cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amygdala Reactivity and Anterior Cingulate Habituation Predict Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Maintenance After Acute Civilian Trauma.

Abstract Background Studies suggest that exaggerated amygdala reactivity is a vulnerability factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, our understanding is limited by a paucity of prospective, longitudinal studies. Recent studies in healthy samples indicate that, relative to reactivity, habituation is a more reliable biomarker of individual differences in amygdala function. We investigated reactivity of the amygdala and cortical areas to repeated threat presentations in a prospective study of PTSD. Methods Participants were recruited from the emergency department of a large level I trauma center within 24 hours of trauma. PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline and approximately 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after trauma. Growth curve modeling was used to estimate symptom recovery trajectories. Thirty-one individuals participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging around the 1-month assessment, passively viewing fearful and neutral face stimuli. Reactivity (fearful > neutral) and habituation to fearful faces was examined. Results Amygdala reactivity, but not habituation, 5 to 12 weeks after trauma was positively associated with the PTSD symptom intercept and predicted symptoms at 12 months after trauma. Habituation in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex was positively associated with the slope of PTSD symptoms, such that decreases in ventral anterior cingulate cortex activation over repeated presentations of fearful stimuli predicted increasing symptoms. Conclusions Findings point to neural signatures of risk for maintaining PTSD symptoms after trauma exposure. Specifically, chronic symptoms were predicted by amygdala hyperreactivity, and poor recovery was predicted by a failure to maintain ventral anterior cingulate cortex activation in response to fearful stimuli. The importance of identifying patients at risk after trauma exposure is discussed.
Inadequate postgraduate training of skin and soft tissue infections in an era of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

To the Editor I write in response to the article by Dr. Kessler et al. on Inadequate Postgraduate Training of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in an Era of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus .1 I congratulate Dr. Kessler et al. for their attention to resident education. They document a remarkable knowledge deficit, in that their respondents did not appreciate the commonness of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). We agree that this is hard to believe, given all the attention paid to this organism in the medical literature and the lay press during the last 10 years. However, …
White Professors Teaching About Racism: Challenges and Rewards ψ:

One of the complexities of multicultural teaching is that course content inevitably relates to personal experiences of privilege and oppression among both students and professors. Even when profess...
VISION OF CHILDREN IN AN ORPHANAGE ABOUT FAMILY AND FAMILY LIFE

The aim of this paper is to refer the issue of the vision of children in an orphanage about family and family life. The aim of the research is to identify, analyze and describe their own idea of their future family and family life. The theoretical introduction briefly describes the family, types and functions of the family and the institution of a children's home. In this study we used a quantitative questionnaire method and the techniques of descriptive (mean, median, mode) and inferential statistics. Based on the author's questionnaire we can confirm and subvert predefined research questions and draws a clear conclusion. Children from orphanages state that the most important value for them is family. In this regard, the contribution shows importance of family and recommendation of counseling for children before leaving the orphanage to help have a successful family life in the future.
Nuclear Transition Density Determinations from Inelastic Electron Scattering

The determination of nuclear charge distributions through elastic electron scattering is well known and has been the subject of several articles and review articles. (See Refs. 1–3, etc.) Inelastic electron scattering by its nature is very similar: It allows the determination of some dynamical properties of the nucleus. These are the transition charge or current densities which represent the changes in the charges or the currents associated with the transition of the nucleus from the initial state to the final state. These transition charge or current densities are the same as those that cause the y transitions between these states or that allow the nucleus to be excited by the Coulomb field of a passing heavy ion. Thus electron scattering is not an isolated field, rather it provides additional information on these densities which, combined with the results from other electromagnetic probes, can be used for a more complete determination of the transition properties.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stable Ischemic Heart Disease

Coronary angiography and revascularization began in the 1960s and has evolved dramatically into a robust platform for not only diagnosis of coronary disease but also complex intervention. The phenomenal number of procedures, over a million by the mid-2000s in the United States alone, has helped improve operator expertise. This coupled with advances in equipment, specifically in stent technology, has made percutaneous intervention an increasingly preferred modality in various clinical scenarios. With this, the world saw ever-increasing revascularization of coronary stenoses in patients ranging from those with asymptomatic lesions to those suffering an acute myocardial infarction. However, even though coronary intervention through both percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting have greatly improved outcomes in the setting of acute coronary syndrome, the same has not been systematically true for stable ischemic heart disease.
Automatic Unusual Driving Event Identification for Dependable Self-Driving

