cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Job Satisfaction among Women in Computing and a More Traditional Female Occupation

Despite the economic slowdown of the early 2000s, Information Technology (IT) workers are likely to remain in high demand in the U.S. for the next decade. One of the problems faced in meeting this demand is the gender discrepancy in choosing IT employment; men are far more likely to engage in IT careers than women. Although there are many potential reasons for this discrepancy, satisfaction in one’s job is likely to be an influence in career choice. This study compares the satisfaction of women in a professional computing career to those in a more traditionally female career—elementary school teachers.
Extraprostatic Uptake of 18F-Fluciclovine: Differentiation of Nonprostatic Neoplasms From Metastatic Prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVE. Fluciclovine is a synthetic radiolabeled amino acid analog used for imaging of biochemical recurrent prostate cancer. Uptake of fluciclovine is mediated by several amino acid transporters, including alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 and large neutral amino acid transporters, which are known to be overexpressed in other malignancies. CONCLUSION. Knowledge of the common patterns of prostate cancer recurrence, in addition to what other neoplasms can show uptake, is critical for accurate study interpretation.
Circuit Model Components

Electric circuits are an integral part of our modern world. Even the simplest children’s toy often has lights and speakers to attract the attention of its intended recipients. Computers surround us and integrate with our automobiles and smartphones. Almost everything we buy is manufactured and packaged by computer-controlled conveyor/robotic systems including much of our food.
Communicating the Significance of Research Questions: Insights from Peer Review at a Flagship Journal

Significant research in science and mathematics education should advance the field’s knowledge and understanding of the teaching and learning of science and mathematics. How, then, should the significance of a research question in science and mathematics education be assessed? And, when disseminating the findings of research, how should the significance of the research questions be communicated? In this study, we analyzed peer reviews to answer these questions. Our analysis revealed the main issues peer reviewers identify about research questions and the ways they are communicated during the dissemination of research. The findings provide insights for new and experienced researchers about communicating the significance of research questions, and they also illustrate how reviewer comments in peer-reviewed journals can provide a window into the field’s frontiers.
Stallion Semen Cooling Using Native Phosphocaseinate-based Extender and Sodium Caseinate Cholesterol-loaded Cyclodextrin-based Extender.

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare semen parameters and embryo recovery rates of cooled stallion semen extended with INRA 96 or BotuSemen Gold. In experiment 1, 45 ejaculates from nine mature stallions were collected, assessed, and equally split between both extenders and then extended to 50 million sperm/mL. Then, the extended semen was stored in three passive cooling containers (Equitainer, Equine Express II, and BotuFlex) for 48 hours. In experiment 2, the same ejaculates extended in experiment 1 were cushion-centrifuged, the supernatant was discarded, and the pellets were resuspended at 100 million sperm/mL with their respective extender. Semen was then cooled and stored as in experiment 1. In both experiments, sperm motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity, and high mitochondrial membrane potential were assessed at 0, 24, and 48 hours post cooling. For experiment 3, 12 mares (n = 24 cycles) were bred with 48 hour–cooled semen from one stallion. Semen was processed as described in experiment 1. Mares had embryo flushing performed by 8-day post-ovulation. In experiment 1, BotuSemen Gold displayed superior total and progressive motility relative to INRA 96 (P
Effects of Nozzle Geometries on 3D Printing of Clay Constructs: Quantifying Contour Deviation and Mechanical Properties

Abstract In this research, ready-to-print clay was employed to 3D print cylindrical constructs using two different nozzle geometries. The cylinders were printed using a direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printer with similar printing parameters such that the impacts of using different nozzle geometries in contour deviation and mechanical properties of the printed constructs can be quantified. Choosing the right nozzle geometry before printing is critical as it affects the surface finish as well as the mechanical properties of the constructs. This study utilizes point cloud data of the printed samples obtained from a scanning system to measure the contour deviation and surface roughness. According to the results from the point cloud analysis, for cylindrical constructs, circular nozzle imparts less surface roughness and contour deviation whereas square nozzle imparts higher compression strength but with comparatively higher contour deviation and surface roughness. The study provides framework to determine the deviations and mechanical properties of the free form constructs. The work has provided a guideline of nozzle selection in 3D printing of clay constructs for civil infrastructures.
Development and validation of nanobodies specific to the oncogenic phosphatase Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 4A3 (PTP4A3 or PRL-3)

