cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cluster measurements of rapidly moving sources of ELF/VLF chorus

[1] The first simultaneous measurements of discrete chorus emissions on multiple spacecraft, realized in the context of the Cluster mission, revealed a rather unexpected frequency difference of around I kHz between nearly identical discrete elements observed on different spacecraft [Gurnett et al., 2001]. This frequency difference is interpreted herein as a natural outcome of the dependence of the whistler-mode refractive index on the wave normal angle between the wave vector k and the static magnetic field B 0 and the rapid motion of highly localized source region(s) of chorus of 400 km to 1700 km in extent along the field line, but only less than 100 km transverse to the magnetic field, and moving at speeds of 20,000 km/s to 25,000 km/s. Wave packets emanating from the localized regions propagate to two spacecraft at different wave normal angles, and are observed at different frequencies due to the differential Doppler shift between the two spacecraft. These differences in frequency, as well as the different times of arrival of the similar emissions at the different spacecraft, provide a unique opportunity to estimate the source characteristics, using a model involving rapidly moving sources traveling at speeds comparable to the parallel resonant velocity of counterstreaming electrons moving along the Earth's magnetic field lines. We report the determination of chorus emission source region motion for two different cases observed during 2000-2001, where these differences in frequency were readily observable due to the relatively large separation of the Cluster spacecraft. We also report a case in 2002 where the spacecraft separations were smaller, so that these frequency differences were not as evident but nevertheless measurable. In general, our results provide the first experimental evidence that the sources that generate the discrete chorus emissions are in rapid motion.
Product integrals in strongly differentiable power associative groupoids

The existence of product integrals in differentiable semigroups with neighborhood of 1 homeomorphic to a Banach space and with multiplication strongly differentiable at (1,1) was shown by Garrett Birkhoff in 1938. This result was then used to transform the multiplication into canonical parameters. We show here a sufficient condition to guarantee the existence of product integrals in differentiable power associative groupoids with multiplication strongly differentiable at (1,1).
Growth of JC virus in adult human brain cell cultures

Adult human brain (AHB) cells infected with JC virus (JCV) developed a cytopathic effect (CPE) beginning 12–14 days after infection. Ultrastructurally, 37–40 nm papova virions were seen in the nuclei of infected cells, and both T and V antigen were demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence. The hemagglutinating titer of JCV in infected AHB cells was 10–40 times higher than the amount of JCV used to initiate infection. AHB cells are more readily available than primary human fetal brain cells, they can be subcultured 15–25 timesin vitro and they support JCV replication after multiple subcultivations. These properties make the AHB cell line useful for propagating JCV.
Design and fabrication of a trichroic prism for liquid crystal projection system

A thin film color selective beam splitter is designed and the method of fabrication is described through a single deposition process of a coating system onto the two lateral faces of a triangular prism with base angles of 60 deg. and 45 deg. respectively. Properly prepared contact prisms are then cemented onto the two coated surfaces to make all the incoming and outgoing light beams normal to the prism block. The tri-chromatic prism provides the primary colors R, G, B according to the sequence that the red color is first reflected when the modulated white beam is incident at 30 deg. onto the dichroic filter deposited on the lateral face with the base of 60 deg., and then the rest part of the spectrum is incident at the other dichroic filter of the system at 45 deg. to get the blue and green beams separated. Color performances of the system from the thin film filters constructed with TiO2 and Al2O3 as the high and low index layers respectively are analyzed. The advantages to use the tri-color prism block in a projection device with reflective liquid crystal light valves are discussed.
Prostanoid modulation (mediation?) of certain behavioral effects of ethanol.

Abstract Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and prostanoid precursor fatty acids enhance the acute sedative effects of ethanol in mice, and reduce the intensity of withdrawal after chronic exposure to ethanol. Aspirin, and other inhibitors of prostanoid synthesis, attenuate ethanol's sedative effects, and interfere with the beneficial effects of prostanoid precursors (but not of PGE1 itself) in withdrawal. Neither aspirin nor indomethacin administered alone effect withdrawal behavior. In contrast, ethanol impairment of rotorod behavior is not affected by prostanoid precursors nor by aspirin. These findings support a role for prostanoids as modulators (? mediators) of certain direct effects of ethanol and a role for prostanoid deficiency in the pathogenesis of withdrawal behavior.
Analysis of CL-20 and TNAZ in the presence of other nitroaromatic and nitramine explosives using HPLC with photodiode array (PDA) detection

