cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Upregulation of AMPA receptor GluA1 phosphorylation by blocking adenosine A1 receptors in the male rat forebrain.

Objective The adenosine A1 receptor is a Gαi/o protein-coupled receptor and inhibits upon activation cAMP formation and protein kinase A (PKA) activity. As a widely expressed receptor in the mammalian brain, A1 receptors are implicated in the modulation of a variety of neuronal and synaptic activities. In this study, we investigated the role of A1 receptors in the regulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the adult rat brain in vivo. Methods Adult male Wistar rats were used in this study. After a systemic injection of the A1 antagonist DPCPX, rats were sacrificed and several forebrain regions were collected for assessing changes in phosphorylation of AMPA receptors using Western blots. Results A systemic injection of the A1 antagonist DPCPX induced an increase in phosphorylation of AMPA receptor GluA1 subunits at a PKA-dependent site, serine 845 (S845), in the two subdivisions of the striatum, the caudate putamen, and nucleus accumbens. DPCPX also increased S845 phosphorylation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. The DPCPX-stimulated S845 phosphorylation was a transient and reversible event. Blockade of Gαs/olf -coupled dopamine D1 receptors with a D1 antagonist SCH23390 abolished the responses of S845 phosphorylation to DPCPX in the striatum, mPFC, and hippocampus. DPCPX had no significant impact on phosphorylation of GluA1 at serine 831 and on expression of total GluA1 proteins in all forebrain regions surveyed. Conclusion These data demonstrate that adenosine A1 receptors maintain an inhibitory tone on GluA1 S845 phosphorylation under normal conditions. Blocking this inhibitory tone leads to the upregulation of GluA1 S845 phosphorylation in the striatum, mPFC, and hippocampus via a D1 -dependent manner.
ATF3 Coordinates Antitumor Synergy between Epigenetic Drugs and Protein Disulfide Isomerase Inhibitors.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are largely ineffective in the treatment of solid tumors. In this study, we describe a new class of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) inhibitors that significantly and synergistically enhance the anti-tumor activity of HDACi in glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer preclinical models. RNA-seq screening coupled with gene silencing studies identified ATF3 as the driver of this anti-tumor synergy. ATF3 was highly induced by combined PDI and HDACi treatment as a result of increased acetylation of key histone lysine residues (H3K27-ac, H3K18-ac) flanking the ATF3 promoter region. These chromatin marks were associated with increased RNA Polymerase II recruitment to the ATF3 promoter, a synergistic upregulation of ATF3, and a subsequent apoptotic response in cancer cells. The HSP40/HSP70 family genes DNAJB1 and HSPA6 were found to be critical ATF3-dependent genes that elicited the anti-tumor response after PDI and HDAC inhibition. In summary this study presents a synergistic anti-tumor combination of PDI and HDAC inhibitors and demonstrates a mechanistic and tumor suppressive role of ATF3. Combined treatment with PDI and HDAC inhibitors offers a dual therapeutic strategy in solid tumors and the opportunity to achieve previously unrealized activity of HDACi in oncology.
Pass/Fail USMLE Step 1 Scoring-A Radiology Program Director Survey.

Rationale and Objectives In February 2020, administrators for the US medical licensing examination (USMLE) announced that Step 1 reporting would change to pass/fail in hopes of reducing the overemphasis of USMLE performance on the residency selection system and improving medical student well-being. Our objective was to determine the perspectives of diagnostic radiology (DR), interventional radiology (IR), and nuclear medicine (NM) program directors (PDs) regarding pass/fail USMLE Step 1 scoring. Materials and Methods A survey composed of thirteen questions on a three-point Likert scale, five demographic questions, and a free-text question was distributed to 179 DR, 84 IR, and 34 NM PDs from ACGME-accredited residency programs. Results In total, 140 unique responses were obtained (response rate = 47.1%). The PD respondents had a male predominance of 79.1%, average age of 46 ± 7.2 years, and average tenure of 5.9 ± 5.2 years. A majority of PDs (69.6%) disagreed that the change is a good idea, and a minority (21.6%) believe the change will improve medical student well-being. Further, 90.7% of PDs believe a pass/fail format will make it more difficult to objectively compare applicants and most will place more emphasis on USMLE Step 2 scores and medical school reputation (89.3% and 72.7%, respectively). Conclusion The lasting impact of pass/fail Step 1 scoring are uncertain and many radiology PDs do not support this change. While the central motivations to reduce the overemphasis on USMLE Step 1 performance and improve medical student well-being are admirable, it remains to be seen if pass/fail scoring will accomplish these goals.
Einstein in Bohemia: by M. Gordin, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2020, xi +343 pp., $29.95. Hardback. ISBN 978-0-691-17737-3

For some years now historians of science have been interested in the local – local histories grounded in specificity, rich in detail of place and time, defeating Whig history through the power of t...
Prospective Evaluation of Health Literacy and Its Impact on Outcomes in Emergency General Surgery.

