cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The transcriptional start site for a human U6 small nuclear RNA gene is dictated by a compound promoter element consisting of the PSE and the TATA box

Transcription of vertebrate U6 snRNA genes by RNA polymerase III requires two sequence elements in the proximal promoter region: the PSE (proximal sequence element, found in snRNA promoters transcribed by RNA polymerase II) and the TATA element (found in many mRNA promoters). The locations of the PSE and the TATA box are important determinants for transcriptional start site selection in their respective RNA polymerase II promoters. In vertebrate U6 genes the PSE and the TATA elements are located in approximately the same positions as in the polymerase II transcribed genes, but their respective roles in initiation site selection are unknown. We have analyzed the effects of spacing changes between the PSE and the TATA element, and between the two elements and the normal U6 start site on human U6 gene transcription. The spacing requirement between the two elements is highly stringent, implying a possible interaction between the factors that bind them. Our results discount the possibility that the location of either the PSE or the TATA element, by itself, dictates efficient selection of a transcriptional start site. Instead, we suggest that the two elements form a compound promoter element whose location dictates the start site of transcription from the human U6 gene promoter.
Region based fault-tolerant distributed file storage system design under budget constraint

Two independent lines of research, (i) erasure code based file storage system design, and (ii) fault-tolerant network design for spatially correlated (or region-based) failures, have received considerable attention in the networking research community in recent times. A recently proposed (N,K)-coding based distributed file storage scheme ensures complete reconstruction of a file after network fragmentation due to any single region-based fault. For every region of the network, it stores K distinct file segments in one of the largest connected component that results from the fragmentation of the network due to the failure of a region. This distribution scheme provides an all-region fault-tolerant storage system, in the sense that no matter which region of the network fails, a largest connected component of the fragmented network will still have enough distinct file segments with which to reconstruct the file. However, the storage requirement and the associated cost for such an all-region-fault-tolerant storage system may be quite high. As such, with a limited budget it may not be possible to realize such an all-region fault-tolerant storage system. We consider a budget constrained distributed file system design problem and provide solutions that maximizes the number of regions that can be made fault-tolerant, within the specified budget. We show that the problem is NP-complete, and provide an approximation algorithm for the problem. The performance of the approximation algorithm is evaluated through simulation on two real networks. The simulation results demonstrate that the worst case experimental performance is significantly better than the worst case theoretical bound. Moreover, the approximation algorithm almost always produce near optimal solution in a fraction of time needed to find the optimal solution.
Carbon-silicon core-shell nanowires as high capacity electrode for lithium ion batteries.

We introduce a novel design of carbon−silicon core−shell nanowires for high power and long life lithium battery electrodes. Amorphous silicon was coated onto carbon nanofibers to form a core−shell structure and the resulted core−shell nanowires showed great performance as anode material. Since carbon has a much smaller capacity compared to silicon, the carbon core experiences less structural stress or damage during lithium cycling and can function as a mechanical support and an efficient electron conducting pathway. These nanowires have a high charge storage capacity of ∼2000 mAh/g and good cycling life. They also have a high Coulmbic efficiency of 90% for the first cycle and 98−99.6% for the following cycles. A full cell composed of LiCoO2 cathode and carbon−silicon core−shell nanowire anode is also demonstrated. Significantly, using these core−shell nanowires we have obtained high mass loading and an area capacity of ∼4 mAh/cm2, which is comparable to commercial battery values.
MEASUREMENT OF THE LYTIC ACTIVITY OF LYSOZYMES (MURAMIDASES).

Abstract The kinetics of bacteriolysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus catalyzed by homogeneous lysozymes from egg white, rat kidney, and Bacillus subtilis-R have been found to follow a second-order reaction with respect to enzyme. A rapid, sensitive turbidimetric method based on these kinetics has been presented.
Phenylacetate enhances the antiproliferative effect of retinoic acid in follicular thyroid cancer

Abstract Background. Retinoic acid (RA) has antiproliferative as well as redifferentiating effects in thyroid cancers. Similar effects have been seen with phenylacetate (PA) therapy. These observations prompted us to evaluate the potential antiproliferative effects of the combination of RA and PA in follicular thyroid cancer. Methods. Three follicular cell lines were treated in vitro with varying concentrations of all-trans RA or PA alone or in combination. Growth was measured by dimethyl-thiazol-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays. Results. RA (1-2.5 μmol/L) and PA (1-10 mmol/L) alone inhibited cell growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner, with maximum effect at 5 days. The combination of RA and PA had synergistic antiproliferative effects. In the FTC-133 cell line, RA alone (2.5 μmol/L) inhibited growth 16% and PA alone (10 mmol/L) inhibited growth 35% versus controls, whereas the combination of the 2 inhibited growth by 60% at 5 days ( P Conclusions. Our results support that RA and PA have antiproliferative effects in follicular thyroid cancer and are synergistic. The combination of RA and PA may be beneficial in the treatment of advanced thyroid cancers for which conventional therapy fails or as an adjuvant to radioactive iodine therapy in aggressive tumors. (Surgery 2001;130:931-5.)
Low frequency genetic variants in the μ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) affect risk for addiction to heroin and cocaine

