cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
E-010 Relation between brain natreuretic peptide and delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background Immune regulation and inflammation is implicated in the development of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). BNP is implicated in fluid dysregulation and inflammation in critically-ill patients. We explored the association between BNP levels and development of DCI in patients with a SAH. Methodology Patients were enrolled from the Neurological Intensive Care Unit between 2006 and 2015 in the SAH Outcomes Project, a single center, prospective, observational cohort study. Demographic data, treatment and outcomes, and BNP levels at admission and through the hospital admission were noted. Results In the 149 patients included in the analysis, 79 developed DCI during their hospital course. Significantly higher number of patients in the DCI group had external ventricular drain (EVD) placements (p=0.008). The DCI group also had significantly higher rates of rebleeding and hydrocephalus. In the logistic regression analysis between BNP levels and DCI, there is a significant association with admission BNP and DCI (OR-1.002, 95%CI 1.00–1.004, p=0.017), DCI and highest BNP (OR 1.001, 95%CI-1.001–1.002, p=0.002), and change in BNP with change in time (OR 1.006, 95%CI 1.002–1.01, p=0.002). The ROC curve analysis for DCI based on BNP showed that the highest BNP level during hospital admission (AUC 0.78) was a stronger predictor than the change in BNP over time (AUC 0.776) or the admission BNP (AUC 0.632). Conclusion There is a significant association between the BNP level and the risk of developing DCI. This increased risk for DCI is associated not only with higher baseline BNP values (admission BNP) but also with the highest BNP level attained during the hospital course as well as the rapidity of change or increase in BNP over time. Hence, BNP values may help to identify SAH patients at high risk of cardiac morbidity and facilitate appropriate triaging. Disclosures G. Kaur: None. N. Damodara: None. R. Gupta: None. V. Patel: None. J. Santarelli: None. C. Gandhi: None. F. Al-Mufti: None.
Relación entre la crisis financiera Subprime y la deuda soberana y las fluctuaciones en el precio de las acciones chilenas pertenecientes al IPSA en el periodo 2008- 2012

Durante los ultimos anos diversos analistas han sugerido que la crisis financiera comenzada en Estados Unidos y posteriormente en la Union Europea es la peor vivida desde la Gran Depresion, esto dado principalmente por el deficit en los presupuestos publicos y la balanza comercial de los paises occidentales. La crisis financiera global que comenzo con la crisis Subprime y luego la Deuda Soberana ha afectado a diversos paises, por lo que el objetivo de esta investigacion es analizar la relacion entre la crisis financiera de Estados Unidos y la Union Europea, y las fluctuaciones sobre el precio de las acciones en el mercado chileno mediante la revision de las acciones tranzadas en el IPSA en el periodo 2008-2012. Obteniendo como resultado de que existe una relacion directa de ambas crisis con el mercado financiero chileno principalmente las acciones pertenecientes al IPSA incidiendo en el precio de estas, generando una tendencia a la disminucion de las mismas
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) of fresh bones using infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI)

We report an effective strategy for direct analysis and two-dimensional (2D) infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) of mouse bones that underwent no chemical treatments prior to analysis. To unravel the chemistry in bones under near-physiological conditions, we cut a flash-frozen bone in half longitudinally, placed it in a mold facing flat side down, and poured Plaster of Paris on top of and around the bone. After Plaster of Paris had set, the bone with embedding material was removed from the mold, and placed on the IR-MALDESI imaging stage. Plaster of Paris acted as a fixture to keep every spot on the sample surface the same distance away from the laser focus. To demonstrate the feasibility of IR-MALDESI MSI for analyses of unmodified bones, we imaged bones derived from healthy and stroke-affected mice and generated ion heatmaps showing the spatial distribution of putatively annotated features.
Preliminary evidence suggests that functional reinforcement contingencies may result in more rapid acquisition of initial auditory-visual discriminations for some individuals with autism spectrum disorder1

Q(1) Which is more effective at establishing initial auditory-visual discriminations for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: functional reinforcement or arbitrary reinforcement contingencies...
Dementia-Friendly Communities: a Review of Current Literature and Reflections on Implementation

This review examines current trends in research on dementia-friendly communities (DFC). This includes promising evaluation methods, priority areas identified by persons living with dementia (PLWD) for DFCs, and sector-specific dementia-friendly initiatives. In addition, the authors add to existing literature by describing the experience—including challenges and lessons learned—of developing a DFC. The authors found few rigorous evaluations of DFCs but identify promising approaches that are likely to render important findings in the future. Research on the priorities of PLWD is far more developed. Multiple studies that draw on the perceptions of those living with dementia describe the importance of social inclusion and reducing stigma. Studies on sector-specific initiatives also reveal the valuable and complimentary contributions that different community sectors bring to DFC, such as through delivering person-centered healthcare for PLWD, meeting community-based service needs, and increasing professional awareness and countering negative perspectives. Self-assessment of efforts undertaken by a new DFC revealed ongoing challenges with sustaining funding and involved volunteers, especially those living with dementia. Findings from this review uncover considerable progress in creating DFC that meet the needs of PLWD and their families and caregivers. Communities are successfully engaging multiple diverse sectors, and multiple studies now describe the priorities of people living with dementia to guide future efforts. Still, there remains a dearth of rigorous evaluation to guide the direction of community initiatives and track progress. Further research is also needed to understand how dementia-friendly movements can be more culturally tailored. Increasing social inclusion should remain a priority for all dementia-friendly communities.
Abstract WP193: A Pilot Study of Expanded Home-Based Telerehabilitation After Stroke

