cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Up-regulation of guinea pig myometrial adenylate cyclase activity by intrauterine estradiol and progesterone pellets

The effects of intrauterine implantation of 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone on basal and stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in guinea pig myometria were studied in nonpregnant, previously oophorectomized guinea pigs receiving intrauterine implants of either estradiol, progesterone, a combination of the two hormones, or placebo for 7 days. Guanine nucleotides resulted in a significant increase in basal enzymatic activity. The extent of enzymatic stimulation in estradiol-treated animals was significantly higher than that observed in either controls, animals receiving progesterone, or a combination of estradiol and progesterone. Sodium fluoride stimulation occurred in all treatment groups to a similar degree. However, guanine nucleotides resulted in a significant decrease in percent stimulation of maximal sodium fluoride-stimulated enzymatic activity. Finally, beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated enzymatic activity, as assayed by isoproterenol stimulation, was higher in those animals that received estradiol implants than in controls or the other two hormonally treated groups. Intrauterine administration of these sex steroid hormones, directly or indirectly, modulates myometrial adenylate cyclase activity.
Electronic Imaging In The Extreme Ultraviolet Spectral Region

Two general techniques may be used for whole image detection by electronic means in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV). 1) The XUV image is converted to a visible image for further processing, and 2) the XUV image is detected via the photoelectrons it ejects from a photocathode. The first technique involves the use of a phosphor either as a conversion layer to be excited directly by the XUV photons, or as a luminescent detector of photoelectrons created by the XUV photons. The second technique may require that the number of photoelectrons be amplified while preserving the same spatial coordinates as the impinging XUV protons. After amplification, the spatial coordinates of the amplified photoelectrons can be determined using different electronic techniques. Alternatively the second technique makes use of electronic imaging systems wherein the photoelectrons created by an XUV image on a photocathode are focussed onto nuclear track emulsion to form a photographic record of the image. Representative examples of each type of imaging system will be discussed.
The Novel Nicotinic Receptor Antagonist, N,N′-Dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium Dibromide (bPiDDB), Inhibits Nicotine-evoked [3H]Norepinephrine Overflow from Rat Hippocampal Slices

Smoking is a significant health concern and strongly correlated with clinical depression. Depression is associated with decreased extracellular NE concentrations in brain. Smokers may be self-medicating and alleviating their depression through nicotine stimulated norepinephrine (NE) release. Several antidepressants inhibit NE transporter (NET) function, thereby augmenting extracellular NE concentrations. Antidepressants, such as bupropion, also inhibit nicotinic receptor (nAChR) function. The current study determined if a recently discovered novel nAChR antagonist, N,N'-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide (bPiDDB), inhibits nicotine-evoked NE release from superfused rat hippocampal slices. Previous studies determined that bPiDDB potently (IC(50)=2 nM) inhibits nicotine-evoked striatal [(3)H]dopamine (DA) release in vitro, nicotine-evoked DA release in nucleus accumbens in vivo, and nicotine self-administration in rats. In the current study, nicotine stimulated [(3)H]NE release from rat hippocampal slices (EC(50)=50 microM). bPiDDB inhibited (IC(50)=430 nM; I(max)=90%) [(3)H]NE release evoked by 30 microM nicotine. For comparison, the nonselective nAChR antagonist, mecamylamine, and the alpha7 antagonist, methyllycaconitine, also inhibited nicotine-evoked [(3)H]NE release (IC(50)=31 and 275 nM, respectively; I(max)=91% and 72%, respectively). Inhibition by bPiDDB and mecamylamine was not overcome by increasing nicotine concentrations; Schild regression slope was different from unity, consistent with allosteric inhibition. Thus, bPiDDB was 200-fold more potent inhibiting nAChRs mediating nicotine-evoked [(3)H]DA release from striatum than those mediating nicotine-evoked [(3)H]NE release from hippocampus.
Upstream Islands of Flame in Lifted-Jet Partially Premixed Combustion

Contemporary interest exists in understanding the roles of leading edge flow deflection, secondary jet instabilities and islands of ignited gases in permitting lifted flames to stabilize. To assess these issues, elements of the leading-edge of a lifted turbulent jet flame have been investigated using laser-imaging techniques. Images of flame position, morphology and dynamics are presented primarily from CH planar laser-induced fluorescence (CH-PLIF) measurements. In particular, evidence of flame islands, or flame fragments, upstream of the bulk-flame leading edge are reported and discussed. This evidence is presented in the form of sequential CH-PLIF images and well as CH-PLIF/Rayleigh scattering images. Images showing thermal characteristics of the regions surrounding the edge flame are also described.
Elbow Injuries in the Throwing Athlete

