cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The hippuric acid test for hepatic function; its relation to other tests in general use

In a series of thirty-eight patients who had various types of hepatic disease, the results of the hippuric acid test for hepatic function were studied in an attempt to correlate the results of such generally used procedures as the bromsulphalein test and those of the galactose test. The results seem to indicate that the rate of synthesis of hippuric acid is a reasonably accurate and satisfactory test for the determination of parenchymatous hepatic damage, particularly in the “surgical” types of jaundice. The errors noted are no greater than are those to which other hepatic functional tests are subject. From a physiologic standpoint, these results are of interest, since they add to the accumulated evidence which indicates that hepatic lesions have a definite influence on the rate of synthesis of hippuric acid in human beings.
Answer to August 2013 Photo Quiz

Answer: Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia showing filamentous forms and spheroplasts due to the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of β-lactams. The morphological features are consistent with filamentous forms and spheroplasts of Gram-negative bacilli produced in the presence of β-lactam
Clash or Meeting Between East and West: An Analysis of the Post-9/11 Challenges

This article adopts a macrocultural approach to understanding complex current global tensions and the way they may account for recent acts of terrorism. It proposes that the recent conflict between the West and radical militant Islam can be understood as the polarization of 2 partial perspectives on social justice-the secular democratic individualistic Western worldview and the spiritual and collectivist Middle Eastern worldview-that need to inform one another. I examine this polarization in the context of the following systemic aspects of current globalization: the twin processes of global integration and social disintegration as reflected in the Social Breakdown Syndrome, the deepening gap between the Global North and the Global South, and the unsustainable ideologization of the 20th century. The article suggests that the East-West conflict reflects the fragmented nature of contemporary individual and collective consciousness. It proposes the need for an integrative psychological approach to cultivating...
Simulating place field dynamics using spike timing-dependent plasticity

Spatial firing fields (place fields) of rat hippocampal cells undergo changes when the rat runs stereotyped routes. Previously, Mehta et al. [Experience-dependent asymmetric shape of hippocampal receptive fields, Neuron 25 (2000) 700-715] indicated that spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) might explain the observed shift of the place field center of mass and the development of skewness. In this study, by using simulations of spiking neurons with STDP, we demonstrate that STDP may cause a shift and negative skewness in the synaptic weights vector; however, we explain why these changes do not necessarily result in negative skewness of place fields. We further explore the parameters and additional mechanisms that favor the development of skewness.
Galactocerebrosides Are Required Postnatally for Stromal-Dependent Bone Marrow Lymphopoiesis

Abstract Galactocerebrosides (GCs) represent a major class of glycolipids in the nervous system. Here, we show that mice lacking the key enzyme to generate GCs, UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGT −/− ), exhibit severe postnatal atrophy of all lymphoid organs, owing to a maturational arrest before the pro-B/T cell stage. This lineage-specific defect originates from the bone marrow (BM) stroma since it is not transplantable to irradiated wild-type recipients. Remarkably, CGT −/− long-term B lymphoid BM cultures displayed severe deficits in the number of CD45 neg VCAM-1 pos stromal cells and fibronectin matrix assembly, and produced floating macrophages rather than B lymphocytes. The fibronectin network was also altered in the CGT-deficient BM parenchyma. These results point to an essential role for galactolipids in the formation of fibronectin-enriched lymphoid-specific stromal niches in the BM.
Does Existential Meaning Require Hope, or is Interest Enough?

One hundred seventy-one subjects were administered Crumbaugh and Maholick's (1981) Purpose in Life Test as a measure of meaninglessness versus existential meaning; Beck, Weissman, Lester, and Trexl...
Auditory Distance Coding in Rabbit Midbrain Neurons and Human Perception: Monaural Amplitude Modulation Depth as a Cue

Mechanisms underlying sound source distance localization are not well understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that a novel mechanism can create monaural distance sensitivity: a combination of auditory midbrain neurons' sensitivity to amplitude modulation (AM) depth and distance-dependent loss of AM in reverberation. We used virtual auditory space (VAS) methods for sounds at various distances in anechoic and reverberant environments. Stimulus level was constant across distance. With increasing modulation depth, some rabbit inferior colliculus neurons increased firing rates whereas others decreased. These neurons exhibited monotonic relationships between firing rates and distance for monaurally presented noise when two conditions were met: (1) the sound had AM, and (2) the environment was reverberant. The firing rates as a function of distance remained approximately constant without AM in either environment and, in an anechoic condition, even with AM. We corroborated this finding by reproducing the distance sensitivity using a neural model. We also conducted a human psychophysical study using similar methods. Normal-hearing listeners reported perceived distance in response to monaural 1 octave 4 kHz noise source sounds presented at distances of 35–200 cm. We found parallels between the rabbit neural and human responses. In both, sound distance could be discriminated only if the monaural sound in reverberation had AM. These observations support the hypothesis. When other cues are available (e.g., in binaural hearing), how much the auditory system actually uses the AM as a distance cue remains to be determined.
Identification of an intronic enhancer that nullifies upstream repression of SPARC gene expression

