cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydronephrosis: Prenatal and postnatal

Renal pelvic dilation is the most common “abnormality” that is identified on prenatal ultrasonography. In the majority of cases detection does not alter the course of the pregnancy. A genitourinary abnormality is rarely apparent at birth. This chapter discusses the appropriate prenatal evaluation and consultation in fetuses with renal dilation. The subsequent postnatal evaluation and management of renal pelvic dilation and hydronephrosis is discussed in the last half of the chapter.
A Bidirectional 36 Gbps Connectorless Connector at 2-4 cm Using a 28 GHz 2×2 Phased-Array with Position-Offset Compensation

This paper presents a high-data rate wireless link over a short distance using a 2×2 phased-array. The array can be used as a connectorless connector that enables ultra-fast data transfer without the need for a physical cable connecting the transmitter and receiver. It is seen that the use of phased-array scanning, even in a small array, greatly increases the link robustness versus misalignment and maintains a low EVM over large misalignment distances.
Sensation seeking and impulsivity as predictors of high-risk sexual behaviours among international travellers

Disease transmission across borders may occur during the context of international travel and is a critical public health arena for study. This study examined the associations between personality fa...
Ontogenetic Pleiotropy of Genes Involved in CNVs in Human Spontaneous Abortions

Using chromosome microarray analysis, 52 samples of placental tissues from first trimester human spontaneous abortions were examined. One hundred twenty copy number variations (CNVs) were identified, affecting one or more genes (total of 427 genes). Using enrichment analysis with the mammalian phenotype ontology, all genes were divided into 183 categories (p ≤ 0.05). The embryogenesis category included 22 genes: AIP, BMP4, BMP5, CDKN1C, EXT1, GAB1, H19, HOXD13, IGF2, KIT, LDHA, NKX2-5, NRK, PEG3, PHLDA2, SMCHD1, SMN1, TBX3, TGIF1, TH, TLX2, and TRR. In this paper, the functions of each of the above genes and pathological phenotypes associated with mutations in them are discussed. A hypothesis of the pleiotropic effect of genes involved in CNVs in spontaneous abortions is proposed.
Implementing routine communication about costs of cancer treatment: perspectives of providers, patients, and caregivers.

Rising costs in oncology care often impact patients and families directly, making communication about costs and financial impacts of treatment crucial. Cost expenditures could offer opportunities for estimation and prediction, affording personalized conversations about financial impact. We sought to explore providers’, patients’, and caregivers’ preferences towards implementing communication about cost, including when, how, and by whom such information might be provided. We conducted semi-structured phone interviews with a diverse population including 12 oncology providers, 12 patients, and 8 patient caregivers (N = 32). The constant comparative method was used to identify mutually agreed upon themes. Participant groups differed in their concerns surrounding cost communication, namely whether they want to receive this information and how such information might impact provider and patient treatment decisions. All participants agreed that oncology providers should not be leading cost conversations. Patients and caregivers identified social workers or financial advisors as most equipped to communicate about cost. Participants emphasized timely cost conversations, ideally around the time of diagnosis. Participants favored various metrics of financial impact beyond overall costs of care including disability, days lost from work, and out-of-pocket expenses. Cost transparency should be incorporated into usual care; however, there are several challenges to making cost conversations a part of everyday practice. Patients and family members need resources related to cost to aid in decision-making and those delivering cost information should have competency in oncology, financial advisement, and patient-centered care.
Outcomes of Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Unresectable Combined Biphenotypic Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract Purpose To evaluate outcomes of yttrium-90 radioembolization in patients with combined biphenotypic hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC). Materials and Methods A retrospective review of patients with biopsy-confirmed cHCC-CC treated with yttrium-90 radioembolization between 2012 and 2018 was performed. Twenty-two patients with cHCC-CC (mean age 65.6 y, 17 men, 5 women) underwent 29 radioembolization treatments (5 resin, 24 glass microspheres). Survival data were available in 21 patients, and hepatic imaging response data were available in 20 patients. Hepatic imaging response to radioembolization was assessed on follow-up CT or MR imaging using modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours criteria. Univariate stepwise Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between demographic and clinical factors and survival. Logistic regression evaluated associations between clinical factors and response to treatment, overall response, and disease control. Results Hepatic imaging response was as follows: 15% complete response, 40% partial response, 10% stable disease, and 35% progressive disease (55% response rate, 65% disease control rate). Two patients were downstaged or bridged to transplant, and 1 patient was downstaged to resection. Median overall survival was 9.3 mo (range, 2.5–31.0 mo) from time of radioembolization. Nonreponse to treatment, bilobar disease, presence of multiple tumors, and elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 before treatment were associated with reduced survival after radioembolization. Conclusions Radioembolization is a viable option for locoregional control of cHCC-CC with good response and disease control rates.
Psychosocial Needs of Released Long-Term Incarcerated Older Adults:

