cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Program

Evaluation is one of those activities that is considered important but at the same time contains an element of anxiety. Perhaps it is related to not knowing if an individual or a program can pass muster or meet the standards required. At any rate, it is often an exercise that is emotionally charged. It is probably safe to say that most individuals and/or programs would rather not be evaluated if there were a choice. On the other hand, evaluation is a necessity if individuals or programs are to improve or just be accountable for what they do. That, however, does not take away from the emotional turmoil that evaluation often brings. Vocational rehabilitation (VR), or more specifically the statelfederal system of vocational rehabilitation, is no different. The same approachavoidance conflict has influenced the issue of evaluation throughout the history ofVR. Evaluation data has been used to justify the VR program. McGowan and Porter! pointed out several decades ago the economic soundness of YR. "One of the purposes of a formally established program of rehabilitation is to prevent long-term expenditures of tax money by making the individual capable of self support." McGowan and Porter went on to present data suggesting that in 1966 about 20,100 persons who began rehabilitation were receiving public assistance of approximately 25 million dollars in contrast to the persons who were receiving rehabilitation and paid 24 million dollars in taxes. 1 This was a rudimentary approach to accountability, and although some have suggested that these "impressive displays of the program's effectiveness ... missed the real issue,"2 they indicate a political appreciation for evaluative data early in the VR program. At the same time, there has also been clear reluctance in establishing objective criteria for measuring outcomes. The Rehabilitation Act General Provisions, Section 14, states that "the Commissioner shall evaluate all programs authorized by this Act, their general effectiveness in relation to cost, their impact on related programs, and their structure and mechanisms for delivery of services." Yet Rubin and Roessler,3 in their introductory text to VR, considered program evaluation to be one of five major mandates of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, "reflecting the spirit of the times." This seems to suggest that evaluation and accountability, although important, had not been a major aspect of rehabilitation legislation until 1973.
Quantifying Generalization from Trial-by-Trial Behavior of Adaptive Systems that Learn with Basis Functions: Theory and Experiments in Human Motor Control

During reaching movements, the brain's internal models map desired limb motion into predicted forces. When the forces in the task change, these models adapt. Adaptation is guided by generalization: errors in one movement influence prediction in other types of movement. If the mapping is accomplished with population coding, combining basis elements that encode different regions of movement space, then generalization can reveal the encoding of the basis elements. We present a theory that relates encoding to generalization using trial-by-trial changes in behavior during adaptation. We consider adaptation during reaching movements in various velocity-dependent force fields and quantify how errors generalize across direction. We find that the measurement of error is critical to the theory. A typical assumption in motor control is that error is the difference between a current trajectory and a desired trajectory (DJ) that does not change during adaptation. Under this assumption, in all force fields that we examined, including one in which force randomly changes from trial to trial, we found a bimodal generalization pattern, perhaps reflecting basis elements that encode direction bimodally. If the DJ was allowed to vary, bimodality was reduced or eliminated, but the generalization function accounted for nearly twice as much variance. We suggest, therefore, that basis elements representing the internal model of dynamics are sensitive to limb velocity with bimodal tuning; however, it is also possible that during adaptation the error metric itself adapts, which affects the implied shape of the basis elements.
The effects of amphetamine on recovery of function in animal models of cerebral injury: A critical appraisal

Therapeutic strategies to promote recovery from stroke are now beginning to utilize current knowledge of neural plasticity and the neuromodulatory role of physical rehabilitation. Current interests are also focused on adjuvant therapies that may enhance plasticity associated with recovery and rehabilitation. Amphetamine was one of the earliest pharmacological interventions and continues to show promising results as an adjuvant treatment for recovery of function in pre-clinical animal studies. This drug is a potent modulator of neurological function and cortical excitation, acting primarily through norepinephrine and dopamine mechanisms to enhance arousal and attention, and thus, to facilitate learning of motor skills. Although the results from the pre-clinical studies have been primarily positive, they have not translated well to clinical trials, which have yielded mixed results. This review addresses some of the conflicting evidence from pre-clinical studies conducted between 1982 and 2008 in order to better understand how to optimize the clinical application of amphetamine as an adjuvant therapy for stroke recovery. Among many of the factors that relate to differences in outcome, it is likely that both amphetamine dose and the timing of the intervention with respect to the time of injury affected the outcome.
Incidental findings of thickening luminal gastrointestinal organs on computed tomography: an absolute indication for endoscopy.

