cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural history of exercise function in patients with Ebstein anomaly: A serial study.

Background The clinical manifestations of Ebstein anomaly (EA) vary greatly; criteria for surgical intervention remain undefined. Decisions regarding surgical intervention in asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients would be helpfully informed by a detailed, quantitative understanding of the natural history of exercise intolerance in these patients. However, past studies of exercise function in EA have been of a cross-sectional, rather than a serial, nature. We, therefore, analyzed serial cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) tests from patients with unrepaired EA to better appreciate the natural history of their exercise function. Methods All patients with EA who had had at least 2 CPX tests, separated by at least 6 months, between November 2002 and October 2010 were identified. Patients with prior tricuspid valve surgery were excluded from the study. Results Cardiopulmonary exercise data from 23 patients (64 CPX tests; 2.8 ± 1.0 tests/patient) were analyzed. The median time interval between the first and last CPX tests was 3.3 (range, 0.6-7.3) years. The percentage of predicted peak oxygen consumption declined slowly (1.87 ± 8.04 percentage points/y) during the follow-up period. The decline was more pronounced (3.04 ± 6.78 percentage points/y) in patients Conclusion The exercise function of patients with EA tends to deteriorate over time. This deterioration appears to be related to a progressive decline in their ability to augment their forward stroke volume and heart rate during exercise.
Non-linear explicit transient finite element analysis on the Intel Delta

Abstract Many large-scale finite element problems are intractable on current generation production supercomputers. High-performance computer architectures offer effective avenues to bridge the gap between computational needs and the power of computational hardware. The biggest challenge lies in the substitution of the key algorithms in an application program with redesigned algorithms which exploit the new architectures and use better or more appropriate numerical techniques. A methodology for implementing non-linear finite element analysis on a homogeneous distributed processing network is discussed. The method can also be extended to heterogeneous networks comprised of different machine architectures provided that they have a mutual communication interface. This unique feature has greatly facilitated the port of the code to the 8-node Intel Touchstone Gamma and then the 512-node Intel Touchstone Delta. The domain is decomposed serially in a preprocessor. Separate input files are written for each subdomain. These files are read in by local copies of the program executable operating in parallel. Communication between processors is addressed utilizing asynchronous and synchronous message passing. The basic kernel of message passing is the internal force exchange which is analogous to the computed interactions between sections of physical bodies in static stress analysis. Benchmarks for the Intel Delta are presented. Performance exceeding 1 gigaflop was attained. Results for two large-scale finite element meshes are presented.
New Insights Into the Gating Mechanisms of Cardiac Ryanodine Receptors Revealed by Rapid Changes in Ligand Concentration

Abstract We have developed a novel technique for incorporation of sheep cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-release channels into planar phospholipid bilayers in order to investigate changes in [Ca2+] on a physiological time scale and have investigated whether the rate of change of cytosolic [Ca2+] has a direct effect on the gating of the cardiac SR Ca2+-release channel. Vesicles of heavy SR were incorporated into planar phospholipid bilayers painted on glass pipettes, and an established technique for rapid solution exchanges at excised membrane patches was modified to allow solution changes to be made at the bilayer within 10 ms. For a given change in [Ca2+], we demonstrate that the open probability (Po) is similar whether the cytosolic [Ca2+] is increased rapidly (10 ms) or slowly (1 s) and appears to be no different from the Po measured under steady state conditions that were recorded by using conventional bilayer techniques. We also demonstrate that no desensitization or inactivation occurs at −40 mV when the channel is activated by Ca2+ alone or in the presence of other channel activators, ATP or EMD 41000. However, at +40 mV, rapid channel activation followed by inactivation was observed. The probability of such voltage-dependent inactivation appears to depend on the mechanism of channel activation.
Study of the Earth’s interior using measurements of sound velocities in minerals by ultrasonic interferometry

Abstract This paper reviews the progress of the technology of ultrasonic interferometry from the early 1950s to the present day. During this period of more than 60 years, sound wave velocity measurements have been increased from at pressures less than 1 GPa and temperatures less than 800 K to conditions above 25 GPa and temperatures of 1800 K. This is complimentary to other direct methods to measure sound velocities (such as Brillouin and impulsive stimulated scattering) as well as indirect methods (e.g., resonance ultrasound spectroscopy, static or shock compression, inelastic X-ray scattering). Newly-developed pressure calibration methods and data analysis procedures using a finite strain approach are described and applied to data for the major mantle minerals. The implications for the composition of the Earth’s mantle are discussed. The state-of-the-art ultrasonic experiments performed in conjunction with synchrotron X-radiation can provide simultaneous measurements of the elastic bulk and shear moduli and their pressure and temperature derivatives with direct determination of pressure. The current status and outlook/challenges for future experiments are summarized.
Effect of pH on adsorption of copper, zinc, and cadmium from landfill leachate by clay minerals

