of the Monte Carlo radiation transport/chemistry codes OREC and RADLYS to model the radiolysis of glycylglycine in oxygen-free solution to a time of 1 μs. These simulations successfully predicted the yields of free ammonia, an end product created solely in the reaction of the hydrated electron with the solute within individual tracks. Other measurable products are only partially created during intratrack reactions, and thus one must additionally consider the late, intertrack chemistry of this system. In this paper, we extend our simulations of glycylglycine radiolysis to model for the first time the events which occur during this late chemistry stage. The model considers the product rates of the reactants in bulk solution by using previously available microsecond intratrack yields given by single-track OREC/RADLYS simulations and an x-ray dose rate of 2.80 Gy min–1 as used in a companion experimental program. These rates are then applied in a series of coupled, differential rate equations that describe the solution chemistry of glycylglycine radiolysis. Product yields are reported as a function of time over a total irradiation period of 104 s. Excellent overall agreement is seen between the theoretical predictions and measurements of five radiolysis end products: free ammonia, acetylglycine, diaminosuccinic acid, aspartic acid, and succinic acid. The model also gives the explicit contributions of intratrack and intertrack reactions to the various end products. For example, the model predicts that ∼56% and 93% of succinic acid and aspartic acid, respectively, are produced during intertrack reactions at a solute concentration of 0.05 M; these contributions drop to 0.07% and 11%, respectively, at 1.2 M.
Sensing from control: Airframe deformation for simultaneous actuation and state estimation

This work is inspired by the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, which has been shown to actively use its abdomen for deforming-airframe-based flight control through inertial actuation. The active role of the abdomen induces Coriolis forces in flight, which may allow the moth to detect the body yaw rate. We explore the simultaneous sensing and control mechanisms of the abdomen through the use of an engineered flexible abdomen. The flexible abdomen dynamics are derived using a Lagrangian approach. Nonlinear observability analysis shows that abdomen pitch actuation is required for yaw rate observability, thus supporting the hypothesis that the abdomen serves a simultaneous sensing and actuation role. We successfully demonstrate that a range of yaw rate estimates can be extracted from Coriolis-induced strain measurements on the flexible abdomen using only a pair of strain sensors. Two different estimation schemes are utilized in this demonstration: a model-based unscented Kalman filter and a data-driven approach.
Effects of Receptor Binding on Plasma Half-Life of Bifunctional Transferrin Fusion Proteins

In contrast to the wide applications of recombinant bifunctional fusion proteins in clinical usage, the systematic study for the pharmacokinetics (PK) of bifunctional fusion proteins is left blank. In this report, recombinant fusion proteins consisting of transferrin (Tf) and growth hormone (GH) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) have been constructed as a model for studying the PK of bifunctional fusion proteins. The results showed that the insertion of different linkers between the two protein domains altered the binding affinities of the fusion proteins to both domain receptors, and that the fusion proteins' plasma half-lives were greatly affected. A strong correlation between GH receptor binding affinity and plasma half-life of GH-Tf fusion proteins was observed. In addition, we demonstrated that the intracellular processing after receptor binding plays an important role in determining the half-life of fusion proteins. While the binding of the GH domain to the GH receptor will lead to endocytosis and lysosomal degradation in target cells, binding of the Tf domain to the Tf receptor may recycle the fusion protein and prolong its plasma half-life. To further confirm the effects of receptor binding on plasma half-life, G-CSF-Tf bifunctional fusion proteins with the same three linkers as GH-Tf were evaluated. While the 3 fusion proteins showed a similar G-CSF receptor binding affinity, the G-CSF-Tf fusion protein with the higher Tf receptor binding affinity exhibited longer plasma half-life. The linker insertion further demonstrated the involvement of Tf in recycling and prolonging plasma half-life. Based on our results, a model was developed to summarize the factors in determining the PK of bifunctional fusion proteins. Our findings are useful for predicting the plasma half-lives, as well as for improving the pharmacokinetic profiles of therapeutic bifunctional fusion proteins by applying linker technology.
Double-shell gold nanoparticle-based DNA-carriers with poly-L-lysine binding surface.

