cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community Attachment and Stewardship Identity Influence Responsibility to Manage Wildlife

Managing wildlife in landscapes under private ownership requires partnership between landowners, resource users, and governing agencies. Agencies often call on landowners to voluntarily change thei...
Implant-derived CoCrMo alloy nanoparticle disrupts DNA replication dynamics in neuronal cells

The complexity of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) nanoparticles generated from the hip modular taper interfaces resulted in inconclusive outcomes on the level of toxicity in orthopedic patients. We used a hip simulator to generate physiologically relevant CoCrMo degradation products (DPs) to demonstrate the variation in the level of toxicity in neurons in comparison to processed degradation products (PDPs). The study outcomes indicate that DP induces a higher level of DNA damage in the form of double- and single-stranded DNA breaks and alkaline labile DNA adducts versus PDPs. The scientific advancements of this study are the following: (i) how DPs mimic more closely to the implant debris from hip implants in terms of bioactivity, (ii) how hip implant debris causes local and systemic issues, and (iii) methods to augment the biologic impact of implant debris. We discovered that DP is bioactive compared with PDP, and this should be considered in the toxicity evaluation related to implants. • The physicochemical characteristics of the CoCrMo is a major factor to consider for implant-related cytotoxicity or genotoxicity experimental design. • Elevated levels of intracellular ROS induced by the physiologically relevant wear particle are detrimental to the neuronal cells. • The DP can induce variation in DNA replication dynamics compared to PDP.
Dimethyl isosorbide via organocatalyst N-methyl pyrrolidine: scaling up, purification and concurrent reaction pathways

Dimethyl isosorbide (DMI) is a well-known bio-based green replacement for conventional dipolar solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethylformamide. The synthesis of DMI mainly relies on the etherification of the bio-based platform chemical isosorbide in the presence of basic or acid catalysts and by employing different alkylating agents. Among them, dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is considered one of the most promising for its good biodegradability and low toxicity. In this work, we report on a comprehensive investigation on high yielding methylation of isosorbide via DMC chemistry promoted by nitrogen organocatalyst N-methyl pyrrolidine (NMPy). Reaction conditions were optimized and then efficiently applied for the methylation of isosorbide epimers, isoidide and isomannide, and for some preliminary scale-up tests (up to 10 grams of isosorbide). The purification of DMI from the reaction mixture was achieved by both column chromatography and distillation at reduced pressure. NMPy demonstrated to be an excellent catalyst also for the one-pot conversion of D-sorbitol into DMI. Furthermore, for the first time, all seven methyl and methoxycarbonyl intermediates observed in the etherification of isosorbide were synthetised, isolated and fully characterised. This has provided an insight on the concurrent reaction pathways leading to DMI and on the role played by NMPy in the methylation of isosorbide. Finally, the reaction mechanisms for the methylation, methoxycarbonylation and decarboxylation promoted by NMPy partaking in the conversion of isosorbide into DMI via DMC chemistry have been proposed.
THE PARADOXES OF PRO BONO

Pro bono is a puzzle. It provides high quality legal services to large numbers of clients who would otherwise go unrepresented, thereby helping to fulfill our legal system’s promise of “Equal Justice under Law.” But what a bizarre way to address a foundational element of liberal legalism. Could we imagine relying on volunteerism to perform other core governmental functions: police (the deputy sheriffs of the frontier are a distant memory), national security (privateers), foreign relations (honorary consuls), education (volunteer parents as the only teachers), or transportation (hitchhiking)?1 There is something very strange about having privileged lawyers—who earn huge incomes by acting for large corporations and wealthy individuals—constitute a major source of legal representation for the poor and subordinated. The excellent article by Scott Cummings and Deborah Rhode offers an opportunity to reflect on the significance of this striking manifestation of American exceptionalism. Like other services to the poor—poor houses, orphanages, soup kitchens, and hospitals—legal aid began as a charitable activity, performed initially by religious groups (indeed, such representation is still called “Pro Deo” in civil law countries) and then by voluntary associations (often motivated by solicitude for fellow immigrants).2 In 1965, however, the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) launched the Legal Services Program, expanding the nation’s annual expenditure on civil legal aid from less than $5 million to more than $300 million in fifteen years.3 U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 1963 and 1972 gave accused indigent criminals a constitutional right to free representation.4 In other countries—notably England, Canada, and Australia in the common-law world, and the Netherlands, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries in the civil-law world—the state accepted responsibility for legal aid earlier and more comprehensively.5 In the United States, pro bono persisted in the form of noninstitutionalized acts of
IS THERE SPECIFICITY OF ACTION IN EXPERIMENTAL TERATOGENESIS

