cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Host⁻Virus Interaction and Mechanisms of Viral Persistence.

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease, in which a third of individuals with chronic HCV infections may develop liver cirrhosis. In a chronic HCV infection, host immune factors along with the actions of HCV proteins that promote viral persistence and dysregulation of the immune system have an impact on immunopathogenesis of HCV-induced hepatitis. The genome of HCV encodes a single polyprotein, which is translated and processed into structural and nonstructural proteins. These HCV proteins are the target of the innate and adaptive immune system of the host. Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors and Toll-like receptors are the main pattern recognition receptors that recognize HCV pathogen-associated molecular patterns. This interaction results in a downstream cascade that generates antiviral cytokines including interferons. The cytolysis of HCV-infected hepatocytes is mediated by perforin and granzyme B secreted by cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells, whereas noncytolytic HCV clearance is mediated by interferon gamma (IFN-γ) secreted by CTL and NK cells. A host–HCV interaction determines whether the acute phase of an HCV infection will undergo complete resolution or progress to the development of viral persistence with a consequential progression to chronic HCV infection. Furthermore, these host–HCV interactions could pose a challenge to developing an HCV vaccine. This review will focus on the role of the innate and adaptive immunity in HCV infection, the failure of the immune response to clear an HCV infection, and the factors that promote viral persistence.
Maxwell-Chern-Simons Casimir Effect

In odd-dimensional spaces, gauge invariance permits a Chern-Simons mass term for the gauge fields in addition to the usual Maxwell-Yang-Mills kinetic energy term. We study the Casimir effect in such a (2+1)-dimensional Abelian theory. For the case of parallel conducting lines the result is the same as for a scalar field. For the case of circular boundary conditions the results are completely different, with even the sign of the effect being opposite for Maxwell-Chern-Simons fields and scalar fields. We further examine the effect of finite temperature. The Casimir stress is found to be attractive at both low and high temperature. Possibilities of observing this effect in the laboratory are discussed.
Abstract 873: Molecular mechanisms of non-small cell lung cancer growth and drug resistance

Lung cancer is the deadliest and most frequently diagnosed type of tumor worldwide, with 1.6 million deaths reported annually. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents 85% of all lung cancer cases and carries a poor 5-year survival rate below 15%. Prognoses remain dismal due to the large number of patients diagnosed with advanced stage disease and the development of resistance to current therapies. A better understanding of acquired drug resistance will help to circumvent the progression of lung cancer and make significant strides in improving NSCLC patient treatment. Our recent work demonstrates that dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr 32000 (DARPP-32) and its amino-terminally truncated splice variant (t-DARPP) promote lung tumor growth in orthotopic mouse models. IHC staining of 62 human lung adenocarcinoma tissues showed that t-DARPP expression is elevated with increasing tumor (T) staging score, which represents the size of the primary tumor and whether it has grown into nearby areas, as a metric of tumor progression and growth. Correspondingly, a computational biology analysis of 513 lung adenocarcinoma patients revealed upregulation of t-DARPP isoform expression correlates with advanced T stage and is associated with poor overall survival. We identified a novel physical interaction between DARPP-32 and inhibitory kappa B kinase-α (IKKα) that promotes NSCLC cell migration through activation of non-canonical NF-κB2 signaling. It has been shown that DARPP-32 overexpression inhibits gefitinib-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer and t-DARPP contributes to the trastuzumab resistance phenotype in breast cancer. Our recent findings suggest DARPP-32 and t-DARPP overexpression in NSCLC promotes resistance to specific molecular targeted inhibitors by enabling tumor cells to evade apoptosis via Akt- and Erk-dependent cell survival mechanisms. Current ongoing studies are focused on manipulating expression of DARPP-32 isoforms in lung tumor cells to prevent resistance to targeted therapies in NSCLC patients. Citation Format: SK Kayum Alam, Matteo Astone, Ping Liu, Li Wang, Abbygail M. Coyle, Erin N. Dankert, Dane K. Hoffman, Stephanie R. Hall, Wei Zhang, Rui Kuang, Anja C. Roden, Aaron S. Mansfield, Luke H. Hoeppner. Molecular mechanisms of non-small cell lung cancer growth and drug resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 873.
A review and update on the diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric Wilson disease

Introduction: This paper reviews the presenting signs and symptoms of Wilson's disease, with an emphasis on the recognition and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Areas covered: A literature search was conducted using PubMed.gov utilizing the following keywords: Wilson disease, neuropsychiatric, psychiatric symptoms, treatment, antipsychotics, mood stabilizer, psychotherapy, antidepressant, ATP7B. The diagnosis of Wilson's disease and the treatment of hepatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms are reviewed. Expert opinion: Wilson's disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with a heterogeneous presentation. Prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms can cloud the initial diagnosis, delaying treatment. Early disease recognition and prompt treatment to restore copper balance is critical in mitigating neuropsychiatric symptoms. Lifetime adherence to maintenance treatment with a chelating agent or zinc is vital for prevention or recurrence of symptoms. Education and supportive psychotherapy have been shown to improve medication adherence. If a psychotropic medication is needed, preference should be given to one with a low risk for extrapyramidal symptoms and hepatotoxicity.
Quantifying surgeon maneuevers across experience levels through marker-less hand motion kinematics of simulated surgical tasks.

