cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the source of increased bipolar and major depressive disorder polygenic risk in multiplex schizophrenia families

Psychotic and affective disorders often aggregate in the relatives of probands with schizophrenia (SCZ), and genetic studies show substantial genetic correlation among SCZ, bipolar disorder (BIP) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the nature of this genetic overlap in polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses of multiplex families has not been fully dissected. In the current study, we investigated the polygenic risk burden of BIP and MDD in a sample of 257 multiplex SCZ families (N=1,005) and population controls (N=2,205). Furthermore, due to the strong genetic correlation among SCZ, BIP, and MDD, we examined whether increased BIP or MDD PRS in members of multiplex SCZ families can be attributed to latent genetic factors unique to BIP or MDD, or latent genetic factors that each of these two disorders share with SCZ. Our results indicate that members of multiplex SCZ families have an increased PRS for BIP and MDD, however, this observation is largely attributable to latent genetic factors that BIP or MDD share with SCZ, rather than latent genetic factors unique to them. These results provide new insight for cross-disorder PRS analyses of psychiatric disorders, by cautioning that for complete interpretation of observed cross-disorder PRS enrichment, we should account for genetic correlations across psychiatric disorders. Our findings further indicates that members of multiplex SCZ families may have an increased genetic vulnerability to both psychotic and affective disorders, and for full assessment of an individuals genetic risk, familial backgrounds should be taken into consideration.
Sensitivity to microstimulation of somatosensory cortex distributed over multiple electrodes

Meaningful and repeatable tactile sensations can be evoked by electrically stimulating primary somatosensory cortex. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) may thus be a viable approach to restore the sense of touch in individuals who have lost it, for example tetraplegic patients. One of the potential limitations of this approach, however, is that high levels of current can damage the neuronal tissue if the resulting current densities are too high. The limited range of safe ICMS amplitudes thus limits the dynamic range of ICMS-evoked sensations. One way to get around this limitation would be to distribute the ICMS over multiple electrodes in the hopes of intensifying the resulting percept without increasing the current density experienced by the neuronal tissue. Here, we test whether stimulating through multiple electrodes is a viable solution to increase the dynamic range of ICMS-elicited sensations without increasing the peak current density. To this end, we compare the ability of non-human primates to detect ICMS delivered through one versus multiple electrodes. We also compare their ability to discriminate pulse trains differing in amplitude when these are delivered through one or more electrodes. We find that increasing the number of electrodes through which ICMS is delivered only has a marginal effect on detectability or discriminability despite the fact that 2-4 times more current is delivered overall. Furthermore, the impact of multielectrode stimulation (or lack thereof) is found whether pulses are delivered synchronously or asynchronously, whether the leading phase of the pulses is cathodic or anodic, and regardless of the spatial configuration of the electrode groups.
A Distributed Hyperpolarizability Model for Liquid Water

In a recent work a novel, molecular dynamics (MD) based, theory was presented that provides a direct means to calculate the third order contributions to sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS) at charged interfaces.[1] This contribution is described by a time correlation function (TCF) of the system's total hyperpolarizability (β) and dipole. A system's hyperpolarizability[2, 3, 4, 5] is difficult to calculate on the fly – no appropriate non-electronic structure (ES) techniques exist. In this work, such a model is developed for liquid water based on a formalism proposed previously.[1] The model is parametrized from and tested against, ab initio ES calculations. It was found that it is possible to reproduce the hyperpolarizability tensor of a gas phase water molecule and a water dimer accurately. Also, most relevant components of the hyperpolarizability derivative tensor of both the water and water dimer were also accurately fit, however, some elements were not able to be simultaneously reproduced. The model was also tested to assess whether or not it could reproduce the three non-zero condensed phase water hyperpolarizability tensor components. It was found that the model could capture two of the three relevant components.
GABAB Receptor-Activated Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Current in Dissociated Hippocampal CA3 Neurons

GABA and the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen activated a potassium conductance in acutely dissociated hippocampal CA3 neurons. Baclofen-activated current required internal GTP, was purely potassium selective, and showed strong inward rectification. As with acetylcholine-activated current in atrial myocytes, external Cs+ blocked inward but not outward current in a highly voltage-dependent manner, whereas Ba2+ blocked with no voltage dependence. Unlike the cardiac current, however, the baclofen-activated current showed no intrinsic voltage-dependent relaxation. With fast solution exchange, current was activated by baclofen or GABA with a lag of approximately 50 msec followed by an exponential phase (time constant approximately 225 msec at saturating agonist concentrations); deactivation was preceded by a lag of approximately 150 msec and occurred with a time constant of approximately 1 sec. GABA activated the potassium conductance with a half maximally effective concentration (EC50) of 1.6 microM, much lower than that for activation of GABAA receptor-activated chloride current in the same cells (EC50 approximately 25 microM). At low GABA concentrations, activation of the GABAB current had a Hill coefficient of 1.4-2.1, suggesting cooperativity in the receptor-to-channel pathway. Although the maximal conductance activated by GABAB receptors is much smaller than that activated by GABAA receptors, its higher sensitivity to GABA and slower time course make it well suited to respond to low concentrations of extra-synaptic GABA.
Inverse Theory: Problem on the Line1