In view of the prospective applications of polyamine coatings in functional gold nanoparticles for use as carriers in gene delivery systems, in tissue repair and as bactericidal and virucidal non-toxic vehicle, we have investigated the interactions of poly-l-lysine (PLL) with gold nanoparticles (AuNP). Since direct binding of PLL to AuNP is not strong at neutral pH, we have focused on PLL interactions with carboxylated self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on AuNP, such as the citrate-capped AuNP. The double-shell nanoparticles AuNP@Cit/PLL thus produced do not contain any toxic thiols. We have observed strong electrostatic interactions between polycationic chains of PLL and AuNP@Cit in weakly acidic to weakly alkaline solutions (pH 5-9), as evidenced by the bathochromic shift of the local surface plasmon (SP) band and strong increase in resonance elastic light scattering (RELS) intensity. The stoichiometry of interactions evaluated on the basis of RELS data indicates on a hyper-Langmuirian type of interactions with stoichiometric coefficient n = 1.35 (PLL : AuNP@Cit). From the RELS titration data, a shift of the deprotonation constant for the bound PLL has been determined (pK(a) = 11.6 for the bound PLL vs. 10.48 for the free PLL). The deprotonation of PLL leads to AuNP aggregate disassembly, evidenced by sharp RELS decline and hypsochromic shift of SP band. We have found that under these conditions, a residual aggregation due to the interparticle interactions between β-sheets of PLL overcoat become predominant. The molecular dynamics simulations indicate that multiple hydrogen bonds can also be formed between the PLL linker and the shell molecules of AuNP@Cit. The double-shell nanoparticles, AuNP@Cit/PLL, have been shown to attract DNA molecules using highly sensitive RELS measurements presenting the proof-of-concept for the suitability of this non-toxic nanostructured material for gene delivery applications. The advantage of the proposed material is no toxicity related to the ligand release in gene delivery processes in contrast to the thiol-functionalized AuNP.
Detailed simulation of two-photon absorption for 3D micro-nano engineering and patterning

Multiphoton processes are playing a significant role in microfabrication, patterning of nanostructures, formation of photonic band gap materials and ordered micro/nanoarrays. However, many of the chromophores with large two-photon absorption used for these applications are actually hybrid materials in which the two-photon absorption is coupled to an excited state absorption. This coupling makes the detailed analysis of the photophysics significantly more complex. We have developed a numerical technique to investigate hybrid multiphoton processes. Our numerical method compares very well with published results.
X-ray observations of cataclysmic variables

Cataclysmic variables (CVs) as a class are defined by their optical properties, in particular the amplitudes and frequency of their outbursts. The availability of the Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) on the Einstein Laboratory has increased significantly the number of CVs which can be studied on the basis of X-ray observations. In this connection, Becker and Marshall (1981) and Cordova et al. (1980) have surveyed 20 CVs and detected 70% of them. A description is presented of observations of an additional 12 CVs, and the properties of the combined set of 32 CVs are discussed. It is found that the CVs do not have any distinguishing X-ray characteristics. The IPC data alone cannot be used to determine to which category of CVs a particular source belongs, or even to identify an object as a CV. On the other hand, the optical observations are essential for estimating the X-ray luminosity from the IPC data.
Some sufficient conditions for continuouslinear-programming problems☆

Abstract This paper treats continuous-linear programming problems with time delays in the constraints, which are expressed in the form of difference-differential inequalities. Lagrange multiplier functions are used to adjoin the constraints to the cost functional and to compute, by explicit algorithm, a candidate solution. It is proved that if this solution is feasible, then it is also optimal. A similar method is developed for dealing with dual problems. When both the primal and the dual problems have solutions, the relationship between their solutions is exhibited and it is shown how, in some cases, solutions to the dual problem can be constructed from the solutions to the primal problem and vice versa. Finally, the differences between continuous linear programming problems and problems of classical calculus of variations and modern optimal control are discussed. The main advantage of the method proposed in this paper, for computing trial solutions, is that it is quite straightforward and simple and that it does not depend on the simultaneous existence of solutions to both the primal and dual problems.
Humoral factor triggering DNA synthesis after partial hepatectomy in the rat.

THE regulation of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is still poorly understood1–3. A specific humoral factor4–7 or growth hormone8–10 was suggested to be the most likely mediator. Also the increase in portal blood flow11 or nervous factors12 as well as others13–15 was postulated but not clearly demonstrated. The data reported here strongly suggest a humoral mechanism.
Nonlinear dynamics method for target identification

One may describe the effect of a radar or sonar target on an incoming signal as a filter which produces a scattered signal. Chaotic signals are very sensitive to the effect of filters, so a radar or sonar target imposes a unique signature on a scattered chaotic signal. In this paper we describe a method that uses the concept of phase space dimension to create a reference from a scattered chaotic signal. This reference becomes part of a library, and comparing an unknown scattered signal to this library can reveal which target caused a particular scattered signal. Because we are not imaging the target, this method can use signal with low range resolution.
Band-theoretic calculations of the optical-activity tensor of α-quartz and trigonal Se

