cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Levetiracetam Has Opposite Effects on Alcohol- and Cocaine-Related Behaviors in C57BL/6J Mice

The antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV) is a potential treatment for alcohol use disorders, yet few preclinical studies exist on its effects in animal models relevant to drug or alcohol abuse. We investigated the effects of LEV on locomotor stimulation following acute and repeated administration of alcohol or cocaine and on alcohol- and cocaine-mediated changes in responding for brain stimulation reward (BSR) in C57BL/6J mice. LEV alone (10.0–100.0 mg/kg intraperitoneally) had no significant effect on locomotor activity or intracranial self-stimulation. Pretreatment with LEV reduced acute locomotor stimulation by 2.0 g/kg alcohol, attenuated the development of locomotor sensitization to alcohol with repeated exposure, and produced a shift in the dose-response curve for alcohol on BSR threshold without affecting maximum operant response rate (MAX). Conversely, LEV pretreatment enhanced both acute locomotor stimulation by 15 mg/kg cocaine and development of locomotor sensitization following repeated exposure and produced a leftward shift in the dose-response curve for cocaine on BSR threshold without affecting MAX. Electrophysiological recordings in vitro showed that LEV reduced excitatory currents in both ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and nucleus accumbens (NAc) medium spiny neurons, consistent with a presynaptic effect. The opposite effects of LEV pretreatment on alcohol- and cocaine-related behaviors may predict its clinical utility in the treatment of patients with alcohol, but not psychostimulant abuse disorders.
Injury patterns related to use of less-lethal weapons during a period of civil unrest

This case series documents injury patterns related to beanbag and other less-lethal (LL) weapons during a period of civil unrest in a major U.S. city. A retrospective review of injuries related to LL weapons usage presenting to an urban Emergency Department (ED) from April 10, 2001 to April 18, 2001 was performed. Patients under 18 years of age and those without signed consent to treat were excluded. Twenty-seven patients were identified. Two were excluded due to lack of signed consent for treatment. Mean age was 28.4 +/- 11.7 years; 76% of patients were male. Significant morbidity was found in 7 (28%) cases with no fatalities. Three (12%) individuals, with the diagnoses of pulmonary contusion, liver laceration, and Achilles tendon rupture, required admission. Two (8%) individuals had delayed complications of pneumonia and post-concussive syndrome. Reports of injury patterns associated with beanbag munitions in the medical literature are limited. Physicians should be aware of the injuries and delayed sequelae associated with their use.
Palearctic predator invades North American Great Lakes

Bythotrephes cederstroemii Schoedler, a predatory freshwater zooplankter (Crustacea: Cladocera), was first found in the Laurentian Great Lakes in December 1984. The first individuals were from Lake Huron, followed in 1985 with records from Lakes Erie and Ontario. By late August, 1986 the species had spread to southern Lake Michigan (43°N). Bythotrephes has not previously been reported from North America, but has been restricted to a northern and central Palearctic distribution. Its dramatic and widespread rise in abundance in Lake Michigan was greatest in offshore regions. Bythotrephes appears to be invading aggressively, but avoiding habitats presently occupied by glacio-marine relict species that became established in deep oligotrophic North American lakes after the Wisconsin glaciation. Because it is a voracious predator its invasion may lead to alterations in the native zooplankton fauna of the Great Lakes. It offers the chance to study how invading plankton species join an existing community. Judging from its persistence and success in deep European lakes, Bythotrephes may now become a permanent member of zooplankton communities in the Nearctic.
Should we move to stack overflow?: measuring the utility of social media for developer support

Stack Overflow is an enormously popular question-and-answer web site intended for software developers to help each other with programming issues. Some software projects aimed at developers (for example, application programming interfaces, application engines, cloud services, development frameworks, and the like) are closing their self-supported developer discussion forums and mailing lists and instead directing developers to use special-purpose tags on Stack Overflow. The goals of this paper are to document the main reasons given for moving developer support to Stack Overflow, and then to collect and analyze data from a group of software projects that have done this, in order to show whether the expected quality of support was actually achieved. The analysis shows that for all four software projects in this study, two of the desired quality indicators, developer participation and response time, did show improvements on Stack Overflow as compared to mailing lists and forums. However, we also found several projects that moved back from Stack Overflow, despite achieving these desired improvements. The results of this study are applicable to a wide variety of software projects that provide developer support using social media.
GETTING THE STORY, UNDERSTANDING THE LIVES: FROM CAREER STORIES TO TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract To understand teachers' professional development, the career stories of 10 experienced Flemish (Belgian) Primary School teachers were collected. The analysis of these narrative data culminated in the reconstruction of a professional self and a subjective educational theory, both conceived of as indicators for the professional development. These general concepts were differentiated to develop a conceptual framework for understanding teachers' professional development from their career stories. The comparative analysis of the stories revealed two important recurring themes, the strive for job stability and the feelings of vulnerability for the teacher. In this paper the “biographical perspective” is depicted as a general theoretical approach, and as a concrete research procedure for data collection and analysis. The author concludes that a narrative-biographical approach constitutes a viable perspective for understanding professional development from the subjective viewpoint of the teachers.
Role of polyamines in cytokinesis of mammalian cells

