cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Audiology and Genetics: A Case Study

Permanent childhood hearing loss occurs in 1 to 2 births per 1,000. It is believed that 50–60% of these cases are the result of mutations in the genetic code contained in the chromosomes, and it appears that several hundred genes are linked to hereditary hearing loss (Smith, Green, &Van Camp, 2005). Of these genetic hearing loss causes, approximately one-third are syndromic and two-thirds are non-syndromic. Advances made by genetics researchers over the past several years have identified the chromosomal locations of a considerable number of gene mutations that result in hearing loss. As a result, there is an increasing number of clinically available gene-based tests that allow the establishment of a definitive diagnosis for a variety of hereditary hearing losses. In cases where such diagnosis occurs, it can help guide counseling as well as appropriate and detailed recommendations for remediation.
Silicon sycophants

A laboratory experiment examines the claims that (1) humans are susceptible to flattery from computers and (2) the effects of flattery from computers are the same as the effects of flattery from humans. In a cooperative task with a computer, subjects (N=41) received one of three types of feedback from a computer: “sincere praise”, “flattery” (insincere praise) or “generic feedback”. Compared to generic-feedback subjects, flattery subjects reported more positive affect, better performance, more positive evaluations of the interaction and more positive regard for the computer, even though subjects knew that the flattery from the computer was simply noncontingent feedback. Subjects in the sincere praise condition responded similarly to those in the flattery condition. The study concludes that the effects of flattery from a computer can produce the same general effects as flattery from humans, as described in the psychology literature. These findings may suggest significant implications for the design of interactive technologies.
Interfacial barriers to the transport of sterols and other organic compounds at the aqueous polysorbate 80-hexadecane interface

Abstract 1. 1. The interfacial barrier controlled transport of some biologically important solutes in the aqueous polysorbate 80-hexadecane system were investigated by means of the multiparticulate dispersion technique. 2. 2. It was shown that the resistances to transport of cholesterol, β-sitosterol, desmosterol, 20α-hydroxycholesterol, and vitamin D 3 across the oil/water interface, were of the order of 10 3 –10 7 times greater than those for diffusion controlled mechanisms. 3. 3. The effects of changing the polysorbate-80 concentration upon the transport rates of the solutes were investigated. Cholesterol, β-sitosterol, and desmosterol showed little or no change of their permeability coefficients in the 0.1–1% range of the surfactant concentration. These results suggest that for these compounds the drug-micelle complex is involved in the “transition” state. The data further suggest that a two-step mechanism is involved, viz. the approach of the solute loaded micelle to the interface and the unloading of the solute at the interface. 4. 4. One of the interesting findings of this research relevant to biology is the possible correlation of these experiments to the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and β-sitosterol. The present studies show that the interfacial resistance for β-sitosterol is about 10 times greater than that for cholesterol, while rat intestinal absorption studies how that cholesterol is absorbed 5–10 times more rapidly than β-sitosterol.
Differential Assay for Milk Coagulants in Mixtures with Porcine Pepsin

Abstract An assay procedure is described for measuring milk-clotting activities of rennin, bovine pepsin, or microbial coagulant in mixtures with porcine pepsin. The total milk-clotting activity of a mixture is determined in reconstituted nonfat dry milk (Berridge substrate) at pH 6.3. A sample of mixture is incubated for 30 min at pH 7.3 and 30 C. The reaction is stopped by dilution with pH 6.3 acetate solution and then is assayed for residual milk-clotting activity in the Berridge substrate. The treatment at pH 7.3 completely destroys milk-clotting activities of veal and porcine pepsin components while the milk-clotting activities of rennin, adult bovine pepsin, or microbial coagulants are not affected under these conditions. A pepsin-free rennin is a standard. The method is applicable to a wide range of porcine pepsin concentrations.
A New Ghost Cell/Level Set Method for Moving Boundary Problems: Application to Tumor Growth

In this paper, we present a ghost cell/level set method for the evolution of interfaces whose normal velocity depend upon the solutions of linear and nonlinear quasi-steady reaction-diffusion equations with curvature-dependent boundary conditions. Our technique includes a ghost cell method that accurately discretizes normal derivative jump boundary conditions without smearing jumps in the tangential derivative; a new iterative method for solving linear and nonlinear quasi-steady reaction-diffusion equations; an adaptive discretization to compute the curvature and normal vectors; and a new discrete approximation to the Heaviside function. We present numerical examples that demonstrate better than 1.5-order convergence for problems where traditional ghost cell methods either fail to converge or attain at best sub-linear accuracy. We apply our techniques to a model of tumor growth in complex, heterogeneous tissues that consists of a nonlinear nutrient equation and a pressure equation with geometry-dependent jump boundary conditions. We simulate the growth of glioblastoma (an aggressive brain tumor) into a large, 1 cm square of brain tissue that includes heterogeneous nutrient delivery and varied biomechanical characteristics (white matter, gray matter, cerebrospinal fluid, and bone), and we observe growth morphologies that are highly dependent upon the variations of the tissue characteristics--an effect observed in real tumor growth.
Alternative miRNA biogenesis pathways and the interpretation of core miRNA pathway mutants

