cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matrix Theory and Heterotic Strings on Tori

We consider compactifications of the matrix model of M-theory on $S^1/Z_2\times T^d$ for $d>0$, and interpret them as orbifolds of the supersymmetric U(N) Yang-Mills theory on $R\times T^{d+1}$. The orbifold group acts both on the gauge group and on the $T^{d+1}$, reduces the gauge group to O(N) over 1+1 dimensional fixed-point submanifolds, and breaks half of the supersymmetry. We clarify some puzzling aspects of the gauge anomaly cancellation in the presence of space-time Wilson lines; in general, the Yang-Mills theory requires certain Chern-Simons couplings to supergravity background fields. We discuss the possibility that D8-branes are present as certain matrix configurations in the Yang-Mills theory, and the fundamental fermions emerge as zero modes. Finally, we point out that the correspondence between matrix theory and string theory suggests the existence of a multitude of non-trivial RG fixed points and dualities in orbifold Yang-Mills theories with eight supercharges in various dimensions.
An Ethical Highlighter for People-Centric Dataset Creation.

Important ethical concerns arising from computer vision datasets of people have been receiving significant attention, and a number of datasets have been withdrawn as a result. To meet the academic need for people-centric datasets, we propose an analytical framework to guide ethical evaluation of existing datasets and to serve future dataset creators in avoiding missteps. Our work is informed by a review and analysis of prior works and highlights where such ethical challenges arise.
Life's Two Certainties: An Estate and Gift Consulting Case

This case requires students to perform the work of a partner in a private wealth practice, presenting a client with a comprehensive estate and gift tax plan. Employing three separate fictitious clients representing people with varying estate planning needs, the case requires students to consider multiple issues, both tax and non-tax. Estate and gift tax planning is different from income tax planning because of the impact of specific non-tax factors, such as family dynamics and fears and unknowns related to death. To develop a comprehensive estate and gift tax plan for their client, students must incorporate course topics and apply them to their particular fact pattern. This case furthers students’ understanding of the interplay between estate and gift tax rules, develops their ability to generate relevant questions, exposes them to client dynamics, and cultivates critical thinking skills in the context of estate and gift tax planning.
A comparison of rectoanal pressures during Valsalva maneuver and evacuation uncovers rectoanal discoordination in defecatory disorders.

BACKGROUND It is suggested that patients with defecation disorders (DD) strain excessively or do a Valsalva maneuver (VM) during evacuation, resulting in rectoanal discoordination, which hinders rectal evacuation. However, definitive data are lacking. METHODS Rectoanal pressures during evacuation and a VM were measured with seated high-resolution manometry (HRM) in 64 healthy and 136 constipated women with a normal (84 women, C-normal) or prolonged (52 women, C-abnormal) balloon expulsion time (BET). The number of abnormal rectoanal parameters during evacuation and the joint distribution of pressures during evacuation and a VM were used to discriminate between controls and C-abnormal BET patients. KEY RESULTS The peak anal pressure (5 s) during a VM accounted for 0%, 26%, and 49% of the variance in anal pressure during evacuation in healthy women, C-normal BET, and C-abnormal BET. The association between anal pressure during a VM and evacuation was stronger in C-abnormal BET than in healthy women and C-normal BET (p for interaction <0.001). Fifty-eight of 64 controls and 33 of 52 C-abnormal BET patients had no or one abnormal parameter during evacuation; hence, the probability of C-abnormal BET was 33/91 (36%). In patients with no or one abnormal parameter during evacuation, a logistic model based on anal pressures during evacuation and a VM discriminated between controls and patients with C-abnormal BET with a sensitivity and a specificity of 67% and 75%. CONCLUSIONS Assessment of rectoanal pressures during evacuation and a VM uncovers rectaoanal discoordination and facilitates the diagnosis of DD in selected patients.
An alternative quantification of the value of information in structural health monitoring

Analogous to an experiment, a structural health monitoring (SHM) system may be thought of as an information-gathering mechanism. Gathering the information that is representative of the structural s...
Global Impacts From High-Latitude Storms on Titan

One of the first large cloud systems ever observed on Titan was a stationary event at the southern pole that lasted almost two full Titan days. Its stationary nature and large extent are puzzling given that low-level winds should transport clouds eastward, pointing to a mechanism such as atmospheric waves propagating against the mean flow. We use a composite of 47 large convective events across 15 Titan years of simulations from the Titan Atmospheric Model to show that Rossby waves trigger polar convection-which halts the waves and produces stationary precipitation-and then communicate its impact globally. In the aftermath of the convection, forced waves undergo a complicated evolution, including cross-equatorial propagation and tropical-extratropical interaction. The resulting global impact from convection implies its detectability anywhere on Titan, both via surface measurements of pressure and temperature and through remote observation of the outgoing longwave radiation, which increases by ~0.5% globally.
Optimal surgical approach to left atrioesophageal fistula following catheter radiofrequency ablation.

Atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) formation is a rare but formidable complication after catheter radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation. We present four patients who underwent urgent primary intracardiac repair of the left atrium via sternotomy with central cardiopulmonary bypass and early aortic cross-clamp, followed by repair of the esophagus. We believe that this approach represents the safest strategy for addressing this morbid and often fatal complication.
Plastic Flow of Vortex-Antivortex Pairs in Disordered Josephson Junction Arrays

We present numerical simulations of Josephson junction arrays with strong positional disorder. We study their vortex dynamics as a function of disorder and bias current. We find that above the critical current i c there is a plastic flow of vortices and antivortices through channels, characterized by strong fluctuations of the total vorticity. The number and complexity of the vortex-antivortex flow channels grow with bias current like in a critical phenomenon. We study this critical behavior close to ic in the strong disorder limit, calculating critical exponents for the voltage onset and voltage fluctuations.
Combined tricuspid valvuloplasty and superior cavopulmonary anastomosis for repair of traumatic tricuspid valve injury

Chronic tricuspid valve insufficiency secondary to blunt chest trauma is rare in the pediatric population, with fewer than 10 cases reported. Surgical repair has focused on the tricuspid valve. We present 2 cases of traumatic tricuspid valve insufficiency in pediatric patients after blunt chest trauma in whom tricuspid valve repair was performed along with superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. To our knowledge, this is the 1st report of the use of this combination of surgical procedures for repair of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation in either adults or children.
Metabolism of Hydroxy Fatty Acids in Developing Seeds in the Genera Lesquerella (Brassicaceae) and Linum (Linaceae).

Members of the genus Lesquerella produce seed oil that contains a high proportion of hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs). There are three groups of Lesquerella species that are distinguished by their most abundant seed oil fatty acid: lesquerolic acid (20:1OH; e.g. Lesquerella fendleri), densipolic acid (18:2OH; e.g. Lesquerella kathryn), and auricolic acid (20:2OH; e.g. Lesquerella auriculata). To investigate the biochemistry of HFA production in Lesquerella species, the conversion of putative radiolabeled intermediates of HFA biosynthesis, including 18:1, 20:1,18:1OH, 18:2OH, and 20:1OH, was examined in developing embryos of L. fendleri, L.kathryn, and L. auriculata. The results are consistent with (a) 18:1OH formation by hydroxylation of 18:1, (b) elongation and desaturation of 18:1OH to produce 20:1OH and 18:2OH, respectively, and (c) desaturation of 20:1OH to produce 20:2OH. The desaturation of 20:1OH was also found to occur in developing embryos of high, but not low, linolenic acid flax. This suggests that the desaturation is catalyzed by the extraplastidial linoleate desaturase. Confirming this suggestion, it was notable that 18:1OH and 18:2OH were found in low and high linolenic flax (Linum usitatissimum) seeds, respectively, at levels of 0.2 to 1%.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility and SOS-Dependent Increase in Mutation Frequency Are Impacted by Escherichia coli Topoisomerase I C-Terminal Point Mutation

Topoisomerase functions are required in all organisms for many vital cellular processes, including transcription elongation. The C terminus domains (CTD) of Escherichia coli topoisomerase I interact directly with RNA polymerase to remove transcription-driven negative supercoiling behind the RNA polymerase complex. This interaction prevents inhibition of transcription elongation from hypernegative supercoiling and R-loop accumulation. The physiological function of bacterial topoisomerase I in transcription is especially important for a rapid network response to an antibiotic challenge. In this study, Escherichia coli with a topA66 single nucleotide deletion mutation, which results in a frameshift in the TopA CTD, was shown to exhibit increased sensitivity to trimethoprim and quinolone antimicrobials. The topoisomerase I-RNA polymerase interaction and the SOS response to the antimicrobial agents were found to be significantly reduced by this topA66 mutation. Consequently, the mutation frequency measured by rifampin selection following SOS induction was diminished in the topA66 mutant. The increased antibiotic sensitivity for the topA66 mutant can be reversed by the expression of recombinant E. coli topoisomerase I but not by the expression of recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis topoisomerase I that has a nonhomologous CTD even though the recombinant M. tuberculosis topoisomerase I can restore most of the plasmid DNA linking number deficiency caused by the topA66 mutation. Direct interactions of E. coli topoisomerase I as part of transcription complexes are likely to be required for the rapid network response to an antibiotic challenge. Inhibitors of bacterial topoisomerase I functions and interactions may sensitize pathogens to antibiotic treatment and limit the mutagenic response.
Identity Presentation: The Construction of Identity in Asynchronous Discussion