We present a formalism to compute the optical-activity tensor in the long-wavelength limit neglecting local-field corrections with a nearly first-principles approach. The calculation of optical activity requires perturbation theory in the vector potential in order to describe the rotation of the plane of polarization perpendicular to the direction of propagation. We contrast this approach with perturbation theory in the scalar potential which can be used for the other optical response properties we compute. Band structures are obtained within the Kohn-Sham local-density approximation using standard plane-wave and separable norm-conserving pseudopotential techniques. Self-energy effects necessary to obtain the correct band gap are included by the use of a ``scissors operator.'' In the long-wavelength limit, two components of the optical-activity tensor are computed for both selenium and \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz. For selenium in the low-frequency range, the optical rotatory power along the optic axis is about a factor of 2 too small compared with some of the experimental data. For \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz, the ratio ${\mathit{g}}_{11}$/${\mathit{g}}_{33}$ and the frequency dependence of both components obey the phenomenological coupled-oscillator model and are in agreement with experiment. Yet both ${\mathit{g}}_{11}$ and ${\mathit{g}}_{33}$ (or the optical rotatory power) are about a factor of 5 too small compared with the available experimental data. In addition, the dielectric constants and second-harmonic-generation susceptibilities including local-field corrections are calculated for selenium and \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz in terms of scalar-potential theory. Excellent agreement (discrepancies of a few percent) is obtained with the experiments for these properties.
Hydrodesulfurization properties of rhodium phosphide: Comparison with rhodium metal and sulfide catalysts

Abstract Silica-supported rhodium phosphide (Rh 2 P/SiO 2 ) catalysts were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 31 P solid-state NMR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and chemisorption measurements. XRD and TEM analysis of a 5 wt.% Rh 2 P/SiO 2 catalyst confirmed the presence of well-dispersed Rh 2 P crystallites on the silica support having an average crystallite size of 10 nm. NMR spectroscopy showed unsupported and silica-supported Rh 2 P to be metallic and XPS spectroscopy yielded a surface composition of Rh 1.94 P 1.00 that is similar to that expected from the bulk stoichiometry. The 5 wt.% Rh 2 P/SiO 2 catalyst exhibited a higher dibenzothiophene (DBT) hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activity than did Rh/SiO 2 and sulfided Rh/SiO 2 catalysts having a similar Rh loading and was also more active than a commercial Ni Mo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst. The Rh 2 P/SiO 2 catalyst showed excellent stability over a 100 h DBT HDS activity measurement and was more S tolerant than the Rh/SiO 2 catalyst. The Rh 2 P/SiO 2 catalyst strongly favored the hydrogenation pathway for DBT HDS, while the Rh/SiO 2 and sulfided Rh/SiO 2 catalysts favored the direct desulfurization pathway.
Transient performance analysis of a small-scale PV-PHS power plant fed by a SVPWM drive applied for a distribution system

The transient performance of a small-scale plant consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) and a pumped hydro storage (PHS) system has been evaluated. An indirect field oriented control (IFOC) based state-vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) drive connects the plant to the distribution system. The drive system includes two six-pulse IGBT converters interconnected through a DC link, to which the PV plant is interfaced via a single-stage bidirectional boost converter. The electrical system of the PHS plant consists of a squirrel-cage induction machine supplied by the machine side converter. The hydraulic system of the PHS plant includes separate turbine and pump units where a scaled linearized model is adopted to represent the elastic water column and surge tank. In the present study, the PV generated power has a control scheme designed to regulate the performance of the overall system. Simulation results are provided that show the transient performance of the plant during pumping and generating cycles of the PHS system.
Gastric adenocarcinoma and dysplasia in fundic gland polyps of a patient with attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli

Gastric adenocarcinoma has been previously recognized as a potential complication of familial adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and attenuated forms of APC (AAPC). This tumor has only been reported to originate from adenomatous polyps of the gastric mucosa in these clinical conditions. There have been no previous case reports of gastric adenocarcinoma arising from the more commonly found fundic gland polyps associated with AAPC or APC. We report the first definitive case of gastric adenocarcinoma arising from a hyperplastic polyp of the fundis of a patient with AAPC.
Molecular phylogeny of Dictyostelium discoideum by protein sequence comparison.

Abstract Comparison of the amino acid sequences of eight proteins from the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum to those of their homologs in bacteria, yeast, and other eukaryotes indicates that Dictyostelium diverged from the line leading to mammals at about the same time as the plant/animal divergence. Yeast appear to have diverged considerably earlier. It is argued that previous analyses indicating that D. discoideum diverged before yeast were misleading because of the nature of the small ribosomal subunit rRNA sequences used in these studies. We suggest that amino acid sequences may be more reliable than untranslated nucleic acid sequences for evolutionary comparisons, especially among organisms with significant skewing of their A+T content.
Four decades of clinical experience.

