cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Return of auditory function following structural regeneration after acoustic trauma: Behavioral measures from quail,

After measuring baseline behavioral audiograms, three of four behaviorally trained quail and fifteen untrained cohorts were exposed to a 1.5-kHz octave-band noise at 116-dB SPL for 4 h. The trained birds were tested daily following the exposure and showed a steady recovery of absolute sensitivity with a return to normal absolute thresholds by post-exposure days 8-10. Thirteen untrained cohorts were sacrificed after various survival times to evaluate the structural condition of the ear. The cohorts all showed regeneration of sensory cells similar to that seen in chicks. The effects of repeated acoustic trauma on recovery of sensitivity were evaluated by re-exposing the three trained birds and two untrained cohorts 106 days after the first exposure. One of the trained birds was exposed a third time, 113 days following the second exposure. The findings demonstrate that, following acoustic trauma, normal sensitivity returns prior to complete structural regeneration of the sensory epithelium and that repeated acoustic trauma may increase the time course of recovery of normal hearing sensitivity.
Substance use Trajectories from Early Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: A Comparison of Smoking, Binge Drinking, and Marijuana use:

Over the past several years, there has been growing interest in identifying distinct developmental trajectories of substance use. Using data from the RAND Adolescent/Young Adult Panel Study (N = 6,527), we synthesize our prior findings on patterns of smoking, binge drinking, and marijuana use from early adolescence (age 13) to emerging adulthood (age 23). We also present new data on how these trajectory classes compare on key psychosocial and behavioral outcomes during emerging adulthood. For each type of substance use, we found two periods of vulnerability: early adolescence and the transition to emerging adulthood. As expected, early users were at relatively high risk for poor outcomes at age 23 compared to consistent low-level users and abstainers, even if they reduced their use during adolescence. However, youths who were not early users, but steadily increased their use over time, also tended to be at relatively high risk. Results suggest that multiple prevention approaches might be needed to success...
Springtime in the city: exotic shrubs promote earlier greenup in urban forests

Despite the widespread recognition that urban areas are frequently dominated by exotic and invasive plants, the consequences of these changes in community structure have not been explicitly considered as an explanation for the pattern of advanced leaf phenology, or early greenup, reported in many urban areas. As such, we evaluated two hypotheses that could account for advanced greenup in forests along an urban to rural gradient: advanced phenology within individual species or differences in woody plant community. We monitored the spring leafing phenology of Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye), Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle), and Acer negundo (box elder) in 11 forests spanning an urban to rural gradient in central Ohio, USA. From February to April 2006, we monitored these species, recorded woody plant composition, and documented daily minimum and maximum temperatures at each site. We found a weak but general trend of advanced phenology within species in more urban landscapes. Monthly average minimum temperatures were higher with increasing urbanization while monthly average maximum temperatures were similar across the urban to rural gradient. We also found evidence for shifts in woody plant communities along the urbanization gradient, mainly driven by the abundance of L. maackii, an invasive exotic species, in the more urban forests. Because L. maackii leafs out weeks earlier than native woody species and is very abundant in urban forests, we suggest that the invasion of forests by this species can generate earlier greenup of urban forests.
Modular Robot Systems

We have presented a detailed retrospective on modular robots and discussed connections between modular robots and programmable matter. This field has seen a great deal of creativity and innovation at the level of designing physical systems capable of matching shape to function and algorithms that achieve this capability. The success of these projects rests on the convergence of innovation in hardware design and materials for creating the basic building blocks, information distribution for programming the interaction between the blocks, and control. Most current systems have dimensions on the order of centimeters, yet pack computation, communication, sensing, and power transfer capabilities into their form factors. Additionally, these modules operate using distributed algorithms that use a modules ability to observe its current neighborhood and local rules to decide what to do next.
A small-molecule inhibitor of RAD51 reduces homologous recombination and sensitizes multiple myeloma cells to doxorubicin

We previously reported high expression of RAD51 and increased homologous recombination (HR) rates in multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and showed that genomic instability and disease progression are commensurate with HR levels. Moreover, high RAD51 expression in vivo is associated with chemoresistance and poor patient survival. Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most widely used drug treatments in MM chemotherapy. DOX is cytotoxic because it induces DNA double-strand breaks, which can be repaired by RAD51-mediated HR; activation of this pathway thus contributes to resistance. To investigate the role of RAD51 in MM drug resistance, we assessed the ability of B02, a small-molecule inhibitor of RAD51, to enhance DOX sensitivity of MM cells. Combining low-toxicity doses of DOX and B02 resulted in significant synthetic lethality, observed as increased apoptosis and reduced viability compared to either agent alone, or to the product of their individual effects. In contrast, the combination did not produce significant synergy against normal human CD19+ B cells from peripheral blood. DOX induced RAD51 at both mRNA and protein levels, while arresting cells in S and G2. DOX treatment also increased the number of RAD51 foci, a marker of HR repair, so that the fraction of cells with ≥5 foci rose 4-fold, whereas γH2AX foci rose far less, implying that most new breaks are repaired. When B02 treatment preceded DOX exposure, the induction of RAD51 foci was severely blunted, whereas γH2AX foci rose significantly relative to basal levels or either agent alone. In MM cells carrying a chromosomally integrated reporter of HR repair, DOX increased HR events while B02 inhibition of RAD51 blocked the HR response. These studies demonstrate the crucial role of RAD51 in protecting MM cells from genotoxic agents such as DOX, and suggest that specific inhibition of RAD51 may be an effective means to block DNA repair in MM cells and thus to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy.
Effect of DC current on tensile creep of pure tin