Publisher Summary There are several aspects of the inverse problem. The reconstruction problem is the problem of finding procedures to recover the potential from the scattering data. The characterization problem is about the identification of necessary and sufficient conditions on the scattering data ensuring that the reconstructed potential belongs to a particular class. The stability problem consists of analyzing how the constructed potential changes when the scattering data are perturbed. The chapter provides an overview of the Darboux transformation that allows adding to a given potential or to remove from it any number of bound states. It provides an alternative method to deal with bound states in the reconstruction of a potential. Several methods are employed to solve the inverse scattering problem. One of the methods—Faddeev–Marchenko method—involves the construction of data from the left scattering data by solving the left Marchenko integral equation or from the right scattering data by solving the right Marchenko integral equation. Another method is Gel’fand–Levitan method in which the potential is constructed from the corresponding spectral function, which is a 2 x 2 real-valued matrix function of energy E = k2.
A TCR Transgenic Mouse Reactive with Multiple Systemic Dimorphic Fungi

Dimorphic fungi collectively account for 5–10 million new infections annually worldwide. Ongoing efforts seek to clarify mechanisms of cellular resistance to these agents and develop vaccines. A major limitation in studying the development of protective T cells in this group of organisms is the lack of tools to detect, enumerate, and characterize fungus-specific T cells during vaccination and infection. We generated a TCR transgenic mouse (Bd 1807) whose CD4+ T cells respond to a native epitope in Blastomyces dermatitidis and also in Histoplasma capsulatum. In this study, we characterize the mouse, reveal its applications, and extend our analysis showing that 1807 cells also respond to the related dimorphic fungi Coccidioides posadasii and Paracoccidioides lutzii. On adoptive transfer into vaccinated wild-type mice, 1807 cells become activated, proliferate, and expand in the draining lymph nodes, and they differentiate into T1 effectors after trafficking to the lung upon lethal experimental challenge. Bd 1807 cells confer vaccine-induced resistance against B. dermatitidis, H. capsulatum, and C. posadasii. Transfer of naive 1807 cells at serial intervals postvaccination uncovered the prolonged duration of fungal Ag presentation. Using 1807 cells, we also found that the administration of vaccine only once induced a maximal pool of effector/memory CD4+ cells and protective immunity by 4 wk after vaccination. The autologous adoptive transfer system described in this study reveals novel features of antifungal immunity and offers a powerful approach to study the differentiation of Ag-specific T cells responsive to multiple dimorphic fungi and the development of CD4+ T cell memory needed to protect against fungal infection.
AKT as Locus of Cancer Phenotype

Cancer robustness is generated by the positive feedback loops. The positive loops hyperactivate AKT locus forming a cancer phenotype in leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, plasmocytoma, sarcoma and carcinoma. The positive loops inducing AKT hyperphosphorylation increase activity of the AKT locus and the nodal associated and interconnected signaling genes. Only genes expressed above the threshold in the AKT signaling interactome networks, participate in the formation of the complex cancer phenotype. AKT is the switching locus for the cancer phenotype. The phenotype formation and maintenance is regulated by the AKT locus through an entropy/enthalpy processes. Targeting the AKT by locus chemotherapy, changing redox balance (antioxidant/oxidant), affects phosphorylation and activity of the AKT, inducing conversion of the positive feedback loops and disappearance of the malignant phenotype. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1–5, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The rural proletariat and the problem of rural proletarian consciousness

‘The rural proletariat’ has been employed as a sociological category to describe Caribbean populations for nearly 25 years, but confusion about such populations persists. Proletarianisation, the definition of rural proletariats, and the Marxist conception of consciousness, as applicable to such groups, are discussed in the following paper. The Cuban case is described to exemplify the European bias of some analysts, and the difficulties created by an uncritical transfer of western conceptions of class and of class consciousness to a colonial agrarian situation. A special effort is made to conceptualise the rural proletariat in terms of its relationships to the peasantry, and of the ‘concealment’ of landless workers in peasant communities.
Improved approximations for the inverse moments of the positive binomial distribution

Several alternatives to the most common approximation to the inverse moments of the positive binomial distribution are obtained. The method is based on equating moments and gives considerably better approximations for some values of the parameters.
Eukaryotic protein synthesis: An in vitro analysis

Abstract The general mechanism of eukaryotic protein synthesis is discussed based upon the accumulation of considerable data from in vitro assays of either purified factors or reconstituted systems. Recent evidence suggests that there are more factors/proteins that participate in this process than previously thought. These new discoveries however, do not alter the apparent function of the previously characterized factors, so that the general guidelines for understanding how Met-tRNA 1 and mRNA are correctly positioned on the 40S subunit have not changed. The tow ‘new’ observations are the ability of a 67 kDa protein to influence the phosphorylation state of elF-2α and a new mechanistic interpretation of the utilization of the mRNA specific factors (eIF-4A, eIF-4,, eIF-4F) which would suggest that eIF-4A may not bind to mRNA except as a subunit of eIF-4F.
Land-use and threats to parks in the neotropics.