Abstract Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis in mammalian cells with methylglyoxal bis -(guanylhydrazone) and α-methyl ornithine inhibits cytokinesis and induces the formation of binucleate cells. Further, these binucleate cells exhibited a diffused pattern of microfilaments compared with the control cells as evidenced by indirect immunofluorescence using anti-actin antibodies. These effects can be reversed by increasing the intracellular levels of the polyamines. The results of this study suggest that polyamines may have a role in the process of cytokinesis and cell division.
Worth a Thousand Words?: An Analysis of Georgia's Voter Identification Statute

Georgia has joined the states seeking to require the presentation of a picture identification (ID) card, such as a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—issued ID, before a person can vote. Opponents charge that this requirement makes it more difficult for minorities, the elderly, the poor, and those living in rural areas to participate. We examine these claims by determining which registered voters lack a DMV-issued photo ID. Multivariate models show that African Americans, Hispanics, and the elderly are less likely to have a DMV-issued photo ID. Having a photo ID is unrelated to income measured at the zip code level. Those registrants lacking photo IDs were less likely to have voted in general elections in 2004 and 2006 compared to other registrants. In addition, voters without photo identification were more likely to have voted in the 2006 but not the 2004 Democratic primary.
On Electrochemical Deposition for Layered Manufacturing

This paper describes the initial results from new research in the area of electrochemical deposition applied to rapid layered manufacturing with heterogeneous materials. Our interest in electrochemical layered manufacturing stems from earlier collaborative projects on heterogeneous modeling and fabrication [1–4]. The current work focuses on employing electrochemical deposition of binder into layers sequentially added to a powder bed as a method for additive fabrication of working parts. We show that electrodeposition provides a feasible approach to (1) eliminating the need for a fugitive binder system, (2) reducing thermal postprocessing operations for three-dimensional printing of working parts, and (3) achieving a room temperature fabrication process minimizing the need for thermal postprocessing thereby eliminating residual thermal stresses and dimensional inaccuracies from thermal expansion/contraction associated with processing at elevated temperatures. We also demonstrate the feasibility of direct, single-step fabrication of fully dense parts.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Developing the motivation for improving university teaching

Stimulating faculty to take an active interest in improving their teaching remains a challenge to faculty developers in higher education. This survey of university faculty assessed attitudes toward teaching and teaching improvement. While faculty expressed high interest and desire for improving their teaching, the results suggest the presence of faculty subgroups with different degrees of motivation for faculty development. Implications are drawn for the creation of successful faculty development approaches which can capitalize on existing faculty interest, as well as develop faculty motivation for greater participation.
Long‐term follow‐up of blood donors with indeterminate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 results on Western blot

BACKGROUND: At present, tens of thousands of United States blood donors who are at low risk for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are indefinitely deferred. These persons are repeatably reactive for HIV-1 antibody in enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and are indeterminate in Western blot. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To determine the significance and persistence of anti-HIV-1 reactivity in plasma from volunteer blood donors with HIV-1-indeterminate Western blots, 66 donors were retested for HIV-1 antibody by the same manufacturers' EIA and Western blot 5 to 7 years after the initial Western blot. In addition, donors' peripheral blood mononuclear cells were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HIV-1 DNA gag sequences. RESULTS: Thirty-five (53%) of 66 donors were still repeatedly reactive for HIV-1 on EIA and indeterminate on Western blot, 23 (35%) were negative on EIA and indeterminate on Western blot, 7 (11%) were negative in EIA and Western blot, and 1 (2%) was repeatedly reactive on EIA and negative on Western blot. Donors with persistently indeterminate Western blots had a band pattern nearly identical to that on the original Western blot. No donor was positive in Western blot, p24 antigen, or PCR testing. No donor had signs or symptoms of HIV-1 infection. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up of Western blot-indeterminate blood donors does not reveal evidence of HIV-infection. A mechanism to return these donors to the donor pool should be considered.
Glucocorticoids and parental hyperphagia in ring doves (Streptopelia risoria)

Abstract These studies explored the possibility that glucocorticoids promote parental care in ring doves by mediating, at least in part, the pronounced increase in food consumption that parent doves exhibit while provisioning their young. Plasma concentrations of the endogenous glucocorticoid corticosterone were found to be significantly higher in breeding females during the posthatching phase than during the incubation period. These differences were not observed in male breeding partners, but sex differences in daily activity rhythms are well documented in breeding doves, and blood sampling at different times of day would be required to adequately characterize the pattern of corticosterone in males during these breeding stages. In studies on nonbreeding doves, twice-daily intracerebroventricular (icv) injections of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) increased food intake by 25–50% in both sexes, and further studies in males revealed that the increase was directly related to the dose of DEX administered. The highest dose of DEX given icv (1.0 μg/day) was not effective in stimulating feeding when given systemically, thereby suggesting that the hyperphagic action of DEX is exerted directly on the central nervous system. The icv infusion of the selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU38486 blocked the hyperphagic effects of twice-daily icv injections of DEX in both sexes. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that corticosterone contributes to the parental hyperphagia exhibited by breeding doves during the posthatching period. They also suggest that these orexigenic effects are mediated in part by CNS binding sites that resemble mammalian glucocorticoid receptors.
Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation following esophagectomy: safety demonstrated in a pig model.