Abstract This paper compares clinician hand motion for common suturing tasks across a range of experience levels and tissue types. Medical students (32), residents (41), attending surgeons (10), and retirees (2) were recorded on digital video while suturing on one of: foam, pig feet, or porcine bowel. Depending on time in position, each medical student, resident, and attending participant was classified as junior or senior, yielding six experience categories. This work focuses on trends associated with increasing tenure observed from those medical students (10), residents (15), and attendings (10) who sutured on foam, and draws comparison across tissue types where pertinent. Utilizing custom software, the two-dimensional location of each of the participant's hands were automatically recorded in every video frame, producing a rich spatiotemporal feature set. While suturing on foam, increasing clinician experience was associated with conserved path length per cycle of the non-dominant hand, significantly reducing from junior medical students (mean = 73.63 cm, sd = 33.21 cm) to senior residents (mean = 46.16 cm, sd = 14.03 cm, p = 0.015), and again between senior residents and senior attendings (mean = 30.84 cm, sd = 14.51 cm, p = 0.045). Despite similar maneuver rates, attendings also accelerated less with their non-dominant hand (mean = 16.27 cm/s2, sd = 81.12 cm/s2, p = 0.002) than senior residents (mean = 24.84 cm/s2, sd = 68.29 cm/s2, p = 0.002). While tying, medical students moved their dominant hands slower (mean = 4.39 cm/s, sd = 1.73 cm/s, p = 0.033) than senior residents (mean = 6.53 cm/s, sd = 2.52 cm/s). These results suggest that increased psychomotor performance during early training manifest through faster dominant hand function, while later increases are characterized by conserving energy and efficiently distributing work between hands. Incorporating this scalable video-based motion analysis into regular formative assessment routines may enable greater quality and consistency of feedback throughout a surgical career.
Parameterization of Unnatural Amino Acids with Azido and Alkynyl R-Groups for Use in Molecular Simulations.

Recent new methods to functionalize proteins at specific amino acid locations use unnatural amino acids that contain azido and alkynyl groups. This capability is unprecedented and enables the creat...
Corner Reflector Based Misalignment-Tolerant Chipless RFID Tag Design Methodology

Chipless RFID is a relatively new and rapidly growing field that faces some practical implementation challenges. One of these challenges is extreme sensitivity to small misalignments between the tag and the reader antenna. These tilts and translations can lead to erroneous responses which can then be interpreted as incorrect IDs or sensing parameter values in identification and sensing applications, respectively. While there has been some work to mitigate this limitation through reading and post-processing methods, the problem has yet to be sufficiently addressed from the tag design perspective. This work proposes a misalignment-tolerant chipless RFID tag design methodology that utilizes trihedral corner reflector bases loaded with resonators to produce tags that are tolerant of pitch and yaw rotations up to ±40° and roll rotations up to ±180° (i.e., orientation independence as it is commonly defined in the chipless RFID field). This approach allows for linearly polarized monostatic reading schemes to be used and provides for a large radar cross-section and resonance depth, which increases the detectability of the tag response.
A High-Frequency/Power Ratio Wilkinson Power Divider Based on Identical/Non-Identical Multi-T-Sections With Short-Circuited Stubs

In this article, a systematic procedure is presented for the design of a dual-band unequal-split Wilkinson power divider (WPD) with high frequency and power division ratios. The design methodology is based on replacing the impractical high-impedance transmission line in the conventional divider with cascaded T-section structures with short-circuited stubs. The proposed methodology is simple and adopts distributed elements without reactive components to achieve a large power division ratio. The use of short-circuited stubs allows for circuit miniaturization in comparison to counterpart open-stub techniques. Furthermore, a high frequency ratio is obtained through optimizing the electrical and physical parameters of the T-sections based on a transmission lines theory framework as demonstrated in a simulated and measured prototype. To validate the proposed procedure, two WPD prototypes operating at 1/2.7 GHz and 1/4.4 GHz with a 1:10 power division ratio are simulated and measured. The theoretical response, supported by electromagnetic simulations and measurements, justifies the design concept.
A wisdom-based salesforce development model: the role of wisdom in salesforce training and well-being

The prevalence of various salesforce job stressors call for an alternative to the current salesforce training and management strategy to secure the balanced proficiency development in job skills, p...
MANEJO DA APLICAÇÃO DA VINHAÇA EM DUAS VARIEDADES DE CANA-DE-AÇÚCAR NO CERRADO GOIANO

