cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of propranolol on catecholamine-induced changes in carbohydrate metabolism in the rabbit.

Abstract In vitro evidence has indicated that isoproterenol (ISO) is more potent than epinephrine (EPI) in releasing glucose from rabbit liver slices and that propranolol (PROP) is a competitive antagonist of ISO. In contrast, dose—response data from fasted rabbits have shown that EPI is more potent than ISO in increasing plasma glucose levels and in lowering hepatic glycogen levels. Pretreatment with PROP abolished ISO-induced hyperglycemia and changes in liver and muscle glycogen levels whereas only the muscle glycogen depleting effect of EPI was altered significantly. These results suggest that factors other than stimulation of hepatic β-receptors must be involved in EPI-stimulated depletion of liver glycogen and hyperglycemia in the intact rabbit.
Prying Open the Window of Opportunity: Some Rhetorical and Social Scientific Dynamics to Argumentation

Social scientists' arguments integrate both rhetorical and scientific features. Our belief is that analysis of these integrated arguments offers an opportunity to distinguish between the peculiarly rhetorical and scientific components of social scientists' argumentative efforts to resolve problems of inquiry. Our analysis shows that rhetorical forms combine with special empirical contents in problem-solving arguments that aim ultimately to establish what we call reasoned facts about social phenomena under empirical investigation. We conclude that neither purely rhetorical nor purely scientific features of argument are sufficient to account for social scientists' efforts to induce acceptance of their claims as resolving problems of inquiry.
Born to Observe

An ever-increasing reliance on medical technology now dominates patient care. As a result, clinical skills have plummeted.1,2 Yet the preceding article takes us back to a time when clinical skills were paramount. Even then, the author's deductive talents were exceptional, particularly those that he displayed as a medical student. Moreover, they support his belief—and mine—that the ability to observe is an innate gift that all of us have but don't always grasp, cultivate, or use. So thank you, Dr. Grais, for sharing your experiences with us and for fanning the embers of a powerful diagnostic tool—the art of observation.
Cellular and network mechanisms of spike-wave seizures

Summary: Spike-wave seizures are often considered a relatively “pure” form of epilepsy, with a uniform defect present in all patients and involvement of the whole brain homogenously. Here, we present evidence against these common misconceptions. Rather than a uniform disorder, spike-wave rhythms arise from the normal inherent network properties of brain excitatory and inhibitory circuits, where they can be provoked by many different insults in several different brain networks. Here we discuss several different cellular and molecular mechanisms that may contribute to the generation of spike-wave seizures, particularly in idiopathic generalized epilepsy. In addition, we discuss growing evidence that electrical, neuroimaging, and molecular changes in spike-wave seizures do not involve the entire brain homogenously. Rather, spike-wave discharges occur selectively in some thalamocortical networks, while sparing others. It is hoped that improved understanding of the heterogeneous defects and selective brain regions involved will ultimately lead to more effective treatments for spike-wave seizures.
Accurate Local Event Locations in Rock Valley, Nevada, Using a Bayesian Multiple‐Event Method

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) designed to improve our understanding of explosion physics. A future SPE will place an explosion at the hypocenter of a small, shallow earthquake, providing a direct earthquake‐to‐explosion experiment. Candidate earthquakes for this novel experiment come from a sequence of over 200 unusually shallow events that occurred in Rock Valley, Nevada, in the southeastern portion of the NNSS during 1993. We apply the Bayesloc multiple‐event location algorithm (Myers et al. , 2007, 2009) to determine the best possible locations and depths for these events. Past nuclear tests in the nearby Yucca Flat on the NNSS are relocated with the same method to provide insight into the accuracy and uncertainties associated with the Bayesloc location results for the Rock Valley earthquakes. This test suggests that we can accurately pinpoint the location of the Rock Valley events within approximately 1 km of their true locations using direct arrival times only. The incorporation of differential arrival times and a potential ground‐truth event can significantly decrease the already small uncertainties associated with the epicenter locations. Depth determinations have uncertainties of a few kilometers. Depth uncertainty may be reduced by developing an accurate 3D model of P ‐wave and S ‐wave velocity for Rock Valley.
Modeling of Thermally Grown Oxide Layer Growth as a Moving Boundary Problem

Thermal efficiency of energy conversion systems such as gas turbines can be increased greatly with an increase in the turbine inlet temperature of combustion gases. However, this necessitates the use of efficient cooling techniques in addition to thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to help significantly improve the life expectancy of gas turbine blades. The effect of TBC use is the formation of oxides, particularly alumina, at the interface of the ceramic top coat and bond coat material during in-service application. This effect is well known to cause failure of TBCs exposed to extreme high temperature environments. The objective of this paper is to present a micro-scale finite difference thermal model for the TBC-Substrate system that considers growth of the TGO layer and predicts in-situ thermal gradients. The governing equation is the transient heat diffusion equation discretized over a 1-D domain using mean value finite volume method with grid adaptation for zones involving depletion of bond coat (BC) material and TGO growth; hence, necessitating a moving interfacial boundary problem. The resulting algebraic equations are simultaneously solved in MATLAB to produce temperature distributions and BC/TGO interfacial locations. The model has utility in studying the evolution of residual stresses and hence prediction of TBC durability and failure.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Volume Recombination, Constriction, and Volt-Ampere Characteristics of the Positive Column