Abstract Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 4A3 (PTP4A3 or PRL-3) is an oncogenic dual specificity phosphatase that drives tumor metastasis, promotes cancer cell survival, has been linked to poor patient prognosis in a variety of tumor types. The mechanisms by which PRL-3 promotes tumor progression are not well understood, which is in part due to lack of tools to study this protein. The development of small molecule inhibitors that are specific to PRL-3 has proven difficult, as the PRL family is >80% homologous. As research tools, antibodies directed against PRL-3 have been more successful, although they are limited to certain assay types. To address this, we have designed, purified, and tested alpaca-derived PRL-3 single domain antibodies, or nanobodies. We have identified 7 unique nanobodies that bind to PRL-3 in ELISA with no activity towards PRL-1 and PRL-2. Anti-PRL-3 nanobodies immunoprecipitated PRL-3 from cell lysates and were used to define PLR-3 localization in human colon cancer cells in immunofluorescence cell staining experiments. These anti-PRL-3 nanobodies represent an important expansion of the tool set used for the study of PRL-3, and can be used to better define the role of PRL-3 in cancer progression while serving as a useful first step in the development of biologics to target PRL-3 in the clinic.
B. Hill’s ‘Confidence’ Approach to Decision Making Under Uncertainty Completely Overlooks the Contributions Made in J M Keynes’s Parts II -V of His a Treatise on Probability, 1921 and General Theory, 1936: Keynes’s Interval Valued Approach to Imprecise Probability and Decision Weight Approach Appeared Some 60–80 Years Before Hill Began His Research Program

B. Hill’s work on the “Confidence approach “ to decision making under uncertainty is based on the use of interval valued probability that is categorized as being imprecise, in contrast to the standard Bayesian requirement that a probability assessment must be precise. This requirement is imposed by ignoring the issue of the relative strength or weakness of the supporting evidence upon which the assessment of different probabilities is being based ,or what Adam Smith referred to in 1776 in the Wealth of Nations as the differing quality of the supporting evidence. Hill’s work overlooks the work done by J M Keynes in this area some 80 -100 years before his work appeared .The conclusion reached is that what Hill views as being a new, novel, original, creative, and innovative approach is, in fact, when compared to Keynes’s much earlier work, a marginal or incremental improvement only. The problem is Hill’s reliance on the very poor work done on Keynes’s contributions by B. Weatherson and I J Good. This work is based only on chapters I-IV and a severe misreading of chapter VI of Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability, as well as overlooking Keynes’s application of his work on pp.309-315 of the A Treatise on Probability in chapter 26 to Keynes’s discussions of confidence in the General Theory. None of Keynes’s technical work in Parts II -V of the A treatise on Probability or the General Theory is ever mentioned by Hill. Hill’s overlooking of Keynes’s contributions is representative of the current level of understanding of Keynes’s contributions exhibited by members of SIPTA as of the year 2020.
Development of Real-Time and Conventional PCR Assays for Identifying a Newly Named Species of Root-Lesion Nematode (Pratylenchus dakotaensis) on Soybean

A rapid and accurate PCR-based method was developed in this study for detecting and identifying a new species of root-lesion nematode (Pratylenchus dakotaensis) recently discovered in a soybean field in North Dakota, USA. Species-specific primers, targeting the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA, were designed to be used in both conventional and quantitative real-time PCR assays for identification of P. dakotaensis. The specificity of the primers was evaluated in silico analysis and laboratory PCR experiments. Results showed that only P. dakotaensis DNA was exclusively amplified in conventional and real-time PCR assays but none of the DNA from other control species were amplified. Detection sensitivity analysis revealed that the conventional PCR was able to detect an equivalent to 1/8 of the DNA of a single nematode whereas real-time PCR detected an equivalent to 1/32 of the DNA of a single nematode. According to the generated standard curve the amplification efficiency of the primers in real-time PCR was 94% with a R2 value of 0.95 between quantification cycle number and log number of P. dakotaensis. To validate the assays to distinguish P. dakotaensis from other Pratylenchus spp. commonly detected in North Dakota soybean fields, 20 soil samples collected from seven counties were tested. The PCR assays amplified the DNA of P. dakotaensis and discriminated it from other Pratylenchus spp. present in North Dakota soybean fields. This is the first report of a species-specific and rapid PCR detection method suitable for use in diagnostic and research laboratories for the detection of P. dakotaensis.
Sex, Suffrage, and State Constitutional Law: Women's Legal Right to Hold Public Office

