cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Economic Decisions with Ambiguous Outcome Magnitudes Vary with Low and High Stakes but Not Trait Anxiety or Depression

Most of life’s decisions involve risk and uncertainty regarding whether reward or loss will follow. Decision makers often face uncertainty not only about the likelihood of outcomes (what are the chances that I will get a raise if I ask my supervisor? What are the chances that my supervisor will be upset with me for asking?) but also the magnitude of outcomes (if I do get a raise, how large will it be? If my supervisor gets upset, how bad will the consequences be for me?). Only a few studies have investigated economic decision making with ambiguous likelihoods, and even fewer have investigated ambiguous outcome magnitudes. In the present report, we investigated the effects of ambiguous outcome magnitude, risk, and gains/losses in an economic decision-making task with low stakes (Study 1; $3.60–$5.70; N = 367) and high stakes (Study 2; $6–$48; N = 210) using a within-subjects design. We conducted computational modeling to determine individuals’ preferences/aversions for ambiguous outcome magnitudes, risk, and gains/losses. We additionally investigated the association between trait anxiety and trait depression and decision-making parameters. Our results show that increasing stakes increased ambiguous gain aversion and unambiguous risk aversion but increased ambiguous sure loss preference; participants also became more averse to ambiguous sure gains relative to unambiguous risky gains. There were no significant effects of trait anxiety or trait depression on economic decision making. Our results suggest that as stakes increase, people tend to avoid uncertainty in the gain domain (especially ambiguous gains) but prefer ambiguous vs unambiguous sure losses.
Numerical Modeling of Laser Photothermal Heating in Organic and Inorganic Structures

Abstract In this paper, we discuss flaws with static heating models as well as flaws with diffusive transport models such as the Fourier-Biot equation, the Cattaneo-Vernotte thermal wave model, and the hyperbolic heat equation and how the Dual-Phase-Lag (DPL) heat transfer model corrects for these flaws. We present novel numerical solutions and coding methodology in detail for solutions of the DPL heat equations, which take into account nanoscale heating effects such as phonon and electron interactions, for both organic and inorganic media for the laser heating of various structures and boundary conditions. We then use the models presented to validate our results against the experimental and theoretical results of various others for time scales ranging from 100 fs to 100 s and from spatial scales all the way from macroscale down to nanometers in both organic and inorganic media and systems of different kinds to show the validity of not only the DPL equation but also our solution methodology to a wide variety of problems.
The Making of American Audiences: Fears and Dreams: Public Discourses about Radio

In the early years of broadcasting almost everyone had some opinion about the future of radio, its promise and dangers. Theater managers, newspaper and music publishers, even preachers debated its effect on attendance. Some early commentators expressed great hopes for radio as a source of cultural uplift for the masses. Others feared the degenerative social, psychological, and aesthetic effects of commercial radio. How would it affect other cultural institutions, the family and children, education, political campaigns? Commerce clashed with aesthetic interests in these discourses. In the 1920s owners and managers of other entertainments worried whether radio might woo away their audiences. When these fears proved unfounded, they accommodated themselves to the new medium and it to their own needs. Cultural elites, on the other hand, soon realized that commercial radio would not fulfill their dreams for educating the masses. Rather than become accommodated to this unfortunate conclusion, they assailed radio's content and motives, and mounted campaigns to restrict or reform it. The conflict between commercial and cultural interests recapitulated earlier struggles over leisure between commerce and social reformers. Through the nineteenth century, elite reformers worried about working-class pleasures and attempted to shape them through public regulation and facilities. They met with little success in either forcing or persuading working-class adults and children to follow their instructions.
Adenosine triphosphatase from rat liver mitochondria. I. Purification, homogeneity, and physical properties.

Abstract 1. The adenosine triphosphatase of rat liver mitochondria is tightly bound to the inner membrane and is solubilized in very poor yield (less than 0.5%) by sonic oscillation procedures alone. Solubilization of the enzyme in good yield (30 to 55%) is obtained by sonic oscillation provided the membranes are first washed exhaustively in low ionic strength buffer and incubated for 16 hours in the presence of ATP and ethylene glycol. Purification of the solubilized enzyme by sequential chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200 consistently yields preparations exhibiting a specific activity of approximately 22 µmoles of ATP hydrolyzed per min per mg. 2. The purified enzyme is homogeneous as assessed by gel filtration, sedimentation in sucrose gradients, and sedimentation in the analytical ultracentrifuge. The molecular weight of the ATPase is 384,000 based on determinations of its sedimentation coefficient (s020,w = 12.15), diffusion coefficient (D020,w = 2.96 x 10-7 cm2 sec-1), and partial specific volume (v = 0.740 cm3 g-1). 3. Electrophoresis in two dissociating solvent systems indicates that the enzyme contains three classes of subunits. The molecular weights of the three subunits determined by their electrophoretic mobilities in the sodium dodecyl sulfatemercaptoethanol system are: subunit A, 62,500; subunit B, 57,000; and subunit C, 36,000. 4. The amino acid composition of the purified ATPase from rat liver mitochondria is strikingly similar to amino acid compositions reported for ATPases from such diverse sources as bovine heart mitochondria, spinach chloroplasts, and bacteria. The similarity in chemical and physical properties among these enzymes is discussed in terms of their possibly analogous structural and functional roles in these membrane systems.
The Establishment of Party Policy Committees in the U.S. Senate: Coordination, Not Coercion*