The ecological consequences of contemporary land-use in the neotropics have important influences on national park management in the region. Historical patterns suggest that major land-use changes have occurred regularly, and that these patterns have recently intensified. Is there a relationship between specific land-uses and specific threats to protected areas? Can this relationship be detected in a population of parks?In a survey of managers of 183 national parks, 122 returned questionnaires from 19 countries in the neotropics. We found that a range of land-uses, from livestock grazing to quarrying, are occurring in and around the parks. The results of our statistical analysis indicate that many of these activities are associated with specific threats to park resources: for example, poaching for subsistence was statistically associated with each of the ten most-reported threats.We offer two suggestions for improving our understanding of environmental degradation within parks. First, that research and park management be expanded to acquire a regional focus, namely that the land-transforming activities which threaten park resources can best be understood by incorporating the regional-social and political-economic contexts in the analysis. Second, that the influences of the global economic system be increasingly considered in conceptual frameworks of conservation biology.
The effects of alternatives on the salience of reward allocation norms

Abstract In a dyadic bargaining situation there is considerable evidence that the alternative outcomes of the bargainers (if they cannot reach agreement) have important effects on bargaining outcomes. Under the assumption that situational factors affect the nature of the relation between the alternatives of the bargainers and bargaining outcomes, the effects of two factors were assessed: the relative size of the reward to be negotiated (excess of prize minus alternatives) and the magnitude of the difference in the alternatives of the two bargainers. Using college students as subjects, the predictions of two models were also contrasted: the equal excess model and Shapley-w. The relative size of the prize did not have a significant effect on the accuracy of the two models, but the magnitude of the difference in alternatives had marked effects. The results also suggest that the Shapley-w model may be more accurate when the bargainers are relatively inexperienced and cooperatively oriented, whereas the equal excess model may be more accurate when the bargainers are relatively sophisticated and competitively oriented.
Subject compilations of state laws in federal and state documents: A research guide

Abstract Subject compilations of state laws are used to answer questions such as, “Which states have crime victims' compensation programs?” and “What are the states' laws on prayer or moments of silence in public schools?” Federal and state government documents are good sources of compilations and, because of their wide availability, compilations in documents are especially useful in non-law libraries. This article discusses the types of compilations found in government documents and the reference tools and techniques that are most useful in locating new compilations in documents. Several recent compilations are included in an Appendix to illustrate the types of compilations and documents discussed in the text.
Design of a nonlinear power system stabilizer using synergetic control theory

Electromechanical oscillations of small magnitude and low frequency exist in the interconnected power system and often persist for long periods of time. Power system stabilizers (PSSs) are traditionally used to provide damping torque for the synchronous generators to suppress the oscillations by generating supplementary control signals for the generator excitation system. Numerous techniques have previously been proposed to design PSSs but many of them are synthesized based on a linearized model. This paper presents a nonlinear power system stabilizer based on synergetic control theory. Synergetic synthesis of the PSS is based fully on a simplified nonlinear model of the power system. The dynamic characteristics of the proposed PSS are studied in a typical single-machine infinite-bus power system and compared with the cases with a conventional PSS and without a PSS. Simulation results show the proposed PSS is robust for such nonlinear dynamic system and achieves better performance than the conventional PSS in damping oscillations.
Outpatient Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) for Ectopic Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Up to 20% of abnormal parathyroid glands causing primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism are located ectopically. Of these, approximately 1%-2% reside in the mediastinum and may not always be resectable through a traditional cervical approach. Recently, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has arisen as a minimally invasive method for resecting mediastinal parathyroid glands and avoiding the complications and higher morbidity of a sternotomy. In this paper, we present a case of a patient with asymptomatic hyperparathyroidism and an ectopic parathyroid on sestamibi imaging in the mediastinum. Initially, the patient underwent a bilateral cervical exploration, left upper parathyroidectomy, and partial thymectomy; however, postoperatively, he continued to have persistently elevated serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels. Ultimately, management consisted of parathyroidectomy through a VATS approach, along with intraoperative parathyroid assay monitoring and frozen-section pathologic analysis. The patient was successfully discharged to home several hours after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of mediastinal ectopic parathyroid adenoma treated with outpatient VATS.
Cognitive Interaction After Staged Callosal Section: Evidence for Transfer of Semantic Activation

Sensory and cognitive functions were assessed in a right-handed male before and after partial and complete callosal commissurotomy. After the initial posterior section was made, there was no evidence of interhemispheric sensory transfer, although the left hemisphere did have access to stimulus-related semantic and episodic information from the right hemisphere. After the callosum was completely sectioned, this exchange was no longer observed.
V̇O2 of resting muscle during arterial hypoxia: Role of reflex vasoconstriction

