cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A possible role for ligatin and the phosphoglycoproteins it binds in calcium-dependent retinal cell adhesion.

Ligatin is a filamentous plasma membrane protein that serves as a baseplate for the attachment of peripheral glycoproteins to the external cell surface. Ligatin can be released from intact, embryonic chick neural retinal cells by treatment with 20 mM Ca++ without adversely affecting their viability. α-Glucose-1-phos phate is also effective in removing ligatin-associated glycoproteins from intact cells. After either of these treatments, the retinal cells seem not to exhibit Ca++ -dependent adhesion for one another. It is thus suggested that ligatin in neural retina may serve as a baseplate for the attachment to the cell surface of glycoproteins active in Ca++-dependent adhesion. The finding that Ca++ serves to protect Ca++-dependent adhesion molecules from digestion by trypsin is discussed in relation to steric constraints on trypsin's accessibility to these adhesion molecules because of their possible binding to arrayed ligatin filaments.
On topology preservation in 3D thinning

Abstract Topology preservation is a major concern of parallel thinning algorithms for 2D and 3D binary images. To prove that a parallel thinning algorithm preserves topology, one must show that it preserves topology for all possible images. But it would be difficult to check all images, since there are too many possible images. Efficient sufficient conditions which can simplify such proofs for the 2D case were proposed by Ronse [Discrete Appl. Math. 21, 1988, 69-79]. By Ronse′s results, a 2D parallel thinning algorithm can be proved to be topology preserving by checking a rather small number of configurations. This paper establishes sufficient conditions for 3D parallel thinning algorithms to preserve topology.
Gramsci on Politics and State

This article argues that Gramsci’s notion of the state is historically and conceptually rooted within a political and theoretical discourse that first emerged with the ideas and practice of the classical politics of the Greeks and Romans, a political and philosophical tradition that was later transformed and reformulated with the advent of a Christianized politics as embodied in the thought of Augustine. The article further argues that Gramsci’s conception rests on the idea that man is pre-eminently political in a double sense: as the ground for community and society, defined by the search for the ‘good life’; and as struggle and conflict, where such a search is defined by competition over a multiplicity of goods.
In situ detection of β-lactamase activity in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels

Abstract After β-lactamase had been denatured by boiling in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and then electrophoresed in SDS-polyacrylamide gels, activity could be restored and could be detected in situ as specific molecular species. Renaturation was simple and facilitated by the presence of a carrier protein. The assay was sensitive, detecting 0.8 ng β-lactamase activity in the gel.
Operators arising from representations of nilpotent Lie groups

Abstract The following two results are obtained for an irreducible multiplier representation T of a connected nilpotent Lie group. First, T f is a Hilbert-Schmidt operator if f is square-integrable with compact support. Second, T f is of trace class if f has derivatives with sufficiently many moments. An application is made of the latter result to show that T f can be of trace class even when f is not continuous.
Creating Pathways to College for Migrant Students: Assessing a Migrant Outreach Program

Migrant students are among the most disadvantaged of any groups in the United States, yet little is understood about factors that facilitate their college access. College access outreach programs rarely collect data on whether and where their students go to college. This longitudinal study tracked the college-going behaviors of migrant students who participated in the Migrant Student Leadership Institute (MSLI), a program whose goals include increasing migrant students' 4-year college access. The program emphasizes developing students' capacity for critical thinking about sociopolitical conditions, as well as their academic preparation for, and knowledge about, college. Results from analyses using an equivalent comparison group suggest that the program positively affected participants' application rates to, and enrollment rates in, more selective California public higher education institutions, including campuses of the University of California (UC) system. This article addresses factors that potentially ...
Relationships Among Alcohol Use, Hyperarousal, and Marital Abuse and Violence in Vietnam Veterans

Alcohol use (frequency and quantity) and the hyperarousal feature of PTSD were examined in relation to male-perpetrated marital abuse and violence using data from 376 couples who participated in the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Veteran's self-reported hyperarousal was significantly associated with partner's report of physical violence and psychological abuse toward her. Differential relationships were found between veteran's self-reported drinking frequency and drinking quantity and the outcomes; of the two components, only the average quantity consumed per occasion was independently related to husband-to-wife violence. Moreover, a complex interaction emerged between hyperarousal and the two dimensions of alcohol consumption in predicting violence, with the relationship between hyperarousal and violence varying as a function of both drinking frequency and drinking quantity.
Persistent increase in synaptic efficacy following a brief tetanus in isolated frog spinal cord