Objective We seek to determine if institutional changes designed to increase intraparty coordination influenced observed levels of party unity in the U.S. Senate. In particular, we test competing claims regarding the effects of establishing party policy committees following the adoption of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. Methods First, we examine Congress at the vote level by looking at the overall proportion of votes that could be classified as “party unity votes” before and after the establishment of the policy committees. Second, we employ a micro-level analysis by examining individual senators’ procedural party support scores. Results We find that members of the majority party were more likely to have higher levels of procedural unity after the adoption of policy committees. Conclusion The establishment of party policy committees in the Senate played a role in helping party leaders coordinate activities, advance a legislative agenda, and maintain high levels of party unity on the floor by better structuring procedural votes.
Chapter 59 Neurosurgical treatment of pain.

Publisher Summary There have been significant changes in neurosurgical approaches to the treatment of pain. Specifically, there has been a substantial decrease in the numbers of ablative procedures and an increase in the numbers of stimulation or augmentative procedures for treatment of chronic pain. Ablative procedures are becoming less common, except in the case of procedures with a particular niche. Sympathectomy and procedures for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia are still common because of their strong demonstrated efficacy. Other procedures may experience a rebirth based on technical advances. The use of computed tomography (CT) for cordotomy and endoscopy for sympathectomy may be in this category. The chapter reviews that intra-axial administration is becoming practical for delivery of drugs to anatomically or physiologically defined structures. The feasibility of this approach for selectively lesioning neurons but not axons by convection delivery through an intracerebral catheter has been demonstrated in primate models of Parkinson's disease. These technologies promise to revolutionize the neurosurgical treatment of pain in the future.
The applicability of social models for self-organizing real-time systems

Adaptive resource management (ARM) technology has emerged as a way to: (1) support applications' varying resource needs, and (2) provide reusable solutions to commonly occurring problems. Most existent works on ARM have focused on centralized approaches. However, centralized ARMs are not scalable, which may result in slow responses and wrong allocation decisions based on inaccurate system state information. In this paper, we show how to address these problems with a decentralized resource management approach. Based on social models, the approach appears to have the potential to provide prompt and accurate allocation of resources.
In Re Boucher: Hard Drives Make Pretty Good Law? Encryption Passphrases as Testimonial Evidence Under the Fifth Amendment

In November 2007, a federal magistrate judge in Vermont held that a defendant could not constitutionally be compelled to enter the passphrase to his encrypted laptop hard drive because the act of entering the passphrase was testimonial. The Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination applies not only to compelled incriminating testimony, but also to the act of producing evidence where the act itself would constitute an incriminating testimonial communication. Encryption such as that used by the defendant has been controversial. The widespread availability of strong cryptography software makes computer hard drive encryption attractive not only to users of child pornography, but to white collar criminals as well. This Article provides an overview of "whole disk" encryption and explains the applicable Fifth Amendment doctrines. It argues that extending those doctrines to the entry of encryption passphrases is necessary to protect criminal defendants' rights but does not sacrifice law enforcement's ability to fight crime. The Article concludes with practice pointers for businesses implementing encryption policies for employee computers.NOTE: This draft has not been updated since February 1, 2009, and the main case discussed herein has since been overturned on appeal. Do not rely on this draft for an accurate and comprehensive view of the pertinent litigation as of any point after that date. This draft is provided for archival and feedback purposes only.
Effects of Training in Directionality on Reversals in Reading and Writing.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that children over seven years of age who are reversing letters or words while reading or writing do not have a perceptual problem reflecting impaired n...
Proposed intracellular regulatory functions of glutathione transferases by recognition and binding to S-glutathiolated proteins

