cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quadratus Lumborum Block as Sole, Homeostatic-Preserving Anesthetic for a Patient with Multiple System Atrophy Undergoing Open Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Case Report

Quadratus Lumborum (QL) block has been successfully used for different abdominal procedures in the past. Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized mainly by autonomic instability, motor impairment, and cognitive dysfunction. We report a case of a patient with MSA with a history of multiple episodes of unplanned admissions following outpatient minor surgical procedures under general anesthesia scheduled to undergo open inguinal hernia repair. In our patient, QL block was successfully used for surgical anesthesia and it resulted in hemodynamic stability and an opioid-free perioperative course.
SIMULATION OF HYDRATION AND ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF MONTMORILLONITE USING MOLECULAR DYNAMICS

This article describes molecular-level simulations of the adsorption isotherm and elastic properties for a Wyoming Na-montmorillonite using the General Utility Lattice Program. The selected clay mineral includes isomorphous substitutions in both the silica tetrahedral and octahedral gibbsite sheets. The resulting negative charges are balanced by Na+ cations. The authors have investigated the importance of different interatomic potentials in understanding the adsorption of water molecules (at ambient temperature, 300K). A unique combination of NPT and Grand Canonical ensemble simulations using Core–Shell potential shows intra-layer adsorption, while the same approach based on empirical CLAYFF potential produces only interlayer water adsorption. There is a correspondingly large difference in the theoretical elastic modulus normal to the clay sheets using the two different sets of force potentials. This article discusses the underlying reasons for these differences and reviews the experimental evidence supporting intra-layer water absorption in montmorillonite.
PERSISTENCE OF VIRAL INFECTION IN THE PRESENCE OF IMMUNITY

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the persistence of viral infection in the presence of immunity. A large number of host determinants may contribute to the persistence of viral infection and the production of lesions. Such host factors include age, genetic factors, and the degree of maturity and competence of the immunologic system, the cell types infected by the virus, and the presence of underlying diseases. Important viral determinants include the method by which the virus spreads, the antigenicity of the virus, the physical form of the virus, formation of defective or partially defective viral particles, and occasionally direct effects of the virus on the immune system. The overall host genetic contribution to the development of persistent viral infections remains to be ascertained. The genetic properties of the viruses may be extremely important determinants in the development of persistent infections. The outcome of viral infection appears to be a complex interplay of both viral and host factors in which the host immune response is of major importance. Such host immune responses may be beneficial in preventing, terminating, or limiting disease, or may actually cause the observed disease itself.
Photonic Switching with Stripe Domains

This paper describes a crossbar switchboard for optical fibers. The switchboard is all optical, solid state (i.e., no moving parts), rugged, wide temperature, fast (2µ sec), non-blocking, latching (i.e., non-volatile), reguires no initial polarization, is capable of switching both digital and analog signals and is theoretically capable of handling very large numbers of inputs and outputs in a single stage. The light is deflected from input fibers to any output fiber by a stripe domain deflection element, so that there are no splitting losses; the efficiency does not decrease as more output fibers are added.
Systems Biology of Abiotic Stress: The Elephant and the Blind Men

The study of plant stress responses is fragmented into many separate domains by the type of stress used, the response measured, and the disciplinary perspective of the investigation. Thus, light, salt, drought, and ozone stress are commonly investigated separately. End-point measures vary from changes in stomatal aperture and cellular electrophysiology to signaling and transcriptional changes and, ultimately, cell death. Furthermore, investigations of the same system and end-point are often carried out from very different disciplinary perspectives, such as signaling, cell structure, or expression of genes and protein trafficking. In the present review, I use the old Hindu parable of the elephant and the blind men as a metaphor for the study of the stress response. Taking the well-studied environmental response of guard cells, I first assemble a “parts” list, briefly overviewing the literature on signaling, cytoskeletal changes and vesicular trafficking that mediate changes in the stomatal aperture. I then attempt to synthesize a “systems” view of stomatal responses by integrating the various perspectives. Finally, I briefly explore the relevance of guard cell responses to the more general issues of plant stress responses and comment on future areas of interest.
Esophageal exposure to ethanol increases risk of acid damage in rabbit esophagus.

Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with thedevelopment of reflux esophagitis. Among the reasons forthis are impairment of the antireflux barrier,stimulation of acid secretion, and altered tissue resistance. To explore the contribution ofaltered tissue resistance to the development ofesophagitis, sections of rabbit esophageal epitheliumwere mounted in Ussing chambers and exposed luminally to 10% ethanol, acid (HCl, pH 2), or combinationsof both. Tissue injury was assessed by measurements ofpotential difference (PD), short circuit current(Isc) and electrical resistance (R) and byhistology. Tissues exposed luminally to HCl for 1 hrexhibited little or no change electrically ormorphologically compared to Ringer controls, whileluminal exposure to 10% ethanol for 1 hr lowered PD (53± 4%), Isc (30 ± 1%), and R (31± 5%) and produced cellular edema in the upperlayers. Simultaneous exposure to ethanol and acidresulted in significantly greater declines in PD (81± 1%) and Isc (70 ± 2%), but not R (40± 4%), and greater morphologic damage. Moreover,this vulnerability of ethanol-exposed tissues to acidwas demonstrable at generally innocuous levels ofacidity (pH 2-4), after only short periods of ethanol exposure (10 min)and with delays for acid exposures of up to 1 hrfollowing ethanol removal from the bathing solution. Inconclusion, ethanol has a direct noxious effect on esophageal epithelium, which predisposes thetissue to acid injury. Tissue vulnerability developswith even short exposures to clinically relevantconcentrations of ethanol, lasts for at least 1 hr after ethanol clearance, and transforms relativelyinnocuous concentrations of acid into damaging agents.These results support the likelihood that ethanol'sability to alter tissue resistance plays an important role in the development of reflux esophagitisin humans.
Approximate Systems: Synergistically Approximating Sensing, Computing, Memory, and Communication Subsystems for Energy Efficiency

Emerging application domains exhibit the property of intrinsic error resilience that enables new avenues for energy optimization of computing systems, namely the introduction of a small amount of approximations during system operation in exchange for substantial energy savings. Almost all prior work in the area of approximate computing has focused on individual subsystems of a computing system, e.g., the computational subsystem or the memory subsystem. Since they focus only on individual subsystems, these techniques are unable to exploit the large energy-saving opportunities that stem from adopting a full-system perspective and approximating multiple subsystems of a computing platform simultaneously in a coordinated manner. Towards this end, this chapter introduces the concept of an Approximate System that performs joint approximations across different subsystems, leading to significant energy benefits compared to approximating individual subsystems in isolation. We use the example of a smart camera system that executes various computer vision and image processing applications to illustrate how the sensing, memory, processing, and communication subsystems can all be approximated synergistically. The approximate smart camera system was implemented using an Altera Stratix IV GX FPGA development board, a Terasic TRDB-D5M 5 Megapixel camera module, a Terasic RFS WiFi module, and a 1 GB DDR3 DRAM SODIMM module. Experimental results obtained using six application benchmarks demonstrate that the proposed full-system approximation methodology achieves significant energy savings of 1.8 × to 5.5 × on average over individual subsystem-level approximations for minimal (<1%) application-level quality loss.
A simple construction for orientable triangular embeddings of the complete graphs on 12s vertices

Abstract We present a family of index 1 abelian current graphs whose derived embeddings can be modified into triangular embeddings of K 12 s for s ≥ 3 . Our construction is significantly simpler than previous methods for finding genus embeddings of K 12 s , which utilized either large index or nonabelian groups.
Synthesis of Bio-based Polymer Composites: Fabrication, Fillers, Properties, and Challenges

The bio-based polymer composite industry is growing dramatically following economic and environmental concerns over constant use and dependence on non-renewable feedstock, such as crude oil. It is notorious that there has been a continuous increase in the research activity related to the development of novel bio-based materials over the past couple of decades. The focus has slowly shifted from simpler systems, consisting primarily of traditional thermoplastics reinforced with natural fibers, to more advanced composites with carefully engineered bio-based matrices, or fully bio-based materials in which both matrix and reinforcement are of bio-based origins. In the realm of bio-based biomedical applications, the efforts are vastly dominated by investigation of PLA and PLA-based composites. The existing challenges for the fabrication and the use of bio-based composites are mainly associated with the lack of consistency in materials’ characterization among the various proposed systems, which makes a direct comparison of different materials exceedingly hard. This manuscript contemplates the fabrication of bio-based composites through a processing perspective, and by also covering the literature of the many resin/reinforcement systems investigated to date, before concluding with brief remarks on the desired properties and challenges related to the use of bio-based composites in biomedical applications.
Thermal-Aware Design and Management for Search-based In-Memory Acceleration

Recently, Processing-In-Memory (PIM) techniques exploiting resistive RAM (ReRAM) have been used to accelerate various big data applications. ReRAM-based in-memory search is a powerful operation which efficiently finds required data in a large data set. However, such operations result in a large amount of current which may create serious thermal issues, especially in state-of-the-art 3D stacking chips. Therefore, designing PIM accelerators based on in-memory searches requires a careful consideration of temperature. In this work, we propose static and dynamic techniques to optimize the thermal behavior of PIM architectures running intensive in-memory search operations. Our experiments show the proposed design significantly reduces the peak chip temperature and dynamic management overhead. We test our proposed design in two important categories of applications which benefit from the search-based PIM acceleration - hyper-dimensional computing and database query. Validated experiments show that the proposed method can reduce the steady-state temperature by at least 15.3 °C which extends the lifetime of the ReRAM device by 57.2% on average. Furthermore, the proposed fine-grained dynamic thermal management provides 17.6% performance improvement over stateof-the-art methods. CCS CONCEPTS • Computer systems organization → Architectures; • Hardware → Emerging technologies;
Diurnal properties of voltage-gated Ca 2+ currents in suprachiasmatic nucleus and roles in action potential firing.