ABSTRACT Sugarcane is considered as one of the prominent agricultural crops in Brazil, with Goias being the second largest national producer. During the processing of sugarcane, waste is generated, and one of these is vinasse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biometric and technological performances of two varieties of sugarcane for different depths and vinasse parceling. Experiments were conducted at Fazenda Boa Sorte, located in the municipality of Carmo do Rio Verde-GO. A randomized block design was used with a subdivided plot containing two varieties of sugarcane (RB 86-7515 and SP 80-1816) and each subplot having three management types for the application of vinasse (M1 20-20 mm, M2 40-0 mm, and M3 30-30 mm) and four repetitions. The applications were performed in the months of May and June (dry period). The variables analyzed were the plant height, number of photosynthetically active green leaves, stem diameter, leaf area, stalk productivity, soluble solids content, broth pol, apparent sucrose content, fiber content, total reducing sugars, and reducing sugars. Analysis of variance was performed on the results obtained using the F test; subsequently, for the significant data, the test of means was performed. The SP 80-1816 variety showed superiority for both the biometric and technological variables. The ethanol yield and total recoverable sugar content were higher for the SP 80-1816 variety, with no difference between the vinasse application management. The vinasse application installment did not show viability.
Irregular Superimposed Multi-pilot for Grant-free Massive MIMO

Massive MIMO provides a high spatial degree of freedom (DoF) to support multiple users. To gain the spatial DoF, accurate channel information is crucial, and the pilot is important to obtain it. However, in grant-free transmissions, different users may select the same pilot, which leads to pilot collisions. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an irregular superimposed multi-pilot. The proposed superimposed structure provides a large multi-pilot pool than the conventional cascaded one. Using this structure, the number of single-pilots in multi-pilot can be different, and the pilot number distribution is optimized via a novel Monte-Carlo-based differential evolution. The simulation results verify the analysis and show that the proposed method outperforms existing works.
Matriarchal Nomads and Freedom Fighters

(2009). Matriarchal Nomads and Freedom Fighters. Critical Interventions: Vol. 3, Africanity And North Africa, Guest Editors: Jessica Winegar and Katarzyna Pieprzak, pp. 70-101.
Touching a nerve : the self as brain

What happens when we accept that everything we feel and think stems not from an immaterial spirit but from electrical and chemical activity in our brains? In this thought-provoking narrative-drawn from professional expertise as well as personal life experiences-trailblazing neurophilosopher Patricia S. Churchland grounds the philosophy of mind in the essential ingredients of biology. She reflects with humor on how she came to harmonize science and philosophy, the mind and the brain, abstract ideals and daily life. Offering lucid explanations of the neural workings that underlie identity, she reveals how the latest research into consciousness, memory, and free will can help us reexamine enduring philosophical, ethical, and spiritual questions: What shapes our personalities? How do we account for near-death experiences? How do we make decisions? And why do we feel empathy for others? Recent scientific discoveries also provide insights into a fascinating range of real-world dilemmas-for example, whether an adolescent can be held responsible for his actions and whether a patient in a coma can be considered a self. Churchland appreciates that the brain-based understanding of the mind can unnerve even our greatest thinkers. At a conference she attended, a prominent philosopher cried out, "I hate the brain; I hate the brain!" But as Churchland shows, he need not feel this way. Accepting that our brains are the basis of who we are liberates us from the shackles of superstition. It allows us to take ourselves seriously as a product of evolved mechanisms, past experiences, and social influences. And it gives us hope that we can fix some grievous conditions, and when we cannot, we can at least understand them with compassion.
A Theory of International Co-operation

This paper develops a coherent theory of international cooperation relying on the twin assumptions of individual and collective rationality. Using a linear version of the N-player prisoners' dilemma game, I provide a formal proof of Olson's conjecture that only a "small" number of countries can sustain full cooperation by means of a self-enforcing agreement. Moreover, I find that this number is not fixed but depends on the nature of the cooperation problem; for some problems, three countries will be "too many," while for others even 200 countries will be a "small" number. In addition, I find that the international system is only able to sustain global cooperation--that is, cooperation involving 200 or so countries--by a self-enforcing treaty when the gains to cooperation are "small." Finally, I find that the ability of the international system to sustain cooperation does not hinge on whether the compliance norm of customary international law has been internalized by states or whether compliance must instead be enforced by the use of treaty-based sanctions. The constraint on international cooperation is free-rider deterrence, not compliance enforcement.
The importance of low inductance, low resistive phase switches in compact pulse power systems

