cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[D75] Advancements in robotic exoskeletons for upper limb rehabilitation

Our recent work in robotic rehabilitation has focused on modernization of the hardware and graphical user interface of the MAHI Exo-II, an upper extremity exoskeleton for rehabilitation of stroke and spinal cord injury patients. These improvements include the implementation of hard stops and redundant soft stops to increase safety, the elimination of pinch points to increase comfort, and the compartmentalizing of advanced low-level controllers at each actuator to increase the closed-loop control rate. A streamlined user interface and engaging graphical games will be demonstrated. These two improvements alone increase the usability for the clinician and help to keep the patient actively engaged during the therapy session. We will demonstrate the assistive and resistive haptic feedback provided by the MAHI Exo-II hardware for rehabilitation applications. Additionally, a new “assist-as-needed” adaptive controller will be demonstrated, and the architecture for a brain-machine interface will be presented.
NETp1-15: Blocking Model for All-Optical Overlaid-Star TDM Networks

This paper studies the blocking performance of a class of all-optical overlaid-star TDM networks using a least- congested-path routing strategy in path selection. An analytical model is proposed to estimate the call blocking probability in such networks. This model takes link-load correlation into account and thus can provide accurate estimation of the blocking performance. The accuracy of the analytical model is verified by comparing analytical results with simulation results.
Differentiation in vitro of Mouse Embryos beyond the Implantation Stage

Detailed examination of mouse embryos which are implanted in vitro on reconstituted collagen shows that they survive and differentiate normally for 14 days.
Introduction: accessibility of electronic information resources for all

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to introduce the themed section, “Accessibility”, of this special Library Hi Tech issue.Design/methodology/approach – The paper explains the philosophical underpinnings of the concept of disability and provides an overview of the contributed papers.Findings – By necessity, article collections on online accessibility, such as this special issue, need to be selective.Practical implications – Librarians are partially responsible for putting in place conditions that are either enabling or disabling to library users.Originality/value – This paper introduces the theme of this special Library Hi Tech issue.
Affinity labeling of endothelin receptors in bovine and rat lung membranes by Nϵ9-azidobenzoyl-125I-endothelin-1

Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent, vasoconstrictive peptide isolated from culture media of vascular endothelial cells. The binding of ET-1 to membrane preparations from rat and bovine lung was studied using radioiodinated ET-1 (125I-ET-1). With both membrane preparations, 125I-ET-1 showed saturable binding to a single class of high affinity sites. Scatchard analysis of the binding data gave dissociation constants (Kd) for ET-1 of 0.22 nM and 0.15 nM, and receptor densities (Bmax) of 6.1 pmol/mg and 2.7 pmol/mg for rat and bovine lung membranes, respectively. Photo-reactive radioiodinated ET-1, Nϵ9-azidobenzoyl-125I-ET-1, was synthesized and purified as a mono-reactive affinity labeling reagent. This reagent was used for affinity labeling of ET-1 receptor in bovine and rat lung membranes. Photoaffinity labeling followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and autoradiography gave a radiolabeled protein band with an apparent Mr of 34,000 in both membrane preparations. The labeling of this protein band was inhibited by cold ET-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Labeling was not abolished by unrelated peptides such as angiotensin II and [Arg8]-vasopressin, or by structurally related bee venom apamin. These results indicate that the ET-1 receptor or its ligand binding subunit consists of a 34,000 Da polypeptide.
Health care utilization of carpenters with substance abuse-related diagnoses

Background Persons in the construction trades in the US have high rates of alcohol and substance abuse. We had the unique opportunity to evaluate health care utilization through private insurance and workers' compensation for a group of carpenters at high risk of injury and substance abuse. Methods We identified a cohort of union carpenters. Their claims for medical care through union insurance and workers' compensation, and appropriate measures of time at risk were documented. Using methods of indirect standardization, we compared utilization and costs between carpenters with and without alcohol and substance-abuse related diagnoses (ASRD). Results Through private insurance, those with ASRD had 10% higher outpatient utilization and 2.1 times higher rates of hospitalizations for injury care; 2.6 times higher rates of outpatient care; and 2.9 times higher inpatient admissions for non-injury care. Individuals with ASRD had only modestly increased rates (10%) of outpatient utilization through workers' compensation. Conclusions These findings support the need for alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment services for this workforce. Operationalizing this among highly mobile workforces, such as the construction trades, is a challenge. While not intending to minimize the problems of alcohol or substance abuse on the job among carpenters, the focus of prevention should not necessarily be in the workplace. Am. J. Ind. Med. 43: 120–131, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anorectal function in children after ileoanal pull-through