Abstract Several new explosives (CL-20 and TNAZ) have recently attracted attention as possible replacements for various explosive compounds. If these compounds become heavily used they may eventually come under regulation. A method for the analysis of CL-20 and TNAZ in the presence of 14 nitroaromatic and nitramine explosives and their degradation products currently included in EPA SW-846, Method 8330 has been developed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Photodiode array (PDA) detection was employed for peak identification and confirmation. Analysis times of less than 30 minutes was achieved using an isocratic HPLC mobile phase of water and isopropanol.
A new method for studying the adhesion of Candida albicans to dentin in the presence or absence of smear layer.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop a reproducible, quantitative model of Candida albicans adhesion to human dentin through the use of a colorimetric method and to evaluate the effect of smear layer on candidal adhesion. Study design Dentin disks with or without smear layer were incubated with C albicans (10 8 cells/mL) for 4 hours. After incubation, the disks were exposed to an (2,3)-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)-carbonyl]-2 H -tetrazolium hydroxide–coenzyme Q solution for 2 hours. The color of (2,3)-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)-carbonyl]-2 H -tetrazolium hydroxide formazan in the supernatant was determined spectrophotometrically at 492 nm. To relate formazan formation to cell numbers, standard curves were generated with known numbers of yeast cells without dentin. The number of adherent cells per square millimeter was then calculated. Results The number of attached C albicans cells was 2.4 × 10 4 per square millimeter in dentin with smear layer and 1.5 × 10 4 in dentin without smear layer ( P Conclusion (2,3)-Bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)-carbonyl]-2 H -tetrazolium hydroxide assay is a potential microbiologic tool for the quantitative determination of Candida adhesion to human dentin.
Three New Manzamine Alkaloids from a Common Indonesian Sponge and Their Activity against Infectious and Tropical Parasitic Diseases

Three new manzamine-type alkaloids, 12,34-oxamanzamine E (3), 8-hydroxymanzamine J (4), and 6-hydroxymanzamine E (8), as well as 12 previously characterized manzamine alkaloids have been isolated from a common Indonesian sponge of the genus Acanthostrongylophora. The structures of the new compounds have been established on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis and comparison of the data to literature values of related compounds. The biological activities and structure−activity relationship of the manzamines against malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Leishmania, HIV-1, and AIDS opportunistic infections are discussed. A plausible pathway for the formation of the 12,34-oxaether bridge in compound 3 is also provided.
Roll/yaw control of a flexible spacecraft using skewed bias momentumwheels

Roll/yaw attitude control of a bias momentum stabilized flexible spacecraft is presented. The roll/yaw normal controller with a nonminimum phase control logic is shown to be very insensitive to the structural mode uncertainty. However, if this controller is switched on at the termination of a thruster-controlled stationkeeping maneuver, it cannot provide sufficient nutation damping by itself to guarantee that the initial transients will remain within specifications. Consequently, a roll/yaw transition controller has been designed to meet the pointing requirements during the transition from the stationkeeping mode to the normal mode. The new transition controller design requires consideration of the solar array flexibility because a control logic, designed to stabilize the nutation mode neglecting the solar array flexibility, could destabilize the solar array flexible mode.
Effect of sintering temperature on a single-wall carbon nanotube-toughened alumina-based nanocomposite

Spark plasma sintering is used to produce single-walled carbon nanotube-toughened Al2O3-based composites that exhibit excellent toughness (6.9–9.7 MPa m1/2), being at least two times higher than that of single phase alumina. Raman spectroscopy indicates that carbon nanotube cannot be retained at high sintering temperature. A high compressive stress (2.0 GPa) in the alumina matrix is also responsible for the improvement in toughness. The controversy in the literature over the effective toughening of alumina by carbon nanotube is discussed.
A king cobra bite in New York City.

Abstract A 30-year-old male was bitten on the thumb by a king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah . Transported by helicopter to a snakebite center within 1 hr, he was treated with specific antivenom. He improved, then worsened; the course was finally reversed by huge doses of antivenom (Thai King Cobra Antivenom). The patient recovered without sequelae. The case illustrates the efficacy of an emergency medical system and i.v. administration of specific antivenom in sufficient amounts.
Hypoalgesia induced by the local injection of phentolamine in the nucleus raphe magnus: Blockade by depletion of spinal cord monoamines

Abstract Blockade of the noradrenergic input to the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) by the injection of α-adrenergic antagonists produces hypoalgesia. Previous studies show that this hypoalgesia is blocked by the intrathecal injection of either phentolamine or methysergide. The present study demonstrates that depletion of spinal cord serotonin, norepinephrine, or both also blocks this hypoalgesia. Together these studies suggest that the hypoalgesia produced by microinjection of noradrenergic antagonists in the NRM is mediated by the activation of both raphe-spinal serotonergic neurons and bulbospinal noradrenergic neurons.
Blood-Brain Barrier Glutamine Transport during Normoglycemic and Hyperglycemic Focal Cerebral Ischemia