In the context of mass incarceration, more and more prisoners grow old in U.S. prisons, and with recent changes in legislation more and more are being released. These individuals are often ill-prep...
Scapuloperoneal Myopathy and Cardiomyopathy with a Novel MYH7 Mutation: A Case Report

Introduction: Myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7)-related myopathies have variable clinical features and onsets and are emerging as a group of muscle diseases that affect a wide range of age groups. While individuals with (MYH7)-related myopathies will present with cardiac or skeletal involvement, it is less common to see cardiac and skeletal involvement occurring in a single individual. Case Report: A 66-year old right-handed woman presented to the clinic for progressive ascending weakness, weight loss, and severe dysphagia. Symptoms first arose when the patient was in her 20s when she reported lower extremity weakness. Over the years, the weakness has ascended, and today the patient is unable to raise her arms. The patient has a family history of muscle disease, but testing has not been done. Neurological examination of mental status and cranial nerve were intact. Shoulder abduction, flexion, and extension was 2/5 bilaterally. Hip flexion was 3/5, and foot dorsiflexion was 2/5 bilaterally. There was no elevation of serum creatinine, and EMG showed myopathic process. Muscle biopsy of the deltoid revealed a myopathic changes with mini cores. EKG reveals first degree AV block with anterior ischemia and echocardiogram showing features of dilated cardiomyopathy. The genetic panel revealed c.4522_c.4524del (p.Glu1508del) resulting in pathogenic mutation of MYH7 leading to scapuloperoneal myopathy. Discussion: This case report illustrates the variability in clinical presentation of adult-onset MYH7 myopathy. MYH7 gene-related myopathies have notable clinical variability that can lead to the missed or late diagnosis of this progressive myopathy. While our case highlights the pertinent family history and co-existing cardiac involvement that is strongly associated with MYH7 related myopathy, it also illustrates further cases of MYH7 mutations causing both cardiac and skeletal muscle disease.
A Kinetic Treatment of Evaporation via Thermogravimetric Analysis: The Case of d-Limonene

Evaporation from a surface under atmospheric conditions can be difficult to characterize as the process involves both thermodynamics and kinetics. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study the e...
Locating, characterizing and minimizing sources of error for a paper case-based structured oral examination in a multi-campus clerkship.

Objective: To determine consistency of assessment in a new paper case-based structured oral examination in a multi-community pediatrics clerkship, and to identify correctable problems in the administration of examination and assessment process.
Haunted Homesteads: E.D.E.N. Southworth’s Dual Gothic

The fiction of Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte (E.D.E.N.) Southworth is replete with haunted Southern houses tucked away in secluded vales set against sublime rural American backdrops, but the spirits haunting these homesteads are not all of the same type. On the one hand, Southworth gives us narratives in which seemingly spectral phenomena resolve into real-world causation. On the other hand, Southworth spins Gothic melodramas focused on the haunting legacies of racism and patriarchal violence. This chapter will focus on the four haunted house stories that comprise Southworth’s 1860 The Haunted Homestead: And Other Nouvellettes. Taken together, these tales exemplify Southworth’s dual approach to haunting: ghosts may not be real, but homes are haunted nevertheless.
Measurements of electron temperature in high-energy-density plasmas using gated x-ray pinhole imaging

We present measurements of spatially and temporally resolved electron temperature in high-energy-density plasmas using gated x-ray pinhole imagers. A 2D image of bremsstrahlung x-ray self-emission from laser-driven plasma plumes is detected at the same time through two pinholes covered with different filter materials. By comparing the attenuated signal through each filter, a spatially resolved electron temperature as low as 0.1 keV can be estimated. Measurements of the plasma plume taken from different directions indicate that imaging through extended plasmas has a negligible effect on the temperature estimates. Methods for estimating the expected signal, selecting filters, and incorporating the response of the detector are discussed.
Detection of Alzheimer's associated microRNAs using a DNA-based smart reagent

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, with significant research efforts devoted to identifying new biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and treatment. MicroRNAs have emerged as likely disease regulators and biomarkers for AD, now implicated as having roles in several biological processes related to progression of the disease. In this work, we use the miRacles assay (microRNA activated conditional looping of engineered switches) for single-step detection of AD-related microRNAs. The technology is based on conformationally responsive DNA nanoswitches that loop upon recognition of a target microRNA and report their on/off status through an electrophoretic readout. Unlike many other methods, our approach directly detects native microRNAs without amplification or labeling, eliminating the need for expensive enzymes, reagents, and equipment. We used this assay to screen for AD-related microRNAs, demonstrate specificity within a microRNA family, sensitivity of ∼ 8 fM, and multiplexing capability to simultaneously detect four microRNA targets. Toward clinical use, we provide proof-of-concept detection and quantifiable dysregulation of specific microRNAs from total RNA extracts derived from healthy and AD brain samples. In the context of AD, this “smart reagent” could facilitate biomarker discovery, accelerate efforts to understand the role of microRNAs in AD, and have clinical potential as a diagnostic or monitoring tool for validated biomarkers.
The Link between Conventional and Novel Anti-Cancer Therapeutics with Thrombotic Microangiopathy.