Abstract Background Health literacy (HL) is an important component of national health policy. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of low HL (LHL) and determine its impact on outcomes after emergency general surgery (EGS). Methods We performed a (2016-2017) prospective cohort analysis of adult EGS patients. HL was assessed using the Short Assessment of HL score. LHL was defined as Short Assessment of HL score Results We enrolled 900 patients. The mean age was 43 ± 11 y. Overall, 22% of the patients had LHL. LHL patients were more likely to be Hispanics (59% versus 15%, P Conclusions One in five patients undergoing EGS has LHL. LHL is associated with decreased compliance with discharge instructions, medications, and wound/drain care. Health literacy must be taken into account when discussing the postoperative plan and better instruction is needed for patients with LHL. Level of Evidence Level III. Study Type Prognostic.
Bacteria break barrier to promote metastasis.

Summary The intestinal microbiota promote colorectal cancer, but their role in metastasis is poorly defined. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Bertocchi et al. report that intratumoral bacteria disrupt the gut vascular barrier, causing bacterial dissemination to the liver and the formation of a premetastatic niche, favoring recruitment of metastatic cells.
Using Facebook to Discuss Aspects of Industry Safety: How Women Journalists Enact Ethics of Care in Online Professional Space

This survey-based case study explored members’ motives for using a closed Facebook group specifically for women journalists. Particularly, we explored a motivation based on the feminist ethics of c...
A thin double layer analysis of asymmetric rectified electric fields (AREFs)

We use perturbation methods to analyze the “asymmetric rectified electric field (AREF)” generated when an oscillating voltage is applied across a model electrochemical cell consisting of a binary, asymmetric electrolyte bounded by planar, parallel, blocking electrodes. The AREF refers to the steady component of the electric potential gradient within the electrolyte, as discovered via numerics by Hashemi Amrei et. al. (Phys Rev Lett 121(18):185504). We adopt the Poisson–Nernst–Planck framework for ion transport in dilute electrolytes, taking into account unequal ionic diffusivities. We consider the mathematically singular, and practically relevant, limit of thin Debye layers, $$1/(\kappa L) = \epsilon \rightarrow 0 $$ , where $$\kappa ^{-1}$$ is the Debye length, and L is the length of the half-cell. The dynamics of the electric potential and ionic strength in the “bulk” electrolyte (i.e., outside the Debye layers) are solved subject to effective boundary conditions obtained from consideration of the Debye-scale transport. We specifically analyze the case when the applied voltage has a frequency comparable to the inverse bulk ion diffusion time scale, $$\omega = {\mathcal {O}}(D_A/L^2)$$ , where $$D_A = 2D_+ D_-/(D_+ + D_-)$$ is the ambipolar diffusivity, and $$D_{\pm }$$ are the ionic diffusivities. In this regime, the AREF extends throughout the bulk of the cell, varying on a lengthscale proportional to $$ \sqrt{D_A /\omega }$$ , and has a magnitude of $${\mathcal {O}}(\epsilon ^2 k_B T /(L e))$$ to leading order in $$\epsilon $$ . Here, $$k_B$$ is the Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, and e is the charge on a proton. We obtain an analytical approximation for the AREF at weak voltages, $$V_0 \ll k_B T/e$$ , where $$V_0$$ is the amplitude of the voltage, for which the AREF is $${\mathcal {O}}(\epsilon ^2 V_0^2 e /(k_B T L))$$ . Our asymptotic scheme is also used to calculate a numerical approximation to the AREF that is valid up to logarithmically large voltages, $$V_0 = {\mathcal {O}}((k_B T/e)\ln (1/\epsilon ))$$ . The existence of an AREF implies that a charged colloidal particle undergoes net electrophoretic motion under the applied oscillatory voltage. Additionally, a gradient in the bulk ionic strength, caused by the difference in ionic diffusivities, leads to rectified diffusiophoretic particle motion. Here, we predict the electrophoretic and diffusiophoretic velocities for a rigid, spherical, colloidal particle. The diffusiophoretic velocity is comparable in magnitude to the electrophoretic velocity, and can thus affect particle motion in an AREF significantly.
Environmental Enrichment Rescues Social Behavioral Deficits and Synaptic Abnormalities in Pten Haploinsufficient Mice.