The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) binds exogenous and endogenous opioids and is known to mediate the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. Numerous genetic studies have sought to identify common genetic variation in the gene encoding MOR (OPRM1) that affects risk for drug addiction. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of rare coding variants in OPRM1 to the risk for addiction. Rare and low frequency variants were selected using the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute - Exome Sequencing Project (NHLBI-ESP) database, which has screened the exomes of over 6500 individuals. Two SNPs (rs62638690 and rs17174794) were selected for genotyping in 1377 European American individuals addicted to heroin and/or cocaine. Two different SNPs (rs1799971 and rs17174801) were genotyped in 1238 African American individuals addicted to heroin and/or cocaine. Using the minor allele frequencies from the NHLBI-ESP dataset as a comparison group, case-control association analyses were performed. Results revealed an association between rs62638690 and cocaine and heroin addiction in European Americans (p=0.02; 95% C.I. 0.47 [0.24-0.92]). This study suggests a potential role for rare OPRM1 variants in addiction disorders and highlights an area worthy of future study.
A dynamical model of human immune response to influenza A virus infection.

We present a simplified dynamical model of immune response to uncomplicated influenza A virus (IAV) infection, which focuses on the control of the infection by the innate and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is represented by interferon-induced resistance to infection of respiratory epithelial cells and by removal of infected cells by effector cells (cytotoxic T-cells and natural killer cells). Adaptive immunity is represented by virus-specific antibodies. Similar in spirit to the recent model of Bocharov and Romanyukha [1994. Mathematical model of antiviral immune response. III. Influenza A virus infection. J. Theor. Biol. 167, 323-360], the model is constructed as a system of 10 ordinary differential equations with 27 parameters characterizing the rates of various processes contributing to the course of disease. The parameters are derived from published experimental data or estimated so as to reproduce available data about the time course of IAV infection in a naive host. We explore the effect of initial viral load on the severity and duration of the disease, construct a phase diagram that sheds insight into the dynamics of the disease, and perform sensitivity analysis on the model parameters to explore which ones influence the most the onset, duration and severity of infection. To account for the variability and speed of adaptation of the adaptive response to a particular virus strain, we introduce a variable that quantifies the antigenic compatibility between the virus and the antibodies currently produced by the organism. We find that for small initial viral load the disease progresses through an asymptomatic course, for intermediate value it takes a typical course with constant duration and severity of infection but variable onset, and for large initial viral load the disease becomes severe. This behavior is robust to a wide range of parameter values. The absence of antibody response leads to recurrence of disease and appearance of a chronic state with nontrivial constant viral load.
Aphorism and Sprachkrise in Turn‐of‐the‐Century Austria

Summary The phenomenon called “Sprachkrise,” and its concomitant “Sprachkritik,” has commonly been regarded as central to intellectuals of the turn of the century in Austria. This essay seeks to explain the proliferation of aphoristic forms among these thinkers and writers as a phenomenon which is inherently connected with scepticism regarding the expressive capacities of language. The problematics of aphoristic expression and the crisis of language are investigated in works by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Robert Musil, Karl Kraus, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Laminated Composite Plate Theory With Improved In-Plane Responses

In order to improve the accuracy of the in-plane response of the shear, deformable laminated composite plate theory, a new laminated plate theory has been developed based upon a new variational principle proposed by Reissner (1984). The improvement is achieved by including a zigzag-shaped C 0 function to approximate the thickness variation of in-plane displacements. The accuracy of this theory is examined by applying it to a problem of cylindrical bending of laminated plates which has been solved exactly by Pagano (1969). The comparison of the in-plane response with the exact solutions for symmetric three-ply and five-ply layers has demonstrated that the new theory predicts the in-plane response very accurately even for small span-to-depth ratios.
Computational design of the NCAR community climate model

Abstract An overview of the computational design for the latest version of the NCAR Atmospheric General Circulation Model, designated CCM2, is presented. Parallel implementation details are driven by two major algorithmic classes of computation that require different patterns of data communication, the spectral transform method and the semi-Lagrangian advection technique. The organization and performance characteristics of a shared-memory parallel implementation, and an analogous distributed-memory message-passing parallel implementation are described. The advantages and limitations of this coarse-grained partitioning are discussed in the context of global climate modeling research.
Field evaluation of biofilters in reducing aerial pollutant emissions from a commercial pig finishing building