Introduction: High doses of activity-based rehabilitation therapy help but many patients do not receive this, e.g., due to access, cost, and low compliance. Home-based telerehabilitation (TR) can a...
How American Media Framed 2016 Presidential Election Using Data Visualization: The Case Study of the New York Times and the Washington Post

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of data visualization in the media coverage of the 2016 presidential election in the United States focusing on data-visualization projects from the ...
Why not a Clinical Lawyer-Journal

The inauguration of the first journal in a field offers a singular opportunity to ruminate upon the history and present state of scholarship within that field and to speculate upon the directions such scholarship might take in the future. Being clinicians, we could hardly pass up the chance to practice what we preach (rather than merely preaching about practice) by engaging in the processes of reflection, critique, and future planning.
A long way to peace: identities, genocide, and state preservation in Burma, 1948–2018

Following independence in 1948, successive Burmese regimes have fought continuous wars against ethno-religious minorities living on the periphery. The following article analyzes these conflicts thr...
Prospects for heavy crude oil development

Etude des caracteristiques physiques, des reserves, de la geochimie, des couts de production, des methodes de recuperation, du transport et du raffinage du petrole brut, des huiles lourdes et des bitumes dans le monde. Les problemes de production les plus importants concernent le petrole lourd et le bitume dont les reserves sont estimees a 7 trillions de barrils dans le monde mais dont seulement 0,9 trillions sont recuperables
Added Mass of a Sphere in a Bounded Viscous Fluid

The validity of potential flow and Stokes viscous flow theory was investigated experimentally to determine the effect of a real fluid on an oscillating rigid sphere bounded by a concentric spherical shell. Added mass and damping coefficients were determined over a range of Stokes numbers of 400 to 3.5 × 105. Results of the experiments indicate that Stokes viscous flow solution is valid over this entire range of Stokes numbers for small amplitudes of oscillation and that the potential solution is approached asymptotically for large Stokes numbers. A simple apparatus is described that was used to accurately determine both added mass and damping coefficients.
Pyrrolodiazines with a Bridgehead Nitrogen

Publisher Summary The general class of pyrrolodiazines with a bridgehead nitrogen atom includes four distinct heterocyclic systems. This chapter presents an overview of the primary literature on these four hetrocyclic systems in order to systematically compare and contrast their chemistry and compile spectral data of value in making structural assignments for derivatives of these compounds. In the context of pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrimidines, the methods for preparing this ring system are essentially divided into three categories—namely, syntheses starting with the pyrimidine portion of the bicyclic system preformed, syntheses starting with the pyrrole portion of the molecule preformed, and syntheses employing only acyclic precursors. Few functional group transformations, such as etherification and nitrile hydrolysis, are reported for derivatives of the completely unsaturated pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrimidine nucleus. However, the reactions reported for pyrrolo[1,2- c ]pyrimidines are of three main types—namely, electrophilic attack, addition reactions, and ring opening reactions. Electrophilic reactions on this compound produce 7-substituted derivatives.
Intracellular Expression and Release of FcεRIα by Human Eosinophils

Although FceR have been detected on human eosinophils, levels varied from moderate to extremely low or undetectable depending on the donor and methods used. We have attempted to resolve the conflicting data by measuring levels of IgE, FceRI, and FceRII in or on human eosinophils from a variety of donors ( n = 26) and late-phase bronchoalveolar lavage fluids ( n = 5). Our results demonstrated little or no cell surface IgE or IgE receptors as analyzed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Culture of eosinophils for up to 11 days in the presence or absence of IgE and/or IL-4 (conditions that enhance FceR on other cells) failed to induce any detectable surface FceR. However, immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis of eosinophil lysates using mAb specific for FceRIα showed a distinct band of approximately 50 kDa, similar to that found in basophils. Western blotting also showed the presence of FcR γ-chain, but no FceRIβ. Surface biotinylation followed by immunoprecipitation again failed to detect surface FceRIα, although surface FcRγ was easily detected. Since we were able to detect intracellular FceRIα, we examined its release from eosinophils. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting demonstrated the release of FceRIα into the supernatant of cultured eosinophils, peaking at approximately 48 h. We conclude that eosinophils possess a sizable intracellular pool of FceRIα that is available for release, with undetectable surface levels in a variety of subjects, including those with eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE. The biological relevance of this soluble form of FceRIα remains to be determined.
Corneal development. IV. Interruption of collagen excretion into the primary stroma of the cornea with L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid.