Abstract The removal (exchange‐adsorption plus precipitation) of Cu, Zn, and Cd from a municipal landfill leachate by kaolinite and montmorillonite was found to be dependent upon the pH and the ionic strength of the leachate. Sorption increased with increasing pH values and with increasing concentration of heavy metals. Montmorillonite sorbed approximately five times more heavy metal from solution than kaolinite. Precipitation contributed significantly to removal of Cu, Zn, and Cd from leachate above pH 6. The removal versus pH data (pH range 2 to 8) were used to construct adsorption isotherms at several pH values. Leachate isotherms were constructed at pH 5.0 and compared with pure aqueous solution isotherms for the same pH. The amount of adsorption at pH 5.0 from leachate was significantly lower than that from pure nitrate salt solutions because of competition from the other cations present in the leachate. Migration of heavy‐metal ions through clay materials is predicted to be much greater in landfill ...
Changing the Occupational Therapy Curriculum

Modern trends and techniques in the field of education indicate the need for an overhaul in many aspects of teaching and learning approaches. The occupational therapy course is not immune to such developments, and the number of efforts within the profession shows that there is a growing awareness of current educational changes. There has been criticism in the past that the occupational therapy course is crammed with subjects and that students are often expected to display a factual knowledge of various topics. Some claim that there is too little importance attached to the learning process. This article looks at some present thoughts in the educational sector, and tries to apply them to the occupational therapy curriculum.
Controller Design With Fixed Delay-Margin for a LTI Unstable Open-Loop Plant: Case Studies

Around a benchmark open-loop unstable LTI plant with a single delay, we design controllers that create marginal stability of the closed loop at a pre-defined delay margin value τ. These controllers therefore guarantee system stability for all delays less than τ. Case studies covering various scenarios are presented.© 2014 ASME
Conventional DTI vs. slow and fast diffusion tensors in cat visual cortex

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) uses water diffusion anisotropy in axonal fibers to provide a tool for analyzing and tracking those fibers in brain white matter. In the present work, multidirectional diffusion MRI data were collected from a cat brain and decomposed into slow and fast diffusion tensors and directly compared with conventional DTI data from the same imaging slice. The fractional anisotropy of the slow diffusing component (Dslow) was significantly higher than the anisotropy measured by conventional DTI while reflecting a similar directionality and appeared to account for most of the anisotropy observed in gray matter, where the fiber density is notoriously low. Preliminary results of fiber tracking based on the slow diffusion component are shown. Fibers generated based on the slow diffusion component appear to follow the vertical fibers in gray matter. DslowTI may provide a way for increasing the sensitivity to anisotropic structures in cortical gray matter. Magn Reson Med 49:785‐790, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Calf thymus fractions: Enhancement and suppression of immunocompetent cells in neonatal mice

Nachweis, dass eine aus Kalber-Thymus isolierte Fraktion auf die Ausbildung von Hamolysin produzierenden Zellen in neugeborenen Mausen einen stimulierenden Einfluss haben kann.
Scattering of an obliquely incident Rayleigh wave in an elastic quarterspace

Abstract We study the three-dimensional problem of scattering of waves in a homogeneous, isotropic, linearly elastic quarter space. We obtain an equation for the Fourier transform of the normal displacements on the free surfaces. For oblique incidence of a Rayleigh surface wave, we numerically solve this equation. Reflection and tansmission coefficients are plotted versus angle of incidence. For angles of incidence smaller than a critical angle, we observed that no energy is radiated into the solid by body waves. The farfield scattering patterns are also plotted.
The Mobile Group I Intron 3α of the Yeast Mitochondrial COXI Gene Encodes a 35-kDa Processed Protein That Is an Endonuclease but Not a Maturase

Three mitochondrial mutants were characterized that block the splicing of aI3α, a mobile group I intron of the COXI gene of yeast mtDNA. Mutant C1085 alters helical structures known to be important for splicing of group I introns. M44 and C1072 are point mutants in exon 3 that block correct splicing but allow some splicing at cryptic 5′-splice sites. M44 alters the P1 helix needed for 5′-splice site definition, while the mutation in C1072 is a new kind of mutation because it is located upstream of the exon sequence involved in the P1 helix. All three mutants accumulate novel proteins of 35 and 44 kDa (p35 and p44, respectively) detected both by labeling of mitochondrial translation products and by Western blotting. Partial protease digestions indicate that p44 and p35 are closely related, probably as precursor and processed protein. The level of the intron-encoded endonuclease activity, I-SceIII, is elevated ∼10-fold in the mutants. Partial purification of I-SceIII from the mutants showed that most, if not all, of the activity is associated with p35. Finally, because aI3α splices accurately in a petite mutant, we conclude that aI3α splicing does not depend on a mtDNA-encoded maturase.
Intentional systems: Review of neurodynamics, modeling, and robotics implementation