Key points Circadian oscillations in spontaneous action potential firing in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) translate time-of-day throughout the mammalian brain. The ion channels that regulate the circadian pattern of SCN firing have not been comprehensively identified. Ca2+ channels regulate action potential activity across many types of excitable cells, and the activity of L-, N-, P/Q- and R-type channels are required for normal daytime firing frequency in SCN neurons and circuit rhythms. Only the L-type Ca2+ current exhibits a day versus night difference in current magnitude, providing insight into the mechanism that produces rhythmic action potential firing in SCN. Abstract The mammalian circadian clock encodes time via rhythmic action potential activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, which governs daily rhythms in physiology and behaviour. SCN neurons exhibit 24 h oscillations in spontaneous firing, with higher firing during day compared to night. Several ionic currents have been identified that regulate SCN firing, including voltage-gated Ca2+ currents, but the circadian regulation of distinct voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) components has not been comprehensively addressed. In this study, whole-cell L- (nimodipine-sensitive), N- and P/Q- (ω-agatoxin IVA, ω-conotoxin GVIA, ω-conotoxin MVIIC-sensitive), R- (Ni2+ -sensitive) and T-type (TTA-P2-sensitive) currents were recorded from day and night SCN slices. Using standard voltage protocols, Ni2+ -sensitive currents comprised the largest proportion of total VGCC current, followed by nimodipine-, ω-agatoxin IVA-, ω-conotoxin GVIA- and TTA-P2-sensitive currents. Only the nimodipine-sensitive current exhibited a diurnal difference in magnitude, with daytime current larger than night. No diurnal variation was observed for the other Ca2+ current subtypes. The difference in nimodipine-sensitive current was due to larger peak current activated during the day, not differences in inactivation, and was eliminated by Bay K8644. Blocking L-type channels decreased firing selectively during the day, consistent with higher current magnitudes, and reduced SCN circuit rhythmicity recorded by multi-electrode arrays. Yet blocking N-, P/Q- and R-type channels also decreased daytime firing, with little effect at night, and decreased circuit rhythmicity. These data identify a unique diurnal regulation of L-type current among the major VGCC subtypes in SCN neurons, but also reveal that diurnal modulation is not required for time-of-day-specific effects on firing and circuit rhythmicity.
Keeping Dr. Charles Richard Drew’s legacy alive

The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The university was established to honor Dr. Charles Richard Drew, a pioneer in blood banking. As a tribute to the legacy of CDU and Dr. Drew, the CDU Health Sciences Library examined how CDU is keeping Dr. Drew’s legacy alive.
A Pastoral Theological Response to Miguel De La Torre

This article responds to Miguel De La Torre's essay, “Embracing the Hopelessness of Those Seeking Pastoral Care,” which argues that the use of hope as a core concept in pastoral theology reinforces...
8 – Accounting Controls and Budgeting

At some point in career advancement, a manager will become responsible for a budget. The allocation of funds for people, programs, and facilities serves as a fundamental force to make things happen. This chapter begins with an overview of how financial controls evolved into a form used by all organizations. Financial reports in publicly held companies and not-for-profit organizations are vetted by lawyers and accountants. What senior management expects from managers is to use finances astutely to achieve mutually agreed-to objectives. Security departments in some circumstances have the opportunity to use resources becoming a profit center.
Influence of Genetics and Sex Hormones on Binge Eating

Binge eating is a complex condition influenced by biological and environmental factors. The heritability of binge eating has been estimated at 38–57% in populations of European ancestry. Studies of epigenetic mechanisms such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation and gene expression revealed a potential gene by environment effect on binge eating. Sex hormones also play a significant role in binge eating such that the combined effects of estrogen and progesterone may contribute to the vulnerability for binge eating. Genetic influences on binge eating might increase during the pubertal period, suggesting an interaction between genetic factors and sex hormones on the risk for binge eating.
Abstract PO-077: Impact of COVID-19 on patient navigation for cancer treatment