Mucosal proctectomy and ileoanal pull-through is increasingly used in children requiring total colectomy for ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. Excellent continence can be achieved with this procedure, and it avoids proctocolectomy and permanent ileostomy. We have evaluated prospectively anorectal function in nine consecutively treated children who underwent ileoanal pull-through. Patients were 8 to 17.5 years of age (median, 11.3 years) at the time of surgery; seven had ulcerative colitis, and two had familial polyposis. Anorectal evaluation was performed before colectomy and ileoanal pull-through, following ileoanal pullthrough, after rectal training, and then at yearly intervals. A biofeedback "rectal training" program was instituted 6 weeks after ileoanal pull-through and a contrast study documenting integrity of the pouch. The program consisted of an initial biofeedback session with the motility unit, followed by daily instillations, through a catheter, of progressively larger volumes of water (from 1 to 6 oz, increasing 1 oz per week) into the ileal pouch. Patients were instructed to retain the water and participate in normal activities after the instillation. This protocol acclimated the patient to sensing distension of the pouch and using the sphincters. The follow-up period ranges from 1 to 4.5 years (median, 2.2 years). All patients are continent by day and night. One patient has nocturnal incontinence with episodes of pouchitis. Stool frequency is three to eight movements per day (median, four), with none at night. Preoperative resting rectal sphincter pressures averaged 74.3 +/- 23.1 mm Hg (mean +/- standard deviation), and a maximum squeeze pressure was 93.9 +/- 25.3 mm Hg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of the effects of isoproterenol administered into the hippocampus, frontal cortex, or amygdala on behavior of rats maintained by differential reinforcement of low response rate.

Rationale: Central administration of isoproterenol, a non-selective beta adrenergic agonist, produces behavioral changes in animal models sensitive to antidepressants. However, it is not clear which brain regions mediate these effects. Objectives: To investigate the antidepressant-like effects of site-specific administration of isoproterenol and the involvement of beta adrenergic receptor subtypes. Methods: The effects of isoproterenol, which was administered into the lateral ventricle, hippocampus, frontal cortex, or amygdala, were determined in rats under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) 72-s schedule. The effects of beta adrenergic antagonists on the actions of isoproterenol also were determined. Results: When injected bilaterally into the hippocampus, isoproterenol (1–30 µg/side) decreased response rate and increased reinforcement rate in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum dose of isoproterenol required for changing DRL behavior was 6 µg (i.e., 3 µg bilaterally), compared to 10 µg for intracerebroventricular and 60 µg (30 µg bilaterally) for administration into the frontal cortex or amygdala. These effects of isoproterenol were blocked by the beta adrenergic antagonist propranolol. In addition, the effects of isoproterenol injected intrahippocampally also were antagonized dose-dependently by the beta-1 selective antagonist betaxolol and the beta-2 selective antagonist ICI 118,551. The relative potency of these antagonists for blocking the effects of isoproterenol suggested predominant mediation by beta-1 adrenergic receptors. Conclusions: The hippocampus is an important site involved in mediating the antidepressant-like effect of isoproterenol. This suggests a key, although not exclusive, role for this site in the pathophysiology of depression and its pharmacotherapy.
Initial Observations of the Nightside Ionosphere of Venus from Pioneer Venus Orbiter Radio Occultations

Results of radio occultation measurements of electron density profiles of the nightside ionosphere of Venus at solar zenith angles from 90 to 164 deg, obtained from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, are reported. Data were derived from closed-loop S- and X-band signals received by the Deep Space Network upon ionospheric entry and exit of the spacecraft. Nightside electron density profiles are found to be rather uniform in the solar zenith angle range of from 95 to 107 deg, with peak electron densities ranging from 23,000 to 40,000/cu cm, while between 110 and 164 deg, profiles exhibit a high degree of variability and peak electron densities vary from 7,600 to 31,800/cu cm. A possible mechanism for the maintenance of the nightside Venus ionosphere during the long Venus night, which is consistent with the observed spatial and temporal variability of deep ionospheric electron density profiles, is proposed to be impact ionization by precipitating particles, although transport processes from the dayside may also be important.
Peer interactions and sociometric status of high school students with moderate or severe disabilities in general education classrooms

We examined the social status of six high school students with moderate or severe disabilities in general education cooking classes and compared their social interaction behaviors with those of pee...
LECITHIN CONTENT IN HYPOPHARYNGEAL MUCUS OF NEWBORN INFANTS

Determination of lecithin, sphingomyelin ratios (L/S) has been used to quantitate lecithin in amniotic fluid. We have modified this technique to study lecithin content of hypopharyngeal mucus in the newborn. Mucus samples collected during the first 2 hours after admission to the Newborn Special Care Unit were analysed for L/S in 93 infants. In 10 infants,L/S of amniotic fluid obtained at Cesarian section was compared to the 0-2 hr. collection of hypopharyngeal mucus with good correlation. In the 17 infants with Idiopathic Respiratory Distress Syndrome (IRDS), the mean L/S of hypopharyngeal mucus was 1.6 (range 0.4 - 1.9). With serial sampling, L/S in infants with IRDS either remained low until clinical improvement was noted, or never rose in those infants who succumbed. Infants who did not develop IRDS had hypopharyngeal mucus L/S's ranging from 0.9 - 13.0 with a trend of increasing L/S with increasing gestational age. Such infants with low L/S were not significantly acidemic on admission and showed rising L/S values over the first 12 hours. L/S determination of hypopharyngeal mucus appears to be a rapid means of objectively documenting IRDS and of providing in vivo information on pulmonary biochemical maturity.
A retrospective on the SiGe HBT: What we do know, what we don't know, and what we would like to know better