Positive characteristics have been found for diffuse, striationfree, 1-20 ma dc, positive columns in 150-mm Xe, Kr, or Ar, with 0.1% ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ in 10-cm tubes. With Xe+${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, a continuous spectrum is emitted; with other rare gases selections of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ bands. The positiveness of the characteristic results from (1) the disappearance of ions principally by dissociative recombination and (2) ionization which is in effect single stage. For similar current densities the gradient varies little with tube diameter. Probe measurements indicate that the electron and ion density has a relatively flat distribution over a large central part of the tube as compared with the Bessel distribution; the latter resulting from ion loss to the walls by ambipolar diffusion. This broadening out of the discharge increases with the current. For steady convection-free discharges where volume recombination and diffusion are both contributing to ion loss, the degree of constriction should be governed by a "constriction number" $C$ given by $C=\frac{{D}_{a}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}{R}^{2}{n}_{e}}$, where ${D}_{a}$ is the ambipolar diffusion constant, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ is the recombination coefficient (supposed constant everywhere), $R$ is the tube radius, and ${n}_{e}$ the ion concentration.When the current is increased beyond a critical value, the discharge changes abruptly to a filamentary form, the same whether ${N}_{2}$ is present or not, having a several-fold lower gradient, a negative characteristic, and emitting mainly the line spectrum of the rare gas. This discharge is believed to be diffusion and convection controlled, the (atomic) ions diffusing from the hot core to the cooler periphery where they form molecular ions and recombine dissociatively.Such a mechanism as the above, involving a temperature gradient favoring the existence of molecular ions and dissociative recombination in the outer regions is believed to account quite generally for constriction greater than that corresponding to the Fabrikant-Spenke curve.
More than a surgical mission—Pediatric Otolaryngology in Ethiopia

Abstract Objectives Improving the quality of pediatric healthcare in the developing world poses some formidable challenges. Surgical missions aim to improve the lot of individual children, but do little to alter the wellness of the majority. Methods Members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) are working in coordination with existing programs - universities, mission hospitals and non-governmental organizations - with a focus on public health and education of local physicians. Results We have completed our first four visits to Ethiopia, teaching, performing surgery and building relationships. Conclusions We hope that by moving from the traditional surgical mission format to a long-term, integrated educational effort we can enhance otolaryngic care for children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Abnormally spliced messenger RNA in erythroid cells from patients with β+ thalassemia and monkey cells expressing a cloned β+-thalassemic gene

Abstract The reduced β-globin synthesis characterizing the β + thalassemia phenotype has been shown to be caused by anomalous processing within the small Intervening sequence (IVS1) of the β-globin mRNA precursor. The β-globin gene from such patients contains a single base substitution within IVS1, located 22 bp from the 3′ junction between IVS1 and exon 2, creating an alternative splice site within IVS1 and resulting in retention of the 3′-terminal 19 bases of IVS1. We have identified this abnormally spliced mRNA in the reticulocyte RNA of two patients with β + thalassemia, by S1 nuclease mapping and primer-extension analysis. Moreover, a cloned β + -thalassemic gene preferentially generated the anomalously spliced RNA when expressed In monkey kidney cells. The anomalously spliced RNA constituted approximately 80%–90%, and normal β RNA approximately 10%–20%, of the total β mRNA. In contrast, the small amount of β mRNA present in reticulocytes from such patients consisted predominantly of normal β mRNA. These results suggest that the reduced amount of normally functioning β mRNA present in such patients results from preferential processing at the alternative splice site, with subsequent Instability, reduced nuclear processing and/or inadequate cytoplasmic transport of the abnormal RNA species.
Snowmelt decreases in lower‐density forests

As climate change threatens global freshwater supplies, researchers are looking for better ways to manage water sources like snowmelt. Many regions of the world depend on annual snowmelt for water, and portions of these regions are also forested. Forest dynamics are complex and can vary widely depending on region, precipitation, altitude, and many other factors, which makes it difficult to determine whether dense forests retain snowpack or accelerate melt.
Comparing Coverage of Child Labor and National Characteristics: A Cross-National Exploration

A community structure analysis compared cross-national coverage of child labor in 21 countries, sampling all 250+ word articles from November 19, 2000, to November 6, 2012. The resulting 244 articles were coded for “prominence” and “direction” (“government intervention,” “society—including nongovernmental organizations—intervention,” or “balanced/neutral” coverage), then combined into newspaper “Media Vector” scores (range = .317 to −.382). Fourteen of 21 newspapers supported government intervention in child labor issues. Contrary to expectation, Pearson correlations revealed four significant privilege indicators supported coverage less reliant on “government” and more on “society” (nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations, foreign aid): female school-life expectancy (r = −.585, p = .003), gross domestic product/capita (r = −.557, p = .004), male life expectancy (r = −.379, p = .045), and female life expectancy (r = −.364, p = .052). “Stakeholder/media” access was also linked with less support for govern...
Twist in chiral interaction between biological helices.

