cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental changes in the expression of genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and lipid transport in human and rat fetal and neonatal livers.

Cloned cDNAs encoding a number of enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis as well as extracellular and intracellular lipid transport were used to compare the developmental maturation of these biologic functions in the fetal and neonatal rat and human liver. The results of RNA blot hybridization analyses indicate that steady-state levels of rat HMG-CoA synthase, HMG-CoA reductase and prenyl transferase mRNAs are highest in late fetal life and undergo precipitous (up to 80-fold) co-ordinate reductions immediately after parturition. These changes reflect the ability of the fetal rat liver to produce large quantities of cholesterol as well as the repression of this function during the suckling period in response to exogenous dietary cholesterol. Striking co-ordinate patterns of HMG-CoA synthase, reductase and prenyl-transferase mRNA accumulation were also observed in four extrahepatic rat tissues (brain, lung, intestine and kidney) during the perinatal period. The concentrations of all three mRNAs in the 8-week-old human fetal liver are similar to those observed throughout subsequent intrauterine development with less than 2-fold changes noted between the 8th through 25th weeks of gestation. Analysis of the levels of human apo AI, apo AII, apo B and liver fatty acid binding protein mRNAs during this period and in newborn liver specimens also indicated less than 2–3-fold changes. These observations suggest that the 8-week human liver has achieved a high degree of biochemical differentiation with respect to functions involved in lipid metabolism/transport which may be comparable to that present in 19–21 day fetal rat liver. Further analysis of human and rat fetal liver RNAs using cloned cDNAs should permit construction of a developmental time scale correlating hepatic biochemical differentiation to be constructed between these two mammalian species.
Incidence of Bacillus popilliae in Ligyrus subtropicus and Cyclocephala parallela (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Florida Sugarcane Fields

Bacillus popilliae Dutky was the major pathogen found in grubs of Cyclocephala parallela Casey and Ligyrus subtropicus Blatchley in Florida sugarcane fields. The milky disease was widespread among fields in the sugarcane-producing region, and two different B. popilliae varieties infected the grubs. The type A milky disease, containing a parasporal crystal and spore in the sporangium, was the prevalent variety infecting C. parallela. The type B variety, possessing only a centrally located spore within the sporangium, infected mainly L. subtropicus grubs. The overall infection rate of B. popilliae was significantly greater in C. parallela than in L. subtropicus.
Biosynthesis of staurosporine : Incorporation of glucose

Previously, it was disclosed that tryptophan provides two units of the basic building blocks involved in the biosynthesis of the indolo[2,3-a]carbazole unit of staurosporine (1). In this paper we describe the incorporation of [1-13C]-d-glucose and [U-13C6]-d-glucose into staurosporine, through which it was established that the amino-sugar moiety is derived from glucose, based on the observation of the direct incorporation of uniformly labeled 13C glucose, and that glucose is converted via glycolysis and the shikimic acid pathway to tryptophan and hence into 1. Deuterium-labeled glucose derivatives, including [6-2H2]-d-glucose, [2-2H]-d-glucose, and [U-2H7]-d-glucose, were used to determine the biogenetic origin of the protons in staurosporine (1). From uniformly deuterium-labeled glucose up to seven deuterium atoms were incorporated into 1 according to EIMS. Probably, five protons were incorporated into the glycon moiety, and two protons into the aglycon unit based on an analysis of the 1H-NMR spectrum an...
Superiority of 11,12 carbonate macrolide antibiotics as inhibitors of translation and 50S ribosomal subunit formation in Staphylococcus aureus cells.

Three pairs of related macrolide antibiotics, differing at the 11,12 position of the macrolactone ring, were compared for effects on growth rate, cell viability, protein synthesis, and 50S ribosomal subunit formation in Staphylococcus aureus cells. For each parameter measured, the 11,12 carbonate–derivatized compound was more inhibitory compared with the corresponding 11,12-hydroxy antibiotic. Substitution at the 3-position of the ring was also important in the relative inhibition observed. The degree of inhibition found in two different growth media was proportional to the generation time of the cells. Inhibition of both protein synthesis and 50S subunit formation by each drug correlated well with the inhibition of cell viability. The results indicate that closure of the 11,12-hydroxyl groups in macrolide antibiotics with a carbonate substitution generates a more effective antimicrobial agent.
Reinventing classroom space to re-energise information literacy instruction

Librarians in academic settings spend a significant amount of time teaching students information literacy skills. Teachers adapt their teaching activities to the constraints of the physical setting of the classroom. Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library modified a classroom from a traditional lecture room to a room where the seating was mobile. The teachers and students were observed and surveyed to see if the change in physical environment impacted the teaching style or learning activities used. The findings indicate that teachers use familiar routines and lessons in both a traditional lecture-style classroom and a newly-designed flexible learning space as they present information literacy instruction. Teachers who recognised that students benefited from learning activities where they were active participants were more likely to incorporate small changes to their lesson plans. The classroom design can re-energise instruction if the teacher adapts their teaching style to the more flexible learning environment. This article is based on a paper presented at LILAC 2012.
Effect of TMV multiplication on RNA and protein synthesis in tobacco chloroplasts

