cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An automated method for high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation modeling

Targeted transcranial stimulation with electric currents requires accurate models of the current flow from scalp electrodes to the human brain. Idiosyncratic anatomy of individual brains and heads leads to significant variability in such current flows across subjects, thus, necessitating accurate individualized head models. Here we report on an automated processing chain that computes current distributions in the head starting from a structural magnetic resonance image (MRI). The main purpose of automating this process is to reduce the substantial effort currently required for manual segmentation, electrode placement, and solving of finite element models. In doing so, several weeks of manual labor were reduced to no more than 4 hours of computation time and minimal user interaction, while current-flow results for the automated method deviated by less than 27.9% from the manual method. Key facilitating factors are the addition of three tissue types (skull, scalp and air) to a state-of-the-art automated segmentation process, morphological processing to correct small but important segmentation errors, and automated placement of small electrodes based on easily reproducible standard electrode configurations. We anticipate that such an automated processing will become an indispensable tool to individualize transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) therapy.
Physical layer built-in security analysis and enhancement algorithms for CDMA systems

Historically developed for secure communication and military use, CDMA has been identified as a major modulation and multiple-access technique for 3G systems and beyond. In addition to the wide bandwidth and low power-spectrum density which make CDMA signals robust to narrowband jamming and easy to be concealed within the noise floor, the physical layer built-in information privacy of CDMA system is provided by pseudorandom scrambling. In this paper, first, security weakness of the operational and proposed CDMA airlink interfaces is analyzed. Second, based on the advanced encryption standard (AES), we propose to enhance the physical layer built-in security of CDMA systems through secure scrambling. Performance analysis demonstrates that while providing significantly improved information privacy, CDMA systems with secure scrambling have comparable computational complexity and overall system performance with that of conventionally scrambled systems. Moreover, it is shown that by scrambling the training sequence and the message sequence separately with two independent scrambling sequences, both information privacy and system performance can be further improved. The proposed scheme can readily be applied to 3G systems and beyond.
Risk in a parent's eyes: effects of gender and parenting experience

The present study is an attempt to investigate how sex of parent, parenting experience, and child's gender influence parents' reactions to risky and annoying behaviors of children. The subjects were 15 sets of expectant parents and 16 sets of parents from each of three other family configurations (one boy, one girl, or both a boy and a girl). The subjects viewed a 23-minute videotape composed of 22 videoclips. Each videoclip depicted a common activity for a 12- to-36-month-old child that could elicit parental intervention because of risk or annoyance or both. Fifteen scenes were acted by children who had been previously rated as gender ambiguous in appearance. The audio portion of the tape identified each genderambiguous child as a boy to some subjects and as a girl to others. The subjects were instructed to press buttons to indicate when they would respond and the types of response (physical or verbal) they would make. Analyses showed strong effects of parenting experience for latency and number of interventions. Generally, parents of one boy intervened most quickly, followed by parents of two children, parents of one girl, and expectant parents. The gender label manipulation showed effects only on the high risk tapes. Mothers responded more than fathers in situations that were annoying but not risky. Mothers and fathers agreed when children were engaged in risky behaviors. The use of videoclips to study parent socialization is a useful supplement to observations and self-report questionnaires.
PRACTICAL PEDIATRIC REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

In children, regional anesthetic techniques are safe and effective adjuncts to general anesthesia and for postoperative pain relief. Application of the techniques described in this article will contribute to improved care for pediatric patients undergoing surgical procedures. The judicious choice of local anesthetics, along with the blockades of targeted nerves, decrease the need for supplemental analgesics in the recovery phase.
An Analysis of Suppressor Mutations Suggests That the Two Halves of the Lactose Permease Function in a Symmetrical Manner

A conserved motif, GXXX(D/E)(R/K)XG[X](R/K)(R/K), is located in loop 2/3 and loop 8/9 in the lactose permease, and also in hundreds of evolutionarily related transporters. The importance of conserved residues in loop 8/9 was previously investigated (Pazdernik, N. J., Jessen-Marshall, A. E., and Brooker, R. J. (1997)J. Bacteriol. 179, 735–741). Although this loop was tolerant of many substitutions, a few mutations in the first position of the motif were shown to dramatically decrease lactose transport. In the current study, a mutant at the first position in the motif having very low lactose transport, Leu280, was used as a parental strain to isolate second-site revertants that restore function. A total of 23 independent mutants were sequenced and found to have a second amino acid substitution at several locations (G46C, G46S, F49L, A50T, L212Q, L216Q, S233P, C333G, F354C, G370C, G370S, and G370V). A kinetic analysis revealed that the first-site mutation, Leu280, had a slightly better affinity for lactose compared with the wild-type strain, but its V max for lactose transport was over 30-fold lower. The primary effect of the second-site mutations was to increase the V max for lactose transport, in some cases, to levels that were near the wild-type value. When comparing this study to second-site mutations obtained from loop 2/3 defective strains, a striking observation was made. Mutations in three regions of the protein, codons 45–50, 234–241, and 366–370, were able to restore functionality to both loop 2/3 and loop 8/9 defects. These results are discussed within the context of a C1/C2 alternating conformation model in which lactose translocation occurs by a conformational change at the interface between the two halves of the protein.
Optical Time-of-Flight Chemical Detection: Absorption-Modulated Fluorescence for Spatially Resolved Analyte Mapping in a Bidirectional Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensor

A continuous chemically sensitive optical fiber is used with optical time-of-flight chemical detection (OTOF-CD) for spatially resolved analyte mapping. To enhance signal levels and to improve their reproducibility, two novel principles for signal generation and processing are introduced. In the first, the fluorescence of an analyte-insensitive fluorophore is monitored as a function of the evanescent wave absorption of an analyte-sensitive indicator. The resulting signal levels are well above those encountered in optical time domain reflectometry methods that rely upon backscattering for spatially resolved detection. As a result, the method could significantly expand the range of species that can be detected with absorption reagents used in OTOF sensors. The second method raises signal-to-noise ratios by 3−4.5-fold for measurements made at the far ends of the sensing fiber. It functions by sending probe laser pulses into and monitoring their return sequentially from both ends of the sensing fiber. Because...
Patient experience in the pediatric otolaryngology clinic: does the teaching setting influence parent satisfaction?

Abstract Objectives Patient experience scores are now recognized as a chief indicator of healthcare quality. This report compares outpatient pediatric otolaryngology patient satisfaction in the teaching and non-teaching settings. Study design Cross-sectional, multi-site, patient-level analysis of satisfaction surveys (Press Ganey™ Medical Practice©) completed by parents of pediatric otolaryngology patients in FY2010. Methods Surveys were stratified by teaching/non-teaching affiliation. The survey has 29 Likert-scaled questions which comprise an overall score and subscores in 6 domains: access , visit , nursing , provider , personal issues , and assessment . The item likelihood-to-recommend was measured to indicate practice loyalty. Mean scores were compared by Kruskal–Wallis rank test. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of teaching status with receipt of highest scores (HI-SCORES). Results 4704 pediatric surveys were analyzed, with 1984 (42%) from the teaching setting. For the teaching setting, mean scores were lower overall (88.1 vs. 89.0; p access (includes scheduling ease, promptness in returning calls; 86.7 vs. 89.4; p personal issues (includes office hour convenience, sensitivity to needs; 87.0 vs. 88.5; p p p = 0.011) and for access (OR 0.8; 95%CI 0.67–0.95; p = 0.012); probability of HI-SCORES was similar for the two settings for all other domains. Conclusions Parents of pediatric otolaryngology patients evaluated in the teaching setting report lower satisfaction related to access, but similar scores for care providers and practice loyalty. Academic otolaryngology practices might focus on access issues to improve the overall care experience for children and families.
Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S1 does not protect the 49-nucleotide 3′ terminal cloacin fragment of 16 S rRNA from nuclease S1

Abstract Footprinting of ribosomal protein S1 on the 49-nucleotide 3′ terminal cloacin DF13 fragment of 16 S rRNA at physiological ionic strength, pH and temperature yielded no detectable protection of any nucleotides from subsequent attack by the single strand specific nuclease S1, even at large excesses of ribosomal protein S1.
The use of the NEO-five factor inventory to assess personality in trauma patients: a two-year prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness and validity of a brief personality assessment for orthopaedic trauma patients. METHODS: The NEO-Five Factor Inventory was evaluated within the context of the Lower Extremity Assessment Project, a prospective study of patients with severe lower extremity trauma admitted to eight level I trauma centers. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: The NEO-FFI was administered to 557 adults and 416 of their significant others. At 2 years postinjury, the NEO-FFI was readministered to 396 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures were as follows: (a) agreement between patient and significant other scores; (b) stability of personality traits over two years; and (c) the relationship of the measured NEO-FFI traits with patient characteristics and health habits. RESULTS: There was fair to moderate agreement between assessments of personality provided by the patients themselves and their significant others, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.44 to 0.54 for the different domains of personality. Patient assessments on the NEO-FFI were found to be robust with no significant changes in four of the five personality domains at 2 years postinjury. We also found that personality traits of patients are related to patient characteristics and behaviors in the directions that were expected. CONCLUSIONS: The NEO-FFI is a brief, valid, and stable measure of underlying personality traits that is practical for use in a trauma setting. Its use in both outcomes research and patient evaluation should be encouraged. In cases in which patients cannot complete the test, evaluations by significant others may be useful.
About the identity theory

(1965). About the identity theory. Australasian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 295-299.
Tomography-based overlay network monitoring