This paper introduces techniques to automatically detect driving corner cases from dashcam video and inertial sensors. Developing robust driver assistance and automated driving technologies requires an understanding of not just common highway and city traffic situations but also a plethora of corner cases that may be encountered in billions of miles of driving. Current approaches seek to collect such a catalog of corner cases by driving millions of miles with self-driving prototypes. In contrast, this paper introduces a low-cost yet scalable solution to collect such events from any dashcam-equipped vehicle to take advantage of the billions of miles that humans already drive. It detects unusual events through inertial sensing of sudden human driver reactions and rare visual events through a trained autoencoder deep neural network. We evaluate the system based on more than 120 hours real road driving data. It shows 82% accuracy improvement versus strawman solutions for sudden reaction detection and above 71% accuracy for rare visual views identification. The detection results proved useful for re-training and improving a self-steering algorithm on more complex situations. In terms of computational efficiency, the Android prototype achieves 17Hz frame rate (Nexus 5X).
A Modified CUSUM Test to Control Postoutbreak False Alarms

The cumulative sum (CUSUM) control chart is a method for detecting whether the mean of a time series process has shifted beyond some tolerance (ie, is out of control). Originally developed in an industrial process control setting, the CUSUM statistic is typically reset to zero once a process is discovered to be out of control since the industrial process is then recalibrated to be in control. The CUSUM method is also used to detect disease outbreaks in prospective disease surveillance, with a disease outbreak coinciding with an out-of-control process. In a disease surveillance setting, resetting the CUSUM statistic is unrealistic, and a nonrestarting CUSUM chart is used instead. In practice, the nonrestarting CUSUM provides more information but suffers from a high false alarm rate following the end of an outbreak. In this paper, we propose a modified hypothesis test for use with the nonrestarting CUSUM when testing whether a process is out of control. By simulating statistics conditional on the presence of an out-of-control process in recent time periods, we are able to retain the CUSUM's power to detect an out-of-control process while controlling the post-out-of-control false alarm rate at the desired level. We demonstrate this method using data on a Salmonella Newport outbreak that occurred in Germany in 2011. We find that in 7 out of 8 states where the outbreak was detected, the outbreak was detected at the same speed as an unmodified nonrestarting CUSUM while controlling the postoutbreak rate of false alarms at the desired level.
Labor Market Discrimination Against Indigenous Peoples in Mexico: A Decomposition Analysis of Wage Differentials

Mexico’s indigenous peoples are amongst the country’s most vulnerable and marginalized. According to the Mexican National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy, the percentage of indigenous peoples who live in poverty in Mexico is nearly double that of the general population: 70.3 percent versus 38.6 percent, respectively. In this context, the present study aims to explore why the gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous populations is not closing, even after occupational differences and the rural-urban divide are taken into consideration. This paper employs Oaxaca-Blinder (OB) decomposition techniques as well as two quantile decomposition approaches with data from the 2016 National Household Expenditure Revenue Survey (ENIGH) to analyze wage differentials along the entire wage distribution and differences in the prevalence of informal employment among indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Mexico. Understanding the underlying causes of these disparities is crucial for the design of sustainable policies that may help reduce the gap in the living conditions of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. Findings confirm that differences in coefficients account for a significant proportion of the gap in indigenous earnings, indicating that indigenous disadvantage would persist even if human capital outcomes and access to formal employment were to improve for this population subgroup.
When Children and Adolescents Do Not Go to School: Terminology, Technology, and Trends

Abstract This chapter addresses the many challenging issues faced by children who struggle to attend school. First, we review history and terminology and discuss the longstanding difficulty of accurately classifying and understanding these children and families. We then summarize Christopher Kearney and his colleagues’ important school refusal framework that uses functional analysis as the key organizing rubric to understand what causes and maintains school refusal behavior. Finally, we use this framework to integrate and explore recent trends in digital technology that both provide resources and challenges as children have more opportunity to connect to educational activities but also be distracted from them. Throughout the chapter, we examine the complexities so often experienced when assessing and intervening with children and families who refuse school by using a challenging case example to illustrate key concepts.
Impact of self-efficacy on risk aversion in the context of surgical weight loss decision scenarios.

Obesity is prevalent among a third of US adults and a leading indicator for many chronic diseases. Self-efficacy is important for non-surgical weight loss interventions, but there is less information about the role of self-efficacy in the candidacy phase when there are discussions of side effects and decisions for uptake. This study conducted an experiment set within an online survey assessing risk aversion towards bariatric surgery as a weight loss intervention. The survey asked about hypothetical weight loss scenarios for bariatric surgery among a national probability-based sample of US adults aged 18 years and older. Participants answered their willingness to achieve different weight loss amounts within the context of bariatric surgery in varying risk scenarios. The analysis utilized a repeated-measures linear mixed model. A three-way interaction demonstrated that participants were more willing to take risks under ideal weight loss conditions even with the risk of death, particularly when considering self-efficacy (𝛽 = 1.20, P = .05). Margin projections showed that those with lower self-efficacy were more likely to take risks overall. This trend was significant for those with a body mass index of 30 and above in scenarios presenting one's ideal weight as the outcome of bariatric surgery. Adding a measure of self-efficacy within patient assessments could identify those eligible patients who are most likely to adopt bariatric surgery, particularly among those who may have negative post-surgical outcomes due to low self-efficacy levels. Addressing self-efficacy by way of providing support resources in tandem with candidacy consultations may enhance quality of life and post-surgical outcomes.
Expanding the Far UV Range of Aluminum-Coated Mirrors for Space-Based Observations to Reflect Hydrogen Lyman Lines via Fluoride Multilayers