Two elevated-bed, wood-chip biofilters were tested at a commercial pig finishing farm in Indiana for effectiveness in mitigating aerial pollutant emissions. Three wooden sampling chambers were installed to contain and redirect two biofilter-treated and one untreated exhaust streams. Two trials were conducted to test the effects of biofilter thickness, which included 127-mm and 254-mm of media depths. The two biofilters with 127-mm media thickness reduced concentrations of ammonia (NH 3 ) by 31.2% ( p p > 0.05), and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) by 26.6% ( p p p 3 by 45.8% and 18.0%, and H 2 S by 42.2% and 27.9%, respectively. Significant reductions ( p 10 ), and total suspended particulate were 62.0% and 89.7% for the 127-mm biofilters, and 62.9% and 96.3%, for the 254-mm biofilters, respectively. Very low inlet PM 2.5 concentrations were detected. Average pressure drops of the biofilters ranged from 29.6 to 57.2 Pa. The empty bed residence times (EBRTs) were 0.3 s and 0.6 s for the 127-mm and 254-mm biofilters, respectively. Frequent maintenance checks to minimise compaction and ensure uniform moisture content were required to ensure minimal pressure drops and maximal aerial pollutant removal efficiency. The biofilters were relatively simple and inexpensive to install. Although the EBRT was relatively short, the biofilters exhibited low to medium mitigation effectiveness. Higher mitigations would be obtained using biofilters with greater media volumes corresponding to longer EBRTs.
N Doping of Rutile TiO2 (110) Surface. A Theoretical DFT Study

A realistic model, consisting of six-layer slabs, and density-functional calculations were used to perform a detailed analysis of the structural and electronic properties of N doped TiO2(110). All the positions examined for adsorption of atomic N are unstable regarding the formation and further escape of N2(g). The adsorption of atomic N could take place only when having isolated adatoms. In this case, N prefers to bond to O centers located either on the surface or in the interstitial channels of the oxide lattice. These N adatoms probably give rise to the peak seen at ∼400 eV in N 1s XPS spectra. The coexistence of N with O vacancies and surface reconstructions are explained in terms of cooperative behaviors and the special electronic structure of the TiNxO2-2x(110) system. Here, electrons move from the O vacancies to implanted N to fill up its electronic shell. Such electron transfer yields the normal oxidation state of nitrogen, N3-, and explains a number of things: the easiness to form O vacancies wh...
Development of an automated blood inventory and information system for a regional transfusion service.

A prototype automated blood inventory and information system (ABIIS) designed to play a major role in management of blood resources for a large metropolitan area has been installed and placed in operation. Proposed use of the system to support all phases of Blood Center operation (i.e., input, distribution, and output of blood) is discussed and preliminary data on cost-effectiveness are given. Additional experience and experimentation is required to fully document the value of this program. Results to date suggest, however, that the improved service, and increased operating efficiency gained from automation on this scale are more than sufficient to justify the costs incurred.
Effects of cations on the hydrogen bond network of liquid water: new results from X-ray absorption spectroscopy of liquid microjets.

Oxygen K-edge X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) of aqueous chloride solutions have been measured for Li+, Na+, K+, NH4+, C(NH2)3+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ at 2 and 4 M cation concentrations. Marked changes in the liquid water XAS are observed upon addition of the various monovalent cation chlorides that are nearly independent of the identity of the cation. This indicates that interactions with the dissolved monovalent cations do not significantly perturb the unoccupied molecular orbitals of water molecules in the vicinity of the cations and that water−chloride interactions are primarily responsible for the observed spectral changes. In contrast, the addition of the divalent cations engenders changes unique from the case of the monovalent cations, as well as from each other. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the ion-specific spectral variations arise primarily from direct electronic perturbation of the unoccupied orbitals due to the presence of the ions, probably as a result of differences in charge ...
The City-State in Europe, 1000–1600: Hinterland, Territory, Region. By Tom Scott. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. xi, 382. $65.00.)

Tom Scott has written an extremely valuable book. The political and economic issue of the relationship of towns to their hinterland is essential for understanding early modern Europe. Further, the ...
Neurodevelopmental involvement in schizophrenia: the olfactory epithelium as an alternative model for research

It has been suggested that disturbances during neurodevelopment may play a crucial role in the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ). This premise is supported by brain imaging, epidemiological, and pathological studies as well as the discovery of susceptibility genes for SZ that appear to be implicated in development of the central nervous system. Here, we discuss the limitations of the current methods and models for studying the neurodevelopmental implications in SZ. We agree with the proposal that the olfactory epithelium, in which neurodevelopment continues throughout life, might represent an alternative model for understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder.
Negotiating with Psychopaths: Coping with a Medical-Legal Conundrum