Overlay network monitoring enables distributed Internet applications to detect and recover from path outages and periods of degraded performance within seconds. For an overlay network with n end hosts, existing systems either require O(n2) measurements, and thus lack scalability, or can only estimate the latency but not congestion or failures. Unlike other network tomography systems, we characterize end-to-end losses (this extends to any additive metrics, including latency) rather than individual link losses. We find a minimal basis set of k linearly independent paths that can fully describe all the O(n,2) paths. We selectively monitor and measure the loss rates of these paths, then apply them to estimate the loss rates of all other paths. By extensively studying synthetic and real topologies, we find that for reasonably large n (e.g., 100), k is only in the range of O(n log n). This is explained by the moderately hierarchical nature of Internet routine.Our scheme only assumes the knowledge of underlying IP topology, and any link can become lossy or return to normal. In addition, our technique is tolerant to topology measurement inaccuracies, and is adaptive to topology changes.
Clinical and molecular models of Glioblastoma multiforme survival

Glioblastoma multiforme GBM, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer, results in a median survival of 12-15 months. For decades, researchers have explored the effects of clinical and molecular factors on this disease and have identified several candidate prognostic markers. In this study, we evaluated the use of multivariate classification models for differentiating between subsets of patients who survive a relatively long or short time. Data for this study came from The Cancer Genome Atlas TCGA, a public repository containing clinical, treatment, histological and biomolecular variables for hundreds of patients. We applied variable-selection and classification algorithms in a cross-validated design and observed that predictive performance of the resulting models varied substantially across the algorithms and categories of data. The best-performing models were based on age, treatments and global DNA methylation. In this paper, we summarise our findings, discuss lessons learned in analysing TCGA data and offer recommendations for performing such analyses.
High-level generation of polyclonal antibodies by genetic immunization

Antibodies are important tools for investigating the proteome, but current methods for producing them have become a rate-limiting step. A primary obstacle in most methods for generating antibodies or antibody-like molecules is the requirement for at least microgram quantities of purified protein. We have developed a technology for producing antibodies using genetic immunization. Genetic immunization-based antibody production offers several advantages, including high throughput and high specificity. Moreover, antibodies produced from genetically immunized animals are more likely to recognize the native protein. Here we show that a genetic immunization-based system can be used to efficiently raise useful antibodies to a wide range of antigens. We accomplished this by linking the antigen gene to various elements that enhance antigenicity and by codelivering plasmids encoding genetic adjuvants. Our system, which was tested by immunizing mice with >130 antigens, has shown a final success rate of 84%.
Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Masquerading as Metastasis on PET Imaging

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a metaplastic process that can occur in the synovium, bursae or tendon sheaths and can be localized or diffuse. Its features on radiographs and computed tomography are nonspecific, but magnetic resonance imaging is diagnostic. Its appearance on fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is not well described. We present a case of recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth with an FDG-avid lesion of the left upper arm on a whole-body PET scan that was shown to be PVNS on subsequent biopsy. To our knowledge, this is one of the very few cases reported in the literature describing FDG avidity of PVNS. We explore the features of PVNS on various imaging modalities and its potential for being mistaken for malignancy. J Med Cases. 2014;5(4):253-255 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1691w
Municipal Annexation and the Selective Underbounding of Colonias in Texas' Lower Rio Grande Valley

Municipal underbounding is the systematic failure of cities to annex surrounding minority communities. Recent analyses of the phenomenon in the United States have focused on small White Southern towns with African American communities along the jurisdictional fringe. This paper applies similar logic to the study of the exclusion of colonias in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas. These low-income informal settlements, located in the hinterlands of cities, have historically had high rates of poverty, poor housing quality, and insufficient infrastructure and utility service. Using TIGER/Line files (GIS shapefiles), Summary Files of the US decennial censuses, and ArcGIS technology this project explores the prevalence of the municipal underbounding of colonias. In order to place the issue of municipal annexation in context, the paper begins with a description of regional demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, municipal growth, and annexation patterns in the LRGV. The paper then explores the ex...
A Simple Contour Matching Algorithm

Two similarity measures between strings are proposed. This correspondence also describes an experiment performed to illustrate the inadequacy of a commonly used measure.
Disfluencies in cluttered speech

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and frequency of occurrence of disfluencies, as they occur in singletons and in clusters, in the conversational speech of individuals who clutter compared to typical speakers. Except for two disfluency types (revisions in clusters, and word repetitions in clusters) nearly all disfluency types were virtually indistinguishable in frequency of occurrence between the two groups. These findings shed light on cluttering in several respects, foremost of which is that it provides documentation on the nature of disfluencies in cluttering. Findings also have implications for our understanding of the relationship between cluttering and typical speech, cluttering and stuttering, the Cluttering Spectrum Hypothesis, as well as the Lowest Common Denominator definition of cluttering. Educational objectives : At the end of this activity the reader will be able to: (a) identify types of disfluency associated with cluttered speech; (b) contrast disfluencies in cluttered speech with those associated with stuttering; (c) compare the disfluencies of typical speakers with those of cluttering; (d) explain the perceptual nature of cluttering.
Cells inhibited by n-butyrate support adenovirus replication