While no solid barrier layer is transparent below ~103nm, simulations show that ~9.5nm LiF on 8.5nm MgF2 on Al could reflect some hydrogen Lyman lines better than a single fluoride layer does. Experiments are promising.
Hybrid ventilation in an institutional building: Modeling and predictive control

Abstract This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of predictive control of a hybrid ventilation system in an institutional building with emphasis on thermal comfort. A 17–story high institutional building with a large amount of exposed structural concrete is used as a case study to test different control strategies. A model of the entrance region of a typical floor is developed, calibrated from full–scale tests, and validated on a different set of measurements. It is used to estimate the heat removed from the concrete floor and the impact on thermal comfort. The system is currently operating based on heuristic control, with an exterior air temperature setpoint above which the air is allowed into the corridors, which are buffer spaces. With input measured data from 12 typical days, the model is used to compare this strategy to reactive and predictive control strategies. A control strategy based on data of the previous hour (reactive) is expected to quintuple the energy savings potential, but reduce thermal comfort. A predictive control strategy satisfies thermal comfort, but also increases energy savings potential. Lowering thermal comfort criteria during the night in order to precool the building further increases energy savings potential. A prediction horizon of 1 h and a control horizon of 15 min provide satisfactory thermal comfort, while keeping the computational time and forecast uncertainty to reasonable levels for a typical floor. This result provides the basis for the development of an integrated predictive control strategy for the whole building.
Eastern Virgin Hinterlands: Formative Period (AD 700–AD 1225) Settlement Practices in Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park encompasses a large portion of the southeastern extent of the Virgin Ancestral Puebloan tradition. From AD 700 to 1225, the region also bounded the Kayenta Ancestral Pueb...
Sonic Hedgehog-Gli1 Signaling and Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein 1 Gene Regulation in Motor Neuron Differentiation and Diseases.

Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 1 (CRABP1) is highly expressed in motor neurons. Degenerated motor neuron-like MN1 cells are engineered by introducing SODG93A or AR-65Q to model degenerated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or spinal bulbar muscular atrophy neurons. Retinoic acid (RA)/sonic hedgehog (Shh)-induced embryonic stem cells differentiation into motor neurons are employed to study up-regulation of Crabp1 by Shh. In SODG93A or AR-65Q MN1 neurons, CRABP1 level is reduced, revealing a correlation of motor neuron degeneration with Crabp1 down-regulation. Up-regulation of Crabp1 by Shh is mediated by glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) that binds the Gli target sequence in Crabp1′s neuron-specific regulatory region upstream of minimal promoter. Gli1 binding triggers chromatin juxtaposition with minimal promoter, activating transcription. Motor neuron differentiation and Crabp1 up-regulation are both inhibited by blunting Shh with Gli inhibitor GANT61. Expression data mining of ALS and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) motor neurons shows reduced CRABP1, coincided with reduction in Shh-Gli1 signaling components. This study reports motor neuron degeneration correlated with down-regulation in Crabp1 and Shh-Gli signaling. Shh-Gli up-regulation of Crabp1 involves specific chromatin remodeling. The physiological and pathological implication of this regulatory pathway in motor neuron degeneration is supported by gene expression data of ALS and SMA patients.
Increased Alpha-Band Connectivity During Tic Suppression in Children With Tourette Syndrome Revealed by Source Electroencephalography Analyses.

Abstract Background Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving chronic motor and phonic tics. Most individuals with TS can suppress their tics for at least a short period of time. Yet, the brain correlates of tic suppression are still poorly understood. Methods In the current study, high-density electroencephalography was recorded during a resting-state and a tic suppression session in 72 children with TS. Functional connectivity between cortical regions was assessed in the alpha band (8–13 Hz) using an electroencephalography source connectivity method. Graph theory and network-based statistics were used to assess the global network topology and to identify brain regions showing increased connectivity during tic suppression. Results Graph theoretical analyses revealed distinctive global network topology during tic suppression, relative to rest. Using network-based statistics, we found a subnetwork of increased connectivity during tic suppression (p Conclusions These results suggest that children with TS suppress their tics through a brain circuit involving distributed cortical regions, many of which are part of the default mode network. Brain connectivity during tic suppression also increases as youths with TS mature. These results highlight a mechanism by which children with TS may control their tics, which could be relevant for future treatment studies.
Enhancement of biomass production in Scenedesmus bijuga high-density culture using weakly absorbed green light