Summary form only given. In order to design and fabricate compact pulse power systems, the basic functions of a pulse power system must be combined in the same volume. This approach is critically dependent upon the pulse power switches employed to reduce the mass, volume and weight of pulsed power system. The three general functions a power conditioning system must perform are storage, switching, and scaling. This paper discusses the importance of switches in compact pulse power systems due to the fact that the available energy storage technologies operate near dielectric breakdown and scaling methods are limited to switch dependent vector inversion generators and transformers. Two design examples of compact, stacked Blumlein line pulse power systems are presented and the switch requirements developed. This paper also evaluates the benefits of high dielectric strength materials when employed in very thin sections in energy storage and scaling systems. These system design examples are compared with conventional approaches for pulse power systems and compact power conditioning systems goals. Experimental data from a gas switched stacked Blumlein line system is presented to demonstrate the switching requirements of such a power conditioning system. Finally, candidate switch technologies that have the potential to meet the compact pulse power system requirements are presented with future research and development requirements.
Characterization of the central nervous system and various peripheral innervations during larval development of the oyster Crassostrea virginica

. Although a few investigations have considered neuronal aspects of bivalve larval ontogeny, the central and peripheral nervous systems of bivalve veligers have yet to be described in detail. This study provides a detailed description of central and peripheral components of the larval nervous system in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Larvae at the D-hinge, newly eyed and pediveliger stages were examined at the light level by means of serial histological section sets. D-hinge larvae were found to have limited neurogenesis with only an anterior gangliar rudiment being present. As development progressed to the newly eyed larval stage, a single apical ganglion and paired cerebro-pleural, pedal, and visceral ganglia were identified, forming a typical bivalve central nervous system loop. The nervous system of pediveligers was similar to that of newly eyed larvae, but added an additional accessory ganglion on the left and right sides, posterior to each gill rudiment. A posterior visceral commissure was also present. Various peripheral innervations were also documented, including nerves extending from the pedal and visceral ganglia in both newly eyed and pediveliger larvae. Furthermore, several neuronal processes, such as the mantle, ventral osphradial, anterior adductor and dorsal esophageal nerves were seen connecting to ganglia. This investigation provides an essential histological characterization of the complex nervous system present in bivalve oyster larvae.
Human Enhancement Uses of Biotechnology, Ethics, Human Growth Hormone

Introduction The Therapy/Enhancement Distinction History of Growth Hormone Controversy About Appropriate Use of Growth Hormone Indications for Prescription of Growth Hormone Forces Driving Interest in Expanded Uses of GH Goals of Growth Hormone Therapy Importance of Identifying the Goal of Therapy GH Treatment for Children Without Medical Conditions The Argument Invoking Equal Treatment Short Stature as Disability or Disadvantage Liberty Rights and Personal Preferences Keywords: biotechnology; ethics
Eyes Wide Shut: Democratic Reversals, Scientific Closure, and Post-Soviet Eurasia

This paper examines the impact of democratic reversals among post-Soviet countries on the conduct of fieldwork, choice of methods, and the production of knowledge. The paper builds upon observations gathered from a pilot project concerning the impact of growing authoritarianism in Russia on the conduct of fieldwork and choice of research methods by Western scholars. In contrast to the scientific opening that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, regime closure since 2000 considerably narrowed the range of methods available to Western scholars while diminishing incentives to pursue fieldwork in Russia. If this is the case, the relationship between regime openness and the production of knowledge about those regimes ought to be reflected elsewhere in the post-Soviet region. This paper brings the Russian case into comparative perspective by examining the relationship between regime openness and qualitative fieldwork, using paired comparisons within the European, Caucasus, and Central Asian regions of the former Soviet Union (Belarus and Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan). To the extent that scholars generally pursue fieldwork where it is congenial to particular methods, the production of useful knowledge about authoritarian regimes for both scientific and policy purposes is dangerously circumscribed. The paper finds higher rates of fieldwork conducted in lesser studied countries and significantly lower rates in studies of Russia, Ukraine, and cross-national studies. In part this appears to be related to the availability of data from the 1990s but it is also due to a disciplinary consensus that keeps democratization on the academic agenda.
Health Care and Health Insurance in the United States

The USA relies on a private health insurance system, supplemented by government programs covering discreet populations. This creates numerous distortions in access to health care and concerns about the risk of discrimination based on the results of genetic testing. Keywords: private health insurance; genetic discrimination; Medicare; Medicaid, managed care organization
Construction of avian hepadnavirus variants with enhanced replication and cytopathicity in primary hepatocytes.

Abstract Hepadnaviruses cause persistent noncytopathic infections of hepatocytes in humans and other animals. Virus replication depends on the pool of viral covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) molecules, which serve as transcriptional templates in the nuclei of infected cells. The size of this pool of cccDNA molecules is regulated by the ability of the large envelope protein of the virus to direct newly synthesized viral DNAs into a pathway for viral secretion and thereby inhibit their utilization for viral cccDNA synthesis. In this study, we showed that single amino acid changes in the large envelope protein could cause profound changes in cccDNA levels in transfected permissive cells or in infected cultured hepatocytes. While defects in cccDNA regulation were accompanied by a decrease of enveloped virus production in transfected cells, primary hepatocytes infected by such mutant viruses transiently produced wild-type or higher levels of enveloped virus. Moreover, high levels of cccDNA were always associated with cytopathic effects in the infected hepatocytes. The results demonstrate that the large envelope protein promotes persistent noncytopathic infection of hepatocytes by acting as an overall repressor of virus replication.
Multipath Routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Issues and Challenges