Die hier vorgestellte Studie beschaftigt sich mit E-Mails als Medium langdauernder Kommunikation zwischen Schuler/innen und Lehrer/innen. Hierzu wurden in einem Kurs verschickte E-Mails gesammelt und mittels konversationsanalytischer Verfahren und im Rahmen eines "Social Practice"-Modells ausgewertet. Wahrend Identitat in einem umfassenderen Sinne in Kontexten entwickelt werden kann, die korperliche Anwesenheit im Rahmen von Face-to-Face-Kommunikation erlauben, zeigte diese Studie, dass Identitat auch in Kontexten konstruiert wird, die sich nicht durch diese Merkmale auszeichnen: Identitatsbildung vollzog sich vielmehr mittels sozialer, kultureller und technologischer Medien und half, durch E-Mails unterstutzt, dass soziale Praktiken entwickelt wurden, die spezifisch fur diese Kommunikationsform sind. Zugleich ergeben sich aus der Studie Konsequenzen fur ein besseres Verstandnis der Beziehung zwischen Identitat, Zielen und Anforderungen und der kollaborativen Entstehung sozialer Praktiken in asynchroner, computervermittelter Kommunikation. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0803185
Protein phosphorylation in isolated hepatocytes of septic and endotoxemic rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible alterations induced by sepsis and endotoxicosis in the late phase of Ca2+-dependent signaling in rat liver. Hepatocytes isolated from septic or chronically endotoxin (ET)-treated rats were labeled with [32P]H3PO4 and stimulated with various agents. Proteins were resolved by one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiographed. Vasopressin (VP)- and phenylephrine (PE)-induced responses were attenuated in both septic and ET-treated rats for cytosolic and membrane proteins compared with their respective controls. Glucagon and 12-O-myristate phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) affected only the phosphorylation of membrane proteins. Glucagon-induced changes in the phosphorylation of membrane proteins were affected by both sepsis and endotoxicosis, whereas TPA-stimulated phosphorylation was lowered only in endotoxicosis. Response to the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was depressed in septic rats for cytosolic proteins. The phosphorylation of two cytosolic proteins, i.e., 93 and 61 kDa (previously identified as glycogen phosphorylase and pyruvate kinase, respectively), in response to VP, PE, and A23187 was severely impaired by endotoxicosis and sepsis. TPA did not affect the phosphorylation state of these two proteins. The results show that sepsis and endotoxicosis produce perturbations of the phosphorylation step in Ca2+ transmembrane signaling. Such changes can explain alterations of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis associated with sepsis and endotoxicosis.
Synthesis and properties of substituted (p-aminostyryl)-1-(3-sulfooxypropyl)pyridinium inner salts as a new class of two-photon pumped lasing dyes

A series of substituted (p-aminostyryl)-1-(3-sulfooxypropyl)pyridinium (ASSP) inner salts have been synthesized and characterized. For comparison purposes substituted (p-aminostyryl)pyridinium iodide (ASPI) salts and substituted (p-aminostyryl)pyridinium tosylate (ASPT) salts were also prepared. Their linear absorption, two-photon absorption and emission properties have been studied. All these dyes exhibit relatively large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section values at a wavelength of 1064 nm. When pumped by a 1064 nm IR laser beam, two-photon pumped (TPP) frequency up-conversion lasing was observed in all these dyes, except for trans-4-{p-[N-methyl-N-(2-acetic acid ethyl ester)amino]styryl}-1-methylpyridinium tosylate (8b). The TPP lasing peaks of these dyes range from 612 nm to 637 nm, with half bandwidths varying from 2 nm to 11 nm. Compared with the substituted ASPI salts or the substituted ASPT salts, the substituted ASSP inner salts show enhanced TPP lasing. The TPP lasing efficiency of the trans-4-{p-[N-ethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]styryl}-1-(3-sulfooxypropyl)pyridinium inner salt (6e) is as high as 27%.
Studies on the binding of methylmercury by thionein.

Abstract The 113,000 × g supernatant fraction from liver and kidney of rats and Japanese quail fed toxic levels of methylmercury for prolonged periods was fractionated on Sephadex G-75. Only a few percent of the total Hg was accounted for in the fractions corresponding to metallothionein. Methylmercury, in contrast to Hg++ and Cd++, was found to have a low affinity for the metal-free form of metallothionein isolated from horse kidney. Metallothionein appears to have no significant role in the detoxification or body distribution of methylmercury except to scavenge Hg++ formed by the slow biotransformation of methylmercury in the body.
Some Limit Results for Lag Sums of Independent, non-i.i.d., Random Variables*

Let Xk be an independent, but not necessarily i.i.d., sequence of random variables. Suppose EXk≡0 and that σNk2= E(SN−SN−k)2 where SN=X1+...+XN. We obtain conditions under which \(\mathop {\lim \sup }\limits_{N \to \infty } \mathop {\max }\limits_{N^\alpha \leqq k \leqq N} \frac{{S_N - S_{N - k} }}{{\sigma _{N,k} \{ 2[\log (N/k) + \log \log k]\} ^{1/2} }} = 1{\text{ a}}{\text{.s}}{\text{.}}\) and obtain other related results. We assume either that P{¦Xk¦≧t}≦Mt−r for all k and all t>0, or that E(expXk)≦b<∞ for all k and all ≦t0. The results are like earlier results for the i.i.d. case, but the method of proof is entirely different.
Advanced fuel fusion experimentation with migmacells II and III — Orbit diagnostics and lifetime measurements

Abstract Using both destructive and nondestructive diagnostic techniques, the number of stored ions, the distribution of ions among single particle orbits, the confinement times for stored particles and the fraction of molecular D 2 + ions dissociated during the first passage through the migmacell are determined. Results from Migmacell II experiments show lifetimes of 10 ms for 10 9 stored deuterons at a background pressure or 4×10 − torr air. Migmacell III experiments to date have demonstrated confinement times of 2 s in an unbaked ultra-high vacuum system. The number of stored particles observed to date is in excess of 10 10 . Migmacell III particle distributions are strongly peaked at the center of the cell, indicating a significant amount of beam-migma dissociation.
Ray tracing of Z-mode emissions from source regions in the high-altitude auroral zone

