cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two wrongs make a right: linear increase of accuracy of visually-guided manual pointing, reaching, and height-matching with increase in hand-to-body distance

Measurements were made of the accuracy of open-loop manual pointing and height-matching to a visual target whose elevation was perceptually mislocalized. Accuracy increased linearly with distance of the hand from the body, approaching complete accuracy at full extension; with the hand close to the body (within the midfrontal plane), the manual errors equaled the magnitude of the perceptual mislocalization. The visual inducing stimulus responsible for the perceptual errors was a single pitched-from-vertical line that was long (50 degrees), eccentrically-located (25 degrees horizontal), and viewed in otherwise total darkness. The line induced perceptual errors in the elevation of a small, circular visual target set to appear at eye level (VPEL), a setting that changed linearly with the change in the line's visual pitch as has been previously reported (pitch: -30 degrees topbackward to 30 degrees topforward); the elevation errors measured by VPEL settings varied systematically with pitch through an 18 degrees range. In a fourth experiment the visual inducing stimulus responsible for the perceptual errors was shown to induce separately-measured errors in the manual setting of the arm to feel horizontal that were also distance-dependent. The distance-dependence of the visually-induced changes in felt arm position accounts quantitatively for the distance-dependence of the manual errors in pointing/reaching and height matching to the visual target: The near equality of the changes in felt horizontal and changes in pointing/reaching with the finger at the end of the fully extended arm is responsible for the manual accuracy of the fully-extended point; with the finger in the midfrontal plane their large difference is responsible for the inaccuracies of the midfrontal-plane point. The results are inconsistent with the widely-held but controversial theory that visual spatial information employed for perception and action are dissociated and different with no illusory visual influence on action. A different two-system theory, the Proximal/Distal model, employing the same signals from vision and from the body-referenced mechanism with different weights for different hand-to-body distances, accounts for both the perceptual and the manual results in the present experiments.
WE-E-220-01: Focused-Ultrasound Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption

Purpose: Numerous studies have shown that ultrasound bursts combined with an ultrasound contrast agent results in a temporary disruption of the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). Combined with focused ultrasoundsystems that can precisely focus ultrasound through the human skull, a noninvasive means for targeted drug delivery becomes possible. As the BBB, which normally serves to protect the central nervous system, prevents most substances from being delivered to the brain from the circulation, this approach could have a large impact on treatments for braintumors and other disorders. This talk will review recent results from recent studies testing the safety and efficacy of this approach. Methods: Ongoing studies at our institution are testing repeated BBB disruption sessions in nonhuman primates using a clinical MR‐guided focused ultrasoundsystem (ExAblate 4000, InSightec). Additional studies are being performed to test whether combining BBB disruption with Herceptin, an antibody‐based drug for HER2‐positive breast cancer that often fails with brain metastases, can improve outcomes in rats implanted with human breast cancer cells. Relevant works on safety and efficacy of this technique from other research groups will also be presented. Results: We have found that BBB disruption can be achieved repeatedly in nonhuman primates without MRI‐based evidence of tissue damage or functional deficits. Furthermore, the disruption has been found to only occur at targeted locations in the brain. Tests in the breast cancerbrain metastases model have shown improvement in tumor growth rate, with tumors in 4/10 animals in the Herceptin+BBB disruption group disappearing. This result was not achieved in the control groups. Conclusion: These and other similar studies, while still ongoing, are encouraging and supportive of preparing for initial human tests of this technique. Methods to control and monitor the procedure, however, are currently lacking and will be necessary for widespread use of the technique. Learning objectives: 1. Learn how ultrasound and ultrasound contrast agents are applied for blood‐brain barrier disruption 2. Learn about ongoing safety and efficacy studies of the technique 3. Learn about need for methods to guide and monitor the ultrasound exposures
Upper critical field in single crystal UBe13

Abstract In order to obtain information about the symmetry of the ground state, we have studied the anisotropy of H c2 (T) in UBe 13 . Using sensitive mutual induction techniques, we have systematically measured χ' (H,T) and χ″(H,T) of several single crystals in fields up to 8 T oriented along the [100] and [110] directions, with particular emphasis on the T/T c → 1 limit. The resulting H c2 phase diagram is presented and compared to the results of other workers.
Role of the staggerer gene in determining Purkinje cell number in the cerebellar cortex of mouse chimeras