BACKGROUND Respiratory complications occur in 20% to 65% of patients who have undergone esophagectomy. While noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is associated with fewer complications than endotracheal intubation (ET), it is relatively contraindicated after esophagectomy due to potential injury to the anastomosis. We created ex vivo and in vivo pig models to determine the pressure tolerance of an esophagectomy anastomosis and compare it to esophageal pressure during NPPV. METHODS We created a stapled side-to-side, functional end-to-end esophagogastric anastomosis. With continuous intraluminal pressure monitoring, we progressively insufflated the anastomosis with a syringe until we detected an anastomotic leak, and recorded the maximum pressure before leakage. We performed this experiment in 10 esophageal specimens and 10 live pigs. We then applied a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) to five live pigs and measured the pressure in the proximal esophagus with increasing ventilatory pressures. RESULTS The perforation was always at the anastomosis. The ex vivo and in vivo anastomoses tolerated a mean of 101 ! 44 cm H 2 O and 84 ! 38 cm H 2 O before leak, respectively. There was no significant difference between the pressure thresholds of ex vivo and in vivo anastomoses ( P = .51). When 20, 30, and 40 cm H 2 O of positive pressure via LMA were delivered, the esophagus sensed 5 ! 4 cm H 2 O (25%), 11 ! 11 cm H 2 O (37%), and 15 ! 9 cm H 2 O (38%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our pig model suggests that an esophagectomy anastomosis can tolerate a considerably higher pressure than is transmitted to the esophagus during NPPV. NPPV may be a safe alternative to ET after esophagectomy.
A rapid Look-Locker imaging sequence for quantitative tissue oximetry

Tissue oximetry studies using magnetic resonance imaging are increasingly contributing to advances in the imaging and treatment of cancer. The non-invasive measurement of tissue oxygenation (pO 2 ) may facilitate a better understanding of the pathophysiology and prognosis of diseases, particularly in the assessment of the extensive hypoxic regions associated with cancerous lesions. The availability of tumor hypoxia maps could help quantify and predict tumor response to intervention and therapy. The PISTOL ( P roton I maging of S iloxanes to map T issue O xygenation L evels) oximetry technique maps the T 1 of administered hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), an 1 H NMR pO 2 reporter molecule in about 3 ½ min. This allows us to subsequently monitor static and dynamic changes in the tissue pO 2 (in response to intervention) at various locations due to the linear relationship between 1/T 1 and pO 2 . In this work, an HMDSO-selective Look-Locker imaging sequence with EPI readout has been developed to enable faster PISTOL acquisitions. The new sequence incorporates the fast Look-Locker measurement method to enable T 1 , and hence, pO 2 mapping of HMDSO in under one minute. To demonstrate the application of this pulse sequence in vivo , 50 μL of neat HMDSO was administered to the thigh muscle of a healthy rat (Fischer F344, n=4). Dynamic changes in the mean pO 2 of the thigh muscle were measured using both PISTOL and the developed LL oximetry sequence in response to oxygen challenge and compared. Results demonstrate the efficacy of the new sequence in rapidly mapping the pO 2 changes, leading to advances in fast quantitative 1 H MR oximetry.
Morphological Trends in Precise Acid- and Ion-Containing Polyethylenes at Elevated Temperature

The morphologies at elevated temperatures (T > Tg, Tm) of 12 precise, polyethylene (PE)-based copolymers with acrylic acid (AA), phosphonic acid (PA), and 1-methylimidazolium bromide (ImBr) groups were studied via X-ray scattering. These precise copolymers enable direct comparisons focusing on the length of the spacer between the functional groups and the type of functional group. The polar groups in these materials self-assemble into microphase-separated aggregates dispersed throughout the nonpolar PE matrix. At high temperatures the PE segments are amorphous, such that the aggregates are distributed in a liquid-like manner in 11 of these precise copolymers. The correlation distances between aggregates increase with the following: carbon spacer length between pendant groups, size and volume fraction of the pendant species, and functional group configuration (single vs geminal substitution). In addition, comparisons are made between precise copolymers and pseudorandom copolymers of the same pendant concen...
A Virtual Sensing Method for Tonal ANVC Systems