Abstract The primary stroma of the cornea of the chick embryo contains a cell-free orthogonal ply of collagen fibrils which is delineated clearly by Gomori's silver stain for reticulin and has, in miniature, the same fibrous architecture as the mature stroma. The collagen of this matrix is synthesized by the basal cells of the corneal epithelium and deposited beneath them a layer at a time. l -Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (LACA; 0.5 mg in 0.005 ml of water) was injected into the chorioallantoic vein of chick embryos at 5 days of incubation, when the primary stroma is cell free. LACA is an imino acid analog of l -proline, competes with proline for incorporation into collagen and prevents the excretion of the altered collagen. Fifteen minutes after the injection of LACA the Golgi apparatuses located in the basal cytoplasm of the basal epithelial cells (which are normally silver-positive until 10 days of incubation) became silver-negative. A silver-free, collagen-sparse zone appeared beneath the corneal epithelium 1 hr after the injection of LACA. At 16 hr after LACA injection the Golgi apparatuses of the basal epithelial cells once again became silver-positive. Between 18 and 24 hr after the injection, new collagen layers began to appear once more beneath the epithelium. During the following 10 days the collagen-sparse zone became more deeply buried in the stroma and became filled with newly deposited collagen, presumably of fibrocytic origin. The corneas of control animals injected with d -azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, or simultaneously with LACA and l -proline, developed normally. The results suggest that the Golgi apparatuses of the basal cells of the corneal epithelium process the collagen which is deposited in the primary stroma, confirm previous findings that the lamellae of the primary stroma are formed in sequence just beneath the corneal epithelium and open the way for an analysis of the role of the noncollagenous stromal matrix in determining the pattern of polymerization of stromal collagen.
Foundations of cognitive science

"Posner is to be congratulated on having brought together so many distinguished authors, each contributing a tutorial chapter on their particular branch of the science. The best of these are exemplary, and few of them fall below a high standard." -- L.H. Shaffer, "Nature" "A beautifully lucid account.... Highly recommended." -- Nick Beard, "New Scientist" What is cognitive science? Foundations of Cognitive Science answers this question in a way that gives a feeling for the excitement, ferment, and accomplishments of this new field. It is the first broad treatment of cognitive science at an advanced level. Complete and authoritative, Foundations of Cognitive Science covers the major architectures; provides background in philosophy, linguistics, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience; and deals with methods for studying both brain and mind. All of the chapters have been written especially for the book by the leading scholars in the field. " A Bradford Book"
Tests of CPT and Lorentz Symmetry in Penning-Trap Experiments

We find that the use of a general theoretical framework incorporating CPT and Lorentz breaking permits a detailed investigation of possible experimental signatures in Penning-trap experiments. Our results indicate that the sharpest tests of CPT symmetry emerge from comparisons of anomaly frequencies in g — 2 experiments. Our estimates of appropriate figures of merit provide bounds of approximately 1020 in electron-positron experiments and of 1023 for a plausible proton-antiproton experiment, Other signals involving possible diurnal variations provide additional bounds at the level of 1018 in the electron-positron system and 1021 in the proton-antiproton system. A table showing all our estimated bounds is presented in Ref. [10].
The complex nature of chronic pelvic pain.

M.A. a 31-year-old G2P2 has scheduled an appointment because she is concerned that "my endometriosis is back" and is experiencing incapacitating low pelvic pain. She is convinced that her endometriosis and adhesions have recurred and requests a laparoscopic procedure that she believes is necessary to manage her pain. (excerpt)
Comparison of variant-specific hybridization and single-strand conformational polymorphism methods for detection of mixed human papillomavirus type 16 variant infections

PCR-based variant-specific hybridization (VSH) and single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analyses were compared for their capacities to detect mixed human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) variant infections within clinical specimens. The SSCP assay used in this comparison targets a 682-bp fragment that spans nucleotides 7445 to 222 within the HPV-16 genome. This fragment includes portions of the HPV-16 long control region and the E6 open reading frame and identifies three categories of SSCP patterns: those identical to the patterns of prototype HPV-16 (P), those identical to the patterns of Caski-derived HPV-16 (C), or those that are different from the P and C HPV-16 patterns and that are therefore classified as belonging to novel (N) HPV-16 variants. VSH targets the entire HPV-16 E6-coding region (nucleotides 56 to 640) and distinguishes previously described variant nucleotides at positions 109, 131, 132, 143, 145, 178, 286, 289, 350, 403, and 532. Clinical samples used in VSH and SSCP analyses were subjected to multiple independent amplification reactions. The resultant amplicons were cloned, and 14 to 78 clones per clinical specimen were evaluated by VSH. VSH detected an HPV-16 variant that represented at least 20% of the amplified HPV-16 variant population. In contrast, SSCP analysis detected HPV-16 variants that represented 36% of the amplified HPV-16 population. Comparison studies were conducted with mixed HPV-16 variant laboratory constructs. Again, VSH had a higher sensitivity than SSCP analysis in detecting mixed HPV-16 variant infections in these constructed amplicon targets. Accurate detection of HPV-16 variants may enhance our understanding of the natural history of HPV-16 infections.
Comparative evaluation of inversion algorithms for magnetic resonance elastography