Abstract Staggerer (sg) is a mutation in mice which causes severe cerebellar atrophy. Virtually all of the granule cells degenerate by the end of the first postnatal month. The Purkinje cells are also affected. They are reduced in number, ectopic in location, reduced in size and show a regional variation in their cytological appearance. The appearance of the cerebellar cortex of Staggerer ↔ wild-type chimeric mice has demonstrated that the reduced size, ectopia, and regional variation are always traits of cells whose nucleus is of sg/sg genotype and thus are due to factors intrinsic to the affected cell. This report is a quantitative analysis of the cerebellar cortex of two Staggerer chimeras. Sections were chosen from serially sectioned half cerebella. Using β-glucuronidase activity as an independent marker of a cell's genotype, cells were scored as belonging to 1 of 3 cell classes: wild-type Purkinje cell, wild-type Golgi cell, and Staggerer medium-to-large neuron. The results confirm that the total number of cells in the chimera (all 3 classes) is greater than that found in a homozygous Staggerer but less than that found in a wild-type. Further, the distribution of the two genotypes strongly suggests that the decreased number of cells in Staggerer and in the chimera is due to an intrinsic defect in the Staggerer cells and not to a general (extrinsic) compromising of cerebellar development. Possible implications for normal cerebellar development are discussed.
Neonatal handling selectively alters the phosphorylation of a 47,000 mol. wt. protein in male rat hippocampus

Beginning on postnatal day 1, rat pups were handled for 7 min daily for 23–30 days. This treatment diminished the in vitro phosphorylation of phosphoprotein F-1 [mol. wt. ≈ 47 K daltons, protein B-5014,15] in the hippocampus of male rats. Other major phosphoproteins (D-1–2, mol. wt. 80–86 K daltons; E-2–3, mol. wt. 50–55 K daltons) were not influenced by handling. These findings confirm and extend the results of Holmes et al.5 who observed a decrease in ECS-induced protein kinase activity subsequent to handling.
Probing the U-Shaped Conformation of Caveolin-1 in a Bilayer

Caveolin induces membrane curvature and drives the formation of caveolae that participate in many crucial cell functions such as endocytosis. The central portion of caveolin-1 contains two helices (H1 and H2) connected by a three-residue break with both N- and C-termini exposed to the cytoplasm. Although a U-shaped configuration is assumed based on its inaccessibility by extracellular matrix probes, caveolin structure in a bilayer remains elusive. This work aims to characterize the structure and dynamics of caveolin-1 (D82–S136; Cav182–136) in a DMPC bilayer using NMR, fluorescence emission measurements, and molecular dynamics simulations. The secondary structure of Cav182–136 from NMR chemical shift indexing analysis serves as a guideline for generating initial structural models. Fifty independent molecular dynamics simulations (100 ns each) are performed to identify its favorable conformation and orientation in the bilayer. A representative configuration was chosen from these multiple simulations and simulated for 1 μs to further explore its stability and dynamics. The results of these simulations mirror those from the tryptophan fluorescence measurements (i.e., Cav182–136 insertion depth in the bilayer), corroborate that Cav182–136 inserts in the membrane with U-shaped conformations, and show that the angle between H1 and H2 ranges from 35 to 69°, and the tilt angle of Cav182–136 is 27 ± 6°. The simulations also reveal that specific faces of H1 and H2 prefer to interact with each other and with lipid molecules, and these interactions stabilize the U-shaped conformation.
3D Simulation of fluid-particle interactions with the number of particles reaching 100

Abstract A high performance computing research tool has been developed for 3D simulation of fluid-particle interactions with the number of particles reaching 100. The tool is based on a stabilized space-time finite element formulation for moving boundaries and interfaces and parallel computing. Other components of this tool include: fast automatic mesh generation with structured layers of elements around the particles and unstructured meshes elsewhere; an automatic mesh moving method combined with remeshing as needed; accurate and efficient projection of the solution between the old and new meshes after each remesh; surface mesh refinement as two spheres or a sphere and the tube wall get close; and multi-platform computing. We apply this tool to the simulation of two cases involving 101 spheres falling in a liquid-filled tube. In both cases the initial distribution of the spheres in the tube is random. In the first simulation the size of the spheres is also random, whereas in the second case it is uniform. We demonstrate that the tool developed can be used for simulation of this class of problems with computing durations kept at acceptable levels.
Variability in the anatomy of the planum temporale and posterior ascending ramus: do right- and left handers differ?

Abstract The anatomy of the planum temporale (PT) and posterior ascending ramus (PAR) was studied in vivo in 67 healthy right- and left-handed adults using MRI-based morphometry. The left PT was significantly larger than the right, and there was a weakly significant effect of the right PAR larger than the left. A leftward PT asymmetry was found in 72%, and a rightward PAR asymmetry was found in 64% of the sample. The “typical” configuration of a larger left PT and larger right PAR co-occurred in 56% of the subjects studied, which was only slightly more often than predicted by chance. Eight of 67 subjects had “reversed” PT and PAR asymmetries, with consistent left and mixed handers over-represented in this group. Right PAR size was the only variable that predicted writing hand, and left PT size was the only measure that differed by sex. The left PT was expanded relative to the left PAR in 93% of the sample, suggesting that this configuration may be developmentally regulated and may be a critical substrate for the development of language. These findings demonstrate that important relationships exist between hand preference, and the anatomy of posterior cortical language areas.
A Nonlinear Model for Predicting Interannual Changes in Calanus finmarchicus Abundance in the Gulf of Maine