Overhead throwing athletes place a substantial amount of stress on the elbow during the throwing cycle. In athletes such as baseball players, repetition leads to attritional damage to the elbow. While injury to the medial ulnar collateral ligament is the most publicized, and perhaps most important, of these conditions, a collection of other disorders commonly afflict this population. These injuries include (1) ulnar neuritis, (2) flexor pronator injury, (3) medial epicondylar apophysitis or avulsion, (4) valgus extension overload syndrome with posterior impingement, (5) olecranon stress fractures, and (6) osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum1. The purpose of the present review article is to describe the biomechanics of the throwing motion and the diagnosis and treatment of elbow injuries common to a thrower other than injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament. The osseous anatomy of the proximal part of the ulna and the olecranon fossa provides primary stability at 120° of flexion. The radial head provides secondary restraint to valgus stress at 30°. The primary coronal stability during the functional arc of an overhead …
Anticholinergic and membrane activities of amantadine in neuromuscular transmission

AMANTADINE hydrochloride (1-adamantanamine hydro-chloride, Symmetrel) is an antiviral agent which prevents certain viruses from penetrating cells1–3. In addition, this drug is also effective in relieving clinical symptoms shown in parkinsonism4–8 this action of amantadine may depend on its capacity to increase the synthesis and release of dopamine from dopaminergic cells of the basal ganglia9,10. To obtain additional evidence which might aid in explaining these remarkably diverse effects of amantadine, we used single-cell electrophysiological techniques to study its action on junctional and extrajunctional membranes. Our results show that amantadine, in clinically effective concentrations, rapidly inhibits neuromuscular transmission, and when applied over a longer period of time the drug also exerts a substantial effect on the conductile membranes of muscle fibres.
THE KINETICS OF TRYPSIN DIGESTION : I. EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE EXISTENCE OF AN INTERMEDIATE COMPOUND.

1. The rate of hydrolysis of a casein solution by trypsin is not affected by the addition of gelatin. The trypsin, therefore, is not combined with the gelatin unless there is a separate enzyme for casein and for gelatin. 2. The presence of casein protects the gelatin-splitting power of trypsin from heat inactivation, and the presence of gelatin protects the casein-splitting power from heat inactivation. 3. It does not seem possible to account for both the above results by the assumption of an intermediate compound between enzyme and substrate, since, in order to account for the first result, a different enzyme must be assumed for each protein, while, to account for the second result, it must be assumed that the same enzyme attacks both.
Tuition and enrollment yield at selective liberal arts colleges

Abstract This paper investigates the effect of changes in tuition and fees on the matriculation rate of applicants admitted to a group of selective liberal arts colleges. Our sample is drawn from a detailed data base for 82 liberal arts colleges over the 1988 to 1990 period, compiled by the Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Consortium. We find that an increase in the level of tuition and fees charged by a college causes d significant reduction in the share of admitted applicants who choose to enroll. The elasticity of this relationship is in the neighborhood of one-third, and is somewhat larger for financial aid recipients than for students who did not apply for or did not qualify for aid.
Radial spoke protein 44 (human meichroacidin) is an axonemal alloantigen of sperm and cilia.

Abstract To identify novel sperm alloantigens relevant to immune infertility, sera from infertile men containing antisperm antibodies (ASA) were employed on 2-D immunoblots of human sperm proteins. An immunoreactive protein spot (MW: 44 kDa, pI: 4.5) was microsequenced and the related cDNA was cloned yielding a 309 amino acid sequence corresponding to a gene currently annotated in Genbank as TSGA2 homolog (mouse) to signify ‘testis specific gene A2’. In Genbank the protein deduced from this gene is currently named human meichroacidin, an orthologue of meichroacidin previously identified in mouse spermatocytes. Human TSGA2 mapped to chromosome 21q22.3. Human meichroacidin (hMCA) contained a single potential tyrosine phosphorylation site and five casein kinase phosporylation motifs. The N-terminus contained a Membrane Occupation Recognition Nexus (MORN) motif found in the lipid kinase-phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K) family and junctophilins. However hMCA lacked the characteristic kinase homology domain of PIP5K. Northern blot analysis revealed 1.5 kb hMCA transcripts in testis and trachea with lower levels in thyroid and spinal cord. A semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis demonstrated occurrence of the mRNA messages in all the ciliated tissues tested with highest levels of messages in testis and trachea. Western blot analysis showed the presence of hMCA protein in brain, thyroid and trachea at the identical mass, 44 kDa, as in human testis. However, this immunoreactive pattern differed from that of sperm in which a 38 kDa form was also evident suggesting that hMCA undergoes proteolytic processing. In human testis, hMCA localized to the tails of developing spermatids and did not localize to the nucleus of either spermatocytes or spermatids. EM immunocytochemistry localized hMCA within the radial spokes of the axonemal complex of the sperm flagellum, and immunofluorescence studies revealed h-meichroacidin in the cilia of epithelial cells in the trachea and ependyma. Bioinformatic identification of orthologues of meichroacidin in several lower organisms including ciliates and flagellates suggest the protein plays a role in flagellar motility across phyla. We propose the term radial spoke protein 44 as an accurate designation, preferable to human meichroacidin because it denotes the restricted localization of the protein to the radial spokes of the axonemes of both sperm and cilia. Further, since the human gene is expressed in brain, thyroid, trachea and lung in addition to testis, we suggest that the gene name be changed from TSGA2 [testis specific gene A2] to radial spoke protein 44 [ RSP44 ].
Driver risk factors for sleep-related crashes