Abstract The ability of adenoviruses to replicate viral DNA and produce infectious virus particles in tissue culture cells blocked with n -butyrate has been examined. Cells are treated with millimolar amounts of n -butyrate, gradually stopping cell division and DNA synthesis; the block is reversible when n-butyrate is removed. When HeLa cells which have been thus inhibited are infected with human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) in the continued presence of inhibitor, the virus adsorbed and penetrated the cells normally and viral DNA synthesis ensued. A normal rate and time course of DNA synthesis was observed, and butyrate-treated cells yielded the same amount of infectious virus as uninfected cells. Adenoviral DNA synthesis occurred without detectable stimulation of cellular DNA replication or of histone synthesis. The mechanism of butyrate inhibition of cellular DNA replication and unique features of adenovirus replication are discussed.
Functional Analysis of Placental 57-kDa Ca2+-Binding Protein: Overexpression and Downregulation in a Trophoblastic Cell Line

The placental trophoblastic epithelium functions to transport nutrients needed by the fetus, including calcium, which is required in the greatest amounts during the last third of pregnancy when the majority of fetal skeletal mineralization occurs. The mechanism of placental calcium transport and the developmental changes in the trophoblast that facilitate this process are currently incompletely understood. We have previously identified a 57-kDa, Ca(2+)-binding protein (CaBP) functionally implicated in placental calcium transport and trophoblast differentiation. In this study we have directly examined the role of CaBP in these processes by (1) recombinantly overexpressing CaBP in an inducible manner and (2) downregulating CaBP expression using antisense technology, using the rat choriocarcinoma cell line Rcho-1 as a trophoblastic cell model system. Our results show that overexpression of CaBP stimulates both cellular calcium uptake and vectorial calcium transport activities in Rcho-1 cells. Those cells stably expressing CaBP also exhibit higher levels of steady-state intracellular calcium and enhanced calcium-buffering ability. In addition, prolonged overexpression of CaBP in Rcho-1 cultures promotes trophoblast differentiation. Conversely, downregulation of CaBP expression had a negative effect on calcium uptake, calcium transport, and trophoblast differentiation in Rcho-1 cells. These data indicate that CaBP plays a direct role in placental calcium transport, functioning both as an intracellular calcium buffer and as a shuttle. These results also support a more direct role for CaBP in the trophoblast differentiation pathway.
Boundary conditions in finite difference fluid dynamic codes

Abstract This paper treats the question of extraneous boundary conditions in fluid dynamic computing. Several simple problems in one-dimensional gas dynamics are solved using different boundary schemes. Some surprising differences in the accuracy of the schemes are shown. A simple analytical investigation is proposed as a criterion for accuracy of boundary schemes.
Metabolic functions of glucocorticoid receptor in skeletal muscle

Glucocorticoids (GCs) exert key metabolic influences on skeletal muscle. GCs increase protein degradation and decrease protein synthesis. The released amino acids are mobilized from skeletal muscle to liver, where they serve as substrates for hepatic gluconeogenesis. This metabolic response is critical for mammals’ survival under stressful conditions, such as fasting and starvation. GCs suppress insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and utilization and glycogen synthesis, and play a permissive role for catecholamine-induced glycogenolysis, thus preserving the level of circulating glucose, the major energy source for the brain. However, chronic or excess exposure of GCs can induce muscle atrophy and insulin resistance. GCs convey their signal mainly through the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR). While GR can act through different mechanisms, one of its major actions is to regulate the transcription of its primary target genes through genomic glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) by directly binding to DNA or tethering onto other DNA-binding transcription factors. These GR primary targets trigger physiological and pathological responses of GCs. Much progress has been made to understand how GCs regulate protein and glucose metabolism. In this review, we will discuss how GR primary target genes confer metabolic functions of GCs, and the mechanisms governing the transcriptional regulation of these targets. Comprehending these processes not only contributes to the fundamental understanding of mammalian physiology, but also will provide invaluable insight for improved GC therapeutics.
Ectoenzymes in Prorocentrum minimum