Virtual Sensing (VS) is considered to be an extension for feedforward Active Noise and Vibration Control (ANVC) systems when, for example, it is desired to minimize the response at one or more spatial locations where it is either physically impossible or undesirable to place an actual error sensor. In this context, VS is an estimation technique for predicting the appropriate system response using available measurements and a dynamic system model. A hybrid adaptive feedforward observer is proposed which has the ability to overcome the limitations of conventional dynamic observer designs. The hybrid observer utilizes a conventional dynamic observer augmented with an adaptive feedforward element for estimating the effect of the persistent disturbance. For simplicity, we restrict this development to a single tonal disturbance for which a coherent reference is assumed available. It will be appreciated that this technique may be extended to handle disturbances that contain multiple tones as well as broadband noise, as long as suitable reference signals are available. Numerical simulations and real-time experiments were performed on a one-dimensional acoustic duct. The results demonstrate that the hybrid adaptive feedforward observer is an effective method for predicting the virtual sensor response in an ANVC system.
Fertility preservation: a pilot study to assess previsit patient knowledge quantitatively.

Objective To provide a quantitative assessment of patient knowledge about fertility and fertility preservation treatment options before the initial fertility preservation consultation at a university-based fertility preservation center. Design Prospective pilot survey containing 13 items assessing patient knowledge about fertility preservation, including the available treatment options and their requirements, success rates, and associated risks. Setting University-based IVF center. Patient(s) Women aged 18 to 41 years with illnesses requiring treatments posing a serious threat to future fertility who were referred for fertility preservation consultation between April 2009 and June 2010. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Knowledge score. Result(s) Forty-one eligible patients were identified, and all completed surveys before their consultation. A knowledge score was generated for each patient with 1 point awarded for each correct answer. Overall, patients had poor previsit fertility preservation knowledge (mean score 5.9 ± 2.7). Higher knowledge scores were correlated with personal experience with infertility and previous exposure to fertility preservation treatment information. There was no correlation between knowledge score and age, relationship status, pregnancy history, education, or income. Conclusion(s) Patients seen for fertility preservation consultation at our university-based center generally tend to be in their early 30s, white, well educated, and married. Previsit knowledge about fertility preservation treatment options was poor and did not correlate with age, education, and relationship status.
Combinatorial Synthesis and Characterization of CoMnGe Alloys

Ternary alloys of CoMnGe have been synthesized and characterized using combinatorial molecular beam epitaxy techniques. Structural evolution was studied using real-time scanning reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and magnetic properties were probed using magnetooptic Kerr effect imaging and SQUID magnetometry. Growth and properties on several substrate orientations were explored. These alloys exhibit a rich variety of magnetic and magnetooptic behavior, including a robust phase near Co2MnGe with high spin polarization, Tc, and magnetooptic response. The observed magnetic responses show strong correlation with structural transformations, such that structural ordering leads to enhanced magnetism. The observed magnetic behavior and the alloys’ compatibility with Ge and Si substrates make them potential candidates for spin electronic transport studies and applications.
Racial/ethnic differences in quality of life after diagnosis of breast cancer

Introduction Most studies on quality of life of breast cancer survivors have not had adequate representation of ethnic minorities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether racial/ethnic differences in quality of life exist between white, African American, and Latina women in the early stages of survivorship.
Experimental Evaluation of the FluChip Diagnostic Microarray for Influenza Virus Surveillance

Global surveillance of influenza is critical for improvements in disease management and is especially important for early detection, rapid intervention, and a possible reduction of the impact of an influenza pandemic. Enhanced surveillance requires rapid, robust, and inexpensive analytical techniques capable of providing a detailed analysis of influenza virus strains. Low-density oligonucleotide microarrays with highly multiplexed “signatures” for influenza viruses offer many of the desired characteristics. However, the high mutability of the influenza virus represents a design challenge. In order for an influenza virus microarray to be of utility, it must provide information for a wide range of viral strains and lineages. The design and characterization of an influenza microarray, the FluChip-55 microarray, for the relatively rapid identification of influenza A virus subtypes H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1 are described here. In this work, a small set of sequences was carefully selected to exhibit broad coverage for the influenza A and B viruses currently circulating in the human population as well as the avian A/H5N1 virus that has become enzootic in poultry in Southeast Asia and that has recently spread to Europe. A complete assay involving extraction and amplification of the viral RNA was developed and tested. In a blind study of 72 influenza virus isolates, RNA from a wide range of influenza A and B viruses was amplified, hybridized, labeled with a fluorophore, and imaged. The entire analysis time was less than 12 h. The combined results for two assays provided the absolutely correct types and subtypes for an average of 72% of the isolates, the correct type and partially correct subtype information for 13% of the isolates, the correct type only for 10% of the isolates, false-negative signals for 4% of the isolates, and false-positive signals for 1% of the isolates. In the overwhelming majority of cases in which incomplete subtyping was observed, the failure was due to the nucleic acid amplification step rather than limitations in the microarray.
Pitfalls in the electrodiagnostic studies of sacral plexopathies