Two-dimensional ray tracing of Z-mode radiation from sources in the auroral zone has been performed. The Z-mode waves are assumed to be excited by the cyclotron maser mechanism at frequencies near the electron gyrofrequency and at wave normal angles near 90 deg. The emission is found to propagate primarily perpendicular to the magnetic field line (horizontal propagation) for all sources considered, and thus not to substantially lower altitudes. The frequency bandwidth estimated from the ray paths is much less than that observed by DE-1. It is suggested that the wave source needs to be in the region of field-aligned current in order for the cyclotron maser mechanism to explain the broad frequency bandwidth of Z-mode emissions.
Signal detection for bilinear systems

Abstract The injection operator used by McKean to construct Brownian paths on a Lie group is employed to formulate a class of signal detection problems on matrix Lie groups. The hypotheses that the signal is absent and present in the observation on a Lie group are described by a pair of bilinear matrix Ito equations. The injection operator is shown to be almost surely bijective and its inverse is constructed. This bijection enables us to do detection and estimation of processes taking values on a Lie group in a finite dimensional linear space-the Lie algebra. In fact, bilinear detection on Lie groups (“locally linear spaces”) is in essence equivalent to linear detection on linear spaces. A likelihood ratio formula for bilinear matrix Ito equations is thus derived as a function of up-dated observation.
The risk of congestive heart failure in rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study over 46 years.

Objective It is hypothesized that the systemic inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) promotes an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. We examined the risk and determinants of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients with RA. Methods We assembled a population-based, retrospective incidence cohort from among all individuals living in Rochester, Minnesota, in whom RA (defined according to the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria) was first diagnosed between 1955 and 1995, and an age- and sex-matched non-RA cohort. After excluding patients in whom CHF occurred before the RA index date, all subjects were followed up until either death, incident CHF (defined according to the Framingham Heart Study criteria), migration from the county, or until January 1, 2001. Detailed information from the complete medical records (including all inpatient and outpatient care provided by all local providers) regarding RA, ischemic heart disease, and traditional CV risk factors was collected. Cox models were used to estimate the effect of RA on the development of CHF, adjusting for CV risk factors and/or ischemic heart disease. Results The study population included 575 patients with RA and 583 subjects without RA. The CHF incidence rates were 1.99 and 1.16 cases per 100 person-years in patients with RA and in non-RA subjects, respectively (rate ratio 1.7, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.3–2.1). After 30 years of followup, the cumulative incidence of CHF was 34.0% in patients with RA and 25.2% in non-RA subjects (P< 0.001). RA conferred a significant excess risk of CHF (hazard ratio [HR] 1.87, 95% CI 1.47–2.39) after adjusting for demographics, ischemic heart disease, and CV risk factors. The risk was higher among patients with RA who were rheumatoid factor (RF) positive (HR 2.59, 95% CI 1.95–3.43) than among those who were RF negative (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.93–1.78). Conclusion Compared with persons without RA, patients with RA have twice the risk of developing CHF. This excess risk is not explained by traditional CV risk factors and/or clinical ischemic heart disease.
Post-natal stem cells as participants in complex systems and the emergence of tissue integrity and function.

: This issue of Pediatric Diabetes contains articles with scientific data, their interpretation, and a discussion of the respective field of stem cells and diabetes – its achievements and controversies. Through our daily laboratory activities, we employ a reductionist approach and often a deterministic interpretation of data. We would like to make this contribution a means of adding a somewhat different perspective to this collection of essays. This conceptual piece is merely intended to be an invitation to further thoughts and discussions.
The social organisation of feral donkeys (Equus asinus) on a small Caribbean island (St. John, US Virgin Islands)

Abstract The grouping patterns of feral donkeys (Equus asinus) on St. John, a small tropical island in the Caribbean Sea, were recorded from June 1984 through September 1985. Eighteen different grouping patterns (social units) were observed for adult donkeys. A significant difference in social organisation between the sexes was found. The most common adult female social grouping was composed of one or more adult females and their offspring. Solitary males were the most commonly observed social unit for adult male donkeys. All social units except that of an adult female and her most recent offspring were unstable. Results from this study are compared to those from studies on two other feral donkey populations in the United States, both inhabiting very different habitats from each other and also from the St. John population. One was observed in the temperate desert region of Death Valley in the western United States and the other on Ossabaw Island, a small island of mild temperate climate off the coast of the eastern United States. Although percentages of donkeys in various social units are significantly different, the overall social organisation of the St. John donkeys is more similar to that of feral donkeys in Death Valley than to the stable harem bands seen for the donkeys on Ossabaw Island. The social systems of all three populations are variations of the system seen for their ancestral species, the true wild ass of northern Africa. An examination of habitat differences among the three feral donkey populations as well as a population of true wild asses studied in the extremely hot and arid Danakil Desert of Ethiopia, and the effects of these differences on the mating systems of these populations, has led to the formulation of a hypothesis for the variation seen in social organisation. The ability of E. asinus to adopt very different social organisation strategies in response to differences in environmental circumstances helps to explain why this species has been so successful at establishing thriving feral populations around the world.
Phrenic nerve conduction studies in spinal cord injury: Applications for diaphragmatic pacing

