cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Twenty-four-hour patterns of luteinizing hormone secretion in humans: ontogenetic and sexual considerations.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the 24-hr patterns of luteinizing hormone secretion in humans. Much progress is made in recent years in understanding factors controlling gonadotropin secretion in humans. This progress is made possible primarily by three technical advances: (1) the development of sensitive and specific assays for LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), especially radio immunoassay; (2) frequent blood sampling by techniques that interfere as little as possible with the subject's waking and sleeping activity; and (3) polygraphic recording of the EEG (electroencephalogram), EOG (electrooculogram), and EMG (electromyogram) during sleep so that sleep onset and offset can be precisely determined and correlations can be made with sleep stages. Using the methods enumerated in the foregoing paragraph, we will describe findings from this laboratory which deal with 24-hr LH secretory patterns in men and women from childhood to adulthood. The twenty-four-hour patterns of LH (luteinizing hormone) secretion are characterized by major changes with ontogenetic development and by marked gender differences. Thus, sleeping activity is distinguished during puberty by an augmentation of LH secretion while, conversely, LH secretion decreases during the sleep of adult women. Adult men do not show such sleep-related changes in LH secretion.
Action of Porcine Follicular Fluid Oocyte Maturation Inhibitor in Vitro: Possible Role of the Cumulus Cells

Evidence has been presented in the pig that an oocyte maturation inhibitor (OMI) may be responsible for keeping the oocyte in meiotic arrest in the first prophase (1). This inhibitor is present in the fluid of antral porcine follicles. Partial purification has revealed it to be a small polypeptide with a molecular weight in the order of 2000 (2). This inhibitor prevents the spontaneous resumption of meiosis in cultured cumulus-enclosed porcine oocytes. Its inhibitory effect can be overcome by luteinizing hormone (LH) (3) and it can be reversed by removing the factor from the culture medium (4).
The Performance of Echolocation: Acoustic Images Perceived by Echolocating Bats

The performance of echolocation in bats is a measure of the effectiveness of this system of orientation for representing significant features of objects in perceptual images. Performance refers specifically to the quality and content of these images - - to the features of targets which bats can perceive as distinctive and to the acuity of perception of these features under different circumstances. A description of the performance of echolocation is, in effect, a description of what bats can “see” with their sonar.
Responsibility and Future Generations: A Constructivist Model

Questions of reproduction and biotechnology raise problems about future generations. That we do have positive responsibilities toward future generations, toward the existing next generation and toward yet to exist future generations, is one of the major premises of my discussion. Arguments can be given for this position. But my discussion here focuses on the important question of how this responsibility can be put into practice, not simply why we have it. My basic point is that, on a constructivist account, we have a basis for such responsibility in the notion of justice implicit in constitutional democracy.
Partial characterization of a unique growth factor secreted by human Sertoli cells

Human Sertoli cells were grown in a serum-free environment, and the Sertoli cell conditioned medium (hSCCM) was tested for mitogenic activity. The presence of a potent growth factor(s), termed Sertoli cell secreted growth factor (SCSGF), in hSCCM was confirmed and supports previous observations based on experiments using rat SCCM. Mitogenicity of hSCSGF was demonstrated in cell proliferation assays with the A431 (human epidermoid carcinoma) cell line and in [methyl-3H]-thymidine incorporation (DNA synthesis) assays with the Swiss 3T3 (mouse embryo fibroblast) cell line. In a dose-dependent manner, hSCSGF stimulated A431 cell growth up to 4-fold over control values (P less than 0.0001) and stimulated thymidine incorporation up to 4.5-fold over control values (P less than 0.0002). Importantly, SCSGF stimulated A431 proliferation 2-fold over control values (P less than 0.0002) in the presence of 5% serum. With the exception of rat SCSGF, human SCSGF is the only growth factor known to stimulate A431 cells. SCSGF also demonstrated epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like activity based upon displacement of EGF from its receptor in a radioreceptor assay. However, SCSGF is not EGF since it is a potent stimulator of A431 cells, whereas EGF is inhibitory. The growth factor was stable to heat, freeze-thaw, acid (pH 3), and trypsin treatment. Furthermore, it did not bind heparin agarose and is thus distinct from the endothelial cell growth factor family. High-pressure liquid chromatography on size exclusion (TSK G2000 SW) columns revealed an approximate size of 8000 daltons. Human SCSGF is a unique growth factor and may play a key role in the regulation of normal spermatogenesis.
Hierarchical $\mathcal{H}_{2}$ Control of Large-Scale Network Dynamic Systems