This retrospective review characterizes the electrodiagnostic (EDX) features and etiologies of sacral plexopathies (SPs) and discusses difficulties in their identification. The EDX findings of 171 clinically suspected SPs were reviewed using the following criteria: reduced/absent sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) of the sural or superficial peroneal nerve, denervation of plexus-innervated muscles, and the absence of paraspinal denervation. Sixty cases localized unequivocally to the sacral plexus. The majority were cancer-related, followed by traumatic, idiopathic, and iatrogenic causes. Final diagnoses in the remaining 111 cases were indeterminate. Lesions localized to either the plexus or L4-5, S1 roots in 52 cases, the plexus or sciatic nerve in 32 cases, and were equally compatible with an SP, sciatic neuropathy, or radiculopathy in 27 cases. Findings in the EDX evaluation of SPs are often complex and difficult to localize to a specific site due to multiple complicating factors. Frequently, SPs cannot be diagnosed definitively by EDX assessment alone.
Comparison of Cytotoxic Properties of Neonatal and Adult Neutrophils and Monocytes and Enhancement by Cytokines.

We studied cytotoxic capabilities of newborn polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes and their enhancement by cytokines and antibodies. Umbilical cord PMNs were assessed for their ability to kill various target cells spontaneously, after activation with phorbol myristate acetate, in the presence of antiserum (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity), and in the presence of dually specific antibody (heteroantibody-mediated cytotoxicity). Target cells included the K562 cell line (natural killer cell target), chicken erythrocytes (CRBCs), and herpes simplex virus-infected CEM cell lines. Newborn PMNs were equivalent to adult PMNs in their cytotoxic capacity in several cytotoxicity assays. Neither adult nor newborn PMNs lyse tumor cell targets (i.e., K562 cells) spontaneously, but both lyse K562 cells following activation with phorbol myristate acetate. Both adult and newborn PMNs lyse CRBCs and herpes simplex virus-infected CEM cells in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assays, and this lysis could be enhanced by the cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and gamma interferon. PMN heteroantibody-mediated cytotoxicity, resulting from the use of an antibody with dual specificity to CRBCs and immunoglobulin G FcRII, was greater in newborn PMNs than in adult PMNs; however, monocyte heteroantibody-mediated cytotoxicity, resulting from the use of an antibody to CRBCs and monocyte immunoglobulin G FcRI, was lower in newborn monocytes than in adult monocytes. The percentage, but not the density, of PMNs expressing FcRII was significantly reduced in newborn PMNs compared with that in adult PMNs, while the percentages and densities of FcRI expression were equivalent in newborn and adult monocytes. We conclude that the cytotoxic capability in term newborn PMNs is equivalent to that in adult PMNs, that the activity of newborn PMNs can be enhanced by antibody and/or cytokines, and that PMNs can contribute to the newborn's ability to kill virus-infected cells.
Probing Pore Characteristics in Low-K Thin Films Using Positronium Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy

Depth profiled positronium annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) has been used to probe the pore characteristics (size, distribution, and interconnectivity) in thin, porous films, including silica and organic-based films. The technique is sensitive to all pores (both interconnected and closed) in the size range from 0.3 nm to 300 nm, even in films buried under a diffusion barrier. PALS may be particularly useful in deducing the pore-size distribution in closed-pore systems where gas absorption methods are not available. In this technique a focussed beam of several keV positrons forms positronium (Ps, the electron-positron bound state) with a depth distribution that depends on the selected positron beam energy. Ps inherently localizes in the pores where its natural (vacuum) annihilation lifetime of 142 ns is reduced by collisions with the pore surfaces. The collisionally reduced Ps lifetime is correlated with pore size and is the key feature in transforming a Ps lifetime distribution into a pore size distribution. In thin silica films that have been made porous by a variety of methods the pores are found to be interconnected and an average pore size is determined. In a mesoporous methyl-silsesquioxane film with nominally closed pores a pore size distribution has been determined. The sensitivity of PALS to metal overlayer interdiffusion is demonstrated. PALS is a non-destructive, depth profiling technique with the only requirement that positrons can be implanted into the porous film where Ps can form.
Site-Specific Atherogenic Gene Expression Correlates With Subsequent Variable Lesion Development in Coronary and Peripheral Vasculature

Objectives— The relationship between specific gene regulation and subsequent development and progression of atherosclerosis is incompletely understood. We hypothesized that genes in the vasculature related to cholesterol metabolism, inflammation, and insulin signaling pathways are differentially regulated in a site-specific and time-dependent manner. Methods and Results— Expression of 59 genes obtained from coronary, carotid, and thoracic aortic arteries were characterized from diabetic (DM)/hypercholesterolemic (HC) swine (n=52) 1, 3, and 6 months after induction. Lesion development in the 3 arterial beds was quantified and characterized at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. Progressive lesion development was observed in the coronary>thoracic aorta≫carotid arteries. Genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and insulin pathways were upregulated in coronaries>thoracic aortae>carotids. Inflammatory genes were more markedly upregulated in coronary arteries than the other 2 arteries. Genes implicated in plaque instability (eg, matrix metalloproteinase-9, CCL2 and Lp-PLA 2 mRNAs) were only upregulated at 6 months in coronary arteries. Conclusions— Variable gene expression, both in regard to the arterial bed and duration of disease, was associated with variable plaque development and progression. These findings may provide further insight into the atherosclerotic process and development of potential therapeutic targets.
Peripheral retinal ischaemia, as evaluated by ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography, is associated with diabetic macular oedema