Using an exact solution for the pair interaction potential, we show that long, rigid, chiral molecules with helical surface charge patterns have a preferential interaxial angle $\ensuremath{\sim}\sqrt{\mathrm{RH}}/L$, where $L$ is the length of the molecules, $R$ is the closest distance between their axes, and $H$ is the helical pitch. Estimates based on this formula suggest a solution for the puzzle of small interaxial angles in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-helix bundles and in cholesteric phases of DNA.
An Open School for Parents Parent and Child St. Louis

Nurses can play an important role in establishing a support system that will facilitate both the practical education and emotional growth of expectant and new parents in the community. The co-founders of such a support system discuss their experience as facilitators for the formation of the parents' organization, Parent and Child St. Louis.
Therapeutic selective neck dissection outcomes.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of selective neck dissection in patients with nodal metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Study Design Historical cohort study. Setting Academic medical center. Subjects and Methods A chart review was performed on 156 subjects with clinically positive regional nodal metastases managed initially with surgery, including neck dissection. Sixty-nine subjects underwent selective neck dissection (less than 5 levels), and the majority received postoperative radiotherapy (80%). Primary outcomes included Kaplan-Meier three-year ipsilateral regional control and five-year overall survival. Cox proportional univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine those factors associated with outcome. Results There were two ipsilateral regional recurrences among those undergoing selective neck dissection, yielding a regional control rate of 95.9 percent. Among those undergoing comprehensive neck dissection, nine ipsilateral regional recurrences occurred, yielding a control rate of 86.0 percent (P = 0.053). No selective neck dissection recurrences occurred in a preserved level. Selective neck dissection, as compared to comprehensive neck dissection, was not adversely associated with regional recurrence, survival, or distant metastasis, even after adjusting for possible confounders (hazard ratio 0.21, P = 0.055). Conclusion These results demonstrate high rates of regional disease control (96%) following selective neck dissection and radiotherapy in patients with positive neck node metastases. In this population, performing selective neck dissection with adjuvant radiotherapy for the majority of patients is supported as an effective treatment approach.
Correlation of DNA ploidy, histopathology, stage and clinical outcome in gastric carcinoma

The determination of nuclear DNA ploidy from paraffin-embedded specimens was performed by flow cytophotometry on 277 surgically resected primary gastric carcinomas to assess the relationship of various pathological findings and DNA content with survival. The preparation of samples was performed by a modification of Hedley's technique and the staining method of Vindelov. Eighty-nine (32%) carcinomas were DNA diploid, 69 (25%) were DNA tetraploid, and 119 (43%) were DNA aneuploid. DNA non-diploid patterns were significantly associated with macroscopic ulcerative appearance, location of the tumour in the proximal stomach, histological grade, and advanced stage of tumour. Patients with DNA non-diploid cancers, and specifically DNA aneuploid cancers, exhibited significantly poorer survival than patients with DNA diploid tumours. These data support the prognostic value of tumour DNA content in patients with resected gastric carcinoma.
Student training in the undergraduate curriculum of power system transient stability

This paper describes a set of power system laboratory exercises assigned for student training in the undergraduate curriculum of power system transient stability to senior students at two universities. These exercises utilize a user-friendly, interactive PC-based graphical software package for the comprehension of power system transient stability. The exercises cover the classical method of equal area criterion for the single machine infinite bus system and help the students to acquire a realistic feeling of the transient stability problem with an on-line explanation of the various effects of faults on transient stability. The exercise description, student reaction and the utilization of the software are discussed.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Induced Heterologous Desensitization of Adenylyl Cyclase from Highly Luteinized Rat Ovaries: Attenuation of Regulatory N Component Activity*

We injected hCG into superovulated rats on the seventh day of pseudopregnancy and confirmed previous findings that thisresults in both homologous desensitization of luteal adenylyl cyclase (loss of responsiveness to LH) and heterologous desensitization of the same adenylyl cyclase system (partial loss of responsiveness to catecholamines), and that these changesare associated with the loss of available unoccupied LH receptors (down-regulation) but not with any discernible loss of β-adre-nergic receptors. We tested the hypothesis that the heterologous component of the above changes might be due to alterations in the function of the nucleotide-binding N component of adenylyl cyclase that intervenes between receptors and catalytic units of adenylyl cyclase. This was done by assessing N component activity in reconstitution assays that measured the capacity of luteal N to mediate, in cyc‒ S49 lymphoma membranes, stimulation of adenylyl cyclase independently by the guanine nucleotide guan-ylyl imidodiphosphate, ...
Synthesis of Medium-Bridged Twisted Lactams via Cation−π Control of the Regiochemistry of the Intramolecular Schmidt Reaction