Standard $\mathcal{H}_{2}$ optimal control of networked dynamic systems tend to become unscalable with network size. Structural constraints can be imposed on the design to counteract this problem albeit at the risk of making the solution nonconvex. In this paper, we present a special class of structural constraints such that the $\mathcal{H}_{2}$ design satisfies a quadratic invariance condition, and therefore can be reformulated as a convex problem. This special class consists of structured and weighted projections of the input and output spaces. The choice of these projections can be optimized to match the closed-loop performance of the reformulated controller with that of the standard $\mathcal{H}_{2}$ controller. The advantage is that unlike the latter, the reformulated controller results in a hierarchical implementation which requires significantly lesser number of communication links. We illustrate our design with simulations of a 500-node network.
Dictionary Learning for Bearing Fault Diagnosis

Monitoring the vibration signal is an effective way for automatic diagnosis of mechanical faults in rotary electric machines. This is done in order to to determine the state of health of electrical machines, especially those used in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) applications, whose state of health needs to be monitored continuously. Feature extraction is the key step in vibration diagnosis. Usually, the time domain vibration signal is transformed into another domain like Fourier or wavelet for feature extraction. In this paper a dictionary learning method is proposed for finding an optimal transformation for feature extraction. A label consistent sparse representation is applied to vibration data collected from an electric machine to diagnose three classes of bearing faults with a higher accuracy, compared to other extraction methods found in the literature. The trained transform projects the vibration signalfrom different classes offaults to different basis function which improves the classification task.
Checking facts and fighting back: Why journalists should defend their profession.

Bias accusations have eroded trust in journalism to impartially check facts. Traditionally journalists have avoided responding to such accusations, resulting in an imbalanced flow of arguments about the news media. This study tests what would happen if journalists spoke up more in defense of their profession, while simultaneously also testing effects of doing more fact checking. A five-day field experiment manipulated whether an online news portal included fact check stories and opinion pieces defending journalism. Fact checking was beneficial in terms of three democratically desirable outcomes–media trust, epistemic political efficacy, and future news use intent–only when defense of journalism stories were also present. No partisan differences were found in effects: Republicans, Democrats, and Independents were all affected alike. These results have important implications for journalistic practice as well as for theories and methods of news effects.
Smallest Pseudo Target Set Identification and Related Problems Using the Implicative Interdependency Model

Critical infrastructures such as the power grid and the communication network form a complex interdependent system where the failure of a small set of entities can trigger a cascading event resulting in the failure of a much larger set of entities. Recognizing the need for a deeper understanding of the interdependence between such critical infrastructures, in the last few years several interdependency models have been proposed and analyzed. However, most of these models are over-simplified and fail to capture the complex interdependencies that may exist in such networks. The more recently proposed Implicative Interdependency Model (IIM) overcomes the limitations of existing models and is able to capture complex relationships that may exist between entities of heterogeneous interdependent networks. In this chapter we outline some of the problems studied using this model and present a detailed study of the Smallest Pseudo Target Set Identification Problem in the IIM setting. We divide the problem into four classes, and show that it is solvable in polynomial time for one class, and is NP-complete for others. We provide an approximation algorithm for the second class, and for the most general class, we provide an optimal solution using an Integer Linear Program, and a heuristic solution. We evaluate the efficacy of our heuristic using power and communication network data of Maricopa County, Arizona. The experiments show that our heuristic almost always produces near optimal results.
Integrating Gene Expression Data and Pathway Knowledge for In Silico Hypothesis Generation with IMPRes

Although biologically meaningful modules can often be detected by many existing informatics tools, it is still hard to interpret or make use of the results towards in silico hypothesis generation and testing. To address this gap, we have developed the IMPRes (Integrative MultiOmics Pathway Resolution) algorithm, a new step-wise active pathway detection method using a dynamic programming approach. This approach enables the network detection one step at a time, making it easy for researchers to trace the pathways, and leading to more accurate drug design and more effective treatment strategies. The evaluation experiments conducted on two yeast data sets have shown that IMPRes can achieve competitive or better performance than other state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, a case study on human lung cancer data set was performed and we have provided several insights on involved genes and mechanisms in lung cancer, which had not been discovered earlier. IMPRes visualization tool is available as a web service at http://digbio.missouri.edu/impres.
Ultrasonically-Assisted in Situ 3D Optical Imaging and Manipulation: Challenges and Opportunities to Access Deep Tissue

We demonstrate that that non-invasive ultrasound can be used to sculpt reconfigurable 3D optical patterns within tissue for light delivery (optical stimulation) and light collection (imaging) deep into the medium. © 2019 The Author(s)
Conclusion: A Realist’s Agenda for Research and Reform

Every conceivable voting system has its defects, but some of these may be resolved through creative design, and this chapter canvasses some possibilities. Further (and better) academic experiments are needed to spur innovation, and the best hope for fixing broken ballots and making them serve the cause of democracy lies in local experiments with creative combinations of contest structure and ballot structure. In political systems where the range of viable ballot options is habitually quite limited, such combinations are likely to pair a contest structure featuring a “jungle” primary with either ranking or grading ballot structures. Two original templates for smarter ballots in single-winner contests are proposed, as well as innovative proposals for designing multi-option referendums.
Vitamin E Status in Niemann–Pick Type C