Abstract Lateral column (LC) fibers of the isolated frog ( Rana catesbeiana ) spinal cord make monosynaptic contact with motoneurons. Following application of a 500 msec tetanus of stimuli presented at 500/sec, the ventral root potential elicited by LC stimulation (LC-VRP) was increased in size. This increase persisted in excess of 2 h. Changes in baseline excitability of the preparation as a whole or the motoneurons in particular did not contribute to the effect. No change was observed in the input LC volley following tetanus, and an antidromic tetanus did not affect the orthodromic response. On the basis of these results, the mechanism underlying the increased LC-VRP following tetanus was concluded to be increased presynaptic output of transmitter or increased chemosensitivity of the postsynaptic membrane.
Dynamic Measurements of Intracellular Aminopeptidase Activity in Hepatocytes Using Multiparameter Digitized Video Fluorescent Microscopy

Digitized video fluorescent microscopy (DVFM) is a powerful technique for quantitating multiple processes in living cells. However, techniques for measuring protease activity by DVFM are not available. Our aim was to develop an approach for measuring aminopeptidase activity using DVFM. We conjugated glycine-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin-3-acetic acid (glycine-AMC-3-acetic acid) to dextran using a PEG bridge. Glycine-AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran was microinjected into cultured rat hepatocytes along with rhodamine-dextran. Glycine-AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran is nonfluorescent, but aminopeptidase hydrolysis of the glycine-AMC bond liberates the fluorescent AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran within the cell. Following microinjection, rhodamine-dextran fluorescence remained constant while AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran fluorescence increased in a linear fashion over time reflecting proteolytic cleavage of the glycine-AMC bond. AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran and rhodamine-dextran fluorescence were cytosolic as evidenced by diffuse fluorescence and colocalized. Because rhodamine-dextran fluorescence remained constant and the probes colocalized, the fluorescent ratio of AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran/rhodamine-dextran could be used to measure proteolysis. Basal rates of proteolysis were 9 ± 3 ratio units/10 min Comicroinjection of the aminopeptidase inhibitor, bestatin, along with the dextran probes abolished proteolysis. Addition of the calcium ionophore, 4-Br-A23187, increased proteolysis 12-fold to 107 ± 14/10 min (P <0.01). We have developed a novel, dynamic technique for measuring pH-sensitive, Ca2+-dependent aminopeptidase activity in living cells using DVFM. This approach may be used for the measurement of other peptidase activities bysynthesizing peptidase-specific peptidyl-AMC-3-acetic acid-PEG-dextran conjugates.
Information Literacy and the Academic Library: One Stop on a Life-Long Journey

Information literacy is often linked to life-long learning, but few colleges and universities reach out to the institutions that supply their students or admit their graduates. For this reason, Ventura County (California) educational institutions organized a summit to examine the state of information literacy, identify information literacy gaps within and across educational institutions, identify potential information literacy collaborations within and across educational institutions, and identify needed educational opportunities in the area of information literacy for educational institutions. Summit participants included librarians, faculty, teachers, and administrators from high schools, community colleges, and universities. The article focuses on summit content, format, activities, and outcomes. The summit’s unique format to stimulate dialogue, rather than just show participants how to do information literacy, was extremely informative. It was clear that expectations did not match what was actually being taught, or even believed to be taught, at other institutions. It was also clear that particular participants were doing some great things, but had never stopped to talk about them with their colleagues let alone others outside their institution. As a result, the event has led to several successful collaborations as well as some unexpected benefits for the academic library that hosted it.
Visual scanning patterns and executive function in relation to facial emotion recognition in aging

ABSTRACT Objective: The ability to perceive facial emotion varies with age. Relative to younger adults (YA), older adults (OA) are less accurate at identifying fear, anger, and sadness, and more accurate at identifying disgust. Because different emotions are conveyed by different parts of the face, changes in visual scanning patterns may account for age-related variability. We investigated the relation between scanning patterns and recognition of facial emotions. Additionally, as frontal-lobe changes with age may affect scanning patterns and emotion recognition, we examined correlations between scanning parameters and performance on executive function tests. Methods: We recorded eye movements from 16 OA (mean age 68.9) and 16 YA (mean age 19.2) while they categorized facial expressions and non-face control images (landscapes), and administered standard tests of executive function. Results: OA were less accurate than YA at identifying fear (p < .05, r = .44) and more accurate at identifying disgust (p < .0...
Clinical characteristics of vesnarinone.

Congestive heart failure is a common condition with a poor prognosis. Its high rates of morbidity and mortality produce a huge societal burden. Current pharmacological treatment approaches are based on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics and digoxin, but up to 5% of patients may have refractory disease with persistent symptoms at rest. Such patients with advanced-stage disease may be candidates for treatment with the novel agent vesnarinone, a mixed phosphodiesterase inhibitor and ion-channel modifier that has modest, dose-dependent, positive inotropic activity, but minimal negative chronotropic activity.
Object-oriented finite element-based design and progressive steel weight minimization