This study examines the effects of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in the rat on blood to brain glutamine transport, a potential marker of early endothelial cell dysfunction. It also examines whether the effects of ischemia on glutamine transport are exacerbated by hyperglycemia. In pentobarbital-anesthetized rats, 4 hours of MCA occlusion resulted in a marked decline in the influx rate constant for [14C]L-glutamine from 16.1+/-1.2 microL.g(-1).min(-1) in the contralateral hemisphere to 7.3+/-2.5 microL.g(-1).min(-1) in the ischemic core (P < 0.001). This reduction was even greater in xylazine-ketamine-anesthetized rats in which the influx decreased to 2.6+/-1.1 microL.g(-1) min(-1). This greater reduction appears related to the hyperglycemia induced by xylazine-ketamine anesthesia. Glucose injection in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats also resulted in a greater decline in [14C]L-glutamine influx in the ischemic core but had no effect on the contralateral tissue. The effects of hyperglycemia on glutamine transport in the ischemic tissue were associated with a decline in plasma volume, which may reflect either endothelial cell swelling or plugging of the microvasculature. The reduction in glutamine transport during ischemia was progressive, but even as early as 1 hour, there was a 60% and 40% decline in influx in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic rats, respectively. The fall in [14C]L-glutamine influx may reflect a dissipation of the endothelial cell [Na+] gradient. A decline in this gradient would affect many blood-brain barrier transporters with potentially deleterious effects on the ischemic brain.
ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AND PREFERENCE FOR PUNISHMENT AND EXTINCTION COMPONENTS OF FUNCTION‐BASED INTERVENTIONS

The current study describes an assessment sequence that may be used to identify individualized, effective, and preferred interventions for severe problem behavior in lieu of relying on a restricted set of treatment options that are assumed to be in the best interest of consumers. The relative effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) with and without a punishment component was evaluated with 2 children for whom functional analyses demonstrated behavioral maintenance via social positive reinforcement. The results showed that FCT plus punishment was more effective than FCT in reducing problem behavior. Subsequently, participants' relative preference for each treatment was evaluated in a concurrent-chains arrangement, and both participants demonstrated a clear preference for FCT with punishment. These findings suggest that the treatment-selection process may be guided by person-centered and evidence-based values.
Biosynthesis of proTRH-derived peptides in prohormone convertase 1 and 2 knockout mice.

Abstract Prohormone convertases (PCs) 1 and 2 are the primary endoproteases involved in the post-translational processing of proThyrotropin Releasing Hormone (proTRH) to give rise to TRH and other proposed biologically active non-TRH peptides. Previous evidence suggests that PC1 is responsible for most proTRH cleavage events. Here, we used the PC1 and PC2 knockout (KO) mouse models to examine the effects of PC1 or PC2 loss on proTRH processing. The PC1KO mouse presented a decrease in five proTRH-derived peptides, whereas the PC2KO mouse showed only lesser reduction in three TRH (Gln-His-Pro), TRH-Gly (Gln-His-Pro-Gly), and the short forms preproTRH178–184 (pFQ7) and preproTRH186–199 (pSE14) of pFE22 (preproTRH178–199). Also, PC1KO and not PC2KO showed a decrease in pEH24 indicating that PC1 is more important in generating this peptide in the mouse, which differs from previous studies using rat proTRH. Furthermore, downstream effects on thyroid hormone levels were evident in PC1KO mice, but not PC2KO mice suggesting that PC1 plays the more critical role in producing bioactive hypophysiotropic TRH. Yet loss of PC1 did not abolish TRH entirely indicating a complementary action for both enzymes in the normal processing of proTRH. We also show that PC2 alone is responsible for catalyzing the conversion of pFE22 to pFQ7 and pSE14, all peptides implicated in regulation of suckling-induced prolactin release. Collectively, results characterize the specific roles of PC1 and PC2 in proTRH processing in vivo.
Optimization of live oral Salmonella-HIV-1 vaccine vectors for the induction of HIV-specific mucosal and systemic immune responses