No other diagnosis raises such politically and professionally incorrect questions, and sociopathy, with its known relationship to behaviors ranging from spouse battery and rape to serial murder and...
Mobilization Effects Using Mail Social Pressure, Descriptive Norms, and Timing

We use field experiments in Texas and Wisconsin to address voter mobilization and turnout by evaluating nonpartisan get-out-the-vote (GOTV) messages delivered via mail during 2010 gubernatorial campaigns. We manipulate three factors in the messages: social pressure, descriptive- and injunctive-voting norm consistency, and message timing. The results present an initial field-based confirmation that norm-consistent messages increase turnout; demonstrate significant message timing effects, which are mediated by state election rules; and indicate social pressure’s effectiveness varies significantly more than previously found. These diverse findings suggest researchers place a greater emphasis on context when evaluating experiments and the effects of mobilization messages.
Determination of the Nuclear Symmetry Energy at 9.8 MeV. II. Optical-Model Analysis

In order to determine the nuclear symmetry energy at 10 MeV, an optical-model analysis is made of the elastic-scattering data resulting from the experiment described in Paper I, in which ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{112}$, ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{116}$, ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{120}$, and ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{124}$ targets were bombarded with 9.8-MeV protons. Several sets of geometrical parameters are held constant during the analysis, but none produce real potential-well depths which vary linearly with $\frac{(N\ensuremath{-}Z)}{A}$ over the isotopic range. The uncertainties inherent in the fitting procedure are fully investigated and an attempt is made to relate them to the errors in the experimental data.
Stereochemistry of the metabolism of MDMA to MDA.

Summary The chiral derivatizing reagent N-trifluoroacetyl-L-propyl chloride (LPTC) was used to form diastereomers of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) which were resolved on an achiral gas chromatographic column using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Rats were subcutaneously dosed with 40 mg/kg of (+/−) MDMA·HCl and blood was obtained by decapitation four hours after dosing. Plasma was separated and extracted. The extract was derivatized on-column with LTPC. In addition to the two MDMA isomers, the demethylated metabolites, S(+) and R(−)-MDA were identified. In all experimental groups (male rats, food deprived male rats, female rats, post partum female rats, and mice) dosed with racemic MDMA, higher levels of the S(+) isomer of MDA relative to the R(−) MDA isomer were observed. This may be significant since it has been shown that the S(+) isomer of MDMA is the more neurotoxic isomer of the racemic drug of abuse MDMA.
Improved radial segregation via the destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration

We employ a computational model to revisit the classic crystal growth experiments conducted by Kim et al. (J. Electrochem. Soc. 119 (1972) 1218) and Muller et al. (J. Crystal Growth 70 (1984) 78), which were among the first to clearly document the effects of flow transitions on segregation. Analysis of the growth of tellerium-doped indium antimonide within a destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration reveals the existence of multiple states, each of which can be reached by feasible paths of process operation. Transient growth simulations conducted on the different solution branches reveal striking differences in hydrodynamic and segregation behavior. We show that crystals grown in the destabilizing configuration exhibit considerably better radial segregation than those grown in the stabilizing configuration, a result which challenges conventional wisdom and practice.
Compensated Tikhonov regularization for quantitative perfusion measurements

Truncated singular value decomposition and Tikhonov regularization are the most popular methods in perfusion model deconvolution. The first method uses a global truncation threshold and the second method uses a global regularization matrix. In this research a pixel-specific Tikhonov-based regularization, as well as a novel optimization based approach for bolus delay correction are suggested. The two techniques can be integrated into an iterative process. The new approach implements prior information to improve the regularization of the residue function and reduce the underestimation of flow rate. To compare its accuracy with current methods, deconvolution and delay correction for different perfusion related parameters and noise levels were simulated. Based on the simulation results, the new method showed more accuracy in preserving the structural shape of the residue function and estimating the perfusion-related parameters, especially in low SNRs.
DEVELOPMENT OF POLYMER-BASED 0{3 COMPOSITES WITH HIGH DIELECTRIC CONSTANT

Composites have been extensively studied for dielectric and related applications. This is a review of polymer based 0–3 composites that exhibit a high dielectric constant. These composites are classified into two types: Dielectric–dielectric composite and conductor–dielectric composite. The physical principles and related models are presented with associated assumptions and approximations. In general, a dielectric–dielectric composite needs a higher concentration of the fillers to reach a high dielectric constant than a conductor–dielectric composite. The high dielectric constant observed in the conductor–dielectric composites is usually associated with a high dielectric loss and a low electric breakdown field. The experimental results are summarized to illustrate the principles for, and the achievements in, the development of these composites. The challenges facing the fundamental understanding and the further development of these composites for different applications are discussed.
In-Situ Bitmaps Generation and Efficient Data Analysis based on Bitmaps