By any reasonable reckoning, SiGe HBT BiCMOS technology has “come of age,” as evidenced by a robust set of sources for SiGe fabrication around the world (including open foundries in the USA, Europe and Asia), multiple generational scaling nodes in production (3, soon to be 4), significant market penetration in a diverse set of performance-constrained analog, digital and RF systems, and recognized appeal for use in emerging mm-wave through near-THz electronic systems. In this retrospective on the SiGe HBT, I share a personal view of what we do know, what we don't know, and what we would like to know better, from the perspective of materials, devices, technology, circuits, and applications.
Symmetry-Breaking for Solutions of Semilinear Elliptic Equations with General Boundary Conditions*

We study the bifurcation of radially symmetric solutions of Δ+f(u)=0 onn-balls, into asymmetric ones. We show that ifu satisfies homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, the asymmetric components in the kernel of the linearized operators can have arbitrarily high dimension. For general boundary conditions, we prove some theorems which give bounds on the dimensions of the set of asymmetric solutions, and on the structure of the kernels of the linearized operators.
Performance analyses of an Nb–1Zr/C-103 vapor anode multi-tube alkali-metal thermal-to-electric conversion cell

Abstract The results of performance analyses of a refractory Nb–1Zr/C-103 vapor anode multi-tube alkali-metal thermal-to-electric conversion (AMTEC) cell are presented and discussed. This cell could be used with a radioisotope heater unit to provide electric power from tens to a few hundreds of watts. In the tens of kilowatts electric range, the AMTEC cells could be used with a parabolic solar concentrator or a nuclear reactor heat source. The present cell measures 41.27 mm in diameter and is 125.3 mm high and has eight sodium beta ′′ -alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) tubes, which are connected electrically in series to provide a load voltage in excess of 3 V. The hot structure of the cell, including the hot plate, the BASE tube support plate, the hot plenum wall and conduction stud, the evaporator standoff and porous wick and the side wall facing the BASE tubes, is made of Nb–1Zr. The cell's colder structure, which includes the condenser structure, the interior thermal radiation shield, the casing and wick of the liquid sodium return artery and the side wall above the BASE tubes, is made of C-103. This niobium alloy is stronger and has a lower thermal conductivity than Nb–1Zr, reducing the parasitic heat conduction losses in the cell wall, hence enhancing the cell's performance. The base cell weighs 163.4 g and delivers 7 W e at 17% conversion efficiency and load voltage of 3.3 V (cell specific mass of 23.4 g/W e ). These performance parameters were for TiN BASE electrodes characterized by B =75 A K 1/2 /m 2 Pa and G =50, assuming a BASE/electrode contact resistance of 0.06 Ω cm 2 and a BASE braze structure leakage resistance of 3 Ω. Also, the inner surfaces of the thermal radiation shield and the cell wall above the BASE tubes were covered with low emissivity rhodium. The temperatures of the BASE brazes and the evaporator were below the recommended design limits (1123 and 1023 K, respectively), and the temperature margin was ⩾+20 K to avoid sodium condensation inside the BASE tube, shorting the cell. When high performance electrodes, characterized by B =120 A K 1/2 /m 2 Pa and G =10, were used, the cell's electric power increased to 8.38 W e at 3.5 V, and the efficiency increased to 18.8%, decreasing the specific mass of the cell to 19.7 g/W e without exceeding any of the design temperature limits.
A method for the determination of the number of reticulated platelets from whole blood

Abstract Platelets still containing RNA and DNA remnants are considered to be the immediate progeny of megakaryocytes which have matured beyond the proplatelet formation stage. Numerous investigators have shown that platelets which stain with thiazole orange, a nucleic acid dye, have increased RNA content, and therefore are the youngest platelets in the circulation. These immature, or reticulated platelets, are analogous to red blood cell reticulocytes in their level of differentiation, but not their function. Platelet analysis using thiazole orange dye, in combination with flow cytometry, has been recently shown by a number of investigators to be an optimal method for detection of this immature platelet population. However, the many variations in protocols cause results to greatly differ between laboratories. In our studies, we used a similar whole blood analysis approach developed by Matic and colleagues to quantitate the amount of dye needed for optimal staining. Therefore, we used a dose-escalation of thiazole orange (0.25 μg–50 μg) in combination with CD61 conjugated with phycoerythrin without any wash steps, which assures minimal platelet loss. CD61 was used in this setting in order to set an initial gate on the platelet population. There was a direct, dose-response relationship between the amount of thiazole orange added and the number of reticulated platelets observed. A plateau was reached with 5 μg thiazole orange per 5 μL of whole blood, while 12.5 μg was found to be optimal. Increasing amounts of thiazole orange produced a population shift, or mean channel shift, that needed to be accounted for when setting gates for thiazole orange positive events. We observed that nearly 7% of the platelets in normal resting BDF 1 mice were reticulated. This compares to a reticulated population in humans of less than 10%. This protocol combines the ease of sample preparation with stability and accuracy for determining the number of reticulated platelets, and should be a useful method in efforts to standardize the enumeration of reticulated platelets from whole blood. Furthermore, the use of thiazole orange for determining reticulated platelet numbers provides a reproducible and validated method for the analysis of platelet precursors, and, thus, may be a useful tool for predicting platelet recovery post-chemotherapy.
Real-time optical expert systems