Time series of physical and biological properties of the ocean are a valuable resource for developing models for ecological forecasting and ecosystem-based management. Both the physics of the oceans and organisms living in it can exhibit nonlinear dynamics. We describe the development of a nonlinear model that predicts the abundance of the important zooplankton species Calanus finmarchicus from hydrographic data from the Gulf of Maine. The results of a neural network model, including model diagnostics and forecasts, are presented. The best neural network model based on generalized cross-validation includes variables of C. finmarchicus abundance, herring abundance, and the state of the Gulf of Maine waters, with meaningful time lags. Forecasts are constructed for the model fit to 1978–2003 bimonthly data and corresponding forecasts intervals are obtained by the stationary bootstrap.
Kinetic study and theoretical analysis of hydroxyl radical trapping and spin adduct decay of alkoxycarbonyl and dialkoxyphosphoryl nitrones in aqueous media

Spin-trap development is important because of limitations that still exist among the currently used nitrone spin traps. This study correlates the experimental kinetic data with theoretical calculat...
THE LOSS OF PHENOTYPIC TRAITS BY DIFFERENTIATED CELLS : III. The Reversible Behavior of Chondrocytes in Primary Cultures

Observations were made on the behavior of chondrocytes grown under various conditions in vitro. The chondrocytes in 10-day embryonic chick vertebrae were grown as cultures of intact vertebrae, as pellets of chondrocytes liberated from their matrix, and as monodispersed cells plated out on plasma clots. Cartilage matrix was stained metachromatically with toluidine blue. Radioautographs were made of incorporated H3-thymidine, H3-proline, and S35-sulfate to determine the extent of DNA synthesis, collagen synthesis, and chondroitin sulfate synthesis, respectively. Chondrocytes in intact vertebrae or in pellets are rounded and actively synthesizing chondroitin sulfate and collagen. There is little DNA synthesis by cells in either vertebrae or pellets. Chondrocytes grown as monodisperse cells rapidly cease synthesizing cytologically detectable chondroitin sulfate and are induced to synthesize DNA and divide. There is a change in the shape of these chondrocytes from a rounded to a more stellate condition which accompanies the shift in metabolic activity. Conversely, when the cells attain a certain cell density, they reacquire a rounded shape, cease dividing, and again synthesize chondroitin sulfate. Clusters of chondrocytes synthesize more chondroitin sulfate than isolated chondrocytes. It is concluded that most chondrocytes synthesizing chondroitin sulfate do not concurrently synthesize DNA. Interaction between associated chondrocytes is important in inducing and maintaining chondroitin sulfate synthesis in genetically determined chondrocytes. Failure of interaction between chondrocytes leads to DNA synthesis and cell multiplication.
Prospective development of a cost-efficient program for the pubovaginal sling

Abstract Objectives We designed and implemented a cost-containment program for patients undergoing a pubovaginal sling procedure. We sought to test the hypothesis that preoperative patient education could reduce the length of hospital stay in these patients. Our goal was to decrease hospital charges while maintaining quality of care. Methods A multidisciplinary group of clinic and hospital staff identified factors that contribute to a patient's hospital charges for a pubovaginal sling procedure. A program of preoperative patient education to teach intermittent self-catheterization was combined with the elimination or control of items considered unnecessary to the delivery of safe, efficient care. Patient care was standardized from the preoperative visit to discharge planning. The difference in the mean values of 38 prestudy patients was compared with 15 study patients with a Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results Length of hospital stay was reduced from a mean of 2.8 to 1.1 days after implementation of the program ( P P P P P Conclusions With a program of preoperative patient education combined with a critical review of the factors contributing to a patient's hospital charges, it is possible to implement a cost-efficient program for a pubovaginal sling, leading to a 35% reduction in mean total hospital charges. This approach directed toward other incontinence procedures could be expected to yield comparative results.
Buckling and initial postbuckling behavior of spheroidal shells under pressure.

Elastic spheroidal shell of revolution under external pressure described by buckling and postbuckling theory
Microstructural homogeneity and electromagnetic connectivity of YBa2Cu3O7−δ grown on rolling-assisted biaxially textured coated conductor substrates

Abstract The electromagnetic connectivity and microstructure of three YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− δ (YBCO) films grown on biaxially textured substrates were investigated by magneto optic (MO) imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and CeO 2 -buffered, biaxially textured Ni tapes. The transport critical current density ( J c ) values of the films were 0.3, 0.6 and 0.7 MA/cm 2 (77 K, 0 T). MO imaging revealed clearly granular electromagnetic behavior in the lowest J c and one of the higher J c samples, but considerably better connectivity in the sample with a J c value of 0.6 MA/cm 2 . High resolution SEM showed a dense and rather featureless microstructure in the YBCO of the most highly electromagnetically connected sample, whereas pores and/or second phase particles cluttered the YBCO layers of the granular samples. Thus, the granular behavior in these samples appears to be caused by pores and second phase particles that locally obstruct the superconducting current in the YBCO layer. Control of these types of defects clearly is important for raising the J c value.
Myosin-based contraction is not necessary for cardiac c-looping in the chick embryo