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a phase contrast based MRI imaging technique that can directly visualize and quantitatively measure propagating acoustic shear waves in tissue-like materials subjected to harmonic mechanical excitation. Full 3D complex displacement information can be acquired at MR pixel resolution throughout a 3D volume. This data allows the calculation of local quantitative values of shear modulus and the generation of images that depict tissue elasticity or stiffness. Various inversion algorithms to perform such calculations have been proposed. We discuss the assumptions underlying three such algorithms, and compare their noise sensitivity and resolution on synthetic, phantom and in vivo data sets.
Empowering Newcomers with Low-Tech Workshops and High-Tech Analyses

Newcomer participation in governance is a common goal, but many traditional venues and mechanisms designed to facilitate inclusive decision-making remain inaccessible. We present a case study that uses low-tech participatory mapping workshops to help newcomers learn where people go to discuss local affairs and access information. We then analyze the workshop data with a dynamic, high-tech, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial modeling process. The maps generated can be used to identify more inclusive venues for public meetings. This article describes the replicable workshop methodology, analytic tools, and benefits that result from using the two in concert.
A new change detection method and its application to epilepsy monitoring video

Video recording is often conducted during epilepsy monitoring. This video provides important information correlating electrical activity with a patient's behavior during a seizure. Change detection in this type of video provides a tool to detect the motion of the patient to aid in diagnosis. Traditional methods detect changes by testing variations between frame pairs. Although effective in common applications, these methods are not satisfactory in detecting movements in medical video involving small local motion. In this work, we present a new change detection method by utilizing multiple video frames. Temporal domain properties are explored to warrant more robustness in the detection of small changes. The effectiveness of the new method is demonstrated by experimental results.
A comparison of the heat and radiation sensitivity of rodent and human derived cells cultured in vitro

Abstract A human lung and breast carcinoma cell line of epithelial origin (A-549 and MCF-7) were compared with a rodent fibroblast line (V-79) for their sensitivity to killing by X rays and heat, in addition, a correlation was sought between loss of endogenous thiols and thermosensitivity. Endogenous cellular thiols play a major role in many protective, enzymatic and synthetic processes in mammalian cells. Glutathione, a key non-protein thiol, not only protects against radiation and peroxide-induced damage, but is also a primary intracellular reductant. Thiol depletion was achieved using two agents that work by totally different mechanisms-one a substrate for glutathione-S-transferase (Diethylmaleate) and the other an inhibitor of a key enzyme in the gamma-glutamyl cycle (Buthionine-SR-Sulfoximine). The results of this study demonstrated that thiol depletion by DEM to 50% of the control values had no effect on the response of hamster cells to acute (45°C) or chronic (42.5°C) hyperthermia. Substantial potentiation of heat damage, however, was seen at thiol levels below 10% at 42.5°C. Thiol depletion by BSO to levels of 25% of the control values had no sensitizing effect on the heat sensitivity of hamster or human lung carcinoma cells at 45°C. For any given heat exposure, the human cells were markedly more resistant to killing than the hamster cells, however, they were more radiosensitive than the V79, line when exposed to 300 kVp X rays (Do's of 1.65 vs. 2.52 Gy). The results of this study indicate that thiols do not play a critical role in mammalian cell thermosensitivity at 45°C and indicate that the use of human carcinoma cell lines may better predict heat inactivation in human cells in vivo .
Dormancy in Betula as a quantitative state.

Klebs (12) reported in 1914 that the growth of beach, oak, ash, and hornbeam could be maintained even in winter if they were placed under continuous electric light. Since Klebs' report on the effect of day length on the growth of woody plants, there have been many studies pertaining to photoperiodism and dormancy in woody plants. They were amply reviewed by Samish (21), Wareing (24,26), and Nitsch (16). In general, a short photoperiod induces a reduction in growth of woody plants through a shortening of internodes and a decrease in the number of new nodes formed. These same plants would grow continuously under long photoperiods. The breaking of dormancy induced by either artificial or natural short photoperiods has been accomplished by three different treatments: A: long photoperiods (7, 10, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 27); B: chilling (2, 5, 7, 9, 19), and C: application of gibberellic acid (1, 3, 4, 6, 13,14,15). Previous workers such as Van der Veen (23) and Downs and Borthwick (7) have suggested that, when leaves remain on the plant and are subjected to short days after visible growth has ceased, dormancy becomes increasingly more difficult to break. This project was undertaken to study the effect of photoperiods on dormancy with special consideration on the degree of dormancy.
Sociobiology and Incest Avoidance: A Critical Look at a Critical Review Critique