Incidental findings of thickening luminal gastrointestinal organs on computed tomography: an absolute indication for endoscopy
Student Motivation: Perspectives from Mathematics Teachers

This study investigated the extent to which teachers believed motivation was important to student learning, methods they employed to address student motivation, and motivational methods they identified as ineffective. The results indicated that for this sample (1) teachers believed motivation was important to student learning, (2) novice teachers were not identifying teaching methods as a motivational tool,(3) teachers had difficulty in identifying motivational strategies related to pedagogy and curriculum, (4) some teachers utilized tangible rewards, and (5) teacher preparation and professional development programs need to focus more attention on educating teachers about their role in positively influencing students' motivational beliefs and shaping students' learning goals.
Verapamil and lithium in maintenance therapy of manic patients

A year-long double-blind cross-over study was used to compare the long-term therapeutic effects of lithium versus verapamil in a group of 20 manic volunteers. Subjects received each medication for six months. Before cross-over, verapamil patients showed a significant improvement after 60 days, lithium-treated patients after 180 days. After cross-over, verapamil-treated subjects showed improvement at day 240. Lithium-treated patients showed no improvement after cross-over. The data indicate that verapamil may be effective as an agent in the maintenance treatment of manic patients.
Quota Problems: Combating the Dangers of Essentialism

As I write, descriptive representation by gender improves substantive outcomes for women in every polity for which we have a measure. And as I write, significant representation by gender cannot be achieved in any existing polity without some form of quota. At this historical moment, therefore, quotas play an important democratic role in increasing gender equality. Yet because quotas potentially produce institutional rigidity and their need should decrease as structural and cultural conditions improve, it is best to institute them in their most flexible form. Because quotas also encourage essentialism, it is best to institute them in conjunction with major efforts to define in nonessentialist ways the reasons for their institution. Although quotas will inevitably increase essentialist beliefs, a conscious, concerted campaign could mitigate the most destructive effects of this tendency.Many thanks to Lisa Baldez for help in editing these thoughts. Comments welcome: jane_mansbridge@harvard.edu.
Interactions between cycloheximide and T-locus alleles during mouse embryogenesis

Female CD-1 mice were mated with CD-1 × T/ + F1 males that were heterozygous for the brachyury (T) semidominant lethal gene or were +/+. Fetuses from CD-1 × +/ + matings were normal when observed on gestation Day 17 (plug day = Day 0). Those from the CD-1 × T/+ cross exhibited the expected 1:1 ratio of short:normal tail lengths, but 10% of these fetuses were tailless, apparently due to factors in the CD-1 genotype that increased the expressivity of the T-gene with regard to reduction of tail length. Additional CD-1 females were mated with CD-1 × tw18/+ F1 males. Fetuses from the CD-1 × tw18/+ matings were normal. CD-1 females carrying CD-1 X +/+, CD-1 × T/+, or CD-1 × tw18/ + litters were injected ip on gestation Day 9 with 30 mg/kg cycloheximide or were untreated. Cycloheximide was teratogenic for litters from all three crosses. Polydactyly, oligodactyly, and a variety of skeletal abnormalities were observed. Gross malformations and total skeletal malformations were increased in treated CD-1 × T/ + or tw18/ + litters in comparison with CD-1 × +-/ + litters, as were nonvertebral skeletal defects in CD-1 × tw18/+ litters. Prenatal mortality was also greater in treated mutant-containing litters than in + / + litters, and fetal weights were similarly decreased in treated CD-1 × tw18/ + litters. The incidence of taillessness was also higher in treated (26%) than in control (10%) CD-1 × T / + litters. Thus both the T and tw18 alleles appear to have enhanced the teratogenicity of cycloheximide, and the inhibitor may have increased the expressivity of T.
Outcomes of infants <28 days old treated with peritoneal dialysis for end-stage renal disease

This study evaluates the long-term outcomes of infants with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who required initiation of chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) prior to 28 days of age. Infants with ESRD present both ethical and technical challenges for pediatric nephrologists and neonatologists. Recent advances in the medical management of ESRD in infants combined with improved infant transplantation outcomes make it more likely that such infants can survive to successful kidney transplantation. We reviewed all infants initiating PD for ESRD before 28 days of age at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital from 1995 to 2004 (n = 23). Overall 1 - and 5-year patient survival was 52 and 48%, respectively. Twelve children received kidney transplants at a median age and weight of 1.12 years and 9.5 kg, respectively, with a 5-year graft survival rate of 83%. In summary, a majority of infants requiring renal replacement therapy with PD in the first month of life achieve long-term survival with a successful kidney transplant.
Evidence for a tropical freshwater spike during the last glacial/interglacial transition in the Venezuela Basin: δ18O and δ13C of calcareous plankton