Abstract We present an intentional neurodynamic theory for higher cognition and intelligence. This theory provides a unifying framework for integrating symbolic and subsymbolic methods as complementary aspects of human intelligence. Top-down symbolic approaches benefit from the vast experience with logical reasoning and with high-level knowledge processing in humans. Connectionist methods use bottom-up approach to generate intelligent behavior by mimicking subsymbolic aspects of the operation of brains and nervous systems. Neurophysiological correlates of intentionality and cognition include sequences of oscillatory patterns of mesoscopic neural activity. Oscillatory patterns are viewed as intermittent representations of generalized symbol systems, with which brains compute. These dynamical symbols are not rigid but flexible. They disappear soon after they emerged through spatio-temporal phase transitions. Intentional neurodynamics provides a solution to the notoriously difficult symbol grounding problem. Some examples of implementations of the corresponding dynamic principles are described in this review.
The influence of ethnicity on symbol digit modalities test performance: An analysis of a multi-ethnic college and hepatitis C patient sample

Neuropsychologists routinely assess patients from racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse populations. Despite this fact, there remains a paucity of research investigating the influence of these variables on neuropsychological test performance. The Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) is a widely used measure of attention, visual scanning and tracking, and psychomotor speed. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relation between ethnicity and SDMT performance in ethnically diverse cognitively normal and cognitively impaired samples. Participants were 168 college students (81 Caucasian, 49 African American, 20 Asian American, and 18 Hispanic) and 24 patients (12 Caucasian and 12 Hispanic) chronically infected with hepatitis C. Results revealed no significant group differences in SDMT performance in either the student or patient sample. Furthermore ethnicity accounted for only 2 and 3 percent of the variance in SDMT scores for the patient and student samples, respectively. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of the SDMT across ethnically diverse populations in both clinical and normal samples though further analysis is warranted.
Clients’ experiences of disengaged moments in psychotherapy: A grounded theory analysis.

The study offers an empirically derived model of clients’ experiences of disengaged moments, defined as moments when clients withdraw, distance, or lessen their intensity of involvement with therapy-relevant material or relationships. Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) interviews were conducted with nine psychotherapy clients of therapists with varied orientations and experience. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to qualitative analysis using grounded theory analysis (Glaser and Strauss, The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research, 1967) methodology. The results suggested that clients use disengagement for protection from pain, strategic retreat, relationship management, self-through-other discovery, and self-betterment. The core category across all of the experiences of disengagement relates to communicating difficulties and experimenting within the therapy relationship toward self-change. Recommendations are offered for research and practice.
Biophysical analyses of synthetic amyloid-β(1-42) aggregates before and after covalent cross-linking. Implications for deducing the structure of endogenous amyloid-β oligomers

A neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of large numbers of senile plaques in the brain. These deposits are rich in fibrils that are composed of 40- and 42-residue amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides. Several lines of evidence indicate that soluble Abeta aggregates as well as fibrils are important in the etiology of AD. Low levels of endogenous soluble Abeta aggregates make them difficult to characterize, but several species in extracts of AD brains have been detected by gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and immunoblotting. Individual Abeta oligomers ranging in size from dimers through dodecamers of 4 kDa monomeric Abeta have been resolved in other laboratories as discrete species by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). In an effort to reconstitute soluble Abeta aggregates in vitro that resemble the endogenous soluble Abeta aggregates, we previously found that monomeric Abeta(1-42) rapidly forms soluble oligomers in the presence of dilute SDS micelles. Here we extend this work in two directions. First, we contrast the size and secondary structure of these oligomers with those of synthetic Abeta(1-42) fibrils. SEC and multiangle light scattering were used to obtain a molecular mass of 150 kDa for the isolated oligomers. The oligomers partially dissociated to monomers through nonamers when incubated with SDS, but in contrast to endogenous oligomers, we saw no evidence of these discrete species prior to SDS treatment. One hypothesis to explain this difference is that endogenous oligomers are stabilized by covalent cross-linking induced by unknown cellular agents. To explore this hypothesis, optimal mass spectrometry (MS) analysis procedures need to be developed for Abeta cross-linked in vitro. In our second series of studies, we began this process by treating monomeric and aggregated Abeta(1-42) with three cross-linking agents: transglutaminase, glutaraldehyde, and Cu(II) with peroxide. We compared the efficiency of covalent cross-linking with these agents, the effect of cross-linking on peptide secondary structure, the stability of the cross-linked structures to thermal unfolding, and the sites of peptide cross-linking obtained from proteolysis and MS.
A Multi-detection Assay for Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes

The Anopheles gambiae species complex includes the major malaria transmitting mosquitoes in Africa. Because these species are of such medical importance, several traits are typically characterized using molecular assays to aid in epidemiological studies. These traits include species identification, insecticide resistance, parasite infection status, and host preference. Since populations of the Anopheles gambiae complex are morphologically indistinguishable, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is traditionally used to identify species. Once the species is known, several downstream assays are routinely performed to elucidate further characteristics. For instance, mutations known as KDR in a para gene confer resistance against DDT and pyrethroid insecticides. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) or Plasmodium parasite DNA detection PCR assays are used to detect parasites present in mosquito tissues. Lastly, a combination of PCR and restriction enzyme digests can be used to elucidate host preference (e.g., human vs. animal blood) by screening the mosquito bloodmeal for host-specific DNA. We have developed a multi-detection assay (MDA) that combines all of the aforementioned assays into a single multiplex reaction genotyping 33SNPs for 96 or 384 samples at a time. Because the MDA includes multiple markers for species, Plasmodium detection, and host blood identification, the likelihood of generating false positives or negatives is greatly reduced from previous assays that include only one marker per trait. This robust and simple assay can detect these key mosquito traits cost-effectively and in a fraction of the time of existing assays.
Filament-Based Impulsive Remote Raman Spectroscopy for Chemical Detection

The remote detection of gas phase molecules remains a challenge. Laser filamentation can be used to enhance the cross section for Raman scattering of gas phase molecules and the method will be presented along with applications to signature molecules.
Cotton-wool spots in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome compared with diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, and central retinal vein occlusion

• The cotton-wool spot is a common fundus funding in patients with many ocular and systemic diseases. We investigated the characteristics of cotton-wool spots in patients with four major diseases, ie, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, and central retinal vein occlusion, to see if any differences were detected in their number, size, or location. A composite of all the cotton-wool spots for each of these four categories was obtained by computed reconstruction to analyze variations in their distribution and size. The cotton-wool spots had a predilection for the temporal quadrants in the four categories and were smaller in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome than the other groups. Patients with ischemic central retinal vein occlusion had more cotton-wool spots than the other groups. No other definite differences were detected. Cotton-wool spots seem to be a common pathway following various insults to the retina, most probably of a vaso-occlusive origin.
The secondary drying stage of freeze drying: drying kinetics as a function of temperature and chamber pressure☆

Abstract Secondary drying involves removal of water which did not freeze. This report emphasizes the phenomenological description of the effects of temperature and chamber pressure on the kinetics of drying. A crystalline solute (mannitol) and two amorphous solutes (moxalactam di-sodium and povidone) were selected for study. Drying kinetics were determined gravimetrically using a vacuum microbalance and by Karl Fischer assay of vials sealed at selected times during secondary drying experiments conducted in a laboratory scale freeze dryer. The main observations may be summarized as follows: (1) the water content decreases rapidly during the first few hours of drying and then appears to approach a plateau level of residual water which far exceeds the equilibrium water content calculated from the desorption isotherm data and the measured partial pressure of water in the drying chamber; (2) this plateau level of water sharply decreases as the drying temperature is increased; (3) the drying rate increases as the product specific surface area increases; and (4) variations in chamber pressure (0–0.2 mmHg) and dried product thickness have little or no effect on drying rate. We conclude that the rate-limiting mass transfer process for drying an amorphous solid is either evaporation at the solid/vapor interface or diffusion in the solid, probably the former. The ‘plateau level kinetics’ appears to be consistent with amorphous particle size heterogeneity superimposed on a simple model based on Fickian diffusion with rate controlling surface evaporation.
A new look at delusions of grandeur.

Abstract Delusions of grandeur were explored by chart review. Seventy-six percent of manics and 40% of schizophrenics studied demonstrated these delusions. Male patients with schizophrenia and delusions of grandeur were ill an average of 0.86 years longer than patients without grandiose delusions. The author suggests that in male schizophrenics these delusions may indicate advanced illness. The author proposes a subtyping of delusions of grandeur into ability. role, and identity. Grandiose ability was the most common, found in all manics and 74% of schizophrenics. The author explores the relation of subtypes to duration of illness, birth order, and sex in mania and schizophrenia.
Evidence that the hydrophobic domain of rat renal γ-glutamyltransferase spans the brush border membrane

Abstract Lactoperoxidase and glucose oxidase catalyzed 125 I-iodination was used to specifically label isolated rat renal brush border membrane vesicles from either side of the membrane. Autoradiography of total membrane proteins demonstrated that asymmetric labeling was achieved. Specific immunoprecipitates of aminopeptidase M, an established transmembrane protein, and of γ-glutamyltransferase were isolated from vesicles solubilized with Triton X-100 or with papain. Following electrophoresis and autoradiography, the immunoprecipitates of the two solubilized forms of each enzyme derived from externally labeled vesicles exhibited the same intensity of labeling. In these experiments, the small subunit of the γ-glutamyltransferase was preferentially labeled suggesting that, compared to the large subunit, it is more exposed on the external surface of the membrane. With the samples derived from internally labeled vesicles, the Triton-solubilized form of each enzyme was intensely labeled, whereas the papain-solubilized forms contained insignificant amounts of radioactivity. Thus, the extent of contramembrane labeling was minimal. In these experiments, the large subunit of the γ-glutamyltransferase was preferentially labeled. The similarity of the labeling patterns obtained for aminopeptidase M and γ-glutamyltransferase suggests that the hydrophobic domain of the two amphipathic enzymes are selectively labeled from the internal surface and that the γ-glutamyltransferase may also be a transmembrane protein.
Strongly correlated superconductivity : A plaquette dynamical mean-field theory study