Ectoenzymes, or enzymes associated with the cell-surface or periplasmic space, play an important role in organic matter cycling by rendering certain forms of dissolved organic matter bioavailable. Ectoenzyme activities may thereby help meet the nutritional demands of harmful algae such as Prorocentrum minimum. The activities of two ectoenzymes; leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase, have been studied in axenic cultures of P. minimum. Leucine aminopeptidase releases non-polar amino acids such as leucine from the N-terminus of polypeptides, whereas alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that is able to hydrolyze phosphate from phosphomonoesters. P. minimum alkaline phosphatase is the better studied of the two ectoenzymes and its characteristics are reviewed herein. Future research on P. minimum physiology will benefit from a growing suite of tools available for assessing the activity of alkaline phosphatase and other ectoenzymes in field populations and ultimately the work done with P. minimum will be useful for studies of other harmful species.
Free-electron-gas approximation for the stopping power of ionic targets

The use of free-electron-gas (FEG) motivated theories, proposed by Lindhard and colleagues, has proved extremely successful in treating the stopping power of neutral targets, and their relatively modest requirements of computational effort has led to their recent application to the stopping by electrons bound to target ions in plasmas. The FEG approximation for the average-excitation-energy Bethe-Born parameter is shown, for hydrogenic targets with nuclear charge $Z$, to be ${Z}^{\frac{3}{2}}$ times the neutral hydrogen value instead of having the correct ${Z}^{2}$ proportionality constant. Numerical data are presented for ${\mathrm{Al}}^{q+}$ that show the FEG error obeys this rule and, while the error approaches zero for $q=0$, it is substantial for all $qg0$. An empirical adjustment of the FEG theory is found that reproduces the accurate ${\mathrm{Al}}^{q+}$ average-excitation-energy data. Two empirical rules now in use are observed to differ markedly from each other and from the accurate ${\mathrm{Al}}^{q+}$ results. The use of the standard FEG theory for all incident projectile energies is questioned on the basis of these results and the augmented theory proposed here requires further testing.
The SRD5A2 V89L polymorphism is associated with severity of disease in men with early onset prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence indicates that testosterone (T), and not dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is the most relevant androgen that promotes carcinogenesis in the prostate. Steroid 5-alpha reductase type II (SRD5A2) catalyzes the irreversible conversion of T to DHT in male reproductive organs. Because the SRD5A2 gene is highly polymorphic at codon 89, two SRD5A2 isoforms are expressed that differ in Km and Vmax values. The more common and rapid catalytic isoform contains a valine residue at position 89; the slower-catalytic variant contains leucine at this position. METHODS Thirty-three men with early onset prostate cancer (PCa) were genotyped for the SRD5A2 V89L substitution and other polymorphisms in genes encoding receptors or enzymes that play important roles in pathways of steroid metabolism to ascertain if they were associated with standard clinical measures of disease progression at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS The expression of at least one SRD5A2 leucine allele in young men with PCa was associated with more significant disease at the time of presentation, as was defined by pretreatment PSA level, clinical staging and Gleason score when compared with affected subjects harboring the more common SRD5A2 valine variant. A dosage effect of a single leucine allele was evident in heterozygotes, as values of their clinical and pathological variables were consistently situated between the extremes of the homozygous V or L phenotypes. CONCLUSION The SRD5A2 leucine isoform appears to be acting in a dose-dependent manner as a significant disease-modifying factor in young men diagnosed with PCa. Prostate © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Physics and the Explanation of Life

I am a physicist, but the problem on which I wish to present some thoughts is not a problem of physics. It is, at present, a problem of philosophy, and I may well be told ‘ne sutor ultra crepidam’ — the shoe-maker should stick to his last. I do have, however, several excuses for venturing into this difficult field. The first is that, if no solid knowledge is available in a field, it is good if representatives of neighbor sciences put forward the views which appear most natural from their own vantage point. The second reason for my speaking here today is that since I started to think and also to write on the subject, I have received many letters and verbal comments from colleagues, agreeing, on the whole, with my point of view. This means, I hope, that there is some interest in the subject among physicists and some consensus on it. It also means that much of what I will have to say will not be original but must have been conceived, at least in part, before me. My third excuse for putting forward views which do not have the solid foundation which one is used to expect from a physicist is that many others before me have done likewise and my fourth excuse is simply that the subject is of over-whelming interest and I like to speculate about it.
Mercury characterization in a soil sample collected nearby the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation utilizing sequential extraction and thermal desorption method.