A population-based case-control study was carried out to examine driver risk factors for sleep-related motor vehicle crashes. Cases included 312 drivers involved in recent North Carolina crashes and identified on police reports as asleep at the time of the crash and 155 drivers identified as fatigued. Controls were 529 drivers also involved in recent crashes but not identified as asleep or fatigued, and 407 drivers not involved in recent crashes. All drivers were contacted for brief telephone interviews. Results showed that drivers in sleep-related crashes were more likely to work multiple jobs, night shifts, or other unusual work schedules. They averaged fewer hours sleep per night, reported poorer quality sleep, were less likely to feel they got enough sleep, were sleepier during the day, drove more often late at night, and had more prior instances of drowsy driving. Compared to drivers in non-sleep-related crashes, they had been driving for longer times, been awake more hours, slept fewer hours the night before, and were more likely to have used soporific medications. Knowledge of specific risk factors for sleep-related crashes is an important first step in reducing the thousands of deaths and injuries each year in the US attributed to drowsy driving.
Taxonomy of Pseudolagarobasidium (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

Pseudolagarobasidium (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) is a small, monophyletic genus of crustose, wood-inhabiting fungi with spines and a saprobic, endophytic, or parasitic habit. Seven species are accepted in the genus including two new species, P. belizense from Belize and P. pusillum from Australia. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal RNA gene places P. belizense in a monophyletic clade with P. acaciicola and an undescribed foliar endophyte. New combinations proposed include P. modestum for Irpex modestus Berk., P. pronum for Hydnum pronum Berk. & Broome which is an earlier name for P. calcareum, and P. venustum for Radulodon venustus Hjortstam & Ryvarden. Irpex colliculosum Berk. & Broome from Sri Lanka is conspecific with P. subvinosum. Two species, Sistotrema ochroleucum and Radulum concentricum are not accepted in Pseudolagarobasidium. Pseudolagarobasidium is compared with Radulodon and similar genera. A key to the species of Pseudolagarobasidium is provided.
Expression and purification of soluble, active heterodimeric guanylyl cyclase from baculovirus.

Abstract A method for expression and purification of active cytosolic heterodimeric histidine (His)-tagged guanylyl cyclase of the α1/β1 isoform has been developed using recombinant baculovirus-transfected insect cells. Confirmation of expression of active cyclase was obtained by both Western analysis and enzymatic activity. A His tag on the COOH-terminus of the α1 and β1 subunits allowed rapid purification of the heterodimeric form of guanylyl cyclase in a single affinity step using a nickel column. A second gel-filtration step was applied to reconstitute into the complex heme, a required cofactor. This was confirmed spectroscopically by absorbance in the Soret region. Like enzyme purified from tissue, the activity of recombinant guanylyl cyclase was increased by protoporphyrin IX and inhibited by both Zn- and Sn-protoporphyrin. The method described here should provide a general approach for the expression and purification of alternate forms of cytosolic guanylyl cyclase and facilitate mechanistic and structural studies of this important family of enzymes. Furthermore, the procedure demonstrates the utility of the His-tag system to purify multimeric proteins.
A knowledge-based system approach for sensor fault modeling, detection and mitigation

Sensors are vital components for control and advanced health management techniques. However, sensors continue to be considered the weak link in many engineering applications since often they are less reliable than the system they are observing. This is in part due to the sensors' operating principles and their susceptibility to interference from the environment. Detecting and mitigating sensor failure modes are becoming increasingly important in more complex and safety-critical applications. This paper reports on different techniques for sensor fault detection, disambiguation, and mitigation. It presents an expert system that uses a combination of object-oriented modeling, rules, and semantic networks to deal with the most common sensor faults, such as bias, drift, scaling, and dropout, as well as system faults. The paper also describes a sensor correction module that is based on fault parameters extraction (for bias, drift, and scaling fault modes) as well as utilizing partial redundancy for dropout sensor fault modes). The knowledge-based system was derived from the results obtained in a previously deployed Neural Network (NN) application for fault detection and disambiguation. Results are illustrated on an electro-mechanical actuator application where the system faults are jam and spalling. In addition to the functions implemented in the previous work, system fault detection under sensor failure was also modeled. The paper includes a sensitivity analysis that compares the results previously obtained with the NN. It concludes with a discussion of similarities and differences between the two approaches and how the knowledge based system provides additional functionality compared to the NN implementation.
The effects of Robotic-Assisted Locomotor training on spasticity and volitional control