During the initial phase of cardiac looping, known as c-looping, the heart bends and twists into a c-shaped tube with the convex outer curvature normally directed toward the right side of the embryo. Despite intensive study for more than 80 years, the biophysical mechanisms that drive and regulate looping remain poorly understood, although some investigators have speculated that differential cytoskeletal contraction supplies the driving force for c-looping. The purpose of this investigation was to test this hypothesis. To inhibit contraction, embryonic chick hearts at stages 10-12 (10-16 somites, 33-48 h) were exposed to the myosin inhibitors 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM), ML-7, Y-27632, and blebbistatin. Experiments were conducted in both whole embryo culture and, to focus on bending alone, isolated heart culture. Measurements of heart stiffness and phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chains showed that BDM, Y-27632, and blebbistatin significantly reduced myocardial contractility, while ML-7 had a lesser effect. None of these drugs significantly affected looping during the studied stages. These results suggest that active contraction is not required for normal c-looping of the embryonic chick heart between stages 10 and 12.
Morphological representation of order-statistics filters

We propose a comprehensive theory for the morphological bounds on order-statistics filters (and their repeated iterations). Conditions are derived for morphological openings and closings to serve as bounds (lower and upper, respectively) on order-statistics filters (and their repeated iterations). Under various assumptions, morphological open-closings and close-openings are also shown to serve as (tighter) bounds (lower and upper, respectively) on iterations of order-statistics filters. Simulations of the application of the results presented to image restoration are finally provided. >
CREDIT MARKET IMPERFECTIONS AND THE SEPARATION OF OWNERSHIP FROM CONTROL

This paper offers a model of credit markets with adverse selection and moral hazard. The equilibrium is highly inefficient, and the underlying reason is the zero-profit condition imposed by competing financial intermediaries which gives very high powered incentives to entrepreneurs. The paper demonstrates that when entrepreneurs can hire a manager to run their projects, the inefficiencies are prevented. This is because the manager is not the residual claimant of the returns, and hence has low powered incentives. Therefore, the divergence of interests between owners and managers may have beneficial effects as well as the often emphasized costs.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: D82, G32.
Prognostic significance of tumour‐infiltrating T lymphocytes and T‐cell subsets in de novo diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma: a multiparameter flow cytometry study

Tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL-T) have been implicated in playing a role in controlling tumour growth. We evaluated TIL-T in 55 cases of de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) using three- or four-colour flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI). The percentage of TIL-T varied from 3% to 72% of total viable cellular events (mean 32 +/- 20%). The CD4:CD8 ratio varied from 0.17 to 13 (mean 2.3 +/- 2.2). Cases with >/= 20% T cells and those with CD4:CD8 ratios > or = 2.0 showed a significantly better overall survival (P = 0.017 and P = 0.034 respectively). These findings were independent of clinical stage at diagnosis. The T-cell percentage and CD4:CD8 ratio were moderately correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.47, P = 0.001) and multivariate analysis revealed that the association of the two factors with prognosis was mutually dependent. The T cells in 23 cases were studied for CD45RO. The mean percentage of total T cells expressing CD45RO was 86 +/- 10%. There was a trend towards better survival for those patients with a higher percentage of CD45RO+ T cells (P = 0.06). These results suggest that TIL-T, particularly CD4+ T cells, may play a role in the control of DLBCL, and measurement of T-cell percentage and T-cell subsets using FCI may be useful in predicting the clinical behaviour of DLBCL.
REGULATION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE: SUPPRESSIVE AND ENHANCING EFFECTS OF PASSIVELY ADMINISTERED ANTIBODY

The ability of passively administered antibody to suppress the immune response against homologous antigenic determinants while concomitantly enhancing the response against other unrelated determinants of the same antigen molecule has been established in two distinct antigen-antibody systems: (a) guinea pig γ2-immunoglobulin + passive anti-F(ab')2 antibody, where suppression of anti-F(ab')2 antibody synthesis is accompanied by enhancement of the anti-Fc response; and (b) human secretory IgA + passive anti-serum IgA antibody, where suppression of antibody production against the α and L chains accompanies augmentation of the response to the secretory component. The mechanisms of the suppressive and enhancing effects are probably unrelated for the following reasons: (a) Enhancement of the response to certain determinants may be obtained without discernible suppression of the response to the homologous determinants; and (b) the F(ab')2 fragments of passive antibody can mediate immune suppression but were not observed to enhance the response against the unrelated determinants of the same antigen molecule. Also, the timing for achieving maximum suppression or enhancement of antibody formation is not the same; enhancement was obtained only at a later time. Both the enhancement and suppressive effects were obtained with the purified γG fraction of antisera. This finding rules out an exclusive role of γM antibody in the enhancement phenomenon.
Neutral Vector Meson and Nucleon Form Factors and Magnetic Moments