The SPARC gene 5'flanking sequence has been shown to contain enhancer elements, but also negative control elements immediately upstream of the enhancer elements. Although these 5'enhancer elements are active in F9 and PYS-2 cells, their activities are nullified by the 5'repressor activity. In the present study we have identified within intron 1 between nucleotides (nt) +5000 and +5150 of the SPARC gene an enhancer element that bound to two transcription factors of 48 and 52 kDa and between nt +5000 and +5523 a DNase I hypersensitive site. Furthermore, a region containing the 3'intron 1 enhancer element, together with the 5'enhancer elements, neutralized the 5'repressor activity and stimulated efficient transcription. The resulting SPARC promoter activity is about equal in F9, differentiated F9 and PYS-2 cells. We consistently found that the rate of SPARC transcription is nearly the same in F9 and PYS-2 cells. Association of the 3'enhancer element in intron 1 with the DNase I hypersensitive site suggests that both play a role in regulating SPARC expression in vivo .
Learning models of PTSD: Theoretical accounts and psychobiological evidence

Learning abnormalities have long been centrally implicated in posttraumatic psychopathology. Indeed, of all anxiety disorders, PTSD may be most clearly attributable to discrete, aversive learning events. In PTSD, such learning is acquired during the traumatic encounter and is expressed as both conditioned fear to stimuli associated with the event and more general over-reactivity-or failure to adapt-to intense, novel, or fear-related stimuli. The relatively straightforward link between PTSD and these basic, evolutionarily old, learning processes of conditioning, sensitization, and habituation affords models of PTSD comprised of fundamental, experimentally tractable mechanisms of learning that have been well characterized across a variety of mammalian species including humans. Though such learning mechanisms have featured prominently in explanatory models of psychological maladjustment to trauma for at least 90years, much of the empirical testing of these models has occurred only in the past two decades. The current review delineates the variety of theories forming this longstanding tradition of learning-based models of PTSD, details empirical evidence for such models, attempts an integrative account of results from this literature, and specifies limitations of, and future directions for, studies testing learning models of PTSD.
Caspase activation without apoptosis: insight into Aβ initiation of neurodegeneration

New work in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease suggests that early-stage synaptic and memory impairments are caused by abnormal activation of a protease and a phosphatase, both of which could be targeted by inhibitory drugs.
Ubiquitous isotopic anomalies in Ti from normal Allende inclusions

A novel technique for the high-precision isotopic analysis of titanium was applied to three terrestrial rocks and coarse- and fine-grained Allende inclusions. Repeated analyses of the three terrestrial rocks gave excellent agreement with a Ti metal standard. All seven Allende inclusions were previously determined to contain isotopically normal Nd and/or Sm, indicating that none belongs to a small group of peculiar intrusions. The discovery of widespread Ti isotopic anomalies in normal Allende inclusions establishes Ti as the first non-noble gas element studied since oxygen to show such isotopic heterogeneity. A survey of nucleosynthetic origins of Ti isotopes suggests that the dominant Ti-50 excesses in these inclusions are due to the relative enrichment of isotopes synthesized during hydrostatic burning in, or near, the core of a massive star.
Adsorption on mixtures of ion exchangers

A theoretical study has been made of adsorption on mixtures of ion exchangers. The effect of variables such as the concentration of the ion being adsorbed, the concentration of the supporting electrolyte, loading, the values of the capacities and equilibrium constants for the various exchange processes, and the fraction of each adsorber in the mixture on the observed distribution coefficient has been investigated. A computer program has been written to facilitate the calculation of distribution coefficients for the adsorption of an ion on a given mixture of ion exchangers under a specified set of conditions.
Effect of continued desoxycorticosterone administration in hypertensive subjects.

SummaryThe daily injection of DCA, in 5 patients with uncomplicated hypertensive vascular disease for periods of 30 days or more, produced a transitory rise in “resting” blood pressure in all instances, a sustained increase during the period of drug administration in but 3 of the 5 subjects.The continued injection of DCA was associated with a progressive drop in serum potassium concentration, an increase in carbon dioxide content and a fall in chloride concentration. Salt and water retention, on the other hand, was observed only during the first 7-10 days of treatment, with reversal to control levels thereafter.The pressor action of DCA does not appear to be due to a direct humoral mechanism dependent on its concentration in the circulation.
Asset Allocation, Rebalancing, and Returns

Conventional wisdom tells the individual investor approaching retirement to switch from equity to debt as the time of retirement approaches. When stock market valuations are very high, financial advisors issue warnings about stock investments and advise switching to bonds. This study shows empirically that the retirement portfolio is not higher than the probability of higher terminal wealth from balancing the retirement portfolio not higher than the probability of higher terminal wealth from a buy-and-hold strategy. It appears that most investors would be better off maintaining their original allocations until their investment goals or risk aversion change. Investors do not improve their chances of higher returns by considering market conditions when they rebalance their portfolios.
Drug-eluting stents: boom or bust?