We studied the effects of Robotic-Assisted Locomotor (LOKOMAT) Training on spasticity and volitional control of the spastic ankle in persons with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). LOKOMAT training was performed 3 days/week during a 1-hr period including set-up time with up to 30 minutes of training during a single session. The training was provided for 4 weeks and subjects were evaluated before and after 1, 2, and 4 weeks of training. Spasticity was charterized in terms of neuromuscular abnormalities associated with the spastic joint. A system identification technique was used to quantify the effects of LOKOMAT training on these neuromuscular abnormalities. The effect of LOKOMAT training on volitional control was determined by measuring isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of ankle extensor and flexor muscles. Our results indicated that the reflex stiffness, abnormally increases in SCI, was significantly reduced (up to 65%) following 4-weeks of LOKOMAT training. Similarly, intrinsic (muscular) stiffness, which also abnormally increases in SCI, decreased significantly (up to 60%). MVCs were increased substantially (up to 93% in extensors and 180% in flexors) following 4-week training. These findings demonstrate that LOKOMAT training is effective in reducing spasticity and improving volitional control in SCI.
Performance study of linearly connected parallel machines through simulation

The authors study the performance of linearly connected parallel machines by examining several job scheduling algorithms for these computers. The motivation for this study is the observation that the computational power of personal computers is poorly utilized, and if personal computers are connected in parallel, they must be used instead of expensive mainframe computers. They also study the common problem of sorting large files by using parallel computers and compare the performance with that of sequential computers. These simulations demonstrated that linearly connected personal computers can provide good computing power and speedup if the local computing load on these personal computers is not too high. >
Intraoperative assessment of endoscopic third ventriculostomy success.

Object. The authors’ aim in this study was to determine if standardizing the evaluation of intraoperative findings during endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) could predict patients with hydrocephalus in whom endoscopic treatment will fail and require ventriculoperitoneal shunt treatment. The creation of a uniform scale with predictive outcomes may reduce returns to the operating room for shunt treatment and reliance on postoperative externalized ventricular monitoring and MR imaging. Methods. The authors evaluated the preoperative history, intraoperative findings, and postoperative monitoring and imaging findings in 109 consecutive patients undergoing 112 consecutive attempted ETVs for obstructive hydrocephalus. A 5-grade scale was developed to assess preoperative risk factors and intraoperative evaluation to unify criteria that have been suspected to influence outcome independently. A grade of 0 was assigned to patients with no negative predictors, whereas increasing scores were assigned to patients who had multiple preoperative and intraoperative risks identified. Patients’ grades were compared with outcome of the procedure, utility of externalized ventricular monitoring, and results of postoperative MR imaging. Results. Of 112 ETVs, 77 were successful and 35 were unsuccessful. Fifty-nine patients received a grade of 0, 27 received a grade of 1, 11 received a grade of 2, and 15 received a grade of ≥ 3. In all 15 patients receiving a grade ≥ 3 attempted ETV procedures failed, and the patients required a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Postoperative monitoring with externalized ventricular drains and MR images demonstrating radiographic evidence of flow was independently less reliable than intraoperative grading in predicting success. Patients with a grade of 0 almost uniformly had successful surgery, independent of MR imaging findings. Patients with a grade of 1 or 2 who had successful surgery almost always lacked negative intraoperative predictive findings. Conclusions. Despite reliance in recent years on post-ETV MR images and externalized ventricular monitoring, these modalities, although often useful adjuncts, appear less reliable as predictive tests than a simple assessment at the time of endoscopic fenestration. By using a uniform grading scale, the authors have introduced a novel means through which intraoperative and postoperative decision making can be aided, with the goal of reducing unnecessary procedures and tests and preventing unnecessary returns to the operating room. (DOI: 10.3171/PED.2008.2.11.298) Key w ord S • brain tumor • endoscopy • hydrocephalus • pediatric neurosurgery • shunt • third ventriculostomy
Mucormycosis: association with deferoxamine therapy.