Time-specificity has been well established in numerous experiments in which a teratogenic agent has been shown to cause different malformations when applied at different times in development. These time-specific effects are related to definite stages or events in embryonic development which might be regarded as periods of special susceptibility. Excessive doses tend to obscure time-specificity by causing teratogenic effects at times other than during periods of special susceptibility. Recent experiments have indicated that, irrespective of time, many teratogenic agents seem to produce distinctive patterns of anomalies which differ qualitatively and quantitatively from those caused by other agents. The association of a particular group of malformations with a particular agent may be termed agent-specificity. Agent-specificity is not always readily apparent for reasons such as: a) elimination of certain types of abnormalities by fetal death of affected individuals, b) fluctuations in the pattern resulting from variations in dosage of the agent, c) variable reactions to the same agent in different species or even different strains, and d) varying interests and methods of study on the part of the investigator. When due allowance is made for such variables, distinctive patterns of malformations can often be associated with particular teratogenic agents. Although mechanisms of agent-specificity were not discussed in detail, it was suggested that each agent acts by interfering with a particular metabolic process in a specific way in the differentiating and growing embryo. Such action can be localized, generalized or selectively distributed, depending on the distribution within the embryo of the process concerned.
UGT Genotype May Contribute to Adverse Events Following Medication With Mycophenolate Mofetil in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients

Leukopenia and diarrhea are the predominant adverse events associated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), leading to dose reduction or discontinuation in children. Polymorphisms of the drug's main metabolizing enzyme, uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT), confer alteration in drug exposure. We studied the incidence of these polymorphisms in pediatric kidney transplant recipients experiencing MMF-associated leukopenia and diarrhea. UGT genotypes of 16 affected children who recovered after MMF dose reduction or discontinuation were compared with those of 22 children who tolerated the drug at standard doses. DNA was extracted and sequenced using standard procedures to detect polymorphisms associated with increased (e.g., UGT1A9 -331T>C) or decreased drug exposure. All three patients who were homozygous for UGT1A9 -331T>C developed leukopenia, and heterozygotes also had significantly more toxicity (P = 0.04). A weaker association (P = 0.08) existed in UGT2B7 -900G>A carriers. Our data implicate UGT polymorphisms associated with altered drug exposure as potential predictors of MMF adverse events.
Determination of particle size and concentration from spectrophotometric transmission

Abstract Specific extinctions E c have been measured in the visible and long ultraviolet (3500–10000 A.) for four polystyrene latexes containing uniform spherical particles suspended in water, using a modified Beckman model DU spectrophotometer. Methods were developed for making the interpolations required in calculating the Mie total scattering coefficients K(λ) from published tabulations of [K(α)]m. The values so obtained were in good agreement with those calculated from extinction, dry weight, and particle radii determined in the electron microscope (17). In reversing the procedure, values of particle radius could be found from the experimental data which agreed very well (to −(d log E d log λ) , agreed well with theoretical values equal to d log K d log α (where α is the size parameter 2πr λ ). Again reversing the procedure with the aid of suitable calibration curves s(log r) it was shown that particle size and concentration could both be determined from the experimental slope s, the former agreeing to better than 2% with the electron microscope values and the latter to better than 6% with the dry weights. Attention is drawn to the importance of the “fine structure” or presence of subsidiary extrema in the theoretical and experimental data s(r) when characterizing highly uniform monodisperse suspensions of spheres by this method.
Distinct effects of Hedgehog signaling on neuronal fate specification and cell cycle progression in the embryonic mouse retina.

Cell-extrinsic signals can profoundly influence the production of various neurons from common progenitors. Yet mechanisms by which extrinsic signals coordinate progenitor cell proliferation, cell cycle exit, and cell fate choices are not well understood. Here, we address whether Hedgehog (Hh) signals independently regulate progenitor proliferation and neuronal fate decisions in the embryonic mouse retina. Conditional ablation of the essential Hh signaling component Smoothened ( Smo ) in proliferating progenitors, rather than in nascent postmitotic neurons, leads to a dramatic increase of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and a mild increase of cone photoreceptor precursors without significantly affecting other early-born neuronal cell types. In addition, Smo -deficient progenitors exhibit aberrant expression of cell cycle regulators and delayed G 1 /S transition, especially during the late embryonic stages, resulting in a reduced progenitor pool by birth. Deficiency in Smo function also causes reduced expression of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription repressor Hes1 and preferential elevation of the proneural gene Math5 . In Smo and Math5 double knock-out mutants, the enhanced RGC production observed in Smo -deficient retinas is abolished, whereas defects in the G 1 /S transition persist, suggesting that Math5 mediates the Hh effect on neuronal fate specification but not on cell proliferation. These findings demonstrate that Hh signals regulate progenitor pool expansion primarily by promoting cell cycle progression and influence cell cycle exit and neuronal fates by controlling specific proneural genes. Together, these distinct cellular effects of Hh signaling in neural progenitor cells coordinate a balanced production of diverse neuronal cell types.
Editorial: The maturation of a specialty: Workforce projections for endocrine surgery