We use cluster dynamical mean-field theory to study the simplest models of correlated electrons, the Hubbard model and the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model. We use a plaquette embedded in a medium as a reference frame to compute and interpret the physical properties of these models. We study various observables such as electronic lifetimes, one electron spectra, optical conductivities, superconducting stiffness, and the spin response in both the normal and the superconducting state in terms of correlation functions of the embedded cluster. We find that the shortest electron lifetime occurs near optimal doping where the superconducting critical temperature is maximal. A second critical doping connected to the change of topology of the Fermi surface is also identified. The mean-field theory provides a simple physical picture of three doping regimes, the underdoped, the overdoped, and the optimally doped regime, in terms of the physics of the quantum plaquette impurity model. We compare the plaquette dynamical mean-field theory results with earlier resonating valence bond mean-field theories, noting the improved description of the momentum space anisotropy of the normal state properties and the doping dependence of the coefficient of the linear temperature dependence of the superfluid density in the superconducting state.
Optimality and Authority: A Critique of Neoclassical Theory

The extent to which authority is centralized varies greatly across time and space, as the experience of Europe over the past half century illustrates. This article initiates a dialogue between two literatures: the neoclassical theory of authority and the analysis of multi-level governance. Neoclassical theory examines the tension between the benefits of centralization and the costs of imposing uniformity across diverse territories. It implies that multi-level governance is the optimal response to this trade-off. This article critically examines the assumptions of neoclassical theory, and offers some building blocks for an alternative approach.
Social Characteristics of Costa Rican Decision Makers

T he following data were obtained in fall 1966 during a series of interviews by the author. As part of a larger study of the political culture of decision makers in Costa Rica, they indicate the level of education, age distribution, travel and study abroad, and the political-party affiliation of sample groups of Costa Rican deputies, civil servants, and appointed directors of autonomous institutes. Information presented here should be of use and interest to those comparing elite characteristics cross-culturally and to those who have a particular interest in Latin American politics. Three populations, consisting of 113 members of the 1962-1966 and 1966-1970 National Assemblies, 136 of the jefes of departments in the Ministries, and 91 directors of the autonomous institutes, were isolated. A sample of 25 percent was drawn from each of the populations. All but five of those selected were interviewed, and the data describe these 28 deputies, 32 civil servants, and 20 directors. As can be seen from Table 1, a majority of all are in the middle age group: over 35 and under 50 years of age. Most have graduated from universities, although deputies are less educated than members of the other groups (Table 2). A majority of civil servants and directors have studied overseas in addition to their regular education, while only a few of the deputies have studied abroad (Table 3). Many deputies, however, have traveled abroad as representatives of the government (Table 4). Most directors are members of the Partido Liberacion Nacional as Table 5 shows. Non-PLN affiliation among the civil servants and deputies is greater than among the directors, although members of the PLN still constitute a majority in each of the three samples. Civil servants and directors come primarily from San Jose, the capital, while most deputies are from places outside San Jose. No area is very far from San Jose and most members of all groups are from the Meseta Central.
GROWTH OF CDTE AND CDS/CDTE HETEROJUNCTIONS ON METAL SUBSTRATES BY SPRAY PYROLYSIS

Abstract Preliminary results of the spray pyrolysis of thin films of CdTe on metal substrates are reported. The films are hard and adhere well to the substrate. A n-CdS/p-CdTe rectifying junction is also grown completely by spray pyrolysis on the metallic substrate. The ability to produce p-n junctions using the inexpensive and simple procedure of spray pyrolysis may lead to a viable process for mass production of solar cells.
4-Hydroxynonenal induces glutamate cysteine ligase through JNK in HBE1 cells

Glutathione is the most abundant non-protein thiol in the cell, with roles in cell cycle regulation, detoxification of xenobiotics, and maintaining the redox tone of the cell. The glutathione content is controlled at several levels, the most important being the rate of de novo synthesis, which is mediated by two enzymes, glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL), and glutathione synthetase (GS), with GCL being rate-limiting generally. The GCL holoenzyme consists of a catalytic (GCLC) and a modulatory (GCLM) subunit, which are encoded by separate genes. In the present study, the signaling mechanisms leading to de novo synthesis of GSH in response to physiologically relevant concentrations of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE), an endproduct of lipid peroxidation, were investigated. We demonstrated that exposure to 4HNE resulted in increased content of both Gcl mRNAs, both GCL subunits, phosphorylated JNK1 and c-Jun proteins, as well as Gcl TRE sequence-specific AP-1 binding activity. These increases were attenuated by pretreating the cells with a novel membrane-permeable JNK pathway inhibitor, while chemical inhibitors of the p38 or ERK pathways were ineffective. These data reveal that de novo GSH biosynthesis in response to 4HNE signals through the JNK pathway and suggests a major role for AP-1 driven expression of both Gcl genes in HBE1 cells.
Antiepileptic drugs in the management of cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia

Cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia are relatively rare but debilitating neurologic conditions. Although they are clinically and diagnostically distinct from migraine, many of the same pharmacologic agents are used in their management. For many patients, the attacks are so frequent and severe that abortive therapy is often ineffective; therefore, chronic preventive therapy is necessary for adequate pain control. Cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia have several distinguishing clinical features. Cluster headache is predominantly a male disorder; trigeminal neuralgia is more prevalent in women. Individuals with cluster headaches often develop their first attack before age 25; most patients with trigeminal neuralgia are between age 50 and 70. Cluster headaches are strongly associated with tobacco smoking and triggered by alcohol consumption; trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by such stimuli as shaving and toothbrushing. Although the pain in both disorders is excruciating, cluster headache pain is episodic and unilateral, typically surrounds the eye, and lasts 15 to 180 minutes; the pain of trigeminal neuralgia lasts just seconds and is usually limited to the tissues overlying the maxillary and mandibular divisions of the trigeminal nerve. Cluster headache is unique because of its associated autonomic symptoms. Although the pathophysiology of cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia are not completely understood, both appear to have central primary processes, and these findings have prompted investigations of the effectiveness of the newer antiepileptic drugs for cluster headache prevention and for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. The traditional antiepileptic drugs phenytoin and carbamazepine have been used for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia for a number of years, and while they are effective, they can sometimes cause central nervous system effects such as drowsiness, ataxia, somnolence, and diplopia. Reports of studies in small numbers of patients or individual case studies indicate that the newer antiepileptic drugs are effective in providing pain relief for trigeminal neuralgia and cluster headache sufferers, with fewer central nervous system side effects. Divalproex has been shown to provide effective pain control and to reduce cluster headache frequency by more than half in episodic and chronic cluster headache sufferers. Topiramate demonstrated efficacy in a study of 15 patients, with a mean time to induction of cluster headache remission of 1.4 weeks (range, 1 day to 3 weeks). In the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, gabapentin has been shown to be effective in an open-label study. When added to an existing but ineffective regimen of carbamazepine or phenytoin, lamotrigine provided improved pain relief; it also may work as monotherapy. Topiramate provided a sustained analgesic effect when administered to patients with trigeminal neuralgia. The newer antiepileptic drugs show considerable promise in the management of cluster headache and trigeminal neuralgia.
Hemispheric Asymmetries for Different Components of Global/Local Attention Occur in Distinct Temporo-parietal Loci

Data from brain-damaged and neurologically intact populations indicate hemispheric asymmetries in the temporo-parietal cortex for discriminating an object's global form (e.g. the overall shape of a bicycle) versus its local parts (e.g. the spokes in a bicycle tire). However, it is not yet clear whether such asymmetries reflect processes that (i) bias attention toward upcoming global versus local stimuli and/or (ii) attend/identify global versus local stimuli after they are presented. To investigate these possibilities, we asked sixteen healthy participants to perform a cued global/local attention task while their brain activity was recorded using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results indicated a novel double dissociation. Hemispheric asymmetries for deploying attention toward expected global versus local object features were specific to the intraparietal sulcus (iPs). However, hemispheric asymmetries for identifying global versus local features after they were presented were specific to the inferior parietal lobe/superior temporal gyrus (IPL/STG). This double dissociation provides the first direct evidence that hemispheric asymmetries associated with different components of global/local attention occur in distinct temporo-parietal loci. Furthermore, it parallels an analogous dissociation reported in a recent fMRI study of spatial orienting, suggesting that global/local attention and spatial attention might rely on similar cognitive/neural mechanisms.
Effects of aggregation and electron-phonon interactions on RBM spectral reconstruction of single walled carbon nanotubes

We present a methodology to reconstruct the radial breathing mode (RBM) region of the resonance Raman spectra of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in isolated and aggregated states. This methodology takes into account the experimentally determined electron-phonon matrix elements (M ph ) along with an energetic deviation term (ΔE). In the case of isolated SWNTs, ΔE was found to be zero, while the RBM spectral reconstruction was insensitive to variations of the electron-phonon matrix elements. On the other hand, incorpration of a non-zero ΔE value and M ph values corrected for diameter and chiral angle dependence through trigonal warping effects was necessary in order to obtain optimum RBM spectral reconstruction for aggregated SWNT samples.
Instructional Video Content Analysis Using Audio Information