Medium-bridged twisted amides can be synthesized by the intramolecular Schmidt reaction of 2-azidoalkyl ketones. In these reactions, the regiochemistry of the Schmidt reaction is diverted into a typically disfavored pathway by the presence of an aromatic group at the α-position adjacent to the ketone, which stabilizes the predominantly reactive conformation of the azidohydrin intermediate by engaging in a nonbonded cation−π interaction with the positively charged diazonium cation. This results in the rarely observed rearrangement of the C−C bond distal to the azidoalkyl chain. This reaction pathway also requires the azide-containing tether to be situated in the axial orientation in the key azidohydrin intermediate. Examination of the effect of substitution of aromatic rings on the regiochemistry of the Schmidt reaction shows an increase in the migratory selectivity with more electron-rich aromatic groups. The selectivity is lower when an electron-withdrawing substituent is placed on the aromatic ring. The...
Effects of a Choline‐deficient Diet and a Hypolipidemic Agent on Single Glutathione S‐Transferase Placental Form‐positive Hepatocytes in Rat Liver

Using the placental form of glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) as a marker of carcinogen-initiated hepatocytes, we investigated how a choline-deficient (CD) diet and BR931, a carcinogenic hypolipidemic agent, modify populations of single GST-P-positive hepatocytes. The liver of male Fischer rats (6-7 weeks old) fed a CS or basal diet contained mostly single or double GST-P-positive hepatocytes. Feeding a CD diet for 2–4 weeks led to increases in the number of aggregates of two and three GST-P-positive hepatocytes. By 8–12 weeks, there was an emergence of discrete foci of GST-P-positive hepatocytes consisting of more than 20 hepatocytes. Feeding a BR931 diet for 4–8 weeks resulted in no significant change in the number of single GST-P-positive hepatocytes in the liver as compared to feeding a basal diet. It is suggested that single GST-P-positive hepatocytes in the liver of relatively young rats maintained on a commercial diet may represent endogenously initiated cells. A CD diet promotes endogenously initiated cells to form larger aggregates or foci of GST-P-positive cells.
Inside-out disruption of silica/gold core-shell nanoparticles by pulsed laser irradiation.

Near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser irradiation of metallodielectric core−shell silica−gold (SiO2−Au) nanoparticles can induce extreme local heating prior to the rapid dissipation of energy caused by the large surface area/volume ratio of nanometer-scale objects. At low pulse intensities, the dielectric silica core is removed, leaving an incomplete gold shell behind. The gold shells with water inside and out still efficiently absorb NIR light from subsequent pulses, showing that a complete shell is not necessary for absorption. At higher pulse intensities, the gold shell itself is melted and disrupted, leading to smaller, ∼20-nm gold nanoparticles. Spectroscopic measurements show that this disruption is accompanied by optical hole burning of the peak at 730 nm and formation of a new peak at 530 nm. The silica removal and gold shell disruption confirms significant temperature rise of the core−shall nanoparticle. However, the entire process leads to minimal heating of the bulk solution due to the low net ...
Exciton Annihilation in J-Aggregates Probed by Femtosecond Fluorescence Upconversion

Femtosecond fluorescence upconversion was used to study the excited-state dynamics of two-dimensional J-aggregates of a thiacyanine dye. At high intensities the excited-state population decay is faster than exponential and the decay is intensity dependent. A singlet−singlet exciton annihilation decay mechanism is consistent with the observed behavior. A value of 4 × 1012 molecule s-1 is calculated for the exciton annihilation constant γ. Exciton annihilation measurements reported in the literature for J-aggregates of several cyanine dyes are recast into the same units for comparison. The physical state of these J-aggregates is elucidated to explore the relationship between the magnitude of the exciton annihilation constants and the liquid-crystalline nature of these aqueous colloidal systems. Attempts to time-resolve spectral features related to intraband relaxation in the excited excitonic states of the thiacyanine J-aggregate prior to annihilation indicate that these relaxation processes are faster than...
The Growth of the Firm—A Case Study: The Hercules Powder Company

Growth is governed by a creative and dynamic interaction between a firm's productive resources and its market opportunities. Available resources limit expansion; unused resources (including technological and entrepreneurial) stimulate and largely determine the direction of expansion. While product demand may exert a predominant short-term influence, over the long term any distinction between “supply” and “demand” determinants of growth becomes arbitrary.
Optimal Location of Sediment-Trapping Best Management Practices for Nonpoint Source Load Management

AbstractSelecting approaches to managing nonpoint source pollution is challenging due to the complex generation and transport processes that influence the quantity of pollutant that eventually reaches a receiving water. Pollutant transport is influenced by land surface characteristics along the transport path, and these effects should be considered when optimizing management approaches for nonpoint source pollution. A fully distributed sediment-generation and transport watershed model is presented within an optimization framework to enable the development of spatially precise solutions to sediment-trapping best management practice (BMP) placement at the watershed scale. To focus on the BMP-siting problem, a stylized representation of a BMP is assumed to be capable of reducing sediment mass by a fixed fraction, and optimal arrangements of this assumed BMP type are developed with a genetic algorithm. The results suggest that the optimal location for sediment mass reduction is not necessarily at locations of...
Point Mutations in α-Subunit of Human Cardiac Na+ Channels Alter Na+ Current Kinetics