An object-oriented environment for reinforcement dimensioning of two- and three-dimensional concrete panel structures is suggested and a new finite element design (FED) object is introduced. In the framework of an object-oriented environment for finite element analysis, the FE object commonly providing the stiffness matrix for analysis is extended to the FED object used for design. The FED object provides the finite element yield conditions in terms of the element nodal forces as opposed to conventional yield conditions formulated for stresses at art infinitesimal point. It can be used for any kind of material provided the corresponding resistance values are used in the yield condition. Class definitions and methods for the FED object are defined. Other major design classes to be used in an object-oriented finite element-based design environment of concrete panel structures are presented. Further, a progressive linear programming approach is suggested in which the tableau is progressively expanded to include new optimization variable columns and constraint rows while most of the computation is performed outside of the tableau. This method is applied to the reinforcement minimization. Possibilities of parallelization of the method on a network of workstations are explained.
Neutron-decay Correlation Measurements with Polarized and Pulsed Beams

Abstract Neutron-decay polarization correlations arise due to the interference of amplitudes with different transformation properties, i.e. V, A, S, P, and T corresponding to vector, axial vector, scalar, pseudoscalar and tensor. Measurements of a number of these correlations are used to constrain fundamental parameters of the Standard Model as well as probe new physics. Recent and future efforts that I will discuss include time-reversal violating correlations, e.g. the D coefficient and its relation to the neutron EDM as well as the beta-neutrino correlation, with emphasis on systematic errors that could arise from residual polarization that can be measured with a pulsed neutron beam such as provided by the SNS or ESS.
Government information of the People's Republic of China on the Internet

Abstract For a long time, the Chinese government rationed to its citizens information like other daily necessities. Internal government information was generally off-limits to ordinary citizens, and especially to foreigners. The advent of the Internet has brought tremendous changes in these practices. This study discusses the phenomenal growth of official government portals on the Internet that offer an unprecedented presence of Chinese government information to the outside world.
Engineer of Revolutionary Russia: Iurii V. Lomonosov (1876–1952) and the Railways

Anthony Heywood, Engineer of Revolutionary Russia: Iurii V. Lomonosov (1876–1952) and the Railways , Aldershot: Ashgate, 2011. Pp XXX + 400; illustrations; notes; index; maps. £75.00 (hardback). IS...
Near infrared camera and multiobject spectrometer (NICMOS): the near infrared space mission on HST

The Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), is a `second generation' instrument for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). As such it is an integral part of the HST mission concept of periodic instrument replacement. NICMOS provides a new capability of near infrared astrophysical investigations in the 0.8 - 2.5 micrometers spectral region utilizing three cameras at different spatial resolutions for imaging, grisms for multi-object spectroscopy, polarizers for polarimetry,and a coronagraphic spot and mask for coronagraphic imaging. NICMOS has a five year mission lifetime with a solid nitrogen dewar that maintains the three 256 X 256 pixel HgCdTe detectors at the operating temperature of 58 Kelvin. Insertion of NICMOS is scheduled for STS Mission 91 in March 1997. The NICOS design is a result of the opportunities and constraints of the HST program which has a unique concept; periodic enhancement of the instrumental capabilities on orbit. This concept, closer to traditional ground based operations, provides a very cost effective capability for new space science opportunities and poses unique challenges in the instrument concepts produced to take advantage of the opportunities.
Best practices in regulation of blood and blood products

The need for blood regulation arises from the inherent risks of blood transfusion, which are minimized through implementation of standards. Regulatory oversight is advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an essential element of any blood system to ensure such standards are met. The WHO Blood Regulators Network has developed "Assessment Criteria for National Blood Regulatory Systems" that describe the legal authority and functions of a fully competent blood regulator. The core functions include licensing and/or registration of blood establishments, marketing approval of blood products, oversight of all associated substances and devices, control of clinical trials, access to an independent laboratory for product assessments, lot release, and hemovigilance systems. Regulatory policy-making for blood safety is needed to address emerging threats, to consider the risks and benefits of new products and technologies, and to respond to adverse events. Structured policy-making processes are essential to ensure that decisions are science-based, with appropriate consideration of relevant economic and social factors. Decision making is especially challenging in situations of scientific uncertainty, where prudent precautionary measures may be appropriate based on assessments of risk and feasibility of meaningful interventions. There is international interest in finding a common framework for addressing blood safety decisions.
The impact of rheumatological evaluation in the management of patients with interstitial lung disease

