cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microdialysis-coupled place cell detection in the hippocampus : A new strategy for the search for cognition enhancer drugs

Abstract 1. 1. The MPCD method in freely moving rats is a new neuroscience technique. It is able to detect the location-specific firing of hippocampal place cells, and to deliver, via microdialysis, various drug solutions into the extracellular environment of the detected neurons. Place cells are critical elements of the neural system in brain which governs cognitive processes. It is emphasized in this article that effective cognition enhancer drugs must selectively and significantly affect the firing of these cells. 2. 2. By using MPCD, it is possible to recognize drug combinations which can increase the location-specific firing of place cells to an optimal level. This paper proposes that such pharmacological action facilitates engram-creation in extrahippocampal cortical areas, improving cognitive functions. Thus, an MPCD-based research strategy may lead to the rational development of a new generation of cognition enhancer drugs for the treatment of learning and memory disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Incorporating heterogeneous intercourse records into time to pregnancy models

Information on the timing of intercourse relative to ovulation can be incorporated into time to pregnancy models to improve the power to detect covariate effects, to estimate the day-specific conception probabilities, and to distinguish between biological and behavioral effects on fecundability, and therefore the probability of conception in a menstrual cycle. In this paper, Bayesian methods are proposed for joint modeling of intercourse behavior and biologic fecundability. The model accommodates a sterile subpopulation of couples, general covariate effects, and heterogeneity among fecund couples in menstrual cycle viability and in frequency of unprotected intercourse. Methods are described for incorporating cycles with varying amounts of intercourse information into a single analysis. A Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is outlined for estimation of the posterior distributions of the unknowns. Themethods are applied to data from a North Carolina study of couples attempting pregnancy.
Generating an unfoldase from thioredoxin-like domains.

Protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein, is primarily known as a catalyst of oxidative protein folding but also has a protein unfolding activity. We showed previously that PDI unfolds the cholera toxin A1 (CTA1) polypeptide to facilitate the ER-to-cytosol retrotranslocation of the toxin during intoxication. We now provide insight into the mechanism of this unfoldase activity. PDI includes two redox-active (a and a′) and two redox-inactive (b and b′) thioredoxin-like domains, a linker (x), and a C-terminal domain (c) arranged as abb′xa′c. Using recombinant PDI fragments, we show that binding of CTA1 by the continuous PDIbb′xa′ fragment is necessary and sufficient to trigger unfolding. The specific linear arrangement of bb′xa′ and the type a domain (a′ versus a) C-terminal to bb′x are additional determinants of activity. These data suggest a general mechanism for the unfoldase activity of PDI: the concurrent and specific binding of bb′xa′ to particular regions along the CTA1 molecule triggers its unfolding. Furthermore, we show the bb′ domains of PDI are indispensable to the unfolding reaction, whereas the function of its a′ domain can be substituted partially by the a′ domain from ERp57 (abb′xa′c) or ERp72 (ca°abb′xa′), PDI-like proteins that do not unfold CTA1 normally. However, the bb′ domains of PDI were insufficient to convert full-length ERp57 into an unfoldase because the a domain of ERp57 inhibited toxin binding. Thus, we propose that generating an unfoldase from thioredoxin-like domains requires the bb′(x) domains of PDI followed by an a′ domain but not preceded by an inhibitory a domain.
Estimation of fertility and mortality of the Kuwaiti population

Indirect techniques are applied to estimate the current level of fertility and mortality among Kukaiti nationals in Kuwait during 1980 through 1985. The various methods discussed provide estimates in the vicinity of 45/1000 for birth rate and 8/1000 for death rate. Whereas child spacing by birth order in Kuwait is about 2 years the proportion of childlessness is very low (1%). Kuwaitis in general had a high fertility and low mortality during 1980 through 1985 whereas there was a decline in the death rate. These estimates compared with figures derived from the civil registration data show that while for fertility the figures from 2 sets of data are in fairly good agreement and close to each other there is great disparity in the death rate. It seems that the death registration data are less complete. Presumably some of the infant deaths occurring in the desert or more remote areas are not registered. Of the methods for using demographic data in fertility estimation for simplicity and integration 3 were selected: Reles regression procedure (1967) Coales robust estimation method (1981) and Prestons general population model (1983). In addition the parity progression ratios and mean maternal ages of women at different orders of birth were estimated. Both Reles and Coales methods suggest little change in crude birth rate during the period 1980 through 1985. Using Prestons model total birth rate was 45.4/1000 for the period 1980 to 1985 it was 45.0/1000. Estimation of fertility from the age distribution of the population requires knowledge of level and pattern of mortality. Without such knowledge assumptions are required of stability or quasi-stability of the population as well as the pattern of mortality. Model stable populations therefore that provide data for such assumptions play a significant role in the estimation of fertility.
What should be the roles of conscious states and brain states in theories of mental activity