Abstract To examine the influence of chemoreflex vasoconstriction on the change in O 2 consumption in resting muscle during arterial hypoxia, responses in intact and denervated gracilis muscles were compared. Hypoxia was induced in anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated dogs by inhalation of low O 2 gases. Electromagnetic blood flow, AVO 2 difference, and O 2 consumption were measured. Small vessel blood content served as relative index of open capillary density. Before denervation, muscle O 2 consumption was maintained during hypoxia, unless SaO 2 fell below 50%. Maintenance of muscle O 2 consumption during hypoxia was associated with an unchanging AVO 2 difference, a large increase in small vessel blood content, and a minimal increase in flow. Relative changes in parameters of O 2 supply and demand during hypoxia were not significantly different after denervation, except that flow increases were modestly higher. Results suggest that O 2 delivery to muscle during hypoxia is maintained primarily by an opening of capillaries rather than by increases in flow and that chemoreflex vasoconstriction does not interfere with this local vascular adjustment.
Lepers, madmen--who's next?

The pros and cons of community vs. hospital treatment of schizophrenic patients are currently the subject of spirited debate among mental health workers across the nation (see "Community Treatment—A Broken Promise?" in Schizophrenia Bulletin No. 10, Fall 1974). Because this issue is such a critical one, we invited Werner M. Mendel and Ronald O. Rieder, two psychiatrists who hold strong—though by no means consonant—views on this subject, to review from their own perspectives the available evidence on the impact, whether favorable or harmful, that the emptying of State hospitals has had on discharged schizophrenic patients and the communities to which they have been returned. The intriguing essays that resulted from our invitation are printed below.—The Editors.
Chemical Interactions Promoting the ZrO2 Tetragonal Stabilization in ZrO2–SiO2 Binary Oxides

Metastable tetragonal ZrO2 phase has been observed in ZrO2–SiO2 binary oxides prepared by the sol–gel method. There are many studies concerning the causes of ZrO2 tetragonal stabilization in binary oxides such as Y3O2–ZrO2, MgO–ZrO2, or CaO–ZrO2. In these binary oxides, oxygen vacancies cause changes or defects in the ZrO2 lattice parameters, which are responsible for tetragonal stabilization. Since oxygen vacancies are not expected in ZrO2–SiO2 binary oxides, tetragonal stabilization should just be due to the difficulty of zirconia particles growing in the silica matrix. Furthermore, changes in the tetragonal ZrO2 crystalline lattice parameters of these binary oxides have recently been reported in a previous paper. The changes of the zirconia crystalline lattice parameters must result from the chemical interactions at the silica–zirconia interface (e.g., formation of Si–O–Zr bonds or Si–O− groups). In this paper, FT-IR and 29Si NMR spectroscopy have been used to elucidate whether the presence of Si–O–Zr or Si–O− is responsible for tetragonal phase stabilization. Moreover, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy have also been used to study the crystalline characteristics of the samples.
Modal semantics, modal dynamics and the problem of state preparation

It has been suggested that the Modal Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics (QM) is "incomplete" if it lacks a dynamics for possessed values. I argue that this is only one of two possible attitudes one might adopt toward a Modal Interpretation without dynamics. According to the other attitude, such an interpretation is a complete interpretation of QM as standardly formulated, an interpretation whose innovation is to attempt to make sense of the quantum realm without the expedient of novel physics. Then I explain why this attitude, though available, is unattractive. Without dynamics, the Modal Interpretation vanquishes the measurement problem only, it seems, to succumb to the problem of state preparation. On this view, the Modal Interpretation needs dynamics not to be an interpretation at all, but to be an adequate one. I review reasons to suspect that the dynamics which would best suit the Modal Interpretation--a dynamics equivalent to a set of two time transition probabilities of the sort used to solve the ...
An expert system for a retargetable peephole optimizer

Peephole optimization is the process of improving object code produced by a compiler. The optimizer replaces one or several computer instructions with an instruction which is faster or shorter. Retargetable peephole optimizers work on different machines with minor changes. Previous work has automated the process of developing retargetable peephole optimizers given descriptions of machine instructions. Techniques presented here use an expert system for the task of learning which instructions may be optimized using the descriptions of the computer instructions. The expert system simplifies the task of combining and searching instructions. This project was successful in demonstrating that an expert system may be used for a retargetable peephole optimizer. The expert system may be retargeted to another computer by changing the descriptions of the instructions and the descriptions of the addressing modes. The expert system can also handle pairs of branch instructions and special addressing modes with side effects. The amount of work required for a programmer to build and maintain a retargetable peephole optimizer is reduced using an expert system.
Business Driven Technology

(2005). Business Driven Technology. Journal of Information Technology Case and Application Research: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 47-48.
Progress on the development of the optical communications demonstrator