Objective. We hypothesized that multi-disciplinary assessment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) would lead to improved diagnosis and management. Methods. Our multi-disciplinary ILD group evaluated 50 patients referred to our tertiary care practice over a 12-month period. Evaluation consisted of independent assessments by a pulmonologist and rheumatologist, including complete history and physical examination, review of laboratory data, as well as review of imaging and pathological specimens in conjunction with a radiologist and pathologist experienced in ILD. Therapy was initiated or changed in collaboration with the referring physicians. Results. Mean age was 65 years for patients with rheumatic or CTD-related ILD (CTD-ILD) and 70 years for those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The final diagnosis after evaluation in the clinic was 25 patients with CTD-ILD, 15 patients with IPF and 10 patients with other forms of lung disease. Of the patients with a final diagnosis of CTD-ILD, 28% were referred with a diagnosis of IPF. Among those referred with CTD-ILD, 36% had their diagnosis changed to an alternate CTD-ILD. In total, the diagnosis was changed in 54% of patients who presented to the ILD clinic. Changes in therapy occurred in 80% of patients with CTD-ILD and in 27% of patients with IPF. Conclusion. A multi-disciplinary ILD clinic offers patients an innovative mode of health-care delivery that can enhance diagnosis, affect treatment regimens and improve quality of care. Rheumatologists play a significant role in the clinical care of these patients and should evaluate all patients with ILD.
Testosterone and romance: the association of testosterone with relationship commitment and satisfaction in heterosexual men and women.

Objectives: The current study extends previous research on testosterone (T) and mating effort by examining whether relationship commitment and satisfaction explain variance in T beyond relationship status alone. Methods: Salivary testosterone and self-reported assessments of relationship commitment and satisfaction were assessed among 90 heterosexual men and women (age M = 23.57) in a cross-sectional community sample. Results: Relationship commitment was significantly related to T among men (P 0.05). Controlling for relationship commitment, satisfaction did not predict T levels in men or women (P's > 0.18). Conclusions: The association of increasing relationship commitment with reduced T levels in men confirms and extends prior research linking T with mating effort. Together with previous research, this study suggests that T does not vary with relationship commitment or quality in monogamous, heterosexual women. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Currency and Banking Crisis: The Early Warnings of Distress

The abruptness and virulence of the 1997 Asian crises have led many to claim that these crises are of a new breed and thus they were unforecastable. This paper examines 102 financial crises in 20 countries and concludes that the Asian crises are not of a new variety. Overall, the 1997 Asian crises, as well as previous crises in other regions, occur when the economies are in distress, making the degree of fragility of the economy a useful indicator of future crises. Based on this idea, the paper proposes different composite leading indicators of crises, which are evaluated in terms of accuracy both in-sample and out-of-sample.
Effects of insertional and point mutations on the functions of the duck hepatitis B virus polymerase.

The polymerase (P) gene of hepadnaviruses encodes a large polypeptide that appears to participate in several steps in the viral life cycle: packaging of viral RNA, providing the primer for synthesis of minus-strand DNA, synthesizing minus-strand DNA from an RNA template and plus-strand DNA from a DNA template, and degrading viral RNA in RNA-DNA hybrids. To assist in the assignment of these functions to domains of the duck hepatitis B virus polymerase protein, we have constructed a series of substitution mutations and a large insertion mutation, based in part on amino acid sequence comparisons with other proteins known to exhibit reverse transcriptase (RT) and RNase H activities. We found that changes in highly conserved sequences in putative RT and RNase H domains in the carboxy-terminal half of the protein dramatically reduced synthesis of both strands of viral DNA without major effects on RNA packaging into subviral cores. Thus we can uncouple RNA packaging and DNA synthesis but cannot separate RT and RNase H activities as has been done with human hepatitis B virus. The viability of a mutant with a large insertion (123 amino acids) upstream of the RT and RNase H domain indicates that a hinge region may separate parts of the polymerase protein implicated in priming and polymerization. Images
Do Panels Help Solve the Purchasing Power Parity Puzzle

Although Rogoff described the “remarkable consensus” of 3- to 5-year half-lives of purchasing power parity (PPP) deviations among studies using long-horizon data, recent works using panel methods with post-1973 data report shorter half-lives of 2 to 2.5 years. But these studies do not use appropriate techniques to measure persistence. We extend median-unbiased estimation methods to the panel context, calculate both point estimates and confidence intervals, and provide strong evidence confirming Rogoff's original claim. Although panel regressions provide more information on the persistence of real exchange rate shocks than univariate regressions, they do not help solve the PPP puzzle.
The transitory evolutionary spectrum

Propose a new definition for the time-dependent spectrum of a non-stationary process. The authors show that this spectrum can be considered as the dual of Priestley's (1981) evolutionary spectrum. They demonstrate how this dual spectrum successfully characterizes signals whose components are highly localized in time. They give an estimator of this dual spectrum. Finally, they present examples which demonstrate that the new spectral definition is more suitable than current approaches for many signals. They show that the value of the method depends on the signal under consideration. They also illustrate that if the signal content is not known, then combining estimates of the evolutionary spectrum and its dual yields good results. >
Galileo, Hobbes, and the Book of Nature

This paper investigates the inouence of Galileo's natural philosophy on the philosophical and methodological doctrines of Thomas Hobbes. In particular, I argue that what Hobbes took away from his encounter with Galileo was the fundamental idea that the world is a mechanical system in which everything can be understood in terms of mathematically-specifiable laws of motion. After tracing the history of Hobbes's encounters with Galilean science (through the “Welbeck group” connected with William Cavendish, earl of Newcastle and the “Mersenne circle” in Paris), I argue that Hobbes's 1655 treatise De Corpore is deeply indebted to Galileo. More specifically, I show that Hobbes's mechanistic theory of mind owes a significant debt to Galileo while his treatment of the geometry of parabolic figures in chapter 16 of De Corpore was taken almost straight out of the account of accelerated motion Two New Sciences
Characterization of nanoparticles for therapeutics.