BACKGROUND Kidney disease associated with cancer and anti-cancer therapies has been increasingly recognized in the field of onco-nephrology. In particular, drug-induced nephrotoxicity has important implications since most chemotherapeutic agents have a nephrotoxic potential. Also, standard creatinine clearance methods used for the measurement of kidney function have been questioned in cancer patients due to factors like low muscle mass and poor nutritional status. Overestimations of the glomerular filtration rate, not only can increase the nephrotoxic potential of different agents, but also further limit the use of first-line therapies. OBJECTIVE This review covers specifically the drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy and its two pathophysiologic mechanisms which include immune or idiosyncratic reactions, and non-immune or dose-dependent ones. CONCLUSION As novel cancer therapies are developed, it is paramount to pursue a better understanding of conventional and novel chemotherapeutic agents and their role in kidney disease.
Inadvertent High Spinal in Parturient

A patient receives a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anesthetic for a planned cesarean section. At first attempt of dosing the epidural catheter, the patient became hypotensive and bradycardic, and the patient became unresponsive. Topics discussed include identification and treatment of a high spinal and the signs and symptoms that occur in such an event.
Interdisciplinary curriculum development for digital library education

The Virginia Tech (VT) Department of Computer Science (CS) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) School of Information and Library Science (LIS) are developing curricular materials for digital library (DL) education, appropriate for the CS and LIS communities. Educational modules will be designed, based on input from the project advisory board, Computing Curriculum 2001, the 5S framework, and workshop discussions. These modules will be evaluated, first through expert inspection and, second, through field testing. We are identifying and refining module definitions and scopes, collecting related resources, developing a module template, and creating example modules. These will be presented at the conference. The developed curriculum should contribute to producing well-balanced digital librarians who will graduate from CS or LIS programs.
New X-band antenna feeds for the DSN 64-meter stations

New X-band antenna feed assemblies with dual-polarization capability are being implemented in the DSN 64-meter stations. Together with dual X-band traveling wave masers, they permit the simultaneous reception of right- and left-hand circular polarization from the Voyager spacecraft. The new feed also includes a dual hybrid mode feedhorn which increases the antenna gain by 0.36 dB over the present feedhorn.
The practice of archaeology in China today

In the new opening-up of China to the outside world that has taken place in the last decade, archaeology and history has a major role. A walk on the Great Wall seems obligatory for visiting monarchs and presidents, while the jade princesses have themselves come to Europe. The excavation of the ‘terracotta army’ exemplifies the scale of active archaeological research, and its exposure to public view. But why is there such concern for the past, and its artefacts, in China today?
Economic Analysis of Structural Flood Proofing

An economic analysis of flood proofing was applied to a case study of residences and commercial establishments in the Boulder Creek flood plain of Boulder, Colo. Two alternate plans (one involving nine items and the other four items of flood proofing) were analyzed in terms of their costs of installation and the benefits derived from reduced flood damages. Data on levels of inundation for floods up to the 100-yr flood were obtained for each structure in the flood plain from field surveys. Costs of flood proofing were estimated from standard construction cost references. Damages were based on standardized flood depth-damage relationships for the structure and its contents. The results indicate that, in general, flood proofing all structures in a flood plain, such as Boulder Creek, is not economically justified, but that on an individual structure basis some residences and many commercial establishments can be flood proofed at costs less than the benefits derived.
The Goldilocks effect: intermittent streams sustain more plant species than those with perennial or ephemeral flow

SUMMARY 1. Drylands worldwide are typified by extreme variability in hydrologic processes, which structures riparian communities at various temporal and spatial scales. One key question is how underlying differences in hydrology over the length of interrupted perennial rivers influence spatial and temporal patterns in species richness and species composition. 2. We examined effects of differences in dry season hydrology on species richness, composition and cover of herbaceous plant communities in the streamside zone (the zone influenced directly by low flows in the channel). Data were collected at ephemeral, intermittent and perennial flow reaches on three rivers of the desert Southwest (Arizona, U.S.A.): Lower Cienega Creek, Hassayampa River and Lower San Pedro River. 3. Patterns of species richness varied with temporal scale of analysis, that is between single-year and multi-year time frames. At the annual timescale, quadrat species richness (m )2 ) and herbaceous cover were higher at sites with perennial flow than at either intermittent or ephemeral sites. In contrast to this single-year pattern, the highest long-term richness occurred at intermittent sites. 4. Quadrat species richness, total species richness at a site (per 18 1-m 2 plots) and cover were more variable year to year at non-perennial sites than at perennial flow sites. On two of the three rivers, ephemeral sites had the highest inter-annual compositional variance, while the perennial sites had the lowest. 5. Compositional differences between the hydrologic site types were dominated by species turnover, not nestedness. The perennial sites had more wetland and perennial species than the other two site types. The intermittent sites had more annual species than did the other two types. 6. High long-term species richness and distinct species composition of intermittent sites are probably sustained by pronounced temporal variability in environmental conditions (i.e. frequent and persistent flow events, and dry periods). Plants at these sites take advantage of greater moisture than those at ephemeral sites and also experience less competition from resident species than those at perennial sites. 7. Conservation of desert riparian diversity depends upon the protection of consistently wet conditions at perennial flow sites, as well as the maintenance of the processes that cause fluctuations in environmental conditions at non-perennial sites.
Multicentury changes in ocean and land contributions to the climate-carbon feedback