Abstract 32 P- and 3 H-labeled amino acids were applied for 8 hours to “third” leaves of young tobacco plants during the period of very rapid TMV accumulation. Nucleoproteins and proteins in extracts of the leaves were resolved by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Both 32 P and 3 H were found in the TMV fraction and the 80 S cytoplasmic ribosomes, but not in the chloroplast 70 S ribosomes. Furthermore, a great reduction in 3 H labeling of chloroplast proteins occurred in TMV-infected leaves. Gel electrophoresis resolution of 32 P total leaf RNA's showed that the 23 S and 16 S ribosomal RNA's of chloroplasts were not labeled whereas the 25 S and 18 S cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA's were. Isolated chloroplasts from TMV-infected leaves were found to have a reduced capacity for both nucleoside triphosphate incorporation into RNA and amino acid incorporation into protein. The ratio of AMP GMP and UMP GMP incorporation into RNA by isolated chloroplasts from TMV-infected leaves was markedly different from that by chloroplasts isolated from healthy leaves. The results indicate that chloroplasts cannot be the initial site of TMV synthesis and that during the period of grand TMV accumulation, ribosomal RNA and mRNA production from chloroplast DNA is switched off by an unknown regulator. A hypothesis is presented to account for the appearance of mosaic symptoms based on the regulation of chloroplast metabolism by TMV multiplication.
Sweetened drink and snacking cues in adolescents. A study using ecological momentary assessment

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify physical, social, and intrapersonal cues that were associated with the consumption of sweetened beverages and sweet and salty snacks among adolescents from lower SES neighborhoods. Students were recruited from high schools with a minimum level of 25% free or reduced cost lunches. Using ecological momentary assessment, participants (N = 158) were trained to answer brief questionnaires on handheld PDA devices: (a) each time they ate or drank, (b) when prompted randomly, and (c) once each evening. Data were collected over 7 days for each participant. Participants reported their location (e.g., school grounds, home), mood, social environment, activities (e.g., watching TV, texting), cravings, food cues (e.g., saw a snack), and food choices. Results showed that having unhealthy snacks or sweet drinks among adolescents was associated with being at school, being with friends, feeling lonely or bored, craving a drink or snack, and being exposed to food cues. Surprisingly, sweet drink consumption was associated with exercising. Watching TV was associated with consuming sweet snacks but not with salty snacks or sweet drinks. These findings identify important environmental and intrapersonal cues to poor snacking choices that may be applied to interventions designed to disrupt these food-related, cue–behavior linked habits.
Mediation of the Big Five’s effect on career decision making by life task dimensions and on money attitudes by materialism

Abstract Two studies examine a model in which the Big Five’s effect is mediated by domain specific variables. Study 1 . Life Task dimensions were hypothesized to mediate the Big Five’s effect on Career Decision Making. Factor analyses found five Life Task and seven Career Decision Making factors. The Big Five were moderately predictive of Life Task (Mean R =0.23) and Career Decision Making (Mean R =0.31) factors. Regression revealed that the Life Task factor of Progress mediated the influence of Conscientiousness and Extraversion, but not Neuroticism on Career Decision Making. Study 2 . Materialism and Status Concern were hypothesized to mediate the Big Five’s effect on Money Attitudes. Factor analyses found five Materialism-Status and six Money Attitude factors. The Big Five were moderately predictive of both Materialism-Status (Mean R =0.31) and Money Attitude (Mean R =0.29) factors. Regression revealed that several different Materialism factors mediated the effect of the Big Five on Money Attitudes. Conclusions . In several cases the mediation model revealed that the direct effect of a trait on an outcome was actually an indirect effect channeled through a mediator. Additionally, the combined effect of traits and mediators was larger than the effect of traits alone (Mean R =0.49 study 1 and 0.61 study 2). This suggests that research examining the relation of traits to outcomes might be enriched theoretically and increased in predictive power by including mediators.
Adsorption of Energy in Photocatalytic Reactors

The dissociation of water to hydrogen and oxygen requires energy ∆G298 = 228 kJ/mole. By irradiating a semiconductor with light of energy greater than this amount, one may product electrons in the excited state and electron vacancies at the surface that can perform the photochemical reduction (2H+ + 2e− → 2H → H2) and oxidation (2OH− + 2+ → H2O2→ H2O + (1/2)O2).
A New Experiment-Based Way to Introduce Fourier Transform and Time Domain–Frequency Domain Duality

