cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glutamate Receptor Targeting to Synaptic Populations on Purkinje Cells Is Developmentally Regulated

Selective targeting of neurotransmitter receptors to specific synapse populations occurs in adult neurons, but little is known about the development of these receptor distribution patterns. In this study, we demonstrate that a specific developmental switch occurs in the targeting of a receptor to an identified synapse population. Localization of delta and AMPA glutamate receptors at parallel and climbing fiber synapses on the developing Purkinje cells was studied using postembedding immunogold. Delta receptors were found to be abundant on postsynaptic membranes at parallel fiber synapses from postnatal day 10 (P10) to adult. In contrast, delta receptors were found to be high at climbing fiber synapses only at P10 and P14. Thus, a major finding of this paper is that high levels of delta receptors are transiently expressed in climbing fiber synapses in the second postnatal week. Labeling of synapses with anti-delta receptor antibody at P10 was limited to the postsynaptic membrane of excitatory synapses and was absent from GABAergic synapses. Unlike delta receptor immunolabeling, AMPA receptor immunolabeling (GluR2/3 and GluR2 antibodies) was high in the postsynaptic membranes of synapses at early postnatal ages (P2 and P5) and was higher in climbing fiber synapses than in parallel fiber synapses from P10 to adult. The present study shows that synapse-specific targeting of glutamate receptors in Purkinje cells is developmentally regulated, with the postsynaptic receptor composition established during synapse maturation. This composition is not dependent on the nature of the initial establishment of synaptic connections.
Purging Patent Law of ‘Private Law’ Remedies

This paper rejects the fundamental "private law" premise of patent law remedies that courts should always attempt to restore the status quo ante by making the patentee "whole" in the event of infringement. Instead, the patent system and its associated remedies should be viewed as part of a "public law" regulatory regime designed to further the societal goal of optimizing innovation incentives. Such an approach mandates significant changes in the structure of patent remedies. For example, when the patent-in-suit covers a minor component of a complex product, I argue that injunctions and make-whole damages should not just be denied to non-practicing entities (NPEs) -- as prior scholars have argued -- but to practicing entities as well. In contrast, courts should generally award more than make-whole damages in cases involving difficult-to-detect infringement. More fundamentally, the damages and injunction provisions of the Patent Act -- which derive from a private law foundation -- should be jettisoned in favor of remedies that directly promote optimal innovation incentives.
Cyclic ground tilt associated with the 2004–2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens

[1] The long-term behavior of the 2004–2008 effusive eruption of Mount St. Helens was characterized by a gradual decline in the rates of seismicity, dome growth, and broad-scale ground deformation, but shallow near-periodic “drumbeat” earthquakes over timescales of minutes indicated episodic short-term behavior. In part to better characterize this behavior and any associated ground deformation, a network of tiltmeters was installed and recorded thousands of cyclic tilt events within the crater. The duration of these events, from minutes to hours, was too long for them to be directly caused by the drumbeat seismicity. Tilt events were characterized by a recoverable, asymmetric pattern of rapid tilt away from the vent followed by a more gradual reversal, were highly correlated between different tiltmeters in the crater, sometimes occurred in association with volcanic seismicity, and ceased at the end of the eruption. Tilt vectors converged on a point just south of the center of the preexisting 1980s lava dome, and the absence of detectable tilt outside the crater suggests a shallow source (<1 km). We examine several models, including cycles of conduit pressurization and plug slip or gas loss and stick-slip behavior on the interface between the ascending plug and the 1980s lava dome. The small number of stations within the crater prevents a unique determination of source type or geometry, but results are consistent with a mechanism involving extrusion of the semisolid dacite plug and/or cycles of conduit pressurization.
A Reexamination of the Compositional Affiliations of Formative Period Whiteware from Highland Guatemala

An earlier study (Rice 1977, 1978a) purportedly found compositional similarity between raw materials used by modern potters in the northern Valley of Guatemala and Formative period whiteware ceramics from sites in the valley, particularly the major highland center of Kaminaljuyu. The compositional similarity suggested that Formative whiteware was manufactured in the northern valley, and this inference in turn underpinned a model of the development of ceramic craft specialization. Methodological weaknesses in the earlier study cast some doubt on its conclusions. More recent compositional analyses of Formative whiteware indicate that, while whiteware probably was made within the zone from which Kaminaljuyu drew its ceramics, it almost certainly was not made within the northern Valley of Guatemala. The present study highlights some important technical and methodological advances in compositional studies made over the past decade.
Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I and Class II Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma and Modulation by Interferon Gamma