Neither the memory capacity, memory access speeds, nor disk bandwidths are increasing at the same rate as the computing power in current and upcoming parallel machines. This has led to considerable recent research on in-situ data analytics. However, many open questions remain on how to perform such analytics, especially in memory constrained systems. Building on our earlier work that demonstrated bitmap indices (bitmaps) can be a suitable summary structure for key (offline) analytics tasks, this paper develops an in-situ analysis approach that performs data reduction (such as time-steps selection) using just bitmaps, and subsequently, stores only the selected bitmaps for post-analysis. We construct compressed bitmaps on the fly, show that many kinds of in-situ analyses can be supported by bitmaps without requiring the original data (and thus reducing memory requirements for in-situ analysis), and instead of writing the original simulation output, we only write the selected bitmaps to the disks (reducing the I/O requirements). We also demonstrate that we are able to use bitmaps for key offline analysis steps. We extensively evaluate our method with different simulations and applications, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
A zonal evaluation of intrinsic susceptibility in selected principal aquifers of the United States

Summary A method was developed to evaluate intrinsic groundwater susceptibility in 11 study areas across the United States. Calibrated groundwater-flow models and a variable-advection particle-tracking scheme that accounts for uncertainty were used to derive ranges of conservative solute concentration and groundwater age within spatially defined zones from solute loading to the water table. Aquifers were partitioned into six zones; four relative depth zones and two zones to represent pumping wells and surface water. Five years after solute was introduced in simulated recharge and stream leakage, normalized zone concentrations were detected at values above 10 −4 in the shallowest aquifer zone, well zone, and surface-water zone for 10 of the 11 study areas. At the 125-year time scale, 9 out of the 11 study areas exhibited detectable concentrations in all zones and the majority of zones possess concentrations that are substantial relative to the source concentration ( C / C o > 10 −1 ). Thresholds defined by the time representing the earliest 1% of groundwater-transit times were used to identify fast transport pathways within the groundwater. The 1% thresholds occurred in a period of days to years for the shallow zone, days to decades for the well and surface-water zones, and years to millennia for the deeper zones. Thresholds defined by the 99th percentile of groundwater travel times were used to reflect late-time response and ranged considerably between study area (∼10 2 to ∼10 6 years), which highlights the potential for chemical constituents to persist in groundwater for long periods under a conservative state. The results of this investigation provide an instructive example of the intricate relations between climate and aquifer characteristics and their role on solute transport in groundwater. The proposed method accounts for dynamical processes in the aquifer and complements more traditional assessments of susceptibility using (apparent) mean water age.
Comparing new radiographs with those obtained previously.

T he Case A 57-year-old woman with a recent onset of cough and lowgrade fever was referred by her family physician to the radiology department of a hospital for chest radiography. A radiologist interpreted the posteroanterior and lateral chest radiographs as disclosing a “subtle ill-defined infiltration in the left mid-lung field, seen only on the PA view, consistent with pneumonia” (Figs. IA and 1B). The physician treated the patient with antibiotics, and her symptoms resolved. No immediate follow-up radiographs were obtained. Three months later, the patient again consuited her family physician because of recurrence of cough and fever. After establishing a tentative diagnosis of pneumonia, the physician referred the woman for another radiographic examination. On this occasion, a radiologist who was associated in practice with the radiologist who had interpreted the study 3 months earlierreported seeing a “fairly well-circumscribed infiltrationin the leftlower lobe, most likely representing pneumonia” (Fig. 1C). The radiologist made no mention in his radiographic report of a comparison with the previous radiographs. The patient was again treated with antibiotics by her family physician, and her symptoms improved. The woman did not return to her family physician until 9 months later, at which time she was experiencing hemoptysis and weight loss. She again underwent radiography of the chest. The same radiologist who had interpreted the second set of radiographs now reported that the left lower lobe infiltration had increased in size and, because of its “well-circumscribed appearance” and the fact that the left hilum appeared enlarged, concluded that the “findings are suspicious for tumor” (Figs. lD and 1E). Additional diagnostic testing revealed primary lung carcinoma with metastases to the mediastinum and brain. Chemotherapy was begun, but the patient died 4 months later. Just before her death, the woman filed a malpractice suit against the family physician and the radiologist who had interpreted the second and third sets of radiographs, claiming that her chance for cure was lost because both physicians had negligently delayed the diagnosis of lung cancer.
Termination rate constants in radical polymerization