The diaphragm pacing system (DPS) is a minimally invasive alternative to mechanical ventilation in patients with quadriplegia due to cervical myelopathy primarily caused by high cervical spinal cord injury. We evaluated 36 patients, 29 of whom had traumatic spinal cord injury, two who had a history of remote meningitis and demyelinating disease, and five who had cervical myelopathies of unknown etiology. Phrenic nerve conduction studies were performed with simultaneous fluoroscopic observation of diaphragm excursion to assess diaphragm viability. In the preoperative evaluation, diaphragm compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were recorded only when the diaphragm moved on fluoroscopy with ipsilateral stimulation. Twenty-six patients who were determined to have a viable diaphragm underwent DPS. Following DPS the primary outcome was the time (hours per day) that patients were able to pace and stay off the ventilator. Of 26 implanted patients, 96% (25 patients) were able to pace and tolerate being off the ventilator for more than 4 h per day. This study demonstrates that the presence of a diaphragm CMAP is associated with diaphragm movement observed by fluoroscopy in cervical myelopathy. In addition, DPS can help patients with cervical spinal cord injury to breathe unassisted by a ventilator.
Chorionic Gonadotropin Has a Recent Origin Within Primates and an Evolutionary History of Selection

Chorionic gonadotropin (CG) is a critical signal in establishing pregnancy in humans and some other primates, but this placentally expressed hormone has not been found in other mammalian orders. The gene for one of its two subunits (CG beta subunit [CGbeta]) arose by duplication from the luteinizing hormone beta subunit gene (LHbeta), present in all mammals tested. In this study, 14 primate and related mammalian species were examined by Southern blotting and DNA sequencing to determine where in mammalian phylogeny the CGbeta gene originated. Bats (order Chiroptera), flying lemur (order Dermoptera), strepsirrhine primates, and tarsiers do not have a CGbeta gene, although they possess one copy of the LHbeta gene. The CGbeta gene first arose in the common ancestor of the anthropoid primates (New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, apes, and humans), after the anthropoids diverged from tarsiers. At least two subsequent duplication events occurred in the catarrhine primates, all of which possess multiple CGbeta copies. The LHbeta-CGbeta family of genes has undergone frequent gene conversion among the catarrhines, as well as periods of strong positive selection in the New World monkeys (platyrrhines). In addition, newly generated DNA sequences from the promoter of the CG alpha subunit gene indicate that platyrrhine monkeys use a different mechanism of alpha gene expression control than that found in catarrhines.
Opposite paracrine effects of 5-HT and dopamine on Na+-Pi cotransport in opossum kidney cells

Opposite paracrine effects of 5-HT and dopamine on Na + -Pi cotransport in opossum kidney cells. Serotonin (5-HT) was recently reported to inhibit cAMP generation in oppossum (OK) cells. We thus investigated the effects of 5-HT upon the Na + -Pi cotransport in cultured OK cells and its interactions with dopamine. Incubation of OK cells with 1nM-10 µ M 5-HT resulted in dose-dependent stimulation of Na + -Pi cotransport (ED 50 ≅ 8nM) and also counteracted inhibition of Na + -Pi cotransport elicited by dopamine. Pre-incubation with 5-HT decreased cAMP accumulation elicited by forskolin or dopamine and pre-treatment with pertussis toxin abolished both the inhibitory effect of 5-HT upon cAMP levels and stimulation of Na + -Pi cotransport. Incubation of OK cells with the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan resulted in time- and dose-dependent accumulation of 5-HT in the medium that also elicited an increase in Na + -Pi cotransport. Both the effects of 5-HT and dopamine on Na + -Pi cotransport were prevented by carbidopa. The stimulatory effect of 5-HT was specific for the Na + -Pi cotransport system since no effects were observed on Na + -alanine cotransport. The results indicate that 5-HT stimulates Na + -Pi cotransport at least in part via inhibition of cAMP accumulation. We propose that 5-HT and dopamine have opposite actions as paracrine/autocrine regulators of Na + -Pi cotransport via opposite effects upon cAMP formation.
Disintegration of Beryllium by Electrons

The beryllium nucleus has been disintegrated by fast electrons whose energies exceeded the photoelectric threshold. The source of the electrons was a 1.8-Mv Van de Graaff generator. As was predicted by Guth, neutrons were produced, and the radioactivity which these neutrons induced in silver was used as a measure of the rate of disintegration. The possibility that the observed disintegration was not due to the direct action of the electrons, but resulted from stray x-rays, or x-rays produced in the beryllium by the electrons was eliminated. The yield curve for disintegration by electrons was obtained, and fixed the threshold for this process at 1.63\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 Mev. At 1.73 Mev the cross section was found to be ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}31}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, in good agreement with theory.The yield curve for photodisintegration by continuous x-radiation was also obtained, and the threshold was found to be identical with that for disintegration by electrons.
Game accessibility: a survey