©2015. American Geophysical Union. Improved constraints on carbon cycle responses to climate change are needed to inform mitigation policy, yet our understanding of how these responses may evolve after 2100 remains highly uncertain. Using the Community Earth System Model (v1.0), we quantified climate-carbon feedbacks from 1850 to 2300 for the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 and its extension. In three simulations, land and ocean biogeochemical processes experienced the same trajectory of increasing atmospheric CO 2 . Each simulation had a different degree of radiative coupling for CO 2 and other greenhouse gases and aerosols, enabling diagnosis of feedbacks. In a fully coupled simulation, global mean surface air temperature increased by 9.3K from 1850 to 2300, with 4.4K of this warming occurring after 2100. Excluding CO 2 , warming from other greenhouse gases and aerosols was 1.6K by 2300, near a 2K target needed to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Ocean contributions to the climate-carbon feedback increased considerably over time and exceeded contributions from land after 2100. The sensitivity of ocean carbon to climate change was found to be proportional to changes in ocean heat content, as a consequence of this heat modifying transport pathways for anthropogenic CO 2 inflow and solubility of dissolved inorganic carbon. By 2300, climate change reduced cumulative ocean uptake by 330PgC, from 1410PgC to 1080PgC. Land fluxes similarly diverged over time, with climate change reducing stocks by 232PgC. Regional influence of climate change on carbon stocks was largest in the North Atlantic Ocean and tropical forests of South America. Our analysis suggests that after 2100, oceans may become as important as terrestrial ecosystems in regulating the magnitude of the climate-carbon feedback.
The repetitive sequence structure of component α DNA and its relationship to the nucleosomes of the African green monkey

Abstract An analysis of the repeat structure of the highly repetitive sequence, component α DNA of the African green monkey, shows that the DNA contains restriction sites for Eco RI, Eco RI ∗ , Hind III and Hae III. All four restriction enzyme activities indicate a basic repeat length of 176 ± 4 base-pairs. In addition to primary Eco RI ∗ and Hind III sites, about 59% of the repeat sequences contain secondary Eco RI ∗ sites and about 36% of the repeat sequences contain secondary Hind III sites. The secondary sites are located less than 176 base-pairs from the primary sites and their cleavage yields several complex series of minor, intermediate segments in gels of the partial Eco RI ∗ or Hind III digests. Cleavage at the secondary sites yields segments shorter than the unit monomer in the limit digests. The sites for Eco RI, Eco RI ∗ , Hind III and Hae III have been mapped within the repeat unit. Treatment of the monkey nuclei with micrococcal nuclease at 2 °C and in the presence of 80 m m -NaCl reveals two distinct populations of nucleosomes. One population contains bulk DNA sequences, and after cleavage with micrococcal nuclease this population yields heterogeneous segments of DNA spanning 180 to 200 base-pairs in length. The other population contains component α sequences and after cleavage with micrococcal nuclease yields homogeneous segments of component α DNA that are exact multiples of the basic sequence repeat unit of 176 base-pairs. Thus, the cleavage by micrococcal nuclease of nucleosomal arrays containing component α sequences is as regular and precise as the cleavage of the purified DNA by the restriction enzymes. The resolution of the two distinct subsets of nucleosomes in the monkey nuclei is dependent upon the conditions of ionic strength and temperature employed during the nuclear isolation and the micrococcal nuclease digestion. These observations are consistent with a phase relation between the component α repeat sequences and the associated nucleosomal proteins (Musich et al. , 1977 b ). They are also in accord with the hypothesis that the subunit structure of constitutive heterochromatin modulates or determines the repeat sequence structure and hence, the evolution of many highly repetitive mammalian DNAs (Maio et al. , 1977).
Colonic hydrogen production in infants with colic.