Automatic media content analysis and understanding for efficient topic searching and browsing are current challenges in the management of e-learning content repositories. This paper presents our current work on analyzing and structuralizing instructional videos using pure audio information. Specifically, an audio classification scheme is first developed to partition the sound-track of an instructional video into homogeneous audio segments where each segment has a unique sound type such as speech or music. We then apply a statistical approach to extract discussion scenes in the video by modeling the instructor with a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and updating it on the fly. Finally, we categorize obtained discussion scenes into either two-speaker or multispeaker discussions using an adaptive mode-based clustering approach. Experiments carried out on four training videos and five IBM MicroMBA class videos have yielded encouraging results. It is our belief that by detecting and identifying various types of discussions, we are able to better understand and annotate the learning media content and subsequently facilitate its content access, browsing, and retrieval
Arbeitsplatzwandel im Controlling — Ein Erfahrungsbericht

Ziel des Referates ist es, die Veranderungen am Arbeitsplatz eines Controllers bei Hewlett-Packard (HP) zu beschreiben, wie sie in den letzten Jahren stattgefunden haben. Veranderungen, die bedingt wurden durch neue Anforderungen an die Aufgabenstellung, die aber auch moglich wurden durch ein neues technologisches Instrumentarium.
Organic chemicals in sewage sludges

Sewage sludges are residues resulting from the treatment of wastewater released from various sources including homes, industries, medical facilities, street runoff and businesses. Sewage sludges contain nutrients and organic matter that can provide soil benefits and are widely used as soil amendments. They also, however, contain contaminants including metals, pathogens, and organic pollutants. Although current regulations require pathogen reduction and periodic monitoring for some metals prior to land application, there is no requirement to test sewage sludges for the presence of organic chemicals in the U. S. To help fill the gaps in knowledge regarding the presence and concentration of organic chemicals in sewage sludges, the peer-reviewed literature and official governmental reports were examined. Data were found for 516 organic compounds which were grouped into 15 classes. Concentrations were compared to EPA risk-based soil screening limits (SSLs) where available. For 6 of the 15 classes of chemicals identified, there were no SSLs. For the 79 reported chemicals which had SSLs, the maximum reported concentration of 86% exceeded at least one SSL. Eighty-three percent of the 516 chemicals were not on the EPA established list of priority pollutants and 80% were not on the EPA's list of target compounds. Thus analyses targeting these lists will detect only a small fraction of the organic chemicals in sludges. Analysis of the reported data shows that more data has been collected for certain chemical classes such as pesticides, PAHs and PCBs than for others that may pose greater risk such as nitrosamines. The concentration in soil resulting from land application of sludge will be a function of initial concentration in the sludge and soil, the rate of application, management practices and losses. Even for chemicals that degrade readily, if present in high concentrations and applied repeatedly, the soil concentrations may be significantly elevated. The results of this work reinforce the need for a survey of organic chemical contaminants in sewage sludges and for further assessment of the risks they pose. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The impact of bone and suture material properties on mandibular function in Alligator mississippiensis: testing theoretical phenotypes with finite element analysis

The functional effects of bone and suture stiffness were considered here using finite element models representing three different theoretical phenotypes of an Alligator mississippiensis mandible. The models were loaded using force estimates derived from muscle architecture in dissected specimens, constrained at the 18th and 19th teeth in the upper jaw and 19th tooth of the lower jaw, as well as at the quadrate-articular joint. Stiffness was varied systematically in each theoretical phenotype. The three theoretical phenotypes included: (i) linear elastic isotropic bone of varying stiffness and no sutures; (ii) linear elastic orthotropic bone of varying stiffness with no sutures; and (iii) linear elastic isotropic bone of a constant stiffness with varying suture stiffness. Variation in the isotropic material properties of bone primarily resulted in changes in the magnitude of principal strain. By comparison, variation in the orthotropic material properties of bone and isotropic material properties of sutures resulted in: a greater number of bricks becoming either more compressive or more tensile, changing between being either dominantly compressive or tensile, and having larger changes in the orientation of maximum principal strain. These data indicate that variation in these model properties resulted in changes to the strain regime of the model, highlighting the importance of using biologically verified material properties when modeling vertebrate bones. When bones were compared within each set, the response of each to changing material properties varied. In two of the 12 bones in the mandible, varied material properties within sutures resulted in a decrease in the magnitude of principal strain in bricks adjacent to the bone/suture interface and decreases in stored elastic energy. The varied response of the mandibular bones to changes in suture stiffness highlights the importance of defining the appropriate functional unit when addressing relationships of performance and morphology.
On Babies and Bathwater: A Call for Diversification and Diagnosis

Henry (this issue) has provided a critical reminder that social psychologists' overreliance on university samples restricts our ability to test universal hypotheses regarding all of our topic areas...
A Synaptosomal Preparation from the Guinea Pig Ileum Myenteric Plexus