A rate constant is generally derived by using Fick's equation corresponding to the spherical interdiffusion of particles. By using this rate constant, chain and primary radical termination rate constants can be approximated to rate constants for the bimolecular reactions between two radical chain ends, and primary radical and radical chain end, respectively. The former is given by ks = 8πNLDsLs exp { − Ls/Rs} × 10−3 1./mole-sec. The latter is given by ksi = 4πNL(Ds + Di)Lsi exp { − Lsi/Rsi} × 10−3 1./mole-sec. Here, NL is Avogadro's number; Ds and Di are the diffusion constants of radical chain end and primary radical, respectively; Ls and Lsi are, respectively, the distances between two radical chain ends and between a primary radical and a radical chain end at a thermal energy equal to the coulombic energy of interaction of the net charges; and Rs and Rsi are, respectively, the average distances between two radical chain ends and primary radical on a collision.
Cortical Neuronal Responses to Optic Flow Are Shaped by Visual Strategies for Steering

We hypothesized that neuronal responses to virtual self-movement would be enhanced during steering tasks. We recorded the activity of medial superior temporal (MSTd) neurons in monkeys trained to steer a straight-ahead course, using optic flow. We found smaller optic flow responses during active steering than during the passive viewing of the same stimuli. Behavioral analysis showed that the monkeys had learned to steer using local motion cues. Retraining the monkeys to use the global pattern of optic flow reversed the effects of the active-steering task: active steering then evoked larger responses than passive viewing. We then compared the responses of neurons during active steering by local motion and by global patterns: Local motion trials promoted the use of local dot movement near the center of the stimulus by occluding the peripheral visual field midway through the trial. Global pattern trials promoted the use of radial pattern movement by occluding the central visual field midway through the trial. In this study, identical full-field optic-flow stimuli evoked larger responses in global-pattern trials than in local motion trials. We conclude that the selection of specific visual cues reflects strategies for active steering and alters MSTd neuronal responses to optic flow.
Ave, CESAR, morituri te salutant! (Hail, CESAR, those who are about to die salute you!).

Article details Evidence-Based Medicine Journal Club Edited by: Eric B Milbrandt. University of Pittsburgh Department of Critical Care Medicine
Transforming the energy efficiency market in California: Key findings, lessons learned and future directions from California's market effects studies

In the last three years, the California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE), along with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), managed three market effects studies that were funded by the CPUC. This paper summarizes the key findings from these studies that focused on compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), residential new construction (RNC), and high bay lighting (HBL) 1 , with a particular focus on changes to California’s market effects evaluation protocol and lessons learned during the evaluation of market effects. This paper also summarizes the key results from a survey that was conducted by CIEE in February 2011 to determine what additional studies should be conducted in the evaluation of market effects.
The Role of Physical Therapists in Smoking Cessation: Opportunities for Improving Treatment Outcomes

Tobacco use constitutes one of the greatest threats to public health worldwide. As a preventable cause of mortality and chronic disease, tobacco use in the United States results in an estimated 443,000 deaths each year through both direct exposure and secondhand smoke.1 An additional 8,600,000 people across the nation have chronic illness due to smoking.1 As physical therapists, we must realize that tobacco use affects all areas of our practice, including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neurological, and integumentary health throughout the life span. In order to provide optimal care for the clients we serve, it is essential for physical therapists to screen for tobacco use and incorporate cessation strategies as part of our interventions.2 There is a substantial unmet demand and opportunity for our profession to promote tobacco cessation.2 Despite evidence that links successful cessation to counseling by health care providers, fewer than 40% of insured adults report receiving such advice.3 In addition, receiving advice from 2 or more health care practitioners more than doubles the odds of successful cessation,4 further supporting the need for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to contribute our skills and expertise as part of the interdisciplinary health care team. Successful cessation efforts have been demonstrated by other health care professionals, including physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, and pharmacists, and are an important component of preventive medicine and population health.5 According to the US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, in 2007, physical therapists conducted a total of 88 million ambulatory visits for approximately 9 million adults aged 18 years and over.6 The number of visits (an average of 9.6 per patient, per episode)6 and nature of our interactions, which include extended, personalized, one-on-one care, present a unique opportunity for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to provide support for …
DNA and nucleosomes direct distinct folding of a linker histone H1 C-terminal domain

We previously documented condensation of the H1 CTD consistent with adoption of a defined structure upon nucleosome binding using a bulk FRET assay, supporting proposals that the CTD behaves as an intrinsically disordered domain. In the present study, by determining the distances between two different pairs of sites in the C-terminal domain of full length H1 by FRET, we confirm that nucleosome binding directs folding of the disordered H1 C-terminal domain and provide additional distance constraints for the condensed state. In contrast to nucleosomes, FRET observed upon H1 binding to naked DNA fragments includes both intra- and inter-molecular resonance energy transfer. By eliminating inter-molecular transfer, we find that CTD condensation induced upon H1-binding naked DNA is distinct from that induced by nucleosomes. Moreover, analysis of fluorescence quenching indicates that H1 residues at either end of the CTD experience distinct environments when bound to nucleosomes, and suggest that the penultimate residue in the CTD (K195) is juxtaposed between the two linker DNA helices, proposed to form a stem structure in the H1-bound nucleosome.
Performance Analysis Using Stochastic Petri Nets