This paper describes a complex multistep problem exercise used in a problem-based learning (PBL) context to introduce the fundamentals of the Fourier transform (FT) and convey the concept of the time domain-frequency domain duality. This complex problem exercise (CPE) consists of obtaining the frequency response (network function) of an RC circuit from voltage measurements taken during the charge/discharge transient and is carried out in circuits, electronics, and electromagnetism laboratories. Although it is widely accepted that undergraduate students should be introduced to FT, this involves substantial and complex mathematics. In order to avoid this difficulty, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used as an approximation to the FT because it is easier to use in a computational environment. The CPE uses a practical approach to concepts such as impulse response, sampling theorem, Nyquist frequency, aliasing, and uncertainty and causality principles; it is thought to be of pedagogical interest as an introduction to the FT. In particular, it could be of interest to instructors and undergraduate students taking courses in circuit theory, electromagnetic theory, linear systems, and digital signal processing in electrical engineering or similar degree programs.
Modulation of host response by Trichinella pseudospiralis.

Summary Measurement of myeloperoxidase activity in the muscles of mice infected with Trichinella pseudospiralis, T. spiralis or both helminths allowed quantitation of host inflammatory response to the parasite. Infection of the host with T. pseudospiralis alone was accompanied by less inflammation in host diaphragm muscle than was the case in hosts infected with T. spiralis alone. A dramatic reduction in inflammation around s.c. implanted cotton string was observed in mice infected with T. pseudospiralis alone below that seen in uninfected mice. Concurrent infection of the host with T. spiralis and T. pseudospiralis resulted in a lowering of myositis below that seen in the diaphragm muscles of mice infected with T. spiralis alone.
Quantum Electrodynamics: The Self-Energy Problem

In this paper it will be shown that the limiting processes by means of which the integrals of the Hamiltonian of the interacting electron-positron field with the electromagnetic field are defined, may be carried out so that the self-energies of the electrons and photons are zero.
Persistence, phytotoxicity, and management of arsenic, lead and mercury residues in old orchard soils of New York State

Lead arsenate was used for pest control in fruit orchards for many years in the United States, and its residues remain in most of these soils. Since arsenic and lead are toxic and only slightly mobile in soils, an analytical survey was conducted in 1993 to determine the concentrations of these elements persisting in soil samples from 13 older and newer orchards in New York State. Concentrations of arsenic and lead ranged, respectively, from 1.60 to 141 and from 1.48 to 720 (ppm, dry wt). Significant (P < 0.01, n = 13) pairwise correlations were observed among concentrations of these elements: As vs. Pb r = 0.97), As vs. Hg (r = 0.79), and Pb vs. Hg (r = 0.83). Despite previous reports of phytotoxicity to fruit trees, elevated arsenic concentrations did not significantly reduce the dry weights of apple (Malus domestica) seedlings grown in pasteurized soil from these orchards. The general environmental effects and best management strategies for arsenic and lead in orchard soils are discussed including phytotoxicity of arsenic and its uptake and accumulation in plants, ingestion by small mammal herbivores and their predators in orchards, and ways to minimize potential adverse effects on humans.
Comparative Analysis of Thrust Production for Distinct Arm-Pull Styles in Competitive Swimming

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based analysis of the propulsive forces generated by two distinct styles of arm-pulls in front-crawl as well as backstroke is presented in this Technical Brief. Realistic models of the arm pulling through water are created by combining underwater video footage and laser-scans of an arm with computer animation. The contributions of drag and lift forces on the arm to thrust are computed from CFD, and it is found that lift forces provide a dominant contribution to thrust for all the arm-pull styles examined. However, contrary to accepted notions in swimming, pronounced sculling (lateral motion) not only does not increase the contribution of lift forces on the hand to overall thrust, it decreases the contribution of drag forces to thrust. Consequently, pronounced sculling seems to reduce the effectiveness of the arm-pull.
A light and electron microscopic study of corticorubral projections in the opossum, Didelphis marsupialis virginiana.

Summary The origin, course and distribution of corticorubral fibers was studied in the opossum by employing the Fink-Heimer and Nauta techniques. The majority of corticorubral fibers arise from the motor-sensory forelimb cortex. Some also take origin from the motor-sensory hindlimb cortical area. No definite somatotopic organization of corticofugal fiber distribution could be established within the red nucleus. Regardless of the location of the lesion in the motor-sensory limb cortex, the greatest amount of fiber degeneration within the red nucleus was in its rostroventral portion. The majority of the degenerating fibers in the caudal one-fourth of the nucleus were located laterally. Following cortical ablations, study of the red nucleus with the electron microscope revealed that the axon terminals of corticorubral fibers show an electron-dense type of degeneration. The synaptic profiles are small (1–2 μm) and appear in two different forms based on the type of synaptic vesicles found in the degenerating axon terminals. The most common postsynaptic surfaces are small diameter (1–3 μm) dendrites. Some spines and proximal dendritic trunks are also postsynaptic to the degenerating endings. Golgi preparations reveal that the giant neurons are restricted to the caudal medial one-fourth of the nucleus whereas large-medium sized neurons are numerous and found throughout the nucleus. Small neurons are few in number. It is suggested that most of the corticorubral axon terminals contact the distal dendrites of large-medium sized neurons.
Contesting femininity: Vuillard's family pictures