Patient navigation has been shown to improve cancer care in underserved populations. Since November 2017, we have enrolled newly diagnosed cancer patients from three community health centers into a patient navigation study. Most of our patients receive primary care in Chelsea, a city that had the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in Massachusetts. The goal of this analysis was to explore the impact of COVID-19 on patient navigation and care utilization during active cancer treatment. Methods: Our analysis examined two time periods: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts (November 2017 – February 2020) and during the pandemic (March – June 2020). We used bivariate Poisson regression to examine whether the number of patients per month recruited to our study, or the number of patient navigators’ interventions per month differed between these periods. We used chi-square tests to compare the proportion of cancer treatment appointments completed, missed (no shows), or cancelled prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attended appointment rate was defined as completed appointments of scheduled (including cancelled) appointments. Results: Of 201 patients enrolled, 47% were women, 27% self-identified as Hispanic or Latino, 7% as Black or African American, 3% as Asian, 20% as other and 30% did not speak English. Prior to COVID- 19, 178 patients (6.36/per month) enrolled in patient navigation compared to 23 (5.75/per month) during COVID-19 (p=0.65). Prior to COVID-19, 3425 of 4040 (84.8%) total appointments were attended compared to 391 of 511 (76.5%) during COVID-19 (p Citation Format: Sanja Percac-Lima, Erica T. Warner, Emma C. Whited, Kelly E. Irwin, Aileen Navarrete, Carmen Benjamin, Ausubel R. Pichardo, Christopher R. Friese, Colleen Ford, Amy E. Wheeler, James Morrill, Beverly Moy. Impact of COVID-19 on patient navigation for cancer treatment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-077.
Real-Frequency Response Functions at Finite Temperature.

Building on previous developments [A. Taheridehkordi, S. H. Curnoe, and J. P. F. LeBlanc, Phys. Rev. B 99, 035120 (2019); A. Taheridehkordi, S. H. Curnoe, and J. P. F. LeBlancPhys. Rev. B101, 125109 (2020); A. Taheridehkordi, S. H. Curnoe, and J. P. F. LeBlancPhys. Rev. B102, 045115 (2020), B. Holm and U. von Barth, Phys. Rev. B 57, 2108 (1998), J. Vicicevic and M. Ferrero, Phys. Rev. B 101, 075113 (2020)], we show that the diagrammatic Monte Carlo technique allows us to compute finite-temperature response functions directly on the real-frequency axis within any field-theoretical formulation of the interacting fermion problem. There are no limitations on the type and nature of the system’s action or whether partial summation and self-consistent treatment of certain diagram classes are used. In particular, by eliminating the need for numerical analytic continuation from a Matsubara representation, our scheme allows us to study spectral densities of arbitrary complexity with controlled accuracy in models with frequency-dependent effective interactions. For illustrative purposes we consider the problem of the plasmon linewidth in a homogeneous electron gas (jellium).
On Mathematical Equalities and Inequalities in the Life Table: Something Old and Something New

This paper discusses known mathematical equalities and inequalities found within life tables and proceeds to identify two new inequalities. The first (theorem 1) is that at any given age x, the sum of mean years lived and mean years remaining exceeds life expectancy at birth when age is greater than zero and less than the maximum lifespan. The second inequality (theorem 2) applies to the entire population and shows that the sum of mean years lived and mean years remaining exceeds life expectancy at birth. Illustrations of the two inequalities are provided as well as a discussion.
Low Cost Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle

This paper describes a simple Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) prototype designing and analysis with low-cost material and AURDINO UNO. This underwater vehicle is consisting of a complex control system, waterproof camera for live video transmission, griper, basic power electronics equipment, HDMI cable. The maneuverability of vehicle has been done by using forward and revers mechanism. Now this ROV can measure the temperature of water it can collect soil and plant sample from water by the help of its griper and it will have the ability to measure multiple physical parameters in under water. Local researcher will be highly benefited by the help of this paper they will have and easy access to the technology for taking sample and observing in the big lake and they will be able to collect soil sample underwater without any risk and they will also be able to track down fish life cycle. Multiple brushless DC motor have been used. For controlling it require only simple joystick for controlling method.
Optical shock-enhanced self-photon acceleration

Photon accelerators can spectrally broaden laser pulses with high efficiency in moving electron density gradients driven in a rapidly ionizing plasma. When driven by a conventional laser pulse, the group velocity walk-off experienced by the accelerated photons and deterioration of the gradient from diffraction and plasma refraction limit the extent of spectral broadening. Here we show that a laser pulse with a shaped space-time and transverse intensity profile overcomes these limitations by creating a guiding density profile at a tunable velocity. Self-photon acceleration in this profile leads to dramatic spectral broadening and intensity steepening, forming an optical shock that further enhances the rate of spectral broadening. In this new regime, multi-octave spectra extending from 400 to 60 nm wavelengths, which support near-transform-limited $l400$ as pulses, are generated over $l100 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ of interaction length.
„Off-Axis“-Verhalten der Laminatschichten

Um das Scherkopplungsphanomen und den „Off-Axis“-Modul sowie die „Off-Axis“-Festigkeit fur Laminatschichten (Modul und Festigkeit von Laminatschichten, deren Faserorientierung nicht parallel oder senkrecht zur Belastungsrichtung ist) zu charakterisieren, wird das Spannungs-Dehnungs-Verhalten von „Off-Axis“-Proben unter uniaxialem Zug beobachtet. Diese Proben bestehen aus einer unidirektional verstarkten Probe mit einer Faserrichtung, die in einem Winkel α zur Belastungsrichtung orientiert ist (Fig. 9.1). Typische Abmessungen der „Off-Axis“-Proben sind in Tab. 9.1 gegeben.
Activation of the 92-kDa Gelatinase by Stromelysin and 4-Aminophenylmercuric Acetate DIFFERENTIAL PROCESSING AND STABILIZATION OF THE CARBOXYL-TERMINAL DOMAIN BY TISSUE INHIBITOR OF METALLOPROTEINASES (TIMP)