: A general reaction scheme is considered in which structurally diverse compounds can enhance transcription of glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. Many of those compounds have the capacity to promote S-glutathiolation reactions with cysteine residues of proteins. The binding sites of GSTs, which are highly specific for binding of the tripeptide glutathione (GSH), can accommodate many structurally different substituents linked to GSH. Accordingly, it is suggested that GSH transferases can function by stoichiometric binding to S-glutathiolated proteins that are generated by oxidative stress or by reactive compounds. Binding to a GST could influence properties and regulate cellular functions of those proteins.
Efficient one-step radiolabeling of monoclonal antibodies with Actinium-225 for alpha-particle radioimmunotherapy of cancer

1188 Objectives Targeted alpha-particle radiation using the radioisotope Actinium-225 (225Ac) is a promising form of therapy for various types of cancer. A historical obstacle to the use of 225Ac has been the difficulty in finding suitable chelators to stably attach it to targeting proteins and monoclonal antibodies. We initially solved this problem with a procedure involving two chemical steps that has been used as a standard in preclinical studies and clinical trials. However, this procedure involves the loss of 90% of the input 225Ac. A more efficient, economical process is needed to facilitate the more widespread use of 225Ac. Methods We conjugated representative antibodies with two forms of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA), as well as other chelators as controls. We developed conditions to radiolabel these constructs in one chemical step and characterized their stability, immunoreactivity, biodistribution, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy in healthy and tumor-bearing mice. Results DOTA- antibody constructs were labeled to a wide range of specific activities in one chemical step at 37 degrees Celsius. Radiochemical yields were approximately ten-fold higher than with the previous approach. The products had intact immunoreactivity and were stable to serum challenge in vitro and in vivo. Labeling kinetics of DOTA-antibody constructs linked through a benzyl isothiocyanate linkage were more favorable than those linked through a N-hydroxysuccinimide linkage. Tissue distribution was similar but not identical between the constructs. The constructs had limited toxicity at typical therapeutic doses in healthy mice and produced specific therapeutic responses in a mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia. Conclusions We have characterized an efficient, one-step radiolabeling method that produces stable, therapeutically active conjugates of antibodies with 225Ac. We propose that this technology is suitable for future preclinical and clinical use. Research Support The following funding sources contributed to this work: NIH R01 CA55349 to D.A.S. William F. Maguire was supported by a Medical Scientist Training Program grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number:T32GM007739 to the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan- Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program.
Analog VLSI design of multi-phase voltage doublers with frequency regulation

This paper proposes a new organization of charge pump circuits based on a voltage doubler that takes a DC input and outputs a doubled DC voltage. By cascading n multi-phase voltage doublers (MPVD), the resulting charge pump has the voltage gain equal to 2/sup n/. It needs n clock pairs to control the pumping process, MPVD is a minimum capacitance realization of the switched-capacitor based voltage doubler. An n-stage MPVD needs n+1 capacitors and 2/sup n/ switches. To avoid the short circuit during switching, a dock pairs generator is used to achieve multi-phase non-overlapping clock pairs. A frequency regulator is designed to lower the charging frequency when the load becomes lighter, thus reducing the power loss during switching. A 2-stage MPVD is implemented in the Orbit 2.0 /spl mu/m analog CMOS technology. The simulation results show that the output voltage is 3.995 times the power supply. By using the frequency regulator, the power efficiency is dramatically improved when the load becomes lighter.
Suctioning in the Preterm Infant: Effects on Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity, Intracranial Pressure, and Arterial Blood Pressure

The relationship of suctioning to changes in the cerebral circulation was studied in 35 premature newborn infants. The objectives of the study were to determine whether important alterations occur in cerebral hemodynamics with suctioning and whether such alterations relate to systemic hemodynamic events. A transcutaneous Doppler technique was used to measure blood flow velocity in the anterior cerebral arteries. A prominent increase in cerebral blood flow velocity was documented in nearly all patients. Accompanying the increase in cerebral flow velocity was a marked increase in blood pressure; thus, the increased cerebral flow velocity appeared to reflect directly changes in systemic hemodynamic events. Also accompanying the increase in cerebral flow velocity was a marked increase in intracranial pressure. These data suggest potentially deleterious effects of suctioning in the preterm infant at risk for the occurrence of intraventricular hemorrhage and raise questions regarding the advisability of routine suctioning of such infants.
Catheter-Directed Therapy is Safe and Effective for the Management of Acute Inferior Vena Cava Thrombosis.