Abstract The tensile creep of tin was performed in a temperature range of 323–423 K and under the tensile stress of 1.93–13.89 MPa. During the constant-load tensile creep test, a direct electric current of electric current density in the range from 0 to 3.78 kA/cm2 was passed through the tin specimen, which introduced electrical–thermal–mechanical interaction. A quasi-steady state creep deformation was observed under the simultaneous action of electrical current and tensile stress. The minimum creep rate increased with the increase in temperature, tensile stress and electrical current density. For the same tensile stress and the same chamber temperature, the minimum creep rate increased linearly with the square of the electric current density. A power-law relation was used to describe the stress dependence of the minimum creep rate for the tensile creep of tin. The passage of an electric current of high current density caused the rise of local temperature through the release of Joule heat and introduced the momentum exchange between high-speed mobile electrons and lattice atoms, which resulted in the increase of local grain rotation and grain boundary sliding. The electric current density had no significant effect on the stress exponent and activation energy of the tensile creep of tin for the experimental conditions.
Procedure for Generating Equations in Linear Sigma Model

A procedure for implementation of the generating equations in the linear sigma model of low energy QCD is presented. For any explicit symmetry breaking term, this procedure computes the masses of scalar and pseudoscalar mesons as well as various three-point and four-point interaction vertices that are needed in calculation of different decay widths and scattering amplitudes.
The use of grammatical inference for designing programming languages

Both in designing a new programming language and in extending an existing language, the designer is faced with the problem of deriving a “natural” grammar for the language. We are proposing an interactive approach to the grammar design problem wherein the designer presents a sample of sentences and structures as input to a grammatical inference algorithm. The algorithm then constructs a grammar which is a reasonable generalization of the examples submitted by the designer. The implemention is presently restricted to a subclass of operator precedence grammars, but a second algorithm is outlined which applies to a larger class of context-free grammars.
Soil properties of selected pedons on ultramafic rocks in Klamath Mountains, Oregon

Ultramafic (serpentinized) rocks are parent materials for some soils in the Klamath Mountains in southwestern Oregon. Two map units in Curry County Soil Survey (e.g., Serpentano and Snowcamp) have typical vegetation and characteristics of serpentine soils, with low productivity and sparse stands of trees and slope stability problems related to the highly faulted and sheared bedrock. Using standard methods for x-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical analysis, representative pedons selected from Serpentano and Snowcamp map units were not initially classified into the U.S. Soil Taxonomy as magnesic (soil mineralogy dominated by magnesium-silicate minerals). This inconsistency between field observations and laboratory data initiated our investigation. We subsequently examined other laboratory properties and developed alternative quantification procedures that may be useful in classification of these soils. In this study, some distinguishable chemical properties of serpentine soils are low extractable calcium/magn...
An Improved Statistical Method for Assessing the Results of Operation

Abstract The advantages of the actuarial method of analyzing postoperative survival are now widely accepted. In evaluating the late results of heart valve replacement operations, however, certain nonfatal complications must also be considered. The use of individual event-free rates does not portray individual risk, since some valves have multiple complications. By using cumulative complication-free rates , however, it is possible to estimate the percentage of valves active and free from certain major complications for each postoperative interval. A series of actuarial curves is used, each of which represents a different major complication. These curves are subtracted progressively from the total of valves at risk, and an actuarial representation of complication-free survival results.
A test for the intermediacy of 11-Hydroperoxyeicosa-5,8,12,14-tetraenoic acid [11-HPETE] in prostaglandin biosynthesis

Abstract 11-Hydroperoxy-eicosa-5,8,12,14-tetraenoic acid [11-HPETE] was prepared by chromatographic separation of the hydroperoxides formed from the singlet oxygen oxidation of arachidonic acid [20:4]. 1-[14C]-HPETE was incubated with prostaglandin endoperoxide synthetase preparations from ram seminal vesicles. No prostaglandins products deriving from 11-HPETE were detected in any of the incubations. 11-Hydroxy-eicosa-5,8,12,14-tetraenoic acid [11-HETE], formed by the action of the hydroperoxidase component of prostaglandin endoperoxidase synthetase was the major product formed. The peroxidase activity was absolutely dependent on epinephrine and was stimulated by hematin. 11-HPETE does not appreciably effect the extent of conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin.
Effects of morphine on sensory‐evoked responses recorded from central gray, reticular formation, thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, basal ganglia, dorsal raphe, locus ceruleus, and pineal body