Since the establishment of a canonical animal microRNA biogenesis pathway driven by the RNase III enzymes Drosha and Dicer, an unexpected variety of alternative mechanisms that generate functional microRNAs have emerged. We review here the many Drosha-independent and Dicer-independent microRNA biogenesis strategies characterized over the past few years. Beyond reflecting the flexibility of small RNA machineries, the existence of noncanonical pathways has consequences for interpreting mutants in the core microRNA machinery. Such mutants are commonly used to assess the consequences of "total" microRNA loss, and indeed, they exhibit many overall phenotypic similarities. Nevertheless, ongoing studies reveal a growing number of settings in which alternative microRNA pathways contribute to distinct phenotypes among core microRNA biogenesis mutants.
Enhancing information technology education (ITE) with the use of 3D printer technology

This workshop provides an introduction to three-dimensional (3D) printing. This tutorial will: cover the general background of 3D printing, summarize popular software tools, describe associated challenges and offer suggestions for application within information technology (IT) coursework. Attendees will get hands-on experience with 3D printing tools and will be able to print a limited number of items during the workshop. The workshop will also describe the author's experience integrating this authentic learning into several IT courses. (Participant Laptop Recommended)
DISCRETE SUBAORTIC STENOSIS COMPLICATED BY AORTIC VALVULAR REGURGITATION. CLINICAL, HEMODYNAMIC, AND PATHOLOGIC STUDIES AND THE RESULTS OF OPERATIVE TREATMENT.

Four patients are described in whom combined aortic stenosis and regurgitation was evident on examination. In each of them obstruction to left ventricular outflow was shown to be due to congenital subaortic stenosis, and aortic regurgitation resulted from the sequelae of bacterial endocarditis. The presence of this unusual combination of congenital and acquired malformations was suggested by certain clinical findings, and results of the preoperative hemodynamic and angiographic studies that established the diagnosis are presented. In three patients the subaortic membrane was resected, and aortic regurgitation was corrected by reconstruction or replacement of the aortic valve. All of the patients evidenced striking clinical improvement after operation, confirmed by the results of postoperative hemodynamic assessments. A fourth patient died before operation; the pathologic findings are presented in detail.
An examination of behavioral consistency using individual behaviors or groups of behaviors in serial homicide

Establishing behavioral consistency in serial homicide offending behavior is essential when linking homicides together and to a common offender. An examination of 35 serial homicide behaviors utilized by 90 offenders in 450 serial homicide cases was carried out to identify whether these offenders consistently performed the same behaviors across their series of homicides and whether it is more effective to examine individual behaviors or groupings of behaviors in order to identify behavioral consistency. This study provides the first empirically based evidence testing the use of using single behaviors as linking factors in linking homicide cases in a series, and shows that this method has inherent difficulties in accomplishing this, thus providing the first wave of empirical testing that questions current theories in the literature on serial homicide, which has suggested that signatures or specific key behaviors are important in understanding the consistency in an offender's behavior across the crimes. Recommendations for future studies on linking using signatures are suggested, including a more in-depth qualitative empirical evaluation of individual series.
Docetaxel therapy induced diffuse atypia and mitotic arrest mimicking dysplasia - a diagnostic pitfall

Abstract A host of medication-associated injuries can be encountered in the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract. Findings associated with use of taxane medications are known to mimic neoplasia. We present a case of such changes in a cholecystectomy specimen.
84: First trimester free fetal DNA in the maternal circulation as a predictor of preeclampsia

circulation as a predictor of preeclampsia Bob Silver University of Utah Health Sciences Center and Intermountain Healthcare, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Salt Lake City, UT OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between cell-free fetal (CFF) DNA in maternal plasma in the first trimester and the subsequent development of preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: Nested case-control study of patients enrolled in the CAPPS prediction study (RCT of antioxidants for the prevention of preeclampsia) of 175 women who did and 175 women who did not develop preeclampsia. DNA was extracted from 600 L of maternal plasma obtained between 9 13 weeks gestation that had been frozen at 700C. Quantitative real time PCR using Taqman chemistry was used to amplify genes specific for the RASSF1A (methylated in the fetus) and B-actin (control) genes with and without digestion with the methylation sensitive enzymes Hinp1I and HhaI. Standard curves were generated using serial dilutions of a known DNA standard and samples were normalized. RESULTS: Women with and without preeclampsia were similar with regard to age, gestational age at blood-draw, education, smoking and race. As expected, cases had higher systolic and diastolic BP and BMI at the time of enrollment compared to controls. Total free DNA was higher in African American (median; 25 75%; 6.15; 0.14 28.7; p 0.024) and Hispanic (4.95; 0.20 26.82; p 0.037) compared to white women (2.33; 0.03 13.10). Levels of total free DNA also increased with increasing maternal BMI (p 0.016). After adjustment for BMI and race, total and fetal free DNA levels were similar between women with preeclampsia and controls. Levels of total free DNA were more predictive of preeclampsia in African Americans (ROC-AUC 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60 0.79; p 0.064). In African Americans, at levels 70, there was a 60.7% sensitivity and 80.4% specificity for the prediction of preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Levels of total free DNA in the first trimester are increased in African American and Hispanic compared to white women, and levels increase with increasing BMI. There is no significant difference in levels of total or free fetal DNA in the first trimester in women who subsequently develop preeclampsia.
Enhancing microscopic cascading contributions to higher-order nonlinear-optical responses through forced geometric constraints