Background The management of acute thrombosis of inferior vena cava (AT-IVC) has evolved to catheter-based therapies, the results of which remain uncertain. We report our institution's experience treating AT-IVC using endovascular methods. Methods A 10-year retrospective review of patients presenting with symptomatic IVC thrombosis between the years 2005 and 2014 was performed. Demographic data, treatment modalities, and outcomes were reviewed. Results Twenty-five patients (44% men) underwent treatment for acute ( 50% luminal gain) angiographic resolution of venous thrombus was achieved in all 25 patients. Twenty-one (84%) patients reported moderate-to-complete symptomatic improvement immediately after completion of the procedures. Two patients had a clinically symptomatic PE and 1 patient underwent an above-knee amputation secondary to venous gangrene. Other complications included 6 minor bleeding complications (2 local hematoma, 4 hematuria) all of which resolved spontaneously. There were 2 major bleeding complications (1 disseminated intravascular coagulation, 1 retroperitoneal hematoma). Conclusions Endovascular treatment of AT-IVC, regardless of etiology, is safe and effective with excellent short-term clinical results. An aggressive endovascular approach to treatment of AT-IVC is warranted even in the presence of a thrombosed vena cava filter.
Subpixel localization and uncertainty estimation using occupancy grids

We describe techniques for performing mobile robot localization using occupancy grids that allow subpixel localization and uncertainty estimation in the pixelized pose space. The techniques are based on a localization method where matching is performed between the visible landmarks at the current robot position and a previously generated map of the environment. A likelihood function over the space of possible robot positions is formulated as a function of the probability distribution for the map matching error. Subpixel localization and uncertainty estimation are performed by fitting the likelihood function with a parameterized surface. The performance of the method is analyzed using synthetic experiments and an example is given using the Rocky 7 Mars rover prototype.
Plant Organ Primordia

Plant organ primordia are generated in a reiterative manner during the entire life of the plants. Complex patterning events, including boundary and polarity establishment and acquisition of cell fates, take place at the organ primordia initials. The phytohormone auxin plays an important role in initiation, outgrowth and positioning of the organ primordia. Keywords: meristem; lateral root primordial; phyllotaxis; auxin; cell division
The homeodomain protein Cdx2 regulates lactase gene promoter activity during enterocyte differentiation

Abstract Background & Aims: Lactase is the intestinal disaccharidase responsible for digestion of lactose, the predominant carbohydrate in milk. Transcription of the lactase gene is activated during enterocyte differentiation. We have characterized the interaction between the lactase promoter and Cdx2, a homeodomain protein involved in regulating intestinal development and differentiation. Methods: Nuclear protein bound to the lactase gene cis element, CE-LPH1, was analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and supershifts with Cdx2 antibody. Lactase promoter activities were assayed in cells transfected with luciferase reporter constructs and a Cdx2 expression construct. Results: Electrophoretic mobility shift assay with CE-LPH1 yields a specific DNA/protein complex that requires the caudal-related protein binding site, TTTAC. The complex is recognized by Cdx2 antibody and is more abundant in differentiated enterocytes. A Cdx2 expression construct is able to activate transcription driven by the wild-type, but not a mutated, promoter and results in increased endogenous lactase messenger RNA. Conclusions: The homeodomain protein Cdx2 interacts with the lactase promoter and is capable of activating transcription of the endogenous gene. In contrast to a previous report, Cdx2 interaction with the lactase promoter correlates with enterocyte differentiation. These conclusions are consistent with the role of Cdx2 in regulating intestinal cell differentiation. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;118:115-127
Analysis of travel mode and departure time choice for urban shopping trips

Travel mode and departure time choice of urban trips are important determinants of urban travel demand and the temporal distribution of this demand. While mode choice has received substantial attention in travel demand modeling, relatively little attention has been directed toward departure time choice. Further, the work trip has been the focus of most earlier mode choice research, and almost all earlier departure time choice research. The current paper examines the joint nature of mode and departure time choice for urban shopping trips. The model formulation in the paper adopts a nested structure with mode choice at the higher level of the hierarchy and departure time choice at the lower level. A multinomial logit (MNL) form is used for modeling mode choice and an ordered generalized extreme value (OGEV) form, which recognizes the natural temporal ordering of the departure time alternatives, is adopted for departure time choice. The proposed MNL-OGEV model is applied to data obtained from the 1990 San Francisco Bay area travel survey and is found to perform better than the MNL and nested logit models. In addition, the results indicate that the MNL and nested logit models lead to biased level-of-service estimates and to inappropriate policy evaluations of transportation control measures in the current empirical context.
Memantine and dizocilpine interactions with antinociceptive or discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in rats after acute or chronic treatment with morphine

Rationale Memantine is a N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) channel blocker that binds to dizocilpine sites and appears well tolerated during chronic use. Published studies suggest NMDAR antagonists prevent development of tolerance to effects of morphine by blocking NMDAR hyperactivation.
Experimental investigation of the scavenging of gaseous mercury by sea salt aerosol