Answers to the title's question have been influenced by a history in which an early science of consciousness was rejected by behaviourists on the argument that this entails commitment to ontological dualism and "free will" in the sense of indeterminism. This is, however, a confusion of theoretical assertions with metaphysical assertions. Nevertheless, a legacy within computational and information-processing views of mind rejects or de-emphasises a role for consciousness. This paper sketches a mentalistic metatheory in which conscious states are the sole carriers of symbolic representations, and thus have a central role in the explanation of mental activity and action-while specifying determinism and materialism as useful working assumptions. A mentalistic theory of causal learning, experimentally examined with phenomenal reports, is followed by examination of these questions: Are there common roles for phenomenal reports and brain imaging? Is there defensible evidence for unconscious brain states carrying symbolic representations? Are there interesting dissociations within consciousness?
In Praise of Phosphates, or Why Vertebrates Chose Apatite to Mineralize Their Skeletal Elements

The geochemical abundance of phosphorus belies its importance as phosphate to life forms. As we explore the roles of microorganisms and humans in biogeochemical cycles, we are also enhancing our understandings of the phosphate control and the continuum that to a biomineralogist begins and ends in apatite. Well-crystallized apatite is utilized in geochemical studies for dating geologic events, and apatitic materials, such as marine phosphate deposits, contribute to the construction of the global phosphate cycle. The apatitic mineral in bones and teeth is a reservoir of information on diet, climate, and the environment. A unique group of samples that integrate biogeochemical information, the detailed chemical investigations of teeth and bone, are now utilized to investigate geochemical events and environments, but they also are sources of information in medical diagnosis and treatment. As we question the mechanisms of disease induction and hazards, both natural and anthropologically created or induced on a ...
A silicon diode array scan converter for high-speed transient recording

A double-ended scan converter tube has recently been developed which uses a silicon diode array for the storage target. The purpose of the device is to capture high-speed single transients or low-repetition-rate signals and to retain the information until it can be read out at speeds slow enough for handling by conventional processing and display circuits. Improvements in wide-bandwidth deflection and the resolution of both writing and reading guns, combined with a charge gain of 2000 in the target, enables data to be stored at unprecedented rates. Information writing speeds of 2 × 1012tracewidths/s are possible with the device, sufficient for displaying a full-screen 2-GHz Sine wave. To reliably digitize the readout for signal processing, a signal-to-noise ratio of about 20:1 is required which the device, will provide at speeds up to 5 × 1011tracewidths/s. Resolution at a 50-percent modulation level is 400 TV lines per horizontal scan (15.7 cycles/mm at the target).
Some existence and nonexistence theorems for solutions of degenerate parabolic equations

Abstract The initial and boundary value problem for the degenerate parabolic equation v t = Δ ( ϑ ( v )) + F ( v ) in the cylinder Ω × ¦0, ∞), Ω ⊂ R n bounded, for a certain class of point functions ϑ satisfying ϑ ′( v ) ⩾ 0 (e.g., ϑ(v) = ¦v¦ m sign v ) is considered. In the case that F ( v ) sign v ⩽ C(1 + ¦ϑ(v)¦ α ), α , the equation has a global time solution. The same is true for α = 1 provided the measure of Ω is sufficiently small. In the case that F(v) ϑ(v) is nondecreasing a condition is given on the initial state v ( x , 0) which implies that the solution must blow up in finite time. The existence of such initial states is discussed.
The dark side of the ivory tower: campus crime as a social problem

In The Dark Side of the Ivory Tower, John Sloan and Bonnie Fisher present an easily digested and clearly argued case for how crime in college and university campuses was created as a social problem...
Conjugated linoleic acid modulation of phorbol ester-induced events in murine keratinocytes.

Recent work in our lab has shown that the chemoprotective fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), inhibits phorbol ester skin tumor promotion in mice. Because little is known about the deposition of CLA into tissues as well as its biological activity, this study compared the incorporation and biological activity of CLA to linoleic acid (LA; 18:2, c9, c12) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4 c5, c8, c11, c14) in cultured keratinocytes. When keratinocytes (HEL-30) were grown in media containing 14C-CLA for various periods, more than 50% of the 14C-CLA was incorporated into cellular lipids by 9 h. The distribution of CLA in phospholipid classes was similar to LA. Approximately 50% of 14C-LA and 14C-CLA were incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC), while the remainder was taken up by phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidyl-serine/phosphatidylinositol (PS/PI). In contrast, 14C-AA was more equitably distributed into PC, PE, or PS/PI (27, 30, or 38%, respectively). When keratinocytes were prelabeled with radiolabeled fatty acids, phorbol ester-induced release of 14C-CLA was 1.5 times higher than 14C-LA and 14C-AA. However, 14C-prostaglandin E (PGE) release in 14C-CLA prelabeled cultures was 6 and 13 times lower than cultures treated with 14C-LA and 14C-AA, respectively. Moreover, the ability of nonradiolabeled CLA to support ornithine decarboxylase activity, a hallmark event of tumor promotion, was significantly lower than in LA- and AA-treated cultures. These studies suggest that CLA inhibits skin tumor promotion, in part, through a PGE-de-pendent mechanism.
Usage of the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Test in Psychiatry by U.S. and Canadian Clerkships