Over the last three decades, video games have evolved from a pastime into a force of change that is transforming the way people perceive, learn about, and interact with the world around them. In addition to entertainment, games are increasingly used for other purposes such as education or health. Despite this increased interest, a significant number of people encounter barriers when playing games due to a disability. Accessibility problems may include the following: (1) not being able to receive feedback; (2) not being able to determine in-game responses; (3) not being able to provide input using conventional input devices. This paper surveys the current state-of-the-art in research and practice in the accessibility of video games and points out relevant areas for future research. A generalized game interaction model shows how a disability affects ones ability to play games. Estimates are provided on the total number of people in the United States whose ability to play games is affected by a disability. A large number of accessible games are surveyed for different types of impairments, across several game genres, from which a number of high- and low-level accessibility strategies are distilled for game developers to inform their design.
Illuminating the Poetic Turn to Science: Louise Ackermann, or the Aesthetic Stuff of Cultural Studies

AbstractA woman of letters who thought about evolution in a creative way, Louise Ackermann made a vital contribution to the discursive alliance of poetry and science during the second half of the nineteenth century in France. In the wake of Darwin and in the shadow of a French tradition of naturalist poetry that appropriated the vocabulary and subject of the physical sciences, she pondered humankind's place in the universe. Imaginative yet analytical, hers is an inspired symbiosis that links the history of French poetry with intellectual history and, in turn, aesthetics with culture. By thinking poetry and science together, Ackermann illustrates — with modern resonance — the importance of poetry and the cultural element of poiesis in the production of knowledge.
Rheotaxis and prey detection in uniform currents by Lake Michigan mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi).

SUMMARY Lake Michigan mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi, exhibit a lateral-line mediated, unconditioned orienting response, which is part of the overall prey capture behavior of this species and can be triggered in visually deprived animals by both live (e.g. Daphnia magna) and artificial (e.g. chemically inert vibrating sphere) prey. However, the extent to which background water motions (e.g. currents) might mask the detection of biologically significant stimuli like these is almost entirely unknown, despite the fundamental nature and importance of this question. To examine this question, the orienting response of mottled sculpin was used to measure threshold sensitivity to a nearby artificial prey (a 50 Hz vibrating sphere) as a function of background noise level (unidirectional currents of different flow velocities). Because many fish show unconditioned rheotaxis to uniform currents, we also measured the fish9s angular heading relative to the oncoming flow in the absence of the signal. Frequency distributions of fish headings revealed positive rheotaxis to flows as low as 4 cm s-1 and an increasing degree of alignment with the oncoming flow as a function of increasing flow velocity. Sculpin positioned in the upstream direction were able to detect relatively weak signals (estimated to be approx. 0.001-0.0001 peak—peak cm s-1 at the location of the fish) in the presence of strong background flows (2-8 cm s-1), and signal levels at threshold increased by less than twofold for a fourfold increase in flow velocity. These results are consistent with the idea that lateral line canals behave as high-pass filters to effectively reject low frequency noises such as those caused by slow d.c. currents.
Composition and evolution of the continental crust as suggested by seismic observations

Abstract The average composition of the continental crust is more mafic than hitherto supposed. The conterminous United States can be divided, on the basis of seismic structure, into ten regions. The seven western and the three eastern regions can be termed western and eastern superprovinces. Seismic studies show that the crust is thinner and more silicic in tectonically active regions (western superprovince — average crustal thickness 34 km), than in stable regions (eastern superprovince — average crustal thickness 44 km). Mafic rocks are estimated to average 55% of the continental crust: 45% in the western and 59% in the eastern superprovince. These results express quantitatively the ideas expressed qualitatively by Pakiser and Zietz (1965). The computations of percentages of major oxides in the crust associate seismic velocities with rock compositions.
Ethical issues of genetic testing and their implications in epidemiologic studies

Abstract PURPOSE: To discuss and summarize the ethical controversies related to genetic testing and screening, and their effects on the research and other professional activities of epidemiologists. METHODS: We reviewed the literature and proposed legislation to discuss the controversies related to the ethical issues of genetic testing in epidemiologic research. RESULTS: From a review of the literature and proposed legislation, we found these controversies may continue for some time and will probably add to the duties and difficulties of epidemiologists. It is important for the profession to respond to developments such as the proposed federal Genetic Confidentiality and Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 (Senate Bill 1898), which is summarized here; changes in research protocols and informed-consent forms as well as inclusion of other professionals from many disciplines will be necessary. In addition to revising training, and expanding their ethical code, epidemiologists should respond to public concerns about genetic information by disseminating knowledge about freedom to conduct clinical research, protection of the individual, and the limits of genetic information. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of genetic discrimination may complicate epidemiological research unless the public, employers, insurers, physicians, and researchers reach a consensus on the meaning of, and need for, genetic information. Although ethical concerns are appropriate, they will make accrual of study subjects and tissue samples more difficult.
The Emerging Role of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Milder Heart Failure: Are We Implanting Too Late for Response?

The role of cardiac resynchronization therapy in mild heart failure has become a focus of attention with the publication of recent clinical trials. We present a review of the data supporting implantation of cardiac resynchronization devices in early stage heart failure. In addition, we present evidence that may suggest patients are often implanted too late for clinical benefit, potentially contributing to the relatively high nonresponder rate seen in randomized trials and clinical practice.
I-131 UTILIZATION BY SALAMANDERS: TARICHA, AMPHIUMA AND NECTURUS.