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) consist of a collection of wireless mobile nodes which dynamically exchange data among themselves without the reliance on a fixed base station or a wired backbone network. MANET nodes are typically distinguished by their limited power, processing, and memory resources as well as high degree of mobility. In such networks, the wireless mobile nodes may dynamically enter the network as well as leave the network. Due to the limited transmission range of wireless network nodes, multiple hops are usually needed for a node to exchange information with any other node in the network. Thus routing is a crucial issue to the design of a MANET. In this paper, we specifically examine the issues of multipath routing in MANETs. Multipath routing allows the establishment of multiple paths between a single source and single destination node. It is typically proposed in order to increase the reliability of data transmission (i.e., fault tolerance) or to provide load balancing. Load balancing is of especial importance in MANETs because of the limited bandwidth between the nodes. We also discuss the application of multipath routing to support application constraints such as reliability, load-balancing, energy-conservation, and Quality-of-Service (QoS).
Heuristics for the Traveling Salesman Problem

The article considers heuristics (methods to create feasible solutions) for the traveling salesman problem (TSP). We differentiate between constructive heuristics which create feasible solutions from no solution, and improvement heuristics which potentially create new feasible solutions from existing feasible solutions. While the list of published heuristics and variants of the TSP is nearly unlimited, this article focuses on an overview of the most enduring methods for the TSP with an unrestricted distance matrix. Keywords: insertion heuristics; constructive heuristics; improvement heuristics; traveling salesman problem
InGaP/GaAs/Ge multi-junction solar cell efficiency improvements using epitaxial germanium

Triple junction InGaP/GaAs/Ge solar cells are highly current mismatched due to the excess current generating capability of the germanium subcell. This severe current mismatch invites new approaches for increasing performance beyond that of current triple junctions. Presented here are two approaches for improving the efficiency of Ill-V multi-junctions beyond that of current triple junction technology. Both of these approaches involve the use of thin epitaxial germanium and do not require the development of new /spl sim/1 eV photovoltaic materials. The theoretical AM0 efficiency is over 30%. Modeling suggests the potential for over 1.5% absolute efficiency gain with respect to current InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple junction solar cells.
Clinical Performance of an In-Line, ex Vivo Point-of-Care Monitor: A Multicenter Study

Background: The management of critically ill infants and neonates includes frequent determination of arterial blood gas, electrolyte, and hematocrit values. An objective of attached point-of-care patient monitoring is to provide clinically relevant data without the adverse consequences associated with serial phlebotomy. Methods: We prospectively determined the mean difference (and SD of the difference) from laboratory methods of an in-line, ex vivo monitor, the VIA LVM Blood Gas and Chemistry Monitoring System® (VIA LVM Monitor; Metracor Technologies, Inc.), in 100 critically ill neonates and infants at seven children’s hospitals. In doing so, we examined monitor stability with continuous use. In vivo patient test results from laboratory benchtop analyzers were compared with those from the VIA LVM Monitor on paired samples. In a separate in vitro comparison, benchtop analyzer and monitor test results were compared on whole-blood split samples. Results: A total of 1414 concurrent, paired-sample measurements were obtained. The mean differences (SD of differences) from laboratory methods and r values for the combined data for the VIA LVM Monitor from the seven sites were 0.001 (0.026) and 0.97 for pH, 0.7 (3.6) mmHg and 0.94 for P co2, 4.2 (9.6) mmHg and 0.98 for P o2, 0.0 (2.9) mmol/L and 0.87 for sodium, 0.1 (0.2) mmol/L and 0.96 for potassium, and 0.3% (2.9%) and 0.90 for hematocrit. Performance results were similar among the study sites with increasing time of monitor use and between in vivo paired-sample and in vitro split-sample test results. Conclusion: The VIA LVM Monitor can be used to assess critically ill neonates and infants.
Potassium-induced aldosterone secretion involves a Cl(-)-dependent mechanism

Stimulation of aldosterone secretion by increases in extracellular potassium concentration is associated with increases in the volume of the adrenal glomerulosa cell. Because increases in cell volume have been associated with increases in aldosterone secretion, the effect of preventing the potassium-induced increase in cell volume by removal of chloride from the medium on the response of dispersed bovine glomerulosa cells grown in primary culture was determined. Totally replacing the chloride ion with the methylsulfate ion prevented the increase in cell volume and significantly suppressed the increase in aldosterone secretion normally associated with increasing [K] to 10 mM. In the absence of Cl-, the increase in cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c) normally induced by increasing the [K] to 10 mM was also significantly suppressed. The replacement of 10 mM methylsulfate by Cl- restored the potassium-induced increase in both cell volume and aldosterone secretion to values not different from those found in the presence of 108 mM Cl-. The potassium-induced increase in cell volume was dependent also on the presence of extracellular calcium. Thus a component of the glomerulosa cell response to an increase in [K] may be caused by a chloride-dependent increase in cell volume that is triggered by the initial depolarization-induced increase in [Ca2+]c. The increase in cell volume enhances the increase in [Ca2+]c and amplifies the increase in aldosterone secretion.
Science and technology: when do they become front page news?

