cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Membrane-initiated estrogen signaling via Gq-coupled GPCR in the central nervous system

The last few decades have revealed increasing complexity and depth to our knowledge of receptor-mediated estrogen signaling. Nuclear estrogen receptors (ERs) ERα and ERβ remain the fundamental dogma, but recent research targeting membrane-bound ERs urges for a more expanded view on ER signaling. ERα and ERβ are also involved in membrane-delineated signaling alongside membrane-specific G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1), ER-X, and the Gq-coupled membrane ER (Gq-mER). Membrane ERs are responsible for eliciting rapid responses to estrogen signaling, and their importance has been increasingly indicated in central nervous system (CNS) regulation of such functions as reproduction, energy homeostasis, and stress. While the Gq-mER signaling pathway is well characterized, the receptor structure and gene remains uncharacterized, although it is not similar to the nuclear ERα/β. This review will describe the current knowledge of this putative membrane ER and its selective ligand, STX, from its initial characterization in hypothalamic melanocortin circuitry to recent research exploring its role in the CNS outside of the hypothalamus.
Doppler Ultrasonography for Gynecologic Malignancies

The color Doppler modality provides a valuable approach to the pathology of female reproductive organs. The results reported in the recent literature on three-dimensional color and/or power Doppler are indeed provocative and, not surprisingly, raise many new questions about the regulation of tumor angiogenesis, the density of tumor vessels, and the differences between vessel architecture in benign and malignant growths. Three-dimensional power Doppler depiction of tumor angiogenesis has many clinical implications, including early detection of ovarian and endometrial cancers. Improved detection and classiffication of tumor architecture after instillation of contrast agents might contribute to better diagnostic accuracy. Early detection of ovarian carcinoma is still the most attractive argument for conducting additional studies.
Method for Determination of Density of Cryogenic Liquids and Mixtures

Cryogenic liquids play an important role in many phases of industry and the space program. A knowledge of their physical and thermodynamic properties, e.g., density, heat capacity, surface tension, etc., is needed in solving many problems. It is essential to determine these properties accurately, preferably with relative ease.
On the Numerical Solution of the Eigenvalue Problem of the Laplace Operator by a Capacitance Matrix Method

The problem of finding several eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of the interior Dirichlet problem for Laplace's equation on arbitrary bounded plane regions is considered. Two fast algorithms are combined: an iterative Block Lanczos method and a capacitance matrix method. The capacitance matrix is generated and factored only once for a given problem. In each iteration of the Block Lanczos method, a discrete Helmholtz equation is solved twice on a rectangle at a cost of the order ofn 2 log2 n operations wheren is the number of mesh points across the rectangle in which the region is imbedded. Es wird uber das Auffinden mehrerer Eigenfunktionen und Eigenwerte des inneren Dirichlet-Problems fur die Laplace-Gleichung mit willkurlich begrenzten ebenen Gebieten berichtet. Zwei schnelle Algorithmen werden miteinander kombiniert. Eine iterative Block-Lanczos-Methode und eine Kapazitats-Matrizen-Methode. Die Kapazitats-Matrix wird berechnet und nur einmal fur ein gegebenes Problem faktorisiert. Bei jedem Iterationsschritt der Block-Lanczos-Methode wird eine diskrete Helmholtz-Gleichung zweimal auf einem Rechteck mit einer zu n2log2 n proportionalen Anzahl von Operationen gelost, wobein die Zahl der Netzpunkte zu dem Rechteck ist, in das das Gebiet eingebettet ist.
From proteomics to discovery of first-in-class ST2 inhibitors active in vivo

Soluble cytokine receptors function as decoy receptors to attenuate cytokine-mediated signaling and modulate downstream cellular responses. Dysregulated overproduction of soluble receptors can be pathological, such as soluble ST2 (sST2), a prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular diseases, ulcerative colitis, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Although intervention using an ST2 antibody improves survival in murine GVHD models, sST2 is a challenging target for drug development because it binds to IL-33 via an extensive interaction interface. Here, we report the discovery of small-molecule ST2 inhibitors through a combination of high-throughput screening and computational analysis. After in vitro and in vivo toxicity assessment, 3 compounds were selected for evaluation in 2 experimental GVHD models. We show that the most effective compound, iST2-1, reduces plasma sST2 levels, alleviates disease symptoms, improves survival, and maintains graft-versus-leukemia activity. Our data suggest that iST2-1 warrants further optimization to develop treatment for inflammatory diseases mediated by sST2.
Blunt thoracic aortic injury

Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is a significant problem in cardiothoracic trauma. It is a leading cause of prehospital death from high energy motor vehicle crashes. Injuries can be classified into one of four grades: grade I – intimal tear; grade II – intra-mural hematoma; grade III – pseudoaneurysm and grade IV – uncontained rupture. Clinical symptoms and signs are often limited, especially in minor injury grades. Left sided hemothorax and a widened mediastinum on chest radiography are concerning features suggestive of BTAI. Computed scanning is now an indispensable tool used to evaluate patients and has largely replaced aortography. The aim of management is to control hemorrhage (if present) and to reduce the risk of delayed aortic rupture. Patients with pseudoaneurysm can undergo semi-elective repair, provided blood pressure can be controlled which is critical to preventing lesion progression and rupture. Patients presenting with an uncontained rupture require emergent repair. The preferred method of intervention is no longer operative repair (with bypass for distal perfusion), but thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR). An endovascular approach is associated with a lower morality and lower rates of spinal cord ischemia. The aim of this review is present the history of management and the supporting evidence along with an overview of current practice from a busy US trauma center.
Environmental justice screening tools: Implications for nursing

Environmental justice (EJ) means socially and economically disadvantaged communities and citizens are entitled to an equally clean environment and resources to enjoy. EJ communities are mostly located close to polluters such as Superfund sites, coal-fired power plants and landfills and are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of environmental hazards than the U.S. population on average. It is often a difficult task to identify EJ communities and the environmental hazards in the communities without using specific EJ screening tools. Therefore, the goal of this manuscript is to introduce public health nurses to map-based EJ screening tools. This will help public health nurses to identify EJ communities and take appropriate actions. Public Health Nurses can also use other relevant web sites, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) as resources concerning potential health effects of pollutants. Using the provided tools in this paper, nurses should be able to identify EJ communities and be united to recognize barriers of EJ communities and become promoters for EJ advocacy in practice, leadership and education.
Topological invariants for interface modes

We consider topologically non-trivial interface Hamiltonians, which find several applications in materials science and geophysical fluid flows. The non-trivial topology manifests itself in the existence of topologically protected, asymmetric edge states at the interface between two two-dimensional half spaces in different topological phases. It is characterized by a quantized interface conductivity. The objective of this paper is to compute such a conductivity and show its stability under perturbations. We present two methods. The first one computes the conductivity using the winding number of branches of absolutely continuous spectrum of the interface Hamiltonian. This calculation is independent of any bulk properties but requires a sufficient understanding of the spectral decomposition of the Hamiltonian. In the fluid flow setting, it also applies in cases where the so-called bulk-interface correspondence fails. The second method establishes a bulk-interface correspondence between the interface conductivity and a so-called bulk-difference invariant. We introduce the bulk-difference invariants characterizing pairs of half spaces. We then relate the interface conductivity to the bulk-difference invariant by means of a Fedosov-Hormander formula, which computes the index of a related Fredholm operator. The two methods are used to compute invariants for representative $2\times2$ and $3\times3$ systems of equations that appear in the applications.
How do we select an antipsychotic for those with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe progressive and debilitating condition, comprised of three primary symptom domains: positive, negative, and cognitive. Individuals with schizophrenia have a decreased life...
A new method for intraoperative assessment of leg length, sizing and placement of the components in total hip replacement.

Intraoperative radiograph of the pelvis is a well-established way to avoid misplacement/undersizing of the components and leg length discrepancy (LLD) in total hip replacement (THR). We describe a method for the obtainment and the evaluation of intraoperative radiographs with a sophisticated wireless radiographic system and a computerized digital tool originally used for preoperative templating. In this retrospective case–control study, 60 patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis who underwent THR with intraoperative radiographic check with the conventional method (n = 30, control group) or the new method (AGFA flat panel DR14eG™/Orthosize™, n = 30, case group) were evaluated and compared for operation time, intraoperative changes in size/placement of the components and final radiological outcome (LLD, acetabular inclination and femoral offset) based on postoperative radiographs of the pelvis. Mean operation time was lower in case group (85.3 min vs. 103.3 min, p value 5 mm in the case group (0% vs. 27%, p value = 0.002). This new method for the obtainment and assessment of intraoperative radiographs proved to be fast and assuring for keeping LLD below 5 mm in all patients.
Pattern Focused Therapy: Highly Effective CBT Practice in Mental Health and Integrated Care Settings

Pattern-Focused Therapy incorporates brief cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions for symptom reduction and a step-by-step therapeutic strategy for effectively changing clients’ maladaptive patterns and increasing their well-being. Integrating research, clinical expertise, and client needs and values, Pattern Focused Therapy is a highly effective third-wave CBT approach that can be applied to a wide range of clients. This text guides therapists through the pattern focused approach, facilitating learning through session-by-session transcriptions and commentaries from the first to the final session. Interventions for optimizing treatment and indicators of successful therapy are included along with a chapter on Pattern Focused Therapy in integrated care settings. Seasoned and beginner therapists alike will benefit from this invaluable method for learning and mastering this evidence-based approach.
Diplomacy and Paradiplomacy in California

This chapter turns to the more practical issues of how sovereignty is executed through its sister institution, diplomacy. Again, without seeking to cover the entire literature of the field, the broad timeline of the development of diplomacy is offered and expanded to include the more recent work in the area of paradiplomacy or subnational diplomacy as both are directly relevant to the question of California’s global reach.
International Cooperation to Manage High‐Skill Migration: The Case of India–U.S. Relations