Sea salt aerosol may be an important sink for reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) in the marine boundary layer, reducing ambient RGM concentrations and transferring the mercury (Hg) to the oceans and coastal ecosystems. The goal of this study was to determine the affinity of gaseous mercury for sea salt aerosol (SSA) by conducting adsorption experiments with sea salt-coated sampling denuders. In the first set of experiments, ambient outdoor air was passed through denuders coated with either KCl, as in the widely accepted method to sample RGM, or with NaCl, a primary component of sea salt aerosols. On the one sampling day in which RGM was above the MDL, the NaCl coated denuders removed Hg from the ambient air, equivalent to 87% of the RGM in the air (as determined by KCl denuders). For the second set of experiments HgCl2 generated in the laboratory was passed through denuders coated with KCl and either NaCl or sea salt. The NaCl denuders collected an average of 99 ± 16% of the mercury that the KCl denuders collected. Newly coated sea salt denuders collected 88 ± 17% of the amount of mercury that the KCl denuders collected, but interestingly the sea salt denuders capacity decreased with repeated use. These experiments demonstrate that HgCl2, a major component of RGM has a strong affinity for NaCl and sea salt and is therefore likely to be scavenged by SSA. This study adds to the growing evidence that RGM is scavenged by sea salt aerosols and therefore more quickly deposited to the ocean and coastal environment.
Catalyst-Free Synthesis and Structural and Mechanical Characterization of Single Crystalline Ca2B2O5·H2O Nanobelts and Stacking Faulted Ca2B2O5 Nanogrooves

Single crystalline Ca(2)B(2)O(5).H(2)O (CBOH) nanobelts were synthesized for the first time using a facile catalyst-free hydrothermal method at low temperature. After being annealed at 400 degrees C for 10 h, the CBOH nanobelts transformed into curve-shaped Ca(2)B(2)O(5)(CBO) nanogrooves with ordered stacking fault arrays along the [110] direction. The single crystalline CBOH nanobelts and the stacking faulted CBO nanogrooves provided a unique platform for investigating the effects of hydrated H(2)O and stacking faults on the mechanical properties of nanomaterials. Nanoindentation tests were performed directly on individual CBOH nanobelts and CBO nanogrooves to probe their mechanical properties. It was found that the CBOH nanobelts, with the presence of hydrated H(2)O, achieved 28.7% increase in elastic modulus, whereas the stacking faulted CBO nanogrooves, with the absence of hydrated H(2)O, exhibited 99% loss in elastic modulus, compared to bulk CBO.
Preliminary X-ray study of crystals of human transferrin

Abstract Large crystals of human transferrin have been grown from polyethylene glycol solutions. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P212121, with a = 78 A , b = 94 A and c = 112 A . Density measurements indicate that there are four transferrin molecules in the unit cell.
Transparent runtime parallelization of the R scripting language

Scripting languages such as R and Matlab are widely used in scientific data processing. As the data volume and the complexity of analysis tasks both grow, sequential data processing using these tools often becomes the bottleneck in scientific workflows. We describe pR, a runtime framework for automatic and transparent parallelization of the popular R language used in statistical computing. Recognizing scripting languages' interpreted nature and data analysis codes' use pattern, we propose several novel techniques: (1) applying parallelizing compiler technology to runtime, whole-program dependence analysis of scripting languages, (2) incremental code analysis assisted with evaluation results, and (3) runtime parallelization of file accesses. Our framework does not require any modification to either the source code or the underlying R implementation. Experimental results demonstrate that pR can exploit both task and data parallelism transparently and overall has better performance as well as scalability compared to an existing parallel R package that requires code modification.
TH-A-330A-01: Optimizing Mammography Image Quality and Dose

Digital mammography is quickly becoming the technology of choice for breast imaging with several FDA‐approved systems already available and more on the way. Digital detectors in mammography have different characteristics than the traditional screen‐film systems and care should be taken when implementing these systems into a clinical environment. This lecture is going to discuss the practical issues for the medical physicist who wants to learn how to optimize dose and image quality in mammography primarily focusing on full‐field digital mammographysystems (FFDM). The lecture will be broken into several parts. The first will review currently available FFDM equipment including an overview of automatic exposure modes, quality control pertaining to image quality and dose, and system technique selection. The second part will discuss techniques for measuring dose and image quality in FFDM. The third part will discuss factors affecting image quality and dose and ways to optimize FFDM systems in a clinical environment.
A study on the influence of rich versus traditional classroom response system (CRS) questions on concept retention