Field potential recordings of acoustic and photic-evoked responses were obtained from 15 brain sites of freely behaving unanesthetized rats previously implanted stereotaxically with permanent electrodes. Several dosages of morphine (1, 5, 10, 30, and 50 mg/kg) were examined. The activities recorded from all the structures in this study, except the cochlear nucleus (CoN), were affected by morphine. Different sensitivities to morphine threshold were observed between structures, and several structures exhibited dose-related patterns (ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), caudate nucleus (CN), central gray (CG), hippocampus (Hipp), and lateral septum (Spt)). Several brain sites, after the initial dose of morphine, did not recruit more responses to subsequent doses of the drug, ie, exhibited all-or-none responses (pineal body (PB), medial thalamus (MTh), anterior hypothalamus (AH), mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF), and the dorsal raphe (DR)). In some structures, morphine induced increases in the response amplitudes, while in other sites decreases in response amplitudes were elicited. Biphasic responses, ie, increases in response amplitude after low doses of the drug and decreases in response amplitude after higher dosages, were also observed (VMH, CN, DR, CG, and MRF). The acoustic-evoked responses were affected by morphine more than the photic responses. The present observations indicated that (1) morphine exerts effects in many parts of the central nervous system (CNS); (2) some structures are more sensitive to morphine than others; (3) only a few structures exhibit dose-related patterns and, thus, may represent sites of direct morphine action; (4) some structures exhibit all-or-none responses; and (5) morphine depressed activity in some structures and increased activity in others, ie, morphine elicited different effects in different structures.
The community balance and mobility scale alleviates the ceiling effects observed in the currently used gait and balance assessments for the community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:: Currently used balance assessments show a ceiling effect and lack activities essential for community mobility in higher-functioning older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Community Balance and Mobility (CBM P DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:: CB&M scale is reliable and valid to evaluate gait, balance, and mobility in community-dwelling older adults. Unlike some currently used balance and mobility assessments for the community-dwelling older adults, the CB&M scale did not show a ceiling in detection of balance and mobility deficits. In addition, cutoff scores have been proposed that might serve as criteria to discriminate older adults with balance and mobility deficits. The CB&M scale might enable assessment of balance and mobility limitations masked by other assessments and help design interventions to improve community mobility and sustain independence in the higher-functioning community-dwelling older adult. Language: en
Pursuing Unity in a Fragmented Psychology: Problems and Prospects:

Many psychologists are concerned that disciplinary fragmentation is precluding the accumulation of knowledge and catalyzing the dissolution of institutionalized psychology. Herein the authors revie...
Viscoelastic characterization of transverse isotropic tissue mimicking phantoms and muscle

Ultrasound radiation force-based methods have the ability of estimating the tissue viscoelastic material properties. A limitation of the current methods exists when the estimation of the mechanical properties is performed under the assumption that the tissue is isotropic and homogeneous thus, neglecting the inherent anisotropy nature of certain tissues. To study the viscoelastic characteristics of this phenomenon in a laboratory setting, we created a transversely isotropic (TI) phantom incorporating fibrous material with preferential orientations embedded in tissue mimicking gelatin using two different concentrations (8%, 14%), and we studied a sample of ex vivo pork tenderloin in a saline bath at 30°C. Measurements were made in the TI phantoms and the excised sample of pork muscle at different angles by rotating the phantom with respect to the transducer, where 0° and 180° were defined along the fibers, and 90° and 270° across the fibers. Shear waves were generated and measured by a Verasonics ultrasound system equipped with a linear array transducer operating at 4.1 MHz center frequency. To estimate the shear elasticity (μ 1 ) and viscosity (μ 2 ), a Voigt model was fit to the shear wave dispersion curves of the phase velocity within the bandwidth of 100–700 Hz. The values for μ 1 and μ 2 for the fibrous phantom at both gelatin concentrations and the pork tenderloin, indicate that they are angularly dependent, and exhibit a TI behavior that can be studied using viscoelasticity measurements.
Multiple genetic changes determine ribose utilization by Novikoff hepatoma cell variants.