The matrix metalloproteinase 92-kDa gelatinase is a major product of inflammatory cells. Macrophages synthesize and secrete this proteinase as a proenzyme in association with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) (92TIMP), whereas neutrophils store and release it from secondary granules as a TIMP-free proenzyme (92TIMP-free). Metalloproteinase proenzymes can be activated in vitro by a variety of agents, including organomercurials and proteinases, resulting in loss of an 8-10-kDa NH2-terminal domain which disrupts the interaction of a conserved cysteine residue with the catalytic zinc molecule. We report that the activation and processing of 92-kDa gelatinase differs depending on its association with TIMP and the nature of the activating agent. We observed that 92TIMP undergoes classic activation to 82 kDa by stromelysin, whereas exposure to 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA) results in a final product of 83 kDa that still contains the "prodomain" cysteine. Association with TIMP appears to stabilize the COOH-terminal domain, whereas 92TIMP-free is converted by APMA to a final product of 67 kDa lacking the COOH-terminal portion. In the continued presence of APMA, which maintains cysteine-zinc disruption, the 67-kDa species is at least as active as the classic 82 kDa. In contrast, activation of 92TIMP-free by stromelysin initially generates the 82-kDa form which is followed by final conversion to a 50-kDa species that lacks the catalytic domain of the parent molecule. Therefore, although stromelysin activation of 92TIMP-free is initially efficient, the active 82-kDa form is short-lived and is replaced by an inactive 50-kDa product. This complex pattern of activation of the 92-kDa gelatinase may serve to restrict its proteolytic capacity following exposure to stromelysin and may serve to regulate proteinase activity in vivo.
The Induction of Hypnosis: Indirect vs. Direct Methods and the Role of Anxiety

Abstract The present study was designed to investigate a method of facilitating hypnotic susceptibility through an induction procedure administered without the Ss awareness of hypnotic intent. It was also intended to determine the effect of this procedure in terms of arousal, as compared to an overt administration of hypnotic induction. Twenty Ss were randomly assigned to either a relaxation group (RH) or an overt hypnosis group (OH). Ss assigned to the RH group received instructions describing the research as an experiment in relaxation, while Ss in the OH group received instructions describing the research as an experiment in hypnosis. After some preliminary relaxation exercises, each S was given an altered version of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (SHSS) from which their susceptibility scores were tabulated. Arousal was measured by GSR frequency. The OH group produced significantly more GSRs per second than the RH group when they were given their instructions, and these Ss did not use the w...
Studies on Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. I. Effect of bromopyruvate on the catalytic activities of the complex.

Bromopyruvate inactivates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli in a thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)-dependent process. The catalytic activities of the individual enzyme components within the complex are not destroyed by bromopyruvate under similar conditions, but the activities of the pyruvate dehydrogenase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase components are reduced in thiamine pyrophosphate-independent processes. Radioactivity from [2-14C]bromopyruvate is irreversibly bound in the presence or absence of thiamine pyrophosphate, but the amount of radioactivity bound in the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate is 3.9 times the amount bound in its absence. The data are consistent with the interpretation that TPP-dependent inactivation involves the action of bromopyruvate as an irreversible inhibitor which is directed into the complex by specific, but not necessarily irreversible, interaction with the pyruvate dehydrogenase component and ultimately blocks some site within the complex which is essential for catalytic activity in the over-all reaction but not in partial reactions catalyzed by the component enzymes.
Modeling Longitudinal Data from Research on Adolescence

Advantages of Longitudinal Data Design and Data Considerations Missing Data Analysis Techniques Panel Models Growth Curve Models Time Series and Related Models Mediation and Moderation in Longitudinal Data Conclusions Keywords: longitudinal data; panel model; growth curve model; growth mixture model; time series model; mediation and moderation
Ramsey Fringes in Saturation Spectroscopy

Provided one has been able to develop/acquire frequency and intensity stabilized sources of coherent radiation, there remain two main problems in the pursuit of narrow lines: transit time broadening and Doppler broadening. The first-order Doppler effect may be essentially eliminated by various techniques: saturated absorption, two-photon spectroscopy, highly collimated beams, ... Transit time (interaction time) broadening is more difficult to eliminate. Still, it has recently proved possible to resolve the radiative recoil-induced doublets in the three main hyperfine components of methane at 3.39 pm. This high resolution (2 parts in 1011), derived from an external absorption cell with a 30 cm aperture, nevertheless remained 2 orders of magnitude removed from the natural lifetime line width. Larger cells and associated optics being cumbersome, one is induced to find alternative schemes to reduce transit time broadening and so approach natural line width resolution.
Proteasome Inhibition Enhances AAV-Mediated Transgene Expression in Human Synoviocytes in Vitro and in Vivo