Labor force planning in endocrine surgery is essential if the demand for more high-volume endocrine specialists is to be met.” Thus, the conclusion by Sosa et al, in their article entitled “The Maturation of a Specialty: Work Force Projections for Endocrine Surgery.” The model used by Sosa et al to calculate supply and demand is derived from supply projections based on data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a survey of endocrine surgery fellowship graduates and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) disease estimates. Procedure estimates (demand) come from the HCUP-NIS, U.S. Census, and literature estimates. Estimates of supply and demand vary considerably within the ranges provided by this study. Absolute numbers cannot be ascertained from these projections and may underor overestimate spuriously the future needs. The estimates are not nearly as important as is a far more vexing issue. If 1% of the surgeons (those with a high-volume endocrine practice) performing endocrine procedures perform 24% of the available operative procedures, there is little doubt that with appropriate planning, training, and redistribution of services, adequate numbers of well-trained, high-volume surgeons can and will be available in the
On the origin of bubbles and Geldart's classification

Abstract Void propagation equations based only on conservation of mass and the Ergun equation for flow in porous media are sufficient to show that bubbles, which are continuity shocks, will form in a fluidized bed near minimum fluidization for small particles and that voids will disperse for large particles, as for Geldart's Type B and D powders. This is due to the fact that the void propagation velocity increases with the square of the porosity for Type B particles and decreases with porosity for Type D particles. A further approximate analysis involving the elastic solids stress between the particles shows the existence of a minimum bubbling velocity and hence provides a rational explanation for the boundary between Type A and B particles. This approximate analysis is further extended to the study of bubbling regimes at low and high fluidizing pressures.
A hierarchical conditional random field model for labeling and segmenting images of street scenes

Simultaneously segmenting and labeling images is a fundamental problem in Computer Vision. In this paper, we introduce a hierarchical CRF model to deal with the problem of labeling images of street scenes by several distinctive object classes. In addition to learning a CRF model from all the labeled images, we group images into clusters of similar images and learn a CRF model from each cluster separately. When labeling a new image, we pick the closest cluster and use the associated CRF model to label this image. Experimental results show that this hierarchical image labeling method is comparable to, and in many cases superior to, previous methods on benchmark data sets. In addition to segmentation and labeling results, we also showed how to apply the image labeling result to rerank Google similar images.
Complications corner: Quadriplegia after a minor hyperextension injury with severe OPLL teaching case and illustrative images.

BACKGROUND: A previously healthy and asymptomatic male surviving well into his ninth decade (86 years of age) was rendered immediately and completely quadriplegic after a minor fall associated with cervical hyperextension. METHODS: Since he was unable to undergo a magnetic resonance (MR) scan due to the presence of a cardiac pacemaker, a non-contrast computed tomography (CT) was performed. This study demonstrated extremely severe cervical spinal canal stenosis secondary to previously undiagnosed ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) resulting in marked spinal cord compression between C5 and C6. RESULTS: Secondary to his severe and irreversible quadriplegia, the patient elected not to undergo any intervention; he expired 4 days later. Had his deficit not been so severe, and had he been diagnosed earlier and undergone prophylactic/preventive posterior decompression (e.g. laminectomy C4-C7) sufficient to allow his cord to migrate dorsally, his irreversible quadriplegic deficit might have been avoided. CONCLUSIONS: Older patients with symptoms of progressive myelopathy should undergo early cervical MR (or CT if they have a pacemaker) screening looking for "silent" cord compression due to stenosis, spondyloarthrosis, and/or OPLL. This case highlights the devastating consequences of even a mild hyperextension injury in a patient harboring extremely severe but previously undiagnosed OPLL. Devastating life-threatening or life-ending injuries may be avoided by maintaining a low threshold for performing screening" cervical studies in elderly patients with vague complaints that might signal the onset of myelopathy.
Oil and Gas expertise for Geothermal Exploitation: the Need for Technology Transfer

Renewable energy is seen as the future source to meet the world's growing demand, with geothermal resources offering a constant and independent supply. Over the past century, the oil and gas sector has developed high level technologies for the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and this expertise should be directly transferrable to geothermal exploitation. In contrast to hydrocarbon developments, geothermal projects typically only become economic after decades of operation, which implies a long period of debt service before costs can be recovered from the sale of energy in the form of heat, electricity or a combination of both. Thus, the technology transfer between the petroleum and geothermal sectors has not been as efficient as initially hoped for. This paper begins with a review of the principles and uses of geothermal energy in today's sustainable energy scenario, from District Heating systems to the more recent Hot Dry Rock (HDR) concept. As exploiting HDR resources becomes more economic, the geothermal energy resources of countries li the U.S. could meet domestic demand for electricity for thousands of years. The challenges presented by HDR projects around the world are discussed, with a special focus on those aspects of geothermal exploitation that overlap with the oil arid gas expertise, such as drilling and completions practices, the characterization of fluid flow through porous media and in wellbores and reservoir fracturing issues. The comparison shows how hydrocarbon exploration and production complements that of geothermal exploitation and identifies technical areas where future research efforts should be addressed to enhance the technology transfer between these energy sectors.
Dysphagia with bilateral lesions of the insular cortex.