Highly skilled people are among the most valuable factors of production in the contemporary world economy. Some have characterized the competition among nations for these people as a “brain drain” or “war for talent,” which imposes significant costs on the countries of emigration. However, the distribution of costs and benefits that results from high-skill migration is not necessarily zero-sum or fixed. It may be altered through international cooperation, producing a self-reinforcing “win–win” scenario for sending and receiving countries. Bilateral cooperation, focused on specific sectors affected by migration, is the most promising approach for realizing such a scenario. This paper explores the prospects and potential for such cooperation between India and the United States, which comprise what is probably the world's largest high-skill mobility relationship. After sketching the broad contours of the relationship, we explore the prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in three specific fields of high-skill migration: information technology services, medicine and nursing, and graduate education.
Inhibition of the Axl pathway impairs breast and prostate cancer metastasis to the bones and bone remodeling

Approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths result from cancer metastasis. In prostate and breast cancers, bone is the most common site of cancer cell dissemination. Key steps in the metastatic cascade are promoted through upregulation of critical cell signaling pathways in neoplastic cells. The present study assessed the role of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl in prostate and breast cancer cell metastasis to bones using (i) Axl knockdown neoplastic cells and osteoclast progenitor cells in vitro, (ii) intracardiac injection of Axl knockdown tumor cells in vivo, and (iii) selective Axl inhibitor BGB324. Axl inhibition in neoplastic cells significantly decreased their metastatic potential, and suppression of Axl signaling in osteoclast precursor cells also reduced the formation of mature osteoclasts. In vivo, Axl knockdown in prostate and breast cancer cells significantly suppressed the formation and progression of bone metastases. Hence, therapeutic targeting of Axl may impair tumor metastasis to the bones through neoplastic and host cell signaling axes.
The impact of trauma on South African women with HIV: The role of anxiety and physical symptomology

Rates of trauma and HIV are high in South Africa, and those who experience more trauma have higher levels of psychological distress. This cross-sectional study examined trauma, physical, and mental health among black South African women living with HIV (WLH). We hypothesised that WLH would have higher rates of trauma than women not living with HIV (WNLH). We also hypothesised that there would be a relationship between trauma, anxiety, and physical symptoms, such that anxiety would mediate the relationship between trauma and physical symptoms for WLH. This study enrolled 242 women, 99 WLH. Women were individually interviewed, completing the Life Stressor Checklist (trauma history), the Physical Symptom Inventory, and the IPAT Anxiety Scale. WLH reported significantly more traumatic life events (M = 3.69, SD = 2.32) than WNLH (M = 3.06, SD = 2.42), t = -2.07, p = 0.04. Additionally, traumatic life events were positively associated with physical symptoms. Further, there was an indirect effect of trauma history on physical symptoms through anxiety, b = 0.97, 95% BC CI [0.29, 1.89], such that the direct effect of trauma on physical symptoms was no longer significant, b = 0.87, 95% BC CI [-0.83, 2.56] when anxiety was added to the model. This pattern of findings suggests that anxiety is a key mechanism through which trauma history is associated with more physical symptoms in WLH. Future research should focus on the effect of interventions alleviating the impact that trauma may have on the mental and physical health of WLH.
Results of owner questionnaires describing long-term outcome in Norwich terriers with upper airway syndrome: 2011-2018

Author(s): Johnson, Lynelle R; Mayhew, Philipp D; Culp, William TN; Stanley, Bryden J | Abstract: BackgroundNorwich terriers are affected by an upper airway syndrome (NTUAS) but little is known about outcome in affected dogs.ObjectiveTo determine outcome in dogs with NTUAS using owner questionnaires.AnimalsThirty-four client-owned dogs.MethodsAt initial assessment, owners were questioned about respiratory noises and exercise tolerance. A NTUAS score was prospectively constructed based on the number and severity of obstructive lesions detected endoscopically (range, 0-25). Owner questionnaires on respiratory noises, exercise tolerance, and quality of life (QOL) were obtained 2.2-9.3 years (median, 4.2 years) after endoscopy.ResultsDogs ranged from 0.5 to 10.7 years of age (median, 4.75 years) at initial examination and no correlation was found between age and NTUAS score (median, 13; range, 1-25). Of 5 possible laryngeal abnormalities, 7 dogs had 1-2, 10 dogs had 3, and 17 dogs had 4-5 abnormalities (median, 3.5). Surgery was performed in 15 dogs, which had higher NTUAS scores (18.5 ± 6.3) than dogs that did not have surgery (7.7 ± 4.7, P l .0001). Scores for QOL ranged from 0 to 31 out of 40, with higher scores indicating worse QOL. Owner surveys resulted in QOL scores of ≤3 in 25/31 dogs (81%), with worse scores in dogs that had surgery performed (median 5, vs 0; Pn=n.003). No correlation was noted between NTUAS and QOL scores, but age at follow-up was weakly associated with worse QOL.Conclusions and clinical importanceDespite variable severity of NTUAS scores, owners reported excellent QOL for most Norwich terriers examined.
A comparative investigation on the effects of nanocellulose from Bacteria and plant-based sources for cementitious composites