Abstract In variants of the Novikoff hepatoma cell line, the ability to use D-ribose as a carbon source appeared to be due to changes in the expression of ribokinase. Examination of ribokinase activity was prompted by the finding that uptake of radiolabeled ribose was linear for 30 min in six variants but became saturated within 2 min in nine other variants. The linear uptake of ribose was due to a high rate of phosphorylation by ribokinase. Variants which showed linear uptake kinetics had ribokinase levels of 6.8 ± 1.7 nm/min per mg protien as compared to the parental levels of 0.90 ± 0.25 nm/min per mg protein.The nine variants which showed saturable uptake kinetics had low parental levels of ribokinase. However, these variants showed a change in the subcellular location of that activity. The enzyme was predominantly membrane-associated in both parental cells and high ribokinase variants. In contrast, low ribokinase variants had a cytoplasmic form of the enzyme. A more general membrane change probably occured in these variants, since they showed an increased sensitivity to the unrelated membrane reactive compounds, phytohemagglutinin and ouabain.
Automatic display of backscattered ion spectra

The present paper describes the principal features of a computer program that provides flexible graphics capability for presimulation inspection of the experimental energy spectra of scattered high-energy helium ions for materials analysis purposes. Experimental spectra from nine samples can be immediately displayed on an external color monitor with a variety of linear and logarithmic y -axis scales representing counts/channel. x -axis-scale options include channel number, energy, mass of surface atoms, and depth of atoms of a selected mass. The spectra from two detectors (backward and glancing) may be displayed concurrently or sequentially. Cursors provide automatic numeric readouts of the locations of spectrum features along any selected combination of x and y scales. In addition to the location of the cursor on the mass scale, the screen also displays a live readout of concomitant chemical element symbols for immediate identification.
A-OPTIMAL RUN ORDERS WITH A LINEAR TREND

Summary A-optimal ran orders are considered in the presence of a linear trend with emphasis on non-orthogonal situations where no trend-free run order can be. A-optimal. Some possibilities for further extension are also briefly indicated.
Preparation of polymer-protected semiconductor nanoparticles through the rapid expansion of supercritical fluid solution

Abstract Poly( N -vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-stabilized semiconductor cadmium sulfide nanoparticles with an average particle size of ∼33 A were prepared by using a new method based on the rapid expansion of supercritical solution. The nanoparticles were characterized by use of UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, luminescence, and transmission electron microscopy methods.
Transcription–repair coupling factor is involved in carbon catabolite repression of the Bacillus subtilis hut and gnt operons

A Bacillus subtilis mutant that partially relieves carbon catabolite repression (CCR) of the hut operon was isolated by transposon mutagenesis. Characterization of this mutant revealed that the transposon had inserted into the gene, mfd, that encodes transcription-repair coupling factor. The Mfd protein is known to promote strand-specific DNA repair by displacing RNA polymerase stalled at a nucleotide lesion and directing the (A)BC excinuclease to the DNA damage site. A set of transcriptional lacZ fusions was used to demonstrate that the mfd mutation relieves CCR of hut and gnt expression at the cis-acting cre sequences located downstream of the transcriptional start site but does not affect CCR at sites located at the promoters. CCR of the amyE and bglPH genes, which contain cre sequences that overlap their promoters, is not altered by the mfd mutation. These results support a model in which the Mfd protein displaces RNA polymerase stalled at downstream cre sites that function as transcriptional roadblocks and reveal a new role for Mfd in cellular physiology.
Fiber Laser and Handheld Probe Based Multiphoton Microscope

A compact multiphoton microscopy (MPM) system with a femstosecond fiber laser and double clad photonic crystal fiber based handheld probe is designed and demonstrated. Multiphoton images of biological tissue were demonstrated.
Biologically active fragment of a human tRNA synthetase inhibits fluid shear stress-activated responses of endothelial cells

Human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) is active in translation and angiogenesis. In particular, an N-terminally truncated fragment, T2-TrpRS, that is closely related to a natural splice variant is a potent antagonist of vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis in several in vivo models. In contrast, full-length native TrpRS is inactive in the same models. However, vascular endothelial growth factor stimulation is only one of many physiological and pathophysiological stimuli to which the vascular endothelium responds. To investigate more broadly the role of T2-TrpRS in vascular homeostasis and pathophysiology, the effect of T2-TrpRS on well characterized endothelial cell (EC) responses to flow-induced fluid shear stress was studied. T2-TrpRS inhibited activation by flow of protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and EC NO synthase and prevented transcription of several shear stress-responsive genes. In addition, T2-TrpRS interfered with the unique ability of ECs to align in the direction of fluid flow. In all of these assays, native TrpRS was inactive, demonstrating that angiogenesis-related activity requires fragment production. These results demonstrate that T2-TrpRS can regulate extracellular signal-activated protein kinase, Akt, and EC NO synthase activation pathways that are associated with angiogenesis, cytoskeletal reorganization, and shear stress-responsive gene expression. Thus, this biological fragment of TrpRS may have a role in the maintenance of vascular homeostasis.
Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction and small alcohol oxidation in alkaline media

We present here a critical review of several technologically important electrocatalytic systems operating in alkaline electrolytes. These include the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurring on catalysts containing Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, or Ag, the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) occurring on Pt-containing catalysts, and the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) occurring on Ni–Co–Fe alloy catalysts. Each of these catalytic systems is relevant to alkaline fuel cell (AFC) technology, while the ORR systems are also relevant to chlor-alkali electrolysis and metal-air batteries. The use of alkaline media presents advantages both in electrocatalytic activity and in materials stability and corrosion. Therefore, prospects for the continued development of alkaline electrocatalytic systems, including alkaline fuel cells, seem very promising.
Photodynamic assay of light distributions in tissue phantoms