Optics has advantages for overcoming limitations arising when applying existing electronic technologies to real-time parallel computation. In particular, spatial light modulators (SLMs) permit simultaneous storage, multiplication, and/or complex interconnection. A simple expert uses an SLM crossbar switch to provide a flexible and fast implementation of combinatorial logic. A second expert system, illustrated using medical diagnosis, uses the Bayes theorem to update recursively the probabilities of various illnesses given additional symptom information. The a priori probability matrices are stored in SLMs which provide matrix–vector multiplication and interconnection. Computation of the best next symptom question is possible because of the high speed.
Richard Cowling Taylor: Founder of Appalachian coal geology

Abstract Richard Cowling Taylor (1789–1851) was a British-born American geologist, generally specializing in the coal geology of the Pennsylvanian system and in the Triassic coals of Pennsylvania and Virginia. While he long clung to older, disproved age assignments and made some mistakes in structural geology, therefore missing coal-bearing synclines beyond the immediate study area, he did pioneer the use of cross sections of coal basins and made advancements in the uniform expression of geologic maps. His work in the western end of Pennsylvania's Southern Anthracite field, Broad Top coalfield, and the North-central coalfields and in Virginia's Richmond Basin provided valuable insights into the exploration and development of those areas in the 1830's and 1840's.
Adhesive bonding of acetylated wood

Abstract Eighteen thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives, including emulsion polymer-isocyanates, polyurethane, moisture-curing hot-melt, polyvinyl acetates, neoprene and waterborn contacts, casein, epoxy, melamine, ureas, resorcinol, phenol-resorcinols, and phenolics, were tested for their adhesion to yellow-poplar wood acetylated to 0, 8, 14 and 20 weight percent gains. Effectiveness of adhesion was determined by measuring shear strength and wood failure in a dry condition and after saturation with water. Adhesion was reduced to varying degrees in proportion to the compatibility of the adhesive with the amount of non-pollar, hydrophobic acetate groups in the acetylated wood. Seven of the adhesives developed bonds of high integrity at all levels of acetylation when tested in the dry condition. Two room-temperature-setting adhesives, one a resorcinol-formaldehyde and the other a phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde, together with a hot-setting acid-catalysed phenol-formaldehyde, developed bonds of high strength and resulted in wood failure at all levels of acetylation when tested in the water-saturated condition.
Viscoelastic Behavior of Commercially Processed Soy Isolate Pastes During Heating and Cooling

The viscoelastic properties of soy isolate dispersions of Prolina and Brim cultivars, commercially processed, were compared during heating and cooling utilizing small deformation rheology. All isolates formed gels upon hydration. Heating to 90 °C yielded less rigid gels, as evidenced by a decreasing G'. Holding at 90 °C induced an increase in G' for Brim isolate, possibly as a result of increased hydrophobic and/or covalent bonding. Cooling to 25 °C generated a G' increase above initial levels for both cultivars, likely due to enhanced intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Mechanical spectra at 25 °C before and after heating, and at 90 °C before and after holding, confirmed these observations. A lower G' was consistently exhibited by Prolina gels throughout testing.
ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRUS TYPE 2 BINDS TO A 150-KILODALTON CELL MEMBRANE GLYCOPROTEIN

Early events, including the identification of the cellular receptor, have not yet been described for adeno-associated virus (AAV) infection. In this study, the binding characteristics of AAV-2 to human cells were examined in two different assays. In a liquid-phase assay, in which binding of biotinylated virus to cells in suspension was measured, AAV-2 showed specific binding to four different permissive cell lines: HeLa S3, 293, D6, and KB cells. In contrast, AAV-2 binding to erythrocytes or to the nonpermissive cell line UT-7/Epo was negligible. AAV-2 binding showed saturation kinetics. Both binding and infectivity of AAV-2 were abolished by trypsin treatment of cells, with significant recovery of bindings after 8 hr of culture, suggesting that virus attachment occurs through a protein that can be regenerated on the cell surface. In a second, virus overlay assay, we assessed binding of [35S]methionine-labeled AAV-2 to membrane proteins that had been transferred to nitrocellulose after electrophoretic separation. In this assay, virus attachment was shown to a 150-kDa protein. This protein was present in membranes from the AAV-2 permissive cell lines but not detected in membranes from erythrocytes or UT-7/Epo cells. Enzymatic deglycosylation studies suggested that N-linked glycans are required for AAV-2 binding. A 150-kDa glycoprotein might serve as the cellular receptor for AAV-2.
Bounds for error in the solution set of a perturbed linear program