To explore the potential applicability of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), primary human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) derived from patients with RA were infected with rAAV encoding mouse IL-10 under the control of the CMV promoter. Addition of the proteasome inhibitor carbobenzoxy-l-leucyl-l-leucyl-l-leucinal (zLLL) to the cultures dramatically enhanced expression of the IL-10 transgene, in a dose-dependent manner. The increased expression was transient, peaking at 3 days and returning to near baseline by 7 days. The enhancement was observed even when zLLL was added 13 days after infection with rAAV. The effect of zLLL was not specific to either the mIL-10 transgene or the CMV promoter, as similar findings were observed using an rAAV construct encoding alpha1-anti-trypsin under the control of the chick beta-actin promoter or GFP, driven by the CMV promoter. Transgene expression could be repeatedly induced by reexposure to zLLL. Transgene mRNA levels increased in parallel with protein levels. Transgene expression could also be repeatedly induced in vivo by administering zLLL to SCID mice previously injected with rAAV-infected FLS. These data demonstrate that proteasome inhibition can dramatically enhance transgene expression in human RA FLS following infection with rAAV and suggest a possible approach to regulating synovial transgene expression in vivo.
Profiles in self-regulated learning in the online learning environment

Individuals who are self-regulated in their learning appear to achieve more positive academic outcomes than individuals who do not exhibit self-regulated learning behaviors. We suggest that distinct profiles of self-regulated learning behaviors exist across learners. In turn, these profiles appear to be associated with significantly different academic outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether profiles for self-regulated learning skills and strategies exist among learners. To achieve this purpose, we conducted two studies using two different samples. We administered the Online Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (OLSQ), a 24-item scale with a 5-point Likert-type response format, to students enrolled in online degree programs at a large, public university located in the Southwestern United States. The OSLQ consists of six subscale constructs, including environment structuring, goal setting, time management, help seeking, task strategies, and self-evaluation. Latent class analyses were performed with participant subscale scores from the OSLQ. Our results indicate the presence of five, distinct profiles of self-regulated learning replicated across both study samples: super self-regulators, competent self-regulators, forethought-endorsing self-regulators, performance/reflection self-regulators, and non- or minimal self-regulators. Results also indicate that individuals differ significantly in their academic achievement according to their profile membership; for example, minimal and disorganized profiles of self-regulated learning are both associated with similar, poorer academic outcomes (e.g., lower GPAs). These profiles in self-regulated learning may be viewed as contributing to the development of theory by elucidating how exactly individuals are and are not self-regulated in their learning. The authors suggest future research directions.
The Cost of Developing Affordable Housing: At What Price?

It is not disputed that many of the nation's cities, towns, and tribal reservations, and their current or would be residents, are facing an affordable housing crisis. At issue is how municipal governmentsthe leyel of government within which housing gets built-can solve this crisis without exacerbating existing problems or creating new ones. This Article recommends the affordable housing problem be solYed through a combination of timeand judicially-tested options and burden-sharing arrangements with the private sector, most notably through mandatory inclusionary-zoning requirements and the imposition of impact fees. It presents a critique of the approach taken by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in its pursuit of affordable housing development. The Article recommends that states considering the Massachusetts "cramdO\\1.1" methodology avoid the draconian and regressive tactics employed by the Massachusetts affordable housing statute. Rather, they should look to successful affordable housing programs employed by
Imagining the Urban: Sanskrit and the City in Early India

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Shonaleeka Kaul Year: 2011 Pages: 278 Publisher: Seagull Books ISBN: 978-1-906497-81-1 (hard cover).
Rich and Poor

SOME FACTS ABOUT POVERTY At the end of the twentieth century, the World Bank sent out a team of researchers to record the views of 60,000 women and men living in extreme poverty. Visiting seventy-three countries, the research team heard, over and over, that poverty meant these things: You are short of food for all or part of the year, often eating only one meal per day, sometimes having to choose between stilling your child's hunger or your own, and sometimes being able to do neither. You can't save money. If a family member falls ill and you need money to see a doctor, or if the crop fails and you have nothing to eat, you have to borrow from a local moneylender; he will charge you so much interest that the debt continues to mount, and you may never be free of it. You can't afford to send your children to school; or if they do start school, you have to take them out again if the harvest is poor. You live in an unstable house, made with mud or thatch that you need to rebuild every two or three years, or after severe weather. You have no close source of safe drinking water. You have to carry it a long way, and even then, it can make you ill unless you boil it. Along with these material deprivations goes, very often, a humiliating state of powerlessness, vulnerability and a deep sense of shame or failure.
Primitive Ontology in a Nutshell