Vitamin E is a major lipid-soluble antioxidant. Increasing evidence over the past few years indicates that vitamin E status is compromised in Niemann–Pick type C disease. Moreover, the phenotypic parallels shared by vitamin E deficiency and Niemann–Pick type C disease suggest an important relationship between this essential nutrient and the disorder. Both vitamin E deficiency and Niemann–Pick type C manifest as a progressive spinocerebellar ataxia accompanied by degeneration of the Purkinje neurons, appearance of axonal spheroids, and increased oxidative stress. The subcellular hallmark of Niemann–Pick disease is the accumulation of free cholesterol and other lipids, including vitamin E, in the lysosomes. Vitamin E sequestered in the lysosomes contributes to increased oxidative stress and deleterious cellular outcomes in Niemann–Pick type C. The challenges of future research include improving the availability of intracellular vitamin E pools and developing an accurate method for assessing intracellular vitamin E status in Niemann–Pick disease.
Eliminating self-selection: Using data science for authentic undergraduate research in a first-year introductory course

Research experience and mentoring has been identified as an effective intervention for increasing student engagement and retention in the STEM fields, with high impact on students from undeserved populations. However, one-on-one mentoring is limited by the number of available faculty, and in certain cases also by the availability of funding for stipend. One-on-one mentoring is further limited by the selection and self-selection of students. Since research positions are often competitive, they are often taken by the best-performing students. More importantly, many students who do not see themselves as the top students of their class, or do not identify themselves as researchers might not apply, and that self selection can have the highest impact on non-traditional students. To address the obstacles of scalability, selection, and self-selection, we designed a data science research experience for undergraduates as part of an introductory computer science course. Through the intervention, the students are exposed to authentic research as early as their first semester. The intervention is inclusive in the sense that all students registered to the course participate in the research, with no process of selection or self-selection. The research is focused on analytics of large text databases. Using discovery-enabling software tools, the students analyze a corpus of congressional speeches, and identify patterns of differences between democratic speeches and republican speeches, differences between speeches for and against certain bills, and differences between speeches about bills that passed and bills that did not pass. In the beginning of the research experience all student follow the same protocol and use the same data, and then each group of students work on their own research project as part of their final project of the course.
Algorithm-Based Pediatric Otolaryngology Management During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: A Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Clinical Consensus.

ObjectiveThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires clinicians to explore alternatives to routine patient management. Otolaryngologists caring for children commonly depend on physica...
Fighting death with health inequality: The role of mortality cognition and shifting racial demographics in policy attitudes:

White Americans are predicted to soon comprise less than half of the U.S. population. Such demographic changes can affect political attitudes by threatening group status. The present studies built ...
Evaluation of Public Funding Processes by Mining Event Logs

The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are financial tools set up to invest in job creation and a sustainable and healthy European economy and environment. The criticality of these processes in terms of the time constraints, the large budgets, and the heterogeneity of the funded projects pose significant challenges to their management and evaluation. On the other hand, the emergence of Process Intelligence opens the door to new ways of managing public funding processes that ensure increased efficiency. In this paper, we propose a process mining based approach for analyzing delays, bottlenecks, and variations in process execution, thus setting the priorities for process improvements in the domain of public funding programs. We applied the proposed approach in the administrative verification of expenditure of the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework (PA)). The results show that process mining is able to provide significant insights regarding delays, bottlenecks, and variations in process execution, thus setting the priorities for process improvement.
Circulating Tumor Cell Assay Enables Prediction of Recurrence Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Interpretable Machine Learning Study.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Despite the effectiveness of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in the local control of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC), recurrence rates remain high. Such results may be improved with selection of high-risk patients for intensified treatment, e.g., early salvage radiotherapy or adjuvant systemic therapy/immunotherapy. We previously reported that a high level of circulating tumor cell (CTC) assay counts is prognostic for increased recurrence risks. In this study, based on the same patient cohort, we aimed to determine a threshold of CTC counts using the explainable boosting machine (EBM), a new interpretable machine learning model. MATERIALS/METHODS Our dataset comprised de-identified patients (n = 92) with biopsy-proven or clinically presumed ES-NSCLC, enrolled between August 2013 and October 2018. All patients received SBRT to a median dose of 50 Gy. Peripheral blood samples for CTC assays were collected for each patient during pre-treatment, on-treatment (between the first and last fraction), and post-treatment at follow-up intervals of 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. EBM is a recently developed open-source machine learning model. It is an efficient implementation of the generalized additive model with pairwise interactions (GA2M), which yields high intelligibility without sacrificing accuracy. We used the explainable boosting classifier from EBM to predict recurrence risks, including any local, nodal or distant failures during the 2-year follow-up. In addition to the CTC counts, we selected the following clinicopathologic parameters known before the time of treatment as training features: gender, race, body mass index, smoker status, pack-years, age at enrollment, tumor size, stage, histology, and fractionation. The dataset was stratified by the recurrence label, and 5-fold split into 80% training set and 20% testing set. RESULTS EBM was trained on each feature in a round-robin fashion via sequential gradient boosting. The model scored the pre-treatment CTC count (PreCTC) and tumor size as the most important features, with 9.7% and 9.3% of overall score. AJCC Stage and T Stage were scored lower at 3.7% each. The average area under the curve (AUC) was 0.713 ± 0.099. From the model, we extracted the 2-year recurrence risks as a function of PreCTC, with a peak found at 6. CONCLUSION EBM correctly scored PreCTC as the most influential feature for predicting recurrence, in agreement with our previous findings; additionally, we extracted a PreCTC threshold of 6 for clinical stratification of ES-NSCLC patients. These results illustrate how EBM may be a useful innovative tool for machine-learning aided translation of clinical data sets.
Phosphatidylinositol Degradation is Directly Proportional to the Rate of Cell Division in Embryonic Chicken Lens Epithelia