1. Iodine metabolism was compared in 3 species of salamanders—Taricha torosa, Amphiuma tridactylum and Necturus maculosus—which display different degrees of metamorphic change. 2. Significant quantities of monoiodotyrosine and diiodotyrosine were formed by the thyroid tissue of all 3 species. The presence of labeled thyroxine was established in the thyroid tissue of each animal. 3. The proportions of I131-thyroxine present on chromatograms of hydrolyzed thyroid tissue from all 3 species increased significantly following TSH treatments. 4. Labeled thyroxine was identified on chromatograms prepared from plasma of Taricha and Amphiuma, and the proportions of I131 recovered as thyroxine increased in both after TSH treatments, the increase being greater in Taricha than in Amphiuma. 5. No labeled thyroxine was detected in the chromatograms prepared from plasma of Necturus, even after TSH treatment. 6. The plasma of Necturus contained a high level of inorganic I127, averaging over 50 /ig/100 ml of plasma. The pl...
Impaired monoamine oxidase activity in dogs with portacaval shunt.

Abstract In dogs with portacaval shunt, hypertyraminemia could result from either impaired degradation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) and/or from failure of tyramine to reach this enzyme. MAO activity was evaluated in liver obtained from dogs before and after the construction of an end-to-side portacaval shunt. Diversion of portal blood from the liver by a portacaval shunt resulted in a significant (P −1 · hr −1 ] as compared to controls [28.7 ± 6.3 nmoles PHA formed · (mg protein) −1 · hr −1 ]. Activity was maximally reduced in shunted dogs with stages II and III hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, more than a 50 per cent reduction in both the V max and the K m of hepatic MAO for tyramine was noted in shunted dogs as compared to controls. Similar kinetic abnormalities [post-shunt, K m 52.63 ± 14.3, V max 3.8 ± 1.2 vs sham group, K m 120.1 ± 22.3 μM tyramine, V max 14.3 ± 4.5 nmoles PHA · (mg protein) −1 · hr −1 ], as well as decreased MAO activity [post-shunt, 1.85 ± 0.83 vs sham group, 6.7 ± 2.1 nmoles PHA formed · (mg protein) −1 · hr −1 ], were found in cerebral cortex from encephalopathic dogs with portacaval shunt. In summary, defective MAO activity may contribute to many of the pathophysiologic events observed in dogs with portacaval anastomosis. Such abnormalities could explain the hypertyraminemia and encephalopathy that have been reported in patients and experimental animals with liver disease.
Dissociative Identity: An Objection to Baker’s Constitution Theory

One of the central problems of personal identity is to determine what we are essentially. In response to this problem, Lynne Rudder Baker espouses a psychological criterion, that is, she claims that persons are essentially psychological. Baker’s theory purports to bypass the problems of other psychological theories such as Dissociative Identity Disorder and the problem of individuating persons synchronically. I argue that the theory’s treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder leads to untenable results, is invalid, and consequently fails to individuate persons.
A faster parametric minimum-cut algorithm

Galloet al. [4] recently examined the problem of computing on line a sequence ofk maximum flows and minimum cuts in a network ofn nodes, where certain edge capacities change between each flow. They showed that for an important class of networks, thek maximum flows and minimum cuts can be computed simply in O(n3+kn2) total time, provided that the capacity changes are made "in order." Using dynamic trees their time bound isO(nm log(n2/m)+km log(n2/m)). We show how to reduce the total time, using a simple algorithm, to O(n3+kn) for explicitly computing thek minimum cuts and implicitly representing thek flows. Using dynamic trees our bound is O(nm log(n2/m)+kn log(n2/m)). We further reduce the total time toO(n2źm) ifk is at most O(n). We also apply the ideas from [10] to show that the faster bounds hold even when the capacity changes are not "in order," provided we only need the minimum cuts; if the flows are required then the times are respectively O(n3+km) and O(n2źm). We illustrate the utility of these results by applying them to therectilinear layout problem.
Endoscopically Assisted Repair of Subcondylar Fractures of the Mandible: An Evolving Technique

ObjectiveTo review one surgeon's experience with the endoscopic approach to assist with reduction and rigid fixation of subcondylar fractures of the mandible. DesignChart review of all cases in whi...
The ability to recognize objects from bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) echoes generalizes across multiple orientations in humans and neural networks

Object constancy, the ability to recognize objects despite changes in orientation, has not been well studied in the auditory modality. Dolphins use echolocation for object recognition, and objects ensonified by dolphins produce echoes that can vary significantly as a function of orientation. In this experiment, human listeners had to classify echoes from objects varying in material, shape, and size that were ensonified with dolphin signals. Participants were trained to discriminate among the objects using an 18-echo stimulus from a 10° range of aspect angles, then tested with novel aspect angles across a 60° range. Participants were typically successful recognizing the objects at all angles (M = 78 %). Artificial neural networks were trained and tested with the same stimuli with the purpose of identifying acoustic cues that enable object recognition. A multilayer perceptron performed similarly to the humans and revealed that recognition was enabled by both the amplitude and frequency of echoes, as well as the temporal dynamics of these features over the course of echo trains. These results provide insight into representational processes underlying echoic recognition in dolphins and suggest that object constancy perceived through the auditory modality is likely to parallel what has been found in the visual domain in studies with both humans and animals.
Immediate technical and delayed clinical outcome of fistula closure using an over-the-scope clip device.