AbstractPurpose: To determine the expression of MHC class I and II in human renal cancer.Materials and Methods: We analyzed tissue sections from 22 primary and 28 metastatic renal cell carcinomas (RCC), as well as 31 established RCC cell lines. Tissue specimens from normal kidney and cell cultures of normal kidney epithelium were also studied. In addition, MHC antigen expression on RCC cell lines was assessed both before and after incubation with human recombinant interferon gamma (IFN-y). Antigen expression was determined by mixed hemadsorption, indirect immunofluorescence, fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) or immunoperoxidase staining using the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) W6/32 (anti-MHC class I), mAbs NAMB-1 and BBM.1 (anti-beta-2 microglobulin), and mAbs L243 and 13-17 (anti-MHC class II) antibodies. Soluble beta-2 microglobulin in conditioned medium was measured by ELISA.Results: Normal renal epithelial cells, both in vivo and in vitro, showed low level expression of class I antigens. Immun...
Cluster Computations Related to Silicon Thermal Donors

Ab-initio quantum chemical computations have been applied to a set of molecular clusters derived from Si5H12 to model defects in crystalline silicon involving boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. In computations of defect structure, hydrogen atoms terminating silicon valencies are fixed at their computed positions in Si5H12, to represent forces from the lattice, while the position of other atoms are varied. We have computed the stable bonding structures of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms to a vacancy, as well as interstitial oxygen, the silicon-oxygen ylid and two oxygen atoms bound to a vacancy. The structures of the dipositive ions of the oxygen bearing clusters have been computed as part of a search for candidates for the core of the 450°C oxygen thermal donor in silicon crystal. The computed cluster energies are employed to give an account of defect thermochemistry; the addition of the free atoms to a vacancy, the addition of interstitial oxygen atoms to a vacancy, the reaction of interstitial oxygen atoms to form a vacancy-oxygen complex with the emission of silicon monoxide, and the reaction of interstitial oxygen with the dipositive ion of substitutional oxygen to form the dipositive ion of two oxygen atoms bound to a vacancy. The dipositive ions of the silicon-oxygen ylid and two oxygen atoms bound to a vacancy are found to be possible candidates for the core of the 4500°C oxygen thermal donor. In each case the oxygen atoms draw their their bonded silicon atoms toward themselves making those silicon atoms favorable sites for additional interstitial oxygen atoms. Additional semiempirical calculations with the MNDO method have been made to explore the interaction of additional interstitial oxygen atoms with the central silicon of the ylid dipositive ion. These show that a dative bond is formed by abutting interstitial oxygen atoms with the cationic ylid central silicon. The charge of the dipositive ion is found to be distributed over this chain of three oxygen atoms oriented as in the (110) direction of the crystal. This delocalization of the positive charge from the center of the thermal donor core along an agglomerating chain of interstitial oxygen atoms in the (110) direction may be a factor in the asymmetry observed in the infrared spectra of the series of oxygen thermal donors formed upon continued annealing.
Dynamic effect of open latitude on wind-driven circulation in a zonal β-plane channel

Abstract We confirmed the hypothesis originally proposed by Stommel ( Deep-Sea Res. , 4: 149–184, 1957) that to have a finite through-channel transport in a circumpolar ocean, open latitude is not necessary. In a homogeneous model, inclusion of open latitude does not fundamentally affect the circulation structure and composition of the through-channel transport, though the transport dependence on the model parameters is affected. However, in a stratified model, open latitude has a fundamental impact on both the composition of the through-channel transport and the baroclinic structure of the wind-driven circulation.
Ciliary proteins and exencephaly.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent a broad and complex class of brain malformations, and despite much progress in understanding their etiology, many facets of neural tube development and closure remain obscure. Two new studies report the identification of the first two genes responsible for Meckel-Gruber syndrome, one of the major contributors to syndromic NTDs, and implicate defective cilia in its pathogenesis.
Coalescence of charged droplets in agitated liquid‐liquid dispersions

Experimental studies have been performed to assess the effect of drop charge on turbulent drop coalescence. Although it is well known that surface charge can affect coalescence rates of Brownian particles in a quiescent medium, no studies have been found in the literature which explicitly examine charge effects on larger drops in turbulent media. Results demonstate that drop charge can substantially inhibit coalescence between drops in agitated dispersions. Moreover, this effect can arise solely from latent drop charges, which are attributed to the preferential adsorption of hydroxide ions onto the water-organic phase interface. Ionic strength and pH thus are shown to play a major role in determining coalescence rates between agitated drops. Results also demonstrate that reliance on measurement of average drop sizes for the purpose of determining coalescence rate dependencies is a precarious practice. Strong size-dependent effects such as obtained here have the potential to suggest erroneous conclusions when conclusions are based on measurements of average drop sizes rather than of drop-size distributions.
Fat synthesis and adiposity regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Understanding the regulation of fat synthesis and the consequences of its misregulation is of profound significance for managing the obesity epidemic and developing obesity therapeutics. Recent work in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans has revealed the importance of evolutionarily conserved pathways of fat synthesis and nutrient sensing in adiposity regulation. The powerful combination of mutational and reverse genetic analysis, genomics, lipid analysis, and cell-specific expression studies enables dissection of complicated pathways at the level of a whole organism. This review summarizes recent studies in C. elegans that offer insights into the regulation of adiposity by conserved transcription factors, insulin and growth factor signaling, and unsaturated fatty acid synthesis. Increased understanding of fat-storage pathways might lead to future obesity therapies.
Identification of Chemical Components of Corn Kernel Pericarp Wax Associated with Resistance to Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production