This study probes the extent of coupling between cell division and phosphatidylinositol (Ptdlns) degradation in embryonic chicken lens epithelial cells. Between 6 and 19 days of development, the rate of cell division in the central region of the lens epithelium declines gradually. By measuring the rate of Ptdlns degradation in cells of this region in chicken embryos aged 6-, 9-, 12- and 19-days, we have found that the rate of Ptdlns degradation is directly proportional to the rate of cell division throughout this developmental period. Furthermore, culturing expiants of the central region of lens epithelia from 19-day-old embryos in the presence of fetal calf serum produces a 3 to 3.5-fold increase in both the rate of cell division and the rate of Ptdlns degradation. These findings demonstrate that Ptdlns degradation and cell division are tightly coupled in this tissue, and raise the possibility that Ptdlns metabolism influences the regulation of the cell cycle.
Stock-price effects of research and development expenditures

This chapter illustrates positive effects of research and development (R&D) intensity on the Tobin's q ratio, a popular cross-sectional measure of the market value of a firm. After controlling for the predictably positive stock-price effects of profit margins, growth, and advertising intensity and the limiting effects of risk, R&D emerges as a key determinant of the market value of a firm. Broadly positive effects of R&D intensity on Tobin's q are evident throughout both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sectors. As such, R&D emerges as a consistently attractive form of investment in valuable intangible assets that have differing degrees of importance in different economic sectors. Consistent with some evidence, size advantages appear to influence the generally positive effects of R&D intensity on Tobin's q . For both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing firms, the market-value effect of a dollar in R&D spending tends to be greater for relatively larger firms. In a new finding, consistent differences in the market-value effects of R&D intensity are noted across all firm size classes according to the amount of firm stock held by institutional investors. In each size class, the generally positive influence of R&D intensity on Tobin's q increases with the level of institutional stock ownership. This result lends support to the hypothesis that institutional investors have both the resources and the financial incentives to effectively monitor management's R&D investment decisions.
State, Sociology of the

The conventional, or ‘neoclassical,’ view of the state traditionally identifies two types of government: strong and weak. Proponents of this view define strong government as overly interventionist, instead championing weak government's minimalist role in providing a stable macroeconomic environment without interfering in markets. Yet the example of East Asia, where strong states achieved high growth rates and attracted high levels of foreign investment, challenges the neoclassical view. Weak states are often at a disadvantage, as they tend to have difficulty enforcing laws or restraining opportunistic behavior among well-positioned bureaucrats. This combination can easily lead a weak state to become as predatory as a strong government that has no limits to prevent it from altering rules and markets as it wishes. The best balance in terms of preserving rights and markets can be found in a state which is strong enough to establish and maintain property laws, but is constitutionally prevented from violating the rights of its citizens. The development of a strong but limited government depends on the existence of institutions that make it in the interest of political officials to abide by limits on their power.
Modeling the potential role of a forest ecosystem in phytostabilization and phytoextraction of 90Sr at a contaminated watershed

The behavior of 90Sr at forest sites in the White Oak Creek watershed, near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was simulated with a simple, site-specific, multicompartment model that linked biomass and element cycling dynamics. The model was used to predict the role of forest cover in mitigating hydrologic losses of 90Sr from contaminated soils (i.e. phytostabilization) under conditions where contaminant transport is governed mainly by shallow subsurface flow. The model was also used to predict the removal of 90Sr from soil (i.e. phytoextraction) through the growth and harvest of short rotation woody crops over a period of 30 years. Simulations with the model indicated that (1) forest preservation on the watershed is a form of phytostabilization because forest cover helps to minimize hydrologic losses of 90Sr and (2) an attempt to significantly reduce amounts of 90Sr in soil through phytoextraction would be unsuccessful. Over a period of 30 years, and under various management strategies, the model predicted that <15% of the 90Sr initially present in soil at a contaminated site was lost through hydrologic transport and <53% was lost by radioactive decay. Phytostabilization may be important in the management of radioactive land when issues like waste minimization and pollution prevention affect the selection of technologies to be used in environmental restoration.
The (p, π+-) reactions on Be at 650 MeV