Percutaneous coronary intervention has become the preferred method for managing patients with coronary artery disease, especially since the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DESs), which have a ...
Deposition of carbon nanotubes by a marine suspension feeder revealed by chemical and isotopic tracers

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the few truly novel nanomaterials and are being incorporated into a wide range of products, which will lead to environmental release and potential ecological impacts. We examined the toxicity of CNTs to marine mussels and the effect of mussels on CNT fate and transport by exposing mussels to 1, 2, or 3mg CNTsl(-1) for four weeks and measuring mussel clearance rate, shell growth, and CNT accumulation in tissues and deposition in biodeposits. We used metal impurities and carbon stable isotope ratios of the CNTs as tracers of CNT accumulation. Mussels decreased clearance rate of phytoplankton by 24% compared with control animals when exposed to CNTs. However, mussel growth rate was unaffected by CNT concentrations up to 3mgl(-1). Based on metal concentrations and carbon stable isotope values, mussels deposited most CNTs in biodeposits, which contained >110mg CNTsg(-1) dry weight, and accumulated about 1mg CNTsg(-1) dry weight of tissue. We conclude that extremely high concentrations of CNTs are needed to illicit a toxic response in mussels but the ability of mussels to concentrate and deposit CNTs in feces and pseudofeces may impact infaunal organisms living in and around mussel beds.
Oxaliplatin neurotoxicity of sensory transduction in rat proprioceptors

Neurotoxic effects of oxaliplatin chemotherapy, including proprioceptive impairments, are debilitating and dose limiting. Here, we sought to determine whether oxaliplatin interrupts normal proprioceptive feedback by impairing sensory transduction of muscle length and force by neurons that are not damaged by dying-back neuropathy. Oxaliplatin was administered over 4 wk to rats in doses that produced systemic changes, e.g., decreased platelets and stunted weight gain, but no significant abnormality in the terminal ends of primary muscle spindle sensory neurons. The absence of neuropathy enabled the determination of whether oxaliplatin caused functional deficits in sensory encoding without the confounding issue of axon death. Rats were anesthetized, and action potentials encoding muscle stretch and contraction were recorded intra-axonally from dorsal roots. In striking contrast with normal proprioceptors, those from oxaliplatin-treated rats typically failed to sustain firing during static muscle stretch. The ability of spindle afferents to sustain and centrally conduct trains of action potentials in response to rapidly repeated transient stimuli, i.e., vibration, demonstrated functional competence of the parent axons. These data provide the first evidence that oxaliplatin causes persistent and selective deficits in sensory transduction that are not due to axon degeneration. Our findings raise the possibility that even those axons that do not degenerate after oxaliplatin treatment may have functional deficits that worsen outcome.
Relationship, task and system stressors in the health care workplace

This paper describes the development of the Work Stressors Inventory (WSI), which assesses six types of work stressors within three major domains: relationship, task and system stressors. The WSI was developed on data from 435 staff in 14 long-term care facilities. Compared with nursing assistants, registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses experienced more work stressors, especially task and system stressors. More experienced staff reported more work stressors than inexperienced staff. Work environments with more work pressure and with less job involvement, supervisor support, clarity and control were associated with more work stressors. As expected, staff who experienced more work stressors reported less job satisfaction and had less intention to stay in their job. In contrast, more patient care task stressors were associated with better job performance. Some research and practical applications of the WSI are presented, including the use of profiles that depict the salient stressors in a specific health care workplace.
Mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase-1 directs the metabolic fate of exogenous fatty acids in hepatocytes

Because excess triacylglycerol (TAG) in nonadipose tissues is closely associated with the development of insulin resistance, interest has increased in the metabolism of long-chain acyl-CoAs toward ...
The Inverse Relationship Between Nutrient Nitrogen Concentration and Coccolith Calcification in Cultures of the Coccolithophorid Hymenomonas sp.

SYNOPSIS Chemical analysis of axenic cultures of Hymenomonas sp. reveals that the degree of coccolith calcification is inversely proportional to the concentration of available nitrogen sources in the medium. This relationship makes possible a useful degree of control over the organism's calcifying activities. In addition, a possible selective advantage of such a relationship in nature is suggested.
Mechanisms of Fetal Programming of Adult Hypertension Role of Sex Hormones

Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that the in utero environment plays a critical role in the development of adult disease, including cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Intrauterine growth retardation produced by maternal undernutrition or exposure to maternal glucocorticoids during critical periods of organogenesis impairs fetal growth and produces offspring that develop hypertension early in life.1 This concept of “fetal programming” was first proposed by Barker et al2 to describe the relationship between low birth weight and subsequent risk for the development of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult life. Several studies have confirmed and extended the Barker et al2 hypothesis to fetal programming of Parkinson’s disease, dementia, osteoporosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome.3 Although most clinical and experimental studies support the role for fetal programming of adult hypertension, there is still controversy regarding the cause and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Studies to date implicate reduced nephron endowment, factors that affect endothelial and arterial compliance, alterations in the function of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and programming of the major organs and endocrine/neural systems involved in long-term blood pressure regulation.1 Despite intense investigation into the mechanisms underlying fetal programming of adult hypertension, there is still no unifying hypothesis on how these different mechanisms and pathways are programmed in utero and how they ultimately result in dysregulation of blood pressure later in life. It is well documented that premenopausal women exhibit a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension compared with age-matched …
Motif-directed flexible backbone design of functional interactions.

Computational protein design relies on a number of approximations to efficiently search the huge sequence space available to proteins. The fixed backbone and rotamer approximations in particular are important for formulating protein design as a discrete combinatorial optimization problem. However, the resulting coarse-grained sampling of possible side-chain terminal positions is problematic for the design of protein function, which depends on precise positioning of side-chain atoms. Although backbone flexibility can greatly increase the conformation freedom of side-chain functional groups, it is not obvious which backbone movements will generate the critical constellation of atoms responsible for protein function. Here, we report an automated method for identifying protein backbone movements that can give rise to any specified set of desired side-chain atomic placements and interactions, using protein–DNA interfaces as a model system. We use a library of previously observed protein–DNA interactions (motifs) and a rotamer-based description of side-chain conformation freedom to identify placements for the protein backbone that can give rise to a favorable side-chain interaction with DNA. We describe a tree-search algorithm for identifying those combinations of interactions from the library that can be realized with minimal perturbation of the protein backbone. We compare the efficiency of this method with the alternative approach of building and screening alternate backbone conformations.
Basis of Selectivity of the Herbicide Flupyrsulfuron-methyl in Wheat

Abstract Flupyrsulfuron-methyl, methyl 2-[[[[(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl) amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]-6-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylate monosodium salt, formerly DPX-KE459, is a new postemergence sulfonylurea herbicide for the control of grass and broadleaf weeds in wheat. Similar to other sulfonylureas, the site of action of flupyrsulfuron-methyl is acetolactate synthase (ALS), an enzyme in branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. Studies of in vitro inhibition of ALS across sensitive and tolerant species discount differential active site sensitivity as the basis for wheat tolerance to this herbicide. However, wheat and the tolerant weeds Avena fatua and Phalaris minor metabolized flupyrsulfuron-methyl very rapidly with half-lives of ≤2 h. Metabolism in the moderately tolerant species Setaria viridis was intermediate (half-life of 10 h), and slow in Alopecurus myosuroides (half-life of 20 h), a sensitive species. The initial metabolic pathway of flupyrsulfuron-methyl in wheat primarily involves glutathione conjugation; whereas in an equally tolerant species, P. minor , this herbicide is not metabolized by glutathione conjugation but apparently by O -demethylation. Flupyrsulfuron-methyl is metabolized via both pathways (glutathione conjugation and O demethylation) in A. fatua , also a tolerant species. Differential rates of metabolism in sensitive and tolerant plant species are responsible for the selectivity of flupyrsulfuron-methyl.
Country capabilities and the permeability of borders

The history of international competition shows long cycles in country leadership. This paper argues that these cycles can be explained by differences in country capabilities, in terms of both technologies and organizing principles, which diffuse more slowly across than within national and regional borders. The country that innovates in best practices eventually loses leadership, but not before increasing its wealth and claims on foreign assets and investments.
Some properties of totally positive matrices

Abstract Let A be a real n × n matrix. A is TP (totally positive) if all the minors of A are nonnegative. A has an LU-factorization if A = LU, where L is a lower triangular matrix and U is an upper triangular matrix. The following results are proved: Theorem 1: A is TP iff A has an LU-factorization such that L and U are TP. Theorem 2: If A is TP, then there exist a TP matrix S and a tridiagonal TP matrix T such that (i)TS=SA, and (ii) the matrices A and T have the same eigenvalues. If A is nonsingular, then S is also nonsingular. Theorem 3: If A is an n × n matrix of rank m, then A is TP iff every minor of A formed from any columns β 1 ,…,β p satisfying ∑ i=2 p |β i −β i−1 −1| ⩽ n−m is nonnegative. Theorem 4: If A is a nonsingular lower triangular matrix, then A is TP iff every minor of A formed from consecutive initial columns is nonnegative.
Uniform estimates for the\(\bar \partial \)-equation on domains with piecewise smooth strictly pseudoconvex boundaries