Clickers in classrooms have been shown to increase student engagement. With the emergence of touch-based smart devices, such as iPhones and iPads, there is a move towards migrating the functionality offered by the clickers to these advanced response systems. Apart from being a convenient alternative, do these advanced touch-based devices offer anything new with respect to student learning? For a start, beyond the traditional multiple-choice and true/false responses, these advanced clickers provide several new question modalities that the traditional button-based clickers do not offer. It can be hypothesized that the rich interactions offered by touch-based devices can enhance student engagement even further than the traditional clickers currently do and contribute towards improvements in student learning. To explore this hypothesis, a study was designed to investigate the difference in concept retention among students who use the traditional versus rich classroom response systems (CRS). The study was conducted using a custom-designed iPhone app during an engineering lecture. While no significant difference in retention was evident, several insights were gained in favor of the rich interactions offered by the new CRS. This work highlights the distinct features that make advanced clickers conducive to student engagement and guides future developments in such next generation classroom technologies.
Responses of human auditory association cortex to the omission of an expected acoustic event.

Unexpected auditory events initiate a complex set of event-related potentials (ERPs) that vary in their latency and anatomical localization. Such "mismatch" responses include active responses to the omission of an expected event or the omission of elements in expected stimulus composites. Here we describe intracranial recordings of middle-latency ERPs elicited by the omission of an auditory event. We first presented a sequence of tones at regular temporal intervals and the tone was omitted 20% of the time. In a second condition, we presented a sequence of tone pairs and the second tone of the pair was omitted 20% of the time. These two conditions are complementary in that the single tone conformed to the expectancy in one condition, but violated the expectancy in the other. All patients demonstrated localized cortical responses to missing tones that were topographically similar to the responses evoked by actual tones. Responses to both actual and omitted tones were observed bilaterally in the vicinity of the temporal--parietal junction, where we also obtained midlatency ERPs to a variety of other auditory stimuli. Responses that appeared to be selective for the nonoccurrence of expected tones were also observed in a number of subjects. We interpret these effects in terms of processes associated with the comparison of sensory inputs to the contents of a short-term auditory memory. Such a system could automatically detect deviant auditory events, and provide input to higher-level, task-dependent cognitive processes.
Aortic graft infection: evolution in management

Over the past three decades our management of patients with aortic graft infection has evolved in terms of the optimal revascularization technique, the optimal reconstruction conduit and the optimal operative approach. As a result we have achieved a reduction in mortality, limb loss, disruption of aortic closure, reinfection of the new conduits and late revascularization failure. This manuscript describes this evolution and reports our results.
Activation of the luteinizing hormone receptor following substitution of Ser-277 with selective hydrophobic residues in the ectodomain hinge region.

Glycoprotein hormone receptors are G protein-coupled receptors with ligand-binding ectodomains consisting of leucine-rich repeats. The ectodomain is connected by a conserved cysteine-rich hinge region to the seven transmembrane (TM) region. Gain-of-function mutants of luteinizing hormone (LH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors found in patients allowed identification of residues important for receptor activation. Based on constitutively active mutations at Ser-281 in the hinge region of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, we mutated the conserved serine in the LH (S277I) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (S273I) and observed increased basal cAMP production and ligand affinity by mutant receptors. For the LH receptor, conversion of Ser-277 to all natural amino acids led to varying degrees of receptor activation. Hydropathy index analysis indicated that substitution of neutral serine with selective nonpolar hydrophobic residues (Leu>Val>Met>Ile) confers constitutive receptor activation whereas serine deletion or substitution with charged Arg, Lys, or Asp led to defective receptor expression. Furthermore, mutation of the angular proline near Ser-273 to flexible Gly also led to receptor activation. The findings suggest the ectodomain of glycoprotein hormone receptors constrain the TM region. Point mutations in the hinge region of these proteins, or ligand binding to these receptors, could cause conformational changes in the TM region that result in Gsactivation.
Efficacy of levetiracetam: a review of three pivotal clinical trials.