pneumonias in immunocompromised patients. JAMA 1985;253:1769-73. 9. Bellamy EA, Johnston ID, Wilson AG. The chest radiograph in whooping cough. Chest Radiol 1987;38:39-43. 10. Ng VL, York M, Hadley WK. Unexpected isolation of Bordetella pertussis from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. J Clin Microbiol 1989;27:337-8. 11. Borkowsky W, Steele C J, Grubman S, Moore T, La Russa P, Krasinski K. Antibody responses to bacterial toxiods in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus. J PEDIATR 1987;1 l:563-6. 12. Bernstein L J, Ochs HD, Wedgewood R J, Rubenstein A. Defective humoral immunity in pediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome. J PEDIAT~ 1985;107:352-7. 13. Mendez H, Fikrig S, Deforest A, Clark JL. Response to childhood immunizations in children with human immunodefi. ciency virus (HIV) infection [Abstract]. In: IV International Conference on AIDS, Stockholm, Sweden, June 12-16, 1988:342. 14. Pittman M. Pertussis toxin: the cause of the harmful effecls and prolonged immunity of whooping cough: a hypothesis. Rev Infect Dis 1979;1:401-12. 15. Manclark CR, Cowell JL. Pertussis. In: Germanier R, ed. Bacterial vaccines. Orlando, Fla.: Academic Press, 1984:6% 106. 16. Report of the Task Force on Pertussis and Pertussis Immunization-1988. Pediatrics 1988;81(6 Pt 2):939-84.
Asymptotic behavior of the solution of an abstract evolution equation and some applications

in a Banach space X. The functions u(t) andf(t) are defined on the real half line [0, co) and have values in X. The function A(t) has the same domain of definition and has values in a set of unbounded linear operators acting in X. Tanabe [I] investigated the behavior as t + co of the solution of Eq. (1.1). He stated that under certain natural conditions on the behavior of A(t) and f(t), one can prove that if both converge in some sense as t -+ 03, then the solution u(t)of Eq. (1.1) aJs 0 converges to some element-of X as t -+ 00. In the present note we assume a certain asymptotic behavior of A(t) and f(t) as t -+ co and obtain a corresponding asymptotic behavior of the solution u(t). This result is used in Section 4 to obtain an asymptotic expansion of the solution of a parabolic equation in a cylindrical domain. Results similar to the results of Section 4 were obtained by Friedman [4].
Steady detonation waves with losses

The Euler equations for a reacting polytropic gas with model losses, applied to unsupported steady detonation waves, lead to fast and slow detonation speeds for a given loss. The reaction rate is taken to have the Arrhenius form. The differential equations for the Mach number squared m and the reaction progress variable λ are integrated numerically using a fourth‐order Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method. The calculations are presented as plots of trajectories in the λ‐log (m) plane. The main parameters that are varied are the activation temperature, the heat of reaction, the order of the reaction, and the polytropic exponent γ. The onset of detonation failure, and a continuum of solutions that appears in some parameter ranges, are explored in detail. The results are summarized in plots of the detonation Mach number squared m0 versus the logarithm of the loss parameter.
Perceived ecological congruence across family/school environments: Impact on the consistency of behavioral patterns and adaptation among children and youth

This research investigated the relationship of congruence between classroom and family environments as experienced by children and consistency of behavioral adaptation across these settings as reported by teachers and parents. Assessments of perceived family and classroom environments, self-reported psychological distress, and parent and teacher behavior ratings of a community sample of first-to sixth-grade youth (N = 297) were obtained. Factor analysis of children's ratings of perceived classroom climate yielded three underlying dimensions: cohesion, achievement emphasis, and organization. Similarly, analyses of children's ratings of perceived family climate yielded cohesion, achievement emphasis, and control factors. As expected, greater incongruity in children's reports of cohesion and in levels of achievement emphasis across settings was associated with greater divergence between parental and teacher ratings of behavioral adaptation. In addition, there was less agreement in parent and teacher reports of children's behavior when child reports of classroom cohesion and all three family dimensions diverged. Similarly, greater perceived divergence in family achievement emphasis and all three classroom dimensions yielded higher levels of disagreement in behavior ratings across settings. Psychological distress was generally not associated with greater environmental incongruence. Thus, experiences of differential climate across settings appeared to be linked with patterns of situationally specific behavioral adaptation, rather than more global distress. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thermoregulation in pregnancy. Implications for exercise.

Studies concerning exposure to heat during pregnancy have indicated that maternal hyperthermia can be teratogenic, causing primarily CNS abnormalities. Data, using the animal model, have consistently indicated that the effects of heat are most hazardous when exposure occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy. However, the human data from retrospective studies and sauna bath exposure are not conclusive. Since the risk potentially exists, physicians have been advising expectant mothers to avoid self-inflicted conditions that may result in core temperatures above 38.9°C (102°F). Research has indicated that exercise can result in core temperatures above the recommended level. Considering that early in pregnancy the mother may not appreciate her pregnancy and could exercise at high intensities, the possibility of exposing the fetus to hyperthermia exists. Of the limited studies of exercising pregnant women, there are no data suggesting that normal women actually exercise to a level of exertion that causes significant hyperthermia. However, these studies have been limited to nonathletic populations, in which the exercise has not been prolonged and of high intensity, or sufficient to induce dehydration. Other data indicate that if hyperthermia is a potential consideration for the exercising mother, then exercise in the water may be better as it provides for greater heat loss. The data concerning exposure to cold, although sketchy, suggest that unless the hypothermia is detrimental to maternal survival, there is minimal risk to the fetus.
Moisture Diffusion in Shallow Clay Masses