The aim of this paper is to summarize a particular approach of doing metaphysics through physics - the primitive ontology approach. The idea is that any fundamental physical theory has a well-defined architecture, to the foundation of which there is the primitive ontology, which represents matter. According to the framework provided by this approach when applied to quantum mechanics, the wave function is not suitable to represent matter. Rather, the wave function has a nomological character, given that its role in the theory is to implement the law of evolution for the primitive ontology.
Multi-target compressive laser ranging

Compressive laser ranging (CLR) is a method that exploits the sparsity available in the range domain using compressive sensing methods to directly obtain range domain information. Conventional ranging methods are marred by requirements of high bandwidth analog detection which includes severe SNR fall off with bandwidth in analog-to-digital conversion (ADC). Compressive laser ranging solves this problem by obtaining sub-centimeter resolution while using low bandwidth detection. High rate digital pulse pattern generators and off the shelf photonic devices are used to modulate the transmitted and received light from a superluminescent diode. CLR detection is demonstrated using low bandwidth, high dynamic range detectors along with photon counting techniques. The use of an incoherent source eliminates speckle issues and enables simplified CLR methods to get multi-target range profiles with 1-3cm resolution. Using compressive sensing methods CLR allows direct range measurements in the sub-Nyquist regime while reducing system resources, in particular the need for high bandwidth ADC.
North American Food and Agricultural Policy: Conflict and Cooperation—A General Introduction

This panel discussion devoted to food and agricultural policy in Canada and the United States is appropriate for a joint meeting of the two associations. In fact, at previous joint meetings, similar topics have been addressed. In 1967, papers by Wilcox and McCalla addressed the implications of U.S. farm policy for Canada. In 1973, papers by Brandow and Gilson addressed "conflicts and consistencies" between U.S. and Canadian policy. Despite these earlier forays, the ever-changing character of food and agricultural policy makes it still professionally interesting to compare again policies in two countries related by history, geography, and economics. Further, in the area agriculture, the two countries are partners and competitors in international agricultural trade. The purpose of today's panel is to analyze the various facets of food and agricultural policy in both countries and the interface of "North American Food and Agricultural Policy" with broader world markets.
Spectral techniques for stochastic finite elements

A formulation for the stochastic finite element method is presented which is a natural extension of the deterministic finite element method. Discretization of the random dimension is achieved via two spectral expansions. One of them is used to represent the coefficients of the differential, equation which model the random material properties, the other is used to represent the random solution process. The method relies on viewing the random aspect of the problem as an added dimension, and on treating random variables and processes as functions defined over that dimension. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by discussing, as well, some non-traditional problems of stochastic mechanics.
Higher residential voltages: Safety considerations

The comparative safety aspects of the use of potentials higher than the present 120/240-volt level in residences, as covered in an AIEE symposium, are outlined. The discussion includes shock hazards to people and risks of damage to property and equipment from fires of electrical origin.
Membrane Changes in Human Platelets Induced by Lipopolysaccharide Endotoxin

The unexplained occurrence of thrombocytopenia in cases of Gramnegative sepsis in man led us, in the light of animal experiments indicating the blood platelet as the target cell for endotoxin, to examine the effect of Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide B on human platelets. Human platelets were separated from a coat of plasma proteins by Sepharose 2B filtration or by a combined procedure of albumin gradient and Sepharose 2B filtration. The action of endotoxin on human platelets resulted in membrane changes manifested by dose-dependent release of [3H]serotonin and adenine nucleotides. Cytoplasmic marker, lactic dehydrogenase, and lysosomal marker, beta glucuronidase, were retained indicating that the release reaction was selective. Release of [3H]serotonin was specific for endotoxin since other particulates, zymosan and erythrocyte stroma, were without effect. Endotoxin, added to gel-filtered human platelets, induced a significant evolution of platelet factor 3 procoagulant activity. Preincubation of endotoxin with a membrane-rich homogenate of human platelets inhibited its labilizing effect on human platelets thus suggesting an interaction between endotoxin and the platelet membrane itself. Other plausible factors in this interaction [fibrinogen, adenine nucleotides, thrombin, sialic acid residues, and IgG] were eliminated on the basis of a series of control experiments. From the negligible effect of aspirin and indomethacin, we may infer that the interaction of endotoxin with platelets does not depend on the platelet prostaglandin synthesis pathway. The direct interaction of endotoxin with the human platelet membrane comprises a new mechanism which may help to clarify the pathogenesis of vascular and haemostatic disorders accompanying bloodstream infections due to Gram-negative bacteria.
Effects of renal factors on in vitro hepatic cholesterol synthesis in the rat.