On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor as the nation’s first woman Vice President. This occasion, with women of color holding two of the most crucial roles in our national government, would have been unthinkable for most of United States history. While the political efforts necessary to reach this moment have been studied in great depth, the legal challenges have been overlooked and even denied. Relying on extensive historical research, this Article is the first to examine how women advocated for the legal right to hold public office in state-level litigation, constitutional amendments, legislative lobbying, and other venues for more than a century. From the 1840s through the 1940s, women in many states were excluded from holding even mundane public offices because of state constitutional language and judicial holdings. Opponents of women’s officeholding feared that permitting women to hold posts would deprive men of their rightful opportunities, radically alter gender norms, and fuel the flames of the women’s suffrage movement. The nation’s first women lawyers were particularly active in challenging these restrictions, with results varying by region and reflecting distinct legal, political, and social cultures. Women in the West obtained public offices relatively early, in part because they were the first to secure suffrage. Women in the Northeast and South faced the most difficult hurdles because conservative state judiciaries construed constitutional silences as implying women’s exclusion from office. The Midwest emerged as the contested middle ground; although women could not vote in Midwestern states for most of the studied period, many courts nevertheless held that they were entitled to hold both appointed and elected offices. Recovering the history of women’s legal right to hold public office challenges three major conventional wisdoms. First, it undermines the commonplace claim in scholarship on women’s legal and political history that officeholding was not a meaningful part of women’s advocacy or experiences until after ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. This account instead shows that proponents of women’s rights have long demanded women’s access to public posts, and women held positions more than a half century prior to the federal suffrage amendment. Second, this Article challenges prominent scholarship—mostly focused on interpreting the Reconstruction Amendments—that treats officeholding as an obvious or inevitable twin to suffrage. Foregrounding women’s history and state-level advocacy emphasizes the legal possibility and practical reality of severing these political rights. Third, and relatedly, the Article calls for more attention to state constitutional law and regional variation. The women’s officeholding story clearly demonstrates how focusing on one geographical area, providing a single national account, or limiting analysis to the federal level obscures essential developments in securing rights.
Magnetic impurities at quantum critical points: Large-N expansion and connections to symmetry-protected topological states

Motivated by recent studies of symmetry protected topological states that are stabilized even in the absence of an energy gap, the authors study analytically the interaction of a (0+1)$D$ impurity spin, which in some cases may be viewed as a topological state bound to a lattice defect, with a (2+1)$D$ strongly interacting bulk, composed of bosonic excitations tuned to a quantum critical point. The question of whether the spin is (partially) screened is addressed within the framework of four different models, using mainly the large-$N$ technique. The authors also point out intriguing connections with the physics of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model.
Scaling of Efficient AR K-Shell Emission From Fast Gas-Puff Z-Pinches in the 10 to 100 MA Current Range

Results of recent simulations of argon double-shell gas-puff Z-pinch implosions performed at NRL using MACH2-TCRE code are presented. This code was successfully used for modeling argon gas-puff implosions with various load configuration and diagnostic dopant options on Z facility. 1 , 2 The new effort has been focused on performing a large set of high-current (10 MA to 100 MA) simulations spanning a wide circuit parameter space. This was accomplished by increasing the MITL current, varying the voltage profile, mass density, and examining current loss scenarios and uncertainties. Analysis led to the confirmation of I 2 scaling of the efficient K-shell radiation yield previously established by NRL 3 and that it is expected to be valid at high currents. It was further found that controlling circuit losses may lead to a significant improvement in radiation yield. Profiles of radiation power and mass density at stagnation are discussed.
Sphingomyelinase of Human Tissues

Sphingomyelinase (sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase, E.C. 3.1.4. 12) catalyzes hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphorylcholine. A genetic deficiency of this enzyme characterizes at least two distinct clinical forms of Niemann-Pick disease (Crocker’s Type A and Type B (1)). Patients with the Type A disease exhibit severe neurological manifestations, while patients with the Type B disease are completely intact neurologically. The systemic accumulations of sphingomyelin are similar in the two types. The degree of the sphingomyelinase deficiency in the liver, spleen, leukocytes, or fibroblasts is similar in both of the clinical types and does not appear to explain the dramatic phenotypic difference (2). An alternative possibility would be that sphingomyelinase might be organ-specific in itself or in the distribution of isozymes and that different mutations can cause differential inactivation of the enzyme in different organs. In addition to the above sphingomyelinase with the acidic pH optimum, there is another enzyme which also hydrolyzes sphingomyelin but at neutral pH in the presence of magnesium ions (3–5). The relationship, if any, of this magnesium-dependent neutral sphingomyelinase to either the acidic sphingomyelinase or NiemannPick disease is not clear at the present time.
Identification of the Ebola virus glycoprotein as the main viral determinant of vascular cell cytotoxicity and injury

Here we defined the main viral determinant of Ebola virus pathogenicity; synthesis of the virion glycoprotein (GP) of Ebola virus Zaire induced cytotoxic effects in human endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. This effect mapped to a serine-threonine-rich, mucin-like domain of this type I transmembrane glycoprotein, one of seven gene products of the virus. Gene transfer of GP into explanted human or porcine blood vessels caused massive endothelial cell loss within 48 hours that led to a substantial increase in vascular permeability. Deletion of the mucin-like region of GP abolished these effects without affecting protein expression or function. GP derived from the Reston strain of virus, which causes disease in nonhuman primates but not in man, did not disrupt the vasculature of human blood vessels. In contrast, the Zaire GP induced endothelial cell disruption and cytotoxicity in both nonhuman primate and human blood vessels, and the mucin domain was required for this effect. These findings indicate that GP, through its mucin domain, is the viral determinant of Ebola pathogenicity and likely contributes to hemorrhage during infection.
Active noise control-from research to reality