Foreward This compilation presents a unique look at the first 40 years of the career of a remarkable cardiovascular surgeon. One who has refined surgical skills to an unparalleled degree in addressing whatever different surgical challenges he might encounter in the course of his work. He has maintained a meticulous and comprehensive record of his surgical experience, which stands as a tribute to him, to the surgical standards he set and to which he adhered. As one of many of his cardiology colleagues, I feel privileged to have known and worked with him — as fine a person and physician as I have ever met. Jimmy Frank Howell, known to The Methodist Hospital community simply as “Jimmy,” was trained in cardiovascular surgery under the watchful eye of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, whose strict discipline and adherence to a high standard of excellence shaped the entire career of Dr. Howell. He accepted an invitation to join Dr. DeBakey on completion of his training and very quickly developed his own surgical following. One of my criteria for assessing the skill of a surgeon is to query nurses in the operating room, intensive care unit, and the surgical floors. “Still the best hands and judgment around,” is the inevitable assessment I hear. We all will look back on a career of the remarkable, the Howells and others, with awe, appreciation, and respect. I know you will enjoy and appreciate reading about the career of a remarkable surgeon — Dr. Jimmy Frank Howell. William L. Winters Jr., M.D. Professor of Medicine Weill Cornell Medical College Chief Education Officer The Methodist Hospital Education Institute Editor-in-Chief, Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal
Determining viscosity of fluid foods by continuous lift.

The viscosity of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid foods was determined by analyzing flow characteristics of corn syrup, tomato sauce and pear puree using a continuous lift apparatus. Assuming steady state and film thickness constant with time, the experimental sample viscosities were found by recording film thickness, belt speed and fluid density and applying the power law model. Film thicknesses increased with belt speed. Consistency coefficients from 38 to 134 were obtained. The experimental power law values were reproducible and agreed with those obtained by conventional viscometer.
Myocardial infarction Changes in the concentrations of high-energy compounds and free amino acids in erythrocytes

Quantitative determination of the nucleotides AMP, ADP, ATP, GTP, NAD, NADP, 2,3-DPG and the free amino acids Lys, His, Gly, Ala, Val, Met, Phe, Tyr, Pro, Thr, Ser, Glu, Asp in erythrocytes was carried out in early and late stages of myocardial infarction. It was found that in erythrocytes, in the early stage of myocardial infarction, the concentrations of AMP, NADP and 2,3-DPG increased, whereas those of ADP, ATP, GTP and NAD decreased. In the third week of the disease the concentrations of AMP, ADP, NADP, and especially 2,3-DPG remained high, while those of ATP and GTP shifted towards the control. The concentrations of His, Gly, Ala, Val, Met, Phe, Thr and Glu increased, while those of Tyr, Ser and Asp decreased in the first stage of myocardial infarction. At the later stage of the illness (21 days) the concentrations of free amino acids returned to normal.
Prevalence of colorectal polyps in pediatric colonoscopy.

Background The available data regarding the prevalence, types, and clinical determinants of colonic polyps in children is limited.
Occupational employment sensitivity to shifting patterns of federal expenditures

Abstract This paper presents the results obtained from computer simulations conducted to determine the sensitivity of occupational employment demands to shifting patterns of Federal expenditures. The general model utilized is described and the effects of four hypothesized shifts in national priorities upon U.S. manpower requirements in the early 1960's are estimated. Selected occupations are classified and ranked according to their sensitivity to changing patterns of resource allocation between military and civilian activities. From these findings implications for economic and manpower forecasting are derived and discussed.
Optically-induced dielectrophoretic technology for cells screening

The ODEP technology has many advantages such as low light energy (∼ 102 W/cm2), virtual electrodes, large manipulating area and rapid screening of cells. In this paper, the 10 µm and 20 µm polystyrene beads are successfully separated by a 40 µm light line width with variable radius circle. Human colon cancer cells (HT-29) concentration experiments are demonstrated and can achieve at the maximum speed about 100 µm/sec.
Forms of Power By Gianfranco Poggi. Cambridge: Blackwell, 2001. 256p. $66.95 cloth, $28.95 paper.

The main themes of this book are prefigured in Gianfranco Poggi's two significant earlier works on the rise and character of the modern state: The Development of the Modern State: A Sociological Introduction, 1978, and The State: Its Nature, Development, and Prospects, 1990, (especially in the first chapter of the latter). In connection with his discussion of state formation, Poggi put forward the view that political power is one particular form of social power and is distinguished from other types of social power by its control of the means of violence. In the current work, Poggi undertakes the considerable task of explicating power in its various forms. He abstracts the concept of power from the historical context of his previous works and, with characteristic lucidity, details the various forms of social power and their interrelations.
Faut-il encore enseigner la physique en Écoles d’ingénieurs ?