Pten germline haploinsufficient (Pten+/−) mice, which model macrocephaly/autism syndrome, show social and repetitive behavior deficits, early brain overgrowth, and cortical–subcortical hyperconnectivity. Previous work indicated that altered neuronal connectivity may be a substrate for behavioral deficits. We hypothesized that exposing Pten+/− mice to environmental enrichment after brain overgrowth has occurred may facilitate adaptation to abnormal “hard-wired” connectivity through enhancing synaptic plasticity. Thus, we reared Pten+/− mice and their wild-type littermates from weaning under either standard (4–5 mice per standard-sized cage, containing only bedding and nestlet) or enriched (9–10 mice per large-sized cage, containing objects for exploration and a running wheel, plus bedding and nestlet) conditions. Adult mice were tested on social and non-social assays in which Pten+/− mice display deficits. Environmental enrichment rescued sex-specific deficits in social behavior in Pten+/− mice and partially rescued increased repetitive behavior in Pten+/− males. We found that Pten+/− mice show increased excitatory and decreased inhibitory pre-synaptic proteins; this phenotype was also rescued by environmental enrichment. Together, our results indicate that environmental enrichment can rescue social behavioral deficits in Pten+/− mice, possibly through normalizing the excitatory synaptic protein abundance.
Physicochemistry of Cereblon Modulating Drugs Determines Pharmacokinetics and Disposition

Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide engage cereblon and mediate a protein interface with neosubstrates such as zinc finger transcription factors promoting their polyubiquitination and degradation. The IMiDs have garnered considerable excitement in drug discovery, leading to exploration of targeted protein degradation strategies. Although the molecular modes-of-action of the IMiDs and related degraders have been the subject of intense research, their pharmacokinetics and disposition have been relatively understudied. Here, we assess the effects of physicochemistry of the IMiDs, the phthalimide EM-12, and the candidate drug CC-220 (iberdomide) on lipophilicity, solubility, metabolism, permeability, intracellular bioavailability, and cell-based potency. The insights yielded in this study will enable the rational property-based design and development of targeted protein degraders in the future.
The Role of Variable Droplet Size-Resolution in Aqueous-Phase Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling

Under many conditions size-resolved aqueous-phase atmospheric chemistry predict higher sulfate production rates than comparable bulk aqueous-phase models. There are special circumstances, however, under which bulk and size-resolved models offer similar predictions. Given that bulk models are less computationally-intensive than corresponding size-resolved models, a model equipped to combine the accuracy of the size-resolved code with the efficiency of the bulk method is proposed here. The bulk and size-resolved approaches are combined into a single Variable Size-Resolution Model (VSRM) in an effort to combine both accuracy and computational speed. Depending on initial system conditions, bulk or size-resolved calculations are executed based on a set of semi-empirical rules. These rules were generated based on our understanding of the system and from the results of many model simulations for a range of input conditions. For the conditions examined here, on average, the VSRM sulfate predictions are within 2% of a six-section size-resolved model, but the VSRM is thirteen times faster.
Active control of a hybrid fuel cell-battery system

A hybrid system of a fuel cell and battery connected to a non-linear load is presented in this paper. As the load is subject to change drastically, a control system is designed to protect the fuel cell against sudden change of load power. In order to design control system, numerous experiments have been performed on fuel cell and battery to determine the time constants. Modeling and analysis of the system as welt as simulation and experimental results are presented.
Effects of depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate as a contraceptive agent.

Abstract Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), 150 mg. every 3 months, has been used in 1,123 patients, followed through 14,000 months of use as a contraceptive. The major side effect has been a completely unpredictable bleeding pattern. Only one method-failure pregnancy occurred. There were 3 patient-failure pregnancies. One hundred twenty-seven pregnancies have occurred during administration of and after discontinuance of the drug. Conception occurred within 12 months in over 60 per cent of the patients. No deleterious effect on pregnancy outcome could be noted. One case of questionable deep thrombophlebitis occurred, but there were no cases of thromboembolic phenomena. Abnormal cervical cytology developed in 34 instances and carcinoma in situ in 11 cases. These rates are higher than in our general clinic population. This injectable progestin is a highly effective contraceptive agent, well suited for a clinic-type population requiring infrequent motivation.
Genomic organization and chromosomal localization of the human nucleolin gene.

Abstract Nucleolin, a eukaryotic nucleolar phosphoprotein, is involved in the synthesis and maturation of ribosomes. To characterize the genomic organization and regulatory sequences of this gene, two overlapping lambda clones containing the human nucleolin gene plus flanking regions were isolated from a genomic library using human nucleolin cDNA. Southern blots of genomic DNA from human, several mammals, chicken, and yeast revealed that the nucleolin gene is well conserved across these species. The gene consists of 14 exons with 13 intervening sequences and spans approximately 11 kilobases of DNA. Analysis of the splice junctions indicated that the amino-terminal domain and the four RNA binding domains plus the nuclear localization signal are split into adjacent exons. Sequences from the 5'-flanking and the first intron contain a high content of GC residues which is consistent with nucleolin being a "housekeeping" gene. Promoter elements include an atypical TATA box (GTTA), one CCAAT box much further from the initiation site, three reverse compliments of CCAAT (ATTGG), and two pyrimidine-rich nucleotide stretches. In addition, this region and the first intron contain numerous potential Sp1, GCF, CRE-fos, GCN, AP-1, AP-2, UCE, and sequences similar to the glucocorticoid receptor binding site. The transcription start site was determined by primer extension and S1 nuclease mapping of RNA from human liver. One Kpn and three Alu repeats were found within two of the middle introns. The 3'-untranslated portion of the gene contains five homology blocks in a 100-base pair region that are highly conserved among human, mouse, and hamster genomes. Finally, we have determined that the human nucleolin gene is located on chromosome 2q12-qter and is present at one copy per haploid genome. A restriction fragment length polymorphism with EcoRI has been detected in the gene.
Program-counter-based pattern classification in buffer caching