We review a model that was developed to take into account all possible microscopic cascading schemes in a single species system out to the fifth order using a self-consistent field approach. This model was designed to study the effects of boundaries in mesoscopic systems with constrained boundaries. These geometric constraints on the macroscopic structure show how the higher-ordered susceptibilities are manipulated by increasing the surface to volume ratio, while the microscopic structure influences the local field from all other molecules in the system. In addition to the review, we discuss methods of modeling real systems of molecules, where efforts are currently underway.
Vertical Structure of Hurricane Eyewalls as Seen by the TRMM Precipitation Radar

AbstractStatistical analysis of the vertical structure of radar echoes in the eyewalls of tropical cyclones, shown by the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR), shows that the eyewall contains high reflectivities and high echo tops, with deeper and more intense but highly intermittent echo perturbations superimposed on the basic structure. The overall echo strength, height of echo top, and presence of intense echo perturbations all increase with vortex strength. Intense echo perturbations decrease in frequency with low sea surface temperatures. When the PR data are normalized by the amount of radar echo in each sample and examined quadrant by quadrant relative to the direction of the environmental shear, the nature of convective processes in different parts of the eyewall becomes apparent. The normalized statistics of the echo intensity, brightband structure, and maximum echo-top height show that processes generating convective precipitation are generally favored in the dow...
Background stimulus for invariant spectral sensitivity

Increment-threshold spectral sensitivity was determined with backgrounds of four different chromaticities and two different troland (td) levels. One background was equivalent to a field delivering to the receptors an equal quantal flux at all visible wavelengths. Another background approximated CIE Illuminant A. Light from a chromatically unfiltered xenon-arc lamp provided a third background. The fourth background was monochromatic at 470 nm. Backgrounds were presented at 10 and 1000 td. Foveal spectral sensitivity determined on each of these backgrounds was compared to that measured for the dark-adapted state. The 10- and 1000-td equal-quantal fields yielded the functions that most closely approximated the curve resulting from the dark-adapted condition, suggesting that such an equal-quantal field, which appeared as a saturated blue, is neutral for measurements of spectral sensitivity. Because of the putative contribution of the opponent chromatic channels to spectral sensitivity determined using increment thresholds, the results further suggest that at the detection stage of these channels an equal-quantal field provides a balanced state of adaptation.
On classes of convex sets that permit plane coverings

A family {Ki¦ of convex domains in the Euclidean planeR2 is said to permit a plane covering if there exist rigid motions {τi} such that Ui∞=1τiKi =R2. Necessary and sufficient conditions that a given family of convex domains permits a plane covering are established.
Continent Cutaneous Diversions in Children: Experience with the Mitrofanoff Procedure

Continent cutaneous diversions with a urinary reservoir emptied by clean intermittent self-catheterisation (CISC) using a non-refluxing conduit-the Mitrofanoff principle-were carried out in 10 children. Their age range was 3.9 to 17.1 years (average 12.2). The underlying diagnoses were ectopia vesicae (7), myelodysplasia (2) and a cervical cord injury secondary to birth trauma (1). The indications were incontinence secondary to poor bladder neck resistance in 8 children and an inaccessible urethral orifice in 2. The catheterising conduits used were the appendix in 9 and a vascularised gastric tube in 1. Eight children are bone-dry with CISC. Another child needed a reoperation following dehiscence of her bladder neck closure. The other child has an intact bladder neck and urethra and occasionally leaks overnight.
The OX-44 molecule couples to signaling pathways and is associated with CD2 on rat T lymphocytes and a natural killer cell line.

The MRC OX-44 molecule, which is expressed on all peripheral leukocytes, identifies the subset of thymocytes capable of proliferating in response to alloantigens and lectins (Paterson, D.J., J.R. Green, W.A. Jefferies, M. Puklavec, and A.F. Williams. 1987. J. Exp. Med. 165:1). When we isolated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on the basis of their ability to activate the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway in RNK-16 cells (a rat leukemia line with natural killer activity), three of the resulting mAbs recognized the OX-44 molecule. Addition of these mAbs to RNK-16 elicits protein tyrosine phosphorylation, generates inositol phosphates, and increases the concentration of cytoplasmic free calcium. These responses require the addition of intact mAb and are not observed with F(ab')2 fragments. One of these mAbs (7D2) is mitogenic for freshly isolated rat splenic T cells and synergizes with a mAb to the T cell antigen receptor in this activation. A 50-60-kD glycoprotein coprecipitates with the OX-44 molecule from RNK-16 cells and rat splenic T cells. Peptide mapping and reprecipitation studies indicate that the coprecipitating molecule is CD2. Thus, the OX-44 molecule can couple to multiple signaling pathways and associates with CD2 on both RNK-16 and rat T cells.
The half-line boundary value problem for uxxx = ƒ(u)