M ucormycosis is an uncommon acute and often fatal opportunistic fungal infection that usually occurs in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, acute leukemias, or other immunosuppressive conditions [1,2]. A new association, that of mucormycosis occurring in patients receiving deferoxamine therapy for iron or aluminum excess, has been reported with increasing frequency since 1986 [3-16]. Although this association has been strongly linked with chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis, it is now clear that other conditions in which deferoxamine may be required (thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia, myelodysplasia) are also associated with mucormycosis [5,7,8,16]. We report a case of mucormycosis in a patient who had received deferoxamine for iron overload secondary to myelodysplastic syndrome, and review previous cases of deferoxamine-associated mucormycosis.
VELVET: an adaptive hybrid architecture for very large virtual environments

Collaborative virtual environment (CVE) concepts have been used in many systems. The architectures available today provide support for a number of users but they fail if too many users are together in a small "space" in the virtual world. This paper introduces VELVET, an adaptive hybrid architecture which allows a greater number of users to interact through a CVE. VELVET introduces a novel adaptive area of interest management, which supports heterogeneity amongst the various participants.
Crossing Streets: a K-12 virtual reality application for understanding knowledge acquisition

Transportation-related skills have been identified by parents as a critical area in which to teach children and youths to be more independent. Crossing Streets, the authors' initial effort to investigate skill acquisition and generalization in a virtual reality environment, attempts to teach children, including those with disabilities, a safe way to cross a street.
Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and substance P mediate nociception in acute pancreatitis

The mechanism of pancreatitis-induced pain is unknown. In other tissues, inflammation activates transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) on sensory nerves to liberate CGRP and substance P (...
Beyond the wheelchair: development of motorised transport for people with severe mobility impairments in developing countries

Purpose. In developing countries, lack of over-the-road transportation reduces a vast number of disabled people to a life of begging, dependency and social isolation. Although there have been some excellent efforts to provide low-cost wheelchairs and hand-powered tricycles, little has been done to further provide transport for disabled people.Methods. To address this problem directly we devised a low-cost motorised wheelchair transporter prototype (the Skeeter) using a combination of bicycle parts, a custom built frame, and an inexpensive small engine for propulsion.Results. The Skeeter can provide independent operation and travel by a wheelchair user. It is an economically feasible solution to the lack of over-the-road transportation for people with mobility impairments in developing countries.Conclusions. The Skeeter has the potential to provide a major enhancement in the quality of life for people with disabilities in developing countries around the world.
Missing the Forest for the Trees Object-Discrimination Learning Blocks Categorization Learning

Growing evidence indicates that error-driven associative learning underlies the ability of nonhuman animals to categorize natural images. This study explored whether this form of learning might also be at play when people categorize natural objects in photographs. Two groups of college students (a blocking group and a control group) were trained on a categorization task and then tested with novel photographs from each category; however, only the blocking group received pretraining on a task that required the discrimination of objects from the same category. Because of this earlier noncategorical discrimination learning, the blocking group performed well in the categorization task from the outset, and this strong initial performance reduced the likelihood of category learning driven by error. There was far less transfer of categorical responding during testing in the blocking group than in the control group; this finding suggests that learning the specific properties of each photographic image in pretraini...
Antecedents of entitativity in categorically and dynamically construed groups

The extent to which a set of people is perceived as a meaningful group, as one entity, is called entitativity. In this paper, we propose that there are two qualitatively different group construals, or ways of thinking, about groups: as dynamic groups or as categorical groups. Two experiments investigated this distinction. An analogy was used to induce these construals by having participants think of the same group (the group “bees”) either dynamically (as the interacting members of a hive) or categorically (as the members of the species). We then gave participants information about a social group and assessed the impact of the construal manipulation on how that information was processed. Study 1 showed that perceivers recall and report different perceptual cues (similarity and interaction characteristics, respectively) when groups are thought of in these different ways. Study 2 showed that judgments of entitativity are differentially based on a group's similarity versus interaction under these different group construals. The results suggest that group construals change the properties on which entitativity is based. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reinforcement in plants

Summary A major goal of evolutionary biology is to understand how diverging populations become species. The evolution of reproductive isolation (RI) halts the genomic homogenization caused by gene flow and recombination, and enables differentiation and local adaptations to become fixed between newly forming species. Selection can favor the strengthening of RI through a process termed reinforcement. Reinforcement occurs when selection favors traits that decrease mating between two incipient species in response to costly mating or the production of maladapted hybrids. Although this process has been investigated more frequently in animals, there is also evidence of reinforcement in plants. There are three strategies for the investigation of the process of reinforcement: case studies of species or diverging taxa; experimental evolution studies; and comparative studies. Here, I discuss how all three strategies find evidence consistent with reinforcement occurring in plants. I focus largely on case studies, and use research on Phlox drummondii to illustrate the importance of testing alternative hypotheses. Although the existing evidence suggests that reinforcement can occur, further investigations, particularly using large-scale comparative studies, are needed to determine the importance of reinforcement in plant speciation.
Absence of neurocognitive effect of hepatitis C infection in HIV-coinfected people