This paper traces the development of active noise control (ANC) from its origins in the University Research Laboratories, to its fulfilment in revenue service with airlines. It begins by identifying the need for ANC in terms of quietening the noise from turboprop or turbojet engines, and proceeds to develop the requirements for a viable ANC system. The algorithm used for controlling noise is described, especially its ability to control many independent tones and tones that fluctuate in frequency and amplitude. The system design is described, detailing those features included in the system to make it easy to use, followed by an outline of the hardware used to implement the system. The method of installing, calibrating, and trialling the system is detailed, concluding with the results from a recent set of flight trials. >
Spatial distribution of surface immunoglobulin on B lymphocytes: Local ordering☆

Abstract Maps of the spatial distribution of surface immunoglobulin on B lymphocytes obtained by freezeetch electron microscopy were analysed mathematically. The pictures were automatically scanned by a digital microdensitometer and the number and coordinates of the immunoglobulin molecules determined. A statistical measure, the radial distribution function, g(r), commonly used to study the structure of liquids, was computed for each map. The radial distribution function of surface immunoglobulin was found to closely resemble g(r) for fluids, indicating the presence of shortrange (but not long-range) order. It was determined that a given surface immunoglobulin molecule has a high probability of being surrounded by other immunoglobulins at distances approximately one-half the mean interparticle spacing. From this one can conclude that the distribution of surface immunoglobulin is non-random and is characterized by local clustering. The mean number of first nearest neighbors surrounding each surface immunoglobulin, computed from g(r), was found to be near two. This value is consistent with a degree of linear order in the topographic distribution of immunoglobulin. The radial distribution function provides a method of quantitating the amount of clustering in a spatial distribution. This function may prove useful in accessing the amount of receptor cross-linking necessary to trigger cellular responses, and in elucidating mechanisms for aggregation and movement of membrane macromolecules.
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome: surgical treatment in a case with lip chewing. A case report.

Summary Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome (LNS) is a biochemical disorder characterized by a virtually complete deficiency of an enzyme of purine metabolism, hypoxanthineguanine phosphoribosyltransferase. This sex-linked recessive inborn error of metabolism is characterized clinically by: hyperuricaemia, excessive production of uric acid, certain characteristic neurological features including self-mutilation, choreoathetosis, spasticity and mental retardation. This paper will review the clinical, biochemical and genetic features of Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome and report a case in which repeated lip chewing resulted in destruction of the lower lip and the need for surgical intervention.
Studies on clonal cartilage strains. I. Effect of contaminant non-cartilage cells.

Abstract Methods for the establishment and propagation of clonal chondrocyte strains were presented. Under certain conditions these clonal strains produced matrix for extended periods. The addition of a small number of non-cartilage cells to these strains resulted in a rapid loss of phenotype. The possible relation of this effect to the dedifferentiation observed in mass cultures is discussed.
A Spherical Non-LTE Line-blanketed Stellar Atmosphere Model of the Early B Giant Canis Majoris

We use a spherical non-LTE fully line-blanketed model atmosphere to fit the full multiwavelength spectrum, including the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) continuum observed by the {ital Extreme} {ital Ultraviolet} {ital Explorer}, of the B2 II star {epsilon} Canis Majoris (CMa). The available spectrophotometry of {epsilon} CMa from 350 {Angstrom} to 25 {mu}m is best fitted with model parameters {ital T}{sub eff} = 21,750 K, log {ital g} = 3.5, and an angular diameter of 0.77 mas. Our best-fit model predicts a hydrogen ionizing flux, {ital q}{sub 0}, of 1.59 {times} 10{sup 21} photons cm{sup {minus}2} s{sup {minus}1} at the star`s surface and 2290 photons cm{sup {minus}2} s{sup {minus}1} at the surface of the Local Cloud. The close agreement between the model and the measured EUV flux from {epsilon} CMa is a result of the higher temperatures at the formation depths of the H i and He i Lyman continua compared with other models. The realistic model treatment of early B giants with spherical geometry and non-LTE metal line{endash}blanketing results in the prediction of significantly larger EUV fluxes compared with plane-parallel models. We find that our metal line{endash}blanketed spherical models show significantly warmer temperature structures, 1{endash}3 kK at the formation depth of themore » Lyman continua, and predict stronger EUV fluxes, up to a factor of 5 in the H i Lyman continuum, compared with plane-parallel atmospheres that have identical model parameters. In contrast, we find that spherical and plane-parallel models that do not include metal line blanketing are nearly identical. Our {ital T}{sub eff} = 21,000 K, log {ital g} = 3.2, spherical non-LTE model predicts more than twice as many hydrogen ionizing photons and over 200 times more neutral helium ionizing photons than a standard hydrostatic plane-parallel LTE model with the same stellar parameters. Our synthetic spectra are in reasonably good agreement with observed continuum and line fluxes from echelle spectra obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph. While we find agreement between the absolute UV flux of {epsilon} CMa as measured by GHRS and our model atmosphere, these fluxes are {approximately}30{percent} higher in the UV than those measured by {ital IUE}, {ital OAO} {ital 2}, and {ital TD}-{ital 1}, in excess of the published errors in the absolute calibration of these data. {copyright} {ital {copyright} 1998.} {ital The American Astronomical Society}« less
Balanced Gray Codes