Abstract In this paper we develop bounds for the displacement in the solution set of a system of perturbed linear inequalities, then apply these results to find estimates for changes in the solution set of a perturbed linear program.
Assessment of Ecological Factors as an Integral Part of Academic and Mental Health Consultation

The assessment of ecological factors that affect individual mental health or academic functioning is an important component of educational and psychological consultation. Researchers and practitioners have conceptualized such ecological or environmental factors in a variety of ways and from a broad range of perspectives. In this article we identify and describe important components of a student's environment that affect both instruction and mental health. The integration of these components into present educational and psychological assessments is discussed in light of available research. We conclude by highlighting specific needs for further research and development in ecological assessment, including expansion and improvement of assessment methods, improvement of available instrumentation, and increased attention toward effective implementation.
Frontal network syndrome testing: clinical tests and positron emission tomography brain imaging help distinguish the 3 most common dementia subtypes.

Background:Dementia diagnosis and the various subtypes are challenging in the absence of biomarkers.Aim:To examine available tests and neuroimaging procedures that may help distinguish these disord...
Doppler-Only Imaging of Stationary Targets

Conventional Synthetic Aperture Radar combines high range resolution waveforms collected from disparate directions/locations to form an image in range and cross-range. If the radar bandwidth is narrow, then range resolution will suffer and the overall image will be degraded. (This necessarily happens when the radar's carrier frequency is small, for instance.) There is, however, a complementary imaging mode in which very narrow frequency-domain pulses are collected by a platform in relative motion with the target and combined to form an image. Such systems rely on Doppler frequency shift measurements (instead of range information). For various practical reasons, this kind of imaging has not been well examined, but there are situations where the scheme is useful (in principle). We develop the theory of radar imaging from data measured by a moving antenna emitting a single-frequency waveform. We show that, under a linearized (Born) scattering model, the signal at a given Doppler shift is due to a superposition of returns from stationary scatterers on a cone whose axis is the flight velocity vector. This cone reduces to a hyperbola when the scatterers are known to lie on a planar surface. In this case, reconstruction of the scatterer locations can be accomplished by a tomographic inversion in which the scattering density function is reconstructed from its integrals over hyperbolas. We give an approximate reconstruction formula and analyze the resolution of the resulting image. We provide a numerical shortcut and show results of numerical tests in a simple case.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analytic Approaches to Strategic Marketing Planning for Area Economic Development

While interest in economic development is growing and increasingly urgent, relatively little conceptual or empirical research has been conducted on the subject of area marketing. Generally, area marketers have adapted techniques from the industrial location schools of economic geography, without sharing the purpose or assumptions upon which these techniques are based. This article develops a framework for analytic approaches to area marketing planning, based on a review of existing and potential techniques.
Effective and Robust Vibration Control Using Series Multiple Tuned-Mass Dampers

Various types of tuned-mass dampers (TMDs), or dynamic vibration absorbers, have been proposed in literature, including the classic TMD, (parallel) multiple TMDs, multidegree-of-freedom (DOF) TMD, and three-element TMD. In this paper we sturdy the characteristics and optimization of a new type of TMD system, in which multiple absorbers are connected to the primary system in series. Decentralized H 2 and H ∞ control methods are adopted to optimize the parameters of spring stiffness and damping coefficients for random and harmonic vibration. It is found that series multiple TMDs are more effective and robust than all the other types of TMDs of the same mass ratio. The series two TMDs of total mass ratio of 5% can appear to have 31―66% more mass than the classical TMD, and it can perform better than the optimal parallel ten TMDs of the same total mass ratio. The series TMDs are also less sensitive to the parameter variance of the primary system than other TMD(s). Unlike in the parallel multiple TMDs where at the optimum the absorber mass is almost equally distributed, in the optimal series TMDs the mass of the first absorber is generally much larger than the second one. Similar to the 2DOF TMD, the optimal series two TMDs also have zero damping in one of its two connections, and further increased effectiveness can be obtained if a negative dashpot is allowed. The optimal performance and parameters of series two TMDs are obtained and presented in a form of ready-to-use design charts.
Discovery of a benzo[e]pyrimido-[5,4-b][1,4]diazepin-6(11H)-one as a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Big MAP Kinase 1

Kinome-wide selectivity profiling of a collection of 2-amino-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines followed by cellular structure−activity relationship-guided optimization resulted in the identification of moderately potent and selective inhibitors of BMK1/ERK5 exemplified by 11, 18, and 21. For example, 11 possesses a dissociation constant (Kd) for BMK1 of 19 nM, a cellular IC50 for inhibiting epidermal growth factor induced BMK1 autophosphorylation of 0.19 ± 0.04 μM, and an Ambit KINOMEscan selectivity score (S5) of 0.035. Inhibitors 18 and 21 are also potent BMK1 inhibitors and possess favorable pharmacokinetic properties which enable their use as pharmacological probes of BMK1-dependent phenomena as well as starting points for further optimization efforts.
Quantitative analysis of texture evolution of cold-rolled direct-chill-cast and continuous-cast AA5052 and AA5182 aluminum alloys during isothermal annealing

