cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship of Serum Ferritin Levels to Sleep Fragmentation and Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep on Polysomnography in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Objective Although children with autism spectrum disorders experience a range of sleep disturbances, exact mechanisms are not well-characterized. We investigated the association of serum-ferritin to sleep fragmentation and periodic limb movements of sleep using polysomnography in children with autism spectrum disorders. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of children with autism spectrum disorders followed from 1990 to 2010. Inclusion criteria were availability of polysomnography data and ferritin levels within 12 months of each other. The following variables on polysomnography characterized sleep fragmentation: increased arousal index, alpha intrusions, and reduced sleep efficiency. The data were compared with age- and gender-matched controls. Results Of 9791 children with autism spectrum disorders identified, 511 had a ferritin level, 377 had polysomnography data, and 53 had both ferritin and polysomnography data. As compared with the controls (86 ng/mL), the median ferritin level was 27 ng/mL in the study autism spectrum disorders population (53 patients) ( P P = 0.01), and 24 ng/mL in autism spectrum disorders subjects with sleep fragmentation (21 patients) ( P = 0.02). Within the autism spectrum disorders population, median ferritin levels were significantly lower in patients with poor sleep efficiency (7 ng/mL) versus those with normal sleep efficiency (29 ng/mL) ( P = 0.01). The prevalence of periodic limb movements of sleep was 47% in autism spectrum disorders compared with 8% in controls ( P Conclusion Children with autism spectrum disorders had significantly lower ferritin levels compared with controls. In addition, they experience a higher prevalence of sleep fragmentation, obstructive sleep apnea, and periodic limb movements of sleep than children with ASD and no sleep complaints. Our preliminary observations, which have not been described before, need to be validated in multicenter prospective studies.
Periadolescence: Age-dependent behavior and psychopharmacological responsivity in rats

The behavior and psychopharmacological sensitivity of periadolescent rats are examined in this review. Periadolescent rats are hyperactive and engage in more conspecific play behavior than younger or older rats. When compared with other-aged rats, periadolescents exhibit enhanced performance in simple active-avoidance learning tasks, but perform poorly in more complex appetitive and avoidance learning tasks in which increases in locomotor activity do not improve performance, perhaps as a result of age-specific alterations in selective attention or stimulus processing. Such behavioral "anomalies" of periadolescent animals observed in traditional laboratory situations may be in some way adaptive when considered in the context of the animals' natural habitat. In terms of psychopharmacological responsiveness, periadolescent rats, when compared with younger or older animals, are less sensitive to catecholaminergic agonists but are more responsive to the catecholaminergic antagonist haloperidol. This pattern of psychopharmacological sensitivity suggests that the catecholaminergic systems may be temporarily hyposensitive during the periadolescent period. Evidence is presented that a negative feedback system in the form of dopamine autoreceptors may become functionally mature in mesolimbic brain regions during the periadolescent period. The possibility is presented that maturation of these self-inhibitory autoreceptors might result in a temporary decrease in the efficacy of mesolimbic dopamine projections, perhaps contributing to the psychopharmacological and behavioral characteristics of periadolescent animals. In support of this suggestion, evidence is reviewed indicating that the behavior of adult animals with lesions of the ventral tegmental area, a region containing cell bodies from which these mesolimbic dopaminergic projections originate, resembles that of periadolescent rats.
Hormonal and drug effects on the degradation of human myelin basic protein peptide 43-88 by alkaline proteolytic activity in the rat kidney.

Abstract The microsomal brush-border fraction of rat renal tissue contains enzymatic activity, optimally active at pH 9, that is capable of degrading human myelin basic protein (BP) peptide 43–88. In the present study, this degradation and the effect on it selected drugs and hormones were examined further. Of the substances tested, 10 −2 M chloroquine and 10 −5 M ACTH 1–24 were found to be the most effective inhibitors followed by 10 −5 M ACTH 1–39; parathormone, glucagon and insulin were found to be inhibitors an order of magnitude weaker than ACTH 1–24. Hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, maleic acid and ACTH 4–10 were found to have minimal or no inhibitory effect on the peptide degrading activity. Gel filtration of the degradation products indicated that the rate of degradation of BP peptide 43–88 at pH 9 had been retarded by ACTH 1–24. These studies indicate that the clearance and catabolism of this peptide may be altered by available therapeutic agents.
Group decision-making: Head-count versus intensity of preference