Abstract Interest in cellulosic nanomaterials has recently gained momentum due to their high tensile strength and hygroscopic properties. This study compared the effects of two different types of cellulose nanomaterials, including cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) produced from wood and bacterial cellulose (BC), on the macro, micro, and nano scale performances of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) paste. Effects of CNF and BC on cement paste hydration, microstructure, compressive strength, and flexural strength were monitored. Four dosages of nanocellulose (0%, 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.3%, by weight) were used to prepare cement paste samples. Both CNF and BC were found to increase compressive strengths and flexural strengths by 10% and 55%, respectively, after 90 days of curing. However, only CNF was able to suppress the expansion of mortar samples due to the alkali-silica reaction by 33%. At the microscale, CNF was found to accelerate the early age cement hydration, whereas BC delayed cement hydration. Both nanocellulose types resulted in lower calcium hydroxide (CH) and higher CSH contents compared to the control batch after long-term curing. Statistical nanoindentations showed that the additions of nanocellulose increase the relative amounts of high-density CSH in the hydrated cement paste. The mercury intrusion porosimeter (MIP) and dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) analyses indicated that both types of nanocellulose increase the nano porosity and reduced the microporosity. However, such advantages were more prominent in the case of CNF compared to the BC.
Fibrous and Fibrohistiocytic Lesions

Most tumors of fibrous and fibrohistiocytic origin generally produce collagen but do not form a mineralizing matrix, whereas high-grade tumors may have little to no matrix. Fibro-osseous lesions [fibrous dysplasia (FD) and osteofibrous dysplasia (OFD)] are composed of large volumes of fibrous connective tissue, principally collagens type I and III, as well as osseous areas. Fibrous and fibrohistiocytic lesions span the entire spectrum of clinical behaviors: benign, locally aggressive, and malignant. While with radiologic input, it is usually not difficult to distinguish the benign and malignant ends of the spectrum, some of these lesions have significant overlapping histologic features and necessitate incorporating clinical and demographic information to arrive at the correct diagnosis.
Impact of Sex Role Differences Upon The Frame of Reference: of Male and Female Residential Real Estate Salespeople in Their Evaluation of Career Opportunities

AbstractThe influence of sex-role stereotyping upon employee performances for job rewards has been researched in great depth. Little work has been done with men and women in a commissioned sales field. This study examines the influence of sex-role stereotyping upon the communication frame of reference and upon the evaluation of a career opportunity through two new hypotheses. Evidence was found that a sex-role identity and stereotyping can influence the frame of reference and the quality of information about a career.
PA-ZSA (Power-Aware Zero-Slack Algorithm): A Graph-Based Timing Analysis for Ultra-Low Power CMOS VLSI

This paper describes a slack budget distribution algorithm for ultra-low power CMOS logic circuits in a VLSI design environment. We introduce Power-Aware Zero-Slack Algorithm (PA-ZSA), which distributes the surplus time slacks into the most power-hungry modules. The PA-ZSA ensures that the total slack budget is near-maximal and the total power is minimal as a power-aware version of the well-known zero-slack algorithm (ZSA). Based on these time slacks, we have conducted the low-power optimization at gate level by using technology scaling technique. The experimental results show that our strategy reduces average 36% of the total (static and dynamic) power over the conventional slack budget distribution algorithms.
The Geometry of Environmental Knowledge

Theoretical and empirical work on the geometry of environmental knowledge is discussed. Certain patterns of distance and directional estimates collected from humans have been interpreted as being due to non-metric or non-Euclidean spatial knowledge. I argue that attempts to determine this geometry are inconsistent with existing theoretical models of human knowledge storage and use. Spatial estimation data are more parsimoniously explained as resulting from: (a) measurement error and ambiguity, (b) multiple and uncoordinated long-term memory representations, and (c) processes taking place when spatial knowledge is activated and used.
Hardware-Assisted Characterization of NAS Benchmarks

The UAH Logging, Trace Recording, and Analysis instrumentation (ULTRA) provides highly repeatable (0.0002% variation) application instruction counts for parallel programs which are invariant to the communication network used, the number of processors used, and the MPI communication library used. ULTRA, implemented as an MPI profiling wrapper, avoids the data collection system artifacts of time-based measurements by using instruction counts as the basic measure of work performed and records the operation performed and the amount of data sent for each network operation. These measurements can be scaled appropriately for various target architectures. ULTRA's instrumentation overhead is minimized by using the Pentium II processors's performance monitoring hardware, allowing large, production-run applications to be quickly characterized. Traces of the NAS benchmarks representing 6.67×1012 application instructions were generated by ULTRA. The application instructions executed per byte injected into the network and the instructions executed per message sent were computed from the traces. These values can be scaled by the expected processor performance to estimate the minimum network performance required to support the programs. It is impossible to use time-based measurements for this purpose due to measurement artifacts caused by the background processes and the communication network of the data collection system.
System considerations for remote and limited access laser-based ultrasound