It is shown that balanced $n$-bit Gray codes can be constructed for all positive integers $n$. A balanced Gray code is one in which the bit changes are distributed as equally as possible among the bit positions. The strategy used is to prove the existence of a certain subsequence which will allow successful use of the construction proposed by Robinson and Cohn in 1981. Although Wagner and West proved in 1991 that balanced Gray code schemes exist when $n$ is a power of 2, the question for general $n$ has remained open since 1980 when it first attracted attention.
Parents' Involvement in Children's Learning in the United States and China: Implications for Children's Academic and Emotional Adjustment

This research examined parents' involvement in children's learning in the United States and China. Beginning in seventh grade, 825 American and Chinese children (mean age=12.74 years) reported on their parents' involvement in their learning as well as their parents' psychological control and autonomy support every 6 months until the end of 8th grade. Information on children's academic and emotional adjustment was obtained. American (vs. Chinese) parents' involvement was associated less with their control and more with their autonomy support. Despite these different associations, parents' heightened involvement predicted children's enhanced engagement and achievement similarly in the United States and China. However, it predicted enhanced perceptions of competence and positive emotional functioning more strongly in the United States than China.
Preventing Stoma-Related Complications: Techniques for Optimal Stoma Creation

Ostomy construction is an important step in the course of a bowel resection or anastomosis, or as a primary procedure to divert the fecal stream or alleviate obstruction. The basic tenets of proper ostomy construction are shared with basics laws of surgery: selection of an appropriate patient and procedure, preoperative optimization, use of proper technique, avoidance of tension, and proper location. These factors are uniform for the vast majority of ostomies, with accommodations made for specific circumstances, such as morbid obesity, critical illness, or preexisting incontinence. Both the open and laparoscopic approaches remain the workhorses for ostomy construction, with a continued push for the development and refinement of novel methods for more minimally invasive diversion. While it is tempting to relax from the customary strict attention to detail during the creation of a temporary diverting ostomy, it is important to note that a significant number will become permanent. Any potentially avoidable complication may translate into years of agony for both the patient and the surgeon attending to the postoperative care.
A 20-ns 128-kbit*4 high speed DRAM with 330-Mbit/s data rate

The authors describe a high-speed DRAM (HSDRAM), designed primarily for high performance, while retaining the density advantage of the one-transistor DRAM cell. The 128-kb*4, 78-mm/sup 2/ chip shows a random access time of 20 ns and a column access time of 7.5 ns, measured at 5.0 V, 25 degrees C, and 50-pF load. A 256-b*4 high-speed page mode is provided which has 12-ns cycle into 60 pF, resulting in a data rate of 330 Mb/s. Additional measurements on HSDRAM further demonstrate that DRAM operation in a high-speed regime is not precluded by noise, power, wiring delay, and soft error rate. The device is implemented in a 1.0 mu m n-well CMOS process. >
Extracellularly Identifying Motor Neurons for a Muscle Motor Pool in Aplysia californica