Kernel pericarp wax of the corn breeding population GT-MAS:gk has been associated with resistance to Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin production. GT-MAS:gk wax, previously compared to waxes of three susceptible genotypes, was presently compared to wax of a different, and more numerous, group of susceptible lines. Wax separation by TLC confirmed previous findings, demonstrating a unique GT-MAS:gk band and a unique "susceptible" band. Only GT-MAS:gk wax inhibited the growth of A. flavus; however, no association was established, as before, between kernel wax abundance and resistance. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis of kernel whole wax showed a higher percentage of phenol-like compounds in wax from GT-MAS:gk than in waxes from the susceptible lines. The GT-MAS:gk unique band contained phenol-like compounds and ethyl-hexadecanoate; butyl-hexadecanoate was preeminent in most of the "susceptible bands". Alkylresorcinol (phenolic compounds) content was dramatically higher in GT-MAS:gk wax than in the wax of susceptible lines. An alkylresorcinol, 5-methylresorcinol, also inhibited in vitro growth of A. flavus. These and other phenolic compounds may contribute to kernel wax inhibition of A. flavus infection/aflatoxin production. Further investigation is needed to confirm a role for them in GT-MAS:gk resistance.
Renal pseudoenlargement in patients with neoplasms.

Renal pseudoenlargement due to compression of the kidneys by adjacent enlarged viscera and/or soft tissue masses is an important entity to consider in patients with known primary neoplasm, especially leukemia and lymphoma, who demonstrate enlarged kidneys on urography. This benign condition and its radiographic differentiation from infiltrative renal disorders will be discussed.
From abbey to archive: managing texts and records in early modern England

This article investigates the long-term transformations in England’s documentary storage regime wrought by the Reformation. Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries famously resulted in the dispersal and destruction of many medieval texts and records, but he and his successors sponsored efforts to retrieve lost materials, which they then used in the formation of ecclesiastical policy. Elizabethan counselors expanded the scope of this project, applying their expertise in gathering records to secular issues and assiduously preserving their own documents. During James I’s reign, the Earl of Salisbury’s patronage gave new authority to the State Paper Office, encouraging the consolidation of a centralizing archive that integrated earlier methods of collection, preservation, and indexing in its operation and construction. The article thus offers an analytic trajectory tying the practices of Reformation to the development of expanding national archives in the seventeenth century.
Improved technique for calibration of transponder arrays used in positioning applications

In this paper a new technique is proposed for dealing with the transponder calibration problem. The method presented determines the relative location of transponders in a three-dimensional array of transponders fixed relative to one another. The method simultaneously yields the loci of a roving interrogator (ship) relative to each of the transponders in the array. System operation is dependent upon a sequential interrogation of the array to produce relative range measurements between each transponder of the array and the roving interrogator. The method yields closed-form solutions for all transponder coordinates and all interrogator coordinates. No prior knowledge is required in terms of a predetermined interrogator path and all results are exact in as much as the range measurements used are exact. Techniques are indicated for determining the sensitivities of both transponder coordinates and interrogator coordinates to range measurement variations. Effect of interrogator path and transponder geometry on results is discussed and the concept of critical, or singular, geometries, which produce poorly-conditioned solutions, is introduced.
Effects of perturbation and prosody on the coordination of speech and gesture

The temporal alignment of speech and gesture is widely acknowledged as primary evidence of the integration of spoken language and gesture systems. Yet there is a disconnect between the lack of experimental research on the variables that affect the temporal relationship of speech and gesture and the overwhelming acceptance that speech and gesture are temporally coordinated. Furthermore, the mechanism of the temporal coordination of speech and gesture is poorly represented. Recent experimental research suggests that gestures overlap prosodically prominent points in the speech stream, though the effects of other variables such as perturbation of speech are not yet studied in a controlled paradigm. The purpose of the present investigation was to further investigate the mechanism of this interaction according to a dynamic systems framework. Fifteen typical young adults completed a task that elicited the production of contrastive prosodic stress on different syllable positions with and without delayed auditory feedback while pointing to corresponding pictures. The coordination of deictic gestures and spoken language was examined as a function of perturbation, prosody, and position of the target syllable. Results indicated that the temporal parameters of gesture were affected by all three variables. The findings suggest that speech and gesture may be coordinated due to internal pulse-based temporal entrainment of the two motor systems.
Renal Transplantation in Systemic Lupus erythematosus: One Center’s Experience

A retrospective analysis of 15 renal transplant patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was performed. Overall actuarial patient and graft survival
The relative stopping power of gases for alpha particles from polonium.