Laser-based ultrasound offers the capability for performing ultrasonic inspections in remote and limited access areas by coupling the lasers through optical fibers. The key factors needed for successfully implementing a fiber-based remote and limited access LBU system will be described. We report on design tradeoffs and preliminary experiments that have been conducted with a fiber-based inspection system.
The effect of prescribed fire on gap fraction in an oak forest understory on the Cumberland Plateau1,2

Abstract Chiang, J-M., M. A. Arthur, and B. A. Blankenship (Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0073). The effect of prescribed fire on gap fraction in an oak forest understory on the Cumberland Plateau. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 432–441. 2005.—Excessive shade in the understory has been widely cited as the most important factor causing poor oak regeneration in eastern deciduous forests. We examined the effect of single and multiple fires on forest stand structure and the consequent impacts on the gap fraction measured in the understory. Differences in midstory stem density (stems 2–15 cm diameter at breast height; DBH) before and after prescribed burning were highly correlated with fire frequency (R2 = 0.86, P < 0.01). On average, each additional burn reduced midstory stem density by ∼550 stems per hectare. Hemispherical photography showed an increase of 3.8 % in understory gap fraction in the first growing season after burning. This increase in gap fraction, which was likel...
Visible photoelectrochemical water splitting into H2 and O2 in a dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell.

A hybrid strategy for solar water splitting is exploited here based on a dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell (DSPEC) with a mesoporous SnO2/TiO2 core/shell nanostructured electrode derivatized with a surface-bound Ru(II) polypyridyl-based chromophore–catalyst assembly. The assembly, [(4,4’-(PO3H2)2bpy)2Ru(4-Mebpy-4’-bimpy)Ru(tpy)(OH2)]4+ ([RuaII-RubII-OH2]4+, combines both a light absorber and a water oxidation catalyst in a single molecule. It was attached to the TiO2 shell by phosphonate-surface oxide binding. The oxide-bound assembly was further stabilized on the surface by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of either Al2O3 or TiO2 overlayers. Illumination of the resulting fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)|SnO2/TiO2|-[RuaII-RubII-OH2]4+(Al2O3 or TiO2) photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cells with a Pt cathode and a small applied bias resulted in visible-light water splitting as shown by direct measurements of both evolved H2 and O2. The performance of the resulting DSPECs varies with shell thickness and the nature and extent of the oxide overlayer. Use of the SnO2/TiO2 core/shell compared with nanoITO/TiO2 with the same assembly results in photocurrent enhancements of ∼5. Systematic variations in shell thickness and ALD overlayer lead to photocurrent densities as high as 1.97 mA/cm2 with 445-nm, ∼90-mW/cm2 illumination in a phosphate buffer at pH 7.
A new perspective on the impact of diffraction in proximity of micro-metals for indoor geolocation

The indoor localization has received considerable attention in the field of positioning. It has been reported that time-of-arrival (ToA) based localization performs superior in comparison to the received-signal-strength (RSS) and the angle-of-arrival (AoA) based techniques in line-of-sight (LOS) condition. However, the accuracy of such systems is limited mainly due to unexpected large ranging errors observed in indoor environment, which are primarily caused by obstruction of the direct path and the effect of diffraction of the radio waves around the edges of micro-metallic objects. It is known that the analysis of effects of the micro-metallic objects on the accuracy of the range estimates could be indeed a challenging problem. In this paper, we investigate both simulation and analytical approaches based on applicability of electromagnetic (EM) methods to analyze the effects of micro-metallic objects on the accuracy of the range estimates. According to the first approach, the results of MATLAB based 2D finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) simulation are compared to the 500 MHz bandwidth channel profiles obtained from a real-time frequency-domain measurement to analyze the accuracy of 2D simulation. Subsequently, we compare the achieved results of our analytical calculations to that of 3GHz channel profile measurements. Our studies reveal the fact that the presented simulation and analytical results are in close agreement with the results attained from the measurement campaign.
Evidence for antheridogen production and its mediation of a mating system in natural populations of fern gametophytes

Gametophytes of Asplenium pimpinellifolium Fee and Lygodium heterodoxum Kze., occurring as natural populations in Veracruz, Mexico, were studied with respect to their spacing, size, and number of antheridia and archegonia. Small gametophytes, 0.3-2.2 mm in width and growing in colonies, usually had high numbers of antheridia. Gametophytes of the same size, growing at least 1 5 cm from the nearest neighbour, had few antheridia. In the colonial gametophytes there was a strong correlation between heavily antheridiate ones and their proximity to large archegoniate gametophytes. The data are the first to suggest the presence of an antheridogen system operating in nature, with concomitant opportunities for cross-fertilization. The role of polyploidy in storing genetic variation and the role of antheridogen-mediated out-crossing in releasing variation are seen as co-adaptive phenomena in the ferns.
THE EXCRETION OF GONADOTROPIN BY NORMAL HUMAN MALES AFTER THE INGESTION AND INJECTION OF EXTRACTS OF PREGNANCY URINE