The Optical Communications Demonstrator (OCD) is a laboratory-based lasercom demonstration terminal designed to validate several key technologies, including beacon acquisition, high bandwidth tracking, precision beam pointing, and point-ahead compensation functions. It has been under active development over the past few years. The instrument uses a CCD array detector for both spatial acquisition and high-bandwidth tracking, and a fiber coupled laser transmitter. The array detector tracking concept provides wide field-of-view acquisition and permits effective platform jitter compensation and point-ahead control using only one steering mirror. The use of a fiber- coupled transmitter modularizes the transmitter design and de-couples its thermal management problems from the main system optics. The reduction in design complexity can lead to a reduced system cost and an improved system reliability. This paper describes recent progress on the development of the OCD terminal.
Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Bile Composition: Seasonal Changes

Gallbladder contents from 8 active and 14 dormant black bears were analyzed for individual bile acids by high-performance liquid chromatography and for cholesterol, phospholipids, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper. Only three bile acids occurring as taurine conjugates were detected: tauroursodeoxycholate, taurochenodeoxycholate, and taurocholate. The proportion of tauroursodeoxycholate to the sum of the three bile acids decreased. Calcium, cholesterol, phospholipids, magnesium, zinc, and copper concentrations were increased in dormancy. Standardized collection and handling procedures yielded more consistent data than previously available. The decrease in tauroursodeoxycholate and absence of deoxycholate and lithocholate are consistent with our working hypothesis that a marked reduction in metabolic activity of the gut flora is an integral part of the adaptation to metabolic stability of the dormant bear.
D2 and 5‐HT2 modulation of psychostimulant‐induced facilitation of brain stimulation reward

Previous research in our laboratory demonstrated that mixed D2/5-HT2 antagonists (i.e., MDL 28, 133A, and risperidone) attenuate both amphetamine and cocaine-induced facilitation of brain stimulation reward. The relative contributions of dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonism to these effects was assessed in the present study. Factorial combinations of the D2 antagonist eticlopride and the 5-HT2 antagonist MDL 100,907 were evaluated for their ability to reverse both cocaine and amphetamine-induced facilitation of brain stimulation reward. Eticlopride significantly reduced the effects of both amphetamine and cocaine, while MDL 100,907 had no effect on self-stimulation thresholds when administered alone, or in combination with eticlopride. Thus, no evidence for serotonergic regulation of the euphoric effects of psychostimulants was obtained. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Frequency of Hands-On Experimentation and Student Attitudes Toward Science: A Statistically Significant Relation (2005-51-Ornstein)

Attitudinal data tested hypotheses that students have more positive attitudes toward science when teachers regularly emphasize hands-on laboratory activities and when students more frequently experience higher levels of experimentation or inquiry. The first predicted that students would have more positive attitudes toward science in classrooms where teachers regularly emphasized hands-on laboratory activities. The second predicted that students more frequently experiencing a higher level of experimentation or inquiry would have more positive attitudes. Data from a student attitude questionnaire measuring three attitudinal factors were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Both hypotheses were partially supported. Analysis of individual student data showed more positive attitudes in hands-on classrooms on all three factors at the .01 level of confidence while data based on class averages offered opposing differences. More challenging, open-ended experimentation and inquiry experiences produced more positive student attitudes. This was especially true when students were provided frequent opportunities to generate independent hypotheses and draw their own conclusions. Many variables influence an educational environment, so discussion is therefore provided on how future studies might be conducted to achieve more meaningful results.
Seasonal effects of hyper‐osmotic sodium chloride on urea production in the frog, Rana pipiens

1 Spring-summer frogs, Rana pipiens, acclimated at 22.5°C or 27°C were dehydrated in 0.15 M NaCl for up to 24 hours. After 10 or 24 hours of treatment, the concentration of urea in serum increases relative to the concentrations of urea measured in serum of frogs kept in tap water or 0.125 M NaCl. 2 The increase in the concentration of urea in serum of spring-summer frogs was associated with an increase in body urea and an increased rate of urea production. 3 When fall-winter frogs, acclimated at 20°C, were dehydrated in 0.15 M NaCl for 12.5 hours, no increase in the concentration of urea in serum was observed, relative to frogs treated with tap water or 0.125 M NaCl. After 48 hours, the concentration of urea in serum of frogs treated with 0.15 M or 0.125 M NaCl was the same, but both were significantly greater than tap water treated frogs. 4 The metabolic basis for the increase in the rate of urea production observed in spring-summer but not fall-winter frogs in response to hyperosmotic sodium chloride is discussed.
Creative Exploration of Scaled Product Family 3D Models Using Gesture Based Conceptual Computer Aided Design (C-CAD) Tool