Pusey, Anne E. 1980 Inbreeding Avoidance in Chimpanzees. Animal Behaviour 28:543-582. Pusey, Anne E., and Craig Packer 1987 Dispersal and Philopatry. In Primate Societies. Barbara B. Smuts, Dorothy L. Cheney, Robert M. Seyfarth, Thomas T. Struhsaker, and Richard W. Wrangham, eds. Pp. 250-266. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Ralls, Katherine, Paul H. Harvey, and Anna Marie Lyles 1986 Inbreeding in Natural Populations of Birds and Mammals. In Conservation Biology: The Science of Scarcity and Diversity. Michael E. Soule, ed. Pp. 35-56. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates. Shields, William M. 1982 Philopatry, Inbreeding, and the Evolution of Sex. Albany: State University of New York Press. 1987 Dispersal and Mating Systems: Investigating Their Causal Connections. In Mammalian Dispersal Patterns: The Effects of Social Structure on Population Genetics. B. Diane Chepko-Sade and Zuleyma Tang Halpin, eds. Pp. 3-24. Chicago: University ofChicago Press. Smith, David G. 1982 Inbreeding in Three Captive Groups of Rhesus Monkeys. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 58:447-451. Smith, R. H. 1979 On Selection for Inbreeding in Polygynous Animals. Heredity 43:205-211. Sugiyama, Yukimaru, and Jeremy Koman 1979 Social Structure and Dynamics of Wild Chimpanzees at Bossou, Guinea. Primates 20:323-339. Thornhill, Nancy W. 1991 An Evolutionary Analysis of Rules Regulating Human Inbreeding and Marriage. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 14:247-293. Wilson, Edward O. 1975 Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Functional Impairment and Utilization of Services Associated With Posttraumatic Stress in the Community

This study describes social functioning and service utilization patterns associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms relative to nonpsychiatric controls and depressive disorder controls in a cross-sectional epidemiological survey. Data from 49 cases and 147 controls who participated in the North Carolina component of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study were examined. Results indicate that symptoms of posttraumatic stress were associated with impairment along several domains of functioning: social, financial, physical, and psychological. Individuals with posttraumatic stress were found to have more socioeconomic disadvantages and impaired functioning. Despite this, individuals with posttraumatic stress are receiving relatively few mental health services. Further research assessing service use, treatment, and functional outcomes are indicated.
A gradient of cactus protein degradation establishes dorsoventral polarity in the Drosophila embryo.

Abstract Dorsoventral polarity in theDrosophilaembryo is established by a signaling pathway active on the ventral and ventrolateral surfaces of the embryo. Signal transduction via the protein kinase Pelle frees the Rel-related protein Dorsal from its cytoplasmic inhibitor Cactus, allowing Dorsal to translocate into ventral and ventrolateral nuclei and direct gene expression. Here, we show by immunochemical analyses that Pelle-mediated signaling induces the spatially graded degradation of Cactus. Using a tissue culture system which reconstitutes Pelle-dependent Cactus degradation, we show that a motif in Cactus resembling the sites of signal-dependent phosphorylation in the vertebrate homologs IκB-α and IκB-β is essential for Pelle-induced Cactus degradation. Substitution of four serines within this motif with nonphosphorylatable alanine residues generated a mutant Cactus that still functions as a Dorsal inhibitor but is resistant to induced degradation. Injection of RNA encoding this altered form of Cactus has a dominant negative effect on establishment of dorsoventral polarity in the embryo. We conclude that dorsoventral signaling results in a Cactus concentration gradient and propose that signal-dependent phosphorylation directs the spatially regulated proteolysis of Cactus protein.
Stimulus reconstruction reveals extended 'replay' in the rat hippocampus during exploration

Spatially-modulated firing of hippocampal 'place cells' is thought to subserve spatial learning in the rat. Ensemble recordings have shown that these cells re-express behavioral firing sequences during sleep. Recently, replay of the reverse of behavioral sequences has been reported in the awake rat at reward sites. These phenomena are hypothesized to play a role in memory formation and consolidation. Here we report findings from simultaneous recordings of ensembles of place cells in area CA1 of the hippocampus during exploration of a 10 m linear track. In contrast to existing replay detection methods which look for patterns in the spiking records of cells, we employ a Bayesian algorithm to reconstruct the position stimulus, and detect replay as trajectories in the stimulus space. Notably, due to the directionality of the recorded place cells, we can reconstruct both the animal's position and direction of movement, which allows us to differentiate between forward and reverse replay. We apply our method to periods of immobility, and find that both forward and reverse replay are prevalent. Either the start or end point of the replayed trajectories are often anchored to the rat's current location. We detect significant replay events several times per minute. Replay episodes have a mean duration of ~300 ms (max. 700 ms); replayed trajectories span on average ~3 m of the track (max. 8 m) with a corresponding 'virtual' velocity of 8 m/s (0.3 m/s s.e.m.). Replay is correlated with increased power in the ripple-band (150–250 Hz) in the local field potential. These findings show that place cells in the hippocampus of the behaving rat can express patterns of activity corresponding to traversal of remote locations. The observed 'virtual' trajectories proceed in both the forward and reverse order and extend across a longer timescale than has previously been appreciated.
Mathematical representation of some endocrinological systems