Abstract To increase microalgae biomass production and support high density cultures in photobioreactors artificial illumination systems have been designed to increase photosynthetic activity. Supplemental lighting systems are commonly composed by a combination of chlorophyll (a + b) strongly absorbed wavelengths, while weakly absorbed wavelengths are not present. At this work we compared the photosynthetic activity and biomass production induced by chlorophyll (a + b) strongly versus weakly absorbed wavelengths in Scenedesmus bijuga microalgae cultures at different biomass densities. Photosynthetic activity and biomass production induced by 4 different wavelengths using LEDs (blue – peak at λ470 nm; green – peak at λ530 nm; red – peak at λ655 nm; and white-4100 K) were measured and analyzed on high-density cultures of S. bijuga. As culture density increased the chlorophyll (a + b) weakly absorbed green light penetrated deeper into the samples inducing higher oxygen evolution at culture concentration of 1.45 g L−1 compared to the chlorophyll (a + b) strongly absorbed red light. High-density culture (2.19 g L−1) cultivated under green light showed higher biomass production rate (30 mg L−1 d−1) with a 8.43% biomass growth in a 6-day period compared to the same quantum flux of red light that induced 4.35% biomass growth on the same period. The integration of green LEDs into photobioreactors lighting apparatus could improve the existing systems composed predominantly by red and blue LEDs increasing biomass productivity of high-density cultures at latter stages of microalgae cultivation.
Essential services, personnel, and facilities in specialized epilepsy centers--revised 2010 guidelines

This document was developed by the members of the Committee to Revise the Guidelines for Services, Personnel, and Facilities at Specialized Epilepsy Centers. After discussions with the general membership they were adopted by the Board of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. The Guidelines will be reviewed and updated when considered necessary by the Board.
Elongation of Acyl Carrier Protein Derivatives by Bacterial and Plant Extracts

Abstract Acyl derivatives of acyl carrier protein (ACP), chemically prepared from fatty acids of intermediate chain length and Escherichia coli ACP, are elongated by the fatty acid synthetase system of E. coli, by extracts of photoauxotrophic Euglena gracilis, and by spinach chloroplasts. These conversions require the presence of malonyl coenzyme A and of a reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide-generating system. The E. coli system elongates octanoyl-ACP both to saturated and to unsaturated acids, but converts decanoyl-ACP and lauryl-ACP to saturated acids only. Extracts of Euglena convert the acyl-ACP derivatives of C8, C10, C12, and C16 fatty acids to stearate, oleate, and arachidate. The formation of oleic acid from these precursors requires aerobic conditions.
The basic trypsin inhibitor of bovine pancreas. 8. Changes in activity following substitution of reduced half-cystin res4ues 14 and 38 with sulfhydryl reagents.

Basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor with disulfide bond 14–38 reduced by borohydride was reacted with sulfhydryl group reagents. The reduced inhibitor and the dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) derivatives retained inhibitory activity toward both trypsin and α-chymotrypsin. The carboxamidomethyl and aminoethyl derivatives were active toward trypsin but inactive with α-chymotrypsin. The p-mercuribenzoate and p-mercuribenzenesulfonate derivatives were partially active toward trypsin and inactive toward α-chymotrypsin. The carboxymethyl and N-ethylmaleimide derivatives were inactive toward both enzymes. The carboxamidomethyl and aminoethyl derivatives inhibited trypsin temporarily and were gradually digested by the enzyme.
Dyads, Disputes and the Democratic Peace

As a rule, scientific studies of international relations are seldom noticed by the politicians and practitioners responsible for making foreign policy. But if exceptions prove the rule, then the extraordinary attention currently focused on the historical absence of war between democratic states is surely proof beyond question. Even President Clinton has repeatedly laced his political rhetoric with references to the historical regularity we have come to call the “liberal democratic peace.”
Experiments with the CHIME Parallel Processing System

This paper presents the results from running five experiments with the Chime Parallel Processing System. The Chime System is an implementation of the CC++ programming language (parallel part) on a network of computers. Chime offers ease of programming, shared memory, fault tolerance, load balancing and the ability to nest parallel computations. The system has performance comparable with most parallel processing environments. The experiments include a performance experiment (to measure Chime overhead), a load balancing experiment (to show even balancing of work between slow and fast machines), a fault tolerance experiment (to show the effects of multiple machine failures), a recursion experiment (to show how programs can use nesting and recursion) and a fine-grain experiment (to show the viability of executions with fine grain computations.
Unobtrusive monitoring of sleep patterns

Disrupted sleep is a common problem in the elderly, due to age-related changes in health, lifestyle, and the physiological aspects of sleep. Severe sleep disturbances lead to impaired functioning, reduced quality of life, and increased health care costs. Therefore, monitoring of sleep patterns in the elderly is important. However, current methods for monitoring sleep are inadequate. In this paper, we use load cells for unobtrusive continuous monitoring of sleep patterns. Load cells are placed under a bed, and sleep characteristics such as bedtime, wake up time, and number and duration of naps are inferred from the load cell data. Using information from each load cell individually, we can also identify a person's position in bed, and, consequently, detect position shifts. We describe the algorithms for computation of the sleep characteristics and for assessment of the person's position in bed. We conclude by discussing the limitations in our approach, and the work we intend to pursue in the future.
Cosmopolitanism and Literary Form