An over-the-scope clip (OTSC) device was designed for closure of acute perforations, fistulas, leaks, and non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding. Previous data show a high rate of early fistula closure using the OTSC; however, data on long-term fistula closure are scant. We report our experience using an OTSC for closure of chronic gastrointestinal fistulas. Retrospective review of all patients, who underwent OTSC placement at Mayo Clinic Rochester and Virginia Mason Medical Center for closure of chronic fistulas from October 2011 to September 2012, was performed. Initial technical success was defined by lack of contrast extravasation immediately after OTSC placement. Delayed success was defined by resolution of the fistula without the need for additional therapies. Recurrent fistula was defined by the recurrence of symptoms and/or re-demonstration of fistula after initial success. Forty-seven unique patients (24 men; mean age 57 ± 14 years) underwent 60 procedures using the OTSC for closure of gastrointestinal fistulas. Fistula locations were: small bowel (n = 18), stomach (n = 16), colo-rectum (n = 10), and esophagus (n = 3). Fistulas related to previous percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy/jejunostomy (n = 10) or prior bariatric procedure (n = 10) were the most common etiologies. Initial technical success occurred in 42/47 (89 %) index cases; however, 19/41 (46 %) patients developed fistula recurrence at a median of 39 days (IQR 26–86 days). The retained OTSC was present adjacent to the fistula in 16/19 (84 %) at repeat intervention. Patients were followed for a median length of 178 days (IQR 63–326 days), and only 25/47 (53 %) patients demonstrated delayed clinical success using OTSC. Initial technical fistula closure can be achieved using OTSCs. Recurrent fistulas at the same location occur in approximately 50 % of cases despite frequent OTSC clip retention.
Optimizing Control of Pain from Severe Burns: A Literature Review

(2004). Optimizing Control of Pain from Severe Burns: A Literature Review. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis: Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 43-54.
Cyclic nucleotide-gated conductances: a new class of ion channels mediates visual and olfactory transduction

Abstract Until recently, protein phosphorylation was thought to be the sole action of cyclic nucleotides in the nervous system. However, a new mechanism of action has been discovered in visual and olfactory receptor cells: direct gating of ion channels by cyclic nucleotides. In this paper, Geoffrey Gold and Tadashi Nakamura review the roles of these channels in visual and olfactory transduction. They also discuss the possibility of finding similar channels elsewhere in the nervous system.
Effect of Initial Insemination and Insemination Interval on Fertility in Turkey Hens

Abstract Large White turkey hens were used to observe fertility through a 20-week laying cycle (31 to 51 weeks of age), following early initial inseminations (EI) and late initial inseminations (LI). Early initial inseminations were made on Days 13 and 15 following photostimulation with subsequent artificial insemination (AI) every 7 (EI + 7) or 14 (EI + 14) days. Late initial inseminations were made on Days 20 and 22 postlighting with subsequent AI every 7 (LI + 7) or 14 (LI + 14) days. Percent of egg production, fertility, and hatch of fertile eggs were measured following the initial AI in each treatment. No significant differences in egg production were seen between treatments. Percent of fertility was greatest in Weeks 6 to 20 with 7-day AI intervals as compared to 14-day intervals. Early inseminations resulted in higher fertility than LI with 14-day AI intervals, but no difference was observed with 7-day intervals. Greater fertility in EI + 14 hens through 20 weeks of egg production, as compared to LI + 14 hens, seems to lend further support to the concept of enhanced oviduct receptiveness to spermatozoa before egg production commences.
Squeezed phonon states: Modulating quantum fluctuations of atomic displacements.

We study squeezed quantum states of phonons, which allow the possibility of modulating the quantum fluctuations of atomic displacements below the zero-point quantum noise level of coherent phonon states. We calculate the corresponding expectation values and fluctuations of both the atomic displacement and lattice amplitude operators, and also investigate the possibility of generating squeezed phonon states using a three-phonon parametric amplification process based on phonon-phonon interactions. Furthermore, we also propose a detection scheme based on reflectivity measurements.
Intrinsic electrophilicity of a 4-substituted-5-cyano-6-(2-methylpyridin-3-yloxy)pyrimidine derivative: structural characterization of glutathione conjugates in vitro.

Isopropyl 9-anti-[5-cyano-6-(2-methyl-pyridin-3-yloxy)-pyrimidin-4-yloxy]-3-oxa-7-aza-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-7-carboxylate (1) represents a prototypic compound from a lead chemical series of G protein-coupled receptor 119 agonists, intended for treatment of type 2 diabetes. When compound 1 was incubated with NADPH-supplemented human liver microsomes in the presence of glutathione, two thioether conjugates M4-1 and M5-1 were observed. Omission of NADPH from the microsomal incubations prevented the formation of M5-1 but not M4-1. The formation of M4-1 was also discerned in incubations of 1 and glutathione with human liver cytosol, partially purified glutathione transferase, and in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. M4-1 was isolated, and its structure ascertained from LC-MS/MS and NMR analysis. The mass spectral and NMR data suggested that M4-1 was obtained from a nucleophilic displacement of the 6-(2-methylpyridin-3-yloxy) group in 1 by glutathione. In addition, mass spectral studies revealed that M5-1 was derived ...