Abstract Oxygen and carbon isotope analysis of planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils from five box cores from the Venezuela Basin, collected at depths between 3500 and 4800 m, has revealed a detailed paleoglacial and paleoceanographic history for the last 18,000 yrs. Several climatic events have been recorded in these cores, such as shift towards 18 O enriched values at about 13,000 yrs B.P. in planktic foraminifera, which may be related to a sudden re-advance of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheet; and a “tropical fluvial spike” at about 8000 yrs B.P., during the completion of deglaciation. Comparison of carbon isotopes of nannofossils and Globigerinoides sacculifer have revealed cyclical variations, which has been correlated with changes in surface water circulation and productivity in the present-day oceans. Cycles in surface water productivity have been found in the more northerly shallower cores analyzed. These cycles are believed to be related to variations in intensity of upwelling during the last 18,000 yrs in the northern part of the basin. The southern part of the basin had increased upwelling and productivity which resulted in increased carbonate deposition during glacial times. During the present interglacial foraminifera show increased dissolution with depth, but during the glacial period foraminifera are well preserved throughout the basin indicating increased watercolumn turnover rates. Nannofossils are well preserved during the glacial and interglacial periods. Analysis of the relationship of water depth to the preserved isotopic record of these two major calcareous plankton groups indicates that in this region, nannofossils preserve a better record of surface water isotopic variations than planktonic foraminifera.
KDD workshop on data mining standards, services & platforms (DM-SSP) 2006

DM-SSP '06 was the fourth year there has been a conference on data mining standards, services and platforms and the sixth year that there has been a conference on the Predictive Model Markup Language (PMML) and related areas. The workshop consisted of five talks and two panels.
Light neutrino and heavy particle exchange in 0νββ-decay

Abstract A simple and precise method is presented to compare contributions to neutrinoless double-beta decay ( 0 ν β β -decay) from heavy particle exchange and light Majorana neutrino exchange. This procedure makes no assumptions about the momentum transfer between the two nucleons involved in the 0 ν β β -decay process. It is shown that for a general particle physics model, the characteristic 0 ν β β -decay scale > 4.4 TeV when all the coupling constants are assumed to be natural and of O ( 1 ) .
Effects of early life social stress on endocrinology, maternal behavior, and lactation in rats

Exposure to early life stress is a predictor of mental health disorders, and two common forms of early life stress are social conflict and impaired maternal care, which are predominant features of postpartum mood disorders. Exposure of lactating female rats to a novel male intruder involves robust social conflict and induces deficits in maternal care towards the F1 offspring. This exposure is an early life social stressor for female F1 pups that induces inefficient lactation associated with central changes in oxytocin (OXT), prolactin (PRL), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) gene expression in adult F1 females. The mothers of the rats in the current study were either allowed to raise their pups without exposure to a social stressor (control), or presented with a novel male intruder for 1h each day on lactation days 2-16 (chronic social stress). The effects of this early life chronic social stress (CSS) exposure on subsequent peripheral endocrinology, maternal behavior, and physiology were assessed. Exposure of female pups to early life CSS resulted in persistent alterations in maternal endocrinology at the end of lactation (attenuated prolactin and elevated corticosterone), depressed maternal care and aggression, increased restlessness and anxiety-related behavior, impaired lactation, and decreased saccharin preference. The endocrine and behavioral data indicate that early life CSS has long-term effects which are similar to changes seen in clinical populations of depressed mothers and provide support for the use of the chronic social stress paradigm as an ethologically relevant rodent model for maternal disorders such as postpartum depression and anxiety.
Capnography facilitates tight control of ventilation during transport.

Objective We tested the hypothesis that PaCO2 would be more tightly controlled if end-tidal CO2 monitoring was used during hand ventilation for transport of intubated patients.Design Randomized, prospective analysis of the no-monitor and monitor-blind groups (the monitor was on the bed during transp
Pyroelectric materials as electronic pulse detectors of ultraheavy nuclei

The thermal impulse produced along the path of an ultraheavy nucleus (e.g., uranium) moving in a pyroelectric material is shown to generate a fast electronic current pulse. Detectors have been made utilizing the pyroelectric response of polyvinylidene fluoride and lithium tantalate. The theory behind this new class of charged particle detectors and experimental results are presented. Polyvinylidene fluoride detectors may become useful in large-area space experiments for detection and trajectory determination of ultraheavy nuclei.
Locating the first nodal set in higher dimensions

We extend the two-dimensional results of Jerison (2000) on the location of the nodal set of the first Neumann eigenfunction of a convex domain to higher dimensions. If a convex domain Ω in ℝ n is contained in a long and thin cylinder [0,N] x B ∈ (0) with nonempty intersections with {x 1 = 0} and {x 1 = N}, then the first nonzero eigenvalue is well approximated by the eigenvalue of an ordinary differential equation, by a bound proportional to ∈, whose coefficients are expressed in terms of the volume of the cross sections of the domain. Also, the first nodal set is located within a distance comparable to e near the zero of the corresponding ordinary differential equation.
Healing Genes in the Nervous System

The evolution of gene therapy has led to the development of promising new therapeutic approaches. This NeuroView will introduce the variety of delivery vehicles currently available for gene therapy, a range of preclinical strategies for tackling major diseases of the nervous system, the clinical limitations, and ethical considerations.
Pharmacological treatment of alcoholism