The existence of the heavy neutral vector meson recently suggested by Nambu is studied as a possible explanation of two phenomena: (1) the small charge root-mean-square radius of the neutron, and (2) the nucleon anomalous magnetic moments. The types and strengths of its intersations required to account for these phenomena are then used to predict the modes and rates of its decay as a function of its mass. The possi-bility of its detection by observation of these decay products is briefly discussed. Results are inconclusive. (auth)
SIMT-based Logic Layers for Stacked DRAM Architectures: A Prototype

Stacked DRAM products are now available, and the likelihood of future products combining DRAM stacks with custom logic layers seems high. The near-memory processor in such a system will have to be energy efficient, latency tolerant, and capable of exploiting both high memory-level parallelism and high memory bandwidth. We believe that single-instruction-multiple-thread (SIMT) processors are uniquely suited to this task, and for the purpose of evaluating this claim have produced an FPGA-based prototype.
Charcoal-facilitated dialysis.

Abstract If a small molecule can be adsorbed to charcoal, it can be completely removed from a dialysis bag when charcoal is added to the external buffer. This method does not expose any retained molecules to charcoal and requires only a minimal volume of dialysate buffer with no buffer changes. Since the charcoal binds the small molecule and prevents if from reentering the bag, the rate of dialysis is increased.
Carbon source-dependent alteration of Puf3p activity mediates rapid changes in the stabilities of mRNAs involved in mitochondrial function

The Puf family of RNA-binding proteins regulates gene expression primarily by interacting with the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of targeted mRNAs and inhibiting translation and/or stimulating decay. Physical association and computational analyses of yeast Puf3p identified >150 potential mRNA targets involved in mitochondrial function. However, only COX17 has been established as a target of Puf3p-mediated deadenylation and decapping. We have identified 10 new targets that are rapidly degraded in a Puf3p-dependent manner. We also observed changes in Puf3p activity in response to environmental conditions. Puf3p promotes rapid degradation of mRNA targets in the fermentable carbon source dextrose. However, Puf3p-mediated decay activity is inhibited in carbon sources that require mitochondrial function for efficient cell growth. In addition, the activity of Puf3p is rapidly altered by changing the carbon source. PUF3 expression is not decreased at the RNA or protein level by different carbon sources and localization is not significantly altered, suggesting that Puf3p activity is regulated posttranslationally. Finally, under conditions when Puf3p is unable to stimulate decay, Puf3p can still bind its target mRNAs. Together, these experiments provide insight into the carbon source-specific control of Puf3p activity and how such alterations allow Puf3p to dynamically regulate mitochondrial function.
Dynamics of purified and industrial pentachlorophenol in fathead minnows

Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to purified and industrial composite pentachlorophenol (PCP, 50 Μg/L) for 31 days in flowthrough diluter systems and then placed in fresh water for an elimination phase. Whole body residues were analyzed for PCP and its degradation products through time. Pentachlorophenyl-Β-glucuronide and pentachloroanisole were detected in fish tissues. Residues of PCP plateaued in fish from both experiments before the end of the 31-day exposure. Fish exposed to industrial composite and purified PCP concentrated PCP residues by 284 and 174 times, respectively. On an average, pentachlorophenyl-Β-glucuronide residues were lower in fish exposed to the industrial composite.
Full-length Gα q –phospholipase C-β3 structure reveals interfaces of the C-terminal coiled-coil domain

Phospholipase C-β (PLCβ) is directly activated by Gαq, but the molecular basis for how its distal C-terminal domain (CTD) contributes to maximal activity is poorly understood. Herein we present both the crystal structure and cryo-EM three-dimensional reconstructions of human full-length PLCβ3 in complex with mouse Gαq. The distal CTD forms an extended monomeric helical bundle consisting of three antiparallel segments with structural similarity to membrane-binding bin-amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) domains. Sequence conservation of the distal CTD suggests putative membrane and protein interaction sites, the latter of which bind the N-terminal helix of Gαq in both the crystal structure and cryo-EM reconstructions. Functional analysis suggests that the distal CTD has roles in membrane targeting and in optimizing the orientation of the catalytic core at the membrane for maximal rates of lipid hydrolysis.
Science‐technology‐society and global perspectives

(1991). Science‐technology‐society and global perspectives. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 30, Science-Technology-Society/Challenges, pp. 288-293.
Purification and preliminary characterization of two asclepains from the latex of Asclepias syriaca L. (Milkweed)

Abstract Two groups of asclepains have been isolated from Asclepias syriaca L. (milkweed) latex and a representative of each has been purified. Asclepains A3 and B5 are homogeneous proteins with molecular weights of 23 000 and 21 000, respectively. Both require a reducing and chelating agent for maximum activity and hydrolyze ester, amide and peptide bonds. The optimum pH for hydrolysis of casein is 7.5 to 8.5 for asclepain A3 and 7.0 to 7.5 for asclepain B5. Both enzymes are autolytic when active and are inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodoacetic acid and sodium tetrathionate. Asclepains A3 and B5 each contain one titratable SH group per molecule and no bound carbohydrate. Each of the two enzymes has leucine as the N-terminal amino acid. There are notable differences in their amino acid compositions.
Outcome of hypertension management in Asian Americans