Purpose To determine the relationship between retinal ischaemia and the presence of macular oedema (DMO) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) using ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA) imaging. Methods A retrospective review of 122 eyes of 70 treatment-naive diabetic patients who underwent diagnostic UWFA using the Optos 200Tx imaging system. Two independent, masked graders quantified the area of retinal ischaemia. Based on clinical examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT), each patient was given a binary classification as either having DMO or no DMO. McNemar9s test (with Yates9 correction as indicated) and a two-sample test of proportions were used to determine the relationship between DMO and ischaemia for binary and proportional data, respectively. Linear and logistic models were constructed using generalised estimating equations to test relationships between independent variables, covariates and outcomes while controlling for inter-eye correlation, age, gender, haemoglobin A1c, mean arterial pressure and dependence on insulin. Results Seventy-six eyes (62%) exhibited areas of retinal ischaemia. There was a significant direct correlation between DMO and peripheral retinal ischaemia as seen on UWFA (p Conclusion Retinal ischaemia is significantly correlated with DMO in treatment-naive patients with DR. UWFA is a useful tool for detecting peripheral retinal ischaemia, which may have direct implications in the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment such as targeted peripheral photocoagulation.
Variable Responsiveness of a Visual Interneurone in the Free-Moving Locust, and its Relation to Behaviour and Arousal

1. Recorded from a dissected immobilized animal, or from an unrestrained animal which is quiescent, the descending contralateral movement detector (DCMD) neurone shows an exponential decremental response to a repetitive stimulus (habituation), reaching a plateau level characteristic of the stimulus conditions. The process is site-specific on the retina, and movement to a new area of retina gives a complete recovery. In the absence of stimulation responsiveness returns over minutes or hours. 2. Immediate recovery without a rest (dishabituation) can be obtained by a variety of strong sensory stimuli of several different modalities (‘extra-stimuli’) or by non specific electrical stimulation of parts of the CNS. The dishabituating efficacy of all these wanes with repetition. When the habituating stimulus is moved to a new retinal site the previous site is not dishabituated. 3. Dishabituation is not site-specific but affects the whole retina simultaneously. It appears to reverse the original decremental process (‘re-set’) rather than to produce an independent enhancement elsewhere in the pathway, as it does not increase the response from a submaximally stimulated, but unhabituated, retinal site. 4. In unrestrained animals dishabituating extra-stimuli also cause behavioural arousal or other motor activity. When motor activity starts, the DCMD is dishabituated and shows no regular decremental trend thereafter until movement ceases. DCMD background activity is also increased. These effects are not due to the visual stimulus of the moving appendages. 5. The association between motor activity and dishabituation suggests that the latter derives either from motor system collaterals or from mechanoreceptive reafference. Stimulation of the antennal nerve of a totally de-efferented brain cause some dishabituation; this eliminates the lower motor system (below command-fibre level) as the source of dishabituation and suggests it is purely sensory. 6. The activity of a thoracic cord unit (of possibly a wide-field mechanoreceptor interneurone) precedes by 5-20 sec, and closely correlates with, changes in responsiveness of the DCMD. It is either an important input to, or an output from, the dishabituating system. 7. Progressive reduction of sensory input to the brain affects DCMD responsiveness as follows: (i) spontaneous dishabituation is less frequent, (ii) dishabituation is less easily induced and smaller, (iii) rate of habituation is increased, (iv) plateau response level after habituation is lower. 8. Electrical stimulation of the circumoesophageal connective can depress DCMD responsiveness for many minutes. 9. The probable anatomical and physiological bases for modulation of DCMD responsiveness are discussed.
Role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain development and function: Potential implications for the pathogenesis and prevention of psychopathology

The principle omega-3 fatty acid in brain, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), accumulates in the brain during perinatal cortical expansion and maturation. Animal studies have demonstrated that reductions in perinatal brain DHA accrual are associated with deficits in neuronal arborization, multiple indices of synaptic pathology including deficits in serotonin and mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurotransmission, neurocognitive deficits, and elevated behavioral indices of anxiety, aggression, and depression. In primates and humans, preterm delivery is associated with deficits in fetal cortical DHA accrual, and children/adolescents born preterm exhibit deficits in cortical gray matter maturation, neurocognitive deficits particularly in the realm of attention, and increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD or schizophrenia exhibit deficits in cortical gray matter maturation, and medications found to be efficacious in the treatment of these disorders increase cortical and striatal dopamine neurotransmission. These associations in conjunction with intervention trials showing enhanced cortical visual acuity and cognitive outcomes in preterm and term infants fed DHA, suggest that perinatal deficits in brain DHA accrual may represent a preventable neurodevelopmental risk factor for the subsequent emergence of psychopathology.
High-pressure Food Processing