Abstract The relative stopping power for alpha particles from polonium is determined for eighteen different gases, including three groups of isomers. The additive law is shown to hold for the gases for which the stopping power of the constituents is known and the law is used to calculate the stopping power of carbon, sulfur, chlorine, iodine and fluorine from gases containing these elements.
Purification and properties of murine mammary tumor virus DNA polymerase

Abstract Murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) DNA polymerase was purified by affinity chromatography on polycytidylate-agarose followed by phosphocellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The resulting enzyme preparation contained two major polypeptides, of 85,000 and 50,000 daltons as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and appeared, except for low levels of RNase H, free of DNase and RNase activity. The molecular weight of the purified native enzyme as determined by velocity sedimentation, was approx. 108,000. MuMTV DNA polymerase appears to be a zinc metalloenzyme and requires at least one reduced sulfhydryl group for the expression of catalytic activity. Apparent K m values determined for synthetic template-primers and deoxynucleoside triphosphates were 1 μg/ml and 10–12 μ M , respectively. Examination of the optimal biochemical conditions for DNA synthesis on a variety of template-primers revealed that Mg 2+ was the preferred divalent cation for DNA synthesis. Mn 2+ could partially substitute for Mg 2+ , although it inhibited DNA synthesis when added in the presence of Mg 2+ . MuMTV DNA polymerase exhibited a preference for (dC) n ·(dG) 12−18 among all the synthetic template-primers tested. Activated DNA was preferred as a heteropolymeric template for DNA synthesis when compared with viral 70 S RNA with either endogenous primers or with (dT) 10 as a primer. Rates of heat inactivation of the MuMTV DNA polymerase were found to vary depending upon the template-primer used to measure that inactivation.
Findings on endomyocardial biopsy in infants and children with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Fifteen infants and children with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent transvascular endomyocardial biopsy. The light and electron microscopic findings were reviewed to evaluate the presence of lymphocytes as an indicator of active myocarditis. Both ventricles were biopsied in 13 patients, and the right ventricle only was biopsied in 2. None of the endomyocardial specimens obtained by biopsy revealed an inflammatory process. Interstitial fibrosis, myofiber hypertrophy, degeneration and necrosis were found. Ultrastructural abnormalities of the mitochrondria, T tubules or Z bands were noted in approximately one-third of patients. Persistent, active myocarditis is an uncommon cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in children. Immunosuppressive therapy, which may be harmful, should be considered only after myocardial inflammation has been documented by endomyocardial biopsy.
QoS featured wireless virtualization based on 802.11 hardware

Nowadays wireless network virtualization technique provides a practical perspective for splitting a single wireless network into multiple independent slices to support isolated virtual networks. A key problem for infrastructure providers is the fairness that needs to be provided among different virtual networks. In this paper, we provide a simplified method implemented by Click Modular router to take advantage of wireless virtualization and provide QoS featured airtime fairness for various services based on the application priorities of the users. Practical experiments show that our bandwidth shaping mechanism can provide more flexible resource allocation based on user needs and stable throughput guarantee for QoS featured services.
Maturation of the 3' end of 5-S ribosomal RNA from Escherichia coli.

The 3′ ends of 5-S rRNA isolated from Escherichia coli cells were analyzed and identified after different durations of labeling with 32Pi, with and without blocking of protein synthesis. These experiments suggest that the 5-S rRNA starts as a species containing 126 nucleotides, three at each end, and that the extra nucleotides are removed from the 5′ and 3′ ends in parallel at comparable but different rates. Inhibition of protein synthesis with chloramphenicol blocks, in addition to the 5′-end maturation, the trimming of the extra nucleotides from the 3′ end. The trimming of extra nucleotides from both ends of the 5-S rRNA is also affected by the structure of the molecular stalk of 5-S rRNA. A number of observations suggest that the trimmings from both ends are independent processes, which are carried out probably by different enzymes.
Fano-Like Resonances in Split Concentric Nanoshell Dimers in Designing Negative-Index Metamaterials for Biological-Chemical Sensing and Spectroscopic Purposes:

In this study, we investigated numerically the plasmon response of a dimer configuration composed of a couple of split and concentric Au nanoshells in a complex orientation. We showed that an isolated composition of two concentric split nanoshells could be tailored to support strong plasmon resonant modes in the visible wavelengths. After determining the accurate geometric dimensions for the presented antisymmetric nanostructure, we designed a dimer array that shows complex behavior during exposure to different incident polarizations. We verified that the examined dimer was able to support destructive interference between dark and bright plasmon modes, which resulted in a pronounced Fano-like dip. Observation of a Fano minimum in such a simple molecular orientation of subwavelength particles opens new avenues for employing this structure in designing various practical plasmonic devices. Depositing the final dimer in a strong coupling condition on a semiconductor metasurface and measuring the effective refractive index at certain wavelengths, we demonstrate that each one of dimer units can be considered a meta-atom due to the high aspect ratio in the geometric parameters. Using this method, by extending the number of dimers periodically and illuminating the structure, we examined the isotropic, polarization-dependent, and transmission behavior of the metamaterial configuration. Using numerical methods and calculating the effective refractive indices, we computed and sketched corresponding figure of merit over the transmission window, where the maximum value obtained was 42.3 for Si and 54.6 for gallium phosphide (GaP) substrates.
Epistatic models improve between year prediction and prediction of testcross performance in corn.