Program-counter-based (PC-based) prediction techniques have been shown to be highly effective and are widely used in computer architecture design. In this paper, we explore the opportunity and viability of applying PC-based prediction to operating systems design, in particular, to optimize buffer caching. We propose a Program-Counterbased Classification (PCC) technique for use in pattern-based buffer caching that allows the operating system to correlate the I/O operations with the program context in which they are issued via the program counters of the call instructions that trigger the I/O requests. This correlation allows the operating system to classify I/O access pattern on a per-PC basis which achieves significantly better accuracy than previous per-file or per-application classification techniques. PCC also performs classification more quickly as per-PC pattern just needs to be learned once. We evaluate PCC via trace-driven simulations and an implementation in Linux, and compare it to UBM, a state-of-the-art pattern-based buffer replacement scheme. The performance improvements are substantial: the hit ratio improves by as much as 29.3% (with an average of 13.8%), and the execution time is reduced by as much as 29.0% (with an average of 13.7%).
Ultramicro analysis for copper, cadmium, and zinc in human liver tissue by use of atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the heated graphite tube atomizer.

We describe a method of analysis for copper, cadmium, and zinc in a 15-mg (wet weight) sample of human liver by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The sample is digested with nitric acid (1.0 mol/liter), evaporated, and dilute HNO 3 (10 mmol/liter) added. The reconstituted acid mixture is injected into the graphite tube atomizer for analysis of Cu and Cd and aspirated into the airacetylene flame for measurement of Zn. The absorbance for each metal is suppressed with increasing pH. NaNO 3 , KNO 3 , KCl, and NaCl (e.g.) quench the Cd absorbance in acid solutions that contain no protein, but not in the presence of protein. Metal ions added to the predigestion human liver sample at 10% and 100% of the intrinsic metal concentrations were, respectively, 93% and 90% accounted for analytically in the case of Cu, 98% and 102% for Zn, and 101% and 93% for Cd. Analysis of a National Bureau of Standards9 Bovine Liver Standard Reference Material yielded results corresponding to 99% (Cu), 112% (Zn), and 91% (Cd) of the mean expected concentrations of these metals. The between-run coefficient of variation for the bovine liver material was 6% for Cu, 9% for Zn, and 10% for Cd. For 16 histologically normal samples of human liver, the mean values were: Cu, 26; Zn, 293; and Cd, 6.0 nanograms of metal per milligram dry weight, in agreement with values published previously. The method can be easily and reliably applied to small samples of liver obtained by closed-needle biopsy.
Government E-Recruiting Web Sites: The influence of e-recruitment content and usability on recruiting and hiring outcomes in US state governments

This research examines both the content and usability of e-recruiting web sites on a government’s ability to attract individuals to apply for government positions and on government’s ability to retain new hires. Building on previous studies evaluating corporate recruiting web pages, this study evaluates the e-recruiting efforts of state governments in the United States. Our study shows that governments with more usable hiring web site receive significantly more applications per job opening; whereas states with higher quality content on their recruiting web pages have significantly less voluntary turnover of new hires.
Elimination reactions of 1,2-dihalo-2,3,3-trifluorocyclobutanes

Elimination reactions on isomeric mixtures of cis and trans 1,2-dihalo-2,3,3-trifluorocyclobutanes are reported. In zinc-promoted dehalogenations a steady decrease in the relative amount of the trans isomers compared to the cis isomers occured, with 2,3,3-trifluorocyclobutene as the sole product. The cis isomers reacted at a faster rate in potassium hydroxide induced eliminations to yield a slight predominance of 1-halo-2,3,3-trifluorocyclobutenes over 3-halo-3,4,4-trifluorocyclobutenes. However, with triethylamine as the inducing base, an increased rate of elimination from the trans isomers was noted along with almost exclusive formation of 3-halo-3,4,4-trifluorocyclobutenes.
Calcium channel β subunits differentially modulate recovery of the channel from inactivation

We examined the effects of calcium channel β subunits upon the recovery from inactivation of α1 subunits expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Recovery of the current carried by the L-type α1 subunit (cyCav1) from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata was accelerated by coexpression of any β subunit, but the degree of potentiation differed according to which β isoform was coexpressed. The Cyanea β subunit was most effective, followed by the mammalian b3, b4, and β2a subtypes. Recovery of the human Cav2.3 subunit was also modulated by β subunits, but was slowed instead. β3 was the most potent subunit tested, followed by β4, then β2a, which had virtually no effect. These results demonstrate that different β subunit isoforms can affect recovery of the channel to varying degrees, and provide an additional mechanism by which β subunits can differentially regulate α1 subunits.
Food habits and feeding behavior of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, in lower Chesapeake Bay