Background: Ethnic and/or racial differences in drug response to antihypertensive agents have been recognized, yet the prescribing practices and the information on efficacy of various agents rely mainly on the response of whites to drugs. Objectives: To assess the management of hypertension in Asian Americans and to compare it with an age- and sex-matched group of white patients with hypertension. Methods: The patients' medical records were used as the primary source of information for the data collection. The observational period was a 12-month window and included 200 patients of Asian origin with hypertension and 196 white patients with hypertension whose medical records were randomly selected. Results: The study describes the pattern of use of antihypertensive agents and the differences in response to antihypertensive agents between Asian Americans and whites. The preferred antihypertensive agents in both Asian and white patients included monotherapy with either calcium channel blockers or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. However, medication changes, dose reduction, and the experience of side effects were all significantly more frequently recorded in Asian patients than in white patients ( P P P Conclusions: These findings are supportive of some previous reports on ethnic differences in drug response to antihypertensive agents. The findings also point to the need for further prospective studies on the outcome of hypertension management in Asian American patients. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:1345-1348
The effects of music, wait-length evaluation, and mood on a low-cost wait experience

Abstract Waiting time research has implicitly assumed customers incur high waiting costs during service delays. However, few studies have explicitly measured customer perceptions of waiting costs. Our study examined the effects of judgment about music, wait-length evaluation, and customer mood on subjects' overall experience evaluations in a low-cost wait situation. Results showed that while music likeability influenced both wait-length evaluation and mood, only mood contributed to subjects' evaluation of their overall experience. Implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.
Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia

Approaches There are many approaches to regional blocks with ultrasound guidance. Here are some common techniques and some comments on their utility. Offline Markings. This means making skin markings based on ultrasound scans (but not imaging while the needle is placed). This method is limited by changes in patient position, skin mobility, elastic properties of soft tissue, distortion by local anesthetic injection and overall accuracy of the markings. Furthermore, although the required depth can be noted it is difficult to mark the anticipated angle of needle insertion. It is most commonly used today for spinal and epidural blocks. Online approaches (live realtime imaging while the needle is placed) are generally classified as either out-of-plane or in-plane. Out-of-plane (OOP). With this approach the needle tip crosses the plane of imaging as an echogenic dot. This approach is mostly used for shallow blocks and sometimes used for catheter insertion. The advantage is that the needle paths are short but one concern is that anatomic structures may be punctured outside the plane of imaging. In-plane (IP). With in-plane technique the entire shaft and needle tip are within the plane of imaging. This is an increasingly popular technique for regional blockade and provides the most direct form of guidance. The downsides are the longer needle paths and partial lineups are possible (when the shaft is mistaken for the needle tip). The most common error for novices with in-plane technique is to advance the needle without adequately identifying the tip. Hand on needle hub. This technique uses extension tubing and a reservoir syringe. It has the advantage of being a very precise method for needle control. Hand on syringe. This technique is often used with out-of-plane approaches to regional blocks and allows one operator to easily control the injection while the needle is moving. Needle tip visibility. Needle tip visibility is primarily influenced by the needle diameter and angle of insertion. Echogenic needles can be an advantage when steep angles of needle insertion are necessary. Spatial compound imaging also can help improve needle tip visibility over a limited range of angles. The needle bevel is easiest to identify when oriented to face the transducer. Solutions for injection. Injections of clinically degassed solutions of local anesthetic (all visible air removed) are recommended to help outline the visible borders of peripheral nerves with anechoic fluid.
Accuracy of radiographic versus cast measurement of canine proximal femoral canal dimensions

Abstract Radiographic measurements of the femur are commonly used in the design of femoral prostheses and in preoperative planning and follow-up of hip arthroplasty patients. In this study, a canine model was used to test the accuracy of radiographic measurements of the proximal femur. The femoral canal width of seven purebred greyhounds was measured on anteriorposterior and lateral radiographs. These dimensions were compared to direct measurements of metal casts of the proximal medullary canal. The mean difference between the two methods of measurement was .07 cm in the AP view and.05 cm in the lateral view, with an error of 4.5% and 3.9% respectively. Identifying potential sources of measurement error should lead to improved standardization of X-ray technique, thus allowing a more meaningful evaluation of research data and individual patient radiographs.
Monoallelic expression of protocadherin genes.