Abstract This paper puts forth a framework for reshaping the group decision-making process. The proposed framework extends from the usual one-issue-at-a-time decision-making to one that involves several related issues simultaneously. Weaknesses of the traditional majority voting mechanism are first identified, and then a different voting method that takes each individual voter's sentiment into account is discussed. Specifically, a decision-maker is asked to express his/her intensity of preference for the issues encountered. Three hierarchical structures—benefits, costs, and risks—are developed to evaluate the alternatives. Due to the nature of pairwise comparisons and synthesis, the proposed method is amenable to consensus building and has higher reliability and consistency. It can be used for candidate selection, e.g. governmental election, when a large population is involved. It is also effective for resource allocation and prioritization when a small group or business is concerned. We believe the proposed approach has potential for resolving deficiencies of the conventional voting mechanism, and can be applied to many real-world problems. Its implementation on the Internet is also discussed.
Is the power of web search diminishing

Back in the early days of the World Wide Web, many sites tried to organize the information that was starting to be available on the Internet. At the time, most were taking a "naive library" approach. That is, they were attempting to collect websites and Web pages into categories and sub-categories---an Internet hierarchy of information.
Fault dictionary compaction by output sequence removal

Fault dictionary compaction has been accomplished in the past by removing responses on individual output pins for specific test vectors. In contrast to the previous work, we present techniques for eliminating entire sequences of outputs and for efficiently storing the remaining output sequences. Experimental results on the ISCAS 85 and ISCAS 89 benchmark circuits show that the sizes of dictionaries proposed are substantially smaller than the full fault dictionary, while the dictionaries retain most or all of the diagnostic capability of the full fault dictionary.
Magnetic resonance force microscopy with a ferromagnetic tip mounted on the force detector

The Magnetic Resonance Force Microscope (MRFM) presents the opportunity for a magnetic resonance imaging probe with ultra-high, potentially atomic-scale, resolution. The successful application of this technique in detection of nuclear magnetic, electron-spin and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) highlights its significant potential. We discuss the capabilities of the MRFM with particular emphasis on the detection of FMR using MRFM techniques. A crucial remaining challenge in the development of the magnetic resonance force microscope (MRFM) is to place the magnetic probe on the mechanical resonator. We address the problem of spurious detector response arising from interactions between the magnetic tip and various external applied fields. We show that miniature, magnetically-polarized Nd2Fe14B particles show promise as magnetic probe tips. Our experience indicates it will be important to minimize the total polarized moment of the magnetic tip and to ensure that the applied fields are as uniform as possible.
Interference with cell proliferation and induction of polyploidy in rat lens epithelium during prolonged myleran treatment

Abstract Prolonged administration of myleran to young rats interferes with cell proliferation in the lens epithelium by inhibiting mitotic division in cells which have completed DNA synthesis. Repetition of this process in successive cell cycles leads to severe depletion of the epithelial population and to the appearance of cells of increasingly higher ploidy.
POSITIVE TWIST KNOTS AND THICKENINGS

We prove that any neighborhood N of a positive twist knot , m ≥ 3 and odd with extremal Euler number can be thickened to a standard neighborhood of a maximal Thurston–Bennequin number Legendrian representative of .
Small nuclear RNA genes: a model system to study fundamental mechanisms of transcription.

The human small nuclear RNA (snRNA)1 genes, which encode snRNAs that are involved in RNA processing reactions such as mRNA splicing, serve as prototypes for a family of genes whose promoters are characterized by the presence of a proximal sequence element (PSE) and a distal sequence element (DSE). From a transcription point of view, this family of genes is highly interesting because all of its members have very similar promoters, even though some of them are transcribed by RNA polymerase (pol) II and others by pol III. As a result, the snRNA genes have served as a model system to explore how RNA polymerase specificity is determined and, in general, to compare the pol II and III transcription machineries. This has led to the concept that the pol II and III transcription machineries use common factors, the best known of which is the TATA box binding protein (TBP). In addition, the relative simplicity of these promoters has also made them an attractive system to study how transcriptional activators perform their function.
Racial Differences in Intraurban Residential Mobility

The literature shows that African-Americans live in lower-quality residential environments than their socioeconomic status would predict. Researchers suggest that African-Americans move within cities less often than whites and/or improve their residential environments less when moving. Alternatively, African-Americans might move as frequently as whites and improve their residential environments as much when they move, but they operate from an initial lower level of quality. The authors examine these possibilities in this article. Their data indicate that African-Americans have a lower rate of intraurban residential mobility and improve their residential environments less when they move.
Simple recipe for formation or recovery at ambient pressure of the 8K superconducting state of β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

Abstract A simple recipe for the formation and recovery at ambient pressure of the 8K superconducting state of β-(BEDT-TTF) 2 I 3 is described. This technique will facilitate detailed studies of the 8K state.
Fitness costs of jasmonic acid-induced defense in tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum

The resource allocation hypothesis is based on the assumption that defenses are costly, but relatively few studies have quantified the reproductive price of induced defenses, which represent the best means of measuring such costs in isolation from the genotypic costs that confound research involving constitutive defenses. Jasmonic acid (JA) is a plant signal molecule involved in the defensive responses of plants. It induces many of the same chemicals that are associated with herbivore damage, and thus offers a means of inducing plants without the removal of leaf area, which incurs its own costs. In tomato plants, JA induced resistance to Manduca sexta and increased levels of two defensive enzymes, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase. We measured the impact of JA-induced defenses in tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae), on several variables associated with reproductive success: fruit number, fruit weight, ripening time, time of fruit-set, number of seeds per fruit, total seeds per plant, the relationship between fruit weight and seed number, and germination success. Plants were grown in a pest-free greenhouse and treated biweekly with solvent or with JA at either of two concentrations: 10 mM or 1 mM. The high concentration of JA led to fewer but larger fruits, longer ripening time, delayed fruit-set, fewer seeds per plant, and fewer seeds per unit of fruit weight. The reproductive impact of induction was reduced at the lower dose, but still significant; 1 mM JA resulted in delayed fruit-set and fewer seeds per unit of fruit weight, compared to control plants. Our research indicates that JA-induced defenses impose significant costs on tomato plants.
Bone metabolism in the osteopetrotic rat mutation microphthalmia blanc.

Abstract We have examined parameters of bone metabolism in a new mutation, microphthahnia blanc ( mib ), in the rat exhibiting a skeletal sclerosis at birth that improves with age. There were no significant differences in the rate of bone formation during the first postnatal month except a temporary reduction in mutants at 3 weeks that coincided with compromised nutrition at weaning. At birth the ruffled border in mutant osteoclasts was absent or poorly developed and mRNA analyses of mutant bone compared to normal bone showed significant reductions in the messages for the osteoclast-specific genes carbonic andydrase II and tartrate-resistant ATPase. These distinctive ultrastructural and molecular differences were not present 1 month later. These data show that the transient osteopetrosis in mib rats results from a perinatal reduction in ultrastructural and enzymatic features of active osteoclasts and is not complicated by elevations in bone formation. The molecular basis for both the production and resolution of these abnormalities deserves further study.
Predictive relationships between chronic pain and negative emotions: a 4-month daily process study using Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response (TIVR)

Abstract This article examines temporal relationships between negative emotions and pain in a cohort of 33 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain enrolled in a telephone-based relapse prevention program (Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response [TIVR]), after 11 weeks of group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Patients were asked to make daily reports to the TIVR system for 4 months after CBT. Patients' daily reports were analyzed with path analysis to examine temporal relationships between 3 emotion variables (anger, sadness, and stress) and 2 pain variables (pain and pain control). As expected, same-day correlations were significant between emotion variables and both pain and pain control. The lagged associations revealed unidirectional relationships between pain and next-day emotions: increased pain predicted higher reports of sadness the following day ( P P We speculate that CBT treatment followed by the relapse prevention program teaches patients how to modulate negative emotions such that they no longer have a negative impact on next-day pain perception. The clinical implications of our findings are discussed.
Individual and Partner Love Styles: Implications for the Quality of Romantic Involvements:

The goal of this study was to explore the association between the love styles endorsed by respondents and their romantic partners on the one hand, and the quality of their romantic involvements on the other. A sample of 186 couples at a large southern university completed a questionnaire that included a shortened version of Hendrick & Hendrick's (1986) Love Attitudes Scale (LAS) designed to assess six love styles originally proposed by Lee (1973). Both the individual's and partner's scores on the six love scales (Eros, Ludus, Storge, Pragma, Mania, Agape) were then examined as predictors of the structural qualities of the couple's relationship specified by Rusbult's (1980a, 1983) investment model. The results of correlational and multiple regression analyses indicated that the respondent's own love style scores were the best predictors of relationship quality. In particular, the endorsement of Eros and Agape were associated with higher levels of rewards, satisfaction, investments and commitment, lower lev...
Myocardial risk area and peak gray level measurement by contrast echocardiography: Effect of microbubble size and concentration, injection rate, and coronary vasodilation

Abstract Contrast agents were injected via the intracoronary route in eight dogs during two-dimensional echocardiographic imaging to determine the influence of microbubble size and concentration, injection rate, and coronary vasodilation on risk area and peak gray level measurement. At an injection rate at 13 cc/sec, the average background-subtracted peak gray level intensity of hand-agitated diatrizoate meglumine/diatrizoate sodium was significantly ( p
Response of normal-strength and ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete columns to idealized blast loads