Two products derived from rat renal tissue have been shown to affect in vitro hepatic cholesterol synthesis. A premevalonate inhibitor of hepatic cholesterol synthesis is associated with the membranes of the renal endoplasmic reticulum. It is stable at −75 C and at 4 C but is heat labile. A pre-mevalonate stimulator of in vitro hepatic cholesterol synthesis is located within renal lysosomes and can be prepared in a nonsedimentable form by extraction with hypotonic buffer. While it is stable at −75 C, it loses activity at 4 C. Both of these products appear to have a molecular weight in excess of 150,000 as determined by gel filtration.
Effects of excess vitamin E on rat teeth

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the feeding of excess vitamin E during tooth formation changes the mineral content of teeth. Purified diets containing 0, 250, and 2500 IU vitamin E per kg were fed to 15-day pregnant rats and continued during lactation and to the pups after weaning. Rats were killed at 2 and 4 weeks after weaning. Incisors and molars were weighed, ashed, and the percent of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus was determined. Feeding of excess vitamin E (2500 IU/kg diet) had no deleterious effect on percent ash or mineral composition of rat teeth. In fact, molars from rats fed excess vitamin E had slightly higher calcium and phosphorus levels. Such differences were also apparent but to a lesser extent in the dentin and enamel composition.
What should the physician ask

The physician who deals with the general public rather than with high risk groups has a considerable disadvantage to overcome. This is because the effectiveness or impact of a control program is directly related to the prevalence of the condition sought in the population at hand. Thus, the physician must develop a set of "verbal screens" which will permit him to select the sub-segments of his general population which should be screened conventionally. These verbal screens may be of two types: 1) a simple inquiry as to whether a generally accepted screening test has been applied within the last year or two, and 2) an inquiry as to whether any risk factors of the more common cancers are present. For cancer of the cervix, women who have first intercourse at an early age or who are of the lower social strata should be identified for screening. For breast cancer, women who are nulliparous, have first birth at a late age, or a family history of breast cancer should be identified.
Effect of murine liver cell proliferation on herpes viral behavior: Implications for oncolytic viral therapy

Replication-competent herpes simplex oncolytic viruses are promising anticancer agents that partly target increased DNA synthesis in tumor cells. Investigators have proposed that these DNA viruses may be combined with liver resection to enhance killing of liver malignancies. Whether or not the cellular alterations associated with hepatic regeneration affect the efficacy and toxicity of these promising anticancer agents is unknown. This study examined the behavior of two oncolytic viruses, NV1020 and G207, during liver regeneration. When delivered during the peak of liver regeneration, replication and appearance of both G207 and NV1020 in hepatic tissue are enhanced as demonstrated by histochemical staining for the marker gene lac Z, immunohistochemical staining, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. This increased appearance of virus in liver tissue correlates with increases in cellular ribonucleotide reductase activity and DNA synthesis and is also associated with increased viral binding. However, increased viral presence is transient, and viral detection declines to baseline within 7 days. When these viruses were delivered to animals even as early as 7 days after hepatectomy, there proved to be no measurable viral replication in any organ and no increased morbidity or mortality. In conclusion, the early stages of hepatic regeneration after resection provide an environment suitable for viral replication. Administration of replication-competent herpes simplex virus during the peak of hepatocyte regeneration (24-48 hours) permits viral productivity in tissue that otherwise does not support viral growth. The increase in hepatotoxicity after hepatectomy is short-lived and can be predicted by peak hepatocyte DNA synthesis.
Deletion of specific glycan chains affects differentially the stability, local structures, and activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase.

The enzymatic and interfacial binding activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is affected differentially by the location and extent of its glycosylation. Two LCAT glycosylation-deficient mutants, N84Q and N384Q, were constructed, permanently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, and purified to determine the effects of deleting individual glycan chains on its stability, structure, and function. These purified mutants were studied by spectroscopic structural methods and enzymatic and binding assays to develop a molecular rationale for the relationship between LCAT glycosylation and activity. The N84Q LCAT mutant did not possess measurable enzymatic activity or interfacial binding affinity for reconstituted high-density lipoproteins. In addition, in thermal and chemical denaturation studies, N84Q LCAT was found to be significantly less stable than wild-type LCAT. The N384Q variant was initially more enzymatically active than wild-type LCAT, but gradually lost activity within months; however, it retained full interfacial binding activity. Significant changes were detected over time by circular dichroism in the α-helical content of N384Q LCAT and in the β-sheet content of N84Q LCAT, compared with wild-type LCAT. Fluorescence measurements with the probe 1-anilinonapthalene-8-sulfonate suggested an alteration of the active site cavity in both mutants. In conclusion, both mutants lost catalytic activity, N84Q shortly after purification and N384Q more gradually, and were destabilized, probably because the deletion of the glycan chains altered local structural elements near the active site cavity and/or the interfacial binding regions.
Neuroprotective effect of MK-801 and U-50488H after contusive spinal cord injury.

One hour before a contusive spinal cord injury either compound MK-801 or compound U-50488H was injected intraperitoneally, and a 14-day-delivery osmotic minipump containing the same drug was placed subcutaneously at the time of surgery. The motor and sensory behavior of the animals was measured over the following 30 days. Both MK-801 and U-50488H treatments had a statistically significant neuroprotective effect. The number of neurons per unit area outside the lesion epicenter was significantly (P