High pressure processing (HPP) of foods offers a commercially viable and practical alternative to heat processing by allowing food processors to pasteurize foods at or near room temperature. Pressu...
Differential input by Ste5 scaffold and Msg5 phosphatase route a MAPK cascade to multiple outcomes

Pathway specificity is poorly understood for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades that control different outputs in response to different stimuli. In yeast, it is not known how the same MAPK cascade activates Kss1 MAPK to promote invasive growth (IG) and proliferation, and both Fus3 and Kss1 MAPKs to promote mating. Previous work has suggested that the Kss1 MAPK cascade is activated independently of the mating G protein (Ste4)–scaffold (Ste5) system during IG. Here we demonstrate that Ste4 and Ste5 activate Kss1 during IG and in response to multiple stimuli including butanol. Ste5 activates Kss1 by generating a pool of active MAPKKK (Ste11), whereas additional scaffolding is needed to activate Fus3. Scaffold-independent activation of Kss1 can occur at multiple steps in the pathway, whereas Fus3 is strictly dependent on the scaffold. Pathway specificity is linked to Kss1 immunity to a MAPK phosphatase that constitutively inhibits basal activation of Fus3 and blocks activation of the mating pathway. These findings reveal the versatility of scaffolds and how a single MAPK cascade mediates different outputs.
Relationships Between Longitudinal Changes in Radiographic Alveolar Bone Height and Probing Depth Measurements: Data From Postmenopausal Women

Background: The relationship between loss of radiographic alveolar bone height and probing attachment loss has been studied by a number of investigators, with mixed results. Recent studies have found weak correlations and have suggested that the relationship between bone loss and attachment loss is complex, perhaps because changes in bone height and attachment level are separated in time. Methods: The 85 patients in this report were part of a prospective estrogen replacement interventional study. All patients were in good oral health at entry and received annual oral prophylaxis as part of the study. Standard probing measurements were made with a pressure-sensitive probe at 6 sites on each tooth. Vertical bitewing radiographs were taken of each patient, radiographs were digitized, and 6 linear measurements (corresponding to probing site measurements) were made from the cemento-enamel junction to the alveolar crest. These procedures were performed at baseline and at annual intervals; this study reports res...
Spintronics with Si quantum dots

Electron transport through small Si quantum dot is investigated. The B-dependence of energy levels is dominated by the Zeeman shift, allowing us to measure the spin difference between two successive ground states directly. Combined with the ability to change the number of electrons N in the dot between 0 and 30, we are able to map the spin of the the dot as a function of N and B. Various spin-related phenomena, such as singlet-triplet transitions and spin blockade, are observed.
Variegated Glacier, Alaska, USA: a century of surges

A 1995 surge of Variegated Glacier, Alaska, USA, is discussed in the context of its six 20th-century predecessors, especially the previous surge in 1982/83 which was studied in detail. The average time between surge initiations is 15 years. The 1995 surge was considerably weaker than its predecessors, having a single phase or at most a very weak second phase. The 1995 surge confirms that there is a seasonal cycle, with surge initiation in winter and termination in the first part of the melt season, and a correlation between weather and both surge termination date and surge extent. Two days of record high temperature correlated with the termination of the 1995 surge. The most obvious issue is the absence of a strong second surge phase (as there was in the 1982/83 surge) culminating in a surge extent more in line with that of the predecessors. This is considered in the light of a simple criterion for surge initiation and re-initiation which depends upon the evolving basal shear stress.
On the demystification of mental imagery

What might a theory of mental imagery look like, and how might one begin formulating such a theory? These are the central questions addressed in the present paper. The first section outlines the general research direction taken here and provides an overview of the empirical foundations of our theory of image representation and processing. Four issues are considered in succession, and the relevant results of experiments are presented and discussed. The second section begins with a discussion of the proper form for a cognitive theory, and the distinction between a theory and a model is developed. Following this, the present theory and computer simulation model are introduced. This theory specifies the nature of the internal representations (data structures) and the processes that operate on them when one generates, inspects, or transforms mental images. In the third, concluding, section we consider three very different kinds of objections to the present research program, one hinging on the possibility of experimental artifacts in the data, and the others turning on metatheoretical commitments about the form of a cognitive theory. Finally, we discuss how one ought best to evaluate theories and models of the sort developed here.
Results on the Improved Decoding Algorithm for Low-Density Parity-Check Codes Over the Binary Erasure Channel