Edouard Vuillard is said to have dwelled in a “saturated feminine world,” yet there are striking and unexplained anomalies in his early representations of that world. This paper locates the radical figurations of Vuillard's 1890s paintings of his mother and sister in a larger social, theoretical, and historical framework. The early discourses on decoration and abstraction are mined to illuminate an objectification of the female body that was simultaneously pictorial, psychological, and sexual, the implications of which have been obscured by Vuillard's long-standing reputation as a feminine painter.
Some practicalities of popular error correcting codes on fading channels

For real world communication systems that operate in correlated fading channels, perfect channel state information is not always available. In the literature, performance curves for error correction codes are usually plotted from either closed form equations or simulations which assume perfect channel state information. While these methods of measuring the capabilities of error correcting codes do serve a theoretical purpose, they do not necessarily demonstrate how well a code will perform under non-ideal conditions. The goal of this paper will be to compare LDPC and Turbo codes and determine how well they perform when perfect channel state information is not available at the receiver. Bit error rate and some block error rate performances will be provided for the AWGN, Rayleigh and 1Hz 1ms multipath fading channel. The results of this paper may provide communication systems designers some useful insight into the actual performance of error correcting codes in real-world scenarios.
Generation of non-Gaussian fluctuations during chaotic inflation.

We solve the stochastic evolution equations for the inflaton field during the slow-roll period of chaotic inflation. We find exact analytic solutions for the V(Φ) = λΦ4 /4 potential. The resulting probability distributions are sharply peaked around the classical deterministic trajectory and are approximately gaussian, but the exact probability distributions show that skewness is very sensitively dependent on λ and also weakly dependent on initial and final conditions. The non-Gaussian statistics induced by the nonlinear stochasticity effectively measures the expected level of non-Gaussian deviation in the inflation-generated density fluctuations.
Thiamine deficiency encephalopathy in the developing rat.

Abstract The body and brain growth of the offspring of rats fed a low-thiamine diet from the 14th day of pregnancy was drastically impaired and characteristic neurological signs appeared by 25 days of age. The normal developmental increase in brain transketolase activity, a thiamine-dependent enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, occured between 5 and approximately 18 days of age. During this same interval, enzyme activity of the thiamine deficient group declined markedly and by 25 days of age enzyme values were depressed by 73% compared to controls. The pair-fed control offspring, which were markedly undernourished as a result of the anorexia accompanying dietary thiamine deficiency, showed an essentially normal developmental increase in transketolase activity. Of the brain regions, which included those particularly sensitive to thiamine deprivation, transketolase activity was depleted by 85% in the cerebellum, 77% in the brain stem and 68% in the diencephalon of the deficient offspring. In contrast to the developing young, the deficient mothers remained asymptomatic and brain transketolase activity declined by only 20% even after 5 weeks on a low-thiamine diet. Changes in cerebral nucleic acid were a result of undernutrition. The relationship of the altered transketolase activity to the neurological disorder is discussed.
Electrical conductivities of photochemically prepared polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, reacted with iodine and lithium perchlorate dopants and activation energy determination for polymer-dopant interaction

Conductive polymers were obtained by using a new polymerization method where UV-light was used as a photochemical initiator. To obtain high percent conversion optimum irradiation times were determined. Since it was observed in a previous work that conductivity of some polymeric materials can be improved by the addition of dopants (Ramelow et al., Mat Res Innovat 2001, 5, 40; Ma et al., Tr J Chem 1997, 21, 313), in this work, the effect of dopants on conductivity of the polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDM) was studied by using lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) and iodine (I2). The most effective dopant concentration was determined by measuring the conductivities. The conductivity change at various temperatures was traced during the reaction of PEGDM with dopant Lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) and the activation energy of dopant-polymer interactions was calculated. A method was developed to follow the kinetics of polymerization reactions by tracing conductivity changes with time at different temperatures. The polymerization pathway of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was given in a previous work, and the mechanism was studied by using NMR and relaxation time method (Ramelow et al., J Appl Polym Sci 2006, 100, 5087). In this work, the suggested pathway was confirmed by additional calculations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Study of compact QED with light fermions

Abstract We present a numerical study of compact QED including dynamical fermions of mass = 0.10 (lattice units) on a 6 4 lattice. Staggered lattice fermions and the Wilson action and mixed gauge actions were studied. The simulations used two modified hybrid methods: one with stochastic fields and the other with deterministic ones. Working with a variable number of flavors we found that the chiral transition which separates the strong and weak coupling phases is of first order in all cases. The strength of these discontinuous transitions increase with the number of flavors.
Analysis of stability differences in road and time trial bicycles with instantaneous and delayed control