Seasonal cycles of moisture and suction variation in shallow clay masses create repeating episodes of soil shrinkage and swelling that can adversely affect a wide variety of structures including pavements, shallow foundations, piers, and slopes. Design of such structures requires a means of adequately characterizing the depth of this moisture active zone and the magnitude of suction variations within the zone. This paper describes an analytical framework for characterizing suction variations in the moisture active zone and for estimating the soil mass moisture diffusion coefficient, one of the critical parameters governing the rate of moisture penetration in the soil. The paper presents extensions to an existing analysis for sinusoidal variations in surface suction to general nonsinusoidal conditions. It also presents a review of moisture diffusion coefficient data obtained from field measurements and shows that these data exceed laboratory measurements on intact soil specimens by up to two orders of magnitude. A conceptual model of moisture diffusion in a fractured soil mass provides an explanation of the differences between the field and laboratory values of the moisture diffusion coefficient.
Stretching the boundaries of extracellular matrix research

Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins constitute >1% of the proteome and interact with many modifiers and growth factors to affect most aspects of cellular behaviour during development and normal physiology, as well as in diseases such as fibroses, cancer and many genetic disorders. In addition to biochemical signals provided to cells by ECM proteins, important cell–ECM interactions involve bidirectional mechanotransduction influences, which are dependent on the physical structure and organization of the ECM. These are beginning to be understood using twenty-first-century approaches, including biophysics, nanotechnology, biological engineering and modern microscopy. Articles in this issue of Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology review progress in our understanding of the ECM.
Mechanisms and Mechanosensitivity: Exceptional Cadherins for Hearing and Balance

Hair cells of the inner ear are exquisite sensors that transform mechanical stimuli from sound and head movements into electrical signals. At the core of hair cell mechanotransduction are tip links, fine protein filaments that pull open transduction channels to initiate a cascade of events leading to sensory perception. Tip links are made of cadherin-23 and protocadherin-15, two atypical members of the cadherin superfamily involved in hereditary deafness and blindness. Here we present structural, computational, and biophysical experiments that reveal unique properties of the tip link extracellular cadherin (EC) repeats. Our crystal structures, simulations, and binding assays show how the tip of protocadherin-15 and some of its variants form a mechanically strong and calcium-dependent heterophilic complex with the cadherin-23 tip. In addition, structures and simulations of protocadherin-15 EC repeats show how non-canonical linker regions may alter protocadherin-15's tertiary structure and elasticity. Overall, our results provide a molecular view of tip link mechanics and identify the molecular determinants of tip link function in vertebrate mechanosensation.
Permeability of surface-modified polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers across Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Aim of this study was to prepare polyamine-conjugated PAMAM dendrimers and study their permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayers. Polyamines, namely, arginine and ornithine were conjugated to the amine terminals of the G4 PAMAM dendrimers by Fmoc synthesis. The apical-to-basolateral (AB) and basolateral-to-apical (BA) apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) for the PAMAM dendrimers increased by conjugating the dendrimers with both of the polyamines. The enhancement in permeability was dependent on the dendrimer concentration and duration of incubation. The correlation between monolayer permeability and the decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) with both the PAMAM dendrimers and the polyamine-conjugated dendrimers suggests that paracellular transport is one of the mechanisms of transport across the epithelial cells. Cytotoxicity of the polyamine-conjugated dendrimers was evaluated in Caco-2 cells by MTT (methylthiazoletetrazolium) assay. Arginine-conjugated dendrimers were slightly more toxic than PAMAM dendrimer as well as ornithine-conjugated dendrimers. Though investigations on the possible involvement of other transport mechanisms are in progress, results of the present study suggest the potential of dendrimer–polyamine conjugates as drug carriers to increase the oral absorption of drugs.
Aegilops sharonensis: Origin, genetics, diversity, and potential for wheat improvement

Aegilops sharonensis Eig (Sharon goatgrass; section Sitopsis) is an annual diploid grass species growing endemically in the coastal plains of Israel and southern Lebanon. It is a wild relative of w...
A cell line with decreased sensitivity to the methyl mercury-induced stimulation of α-amanitin sensitive RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei

Abstract 1. 1. In nuclei isolated from cells of the B50 rat neuroblastoma line the stimulatory effect of methyl mercury on α-amanitin-sensitive RNA synthesis is very much reduced compared to the stimulatory effect in HeLa nuclei (see: Frenkel G. D. and Randles K. (1982) Specific stimulation of α-amanitin-sensitive RNA synthesis in isolated HeLa nuclei by methyl mercury. J. biol. Chem. 257 , 6275–6279). 2. 2. The stimulatory effect of another mercury compound, p -hydroxymercuribenzoate, was also much less pronounced in the B50 nuclei. 3. 3. Similar results were obtained with nuclei isolated from B50 cells which had been induced to differentiate by exposure to dibutaryl cyclic AMP. 4. 4. Nuclei isolated from cells of another rat neuroblastoma line (B35), and nuclei from cells of a human neuroblastoma line both exhibited levels of stimulation similar to that of HeLa nuclei. 5. 5. The B50 and HeLa cells were also compared as to their sensitivity to other effects of methyl mercury.
Measurements of apparent brightness in the mesopic luminance range