Levetiracetam is a novel antiepileptic drug (AED) with favorable pharmacologic characteristics and demonstrated activity in improving seizure control. Three multicenter double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were conducted in 904 patients with refractory partial-onset seizures. Patients were required to have a minimum of two or four seizures per week (depending on the study) and were maintained on a stable regimen of one or two AEDs at baseline that was continued during the study period. Patients ranged in age from 14 to 70 years, with a mean age of approximately 37 years. After an 8- to 12-week baseline period, patients were randomized and had doses titrated upward every 2 weeks over a period of 4 weeks to a target dose of 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 mg/day of levetiracetam or placebo. Treatment was continued for a 12- to 14-week evaluation phase followed by an optional open-label treatment phase. The treatment period consisted of the dose titration period combined with the evaluation period. The median percentage reduction in seizure frequency (over placebo) was calculated for each of the levetiracetam treatment groups over the entire treatment period. For all levetiracetam dose groups, in all studies, reduction in seizure frequency over placebo was statistically significant (p or = 50% reduction from baseline in seizure frequency compared with the treatment period was 37.1% and 20.8% in the 1,000-mg/day groups (study 1 and study 2, respectively), 35.2% in the 2,000-mg/day group (study 2), and 39.6% and 39.4% in the 3,000-mg/day groups (study 1 and study 3, respectively). These responder rates were significantly higher than those for placebo (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Levetiracetam was generally well tolerated in all studies. Results from these three pivotal studies demonstrate that levetiracetam, as adjunctive therapy, is a safe and effective treatment for refractory partial-onset seizures in adults.
Solvent Selection for Extraction from Dilute Solution

An improved strategy for the selection of solvents for recovery of chemicals from dilute solution is presented. Low solvent losses and a high solute distribution coefficient are primary goals for solvent selection. High relative volatility of the solvent also is an important property if the solute is to be recovered from the extract by distillation. Low solvent losses will ensure adequate selectivity and the formation of two phases. High solute-solvent boiling point difference will increase the relative volatility and reduce the chance of azeotrope formation. The dependence of these properties on solvent structure is examined in some detail, and this indicates guidelines for the selection of solvents with the desired properties. The strategy is illustrated with the example of 1-butanol recovery.
A Balloon Tipped Catheter for Obtaining His Bundle Electrograms Without Fluoroscopy

A technique for recording His bundle activity in man without fluoroscopic guidance is described. Balloon tipped tri- or tetrapolar catheters were designed with pacing electrodes located at the catheter tip, and two fine sensing electrodes 4 and 5 cm behind it. The catheter tip was preformed into a "J" curve. Following percutaneous transfemoral insertion, the catheter is floated to the right ventricle under electrocardiographic control. This tip configuration and the transfemoral route of insertion typically directs the catheter into an inverted "J" position with its tip in or near the right ventricular apex. Subsequent catheter withdrawal carries the sensing electrodes through the superior portion of the tricuspid valve and permits recording from the His bundle. With this technique His bundle recordings were possible in 23 of 24 patients. Re-advancement into the right ventricular apex permits stable temporary pacing.
A mobile sensing system for structural health monitoring: design and validation

This paper describes a new approach using mobile sensor networks for structural health monitoring. Compared with static sensors, mobile sensor networks offer flexible system architectures with adaptive spatial resolutions. The paper first describes the design of a mobile sensing node that is capable of maneuvering on structures built with ferromagnetic materials. The mobile sensing node can also attach/detach an accelerometer onto/from the structural surface. The performance of the prototype mobile sensor network has been validated through laboratory experiments. Two mobile sensing nodes are adopted for navigating on a steel portal frame and providing dense acceleration measurements. Transmissibility function analysis is conducted to identify structural damage using data collected by the mobile sensing nodes. This preliminary work is expected to spawn transformative changes in the use of mobile sensors for future structural health monitoring.
Difficulties in Estimating the Normalizing Constant of the Posterior for a Neural Network

This article reviews a number of methods for estimating normalizing constants in the context of neural network regression. Model selection or model averaging within the Bayesian approach requires computation of the normalizing constant of the posterior. This integral can be challenging to estimate, particularly for a neural network where the posterior contours are neither unimodal nor Gaussian-shaped. Surprisingly, all of the methods discussed in this article have a large amount of difficulty with this problem.
A theoretical basis for the leaf equivalence point temperature

Abstract Several recent crop stress and yield models depend on the difference between air and leaf temperature. When this difference is zero, the ‘equivalence point temperature’ is defined, if the crop is well-watered under sunny conditions. A simple energy budget equation is presented, which shows that the theoretical equivalence point temperature is quantitatively related to the absorbed radiation load, the vapor pressure deficit, the surface and aerodynamic resistance to water vapor transport, and the emissivity of the leaf. This implies that the theoretical equivalence point varies diurnally, rising in the morning, reaching a relative maximum near midday and falling in the afternoon and evening. At certain times and under certain conditions, the theoretical equivalence point may be physically impossible. The widely reported value of the equivalence point temperature, 33°C, is not supported by theory or empirical evidence.
Design of large scale systems with open finite queuing networks

Design and modelling of large scale systems such as computer and communications networks or manufacturing and production systems is a difficult task because of the volume and complexity of mixing traffic streams, contention for finite resources, and the corresponding difficulty of analytically solving the model representation. In this paper, an algebraic approach for modelling large scale systems as open finite queueing networks with general service times, finite waiting room, and multiple classes(chains) of customer types is presented. The underlying theory and algorithm for the approach together with an example application to a large scale manufacturing facility demonstrate the effectiveness and suitability of this approach for these types of systems.
Functional Tissue Engineering for Repair of Load-Bearing Musculoskeletal Tissues: History and Perspective