The recent finding of gonadotropic activity in plants (1, 2, 3) prompts the question of the importance of such plants in nutrition and their possible physiological significance relative to the pituitary hormone. If such plant gonadotropins are of physiological significance one might expect that they would, upon ingestion, produce some biological effect or lead to an increased rate of formation of the pituitary gonadotropic hormone.2 In the latter event an increased urinary elimination of gonadotropin might reasonably be anticipated in view of the readiness with which the mammalian kidney excretes P.U.3 However, one might just as reasonably expect similar results from the oral ingestion of large amounts of P.U. With such questions in mind the present experiments were conducted.
Evidence for type III restriction and modification systems in Mycoplasma pulmonis

Mycoplasma pulmonis possesses a cassette of genes that are predicted to code for type III restriction and modification (R-M) enzymes. Transposon disruption of a gene predicted to code for the endonuclease subunit of the enzyme resulted in loss of R-M activity. Genomic data indicate that the cassette was acquired by horizontal gene transfer and possibly located on a mobile element.
An empirical comparison of a fit of linear and non-linear models for seasonal growth in fish

Abstract Modifications to the von Bertalanffy model of body growth by incorporating time-varying coefficients in the form of trigonometric functions have been proposed by several authors. In particular, Pauly and Gaschutz presented a non-linear model and transformed it to the form of a multiple linear regression model for fitting by standard methods. Approximate expressions for the variances and covariances of the estimates of the parameters thus obtained have been derived in this paper. Non-linear methods of fitting seasonal growth models are only moderately difficult in computational aspects, do not require prior estimates of any parameters, and offer flexibility in choosing natural error structures. The means and the covariance matrices of the estimates of the parameters obtained from non-linear and linear methods are compared. Simulation studies indicate that the estimates obtained are distributed approximately multivariate normal, thus facilitating the comparison of growth curves.
Integrating one-dimensional and three-dimensional maps of genomes.

Genomes exist in vivo as complex physical structures, and their functional output (i.e. the gene expression profile of a cell) is related to their spatial organization inside the nucleus as well as to local chromatin status. Chromatin modifications and chromosome conformation are distinct in different tissues and cell types, which corresponds closely with the diversity in gene-expression patterns found in different tissues of the body. The biological processes and mechanisms driving these general correlations are currently the topic of intense study. An emerging theme is that genome compartmentalization – both along the linear length of chromosomes, and in three dimensions by the spatial colocalization of chromatin domains and genomic loci from across the genome – is a crucial parameter in regulating genome expression. In this Commentary, we propose that a full understanding of genome regulation requires integrating three different types of data: first, one-dimensional data regarding the state of local chromatin – such as patterns of protein binding along chromosomes; second, three-dimensional data that describe the population-averaged folding of chromatin inside cells and; third, single-cell observations of three-dimensional spatial colocalization of genetic loci and trans factors that reveal information about their dynamics and frequency of colocalization.
Simultaneous Factor Selection and Collapsing Levels in ANOVA

When performing an analysis of variance, the investigator often has two main goals: to determine which of the factors have a significant effect on the response, and to detect differences among the levels of the significant factors. Level comparisons are done via a post-hoc analysis based on pairwise differences. This article proposes a novel constrained regression approach to simultaneously accomplish both goals via shrinkage within a single automated procedure. The form of this shrinkage has the ability to collapse levels within a factor by setting their effects to be equal, while also achieving factor selection by zeroing out entire factors. Using this approach also leads to the identification of a structure within each factor, as levels can be automatically collapsed to form groups. In contrast to the traditional pairwise comparison methods, these groups are necessarily nonoverlapping so that the results are interpretable in terms of distinct subsets of levels. The proposed procedure is shown to have the oracle property in that asymptotically it performs as well as if the exact structure were known beforehand. A simulation and real data examples show the strong performance of the method.
Solution of the diffusion equation by finite elements in hydrodynamic codes

Abstract The radiation diffusion equation is solved by the finite element method. The energy densities are point centered. These are integrated into a program architecture which requires zonally averaged quantities. Numerical results are presented which compare the scheme with existing finite difference techniques for zonal variables. Finite elements give better results for transport dominated problems on non-orthogonal meshes such as might be generated by Lagrangian hydrodynamic distortions.
The soluble components of chromaffin granules a carbon-13 NMR survey