In a previous paper, the utility of partial least squares as a tool for predicting performance using marker-based models was demonstrated. Including interactions between markers in prediction models improved prediction efficacy. The objectives of this paper were to determine whether: (i) molecular marker models based on 1 yr's phenotypic data could be used to predict performance in a second year; (ii) models based on per se data would be useful in predicting testcross performance; and (iii) adding epistasis to a model would improve prediction in either case. Data for protein, oil, and starch were obtained from 500 S 2 lines and their testcrosses from the crosses of Illinois High Oil (IHO) x Illinois Low Oil (ILO) and of Illinois High Protein (IHP) x Illinois Low Protein (ILP) corn (Zea mays L.) strains. Adding epistasis to a model significantly increased predictive power both between years and for testcross performance. The proportion of variability accounted for when predicting testcross performance from per se performance was lower than when predicting performance in different years. In all cases, observed vs. predicted correlations were high enough to suggest they would be useful in marker-assisted, or marker-based, breeding.
Teaching at the boundary of acceptable practice: What is a new teacher mentor to do?

Thoughtful mentoring can shape and challenge a beginning teacher’s practice in educative ways, especially when the novice is well prepared and adopts the stance of a learner. What responsibility do...
CHARACTERIZATION OF FOAM CELL SIZE AND FOAM QUALITY USING FACTORIAL DESIGN ANALYSES

ABSTRACT The mean cell (bubble) diameter and foam quality for two-phase foams generated by an Oakes mixer were measured for foams having gas volume fractions from 23 to 81 percent. Factorial design analyses were used to study the effects of liquid and gas flow rates, mixing speed, and liquid (continuous) phase viscosity on the foam cell size. It was found that the mixing speed had the largest effect on the mean bubble diameter, with the diameter decreasing with increased mixing speed. Nonlinear, empirical models were developed to predict bubble diameters from known liquid and gas flow rates and mixing speeds. Finally, the mean bubble diameter was significantly lower for a foam generated frora a higher viscosity liquid (100 mPa-s) than from a lower viscosity liquid (1 mPa*s).
The Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Trio Activates the Phagocyte NADPH Oxidase in the Absence of GDP to GTP Exchange on Rac: “THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES”

The superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase complex of phagocytes consists of a membrane-associated flavocytochrome b(559) and four cytosolic components as follows: p47(phox), p67(phox), p40(phox), and the small GTPase Rac (1 or 2). Activation of the oxidase is the result of assembly of the cytosolic components with cytochrome b(559) and can be mimicked in vitro by mixtures of membrane and cytosolic components exposed to an anionic amphiphile, serving as activator. We reported that prenylation of Rac1 endows it with the ability to support oxidase activation in conjunction with p67(phox) but in the absence of amphiphile and p47(phox). We now show the following 6 points. 1) The Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor Trio markedly potentiates oxidase activation by prenylated Rac1-GDP. 2) This occurs in the absence of exogenous GTP or any other source of GTP generation, demonstrating that the effect of Trio does not involve GDP to GTP exchange on Rac1. 3) Trio does not potentiate oxidase activation by prenylated Rac1-GTP, by nonprenylated Rac1-GDP in the presence or absence of amphiphile, and by a prenylated [p67(phox)-Rac1] chimera in GDP-bound form. 4) Rac1 mutants defective in the ability to bind Trio or to respond to Trio by nucleotide exchange fail to respond to Trio by enhanced oxidase activation. 5) A Trio mutant with conserved Rac1-binding ability but lacking nucleotide exchange activity fails to enhance oxidase activation. 6) The effect of Trio is mimicked by displacement of Mg(2+) from Rac1-GDP. These results reveal the existence of a novel mechanism of Rac activation by a guanine nucleotide exchange factor and suggest that the induction by Trio of a conformational change in Rac1, in the absence of nucleotide exchange, is sufficient for enhancing its effector function.
Chronic kidney disease, SPECT, and coronary angiography: "head of gold and feet of clay?".

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now well-recognized as an important coronary risk factor and is considered in our preoperative guidelines as a clinical predictor of perioperative death, myocardial infarction (MI), or the development of congestive heart failure. It can be considered as a coronary disease equivalent, such as a history of prior MI, diabetes mellitus, compensated or prior heart failure, or class I or II angina. Moreover, there is extensive data indicating that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the chief cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage kidney disease. This issue of the Journal has an interesting extension of knowledge in the field of CVD in CKD. Coceani et al. examined the relationship among coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial ischemia, subsequent death and reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in 650 patients undergoing SPECT perfusion imaging and coronary angiography. Not surprisingly, they documented that a reduced GFR was associated with a greater degree of inducible myocardial ischemia, a higher frequency of significant coronary stenoses on coronary angiography and higher mortality at 5 years. However, the fact that this risk extends to patients with even a mild reduction of GFR (mean of 72 mL/minute/ 1.73 m) is new and important information. While the authors are to be applauded for these observational insights, there are some concerns about the interpretation of their findings. The selection of patients for revascularization, which leads to alteration of cardiovascular outcomes and their definition of ‘‘coronary artery disease,’’ both may mislead those who do not absorb the methodological details. Moreover, selection of coronary angiographic evidence of a 70% stenosis as the definition of CAD or greater is problematic for many reasons.
Recessive osteogenesis imperfecta: Clinical, radiological, and molecular findings†