Abstract A numerical study was used to study the response of a normal-strength concrete (NSC) column that was not design for blast resistance subjected to four levels of idealized blast loads. Then, to compare the behavior of the NSC column with a column made with ultra high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) that had the same dimensions and reinforcing details as the NSC column and subjected to the same loading conditions. The boundary conditions and the level of compressive axial load due to gravity were also considered in the analyses. The behavioral comparisons were made both in the time-history domain, as well as in the load–impulse (P–I) domain. Comparisons, observations, and conclusions are presented.
Prognostic factors for disease progression after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma

Our purpose was to study the risk factors associated with disease progression after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). We analyzed the long-term outcome of 184 patients with recurrent or refractory HL who underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At the time of transplantation, 82 patients were in first relapse or second remission, 46 patients were refractory to the primary induction chemotherapy, and 56 patients were beyond first relapse or second remission. In 64 patients, the disease had proved refractory to the chemotherapy regimen administered immediately prior to transplantation. The median follow-up of patients who were alive and free of disease at the time of this report was 8.9 years (range, 0.1-19.0 years). At 10 years, the overall and disease-free survival rates were 34% (95% CI 27-42) and 29% (95% CI 22-36) respectively. The major cause of treatment failure was disease relapse. Chemotherapy resistance prior to transplantation, advanced stage, and higher number of chemotherapy regimens administered prior to transplantation were adverse prognostic factors for disease progression. We conclude that autologous transplantation is an effective salvage treatment for recurrent HL.
Change and Development in a Pluralistic World: the View From the Classics

The study of the classics in our field is important to the themes of this special issue because (1) the classics have shaped the world we live in; (2) studying the classics enlarges our theoretical alternatives; and (3) the critique of taken-for-granted assumptions enshrined in the classics can spur change, development, and pluralism. We briefly review a selection of classic writings to illustrate how change and pluralism have been presented as threats, as opportunities for the management of innovation, and as intrinsic aspects of management.
RATIONAL PROTEOMICS V: STRUCTURE-BASED MUTAGENESIS HAS REVEALED KEY RESIDUES RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBSTRATE RECOGNITION AND CATALYSIS BY THE DEHYDROGENASE AND ISOMERASE ACTIVITIES IN HUMAN 3β-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE/ISOMERASE TYPE 1

Mammalian 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase (3beta-HSD) is a member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase. It is a key steroidogenic enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the multienzyme pathway conversion of circulating dehydroepiandrosterone and pregnenolone to active steroid hormones. A three dimensional model of a ternary complex of human 3beta-HSD type 1 (3beta-HSD_1) with an NAD cofactor and androstenedione product has been developed based upon X-ray structures of the ternary complex of E. coli UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (UDPGE) with an NAD cofactor and substrate (PDB_AC: 1NAH) and the ternary complex of human type 1 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD_1) with an NADP cofactor and androstenedione (PDB_AC: 1QYX). The dimeric structure of the enzyme was built from two monomer models of 3beta-HSD_1 by respective 3D superposition with A and B subunits of the dimeric structure of Streptococcus suis DTDP-D-glucose 4,6-dehydratase (PDB_AC: 1KEP). The 3D model structure of 3beta-HSD_1 has been successfully used for the rational design of mutagenic experiments to further elucidate the key substrate binding residues in the active site as well as the basis for dual function of the 3beta-HSD_1 enzyme. The structure based mutant enzymes, Asn100Ser, Asn100Ala, Glu126Leu, His232Ala, Ser322Ala and Asn323Leu, have been constructed and functionally characterized. The mutagenic experiments have confirmed the predicted roles of the His232 and Asn323 residues in recognition of the 17-keto group of the substrate and identified Asn100 and Glu126 residues as key residues that participate for the dehydrogenase and isomerization reactions, respectively.
Water Vapor in the Lower Stratosphere

Water vapor in the stratosphere originates from the troposphere by transport of water vapor itself ( 1 ) and of methane and hydrogen, which degrade to make water ( 2 ). Water, methane, and hydrogen are transported to the stratosphere through upwelling in tropical regions ( 3 ). This upwelling followed by downwelling and horizontal transport in the extratropical stratosphere—the Brewer-Dobson circulation—is widely held to control the water vapor abundance in the stratosphere (see the figure). But could there be a more direct transport of tropospheric air containing water vapor into the stratosphere via convection outside the tropics ( 4 – 7 )? On page 835 of this issue, Anderson et al. ( 8 ) argue that there is evidence for water vapor enhancements in the mid-latitude lower stratosphere. They further argue that increased water vapor levels could enhance ozone depletion caused by human-emitted ozone-depleting substances and thus raise ultraviolet radiation levels at Earth's surface.
Brainstem pathways responsible for oesophageal control of gastric motility and tone in the rat