In animals with large identified neurons (e.g. mollusks), analysis of motor pools is done using intracellular techniques1,2,3,4. Recently, we developed a technique to extracellularly stimulate and record individual neurons in Aplysia californica5. We now describe a protocol for using this technique to uniquely identify and characterize motor neurons within a motor pool. This extracellular technique has advantages. First, extracellular electrodes can stimulate and record neurons through the sheath5, so it does not need to be removed. Thus, neurons will be healthier in extracellular experiments than in intracellular ones. Second, if ganglia are rotated by appropriate pinning of the sheath, extracellular electrodes can access neurons on both sides of the ganglion, which makes it easier and more efficient to identify multiple neurons in the same preparation. Third, extracellular electrodes do not need to penetrate cells, and thus can be easily moved back and forth among neurons, causing less damage to them. This is especially useful when one tries to record multiple neurons during repeating motor patterns that may only persist for minutes. Fourth, extracellular electrodes are more flexible than intracellular ones during muscle movements. Intracellular electrodes may pull out and damage neurons during muscle contractions. In contrast, since extracellular electrodes are gently pressed onto the sheath above neurons, they usually stay above the same neuron during muscle contractions, and thus can be used in more intact preparations. To uniquely identify motor neurons for a motor pool (in particular, the I1/I3 muscle in Aplysia) using extracellular electrodes, one can use features that do not require intracellular measurements as criteria: soma size and location, axonal projection, and muscle innervation4,6,7. For the particular motor pool used to illustrate the technique, we recorded from buccal nerves 2 and 3 to measure axonal projections, and measured the contraction forces of the I1/I3 muscle to determine the pattern of muscle innervation for the individual motor neurons. We demonstrate the complete process of first identifying motor neurons using muscle innervation, then characterizing their timing during motor patterns, creating a simplified diagnostic method for rapid identification. The simplified and more rapid diagnostic method is superior for more intact preparations, e.g. in the suspended buccal mass preparation8 or in vivo9. This process can also be applied in other motor pools10,11,12 in Aplysia or in other animal systems2,3,13,14.
Interictal MEG/MSI in intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: spike yield and characterization.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the ability of MEG to detect medial temporal spikes in patients with known medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and to use magnetic source imaging (MSI) with equivalent current dipoles to examine localization and orientation of spikes and their relation to surgical outcome. Methods We prospectively obtained MSI on a total of 25 patients previously diagnosed with intractable MTLE. MEG was recorded with a 275 channel whole-head system with simultaneous 21-channel scalp EEG during inpatient admission one day prior to surgical resection. The patients’ surgical outcomes were classified based on one-year follow-up after surgery. Results Nineteen of the 22 patients (86.4%) had interictal spikes during the EEG and MEG recordings. Thirteen of 19 patients (68.4%) demonstrated unilateral temporal dipoles ipsilateral to the site of surgery. Among these patients, five (38.5%) patients had horizontal dipoles, one (7.7%) patient had vertical dipoles, and seven (53.8%) patients had both horizontal and vertical dipoles. Sixty percent of patients with non-localizing ictal scalp EEG had well-localized spikes on MSI ipsilateral to the side of surgery and 66.7% of patients with non-localizing MRI had well-localized spikes on MSI ipsilateral to the side of surgery. Concordance between MSI localization and the side of lobectomy was not associated with a likelihood of an excellent postsurgical outcome. Conclusions MSI can detect medial temporal spikes. It may provide important localizing information in patients with MTLE, especially when MRI and/or ictal scalp EEG are not localizing. Significance This study demonstrates that MSI has a good ability to detect interictal spikes from mesial temporal structures.
Dipeptide-based models of nickel superoxide dismutase: solvent effects highlight a critical role to Ni-S bonding and active site stabilization.

Nickel superoxide dismutase (Ni–SOD) catalyzes the disproportionation of the superoxide radical to O2 and H2O2 utilizing the Ni(III/II) redox couple. The Ni center in Ni–SOD resides in an unusual coordination environment that is distinct from other SODs. In the reduced state (Ni–SODred), Ni(II) is ligated to a primary amine-N from His1, anionic carboxamido-N/thiolato-S from Cys2, and a second thiolato-S from Cys6 to complete a NiN2S2 square-planar coordination motif. Utilizing the dipeptide N2S2– ligand, H2N-Gly-l-Cys-OMe (GC-OMeH2), an accurate model of the structural and electronic contributions provided by His1 and Cys2 in Ni–SODred, we constructed the dinuclear sulfur-bridged metallosynthon, [Ni2(GC-OMe)2] (1). From 1 we prepared the following monomeric Ni(II)–N2S2 complexes: K[Ni(GC-OMe)(SC6H4-p-Cl)] (2), K[Ni(GC-OMe)(StBu)] (3), K[Ni(GC-OMe)(SC6H4-p-OMe)] (4), and K[Ni(GC-OMe)(SNAc)] (5). The design strategy in utilizing GC-OMe2– is analogous to one which we reported before (see Inorg. Chem.2009, 48...
Prenatal and birth complications in autism.

Objectives: Prenatal and birth history as potential sources of risk factors in relation to the onset of autism were examined. Methods: A cohort of 164 families of autistic children referred to The Autism Center at New Jersey Medical School—UMDNJ, Newark, New Jersey, over a two-year period was studied. Intake prenatal and birth history information was obtained from each family and reviewed by a clinician. Results: Prevalence rates in this cohort for vaginal bleeding, prolonged labor and prematurity were higher than comparable rates reported nationally and in New Jersey. Clustering of multiple prenatal risk factors was observed. This clustering was associated with the age of the mother, but uncorrelated with birth order. Conclusions: These findings support the general hypothesis that systemic problems at the prenatal stage may form a distinct dimension of risk associated with autism.
A spectroscopic study of low density cesium and cesium-helium discharges