This study suggests that press reports of science and technology increase in complexity, in depth and breadth of coverage, and in prominent placement in the news hole in relation to increased diversity or pluralism of supporting environments. It also suggests that system changes that produce interest and expanded knowledge of science provide opportunities for clashes of interests resulting in localized conflict and thus increased news coverage. `Change' in an innovative area appears to link up conceptually in copy with theory, action descriptions, and visualization through metaphor. The study used content analysis to compare a more innovative, economically progressive `research' area in the United States with an economically flat `control' area; these areas were selected using National Bureau of the Census and local economic development office statistics.
5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one blocks nicotine-induced seizures and enhances paired-pulse inhibition

5 alpha-Pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one (3 alpha-OH-DHP) blocked seizures induced by nicotine (4 mg/kg, i.p.) in C3H male mice with an ID50 of 2.37 +/- 0.66 mg/kg (average +/- 95% confidence limit). This steroid (1 microM) also increased paired-pulse inhibition in the hippocampus approximately 40% after 50 min exposure; nicotine (200 microM) partially reversed this effect. Since nicotine and 3 alpha-OH-DHP may have opposite effects on endogenous inhibitory systems, it is proposed that nicotine-induced seizures may involve a disinhibitory mechanism and that 3 alpha-OH-DHP protects against seizures by preventing disinhibition.
Modiolus modiolus (L.) in small mid-tidal rock pools at Penrhyn Bay, North Wales

Abstract The shore at Penrhyn Bay, North Wales is strewn with glacial boulders. Many are of limestone, their surfaces often pitted and hollowed, the hollows often retaining water at low tide. On one particular boulder, at approximately mid-tide level, two such rock pools have been inhabited by Modiolus modiolus (L.) continuously, or almost so, since the early 1920s, although the species has only once been found elsewhere on this shore, in similar rock pools nearby. Age and growth rate determinations from the shell valves of a few specimens show that for the first two or three years they grew at much the same rate as a Norwegian sub-littoral population, thereafter markedly slowing down compared with the latter. The ages of the few specimens examined ranged from 10 to possibly 15 years. In these pools the horse-mussels are usually well concealed by seaweeds growing on their shells and are only occasionally found and eaten by predators, presumably birds. Some possible reasons for the presence of horse-mussels in these two pools are suggested, as is the manner in which the populations are maintained.
Experiments with a performance driven module generator

The authors describe a performance-driven module generator (perflex) for efficient generation of fast static combinational CMOS circuit modules. A new flexible CMOS layout style provides the foundation for implementing fast circuits. Timing optimization is performed via transistor sizing, transistor reordering, and the reduction of wiring capacitance on critical paths, all of which are performed in close interaction with the simulated-annealing layout process. The main contributions are the new layout style, which is well suited for the synthesis of high-speed circuits, and the way in which well-known performance optimization techniques are embedded into the layout generation process to achieve fine-grain optimization. >
Cell-cell matrix interactions in induced lung injury. II. X-irradiation mediated changes in specific basal laminar glycosaminoglycans.

Abstract The thoraces of male LAF1 mice were irradiated at doses of 5, 9, or 13 Gy. The animals were killed at times of 1 hr, 1 day, 1 wk, 4 wks, and 12 wks postirradiation (PI). The lungs were removed, enzymatically or detergent digested, fixed with ruthenium red for demonstration of anionic sites, and processed for electron microscopy. Untreated (0 Gy, 0 time) and sham irradiated control groups were also processed. Sections of lungs were examined and changes in alveolar basal laminar anionic sites were quantitated. Changes in three groups of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were identified: chondroitin 4 and 6 sulfate-dermatan sulfate, hyaluronate, and other GAGs (principally heparan sulfate). At 1 hr PI, all groups showed a marked decrease in site number over controls, which continued to 1 wk. By 4 wks there was a marked relative increase in heparan sulfate containing sites for doses of 13 Gy and a moderate increase for the other doses. At 12 wks the level of heparan sulfate was considerably above normal for doses of 13 Gy and just above normal for the other doses. Chondroitindermatan sulfate had recovered by 12 wks for doses of 13 Gy, but was still subnormal for other doses; however, hyaluronate-containing sites recovered only slightly by 12 wks. The implications for this change on basal laminar permeability and the induction of fibrosis are discussed.
Speculation on the role of transposable elements in human genetic disease with particular attention to achondroplasia and the fragile X syndrome.