A new attempt to characterize Hg speciation and to evaluate Hg mobility in soils was made by applying operationally defined speciation techniques coupled with fractionation of soil components to a soil sample collected just outside the Y-12 boundary of the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) site. The soil sample was fractionated based on redoximorphic features and particle size and a sequential extraction procedure and thermal desorption technique were then applied to the fractionated soil components. The redoximorphic concentration component was observed to have higher Hg concentrations than the redoximorphic depletion component in the soil, and fine particles contained higher concentrations of Hg compared with coarse particles. The preliminary results of using thermal desorption as well as the sequential extraction procedure suggested that Hg0 and other “easily” vaporized Hg species accounted for 10–30% of total Hg in the soil. Sequential extraction analysis showed that both soluble and bioavailable Hg fractions were relatively small proportions whereas the organic matter bound mercury fraction constituted the major form of Hg species in the sample. The results suggest that Hg retained in the redoximorphic concentrations was less volatile and labile than Hg in the redoximorphic depletions possibly due to the strong binding affinity of Fe/Mn oxides and organic matter to Hg.
Prolactin-Like Protein-F Subfamily of Placental Hormones/Cytokines: Responsiveness to Maternal Hypoxia

The prolactin (PRL) family of hormones/cytokines is involved in the maintenance of pregnancy and adaptations to physiological stressors. In this report, we identify and characterize a new member of the rat PRL family, examine the impact of maternal hypoxia on placental PRL family gene expression, and investigate maternal adaptive responses to hypoxia. Perusal of the PRL gene family locus in the rat genome resulted in the identification of a putative new member of the rat PRL family. The new member is closely related to the previously reported PRL-like protein-F (PLP-F) and has been named PLP-Fβ and the originally characterized PLP-F, now termed PLP-Fα. The two proteins exhibit structural similarities but possess distinct cell- and temporal-specific expression profiles. In vivo hypoxia stimulates placental PLP-Fα and PLP-E mRNA expression in the rat and mouse, respectively. Rcho-1 trophoblast cells can differentiate into trophoblast giant cells, express PLP-Fα, and exhibit enhanced PLP-Fα mRNA levels when ...
Directed Self‐Assembly as a Route to Ferromagnetic and Superparamagnetic Nanoparticle Arrays

Block co-polymer patterns are attractive candidates for nanoparticle assemblies. Directed self-assembly of block co-polymers in particular allows for long range ordering of the patterns, making them interesting scaffolds for the organization of magnetic particles. Here, a method to tune the channel width of polymer-derived trenches via atomic layer deposition (ALD) of alumina is reported. The alumnia coating provides a much more thermally robust pattern that is stable up to 250 °C. Using these patterns, magnetic coupling in both ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic nanocrystal chains is achieved.
Quantitative assessment of the vascularity of the talus with gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The purpose of this study was to quantify the various arterial contributions to the talus with use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: The arterial anatomy of the talus was studied in ten pairs of fresh-frozen cadaver limbs with use of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in addition to gross dissection following latex injection. MRI proved useful to confirm the presence of specific arterial branches in situ as well as to demonstrate the rich anastomosis network in and around the talus. We further examined the MRI studies to delineate the quantitative contribution of each of the three main arteries to the talus and to each quadrant of the talus (anteromedial [0], anterolateral [1], posterolateral [2], and posteromedial [3]). Results: The peroneal artery contributed 16.9% of the blood supply to the talus; the anterior tibial artery, 36.2%; and the posterior tibial artery, 47.0%. The contribution of the anterior tibial artery was greatest in quadrant 0, whereas the contribution of the posterior tibial artery was greatest in quadrants 1, 2, and 3. The peroneal artery did not make the greatest contribution in any quadrant. Conclusions: In contrast to the findings in previous studies, we found that a substantial portion of the talar blood supply can enter posteriorly, which helps to explain why all talar neck fractures do not result in osteonecrosis. This finding, along with a very rich and redundant intraosseous pattern of anastomosis with contributions from all three vessels in each quadrant of the talus, may explain the low occurrence of osteonecrosis in association with talar neck fractures. Clinical Relevance: Blood supply to the talus may be maintained via vessels entering from the posterior aspect after a fracture of the talar neck. A thorough understanding of the anatomy and careful surgical dissection are essential to prevent unnecessary additional vascular insult during the treatment of fractures of the talus.
Diet and cimetidine induce comparable changes in theophylline metabolism in normal subjects

This study compared the effects of diet and cimetidine on theophylline metabolism and examined interactions between these effects. Twelve men received a high-protein diet for 15 days and at another time a high-carbohydrate diet also for 15 days. Cimetidine, 800 mg daily at bedtime, was administered on days 10 through 15 of each dietary period. Theophylline metabolism was studied after the administration of a single intravenous 3 mg/kg dose on days 8 and 15 of each dietary period. Changing from a high-protein to a high-carbohydrate diet decreased theophylline clearance by about the same extent (30% +/- 10%) as treatment with cimetidine (37% +/- 5% during a high-protein diet and 30% +/- 5% during a high-carbohydrate diet). Cimetidine did not significantly influence the effects of diet on theophylline clearance. Conversely, dietary composition did not influence the degree of inhibition of theophylline metabolism induced by cimetidine. Depending on the direction of the change in protein/carbohydrate ratio, the effects of diet and cimetidine treatment were either additive (theophylline clearance was most prolonged during the high-carbohydrate regimen with concurrent cimetidine administration) or counteractive (increasing the dietary protein/carbohydrate ratio at least partially counteracted the inhibitory effect of cimetidine). In individual subjects, effects of cimetidine on theophylline metabolism were somewhat more consistent than diet-induced changes. The results are further evidence that diet and drugs can have similar effects on hepatic drug metabolism rates in humans. Variations in diet over time and individual differences in responses to diet may provide the potential for considerable instability of drug metabolism rates in free-living subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Low-Cost Per-Core Voltage Domain Support for Power-Constrained High-Performance Processors