1. Pharmacological treatments are effective as part of a treatment plan that includes substantial education, psychological therapy and social support. This paper reviews recent literature on animal models of and treatment for alcohol abuse under seven categories: agents to block craving or reduce alcohol intake, agents to induce aversion to alcohol, agents to treat acute alcohol withdrawal, agents to treat protracted alcohol withdrawal, agents to diminish drinking by treating associated psychiatric pathology, agents to decrease drinking by treating associated drug abuse, and agents to induce sobriety in intoxicated individuals. 2. The benzodiazepines provide safe and effective treatment for detoxification, although current research focuses on finding drugs with a smaller likelihood of dependence. As yet, there are no drugs that effectively reverse the intoxicating effects of alcohol. 3. Currently, only two major groups of drugs that are relatively safe have shown any effect at reducing alcohol consumption: aversives such as disulfiram, and opioid antagonists such as naltrexone. 4. Finally, it is important to customize therapy for each patient rather than putting everyone through a standard treatment plan, especially in regards to the use of antidepressant or antipsychotic medications. Tailoring the program to the patient's needs dramatically improves the outcome of therapy and reduces the risk of adverse effects.
Plasma versus bone marrow flurazepam concentration in rabbits

Methods for the quantitation of flurazepam in plasma and bone marrow were developed for the purpose of determining the relationship between flurazepam concentrations in both tissues. Albino New Zealand rabbits, given flurazepam in doses of 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg, were sacrificed either one or three hours after drug administration. Flurazepam concentrations in plasma and bone marrow were determined utilizing a gas-liquid chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector. the average plasma/bone marrow flurazepam ratios were 0.033 +/- 0.012 and 0.024 +/- 0.012 for rabbits sacrificed one hour and three hours after dosing, respectively. This study showed that a range of plasma flurazepam levels can be estimated from known bone marrow concentrations. The overall mean plasma/bone marrow ratio for all rabbits used in this study was 0.029 +/- 0.012 with a range of 0.010 to 0.055.
Gender Equality in the Salvadoran Transition

The construction of a true democracy entails the full realization of women['s rights] and their creative participation in all spheres of national life. This is a fundamental principle in the societal project for which the FMLN is fighting. We have a commitment: to win equal rights for women, [and] to overcome their marginalization and oppression in Salvadoran society.—Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Carta de principios y objetivos
Volumetric breast ultrasound as a screening modality in mammographically dense breasts.

This investigation is part of an ongoing large scale study using volumetric breast ultrasound (VBUS) as a screening modality in mammographically dense breasts, offering a substantial benefit to MR imaging of the breast in terms of cost and efficiency. The addition of VBUS to mammography in women with greater than 50% breast density resulted in the detection of 12.3 per 1,000 breast cancers, compared to 4.6 per 1,000 by mammography alone with an overall attributable risk of breast cancer of 19.92 (95% confidence level, 16.75–23.61) in our screened population. These preliminary results may justify the cost benefit of implementing the judicious use of VBUS as an alternative to MR imaging of the breast in conjunction with mammography in the dense breast screening population.
Refinement of the closed-system technique for filling saline breast implants.

To the Editor: Many techniques are available for filling saline breast implants at the time of operation. Some surgeons prefer to use several 60-cc syringes filled separately on the back table and passed by the assistant. This technique would seem to add to the possibility of contamination with the added handling and filling. For this reason, many surgeons have adopted a closed fill system with 1-L saline intravenous bags under pressure, which are then connected to intravenous tubing and a valve system of some kind. This technique works well for many, allows easy tracking of the fill amount, and reduces the chance of contamination …
Ion channel properties of a protein complex with characteristics of a glutamate/N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor

The functional reconstitution of glutamate receptor proteins purified from mammalian brain has been difficult to accomplish. However, channels activated by l-glutamate (L-Glu) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) were detected in planar lipid bilayer membranes (PLMs) following the reconstitution of a complex of proteins with binding sites for NMDA receptor (NMDAR) ligands. The presence of glycine was necessary for optimal activation. A linear current-voltage relationship was observed with the reversal potential being zero. Channels activated by L-Glu had conductances of 23, 47 and 65 pS, and were suppressed partially by competitive and fully by non-competitive inhibitors of NMDARs. Magnesium had little effect on the reconstituted channels.
Flux growth of single crystal lead titanate

A method is described for the flux growth of single crystal PbTiO3. The crystals were nearly equidimensional in form (4x3x2 mm3). The majority of the crystals grew below a disruptive phase transformation temperature (500°C), and were relatively free of cracks and inclusions. Details are reported for the flux growth conditions and crystal characteristics. Highly polar PbTiO3 is of interest for applications in pyroelectric and piezoelectric devices.
QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF RIBOFLAVIN DEFICIENCY IN A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC PEDIATRIC POPULATION BY A NEW METHOD

QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF RIBOFLAVIN DEFICIENCY IN A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC PEDIATRIC POPULATION BY A NEW METHOD
High ammonia content of protein hydrolyzate