We suggest that mutations for fragile X-positive Martin-Bell syndrome, and prehaps also for achondroplasia, may result from the insertion of transposable elements (TE's). Loss of genetic function could result from either the insertion of TE's within or adjacent to a normal chromosmal gene or, in the case of fragile X, from the loss of genes distal to the site of TE insertion following subsequent TE excision without ligation of the resulting discontinuity. The phenotypically and often cytogenetically normal transmitting males in fragile X peidgress are interpreted not as “nonpenetrant” transmitters of a fully formed fragile X but rather as transmitters of some or all of the factors necessary for necessary for TE insertion at Xq27. We consider it likely that such insertion frequently first occurs, both in some and especially in the germline, in their daughters. Our models predict that father to son transmission of causative factors would be a common occurrence in fragile X pedigrees. The absence of documented father to son transmission either points to a flaw in the models or reflects systematic bias in the collection of pedigree information.
Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and Raman spectroscopy studies of RNA bound carbon nanotubes

While present studies on the integration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with biomolecules have centered primarily on deoxyribonucleic acid and proteins, this report is focused on the binding of SWNTs with ribonucleic acid polymer poly(rU). We present fluorescence and spectroscopic evidences for the binding of poly(rU) molecules along the contour of isolated SWNTs which suggests that the π-stacking may dominate the hydrophobic interaction between the poly(rU) bases and the π-electrons of the SWNTs.
State Funding Models for Special Education

The purpose of this paper is to provide special educators and education policymakers with a conceptual and technical framework for examining alternative approaches for funding special education. Four fundamental policy issues are posed that are central to funding special education; the resolution of these questions will guide the selection of an appropriate funding approach for special education within a state. To assist in evaluating special education funding systems a full range of criteria are proposed. Finally, alternative funding approaches for special education are identified and analyzed for their fiscal and programmatic effects using both the policy questions and criteria as standards.
Anisotropy of mass transport on Si(0 0 1) surfaces heated with direct current

Abstract We have investigated surface mass transport on Si(0 0 1)-(2×1) surfaces heated with direct current (DC) by observing step “coupling” and step bunching behavior on spherically dimpled surfaces using optical and atomic force microscopy. When the DC is applied along the [ 1 1 0] crystal direction (parallel or perpendicular to the surface dimer rows), step bunching occurs predominantly in areas of the dimple where the applied current is perpendicular to the local step direction. Surprisingly, when the direct current is applied along the [0 1 0] crystal direction (at 45° to the surface dimer rows), the bunching is strongest in areas of the sample where the applied current is parallel to the local step direction. Steps are also observed to couple such that half the dimple mostly has a (2×1) structure (dimer rows parallel to [ 1 1 0] ) and the other half mostly (1×2) (dimer rows perpendicular to [ 1 1 0]) . However, the dividing line separating the two halves is perpendicular (parallel) to the applied current when the current is applied along the [ 1 1 0] ([0 1 0]) direction. These observations are consistent with a model in which the force exerted by the applied electric current on a diffusing surface atom is anisotropic in such a way that the force can be parallel, anti-parallel, or sideways to the applied electric field direction, depending on the angle between the electric field and the surface dimer row direction. This would also provide an explanation for the well-known fact that step bunching can occur for both step-up and step-down current on the Si(0 0 1) surface.
Surgical Repair of Pulmonary Artery Sling in an Adult

Pulmonary artery sling is a rare congenital vascular anomaly that typically presents in the first month of life with severe respiratory symptoms. In this condition, the left pulmonary artery originates off the right pulmonary artery and courses between the trachea and esophagus, causing compression of both structures. Of those patients with pulmonary artery sling, a small subset survives to adulthood with few or no symptoms. In this article we present the surgical correction of pulmonary artery sling in an adult patient.
FGF23 production by osteocytes

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23), a known regulator of phosphate homeostasis, is produced by cells residing in bone, namely, osteocytes, to target a distant organ, the kidney. Elevated FGF23 levels have recently been found systemically and in osteocytes in patients and animal models of chronic kidney disease. Associations be- tween serum FGF23 level and vascular dysfunction, vascu- lar calcification, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease have also been observed. In this review we discuss FGF23 expression in osteocytes and the potential means to regulate expression and function of this protein at the osteocyte level.
iPad Deployment in a Diverse Urban High School: A Formative Experiment

We explore the use of iPads in a diverse urban high school and the ways in which teachers and students were supported to integrate these tools into their instruction. We provided 4 English teachers with 20 iPads with little or no professional development about how to integrate them into their instruction. Using a formative experiment design, we examine what it took to increase the use of the technology tools with a group of diverse students. Over the course of the year, we made several modifications, each of which increased the use of the iPads.
Depolarized rayleigh spectroscopy of rigid macromolecules

Some applications of depolarized light-scattering spectroscopy to the study of rigid macromol- ecules in solution are described. The depolarized light-scattering method can be used to obtain ro- tational diffusion coefficients and static and dynamic correlation factors of rigid macromolecules. In molecules exhibiting some flexibility, intramolecular conformational relaxation times may also be obtained. Dynamic polarized light-scattering measurements give the orientation averaged translational diffusion coefficient. With the Perrin relations for spheroids, the rotational and translational diffusion coefficients may be combined to yield the macromolecular solution dimensions. In addition, changes in rigidity and shape of rigid macromolecules may be observed by measuring changes in the depolarized spectrum. For instance, the total depolarized intensity and relaxation time usually decrease when a helical molecule is denatured to a flexible form. The rotational diffusion coefficients obtained by light scattering may also be combined with relaxation times obtained by other techniques such as nuclear magnetic relaxation to draw inferences about molecular rigidity and local motions.
FTIR spectroscopy of buried interfaces in molecular junctions.