The as-received direct-chill-cast (DC) and continuous-cast (CC) AA5052 and AA5182 hot bands were preheated at 454 °C for 4 hours, followed by cold rolling to an 80 pct reduction in thickness. The texture evolution of these cold-rolled samples during isothermal annealing was investigated by X-ray diffraction. The variation in texture volume fractions with annealing time was quantitatively analyzed by using the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation. The differences in recrystallization textures between the AA5052 and AA5182 alloys and between the DC and CC alloys were compared. It was found that the AA5052 alloy possessed a stronger cube recrystallization texture than the AA5182 alloy for the DC and CC materials. The recrystallization textures of the AA5182 alloy were affected strongly by the annealing temperature. As the annealing temperature increased, the cube recrystallization texture strengthened, whereas the R texture weakened. The annealing temperature had little influence on the recrystallization textures of the AA5052 alloy. The DC AA5052 and 5182 alloys also exhibited stronger cube recrystallization textures than the corresponding CC alloys. For the DC and CC AA5052 alloys, the n value in the JMAK-type equation increased with an increase in the annealing temperature, while the n values varied only slightly with the annealing temperature for the DC and CC AA5182 alloys.
The effect of dietary protein depletion on hepatic 5-fluorouracil metabolism.

Background. Protein calorie malnutrition, which is highly prevalent in tumor-bearing hosts, increases toxicity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), but the mechanisms are unclear. This study investigated the effects of protein depletion on 5-FU in vivo hepatic metabolism using Flg-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ("F-NMRS). Methods. Rats received normal (21.5%) or low (2.5%) protein diet for 25 days. 5-FU was injected intraperitoneally, and hepatic fluorine spectra were obtained. Parallel experiments were conducted to determine serum 5-FU pharmacokinetics using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and to measure hepatic dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) activity. Results. The mean time of initial detection of fluoro/3-alanine and the mean duration of the 5-FU signal in the liver were significantly prolonged in the low-protein group. 5-FU clearance and hepatic DPD activity were significantly lower in the low-protein group. Low-protein animals demonstrated increased toxicity, with diarrhea, weight loss, leukopenia (P < 0.001), and an 85% mortality, compared with regular diet animals, who had mild diarrhea and weight loss but no leukopenia and a 12% mortality. Conclusion. Protein depletion results in increased toxicity to 5-FU, which is associated with a significantly decreased rate of hepatic metabolism and clearance of 5-FU and a significant decrease in hepatic DPD activity. "F-NMRS can noninvasively identify these alterations of 5-FU metabolism in vivo and may serve as a useful guide to determining chemotherapy dosage adjustments to reduce toxicity. Cancer 1993; 723715-22.
NCCAM support for the Cochrane Collaboration CAM Field.

Abstract Americans use CAM therapies now more than ever before, yet there is a shortage of accessible high-quality evidence from clinical trials to show which CAM therapies work best and for which conditions. The need for such evidence is great, not only among people with serious, chronic health conditions, but also among healthcare providers, who often require clinical trial evidence before recommending a medical treatment. For the last few years, the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine has been working steadily to meet this need for information by identifying published clinical trials of alternative therapies, summarizing these into rigorous scientific reviews, and disseminating these reviews to the general public and to healthcare providers. In May 2003, the Center was awarded a large 4-year research grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to support and extend this important work.
Analysis of spatial point patterns using bundles of product density LISA functions

The analysis of a spatial point pattern is often in volved with looking for spatial structure, such as clustering or regularity in the points (or events). For example, it is of biological interest to characterize the pattern of tree locations in a forest. This has traditionally been done using global summaries, such as the K-function or its differential, the product density function. In this article, we define a local version of the product density function for each event, derived under a definition of a local indicator of spatial association (LISA). These product density LISA functions can then be grouped into bundles of similar functions using multivariate hierarchical clustering techniques. The bundles can then be visualized by a replotting of the data, obtained via classical multidimensional scaling of the statistical distances between functions. Thus, we propose a different way of looking for structure based on how an event relates to nearby events. We apply this method to a point pattern of pine saplings in a Finnish forest and show remarkable, heretofore undiscovered, spatial structure in the data.
“Spot 14” Protein Functions at the Pretranslational Level in the Regulation of Hepatic Metabolism by Thyroid Hormone and Glucose