Per-core voltage domains can improve performance under a power constraint. Most commercial processors, however, only have a single voltage domain for all processor cores. This is because splitting the single voltage domain into per-core voltage domains and powering them with multiple off-chip voltage regulators (VRs) incur a high cost for the platform and package designs. Although using on-chip switching VRs can be an alternative solution, integrating high-quality inductors for VRs with cores has been a technical challenge. In this paper, we propose a cost-effective power delivery technique to support per-core voltage domains. Our technique is based on the observations that: 1) core-to-core (C2C) voltage variations are relatively small for most execution intervals when the voltages/frequencies are optimized to maximize performance under a power constraint and 2) per-core power-gating devices augmented with feedback control circuitry can serve as low-cost VRs that can provide high efficiency in situations like 1). Our experimental results show that processors using our technique can achieve power efficiency as high as those using the per-core on-chip switching VRs at a much lower cost.
A Friction Experiment

Force-sensor friction experiments such as the one in Vernier Software’s Physics with Computers depend on an object moving with constant velocity in order to measure the force of kinetic friction; when a block is pulled by a horizontal force sensor and the block moves along a horizontal surface with constant velocity, Newton’s first law ensures that the force-sensor reading is a measure of the frictional force. The difficulty in performing the experiment is that it associates kinetic friction only with constant speeds. This experiment offers a way of avoiding this difficulty.
High-power radio-frequency transistor amplifer

The development of a high-power radio-frequency transistor amplifier, which uses transistors working in parallel into a common load, is described. Protection is afforded for each of the transistors in the event of failure of any one, and protection of all transistors in the final stage is achieved for mismatches between zero and infinity. Performance figures are given.
Measurement of laser-induced alignment of jet-cooled molecules using femtosecond degenerate four wave mixing

A degenerate four wave mixing setup for characterizing the alignment of jet-cooled molecules is described. This scheme allows characterization of asymmetric top alignment using arbitrary pump pulses, and is easily incorporated into an optimization loop.
Purification and characterization of maize starch synthase I and its truncated forms.

Abstract Comparison of the protein sequences deduced from the cDNAs of maize granule-bound starch synthase,Escherichia coliglycogen synthase, and maize starch synthase I (SSI) reveals that maize SSI contains an N-terminal extension of 93 amino acids. In order to study the properties of maize SSI and to understand the functions of the maize SSI N-terminal extension, the gene coding for full-length SSI (SSI-1) and genes coding for N-terminally truncated SSI (SSI-2 and SSI-3) were individually expressed inE. coli.Here we describe for the first time the purification of a higher plant starch synthase to apparent homogeneity. Its kinetic properties were therefore studied in the absence of interfering amylolytic enzymes. The specific activities of the purified SSI-1, SSI-2, and SSI-3 were 22.5, 33.4, and 26.3 μmol Glc/min/mg of protein, respectively, which are eight times higher than those of partially purified SSI from developing maize endosperm. The full-length recombinant enzyme SSI-1 exhibited properties similar to those of the enzyme from maize endosperm. As observed for native maize enzyme, recombinant SSI-1 exhibited “unprimed” activity without added primer in the presence of 0.5 M citrate. Our results have clearly indicated that the catalytic center of SSI is not located in its N-terminal extension. However, N-terminal truncation decreased the enzyme affinity for amylopectin, with theKmfor amylopectin of the truncated SSI-3 being about 60–90% higher than that of the full-length SSI-1. These results suggest that the N-terminal extension in SSI may not be directly involved in enzyme catalysis, but may instead regulate the enzyme binding of α-glucans. Additionally, the N-terminal extension may play a role in determining the localization of SSI to specific portions of the starch granule or it may regulate its interactions with other enzymes involved in starch synthesis.
Cytokines in the differentiation of Th1/Th2 CD4+ subsets in leishmaniasis

Leishmania major infect only macrophages in the host, where they reside in endolysosomal compartments into which MHC class II molecules co-localize. Experimental infection in mice has provided a useful model for the differentiation of Th1 CD4+ effector lymphocytes that are required for the generation of IFN-γ that activates the macrophage to a microbicidal state. Genetically susceptible BALB/c mice aberrantly activate Th2 CD4+ effector cells that are ineffective in arresting infection. Increasing evidence suggests that, rather than discrete parasite antigens or MHC molecules, cytokines mediate the critical decision in the developmental switch to either the Th1 or Th2 effector phenotype.
NARRATIVES FROM SPANISH-SPEAKING CHILDREN WITH IMPAIRED AND TYPICAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT*