An isomorphism between the behavior of Petri nets with exponentially distributed transition rates and Markov processes is presented. In particular, k-bounded Petri nets are isomorphic to finite Markov processes and can be solved by standard techniques if k is not too large. As a practical example, we solve for the steady state average message delay and throughput on a communication link when the alternating bit protocol is used for error recovery.
Exposure to Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Augments Somatic Motor Function in Humans With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Background. Neural plasticity may contribute to motor recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI). In rat models of SCI with respiratory impairment, acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) strengthens synaptic inputs to phrenic motor neurons, thereby improving respiratory function by a mechanism known as respiratory long-term facilitation. Similar intermittent hypoxia-induced facilitation may be feasible in somatic motor pathways in humans. Objective. Using a randomized crossover design, the authors tested the hypothesis that AIH increases ankle strength in people with incomplete SCI. Methods. Ankle strength was measured in 13 individuals with chronic, incomplete SCI before and after AIH. Voluntary ankle strength was estimated using changes in maximum isometric ankle plantar flexion torque generation and plantar flexor electromyogram activity following 15 low oxygen exposures (Fio2 = 0.09, 1-minute intervals). Results were compared with trials where subjects received sham exposure to room air. Results. AIH incre...
The draft genome sequence of the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae, a companion to C. elegans

The publication of the draft genome sequence of Caenorhabditis briggsae improves the annotation of the genome of its close relative Caenorhabditis elegans and will facilitate comparative genomics and the study of the evolutionary changes during development.
RETHINKING MARITIME PRIVATIZATION IN AFRICA.

While recognizing the need for increased participation of the private sector in the maritime industry of developing countries, there is a need to go beyond the call for privatization in terms of mere change of ownership from state to private sector as the only solution to the inefficiency of the maritime industry in developing countries. This limited understanding of the maritime problems of these countries abounds in the literature on maritime privatization. This study departs from this approach and focuses on the political economy of the maritime industry, and suggests that maritime privatization will not necessarily result in increased efficiency of the divested maritime enterprises. Rather, it argues that maritime problems in these countries have less to do with ownership than with the structural constraints in world shipping together with internal management and local ~olitics. The maritime industrv in West and Central Africa is used as a case studv. and recommendations such as selective privatizatio...
The Spatial Proximity of Metropolitan Area Housing Submarkets

∗∗∗ An important question related to housing submarket construction is whether geographic areas must be spatially adjacent in order to be considered the same submarket. Housing consumers do not necessarily limit their search to spatially concentrated areas and may search similarly priced neighborhoods located throughout a metropolitan area when making housing consumption decisions. This article examines two alternative procedures for delineating submarkets: one that combines adjacent census block groups into areas with enough transactions to estimate the parameters of a hedonic house price equation and a second that permits spatial discontinuities in submarkets. The criterion used to evaluate the alternative techniques is the accuracy of hedonic house price predictions. Understanding how metropolitan areas are partitioned into housing submarkets is important for several reasons. First, assigning properties to housing submarkets will likely increase the prediction accuracy of the statistical models that are used to estimate house prices. Second, identifying housing submarket boundaries within metropolitan areas will enable researchers to better model spatial and temporal variation in those prices. Third, an accurate assignment of properties to submarkets will improve lenders’ and investors’ abilities to price the risk associated with financing homeownership. Finally, providing submarket boundary information to housing consumers will reduce their search costs. Analysts have examined numerous techniques for constructing housing submarkets. Some have used principal component analysis and statistical clustering techniques to group small geographic areas (e.g., census block groups [CBG], census tracts, ZIP code districts or local government areas) into housing submarkets, while others have developed procedures that explicitly model submarket boundaries. Goodman and Thibodeau (1998, 2003), for example, identify housing submarket boundaries using hierarchical models. Their implementation of the Bryk and Raudenbush (1992) technique assigns elementary school zones to
Molecular Analysis of the Putative Inactivation Particle in the Inactivation Gate of Brain Type IIA Na+ Channels