The concepts of scale and platform based product family are being used by many companies to meet the customization needs of customers. Research in the area of product family design predominantly focuses on optimization frameworks. There is a lack of creative conceptual computer-aided 3D modeling tools for product family design exploration. In this paper, a gesture-based conceptual computer-aided design (C-CAD) exploration tool for scaled 3D product family models is presented. The proposed gesture-based C-CAD allows for easy, natural, and intuitive modification of 3D objects to create scaled 3D product family models. The input 3D model for conceptual design exploration purposes are obtained in two ways: (a) 3D model is generated by scanning an existing product using depth sensing (RGB-D) camera, and (b) 3D models available in large online repository such as Google Warehouse and TurboSquid are used as-is. Hand gestures recognized using the DepthSense® 311 (RGB-D) camera from SoftKinetic® are used in conjunction with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based geometric algorithms to enable the interactive scaling of inputted 3D models. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated through multiple example problems. The proposed method of 3D model exploration is most useful for product designs that are scaled variants.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Radiative source function for a slab: Approximate solution

Abstract Integral equations that govern the radiative source function in a slab are investigated. Closed-form, approximate solutions, which were obtained by using an exponential kernel approximation, are presented. The resulting simple algebraic expressions predict, to within 10%, the exact solution over a wide range of optical parameters. They also provide the advantage of calculating with ease the radiative field within the medium.
Detecting Randomness: A Review of Existing Tests with New Comparisons

In this article we review and compare a number of existing tests for detecting randomness in time series data, with emphasis on stock market index data. By comparing variance ratio tests with traditional statistical tests, we have the most extensive simulation comparison of such procedures. The investigated tests are compared over a diverse group of distributions, models, and stock market applications. In our stock market data analysis, the choice of data transformation can have a noticeable effect on test results. This study provides the reader with a guide as to which test and transformation is most appropriate for their use.
Arthroscopic Grafting of Greater Tuberosity Cyst and Rotator Cuff Repair

Cysts of the greater tuberosity can be a normal finding independent of age and concurrent rotator cuff tear. The presence of a large greater tuberosity cyst can present a challenge at the time of rotator cuff repair. We present a 1-step arthroscopic technique to address these defects at the time of rotator cuff repair using a synthetic graft (OsteoBiologics, San Antonio, TX) originally designed to address osteoarticular defects. With the viewing portal established laterally, a portal allowing perpendicular access to the cyst is established. The cyst is thoroughly debrided, and a drill sleeve is then introduced perpendicular to the surrounding bone, serving as a guide for the matching drill to create a circular socket. A correspondingly sized TruFit BGS cylindrical implant (OsteoBiologics) is then implanted by use of the included instrumentation. The scaffold is placed flush with the surrounding bone. Because our arthroscopic rotator cuff protocol uses a tension-band technique with placement of suture anchors distal and lateral to the rotator cuff footprint, we are subsequently able to proceed with routine rotator cuff repair.
Corrigendum: Long noncoding RNAs and human disease: [Trends in Cell Biology 21 (2011), 354–361]

In this article by Wapinski and Chang in the June issue of Trends in Cell Biology, there is an incorrect statement on page 360, left column, line 27 from the bottom. The text currently reads:“Several lines of evidence indicate that FMRP modulates the transport of neuronal transcripts to dendrites for local protein synthesis by associating with the rodent lncRNA BC1 and its primate homolog BC200, which exhibit complementarity to FMRP target mRNAs [47–49].”The passage should read:“Several lines of evidence indicate that FMRP can modulate the transport of neuronal transcripts to dendrites for local protein synthesis by associating with the rodent lncRNA BC1 and its primate analogue BC200, which exhibit complementarity to FMRP target mRNAs [47–49].”We apologize to the readers of this article for this error.
Optimum pole configuration of variable speed AC induction motors

Sometimes a user who is familiar with fixed speed AC induction motors may specify a variable speed AC requirement with a preconception of the number of motor poles. This is appropriate in the case of an application where the motor will be run "across-the-line", and is expected to run at the same speed and load as provided on inverter operation. If, on the other hand, "bypass" operation is not required, a more optimal choice of motor designs might be available. For example, an application requiring 3000 or 3600 RPM operation would demand a two-pole motor design if bypass (at 50 or 60 Hz) must be provided. However, when bypass is not required, it is often the case that a smaller motor can be provided in a four-pole design (utilizing 100 or 120 Hz base frequency) compared to a two-pole configuration. Another aspect of applying adjustable frequency power supplies to AC induction motors is that it allows an essentially infinite number of possible "base speeds", including base speeds in excess of 3600 RPM. In this paper the author discusses the number of poles required for fixed speed AC motors, DC motors, and adjustable frequency AC motors. Motor performance issues are also discussed.
Identification of AKAP79 as a protein phosphatase 1 catalytic binding protein.