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) or "brittle bone disease" is currently best described as a group of hereditary connective tissue disorders related to primary defects in type I procollagen, and to alterations in type I procollagen biosynthesis, both associated with osteoporosis and increased susceptibility to bone fractures. Initially, the autosomal dominant forms of OI, caused by mutations in either COL1A1 or COL1A2, were described. However, for decades, the molecular defect of a small percentage of patients clinically diagnosed with OI has remained elusive. It has been in the last 6 years that the genetic causes of several forms of OI with autosomal recessive inheritance have been characterized. These comprise defects of collagen chaperones, and proteins involved in type I procollagen assembly, processing and maturation, as well as proteins involved in the formation and homeostasis of bone tissue. This article reviews the recently characterized forms of recessive OI, focusing in particular on their clinical and molecular findings, and on their radiological characterisation. Clinical management and treatment of OI in general will be discussed, too.
Self-adjoint, unitary, and normal weighted composition operators in several variables

Abstract We study weighted composition operators on Hilbert spaces of analytic functions on the unit ball with kernels of the form ( 1 − 〈 z , w 〉 ) − γ for γ > 0 . We find necessary and sufficient conditions for the adjoint of a weighted composition operator to be a weighted composition operator or the inverse of a weighted composition operator. We then obtain characterizations of self-adjoint and unitary weighted composition operators. Normality of these operators is also investigated.
The operating room of the future: review of OR 2020 workshop

The operating rooms of the future will require integration of many new technologies to improve the efficiency and outcome of procedures. A workshop, OR-2020, was conducted to review the clinical and technical requirements for the operating rooms. This paper summarizes the results of the workshop.
Investigation of the dosimetric characteristics of PRESAGETM

In this work we perform a detailed investigation of the fundamental dosimetric characteristics of PRESAGETM, to determine its potential for dosimetry. A common problem encountered when attempting to evaluate a new material, is how to efficiently evaluate the large multitude of potential mechanisms and response-characteristics that may affect the practicality and accuracy of that material for dosimetry. We introduce a new method designed to enable rapid, accurate and convenient evaluation of any material which has an optical dose-response, and can be formed into columns of precise dimension (e.g. spectro-photometric cuvettes). The method is also optimised to enable evaluation of dosimetric characteristics with the minimum volume of material, to minimise cost, and problems associated to storage, transportation etc.
New Perspectives on the Management of Gout, a Common Primary Care Disorder

Practice PearlGout, a disease well known for centuries, requires proper diagnosis and management, using both traditional and newer therapies, to manage acute attacks and to avoid long–term joint damage from elevated serum uric acid levels.
Cannabinoid and opioid interactions: implications for opiate dependence and withdrawal

Withdrawal from opiates, such as heroin or oral narcotics, is characterized by a host of aversive physical and emotional symptoms. High rates of relapse and limited treatment success rates for opiate addiction have prompted a search for new approaches. For many opiate addicts, achieving abstinence may be further complicated by poly-drug use and co-morbid mental disorders. Research over the past decade has shed light on the influence of endocannabinoids (ECs) on the opioid system. Evidence from both animal and clinical studies point toward an interaction between these two systems, and suggest that targeting the EC system may provide novel interventions for managing opiate dependence and withdrawal. This review will summarize the literature surrounding the molecular effects of cannabinoids and opioids on the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system, a key circuit implicated in the negative sequelae of opiate addiction. A consideration of the trends and effects of marijuana use in those seeking treatment to abstain from opiates in the clinical setting will also be presented. In summary, the present review details how cannabinoid-opioid interactions may inform novel interventions in the management of opiate dependence and withdrawal.
Hybrid Optical/Digital Moment-Based Robotic Pattern Recognition System

A moment-based pattern recognition system is most appropriate for providing information on the presence, classification and orientation of an object in the field-of-view of a sensor. Such features are ideal for robotic pattern recognition and parts handling. This paper reviews our hybrid optical/digital system to achieve the above objectives and includes initial demonstration results. We then advance a new optical finite-order cosine-processor that can compute the moments and we discuss how the outputs from this system can easily be corrected for various optical system errors and the design of a reduced size breadboard optical system.
Living a ‘Phantom Limb’: On the Phenomenology of Bodily Integrity