Random monoallelic expression is known to affect a variety of autosomal genes involved in specifying cell identity. Now, the neuronally expressed protocadherins can be added to this list.
The effect of hypothalamic peptide YY on hippocampal acetylcholine release in vivo: implications for limbic function in binge-eating behavior

Abstract Central injection of peptide YY (PYY) in sated rats produces the most powerful stimulating effect of food intake known to date. The neural mechanisms by which PYY regulates appetite are not clear but may be important because abnormal levels of PYY have been implicated in the neurobiology of bulimia nervosa. Interactions between brain acetylcholine (ACh) and PYY had not been studied. Therefore, the present experiments were designed to explore the in vivo release of ACh from the hippocampus (HPC) of rats in response to hypothalamic infusion of PYY. Hippocampal ACh release was found to increase 400% in response to 10 μg PYY. In a separate experiment, blockade of the same area of the HPC with bilateral intracerebral injections of 3.5 μg scopolamine did not affect intake stimulated by intrahypothalamic injection of 4 μg PYY. Furthermore, a third experiment showed, for the first time, that PYY (2.5–10.0 μg) can elicit robust feeding when infused directly into the HPC. The significance of these findings to the activation of limbic functions such as memory, reinforcement, and obsessional processes that accompany human binge-eating syndromes is discussed.
New Place-to-Place Housing Price Indexes for U.S. Metropolitan Areas, and Their Determinants

Housing prices vary widely from market to market in the United States. The purpose of this study is to (1) construct new place-to-place indexes of the price of housing, using the 1990 Census, and (2) analyze the determinants of housing prices, with a particular focus on the supply side determinants—regulatory and natural constraint—as well as the usual demand determinants.
Pseudo-Superlattices of Bi 2 Te 3 Topological Insulator Films with Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance

It was recently suggested theoretically that atomically thin films of Bi2Te3 topological insulators have strongly enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit. We used the “graphene-like” exfoliation process to obtain Bi2Te3 thin films. The films were stacked and subjected to thermal treatment to fabricate pseudo-superlattices of single crystal Bi2Te3 films. Thermal conductivity of these structures was measured by the “hot disk” and “laser flash” techniques. The room temperature in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivity of the stacks decreased by a factor of ~2.4 and 3.5 respectively as compared to that of bulk. The strong decrease of thermal conductivity with preserved electrical properties translates to ~140–250% increase in the thermoelectric figure if merit. It is expected that the film thinning to few-quintuples, and tuning of the Fermi level can lead to the topological insulator surface transport regime with the theoretically predicted extraordinary thermoelectric efficiency.
Experimental determination of creep functions for thin orthotropic polymer films

Stringent requirements on the dimensional stability of polymer films used as substrates for magnetic recording make it necessary to experimentally determine their anisotropic viscoelastic behavior. This paper deals with the measurement of the time-dependent, longitudinal elongation and lateral contraction of 50 × 900-mm biaxially oriented orthotropic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strips. Two different methods are described for measuring longitudinal elongation, and a laser-scanning technique is used for measuring lateral contraction. Preliminary investigations are carried out to determine the static Poisson's ratio, to check the linearity of longitudinal creep with respect to load, and to investigate the validity of the time-temperature superposition hypothesis. In addition, tests are described in which longitudinal and lateral creep of the specimens are simultaneously measured under constant loads in temperature- and humidity-controlled environments. It is found that the Poisson's ratio has only a weak dependence on time, and, therefore, a good approximation may be obtained by treating the Poisson's ratio as independent of time.
Physically Abused Children's Regulation of Attention in Response to Hostility

The present study examines the effects of early emotional experiences on children's regulation or strategic control of attention in the presence of interpersonal hostility. Abused children's reactions to the unfolding of a realistic interpersonal emotional situation were measured through multiple methods including autonomic nervous system changes and overt behavioral performance. Although physically abused and non-physically abused 4-year-old children did not differ in terms of their baseline levels of arousal, marked differences in physically abused children's regulatory responses to background anger emerged. These data suggest that the emergence of anger leads to increases in anticipatory monitoring of the environment among children with histories of abuse. Results are discussed in terms of risk factors in the development of psychopathology.
The Relationship Between the Use of Health Clinics in Rural Mississippi Schools and the CHIP-AE Adolescent Health Profile:

School health clinics are one way to meet the objectives in Healthy People 2010 for adolescent health. To determine the relationship between adolescent health status and use of the school health clinics in four Mississippi high schools, the Child Health and Illness Profile–Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE) was used. The CHIP-AE identifies health status, giving scores on resilience, comfort, risks, and satisfaction, resulting in health profiles. One hundred seventy-one 9th-graders participated in this descriptive study. Students with the highest discomfort and risk scores had no use of the school health clinic. Students with fair health profiles were the highest users of the school health clinic when compared to all other profiles. Of those students with very poor health status, 60% reported the school health clinic was their only source of health care. In this study, the term school health clinic refers to the health office staffed by a nurse without an advanced degree.
Effects of vulvodynia on quality of life.