The most important food item of the cownose ray,Rhinoptera bonasus, in the Virginian tributaries of lower Chesapeake Bay is the soft shell clam,Mya arenaria. The Baltic macoma,Macoma balthica, ranks a distant second. Adult rays feed on deep burrowing mollusks, juveniles on shallow- or non-burrowing bivalves. Foraging schools of rays invade tidal flats during the flood tide. Stirring motions of the pectoral fins combined with suction from the expansive orobranchial chamber are probably used to excavate deep burrowing bivalves.
Picosecond circular dichroism spectroscopy: experiment, theory, and applications to protein dynamics

ABSTRACT An experimental technique for measuring time dependent circular dichroism sig- nals with picosecond resolution is described. The details of the experimental apparatus are presented. Theoretical modeling of the detected signal demonstrates that the circulardichroism signal can be isolated from contributions due to pump-induced linear dichro- ism and linear birefringence effects. The experimental apparatus is used to examine the comformation relaxation in myoglobin following the photoelimination of CO from car-bonmonoxymyoglobin. Probing the circular dichroism of the N-band of the herne at 355nm reveals a relaxation of several hundreds of picosecond, over two orders of magnitudeslower than the photo-induced bond cleavage. These results are discussed in terms of therestructuring of the protein following photodissociation. 1. INTRODUCTION There is considerable interest in understanding the relationship between structureand dynamics in proteins. Generally, structural information is obtained from X-ray crys-
Bounds and inequalities for single server loss systems

We consider a single server loss system in which arrivals occur according to a doubly stochastic Poisson process with a stationary ergodic intensity functionλt. The service times are independent, exponentially distributed r.v.'s with meanμ−1, and are independent of arrivals. We obtain monotonicity results for loss probabilities under time scaling as well as under amplitude scaling ofλt. Moreover, using these results we obtain both lower and upper bounds for the loss probability.
Analysis of hospital rapid response protocols using simulation

Many hospitals in the United States are implementing a rapid response system (RRS) within their inpatient units to provide prompt assessment and intervention to the patient's bedside in an attempt to avoid further clinical deterioration in the non-intensive care unit. In this paper, based on analyzing the rapid response system in the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, we present a simulation model with some assumptions to model the patient flow and the clinician's diagnosis process. Using such a model, we analyze the influences of clinicians' competence level and the average length of patients' waiting time on the patient average length of stay and the distributions of the care levels received by patients in the system. Specific recommendations are made based on this study.
Effect of eugenol and eugenol cements on cured composite resin

Although the chemical nature of the reaction of eugenol and composite resin is not understood, this preliminary investigation indicates that eugenol and eugenol-containing cements alter the surface of cured composite resins.
Information creation and the notion of membership

Purpose – This article aims to examine a particular sub‐set of human information behavior that has been largely overlooked in the library and information science (LIS) literature; how people are socialized to create and use information.Design/methodology/approach – Naturalism and ethnomethodology were used as theoretical frameworks to examine what a group of fifth grade students were taught about documents, how this information was imparted to them, and how social factors were manifested in the construction and form of those documents. Two concepts are shown to be critical in the explication of students as document creators and users: the notion that there is a “stock of knowledge” that underlies human interaction (some of which relates to recorded information), and that this socialization process forms part of a school's “hidden curriculum.”Findings – Students were socialized to be good (in the sense of being competent) creators and users of documents. Part of the role of “being a student” involved learn...
PLOIDY AND EVOLUTION BY SEXUAL SELECTION: A COMPARISON OF HAPLOID AND DIPLOID FEMALE CHOICE MODELS NEAR FIXATION EQUILIBRIA.

We compare the stability properties of haploid and diploid models of Fisherian sexual selection (with male contribution limited to sperm) by examining both models at equilibria for which a male trait is fixed or absent. Haploid and diploid two locus diallelic models share the property that the stability of such fixation equilibria is determined by the relationship between the harmonic mean of relative preference values for the common male trait, weighted by the frequency of the preferences, and the relative viability associated with the common male trait. When diploid females with heterozygotic-based preferences express preference strengths intermediate between homozygote-based preferences, then boundary equilibria of haploid and diploid models share many stability properties. However, even with intermediate heterozygote preferences, haploid and diploid models do differ: (1) for a particular frequency of the preference allele, both fixation boundaries can be stable for the diploid model, and (2) with over- or underdominance at the preference locus (a possibility precluded in the haploid model), a fixation boundary in the diploid model may show two switches in its stability state for increasing frequencies of one of the preference alleles. These differences are due not just to the impossibility of dominance in haploid models, but also to the larger number of diploid genotypes.
Ontogeny of cell-mediated immunity of murine thymocytes and spleen cells. In vitro mixed leukocyte culture and cell-mediated lympholysis reactions.