Many electronic displays, including large-screen flight simulator displays, have maximum luminances of about 10 photopic candelas per square meter (10 photopic nits). Most references (for example, Hood & Finkelstein, 19862, p.5-3) place this luminance in the region of overlap between photopic and mesopic vision.
Using phase modulation to suppress ghost pulses in high-speed optical transmission

We find parameters of phase modulation which efficiently suppresses creation of ghost pulses during pseudo-linear transmission. This suppression occurs for arbitrary values of the time shift between the phase-modulating signal and the bit sequence.
In situ synthesis of metal oxides in carbon nanotube arrays and mechanical properties of the resulting structures

In the past, aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been observed to exhibit a foam-like dissipative response in compression, garnering attention for possible mechanical applications. Nanoparticles have previously been integrated with graphitic materials for electrochemical applications. Here, we synthesize nanoparticles of SnO_2 and MnO_2 in the interstices of aligned arrays of CNTs without altering the ordered structure of the arrays, and we characterize their mechanical response. We report that CNT arrays with embedded particles present superior energy dissipation relative to unmodified CNT arrays. In addition, energy dissipation, strain recovery, and structural failure (observed after repeated loading) depend on particle type (SnO_2 versus MnO_2).
Dicodon monitoring of protein synthesis (DiCoMPS) reveals levels of synthesis of a viral protein in single cells

The current report represents a further advance- ment of our previously reported technology termed Fluorescent transfer RNA (tRNA) for Translation Monitoring (FtTM), for monitoring of active global protein synthesis sites in single live cells. FtTM measures Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) signals, generated when fluorescent tRNAs (fl-tRNAs), separately labeled as a FRET pair, occupy adjacent sites on the ribosome. The current technology, termed DiCodon Monitoring of Protein Synthesis (DiCoMPS), was developed for monitoring active synthesis of a specific protein. In DiCoMPS, specific fl-tRNA pair combinations are selected for transfection, based on the degree of enrichment of a dicodon sequence to which they bind in the mRNA of interest, relative to the back- ground transcriptome of the cell in which the assay is performed. In this study, we used cells infected with the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2- Ibaraki and measured, through DiCoMPS, the syn- thesis of the viral non-structural protein 3 (NS3), which is enriched in the AUA:AUA dicodon. fl- tRNA Ile UAU -generated FRET signals were specific- ally enhanced in infected cells, increased in the course of infection and were diminished on siRNA- mediated knockdown of NS3. Our results establish an experimental approach for the single-cell meas- urement of the levels of synthesis of a specific viral protein.
Automated calibration applied to watershed-scale flow simulations

Complexity in simulating the hydrological response in large watersheds over long times has prompted a significant need for procedures for automatic calibration. Such a procedure is implemented in the basin-scale hydrological model (BSHM), a physically based distributed parameter watershed model. BSHM simulates the most important basin-scale hydrological processes, such as overland flow, groundwater flow and stream–aquifer interaction in watersheds. Here, the emphasis is on estimating the groundwater parameters with water levels in wells and groundwater baseflows selected as the calibration targets. The best set of parameters is selected from within plausible ranges of parameters by adjusting the values of hydraulic conductivity, storativity, groundwater recharge and stream bed permeability. The baseflow is determined from stream flow hydrographs by using an empirical scheme validated using a chemical approach to hydrograph separation. Field studies determined that the specific conductance for components of the composite hydrograph were sufficiently unique to make the chemical approach feasible. The method was applied to the Big Darby Creek Watershed, Ohio. The parameter set selected for the groundwater system provides a good fit with the estimated baseflow and observed water well data. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus lesions on kidney function and structure after 1 and 12 months

According to the Dillman theory (17), aging results from a deterioration of metabolism that begins with an elevation of hypothalamic receptor thresholds for feedback signals from the periphery. Three hypothalamic areas are known to contain such receptors: the ventromedial and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei (DMN) and the lateral hypothalamic area. We have hypothesized that selective destruction of those hypothalamic areas might be followed by physiological changes associated with aging. Electrolytic bilateral DMN lesions were produced in male and female weanling rats. These rats were maintained for up to 13 months of age. Sham-operated rats served as controls. Food intake and body weight were monitored postoperatively and prior to sacrifice. Before sacrifice, tail blood and a 24-h urine samples were obtained. In accordance with previous findings, rats with DMN lesions showed dramatic reductions of ponderal growth and food intake but had normal body composition. Total protein and albumin excretion rates were significantly lower in rats with lesions. The fractional contribution of albumin to total urinary protein was also decreased in rats with lesions. Histological examination of the kidneys showed significantly less pathology in the kidneys of rats with DMN lesions; the severity of renal pathology was correlated directly with proteinuria. These changes were seen as early as 1 month after production of the lesion. The attenuation of age-related changes in kidney functions and structure in rats with lesions could be due to reduced food intake (dietary restriction is known to produce similar results), and/or a direct effect of the lesion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bimorph actuator with monolithically integrated CMOS OFET control