The ubiquitously expressed and highly promiscuous protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) regulates many cellular processes. Targeting PP1 to specific locations within the cell allows for the regulation of PP1 by conferring substrate specificity. In the present study, we identified AKAP79 as a novel PP1 regulatory subunit. Immunoprecipitaiton of the AKAP from rat brain extract found that the PP1 catalytic subunit copurified with the anchoring protein. This is a direct interaction, demonstrated by pulldown experiments using purified proteins. Interestingly, the addition of AKAP79 to purified PP1 catalytic subunit decreased phosphatase activity with an IC50 of 811 ± 0.56 nM of the anchoring protein. Analysis of AKAP79 identified a PP1 binding site that conformed to a consensus PP1 binding motif (FxxR/KxR/K) in the first 44 amino acids of the anchoring protein. This was confirmed when a peptide mimicking this region of AKAP79 was able to bind PP1 by both pulldown assay and surface plasmon resonance. However, PP1 was sti...
Pemoline levels in brain: enhancement by dimethyl sulfoxide.

Pemoline-C 14 dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and injected intraperitoneally into rats was found in larger amounts in the brain than was a similar dose given in 0.3 percent tragacanth suspension. This appeared to be related to a partial breakdown of the blood-brain barrier in vivo by the dimethyl sulfoxide.
Clinical perspectives of granulocyte transfusions: Efficacy to date

The literature pertaining to the use of granulocyte transfusions as treatment for progressive bacterial, yeast, and fungal infections in severely neutropenic patients is reviewed. Efficacy in treating bacterial infections that are unresponsive to antimicrobial therapy is well established-especially if bone marrow failure does not recover rapidly and neutropenia is persistent. The role of therapeutic granulocyte transfusions for yeast and fungal infections has potential merit, but current data are incomplete and findings are inconsistent. The possibility of greater success has been raised by use of recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor to greatly increase the yield of neutrophils collected from normal donors.
Secondary instabilities of hexagonal patterns in a Bénard-Marangoni convection experiment.

We have identified experimentally secondary instability mechanisms that restrict the stable band of wave numbers for ideal hexagons in Benard-Marangoni convection. We use "thermal laser writing" to impose long wave perturbations of ideal hexagonal patterns as initial conditions and measure the growth rates of the perturbations. For epsilon=0.46 our results suggest a longitudinal phase instability limits stable hexagons at a high wave number while a transverse phase instability limits low wave number hexagons.
Practical considerations in implementing a real-time controller design automation system

A methodology for reducing the complexity of designing real-time control systems has been previously reported. Techniques based on the methodology, using automatic hardware and software synthesis, are outlined. Practical considerations in implementing a usable design automation system, employing these techniques and producing a complete real-time controller given only a behavioral application description, are discussed.
Structural Insights into Competitive Antagonism in NMDA Receptors.

There has been a great level of enthusiasm to downregulate overactive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors to protect neurons from excitotoxicity. NMDA receptors play pivotal roles in basic brain development and functions as well as in neurological disorders and diseases. However, mechanistic understanding of antagonism in NMDA receptors is limited due to complete lack of antagonist-bound structures for the L-glutamate-binding GluN2 subunits. Here, we report the crystal structures of GluN1/GluN2A NMDA receptor ligand-binding domain (LBD) heterodimers in complex with GluN1- and GluN2-targeting antagonists. The crystal structures reveal that the antagonists, D-(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5) and 1-(phenanthrene-2-carbonyl)piperazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PPDA), have discrete binding modes and mechanisms for opening of the bilobed architecture of GluN2A LBD compared to the agonist-bound form. The current study shows distinct ways by which the conformations of NMDA receptor LBDs may be controlled and coupled to receptor inhibition and provides possible strategies to develop therapeutic compounds with higher subtype-specificity.
Selenium-Sulfur Analogs III: Synthesis and Biodistribution of two 75Se-Labeled 4-Substituted-l,2,3-selenadiazoles

The 75Se-labeled 4-substituted-1,2,3-selenadiazole analogs of two drugs that inhibit the adrenocorticosteroid 11/β- and 17α-hydroxylase enzymes were prepared by the [75Se]selenious acid oxidation of the appropriate methyl ketone semicarbazones. The concentration of the radiolabeled compounds in the adrenal glands of rats over a 0.25-24-hr period was determined and compared with that in the blood, liver, and kidneys. The concentration in the adrenal glands and the target to nontarget ratios were much lower than those reported for other adrenocorticosteroid inhibitors. Therefore, these 1,2,3-selenadiazole agents do not have potential as adrenocorticosteroid imaging agents.
Construction of dimeric F(ab) useful in blood group serology.