The ontogeny of cell-mediated immunity of spleen cells and thymocytes from B10 mice was studied in both in vitro mixed leukocyte culture and cell-mediated lympholysis reactions. Results show that newborn spleens contain cells competent to respond to X-irradiated allogeneic spleen cells in mixed leukocyte culture. The mixed leukocyte culture response of spleen cells, in terms of both index of stimulation and increment of tritiated thymidine incorporation, seems to be higher for mice four weeks or older than for mice less than four weeks old. The cell-mediated lympholysis response of spleen cells is not detectable until two days postpartum. It reaches adult levels in terms of % cytolysis by day four after birth. Thus, the transition period of the ontogeny of cell-mediated lympholysis response of spleen cells is apparently 0–4 days of age. Newborn and early postnatal thymocytes (0–7 days of age) respond in mixed leukocyte culture at least as strongly as adult thymocytes (2–3 months of age). The cell-mediated lympholysis response of thymocytes is already detectable at birth, but weaker in terms of % cytolysis when compared with the cell-mediated lympholysis response of thymocytes from two days to six weeks of age. The cell-mediated lympholysis response of thymocytes starts to decline at 6–8 weeks of age. Thus, around the time of birth, there is a transition period in the cell-mediated lympholysis response of thymocytes during which thymocytes start to show high cell-mediated lympholysis reactivity. There is a second transition period between six and eight weeks of age during which the cell-mediated lympholysis response of thymocytes diminishes. The early, as well as late, postnatal cell-mediated lympholysis response of both spleen cells and thymocytes seems to be specific in nature.
Morphologic changes following in vitro CO2 laser treatment of calculus-ladened root surfaces.

Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare morphologic changes following CO 2 laser or manual curette treatment of calculus-ladened tooth root surfaces. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Laser treatment consisted of repeated single passes with a 6 Watt focused beam at 20 pulses per second, a pulse length of 0.01 second, and a manufacturer's laser efficiency rating of 86% (i.e., the amount of total power delivered through the aperture). The rate of beam passage over the target surface was controlled at 4 mm/second using an 0.8 mm diameter tip. The calculated energy density was 240 J/cm 2 for each pass of the beam. Scaled and root planed surfaces were treated with a standardized force of 600 grams using new curettes. Specimens were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Results: Laser-induced surface changes included charring, melt-down and resolidification of calculus mineral, and ablation of microbial plaque. Laser-treated specimens also exhibited residual calculus and microbial plaque deposits in areas directly adjacent to the beam path. Scaled and root planed surfaces featured smooth and/or scalelike smear layers and islands of residual calculus and microbial plaque. Conclusion: The rough surface topography resulting from laser treatment and residual calculus and microbial plaque deposits indicates that CO 2 laser treatment of exposed root surfaces is, at best, an adjunct to traditional methods of therapy.
The Effect of Various Detector Geometries on the Performance of CZT Using One Crystal

CdZnTe (CZT) continues to be a major thrust interest, mainly due to its potential application as a room-temperature radiation detector. The performance of CZT detectors is directly related to the charge collection ability, which can be affected by the configuration of the electrical contact. The charge collection efficiency is determined in part by the specific geometry of the anode contact which serves as the readout electrode. In this work, contact geometries including single pixel, planar, coplanar, and dual anode were systematically explored by comparing the performance efficiencies of the detector using both low- and high-energy gamma rays. To help eliminate the effect of crystal quality variations, the contact geometries were fabricated on the same crystal detector with minimal polishing between contact placements.
Phosphate metabolite regulation of spectrin interactions.

The deformability of the erythrocyte membrane is believed to depend upon component interactions in the spectrin, actin and band 4.1 complex. Phosphate metabolites, such as 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) will dissociate spectrin from actin and band 4.1. This dissociation by 2,3 DPG is highly pH dependent but does not involve divalent cations, 2,3 DPG hydrolysis or spectrin dephos-phorylation. In intact erythrocytes the concentrations of 2,3 DPG and the lipid, triphosphatidyl inositol, are sufficient to cause increased labilization in the spectrin, actin and band 4.1 network.
Stable isotopic abundances as reflections of ingestion practices

The proportions of stable isotopes found in biological tissues (e.g., 13C/12C, 15N/14N, or 18O/16O) are constant only on a macroscopic scale. Sensitive mass spectrometric measurements of the isotope ratio or isotopic abundance for each element show that the tissue (and organism) displays small excursions in these abundances, which are reflections of isotope fractionations that occur in prior stages of the food chain. These excursions can be detected in respiratory CO2 in urine, and in stool, with changes over time intervals as short as 2 hours or as long as 6-12 months. Perturbation of these stable isotopic abundances has been used to demonstrate phenomena as gross as the change in carbon sources of milk proteins when cows are moved from winter silage to summer pastures, or as subtle as the utilization of a single feeding of complex carbohydrates by infants by measuring the isotopic abundance of their respiratory CO2. The use of marker molecules enriched with 13C, 15N, or 18O thus provides a nonpharmacological, nonradioactive, and under ideal conditions, noninvasive procedure to document the ingestion of single or multiple doses of the pharmacological agent being tested. Such generic markers are potentially suitable for all study populations, regardless of developmental age, reproductive activity, or degree of compliance.
European terrorism: A German perspective