Objective: The authors explored psychiatry clerkship usage of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Subject Test. Methods: U.S. and Canadian psychiatry clerkship directors (N= 150) were sent an 18-item questionnaire surveying evaluation and remediation practices. Results: Of 111 questionnaires (74%) returned, 76 (69%) reported using the NBME Subject Test. As part of the overall grade, the test was granted a mean weight of 31% and a median weight of 25%. Of 72 clerkship directors who use the test for grading, 42% convert the percentile score and 38% convert the subject score. Of 60 clerkship directors who use the test for passing, 72% convert the raw score (mean = 58.3, median = 58), and 28% convert the percentile score (mean = 12.2th, median = 11th percentile). Conclusions: Most psychiatry clerkship directors use the NBME Subject Test, but no predominant method exists for weighing the test or converting it into a grade.
Peer ratings. An assessment tool whose time has come.

Peer ratings—ratings of physicians' clinical skills, communication skills, and professionalism completed by peer physicians or other professional colleagues—are coming into their own in many health care settings. For example, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) recently established professional associate ratings as a component of its future recertification programs.1 Peer ratings are also being used or considered for evaluation of physicians in other settings, including academic departments, hospitals, HMOs, and large group practices. Although peer ratings are somewhat cumbersome when completed on paper because multiple ratings are required to achieve reliability, they remain one of the easiest and most comprehensive methods available to assess the skills of an individual physician. No other existing methodology provides practice-based information about physician performance in cognitive and interpersonal areas as well as professionalism. In upcoming years, use of computer and telephone technologies should reduce the time and expense required for collecting peer ratings and facilitate analysis of the information obtained. For example, the ABIM will use interactive voice response technology to obtain ratings by telephone rather than by mail.
Further evidence on monetary and fiscal policy coordination

The extent to which fiscal and monetary policies respond to inflation and unemployment and the degree to which policy makers coordinate their policies have important implications for their usefulness as instruments of economic stabilization. Using a framework of minimizing a policy maker's loss function, subject to the state of the economy, this paper tests for the joint determination of monetary and fiscal policies. Our results show that the pre-Reagan/Bush and pre-Volcker/Greenspan eras can be characterized by a noncooperative game between the two policies. For the Reagan/Bush and Volcker/Greenspan regimes, our results are consistent with a cooperative game in which fiscal policy dominates and monetary policy accommodates. Our results also have implications for the possibility of future cooperation by policy makers.
Grief and Involvement in Wrongful Death Litigation

The theory of grief work, symbolic interaction theory, and family systems theory are used to gain theoretical perspective on the impact on a family of involvement in wrongful death litigation. Involvement in litigation may speed up, slow down, or alter an individual litigant's grieving, and any of these effects may alienate the litigant from nonlitigant kin. The completion of litigation, no matter what the outcome, may lead to renewed or to new grieving and relationship problems. The theoretical analysis includes discussion of the entanglement of the attorney in the individual grief process and in family tensions.
The Use of Distance Education in a Collaborative Course in Early Childhood Special Education

Eight faculty members from five different campuses across the state of Wisconsin collaboratively taught a seminar course in early childhood special education through distance education technologies. A description of the course development and implementation is provided followed by summaries of the qualitative and quantitative analyses of student and faculty data. While the initial purpose for the course was program improvement through shared faculty expertise, comfort and skill in using distance education technologies also grew as a result of the course for both students and faculty. Students positively rated their acquisition of content as a result of the on-line and in-class activities.
The Universal Grammar of Reading

Reading has universal properties that can be seen across the world's writing systems. The most important one is the universal language constraint: All writing systems represent spoken languages, a universal with consequences for reading processes. These consequences are seen most clearly at the broad principle level: the principle that reading universally requires the reader to make links to language at the phonological and morphemic levels. At the same time, the nature of the writing system and the various orthographies that instantiate it do make a difference for important details of the reading process. Drawing on observations and research from Chinese and Korean, I examine these universal and writing-specific aspects of reading. I also consider the implications of the universal language constraint for learning to read.
Combination Therapy of an Intestine-Specific Inhibitor of Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Agonist in Diabetic Rat