Abstract Carbon-13 NMR spectra of the reconcentrated chromaffin granule lysate have been obtained at 50 MHz and 62.9 MHz. The spectrum contains a number of assignable resonances in addition to those of the main soluble components (catecholamines, adenine nucleotides and chromogranin). Guanine and uridine nucleotides are present at levels of 0.13 and 0.08 mol/mol adenine nucleotides, respectively. Concentrations of cytidine nucleotides and NAD + are below the detection limit (0.02 mol/mol adenine nucleotides). An unidentified low molecular weight species, thought to be an adenine-containing oligonucleotide, is also present. Ascorbic acid was observed at a concentration of 0.14 mol/mol adenine nucleotides, but both dopamine and dehydroascorbic acid were below the detection limit. Protein resonances agree well with the reported amino acid composition of chromogranin A, with the exception of tryptophan and glutamine which have not previously been measured. The concentrations of these residues are estimated to be 12 ± 3 and 39 ± 5 residues per 77 000 dalton unit of chromogranin A. Substantial intensity due to unsaturated fatty acid side-chains in solubilized lipid is seen in the olefinic carbon region and in the methylene region, suggesting the presence of lipoprotein. Unassigned carbohydrate resonances are also present, but are largely obscured by sucrose in the isolation medium.
Fabrication of catalyst-coated membrane-electrode assemblies by doctor blade method and their performance in fuel cells

Membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) have been fabricated with a direct coating of the catalyst slurry by a doctor blade method on the pre-swollen Nafion membrane for proton exchange membrane (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The effects of various swelling agents with different boiling points such as ethylene glycol (EG), diethylene glycol (DEG), triethylene glycol (TEG), tetraethylene glycol (TEEG), and glycerol in the swelling step of the membrane and the drying step of the coated catalyst have been investigated. Also, the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a dispersing agent in the catalyst slurry has been investigated. Among the various swelling agents investigated, EG gives the best results with the dispersing agent DMSO offering further improvement. The MEAs fabricated with the EG-swollen membranes and DMSO as a dispersing agent in the catalyst layer show good performance in single fuel cells with hydrogen and methanol fuels.
Influence of alterations in loading produced by lower body negative pressure on aortic blood flow acceleration

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of alterations in loading induced by lower body negative pressure on aortic blood flow velocity and acceleration. Twenty-seven normal men were studied during various levels of lower body negative pressure (0 to −60 mm Hg) during which echocardiographic, Doppler and hormonal measurements were obtained. Lower body negative pressure induced a decrease in left ventricular diastolic diameter from 5.18 ± 0.08 to 4.41 ± 0.1 cm (p < 0.0001) and in left ventricular systolic diameter from 3.33 ± 0.09 to 2.84 ± 0.1 cm (p < 0.0001). Shortening fraction remained unchanged. The decrease in diastolic diameter resulted in a reduction in flow velocity integral from 13.8 ± 0.8 to 7.5 ± 0.4 cm (p < 0.0001) and, therefore, in stroke volume from 89.6 ± 4.7 to 49.5 ± 2.8 ml (p < 0.0001). Heart rate reflexly increased from 62.5 ± 1.9 to 82.2 ± 2.3 beats/min (p < 0.0001) as did systemic vascular resistance from 1,280.8 ± 69.5 to 1,863.4 ± 121.4 dyne·s·cm−5 (p < 0.0001). The increase in heart rate was insufficient to maintain cardiac output, which decreased from 5.53 ± 0.29 to 3.99 ± 0.21 liters/min (p < 0.0001). Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure was maintained. The negative pressure resulted in a concomitant significant increase in norepinephrine levels from 1.46 ± 0.09 to 2.056 ± 0.2 nmol/liter (p = 0.0019) but no change in plasma epinephrine: 0.845 ± 0.22 to 0.78 ± 0.11 nmol/liter (p = NS). Despite the presumed increase in contractility (increased heart rate, augmented norepinephrine level and unchanged shortening fraction in the face of an adverse change in loading), there was a significant decrease in aortic blood flow acceleration (16.96 ± 0.66 to 13.11 ± 0.63 m/s2 (p < 0.0001) and velocity (0.79 ± 0.02 to 0.56 ± 0.02 m/s (p < 0.0001). Thus, lower body negative pressure effectively decreases preload, with a concomitant reflex increase in systemic vascular resistance. Aortic blood flow acceleration and velocity were affected by these hemodynamic alterations and, therefore, cannot be used to assess left ventricular systolic performance independent of loading.
Evidence-based Medicine and Antiepileptic Drugs

Evidence based health care uses systematic literature reviews with statistical strategies like meta-analysis to aid decision-making. This information can help clinicians by organizing data and providing up-to-date quantitative summaries of efficacy and adverse effects of treatments. Limitations of meta-analysis include problems inherent in combining data from trials of somewhat different design, choice of appropriate dosages, and summarizing complex questions as a single odds ratios. I summarize the results of a meta-analysis of the following antiepileptic treatments for partial seizures in adults: gabapentin, lamotrigine, topiramate, tiagabine, valproate and the vagal nerve stimulator. Each treatment was significantly more efficacious than placebo, and there were nonsignificant trends toward differences among the treatments in efficacy and tolerability. Quantitative analysis of adverse effects is presented. Absent the availability of a comprehensive randomized controlled trial for comparison, a rigorously conducted meta-analysis provides some useful information.
Influence of turbulence on aerosol sampling efficiency