An integrative mathematical approach to endocrinological homeostasis is presented. By means of it, three homeostatic systems of increasing complexity are analyzed. The two-variable system described embraces the thyroid hormone and the thyrotropic hormone; the three-variable system, calcium, phosphate, and the parathyroid hormone; and the fourvariable system, sodium, water, the antidiuretic hormone, and aldosterone. The Laplace transforms of the variables are found. The handling of these transforms utilizes well-known techniques.
Complexity of stratification of semi-Pfaffian sets

An effective algorithm for a smooth (weak) stratification of a real semi-Pfaffian set is suggested, provided an oracle deciding consistency of a system of Pfaffian equations and inequalities is given. An explicit estimate of the complexity of the algorithm and of the resulting stratification is given, in terms of the parameters of the Pfaffian functions defining the original semi-Pfaffian set. The algorithm is applied to sets defined by sparse polynomials and exponential polynomials.
Intellectual Property Development and Use for Distance Education Courses: A Review of Law, Organizations, and Resources for Faculty

Advancement of knowledge and progress in technology drives the need for protecting inventions, new ideas, writings, music, and other media. While abundant, intellectual property and copyright issues are not simple, and the United States has adopted multiple rules via treaties worldwide. Academia has been fortunate with regard to the freedom provided by the fair use doctrine. Despite the freedoms, however, some feel that liberty is now limited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) and other rules being placed on intellectual property use (Carlson 2004).
Systemic and Individual Racism, Racialization and Antiracist Education A Reply to Garcia, Silliman and Levinson

I take up Silliman’s challenge to explore the ‘moral logic’ of ‘structural racism’ largely absent in my book, I’m Not a Racist, But...I criticize and build on Glenn Loury’s account of the normative...
Statistical threshold-voltage variation and its impact on supply-voltage scaling

ABSTRACT A fundamental limit to the scaling of CMOS supply voltages (Vcc) exists due to the statistical variation of MOSFET threshold voltage (VT ). At the microscopic (device-to-device) level, an inherent variability in T exists due tothe randomness of the number of dopants in the depletion region of the MOSFET. As the number of dopants in the depletion region decreases with scaling, the VT variations will increase and become more significant. In addition to thisfundamental variation in VT systematic T variations exist due to manufacturing fluctuations with thegate length, gateoxide thickness, implant uniformity, and anneal temperatures. For SRAJvI circuits, the T mismatch causedby channeldopant fluctuations degrades the cell stability and limits the minimum operating voltage of the SRAM. For logic circuits,the systematic VT variations across a wafer significantly increase the variation of the measuredpropagation delay on a wafer as is scaled down towards the MOSFET VT . These limitations on scaling pose additional challenges in thedesign and manufacturing of devices and circuits for low-power systems.Keywords: sub-tm CMOS scaling, threshold-voltage fluctuations, supply-voltage scaling, dopant density fluctuations
Management of Menopausal Symptoms

A 51-year-old woman is having frequent and distressing hot flushes that interfere with her work and sleep, and vaginal dryness that makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable. She is otherwise healthy. How should her case be managed?
The SdiA-Regulated Gene srgE Encodes a Type III Secreted Effector

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a food-borne pathogen that causes severe gastroenteritis. The ability of Salmonella to cause disease depends on two type III secretion systems (T3SSs) encoded in two distinct Salmonella pathogenicity islands, 1 and 2 (SPI1 and SPI2, respectively). S. Typhimurium encodes a solo LuxR homolog, SdiA, which can detect the acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by other bacteria and upregulate the rck operon and the srgE gene. SrgE is predicted to encode a protein of 488 residues with a coiled-coil domain between residues 345 and 382. In silico studies have provided conflicting predictions as to whether SrgE is a T3SS substrate. Therefore, in this work, we tested the hypothesis that SrgE is a T3SS effector by two methods, a β-lactamase activity assay and a split green fluorescent protein (GFP) complementation assay. SrgE with β-lactamase fused to residue 40, 100, 150, or 300 was indeed expressed and translocated into host cells, but SrgE with β-lactamase fused to residue 400 or 488 was not expressed, suggesting interference by the coiled-coil domain. Similarly, SrgE with GFP S11 fused to residue 300, but not to residue 488, was expressed and translocated into host cells. With both systems, translocation into host cells was dependent upon SPI2. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that srgE is found only within Salmonella enterica subspecies. It is found sporadically within both typhoidal and nontyphoidal serovars, although the SrgE protein sequences found within typhoidal serovars tend to cluster separately from those found in nontyphoidal serovars, suggesting functional diversification.
Fast imaging of partially conductive linear cracks using impedance data

We develop two closely-related fast and simple numerical algorithms to address the inverse problem of identifying a collection of disjoint linear cracks in a two-dimensional homogeneous electrical conductor from exterior boundary voltage/current measurements. We allow the possibility that the cracks are partially conductive. Our approach also allows us to determine the actual number of cracks present, as well as make use of one or multiple input fluxes. We illustrate our algorithms with a variety of computational examples.
Scintigraphic measurement of uterine clearance in normal mares and mares with recurrent endometritis