The distribution of light in tissues of varying blood content has been modeled using a gel agar system as a tissue phantom. Hematoporphyrin derivative (Photofrin I or HpD) was suspended in gels, along with a chemical indicator of its cytotoxic intermediate (singlet oxygen), and various amounts of red blood cells. The singlet oxygen detector used was tryptophan and its oxidation product. Qualitative analysis of the tryptophan photoproduct was determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis of individual gel sections. The relative amount of photoproduct was used as a measure of the fluence of actinic light at a given depth within the tissue phantoms. In this manner, the relative activation efficiencies of HpD were determined for light from an argon laser (mainly 488 and 514.5 nm) and an argon-pumped dye laser (630 nm).
A Phase 1 Biodistribution Study of p-Boronophenylalanine

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an Investigational New Drug (IND) Exemption for the boron-containing amino acid p-boronophenylalanine (EPA). The IND application was based upon preclinical studies carried out at Brookhaven National Laboratory that included: 1) the demonstration of selective accumulation of boron in a murine melanoma1; 2) the report of successful boron neutron capture therapy in a murine melanoma following BPA administration2; and 3) the toxicology/histopathology reports following oral administration of BPA to mice and rabbits3. The IND application also included a review and bibliography of the Japanese results with BPA both in animals and in humans. Originally approved for studies in patients with melanoma, the BPA IND was amended to include patients with glioblastoma or breast cancer following the report that BPA selectively delivered boron to tumors other than melanoma3.
Right ventricular infarction complicated by right to left shunt.

A case of right ventricular infarction complicated by a right to left shunt through a patent foramen ovale is presented. The diagnosis was confirmed by two-dimensional echocardiography with contrast injection and indicator dye-dilution curve and oximetry at cardiac catheterization.
Mallory–Denk Body (MDB) formation modulates ufmylation expression epigenetically in alcoholic hepatitis (AH) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Promoter CpG island hypermethylation is an important mechanism for inactivating key cellular enzymes that mediate epigenetic processes in hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (Ufm1) conjugation pathway (Ufmylation) plays an essential role in protein degradation, protein quality control and signal transduction. Previous studies showed that the Ufmylation pathway was downregulated in alcoholic hepatitis (AH), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and in mice fed DDC, resulting in the formation of Mallory-Denk Bodies (MDBs). In this study, we further discovered that betaine, a methyl donor, fed together with DDC significantly prevents the increased expression of Ufmylation in drug-primed mice fed DDC. Betaine significantly prevented transcript silencing of Ufm1, Uba5 and UfSP1 where MDBs developed and also prevented the increased expression of FAT10 and LMP7 caused by DDC re-fed mice. Similar downregulation of Ufmylation was observed in multiple AH and NASH biopsies which had formed MDBs. The DNA methylation levels of Ufm1, Ufc1 and UfSP1 in the promoter CpG region were significantly increased both in AH and NASH patients compared to normal subjects. DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 3 beta (DNMT3B) mRNA levels were markedly upregulated in AH and NASH patients, implying that the maintenance of Ufmylation methylation might be mediated by DNMT1 and DNMT3B together. These data show that MDB formation results from Ufmylation expression epigenetically in AH and NASH patients. Promoter CpG methylation may be a major mechanism silencing Ufmylation expression.
A Physicist's Guide to Mathematica

For the engineering and scientific professional, A Physicist's Guide to Mathematica, 2e provides an updated reference guide based on the 2007 new 6.0 release, providing an organized and integrated desk reference with step-by-step instructions for the most commonly used features of the software as it applies to research in physics. For professors teaching physics and other science courses using the Mathematica software, A Physicist's Guide to Mathematica, 2e is the only fully compatible (new software release) Mathematica text that engages students by providing complete topic coverage, new applications, exercises and examples that enable the user to solve a wide range of physics problems. . Does not require prior knowledge of Mathematica or computer programming . Can be used as either a primary or supplemental text for upper-division physics majors and an Instructor's Solutions Manual is available . Provides over 450 end-of-section exercises and end-of-chapter problems . Serves as a reference suitable for chemists, physical scientists, and engineers . Compatible with Mathematica Version 6, a recent major release . Compact disk contains all of the Mathematica input and output in this book
Angiotensin II-mediated collagen production is inhibited by a transforming growth factor-beta receptor kinase inhibitor

Abstract Introduction. The purpose of this experiment is to determine if the pro-fibrotic effect of angiotensin II (AII) is mediated through a transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) receptor kinase. Methods. Neonatal rat heart fibroblast were cultured and incubated with SB 431542 (an inhibitor of TGF-beta receptor kinase activity) or vehicle. Recombinant human TGF-beta or AII was then added to the cardiac fibroblasts, and cells were incubated for 48 h under the experimental conditions. The cells were then fixed and stained with Sirius red collagen stain. Sirius red was extracted and quantified by absorbance at 540 nm. Five replicates were performed in each group and compared using the unpaired Student’s t-test. Results. Addition of SB 431542 to cells treated with TGF-beta showed an absorbance of 0.14 ± 0.01 (mean ± SE) compared to treatment with TGF-beta alone which showed an absorbance of 0.19 ± 0.01 representing a 26% reduction in total collagen (P = 0.03). Cells treated with SB 431542 and AII showed an absorbance of 0.105 ± 0.004, while cells treated with AII alone showed an absorbance of 0.147 ± 0.008 representing a 28% reduction in total collagen (P
Novel sequence variants in the TMC1 gene in Pakistani families with autosomal recessive hearing impairment.