Nous publions ici le compte rendu d’une Table ronde qui s’est tenue le 10 juillet 2007, dans le cadre du Congres general SFP de Grenoble. Apres une analyse des raisons de la baisse de la place de la physique dans les cursus des ecoles d’ingenieurs, les participants font ressortir les arguments en faveur du maintien d’une formation adequate en physique des futurs dirigeants et experts.
A PRELIMINARY TRIAL EXPLORING PERFUME PREFERENCES IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Despite the growing interest in the psychological influence of fragrance, researchers have not fully examined the role of fragrance in adolescence. Fragrances often become incorporated in daily routines and social interactions for the first time during this period of enormous physiological and psychosocial change. The current study served as a preliminary trial to explore preferred fragrances in the social world of adolescent girls. Twenty-seven adolescents wore their favorite perfume or an alternative fragrance on two separate days during two different weeks. We found that participants rated the alternative fragrance as less pleasant than their favorite fragrance. The alternative fragrance did not directly affect social behavior. Instead, reduced perceived pleasantness of the alternative fragrance compared with the favorite fragrance was associated with reduced reported social enjoyment in questionnaires and with reduced use of words indicating intimacy in narratives. Associative models and implications for future studies are considered. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Fragrances surround our daily experiences and may affect our perception of the environment through effects on social behavior. Social behavior acquires a particularly important resonance during adolescent development, yet to date, it is unclear what role the olfactory environment, including the perception of fragrances, may play in adolescent experience. Given that adolescence is a time of enormous change biologically, cognitively and socially, fragrance use may interact with such developments. The current study served as a preliminary trial to explore how disrupting the olfactory environment would be associated with changes in questionnaires and narratives examining social behavior in adolescent girls. Our findings suggest that researchers should consider the integration of fragrance in adolescents' social experiences.
Roles and Programming of Arabidopsis ARGONAUTE Proteins during Turnip Mosaic Virus Infection

In eukaryotes, ARGONAUTE proteins (AGOs) associate with microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and other classes of small RNAs to regulate target RNA or target loci. Viral infection in plants induces a potent and highly specific antiviral RNA silencing response characterized by the formation of virus-derived siRNAs. Arabidopsis thaliana has ten AGO genes of which AGO1, AGO2, and AGO7 have been shown to play roles in antiviral defense. A genetic analysis was used to identify and characterize the roles of AGO proteins in antiviral defense against Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) in Arabidopsis. AGO1, AGO2 and AGO10 promoted anti-TuMV defense in a modular way in various organs, with AGO2 providing a prominent antiviral role in leaves. AGO5, AGO7 and AGO10 had minor effects in leaves. AGO1 and AGO10 had overlapping antiviral functions in inflorescence tissues after systemic movement of the virus, although the roles of AGO1 and AGO10 accounted for only a minor amount of the overall antiviral activity. By combining AGO protein immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing of associated small RNAs, AGO2, AGO10, and to a lesser extent AGO1 were shown to associate with siRNAs derived from silencing suppressor (HC-Pro)-deficient TuMV-AS9, but not with siRNAs derived from wild-type TuMV. Co-immunoprecipitation and small RNA sequencing revealed that viral siRNAs broadly associated with wild-type HC-Pro during TuMV infection. These results support the hypothesis that suppression of antiviral silencing during TuMV infection, at least in part, occurs through sequestration of virus-derived siRNAs away from antiviral AGO proteins by HC-Pro. These findings indicate that distinct AGO proteins function as antiviral modules, and provide a molecular explanation for the silencing suppressor activity of HC-Pro.
Effects of Severity of Accident, History of Drunk Driving, Intent, and Remorse on Judgments of a Drunk Driver

A total of 160 women and 160 men read scenarios of an accident caused by a male drunk driver. The severity of the accident was either high (death) or low (monetary damage) and the driver either had or did not have a history of drunk driving. In addition, the driver expressed or denied feeling remorse and expressed or denied intent (or negligence-he admitted or denied knowing he was drunk before deciding to drive). The driver was evaluated on character traits and cause, responsibility, blame, and punishment. Participants also recommended sanctions (fine and prison sentence). Trait ratings of the driver were influenced negatively by history and positively by remorse. The driver who expressed intent was evaluated as more believable and more reckless. Participants with high belief in a just world evaluated the driver as being less responsible and believable and more of a cause of the accident. There were no differences in judgments given by men and women. Severity did not affect trait ratings, but was the only variable influencing sanctions. Although the driver's self presentation strategies were effective in moderating judgments about his character, they had no bearing on recommended sanctions.
Neurobehavioral Changes in Adolescence