"Spot 14" protein appears rapidly in nuclei of hepatocytes exposed to glucose and thyroid hormone. Exposure of glucose- and T3-treated hepatocytes to a spot 14 antisense oligonucleotide inhibited induction of mRNAs encoding malic enzyme, ATP citrate-lyase, fatty acid synthase, liver-type pyruvate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and type I deiodinase but not hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, cytochrome c, and actin mRNAs. Induction of spot 14, ATP citrate-lyase, and fatty acid synthase polypeptides, but not propionyl-CoA carboxylase and mitochondrial pyruvate carboxylase, was inhibited. Antisense treatment of hepatocytes transfected with a reporter controlled by a glucose- and T3-inducible fragment of the pyruvate kinase gene promoter inhibited reporter activity, as did cotransfection of the reporter and a spot 14 antisense plasmid. Spot 14 protein acts in the induction of mRNAs coding for key lipogenic (malic enzyme, ATP citrate-lyase, fatty acid synthase), glycolytic (pyruvate kinase), and gluconeogenic enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), as well as the diet-responsive type I deiodinase, but not those involved in mitochondrial respiration (cytochrome c) or cholesterol synthesis (hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase). Transfection experiments indicated that these effects are mediated at the transcriptional level. The protein functions in the activation of genes involved in metabolic switching between the fasted and fed states in liver.
The DNA maturation domain of gpA, the DNA packaging motor protein of bacteriophage lambda, contains an ATPase site associated with endonuclease activity

Terminase enzymes are common to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses and are responsible for packaging viral DNA into the confines of an empty capsid shell. In bacteriophage lambda the catalytic terminase subunit is gpA, which is responsible for maturation of the genome end prior to packaging and subsequent translocation of the matured DNA into the capsid. DNA packaging requires an ATPase catalytic site situated in the N terminus of the protein. A second ATPase catalytic site associated with the DNA maturation activities of the protein has been proposed; however, direct demonstration of this putative second site is lacking. Here we describe biochemical studies that define protease-resistant peptides of gpA and expression of these putative domains in Escherichia coli. Biochemical characterization of gpA-DeltaN179, a construct in which the N-terminal 179 residues of gpA have been deleted, indicates that this protein encompasses the DNA maturation domain of gpA. The construct is folded, soluble and possesses an ATP-dependent nuclease activity. Moreover, the construct binds and hydrolyzes ATP despite the fact that the DNA packaging ATPase site in the N terminus of gpA has been deleted. Mutation of lysine 497, which alters the conserved lysine in a predicted Walker A "P-loop" sequence, does not affect ATP binding but severely impairs ATP hydrolysis. Further, this mutation abrogates the ATP-dependent nuclease activity of the protein. These studies provide direct evidence for the elusive nucleotide-binding site in gpA that is directly associated with the DNA maturation activity of the protein. The implications of these results with respect to the two roles of the terminase holoenzyme, DNA maturation and DNA packaging, are discussed.
Superresolution ultrasound for imaging and microscopy

A practical method for sub-millimeter imaging in vivo would provide considerable benefits to both laboratory investigations and clinical diagnosis. Consequently, numerous imaging modalities have sought to achieve this high-resolution. Ultrasound is a viable candidate for such imaging, due to its ability to penetrate deeply and safely into tissues. However, previous studies have approached the problem by using increasingly higher ultrasound frequencies. The unfortunate tradeoff for higher frequencies is a simultaneous increase in the level of ultrasound attenuation, which has allowed imaging only a few millimeters deep. Our investigation proposes a new method that could allow sub-millimeter in vivo imaging at substantially lower frequencies than previously reported, thus allowing significantly greater depth penetration. To achieve this, we introduce a new superresolution imaging technique designed to resolve objects significantly smaller than the imaging wavelength. Our method exploits unique properties of ultrasound in order to provide additional information than achieved with related optical techniques. Presently, we outline the method and then demonstrate the procedure by reconstructing images of a human hair, which is more than one order of magnitude smaller then the source wavelength.
Expanding education through active space collaboration

We introduce a system called e-Fuzion based on using computing devices, such as Tablet PCs, that empower students and teachers with better technologies for educational interaction. We propose an e-Fuzion integration with ubiquitous computer environments of smart devices and active spaces using a system called Gaia. At present, e-Fuzion facilitates electronic communication in a seamless, integrated classroom, giving students additional ways to interact with faculty and each other. E-Fuzion encourages students to participate actively even in large scale class settings. By integrating e-Fuzion into an active space, we enhance the effectiveness of the existing system by taking advantage of the ubiquitous nature of smart devices and their unique communication capabilities. The end result is that students are able to interact, record data and share ideas more quickly than in the traditional classroom.
The child with the varus foot.