Abstract The technique of parenteral almentation developed by dudrick et al. (1) is gaining increasing popularity. This method makes parenteral administration of high-osmolar solutions possible, through the catheterization of the great vessels and consequent rapid dilution of infusate. The procedure is valuable whenevr oral intake is impossible or contraindicated for relatively long periods. The source of amino acids in intravenous alimentation is generally a fibrin or casein hydrolyzate (Aminosol, Abbott; Hyprotigen, McGaw). In a recent informal symposium on the subject held in Atlantic City (April 28, 1971), a number of investigators reported hyperammonemia and abnormal liver function tests concomitant with parenteral alimentation. The findings were confirmed by Johnson et al. in the subsequent formal session (2). In the course of biochemical studies of intravenous alimentaiton, we, too, encountered hyperammonemia whenever ammonia determinations were made. The search for the cause of this complication led us to an investigation of the commercially available protein hydrolyzates. Both solutions (Aminosol and Hyprotigen) were examined by conventional techniques and found to contain high concentrations of ammonia. Because of the potentially serious implications of these result, biochemical confirmation was sought and the presence of inordinate amounts of ammonia in a number of samples was conclusively demonstrated. This brief communication is intended to disseminate the details of this facet of our study. Other biochemical and clinical data are presented elsewhere (3).
Escherichia coli ATP Synthase α Subunit Arg-376: The Catalytic Site Arginine Does Not Participate in the Hydrolysis/Synthesis Reaction but Is Required for Promotion to the Steady State†

The three catalytic sites of the F(O)F(1) ATP synthase interact through a cooperative mechanism that is required for the promotion of catalysis. Replacement of the conserved alpha subunit Arg-376 in the Escherichia coli F(1) catalytic site with Ala or Lys resulted in turnover rates of ATP hydrolysis that were 2 x 10(3)-fold lower than that of the wild type. Mutant enzymes catalyzed hydrolysis at a single site with kinetics similar to that of the wild type; however, addition of excess ATP did not chase bound ATP, ADP, or Pi from the catalytic site, indicating that binding of ATP to the second and third sites failed to promote release of products from the first site. Direct monitoring of nucleotide binding in the alphaR376A and alphaR376K mutant F(1) by a tryptophan in place of betaTyr-331 (Weber et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 20126-20133) showed that the catalytic sites of the mutant enzymes, like the wild type, have different affinities and therefore, are structurally asymmetric. These results indicate that alphaArg-376, which is close to the beta- or gamma-phosphate group of bound ADP or ATP, respectively, does not make a significant contribution to the catalytic reaction, but coordination of the arginine to nucleotide filling the low-affinity sites is essential for promotion of rotational catalysis to steady-state turnover.
Thermogravimetric Study of the High‐Temperature Oxidation of Cu and Fe With and Without Vitreous Coatings

The study of the oxidation of Cu and Fe by continuous recording of weight gain is described. Equations are given for the rates of oxidation at several temperatures of the metals, both uncoated and enamel-coated. Uncoated Cu was less strongly oxidized than uncoated Fe, but coated Cu was more strongly oxidized than coated Fe. The presence of CoO in the coating caused no significant difference in the action of the enamels on the metals.
Trap-controlled dispersive transport and exponential band tails in amorphous silicon

The theory of trap-controlled dispersive transport based on exponential band-tail traps is extended to include the saturation of trap occupancy at high excitation levels. The absence of saturation effects in the transient photocurrent experiment of Hvam and Brodsky is shown to contradict the band-tail hypothesis of this model.
Effect of quench rate on the structural relaxation of a metallic glass

Measurements of the ferromagnetic Curie temperature, Tc, have been used to monitor the structural relaxation of the metallic glass Fe81.5B14.5Si4. The glass was produced by melt-spinning to various ribbon thicknesses at consequently different quench rates. It is shown that the faster quenched (i.e. thinner) ribbons have lower initial Tc values, corresponding to less relaxed structures. All the materials, however, tend to the same equilibrium value on annealing. An effect which is particularly marked at low annealing temperatures is that the faster quenched ribbons relax more quickly. The results are interpreted in terms of two relaxation mechanisms.
Chondrocyte apoptosis and nitric oxide production during experimentally induced osteoarthritis.