Objective: To investigate the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on neurocognitive performance in chronically HIV-infected patients enrolled in the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study. Methods: A total of 1,582 participants in CHARTER who were tested for HCV antibody underwent neurocognitive testing; serum HCV RNA was available for 346 seropositive patients. Neurocognitive performance was compared in 408 HCV-seropositive and 1,174 HCV-seronegative participants and in a subset of 160 seropositive and 707 seronegative participants without serious comorbid neurologic conditions that might impair neurocognitive performance, using linear regression and taking into account HIV-associated and demographic factors (including IV drug use) and liver function. Results: Neurocognitive performance characterized by global deficit scores and the proportion of individuals who were impaired were the same in the HCV-seropositive and HCV-seronegative groups. In univariable analyses in the entire sample, only verbal domain scores showed small statistically different superior performance in the HCV+ group that was not evident in multivariable analysis. In the subgroup without significant comorbidities, scores in all 7 domains of neurocognitive functioning did not differ by HCV serostatus. Among the HCV-seropositive participants, there was no association between neurocognitive performance and serum HCV RNA concentration. Conclusion: In HIV-infected patients, HCV coinfection does not contribute to neurocognitive impairment, at least in the absence of substantial HCV-associated liver damage, which was not evident in our cohort.
Congenital arterioportal fistula of the liver with reversal of flow in the superior mesenteric vein

We report on a newborn with a large arterioportal fistula of the liver complicated by a sudden reversal of flow in the portal and superior mesenteric vein, leading to congestion and ischemia of the small intestine. Ultrasound, duplex Doppler sonography and angiographic features are presented. Ligation of the hepatic artery led to a complete recovery.
Incorporating Simulated Animal Attacks in Human Technology Interaction Interfaces: The Predictive Power of Biosemiotics and Evolutionary Psychology

Enhanced cognition within the temporal vicinity of animal attacks arguably allowed our hominid ancestors to better build and associate memories related to the animals and their typical habitat markers, which in turn increased their survival chances. This may be at the source of an unusual phenomenon with limited but interesting practical uses in the design of human-technology interaction interfaces for learning tasks; the phenomenon involves modern humans’ short-term memories being instantaneously turned into long-term memories through surprise in the form of simulated animal attacks. This study explores this phenomenon in the context of a computer-supported learning task, by testing the prediction that a simulated snake attack will lead to cognition enhancement within its temporal vicinity. In an experiment, those participants who were surprised by a Web-based snake screen did significantly better in the test questions for Web-based learning modules that were temporally adjacent to the snake screen.
Treatment of multiple myeloma

The treatment of multiple myeloma has changed dramatically in the past decade. The increase in the number of active agents has generated numerous possible drug combinations that can be used in the first-line and relapsed settings. As a result, there is considerable confusion about the choice of regimens for initial therapy, role of transplantation in the era of new drugs, end points for therapy, and the role of maintenance therapy. A hotly debated area is whether treatment approaches should achieve cure or disease control, which impacts greatly on the treatment strategy employed. This article provides an update on the treatment of multiple myeloma, with a focus on recent advances, newly diagnosed disease, role of transplantation and maintenance therapy. A synthesized approach to the treatment of myeloma is presented, along with a discussion of key paradigms that need to be challenged.
GC-biased evolution near human accelerated regions.

Regions of the genome that have been the target of positive selection specifically along the human lineage are of special importance in human biology. We used high throughput sequencing combined with methods to enrich human genomic samples for particular targets to obtain the sequence of 22 chromosomal samples at high depth in 40 kb neighborhoods of 49 previously identified 100–400 bp elements that show evidence for human accelerated evolution. In addition to selection, the pattern of nucleotide substitutions in several of these elements suggested an historical bias favoring the conversion of weak (A or T) alleles into strong (G or C) alleles. Here we found strong evidence in the derived allele frequency spectra of many of these 40 kb regions for ongoing weak-to-strong fixation bias. Comparison of the nucleotide composition at polymorphic loci to the composition at sites of fixed substitutions additionally reveals the signature of historical weak-to-strong fixation bias in a subset of these regions. Most of the regions with evidence for historical bias do not also have signatures of ongoing bias, suggesting that the evolutionary forces generating weak-to-strong bias are not constant over time. To investigate the role of selection in shaping these regions, we analyzed the spatial pattern of polymorphism in our samples. We found no significant evidence for selective sweeps, possibly because the signal of such sweeps has decayed beyond the power of our tests to detect them. Together, these results do not rule out functional roles for the observed changes in these regions—indeed there is good evidence that the first two are functional elements in humans—but they suggest that a fixation process (such as biased gene conversion) that is biased at the nucleotide level, but is otherwise selectively neutral, could be an important evolutionary force at play in them, both historically and at present.
The Time Sense: A Normative, Genetic Study of the Development of Time Perception