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) prevent ischemia-induced fatal cardiac arrhythmias in animals and probably in humans. This action results from inhibition of ion currents for Na+, Ca2+, and possibly other ions. To extend understanding of this protection we are seeking a possible binding site for the PUFAs on the alpha-subunit of the human cardiac Na+ channel, hH1alpha, transiently expressed in HEK293t cells. Three mutated single amino acid substitutions with lysine were made in the alpha-subunit at Domain 4-Segment 6 (D4-S6) for F1760, Y1767 and at D1-S6 for N406. These are in the putative sites of binding of local anesthetics and batrachotoxin, respectively. The mutants F1760K, Y1767K, and N406K, separately and to different extents, affected the current density, the steady-state inactivation potential, accelerated inactivation, delayed recovery from inactivation, and affected voltage-dependent block, but did not affect activation of the hH1alpha. It is essential to learn that single point mutations in D1-S6 and D4-S6 alone significantly modify the kinetics of human cardiac hH1alpha Na+ currents. The effects of PUFAs on these mutant channels will be the subject of subsequent reports.
Study of polycrystalline diamond piezoresistive position sensors for application in cochlear implant probe

Abstract Polycrystalline diamond (poly-C) piezoresistive sensors, with high sensitivity, were fabricated and tested for the purpose of integration with Si-based microsystems. The dependence of piezoresistive gauge factor (GF), from 6 to 70, of poly-C films on film resistivities and grain sizes was investigated in detail. Two seeding methods, with high (1010 cm− 2) and low (108 cm− 2) seeding density, were used to grow poly-C films with small (0.3 μm) and large (0.8 μm) grains, respectively, on 4 inch oxidized Si wafers. Results show that higher resistivities and larger grain sizes yield higher GF. Poly-C piezoresistive position sensors, with a tested GF of 28 and potential GF of 70, were fabricated and integrated into a Si-based cochlear implant probe for the first time.
Spectrum efficiency of radio data system (RDS)

The paper addresses the use of the radio data system (RDS) for datacasting road traffic information. It is concluded that, although RDS may be essential to the early phases of introduction of novel advanced traffic information systems (ATISs), FM subcarrier transmission does not offer a spectrum-efficient solution for large-scale ATIS datacasting. The conclusions are believed relevant to the spectrum-efficient design of the future datacasting networks. >
Implementing organizational systems to measure outcome-related processes of end-stage renal disease care

The process to implement a continuous quality improvement program for the patient with end-stage renal disease requires a basic understanding of the complex medical and often psychological circumstances that affect these patients. The organizational elements require, therefore, a recognition and integration of functions from all those involved in delivering care. This includes the medical, nursing, social work, dietary, and technical staff. In the development and establishment of the quality assessment and improvement program at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, experience has identified certain basic elements to use in the organizational and functional aspects of the system to achieve a measurable level of success. The primary element in establishing such a program begins with the commitment at the highest level of the organizational structure. Selection of leadership whose responsibility is to provide education and direction of staff participants should follow. Through leadership, education, and early staff involvement, physician support is gained that provides the operational elements for a successful program. A multidisciplinary team, representative of the various aspects of care, can then develop a quality assessment and improvement plan that establishes clinical indicators used to measure various quality components. A data collection and review process is the next phase of implementation of the organizational system to measure the various types of outcome and/or processes of care. The process is one of continued education based on outcome data for all staff members involved in care.
A free interface diffusion technique for the crystallization of proteins for X-ray crystallography

Abstract A free interface diffusion technique for the crystallization of proteins for X-ray crystallography is described. The procedures and apparatus are simple and allow experiments to be carried out routinely with small quantities of protein. Detailed procedures for the crystallization of cytochrome c2 (Rhodospirillum rubrum), cytochrome c′ (Rhodopseudomonas palustris), cytochrome c′ (R. rubrum), and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Palinurus) are described to exemplify the technique.
Water at hydrophobic surfaces: when weaker is better.

The structure of water molecules at the interface of four hydrophobic phases: carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichloromethane, and air have been studied using molecular dynamics simulations. We discover that hydrophobic phases with weaker dipoles are more successful in orienting water molecules in the vicinity of the aqueous-hydrophobic interface. We create a visual layer-by-layer representation of how water molecules are structured next to these phases. Our findings contribute to an increased understanding of aqueous interfacial phenomena involving salts, ions, surfactants, biomolecules, and nanoparticle assembly.
Fear Conditioned Discrimination of Frequency Modulated Sweeps within Species-Specific Calls of Mustached Bats