Several existence and uniqueness results are obtained for third order problems of the form uxxx = ƒ(u), u(0) and u(∞) specificied, plus one additional condition at x = 0. Using these results, we solve a nontrivial class of Riemann problems for a single conservation law, in the class of rarefraction waves plus discontinuities which are limits of fourth-order viscous profiles. For a nonconvex flux function, the solution so obtained differs, in many cases, from the classically “admissible” solution.
Discovery Cost Allocation: Comment on Cooter and Rubinfeld

DISCOVERY practice continues to be the single most troubling element of contemporary procedure. To be sure, the system seems to work well in a high proportion of all federal cases. The proportion may seem astonishingly high in relation to the amount of attention devoted to discovery. The discovery problems that occur in a relatively small proportion of the federal caseload, however, impose serious burdens on the parties and the court system. Every proposal that addresses discovery "abuse" deserves serious attention. These comments focus on the discovery abuse portion of the paper by Cooter and Rubinfeld. Questions are posed that may have persuasive answers. Whether or not there are persuasive answers, the paper is a great success because it forces consideration and reconsideration of the very nature of discovery. Much can be learned by grappling with this proposal. The dilemma of discovery reform can be introduced by remembering Civil Rule 1. The Rules are construed and applied "to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action." We want justice. But we know that we must reconcile our desire for justice with the need to get lawsuits decided, and decided without undue delay or expense. We hope discovery makes results more just. We believe, and have been given an elegant model to demonstrate, that discovery can promote settlement. We know it can often increase delay and expense. We cannot really know whether the present system achieves a better blend of cost with justice by judgment and settlement than might be achieved by a
Laboratory Detection of the Ring‐Chain Carbenes HC4N and HC6N

The highly polar ring-chain carbenes HC4N and HC6N, formed by substituting either CN or CCCN for a hydrogen atom in cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2), were detected in a supersonic molecular beam with a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. Seven a- and four b-type rotational transitions of HC4N and 11 a-type transitions of HC6N, each with resolved nitrogen nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure, were measured between 6 and 21 GHz, yielding precise values for the three rotational constants, the leading centrifugal distortion constants, and the quadrupole coupling constants. Like the hydrocarbon carbenes C5H2, C7H2, and C9H2, both new molecules have a planar ring-chain structures and singlet electronic ground states. The strongest lines of HC4N can be detected with a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding 10 in a total integration time of less than 1 s, but the lines of HC6N were nearly 100 times weaker.
The emerging role of telomerase in cardiac muscle cell growth and survival.

Most mammalian cells-excepting germ cells, tumor cells, and stem cells, that is-possess a finite replicative life span, manifested by the eventual cessation of cell proliferation. Clinically, this is germane not just to the overt derangements of cell growth in cancer, but also to organs such as the heart, in which the capacity for cell replacement and repair is insufficient to maintain organ function following cell death. Among the intrinsic mechanisms that control a conserved program of replicative senescence is the enzyme telomerase, which synthesizes the telomeric repeat for end-capping of each chromosome. The implications of telomerase for cardiac growth have recently begun to be defined. Other functions of telomerase, in maintaining genome integrity, also hold importance for cardiac muscle, as a novel means to suppress apoptosis and, thus, salvage myocardium following ischemic injury.
General Nonextremal Rotating Black Holes in Minimal Five-Dimensional Gauged Supergravity

We construct the general solution for nonextremal charged rotating black holes in five-dimensional minimal gauged supergravity. They are characterized by four nontrivial parameters: namely, the mass, the charge, and the two independent rotation parameters. The metrics in general describe regular rotating black holes, providing the parameters lie in appropriate ranges so that naked singularities and closed timelike curves (CTCs) are avoided. We calculate the conserved energy, angular momenta, and charge for the solutions, and show how supersymmetric solutions arise in a Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield limit. These have naked CTCs in general, but for special choices of the parameters we obtain new regular supersymmetric black holes or smooth topological solitons.
Plotting contour surfaces of a function of three variables

A technique is presented for the graphical representation of some contour (level) surfaces of a function of three variables defined by its values on an array of points (xi, yj, zk). The algorithm involves drawing and projecting the contour curves corresponding to the cross sections x = xI and y = yj. Because the curves are drawn as thick, opaque bands, which mask all bands in the immediate background, a sense of depth is retained, yet background contours are still visible between the bands.
Resonance and Anti-Resonance Phenomenon in Granular Dimer Chains With No Pre-Compression