It has been demonstrated that the insular cortex plays an important role in the swallowing mechanism. This case report describes a patient with bilateral insular cortex lesions and dysphagia secondary to viral meningitis. Recent evaluations of the insula’s role in the swallowing mechanism are discussed.
Coriolis effects on “intermediate case” of intramolecular vibrational relaxation: Rotational-temperature dependence of energy- resolved fluorescence from jet-cooled perylene with 776–975 cm−1 excess energies

Abstract The rotational-temperature dependence of the energy-resolved fluorescence, combined with the calculated level density, indicates that the large variations in the rate of the intramolecular vibrational relaxation over a small excess energy in S 1 perylene is due to the fluctuations in the density of accessible vibrational levels, resulting from the vibrational selection rules for second-order Coriolis coupling.
Treacher Collins Syndrome Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm

The patient is a 48-year-old man with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) and a precordial murmur known since childhood. He was initially evaluated at 33 years of age for moderate aortic insufficiency and a noncoronary sinus of Valsalva aortic aneurysm. Over time, his aortic disease progressed. His ECG demonstrated sinus rhythm with borderline first-degree atrioventricular block, left ventricular hypertrophy with intraventricular conduction delay, and secondary repolarization abnormalities (Figure 1). His chest x-ray showed biapical pleural-parenchymal scarring with no acute cardiopulmonary abnormality (Figure 2).Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated severe aortic insufficiency and a large noncoronary sinus of Valsalva (Movie I in the online-only Data Supplement). The aneurysm was also observed to protrude into the right atrium. Cardiac catheterization confirmed similar findings of the …
Plugging the GAP between cell polarity and cell cycle.

The establishment and maintenance of cell polarity—that is, the asymmetrical partitioning of cellular materials—is fundamental to stem‐cell renewal and development. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a leading model organism for studying cell polarity. Yeast cell polarity is intimately connected to the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, which guides secretion towards the budding site or tip of the growing bud, resulting in polarized cell growth (Pruyne et al , 2004). Pioneering work by Lew & Reed has established roles for cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) and their cyclin partners in cell polarity; at the time of bud emergence, G1 cyclins trigger polarized growth, whereas mitotic cyclins reverse this effect during mitosis. Inactivation of CDK following mitosis triggers redistribution of the actin cytoskeleton to the neck region for cytokinesis (Fig 1; Lew & Reed, 1993). The role of G1 cyclins in cell polarity has been known for more than ten years but the lingering problem has been the identity of their targets. Three recent studies published in The EMBO Journal (Knaus et al , 2007; Sopko et al , 2007; Zheng et al , 2007) and one in Nature Cell Biology (McCusker et al , 2007) have significantly advanced our understanding of the important substrates of G1 cyclin–CDK and their interesting mechanisms of action. Figure 1. Cell‐cycle regulation of cell polarity in budding yeast. Polarized growth sites (red), where Cdc42 is presumably active, change during the cell cycle. These changes are brought about by the action of G1 cyclin bound to cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK) and mitotic cyclin–CDK activity. In some environments, Candida albicans keeps its polarized status and develops highly polarized hyphae. For cell polarization, cell division cycle (Cdc) 42 is the ‘Rome to which all roads lead’. Cdc42 is a Rho‐type small GTPase, the activity of which is regulated in budding yeast by a single guanine‐nucleotide …
Optical 3D watermarking and authentication by correlation techniques

We present an optical method for information watermarking of 3D objects using digital holography and authenticating the hidden image. A hidden image is embedded using double phase encoding in a phase shift digital hologram of the 3D object. The watermarked hologram is decoded to reconstruct the hidden image and the 3D object. We use either the entire hologram or a part of it to decode the hidden image. The recovered hidden image is authenticated using non-linear correlation. Experiments are presented to illustrate the ability to recover both the 3D object and the decoded hidden image.
Zeros in scattering amplitudes and the structure of non-Abelian gauge theories

Some scattering amplitudes in non-Abelian gauge theories exhibit remarkable factorization properties. They can lead to the presence of zeros in the angular distribution which are in principle experimentally observable.
Comparing Reputation Schemes for Detecting Malicious Nodes in Sensor Networks

Remotely deployed sensor networks are vulnerable to both physical and electronic security breaches. The sensor nodes, once compromised, can send erroneous data to the base station, thereby possibly compromising network effectiveness. We assume that sensor nodes are organized in a hierarchy and use an offline neural network-based learning technique to predict the data sensed at any node given the data reported by its siblings in the hierarchy. This allows us to detect malicious nodes even when the siblings are not sensing data from the same distribution. The speed of detection of compromised nodes, however, critically depends on the mechanism used to update the reputation of the sensor nodes over time. We compare and contrast the relative strengths of a statistically grounded scheme and a reinforcement learning-based scheme both for their robustness to noise and responsiveness to change in sensor behavior. We first extend an existing mechanism to improve detection capability for smaller errors. Next we analyze the influence of different discount factors, including unweighted, exponential and linear discounts, on the tradeoff between responsiveness and robustness. We both develop a theoretical analysis to understand the tradeoff and perform experimental verification of our predictions by varying the patterns in sensed data.
A New Class Of Ultraviolet Femtosecond Sources