Henkin [3] and Grauert-Lieb I7] pioneered in the investigation of uniform estimates for the ~-equation. They independently proved the following: if D is a strictly pseudoconvex domain in fEn with smooth boundary and i f f is a uniformly bounded R-closed C °~ (0, 1)-form on D, then there exists a uniformly bounded C ° function u on D with du = f. Their proofs depend on the explicit construction of a solution by means of holomorphic kernels introduced by Henkin [2] and Ramirez [19]. Later, by using a local version of the Grauert-Lieb method, Kerzman 1'9] generalized the result to a strictly pseudoconvex domain with smooth boundary in a Stein manifold. Moreover, he showed that the type of solution constructed by Grauert-Lieb for such a domain yields also LP-estimates and H61der estimates with exponents 1/2. By modifying Henkin's solution of the ~-equation, Henkin and Romanov 1'5] obtained the H61der estimate with exponent t/2. Making use of Koppelman's results 1'1 t], Lieb [13, 14] proved that there exist uniform estimates and H/ilder estimates with exponent < 1/2 for the ~-equation for (0, q)-forms on strictly pseudoconvex domains with smooth boundary. Independently ~vrelid [16] also obtained uniform estimates and L p estimates for the ~-equation for (0, q)-forms on the same class of domains. Recently Henkin 1'4] announced the solution of the R-equation with uniform bounds for (0, 1)-forms for certain analytic polyhedra and indicated that his proof makes use of the type of Cauchy-Fantappie kernel introduced by Norguet 1'15]. In this paper we investigate uniform estimates for solutions of the R-equation on a domain with piecewise smooth strictly pseudoconvex boundary. More precisely, suppose D is a bounded domain in C n with aD covered by finitely many open subsets Uj(l _~j_~ k) ofC n and suppose 01 is a ¢2 strictly plurisubharmonic function on UI(1 < j < k) such that
Characterization of Magnetic Flux in the Quiet Sun

Observations of the quiet Sun observed with the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter are used to explore the distribution of apparent flux density (Bapp) and size scales of internetwork regions. For a typical disk-center quiet-Sun observation with excellent seeing (at a quantifiable angular resolution of 1''), average |Bapp| of 18.6 and 10.7 Mx cm-2 are found for the entire quiet region map and the internetwork region (2 σ noise < |Bapp| < 40 Mx cm-2), respectively. The weak internetwork flux appears to consist of two components: the spatially concentrated "granular" internetwork fields and a more diffuse, weaker component that has a characteristic size scale of a few arcseconds. Most of the internetwork area is occupied by measurable fields: 69% of the area has apparent flux density greater than 4.5 Mx cm-2 (3 σ), or 84% with flux density greater than 3.0 Mx cm-2 (2 σ). If the results of Hanle depolarization measurements are accepted, the internetwork flux detected here must be close (within a factor of 2-3) to being spatially resolved and must be intrinsically weak (10-30 G). Examination of Stokes polarimetry in quiet regions away from disk center indicates that the central cores of network flux, as indicated by high-polarization signals, do not have a high degree of mixed polarity. In contrast, regions immediately surrounding the network elements have stronger linear polarization than would be expected from locally vertical fields, indicating a high degree of mixed polarity. This mixed polarity may be the result of the continual "sweeping" of mixed polarity internetwork flux toward the network boundaries. When a quiet region has a significant imbalance of flux of opposite polarities, the internetwork imbalance is of the same sign and typically that of the network. The smaller imbalance in the internetwork suggests that a local dynamo produces most of the internetwork flux.
EPR spin parameters of the triplet state of 1,5-naphthyridine

Abstract The EPR fine structure of the triplet state of 1,5-naphthyridine in perdeuterated durene host single crystal at 80°K is reported. The sign of D is determined by the analysis of the weak simultaneous electron spin-nuclear spin transitions.
Prehospital endotracheal intubation: elemental or detrimental?

Modern out-of-hospital emergency medical services (EMS) systems, as we have come to recognize them today, were established in the 1960s and 1970s when a cadre of intrepid physicians ventured into the streets and later published their successful experiences with lifesaving approaches to managing acute coronary syndromes, trauma care, and cardiopulmonary arrest on-scene [1–3].
Simulation in bronchoscopy training: are we there yet?

The time has come for bronchoscopists around the world to recognize that simulation is the best alternative to learning on patients. Only in this way will patients no longer suffer the burden of procedure-related learning. Technical skills can be acquired, practiced, and improved by use of inanimate models and combinations of low and high-fidelity simulation, including increasingly portable computer-based trainers. Validated assessment tools and checklists can be used to measure a learner’s progress towards competence, complementing assessments during direct observation and real patient experience. Simulation scenarios should include more than technical skill exercises, to encompass the full range of procedural practice. As simulation is increasingly incorporated into training programs, there is a need to use business ethics to enhance innovation and democratize new technology. Simulation in bronchoscopy training: we are not there yet, but we are certainly moving in the right direction.
An affordable approach to interactive desktop molecular modeling

Abstract The amazing revolution in computer hardware performance and cost reduction has yet to be carried over to computer software. In fact, application software today is often more expensive and less reliable than the hardware. New enhancements in software development techniques, such as object oriented programming and interactive graphics based user interface design, finally may be having a significant impact on the time-to-market and reliability of these application programs. We discuss our experiences using one such set of software development tools available on the NeXT workstation and describe the effort required to port our MidasPlus molecular modeling package to the NeXT workstation.
Pupillary and Heart Rate Reactivity in Children with Minimal Brain Dysfunction.