Adolescents across a variety of species exhibit age-specific behavioral characteristics that may have evolved to help them attain the necessary skills for independence. These adolescent-related characteristics, such as an increase in risk taking, may be promoted less by the hormonal changes of puberty than by developmental events occurring in brain. Among the prominent brain transformations of adolescence are alterations in the prefrontal cortex, limbic brain areas, and their dopamine input, systems that are sensitive to stressors and form part of the neural circuitry modulating the motivational value of drugs and other reinforcing stimuli. Such developmental transformations of the adolescent brain may predispose adolescents to behave in particular ways and make them particularly likely to initiate use of alcohol and other drugs.
The fMRI signal, slow cortical potential and consciousness

As functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become a driving force in cognitive neuroscience, it is crucial to understand the neural basis of the fMRI signal. Here, we discuss a novel neurophysiological correlate of the fMRI signal, the slow cortical potential (SCP), which also seems to modulate the power of higher-frequency activity, the more established neurophysiological correlate of the fMRI signal. We further propose a hypothesis for the involvement of the SCP in the emergence of consciousness, and review existing data that lend support to our proposal. This hypothesis, unlike several previous theories of consciousness, is firmly rooted in physiology and as such is entirely amenable to empirical testing.
Angiotensin Tachyphylaxis and its Reversal

Tachyphylaxis to angiotensin and some analogues has been demonstrated on spirally cut arterial strips from cat, dog, sheep and rat, and on venous strips from rabbit and cat. Rabbit and guinea pig arteries do not appear to become tachyphylactic. A free C-terminal carboxyl group of angiotensin is necessary for binding with receptor sites and development of tachyphylaxis. Tachyphylaxis seems to represent saturation of receptor sites. It can be reversed by plasma fractions rich in angiotensinase A, possibly by metabolizing the N-terminal part of angiotensin directly from the bound state. Dowex 50 can also reverse it, probably by physical adsorption and stronger binding of angiotensin. Angiotensinase A does not metabolize βaspartyl1-angiotensin and does not reverse tachyphylaxis to this peptide. A possible scheme of interaction between peptide and receptor site is presented.
Generalized-onset seizures with secondary focal evolution

The international seizure classification recognizes that partial-onset seizures can become secondarily generalized, but generalized-onset seizures are expected to remain generalized. We report six patients who had recorded seizures with generalized onset, but subsequent evolution into a focal discharge. The clinical seizure onset was generalized absence or myoclonic, and the most common subsequent clinical pattern was prolonged behavioral arrest with mild automatisms, and then postictal confusion. The ictal discharge started with generalized spike-and-wave activity and then acquired a focal predominance. Interictal epileptiform activity was generalized. There were no focal magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities. Four patients were misdiagnosed with complex partial seizures. All patients were initially refractory, but three became seizure-free and three improved after treatment with antiepileptic medications appropriate for absence or myoclonic seizures. Generalized-onset seizures that acquire focal features are easily misdiagnosed as complex partial. These seizures have a more favorable response to medications effective against generalized absence and myoclonic seizures.
A Randomized, Controlled Trial to Teach Middle School Children to Recognize Stroke and Call 911: The Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke Project

Background and Purpose—Underutilization of acute stroke therapy is driven by delay to hospital arrival. We present the primary results of a pilot, randomized, controlled trial to encourage calling 911 for witnessed stroke among middle school children and their parents. Methods—This project occurred in Corpus Christi, an urban Texas community of 325 000. Three intervention and 3 control schools were randomly selected. The intervention contained 12 hours of classroom instruction divided among sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Parents were educated indirectly through homework assignments. Two-sample t tests were used to compare pretest and posttest responses. Results—Domain 1 test questions involved stroke pathophysiology. Intervention students improved from 29% to 34% correct; control students changed from 28% to 25%. Domain 2 test questions involved stroke symptom knowledge. Intervention school students changed from 28% correct to 43%; control school students answered 25% correctly on the pretest and 29% on the posttest. Domain 3 test questions involved what to do for witnessed stroke. Intervention school students answered 36% of questions correctly on the pretest and 54% correctly on the posttest, whereas control students changed from 32% correct to 34%. A comparison of change in the mean proportion correct over time between intervention and control students was P0.001 for each of the 3 individual domains. A poor parental response rate impaired the ability to assess parental improvement. Conclusions—A scientific, theory-based, educational intervention can potentially improve intent to call 911 for stroke among middle school children. A different mechanism is needed to effectively diffuse the curriculum to parents. (Stroke. 2007;38;2972-2978.)
Identifying large-scale brain networks in fragile X syndrome.

Importance Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-linked neurogenetic disorder characterized by a cognitive and behavioral phenotype resembling features of autism spectrum disorder. Until now, research has focused largely on identifying regional differences in brain structure and function between individuals with FXS and various control groups. Very little is known about the large-scale brain networks that may underlie the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of FXS. Objective To identify large-scale, resting-state networks in FXS that differ from control individuals matched on age, IQ, and severity of behavioral and cognitive symptoms. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional, in vivo neuroimaging study conducted in an academic medical center. Participants (aged 10-23 years) included 17 males and females with FXS and 16 males and females serving as controls. Main Outcomes and Measures Univariate voxel-based morphometric analyses, fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) analysis, and group-independent component analysis with dual regression. Results Patients with FXS showed decreased functional connectivity in the salience, precuneus, left executive control, language, and visuospatial networks compared with controls. Decreased fALFF in the bilateral insular, precuneus, and anterior cingulate cortices also was found in patients with FXS compared with control participants. Furthermore, fALFF in the left insular cortex was significantly positively correlated with IQ in patients with FXS. Decreased gray matter density, resting-state connectivity, and fALFF converged in the left insular cortex in patients with FXS. Conclusions and Relevance Fragile X syndrome results in widespread reductions in functional connectivity across multiple cognitive and affective brain networks. Converging structural and functional abnormalities in the left insular cortex, a region also implicated in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, suggests that insula integrity and connectivity may be compromised in FXS. This method could prove useful in establishing an imaging biomarker for FXS.
When my child was born: cross-cultural reactions to the birth of a child with cleft lip and/or palate.

Abstract Objective: To compare across cultures the maternal reactions toward the birth of children with cleft lip and/or palate. Design: An adaptation of When My Child Was Born, a Likert-type scale designed to assess reactions to the birth of a child, was used to survey the target populations. Setting: The surveys were administered between February 2006 and February 2008 at four hospitals: the Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Sappasitprasong Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand; the No. 5 Affiliated Hospital to Xinjiang Medical College, Urumqi, China; and Santa Monica Hospital, Pereira, Colombia. Participants: Thai (n = 22), Chinese (n = 25), Uygur (n = 15), and Colombian (n = 36) biological mothers completed the survey. A historical cohort of American mothers (n = 99) was used for comparison. Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary study outcome measure was the mean maternal affect score, which was calculated from the individual responses of study participants. Results: The mean...
A conjecture concerning the exponential map on Dμ(M)

It is known that solutions of the Euler equations of hydrodynamics correspond to geodesics on the group of volume–preserving diffeomorphisms of a compact manifold. We conjecture that, regardless of the dimension of the manifold, the associated Riemannian exponential map on the group is nonlinear Fredholm of index zero. Such a result has been established for the Riemannian exponential maps of natural Sobolev metrics on loop spaces and loop groups.
Conductive composite of UHMWPE and CB as a dynamic contact analysis sensor

Abstract There has long been a need to experimentally measure the dynamic contact conditions of important engineering tribological systems, especially those with polymeric bearing surfaces that prove difficult to model. In order to experimentally quantify the dynamic contact conditions of geometrically complex polymeric bearing surfaces, a composite sensor material has been developed. In this study, qualitative morphological analysis of virgin ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and carbon black (CB) powders, as well as UHMWPE and CB powder mixtures of varying percentages was performed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Quantitative structure and friction analysis using atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed on cryoultrasectioned block surfaces of compression-molded CB/UHMWPE composite. In addition, the mechanical properties of the composites were quantified using tensile testing, and the force dependence of the electrical properties was examined under dynamic compressive loading. The AFM results illustrated 5 μm wide CB-containing channels enclosing 150 μm diameter areas of UHMWPE within the CB/UHMWPE compression molded composite. Additionally, the dynamic coefficient of friction (μ) of UHMWPE-dominant regions was 0.18, similar to that reported in the literature (0.2). A Student's t-test with 95% confidence level indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) between the elastic modulus of 8 wt% CB/UHMWPE composite (208.9±11.1 MPa) and that of virgin UHMWPE control specimens (214.8±21.1 MPa) processed under the same experimental conditions. Measurement of the force-dependent nature of the electrical resistance of different CB wt% composites showed that the resistances decreased nearly two orders of magnitude when the compressive loads were increased from 0 to 5 kN. The structure, friction, mechanical, and electrical property results of this study collectively showed that a partially conductive, segregated network composite of nanometer size CB in UHMWPE was obtained without high-shear mixing, that has electrical properties allowing the material to be used as a dynamic contact sensor.
Inhibition Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Serotyping of Group B Streptococcal Isolates

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common organisms causing neonatal sepsis as well as serious infections in adults. Serotyping the organism is important in studying the epidemiology of the disease as well as deciding a course of treatment. There are several methods available for serotyping. Most of them need high-titered sera and are not quantitative. We are reporting a new inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serotyping which is sensitive and specific compared to the conventional methods but does not need high-titered serotype-specific antisera, as the specificity is controlled by the polysaccharide coating on the ELISA plates. The method can also be quantitative, and we have measured polysaccharide elaborated by different serotype V strains. Thus, the inhibition ELISA method will be useful in serotyping for epidemiological studies, assessing virulence, and performing strain selection for vaccine production.
Diffusion of Deuterium in Amorphous Cordierite

Diffusion of deuterons from D2O vapor into cordierite was performed at elevated temperatures. The presence of deuterons is monitored with infrared absorption of OD− ions at 2630 cm−1. The diffusion coefficient D at 1273 K is about 2 × 10−11 m2/s. The activation energy E in the Arrhenius equation is 3 × 105 J/mol. Out-diffusion of D+ ions can be enhanced by application of an electric field.
Antitachycardia pacing or shock therapy—trick or treat?