Though many hearing impairment genes have been identified, only a few of these genes have been screened in population studies. For this study, 168 Pakistani families with autosomal recessive hearing impairment not due to mutations in the GJB2 (Cx26) gene underwent a genome scan. Two-point and multipoint parametric linkage analyses were carried out. Twelve families had two-point or multipoint LOD scores of 1.4 or greater within the transmembrane cochlear expressed gene 1 (TMC1) region and were subjected to further screening with direct DNA sequencing. Five novel putatively functional non-synonymous sequence variants, c.830A>G (p.Y277C), c.1114G>A (p.V372M), c.1334G>A (p.R445H), c.2004T>G (p.S668R), and c.2035G>A (p.E679K), were found to segregate within seven families, but were not observed in 234 Pakistani control chromosomes. The variants c.830A>G (p.Y277C), c.1114G>A (p.V372M), and c.1334G>A (p.R445H) occurred at highly conserved regions and were predicted to lie within hydrophobic transmembrane domains, while non-synonymous variants c.2004T>G (p.S668R) and c.2035G>A (p.E679K) occurred in extracellular regions that were not highly conserved. There is evidence that the c.2004T>G (p.S668R) variant may have occurred at a phosphorylation site. One family has the known splice site mutation c.536 -8T>A. The prevalence of non-syndromic hearing impairment due to TMC1 in this Pakistani population is 4.4% (95%CI: 1.9, 8.6%). The TMC1 protein might have an important function in K+ channels of inner hair cells, which would be consistent with the hypothetical structure of protein domains in which sequence variants were identified. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The effect of H2PO4− anion on the kinetics of oxygen reduction on Pt

Recent studies of anion adsorption on Pt have shown that trifluoromethane sulfonic acid (TFMSA) is a non-adsorbing electrolyte. Previous comparisons of the kinetics of oxygen reduction on Pt in TFMSA to the kinetics in H3PO4 show qualitatively that better kinetics were obtained in TFMSA electrolyte, but these studies were not done in a manner in which the effect of specific adsorption by H2PO4− anion was apparent. The effect is shown directly in this study by adding small aliquots of H3PO4 to 0.1 M TFMSA while determining the oxygen reduction kinetics with a Pt rotating disc electrode. The range of H2PO4− concentrations was varied by nearly four orders of magnitude, from 2.9×10−5 M to 7.3×10−2 M. The H2PO4− had a dramatically negative effect on the kinetics. Based on H2PO4− coverage data reported in the literature, the decrease in rate observed was greater than expected from just a site blocking effect. A small [<1 kCal/mol (4 kJ/mol)] increase in activation energy occurs in addition to the steric effect. Finite rates are observed even at saturation coverage due to either of two possible factors: (i) a close-packed overlayer of very large ions leaves “holes” large enough for oxygen molecule penetration; (ii) coulombic repulsion of like-ions prohibits the formation of a close-packed overlayer. The kinetic effect due to poisoning of the surface by specifically adsorbed H2PO4− anion at saturation coverage is about a factor of 15 relative to the rate in a non-adsorbing electrolyte.
Triangular fibrocartilage tears

From a series of 56 patients with triangular fibrocartilage injury, 33 patients with peripheral rim tears not associated with instability of the distal radioulnar joint were identified by arthrography or arthroscopy. Open repair of the peripheral tear produced 11 excellent, 15 good, 6 fair, and 1 poor result (grading based on a Mayo modified Green-O'Brien wrist score). Ulnar recession improved surgical exposure and corrected ulnar variance in 11 patients. A dorsal approach for repair of radial and anterior peripheral rim tears was used in 28 patients. Repair of peripheral tears restored functional integrity to the triangular fibrocartilage, and good to excellent results are reported in 26 of the patients treated.
Correlating the quantity and bid cost of unit price items for public road projects