This study attempted to replicate and extend previous findings on autonomic arousal and responsivity in children with diagnoses of minimal brain dysfunction (MBD). Pupil size, heart rate, skin conductance, and skin temperature were recorded from 32 MBD and 45 control children during a session that included presentation of visual stimuli, simple reaction time (RT), a cold pressor procedure, and rest periods. The MBD children were tested both off and on clinical dosages of stimulant drugs in a crossover design. Evidence of higher than normal arousal levels in the unmedicated MBD Ss was obtained from resting skin conductance and, more tenuously, from pupil size. Lower phasic responsivity in the MBD children was evidenced by slower RT, less cardiac deceleration to both light and RT stimuli, and smaller pupil dilation to the RT stimuli. Spontaneous pupillary constrictions during “rest” periods, presumably indicating drowsiness, were observed about equally in MBD and control children. Stimulant drugs raised arousal levels but did not reverse the responsivity deficits. The lower phasic reactivity in the MBD group and the effects of stimulant drugs on arousal indices confirm earlier reports. The finding of higher arousal in drug-free MBD children is incompatible with the low arousal hypothesis of MBD but is consistent with a previous report of the effects of a stimulating environment on these children.
Prolactin stimulation of protein kinase C activity in rat aortic smooth muscle.

Abstract Prolactin (PRL) activated protein kinase C (PKC) in a dose dependent manner in rat aortic smooth muscle. Aortic strips incubated with sub-nanomolar concentrations of ovine PRL for 25 min. at 37° C showed a significant stimulation of PKC activity in both cytosolic and particulate fractions. This activation could be blocked using either anti-PRL antibodies or 1-(5- isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), a PKC inhibitor. The results further support the role of PKC in the signal transduction pathway for PRL action and suggest that this activation may be involved in vascular smooth muscle function.
Theory of mind and use of cognitive state terms by adolescents with traumatic brain injury

Background: There is growing evidence of impaired social cognition in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Social cognition tests, however, place demands on domain‐general cognitive functions such as auditory working memory, so that test scores might reflect the influence of these factors on test performance rather than domain‐specific social cognition impairments. As an alternative, we examined conversations of adolescents with TBI for evidence of cognitive state terms. This work was completed in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Master of Science Degree at the University of Wisconsin. The first author wishes to thank the members of her thesis committee, Dr Jon Miller, Dr Nadine Connor, and Dr Julia Evans; and also the SALT transcription laboratory members. This work was supported in part by Grant DC00163 from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Fund, to Dr Turkstra. Methods and Procedures: Participants w...
Electron microscopic observations on virus-like particles associated with SH antigen.

particles were investigated. Thesestudies confirmed theexistence ofa large spherical particle (ca. 43nm)and smaller (ca. 20nm)rod-andsphere-shaped particles. Thelarge particle consists ofan outerandinner membrane anda coreof"nucleic acid" as seen bypositive staining techniques. Theoutermembrane ofthelarge particle appearstobesimilar tothatofthe20-nmdiameter spheres androdsknowntopossesstheSH antigen. TheAustralia antigen (Au)wasoriginally described withtheuseofanantiserum froma transfused patient (2). Later, an antigen, designated asSH (9), wasidentified inassociation withpost-transfusion viral hepatitis. Itisnow conceded thattheseantigens areidentical. The antigen hasbeenfoundtobeassociated withviral hepatitis oftheserumtype(MS-2; 4,10). Electronmicroscopic studies havesuggested thatthis antigen islocated on spherical orrod-shaped particles ca.20nm indiameter (1), butthere isas yetnodirect structural orconstitutional evidence thatthese areviruses. Mostrecently, a larger particle containing theantigen hasbeendescribed, andthestructure ofthisparticle suggests aviral nature(3,5). We havealsoobserved these particles inboth acute andchronic liver diseases. Ourobservations onthree specific patients indicate thatonlythe larger particles may contain nucleic acidand therefore beviruses. Thesmaller particles may beincomplete viral components.
Secretory granule behaviour adjacent to the plasma membrane before and during exocytosis: total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy studies