Social and echolocation vocalizations of bats contain different patterns of frequency modulations. An adult bat's ability to discriminate between various FM parameters, however, is not well established. Using changes in heart rate (HR) as a quantitative measure of associative learning, we demonstrate that mustached bats (Pteronotus parnellii) can be fear conditioned to linear frequency modulated (FM) sweeps typically centered at their acoustic fovea (∼60 kHz). We also show that HR is sensitive to a change in the direction of the conditional frequency modulation keeping all other parameters constant. In addition, a change in either depth or duration co-varied with FM rate is reflected in the change in HR. Finally, HR increases linearly with FM rate incremented by 0.1 kHz/ms from a pure tone to a target rate of 1.0 kHz/ms of the conditional stimulus. Learning is relatively rapid, occurring after a single training session. We also observed that fear conditioning enhances local field potential activity within the basolateral amygdala. Neural response enhancement coinciding with rapid learning and a fine scale cortical representation of FM sweeps shown earlier make FMs prime candidates for discriminating between different call types and possibly communicating socially relevant information within species-specific sounds.
The patent system and the exploitation of inventions: results of a statistical survey conducted in Italy

Abstract This paper presents the findings of a survey on Italian inventors who filed patent applications in 1981. The objective of the survey was to analyse the productive use of patended inventions, the conditions under which patents are granted, and the inventive activity in the period after application. The survey gives a quantitative insight into the Italian patent system; this system does not provide for in-depth examination of an invention's novelty and originality, and assumes that any conflict which arises will be settled later in the courts. The data made it possible to estimate the ratio between commercially exploited inventions and applications filed as between 20% and 25% on average. Two-thirds of inventions were exploited within 2 years of the application being filed, in most cases by the firm where the inventions originated. Finally, analysis of the survey results raises the question of whether the patent system is too favourable to the inventor. In exchange for the proprietary rights for a period of 20 years, the inventor appears not to supply all the information necessary to put the patented technology into operation, and in two cases out of three the licensing agreement required the licensor to provide know-how on the invention which was not disclosed in the patent documentation.
Management Considerations for Power Plant Computer Software

Challenging management to face up to the realities of computers, this paper makes a strong case for recognition of software (programming) as the second half of a computer system. A step-by-step review of the decisions involved in planning the successful implementation of a computer system is given. The software (programming) is broken down into four functions: program specifications, program planning, program manufacture, and program installation. In each, a concise description of the work and the qualifications necessary to perform it are provided. A training program is added that includes descriptions of training courses, on-the-job training recommendations, and prerequisite qualifications of personnel being considered for such training. A concluding section deals with a discussion of factors to be considered by management in determining whether the customer should buy programming or develop the capability to do it with his own organization.
Effect of heating temperature on particle size distribution in hard and soft wheat flour

Abstract The particle sizes of soft and hard wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flours at isothermal temperatures were determined by laser diffraction analysis. Flour samples were suspended in water at temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C, for 20–60 min. All flour particles exhibited trimodal size distributions, with the particles of the first mode
Morphological and endocrine correlates of the reproductive cycle of the aplacental viviparous dogfish, Squalus acanthias.

Abstract Pregnant female spiny dogfish were captured off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts and morphometric and gravimetric analyses of the liver, gonad, and reproductive tract correlated with the reproductive cycle. Plasma samples were taken and circulating steroids (progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Clear-cut temporal variations in plasma steroid levels were observed, which correlated with the ovarian cycle. Testosterone and estradiol-17β levels were low (100–200 pg/ml plasma) in early pregnancy when ovarian follicles were small but increased to about 10 ng/ml as follicles grew and gestation progressed. By contrast, plasma progesterone was high (2–6 ng/ml) in early to mid-pregnancy when corpora lutea were active and declined toward term (
My Yale Students’ Turn: Sunzi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi as Solutions to Today's Financial Crisis

Abstract A year ago my Yale colleague Harold Bloom, in his op-ed in The New York Times (entitled “Out of Panic, Self- Reliance”) pointed out the striking similarities between the financial crashes of 1837 and 1929, and also 2008. He noted that in 1837 the great American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson was so “electrified” by the financial storms that he proposed “self-reliance” as the solution to the American people at the time. Emerson felt that his generation was “bankrupt of principles and hope, as of property” and so he hoped that all Americans would use the chance to recover their traditional value of self-reliance. Seeing a recurrence of the great depression in 2008, Bloom strongly urged today's new American president to find a similar solution to the economic crisis. My Yale students, however, do not believe that Emerson, the 19th century Concord philosopher, has the solution for our financial crisis in today's global age. Instead, my students look to the Eastern civilization for guidance, thinking that it is time for the West to learn from the intuitive mind of the East. In my course on Sunzi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi last semester, our main topic of discussion naturally focused on the applicability of these ancient Chinese thoughts to modern issues. Coincidentally the students in my class fall into 3 groups: (1) those who apply Sunzi's pragmatic military advice to today's economic issues, (2) those who believe in Zhuangzi's idealistic Daoism and prefer a solution that is beyond the immediate, and (3) those who mediate between the first two positions, while drawing their ideas largely from Laozi. It is the purpose of this paper to sum up how my Yale students, in these three different (but complementary) groups, applied the ancient Chinese philosophers and their texts to a diverse range of contemporary issues--especially as a response to today's financial crisis.
MACROPROLACTINOMA IN ADOLESCENTS: THREE CASES TREATED WITH BROMOCRIPTINE