We demonstrate that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy can be used to record high-quality vibrational spectra of molecules at buried interfaces in metal−molecule−silicon and metal−molecule−metal junctions. This provides quantitative information on the structure and conformation of molecules at buried interfaces, an issue of critical importance to molecular electronics. In the model systems of Au on octadecyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayer on Si or mecaptohexadecanoic acid multilayers on Au-covered Si, ATR-FTIR suggests that metal deposition leads to not only conformational disorder within the film but also the direct interaction of metal atoms/clusters with alkyl backbones.
Metrics are Clifford algebra involutions

Four-dimensional space-time, all relevant inner products, and some of the groups leaving these inner products invariant are manufactured from more basic algebraic ingredients, all inside the 8-dimensional Pauli algebra ℘: (1) Euclidean 3-spaceE 3, (2) Minkowski 4-spaceM 4, (3) complex 4-space ℂ4, and all three metrics and all three inner products. The groupsSO(3;ℝ) ⊂SO(3; 1;ℝ) ⊂SO (4;ℝ) are obtained as images of twofold covering maps of subgroups of ℘ or their direct product. A method of embedding ℘ in the Clifford algebraC(1;n−1) ofn-dimensional Minkowski space is given for anyn≥4. Furthermore, all three groups act not only on the relevant vector spaces, but on all ofC(1;n−1), leaving ℘ setwise invariant.
Why women say yes to prenatal diagnosis

Despite considerable concern of bioethicists, disabilities rights activists, feminists and others about the spread of prenatal diagnostic technologies, their routine acceptance in many parts of the world continues at a rapid pace. Yet, there is wide variation by country and region in rates of acceptance of prenatal diagnosis. We draw on John McKinlay's model of how a medical innovation becomes routinized to explore the circumstances that led to the widespread use of one prenatal diagnostic screen-the maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (MSAFP) test for the detection of neural tube defects and other developmental disabilities. As predicted by McKinlay's model, analysis of published data suggests that strong institutional or provider support is the best predictor of women's level of MSAFP test acceptance. Data collected at a health maintenance organization in California illuminate the processes through which medico-legal and institutional forces affect the use of MSAFP screening. By examining the language women use to talk about MSAFP screening, we show how providers also shape women's understandings of the meaning and purpose of MSAFP screening. These data ultimately shed light on how the very ethical issues which concern critics of prenatal diagnosis become obscured in the processes by which this screening test becomes accepted as routine.
The conservative management of congenital dislocation of the hip

As a result of early diagnosis of CDH conservative treatment has become increasingly important since the majority of children will be at an age when operative treatment is not necessary. In spite of this major achievement, a number of uncertainties and conflicting opinions still shroud a clear understanding of the problem of CDH in this age group. This paper attempts to analyse our present knowledge in a manner which will allow the orthopaedist to formulate a treatment plan on the basis of available information rather than dogmatic principles. The two essential treatment goals are: o 1. Attain and maintain reduction. 2. Avoid avascular necrosis. Any strategy must take into account: o 1. Age 2. Variations in intra-articular pathology 3. Presence or absence of contractures. Other more poorly understood factors such as individual variations in blood supply to the femoral head may also influence the result. This discussion will exclude the ‘teratologic’ hip with fixed contractures and capsular constriction, as these hips cannot be managed non-operatively.
PVDF copolymer dust detectors: particle response and penetration characteristics☆

Abstract Experiments using glass impactors with diameters in the range ∼ 10–200 μm and impact velocities in the range 0.9–14.4 km/s were carried out to measure the signal characteristics, velocity loss and degree of fragmentation for particles penetrating single and multiple polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) copolymer sensors with thicknesses 1.5–3.5 μm. Pure PVDF sensors were also studied for comparison. Up to three sensors were placed in a time-of-flight (TOF) telescope arrangement which was followed by capture cell devices. The experimental results showed that PVDF copolymer sensors are xcellent dust detectors and have a response to dust impacts 30% higher than that of pure PVDF sensors. For impactors having velocities > 9 km/s and diameters s ≈ 40 μm, the particles vaporize upon single sensor penetration. For larger particles, ∼ 50% are totally vaporized and ∼ 50% provide TOF information but result in little or no debris in the capture cells. For impact velocities