This article is a phenomenological exploration and description of certain selected aspects of living the specificities and conundrums posed by what is usually, if problematically, called a ‘phantom limb’. Using my own body as an ‘intimate laboratory’, I attend to the dynamics and mutability of the supposed ‘phantom’, both during the post-operative period of the above-the-knee amputation of my left leg as well as after I began to use and incorporate my prosthetic leg. Throughout, I explore the reversible aspects of my two legs as ‘phantom’ and ‘real’, present and absent, and visible and invisible — paying attention, as well, to the lived and linguistic sense we make of our bodies in ‘parts’ and our bodies as ‘whole’.
A prospective series of unruptured ectopic pregnancies treated by tubal injection with hyperosmolar glucose.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of hyperosmolar glucose injection in select unruptured tubal gestations with hCG levels less than 2500 mIU/mL. Methods In this prospective series, 16 patients with an hCG titer less than 2500 mIU/mL and an unruptured ectopic pregnancy were treated by tubal injection with hyperosmolar (50%) glucose. Hyperosmolar glucose was injected transabdominally into the antimesenteric site of the tubal pregnancy, using a 20-gauge spinal needle. The main outcome measures evaluated were duration of surgery, success rate, time to resolution, and follow-up tubal patency rates. Results : Ninety-four percent (15) of the subjects were treated successfully with a median time to resolution of 24 days (range 5–78). The one treatment failure required methotrexate because of rising hCG titers and worsening pain 4 days after the patient was treated with hyperosmolar glucose. The mean (tandard error) duration of surgery was 45minutes. So far, all ten patients undergoing postoperative hysterosalpingograms have demonstrated tubal patency in the treated tube. Conculsion Laparoscopic injection with hyperosmolar glucose is an effective, systemically nontoxic alternative treatment for select unruptured ectopic pregnancies (hCG less than 2500 mIU/mL) that achieves tubal patency rates comparable to other conservative medical and surgical treatments.
l-Cysteine and glutathione restore the modulation of rat frontal cortex Na+, K+ -ATPase activity induced by aspartame metabolites.

Abstract Background Studies have suggested that aspartame (ASP) ingestion is implicated in neurological problems. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate rat frontal cortex Na + , K + -ATPase and Mg 2+ -ATPase activities after incubation with ASP or each of its metabolites, phenylalanine (Phe), methanol (MeOH) and aspartic acid (asp) separately. Method Suckling rat frontal cortex homogenates or pure Na + , K + -ATPase were incubated with ASP metabolites. Na + , K + -ATPase and Mg 2+ -ATPase activities were measured spectrophotometrically. Results Incubation of frontal cortex homogenate or pure Na + , K + -ATPase with various ASP concentrations as expected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after ASP consumption of 34, 150 or 200 mg/kg, decreased the frontal cortex enzyme activity by 33%, 53% or 57%, respectively, whereas pure enzyme was remarkably stimulated. Moreover, incubation of frontal cortex homogenate with each one of the expected ASP metabolites in the CSF, except MeOH, which are related to the intake of the above mentioned doses of the sweetener, resulted in an activation of the membrane Na + , K + -ATPase, as well as pure enzyme. Frontal cortex Mg 2+ -ATPase remained unaltered. Addition of l -cysteine (cys) or reduced glutathione (GSH) to ASP metabolites mixtures, corresponding to 150 or 200 mg/kg doses of the sweetener, completely or partially restored to normal the modulated membrane and pure Na + , K + -ATPase activities. Conclusion CSF concentrations of the sum of ASP metabolites corresponding to the intake of common, abuse or toxic doses (34 or 150 or 200 mg/kg, respectively) of the additive significantly increased rat frontal cortex Na + , K + -ATPase and pure enzyme activities. Cys or GSH completely or partially restored to normal both enzyme activities, possibly due to amelioration of the cellular GSH reduction from the action of MeOH, a metabolite of the sweetener and/or by their scavenging effect.
Buffer Standards for the Biochemical pH of 3-(N-Morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic Acid from (278.15 to 328.15) K

The values of the second dissociation constant pK2 and related thermodynamic quantities of the ampholyte 3-(N-morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid (MOPSO) have been previously determined at temperatures from (278.15 to 328.15) K. In this study, the pH values of two buffer solutions without NaCl and three buffer solutions with NaCl having ionic strengths (I = 0.16 mol·kg−1) similar to those in blood plasma, have been evaluated at 12 temperatures from (278.15 to 328.15) K using an extended form of the Debye−Huckel equation, since the Bates−Guggenheim convention is valid up to I = 0.1 mol·kg−1. The liquid junction potentials (Ej) between the buffer solutions of MOPSO and the saturated KCl solution of the calomel electrode at (298.15 and 310.15) K have been estimated by measurement with a flowing junction cell. These values of Ej have been used to ascertain the operational pH values at (298.15 and 310.15) K. Three buffer solutions of MOPSO are recommended as useful reference solutions for pH measurements...
Differential sensitivity of sinus node, atrioventricular node, atrium, and ventricle to propranolol