The effect of turbulence as the measurement of overall sampling efficiency of an aerosol sampling inlet has been studied because it may be an important factor leading to discrepancies in the results between different investigators. The characteristic wind turbulence parameters, scale and intensity, may be very different between ambient and wind tunnel measurements, or between different wind tunnels. In this study, the influence of turbulence on overall aerosol sampling efficiencies has been examined by varying tunnel wind conditions through the use of grids, a mixing fan and a null condition with no mechanical manipulation. Turbulence intensity was varied between 1.4 and 7.5%, and the turbulence scale ranged from 0.5 cm to the order of 10 cm. The inlets used are sharp-edged, thin-walled brass tubes with diameters ranging from 0.32 to 1.03cm. The results demonstrate that turbulence does influence overall sampling efficiency. The difference between overall sampling efficiencies among the various wind conditions appears to be due to the combined effect of turbulent scale and intensity interacting with the size of the inlet diameter. At low Stokes numbers, Stk 1.0, the difference between transmission efficiencies for a given Stokes number increases to as much as 100%. The probable reason for the increase in transmission efficiency range is the increase of the particle relaxation time, compared to the time scale for significant changes in the gas velocity. For Stk < 1.0 and turbulence intensity of ⩽ 7.5 %, turbulence produces a spread in overall sampling efficiencies of less than 15% for the inlet diameters studied.
Athermal silicon microring resonators with titanium oxide cladding

We describe a novel approach for CMOS-compatible passively temperature insensitive silicon based optical devices using titanium oxide cladding which has a negative thermo-optic (TO) effect. We engineer the mode confinement in Si and TiO2 such that positive TO of Si is exactly cancelled out by negative TO of TiO2. We demonstrate robust operation of the resulting device over 35 degrees.
Mini-beam collimator applications at the Advanced Photon Source

Abstract In 2007, the General Medicine and Cancer Institutes Collaborative Access Team (GM/CA CAT, Sector 23, Advanced Photon Source) began providing mini-beam collimators to its users. These collimators contained individual, 5- or 10-μm pinholes and were rapidly exchangeable, thereby allowing users to tailor the beam size to their experimental needs. The use of these collimators provided a reduction in background noise, and thus improved the signal-to-noise ratio [1] , [2] . Recent improvements in the collimator design include construction of the device from a monolithic piece of molybdenum with multiple pinholes mounted inside [3] . This allows users to select from various size options from within the beamline control software without the realignment that was previously necessary. In addition, a new, 20-μm pinhole has been added to create a “quad-collimator”, resulting in greater flexibility for the users. The mini-beam collimator is now available at multiple crystallographic beamlines and also is a part of the first Mossbauer Microscopic system at sector 3-ID.
MO-E-I-611-01: Introduction to Dual-Modality Imaging and SPECT/CT

Over the past decade, dual-modality imaging has emerged as a diagnostic technique which combines structural and functional information with the goal of improving the assessment and management of patients with heart disease, cancer, and other disorders. Prototype dual-modality systems developed by early investigators were designed to perform both x-ray and radionuclide imaging simultaneously with a single detector array, an approach proved to be very challenging and ultimately impractical. Now, both SPECT/CT and PET/CT systems are available for clinical use that integrate separate radionuclide and x-ray imaging subsystems with a common gantry, computer system, and patient table. The direct combination of radionuclide and x-ray imaging with dual-modality systems thereby facilitates fusion of functional and structural image data. In addition, patient-specific a priori information from CT can be incorporated into tomographic algorithms used to reconstruct the radionuclide data with corrections for photon attenuation and other physical perturbations, to improve both the visual quality and the quantitative accuracy of the radionuclide data. PET/CT now has significant clinical role in facilitating structural/functional correlation and attenuation correction, primarily of 18F-fluorodeoxyglocuse imaging of patients with cancer. Similarly, SPECT/CT can perform attenuation correction and structural/functional imaging using single-photon diagnostic agents for cancer and heart disease, including those that use gamma-ray emitting radiopharmaceuticals for radionuclide cancer therapy. These applications are enabled through the design and implementation of both the hardware and the software for dual-modality imaging, and provide unique capabilities and important clinical data which can not be achieved easily when structural or functional imaging is performed in isolation. The author acknowledges research support from Gamma Medica Incorporated (Northridge CA), General Electric Healthcare (Waukesha WI and Haifa Israel), Radiation Monitoring Devices (Watertown MA), the UC Discovery Grant Program (Oakland CA), the UC Campus Laboratory Collaboration Program (Berkeley CA), the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the National Institutes of Health. Educational Objectives: 1. To understand the design and clinical goals of dual-modality imaging systems, including both SPECT/CT and PET/CT 2. To understand how implementation of dual-modality imaging improves both the visual quality and the quantitative accuracy of radionuclide data
The Otolaryngologist's Role in Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention

Infant hearing loss is common. Screening is performed in more than 98% of US infants. Otolaryngologists play an important role in identification and management of infants and children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Otolaryngologists should routinely assess for hearing screening results and intervene for screens not passed. Long-term follow-up and reassessment of patients with hearing loss is an ongoing component of otolaryngology practice. This article reviews the otolaryngologist's role in the management of infants and children who are deaf or hard of hearing from screening to intervention and management.