1. Previous anatomical studies indicate that the nucleus of the solitary tract, pars centralis (NSTc) contains the neurones which receive vagal afferent input from the oesophagus. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the NSTc circuits in the medulla that may be responsible for oesophageal control of gastric motility. 2. Moderate balloon distension of the oesophagus of the rat (14-18 mmHg) provoked a significant reduction in gastric motility and tone recorded with strain gauges. This receptive relaxation effect was eliminated by bilateral lesions centred on the NSTc. 3. NSTc cells activated by oesophageal distension were labelled extracellularly and juxtacellularly with neurobiotin. NSTc neurones send axonal projections throughout the entire rostral-caudal extent of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN). These NSTc-DMN connections were confirmed by retrograde transport of neurobiotin from DMN to NSTc. NSTc neurones were observed with dendrites arborizing within the ependymal lining of the fourth ventricles. Thus, NSTc neurones may be in position to monitor blood-borne or ventricular agents and to alter the function of gastric-vago-vagal reflexes in response to these stimuli. 4. Neurophysiological recordings identified two subpopulations of DMN neurones which may be either activated or inhibited by oesophageal distension. Neurones excited by oesophageal distension were located mainly lateral and caudal in the DMN; neurones inhibited by oesophageal stimulation were located in medial and rostral DMN. 5. Our neurobiotin tracing results verified earlier studies showing that the NSTc projects to the intermediate reticular nucleus and the compact division of the nucleus ambiguus. Additionally, we found that the NSTc may be involved in reciprocal connections with the anterior, rostrolateral NST. 6. These results suggest that the gastric relaxation evoked by oesophageal distension is critically dependent on intact brainstem vago-vagal circuits. The NSTc, the recipient of oesophageal afferent projections from the vagus nerve, sends axons to the entire DMN, the source of parasympathetic control of the stomach. DMN neurones respond differentially to oesophageal distension, reinforcing the view that oesophageal afferents may provoke gastric relaxation by activating a vagal inhibitory pathway while simultaneously inhibiting a vagal excitatory pathway.
Clinical translation of nanomedicines

Abstract This review describes the clinical translation of cancer nanomedicines based on three nanocarrier platforms: liposomes, polymeric micelles, and nanoparticles. A dozen nanomedicines are on the market, the majority (eight) based on the most mature liposome technology. The other marketed nanomedicines are based on polymeric micelles (one) and nanoparticles (one). Polymeric prodrugs account for the remaining two marketed products. Altogether a total of 41 nanocarrier-based formulations have translated from the bench to the bedside and are under investigation at different levels of clinical development. Many more nanocarrier-based formulations are in preclinical development. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of these nanomedicines (37) rely on passive targeting through the EPR (enhanced permeability and retention) effect, avoiding the additional regulatory, production, cost of goods, and polydispersity challenges of active, ligand-receptor based targeting. Only four actively targeting nanocarriers are in clinical development, one using PSMA and three using TfR as the target. It still needs to be demonstrated that active targeting of nanocarriers that are subjected to the EPR effect provides an advantage substantial enough to justify the additional efforts. The review clearly identifies the areas of successful translation of nanomedicines but also shows areas where the potential is still underdeveloped and opportunities for improvement are promising. Overall, the high expectation that has been placed in nanomedicines is showing progress, increasing the benefits and treatment options for cancer patients.
Design and administration of distributed and hierarchical information networks under partial orderings

In this paper, we extend previous results [1] in the protection and administration of information networks under partial orderings. We summarize previous results, and extend them to cover hierarchical networks. We consider distributed hierarchical administration, show a hierarchical network, and demonstrate a provably secure communications technique in which partial orderings are used to control flow, traffic analysis is minimized, local compromise does not cause global compromise, and distributed hierarchical administration works. We show means by which trusted and untrusted computing bases may be connected to form provably secure distributed information networks under partial orderings, and a risk analysis technique which takes advantage of the POset structure to reduce the complexity of analysis for these networks. We summarize results and propose further extensions of this work.
Adjuvant properties of listeriolysin O protein in a DNA vaccination strategy.

The use of infectious agents as vaccine adjuvants has shown utility in both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccinations. Listeria monocytogenes has been used extensively as a vaccine vehicle due to its ability to initiate both CD4+ and CD8+ immune responses. Previous work from this laboratory has used transgenic Listeria to deliver vaccine constructs. A chimeric protein composed of tumor antigen and a non-hemolytic variant of the Listeria protein, listeriolysin O (LLO), has demonstrated effective tumor protection beyond that of antigen alone expressed in the same system. To address the question of how fusion with LLO improves vaccine efficacy, we constructed a number of DNA plasmid vaccines to isolate this effect in the absence of other endogenous Listeria effects. Here we have analyzed the ability of these vaccines to induce the regression of previously established tumors. A vaccine strategy using DNA vaccines bearing the tumor antigen either alone or in combination with LLO in addition to plasmids encoding MIP-1α and GM-CSF was examined. Further, LLO was used either as a chimera or in a bicistronic construct to address the importance of fusion between these elements. Notably, the strategies employing both chimeric and bicistronic vaccines were effective in reducing tumor burden suggesting that LLO can act as an adjuvant that does not require fusion with the tumor antigen to mediate its effect.
Autophagy-Mediated Tumor Promotion