Abstract Concentrating on terrorism in West Germany, Italy, and the Basque provinces of Spain, the author presents a detailed picture of the motivations, the strategies, and the ‘'achievements” of a number of the best known groups which for alleged political purposes take the law into their own hands. The Red Armee Faction, perhaps the best known West German terrorist group, and the 2nd of June Movement as well as such organizations as the Revolutionary Cells and the Guerilla Diffusa are described and their aims and activities are scrutinized. German right‐wing terrorism is also shown to wield great power, its contacts with terrorists in Lebanon and Algeria rivaling those of leftist organizations. Italian terrorism is also fully covered in this paper, with the activities of the Red Brigades, the best‐known of the leftist organizations, and its international connections, as well as other groups and the individuals involved being dealt with in some detail. The events in Spain, past and present, due especial...
BSW Well Evaluation Report

The BSW series wells are located in the Mixed Waste Management Facility and are part of the groundwater monitoring program at Savannah River Site. These wells have had persistent problems that prevent successful sampling that dates back to their installation. Only thirty-two of the fifty-three BSW wells were successfully sampled during 4th quarter, 2001. These problems were previously investigated by looking at field sampling logbooks from 4th quarter 2001 and other background information to try to identify causes for the high rate of sampling failure. Several possible causes were identified and reported in memorandum, SRT-EST-2002-00059. The memorandum recommended that an evaluation be performed on each well to identify problems and their causes and to correct them when possible. Environmental Restoration Division followed up on this recommendation and requested Savannah River Technology Center to perform an evaluation. This report includes the results of the evaluation performed on the BSW wells.
Morphology, PKCδ expression, and synaptic responsiveness of different types of rat central lateral amygdala neurons.

Recent findings implicate the central lateral amygdala (CeL) in conditioned fear. Indeed, CeL contains neurons exhibiting positive (CeL-On) or negative (CeL-Off) responses to fear-inducing conditio...
The Ivrea Zone and lower crustal magnetization

Abstract The Ivrea Zone in northern Italy is an arcuate belt of rocks whose geological and geophysical properties indicate that they were once deep in the crust. It is one of several presumed lower crustal cross sections whose magnetic properties have been well studied in a systematic way; the others are the Lofoten-Vesteralen terrane in Norway, the Pikwitonei-Cross Lake subprovince in Manitoba, the Kapuskasing uplift in Ontario and (to a lesser extent) the Lewisian terrane in Scotland. Rocks from the Ivrea Zone have highly variable magnetic properties. Consistently strong magnetization is associated with serpentinized ultramafics and the main metagabbro sequence. Many amphibolites, and a few metapelites, are also strongly magnetic. Natural remanent magnetization, generally with a strong present field overprint, has intensities comparable to induced magnetization in the more highly magnetic rocks. Although the strongly magnetic units have magnetizations high enough (about 4 A/m) to account for the magnetic anomaly associated with the zone, they would be required to make up a considerably larger proportion of the subsurface body than they represent in the surface outcrop—a common observation in the other crustal cross sections as well. Like the other cross sections, magnetization in the Ivrea Zone is carried by magnetite, with some pyrrhotite in less magnetic metapelitic samples. The Ivrea Zone contains more ultramafic rocks than most of the other sections, but shows no direct correlation between magnetization and composition; degree of serpentinization has a far greater influence on the magnetization of the ultramafic rocks.
FDFD Modeling of Signal Paths With TSVs in Silicon Interposer

This paper proposes an efficient method to model signal paths with through-silicon vias (TSVs) in silicon interposer for 3-D systems. The proposed method utilizes 3-D finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method to model the redistribution layer transmission lines to capture the parasitic effects of multiple transmission lines on lossy silicon interposer. TSVs are modeled using an integral equation based solver, which uses cylindrical modal basis functions. A new formulation on incorporating multiport network into 3-D FDFD formulation is presented to include the parasitic effects of TSV arrays into the system matrix. The overall matrix is divided into several subdomains and solved by a divide-and-conquer approach in a parallel manner. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are validated by comparing with 3-D full-wave simulations.
Ultrasound thermography in vivo: A new model for calculation of temperature change in the presence of temperature heterogeneity