It is a well known fact that many interesting phenomena in the theory of waves in nonlinear lattices, e.g., the significant reduction of the amplitude of a propagating primary pulse or the essential growth of the phase velocity, may be explained in terms of various resonant mechanisms existing in the system (e.g. Frankel-Kontorova model). Recently, we have demonstrated analytically and numerically that similar resonant mechanisms also exist in periodically disordered granular chains with no pre-compression. Moreover, these mechanisms are responsible for the aforementioned phenomena of intensive pulse attenuation as well as speeding up of solitary waves in periodic granular chains. In our studies we have considered regular dimer chains consisting of pairs of ‘heavy’ and ‘light’ beads with no pre compression and with elastic Hertzian interaction between beads. A new family of solitary waves was discovered for these systems. These solitary waves may be considered analogous to the solitary wave of a homogeneous chain studied by Nesterenko [1], in the sense that they do not involve separations between beads, but rather satisfy special symmetries or, equivalently resonances in the dynamics. We show that these solitary waves arise from a countable infinity (we conjecture) of nonlinear anti-resonances in the dimer chains. Moreover, solitary waves in the dimers propagate faster than solitary waves in the homogeneous granular chain obtained in the limit of no mass mismatch (i.e., composed of only ‘heavy’ beads). This finding, which might seem to be counter intuitive, indicates that under certain conditions nonlinear anti-resonances can increase the speed of disturbance propagation in disordered granular media, by generating new ways of transferring energy to the far field in these media. Finally, we discuss a contrasting resonance mechanism that leads to the opposite effect, that is, very efficient shock attenuation in the dimer chain. Indeed, we show that under a certain nonlinear resonance condition a granular dimer chain can greatly reduce the amplitude of propagating pulses, through effective scattering of the energy of the pulse to higher frequencies and excitation of alternative intrinsic dynamics of the dimer. This resonance condition may be theoretically predicted and explained, and a very fair correspondence is observed between the analytical solutions and direct numerical simulations. From a practical point of view, these results can have interesting implications in applications where granular media are employed as shock transmitters or attenuators.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Sets of conductivity and elasticity tensors stable under lamination

A complete characterization is obtained of any set of constitutive (conductivity or elasticity) tensors that is stable under lamination between any two of the elements of the set. The conditions are local and are expressed in terms of the curvature and tangent plane at points on the boundary of the set. They are checked to hold for several well-known examples of sets stable under a more general process of homogenization. A companion paper investigates the link between these conditions and quasiconvexity. @ 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evidence for anti-bond migration in the photorearrangement of 2-D-exo-benzonorbornenyl-2-chloride

Abstract Photosolvolysis of the title compound to exo-2-benzonorbornenyl methyl ether proceeds with scrambling of the deuterium between C 1 and C 2 , indicative of migration of the anti aryl group.
Extratropical Forcing of Tropical Atlantic Variability during Boreal Summer and Fall

AbstractThe connection between midlatitude Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and tropical SST variations during boreal summer and fall are investigated using a coupled general circulation model (GCM). This research follows on an observational study that finds that, using linear inverse modeling (LIM), predictions of boreal summer tropical Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM) variations can be made with skill exceeding persistence with lead times of about one year. The LIM framework identified extratropical Atlantic SST anomalies as important precursors to the AMM variations.The authors have corroborated this finding using a general circulation model coupled to a slab ocean, which represents a completely different physical basis from the LIM. Initializing the GCM with the LIM-derived “optimal” SST anomaly in November results in a steady equatorward propagation of SST anomalies into the subtropics during the following boreal spring. Thereafter, the GCM suggests that two possible feedbacks propagate...
Hyperattenuated Intracerebral Lesions after Mechanical Recanalization in Acute Stroke: Contrast and Compare

Lummel et al[1][1] herein report their observations regarding hyperdense cerebral lesions (HCL) identified after mechanical revascularization in acute ischemic stroke. They construct a nexus between HCL and iodinated radiographic contrast material (IRCM) deposition, which may either disappear within
7Li and 11B nuclear spin lattice relaxation in B2O3 + 0.7Li2O + XLiCl glassy fast ionic conductors

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rates, R 1 , are reported for lithium chloro-borate glassy fast ionic conductors for both the mobile 7 Li nuclei and the stationary 11 B nuclei, as functions of temperature and NMR resonance frequency. The 7 Li relaxation is driven by the lithium diffusion via quadrupole interactions. The data for all frequencies can be fitted by assuming a single correlation function of the form exp(−( t / τ c *) β ). In the fit a thermally activated correlation time, τ c *, is assumed with an effective activation energy E a * = 7400 K, higher than the one deduced from dc conductivity measurements. It is argued that the correlation function (CF) which determines the conductivity and the CF which determines the NMR relaxation may differ in the presence of collective effects in the lithium diffusion. The 11 B data indicate that the nuclear relaxation proceeds via a Raman two phonon process involving internal vibrational modes of the BO 4 units heavily damped by reorientational motion. The data are fitted by an expression for R 1 derived from an extension of the Van Kranendonk two phonon relaxation mechanism in insulators. The activation energy for the damping frequency is compared with E a = β E a * which should represent the ‘single particle’ energy barrier for the lithium motion.
Identification of Intron and Exon Sequences Involved in Alternative Splicing of Insulin Receptor Pre-mRNA