BACKGROUND: When expressed in Escherichia coli, recombinant F(ab) contain a heavy-chain Fd fragment and a complete light-chain fragment. Because these F(ab) are monovalent, their avidity is significantly lower than that of a corresponding bivalent IgG antibody. In addition, when monovalent F(ab) are used in hemagglutination assays, antiglobulin reagents are required. Therefore, it would be useful to develop a system that expresses recombinant bivalent F(ab) in E. coli. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Three modified vectors were constructed. Each contained cDNA sequences encoding a peptide linked to the C terminus of a heavy-chain CH1 region: an IgG1 hinge region (Hinge), a leucine zipper (Zip), or a peptide containing the Hinge and Zip sequences in tandem (HingeZip). The vectors were used to express two cloned F(ab) recognizing human antigens M and N: NNA7 (anti-N) and 425/2B (anti-M). The recombinant proteins were expressed in E. coli and were purified and evaluated by ELISA and hemagglutination. RESULTS: By gel filtration chromatography, 35, 90, and 70 percent of the purified F(ab) expressing the Hinge, Zip, and HingeZip tails, respectively, were dimers. By ELISA, the avidity of F(ab) containing the Zip or HingeZip tails was six to eight times higher than that of the corresponding monovalent F(ab). In addition, the dimeric F(ab) directly agglutinated RBCs in concentrations similar to those of corresponding bivalent IgG antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: An introduction of dimer-inducing peptides allowed the isolation of bacterially produced, bivalent F(ab). This approach could be useful for obtaining inexpensive, serologic reagents that may replace or complement conventional MoAbs produced by mammalian tissue culture methods.
SHORT COMMUNICATION Mutagenicity of the mononitrobenzo[a]pyrenes in Chinese hamster ovary cells mediated by rat hepatocytes or liver S9

Previous studies have shown that 1- and 3-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (NBaP) were mutagenic in the Salmonella reversion assay without exogenous activation and that 1-, 3- and 6-NBaP were mutagenic in the presence of hepatocytes or liver homogenate (S9). In the present study, 1-, 3- and 6-NBaP were tested for mutagenicity in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells under activation conditions similar to those used in the bacterial studies. None of the NBaPs was mutagenic without exogenous activation and none was mutagenically activated by hepatocytes from unpretreated rats or rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254 or 3-methylcholanthrene. Benzo-[a]pyrene (BaP), the parent compound, induced a strong mutagenic response under all hepatocyte mediation conditions. The NBaPs did produce positive mutagenic responses with S9 activation (3- = 1- greater than 6-NBaP), but these moderate responses were less than those of BaP. The difference between the bacterial and CHO results under the variety of activation conditions suggests the importance of the endogenous metabolism of the target cell as well as the source and the type of exogenous metabolic activation.
Adjuvant immunotherapy with bacillus Calmette-Guérin in prostatic cancer

Ninety-two patients with histologically proved prostatic cancer were studied. Forty-six patients were treated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) adjuvant immunotherapy, and 46 other patients, matched for stage and hormone therapy, served as controls. Survival from the time of histologic diagnosis was sixteen and one-half months longer (thirty-seven and one-half versus twenty-one months) in the BCG-treated patients. There was no mortality and only minimal morbidity. Changes in some immunologic parameters (white blood cell count, skin tests) suggest an immune response.
Reductions of Hilbert's tenth problem

Hilbert's tenth problem is to find an algorithm for determining whether or not a diophantine equation possesses solutions. A diophantine predicate (of positive integers) is defined to be one of the formwhere P is a polynomial with integral coefficients (positive, negative, or zero). Previous work has considered the variables as ranging over nonnegative integers; but we shall find it more useful here to restrict the range to positive integers, no essential change being thereby introduced. It is clear that the recursive unsolvability of Hilbert's tenth problem would follow if one could show that some non-recursive predicate were diophantine. In particular, it would suffice to show that every recursively enumerable predicate is diophantine. Actually, it would suffice to prove far less.
The existence of internal solitary waves in a two-fluid system near the KdV limit

Abstract Two fluid layers of constant density lying one over the other on top of a rigid horizontal lower boundary with either a free upper surface or a rigid upper boundary can support solitary waves. The existence of a unique branch of such waves emanating from the horizontal flow at a critical speed U ∗ is demonstrated in both cases by use of the Nash—Moser implicit function theorem. These results complement the global results of Amick and Turner (1986) and are analogous to the work of Friedrichs and Hyers (1954) and Beale (1977) for surface waves. It is also noted that the most obvious variational principle which characterizes these waves as constrained extremals (Benjamin, 1984) is of indefinite type, having a Hessian with infinitely many positive and infinitely many negative eigenvalues.
Superconductivity: The Promise and Reality

The discovery of superconductivity brought with it the promise of a miracle solution to many technological problems encountered by the electrical power industry. That discovery was at Leiden in 1911. Since then, engineering designs and prototypes have been developed for the use of superconductive materials in electric power transmission, transformers, and machinery. The development of superconducting magnetic energy storage systems also held great promise. Superconductivity was even used to build marine propulsion systems and levitated track vehicles. Despite that, and despite the financial support of governments for prototype developments, the only commercial application of the technology, outside of laboratories, is for MRI magnets. Similar experience is encountered in superconducting applications to electronics, although some success has been achieved in the communication industry. The discovery of high temperature superconductivity, despite its promise, did not significantly change the situation. The developments will be reviewed, and some of the reasons why superconductivity is still mainly confined to the laboratory will be given with the view of what we, as scientists, can do in order to enhance and hasten the commercial adoption of superconducting technology.