In this correspondence, we first investigate some analytical aspects of the recently proposed improved decoding algorithm for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes over the binary erasure channel (BEC). We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the improved decoding algorithm to successfully complete decoding when the decoder is initialized to guess a predetermined number of guesses after the standard message-passing terminates at a stopping set. Furthermore, we present improved bounds on the number of bits to be guessed for successful completion of the decoding process when a stopping set is encountered. Under suitable conditions, we derive a lower bound on the number of iterations to be performed for complete decoding of the stopping set. We then present a superior, novel improved decoding algorithm for LDPC codes over the binary erasure channel (BEC). The proposed algorithm combines the observation that a considerable fraction of unsatisfied check nodes in the neighborhood of a stopping set are of degree two, and the concept of guessing bits to perform simple and intuitive graph-theoretic manipulations on the Tanner graph. The proposed decoding algorithm has a complexity similar to previous improved decoding algorithms. Finally, we present simulation results of short-length codes over BEC that demonstrate the superiority of our algorithm over previous improved decoding algorithms for a wide range of bit error rates
Measurement of Transport Properties by Conductivity Relaxation on Dense La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 − δ With and Without Porous Surface Layers

Conductivity relaxation experiments were conducted on La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3-δ (LSC40) over a temperature range from 600 to 800°C and oxygen partial pressure, p O2 , switch from 0.21 to 0.1 atm in O 2 -N 2 atmospheres. Two types of samples were used: One was a bar-shaped dense sample of ∼394 μm thickness with polished surfaces. The other was an identical sample but with ∼5 μm porous surface layers of LSC40, which were applied to enhance kinetics of the surface exchange process. It was observed that the kinetics of conductivity relaxation in the sample with porous layers was much faster than in the sample without porous layers, and data fitting on the sample with porous surface layers was only sensitive to the chemical diffusion coefficient, D, but not to the surface exchange process. Using D estimated from the sample with porous layers, the chemical surface exchange coefficient, k chem , was determined from conductivity relaxation data on the sample without porous layers. These D and k chcm are presumed to be accurate values of the parameters for the material under the measurement conditions (temperature and p O2 ). It was observed that fitting the conductivity relaxation data on the sample without porous layers by simultaneously varying k chem and?, however, led to significant uncertainties in both of the estimated parameters. In general, fitting the data obtained on the polished sample to k chem and D simultaneously led to an overestimation of k chem and underestimation of D. The present work also shows that the measured k chem is expected to be substantially affected by the surface preparation procedure used.
Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of the human copper transporter hCTR1 in normal and malignant human tissues

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 1484 hCTR1 is the major copper (Cu) influx transporter in human cells. While much is known about the ability of hCTR1 to transport Cu, little is known about the level of expression of this protein in normal and malignant human tissues. This is important with respect to oncology because of the recent finding that hCTR1 is a major determinant of the uptake of cisplatin in human tumor cells (Holzer et al , Mol Pharm 66:817-823, 2004). Cisplatin also regulates the expression of hCTR1 as a 5 minute exposure to cisplatin at concentrations as low as 2 μM reduces the level of endogenous hCTR1 to unmeasurable levels (Holzer et al. , Clin Can Res 10: 6744-6749, 2004). hCTR1 mRNA was previously reported to be detectable in all human tissues examined (Zhou and Gitschier PNAS 94: 7481-8486, 1997). A rabbit polyclonal antibody was developed by immunizing with a peptide from the C-terminal end of hCTR1. After affinity purification this antibody was shown to be specific for hCTR1 using cell lines engineered to alter their expression of hCTR1 and by competition with the immunizing peptide. Using this antibody we undertook an immunohistochemistical analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues to determine the abundance of hCTR1 in various normal organs and specialized tissues of the body, and representative samples of the major human malignancies. hCTR1 was expressed in several areas of the brain including the cerebral cortex (3/3), meninges (3/3), thalamus (3/3), hippocampus(3/3), choroid plexus (3/3), adrenal medulla (1/1) and autonomic ganglia (4/4). It was also widely expressed in the breast (4/6), in non-neoplastic components of breast carcinomas (7/7) and in the islets of the pancreas (5/5). However, it was not expressed at detectable levels in the non-islet cells of the normal pancreas (0/5), thyroid (0/5), spleen (0/5), prostate (0/7), ovary (0/3), testis (0/5), liver (0/5), kidney (0/5), bronchial epithelium (0/1) or gastrointestinal epithelium (0/3). Consistent with the lack of expression of hCTR1 in the cognate normal tissue, carcinomas of the ovary (0/2) did not exhibit detectable staining. However, despite the lack of expression in the cognate normal tissue, some malignancies of the liver (1/2), kidney (1/2) and colon (1/2) did express hCTR1. hCTR1 was expressed in the majority of breast carcinomas (32/39) and their lymph node metastases (4/6). We conclude that, as detected by immunohistochemical staining, the expression of hCTR1 varies widely among various normal tissues, and that in some cases malignancies that arise from a tissue that does not express hCTR1 display readily detectable staining. This study provides the basis for an analysis of hCTR1 as a biomarker of responsiveness of various types of malignancies to the platinum-containing drugs.