Mouse models for cancer are revealing novel cancer-promoting roles for autophagy. Autophagy promotes tumor growth by suppressing the p53 response, maintaining mitochondrial function, sustaining metabolic homeostasis and survival in stress, and preventing diversion of tumor progression to benign oncocytomas.
Cadherins and synaptic plasticity

Given their trans-synaptic localization, their persistent expression at mature synapses and their distinct biochemical and adhesive properties, cadherins are uniquely poised at the synapse to mediate synaptic plasticity, the ability to change synaptic function thought to underlie learning and memory. For example recent work suggests that cadherins may recruit and stabilize AMPA receptors at the synapse via direct interactions or through complex formation, revealing cross talk between postsynaptic signaling and adhesion. Moreover, the use of small interfering RNA knockdown of cadherin, the availability of N-cadherin-deficient embryonic stem cells and the acute disruption of cadherin function with peptide application in vivo have allowed for more precise dissection of the molecular mechanisms by which cadherins function in both structural and functional plasticity.
Photoemission investigation on the oxidation of Si(111)Ag interfaces and its relation to the interface structure

Abstract We give the first photoemission results on the enhancement of Si reactivity to oxygen when a noble metal (Ag) is present. The tunability of synchrotron radiation (SR) has been used to get high surface sensitivity and to take advantage of cross section energy dependence. We show that when one monolayer of Ag is deposited onto Si(111), the exposure to oxygen (30 × 106L) originates the overgrowth of an oxide phase which is basically SiO2. This indicates that Ag breaks the sp3 configuration of Si atoms with a consequent dramatic increase in the Si reactivity. This behaviour rules out the model of Ag adsorbed on top of Si with an atomically abrupt interface.
Plane Waves of Constant Amplitude in Nonlinear Dielectrics

Two rather unusual effects which are associated with the propagation of plane waves of constant amplitude in nondispersive isotropic nonlinear electromagnetic media are presented. One is the distortion-free transmission of information through a nonlinear medium, by "polarization modulation" of a plane wave of constant amplitude. The other is the reflection and refraction of a monochromatic wave, obliquely incident on the plane interface between a linear medium and a nonlinear one, so that the transmitted wave, in the nonlinear medium, is also monochromatic. These effects are described by exact solutions of the nonlinear system of equations and they should be of interest, in particular, in laser physics.
The Art of Listening: A Course in the Humanities

Dismissed as a passive behavior that comes naturally, listening is, in fact, a complex and learned activity that can be perfected. Like reading, writing, and speaking, listening as a practical acti...
Variations of the isotopic composition of sulfur in enstatite and ordinary chondrites

High-precision sulfur isotopic analyses (delta S-33, delta S-34, and delta S-36) of bulk ordinary and enstatite chondrites demonstrate that systematic variations exist. The average delta S-34 values are -0.26 +/- 0.07, -0.02 +/- 0.06, and 0.49 +/- 0.16 percent for enstatite and ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites, respectively. Isotopic variations of different sample specimens of primitive meteorites, e.g., Qingzhen and Abee, were observed which may be attributed to heterogeneity in the early solar nebula. Sulfur isotopic fractionations in both bulk samples and mineral separates are mass-dependent, and no nuclear isotopic anomalies were detected. The sulfur isotopic compositions of both mineral and density separates were measured. The sulfur isotopic compositions of separated chondrules from Chainpur and Bjurbole are reported. Significant isotopic difference for the chondrules from the bulk meteorite are noted for both meteorites.
Plasma or red blood cell phospholipids can be used to assess docosahexaenoic acid status in women during pregnancy