Bicycle stability has been of interest to dynamicists and athletes since before J. W. Whipple described the canonical model for bicycle motion in 1899. Since then, the subject has fascinated many who sought to find a simple way to describe the essence of stability for a hands-free bicycle at a prescribed forward speed. Caster and gyroscopic effects have been shown to be helpful, but not necessary for there to exist a stable range of forward speeds. This work focuses on showing how using the eigenvalues of the linearized equations for roll and steer (with and without an instantaneous or delayed steering torque) can illuminate the stabilizing and destabilizing effects of changing bicycle geometry and rider position. The results of altering aspects of the control law and bicycle geometry are demonstrated, and a primary cause of the decreased stability a cyclist on a time trial bike experiences when in the aerodynamic position, as opposed to riding with hands on the brake hoods or bull horns, is proposed.
Value of community pharmacy residency programs: College of pharmacy and practice site perspectives

Abstract Objectives To describe and compare perceptions of key informants representing U.S. colleges/schools of pharmacy and community pharmacy practice sites regarding (1) value associated with community pharmacy residency programs (CPRPs) and (2) barriers to offering CPRPs. Design Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study. Setting United States, June 13, 2009, through July 13, 2009. Participants 554 respondents to a Web-based survey. Intervention Key informants representing the following four organizational groups were surveyed: (1) colleges/schools of pharmacy participating in CPRPs, (2) colleges/schools of pharmacy not participating in CPRPs, (3) CPRP community pharmacy practice sites, and (4) non-CPRP community pharmacy practice sites. Main outcome measures Value of CPRPs to participating pharmacies, value of CPRPs to participating colleges/schools of pharmacy, and barriers to offering CPRPs. Results Overall, 267 key informants from colleges/schools of pharmacy and 287 key informants from pharmacy practice sites responded to the survey (n = 554 total respondents). Of these, 334 responders provided data that were usable for analysis. The most important types of value to the respondents were altruistic in nature (e.g., pharmacy education development, pharmacy profession development, community engagement). However, barriers to offering CPRPs were more practical and included challenges related to accreditation and operational issues. Further, evidence indicated that (1) lack of leadership, (2) lack of revenue generated from such programs, and (3) the cost of reimbursement for residents may be fundamental, multidimensional barriers to implementing CPRPs. Conclusion Guidelines for starting and continuing CPRPs, “industry norms” that would require CPRP training for certain types of employment, and creation of models for patient care revenue would help develop and position CPRPs in the future.
The American Psychiatric Association Treatment Guideline for Major Depressive Disorder: process and content

Dr. Gelenberg has been a member of the American Psychiatric Association's Workgroup on the Treatment Guideline for Major Depressive Disorder since its inception in the 1980s. For the past several years, he has chaired the workgroup writing the 3rd edition, which should be published in late 2009. This talk will review the history of this work, discuss guidelines broadly in the current era of evidence-based medicine, define epistemology and its relevance, and describe the process of developing a treatment guideline--the scientific and the political. The talk will then outline recent changes in the treatment of depression-medications, stimulation approaches, psychotherapy, and others. It will conclude with a preview of the future in this area.
Molecular Modeling of SERCA Dynamics and Interactions

On a cellular level, the cardiac cycle is orchestrated by release of calcium into the cytosol during systole (contraction) and subsequent reuptake of calcium into internal stores by an ion-motive ATPase during diastole (relaxation). This pump, the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), undergoes large conformational changes between enzymatic substates during calcium transport. Recently, we resolved 4 different structural substates of SERCA using intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). To investigate SERCA conformational changes in atomic detail we performed molecular dynamics simulations. This technique can directly probe protein motions by using an empirical potential energy function to numerically solve the equations of the motion of the system. We used X-ray crystal structures as a starting point for simulation of open and closed SERCA headpiece conformations and investigated the structural disorder of various structural substates. Specifically, we tested a hypothesis generated from FRET experiments: Open conformations of SERCA are more dynamic than compact, closed structures.
Estimation of state-transition probability matrices in asynchronous population Markov processes

We address the problem of estimating the probability transition matrix of an asynchronous vector Markov process from aggregate (longitudinal) population observations. This problem is motivated by estimating phenotypic state transitions probabilities in populations of biological cells, but can be extended to multiple contexts of populations of Markovian agents. We adopt a Bayesian estimation approach, which can be computationally expensive if exact marginalization is employed. To compute the posterior estimates efficiently, we use Monte Carlo simulations coupled with Gibb's sampling techniques that explicitly incorporate sampling constraints from the desired distributions. Such sampling techniques can attain significant computational advantages. Illustration of the algorithm is provided via simulation examples.
Neural and psychophysical models of chromatic and achromatic visual processes