The insulin receptor exists as two isoforms, A and B, that result from alternative splicing of exon 11 in the primary transcript. We have shown previously that the alternative splicing is developmentally and hormonally regulated. Consequently, these studies were instigated to identify sequences within the primary RNA transcript that regulate the alternative splicing. Minigenes containing exons 10, 11, and 12 and the intervening introns were constructed and transfected into HepG2 cells, which contain both isoforms of the insulin receptor. The cells were able to splice the minigene transcript to give both A (− exon 11) and B-like (+ exon 11) RNAs. A series of internal deletions within intron 10 were tested for their ability to give A and B RNAs. Intron 10 contained two sequences that modulated exon 11 inclusion; a 48-nucleotide purine-rich sequence at the 5′ end of intron 10 that functions as a splicing enhancer and causes an increase in exon 11 inclusion, and a 43-nucleotide sequence at the 3′ end of intron 10 upstream of the branch point sequence that favors skipping of exon 11. Increasing the length of the polypyrimidine tract at the 3′ end of intron 10 caused exon 11 to be spliced constitutively, indicating that a weak splice site is required for alternative splicing. Finally, point mutations, insertions, and deletions within exon 11 itself were able to regulate inclusion of the exon both positively and negatively.
Kinematic analyses of the 180° standing turn: effects of age on strategies adopted by healthy young and older women

Standing turns are associated with an increased risk for falls and fall-related injuries in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to test the (null) hypothesis that age has no effect on the kinematics of the 180 degrees turn. Ten young and 10 older healthy women were asked to complete a series of 180 degrees turns in a standing posture after picking up a light bowl with both hands. Foot-ground reactions, insole pressures and body segment kinematics were recorded in 62 trials at 100 Hz. Turning strategies were analyzed for effects of both age and turn direction on linear and angular foot kinematics, as well as pelvic axial rotation. The older women (OW) used a preparatory stepping strategy more often (170%, p < 0.002), and employed a lower average pelvic rotation rate (21%, p < 0.011) than the younger controls. The minimum foot separation distance for OW was less in their non-preferred than in their preferred turn direction (29%, p < 0.038), thereby increasing their risk of foot-foot interference and falling when turning in their non-preferred direction. The older women were more variable in their turn execution, particularly in minimum foot separation distance (55%, p < 0.022) and the maximum rate of pelvic rotation (82%, p < 0.035). Despite the fact that these healthy older women were careful to employ a preparatory stepping strategy and slower average rotational velocities, they were also more variable in their turn execution than the young.
Opioid regulation of spinal cord plasticity: evidence the kappa-2 opioid receptor agonist GR89696 inhibits learning within the rat spinal cord

Spinal cord neurons can support a simple form of instrumental learning. In this paradigm, rats completely transected at the second thoracic vertebra learn to minimize shock exposure by maintaining a hindlimb in a flexed position. Prior exposure to uncontrollable shock (shock independent of leg position) disrupts this learning. This learning deficit lasts for at least 24h and depends on the NMDA receptor. Intrathecal application of an opioid antagonist blocks the expression, but not the induction, of the learning deficit. A comparison of selective opioid antagonists implicated the kappa-opioid receptor. The present experiments further explore how opioids affect spinal instrumental learning using selective opioid agonists. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given an intrathecal injection (30 nmol) of a kappa-1 (U69593), a kappa-2 (GR89696), a mu (DAMGO), or a delta opioid receptor agonist (DPDPE) 10 min prior to instrumental testing. Only the kappa-2 opioid receptor agonist GR89696 inhibited acquisition (Experiment 1). GR89696 inhibited learning in a dose-dependent fashion (Experiment 2), but had no effect on instrumental performance in previously trained subjects (Experiment 3). Pretreatment with an opioid antagonist (naltrexone) blocked the GR89696-induced learning deficit (Experiment 4). Administration of GR89696 did not produce a lasting impairment (Experiment 5) and a moderate dose of GR89696 (6 nmol) reduced the adverse consequences of uncontrollable nociceptive stimulation (Experiment 6). The results suggest that a kappa-2 opioid agonist inhibits neural modifications within the spinal cord.
An electrochemical study of antimony cathodes in tetraalkylammonium electrolyte solutions

Abstract The electrochemical processes of tetramethylammonium (TMA+), dimethylpyrrolidinium (DMP+) and tetrabutylammonium (TBA+) at antimony cathodes was investigated. At negative potentials, tetraalkylammonium-antimony (R4N-Sb), a new soluble material, is formed. The composition and properties of R4N-Sb were studied by preparative electrolysis, cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry. It was found that R4N+ cations, electrons and antimony from the cathode combine to form R4N-Sb. TMA-Sb and DMP-Sb have similar stabilities and are much more stable than TBA-Sb. Studies of the ease of formation of the three R4N-Sb compounds revealed that it increases in the order TBA+
SU-GG-T-376: Medical Physics Calculations in the Cloud: A New Paradigm for Clinical Computing