We constructed a quantitative theoretical model of an intracavity frequency doubled and passively mode-locked laser and efficiently extracted an ultraviolet femtosecond pulse train of milliwatt average power and 100 MHz repetition rate from a colliding pulse mode-locked dye laser by intracavity frequency doubling in KDP.The ultraviolet and visible outputs, which are comparable in power and pulse duration, are perfectly synchronized with each other. The major findings are that for second harmonic conversion efficiencies consistent with continuing laser operation 1) a stable mode-locking regime always exists, although it narrows somewhat with increasing conversion efficiency; 2) the duration of the fundamental pulses can always be preserved, even in the femtosecond time domain, by re-adjusting saturable gain and saturable loss parameters; 3) the energy of the fundamental pulses can also be preserved under the same conditions.© (1989) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Relationships between Potassium Permanganate Treatment and Water Quality

Abstract The effect of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) on some factors regulating dissolved oxygen concentrations in fish ponds was evaluated. Addition of 2, 4, and 8 mg/liter KMnO4 slightly decreased the chemical oxygen demand of pond water samples. Treatment of samples with 4 and 8 mg/liter KMnO4 decreased the biochemical oxygen demand but did not prevent depletion of dissolved oxygen within the 4-day test period. Addition of 4 and 8 mg/liter KMnO4 to water in plastic pools decreased phytoplankton abundance and gross photosynthesis and did not prove beneficial in increasing dissolved oxygen concentrations when oxygen concentrations were near 0 mg/liter. Potassium permanganate was also highly toxic to bacteria in laboratory studies. However, pond waters often contain large amounts of organic matter which express a KMnO4 demand. rendering the chemical less effective as a bactericide. This implies that in treating bacterial fish diseases, enough KMnO4 should be added to satisfy the KMnO4 demand plus a bacte...
The Inflammatory Response to Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Should Steroid Prophylaxis Be Routine?

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) triggers a vigorous systemic inflammatory response characterized by early and late phases involving both the humoral and cellular pathways. Steroids dampen the immune response to CPB in a multimodal fashion. Perioperative steroid prophylaxis offers the possibility to manipulate the inflammatory response to CPB for outcome benefit. In adult cardiac surgery with CPB, steroids have been rigorously evaluated in multiple randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses. In summary, steroid therapy in this setting can significantly reduce perioperative morbidity. Although the outcome benefits of steroids in adult cardiac surgery with CPB are apparent, multicenter large randomized trials are in progress to determine whether these agents should become a routine component of an anti-inflammatory approach to optimize clinical outcome. The current application of steroids in adult CPB is highly variable, with the highest use likely in high-risk settings such as deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. In pediatric cardiac surgery with CPB, steroids are widely used despite a limited evidence base compared with adult CPB. Recent multicenter observational trials have paved the way for larger more definitive randomized trials targeted to high-risk pediatric CPB including the neonatal period. In conclusion, steroids offer significant potential to improve meaningful clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery with CPB. The results of 2 landmark multicenter randomized trials in adult CPB likely will determine whether steroids should become routine therapy in this setting. It is likely that similar multicenter trials in pediatric CPB will be launched in the near future.
An Allylpalladium(IV) Intermediate in the Synthesis of Highly Substituted Benzoxepines and Benzopyrans via Reactions of Stable Pallada(II)cycles with Allyl Bromides

Stable pallada(II)cycles L2Pd-1-C6H5-2-OCHCO2Et, featuring a Pd-bonded sp3-hybridized stereogenic carbon and bipyridine or bis(imine) auxiliary ligands (L-L), reacted with allyl bromides via a Pd(II)−Pd(IV)-mediated process involving a direct C(sp2)−H functionalization to afford highly substituted benzoxepines or benzopyrans. An allylpalladium(IV) complex, which was detected by low-temperature 1H NMR analysis and characterized by X-ray crystallography, was shown to operate as an intermediate in the reaction sequence.
Vagus nerve stimulation for the management of seizures in children: an 8-year experience