Abstract We present an electrostrictive polymer bimorph controllable with low voltage through an integrated CMOS OFET control system. We have actuated the device by applying voltages up to 400 V to the control system, and can actuate the control with 60 V switching. The electrostrictor material was used both as the substrate for the transistors and as the dielectric layer for the control circuitry. This allows for a reduction in the number of layers in the structure, minimizing the clamping effect that would compromise the strain capabilities of the device. We have characterized the macroscopic displacement of the structure through a radius of curvature measurement, ranging from 11.4 mm to 7.5 mm depending on the supply voltage provided. The architecture proposed can be scaled to larger system with higher supply voltages.
Complications of endovenous ablation in randomized controlled trials

Background Endovenous ablation (EVA) of the great saphenous vein (GSV), with radiofrequency (RFA) or laser ablation (EVLA), has largely replaced the standard ligation and stripping (LS VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc, San Jose, Calif), EVLA, and LS 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3%-3.1%) vs EVLA (0.5%; 95% CI, 0.3%-1.3%; P = .006), but not between LS 95% CI, 0.4%-3.0%; P = .094). The paresthesia rate was significantly lower with EVLA (3.8%; 95% CI, 2.4%-4.5%) as compared with RFA (5.2%; 95% CI, 3.1%-7.9%; P Conclusions Endovenous ablation and ligation and stripping of the GSV are not without complications, although usually minor. L&S has a higher wound infection rate and a lower thrombophlebitis rate as compared with EVA. EVLA has a significantly lower rate of paresthesia as compared with RFA and L&S. Thermal skin burns occur with equal frequency in RFA and EVLA.
Calcium uptake and exchange in leg nerves of the crab 'Libinia emarginata'.

— The kinetics of washout of radioactive calcium (45Ca) from nerves of the larger legs of Libinia emarginata equilibrated in various solutions of artificial sea water (ASW) containing 1, 11, 22 or 44 mM-Ca was followed. In every case two components were found when the period of washout was not more than 30 min. The washout of 14C labelled inulin and sucrose gave one and two components respectively; these substances were considered to exist in the extracellular regions of nerve fibers. Comparison of the total calcium of the nerves determined spectrophotometrically and by measurement of radioactivity indicated that the exchangeability of calcium in the nerves in ASW containing 44 and 22 mM-Ca was 100%. In the case of nerves equilibrated in 11 mM-CaASW, two groups of nerves, one (group A) containing a high concentration of Ca (13.6 μmol/g) and the other (group B) containing a low concentration (7.3 μmol/g), were detected Several factors which could account for the accumulation of Ca in nerve fibers in group A were considered. The electrolyte data relating to group A nerve fibers indicated that Ca accumulation may be due to the presence of a high concentration of sodium in those fibers. However, the exchangeability of Ca for group A was about 47%; and in group B fibers, it was 61%. The exchangeability was less than 41% in the case of nerves equilibrated in 1 mM-CaASW. The kinetic parameters of 45Ca washout from the nerve fibers have been used to develop a model for the distribution of calcium among the different compartments of the nerve fibers.
Pairing and Phase Separation in a Polarized Fermi Gas

We report the observation of pairing in a gas of atomic fermions with unequal numbers of two components. Beyond a critical polarization, the gas separates into a phase that is consistent with a superfluid paired core surrounded by a shell of normal unpaired fermions. The critical polarization diminishes with decreasing attractive interaction. For near-zero polarization, we measured the parameter beta = -0.54 +/- 0.05, describing the universal energy of a strongly interacting paired Fermi gas, and found good agreement with recent theory. These results are relevant to predictions of exotic new phases of quark matter and of strongly magnetized superconductors.
Effect of temperature and oxygen on oleate adsorption by fluorite

Abstract The effect of temperature and oxygen on the adsorption of oleate by fluorite was investigated in alkaline solution using a radiotracer technique. In these experiments, aqueous-phase precipitated calcium oleate was distinguished from surface oleate compounds and adsorption density was established as a function of system variables. The adsorption isotherms are characterized by three distinct regions: a chemisorbed plateau region; a surface calcium oleate precipitate region with significantly higher adsorption density reaching an adsorption maximum; and a third region, a region which exhibits a decrease in adsorption density at higher equilibrium oleate concentrations. Based upon the experimental evidence, adsorption seems to involve a chemisorbed layer at low equilibrium oleate concentrations which can be distinguished from a surface calcium oleate precipitate which forms at equilibrium concentrations exceeding 5 × 10 −6 M . Of greater importance, however, is the conclusion that these modest changes in adsorption density at higher temperatures and higher oxygen potentials do not provide a satisfactory explanation for the significant increase in hydrophobicity observed under similar conditions.