Time has been investigated from many standpoints as a subject which has relevance to such fields as psychology, physics, philosophy, mathematics, and literature. Many of the different aspects of time have been reviewed periodically ( 1, 16). One aspect which has received relatively little attention concerns the development of the sense of time in children. Occasionally, a systematic study has investigated the child's understanding of time words and conlprehension of our conventional time system (2, 10, IS), but there has been a dearth of experimental data concerning the development of temporal concepts of children. Although an empirical approach to the study of children's understanding of temporal units and concepts has been utilized successfully by a few investigators (3, 7, S), technical problems have restricted the number and scope of these investigations. In particular, few explorations have been made of children's estimates of short standard intervals or durations. In contrast to the few empirical studies concerning the time perception of children, there have been many experimental investigations pertaining to adult temporal perception. While considerable experimental work on discrimination of short intervals or durations using the comparison and reproduction of times has been reported, reseakch on time estimation has been confined until recently to relatively long durations. Lharnon and Goldstone'' are currently investigating time estimations for a short auditory duration, 1.0 sec., as a method of studying the psychological aspects of time perception. The results obtained from their initial study of a normative group of adults indicated that the Second Estimation Point (SEP) for normal adulcs was consistently less than the physical unit. Preliminary findings have suggested that this approach to the measurement of experienced time or apparent duration provides a technique sufficiently reliable and sensitive to differentiate between normal adulcs and various psychiatric groups ( 12 ) . The purpose of this study was to investigate an aspect of the development of time perception in children by obtaining estimates of short durations utilizing a method which would permit quantitative derivation of the limits of accuracy and variability of each child's judgments of 1.0 sec. This period of time was used so that each child's concept of a second could be compared
Ionizing Potentials of Methane, Ethane, Ethylene, and Acetylene

After preparation and purification by the most approved methods, the gases methane, ethane, ethylene and acetylene were introduced into an ionization tube of the Mackay type and their ionization potentials measured. The calibration of the apparatus was made with the aid of Hg vapor and He gas as standards. The values found are: methane 14.4 volts, ethane 12.8 volts, ethylene 12.2 volts, acetylene 12.3 volts, and are believed to be correct within 0.2 volt.
On the relation between momentum and velocity for elementary systems

Abstract We investigate how the quantum mechanical position operator can be defined for elementary systems so that the connection, postulated by the special theory of relatively, between velocity (the time derivative of the position) and momentum remains valid.
Abstract 3600: A Critical Analysis of Intra-arterial Thrombolytic Doses in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background: Intra-arterial (IA) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA, Alteplase), Tenecteplase, and Retplase are currently used in patients with acute ischemic stroke, the relationship between IA dose and hemorrhage rates, clinical outcomes and radiographic outcomes have not been rigorously studied. Objective: We evaluated the safety and recanalization efficacy associated with various doses of intra-arterial thrombolytics for treating acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods: Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent emergent endovascular treatment over seven years from our prospectively maintained database were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the dose response relationship between thrombolytic doses and outcomes. For standardization we used a conversion of newer thrombolytics to establish a standard dosage throughout cases (10mg alteplase = 2 Units of Reteplase = 6.3 Units of Tenectaplase). Patient characteristics and outcomes were analyzed including age, weight, risk factors, use of intravenous rt-PA,and use of additional mechanical thrombolysis. The rates of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and favorable clinical outcomes (discharge modified Rankin score (mRS) = 0-2) were analyzed with various doses after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: There were 290 patients [male 52% (n=150)] who received endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke, of those 210 (72%) were treated with IA rt-PA or equivalent thrombolytics with doses up to 69 mg of alteplase. There were 115 patients (40%) [men 46% (n=53)] who received both IV and IA therapy. Mean±SD IA tPA dose was 10±9 mg (range: 1.5-69mg) and total IA+IV tPA dose 85±21 mg (range: 43-149mg). Neither the dose of IA tPA nor total tPA dose (IV+IA) was associated with favorable outcomes or ICH (p=NS). Mean IA tPA dose was no different between the patients with and without ICH [9.9 versus 9.8, p=0.4]. Adjusting for age, admission NIHSS score, and IA tPA/equavalent dose, the use of combined mechanical and thrombolytic IA therapy was associated with higher ICH rate (OR=4, p=0.004) but not with favorable outcomes (p=0.2) compared to thrombolytic therapy alone. Multivariate analysis showed administration of IV rt-PA significantly improved favorable outcomes compared to IA therapy alone (OR=1.8, p=0.04) with no increased risk of hemorrhage (p=NS). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that IA rt-PA or equivalent thromboytics in doses up to 69 mg are safe without any evidence of dose related adverse events even in those patients who had received IV rt-PA prior to procedure presumably due to the short-half life of rt-PA.
3D Printing of Protein Models in an Undergraduate Laboratory: Leucine Zippers