Abstract Excitation temperatures and Saha temperatures are determined for an r.f. excited cesium discharge in the electron density range from 2·5x109−3 x 1011/cm3. The consequence of self-absorption of both resonance and nonresonance states in measuring temperatures is discussed. It is shown that cesium ion excitation is inversely related to ion density and that this excitation cannot be described by a “ temperature”. Addition of helium over the pressure range 0·1–10 torr has no effect on ionization or cesium excitation other than to allow observation of Cs spectra at a lower pressure than is possible in pure cesium. A discussion of the utility of these observations in describing the non-equilibrium state of the discharge is included.
Clinical manifestations of exacerbations of cystic fibrosis associated with nonbacterial infections.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether acute pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis associated with nonbacterial infections are clinically distinguishable from other exacerbations. Eighty exacerbations in 54 patients were studied. Exacerbations associated with influenza (n=8) were compared with those associated with other nonbacterial infections (n=15) and those in which no nonbacterial infection was detected (n=57). Patients with influenza had lower Shwachman scores and were more likely to be seroposifive for C-reactive protein than patients in the other two groups. Patients with influenza had lower Shwachman scores and were more likely to be seropositive for C-reactive protein than patients in the other two groups. Patients with influenza had a mean decrease in forced expiratory volume per second of 26%, compared with test results obtained before the exacerbation. In contrast, the mean decrease in forced expiratory volume per second was 6% for other nonbacterial infections and 12% for the group without nonbacterial infection ( p p p
Spontaneous spike discharges from single units in the cochlear nucleus after destruction of the cochlea

Spontaneous discharges from single units in cochlear nucleus after destruction of cochlea, noting results of animal study
Measurable value functions for ranking and selection of groups of alternatives

Abstract A set of axioms for the existence and assessment of measurable value functions is presented. It is shown that these measurable value functions can express higher order relationships (more than four elements). As an application, it is shown that these measurable functions can be used when more than one alternative, i.e., a subset of alternatives, should be selected, thereby expanding the domain of problem solving. The cognitive burden on the decision maker in terms of both the number and the difficulty of questions (observations) is reported based on some experiments.
A minimum-vertex triangulation

Abstract An Euler characteristic argument indicates that if K , a girth three graph, triangulates the genus two orientable surface, then K contains at least nine vertices. A proof is given that such a graph K must contain at least 10 vertices.
Oncostatin-M induction of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in astroglioma cells.

Oncostatin-M induction of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in astroglioma cells
Controllable delegation: an exercise in law-governed systems

We believe that the regime governing the patterns of sharing between objects, and of exchange of messages between them, should not be “hard-wired” into a programming language, but should be specifiable by the builders of a system to fit its particular requirements. This thesis has been the primary motivation behind our general concept of law-governed system, which serves as the foundation for this paper.We show how the law can be used to impose a variety of useful constraints over the structure and behavior of delegation-based systems. Such a law may contain some very specific rules that apply only to small parts of a system; it may also impose some very general regimes, such as class inheritance, on the entire system. We also argue that the constraints established by the law can be easily adapted to the changing requirements of an evolving system. This should be very useful in managing the process of software development from its design stage, through prototyping, construction, and beyond.
Mechanically triggered transformations of phononic band gaps in periodic elastomeric structures

We present a full acoustic band structure calculation for periodic elastomeric solids at different levels of deformation. We demonstrate the ability to use deformation to transform phononic band gaps. Periodic elastomeric structures are subjected to axial compression and are found to undergo a transformation in their patterned structure upon reaching a critical value of applied load. During the initial linear regime of the nominal stress-strain behavior, the band gaps evolve in an affine and marginal manner. Upon reaching the critical load, the pattern transformation is found to strongly affect the in-plane phononic band gaps, resulting in the closure of existing band gaps and in the opening of new ones. The elastomeric nature of the material makes the transformation in both structural pattern and phononic band gap a reversible and repeatable process, creating a phononic band gap switch.
Data base for force fields and for molecular unit definitions

Abstract A modular design of data base has been developed for storing force field data and molecular structural unit information. Several years of use have established the flexibility, versatility, and reliability of this approach, and it should prove a useful technique for preparing data for other molecular mechanics programs and other applications.
Ultra low-cost through-silicon holes (TSHs) interposers for 3D IC integration SiPs

In this study, a very low-cost silicon interposer with many through-silicon holes (TSHs) for 3D IC integration system-inpackage (SiP) applications is proposed. Unlike TSVs (through-silicon vias), the uniqueness of this design is there is not the dielectric layer, barrier layer, seed layer, filled Cu, and thus CMP and TSV Cu reveal are not necessary for the TSHs. The vertical interconnects between (face-to-face) the top chips and bottom chips of the TSH interposer are through Cu wires or columns. The electrical, thermal and mechanical behaviors of this new design are demonstrated by nonlinear finite element simulations.
Coronary Intravascular Ultrasound

About the Procedure ![][1] Coronary angiography remains an important modality to assess atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and to guide percutaneous coronary intervention. Intravascular … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna of acridine, a representative azaarene present in synthetic fossil fuel products and wastewaters