The suitability of using plasma phopholipids (PLs) to assess docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status during pregnancy is well accepted. Recent discussions have centered around whether red blood cells (RBCs) can be used to indicate DHA status. We tested the hypothesis that in pregnant women participating in an intervention study when fed a functional food containing DHA, maternal plasma PL DHA would be positively associated with maternal RBC PL and umbilical cord blood RBC PL DHA. Maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were obtained at delivery from women whose mean dietary intake was 187 mg/d (including the amount consumed from the DHA-functional food). Maternal plasma and RBCs and cord blood RBC lipids were extracted and PLs separated by thin-layer chromatography. Phopholipid lipids were methylated, and fatty acids were identified using gas chromatography. Fifty-nine maternal samples and 30 cord blood samples were analyzed. There were moderate to strong correlations between DHA in all compartments (maternal plasma vs maternal RBC PL DHA weight percent [wt%], r = 0.633, P < or = .001; maternal plasma vs cord blood RBC PL DHA wt%, r = 0.458, P < or = .01; maternal RBCs vs cord blood RBC PL DHA wt%, r = 0.376, P < or = .01). These results support the practice of using either plasma PLs or RBC PLs to assess maternal and infant DHA status.
Rapid, High-Throughput Detection of Azalea Lace Bug (Hemiptera: Tingidae) Predation by Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Using Fluorescent-Polymerase Chain Reaction Primers

Azalea lace bugs, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott) (Hemiptera: Tingidae), are the most common pest of azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) in nursery production and the landscape. Although pesticides are commonly used to control lace bugs, natural enemies can be a significant source of lace bug mortality. Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are natural enemies of lace bugs and easily consume them in laboratory studies. Field studies on lacewing biocontrol of azalea lace bugs are underway; however, monitoring lacewing predation in a nursery environment by direct observation is impractical. Here, we describe a fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction method to estimate S. pyrioides consumption based on the gut contents of lacewing predators. Lace bug DNA was detected in fed lacewings up to 32 h after ingestion. More than 80% of the ingested lace bugs were detected using our method with only one false positive result. The assay is both high-throughput and relatively inexpensive, making it a practical approach to documenting lace bug predation in the field.
Machado’s Wounded Males

Luiz Fernando Valente’s seminal chapter explores the relationship between patriarchal power and its rigid expectations of heteronormative male identity by analyzing the ways in which Machado’s male characters are haunted by specters of inadequacy and impotence, inflicting painful psychological wounds on them. Valente demonstrates how Machado’s works, particularly the short stories “Wedding Song” (1883) and “Midnight Mass” (1894) and novel Lord Taciturn (1899), reveal wounds that dictate masculine identities and permanently distort these characters’ relationships. Although Machado’s analysis is grounded in the social and historical context of nineteenth-century Brazil, Valente argues thatit contains a modern treatment of gender issues and reveals an understanding of questions of masculinity that is far ahead of its time.
New Insight Into Energy Harvesting via Axially-Loaded Beams

Driven by the study of Leland and Wright [1], this manuscript delves into the qualitative understanding of energy harvesting using axially-loaded beams. Using a simple nonlinear electromechanical model and the method of multiple scales, we study the general nonlinear physics of energy harvesting from a piezoelectric beam subjected to static axial loading and traversal dynamic excitation. We obtain analytical expressions for the steady-state response amplitude, the voltage drop across a resistive load, and the output power. We utilize these expression to study the effect of the axial loading on the overall nonlinear behavior of the harvester. It is demonstrated that, in addition to the ability of tuning the harvester to the excitation frequency via axial load variations, the axial load aids in i) increasing the electric damping in the system thereby enhancing the energy transfer from the beam to the electric load, ii) amplifying the effect of the external excitation on the structure, and hence, increases the steady-state response amplitude and output voltage, and iii) increasing the bandwidth of the harvester by enhancing the effective nonlinearity of the system.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Macroredox Polymerization of Styrene on the Hydrophobic Substrate, Hydroxy‐Terminated Polybutadiene Using V(V) as an Oxidant

Abstract Pentavalent vanadium and hydrophobic hydroxy‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) have been used as a macroredox initiator for polymerization of styrene in methanolic sulfuric acid medium at 35°C. The product was fractionated with petroleum ether and benzene. Homopolystyrene formation was not observed. Block copolymerization was confirmed by IR spectral study and swelling measurements. Crosslinking through growing polystyrene chains was inferred. †In Memoriam, Professor Dr. U.D.N. Bajpai.
Intervention as indirect rule: civil war and statebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Intervention as indirect rule: civil war and statebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, by Alex Veit, Frankfurt and New York, Campus Verlag, 2010, 300 pp., £31.50, ISBN 978-3593393117 In re...
Lithitun chloride Dewcel properties and use for dew‐point and vapor‐pressure gradient measurements

The lithium chloride Dewcel covered under the Foxboro Company patent number 2,359,278 has been modified slightly and used to measure small dew-point or vapor-pressure gradients above a crop. The advantage of the Dewcel is that the relative error of the measurement is the same at all dew points and that Dewcel data are conveniently reduced to dewpoint and vapor-pressure data. The disadvantage of the Dewcel is its large absolute error which often may be as large as the dew-point gradient measured. The Dewcel modification and the equipment for excluding the absolute error of the Dewcels from the dew-point gradient measurement are reported. In order to operate the Dewcel suitably, several of the Dewcel characteristics have been determined. The effect of ventilation and changes in air temperatures upon the Dewcel temperature and the slope of the dew-point — Dewcel-temperature curve at various Dewcel temperatures above ambient are given. Two methods for Dewcel calibration are reported. A scheme for generating constant dew-point air at rates of 20 liters per minute is given.
Evaluating the first‐order effect of intraannual temperature variability on urban air pollution