Although who first defined tissue engineering and when this event first occurred in the 1980’s were only recently clarified [1], the enthusiasm for this treatment approach cannot be disputed. Traditional treatments have often been inadequate, leading clinicians and basic scientists to seek novel tissue engineering strategies using various cell, scaffold and bioreactor strategies (Figure 1). Tissue engineers routinely mix specialized as well as undifferentiated cells from various sources [2] with biologic, synthetic, and even hybrid scaffold biomaterials [3]. Cells can accelerate repair while scaffolds provide the tissue engineered construct (TEC) with mechanical and structural integrity and guide cell proliferation and differentiation and protein synthesis. Tissue engineers also design and adapt bioreactors to deliver mechanical and chemical stimuli to ensure viability and controlled cell preconditioning [4]. Once implanted, the fate of the repair rests on our ability to achieve desirable mechanical, structural, biological and clinical outcome measures. Unfortunately, many of these “design” or “success” criteria have not been agreed upon nor have the values been determined [5].Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The Time of DNA Synthesis During the Interdivision Growth Cycle of Tetrahymena pyriformis Fed on Living Bacteria

SYNOPSIS. It has been possible to obtain selective labeling of the macronucleus of Tetrahymena pyriformis fed on living Escherichia coli. The bacteria themselves, a thymidine requiring mutant, were labeled by exposure to tritiated thymidine in a lettuce infusion medium supplemented with trypticase broth. Various patterns of labeling were seen in synchronized Tetrahymena when the radioactive bacteria were given at particular times during the growth cycle. These patterns have been interpreted as indicating the duration of the G1, S, and G2 periods; they also suggest that a soluble pool of thymine exists in this animal from one S period to the next.
Phenolic Content in Differentiated Tissue Cultures of Untransformed and Agrobacterium-Transformed Roots of Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.)

To investigate the role of differentiation of anise tissue cultures on total phenolic and anethole contents, benzylaminopurine- and thidiazuron-induced shoot cultures were generated from roots of the A-8 clonal line and its Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced genetically transformed derivative JB-10. Embryogenic cultures were induced following 2,4-D treatment. Root cultures were multiplied on hormone-free medium. The effect of proline on differentiation and phenolic synthesis was also investigated. GC/MS studies indicate that anethole was not produced in root or other differentiated cultures. The predominant phenolic metabolite, however, was an anethole precursor, epoxypseudoisoeugenol-2-methylbutyrate (EPB). Total phenolics and EPB contents were highest in root cultures, which also correlated with higher proline content. Embryo and shoot cultures had reduced phenolic level and EPB and proline contents. Antioxidant activity in all differentiating cultures was high on day 60 compared to that on day 30, and there was no significant difference between differentiating tissues. This indicated that antioxidant protection might be linked not only to phenolics but to other nonphenolic metabolites as well.
The elastic scattering of protons by deuterium

Abstract Proton-deuteron elastic scattering was investigated with a gas target. Excitation curves were taken at 45.28°, 90.26°, and 118.92° c.m. for lab proton energies from 4.5 to 11.5 MeV. Angular distribution were taken at 4.45, 5.45, 6.50, 7.46, 8.47, 9.47, 10.47 and 11.47 MeV from 30° to 140° c.m. Differential cross sections were measured with an absolute error of less than ±3%. The scattering data were compared with predictions derived from the scattering amplitudes of Aaron, Amado and Yam 10 ). No evidence for the existence of 3 He excited states was found in this energy range.
Observations on the Cytolytic Activity of Lactoperoxidase Using a Continuous Assay

A turbidometric assay that allows continuous monitoring of the cytolytic activity of toxic agents toward various target cells has been developed. This assay monitors the change in absorbance at 600 nm (due to light scattering) of a suspension of human red blood cells as a function of time. The rate of cell lysis, delta A600/delta t, can be expressed as the number of cells lysed per minute, which facilitates the determination of kinetic constants. Using this procedure we observed that the cytolytic activity exerted by various peroxidases in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a halide ion proceeds in at least two stages. During the first stage no lysis occurs, but scanning electron microscopy showed that alterations in the target cell membrane take place. During the second stage the target cells lyse, resulting in a simultaneous release of metabolites and macromolecules. We conclude that the lytic action of peroxidases is directed toward the target cell membrane, which appears to acquire an increased rigidity and subsequently disintegrates.