This essay examines recent work on cosmopolitanism in literary studies, with a focus on questions of form. Starting with the emergence of the ‘new cosmopolitanisms’ in the 1990s, I look at the controversies that have beset the term and show how these are related to its multiple meanings. I then turn to cosmopolitanism’s impact on the field of literary studies and argue that analyses of cosmopolitan literature that employ formalist as well as historical and political methodologies might redress the ideological impasse between recuperative and skeptical views of cosmopolitanism by showing how individual versions of it have taken shape over time. It is through the particulars of language and genre, I argue, that cosmopolitan texts seek to qualify the universalisms that they espouse and ground themselves in the textures of difference.
Reproduction of Bacteriophage

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the reproduction of bacteriophage. The most numerous classes of coliphages, brought together on the basis of antigenic relatedness and morphologic identity, is the one containing T2 and T4. These are among the largest of the viruses. They are tadpole-shaped particles measuring about 0.1 micron in diameter. The particles are subject to osmotic shock and presumably possess some sort of membrane. The sequence of events occurring during the intracellular existence of phages, such as T2, is summarized in the chapter. Soon after entering the cell, the resting phage is transformed into vegetative phage. These two forms of virus have no known attribute in common except genetic continuity. Each has one known capacity that is unique; resting phage can infect bacteria, vegetative phage can multiply intracellularly. There is a marked difference between the two forms in sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Multiplication begins some time before the midpoint of the latent period and may be confined to the second quarter. Beginning at the midpoint of the latent period, the vegetative progeny are converted to the resting form at a linear rate. Genetic interaction immediately precedes or is part of this process.
Orally-Administered Caspase Inhibitor PF-03491390 Is Retained in the Liver for Prolonged Periods With Low Systemic Exposure, Exerting a Hepatoprotective Effect Against α-Fas-Induced Liver Injury in a Mouse Model

In a mouse model of alpha-Fas-induced acute liver injury, the orally-administered caspase inhibitor PF-03491390 (formerly named IDN-6556) was retained in the liver for prolonged periods with a low systemic exposure. Reductions in the elevated plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) revealed that the retention of PF-03491390 in the liver exerted a hepatoprotective effect, even when pre-administered to mice 4 h before alpha-Fas insult. Prolonged retention of PF-03491390 in the liver after oral administration has the benefit of low systemic exposure, making this a beneficial agent for the treatment of liver diseases.
Microdistribution of substratum-bound ligands affects cell function: hepatocyte spreading on PEO-tethered galactose

Cell functions are regulated by signal transduction processes triggered by binding interactions with extracellular ligands, including those coupled to insoluble matrices as well as those diffusing in free solution. Whereas receptor interactions with freely diffusible soluble ligands are quantitatively governed by the mean ligand concentration, interactions with spatially constrained substratum-bound ligands may be affected not only by the mean ligand concentration, but also by the ligand spatial microdistribution. To probe this hypothesis we have generated surfaces presenting galactose ligands at different concentrations and different capabilities for micromobility--and thus spatial microdistribution--by means of polyethylene oxide tethering and assayed for hepatocyte spreading mediated by asialoglycoprotein receptor/cytoskeleton linkages. We demonstrate that spreading is not uniquely determined by the mean galactose concentration presented by the culture substrate. Rather, the ability of primary hepatocytes to spread is additionally specified by a combination of ligand concentration and tether length. Our results suggest spreading results when monovalent ligands possess sufficient mobility to form effectively multivalent bonds with the receptor; that is, when the substratum-bound ligands to cluster in spatial microdomains.
Why Dick and Jane Don't Ask: Getting Past Initiation Barriers in Dyadic Negotiations

Negotiation is an essential skill for personal well-being and professional success, a skill that begins with identifying and acting on one's wants and needs. Individuals, however, often lack the confidence, motivation, or training to simply ask for what they want in many situations. This paper discusses the personal characteristics and situational factors that influence an individual's ability to ask for what he/she wants in a negotiation. Specific suggestions for managing this critical phase of the negotiation process also are offered.
A simple fractionation of chicken egg yolk yields a protein component that stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation in primary avian tendon cells.