An upper-division undergraduate laboratory experiment is described that explores the structure/function relationship of protein domains, namely leucine zippers, through a molecular graphics computer program and physical models fabricated by 3D printing. By generating solvent accessible surfaces and color-coding hydrophobic, basic, and acidic amino acid residues, students are able to visualize noncovalent interactions that are important in protein folding and protein–protein interactions.
Extrapolation of log properties by integrating fuzzy-self organizing maps and local linear modeling

Summary The goal of different methods for clustering of seismic attributes has been to analyze the discrimination ability of the chosen set of attributes. When enough wells are drilled, 3D log properties can be modeled by calculating the acoustic impedance cube. Estimation of log properties from complex seismic attributes becomes very important when only one well is drilled. In this paper, using a subset of complex seismic attributes and the data from one well, sonic log values were estimated in the location of the second well and compared with the actual values of the sonic log at that location (cross-validation). Kohonen’s self organizing maps (SOM or Kohonen’s clustering network) are well known for cluster analysis (unsupervised learning). This class of algorithms is a set of heuristic procedures that suffers from several major problems. A new unsupervised method was used by integrating the fuzzy c-means clustering and Gustafson-Kessel algorithms into the learning and updating strategies of the Kohonen clustering network and attributes are classified using this technique. Embedding the centers of clusters in the Local Linear Modeling Neural Network’s hidden layers leads to a powerful and very fast tool for extrapolation of log properties. Therefore using the minimum possible log data, a method is proposed which can estimate the log values in areas far from the drilled well with a reasonable accuracy. For clustering the attribute data, a few traces are used from different locations in the 3D seismic data; therefore the training time is much less than the conventional methods. The results of modeling, tested on a real data set, confirm the robustness and accuracy of this method compared to conventional tools.
Blood MicroRNAs: Novel Ã¢ÂÂOmicsÃ¢ÂÂ Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer Early Detection

Copyright: © 2012 Cheng F. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Five-year survival rates of ovarian cancer will be over 90%, if the cancer is found at an early localized stage. However, from the American Cancer Society’s data, only 20% of ovarian cancers are early diagnosed because there are often no obvious symptoms, until the disease has spread. Therefore, ovarian cancer is still the leading cause of death among gynecological cancers. Identification of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis could significantly improve clinical outcomes of ovarian cancer.
Acute cocaine and concordance across measures of impulsive choice for food

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 146 (2015) e34–e117 e101 A pilot specialty jail diversion program for justice-involved veterans with co-occurring disorders David Smelson1,2, D.A. Pinals3,2, Leon Sawh1,2,4, C. Fulwiler2, S. Singer2, K. O’Connor2, W. Fisher4, S. Hartwell5, Gerardo Gonzalez2 1 Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, United States 2 University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States 3 Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Boston, MA, United States 4 University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, United States 5 University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA,
Tragedy in the Crosshairs of the Present

A number of developments in the study of Greek literature over the past few decades have broken down boundaries of canon and genre, opening up a wide range of texts once deemed degenerate or unavailable to literary analysis, expanding the networks within which literary texts are interpreted, and bringing renewed attention to the reception of ancient texts in later periods up to the present. The rise of reception studies, in particular, raises new questions about how our own position within specific present moments not only imposes constraints on the interpretation of ancient texts but also enables it. In this essay, I survey these developments using Greek tragedy, the most canonical of genres, as a case study. I argue that we need to develop strategies of interpretation more attuned to resonances between contemporary quandaries and our extant tragedies while remaining committed to forms of social and historical difference. I pay particular attention to the problems of agency that tragedy raises at the jun...
SwarmSight: Measuring the temporal progression of animal group activity levels from natural-scene and laboratory videos

We describe SwarmSight (available at https://github.com/justasb/SwarmSight ), a novel, open-source, Microsoft Windows software tool for quantitative assessment of the temporal progression of animal group activity levels from recorded videos. The tool utilizes a background subtraction machine vision algorithm and provides an activity metric that can be used to quantitatively assess and compare animal group behavior. Here we demonstrate the tool’s utility by analyzing defensive bee behavior as modulated by alarm pheromones, wild-bird feeding onset and interruption, and cockroach nest-finding activity. Although more sophisticated, commercial software packages are available, SwarmSight provides a low-cost, open-source, and easy-to-use alternative that is suitable for a wide range of users, including minimally trained research technicians and behavioral science undergraduate students in classroom laboratory settings.
Research and Development of Glorb goes in new time

The accelerated costs of new drug development,the lag in NME approvals,and the large number of pending patent expiry have posted unprecedented challenge for the pharmaceutical industry.Amid the recent financial crisis worldwide,one can only image that there will be more tough road ahead for drug companies.and our survival will be at issue if we do not change our old way of doing things.