We investigated effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in combination of JTT-130, a novel intestine-specific microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor, and pioglitazone, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ agonist. Male Zucker diabetic fatty rats were divided into 4 groups: control group, JTT-130 treatment group, pioglitazone treatment group, and combination group. The Zucker diabetic fatty rats were fed a regular powdered diet with JTT-130 and/or pioglitazone as a food admixture for 6 weeks. Effects on glucose and lipid metabolism were compared mainly between JTT-130 treatment group and combination group. JTT-130 treatment showed good glycemic control, while the plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels in combination group were significantly decreased as compared with those JTT-130 treatment group. The reduction in the plasma triglyceride and free fatty acid levels in combination group was higher than that in JTT-130 treatment group, and glucose utilization was significantly elevated in adipose tissues. In Zucker diabetic fatty rats, combination treatment of JTT-130 and pioglitazone showed better glycemic control and a strong hypolipidemic action with an enhancement of insulin sensitivity. Combination therapy of MTP inhibitor and PPARγ agonist might be more useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes accompanied with obesity and insulin resistance.
A Texture-Based Neural Network Classifier for Biometric Identification using Ocular Surface Vasculature

In an earlier work we had explored the possibility of utilizing the vascular pattern of the sclera, episclera, and conjunctiva as a biometric indicator. These blood vessels, which can be observed on the white part of the human eye, demonstrate rich and seemingly unique details in visible light, and can be easily imaged using commercially available digital cameras. In this work we discuss a new method to represent and match the textural intricacies of this vascular structure using wavelet-derived features in conjunction with neural network classifiers. Our experimental results, based on the evidence of 50 subjects, indicate the potential of the proposed scheme to characterize the individuality of the ocular surface vascular patterns and further confirm our assertion that these patterns are indeed unique across individuals.
Merits of cellwise model-based OPC

One of the most compute intensive dataprep operations for 90nm PC level is the model-based optical proximity correction (MBOPC). The running time and output data size are growing unacceptably, particularly for ASICs and designs containing large macros built out of library cells (books). The reason for this growth is that the region-of-interest for MBOPC is approximately 600nm, which means that most library cells “see” interactions with adjacent books in the same row and also in adjacent rows. In this paper, we investigate the merits of doing cellwise MBOPC. In its simplest form, the approach is to perform dataprep for each cell once per cell definition rather than once per placement. By inspection, this will reduce the computation time and output data size by a factor of P/D, where P is the number of book placements (100s to millions) and D is the number of book definitions. Our preliminary finding indicates that there is negligible difference between nominal CD for cellwise corrected cells and chipwise corrected cells. We will present our finding in terms of average CD and contact coverage, as well as runtime reduction.
2-MITE Product-of-Power-Law Networks

A 2-MITE is a multiple-input translinear element with two input gates. In this paper, different properties of networks of 2-MITEs are derived, especially in the case of product-of-power-law (POPL) networks, in which the output currents are products of the inputs raised to different powers. It is found that conditions ensuring the uniqueness and stability of the operating point in 2-MITE networks are less stringent than those for MITE networks with higher number of input gates. This simplifies the synthesis of these networks considerably. A graph-theoretic approach to the analysis of 2-MITE networks is presented. Necessary conditions for a set of power-law equations to be implementable by 2-MITE networks are derived. Sufficient conditions for the same are presented for the case of POPL networks with one output
Intraarterial vasodilator therapy immediately rescued pure cortical deafness due to bilateral cerebral vasospasm.

Background: Cortical deafness is a rare symptom that is associated with bilateral lesions of the auditory cortex. To date, cortical deafness has been reported in only three cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
Two-dimensional LNA/DNA arrays: estimating the helicity of LNA/DNA hybrid duplex

We measured the helical repeats of a non-natural nucleic acid, locked nucleic acid (LNA), by incorporating LNA strands into the outer arms of a DNA double crossover (DX) molecule; atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging of the two-dimensional (2D) arrays self-assembled from these DX molecules allows us to derive the helical repeat of the LNA/DNA hetero-duplex to be 13.2 ± 0.9 base pairs per turn.
Neural-network based analog-circuit fault diagnosis using wavelet transform as preprocessor

We have developed an analog-circuit fault diagnostic system based on backpropagation neural networks using wavelet decomposition, principal component analysis, and data normalization as preprocessors. The proposed system has the capability to detect and identify faulty components in an analog electronic circuit by analyzing its impulse response. Using wavelet decomposition to preprocess the impulse response drastically reduces the number of inputs to the neural network, simplifying its architecture and minimizing its training and processing time. The second preprocessing by principal component analysis can further reduce the dimensionality of the input space and/or select input features that minimize diagnostic errors. Input normalization removes large dynamic variances over one or more dimensions in input space, which tend to obscure the relevant data fed to the neural network. A comparison of our work with that of Spina and Upadhyaya (see ibid., vol. 44, p. 188-196, 1997), which also employs backpropagation neural networks, reveals that our system requires a much smaller network and performs significantly better in fault diagnosis of analog circuits due to our proposed preprocessing techniques.
Acousto-optic phase modulator for single-mode fibres

A compact fibre-optic phase modulator with a single-mode fibre positioned along the axis of a cylindrical PZT acoustic transducer is investigated. The fibre is bonded inside a glass capillary tube, which is in turn epoxied inside the transducing cylinder to give a solid, mechanically stable structure. The maximum sensitivity of the phase shifter is 0.058 rad/V cm at 6.02 MHz. No polarisation modulation is observed.
Detecting community structure in networks