An easily prepared and stable protein fraction from chick egg yolk promotes cell division (40 h generation time) and expression of procollagen (60% of total protein synthesis) in primary avian tendon cells in a serum-free medium. The activity of this yolk fraction (YF) is proteinaceous as reflected by its sensitivity to protease treatment. Yolk fraction is resolved into four major components on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with apparent molecular weights of 82,70,42,35 (× 10−3). Under nondenaturing conditions, YF runs as a mixture of high molecular weight aggregates on Sephacryl G-200. We postulate that the active part of YF could be the in ovo growth promoter for embryonic chick tendon cells.
Characterization of a novel model for chronic migraine

The mechanisms underlying the progression of migraine from an episodic to a chronic process are poorly understood, and the development of new therapies for chronic migraine has been slow, in part due to the lack of clinically relevant animal models.
The nondetection of continuum radiation from Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) at 2- to 6-cm wavelengths and its implication on the icy-grain halo theory

The Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock was observed with the VLA at 6 and 2 cm, when the comet was at geocentric distances of 0.08 and 0.035 AU, respectively, and the results are discussed. The three sigma upper limits to the flux density are 90 and 750 micro-Jy at the two wavelengths, respectively, values fully two orders of magnitude below the flux densities predicted by the icy-grain halo theory as initially developed. The corrected theory also indicates that the icy grain halo theory does not give an adequate description of the cometary environment. It is shown that the halo is either very optically thin, with a filling factor of the order of 10 to the -5th, or that the maximum size of the grain that can be lifted off the nuclear surface is only of the order of 10-100 microns.
MEP-1 and a Homolog of the NURD Complex Component Mi-2 Act Together to Maintain Germline-Soma Distinctions in C. elegans

A rapid cascade of regulatory events defines the developmental fates of embryonic cells. However, once established, these developmental fates and the underlying transcriptional programs can be remarkably stable. Here, we describe two proteins, MEP-1 and LET-418/Mi-2, required for maintenance of somatic differentiation in C. elegans. In animals lacking MEP-1 and LET-418, germline-specific genes become derepressed in somatic cells, and Polycomb group (PcG) and SET domain-related proteins promote this ectopic expression. MEP-1 and LET-418 interact in vivo with the germline-protein PIE-1. Our findings support a model in which PIE-1 inhibits MEP-1 and associated factors to maintain the pluripotency of germ cells, while at later times MEP-1 and LET-418 remodel chromatin to establish new stage- or cell-type-specific differentiation potential.
Hydroxyapatite fiber reinforced poly(α-hydroxy ester) foams for bone regeneration

A process has been developed to manufacture biodegradable composite foams of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite short fibers for use in bone regeneration. The processing technique allows the manufacture of three-dimensional foam scaffolds and involves the formation of a composite material consisting of a porogen material (either gelatin microspheres or salt particles) and hydroxyapatite short fibers embedded in a PLGA matrix. After the porogen is leached out, an open-cell composite foam remains which has a pore size and morphology defined by the porogen. By changing the weight fraction of the leachable component it was possible to produce composite foams with controlled porosities ranging from 0.47 +/- 0.02 to 0.85 +/- 0.01 (n = 3). Up to a polymer:fiber ratio of 7:6, short hydroxyapatite fibers served to reinforce low-porosity PLGA foams manufactured using gelatin microspheres as a porogen. Foams with a compressive yield strength up to 2.82 +/- 0.63 MPa (n = 3) and a porosity of 0.47 +/- 0.02 (n = 3) were manufactured using a polymer:fiber weight ratio of 7:6. In contrast, high-porosity composite foams (up to 0.81 +/- 0.02, n = 3) suitable for cell seeding were not reinforced by the introduction of increasing quantities of hydroxyapatite short fibers. We were therefore able to manufacture high-porosity foams which may be seeded with cells but which have minimal compressive yield strength, or low porosity foams with enhanced osteoconductivity and compressive yield strength.
Population Growth Characteristics of Incipient Colonies of the Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Growth of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) incipient colonies during their first year was documented via a monthly destructive sampling census of 15 unique colonies, each headed by an inbred primary pair, for a total of 180 colonies. King and queen biomass greatly decreased during the first 2 months, coinciding with egg production and colony foundation, but their biomass remained relatively constant thereafter. Three cohorts of eggs were produced, with the greatest number of eggs (mean = 14.5) during the first month. Larvae were present at 1 month, and workers were first observed at 2 months. The survival rate of the initial brood was less than 100%, most likely due to cannibalism. A single soldier was first noted in some colonies at 6 months. Offspring biomass was equal to that of the reproductive pair at the 2-month census, double at 3 months, and quadruple at 11 months. One-year-old colonies ranged in size from 20 to 40 individuals, with an average of 28.9 individuals; total colony biomass was 39.8 mg. The growth rate of these R. flavipes colonies was much slower than was reported in other studies, but our observations are consistent with previous models and suggestions regarding colony growth.
Mesoscale Convective Patterns of the Southern High Plains