In the United States, the majority of public road projects are constructed using the Design-Bid-Build (DBB) method. DBB projects are procured by government agencies typically through the competitive bidding process. In DBB projects, the early estimates of probable cost of road projects is one of the major factors in making decision regarding which projects proceed to the bidding stage. The final cost of the project will be fixed based on the bid amount of the contractor. If the cost of the project can be estimated based on the bid cost from the historical data, the estimated amount will be more accurate. This study attempted to determine the bid cost of projects by analyzing the bid data of 151 DBB road projects undertaken by the Clark County Department of Public Works in southern Nevada from 1991 through 2008. The total value of construction was equivalent to $841 million when converted into a June 2011 base cost. This study developed regression models to predict a future project’s bid cost of unit price items, based on the quantities of items. The validation of models also showed that these models predicted the unit bid cost accurately. These models will assist in assessing the effect of quantity in accurately estimating the cost of the unit price items and reduce variances that result in large discrepancies between engineers’ estimates and actual bid-award amounts.
On “Interactional Semantics” and Problems of Meaning

This article is a comment on papers being published in this special issue concerned with interactional semantics. As these papers are concerned with abstractions, formulations, generalizations, and other uses of categorizations whereby participants’ everyday understandings and interpretations come to the foreground of analysis, I explore the wider issue with which the papers wrestle. That issue is whether problems of meaning—related to subjectivity, intersubjectivity, mutual comprehension, and the like—are pervasive in interaction, or are limited and situational. I examine problems of meaning through the lenses of social theory and ethnomethodology, and take the position that analytic preoccupation with interpretation should be one that follows participants’ own orientations to problems of meaning. This is different from but related to what each author argues in his own paper.
Enhanced polychlorinated biphenyl removal in a switchgrass rhizosphere by bioaugmentation with Burkholderia xenovorans LB400

Phytoremediation makes use of plants and associated microorganisms to clean up soils and sediments contaminated with inorganic and organic pollutants. In this study, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) was used to test for its efficiency in improving the removal of three specific polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (PCB 52, 77 and 153) in soil microcosms. The congeners were chosen for their ubiquity, toxicity, and recalcitrance. After 24 weeks of incubation, loss of 39.9 ± 0.41% of total PCB molar mass was observed in switchgrass treated soil, significantly higher than in unplanted soil (29.5 ± 3.4%) (p<0.05). The improved PCB removal in switchgrass treated soils could be explained by phytoextraction processes and enhanced microbial activity in the rhizosphere. Bioaugmentation with Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 was performed to further enhance aerobic PCB degradation. The presence of LB400 was associated with improved degradation of PCB 52, but not PCB 77 or PCB 153. Increased abundances of bphA (a functional gene that codes for a subunit of PCB-degrading biphenyl dioxygenase in bacteria) and its transcript were observed after bioaugmentation. The highest total PCB removal was observed in switchgrass treated soil with LB400 bioaugmentation (47.3 ± 1.22 %), and the presence of switchgrass facilitated LB400 survival in the soil. Overall, our results suggest the combined use of phytoremediation and bioaugmentation could be an efficient and sustainable strategy to eliminate recalcitrant PCB congeners and remediate PCB-contaminated soil.
NEUTRON-PROTON SCATTERING BELOW 20 Mev

Critical examination and analysis of existing $n\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering data below 20 MeV reveal that they provide quantitative information only about the $S$-wave scattering lengths and effective ranges, which are found to be ${a}_{t}=5.396\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.011$ F; ${a}_{s}=\ensuremath{-}23.678\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.028$ F; ${r}_{t}=1.726\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.014$ F; ${r}_{s}=2.51\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.043$ F; where the second error quoted for ${r}_{s}$ is a conservative estimate of the uncertainty due to departures from the shape-independent approximation. The correlations in error are $〈\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{t}\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{s}〉=\ensuremath{-}0.7828\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{t}\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{s}$; $〈\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{t}\ensuremath{\delta}{r}_{s}〉=\ensuremath{-}0.8547\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{t}\ensuremath{\delta}{r}_{s}$; $〈\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{s}\ensuremath{\delta}{r}_{s}〉=0.7029\ensuremath{\delta}{a}_{s}\ensuremath{\delta}{r}_{s}$. An estimate of the contribution to the total cross section from scattering in higher angular momentum states, based on model calculations, $p\ensuremath{-}p$ phases, and the $cos\ensuremath{\theta}$ term in the differential cross section, allows the deviation from the shape-independent approximation to be computed at 14.1 and 19.665 MeV from total cross-section measurements. It is shown on theoretical grounds that this must come almost entirely from the $^{1}S_{0}$ state, and extreme limits to this variation are established. The value found is close to zero at both energies, in accord with theoretical expectations, but the uncertainty is so large that it barely excludes the extreme limits. Some qualitative evidence for or against the existence of the long-range one pion exchange interaction in this state could be obtained by improving the experiments below 5 MeV, but the uncertainty arising from the non-$S$ wave scattering precludes any but qualitative results. It is shown that this uncertainty cannot be removed by improved measurement of the differential cross section because 8 independent pieces of experimental information are required. We conclude that the energy variation of the $S$ waves below 20 MeV cannot be measured without recourse to experiments which separate the spin states of the particles, such as spin-correlation, triple scattering, polarized-beam polarized-target, etc. If some information is taken from $p\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering and some from theory, a single such measurement in each system might suffice; this minimal program is briefly discussed.
Reflex eyeblinks and visual suppression.