[1] The direct effect of intraannual temperature variability on ozone and PM2.5 concentrations at the urban scale was simulated using a high-resolution air quality model that tracks the temperature-dependant formation of secondary organic and inorganic aerosol components. Calculations show that the concentration of ozone and non-volatile secondary particulate matter will generally increase at higher temperatures due to increased gas-phase reaction rates. The concentration of semi-volatile reaction products also will increase at higher temperatures, but the amount of this material that partitions to the particle-phase may decrease as equilibrium vapor pressures rise. Calculations performed for Southern California on September 25, 1996 predict that intraannual temperature variability may cause peak ozone and PM2.5 concentrations to fluctuate by up to 16% and 25% respectively. 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations will decrease with increasing temperatures for inland portions of the South Coast air basin during most of the day. Slight increases in 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations were predicted for coastal regions. The majority of the predicted shift in PM2.5 concentrations was related to increased production rates for nitric acid and condensable organic compounds balanced against increased volatilization of these products. Semi-volatile particulate ammonium nitrate concentrations are most sensitive to volatilization losses at hotter temperatures and when the ratio of gas-phase ammonia to nitric acid concentrations is approximately unity. Background sulfate particles and particles released from non-catalyst equipped gasoline-powered engines, diesel engines, and food cooking were shifted to smaller sizes as ammonium nitrate volatilized at hotter temperatures.
Prospects for application of ultracold Sr2 molecules in precision measurements

Precision measurements with ultracold molecules require development of robust and sensitive techniques to produce and interrogate the molecules. With this goal, we theoretically analyze factors that affect frequency measurements between rovibrational levels of the ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$ molecule in the electronic ground state. This measurement can be used to constrain the possible time variation of the proton-electron mass ratio. ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$ is expected to be a strong candidate for achieving high precision due to the spinless nature and ease of cooling and perturbation-free trapping of Sr [T. Zelevinsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 043201 (2008)]. The analysis includes calculations of two-photon transition dipole moments between deeply and weakly bound vibrational levels, lifetimes of intermediate excited states, and Stark shifts of the vibrational levels by the optical lattice field, including possibilities of Stark-cancellation trapping.
Effects of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and glucarate in rat colon-tumor explants.

In a previous study, we showed that 5-fluorouracil (FU) is active against the dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumor in rats; a 7-day infusion of FU at 30 mg/kg daily produced 85% tumor-free cures. The present study examined the effects of FU alone and in combination with leucovorin (LV) ord-glucarate (GT) using an ex vivo system that maintained the growth of the rat colon-tumor explants on collagen gels. The labeling index (LI) was determined by the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine and autoradiography. The mean LI of the untreated control was 64.8%±19.8%. The IC50, IC90, and IC95 values following a 7-day exposure to FU were 0.36, 0.75, and 1.22 μm, respectively. In comparison, the steady-state FU concentration required to produce 67% tumor-free cures in rats following a 7-day infusion is 1.54 μm. LV alone did not produce any antiproliferative effect at concentrations as high as 10 μm. The addition of LV at concentrations of 0.001–10 μm did not significantly reduce the IC50 of FU. The lack of effect of LV may have been due to tissue saturation with folate provided in the culture medium. GT alone reduced the tumor LI by 20%–30% at concentrations of 0.1–10 μm. GT enhanced the effect of FU. As compared with FU alone, the addition of GT at concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0 μm reduced the IC50 of FU by 47% and 60% to 0.21 and 0.16 μm, respectively. Assessment of the potentiation of the inhibitory effect of FU by GT using two-way analysis of variance and the isobologram method indicated a significant synergistic interaction between FU and GT. This interaction occurred within the FU concentration range of 0.08 and 0.4 μm. In summary, these data indicate that (a) the IC values for FU are comparable in tumor explants and in rats, suggesting that the effects in cultured tumors reflect those in intact animals; (b) GT alone showed antitumor activity, albeit relatively minor as compared with FU; (c) FU and GT exhibited synergistic activity, which was most pronounced at FU concentrations that produced submaximal activity (<30% inhibition of tumor LI); and (d) GT and LV had different effects on the growth inhibition by FU, suggesting that GT acts by a mechanism different from the thymidylate synthase-directed effect of FU and LV.