Mesoscale convective systems observed in the southern High Plains during the Oklahoma-Kansas Preliminary Regional Experiment for STORM-central (PRE-STORM) field program were analyzed using radar and rawinsonde data. Although radar data indicate that no two systems are identical, basic recurring mesoscale structures are evident. Based on these recurrent features, the systems have been classified into three types of mesoscale convective patterns: linear mesoscale systems, occluding mesoscale systems, and chaotic mesoscale systems. Examples of all three types are discussed. High-density rawinsonde data collected in the regions ahead of the mesoscale systems have been averaged to produce composite soundings; the composites exhibit differences in both thermodynamic and wind structure between types.
Synthesis of 2-Amino-1,2,3-triazole Derivatives from Vicinal Diazides

Triphenylphosphine reacts with naphthoquinone diazide to form almost quantitatively the phosphorane of a unique 2-amino-1,2,3-triazole derivative. This compound undergoes an aza-Wittig reaction with aldehydes and is readily hydrolyzed to the free 2-amino-1,2,3-triazole. The free amine reacts normally with acids and aldehydes. The 2-amino-1,2,3-triazole system is stable and high melting, and most derivatives give the parent ion as the largest peak in the mass spectrum. The compounds absorb at 300−350 nm with a strong emission in the range 500−700 nm, depending upon the substituents. Cyclic voltammetry shows one reversible, single-electron reduction wave.
Comparing situated sense-making processes in virtual worlds: Application of Dervin’s Sense-Making Methodology to media reception situations

What happens when a person engages with a virtual world? Are there unique processes of engagings that occur? One approach to understanding how a person makes sense of a virtual world is to compare the engaging processes with other media technologies, focusing on situated performative and interpretive sense-makings. This article reports on a study conducted to compare how novices make sense of four media technologies: film, console videogames, massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and social virtual worlds. Using Dervin’s Sense-Making Methodology (SMM) and our conceptualization of media reception situations, we extracted five potential overlapping sense-making concepts to make comparisons that do not presume a priori the influences of characteristics of technologies and other structures. The five comparative concepts all focus on situated sense-making processes. Our purpose in this article is not to present a full study report but rather to illustrate the methodological approach used in the data...
MEMS resonant human breath sensors for survivor detection in disaster areas

This work demonstrates the potential of micromechanical resonators as compact human breath detectors. Such sensors can be mounted on robotic platforms used in search and rescue missions for detection of survivors in disaster areas. Human breath carries higher concentrations of both moisture and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) compared to surrounding air. To implement the sensors, single crystalline silicon resonators with frequencies in the MHz range were coated by thin films of polyethyleneimine (PEI), which is a strong absorbent of both moisture and CO 2 . The detection mechanism is based on the frequency shift caused by the added mass from the absorbed molecules. The resonators were tested in a humidity controlled chamber showing sensitivity towards humidity as high as 79 ppm/%RH from 30 to 58 %RH and 1.2 286 ppm/%RH from 58 to 85 %RH at room temperature. The response of the same coated resonators to CO 2 was also characterized showing an overall frequency shift of 3010 ppm. Finally, the resonators were exposed to human breath samples and showed frequency shifts as high as 1020ppm with response time constants around 10 seconds.
Rates of isobutane cracking catalysed by HZSM-5: The carbonium ion route

Low conversions (<1%) of isobutane catalysed by the zeolite HZSM-5 were measured with a steady-state flow reactor at 450–500 °C and an isobutane partial pressure of 7.98 kPa. The major products were methane and propylene, formed in equimolar amounts and indicative of cracking proceeding through a carbonium ion intermediate formed by protonation of isobutane. The rate of the reaction at 475 °C is 1.4 × 10−6 mol per g catalyst per s; the apparent activation energy is 57 kcal mol−1. Isobutylene was also formed as a primary product, at rates several-fold less than the cracking rate. Propane appeared to be a primary product, possibly formed in a hydrogen transfer reaction. Nonprimary products included ethylene, but-1-ene and but-2-enes.
Spatial restriction of spontaneous activity towards the rostral primary initiating zone during development of the embryonic mouse hindbrain

In the developing embryonic mouse hindbrain, we have previously shown that synchronized spontaneous activity is driven by midline serotonergic neurons at E11.5. This is mediated, at least in part, by the 5-HT2A receptor, which is expressed laterally in the hindbrain. Activity at E11.5 is widespread within the hindbrain tissue, propagating from the midline to more lateral regions. Using rapid acquisition of [Ca2+]i events along the midline, we now show that the rostral midline, primarily in the region of former rhombomere r2, is the primary initiating zone for this activity. We propose that at E11.5, the combined events along the rostral-caudal axis in combination with events propagating along the medial-lateral axis could assign positional information to developing neurons within the hindbrain. With further development, to E13.5, both the lateral and caudal dimensions of spontaneous activity retract to the rostral midline, occupying an area only 14% of that exhibited at E11.5. We also show that increased levels of [K+]o (to 8 mM) at E13.5 are able to increase the spread of spontaneous activity laterally and rostro-caudally. This suggests that spontaneous activity in the hindbrain depends in a dynamic way on the dominant initiating zone of the rostral midline, and that this relationship changes over development. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 66: 1225–1238, 2006
Endothelin and angiotensin mediate most glomerular responses to nitric oxide inhibition