There has been considerable recent interest in algorithms for finding communities in networks— groups of vertices within which connections are dense, but between which connections are sparser. Here we review the progress that has been made towards this end. We begin by describing some traditional methods of community detection, such as spectral bisection, the Kernighan-Lin algorithm and hierarchical clustering based on similarity measures. None of these methods, however, is ideal for the types of real-world network data with which current research is concerned, such as Internet and web data and biological and social networks. We describe a number of more recent algorithms that appear to work well with these data, including algorithms based on edge betweenness scores, on counts of short loops in networks and on voltage differences in resistor networks.
Auditory–Motor Interaction Revealed by fMRI: Speech, Music, and Working Memory in Area Spt

The concept of auditory-motor interaction pervades speech science research, yet the cortical systems supporting this interface have not been elucidated. Drawing on experimental designs used in recent work in sensory-motor integration in the cortical visual system, we used fMRI in an effort to identify human auditory regions with both sensory and motor response properties, analogous to single-unit responses in known visuomotor integration areas. The sensory phase of the task involved listening to speech (nonsense sentences) or music (novel piano melodies); the "motor" phase of the task involved covert rehearsal/humming of the auditory stimuli. A small set of areas in the superior temporal and temporal-parietal cortex responded both during the listening phase and the rehearsal/humming phase. A left lateralized region in the posterior Sylvian fissure at the parietal-temporal boundary, area Spt, showed particularly robust responses to both phases of the task. Frontal areas also showed combined auditory + rehearsal responsivity consistent with the claim that the posterior activations are part of a larger auditory-motor integration circuit. We hypothesize that this circuit plays an important role in speech development as part of the network that enables acoustic-phonetic input to guide the acquisition of language-specific articulatory-phonetic gestures; this circuit may play a role in analogous musical abilities. In the adult, this system continues to support aspects of speech production, and, we suggest, supports verbal working memory.
Clinical Consequences of Urea Cycle Enzyme Deficiencies and Potential Links to Arginine and Nitric Oxide Metabolism

Urea cycle disorders (UCD) are human conditions caused by the dysregulation of nitrogen transfer from ammonia nitrogen into urea. The biochemistry and the genetics of these disorders were well elucidated. Earlier diagnosis and improved treatments led to an emerging, longer-lived cohort of patients. The natural history of some of these disorders began to point to pathophysiological processes that may be unrelated to the primary cause of acute morbidity and mortality, i.e., hyperammonemia. Carbamyl phosphate synthetase I single nucleotide polymorphisms may be associated with altered vascular resistance that becomes clinically relevant when specific environmental stressors are present. Patients with argininosuccinic aciduria due to a deficiency of argininosuccinic acid lyase are uniquely prone to chronic hepatitis, potentially leading to cirrhosis. Moreover, our recent observations suggest that there may be an increased prevalence of essential hypertension. In contrast, hyperargininemia found in patients with arginase 1 deficiency is associated with pyramidal tract findings and spasticity, without significant hyperammonemia. An intriguing potential pathophysiological link is the dysregulation of intracellular arginine availability and its potential effect on nitric oxide (NO) metabolism. By combining detailed natural history studies with the development of tissue-specific null mouse models for urea cycle enzymes and measurement of nitrogen flux through the cycle to urea and NO in UCD patients, we may begin to dissect the contribution of different sources of arginine to NO production and the consequences on both rare genetic and common multifactorial diseases.
Evolution of ageing since Darwin

In the late 19th century, the evolutionary approach to the problem of ageing was initiated by August Weismann, who argued that natural selection was more important for ageing than any physiological mechanism. In the mid-twentieth century, J. B. S. Haldane, P. B. Medawar and G. C. Williams informally argued that the force of natural selection falls with adult age. In 1966, W. D. Hamilton published formal equations that showed mathematically that two’ forces of natural selection’ do indeed decline with age, though his analysis was not genetically explicit. Brian Charlesworth then developed the required mathematical population genetics for the evolution of ageing in the 1970’s. In the 1980’s, experiments using Drosophila showed that the rate of ageing evolves as predicted by Hamilton’s’ forces of natural selection’. The discovery of the cessation of ageing late in life in the 1990’s was followed by its explanation in terms of evolutionary theory based on Hamilton’s forces. Recently, it has been shown that the cessation of ageing can also be manipulated experimentally using Hamilton’s’ forces of natural selection’. Despite the success of evolutionary research on ageing, mainstream gerontological research has largely ignored both this work and the opportunity that it provides for effective intervention in ageing.
Visible Body Modification (VBM): Operationalizing Grooming Standards

The purpose of this study was to build on a previous one that focused on the effect of visible body modification (WM) on employment. In this study, samples from actual employee manuals used in the hospitality industry were collected and analyzed, specifically looking at policies regarding visible tattoos and body piercings. Examples from those employee manuals are presented, along with suggestions for operators looking to change or clarify their grooming standards. This article is available in Hospitality Review: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/hospitalityreview/vol24/iss1/8 Visible Body Modification (VBM3 Operationalizing Grooming Standards
Gene transfer from a parasitic flowering plant to a fern

The rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.) is obligately mycotrophic and widely distributed across the northern hemisphere. Three mitochondrial gene regions place this species with other ferns in Ophioglossaceae, while two regions place it as a member of the largely parasitic angiosperm order Santalales (sandalwoods and mistletoes). These discordant phylogenetic placements suggest that part of the genome in B. virginianum was acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), perhaps from root-parasitic Loranthaceae. These transgenes are restricted to B. virginianum and occur across the range of the species. Molecular and life-history traits indicate that the transfer preceded the global expansion of B. virginianum, and that the latter may have happened very rapidly. This is the first report of HGT from an angiosperm to a fern, through either direct parasitism or the mediation of interconnecting fungal symbionts.
Oxybutynin and its new transdermal application for the treatment of overactive bladder

It has long been accepted that antimuscarinic agents are the backbone of the pharmacological treatment of overactive bladder. Oxybutynin has been the gold standard of these medications for years due to its efficacy, but suffers from a lack of selectivity for the bladder, and extensive metabolism and lipophilicity result in significant side-effect issues. The transdermal delivery of oxybutynin turns this disadvantage of lipophilicity into an advantage. This, in turn, bypasses gastrointestinal absorption and metabolism by the cytochrome P450 system and reduces the breakdown into metabolites responsible for many of the side effects, while providing equivalent efficacy to the immediate-release oral formulation.
Charts for Simplifying High-Impedance Measurements with the Radio-Frequency Bridge

The equal-arm capacitance bridge for making radio-frequency impedance measurements gives excellent results with very little labor, provided the magnitude of the unknown impedance is not too high. If the unknown is high, and if its components change rapidly with frequency, it is desirable from the standpoint of ease of balance and accuracy of determination to shunt the unknown at the bridge terminals with a high-quality fixed condenser of known capacitance. The difficulty with this so-called shunt-condenser method has been the tedious calculations necessary to convert bridge readings into resistance and reactance of the unknown. In this paper there are presented charts which allow this conversion to be made quickly and easily. This should make possible more extensive use of the shunt-condenser method, especially in the standard broadcast band where there is considerable need for this type of measurement. In an example on the use of the charts there is pointed out a further advantage of the shunt-condenser method, the possibility for interpolation between bridge readings in the case of impedances which change very rapidly with the frequency.
Characterizing and Modeling Nonlinear Intermodulation Distortions in Modified Uni-Traveling Carrier Photodiodes

We present a physics-based model for nonlinear analysis of InGaAs/InP modified uni-traveling carrier (MUTC) photodiodes. At low frequencies (<;3 GHz), the Franz-Keldysh effect has been identified as the primary nonlinear mechanism in these MUTC photodiodes. The output third-order intercept point (OIP3) is used as a figure of merit for characterizing the nonlinear intermodulation distortion. The OIP3 behavior of the photodiode simulated using this model agrees well with measurements.
The transformation of neurobiological shame and application to the IgnatianSpiritual Exercises

This article explores the theory that shame is an evolutionary neurobiological adaptation for self-development, and for social and transcendent relational development, and is so described in the Scriptural second creation narrative. The author suggests that shame is foundationally transformed in the passion narrative. Pastoral utility of this thesis in the direction of theSpiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is suggested.
Hindi CLIR in thirty days

As participants in the TIDES Surprise language exercise, researchers at the University of Massachusetts helped collect Hindi--English resources and developed a cross-language information retrieval system. Components included normalization, stop-word removal, transliteration, structured query translation, and language modeling using a probabilistic dictionary derived from a parallel corpus. Existing technology was successfully applied to Hindi. The biggest stumbling blocks were collection of parallel English and Hindi text and dealing with numerous proprietary encodings.
Nucleic Acid-Dependent Cross-Linking of the Nucleocapsid Protein of Sindbis Virus

The assembly of the alphavirus nucleocapsid core is a multistep event requiring the association of the nucleocapsid protein with nucleic acid and the subsequent oligomerization of capsid proteins into an assembled core particle. Although the mechanism of assembly has been investigated extensively both in vivo and in vitro, no intermediates in the core assembly pathway have been identified. Through the use of both truncated and mutant Sindbis virus nucleocapsid proteins and a variety of cross-linking reagents, a possible nucleic acid-protein assembly intermediate has been detected. The cross-linked species, a covalent dimer, has been detected only in the presence of nucleic acid and with capsid proteins capable of binding nucleic acid. Optimum nucleic acid-dependent cross-linking was seen at a protein-to-nucleic-acid ratio identical to that required for maximum binding of the capsid protein to nucleic acid. Identical results were observed when cross-linking in vitro assembled core particles of both Sindbis and Ross River viruses. Purified cross-linked dimers of truncated proteins and of mutant proteins that failed to assemble were found to incorporate into assembled core particles when present as minor components in assembly reactions, suggesting that the cross-linking traps an authentic intermediate in nucleocapsid core assembly. Endoproteinase Lys-C mapping of the position of the cross-link indicated that lysine 250 of one capsid protein was cross-linked to lysine 250 of an adjacent capsid protein. Examination of the position of the cross-link in relation to the existing model of the nucleocapsid core suggests that the cross-linked species is a cross-capsomere contact between a pentamer and hexamer at the quasi-threefold axis or is a cross-capsomere contact between hexamers at the threefold axis of the icosahedral core particle and suggests several possible assembly models involving a nucleic acid-bound dimer of capsid protein as an early step in the assembly pathway.
TRENDS IN MAMMALIAN TERATOLOGY