Objective Chondrocytes produce nitric oxide (NO) and undergo apoptosis in response to exogenous NO. This study sought to examine the relationship between NO synthesis, chondrocyte apoptosis, and the development of cartilage degradation during experimental osteoarthritis (OA). Methods OA was induced in rabbits by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Knees were harvested after 4 weeks and assessed for OA severity and chondrocyte apoptosis. Conditioned media from cultured cartilage explants were analyzed for nitrite content. Cartilage sections were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the presence of nitrotyrosine. Results All ACLT knees demonstrated osteoarthritic changes. Conditioned media from ACLT cartilage organ cultures contained higher levels of nitrite as compared with cartilage samples from the nonoperated side or from rabbits that had not received ACLT. Cultures of specific areas of cartilage from ACLT knees showed high levels of NO production in the medial femoral and medial tibial cartilage. Approximately 28.7% of chondrocytes isolated from ACLT cartilage and 6.7% of chondrocytes from cartilage of the nonoperated side underwent apoptosis. In situ staining demonstrated apoptotic cells in the superficial and middle zones of ACLT cartilage. A high number of apoptotic cells was present at the pannus-cartilage junction. In control cartilage, the superficial zone contained a small number of cells in apoptosis. The prevalence of apoptotic cells was significantly correlated with the levels of nitrite production and OA grade. Conclusion These observations suggest that, during the early phases of OA, NO production may lead to chondrocyte apoptosis, and that both events contribute to the pathogenesis of cartilage degradation. Inhibitors of NO synthesis and chondrocyte apoptosis may therefore be of therapeutic value after cartilage injury and in patients with OA.
A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in red: live cell imaging of the kappa opioid receptor-tdTomato fusion protein (KOPR-tdT) in neuronal cells.

Abstract Introduction In contrast to green fluorescent protein and variants (GFPs), red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) have rarely been employed for the generation of GPCR fusion proteins, likely because of formation of aggregates and cell toxicity of some RFPs. Among all the RFPs, tdTomato (tdT), one of the non-aggregating RFP, has the highest brightness score (about 3 times that of eGFP) and unsurpassed photostability. Methods We fused tdT to the KOPR C-terminus. The KOPR–tdT cDNA construct was transfected into a Neuro2A mouse neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro2A cells) and rat cortical primary neurons for characterization of pharmacological properties and imaging studies on KOPR trafficking. Results KOPR–tdT retained KOPR properties (cell surface expression, ligand binding, agonist-induced signaling and internalization) when expressed in Neuro2A cells and rat primary cortical neurons. Live cell imaging of KOPR–tdT enables visualization of the time course of agonist-induced internalization of KOPR in real time for 60 min, without photobleaching and apparent cell toxicity. U50,488H-induced KOPR internalization occurred as early as 4 min and plateaued at about 30 min. A unique pattern of internalized KOPR in processes of primary neurons was induced by U50,488H. Discussion tdT is an alternative to, or even a better tool than, GFPs for fusion to GPCR for trafficking studies, because tdT has higher brightness and thus better resolution and less photobleaching problems due to the reduced laser power used. It also has advantages associated with its longer-wavelength emission including spectral separation from autofluorescence and GFPs, reduced cell toxicity that the laser may impose, and greater tissue penetration. These advantages of tdT over GPFs may be critical for live cell imaging studies of GPCRs in vitro and for studying GPCRs in vivo because of their low abundance.
TRANSIENT RESPONSE OF FAST ACTING SOLENOIDS IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

The dynamic response of small solenoid-operated injectors employed for discharging the high-pressure gaseous fuel in diesel engines must be precisely controlled down to a few tenths of a millisecond. This paper shows how a simple but effective switching circuit can control the generation of the solenoid force to meet the stringent timing requirements for the opening and closing of such an injector. A mathematical model of the solenoid was established, to identify the force as a function of current and of the air gap, and for the purpose of simulating the full gas injection process. The model includes effects of eddy current and flux leakage losses in order to account for the hysteresis of the magnetization of the solenoid. Good agreement with the test results has been obtained, allowing the use of the simulation program for further injector optimization.
Radiation absorbed in maxillofacial imaging with a new dental computed tomography device.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this investigation was to measure the tissue-absorbed dose and to calculate the effective dose for the NewTom 9000, a new generation of computed tomographic devices designed specifically for dental applications. Comparisons are made with existing reports on dose measurement and effective dose estimates for panoramic examinations and other computed tomographic imaging modalities for dental implants. Study design Thermoluminescent dosimeters were implanted in a tissue-equivalent humanoid phantom at anatomic sites of interest. Absorbed dose measurements were obtained after single and double exposures. The averaged tissue-absorbed doses were used for the calculation of the whole-body effective dose. Results The effective dose for imaging of maxillomandibular volume with a NewTom 9000 machine is 50.3 μSv. Conclusion The effective dose with the NewTom 9000 machine is significantly less than that achieved with other computed tomographic imaging methods and is within the range of traditional dental imaging modalities.
Petrogenesis of Dunite Xenoliths from Koolau Volcano, Oahu, Hawaii: Implications for Hawaiian Volcanism