Macroprolsctinomas (M) seem to be infrequent in individuals below 18 years of ace. In adults Bromocriptine (BC) therapy has been, successful, but few data have been resorted in adolescents. We report the clinical course and hormonal response to SC m three adolescents witn M. [Case 1] A 14-year-old girl with secondary amenorrhea, galactorrhea and headache. Height p25 weight p25 NCHS, and Tanner stage IV. PRL 175 ng/ml (N≤20); TSH 2.9μU/ml (normal:0.5-5); T4 6.2ug/dl (N: 7.1-12.5); FSH 14.9 mU/ml (N:1-20); CT scan : intrasellar mass with sphenoidal sinus invasion, 20 mm in diameter; Goldmann's perimetry (GP) normal. She received 7.5 mg of EC per cay. and after 4 months PRL, and menses were normal. After two years of follow-up, she is normoprolactmemic with 5 ma daily of BC and complete resolution of tumor [Case 2] A 17.6-year-ola cirl witn primary amenorrhea, headache and visual loss. Height P 10 NCHS, Tanner stage III. PRL 799 ng/ml; TSH 2.3 pU/ml; T4 9.8 μg/dl; FSH 3.9 mUI/ml; LH 4.5 mUI/ml; E2 49 pg/ml; CT: solid-cystic supra/intrasellar mass, 13 mm in diameter; GP: bilateral temporal field deficit. One year after BC 22.5 mg daily, PRL decreased to 193 ng/ml, but the amenorrhea has persisted, she experienced tumor shrinKage (60%) and normalization of visual fields. [Case 3] An 18-year-old boy with delay in growth and puberty. Height <p3 NCHS, excess abdominal far and Tanner stage III. PRL 1518 ng/ml; Bone age/chronological age=15.25/18; CT: solid-cystic supra/intrasellar BC, PRL and GH were normal, and there was complete resolution of the tumor. After 1.5 years he presented catch-up-orowth, proaression of puberty and be remains normoprolactinemic with 7.5 mg daily of BC. [Conclusions] In our experience BC was effective in the treatment of M, even with visual field deficits or hypopituitarism. Tumor shrinkaoe improves surgical approach, even if normoprolactmemia is not achieved. We observed dissociation between tumor size reduction and suppression of PRL as described in the literature. In our patients BC was well tolerated.
RADIOIODINE EQUILIBRIUM STUDIES OF THYROID AND BLOOD

A method of isotope equilibrium has been used to study iodinated amino acids of thyroid and blood in the rat. Iodide, monoiodotyrosine, diiodotyrosine, thyroxine and 3′,3,5-triiodothyronine were found to comprise 13%, 20%, 46%, 18%, and 3% of the thyroidal iodine respectively. Thyroxine accounted for approximately 80% of the blood iodine, triiodothyronine 3.5% and the iodinated tyrosines from zero to 4%. These figures are consistent with the hypothesis than in the rat, thyroxine and triiodothyronine contribute approximately half each of the total physiological activity of the thyroid hormones.
Pupil illumination: in-situ measurement of partial coherence

Lithographic tool performance depends in part on the partial coherence (how the lens pupil is illuminated) during photoresist exposure. The partial coherence dial is set prior to exposure and it is usually assumed it correctly indicates actual pupil illumination. The validity of this assumption is tested in situ by utilizing a 'negative pinhole,' an occluding spot on the back side of a clear reticule, that forms a negative image of the pupil illumination. A quantitative sequence of dose contours is obtained from the resist boundaries of images formed by exposing positive photoresist through a clearing dose sequence. These contours are pieced together and generate a source file describing the illumination distribution that is used as input to a lithography simulator to determine tool performance under actual operating conditions.
Asking “Good” Questions: Perspectives From: Qualitative Research on Practice, Knowledge, and Understanding in Teacher Education

ing. Curriculum Inquiiy, 19, 379-403. Saville-Troike, M., & Kleifken, J. A. (1986). Scripts for school: Cross-cultural communication in elementary classrooms. Text, 6, 207-221. Strong, M. (1983). Social styles and the second language acquisition of Spanishspeaking kindergartners. TESOL Quarterly, 17, 241-258. Toukomaa, P., & Skutnabb-Kangas, T. (1979). The intensive teaching of the mother tongue to migrant children of pre-school age and children in the lower level of comprehensive school. Helsinki: The Finnish National Commission for UNESCO. Urzfa, C. (1986). A children's story. In P. Rigg & D. S. Enright (Eds.), Children and ESL: Integrating perspectives (pp. 93-112). Washington, DC: TESOL. Willett, G. (1987). Contrasting acculturation patterns of two non-English-speaking preschoolers. In H. Trueba (Ed.), Success or failure: Learning and the language minority student (pp. 69-84). Cambridge: Newbury House. Wong Fillmore, L. (1979). Individual differences in second language acquisition. In C. Fillmore, D. Kempler, & W. Wang (Eds.), Individual differences in language ability and language behavior (pp. 203-228). New York: Academic Press.
Mnemonic elaboration in multilist learning