Abstract Background Medication-resistant seizure disorder is a challenging, debilitating, and expensive condition. Although multiple interventions are now available, none is universally effective. In 1997, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was approved for treatment of refractory seizures in patients older than 12 years. Vagus nerve stimulation has shown some benefit for these individuals, but less is known about its use in patients younger than 12 years. This review analyzes the safety and efficacy of VNS in young children. Methods From March 2000 to February 2008, patients with medication-resistant seizures were implanted with a neurocybernetic prosthesis. Two weeks later, the device was activated. The children were followed for at least 3 months, and adjustments were made. Retrospective chart review was performed to collect data. Results Of 28 patients, the mean age at implantation was 8 years and 5 months. Twenty-one (75%) children were younger than 12 years. There were no surgical complications. Two children were reimplanted for lead malfunction, and 4 generators were replaced. Two children had transitory adverse effects (hoarseness and stridor). Mean follow-up was 3 years and 5 months. At 1 year, 52% of children had greater than 50% reduction in seizures. Conclusions Although the effectiveness of VNS is variable and unpredictable, safety is high even in young children. Because of the potential benefit for these complex patients, the implantation of this nerve stimulation device should be included in the armamentarium of pediatric surgeons.
Disruption of the neurokinin-3 receptor (NK3) in mice leads to cognitive deficits

Rationale The structurally related neuropeptides, substance P, neurokinin A, and neurokinin B, belong to a family of molecules termed tachykinins and are widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. These peptides mediate their effects through three G protein coupled receptor subtypes, the neurokinin-1, neurokinin-2 and neurokinin-3 receptors, respectively. Objective To study the physiological functions of NK3, a line of NK3 knockout mice were generated and characterized in a broad spectrum of well-established behavioral tests. Results In several tests, including spontaneous locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, forced swim, and hot plate, wild-type and knockout mice performed similarly. However, in several cognition tests, including passive avoidance, acquisition of conditioned avoidance responding (CAR), and the Morris water maze, NK3 knockout mice displayed deficits compared to wild-type mice. Although NK3 wild-type and knockout mice performed similarly in the training phase of the passive avoidance test, knockout mice had shorter latencies to enter the dark compartment on days 3 and 4, suggesting impaired retention. In the acquisition phase of the conditioned avoidance responding assay, NK3 knockout mice acquired the CAR task at a slower rate than wild-type mice. Once the CAR test was acquired, both NK3 wild-type and knockout mice responded similarly to clozapine and risperidone, drugs which suppress responding in this test. In the Morris water maze, NK3 knockout mice showed increased latencies to find the escape platform on day 3 of training, suggesting a modest, but significant delay in acquisition compared to wild-type mice. Conclusion These studies suggest a role for NK3 in learning and memory in mice.
Shock Index in the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Its Relationship to Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy

The shock index (SI), the ratio of heart rate to systolic blood pressure, has been reported to be a useful tool in the evaluation of trauma patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). Objectives: To determine the range of values for SI seen in first-trimester patients presenting to the ED, and to estimate the ability of the SI to predict ruptured ectopic pregnancy (EP). Methods: This was a prospective cohort study enrolling all patients in the first trimester of pregnancy presenting to the ED with abdominal pain and/or vaginal bleeding. Patients had a SI calculated based on their presenting vital signs, and were followed longitudinally to determine a final diagnosis. Ectopic pregnancies were categorized based on surgical pathology. Mean levels for SI were determined for each group, and ruptured EPs were compared with all other pregnancies using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The study enrolled 280 patients, 24 ruptured EPs, 28 unruptured EPs, and 228 non-EPs. The means for SI were 0.67 (95% CI = 0.65 to 0.68) for non-EPs, 0.64 (95% CI = 0.61 to 0.67) for unruptured EPs, and 0.84 (95% CI = 0.77 to 0.9) for ruptured EPs. The ROC curve for SI, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and systolic blood pressure demonstrated areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.84 (95% CI = 0.78 to 0.88), 0.74 (95% CI = 0.67 to 0.79), 0.63 (95% CI = 0.67 to 0.79), and 0.70 (95% CI = 0.64 to 0.77), respectively. Conclusions: The range of values for SI for patients being evaluated for pain and/or vaginal bleeding within the first trimester of pregnancy, who do not have a ruptured EP, are within the previously reported range of 0.5-0.7 for nonpregnant patients. A SI > 0.85 made the diagnosis of ruptured EP 15.0 (95% CI = 5.6 to 40.4) times more likely. This study suggests that SI could impact directly on the diagnostic and therapeutic course of the patient.
Problems associated with particulate contamination of cell cultures with relation to ultra‐thin sectioning techniques

SUMMARY Hard foreign particles encountered in centrifuged pellets of cell cultures and other biological material can interfere with ultra-thin sectioning. Factors which influence the presence of this contamination are considered and a technique is recommended for cell cultures which overcomes these difficulties.
Enhanced growth of whistlers due to bunching of untrapped electrons

Man-made signals propagating in the whistler mode in the magnetoshere have been observed to be amplified and to trigger other VLF emissions in the absence of other detectable magnetospheric signals in ground-based recordings. The absence of other magnetospheric signals implies that the growth rate of the triggered wave is enhanced over background noise. It is shown that, for at least low amplitude triggering waves, the phase bunching of untrapped electrons can account for the observed enhanced growth. The phase bunching is initially produced by perturbations in the electron trajectories due to their interactions with the front of the wave. Due to the inhomogeneity of the geomagnetic field, the phase-bunched electrons are able to gyroresonantly interact with a later portion of the triggering wave. Because the electrons are phase bunched, the electrons can lose energy to the wave faster than phase-random electrons and are thereby able to produce enhanced growth. Plasma conditions for which this phase bunching is effective in producing enhanced growth are derived.
Experimental and theoretical studies on corrosion inhibition of mild steel in hydrochloric acid by thiosemicarbazone of Schiff bases