Ultramafic xenoliths from Koolau Volcano on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, are divided into spinel lherzolite, pyroxenite, and dunite suites. On the basis of a study of the petrography and mineral compositions of 43 spinel lherzolites, 12 pyroxenites, and 20 dunites, the following characteristics of the dunites in relation to the other nodule types and to Hawaiian lavas emerge. (1) The forsterite content of olivines in the Koolau dunites (Fo82.6-Fo89 7) overlap those of Hawaiian tholeiitic and alkalic lavas and are generally lower than those in abyssal lherzolites and dunites and in Koolau spinel lherzolites. (2) Most of the dunites contain no orthopyroxene, all except two contain chrome spinel, and a few contain interstitial plagioclase and clinopyroxene. (3) Chrome spinels from the Koolau dunites are distinctly higher in Cr/(Cr +Al), lower in Mg/(Mg + Fe2+), and higher in TiO2 than those from abyssal basalts and peridotites. Chrome spinels in the dunites correspond closely in composition to chrome spinels in Hawaiian tholeiitic and alkalic lavas. (4) The abundance of dunite relative to other nodule types decreases outward from the central part of the volcano. The dunites are interpreted not as residues of partial fusion of the mantle but as crystal accumulations stored at shallow depths beneath the central part of Koolau Volcano and derived from picritic magmas parental to the shield-building tholeiitic lavas.
The Composition of Boards of Directors and Incidence of Golden Parachutes

Golden parachutes are a new and controversial management perquisite that allow covered managers to voluntarily resign and collect substantial remuneration—in some cases several million dollars—afte...
Event-Related Brain Potentials and Resource Allocation: From Dual-Task Decrements to Dual-Task Integrality

The use of event-related brain potentials (ERP) in the study of mental workload and resource allocation is discussed. A series of studies are reviewed which, taken together, suggest that the P300 component of the ERP provides a reliable measure of the perceptual/central processing demands of a task. Furthermore, the use of P300 in the assessment of mental workload offers the advantage of not requiring an overt response, thereby eliminating the possibility of secondary task intrusion into primary task performance. The concept of dual-task integrality is introduced and the resource demands of integral task pairs are inferred from measures of P300 amplitude. The findings are discussed in terms of resource models of mental workload.
Patients undergoing treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma can mount an effective immune response to vaccinations

Background: Immunotherapy has been proposed as a novel treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, patients with pancreatic cancer have been observed to have depressed immune response
Glycosaminoglycans in the developing corneal stroma.

The quantitative and qualitative variations of glycosaminoglycans in the developing chicken and calf cornea were determined. The total amount of these substances per dry weight of corneal stroma increases during embryonic development. In the chick embryo this increase was demonstrated mainly in the high molecular weight glucos-aminoglycan fraction and in the galactosaminoglycan fraction with a high sulphate content. The post-natal increase was observed primarily in the glycosaminoglycan fractions of lower molecular weight and lower sulphate content. In cattle, the increase in the glucosaminoglycans from the early embryonic stage to post-natal life was also noted mainly in the high molecular weight fraction. Almost all the galactosaminoglycans in the early embryonic stage of development were highly sulphated, whereas in the post-natal calf cornea most of this polysaccharide moiety had a lower sulphate content.
Altered effects of ethanol in NR2AΔC/ΔC mice expressing C-terminally truncated NR2A subunit of NMDA receptor

Abstract Phosphorylation of C-termini of receptor subunits is thought to play a significant role in modulation of N -methyl- D -aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor function. To investigate whether the C-terminus of the NR2A subunit is involved in determining the sensitivity of NMDA receptors to ethanol we compared the effects of ethanol in vitro on NMDA-mediated field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) of adult male NR2A ΔC/ΔC mice lacking the C-terminus of NR2A subunit and in their parental strain C57Bl/6. We also tested the in vivo effects of a hypnotic dose of ethanol in C57Bl/6 and NR2A ΔC/ΔC mice and their F2 offspring. Ifenprodil (10 μM) was used to distinguish between the NR2A and NR2B components of NMDA fEPSPs. Ethanol (100 mM) in the presence of ifenprodil inhibited the CA1 NR2A-mediated component of NMDA fEPSPs two times more in NR2A ΔC/ΔC than in C57Bl/6. Ethanol inhibition of the CA1 NR2B-mediated component was five to seven times lower in NR2A ΔC/ΔC than in C57Bl/6. In the DG ethanol had similar effects in the two strains. In vivo administration of ethanol (4 g/kg) induced sedation of similar duration in both strains of mice. A second administration of ethanol 7 days after the initial injection revealed an increased ethanol sensitivity of NR2A ΔC/ΔC and F2 ΔC/ΔC mice including a shortened time to loss of righting reflex and an increased sleep time. The sensitization of NR2A ΔC/ΔC mice to alcohol was not accompanied by an altered ethanol sensitivity of NMDA fEPSPs recorded in vitro . Our data are consistent with the inhibitory action of ethanol on NMDA receptors being mediated by a site other than the intracellular C-terminus of the NR2A subunit. The altered sensitivities to ethanol of both NR2A- and NR2B-mediated responses in the CA1 of NR2A ΔC/ΔC imply that NR2A- and NR2B subunit-containing NMDA receptors may be linked by a common target of ethanol.
The Limitation of Human Population: A Natural History.