: Our interest in investigating the presynaptic modulation of acetylcholine release led to the development of a synaptosomal preparation from the guinea pig ileum myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle. A crude synaptosomal fraction (P2) was obtained by homogenization and differential centrifugation. The preparation exhibited a specific uptake system for choline and for nor-adrenaline (NA), but not for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Synaptosomes were isolated from this P2 fraction by an isoosmotic density gradient prepared from sucrose and metrizamide. The resultant synaptosomal fraction was enriched about sevenfold in both choline uptake and in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Choline was transported by a high-affinity system with a Km of 6.5 × 10−7 M and a Vmax of 41 pmol/mg protein/min. Electron microscopy confirmed the synaptosomal nature of the gradient fraction. Some synaptosomal profiles contained only small, translucent vesicles whereas others also contained large (approx. 100 nm diameter) electron-opaque vesicles. The crude synaptosomal fraction synthesized acetylcholine (ACh) from exogenous choline and it released the synthesized ACh in a calcium-dependent manner.
Stress-Specific Activation and Repression of Heat Shock Factors 1 and 2

Vertebrate cells express a family of heat shock transcription factors (HSF1 to HSF4) that coordinate the inducible regulation of heat shock genes in response to diverse signals. HSF1 is potent and activated rapidly though transiently by heat shock, whereas HSF2 is a less active transcriptional regulator but can retain its DNA binding properties for extended periods. Consequently, the differential activation of HSF1 and HSF2 by various stresses may be critical for cells to survive repeated and diverse stress challenges and to provide a mechanism for more precise regulation of heat shock gene expression. Here we show, using a novel DNA binding and detection assay, that HSF1 and HSF2 are coactivated to different levels in response to a range of conditions that cause cell stress. Above a low basal activity of both HSFs, heat shock preferentially activates HSF1, whereas the amino acid analogue azetidine or the proteasome inhibitor MG132 coactivates both HSFs to different levels and hemin preferentially induces HSF2. Unexpectedly, we also found that heat shock has dramatic adverse effects on HSF2 that lead to its reversible inactivation coincident with relocalization from the nucleus. The reversible inactivation of HSF2 is specific to heat shock and does not occur with other stressors or in cells expressing high levels of heat shock proteins. These results reveal that HSF2 activity is negatively regulated by heat and suggest a role for heat shock proteins in the positive regulation of HSF2.
OF EAGLES AND CROWS, LIONS AND OXEN Blake and the Disruption of Ethics

Why focus on the work of William Blake in a journal dedicated to religious ethics? The question is neither trivial nor rhetorical. Blake's work is certainly not in anyone's canon of significant texts for the study of Christian or, more broadly, religious ethics. Yet Blake, however subversive his views, sought to lay out a Christian vision of the good, alternated between prophetic denunciations of the world's folly and harrowing laments over the wreck of the world's promise, and wrote poetry as if poetry might mend the world. Setting imagination against the calculations of reason and the comfort of custom, Blake's poems inspire questions about the relationship of ethics to prophecy, and open the possibility that ethics itself would be markedly enriched could it find a place for what Thomas J. J. Altizer has called Christian epic poetry.
Diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum with bedside ultrasound.

An 86-year-old female was brought in by ambulance for severe abdominal and back pain. She was hypotensive en route and appeared to be in distress upon arrival to the emergency department. Her abdomen was tense and distended with diffuse tenderness to palpation present. A bedside abdominal ultrasound (US) was done immediately, which raised concern for free air. A portable upright chest x-ray was obtained, which confirmed the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum (Video). Video Pneumoperitoneum. Pneumoperitoneum due to perforated viscus is an emergent diagnosis that requires immediate surgical consultation and intervention. US is a useful tool that can be done at the bedside to rapidly make the diagnosis. Both low- and high-frequency transducers may be used to detect intraperitoneal free air. With the patient in a supine position, the perihepatic space should be evaluated. The patient may also be turned to the left lateral decubitus position to facilitate the rise of free air to the RUQ.1 Findings may also be seen from the anterior abdominal wall when the patient is supine. Pneumoperitoneum can be detected on US by the enhanced peritoneal stripe sign (EPSS) in conjunction with reverberation artifacts, which have the appearance of repeating linear lines extending at equidistant distances posteriorly from the peritoneal lining.2 Comet tail artifact may also be appreciated from the peritoneal stripe. The “scissors maneuver” can increase sensitivity of US in detecting intraperitoneal free air.3 Indirect signs may also be seen on US, including thickened bowel loops or air bubbles in peritoneal free fluid.4 US has been shown to have a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 100% for pneumoperitoneum. It has been shown by some to have a higher sensitivity for this diagnosis as compared to plain radiography.5 Although computed tomography imaging is still the gold standard for pneumoperitoneum, US is a helpful initial diagnostic tool that can be done rapidly at the bedside.