Nanotechnology offers many advantages to traditional drug design, delivery and medical diagnostics; however, nanomedicines present considerable challenges for preclinical development. Nanoparticle constructs intended for medical applications consist of a wide variety of materials, and their small size, unique physicochemical properties and biological activity often require modification of standard characterization techniques. A rational characterization strategy for nanomedicines includes physicochemical characterization, sterility and pyrogenicity assessment, biodistribution (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME)) and toxicity characterization, which includes both in vitro tests and in vivo animal studies. Here, we highlight progress for a few methods that are uniquely useful for nanoparticles or are indicative of their toxicity or efficacy.
Identification of a distinct class of cytoskeleton-associated mRNAs using microarray technology

Interactions between mRNA and the cytoskeleton are critical for the localization of a number of transcripts in eukaryotic somatic cells. To characterize additional transcripts that may be subject to this form of regulation, we developed a two-step approach that utilizes biochemical fractionation of cells to isolate transcripts from different subcellular compartments followed by microarray analysis to examine and compare these subpopulations of transcripts in a massively-parallel manner. Using this approach, mRNA was extracted from the cytoskeleton-rich and the cytosolic fractions of the promyelocytic HL-60 cell line. We identify a subset of 22 transcripts that are significantly enriched in the cytoskeleton-associated population. The majority of these encode structural proteins and/or proteins known to interact with elements of the cytoskeleton. Localization required an intact actin cytoskeleton and was largely conserved upon differentiation of precursor HL-60 cells to a macrophage-like phenotype. We conclude that the association of transcripts with the actin cytoskeleton in somatic cells may be a critical post-transcriptional regulatory event that controls a larger class of genes than has previously been recognized.
Positive emotion word use and longevity in famous deceased psychologists.

Objective: This study examined whether specific types of positive and negative emotional words used in the autobiographies of well-known deceased psychologists were associated with longevity. Methods: For each of the 88 psychologists, the percent of emotional words used in writing was calculated and categorized by valence (positive or negative) and arousal (activated [e.g., lively, anxious] or not activated [e.g., calm, drowsy]) based on existing emotion scales and models of emotion categorization. Results: After controlling for sex, year of publication, health (based on disclosed illness in autobiography), native language, and year of birth, the use of more activated positive emotional words (e.g., lively, vigorous, attentive, humorous) was associated with increased longevity. Negative terms (e.g., angry, afraid, drowsy, sluggish) and unactivated positive terms (e.g., peaceful, calm) were not related to longevity. The association of activated positive emotions with longevity was also independent of words indicative of social integration, optimism, and the other affect/activation categories. Conclusions: Results indicate that in writing, not every type of emotion correlates with longevity and that there may be value to considering different categories beyond emotional valence in health relevant outcomes.
Uncertainty and variability in point cloud surface data

We present a framework for analyzing shape uncertainty and variability in point-sampled geometry. Our representation is mainly targeted towards discrete surface data stemming from 3D acquisition devices, where a finite number of possibly noisy samples provides only incomplete information about the underlying surface. We capture this uncertainty by introducing a statistical representation that quantifies for each point in space the likelihood that a surface fitting the data passes through that point. This likelihood map is constructed by aggregating local linear extrapolators computed from weighted least squares fits. The quality of fit of these extrapolators is combined into a corresponding confidence map that measures the quality of local tangent estimates. We present an analysis of the effect of noise on these maps, show how to efficiently compute them, and extend the basic definition to a scale-space formulation. Various applications of our framework are discussed, including an adaptive re-sampling method, an algorithm for reconstructing surfaces in the presence of noise, and a technique for robustly merging a set of scans into a single point-based representation.
The concept of generation and recombination lifetimes in semiconductors

The purpose of this brief is to discuss the concept of generation and recombination lifetimes, a concept frequently confused in the literature. The regimes of device operation where they apply is discussed and it is shown experimentally for the first time that the two can be very different in magnitude.
Binge eating is associated with right orbitofrontal-insular-striatal atrophy in frontotemporal dementia