A new derivation of the temperature change estimation based on speckle-tracking estimation of axial echo shifts is presented which accounts for the nonuniform temperature baseline. The new method includes the spatial gradient of the temperature change in the thermal strain equation. In contrast to the previous method where thermal strain was calculated by accumulating the incremental displacement and differentiating along the axial direction, the solution to the new equation is shown to be found by using a differentiation-integration operator along the axial direction. Using a diagnostic probe and a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) transducer in Dual Mode Ultrasound Array (DMUA) setup the displacement data was collected from sub-therapeutic shots on the hind limb of a Copenhagen rat. The results of applying the new method showed a temperature change in a 2 mm axial extend which was consistent with the field scan pattern of the HIFU array.
Relation of the report by G. Willman to ICTA's Standardization procedures

The inference by Willman [1 ] that 1CTA's Committee on Standardization had proposed [2] a procedure for determining the temperature of a DTA effect is erroneous. Instead, the Committee proposed that certain batches of selected materials be used to relate results from one laboratory to another. These materials were known by coordinated experiments to provide clear and reproducible solidsolid or solid-liquid transitions [3]. Use of the same source of material is important because some transitions are quite sensitive to impurities, hence the use of the same compound from different batches could lead to mistaken conclusions regarding agreement or disagreement in temperature of thermal events observed in different laboratories. See, for example, the example given by Deshpande et al. [4] of the behavior of potassium nitrate from another source and the further explanations of the behavior of the SRM potassium nitrate by Garn et al. [3] and the ascription of some of the anomalous behavior to the slowness of the Ili ~ I1 reversion under certain circumstances [6]. The procedure recommended by the Committee on Standardization avoids the effects of the slow reversion by first heating through the transition before making the calibrating run. The Committee had agreed very early in its work that there were inherent errors in the measurement of the temperature of a thermal effect and these error were related to the type of furnace assembly and, to a lesser degree, upon the heating rate. In its work preliminary to the certification of a group of Standard Reference Materials it had ascertained that the variation due to heating rate was much less than that due to variation in instrument types. Willman's data show that the variation of Ton for lead is about 5 ~ over a ten-fold change in heating rate. This is less than the average standard deviation for the ten materials certified. For its Second International Test Program which led to this certification, a range of heating rates (4-10~ within ordinary practice was specified to the participants [3]. The extrapolated onset temperature and the peak temperature were chosen as the values to be reported. The initial temperature, corresponding to the departure temperature, Tab, reported by Willman to be the correct measurement, was dropped from consideration because the previous testing had shown that reported values were less reproducible than the measurement points adopted.
27.3: Computational Approaches to Aberration Compensation for Vision Correcting Displays

Given the measurements of the optical aberrations of a user's eye, a vision correcting display will present a transformed image that when viewed by this individual will appear in sharp focus. This could impact computer monitors, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Vision correction could be provided in some cases where spectacles are ineffective.
Differences in performance on the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) between patients with tic related OCD and non-tic related OCD: A preliminary investigation

Executive dysfunction has been implicated in the neurobiology of obsessive‐compulsive disorder. Few studies have examined differences between individuals with OCD with or without tics. In this study executive functioning was compared between patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder with and without a history of tics. Participants diagnosed with OCD, with and without tics (n! 10 per group) were administered the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) along with a measures of symptom severity for OCD, tics and depression. The groups did not differ in demographic variables or depression. Results indicated differences in performance on the WCST. Specifically, patients with past or current tics made more non-perseverative and total errors on the WCSTand also demonstrated significantly more difficulty with conceptual level responding as compared to a normative sample, whereas the group without a tic history did not. Our findings, along with supporting evidence from imaging research and clinical trials, suggests that the presence of tics may be a valid means for subtyping individuals with obsessive‐ compulsive disorder.
Photografting of Albumin onto Dimethyldichlorosilane-Coated Glass:

4-Azido-2-nitrophenyl albumin (ANP-albumin) was prepared by displacing the fluoro group of 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide (FNPA) by an amino group of albumin. Photolysis of phenyl azides of ANP-albumin was studied by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The band of phenyl azide disappeared completely after a 12-min exposure to long wave UV light (366 nm), and the photolysis was first-order. Albumin was grafted onto dimethyldichlorosilane-coated glass (DDS-glass) by photolysis of the azido groups of ANP-albumin without any premodification of the surface. The albumin-grafted DDS-glass was characterized by determining the relative amount of nitrogen resulting from the grafted albumin on the surface using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The amount of nitrogen increased when the concentration of ANP-albumin in the adsorption solution increased up to 0.1 mg/ml. As the solution concentration increased above this value, the amount of nitrogen decreased. The platelet resistance of the albumin-grafted surfaces was evaluated by measuring the number of adherent platelets and the extent of activation that was quantitated by the area of platelets spread on the surfaces. The maximum platelet-resistant effect was observed when the ANP-albumin was adsorbed for more than 50 min at the solution concentration ranging from 0.05 to 10 mg/ml.
Memories of tomorrow

With the promise of nonvolatility, practically infinite write endurance, and short read and write times, magnetic tunnel junction magnetic random access memory could become a future mainstream memory technology.