This study inquires whether retroactive interference (RI) from learning multiple word lists can be altered through mnemonic strategies. The S s learned five successive lists of 20 words each by associating the words with 20 conceptual pegs via visual imagery. Some S s were instructed to visualize the words from the successive lists in entirely new associative scenes; other S s were to incorporate the current list's words into the appropriate scenes from the earlier lists. Although equivalent in immediate recall, the Separate Images (SI) group recalled less than the Progressive Elaboration (PE) group at the end of the session, and showed a strict RI curve across lists where the PE group did not. Recall at a one-week test, however, favored earlier lists for the PE group only, explicable in terms of cumulative rehearsal of earlier items with the PE method.
Collagen Synthesis and Degradation in the Uterine Deciduoma: Regulation of Collagenase Activity by Progesterone

Abstract During the hypertrophic growth associated with the trauma-induced deciduoma in the rat uterus, the collagen content of the traumatized horn increases approximately five-fold. The time course of the accumulation of collagen parallels that of the gain in wet weight of the horn, occurring between the second and eighth post-trauma day. No change in collagen content is measurable in the control, nontraumatized horn of the uterus. All the collagen in the decidualized horn is found to be in the myometrium; none is present in the decidual tissue which accumulates during deciduoma formation. On approximately the ninth post-trauma day the traumatized horn begins to involute, and the collagen content begins to decline. Concomitant with the drop of the collagen content, collagenase activity appears in tissue. No collagenase activity is detectable in the uterus during the period of collagen accumulation. The absence of collagenase in the growing uterus horn indicates that, in this tissue at least, collagen synthesis occurs in the absence of concomitant fibrillar collagen degradation. Collagenase activity is never detectable in the control, contralateral uterine horn. The resorption process lasts approximately four days; by the thirteenth post-trauma day the collagen content has returned to normal and collagenase activity is no longer detectable in the tissue. The level of low-molecular weight (>10,000 dalton) hydroxyproline-containing peptides increases markedly in the traumatized uterine horn, only during the period of collagen synthesis. These levels return to pre-trauma levels before significant collagen resorption occurs, suggesting the possibility that, during uterine growth, collagen turnover occurs at a time prior to the deposition of molecules onto fibrils. Explant cultures of the resorbing deciduomatous uterine horn produce and release collagenase into the culture medium. This production of collagenase is effectively and selectively prevented by the addition of progesterone (2.5 X 10-5M) or the potent synthetic progesterone analogue, medroxyprogesterone acetate (1 X 10-6M). Addditionally, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (10-3M) and theophylline 5 X 10-3M) partially inhibit the production of collagenase by the uterine tissue. Simultaneous addition of progesterone and either dibutyryl cyclic AMP or theophylline results in synergistic inhibition of collagenase production. These findings in the deciduomatous uterus support the concept that progesterone plays an important role in the regulation of collagenase in the uterus and that cyclic AMP potentiates in some way the action of the steroid.
Syringe exchange, injecting and intranasal drug use

Objective To assess trends in injecting and non-injecting drug use after implementation of large-scale syringe exchange in New York City. The belief that implementation of syringe exchange will lead to increased drug injecting has been a persistent argument against syringe exchange. Methods Administrative data on route of administration for primary drug of abuse among patients entering the Beth Israel methadone maintenance program from 1995 to 2007. Approximately 2000 patients enter the program each year. Results During and after the period of large-scale implementation of syringe exchange, the numbers of methadone program entrants reporting injecting drug use decreased while the numbers of entrants reporting intranasal drug use increased (P < 0.001). Conclusion While assessing the possible effects of syringe exchange on trends in injecting drug use is inherently difficult, these may be the strongest data collected to date showing a lack of increase in drug injecting following implementation of syringe exchange.
Predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules: Molecular advances

Over the last several years, a clearer understanding of the genetic alterations underlying thyroid carcinogenesis has developed. This knowledge can be utilized to tackle one of the greatest challenges facing thyroidologists: management of the indeterminate thyroid nodule. Despite the accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology, many patients undergo invasive surgery in order to determine if a follicular or Hurthle cell neoplasm is malignant, and better diagnostic tools are required. A number of biomarkers have recently been studied and show promise in this setting. In particular, BRAF, RAS, PAX8-PPARγ, microRNAs and loss of heterozygosity have each been demonstrated as useful molecular tools for predicting malignancy and can thereby guide decisions regarding surgical management of nodular thyroid disease. This review summarizes the current literature surrounding each of these markers and highlights our institution’s prospective analysis of these markers and their subsequent incorporation into our management algorithms for thyroid nodules.
Three unusually divergent new genera of phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from Costa Rica

Three new genera and species, Laciniomyia dilata, Laishania angustithorax, and Tabelliphora teretipenna are described from female specimens collected in Costa Rica. All are classified in the subfamily Metopininae, amongst which they are among the most structurally unusual forms found in the New World.