Color is identified with the physical properties of matter because it is a visual percept that depends to a high degree upon the spectral absorption characteristics of the surface being viewed, provided that the conditions of illumination are not very unusual. More precisely, color is one of the many elemental representations of the environment constructed by those brain processes which we call the visual system. Thus, it is of great interest to elucidate the processing of chromatic information and the neural machinery involved in this task.
Influence of scale and orientation on the visual perception of natural scenes

It is well known that the distribution of spatial content with respect to spatial scale in real-world scenes falls in accordance with a 1/ f α relation. Equally well known is the tendency for an orientation bias in scene content with the predominant bias in content at the horizontal and vertical orientations. This has led to the suggestion of a relationship in which the mechanisms of the human visual system are optimized for processing such regularities. Here we review current literature concerning the measurement of these regularities (via Fourier analysis) of natural scenes in the context of other work that has psychophysically assessed the extent to which visual perception exploits such regularities of spatial content. In addition, 2 psychophysical experiments are presented that extend this literature and argue for the importance of these regularities in perceiving orientation in real-world visual stimuli.
A possible new syndrome with growth-hormone secreting pituitary adenoma, colonic polyposis, lipomatosis, lentigines and renal carcinoma in association with familial testicular germ cell malignancy: A case report

Background: Germ-cell testicular cancer has not been definitively linked to any known hereditary cancer susceptibility disorder. Familial testicular cancer in the presence of other findings in affected and unaffected family members might indicate a previously-unidentified hereditary cancer syndrome. Case presentation: The patient was diagnosed with a left testicular seminoma at age 28, and treated with left orchiectomy followed by adjuvant cobalt radiation. His family history is significant for testicular seminoma in his son, bladder cancer in his sister, and lipomatosis in his father. His evaluation as part of an etiologic study of familial testicular cancer revealed multiple colon polyps (adenomatous, hyperplastic, and hamartomatous) first found in his 50 s, multiple lipomas, multiple hyperpigmented skin lesions, left kidney cancer diagnosed at age 64, and a growth-hormone producing pituitary adenoma with associated acromegaly diagnosed at age 64. The patient underwent genetic testing for Cowden syndrome (PTEN gene), Carney complex (PRKAR1A gene), and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 1 (MEN1 gene); no deleterious mutations were identified. Discussion: The constellation of benign and malignant neoplasms in the context of this patient's familial testicular cancer raised the possibility that these might be manifestations of a known hereditary susceptibility cancer syndrome; however, genetic testing for the three syndromes that were most likely to explain these findings did not show any mutation. Alternatively, this family's phenotype might represent a novel neoplasm susceptibility disorder. This possibility cannot be evaluated definitively on the basis of a single case report; additional observations and studies are necessary to investigate this hypothesis further.
Double filtration plasmapheresis in the treatment of inflammatory polyneuropathy.

Abstract: Twelve cases of recognized inflammatory polyneuropathy were treated by plasmapheresis (PP) at Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital from November 1993 to November 1995. These include 6 cases of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), 4 cases of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), one case of Fisher syndrome, and one case of Sjogren's syndrome with polyneuropathy. The patients chosen for PP met the inclusion criteria of severely disabled, i.e., Grade 4 (bed or chair bound) or Grade 5 (required assisted ventilation), or an unremittingly progressive course. Plasmapheresis was carried out by the double filtration method. Each patient received a standard course of at least 4 sessions of pheresis. All the patients receiving PP showed a beneficial response. The treatment for 10 patients was judged to be effective. The other 2 patients (one AIDP and one CIDP), though improved, were unable to reach Grade 2. Among the complications of PP, only 4 episodes of symptomatic hypotension were noted in a total of 73 sessions of PP. In conclusion, PP is safe and effective in treating inflammatory polyneuropathy.—
Creatine synthesis after creatinine loading and after nephrectomy.

SummaryPreviously, it was demonstrated that nephrectomy causes a 90% reduction in creatine synthesis in rats. In the present study, nephrectomy was found to cause a 37.5% decrease in methylation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA)-2-C14. Rats loaded with creatinine by intraperitoneal injection demonstrated a 30% reduction in GAA methylation and a 45% reduction in total synthesis of creatine from glycine. It is concluded that chronic renal disease causes reduced creatine (and creatinine) synthesis both by loss of the renal mechanism and by interference with methylation. It is suggested that extra-renal (pancreatic?) synthesis may be relatively increased to partially compensate for these 2 inhibitory factors.
Scaling silicon MOS devices to their limits

The scaling of silicon CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) devices to 100 nm channel lengths offers significant potential for high speed circuit performance gains at low levels of power consumption. Continued miniaturization beyond 100 nm dimensions faces various daunting challenges. Overcoming these challenges will require technological innovation in device design as well as fabrication techniques. If these challenges can be met successfully, there is room to scale silicon technology well into the nanometer regime.
Versatile Reporter Systems Show that Transactivation by Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Occurs Independently of Chromatin Remodeling Factor BRG1