The personal narratives of Spanish-speaking children with typical and impaired language development were compared across several narrative features. Thirty-nine eight- to eleven-year-old children produced narratives in English and in Spanish. Children with typical language development produced longer narratives in both English and in Spanish than children with impaired development. Narratives in Spanish produced by children with typical language development contained more actions and orientation than those produced by the children with language impairment. Significant correlations between the English and Spanish narratives were obtained for number of utterances, orientations, and actions. Bilingual aspects of narration and clinical applications are presented.
Non‐phorbol mouse skin tumor promoters do not mimic phorbol myristate acetate in its effects on chick embryo fibroblasts

Phorbol esters, the most potent class of tumor promoter for mouse skin, have been shown to cause loss of the large external transformation-sensitive glycoprotein LETS1 from the surface of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and to cause an increase in the rate of deoxyglucose (DG) transport by these cells. Several compounds which promote mouse skin tumors but which are structurally unrelated to the phorbol esters were tested for their abilities to cause loss of LETS from CEF and to stimulate DG transport. Of the seven compounds tested, only oleic acid (at 140 μM) caused a decrease of more than 20% in LETS, as measured by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed surface radioiodination. Phenol at 1 mM caused a 70% increase in LETS levels. Only three agents, anthralin, lauric acid and limonene, caused increases in DG transport. Iodo-acetic acid and canthridin were inactive in both assays. None of the compounds affected CEF LETS levels or DG transport to the extent that the phorbol esters do. Palmitic and stearic acids, which are structurally similar to oleic acid but which do not promote mouse skin tumors, were inactive in both assays. The lack of correspondence between the effects on CEF of the phorbol esters and the non-phorbol promoters suggests that these two groups may have different mechanisms of action.
Isolated trophoblast cells for studies of placental infection: Advantages and precautions

The use of isolated placental cells offers several advantages for those wishing to study the mechanisms by which infectious agents enter the placenta. However, such systems are also fraught with pitfalls and limitations which are sometime not recognized. Most of these problems relate to characterization of the cells which are isolated, to be discussed below. We will deal here predominantly with the use of isolated trophoblast cells. The role of syncytiotrophoblast in infections of the placenta must be considered paramount, since it is bathed by maternal blood and is therefore in direct contact with blood-borne infectious agents. Such agents, whether cell-associated or not, must cross the syncytiotrophoblast before being exposed to placental cytotrophoblast cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and fetal endothelium.
Scaling analysis for the high temperature Gas Reactor Test Section (GRTS)

This paper presents an overview of a scaling analysis for a reduced scale Gas Reactor Test Section capable of modeling a variety of important phenomena in a Very High Temperature Gas Reactor. This research effort is being conducted at Oregon State University in support of an Idaho National Laboratory Lab Directed Research and Development project titled, Developing Core Flow Analysis Methods for the VHTR and GFR Designs. The INL point design for a prismatic core VHTR was selected for this scaling analysis, although the project maintains its secondary objective of co-generating Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor GFR-relevant thermal hydraulics data. The specific goal of the scaling analysis was to support the design of a test facility that can be used to produce benchmark data for depressurized conduction cool-down conditions. The scaling analysis determined that the GRTS will be capable of simulating core conduction and radiation heat transfer, vessel radiation heat transfer, core temperature profiles, air-ingress by lock-exchange, air-ingress by molecular diffusion, and single-phase air natural circulation. This paper shall focus on two aspects of the GRTS scaling analysis; air-ingress scaling analysis and scaling of the core heat transfer behavior for a DCC event.
Ultrasonic detection of laminar-type defects in iridium alloy blanks

Encapsulated isotopic heat sources for use in generating electrical power for space applications require flight-quality hardware material. Iridium is the chosen material for such applications, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been the prime supplier of iridium alloy forming blanks 52 mm in diameter by 0.66 mm thick (2.0 by 0.026 in.). Prior to the work reported here, these blanks were ultrasonically examined by using 0.9-mm-diameter (0.0305-in.) simulated flaw standards. However, as a result of this effort, the sensitivity of our ultrasonic pulse-echo test system has been increased. The improved ultrasonic test system permits blank inspection at the 0.5-mm-diameter (0.020-in.) simulated flaw detection level. This test system was successfully demonstrated on the initial blanks provided via an improved processing route (consumable arc-melting, extruding, and rolling). The equipment modification and/or selection and the specific-focused search unit immersion technique developed to provide this capability are described. The improved flaw detection capability also provides data maps of a common type of defect in iridium (delaminations).