AbstractThe inhibiting action of the synthesised thiosemicarbazones, namely, 4[N-(4′-chlorobenzalidene)amino] antipyrinethiosemicarbazone, 4[N-(benzalidene)amino] antipyrinethiosemicarbazone, and 4[N-(4′-methoxybenzalidene)amino] antipyrinethiosemicarbazone towards the corrosion behaviour of mild steel in 4M HCl solution was studied by using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterise the surface morphology of the mild steel specimens in the presence and absence of inhibitor. The experimental results show that the inhibition efficiency increases as the concentration of the inhibitors were increased. The polarisation measurements indicate that the studied inhibitors act as mixed inhibitor. The adsorption of studied inhibitors on mild steel surface obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out by using semi-empirical AM1 method. A good correlation between the theore...
Comment on “On the recent bimodal magmatic processes and their rates in the Torfajökull–Veidivötn area, Iceland” by G.F. Zellmer, K.H. Rubin, K. Grönvold, and Z. Jurado-Chichay

Abstract Zellmer et al. [Zellmer, G.F., Rubin, K.H., Gronvold, K. and Jurado-Chichay, Z., 2008, On the recent bimodal magmatic processes and their rates in the Torfajokull–Veidivotn area, Iceland. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 269: 388–39] use 238U–230Th–226Ra data for whole rocks and mineral separates from recent Icelandic eruptions to construct internal isochrons, from which they calculate mineral ages. However, in contrast to other recent work using 230Th–226Ra data to calculate mineral ages, they do not correct for differences in partitioning behavior of radium and barium. Differences in equilibrium partitioning of these elements are expected based on experimental data and on theoretical calculations for the phases analyzed by Zellmer and coauthors (plagioclase, pyroxene, and magnetite). Therefore, either (1) the crystals and liquids are in chemical equilibrium, in which case the correction for Ra/Ba fractionation must be applied, or (2) the crystals are not in equilibrium with the liquids, in which case more information is required in order to interpret the model ages. As a result, the mineral ages presented by Zellmer et al. are not accurate. Concentrations of trace elements in their mineral separates are not consistent with equilibrium partitioning, but they may be consistent with mixing between different phases in the rocks. Therefore, the linear 230Th–226Ra–Ba data arrays presented by Zellmer and coauthors likely represent mixing arrays rather than true isochrons.
The effect of ethylene and abscisic acid on symptom expression of bacterial ring rot in eggplant and potato

Studies were performed to determine the effect that plant hormones involved with plant senescence (i.e., ethylene and abscisic acid) and photoperiod have on disease development and symptom expression of bacterial ring rot (BRR) caused byCorynebacterium sepedonicum (Spieck & Kotth.) Skapt & Burkh. Potato plants were grown either under a long (14 hr.) or short (10 hr.) photoperiod, while eggplants were grown only under a short (10 hr.) photoperiod. Disease severity ratings of BRR were found to be significantly higher (P=0.05) on potato plants grown under a short photoperiod compared to a long photoperiod. Plant heights of BRR infected plants were found to be significantly greater under the long photoperiod. Endogenous levels of ethylene were found to be significantly (P=0.05) greater in inoculated potato plants grown under a long photoperiod than inoculated plants grown under a short photoperiod. Results suggest that the plant hormones ethylene and abscisic acid do not significantly affect the disease development and symptom expression of BRR.
Supercomputers and science: Some warning signs

The Purdue Water Resources Research Center, in conjunction with the Office of Health and Environmental Research of the U.S. Department of Energy, cosponsored a meeting on the current uses of and future needs for supercomputers in hydrology at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., September 10–12, 1985. The charge of the seminar, “Supercomputers in Hydrology: Future Directions” (the first meeting of its kind), was to evaluate the need for large-scale vector and parallel processing machines and their peripherals in the hydrologic sciences with emphasis on subsurface hydraulics. The seminar was attended by about 50 leaders from academia, industry, and government. While the charge of the seminar was to specifically deal with hydrologic applications of supercomputers, the conclusions drawn at the meeting apply equally well to many other fields of science and technology.
[18F]FBEM-ZHER2:342-Affibody molecule - a new molecular tracer for in vivo monitoring of HER2 expression by positron emission tomography

Purpose The expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) receptors in cancers is correlated with a poor prognosis. If assessed in vivo, it could be used for selection of appropriate therapy for individual patients and for monitoring of the tumor response to targeted therapies. We have radiolabeled a HER2-binding Affibody molecule with fluorine-18 for in vivo monitoring of the HER2 expression by positron emission tomography (PET).
The Nuclear Xenobiotic Receptor CAR: Structural Determinants of Constitutive Activation and Heterodimerization

Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) induces xenobiotic, bilirubin, and thyroid hormone metabolism as a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR). Unlike ligand-dependent nuclear receptors, CAR is constitutively active. Here, we report the heterodimeric structure of the CAR and RXR ligand binding domains (LBDs), which reveals an unusually large dimerization interface and a small CAR ligand binding pocket. Constitutive CAR activity appears to be mediated by the compact nature of the CAR LBD that displays several unique features including a shortened AF2 helix and helix H10, which are linked by a two-turn helix that normally adopts an extended loop in other receptors, and an extended helix H2 that stabilizes the canonical LBD fold by packing tightly against helix H3. These structural observations provide a molecular framework for understanding the atypical transcriptional activation properties of CAR.
Measurements of Helium Excitation in Be + -He and Mg, + -He Collisions

Abstract We have observed level specific excitation of He(n = 2, 3) in collisions of Be+ and Mg+ with He at projectile velocities of 1 2 a.u. With both Be+ and Mg+ projectiles, excitation for small scattering angles (large impact parameters) is appreciable, indicating the occurrence of “direct” excitation. Angular differential excitation cross sections were measured with Mg+ projectiles at c.m. angles up to 9.6 mrad (11.7 keV deg). “Molecular” excitation begins to dominate these cross sections at about 1.8 keV deg or b ≈ 1.5 a.u.. The total He(n = 2) excitation cross section is (6.86±0.38) × 10−18 cm2 at this velocity, as compared with a Mg+ (3s → 3p) cross section of (8.49±2.09) × 10−17 cm2.
Bilinear forms on Frobenius algebras

Abstract We analyze the homothety types of associative bilinear forms that can occur on a Hopf algebra or on a local Frobenius k-algebra R with residue field k. If R is symmetric, then there exists a unique form on R up to homothety iff R is commutative. If R is Frobenius, then we introduce a norm based on the Nakayama automorphism of R. We show that if two forms on R are homothetic, then the norm of the unit separating them is central, and we conjecture the converse. We show that if the dimension of R is even, then the determinant of a form on R, taken in k ˙ / k ˙ 2 , is an invariant for R.
GABA, GAD, and GABAA receptor α4, β1, and γ1 subunits are expressed in the late embryonic and early postnatal neocortical germinal matrix and coincide with gliogenesis

Increasing evidence indicates that the classical, fast-acting neurotransmitter γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) may initially act as morphogen in cell proliferation and differentiation via specific receptors. In view of the potential roles for GABA in central nervous system development, we examined the expression of GABA, GABAA receptor β1 and γ1 subunits by immunocytochemistry and the expression of transcripts for two GABA-synthesizing enzymes, glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65, GAD67 mRNAs), and for α4, β1, and γ1 subunits of GABAA receptor by in situ hybridization in the developing neocortex. Tissue sections were taken from embryonic days (E) 17 and E20 embryos and newborn rats (P0). The embryos' mothers and newborn rats had been injected with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and had survived for 2 hours. At E17, BrdU-positive cells were largely restricted in the synthetic zone at the ventricular margin when cortical neurogenesis was still active. GAD mRNAs and GABA immunoreactivity were detected in the subventricular zone, while α4, β1, and γ1 subunits were abundant in the ventricular zone. At E20 and P0, when neurogenesis had largely ceased and gliogenesis had commenced, BrdU-positive cells were found throughout the ventricular zone with GABA, GAD mRNAs, and α4, β1, and γ1 subunits. GABA, GAD mRNAs and α4, β1, and γ1 subunit signals intensified in the ventricular zone from E17 to P0 as gliogenesis proceded. Thus, specific components of a putative GABAergic circuit are expressed in cells of the ventricular zone during the late embryonic/early postnatal period coincident with gliogenesis, suggesting a role for GABA in glial cell proliferation. Microsc. Res. Tech. 40:398–407, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Allergic conjunctivitis: the evolution of therapeutic options.

Abstract The eye has become the target of intense pharmacologic development because it represents one of the most active sites of allergic inflammation, due to it having no mechanical barrier to prevent the impact of allergens such as pollen on its surface. Over the past 20 years, we have witnessed an astonishing growth in therapeutic advances, ranging essentially from derivatives of simple aspirin to various newly developed biological immunomodulatory agents, using implantable drug delivery devices that exceed the safety and efficacy of those available for other organ systems and resorting to advanced surgical techniques for the correction of sight-threatening, disease-related complications. Overall, with the expanding knowledge base, the intricacy of ocular inflammation appears to be becoming ever more manageable and the clinical allergist/immunologist has an increasing role in the treatment outcomes of patients with anterior inflammatory disorders of the ocular surface primarily allergic conjunctivitis but also including dry eye syndromes.