Abstract The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that less propranolol was required to block stellate-induced shortening of atrial and ventricular effective refractory periods (ERPs) than was required to prevent stellate-induced shortening of the spontaneous sinus nodal cycle length and atrioventricular (AV) nodal conduction time. Studies were performed in open-chest, neurally decentralized dogs anesthetized with secobarbital. We determined the dose of propranolol (propranolol dose-response curves) required to block the effects of 1 Hz, 2 Hz, and 4 Hz bilateral ansae subclaviae stimulation on sinus nodal automaticity, AV nodal conduction, and atrial and ventricular ERPs. We found that propranolol at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg eliminated ansae subclaviae-induced shortening of atrial and ventricular ERPs, whereas sinus nodal cycle length and AV nodal conduction time still shortened. These data indicate a differential sensitivity of the sinus and AV nodes compared with atrial and ventricular myocardium to the beta adrenergic receptor-blocking effects of propranolol in response to efferent sympathetic neural stimulation. Clinical implications are that it might be possible to treat sympathetically mediatod ventricular arrhythmias with doses of propranolol that still preserve sinus and AV nodal responses.
Metabolism of 1,8-dinitropyrene by human, rhesus monkey, and rat intestinal microflora

Dinitropyrenes (DNPs) are highly mutagenic in the Salmonella reversion assay and are tumorigenic in rodents. Bacterial nitroreductases have been implicated in the mutagenic activation of DNPs. In this study, we investigated the metabolism of 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) by anaerobic bacterial suspensions derived from human feces, and the intestinal contents of rhesus monkeys and rats. The 1,8-DNP metabolites were isolated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, and identified by comparison of their chromatographic and mass spectral properties with those of authentic compounds. All of the intestinal microflora metabolized 1,8-DNP to 1-amino-8-nitropyrene and 1,8-diaminopyrene. The mutagenic activity of samples extracted from incubations of human or rat intestinal microflora cultured with 1,8-DNP was measured by reversion of Salmonella typhimurium TA98. There was a decrease in the mutagenic activities of the extracts with time of incubation that correlated with increased 1-amino-8-nitropyrene and 1,8-diaminopyrene formation. The decreased mutagenicity of the 1,8-DNP metabolites was confirmed by conducting assays with authentic 1-amino-8-nitropyrene and 1,8-diaminopyrene. Both compounds showed much lower mutagenic activity compared to 1,8-DNP. The results indicate that intestinal microflora have the ability to metabolize 1,8-DNP to amine derivatives that are less mutagenic than the parent compound.
A new spot test for gold

A new spot test for gold is based upon the formation of an orange-yellow chelate with phenyl-α-pyridyl ketoxime. Limit of identification: 0.5μg Au.
Early crustal building processes on the moon: Models for the petrogenesis of the magnesian suite

Abstract The plutonic rocks of the magnesian suite (Mg-suite) represent the period of lunar basaltic magmatism and crustal growth (∼4.46 to 4.1 Ga) that immediately followed the initial differentiation of the Moon by magma ocean (LMO) formation and crystallization. The volume and distribution of the Mg-suite and its petrogenetic relationship to latter stages of lunar magmatism (mare basalts) remains obscure. These plutonic rocks exhibit a range of compositions and include ultramafics, troctolites, spinel troctolites, norites, and gabbronorites. A distinguishing characteristic of this suite is that they contain some of the most magnesium-rich phases (Fo95–90) that had crystallized from lunar magmas, yet they also are significantly enriched in an incompatible element component referred to as KREEP (a late-stage product of LMO crystallization containing abundant potassium (K), rare earth elements (REE), phosphorous (P), uranium, and thorium). Ion microprobe analyses of individual mineral phases (olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase) from the Mg-suite have shown some very unexpected characteristics that have profound implications on the origin of these basaltic magmas. Although the Mg-suite lithologies are typified by silicates with relatively high Mg′, early liquidus phases such as olivine are fairly low in Ni, Co, and Cr relative to more iron-rich olivines in the younger mare basalts. The high Y and Ti/Y in early phases such as olivine and orthopyroxene indicate that the parental basaltic melts were high in incompatible elements and contained an “ilmenite fractionation” signature. However, the Y in olivine from many of the troctolites and ultramafic lithologies are only slightly greater than that of the olivine in the mare basalts whereas olivine in the norites, gabbronorites, and Apollo 14 troctolites are exceedingly high. The KREEP component may have been added to the Mg-suite parent magmas by assimilation or mixing into the mantle source. The volume of KREEP required to be added to the parental magmas of the Mg-suite tends to favor the latter mechanism for KREEP incorporation. The extremely high abundances of KREEP in the norites and gabbronorites are a product of substantial crystallization (40% to 70%) of KREEP-enriched Mg-suite parental magmas. Basaltic magmatism associated with KREEP extended for over 1.5 billion years and appears to have changed over time. The early stages of this style of lunar magmatism (Mg-suite) appear to represent melting of early LMO cumulates with low abundances of Ni, Co, Cr, and V. Later stages of KREEP-rich basaltic magmatism seemed to clearly involve melting of a variety of LMO cumulate assemblages with higher incompatible element enrichment. It appears that the heat derived from the KREEP component was instrumental in at least initiating melting of the lunar mantle over this period of time.