Voluntary blinks are known to be accompanied by visual suppression that arises, at least in part, through nonretinal processes. We wanted to test the hypothesis that this suppression must arise as a corollary to the voluntary command to blink. We therefore examined visual sensitivity at the time of a blink that does not involve a voluntary command, namely the corneal reflex elicited by a puff of air. We found that sensitivity was reduced during these reflex blinks; the magnitude and time course of suppression were similar to those of voluntary blinks. We therefore adopt the view that visual suppression stems from signals from the common, efferent, blink pathway.
Energy, society and science: The fifty-year scenario

Abstract A vibrant, interactive, and rapidly advancing global society needs an adequate, low cost, predictable and diverse supply of energy; a stable climate; and an international market for energy that mediates across countries, regions, and energy carriers. The science discoveries needed to achieve these energy and societal outcomes are analyzed.
Interrelationship of general pharmacology studies with drug discovery and development, clinical medicine, and regulatory affairs

General Pharmacology/Safety Pharmacology studies are being used increasingly to support registration of clinical drug candidates. The value of these studies and the possible impact on the drug discovery and development processes is being recognized as evidenced by the increasing number of companies implementing formal General Pharmacology/Safety Pharmacology groups. The interactions of other departments such as Discovery, Drug Metabolism, Toxicology, Clinical Medicine, and Regulatory Affairs with General Pharmacology are highly dependent on the positioning within the particular organization and the goals set for General Pharmacology studies. The nature of these interactions and how they can be used to the advantage of drug discovery and development programs are discussed.
The augmented conversation engine: a system for achieving believable conversation in games and interactive stories

Much work has been done by academic researchers as well as game industry designers to achieve more compelling and emotionally rich storytelling in interactive media. Many projects take character-based approaches by allowing the player to act as the main character in the story and by communicating key story elements via software-based non-player characters (NPCs). This paper provides details about an innovative methodology and writer-centric system called the Augmented Conversation Engine. The engine enables authoring for crafting believable interactive conversations with NPC characters.
Surface temperatures at the nearside of the Moon as a record of the radiation budget of Earth’s climate system

Abstract Understanding the balance between incoming radiation from the Sun and outgoing radiation from Earth is of critical importance in the study of climate change on Earth. As the only natural satellite of Earth, the Moon is a unique platform for the study of the disk-wide radiation budget of Earth. There are no complications from atmosphere, hydrosphere, or biosphere on the Moon. The nearside of the Moon allows for a focus on the solar radiation during its daytime, and on terrestrial radiation during its nighttime. Additionally, lunar regolith temperature is an amplifier of the terrestrial radiation signal because lunar temperature is proportional to the fourth square root of radiation as such is much more sensitive to the weak terrestrial radiation in nighttime than the strong solar radiation in daytime. Indeed, the long-term lunar surface temperature time series obtained inadvertently by the Heat Flow Experiment at the Apollo 15 landing site three decades ago may be the first important observation from deep space of both incoming and outgoing radiation of the terrestrial climate system. A revisit of the lunar surface temperature time series reveals distinct characteristics in lunar surface daytime and nighttime temperature variations, governed respectively by solar and terrestrial radiation.
Differentiation between hydropneumothorax and destroyed lung by thoracoscopy with a fiberoptic bronchoscope.

In a 39-year-old man radiologic examination could not distinguish definitely between a hydropneumothorax and total destruction of one lung. Introduction of a fiberoptic bronchoscope through the opening for the chest drainage tube permitted direct inspection of the air space. A definite diagnosis of a destroyed lung was made, permitting appropriate modification of the treatment
Effects of cue-triggered expectation on cortical processing of taste

Animals are not passive spectators of the sensory world in which they live. In natural conditions they often sense objects on the bases of expectations initiated by predictive cues. Expectation profoundly modulates neural activity by altering the background state of cortical networks and modulating sensory processing. The link between these two effects is not known. Here, we studied how cue-triggered expectation of stimulus availability influences processing of sensory stimuli in the gustatory cortex (GC). We found that expected tastants were coded more rapidly than unexpected stimuli. The faster onset of sensory coding related to anticipatory priming of GC by associative auditory cues. Simultaneous recordings and pharmacological manipulations of GC and basolateral amygdala revealed the role of top-down inputs in mediating the effects of anticipatory cues. Altogether, these data provide a model for how cue-triggered expectation changes the state of sensory cortices to achieve rapid processing of natural stimuli.
Lymphomatoid granulomatosis with ocular involvement

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is an angiocentric and angiodestructive lymphoproliferative disorder that involves multiple organs including the lung, skin, kidney and central nervous system. A case of lymphomatoid granulomatosis with ocular involvement is reported herein. Bilateral peripheral retinal vasculitis involving both arterioles and veins, with posterior uveitis, is the prominent clinical finding.