Our current notions of different granule pools, granule interaction with the plasma membrane, and ultimately granule and plasma membrane soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachement protein (SNARE) interactions, result largely from inferences based upon biochemical alterations of secretion kinetics. Another view of events comes from studies using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) to investigate granule behaviour immediately adjacent to the plasma membrane. The motions of secretory (chromaffin) granules in bovine chromaffin cells visualized by TIRFM are highly restricted, as if granules are caged or tethered. These small motions are regulated by ATP and Ca 2+ , two factors that increase priming of the secretory response. There is no evidence that granules decrease their motion immediately before secretion. To the contrary, there is a tendency for granules to increase their motions and travel within a few hundred milliseconds of fusion. Hence, the notion of a long-lived docked state as a prelude to fusion does not encompass the physical reality of molecular scale motions, multiple tethering states and significant travel immediately preceding the exocytotic event. Increased travel may increase the probability of granules interacting productively with the plasma membrane constituents, thereby, increasing the probability of fusion.
Pediatric post‐transplant metabolic syndrome: New clouds on the horizon

Liver transplantation (LT) is a standard treatment for children with end-stage liver disease, standing at more than 90% survival rate after one yr, and at over a 70% survival rate after five yr. The majority of transplanted children enjoy an excellent quality of life but complications can occur in the long term, and can develop subclinically in otherwise well children; there are various underestimated nutritional and metabolic aspects, including the so-called post-transplant metabolic syndrome (PTMS). During the post-transplant period, the use of immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and the presence of risk factors, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and kidney and bone complications have been largely implicated in PTMS development. Strategies to reduce the progression of PMTS should include careful screening of patients for diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity, and to support weight reduction with a carefully constructed program, particularly based on diet modification and exercise. With early identification and appropriate and aggressive management, excellent long-term health outcomes and acceptable graft survival can be achieved.
X-codes: error control with unknowable inputs

This paper studies a class of codes used for digital system test compaction technique. An X-code produces a hash from an input vector in a way that guarantees that errors in the inputs change the resulting hash despite the presence of unknowable inputs. The value of an unknowable input cannot be inferred. Some classes of X-codes overlap with deterministic combinatorial group testing (CGT) solutions provides constructive bounds.
Digitizing method with application to the design of fractional-time prediction models

An interpolation based digitizing method has been previously developed especially for the design of narrowband frequency selective filters. This method performs a trigonometric polynomial interpolation along an extended time window that ends at the current sampling time. The present paper reconsiders the basic extended window design (EWD) idea in the light of digital control systems requirements and proposes a generalized EWD (G-EWD) method. The main results of this paper are: (i) the closed-form G-EWD expressions derived for an interpolation space spanned by any set of linearly independent functions of time, (ii) a computationally efficient linear algebra generation of the G-EWD digital equivalents, and (iii) the derivation of optional prediction models whose output values are computed at fractional time instants beyond the current sampling time. Finally, the paper compares the proposed G-EWD method to an optimal frequency-domain digitizing method.
The Distances to Open Clusters from Main-Sequence Fitting. I. New Models and a Comparison with the Properties of the Hyades Eclipsing Binary VB 22

In the first of a new series of papers on open cluster distances, we use updated stellar evolution models to construct an isochrone appropriate for the Hyades and compare it with the Hyades eclipsing binary system VB 22. We find that the absolute and relative luminosities of the two stars are in good agreement with the model but that the radii do not match the values inferred from eclipse data. We present evidence that there is a consistency problem with the flux ratios and the inferred radii and discuss possible theoretical effects that could be responsible for the mismatch in the radii. We derive a helium abundance for the Hyades of Y ¼ 0:271 � 0:006, which is equal within the errors to the Sun’s initial helium abundance, even though the Hyades is considerably more metal-rich. Subject headings: binaries: eclipsing — open clusters and associations: individual (Hyades) — stars: abundances — stars: distances
Approximate core allocation for large cooperative security games

Coalition games have been recently used for modeling a variety of security problems. From securing the wireless transmissions in decentralized networks to employing effective intrusion detection systems in large organizations, cooperation among interested parties has shown to bring significant benefits. Motivating parties to abide to a solution is, however, a key problem in bridging the gap between theoretical models and practical solutions. Benefits should be distributed among players (wireless nodes in a network, different divisions of an organization in security riskmanagement, or organizations cooperating to fight spam), such that no group of players is motivated to break off and form a new coalition. This problem, referred to as core allocation, grows computationally very expensive with a large number of agents. In this paper, we present a novel approximate core allocation algorithm, called the bounding boxed core (BBC), for large cooperative security games in characteristic form that rely on superadditivity. The proposed algorithm is an anytime (an algorithm is called anytime if it can be interrupted at any time point during execution to return an answer whose value, at least in certain classes of stochastic processes, improves in expectation as a function of the computation time) algorithm based on iterative state space search for better solutions. Experimental results on a 25-player game, with roughly 34 million coalitions, show that BBC shrinks the 25-dimensional bounding-box to 10-15 times its initial hypervolume.
Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies? (2nd ed.), by Kenneth V. Iserson. Tucson, Ariz.: Galen Press, 2001. 821 pp. $48.95.