Potent activation of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) gene expression is mediated by the virus-encoded transactivator protein Tax and three imperfect 21-bp repeats in the viral long terminal repeats. Each 21-bp repeat contains a cAMP-responsive-element core flanked by 5′ G-rich and 3′ C-rich sequences. Tax alone does not bind DNA. Rather, it interacts with basic domain-leucine zipper transcription factors CREB and ATF-1 to form ternary complexes with the 21-bp repeats. In the context of the ternary complexes, Tax contacts the G/C-rich sequences and recruits transcriptional coactivators CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300 to effect potent transcriptional activation. Using an easily transduced and chromosomally integrated reporter system derived from a self-inactivating lentivirus vector, we showed in a BRG1- and BRM1-deficient adrenal carcinoma cell line, SW-13, that Tax- and 21-bp repeat-mediated transactivation does not require BRG1 or BRM1 and is not enhanced by BRG1. With a similar reporter system, we further demonstrated that Tax- and tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced NF-κB activation occurs readily in SW-13 cells in the absence of BRG1 and BRM1. These results suggest that the assembly of stable multiprotein complexes containing Tax, CREB/ATF-1, and CBP/p300 on the 21-bp repeats is the principal mechanism employed by Tax to preclude nucleosome formation at the HTLV-1 enhancer/promoter. This most likely bypasses the need for BRG1-containing chromatin-remodeling complexes. Likewise, recruitment of CBP/p300 by NF-κB may be sufficient to disrupt histone-DNA interaction for the initiation of transcription.
Did You Ever Hear the One About the Horse that Could Count

It has become increasingly, and sometimes frustratingly, clear that in the past few years some researchers working with non-human animals either have forgotten (or were never taught) the perils of inadvertent cuing. I wrote this article after completing another journal review in which the methodology involved an experimenter presenting two or more choices to an animal. The experi-menter prepared the trial, presented it, watched the animal as it made its response, and then recorded that response. In this case, as in some others in our field, the test itself was creative, unique, and exciting, and the performance by the animals tested was adequate to suggest they might be doing something interesting and perhaps reflective of cognitive processing. But, the possibility that cuing might have occurred dampened my enthusiasm for the project, and damp-ened my spirits about the state and future of the field in general because too many papers get through the peer review process without having proper controls for cuing. In the interests of full disclosure, I cannot say I have always been perfect in preventing any chance of cuing in the tests I have done with animals, but I do worry that more and more often there is not even the recognition of the need to control for possible cuing in experiments assessing animal cognition.When I started graduate school, the first project I worked on involved computerized testing of chimpanzees that were learning to match Arabic numerals to dots on the screen. They saw a numeral, and had to col-lect dots, one-at-a-time, until they indicated they thought they had the right number. If they were right, the computer played a tone, and if wrong, it played a buzz. My job was to give them a treat when they were right, and of course to also try to keep them engaged in the task in general. The first thing I was told, though, was “never look at the com-puter screen while they are working. If you do not know how they are doing until the computer tells you, you cannot cue them while they are working.”Hence the problem when the experi-menter watches the response. He or she knows the correct response, and almost certainly hopes the animal will make that response (otherwise, no publication, no degree, no grant, no tenure, etc.). In this case,
The Aggregative Structure of Keynes's General Theory

Perhaps the most startling element in Axel Leijonhufvud's recent reconstruction of Keynes's model in the General Theory is the claim that the model is a two-commodity model.1 Prior to Leijonhufvud's analysis of the question, the standard representation of the Keynesian system was the familiar one-commodity model. During the period since his analysis appeared, "Keynesians," as well as researchers seeking to develop models along the lines suggested by other aspects of Leijonhufvud's analysis, have continued to employ one-commodity models.2 Attempts to construct two-commodity macroeconomic models have been motivated primarily by considerations far removed from those dealt with by Leijonhufvud.3 The one-commodity interpretation of the General Theory has been a proposition on which
Programming models for petascale to exascale

Multiple petascale systems will soon be available to the computational science community and will represent a variety of architectural models. These high-end systems, like all computing platforms, will have an increasing reliance on software-managed on-chip parallelism. These architectural trends bring into question the message-passing programming model that has dominated high-end programming for the past decade. In this talk I will describe some of the technology challenges that will drive the design of future systems and their implications for software tools, algorithm design, and application programming. In particular, I will show a need to consider models other than message passing as we move towards massive on-chip parallelism. I will talk about a class of partitioned global address space (PGAS) languages, which are an alternative to both message passing models like MPI and shared memory models like OpenMP. PGAS languages offer the possibility of a programming model that will work well across a wide range of shared memory, distributed memory, and hybrid platforms. Some of these languages, including UPC, CAF and Titanium, are based on a static model of parallelism, which gives programmers direct control over the underlying processor resources. The restricted nature of the static parallelism model in these languages has advantages in terms of implementation simplicity, analyzability, and performance transparency, but some applications demand a more dynamic execution model, similar to that of Charm++ or the recently developed HPCS languages (X10, Chapel, and Fortress). I will describe some of our experience working with both static and dynamically managed applications and some of the research challenges that I believe will be critical in developing viable programming techniques for future systems.
Developmental changes in the fine structure of the chorion laeve (smooth chorion) of the rhesus monkey placenta.