Background The experiences of women with vulvodynia are poorly understood. Objective We sought to determine the effects of vulvodynia on quality of life. Methods We conducted a survey of 280 patients in a university-based vulvar disorders clinic. Skin-related quality of life was measured with a vulvar-specific version of Skindex-29. Results The response rate was 95%; 101 patients (36%) had vulvodynia, and 179 patients (64%) had other vulvar conditions. Women with vulvodynia had significantly worse quality of life than patients with many other dermatologic conditions, and worse functioning than women with other vulvar conditions (mean functioning scores [±SD] of patients with psoriasis, other vulvar conditions, and vulvodynia were 23 ± 27, 34 ± 24, and 44 ± 22, respectively, P = .05). A diagnosis of vulvodynia was the strongest independent correlate of poor quality of life (eg, for poor functioning, odds ratio=1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.0-3.1). Limitations Limitations are single academic medical center and comorbid illnesses determined by self-report. Conclusion Vulvodynia has broad and substantial effects on quality of life.
Acute onset of colchicine myoneuropathy in cardiac transplant recipients: case studies of three patients

Colchicine causes both muscle and peripheral nerve toxicity of subacute onset in patients with renal insufficiency. We report three cardiac transplant recipients, treated with colchicine for cyclosporin A (CyA)-induced gout, who developed acute weakness due to colchicine myoneuropathy. The onset of disabling weakness occurred over a 1-2 week period. All three patients had concomitant renal insufficiency and an elevated serum creatine kinase and two elevated CyA levels at the time of presentation. Electromyography revealed features of myopathy and motor axonal neuropathy in all three patients. Two underwent muscle biopsy which confirmed the presence of sarcoplasmic vacuoles characteristic of colchicine-induced myopathy. All patients rapidly improved with either colchicine dose reduction or drug discontinuation. In conclusion, cardiac transplant recipients treated with CyA and colchicine may be at increased risk of developing colchicine-induced myoneuropathy especially in the setting of concurrent renal insufficiency. In patients with post-transplantation gouty arthritis, other treatment modalities are suggested; and if colchicine is administered, the dose should be reduced, CyA levels should be monitored closely and patients should be assessed for signs of neuromuscular toxicity.
Drug Discrimination Studies in Animals

Although not without controversy,1 animal models of human pathology have been used to study a wide range of issues2-10 (Table I). The analogy from the animal model to the human condition can take a variety of forms and can provide different types of information. Ideally, such models would accurately simulate the human syndrome, which they are purported to represent in such a way that they fulfill the requisite characteristics for animal models proposed by Robbins and Sahakian.11 Briefly, they suggest that animal models should (1) mimic the behavioral features of the disorder, (2) have a similar etiology, and (3) show recovery in behavioral features in response to treatments that alleviate symptoms in humans. Although such criteria may represent the exemplar of an animal model, many useful models may not meet each of these requirements. For example, Kometsky12 described a continuum of levels at which animal models might represent a human problem of interest. In his analysis, models are seen as homologous if there is a correspondence in the etiology of the disease and the model. At another level, models may be only isomorphic. That is, while there are similarities between the model and the human state, the cause of the condition created for the model may be different from the cause in humans. Finally, the model may not have a direct resemblance to the disease but may be a nonhomologous, nonisomorphic representation that has some predictive value concerning some aspect of the disease.
Role of the IGF system in trophoblast invasion and pre-eclampsia

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) and IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) appear to play an important role in paracrine interactions at the maternal-fetal interface in human pregnancy. Patterns of expression of IGF-II and IGFBP-1 at the decidual-trophoblast interface suggest paracrine interactions occur between the IGF-II-expressing invading cytotrophoblast and maternal decidua-derived IGFBP-1. Autocrine/paracrine actions of trophoblast-derived IGF-II may be important in invasion, and for both trophoblast and decidual function. The actions of IGFBP-1 in binding IGF, and as an integrin ligand, suggest it may have multiple roles in the interactions between the invading trophoblast and the maternal decidua. Abundant decidual IGFBP-1 may interact with the IGF-II-expressing, protease-secreting trophoblast to modulate invasion. In-vitro studies of trophoblast-decidual cell interactions in invasion, and clinical observations in a gestational disorder with shallow placental invasion such as pre-eclampsia, have provided new insights into the possible role(s) of IGFBP-1 in trophoblast invasion. The precise mechanisms underlying IGF and IGFBP-1 action at the decidual-trophoblast interface remain to be elucidated. The potential predictive value of serum IGFBP-1 concentrations in pre-eclampsia also remains to be established.
A Magnetic Content Addressable Memory Design With a Single Set of Programming Wires

To address the challenge of specific programming in the design of magnetic content addressable memory cell, we propose a cell design with synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) trilayers for both comparand and local stored information. With only one grid of word and bit lines, one of the two SAF trilayers can be programmed with direct mode switching and the other with toggle mode switching. Unlike the cell designs proposed previously, this design features simpler implementation because only one set of programming wires and supporting circuits is necessary. The feasibility of this design comes from the intrinsic difference between switching threshold field for the two switching modes. The programming field difference can be engineered by adjusting the thickness of SAF trilayers. Simulation work demonstrates the feasibility and shows this design can tolerate the thickness variation in fabrication process.