Background: Neurophysiologic studies on human and nonhuman primates implicate an orbitofrontal-insular-striatal circuit in high-level regulation of feeding. However, the role of these areas in determining feeding disturbances in neurologic patients remains uncertain. Objective and Methods: To determine brain structures critical for control of eating behavior, we performed a prospective, laboratory-based, free-feeding study of 18 healthy control subjects and 32 patients with neurodegenerative disease. MR voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to identify regions of significant atrophy in patients who overate compared with those who did not. Results: Despite normal taste recognition, 6 of 32 patients compulsively binged, consuming large quantities of food after reporting appropriate satiety. All six patients who overate were clinically diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a disorder previously associated with disordered eating, while the nonovereaters were diagnosed with FTD, semantic dementia, progressive aphasia, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Alzheimer disease. VBM revealed that binge-eating patients had significantly greater atrophy in the right ventral insula, striatum, and orbitofrontal cortex. Conclusion: Binge eating can occur despite reported satiety and is associated with damage to a right-sided orbitofrontal-insular-striatal circuit in humans. These findings support a model in which ventral insular and orbitofrontal cortices serve as higher-order gustatory regions and cooperate with the striatum to guide appropriate feeding responses. Glossary: AD = Alzheimer disease; FTD = frontotemporal dementia; GCRC = General Clinical Research Center; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; OFC = orbitofrontal cortex; PA = progressive aphasia; PSP = progressive supranuclear palsy; ROI = region of interest; SemD = semantic dementia; VBM = voxel-based morphometry.
Distal Interstitial Epididymitis in Young Rats

A sporadic, diffuse, interstitial mixed cell epididymitis of unknown etiology was noted in the epididymal cauda and distal corpus of young control Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats from 2 different suppliers were examined as part of routine toxicology studies. The incidence of this finding was 5/5 (study 1), 2/7 (study 2), and 2/7 (study 3). Although 2 of these studies partially overlapped temporally, none of the affected animals from any study was maintained concurrently with affected animals from any of the other 2 studies, and infectious causes, control article toxicity, or autoimmune processes were considered unlikely etiologies. Inflammation similar to that noted in the epididymides of these young rats was not present in other tissues and was not noted in study cohorts sacrificed at ages older than approximately 11 weeks or in rats of similar age from other concurrent studies. Similar findings were noted sporadically in historical control data, and consequently an age-related finding of unknown etiology...
Characteristics of intermittent mitochondrial transport in guinea pig enteric nerve fibers.

Enteric neurons controlling various gut functions are prone to oxidative insults that might damage mitochondria (e.g., intestinal inflammation). To resume local energy supply, mitochondria need to ...
Single gene mutations causing exaggerated fins also cause non-genetic changes in the display behavior of male zebrafish

Summary We show that the exaggerated changes in fin lengths of zebrafish (Danio rerio) caused by a single gene mutation also resulted in changes in the lateral display rate. However, the increase in this threat display rate only occurred when both fish had very long fins. Fish with shorter fins did not show such an increase when they met fish with longer, same size, or shorter fins. Cutting the long fins to resemble the shorter fin types reduced the display rate, demonstrating that genetic differences do not account for the differences in behavior. These results suggest that species differences in the performance of a display may reflect only the physical differences in the display structure.
Outcomes of fractional CO2 laser application in aesthetic surgery: a retrospective review.

Background: Despite the effectiveness of ablative CO2 laser resurfacing for facial rejuvenation, its application has been limited owing to an undesirable side-effect profile, including prolonged hyperemia and potential pigmentary changes. However, newer fractional CO2 laser technology has reduced the recovery time and led to decreases in postprocedural hypo- and hyperpigmentation. Objectives: The authors investigate the application and outcomes of ablative fractional technology in a private cosmetic surgery practice. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the charts of patients who received fractional CO2 laser resurfacing between March 2007 and May 2008 were reviewed. Data regarding patient demographics, pretreatment regimens, detailed operative data, and posttreatment findings were obtained. The length of hyperemia (less than five weeks, five to eight weeks, and more than eight weeks), complication rates, and revision rates were analyzed. A satisfaction survey was also sent to all patients. Results: Throughout the 19-month study period, 97 patients received 101 treatments with an average follow-up of 4.5 months. Full-face laser resurfacing was performed in 81.1% of patients, with 64.3% receiving their treatment under local anesthesia without sedation. Length of hyperemia was less than five weeks in 93%, five to eight weeks in 5.9%, and more than eight weeks in 0.9% of patients. Hyperpigmentation (9.9%), milia (6.9%), acne breakout (5.9%), and transient ectropion (0.9%) were less common. Patient satisfaction surveys revealed that a majority of patients were satisfied with their results. Conclusions: New fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing is associated with shorter periods of hyperemia, resulting in shorter recovery time in comparison with older ablative technology. The side-effect profile is minor and infrequent. This new technology provides significant clinical improvement with high patient satisfaction.
Testing the Acquired Preparedness Model: Predicting College Student Gambling Frequency and Symptomatology