Fast Na+ channel inactivation is thought to involve binding of phenylalanine 1489 in the hydrophobic cluster IFM in LIII-IV of the rat brain type IIA Na+ channel. We have analyzed macroscopic and single channel currents from Na+ channels with mutations within and adjacent to hydrophobic clusters in LIII-IV. Substitution of F1489 by a series of amino acids disrupted inactivation to different extents. The degree of disruption was closely correlated with the hydrophilicity of the amino acid at position 1489. These mutations dramatically destabilized the inactivated state and also significantly slowed the entry into the inactivated state, consistent with the idea that F1489 forms a hydrophobic interaction with a putative receptor during the fast inactivation process. Substitution of a phe residue at position 1488 or 1490 in mutants lacking F1489 did not restore normal inactivation, indicating that precise location of F1489 is critical for its function. Mutations of T1491 disrupted inactivation substantially, with large effects on the stability of the inactivated state and smaller effects on the rate of entry into the inactivated state. Mutations of several other hydrophobic residues did not destabilize the inactivated state at depolarized potentials, indicating that the effects of mutations at F1489 and T1491 are specific. The double mutant YY1497/8QQ slowed macroscopic inactivation at all potentials and accelerated recovery from inactivation at negative membrane potentials. Some of these mutations in LIII-IV also affected the latency to first opening, indicating coupling between LIII-IV and channel activation. Our results show that the amino acid residues of the IFM hydrophobic cluster and the adjacent T1491 are unique in contributing to the stability of the inactivated state, consistent with the designation of these residues as components of the inactivation particle responsible for fast inactivation of Na+ channels.
The Use of Child Parent Relationship Therapy and Common Parent Concerns Voices From the Community

Play therapy and filial therapy methods have been shown to be effective for a variety of childhood issues. Filial therapy, especially child parent relationship therapy (CPRT), is also effective in reducing parental stress and improving the relationship between parent and child. Parents play an important role in a child’s well-being at home and are a vital part of a child’s involvement in counseling. In this review, we sought to identify best practices when working with parents during the CPRT process. In this article, we illustrate obstacles some parents may have to ongoing participation in treatment and solutions counselors might use to overcome these obstacles. Although these best practices are helpful for counselors using CPRT, we believe they are also helpful for counselors working with parents in many different settings.
Filamentation and endogenous sporulation in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Sodium deoxycholate, a component of the antifungal antibiotic preparation Fungizone (amphotericin B, Squibb), is itself inhibitory in relatively low concentrations (0·25%) for most strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. Surviving cells exposed to these concentrations often give rise to morphologic variants consisting of minutely-encapsulated, oval and elongate cells with a tendency toward filamentation.Certain strains of C. neoformans of capsule type C, including some of the above variants and their parent cultures, developed, in infected mouse tissues, very large, spherical, thick-walled, heavily-encapsulated cells, some of which, upon transfer to agar media, produced as many as 8 internal spores. These often appeared to arise through free-cell formation, leaving an epiplasmic residue in many cases, but failed to take ordinary ascospore stains. There was some evidence of conjugation preceding sporulation. Filamentous variants retained pathogenicity for mice and often appeared in tissue in the altered form.
Ultrahigh resolution in vivo versus ex vivo OCT imaging and tissue preservation

Summary form only given. Many previous studies have compared ex vivo OCT imaging to histopathology. While some tissues, such are arterial pathology or cartilage, are relatively stable post mortem, others, such as epithelial tissues, exhibit rapid degradation. It is therefore important to preserve these tissues with minimal changes in morphology. The goal of this study is to investigate the difference between in vivo and ex vivo OCT imaging and the effect of different preservation solutions on image quality using the hamster cheek pouch. The hamster cheek pouch was chosen because of its easy access and because it is a well established model for carcinogenesis and cancer progression. The advent of the ultrahigh resolution OCT imaging technology is important for this study because it enables changes in tissue morphology to be dearly visualized which may have been difficult to resolve with standard resolution OCT imaging.
Delivery Options and Devices for Aerosolized Therapeutics

Although inhalation is one of the oldest modes of drug delivery, it is currently receiving renewed attention. Prior to 1987, aerosolized therapeutics were delivered via systems that relied on chlorofluorocarbon propellant systems. The subsequent ban on all nonmedical uses of these inert gases stimulated pharmaceutical companies to investigate other propellant systems. Two hydrofluoroalkanes were effective. However, in some instances, the change in propellant required reformulation of the drugs to be delivered. In some cases, bioequivalence could be achieved at lower doses with reduced toxicity. Pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) have been used to deliver many types of inhaled therapeutics since the 1960s. Their major limitation is that drug delivery and effectiveness are affected by patient factors, including coordination difficulties and problems related to breathing and breath holding in patients with airway disease. Dry-powder inhalers are being developed to deliver powdered formulations of drugs such as bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of asthma and COPD, and, eventually, proteins, peptides, recombinant products, and gene therapeutics. These devices have been proven to be as efficient as pMDIs in clinical trials. In some cases, they deliver a greater amount of the drug to the lungs. Percentages of the emitted dose deposited in the lungs range from 15 to 40% with the current generation of these devices. Finally, metered-dose liquid inhalers also are under development. Drug deposition in the lung with devices that are currently being tested ranges from 30 to 80% of the emitted dose. The choice of delivery system depends on the effective dose, drug deposition, patient ability, patient acceptance, and cost. Patient education in the correct use of each device is essential to maximize the therapeutic benefit.