First instar Daphnia magna were exposed for 28 days to 0·1 to 3·2 mg/litre of the azaarene, acridine, in a renewal type system. The effects of acridine were measured on six toxicity criteria: survival, age of first brood release, occurence of the primiparous instar, number of broods produced per female, number of young produced per female and the number of young per brood. No-observed-effects concentrations (NOECs) were estimated for each toxicity criterion. The 48-h LC50 of acridine to first instar D.magna was estimated to be 2·3 mg litre−1. The most sensitive criteria for estimating the NOEC were those that were indices of the reproductive rate of D. magna: the total number of young produced per female, the number of broods produced per female and the number of young per brood. Estimated NOECs for all these criteria were 0·4 mg/litre. The least sensitive criterion was the occurrence of the primiparous instar, which was apparently unaffected by test concentrations of acridine less than the 48-h LC50. Both the acute and chronic toxicities of acridine to D. magna are moderately high compared with those of other chemicals. Acridine is slightly more toxic than many chemicals such as phenol, quinoline and naphthalene. Acridine, however, is much less toxic than many pesticides— for example, the herbicides acrolein and trifluran and the insecticides heptachlor and endosulfan. Organic bases, including azaarenes, may be present in synthetic fuel wastewaters at concentrations ⩾ 100 mg/litre. Given their refractory nature and moderately high toxicity to a sensitive aquatic species, as demonstrated in this study, releases of organic bases may pose a potential hazard to aquatic biota.
A tidally interacting disk in the young triple system WL 20

We present high-resolution λ = 2.7 mm imaging of the close triple pre-main-sequence system WL 20. Compact dust emission with integrated flux density of 12.9 ± 1.3 mJy is associated with two components of the triple system, WL 20W and WL 20S. No emission above a 3 σ level of 3.9 mJy is detected toward the third component, WL 20E, which lies 3."17 (400 AU) due east in projection from its neighbors. A possibly warped structure of ~0.1 M_☉ and ≤3."2 extent encompasses WL 20W and WL 20S, which have a projected separation of 2."25 (~280 AU) along a north-south axis. This structure is most likely a tidally disrupted disk surrounding WL 20S. New near-infrared spectra of the individual components show a remarkable similarity between the two T Tauri stars of the system: WL 20E has a K7 spectral type (T_eff = 4040 K) with r_K = 0.2, and WL 20W has an M0 spectral type (T_eff = 3800 K) with r_K = 0.2. The spectrum of WL 20S is consistent with that of a source intrinsically similar to WL 20W, with r_K < 0.9, but seen through an A_V = 25 in addition to the A_V = 16.3 to the system as a whole. Taken together, these millimeter and infrared data help explain the peculiar nature of the infrared companion, WL 20S, as resulting from a large enhancement in its dusty, circumstellar environment in relation to its companions.
Harvesting of large, substrate-free sheets of vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotube arrays

Abstract Continuous multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) synthesis, using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a xylene/ferrocene feedstock, produces MWCNT arrays comprised of dense stands of mutually collimated MWCNTs, each with their axis normal and anchored to the growth substrate. A method for non-destructively removing relatively large-scale MWCNT arrays, intact, from the growth substrate is herein reported. This harvesting technique yields a free-standing MWCNT array sheet composed of vertically aligned MWCNTs. Slight inter-MWCNT entanglement along their axes, inherent to the growth process, provides sufficient rigidity for handling and manipulation. Lastly, the integrity of the growth substrates is not compromised, and can be reused.
Dynamic assessment of the vaginal high-pressure zone using high-definition manometery, 3-dimensional ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvic floor muscles.

Objective We used a novel technique, high-definition manometry (HDM) that utilizes 256 tactile sensitive microtransducers to define the characteristics of vaginal high-pressure zone. Study Design Sixteen nullipara asymptomatic women were studied using HDM, transperineal 2-dimensional dynamic ultrasound and dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Results Vaginal high-pressure zone revealed higher contact pressures in anterior and posterior directions compared with lateral directions, both at rest and squeeze. At rest, anterior pressure cluster is located 10 mm cephalad to posterior pressure cluster; with squeeze the latter moves in the cranial direction by 7 mm. Ultrasound and MR images revealed that the anorectal angle moves cephalad and ventrally during squeeze. Cephalad movement of posterior pressure cluster during squeeze is similar to the cranial movement of anorectal angle. Conclusion We propose that the vaginal high-pressure zone represents the constrictor function and cranial movement of the posterior pressure cluster represents the elevator function of pelvic floor. HDM may be used to measure the constrictor and elevator functions of pelvic floor muscles.
Is the choice of membrane important for patients with acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis

It has recently been reported that patients with acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis have an improved recovery of renal function and a higher survival rate when the dialysis treatments are performed with a biocompatible membrane rather than a bioincompatible membrane. Our data, obtained in 57 patients with acute renal failure, do not support these findings since neither the mortality nor the required number of dialysis sessions could be influenced by using a biocompatible membrane. The survival rate was similar in both groups (64 versus 72%), and renal function was regained in both groups after 6 dialysis sessions. We conclude that when reviewing the literature as well as other factors, the underlying clinical condition or the skill of the physicians is probably more important than the theoretical superiority of biocompatible membranes.