It Might be worth while to begin a discussion of this topic with some historical considerations, because it may help to elucidate and to evaluate modern trends of mammalian teratology. It is probably true for all disciplines of science, but particularly so in the case of mammalian teratology, that the influence of the cultural environment of the time plays a decisive role in determining the attitude towards a particular science and its trends. It is obvious that teratologic phenomena are among those events of nature which fascinate and stimulate the imagination, not only of the scientist directly concerned with the problem, but also of the layman who happens to come across monstrosities of one or the other kind. Everybody knows of the role monsters played in Greek mythology. Descriptions of congenital abnormalities may be found in pre-Aristotelian times but it was Aristotle who made a first attempt at causal analysis, and thus introduced the scientific approach to problems of teratology. It is interesting to consider the argument with which he refuted the possible existence of monsters-which were thought to be part man, part animal: Aristotle was correct in denying the existence of such chimaerae but he was not correct in the choice of his argument which stated that different organisms could not develop together because of different gestation times. Modern trends of thought would lead us to argue against the existence of this type of monstrosity in terms of genetic differences. The generally static and dogmatic trend of the Middle Ages is reflected in the absence of any causal considerations of teratology during that time.
Interrupting Ebola Transmission in Liberia Through Community-Based Initiatives

In Liberia, programs based on community engagement were effective in controlling the Ebola virus disease epidemic. This article details the community-based initiative that was instrumental to the s...
Glucocorticoid Regulation of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor1 Receptor Expression in Pituitary-Derived AtT-20 Cells

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors represent one of the primary sites for negative feedback of the pituitary by adrenocortical glucocorticoid hormones; however, the molecular mechanisms involved have yet to be elucidated. The present study examines the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids regulate CRF-R1 expression in the pituitary cell line, AtT-20. Treatment of these cells with dexamethasone resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent inhibition of CRF-R1 mRNA that was significant by 1 hr and maximal after 4 hr. Levels of CRF-R1 mRNA then returned to control levels after 24 hr. Similar changes were observed when the cells were treated with corticosterone. Pro-opiomelanocortin mRNA was also decreased after dexamethasone pretreatment; however, the time course was much slower with a significant effect only detected after 6 hr. Further analysis of the mechanisms that mediate glucocorticoid regulation of CRF-R1 mRNA was conducted These studies demonstrated that glucocorticoid incubation significantly decreases the rate of CRF-R1 gene transcription, as determined by nuclear run-on analysis. In addition, the result demonstrate that glucocorticoid incubation significantly decreases CRF-R1 mRNA stability by approximately 50%. The down-regulation of CRF-R1 mRNA was dependent on de novo protein synthesis, as it was blocked by pretreatment with cycloheximide. This represents a novel mechanism for glucocorticoid negative feedback regulation of CRF-R1 expression.
Pleiotropic Functions of H3K27Me3 Demethylases in Immune Cell Differentiation

The trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27Me3) contributes to gene repression, notably through recruitment of Polycomb complexes, and has long been considered essential to maintain cell identity. Whereas H3K27Me3 was thought to be stable and not catalytically reversible, the discovery of the Utx and Jmjd3 demethylases changed this notion, raising new questions on the role of these enzymes in gene expression and cell differentiation. Recent studies have demonstrated critical roles for Utx and Jmjd3 in the development and function of immune cells, and revealed both demethylase and demethylase-independent activities of these enzymes. I review these finding here, and discuss the current understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the broad, yet highly cell- and gene-specific, impact of these enzymes in vivo.
The Supply of Muskets and Spain's War of Independence*

Professor La Force traces the frustrated efforts of the Spanish revolutionary government to arm its forces against the invading army of Napoleon.
Metabolic Fate of Carbaryl-Naphthyl-C14 in Boll Weevils and Bollworms

Adult boll weevils. Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were treated topically and bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), larvae and adults were treated by injection with carbarylnaphthyl-C14 Hydrolytic as well as oxidative mechanisms were involved in the degradation of the carbamate in both species. Chloroform-extractable metabolites tentatively identified were: 1-naphthol; 1-hydroxy-5, 6-dihydro-5, 6-dihydroxynaphthalene; 5, 6-dihydro-5, 6-dihydroxy-lnaphthyl N -methylcarbamate; and 1-naphthyl N -hyclroxymethyl carbamate. Unknown metabolites of a water-soluble nature were predominant in both insect species.
Electron-capture-delayed fission properties of Am 232