The acquired preparedness model posits that impulsivity influences the development of outcome expectancies that then influence the engagement in a specific risk taking behavior. The purpose of this study was to test the acquired preparedness model for gambling behavior of college students using a multidimensional approach to impulsivity. Employing a structural equation approach, it was predicted that a full mediational model that includes multiple dimensions of impulsivity and multiple outcome expectancies would predict gambling frequency and gambling symptomatology. Support was found for the acquired preparedness model in understanding why some college students gamble more frequently or problematically. Specifically, better model fit was found for the full mediational model that included outcome expectancies to predict both frequency and gambling symptomatology than the model that included the direct relation between impulsivity and gambling.
School human capital and teacher salary policies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider how the level and structure of teacher salaries affect student outcomes and the possibility of improving student achievement in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis integrates an underlying economic model of the role of salaries in the teacher labor market with existing empirical results. Findings – Much of the current policy discussion about teacher salaries is very unclear about how student outcomes will be affected by changing policies. The US is at a “bad equilibrium” where it cannot increase salaries for effective teachers without increasing salaries for ineffective teachers and thus it is stuck with a teaching corps that is harming both students and the future economic performance of the country. Dealing with problems of the productivity of schools must involve altering the structure of the single salary schedule for teachers. Research limitations/implications – The discussion focusses exclusively on the US schooling system, although ...
Predicting Student Satisfaction in Baccalaureate Nursing Programs: Testing a Causal Model

The purpose of this study was to test a causal model for predicting the overall satisfaction of senior students with their baccalaureate nursing programs. The proposed model was primarily a sociological impact model based upon Tinto's (1975) student integration theory for predicting student departure, and Pascarella's (1985) causal model for predicting student outcomes. To test the model, a sample of 195 senior female students from five baccalaureate nursing programs in the southwestern United States was selected for step-wise regression studies and path analysis. Testing the causal model, the students' integration into the academic and social systems of their nursing programs directly explained 42% of the variance for predicting overall satisfaction. The best predictors of overall satisfaction were the students' 1) academic development, 2) satisfaction with facilities and services, 3) satisfaction with the faculty, and 4) social interaction with peers.
The Libby Letters: Reflections on Sentencing and Mercy in a Post-Booker World

Much has been written about the Booker revolution that led to the fall of the mandatory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Because the Guidelines had been widely assailed as a rigid system that frequently led to unjust sentences, it comes as little surprise that most of the commentary has been celebratory. With the judiciary's new found discretion comes the chance to bring mercy back in from the cold after years of exile. Now, however, the hard work begins. The Guidelines, despite their shortcomings, were instituted in response to a very real problem of disparity in sentencing. The challenge that lies ahead, therefore, is to see if the legal system can accommodate the judiciary's new found discretion without slipping back into a system where a sentence might turn on race, socio-economic status, or the happenstance of which judge is assigned to the case. In short, while Shakespeare beautifully captured mercy's allure when he penned Portia's famous lines, The quality of mercy is not strain'd, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven, it turns out that giving voice to mercy in the nitty-gritty of a courtroom sentencing is surprisingly difficult. This Article uses the sentencing of Lewis Scooter Libby to explore the potential difficulties that lie ahead in a post-Booker world. Libby, who was Vice President Cheney's chief-of-staff, was tried and convicted for crimes coming out of his role in revealing that Valerie Plame was a CIA agent. Prior to his sentencing, a number of citizens submitted letters to the judge, some arguing that Libby deserved mercy based on factors like long public service, while others stated that justice demanded the most severe sentence possible. With their refreshingly non-legal perspectives on mercy and justice, these letters offer a rich trove of material for asking what factors warrant leniency. Using the lessons learned from the letters, the Article examines various ways that we might identify what mercy factors should be recognized. The Article concludes by looking at how judges might exercise their discretion to ensure that the virtue of mercy does not become an unintentional vice by allowing inequality and arbitrariness to creep back into sentencing.
Virus-like particles and cytopathic activity in urine of patients with leukemia

Urine pellet material of patients with leukemia was examined by electron microscopy in an effort to find more convenient sources of virus material for tissue culture and animal infectivity studies. Thirty urine specimens from 16 patients with acute leukemia, 2 patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia and 1 patient with Burkitt’s lymphoma, and 17 urine samples from 15 control patients were examined. Virus-like particles were observed in 7 of the 16 patients with acute leukemia, 1 of the 2 patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia, and 1 of the 15 controls. Although these particles showed slight morphologic differences, many were similar in ultrastructure and in density gradient characteristics to the virus particles observed in murine leukemia and to the particles seen by other workers in plasma and tissues of patients with leukemia and lymphoma. Cytopathic effects on WI-38 fibroblasts were observed in urine from 3 patients with leukemia. These effects resembled cytomegalovirus infection, but confirmatory tests were not carried out. Whether the virus-like particles demonstrated by electron microscopy in this study are responsible for the cytopathic effects is at present uncertain. The correlation of a morphologic structure with tissue culture activity cannot be answered until suitable in vitro assay and transformation systems are developed to purify and test these particles. This study suggests that urine may serve as a convenient source for the study and development of such test systems using the electron microscope to correlate structure with biologic activity.
Results of a Feeding Protocol in Patients Undergoing the Hybrid Procedure

Neonates with single-ventricle physiology are at increased risk of developing gastrointestinal morbidities. Feeding protocols in this patient population have been shown to decrease feeding complications after the Norwood procedure, but no data exist to determine the effectiveness of a feeding protocol in patients undergoing the hybrid procedure. Goal of this study was to examine the impact of a standardized feeding protocol on the incidence of overall postoperative gastrointestinal morbidity after the hybrid procedure. Retrospective chart review was performed on neonates undergoing the hybrid procedure. Neonates were divided into two groups, pre-feeding protocol (pre-FP), which encompassed the years 2002–2008, and post-feeding protocol (post-FP), which encompassed the years 2011–2014. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected. T test or Fisher’s exact test was used for analysis. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Seventy-three neonates were in the pre-FP and 52 neonates were in the post-FP. There were no significant differences between the pre-FP and the post-FP in cardiac diagnosis (62 HLHS, 11 other vs. 39 HLHS, 13 other, respectively). Pre-FP underwent hybrid procedure later than the post-FP (9.1 ± 5.8 vs. 5.7 ± 3.4 days, respectively, p < 0.01) and achieved full enteral feeds earlier than the post-FP (3.2 + 2.9 vs. 7.8 + 3.9 days, respectively, p < 0.01). The incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis was higher in the pre-FP versus post-FP [11.0 % (8/65) vs. 5.8 % (3/49), respectively, p = 0.36]. Though not significant, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis decreased by almost 50 % after initiating a feeding protocol in patients undergoing the hybrid procedure. This is consistent with previous studies showing beneficial results of a feeding protocol in this complex patient population.
The Rise and Fall of Projective Geometry

(1934). The Rise and Fall of Projective Geometry. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 217-228.
Heteroepitaxial Growth of ImP and GaInAs on GaAs Substrates Using Tertiarybutylarsine and Tertiarybutylphosphine

The heteroepitaxial growth of InP and GaInAs on GaAs substrates has been studied by using a new combination of source materials: ethyldimethylindium (EDMIn) and trimethylgallium (TMGa) or triethylgallium (TEGa) as group III sources, and tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) and tertiarybutylarsine (TBAs) as group V sources. The heteroepitaxial growth was carried out in a horizontal reactor in H 2 under atmospheric pressure using a 2 kW quartz lamp as the substrate heater. Epitaxial InP layers of good surface morphology were obtained by using a two step process. The continuity and thickness of the buffer layer are important parameters. The InP layers deposited at 600°C are n-type, and the electron concentration decreases with decreasing TBP/EDMIn molar ratio. The 4.2 K photoluminescence of InP films is very similar to that of homoepitaxial InP films deposited at 600°C using trimethylindium (TMIn) and phosphine. Epitaxial Ga x In 1–x As layers with In composition varying from 3% to 53% have been deposltedi on GaAs substrates at 500° -550°C. A single growth step can be used for the deposition of Ga x In 1–x As with In composition of less than 20%. An InP buffer layer was used when the Ga x In 1–x AS layer contains about 53% In. The composition of GaInAs was determined by optical absorption and photoluminescence techniques.
Omeprazole and the induction of human cytochrome P-450: A response to concerns about potential adverse effects

Abstract Concerns have been expressed that omeprazole may increase the cancer-causing effects of certain chemical carcinogens due to the ability of this antiulcer drug to induce certain forms of cytochrome P-450 (IA1 and IA2) in human liver. These concerns are largely unfounded. Induction of these same P-450 enzymes in rodents invariable decreases, not increases, the tumorigenic effects of a wide variety of chemical carcinogens. Concerns have also been expressed that the induction of P-450 IA enzymes by omeprazole may potentiate that hepatotoxic effects of phenacetin and/or acetaminophen. Although cigarette smoking and consumption of charcoal-broiled beef are known to induce liver IA2 in humans, they are not known to potentiate the hepatotoxic effects of phenacetin or acetaminophen. Omeprazole treatment does not alter the metabolism of theophylline, which is stimulated in cigarette smokers. When interactions with omeprazole have been observed, they invariably involve an inhibition, not induction, of drug metabolism. In conclusion, concerns about the potential adverse effects of omeprazole are not supported by experimental evidence, and the results from recent in vitro and ex vivo experiments do not appear to be pharmacologically or toxicologically relevant to the in vivo situation.