The current generation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) possesses diagnostic features that provide a unique opportunity to study the events preceding—and perhaps precipitating—cardiac arrest. Recordings of ventricular fibrillation in outpatient setting were exceedingly rare in the pre-ICD era. Today, intracardiac electrograms preceding potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias are available in unlimited quantity. Systematic analysis of the pre-arrhythmic data has yielded insights into the pathogenesis of spontaneous arrhythmias that would be difficult to obtain in any other manner. For example, it appears that an increase in repolarization lability—in the form of T-wave alternans and T-interval variability—precedes or predicts the onset of entricular arrhythmias. This supports the role of repolarzation variability and T-wave alternans in human arrhythogenesis. More prosaically, electrogram analysis indicates proarrhythmic role of ventricular pacing in some recipints of ICD. Other reports describe the frequent occurence of short–long–short RR intervals and fairly stable atterns of heart rate sequences before the onset of arrhythia in individual patients, suggesting a theoretical posibility of individualized pacing algorithms for ventricular rrhythmia suppression. In general, the information stored n the device memory can be used to address a wide variety f questions. The paper by Sullivan et al in this issue of HeartRhythm analyzed stored intracardiac electrograms to assess the effectiveness of antitachycardia pacing (ATP) in patients enrolled in the Inhibition of Unnecessary RV Pacing With AVSH in ICDs (INTRINSIC RV) study. This was a large randomized trial comparing 2 bradycardia pacing modes in recipients of dual-chamber ICDs regarding their effect on mortality and heart failure hospitalization. The results of the trial were published elsewhere. In the present report, Sullivan et al retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of ATP therapy in those patients in whom it was programmed. Ironically, ATP programming was not specified in INTRINSIC RV; it was in fact discouraged, since the default tachycardia programming option consisted of a single ventricular fibrillation zone over 185 beats/min to be treated with shocks only.
Inferring Genetic Ancestry: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications

Increasing public interest in direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic ancestry testing has been accompanied by growing concern about issues ranging from the personal and societal implications of the testing to the scientific validity of ancestry inference. The very concept of "ancestry" is subject to misunderstanding in both the general and scientific communities. What do we mean by ancestry? How exactly is ancestry measured? How far back can such ancestry be defined and by which genetic tools? How do we validate inferences about ancestry in genetic research? What are the data that demonstrate our ability to do this correctly? What can we say and what can we not say from our research findings and the test results that we generate? This white paper from the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Ancestry and Ancestry Testing Task Force builds upon the 2008 ASHG Ancestry Testing Summary Statement in providing a more in-depth analysis of key scientific and non-scientific aspects of genetic ancestry inference in academia and industry. It culminates with recommendations for advancing the current debate and facilitating the development of scientifically based, ethically sound, and socially attentive guidelines concerning the use of these continually evolving technologies.
Objective Aspects of Beauty

In most categories of life deemed to be important, beautiful people achieve more desirable outcomes. Human beings prefer to associate with the most beautiful as these people are considered to be more successful, intelligent, and interesting than their unattractive counterparts. For much of history, it has been assumed that our preferences for beauty are gradually learned through cultural transmission and exposure to contemporary media. However, cross-cultural and infant studies have negated this and support the notion of the universality of beauty with some standards set by nature. Beauty preferences seem to be a result of a basic cognitive process that appears quite early in life, with humans having a near automatic tendency to categorize a person as attractive or unattractive. Although one can often articulate that a face is beautiful quite rapidly and from just small amounts of visual information, it is sometimes difficult to decipher the exact reasons as to what constitutes this beauty. Research suggests that the main attributes that humans find universally attractive in others include facial averageness, symmetry, sexual dimorphism, and skin homogeneity. In this chapter, these characteristics are defined and supported with research and evidence from the scientific community.
Addenda to the book “Critical points at infinity in some variational problems” and to the paper “The scalar-curvature problem on the standard three-dimensional sphere”

Addenda to the book Critical points at infinity in some variational problems and to the paper The scalar-curvature problem on the standard three-dimensional sphere