In this second edition of Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies?, emergency physician/bioethicist Kenneth Iserson has revised and expanded the original 1994 edition. The second edition improves on its predecessor in several ways. First, it updates information on several important topics, such as rates of organ donation and the number of patients awaiting organ transplantation. Second, it includes new information in a number of topic areas, such as embalming, mummification, and cryonics. Third, the design of the book, including the page layout, graphs, and illustrations, is much clearer and more attractive. The goals and organization of the second edition, however, remain unchanged from the first.
Going Up Against the Global Economy: New Developments in the Anti-Sweatshops Movement:

This article is inspired by Edna Bonacich's theoretical attention to the `big picture,' substantive dissection of the garment industry and ethical call for public sociology. The article focuses on ...
A context‐aware approach to defend against unauthorized reading and relay attacks in RFID systems

Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in both public and private domains. However, because of the inherent weaknesses of underlying wireless radio communications, RFID systems are plagued with a wide variety of security and privacy threats. A large number of these threats arise because of the tag's promiscuous response to any reader requests. This renders sensitive tag information easily subject to unauthorized reading. Promiscuous tag response also incites different forms of relay attacks whereby a malicious colluding pair, relaying messages between a tag and a reader, can successfully impersonate the tag without actually possessing it. Because of the increasing ubiquity of RFID devices, there is a pressing need for the development of security primitives and protocols to defeat unauthorized reading and relay attacks. However, currently deployed or proposed solutions often fail to satisfy the constraints and requirements of the underlying RFID applications in terms of (one or more of) efficiency, security, and usability. This paper proposes a novel research direction, one that utilizes sensing technologies, to tackle the problems of unauthorized reading and relay attacks with a goal of reconciling the requirements of efficiency, security, and usability. The premise of the proposed work is based on a current technological advancement that enables many RFID tags with low-cost sensing capabilities. The on-board tag sensors will be used to acquire useful contextual information about the tag's environment (or its owner, or the tag itself). For defense against unauthorized reading and relay attacks, such context information can be leveraged in two ways. First, contextual information can be used to design context-aware selective unlocking mechanisms so that tags can selectively respond to reader interrogations and thus minimize the likelihood of unauthorized reading and “ghost-and-leech” relay attacks. Second, contextual information can be used as a basis for context-aware secure transaction verification to defend against special types of relay attacks involving malicious readers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The performance penalty of XML for program intermediate representations

XML has been proposed as a file format for representing program intermediate forms such as abstract syntax trees (ASTs), and dependence graphs. Although XML offers many advantages over custom binary representations of the same information, there is an associated performance cost. This paper reports on the results of experiments aimed at quantifying this cost. Two representations are studied: the abstract syntax tree, and the system dependence graph (SDG). The performance penalty for using XML is found to be very significant for ASTs, and crippling for the SDG. The tradeoff between the performance and flexibility is discussed.
Computer-Based Rhythm and Timing Training in Severe, Stroke-Induced Arm Hemiparesis

OBJECTIVE We pilot tested the efficacy of computer-based training implementing rhythm and timing in chronic, severe, stroke-induced hemiparesis. METHOD Two chronic stroke patients were administered the upper-extremity section of the Fugl-Meyer Impairment Scale (FM), the Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). We then administered the computer-based intervention for 60 min, 3 days/wk for 4 wk. One week after intervention, we administered the FM, AMAT, COPM, and SIS. RESULTS After intervention, participants exhibited reduced arm impairment (indicated by FM scores of + 2.0 and +4.0) and increases in average functional ability (+0.85 and +1.1 points on the AMAT), perceived quality of life (+2.0 and +32.0 points on the SIS), and perception of overall recovery (+10.0 points for each participant on the SIS). CONCLUSION This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting efficacy of computer-based rhythm and timing in chronic stroke.
Prediction of Learning and Satisfaction in Web-Based and Lecture Courses.

We investigated variables that affect learning and satisfaction in Web-based and lecture versions of introductory psychology courses. Student characteristics, including year in college, college maj...
Selective opening of the blood-tumour barrier by intracarotid infusion of leukotriene C4.

Intracarotid infusions of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) were used to selectively open the blood-tumour barrier in rats with RG-2 gliomas. Blood-brain and blood-tumour barrier permeability was determined by quantitative autoradiography using 14C aminoisobutyric acid. LTC4 (4 µg total dose) infused into the carotid artery ipsilateral to the tumour increased the unidirectional transfer constant for permeability, Ki, two-fold within the tumour while no effect on permeability was seen in the normal brain. No gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) activity was seen in tumour capillaries in contrast to high γ-GTP in normal brain capillaries. These findings suggest that normal brain capillaries may resist the vasogenic effects of LTC4 while LTC4 will increase permeability in tumour capillaries. This could relate to the ability of γ-GTP to act as an enzymatic barrier and inactivate leukotrienes in normal brain capillaries. Intracarotid LTC4 infusion may be a useful tool to selectively open the blood-tumour barrier for delivery of antineoplastic compounds.