Endothelin and angiotensin mediate most glomerular responses to nitric oxide inhibition. Background Endothelin (ET) and angiotensin mediate glomerular responses to systemic nitric oxide (NO) inhibition. Acute systemic NO synthase (NOS) inhibition in the rat causes marked increases in both preglomerular (R A ) and efferent arteriolar (R E ) resistances and a fall in the glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient (K f ). In contrast, local intrarenal NOS inhibition increases R A , but has no effect on R E while producing a similar K f lowering effect as seen with systemic NOS inhibition. These studies were designed to assess whether the increase in R E during systemic NOS inhibition is mediated by endogenous ET and whether angiotensin II (Ang II) also contributes. Methods Micropuncture measurements were made before and during acute systemic NOS inhibition with N-monomethyl l-arginine (NMA) alone, NMA + the nonpeptide ET A and ET B receptor antagonist, bosentan, NMA + the Ang II type 1 receptor blocker, losartan, and NMA during combined bosentan and losartan. Results The falls in single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) and glomerular plasma flow seen with systemic NOS inhibition were prevented by concomitant administration of bosentan and losartan alone and in combination. The increases in systemic blood pressure (BP), glomerular BP (P GC ), R A , and R E and the reduction in K f seen with systemic NOS inhibition were attenuated by either bosentan or losartan. An attenuation in the elevation in total renal vascular resistance seen with systemic NOS inhibition was also observed with bosentan. Combined ET and Ang II type 1 blockade completely prevented the increase in systemic BP, P GC , and R E and the fall in K f with systemic NOS inhibition, leaving only a very attenuated rise in R A . Conclusions These findings suggest that endogenous ET and Ang II partially mediate the glomerular hemodynamic responses (including the increased R E ) to acute systemic NOS inhibition. The actions of ET and Ang II are mainly additive, and almost all of the vasoconstrictor responses to acute NOS inhibition are prevented when both vasoconstrictor systems are blocked.
Bounds on trees

We prove a finitary version of the Halpern-Lauchli Theorem. We also prove partition results about strong subtrees. Both results give estimates on the height of trees.
Orthotopic liver transplantation for carcinoid tumour metastatic to the liver: anesthetic management.

Purpose: To report the anesthetic management of a patient with carcinoid tumour metastatic to the liver who presented for orthotopic liver transplantation. Anesthetic implications of metastatic carcinoid tumour on liver transplantation and the use of octreotide are discussed. Clinical features: A 51-yr-old woman with intestinal carcinoid tumour metastatic to the liver presented for orthotopic liver transplantation, a recent treatment option for patients with extensive hepatic carcinoid metastases and disabling symptoms unresponsive to conventional therapy. Despite continuous administration of the somatostatin analogue octreotide via a hepatic artery infusate pump, the patient suffered from daily break through symptoms, which included flushing, palpitations, paroxysmal hypertension, and dyspnea. The patient presented to the operating room with sinus tachycardia and severe arterial hypertension. Octreotide and phentolamine were used to prevent further mediator release and to control the paroxysmal hypertension. Midazolam, fentanyl, thiopental, succinylcholine, vecuronium, and isoflurane were used to induce and maintain anesthesia safely. An intravenous octreotide infusion was initiated after induction and continued throughout the case. Infrequent and non-threatening peaks in arterial blood pressure were readily treated with small intravenous doses of vasoactive drugs and octreotide. No other manifestations of the carcinoid syndrome occurred. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged on postoperative day #6. Conclusion: The patient safely underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for treatment of symptomatic carcinoid tumour metastatic to the liver. The anesthetic management followed recent recommendations favouring the use of octreotide to prevent patients from becoming symptomatic. Outlined dosing regimen for octreotide provided satisfactory hemodynamic stability.
STUDIES OF OXYGEN IN THE VENOUS BLOOD II. STUDIES OF THE OXYGEN UNSATURATION IN THE VENOUS BLOOD OF A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH CIRCULATORY DISTURBANCES.

1. Thirty-one determinations of the total oxygen-combining power and the oxygen in the venous blood from vena mediana cubiti of sixteen resting patients are reported. 2. The difference between the total oxygen capacity of the hemoglobin and the oxygen in the venous blood, the oxygen unsaturation, is calculated. 3. In twelve patients with compensated heart lesions the unsaturation was found within normal limits, between 2.5 and 8 volume per cent. 4. In four patients with incompensated heart disease the values for the unsaturation were all above the normal limit, from 9.7 to 15.2 volume per cent. 5. A general discussion of the problem of interpreting the results is given. 6. A comparison is drawn between the oxygen consumption calculated from direct determination of the blood flow on a normal subject (the writer) and the oxygen unsaturation determined 4 years later on the same subject. A close agreement between the two series of values exists.