Developmental changes in the fine structure of the chorion laeve (smooth chorion) of the rhesus monkey were studied at two time periods during gestation: 1) Early (19-60 days of gestation), before the chorionic epithelium fuses with the parietal decidua, and 2) near term, when the fused chorioamnion has also fused with the parietal decidua. Early in gestation the chorionic epithelium consisted of columnar and cuboidal cells one or two layers thick. The apical border of the cells had microvilli and coated pits, and adjacent cells were joined by tight junctions and desmosomes. The chorionic epithelial cells during this early period contained numerous large vesicles and vacuoles of varying electron-density. The apical cytoplasm contained various small coated vesicles and tubules. Taken together these observations were interpreted as indicating a possible role for these cells in endocytosis or phagocytosis of substances from the uterine lumen; i.e., a potential role in histiotrophic nutrition during this early period. Late in gestation the trophoblastic cells were more irregular in shape. The cells contained abundant granular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, and a well-developed Golgi complex, suggesting the cells were actively synthetic late in gestation. The numerous cytoplasmic vacuoles characteristic of the trophoblastic cells of early gestation were absent near term. Glycogen deposits and lipid droplets were moderately well-developed near term. Most of the cells were joined by desmosomes but wide intercellular spaces, unobstructed by any cell junctions, were frequently observed. This observation provides at least one explanation for the increase in permeability of the chorion laeve later in gestation. Cells of the parietal decidua associated with the chorion laeve were also examined. These cells generally had a well-developed granular ER and Golgi apparatus, and numerous mitochondria. Limited numbers of membrane-bounded secretory bodies, similar to those in human decidual cells, were also present.
Axillary Artery Deployment of Endovascular Aortic Repair Iliac Limb for Preservation of Internal Iliac Artery Blood Flow

The axillary artery approach has been used for access for complex endovascular aortic procedures such as thoracic endovascular aortic repair with poor anatomy for traditional deployment as well as for fenestrated and branched abdominal aortic endografts. We report the first case of an iliac graft limb deployment through the axillary artery during an endovascular aortic repair for maintenance of anterograde internal iliac flow in a patient with a symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm and chronic occlusion of both the external iliac and common femoral arteries.
First-principles calculations of Raman spectra in Li-doped Si nanocrystals

Abstract We examine the vibrational and Raman spectra for Li doped Si nanocrystals using real-space pseudopotentials constructed within density functional theory. We calculate differences in the Raman spectra using the Placzek approximation. The insertion of Li atoms into Si nanocrystals disrupts the Si crystal structure forming a region of Li–Si alloy in which the regular crystal structure is significantly disrupted. The Raman spectrum for this alloy exhibits a Li induced peak at 440–480 cm −1 . We find an accompanying reduction in the size of the dominant bulk-like Si peak at 520 cm −1 . Both of these results are consistent with experiment. Our analysis of the calculated spectrum confirms the utility of using Raman spectroscopy, coupled with first principle computations, to predict the structural and electronic properties of Li doped Si nanocrystals.
On the Acquisition of the Notion of Types of Flying Objects: Support for Prototype-Based Theories of Word Meaning Development

The literature on semantics and semantic development is replete with attempts to explain meaning in terms of semantic features, such features usually being represented as minimal units of meaning (Bierwisch, 1967; Clark, 1973; Leech, 1974), Although the early work in the area of lexical meaning acquisition assumed that features were essential in nature (Clark, 1973; Nelson, 1974), it is quite difficult to provide accurate descriptions of word meaning in terms of essential semantic features (Greenberg and Kuczaj, 1982; Lyons, 1977; Miller, 1978). Recent work with adults has suggested that semantic features are often characteristic rather than essential (Hampton, 1979; McCloskey and Glucksberg, 1979). This accords well with Rosch’s (1973) notion that many concepts may be characterized by prototype-based structures in which there are best examples (prototypes), peripheral examples, and examples in between these two extremes.
The pattern of poisoning in Costa Rica during 1997.

The Poison Control Center of Costa Rica has provided service since 1969. It attends calls from health professionals and the community in general regarding poisoning situations. The purpose of this study is to describe the pattern of poisonings reported to this Center during 1997. Drugs were the principal agents involved (49.2%) followed by pesticides and cleaning agents. Children under the age of 5 accounted for 39.2% of cases. Accidental circumstances were the predominant cause of poisoning in children. Among adults, suicide attempts prevailed. The male of female ratio was 1.05. Oral ingestions were the most frequent route of exposure (76.8%). It takes education and conscious efforts from everyone to help reduce poisoning cases. Language: en