The percentage of Technetium 99m-albumin colloid (99mTc-microAA), a radiocolloid, cleared from the uterine lumen within 4 h of intrauterine infusion, was measured in 15 mares during 2 consecutive cycles, on Day 3 of oestrus and 48 h after ovulation. Four nulliparous (Group 1) and 4 multiparous (Group 2) mares were classified as resistant and the remaining 7 multiparous mares were classified as susceptible (Group 3) to endometritis. Mares in Groups 1 and 2 cleared more 99mTc-microAA from their uteri than did mares in Group 3 during oestrus (P 50% of the colloid was cleared in 7 and none in the remaining mare, apparently related to lack of cervical relaxation. Mean percentage of 99mTc-microAA cleared by Group 3 mares was negligible ( 50% 99mTc-microAA within 2 h of infusion whereas those susceptible to endometritis or mares with poor cervical dilatation may exhibit delayed uterine clearance.
On Mendelian dominance

1) It has been found that the rate of development of the dominant characters of body shape and skeleton formation in sea urchin larvae, is less in the heterozygote than in the pure dominant. 2) Attention is called to the fact that in the case of snails investigated byLang the rate of development of the dominant color is less in the heterozygote than in the pure dominant. 3) According to our hypothesis that the substances underlying the formation of dominant characters obey the laws governing enzyme reactions, we should expect these reactions to go forward at a slower rate in the heterozygote than in the pure dominant because the former contains but one half the amount of enzyme to be found in the latter.
Investigation of the effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms on the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) and quantitative measures of AD progression

BDNF is a functional candidate gene for AD, owing to its role in neuronal development and survival. The Val66Met (G196A), along with another C270T polymorphism has been associated with AD, however, the effects seem to be inconsistent across studies. We examined the association of the G196A and C270T polymorphisms with sporadic late-onset AD (LOAD) in a large American White cohort of 995 AD cases and 671 controls and an American Black cohort of 64 AD cases and 45 controls. We also examined the association of these polymorphisms with quantitative measures of AD progression, including age at onset (AAO), disease duration and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. No significant difference in allele, genotype or estimated haplotype frequencies was observed between AD cases and controls within the American White and Black cohorts for the G196A and C270T polymorphisms. However, the frequency of the 196*A allele was significantly lower in American Black subjects compared to Whites. While MMSE scores were significantly lower in C270T/CT carriers compared to C270T/CC subjects only among American Blacks, no such effect was observed among American Whites. The BDNF polymorphisms did not affect AAO or disease duration measures in American Whites or Blacks. Our finding does not support any association between the BDNF/G196A or C270T polymorphism and the risk of sporadic LOAD among American Whites or Blacks. The significant effect of the C270T polymorphism observed on MMSE scores among American Blacks needs to be further explored in a larger cohort.
Molecular imaging of inflammation in the ApoE -/- mouse model of atherosclerosis with IodoDPA

Background Atherosclerosis is a common and serious vascular disease predisposing individuals to myocardial infarction and stroke. Intravascular plaques, the pathologic lesions of atherosclerosis, are largely composed of cholesterol-laden luminal macrophage-rich infiltrates within a fibrous cap. The ability to detect those macrophages non-invasively within the aorta, carotid artery and other vessels would allow physicians to determine plaque burden, aiding management of patients with atherosclerosis.
The robot's eyes - Stereo vision system for automated scene analysis

Attention is given to the robot stereo vision system which maintains the image produced by solid-state detector television cameras in a dynamic random access memory called RAPID. The imaging hardware consists of sensors (two solid-state image arrays using a charge injection technique), a video-rate analog-to-digital converter, the RAPID memory, and various types of computer-controlled displays, and preprocessing equipment (for reflexive actions, processing aids, and object detection). The software is aimed at locating objects and transversibility. An object-tracking algorithm is discussed and it is noted that tracking speed is in the 50-75 pixels/s range.
Clustering Behavior of a Continuous-Sites Stepping-Stone Model with Brownian Migration

Clustering behavior is studied for a continuous-sites stepping-stone model with Brownian migration. It is shown that, if the model starts with the same mixture of different types of individuals over each site, then it will evolve in a way such that the site space is divided into disjoint intervals where only one type of individuals appear in each interval. Those intervals (clusters) are growing as time $t$ goes to infinity. The average size of the clusters at a fixed time $t$ is of the order of square root of $t$. Clusters at different times or sites are asymptotically independent as the difference of either the times or the sites goes to infinity.
The effect of higher moments of job size distribution on the performance of an M/G/s queueing system

The M/G/s queueing system is the oldest and most classical example of multiserver systems. Such multiserver systems are commonplace in a wide range of applications, ranging from call centers to manufacturing systems to computer systems, because they are cost-effective and their serving capacity can be easily scaled up or down.
In pursuit of virtual lead optimization: pruning ensembles of receptor structures for increased efficiency and accuracy during docking.