Purpose: The accuracy of medical physics calculations is largely limited by the availability of fast computer hardware, which is in turn strongly limited by budget considerations. This research explores the use of the Cloud Computing paradigm to replace or supplement existing computing infrastructure for medical physics calculations. Cloud computing services allow for on‐demand virtual computing clusters with a pay‐as‐you‐go pricing model. This model has the potential to make large scale Monte Carlo simulations routine in clinical and research activities. Methods and materials: To test the feasibility of medical physics calculations in a cloud computing environment, a distributed Monte Carlo dose calculation framework was implemented with Amazon's EC2 cloud computing service, the Fluka 2008.3b Monte Carlo package, a distributed processing framework written in Python, and the Hadoop MapReduce framework. A variety of relevant calculations were performed: depth dose profiles of proton, electron, and photonbeams, along with a simple proton treatment plan using a voxel patient geometry (Zubal phantom). The performance of EC2 was tested by running calculations on 1 to 200 virtual nodes with the different distributed processing frameworks. EC2 prices were compared with costs of comparable local hardware. Results: Relevant medical physics calculations were successfully carried out using the EC2 service. Heavy charged particle, electron, and photon depth dose profiles and a simple treatment plan were successfully calculated remotely. Performance data demonstrated the expected 1/n speed‐up as a function of node number. Two different distributed processing schemes were implemented in the cloud. Conclusion: Our implementations demonstrate the power of the existing cloud computing model. The relatively cheap pay‐as‐you‐go pricing for infrastructure on demand offers an extremely promising new paradigm for clinical and research computing, available to anyone with a network connection.
Confirmation of High Deuterium Abundance in Quasar Absorbers

We present a new analysis of a Keck spectrum of Q0014+813, with a new model of the z = 3.32 absorbing cloud. We fit Lyman series absorption of the dominant H I components, including components identified with hydrogen and associated deuterium at two discrete velocities, with thermal line broadening of each species. The deuterium features are too narrow to be interlopers, and the good agreement in temperature and redshift with their hydrogen counterparts confirms the identification as deuterium. The abundance is measured to be D/H = (1.9 ± 0.5) × 10-4 and (1.9 ± 0.4) × 10-4 in the two components, with an independent lower limit of D/H > 1.3 × 10-4 for the sum, derived from the Lyman limit opacity. The impact on cosmological theory is briefly discussed.
Endoscopic treatment of suprasellar and third ventricle-related arachnoid cysts

Objective: To evaluate the role of neuroendoscopy in the treatment of rare suprasellar and other third ventricle-related arachnoid cysts. Methods: A review of supratentorial midline arachnoid cysts treated by endoscopic fenestration. Results: Ten cases were identified. The median age of these ten patients was 7.5 years. In three a cysto- or ventriculoperitoneal shunt had previously been inserted. Six cysts were located in the suprasellar/prepontine area, one was a combined suprasellar/middle fossa cyst, and three were complex cysts arising mainly in the quadrigeminal cistern and extending into the third ventricle. Successful endoscopic fenestration to both the ventricular system and the basal cisterns ("bipolar" fenestration) was achieved in all cases. In seven cases a cystoventriculostomy and cystocisternostomy was performed, while in three a cystoventriculostomy was combined with a third ventriculostomy, achieving additional communication to the subarachnoid space. The previously inserted shunts were removed at the end of the procedure. The median follow-up period was 17 (range 1–30) months. The clinical outcome was excellent in all cases, despite only marginal reduction in the cyst size and persistence of ventriculomegaly in some cases. No further treatment to the cyst was required during the period of follow-up. Conclusion: Third ventricle-related arachnoid cysts can be satisfactorily and safely treated by endoscopy. This approach leaves the patient shunt independent.
Deconstructing the "Science Wars" by Reconstructing an Old Mold

Human beings appear to have an innate tendency to describe the world in terms of inherently distinct and logically opposite alternatives. A prime example is the current "science wars," which pit "realists" who uphold the objectivity and progressive nature of scientific knowledge against "relativists" who recognize the culturally embedded status of all claims for universal factuality. Gould argues that this dichotomy is false both as an interpretation of the nature and history of science and as a primary example of our deeper error in parsing the complexities of human conflicts and natural continua into stark contrasts formulated as struggles between opposing sides. As evidence, he reconstructs an episode in the history of science that is typically viewed as a linear "march to truth," showing that it instead demonstrates that science advances within a changing and contingent nexus of human relations, not outside the social order and despite its impediments.
Modulation of impulse propagation by fibroblasts.

myocytes and nonmyocytes coexist in cardiac tissue and contribute to normal myocardial cellular function and structure. Fibroblasts are nonmyocytes, whose main role is to synthesize and maintain the myocardial extracellular matrix. Fibroblasts are numerous in cardiac tissue: it has been estimated
Increased discriminative stimulus potency of phencyclidine in C57Bl/6 mice infected with the LP-BM5 retrovirus