One of the most touching and anguishing feeling neurosurgeons may experience in their professional life is the appreciation of the endurance most suffering children demonstrate towards their disease and the associated handicaps. The nice smiling of the crippled child painted by the Spanish artist Jusepe de Ribera (Jativa, Valencia 1591– Naples 1652) in 1642 on the cover picture is a further example of the extraordinary tolerance of children in coping with their sufferings. The naked pes equinus, which the child shows, gave the painting its denominations: Le pied bot, El lisiado, The child with the varus foot. However, the flexed posture of the right hand, the shorter right arm as compared with the opposite corresponding limb, and the deviated buccal rim might suggest a right hemiparesis from a perinatal occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. The self-assured and almost amused attitude of the painted child also suggests a normal mental development, as it occurs in most cases, which are not complicated by drug-resistant epilepsy. The painting, originally painted for don Ramiro Felipe de Guzman, Naples viceroy from 1637 to 1644, was then acquired by the Flamish marchand and art collector Ferdinand Vandeneynde. In 1849, it was owned by the physician Louis La Caze to be successively donated to the Louvre museum in Paris in 1869. It is possible that the painting was originally intended for a cabinet de curiosites, one of the many private collections consisting of a variety of unusual things, from antiques to oddities of the nature, to which the cultivated and rich elites of the time liked to indulge. These cabinets might be regarded as the precursors of the modern museums. After the manner of Caravaggio, de Ribera utilized a nearly monochromatic palette; however, the perspective from below, the fierce gesture of the child holding the stick on this left shoulder, the waste expanse of the sky of the background gave the portrayal an extreme dignity. The same dignity can be found in another work of the painter: a representation of a further oddity of the nature, namely the portrait of Maddalena Ventura, nowadays at the Fundacion Duque de Lerma in Toledo, the artist painted on request by another Naples viceroy, the duke of Alcala in 1631 (Fig. 1). Childs Nerv Syst (2006) 22:1377–1378 DOI 10.1007/s00381-006-0218-0
Educating Gifted Persons who are Caring and Concerned

The paper emphasises the importance of attending to a dimension of giftedness which involves the development of caring, concerned, compassionate, committed individuals who develop and use their giftedness for society's benefit as well as for self fulfilment. The writer argues for the importance of developing leadership motivated to bringing about world peace. Since gifted children have greater sensitivity in social, moral and ethical awareness, we must nurture these sensitivities through appropriate curricula, understanding of real-life problems, awareness of worldwide news, and direct communication with other gifted children around the world.
Let Music Sound while She Doth Make Her Choice.

To attract females during courtship, Drosophila melanogaster males sing songs with motifs of varying temporal structure. In this issue of Neuron, Clemens et al. (2015) identify a song feature indicating male fitness and propose a neural mechanism for how it may be extracted from the auditory signal by female flies.
Assessing phagocytic clearance of cell death in experimental stroke by ligatable fluorescent probes

We describe a new histochemical approach for visualization of phagocytic clearance in focal brain ischemia. The approach permits the study of elimination of dead cells in stroke by waste-management phagocytes of any cellular lineage. Although numerous cells of different origins that are capable of phagocytosis are present in ischemic brain, only part of them actively engulf and digest cell corpses. The selective visualization, quantification and analysis of such active phagocytic waste-management are helpful in assessing brain response to ischemia. Efficient cell death clearance is important for brain recovery from ischemic injury, as it opens the way for the subsequent regenerative processes. The failure to clean the corpses would result in a toxic reaction caused by non-degraded DNA and proteins. The described procedure uses fluorescent probes selectively ligated by a viral topoisomerase to characteristic DNA breaks produced in all phagocytes during engulfment and digestion of cells irreversibly damaged by ischemia. The method is a new tool for the investigation of brain reaction to ischemic injury.
Coronary artery aneurysm formation following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: treatment of associated restenosis with repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Restenosis following coronary angioplasty can usually be treated effectively and safely by repeated angioplasty. However, the presence of a complex lesion morphology may bias the clinician away from angioplasty toward either recommending bypass surgery or continuing medical therapy alone in spite of recurrence of the symptoms which were sufficient indication for the initial angioplasty. One type of complex morphology at the site of the restenosis is due to the presence of a focal, eccentric aneurysmal dilatation similar in appearance to a saccular aneurysm. In two previously reported cases in the literature both were referred to bypass surgery. We report eight additional cases including the use of repeat successful angioplasty in six of the cases in spite of the potential problems posed by the complexity of the restenosed lesion. In addition, this case review suggests that this type of complex lesion morphology with restenosis may be more common when the initial angioplasty was associated with deep arterial injury, as in patients whose initial angloplasty was done in an infarct-related vessel or was associatedwith evidence of a large dissection.
Dependence of the Frequency Spectrum of Small Amplitude Vibrations Superimposed on Finite Deformations of a Nonlinear, Cylindrical Elastic Body on Residual Stress

We model and analyze the response of nonlinear, residually stressed elastic bodies subjected to small amplitude vibrations superimposed upon large deformations. The problem derives from modeling the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging to interrogate atherosclerotic plaques in vivo in large arteries. The goal of this investigation is twofold: (i) introduce a modeling framework for residual stress that unlike traditional Fung type classical opening angle models may be used for a diseased artery, and (ii) investigate the sensitivity of the spectra of small amplitude high frequency time harmonic vibrations superimposed on a large deformation to the details of the residual stress stored in arteries through a numerical simulation using physiologic parameter values under both low and high blood pressure loadings. The modeling framework also points the way towards an inverse problem using IVUS techniques to estimate residual stress in healthy and diseased arteries.