Representing receptors as ensembles of protein conformations during docking is a powerful method to approximate protein flexibility and increase the accuracy of the resulting ranked list of compounds. Unfortunately, docking compounds against a large number of ensemble members can increase computational cost and time investment. In this article, we present an efficient method to evaluate and select the most contributive ensemble members prior to docking for targets with a conserved core of residues that bind a ligand moiety. We observed that ensemble members that preserve the geometry of the active site core are most likely to place ligands in the active site with a conserved orientation, generally rank ligands correctly and increase interactions with the receptor. A relative distance approach is used to quantify the preservation of the three-dimensional interatomic distances of the conserved ligand-binding atoms and prune large ensembles quickly. In this study, we investigate dihydrofolate reductase as an example of a protein with a conserved core; however, this method for accurately selecting relevant ensemble members a priori can be applied to any system with a conserved ligand-binding core, including HIV-1 protease, kinases, and acetylcholinesterase. Representing a drug target as a pruned ensemble during in silico screening should increase the accuracy and efficiency of high-throughput analyses of lead analogs. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
How to think about mental content

Most theorists of cognition endorse some version of representationalism, which I will understand as the view that the human mind is an information-using system, and that human cognitive capacities are representational capacities. Of course, notions such as �representation� and �information-using� are terms of art that require explication. As a first pass, representations are �mediating states of an intelligent system that carry information� (Markman and Dietrich 2001, p. 471). They have two important features: (1) they are physically realized, and so have causal powers; (2) they are intentional, in other words, they have meaning or representational content. This presumes a distinction between a representational vehicle�a physical state or structure that has causal powers and is responsible for producing behavior�and its content. Consider the following characterization of a device that computes the addition function.
First year experience of patients undergoing the Stretta procedure.

Background: The Stretta procedure is a new, totally endoscopic treatment for GERD, where radiofrequency energy is delivered to the smooth muscle of the gastroesophageal junction. Methods: Forty-one patients undergoing the Stretta procedure between August 2000 and August 2001 were prospectively evaluated. Under an IRB-approved protocol, patients were studied preoperatively and postoperatively with esophageal manometry, 24-h pH testing, SF12 surveys, and GERD-specific questionnaires (QOLRAD). Results: Results are reported as mean ± SEM. All procedures were performed on an outpatient basis; 33 were under conscious sedation and 8 were under general anesthesia. Prior to treatment, patients had a mean LES pressure of 25 ± 2.4 mmHg, Johnson–Demeester score of 32.8 ± 4.6 mmHg, and % time reflux 8.4 ± 0.9%. The quality-of-life scores were significantly improved at 6 months: QOLRAD score increased from 3.7 ± 0.2 to 5.1 ± 0.2 (p = 0.002), SF12 mental score increased from 44.3 ± 2.0 to 51.8 ± 1.7 (p = 0.001), and SF12 physical score increased from 26.2 ± 2.4 to 33.1 ± 3.8 (p = 0.001). Eighteen patients returned for esophageal manometry and 24-h pH testing at a mean of 6.8 ± 0.5 months. There was a significant decrease in esophageal acid exposure time (8.4 ± 0.9% to 4.4 ± 1.3%, p = 0.03) and Johnson–Demeester score (32.8 ± 4.6 to 22.9 ± 5.3, p = 0.04). There was no significant change in mean LES pressure (25.3 ± 2.4 mmHg to 26.8 ± 2.6 mmHg, p = 0.63). Twenty of 31 patients (65%) available for 6 months follow-up were completely off proton pump inhibitors. The only complication related to Stretta was a case of gastroparesis 10 days post-operatively that resolved completely. Conclusions: The Stretta procedure is a promising new endoscopic treatment for GERD. It significantly improves GERD symptoms and quality of life while eliminating the need for proton pump inhibitors in the majority of patients.
Reduced diffusion lung capacity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus predicts hospitalization for pneumonia

Abstract Among 4164 patients, those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) had lower lung diffusion capacity (DLCO) compared with those without DM (DLCO mean ± SE: 15.7 ± 0.3 vs. 17.0 ± 0.2 mL/min/mm Hg, p
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in children with Sturge-Weber syndrome.

Quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed on six children with Sturge-Weber syndrome following gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI revealed only unilateral involvement in all cases. The mean concentration (mmol/kg wet weight) of the neuronal marker N-acetyl-aspartate was significantly reduced by 37% in the ipsilateral gadolinium enhanced volume of interest compared to a similarly placed contralateral volume of interest (5.39 +/- 1.70 [SD] vs 8.50 +/- 1.14, P < .005, two-tailed paired Student's t-test). Decreased N-acetyl-aspartate in the ipsilateral volume of interest was observed in all patients studied. No significant differences were found in the concentrations of creatine/phosphocreatine or choline compounds between the ipsilateral and contralateral volumes of interest. These findings give possible new insight into the pathophysiology of this disease and suggest that quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy may be useful for the early characterization and monitoring of neuronal dysfunction or loss in infants and children with Sturge-Weber syndrome.