Abstract Angular distributions of the differential cross section and the analyzing power for the 9Be( p , π+)10Be and the 9Be( p , π−)10C reactions have been measured at 650 MeV. A phenomenological comparison, based on a model for pion emission from the target nucleus, is made between the analyzing power from the ( p , π) data and polarization data from πN scattering.
Differential regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5‐mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase responses by protein kinase C in cultured astrocytes

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) exhibits a rapid loss of receptor responsiveness to prolonged or repeated agonist exposure. This receptor desensitization has been seen in a variety of native and recombinant systems, and is thought to result from receptor-mediated, protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent phosphorylation of the receptor, uncoupling it from the G protein in a negative feedback regulation. We have investigated the rapid PKC-mediated desensitization of mGluR5 in cortical cultured astrocytes by measuring downstream signals from activation of mGluR5. These include activation of phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis, intracellular calcium transients, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) phosphorylation. We present evidence that PKC plays an important role in rapid desensitization of PI hydrolysis and calcium signaling, but not in ERK2 phosphorylation. This differential regulation of mGluR5-mediated responses suggests divergent signaling and regulatory pathways which may be important mechanisms for dynamic integration of signal cascades.
Numerical Models of Crustal Deformation in Seismic Zones

Publisher Summary This chapter presents numerical models of crustal deformation in seismic zones. The chapter investigates the features of a simple model of the surface deformation that accompanies faulting on an infinitely long, vertical, strike-slip fault embedded in an elastic half-space. The physical concept of the model presented is the representation of fault slip as a solid-state “dislocation” and a key mathematical feature is the use of Green's functions for solving differential equations. The chapter focuses on the two major “deep” mechanisms of postseismic deformation—viscoelastic flow at depth and fault creep below the seismically locked layer. Because models of postseismic rebound necessarily deal with time dependent processes, they are a natural springboard to considering the entire earthquake cycle. Most of the models reviewed in the chapter are kinematic in the sense that slip is imposed on a fault either to represent actual fault slip or as a mathematical artifact to represent interseismic loading.
Fast Descent Methods for LPs With No Matrix Inversions

Existing software implementations for solving Linear Programming (LP) models are all based on full matrix inversion operations involving every constraint in the model in every step. This linear algebra component in these systems makes it difficult to solve dense models even with moderate size, and it is also the source of accumulating roundoff errors affecting the accuracy of the output. We present a new Sphere method, SM-6, for LP not using any pivot steps. The method is currently undergoing computational tests.
ESD and latch-up reliability for nanometer CMOS technologies

Considerable research during the 80's and 90's laid the foundation for a deeper understanding of the ESD high current device physics and the subsequent protection design techniques required to achieve ESD reliability for numerous applications (Amerasekera and Duvvury, 2001; Dabral and Maloney,1998). Indeed, at every node a different parameter has had the most influencing effect, especially on ESD. This paper will review the recent trends as the industry moves towards nanometer technologies. New circuit applications are also discussed to introduce the upcoming critical issues for ESD and LU design.
Intracellular calcium chelator, BAPTA-AM, prevents cocaine-induced ventricular fibrillation

Cocaine is a potent cardiac stimulant that can provoke lethal cardiac events, including ventricular fibrillation (VF). The cocaine-induced accumulation of intracellular calcium could contribute sig...
An Evaluation of Acrylic Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes for Bonding Wood in Building Construction Applications

Abstract Wood connections made with high-performance pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes have significant promise for mitigating damage in buildings under high wind or seismic conditions. Benefits may include improved joint ductility and sealing protection from water-intrusion damage from hurricanes. In this work a series of connection tests were performed primarily on acrylic PSA tapes in accordance with ASTM D 1761-88 (2000). Performance results for PSA tape/wood joints are presented and trends examined for comparisons of commercial PSA tapes from three manufacturers. The results also provided implementation data on required application pressure levels and time duration, and comparisons with adhesive connection types. Specific parameters were discussed and examined using statistical methods to quantitatively determine performance gains or losses. The variables investigated included the use of oriented strand board (OSB) versus plywood sheathing, the effect of priming and surface sanding on adhesion,...
Repeat-mediated epigenetic dysregulation of the FMR1 gene in the fragile X-related disorders

The fragile X-related disorders are members of the Repeat Expansion Diseases, a group of genetic conditions resulting from an expansion in the size of a tandem repeat tract at a specific genetic locus. The repeat responsible for disease pathology in the fragile X-related disorders is CGG/CCG and the repeat tract is located in the 5' UTR of the FMR1 gene, whose protein product FMRP, is important for the proper translation of dendritic mRNAs in response to synaptic activation. There are two different pathological FMR1 allele classes that are distinguished only by the number of repeats. Premutation alleles have 55-200 repeats and confer risk of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome and fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency. Full mutation alleles on the other hand have >200 repeats and result in fragile X syndrome, a disorder that affects learning and behavior. Different symptoms are seen in carriers of premutation and full mutation alleles because the repeat number has paradoxical effects on gene expression: Epigenetic changes increase transcription from premutation alleles and decrease transcription from full mutation alleles. This review will cover what is currently known about the mechanisms responsible for these changes in FMR1 expression and how they may relate to other Repeat Expansion Diseases that also show repeat-mediated changes in gene expression.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes and Drug Treatment for High Blood Cholesterol in China and Application of the Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines

The prevalence of elevated blood cholesterol in China has increased during the past several decades. We estimated the percentage of the Chinese population for whom therapeutic lifestyle changes and drug therapy to lower blood cholesterol should be considered by applying the United States’ National Cholesterol Education Panel’s Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines to a nationally representative sample of the Chinese population from the International Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia. Serum samples were collected for 14,919 Chinese adults, 35 to 74 years old, in 2000 and 2001, after an overnight fast of ≥8 hours and their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level was calculated using the Freidewald equation. Using the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, 85.9 million Chinese adults (18.2%) should initiate therapeutic lifestyle changes to lower their LDL cholesterol and 35.0 million (7.4%) should be considered for lifestyle changes and lipid-lowering drug therapy. Of those for whom drug therapy should be considered, 4.7 million (13.4%) reported having been told they had “high cholesterol” by a healthcare provider and 1.6 million (33.7% of those aware of their high cholesterol) were receiving lipid-lowering medication—leaving 33.4 million Chinese adults with untreated elevated LDL cholesterol (95.5% of those with elevated LDL cholesterol). A 10% population-wide reduction in LDL cholesterol would reduce the number of Chinese adults who should be considered for drug therapy by 45% to 19.3 million (4.1% of adults). In conclusion, most adults in China with an elevated LDL cholesterol remain untreated.
Measurement of the Dynamic Shear Modulus of Mouse Brain Tissue In Vivo by Magnetic Resonance Elastography

In this study, the magnetic resonance (MR) elastography technique was used to estimate the dynamic shear modulus of mouse brain tissue in vivo. The technique allows visualization and measurement of mechanical shear waves excited by lateral vibration of the skull. Quantitative measurements of displacement in three dimensions during vibration at 1200 Hz were obtained by applying oscillatory magnetic field gradients at the same frequency during a MR imaging sequence. Contrast in the resulting phase images of the mouse brain is proportional to displacement. To obtain estimates of shear modulus, measured displacement fields were fitted to the shear wave equation. Validation of the procedure was performed on gel characterized by independent rheometry tests and on data from finite element simulations. Brain tissue is, in reality, viscoelastic and nonlinear. The current estimates of dynamic shear modulus are strictly relevant only to small oscillations at a specific frequency, but these estimates may be obtained at high frequencies (and thus high deformation rates), noninvasively throughout the brain. These data complement measurements of nonlinear viscoelastic properties obtained by others at slower rates, either ex vivo or invasively.
Effects of Digoxin on Ventricular Vulnerability During Atrial Defibrillation via Implanted Transvenous Catheter Electrodes in the Sterile Pericarditis Model

Objectives Because digoxin is often used in patients with atrial fibrillation, we evaluated its effects on the relative risk of inducing ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT/NF) during synchronized atrial defibrillation shocks delivered through implanted transvenous catheter electrodes. Methods Sterile pericarditis was created in 10 mongrel dogs. Two catheter electrodes with a 6 cm coil tip were inserted through the right external jugular vein and placed in the distal coronary sinus and in the right atrial appendage. To systematically achieve variable preceding ventricular coupling intervals (VCls). the ventricles were paced during sinus rhythm before delivery of the atrial shock in two protocols: 1) rapid pacing (8 stimuli, S 1 S 1 protocol); and 21 double extra stimuli (long-short intervalsl following 8 basic stimuli (S 1 S 2 S 3 protocol). The VCI (S 1 S 1 or S 2 S 3 )was shortened by 10 ms until the ventricular effective refractory period was achieved. After sensing the last paced ventricular beat. an atrial shock was delivered with a 2 ms delay at a shock intensity of 300 V (3.2–3.6 J), i.e., maximum shock intensity ofthe device. Atrial shocks were delivered 4 times at each VCI in each protocol. VCI was normalized by subtracting the OT interval in the surface ECG from the actual VCI. The relationship between the VCI and induction of VT/NF was evaluated in the drug free state and after administration of a therapeutic (50 μ g/kg. 5 dogs) or toxic (to obtain toxic arrhythmia. 5 dogs) dose of digoxin. Results Data are shown in mean ± SD, for each protocol (S 1 S 1 or S 1 S 2 S 3 ). To calculate a 99% probability of sinus rhythm (SR) after an atrial shock.logistic regression was used. No significant difference was observed before and after digoxin administration. The longest VCI that preceded VTNF induction was QT + 50 ms (290 ms) before digoxin and QT + 50 ms (310 ms) after digoxin. digoxin QT (ms) VTNF induction 99% probability of SR (ms) control 226 ± 22 6/377 (S 1 S 1 ) 27/303 (S 1 S 2 S 3 ) QT – 4 (S 1 S 1 ) QT + 71 (S 1 S 2 S 3 ) therap 237 ± 44 8/178 (S 1 S 1 ) 16/151 (S 1 S 2 S 3 ) QT + 1 (S 1 S 1 ) QT + 73 (S 1 S 2 S 3 ) toxic 220 ± 8 8/177 (S 1 S 1 ) 15/142 (S,S 2 S 3 ) QT + 1 (S 1 S 1 ) OT + 63 (S 1 S 2 S 3 ) Conclusions Digoxin did not significantly change the risk of VT/NF induction during atrial defibrillation shocks delivered through transvenous catheter electrodes at maximum shock intensity. Shocks delivered at VCls longer than 310 ms resulted in no VT/NF induction.
Vinyl esters of perfluoro acids