Abstract Drug discrimination procedures in mice are used to study the neuropharmacology of a wide variety of drugs. In C57 Bl/6 mice, infection with the LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus leads to a syndrome (murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-MAIDS) characterized by immunocompromise, neurochemical alterations, and learning and memory deficits. Because the neurochemical and behavioral changes suggest that altered glutamatergic neurotransmission follows LP-BM5 infection, we studied the effects of infection on discriminative stimulus properties of phencyclidine (PCP), a Ca2+ channel blocker at NMDA receptors. We also tested d -amphetamine and dizocilpine to assess the specificity of the discrimination. As expected, dizocilpine produced PCP-like responding. After animals were trained to discriminate PCP from saline, they were inoculated with LP-BM5 and the PCP dose-response functions repeatedly determined. The potency of PCP in this procedure was unchanged 3 weeks after infection, but was increased approximately fivefold 6 and 9 weeks after infection. Amphetamine 9 weeks after inoculation did not produce PCP-like responding, showing that the results were not caused by a loss of specificity of the discrimination. The time course for changes in PCP potency is similar to those of other behavioral and neurochemical changes reported after LP-BM5 infection. The results are consistent with an action of LP-BM5 infection at glutamatergic synapses.
Purification and characterization of meta-cresol purple for spectrophotometric seawater pH measurements.

Spectrophotometric procedures allow rapid and precise measurements of the pH of natural waters. However, impurities in the acid–base indicators used in these analyses can significantly affect measurement accuracy. This work describes HPLC procedures for purifying one such indicator, meta-cresol purple (mCP), and reports mCP physical–chemical characteristics (thermodynamic equilibrium constants and visible-light absorbances) over a range of temperature (T) and salinity (S). Using pure mCP, seawater pH on the total hydrogen ion concentration scale (pHT) can be expressed in terms of measured mCP absorbance ratios (R = λ2A/λ1A) as follows:pHT=−log(K2Te2)+log(R−e11−Re3e2)where −log(K2Te2) = a + (b/T) + c ln T – dT; a = −246.64209 + 0.315971S + 2.8855 × 10–4S2; b = 7229.23864 – 7.098137S – 0.057034S2; c = 44.493382 – 0.052711S; d = 0.0781344; and mCP molar absorbance ratios (ei) are expressed as e1 = −0.007762 + 4.5174 × 10–5T and e3/e2 = −0.020813 + 2.60262 × 10–4T + 1.0436 × 10–4 (S – 35). The mCP absorbances...
DNA TRANSPORT BY A TYPE II TOPOISOMERASE : DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR A TWO-GATE MECHANISM

Recent biochemical and crystallographic results suggest that a type II DNA topoisomerase acts as an ATP-modulated clamp with two sets of jaws at opposite ends: a DNA-bound enzyme can admit a second DNA through one set of jaws; upon binding ATP, this DNA is passed through an enzyme-mediated opening in the first DNA and expelled from the enzyme through the other set of jaws. Experiments based on the introduction of reversible disulfide links across one dimer interface of yeast DNA topoisomerase II have confirmed this mechanism. The second DNA is found to enter the enzyme through the gate formed by the N-terminal parts of the enzyme and leave it through the gate close to the C termini.
Turning Potential into Realities: The Invention of the Integrated Circuit (Nobel Lecture)

The integrated circuit, "the chip", led to microelectronics growing to become the basis of all modern technology, from powerful computers and processors, spaceprobes and medical diagnostic equipment through to washing machines and cars. The chip has also led to our environment being flooded with small electronic devices, such as electronic watches and TV games. Here, the background and first steps in its development are described by its Nobel prize winning inventor.
Molecular cloning of a cDNA for human δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase

A cDNA encoding human delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D; EC 4.2.1.24), the second enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, was isolated from a human liver cDNA expression library. Of the original 17 clones selected with anti-ALA-D antibody, only four expressed anti-ALA-D epitopes as assessed by rescreening with antibody preabsorbed with purified antigen. Subsequent screening of the antibody-positive clones with mixed oligodeoxynucleotide (oligo) probes, synthesized to correspond to human N-terminal and bovine active-site peptide sequences, identified three clones which hybridized only with the oligo probes for the bovine amino acid (aa) sequences. Restriction endonucleases analysis revealed that these three clones contained the same 800-bp cDNA insert. This insert was recloned into bacteriophage M13mp18 and mp19 and sequenced by primer extension. The aa sequence predicted from the partial nucleotide sequence was found to be essentially colinear with the sequences of four bovine ALA-D peptides, totaling 35 non-overlapping aa residues.
Globin insulin; a clinical study.

1. Six of ten patients required less globin than protamine for satisfactory diabetic control. The other four cases were regulated with the same dose of both types of insulin. 2. Of six patients stabilized with protamine and regular insulin, only two were able to secure similar regulation with globin insulin alone.
A high performance parallel computing system for imaging and graphics

UWGSP4 (University of Washington Graphics System Processor) consists of four parts: a parallel vector processor, a shared-memory system, an interconnection network, and a graphics subsystem. The parallel vector processor was provided mainly for imaging and general-purpose computing, whereas the main functions of the graphics subsystem are to generate realistic three-dimensional images and to draw the display screen. Among the four parts, the shared memory and the interconnection network were designed to fully support the parallel vector processor and graphics subsystem so as to yield high sustained performance. A discussion is presented of the architecture of UWGSP4, simulated performance figures for several imaging and graphics algorithms, and applications areas. >