The overproduction of offspring by early human populations would have tended to work to the selective disadvantage of the entire society but a permanently successful society does require some margin of unrealized fecundity with which to respond to any catastrophic decreases in size. If this is the case without involuntary hormonal control of breeding and without an effective damping of ovulation by lengthy lactation it must also be true that people of successful societies have always limited their natality below the level of their reasonably achievable fecundity. The strongest motive for keeping this margin of possible births unrealized among early hunters apparently lay in the need experienced within each nuclear family to space births in order to allow the mother to perform the tasks expected of her. This motive for child spacing was weakened with the advent of sedentary life. Among agriculturalists children have generally been regarded as an economic advantage and this has encouraged some increase in fertility rates although natality has simultaneously been inhibited by a rise in age and reduction of the proportion of the women who married. Demographers have been incorrect in their assumption that all preindustrial peoples have possessed values similar to those of modern predominantly agricultural underdeveloped countries with high fertility and high mortality. In most cases where growth of population has occurred it has been both recognized and tolerated. The modern growth of population will be slowed permanently only to the extent that each individual considers extra children to be worth less than they will cost in time in effort in money adn in emotion; or in the threat that is created by their very existence.
Comparing naming, lexical decision, and eye fixation times: Word frequency effects and individual differences

Performance on three different tasks was compared: naming, lexical decision, and reading (with eye fixation times on a target word measured). We examined the word frequency effect for a common set of words for each task and each subject. Naming and reading (particularly gaze duration) yielded similar frequency effects for the target words. The frequency effect found in lexical decision was greater than that found in naming and in eye fixation times. In all tasks, there was a correlation between the frequency effect and average response time. In general, the results suggest that both the naming and the lexical decision tasks yield data about word recognition processes that are consistent with effects found in eye fixations during silent reading.
Toward quantification of protein backbone–backbone hydrogen bonding energies: An energetic analysis of an amide‐to‐ester mutation in an α‐helix within a protein

Amide-to-ester backbone mutagenesis enables a specific backbone–backbone hydrogen bond (H-bond) in a protein to be eliminated in order to quantify its energetic contribution to protein folding. To extract a H-bonding free energy from an amide-to-ester perturbation free energy (ΔGfolding,wt − ΔGfolding,mut), it is necessary to correct for the putative introduction of a lone pair–lone pair electrostatic repulsion, as well as for the transfer free energy differences that may arise between the all amide sequence and the predominantly amide sequence harboring an ester bond. Mutation of the 9–10 amide bond within the V9F variant of the predominantly helical villin headpiece subdomain (HP35) to an ester or an E-olefin backbone bond results in a less stable but defined wild-type fold, an attribute required for this study. Comparing the folding free energies of the ester and E-olefin mutants, with correction for the desolvation free energy differences (ester and E-olefin) and the loss of an n-to-π* interaction (E-olefin), yields an experimentally based estimate of +0.4 kcal/mol for the O–O repulsion energy in an α-helical context, analogous to our previous experimentally based estimate of the O–O repulsion free energy in the context of a β-sheet. The small O–O repulsion energy indicates that amide-to-ester perturbation free energies can largely be attributed to the deletion of the backbone H-bonds after correction for desolvation differences. Quantitative evaluation of H-bonding in an α-helix should now be possible, an important step toward deciphering the balance of forces that enable spontaneous protein folding.
Neurovascular coupling in health and disease: lessons from transgenic mice

Abstract Neuronal activity is one of the major factors regulating the cerebral circulation. Synaptic activity produces increases in blood flow that are spatially restricted to the activated region and temporally related to the period of activation, a phenomenon termed functional hyperemia. The cellular and molecular factors linking synaptic activity to cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the mechanisms of their alteration in disease states are not well understood. The introduction of genetically engineered mice with overexpression or deletion of selected gene products provides a powerful tool to investigate the mechanisms of functional hyperemia. In this work, we will review the contributions to this field provided by transgenic mouse models, focusing on the role of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase (COX) in cerebral cortex and/or cerebellum. Furthermore, the alterations in functional hyperemia produced by β-amyloid, a peptide that accumulates in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease, will also be examined.
Minimal dimensions for modular representations of the monster

It is well known that the minimal dimension of a nontrivial complex representation of the Monster is realized by Griess's module of dimension 196883. We show that the corresponding p-modular reduction also realizes the minimal dimension for character¬istics p≠2,3; but in those exceptional characteristics, involves a composition factor of the minimal dimension 196882.
Using a lift to improve the efficacy of a clinic for disabled water skiers

The device was designed to be 6' in height with a 4” Outer Diameter. It will extend 3' from the vertical member. The device has passed all qualitative testing.
Response to Glutamate Receptors and Presympathetic Neuronal Hyperactivity of the Central Nervous System in Hypertension

We thank Dr Tsuda1 for his interest in our work2 and his comments about the important role of N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the central nervous system in the control of sympathetic vasomotor tone in hypertension. In our recent publication, we reported that group II metabotropic glutamate receptors can be targeted to reduce sympathetic discharges by reducing synaptic glutamate release …