A series of seven vinyl esters of perfluoro acids has been prepared by the mercury catalyzed reaction of the acids with acetylene. Certain physical properties of the monomers are given. Homopolymers gave clear, flexible films with the exception of vinyl caprylate and caprate, which formed waxy films. Copolymerization of vinyl perfluorobutyrate proceeded readily with vinyl acetate and methyl methacrylate, but less readily with styrene, maleic anhydride, and acrylonitrile.
Chebyshev domain truncation is inferior to Fourier domain truncation for solving problems on an infinite interval

“Domain truncation” is the simple strategy of solving problems onye [-∞, ∞] by using a large but finite computational interval, [− L, L] Sinceu(y) is not a periodic function, spectral methods have usually employed a basis of Chebyshev polynomials,T n(y/L). In this note, we show that becauseu(±L) must be very, very small if domain truncation is to succeed, it is always more efficient to apply a Fourier expansion instead. Roughly speaking, it requires about 100 Chebyshev polynomials to achieve the same accuracy as 64 Fourier terms. The Fourier expansion of a rapidly decaying but nonperiodic function on a large interval is also a dramatic illustration of the care that is necessary in applying asymptotic coefficient analysis. The behavior of the Fourier coefficients in the limitn→∞ for fixed intervalL isnever relevant or significant in this application.
Identification of Stable Asymptotic Performance on Computer-Based Cognitive Tests

Examining whether human cognitive performance is affected by environmental conditions requires stable performance measures prior to stressor exposure. This study evaluated the stability and reliability of six computer-based cognitive performance tasks. A Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro program, the Stability and Reliability Analysis System (SRAS), was developed to evaluate performance of the cognitive tests using three approaches for identifying stability: Graphical Analysis, Learning Curve Fitting, and Statistical Analysis. The results of the comparative evaluation indicated that the SRAS macro program was effective in determining differential stability for the various tasks and measures. Across all tasks, the use of a compound graphical analysis approach was better than a single graph method in terms of providing a more reliable estimation of task stability. Learning curves were fit to each performance measure. For most tasks, the best-fit models were power and logarithmic mode...
Thermal and Nonthermal Infrared Emission from M87

We discuss images of M87 from 3.6 to 160 μm obtained with Spitzer. As found previously, there is an excess in the far-infrared over a simple power-law interpolation from the radio to the resolved nonthermal features in the mid-infrared and optical. We show that this excess is most likely due to warm dust in the galaxy itself and that the properties of this emission component are similar to the far-infrared emission of normal giant elliptical galaxies. The new observations allow us to determine the spectrum of the jet and surrounding lobes of nonthermal emission. We find that even in the lobes, the synchrotron break frequency is in the optical, probably requiring in situ particle acceleration not only in the jet but in the lobes as well.
Effects of Breeding Stage and Behavioral Context on Singing Behavior of Male Indigo Buntings

Abstract We studied the effects of breeding stage and behavioral context on the singing behavior of male Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea; n = 15) during the 2004 breeding season in Madison County, Kentucky, USA, to better understand how males with a single-song repertoire vary the characteristics of their song to convey different information. Playback experiments were conducted in 2005 in territories of focal males (n = 14) to further examine the possible effect of male-male interactions on singing behavior. We analyzed 10,919 songs of 15 male Indigo Buntings with songs consisting of a series of figures that were usually paired (i.e., phrases). Mean song duration was 2.30 ± 0.13 (SE) sec (range = 1.44–3.40 sec) with males varying song duration by varying the number of figures and phrases in each song. Singing rates varied significantly (P < 0.0001) among breeding stages and were highest prior to pairing, suggesting singing has a role in mate attraction. Singing rates also differed (P = 0.013) du...
The influence of β-93 sulfhydryl groups, organic phosphate and heme concentration on methemoglobin reduction