Delayed fission from the electron-capture decay of $^{232}\mathrm{Am}$ was studied. The $^{237}\mathrm{Np}$(\ensuremath{\alpha},9n${)}^{232}$Am reaction with multiple $^{237}\mathrm{Np}$ targets was used to produce $^{232}\mathrm{Am}$. The fission properties and half-life of $^{232}\mathrm{Am}$ were measured using a rotating-wheel system. The half-life of $^{232}\mathrm{Am}$ was found to be 1.31\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 min from measurements of the fission activity. A highly asymmetric mass-yield distribution was observed for the fission activity, and the average total kinetic energy of the fission fragments was found to be 174\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 MeV. Radiochemical separations confirmed the elemental assignment of the fissioning species to americium or fission following shortly after the decay of americium. The cross section for $^{232}\mathrm{Am}$ produced by this reaction and decaying by electron capture was determined to be 1.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 \ensuremath{\mu}b by measuring the intensities of the daughter plutonium K x rays in radiochemically separated americium samples. The delayed-fission probability was found to be (6.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ from the measured ratio of fissions to plutonium K x rays. The observed fissions were unambiguously assigned to electron-capture-delayed fission of americium by measuring the time correlation between the plutonium K x rays resulting from americium K capture and the subsequent fission.
High-Activity Iron Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Hindered, Unfunctionalized Alkenes

The activity of aryl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine and bis(arylimidazol-2-ylidene)pyridine iron dinitrogen complexes has been evaluated in a series of catalytic olefin hydrogenation reactions. In general, more electron donating chelates with smaller 2,6-aryl substituents produce more active iron hydrogenation catalysts. Establishment of this structure-activity relationship has produced base metal catalysts that exhibit high turnover frequencies for the hydrogenation of unfunctionalized, tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenes, one of the most challenging substrate classes for homogenous hydrogenation catalysts.
Role of the reprogramming factor KLF4 in blood formation

Kruppel-like factor 4 is a zinc finger protein with dual functions that can act as a transcriptional activator and repressor of genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Although most studies have focused on terminally differentiated epithelial cells, evidence suggests that Kruppel-like factor 4 regulates the development and function of the myeloid and lymphoid blood lineages. The ability of Kruppel-like factor 4 to dedifferentiate from somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells in cooperation with other reprogramming factors suggests its potential function in the preservation of tissue-specific stem cells. Additionally, emerging interest in the redifferentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into blood cells to correct hematologic deficiencies and malignancies warrants further studies on the role of Kruppel-like factor 4 in steady-state blood formation.
Abstract 41: Broken Heart Syndrome-“Not so rare anymore”

Background: Takotsubo or stress induced cardiomyopathy (TCM), once considered rare is now an increasingly considered differential diagnosis in patients presenting as an acute myocardial infarction (MI). TCM is a rapidly reversible form of acute heart failure associated with a distinctive left ventricular contraction pattern and non-obstructive(<50% stenosis) coronary artery diseases(CAD) on cardiac catheterization(CC) Literature regarding this disease is relatively sparse with reports of incidence around 1%. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for patients, from 2006 onwards, with either a discharge diagnosis of TCM or a clinical presentation of ST elevation MI (STEMI) or a Non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and with ventriculogram on cardiac catheterizations (CC) but without any coronary interventions. We retrieved 972 patients and 99 met the criteria for TCM after a detailed review of their records. Findings: Our data showed that the diagnosis of TCM increased yearly from 2006 to 2011 presumably due to an increasing awareness of this entity. In 2011, 25 of 937 patients presumed to be a STEMI/NSTEMI were TCM (incidence of 2.7%). TCM patients were more likely to be older female patients (See figure for Demographics). A stressful trigger could be identified in 45 patients, the most common causes being death in the family, diagnosis of cancer or recent illness/surgery. Comorbidities included hypertension (57%), hyperlipidemia (55%), depression/anxiety(34%) , diabetes(22%), active smoking(16%) and chronic pain (24%).Follow up ECHO were available only in 69% and of theses completely recovery was seen in 73% ,partial recovery in 23% and minimal or no recovery in 4% of patients. All patients who showed no recovery had TCM in the postoperative period. Mortality was 5% during index hospitalization and all these patients were ICU patients (either postoperative or septic shock patients) Conclusions: TCM is becoming an increasing finding in the cardiac catheterization lab in patients presenting as an acute MI .Increasing awareness of this condition and performing a ventriculogram in these patients is necessary for diagnosis. Our study suggests that in ICU patients, a diagnosis of TCM portends a poor prognosis and TCM in the postoperative period may result in permanent cardiomyopathy. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif