cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of living free radical polymerization for nucleic acid delivery.

Therapeutic gene delivery can alter protein function either through the replacement of nonfunctional genes to restore cellular health or through RNA interference (RNAi) to mask mutated and harmful genes. Researchers have investigated a range of nucleic acid-based therapeutics as potential treatments for hereditary, acquired, and infectious diseases. Candidate drugs include plasmids that induce gene expression and small, interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that silence target genes.Because of their self-assembly with nucleic acids into virus-sized nanoparticles and high transfection efficiency in vitro, cationic polymers have been extensively studied for nucleic acid delivery applications, but toxicity and particle stability have limited the clinical applications of these systems. The advent of living free radical polymerization has improved the quality, control, and reproducibility of these synthesized materials. This process yields well-defined, narrowly disperse materials with designed architectures and molecular...
Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis Software

We provide an updated overview of the state of multiple criteria decision support software. Many methods and approaches have been proposed in the literature to handle multiple criteria decision analysis, and there is an abundance of software that implements or supports many of these approaches. Our review is structured around several decision considerations when searching for appropriate available software.
Clinical pharmacology of l-β-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine

Pharmacologic studies were performed in man with tritiated 1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C). Most of the plasma and urine radioactivity was in 1-f3-D-arabinofuranosyl uracil (ara-U), and all of the radioactivity could be accounted for as ara-C and ara-U. The plasma disapperance curve of ara-C when plotted on a semilog scale was biphasic with an initial fast phase (mean half-time 12 minutes) and a slower second phase (mean half-time 111 minutes). There was a linear correlation between the dose and plasma concentration of ara-C. The initial plasma ara-U to ara-C ratio was lower at the high doses, suggesting saturation of ara-C deaminase activity. Eighty per cent of the radioactivity was recovered in the urine by 24 hours, 8 per cent as ara-C, and 72 per cent as ara-U. Prior treatment with ara-C had no effect on the pharmacology of ara-C. The plasma ara-C deaminase activity was very low. The total amount in plasma was less than one per cent of that present in the liver. The ara-C deaminase activity of red blood cells (RBC) of normal subjects was 7 per cent that of the liver, and the RBC of solid tumor patients contained significantly higher enzyme activity. Following a loading dose, ara-C was given by constant intravenous infUSion. This resulted in constant plasma ara-C levels which were dose related. At steady state the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to plasma ratio of ara-C was 0.4. Intrathecal injection of ara-C resulted in high initial CSF levels and an exponential decrease with a half-time of 2 hours. This very long half-time as compared to the plasma is a function of the very low ara-C deaminase activity in CSF and brain.
Neural Foundations of Mood-Induced Impulsivity and Impulsive Aggression in Schizophrenia

Impulsivity is elevated in schizophrenia and is a risk factor for aggression in the disorder, but it is a multidimensional construct. Recently, the impulsivity subconstruct of urgency, which refers to rash action in the face of strong mood states, has been shown to be highly correlated with aggression in schizophrenia, especially impulsive aggression. This review discusses recent neuroimaging findings regarding urgency and its relation to impulsive aggression in schizophrenia. In addition, potential relationships between urgency and emotional regulation are discussed, along with potential treatments for impulsive aggression in schizophrenia that could be developed via a consideration of the urgency construct.
Social Psychology and Language

Humans are symbol-using creatures. Aristotle claimed that humans are political animals (anthropos politicon zoon), but arguably a stronger claim is that humans alone are linguistic animals, the recent attempts to teach special symbols to chimpanzees and dolphins notwithstanding. The argument that humans are essentially and uniquely symbol users has been made forcefully by various scholars. In light of the special status of language, it is not surprising that linguistics, the science of language, emerged well over 2000 years ago and is still flourishing in the 21st century. However, humans are also psychological animals (although not uniquely so), hence the rise of psycholinguistics. Additionally, humans are social animals (again not uniquely), hence sociolinguistics. One of the most recent human science specialties to emerge acknowledges all of these facts: the social psychology of language (SPL).
Vehicle dynamics and stabilisation using a nonlinear tyre model with four–wheel steering and braking

A dynamic vehicle simulation and control algorithm are developed in this study which utilise a nonlinear tyre model and coordinated four–wheel steering and braking systems to improve vehicle directional stability, controllability and response to driver's command on different road conditions. The linear programming algorithm is utilised for the evaluation of the distribution of the normal forces on the tyres and the optimum tractive/braking forces required for ensuring stability. The computer simulation of the developed four–wheel steering and braking system shows that the proposed approach can considerably enhance the stability and robustness of the performance of the vehicle especially under slippery road conditions.
An Entomogenous Nematode Steinernema carpocapsae is Compatible with Potting Media Environments Created by Horticultural Practices

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different potting media and horticultural practices on the infectivity of Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser). Bioassays were conducted with ...
How Well Do Rheumatology Fellows Manage Acute Infusion Reactions? A Pilot Curricular Intervention.

Background Infusible DMARDs are commonly prescribed in rheumatology and other fields. There are no published formal educational curricula rheumatology fellowship programs can use to teach infusion reaction management skills to fellows. We aimed to better understand this educational gap, and implement and assess the effectiveness of an experiential curriculum on acute infusion reaction management. Methods We included current rheumatology fellows and recent graduates from five fellowship programs. Using a novel behavioral checklist we assessed fellows’ performance managing an infusion reaction in a simulation, followed by a didactic focused on infusion reactions. Pre and post-surveys assessed experiences to determine relevance, as well as attitudes and knowledge. Results Despite ubiquitous prescribing of infusible biologic DMARDs, >50% of fellows were uncomfortable managing infusion reactions. Only 11% of fellows reported infusion reaction training during fellowship, but 56% reported managing actual patient infusion reactions. In the simulated infusion reaction, fellows managed grade 1 reactions appropriately, but grade 4 reactions poorly, meeting <50% of objectives. All fellows discontinued the infusion in the setting of anaphylaxis, but only 56% administered epinephrine. There was no difference in performance or written knowledge by training year. All fellows felt more prepared to manage infusion reactions post-curriculum and were satisfied with the experience. Conclusion We confirmed an education gap in rheumatology fellowship training regarding infusion reactions, both in knowledge and performance. We developed and implemented a brief experiential curriculum including simulation of a high-risk patient care scenario. This curriculum was well received and is easily exportable to other programs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Actually, Music Therapy does work

Improvisational music therapy is effective when engagement between the therapist and the client takes place. Moreover, the effectiveness of music therapy will be measured more effectively by researchers if they focus on how it builds on strengths rather than determining its effectiveness in reducing symptoms. The author is commenting on the TIME-A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Evidence-based surgery: a growing need for a limited enterprise.

The gap between surgeons' professional idealism and clinical reality is widening because surgeons fail to keep up with the growing demand for evidence-based surgery. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Attribute factors associated with work/leisure perceptions.

As a departure from previous approaches to the study of work/leisure definitions, perceptions of work and leisure were studied with respect to an activity relatively consistent in terms of task cha...
Mentoring: Reflections and Suggestions.

I have been enormously lucky in my 58 years of working with students and postdocs. A great many members of the Gray Nation have been successful in careers in academia, industry, and government. Mark Wrighton, one of my first Caltech students, just retired from his position as Chancellor at Washington University St. Louis. (See the accompanying editorial, DOI 10.1021/acscentsci.9b00841.) Mark made transformational changes at WUSTL during his 24-year tenure. Five others also have led major universities, and over a hundred are provosts, deans, and professors in the USA, Canada, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Can I take credit for their contributions to the science enterprise? Did my mentoring make a difference? I would like to think so!
Evaluating crystallographic likelihood functions using numerical quadratures

Intensity-based likelihood functions in crystallographic applications have the potential to enhance the quality of structures derived from marginal diffraction data. Their usage however is complicated by the ability to efficiently compute these targets functions. Here a numerical quadrature is developed that allows for the rapid evaluation of intensity-based likelihood functions in crystallographic applications. By utilizing a sequence of change of variable transformations, including a non-linear domain compression operation, an accurate, robust and efficient quadrature is constructed. The approach is flexible and can incorporate different noise models with relative ease.
IOP: The Importance of Intraocular Pressure

In patients with a pathophysiologic condition of the optic nerve that makes it susceptible to glaucomatous damage it appears that the level of IOP affects the rate at which that damage occurs. Clinical trials published in the last three decades have confirmed that if IOP is lowered an eye with ocular hypertension is less likely to develop glaucoma, that established glaucoma with abnormal IOP is slowed or halted in its progression, and that eyes with normal tension glaucoma also suffer less progression of field loss [1, 5, 8]. The proportion of individuals with glaucomatous damage increases with increasing levels of IOP. Although the proportion of those with “normal” pressure who have glaucoma is small, individuals with normal pressure make up between one-third and one-half of all cases of glaucoma [3], perhaps simply because normal pressures are more common than “abnormal” pressure. Therefore, the level of IOP in itself is a poor means to detect glaucoma.
Libraries Supporting Online Learning: Practical Strategies and Best Practices: by Christina D. Mune, Ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2020, $55.00, 168pp., ISBN 978-1-4408-6175-8

In a typical year, Libraries Supporting Online Learning: Practical Strategies and Best Practices would represent an important work. In 2020, within the context of COVID, Mune’s book represents a cr...
Molecular Engineering of Hydrogels for Rapid Water Disinfection and Sustainable Solar Vapor Generation.

Consumption of unsafe water is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing regions. Pasteurizing or boiling water to remove pathogens is energy-intensive and often impractical to off-grid communities. Therefore, low capital cost, rapid and energy-efficient water disinfection methods are urgently required to address global challenges of safe water access. Here, anti-bacterial hydrogels (ABHs) with catechol-enabled molecular-level hydrogen peroxide generators and quinone-anchored activated carbon particles are designed for effective water treatment. The bactericidal effect is attributed to the synergy of hydrogen peroxide and quinone groups to attack essential cell components and disturb bacterial metabolism. ABHs can be directly used as tablets to achieve >99.999% water disinfection efficiency within 60 min without energy input. No harmful byproducts are formed during the treatment process, after which the ABH tablets can be easily removed without residues. Taking advantage of their excellent photothermal and biofouling-resistant properties, ABHs can also be applied as solar evaporators to achieve stable water purification under sunlight (≤1 kW m-2 ) after months of storage and operation in bacteria-containing river water. The ABH platform offers reduced energy and chemical demands for point-of-use water treatment technologies in remote areas and emergency rescue applications.
Multiresolution Equivariant Graph Variational Autoencoder.

In this paper, we propose Multiresolution Equivariant Graph Variational Autoencoders (MGVAE), the first hierarchical generative model to learn and generate graphs in a multiresolution and equivariant manner. At each resolution level, MGVAE employs higher order message passing to encode the graph while learning to partition it into mutually exclusive clusters and coarsening into a lower resolution that eventually creates a hierarchy of latent distributions. MGVAE then constructs a hierarchical generative model to variationally decode into a hierarchy of coarsened graphs. Importantly, our proposed framework is end-to-end permutation equivariant with respect to node ordering. MGVAE achieves competitive results with several generative tasks including general graph generation, molecular generation, unsupervised molecular representation learning to predict molecular properties, link prediction on citation graphs, and graph-based image generation.
Geography and Resilience

As with most response and recovery efforts, context is everything. Differences in social, political, geographic and economic structures necessitate attention. For Florida, the geographic composition brings about various disaster and hazard vulnerabilities. Moreover, the field of emergency management becomes impacted in resilience capabilities. The belief of a one-size-fits-all approach decreases effectiveness of mitigation efforts and negatively impacts each community (Cutter SL, Emrich CT, ANN Am Acad Polit Soc Sci 604:102–112, 2006; Cutter SL, Barnes L, Berry M, Burton C, Evans E, Tate E, Webb J, Glob Environ Chang 18(4):598–606, 2008; Schwab J, Hazard mitigation: integrating best practices into planning. Retrieved from http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/19261, 2011). This chapter looks to understand the impact of geography on disasters and hazards while also increasing awareness of Florida-specific vulnerability and resiliency issues.
Laser guiding in hollow optical fibers: atom fluxes and viscous heating force

Summary form only given. We present a theoretical model aimed at interpreting our experiments on optical guiding of neutral atoms through hollow-core fibers. We present calculations of the atomic flux of atoms guided through a fiber and investigate its dependence on the intensity of the laser light, detuning from the resonance and the fiber bend radius. For relatively short and/or large-diameter fibers the contribution of the nonconservative force is negligible and the experimental results are well described by the conservative contribution. In the opposite limit we find a clear signature of the viscous heating force manifested in the appearance of additional maxima in the dependence of the flux on the detuning and in the decrease of the flux with laser intensity.
Energy-Transducing Adenosine Triphosphatase from Escherichia coli: Purification, Properties, and Inhibition by Antibody

The membrane adenosine triphosphatase (E.C. 3.6.1.3) from Escherichia coli has been solubilized with Triton X-100 and purified to near homogeneity. The purified enzyme has a sedimentation coefficient of 12.9 S in a sucrose gradient, corresponding to a molecular weight of about 360,000. On electrophoresis in gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate, it dissociates into subunits with apparent molecular weights of 60,000, 56,000, 35,000, and 13,000. The purified enzyme loses activity and breaks down into subunits when stored in the cold. Guanosine 5′-triphosphate and inosine 5′-triphosphate are alternative substrates. Ca 2+ and, to a small extent, Co 2+ or Ni 2+ will substitute for Mg 2+ in the reaction. The K m for Mg-adenosine triphosphate of the membrane-bound enzyme is 0.23 mM, and for the pure enzyme it is 0.29 mM. Azide is a noncompetitive inhibitor of both the membrane-bound enzyme and the pure enzyme. P i is a noncompetitive inhibitor of the solubilized enzyme. An antibody to the purified enzyme was obtained from rabbits. The antibody inhibits the solubilized enzyme and virtually all of the adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis by membranes from cells grown aerobically or anaerobically. The antibody also inhibits the adenosine triphosphate-stimulated pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (E.C. 1.6.1.1) of the E. coli membrane. Images
Toward an extrapolation of the simulated annealing convergence theory onto the simple genetic algorithm

Simulated annealing and the genetic algorithm are stochastic relaxation search techniques suitable for application to a wide variety of combinatorial complexity nonconvex optimization problems. Each produces a sequence of candidate solutions (or populations of candidate solutions) to the underlying optimization problem, and the purpose of both algorithms is to generate sequences biased toward solutions which optimize the objective function. The appeal of simulated annealing is that it provides asymptotic convergence to a globally optimal solution. A substantial body of knowledge exists concerning the algorithm convergence behavior. It is based upon a nonstationary Markov chain algorithm model. No genetic algorithm model comparable in scope exists in the literature. This work constitutes an attempt to provide such a model and accompanying convergence theory by extrapolating the simulated annealing results onto the genetic algorithm. A prerequisite, developed herein, is a nonstationary Markov chain genetic algorithm model. The essence of the simulated annealing theory is demonstration of (1) existence of a unique asymptotic probability distribution (stationary distribution) for the stationary Markov chain corresponding to every strictly positive constant value of an algorithm control parameter (absolute temperature), (2) existence of a stationary distribution limit as the control parameter approaches zero, (3) the desired behavior of the stationary distribution limit (i.e. optimal solution with probability one) and (4) sufficient conditions on the algorithm control parameter to ensure that the nonstationary algorithm achieves (asymptotically) the limiting distribution. With the exception of (3), this work adapts that methodology to the genetic algorithm Markov chain model employing a genetic operator parameter (mutation probability) as the algorithm control parameter. The results include a mutation probability control parameter bound analogous to (and asymptotically superior to) the conventional simulated annealing parameter bounds, and a framework for representing the genetic algorithm stationary distribution components at all consistent fixed control parameter values, including zero. The genetic algorithm stationary distribution limit has nonzero components corresponding to all solutions. Thus, the simulated annealing global optimality convergence result does not extrapolate. However, both empirical and theoretical evidence is provided which suggests that the desired limiting behavior can be approached by suitably adjusting the algorithm parameters.
What do preservice teachers from the USA and the UK know about dyslexia

The purpose of the study was to examine the knowledge base of preservice teachers from the USA and the UK of dyslexia as a language-based learning disability. A survey (both US and UK versions) was constructed using current research-based understandings of dyslexia as a language-based learning disability. One hundred and one preservice teachers from the USA and 70 preservice teachers from the UK were administered the survey. Results indicated that participants in the two groups demonstrated some similar accurate knowledge about dyslexia as well as displaying some common misunderstandings about dyslexia. Recommendations concerning preservice teacher preparation and professional development for in-service teachers about dyslexia as well as future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SU-E-T-796: Variation of Surface Photon Energy Spectra On Bone Heterogeneity and Beam Obliquity Between Flattened and Unflattened Beam

Purpose: This study investigates the spectra of surface photon energy and energy fluence in the bone heterogeneity and beam obliquity using flattened and unflattened photon beams. The spectra were calculated in a bone and water phantom using Monte Carlo simulation (the EGSnrc code). Methods: Spectra of energy, energy fluence and mean energy of the 6 MV flattened and unflattened photon beams (field size = 10 × 10 cm2) produced by a Varian TrueBEAM linear accelerator were calculated at the surfaces of a bone and water phantom using Monte Carlo simulations. The spectral calculations were repeated with the beam angles turned from 0° to 15°, 30° and 45° in the phantoms. Results: It is found that the unflattened photon beams contained more photons in the low-energy range of 0 – 2 MeV than the flattened beams with a flattening filter. Compared to the water phantom, both the flattened and unflattened beams had slightly less photons in the energy range < 0.4 MeV when a bone layer of 1 cm is present under the phantom surface. This shows that the presence of the bone decreased the low-energy photons backscattered to the phantom surface. When the photon beams were rotated from 0° to 45°, the number of photon and mean photon energy increased with the beam angle. This is because both the flattened and unflattened beams became more hardened when the beam angle increased. With the bone heterogeneity, the mean energies of both photon beams increased correspondingly. This is due to the absorption of low-energy photons by the bone, resulting in more significant beam hardening. Conclusion: The photon spectral information is important in studies on the patient’s surface dose enhancement when using unflattened photon beams in radiotherapy.
A Systematic Approach to Enzyme Assay Optimization, Illustrated by Aminotransferase Assays

We have developed a systematic approach to optimization of reagent concentrations for assays of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase: ( a ) Michaelis constants describing the initial-velocity kinetics of the coupled enzyme reactions were evaluated by a nonlinear least-squares fit of the appropriate equation to measured enzyme activities. Activities of more than 50 normal and pathological sera were measured at 30 °C. ( b ) These kinetic equations are used to calculate the set of reagent amino- and keto-acid concentrations that all yield a selected fraction of the theoretical maximum enzyme velocity. An optimal pair is determined by defining an additional criterion, such as minimal reagent cost or minimal concentration to K m ratio. ( c ) The optimum amounts of reagent NADH and coupling enzyme, being a function of desired pre-incubation and measurement intervals, maximum aminotransferase activity to be measured, and endogenous keto-acid concentration, are determined by computer simulation. An approximate relationship and an exact method for computing assay lag time are presented, along with experimentally measured endogenous keto-acid concentrations in serum. All procedures may be applied to other enzyme assays if appropriately modified.
Does Phaster Mean Better

The accelerated pace of discovery of disease-causing genes has made efficient mutation detection a priority. Identification of DNA sequence variants allows human geneticists to determine, among other things, whether a candidate gene contributes to disease susceptibility, to identify new alleles at known loci, and to develop molecular diagnostic tests. Once a susceptibility gene has been identified, the investigator interested in molecular diagnostics or genotype–phenotype correlation must decide how to perform rapid, sensitive detection of mutations. Grompe (1) divided these techniques into those that are most useful for identifying known mutations and those that are better for detecting novel mutations. However, he also allowed that no one method would be appropriate for all situations. Clearly, the choices investigators make will be based, in part, on what they are trying to accomplish (e.g., diagnostics vs population studies of allele frequencies); the goal will also dictate the level of sensitivity required and, conversely, the proportion of false positives or negatives that can be tolerated. Other factors such as knowledge of genomic size, sequence, and structure; availability of RNA/cDNA; and access to equipment and technical expertise will also influence the decision. Since its identification in 1993 and 1994 as the (or, at least, a) major gene responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasia types 2A and 2B (MEN 2A, MEN 2B) and Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), respectively, the RET receptor tyrosine kinase1 has provided a real-time case study of some of the more vexing aspects of both the detection and interpretation of mutations (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). The latter problem, namely, correlating genotype with phenotype, is a fascinating one and has been considered elsewhere (8)(9)(10). The former issue, determining the best approach to detecting RET mutations for a given set of patients, is easier …
Spherulite formation in poly(ethylene oxide) mixtures

Abstract The morphologies of three-step crystallized poly(ethylene oxide) binary mixtures are studied. In the first step, the samples isothermally crystallize at high temperature to form precursors of the spherulites (or hedrites). The following quenching process of the samples to liquid nitrogen, as the second step, shows initial stages of the spherulitic (or hedritic) development. After quenching, the samples were brought back to room temperature, and further crystallized as the third step. Many different types of immature spherulites (or hedrites) are observed. This can be explained by anisotropic initial development of the spherulites. Two different morphological portions can be generally distinguished: the main framework portion grows first from its small single crystal precursors during the quenching, and the in-filling portion develops later in the third step. Microsectors and microfacets are found in the main framework portion of the spherulites.
Use of the pH Stat to Evaluate Trypsin Inhibitor and Tryptic Proteolysis of Soy Flours

Heated soy flours have been analyzed by the pH stat successfully for tryptic proteolysis and for residual trypsin inhibitor in previous studies. Unheated soy flours give a sudden release of hydrogen ion followed by a constantly decreasing proteolysis rate and consequently are difficult to analyze. We have found that by adjusting the pH of the trypsin preparation to 9 (the pH of the analysis) the pH stat method measured proteolysis and trypsin inhibitor in unheated soy flours. The unheated soy protein was hydrolyzed at 40% of the rate of heated soy protein and contained 68 mg/g of Kunitz trypsin inhibitor equivalents.
Compact analytical approximation for the Feynman propagator in curved spacetime

In a recent paper, Bekenstein and Parker obtain an approximate formula for the Feynman propagator of a scalar particle traveling in a background gravitational field. They expand a path-integral representation in small fluctuations about a classical path, keeping terms up to quadratic in the fluctuations. Using a Fourier-series technique, they obtain a formula for the quadratic terms as a determinant of an infinite-dimensional matrix. Using an alternative technique, I express the quadratic terms as the determinant of a finite-dimensional, 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4 matrix. An intuitively appealing geometrical interpretation of the quadratic terms is given. The present technique allows one to prove a conjecture made by Bekenstein and Parker, that the quadratic terms are given by the Van Vleck-Morette determinant whenever the classical path is a geodesic of the background gravitational field.
Stereospecific morphine adsorption to phosphatidyl serine and other membranous components of brain

Abstract In the course of investigating various membranous components for morphine binding, it was found that the major substance responsible was phosphatidyl serine. Other acidic lipids, such as phosphatidic acid and phosphoinositides bind to a considerably lesser extent, while neutral lipids, glycolipids and other phosphatides bind slightly or not at all. Total lipid extracts from a number of regions of rat brain exhibited different degrees of binding to (-)-morphine, such regions as the cerebral cortex and thalamus being the greatest. From an examination of the pH curve for binding and the effect of ionic strenght, it was concluded that the binding was largely electrostatic. The method employed was the radioactive measurement of 14 C-morphine adsorption to surface films of phosphatidyl serine. When the phosphatide was dispersed in a nonionic detergent near the critical micelle concentration, adsorption was maximal, attaining a value of 1 molecule of morphine adsorbed per molecule of phosphatidyl serine in the surface micelle. The relation between binding affinity and biological potency was not consistent. Morphine adsorption occurred with films prepared from a dispersion of the phosphatide and a hydrophobic protein from synaptic membranes. With the use of levorphanol and dextrorphan it could be shown that binding of morphine was stereospecific.
Normal variations of the lumbar facet joint capsules

The anatomy and variations of the lumbar facet joint capsules have not been described in detail. Fifty lumbar cadaver facet joints were studied with cryomicrotomy. The axial sections were analyzed to describe the normal appearance of the facet joint capsule. In the majority of cases the facet joint capsule extended beyond the confines of the borders of the facet joint proper. The most common patterns were extensions along the inferior articular process near the dorsal or along the inferior or superior articular process in the ventral aspect of the joint. The study extends previous anatomic studies on the facet joint capsule.
DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER SIMULATION MODEL OF MIXED MOTOR VEHICLE AND BICYCLE TRAFFIC ON AN URBAN ROAD NETWORK

The first step has been taken in the effort to develop a microscopic simulation model of mixed motor vehicle and bicycle traffic over an entire network. The primary objective was to develop the main algorithm of BICycle SIMulator and translate it into a working computer program. To achieve the goal, the gaps in the existing literature were filled by data collected at the University of Delaware campus in Newark. An equation of mixed bicycle and motor vehicle following was developed and used for the representation of longitudinal interaction of vehicles. The program was implemented in C+plus; programming language and tested on real-world data. The resulting software is the first in the world to allow the inclusion of bicyclists in the analysis of urban transportation by the means of microscopic simulation.
Parkin regulates metal transport via proteasomal degradation of the 1B isoforms of divalent metal transporter 1

Abnormal iron accumulation is linked to a variety of neurological disorders and may contribute to the progressive damage seen in these diseases. The biochemical processes responsible for iron accumulation are not known but are likely to entail alteration in transport into injured brain areas. The major transport protein responsible for uptake of iron is divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and recent studies demonstrate that the 1B species is regulated post-translationally by degradation via the proteasomal pathway. As reported in this paper, the E3 ligase, parkin, when over-expressed in SH-SY5Y cells, results in a decrease in 1B-DMT1 isoforms and also a significant reduction in manganese transport and toxicity. Incubating cells over-expressing parkin with the proteasomal inhibitor, MG-132, restores 1B-DMT1 levels emphasizing that the observed changes are caused by degradation via the proteasomal pathway. Expression of the 1B species of DMT1 was also shown to be elevated in human lymphocytes containing a homozygous deletion of exon 4 of parkin and in brains of parkin knockout animals. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent studies confirm that parkin co-localizes with DMT1 in SH-SY5Y cells transfected with wild-type parkin. These results demonstrate that parkin is the E3 ligase responsible for ubiquitination of the 1B species of DMT1.
Dynamic acquisition and Retrieval Tool (DART) for comet sample return

The 2011 Decadal Survey for planetary science released by the National Research Council of the National Academies identified Comet Surface Sample Return (CSSR) as one of five high priority potential New Frontiers-class missions in the next decade. The main objectives of the research described in this publication are: develop a concept for an end-to-end system for collecting and storing a comet sample to be returned to Earth; design, fabricate and test a prototype Dynamic Acquisition and Retrieval Tool (DART) capable of collecting 500 cc sample in a canister and ejecting the canister with a predetermined speed; identify a set of simulants with physical properties at room temperature that suitably match the physical properties of the comet surface as it would be sampled. We propose the use of a DART that would be launched from the spacecraft to impact and penetrate the comet surface. After collecting the sample, the sample canister would be ejected at a speed greater than the comet's escape velocity and captured by the spacecraft, packaged into a return capsule and returned to Earth. The DART would be composed of an inner tube or sample canister, an outer tube, a decelerator, a means of capturing and retaining the sample, and a mechanism to eject the canister with the sample for later rendezvous with the spacecraft. One of the significant unknowns is the physical properties of the comet surface. Based on new findings from the recent Deep Impact comet encounter mission, we have limited our search of solutions for sampling materials to materials with 10 to 100 kPa shear strength in loose or consolidated form. As the possible range of values for the comet surface temperature is also significantly different than room temperature and testing at conditions other than the room temperature can become resource intensive, we sought sample simulants with physical properties at room temperature similar to the expected physical properties of the comet surface material. The chosen DART configuration, the efforts to identify a test simulant and the properties of these simulants, and the results of the preliminary testing will be described in this paper.
Direct computation of transmission matrices of electrical transmission lines: Part I

Abstract In this paper the theory of linear algebra is used to obtain the transmission matrices of multi-conductor electrical transmission lines with constant distributed parameters in a direct manner. The transmission matrices of two-conductor transmission lines whose parameters vary continuously are also obtained by the use of a direct method in special cases of practical importance. General results pertaining to multi-conductor transmission lines with variable parameters are also deduced.
Pathologic diagnosis and resection of suspicious thoracic metastases in patients with cervical cancer through thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of resection for suspicious thoracic metastasis in cervical cancer patients with thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Methods A retrospective study was performed involving patients with primary and recurrent cervical cancer who underwent surgical resections for suspicious thoracic metastatic lesions at a single academic institution between January 2003 and February 2009. Results Twenty-three pulmonary resections were performed on 21 patients via thoracotomies ( n =10), VATS ( n =11), and thoracotomies following VATS ( n =2). All suspicious pulmonary lesions were completely resected in all 3 surgical groups. A total of 49 surgical procedures were performed, as follows: 25 wedge resections, 9 lobectomies, 12 mediastinal lymph node dissections, 1 segmentectomy, 1 diaphragmatic resection, and 1 pleurectomy. The pathologic evaluation revealed metastasis from cervical cancer, primary lung cancer, no pathologic abnormality, and tuberculosis in 14, 7, 2, and 1 of the surgical specimens, respectively; 1 patient had primary lung cancer and mediastinal lymph node metastasis from cervical cancer. Different pathologic diagnoses were rendered in 6 patients compared to the image-based diagnoses. After pulmonary metastasectomy, 2 patients died from the disease, 3 patients were alive with disease, and 16 patients were alive without disease, with a median follow-up of 16 months (range, 2–67 months). Conclusions Resection of suspicious thoracic metastasis with thoracotomy or VATS permits accurate pathologic diagnosis and favorable curative resection in selected patients with cervical cancer.
A method for the isolation of lipid droplet fractions from decapsulated rat adrenals.

Abstract Ultrastructural and cell fractionation studies implicate lipid droplets in the storage of cholesterol and in the secretion of steroids. To evaluate the role of the lipid droplet in steroidogenesis, a discontinuous gradient centrifugation method has been developed for the isolation of both lipid droplet and non-lipid fractions from decapsulated rat adrenal homogenates. Steroids were extracted from the fractions with chloroform/methanol; the cholesterol ester, cholesterol and corticosterone in each extract were purified using a single chromatogram and the purified steroid and sterols were assayed fluorometrically. The lipid droplet fraction contained 85% of the esterified cholesterol and 32% of the free cholesterol found in whole gland extracts. Although adrenal lipid droplet fractions isolated from non-stimulated control animals contained 65–79% of the total corticosterone assayed in extracts of the whole gland, in vivo injections of ACTH did not increase corticosterone 1n this fraction. On the other hand, the corticosterone measured in non-lipid fraction extracts increased significantly following ACTH treatment. These results suggest that the synthesis/release mechanism for corticosterone is not associated with the lipid droplets but may involve specific components in the non-lipid fraction. The function of lipid droplet corticosterone is unknown.
Neuroprotective Signal Transduction: Relevance to Stroke

Abstract MATTSON, M.P. Neuroprotective signal transduction: relevance to stroke . NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV 21 (2) 193–206, 1997.—Studies of ischemic brain injury in cell culture, animal models, and humans have revealed inter- and intra-cellular signaling pathways that increase resistance to cell degeneration and death. Brain injury induces expression of many different growth factors and cytokines which can protect neurons against insults relevant to the pathogenesis of ischemic brain injury including excitotoxicity, hypoxia, hypoglycemia, acidosis, and pro-oxidants. Neuroprotective signal transduction pathways elicit changes that promote the maintenance of cellular ion homeostasis and/or suppress the accumulation of free radicals. For example: basic fibroblast growth factor suppresses expression of a glutamate receptor protein and induces antioxidant enzymes; tumor necrosis factor induces expression of a Ca 2+ -binding protein and Mn-superoxide dismutase; and secreted forms of β-amyloid precursor protein hyperpolarize neurons by activating K + channels. Transcriptional regulation involves activation of tyrosine phosphorylation cascades and NFkB. Interestingly, similar neuroprotective pathways can be activated by moderate levels of cell “stress” such as that induced by glutamate in cell culture or a brief period of cerebral ischemia in vivo. Novel rapid and delayed intracellular neuroprotective signaling mechanisms are being revealed, such as the regulation of Ca 2+ influx by actin filaments and the induction of genes by Ca 2+ and radicals. New therapeutic approaches arising from this research include low molecular weight lipophilic compounds that activate neurotrophic factor signaling pathways and agents that selectivity depolymerize actin. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
A combinatorial study and comparison of partial theta identities of Andrews and Ramanujan

We provide a simple proof of a partial theta identity of Andrews and study the underlying combinatorics. This yields a weighted partition theorem involving partitions into distinct parts with smallest part odd which turns out to be a companion to a weighted partition theorem involving the same partitions that we recently deduced from a partial theta identity in Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook. We also establish some new partition identities from certain special cases of Andrews’ partial theta identity.
Movement before Cinematography: The High-Speed Qualities of Sentiment

Cinematography, and the philosophical critiques it inspired, has come to represent modernity. The 19th century ended with reduced photographic time exposures. The 20th century began by marking itself on a new cinematographic strip. Yet by examining more carefully these narratives of modernity, it becomes clear that much falls between cinematographic frames, into its framelines. In particular, noncinematographic philosophies of time and movement are erased from view. This article inquires into these philosophies and traces their influence on later critiques of cinematography launched by Henri Bergson and later transformed by Gilles Deleuze. It focuses on debates between the philosopher Felix Ravaisson and the revolutionary art critic Eugene Guillaume with the purpose of rethinking the relationship between philosophy and technologies of movement.
Substorm fields in and near the auroral zone

Abstract During the last few years, the study of both temporal and spatial variations of substorm fields has rapidly expanded, mainly because of the relationships which exist between polar magnetic substorms and magnetospheric phenomena. Also during these years, proposed current systems believed to be responsible for substorm variations have evolved into complex three-dimensional systems with field-aligned and magnetospheric currents coupled to the eastward and westward electrojets. Recent model studies show that substorm variations in and near the auroral zone can easily be modelled using both two and three-dimensional current systems. In these studies, induction effects were simulated by assuming the Earth to be infinitely conducting at some depth below the surface. The use of magnetometers distributed along magnetic meridians has resulted in a better understanding of the complex current patterns making up the electrojets. For example, during the expansive phase of substorms, the westward and poleward progression of the overall westward electrojet was discovered to take place through the sequential development of a series of westward electrojets.
MEIOTIC DRIVE AND SEX CHROMOSOME CYCLING

Sex-linked meiotic drive is found in a broad variety of taxa, including insects, birds, and mammals. In populations of some species, we see four types of sex chromosomes segregating: normal and driving X chromosomes and susceptible and resistant Y chromosomes. A theoretical analysis shows that a stable four-chromosome equilibria is a more common outcome in these systems than previously recognized. Cycling of sex chromosome frequencies and associated changes in the sex ratio are other predicted outcomes. The absence of cycling in nature may be due to migration among populations.
Experimental validation of a long-distance transport model for plant pathogens: Application to Fusarium graminearum

Abstract Fusarium graminearum, causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and barley, is a devastating plant pathogen that may be transported through the atmosphere over long distances. A Gaussian dispersal model has been developed to predict the long distance transport of plant pathogens, but this model has not yet been experimentally validated for F. graminearum. Here, we compare the results of two release-recapture studies (conducted in 2011 and 2012) of F. graminearum from known field-scale sources of inoculum to those predicted by a Gaussian dispersal spore transport model. Dispersal kernel shape coefficients were similar for both results observed in the field and predicted by the model, with both being dictated by a power law function, indicating that turbulence was the dominant factor on a kilometer scale. Dispersal kernel predictions were also conducted using a more complicated Lagrangian Stochastic (LS) dispersal model. Dispersal kernel results were similar between the Gaussian and LS dispersal models. Model predictions had a stronger correlation with the number of spores being released when using a time varying q0 emission rate (r = 0.92 in 2011 and r = 0.84 in 2012) than an identical daily pattern q0 emission rate (r = 0.35 in 2011 and r = 0.32 in 2012). Temporal patterns of spore release and spore deposition in the field were not correlated (correlation coefficient of r = −0.12 for 2011 and r = 0.45 for 2012). The actual numbers of spores deposited from our known sources were monitored using microsatellites (short, repeated sequences of DNA), and were 3 and 2000 times lower than predicted if potential source strength, Qpot, was equal to the actual number of spores released in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Differences between predicted and observed results in both years may have been due in part to variability in environmental conditions and spore release rates. This work provides a unique approach for validating a Gaussian spore transport model to predict the spore transport of F. graminearum over kilometer distances, and could be applied to other airborne plant pathogens in the future.
Management of a Pelvic Mass Following a Worn Uncemented Total Hip Arthroplasty

Intrapelvic granulomatous masses from polyethylene wear debris can easily be misdiagnosed if orthopaedic etiology is not considered. This article presents the case of a 50 year old woman with history of hip joint trauma and total hip arthroplasty (THA) revisions who presented to her gynecologist with a large intrapelvic cyst. Prolonged use of an indwelling drain and failure to recognize the orthopaedic origin of the mass resulted in articular infection that required an antibiotic spacer and subsequent THA revision. This patient did not have pain or evidence of medial wall defects, but did have a history of trauma, revision arthroplasty and acetabular allograft. In the presence of these findings, wear-induced polyethylene debris should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the pelvic mass.