Native and modified methemoglobin (beta-93-SH groups blocked) were reduced by NADH-dependent methemoglobin reductase in the absence and the presence of organic phosphate (inositol hexaphosphate). These experiments were performed with dilute as well as concentrated methemoglobin solutions (physiological heme concentration). It is shown that: (a) in dilute solutions the blockage of beta-93-SH groups lowers the rate of methemoglobin reduction in the absence of organic phosphate but the rates of native and modified methemoglobin reduction are similar in the presence of organic phosphate; (b) at physiological heme concentration the blockage of beta-93-SH groups does not affect the rate of reduction but the organic phosphate stimulates the reduction of both native and modified methemoglobins in a similar fashion, as it does in dilute solutions. It is concluded that, although in dilute solutions the blockage of beta-93-SH groups alters the reduction rate, at physiological heme concentration the presence of free beta-93-SH groups does not have any significant effect on methemoglobin reduction. On the contrary, the organic phosphates do accelerate the rate of reduction at all ranges of heme concentration.
Reggeization of Elementary Particles in Renormalizable Gauge Theories: Vectors and Spinors

The question of the Reggeization of the elementary particles in renormalizable gauge theories with the Higgs-Kibble mechanism is examined. It is concluded that the massive non-Abelian gauge vector mesons and $J=\frac{1}{2}$ fermions of these theoreis lie on Regge trajectories in every case in which a counting criterion due to Mandelstam is satisfied. Several explicit examples are presented which verify that the necessary factorization condition of the Born helicity matrices is satisfied at $J=1$ and $J=\frac{1}{2}$, supporting this conclusion.
Microtubule nucleation remote from centrosomes may explain how asters span large cells

A major challenge in cell biology is to understand how nanometer-sized molecules can organize micrometer-sized cells in space and time. One solution in many animal cells is a radial array of microtubules called an aster, which is nucleated by a central organizing center and spans the entire cytoplasm. Frog (here Xenopus laevis) embryos are more than 1 mm in diameter and divide with a defined geometry every 30 min. Like smaller cells, they are organized by asters, which grow, interact, and move to precisely position the cleavage planes. It has been unclear whether asters grow to fill the enormous egg by the same mechanism used in smaller somatic cells, or whether special mechanisms are required. We addressed this question by imaging growing asters in a cell-free system derived from eggs, where asters grew to hundreds of microns in diameter. By tracking marks on the lattice, we found that microtubules could slide outward, but this was not essential for rapid aster growth. Polymer treadmilling did not occur. By measuring the number and positions of microtubule ends over time, we found that most microtubules were nucleated away from the centrosome and that interphase egg cytoplasm supported spontaneous nucleation after a time lag. We propose that aster growth is initiated by centrosomes but that asters grow by propagating a wave of microtubule nucleation stimulated by the presence of preexisting microtubules.
Blood Ionized Magnesium Concentrations During Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Their Correlation with Other Circulating Cations

BACKGROUND AND AIM The recent introduction of new measurement technology (using ion specific electrodes) makes intraoperative evaluation of blood ionized magnesium (Mg2+, or iMg)--the bioactive fraction of circulation magnesium--possible. The goals of this study were: (1) to examine the longitudinal pattern(s) of change in blood iMg during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB); and (2) to determine the relationship of iMg to Ca2+ (iCa), K, pH, Na, and hematocrit (Hct) during CPB. METHODS Blood was collected serially before, during, and after CPB on 30 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft procedures and the iMg was measured with an AVL Scientific Corp., model 988-4 instrument. RESULTS Overall, 73% of iMg results were abnormally low, 50% during CPB. Some cases had both hypo- and hyperionized magnesemic episodes. There were low iCa during CPB in 97% of cases. Using Spearman's rank order correlations and p < 0.05, iMg and K were directly correlated before, during, and after bypass, suggesting their parallel movement between tissue and blood. iMg and iCa were directly correlated before, and inversely correlated after, CPB, but unassociated during bypass. iMg and Na were inversely correlated after bypass in all cases. iMg was inversely correlated to pH and positively correlated to Hct during CPB only, and only in patients with concurrent association of iMg and iCa. CONCLUSIONS Blood iMg depletion occurs frequently in CPB patients. iMg changes are not readily predictable. The association of intraoperative iMg depletion with postsurgical atrial fibrillation--reported to have a hypomagnesemic connection- should be investigated.
Synthetic instruments options for searching for unknown spurs

This paper discusses synthetic instrumentation, and its ability to perform demanding measurements like spur searches. It gives a brief overview of synthetic instrumentation, and discusses the justification for moving measurements to synthetic systems. It then discusses a specific demanding measurement, the search for unknown spurs. It outlines the specific challenges faced when making this measurement using a synthetic implementation, as well as the advantages that a synthetic system has over traditional hardware. Possible approaches and solutions are outlined for each of the identified challenges. The paper concludes with a discussion of other possible advances that could be made when using synthetic implementations for these demanding measurements.