Recent evidence suggests that live oral Salmonella-HIV vaccine vectors have the potential to elicit HIV-specific T cell-mediated immunity in both the mucosal and systemic compartments. We are using the mouse-typhoid model to identify Salmonella::HIV vaccine vector constructs that elicit HIV-specific mucosal and systemic immune responses. Oral immunization of mice with a Salmonella strain that expresses recombinant gp120 (rgp120) in the cytoplasm of the vector elicits a modest gp120-specific T cell proliferation response in the spleen. However, such Salmonella constructs did not stimulate the development of gp120-specific serum IgG or cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Interestingly, the majority of cytoplasmically-expressed rgp120 forms inclusion bodies in Salmonella. We believe that in this form rgp120 is highly susceptible to protease degradation by the vector. As such, cytoplasmic rgp120 may not persist in the host after vaccination, resulting in the modest immunogenicity of rgp120 in these constructs. To circumvent this problem we constructed Salmonella strains that express rgp120 on the surface of the vector. Preliminary data suggest that surface-expressed rgp120 is significantly more immunogenic in both the mucosal and systemic compartments than cytoplasmic rgp120. These results, therefore, support the proposal that Salmonella vectors will be a safe and inexpensive means for delivery of HIV antigens to, and the elicitation of HIV-specific T cells in, the mucosal and systemic compartments.
From brain synapses to systems for learning and memory: Object recognition, spatial navigation, timed conditioning, and movement control.

Abstract This article provides an overview of neural models of synaptic learning and memory whose expression in adaptive behavior depends critically on the circuits and systems in which the synapses are embedded. It reviews Adaptive Resonance Theory, or ART, models that use excitatory matching and match-based learning to achieve fast category learning and whose learned memories are dynamically stabilized by top-down expectations, attentional focusing, and memory search. ART clarifies mechanistic relationships between consciousness, learning, expectation, attention, resonance, and synchrony. ART models are embedded in ARTSCAN architectures that unify processes of invariant object category learning, recognition, spatial and object attention, predictive remapping, and eye movement search, and that clarify how conscious object vision and recognition may fail during perceptual crowding and parietal neglect. The generality of learned categories depends upon a vigilance process that is regulated by acetylcholine via the nucleus basalis. Vigilance can get stuck at too high or too low values, thereby causing learning problems in autism and medial temporal amnesia. Similar synaptic learning laws support qualitatively different behaviors: Invariant object category learning in the inferotemporal cortex; learning of grid cells and place cells in the entorhinal and hippocampal cortices during spatial navigation; and learning of time cells in the entorhinal–hippocampal system during adaptively timed conditioning, including trace conditioning. Spatial and temporal processes through the medial and lateral entorhinal–hippocampal system seem to be carried out with homologous circuit designs. Variations of a shared laminar neocortical circuit design have modeled 3D vision, speech perception, and cognitive working memory and learning. A complementary kind of inhibitory matching and mismatch learning controls movement. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Brain and Memory .
Trigger factors and premonitory features of migraine attacks: Summary of studies

Objective In this second of a 2-part series, we review the available literature on trigger factors and premonitory features in migraine. Background In the absence of biological markers of preceding attacks of migraine, trigger factors and premonitory symptoms are valuable though methodologically challenging phenomena to study. Design/Methods We focus on selected studies of retrospective surveys, diary studies, and clinical trials. We review the heterogeneity of selected studies and their conclusions performed to date and highlight that prospective electronic diary studies provide most reliable information that can be used for future development of preemptive therapy. Conclusion We conclude that trigger factors and premonitory symptoms are very common, but that the frequency estimates vary widely based on the study approach and population. We recommend that multimodal approaches are necessary for the comprehensive study of predictive biophenotypes as determined by triggers and premonitory symptoms, including retrospective and prospective cohort studies and case-crossover studies.
Torrefied biomass filled polyamide biocomposites: mechanical and physical property analysis

Biobased fillers in thermoplastics have seen increased usage over the last several years. The increased usage of biobased fillers follows the ever-increasing thrust to reduce petroleum and synthetic petrochemical product consumption. The study of polyolefin-based biocomposites is well established, however, the incorporation of biomass fillers into engineering thermoplastics still proves to be challenging. For engineering thermoplastics, the increased processing temperatures lead to degradation of the biomass, often detrimental for the mechanical performance and visual appearance of the end product. The goal of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural by-products as fillers in polyamides, while minimizing the effects of increased processing temperatures. Through the use of torrefaction, polyamide biocomposites were produced and shown to have comparable mechanical properties to the neat matrix. Torrefied sunflower hulls and flax shive were shown to produce tensile strengths within 70 % of the neat matrix, increase elastic modulus by 150 %, maintain flexural strengths within 94 % of the neat matrix, increase flexural modulus by 154 %, and decrease the absorption of environmental moisture by as much as 50 %.
Pharmacokinetics and Psychopharmacology: Application to the Geropsychiatric Patient

Understanding pharmacokinetics is an important step in the confident administration of psychotropic drugs. Changes in pharmacokinetics have particular implications for the geropsychiatric patient who will experience a variety of physiological changes that could potentially affect the intensity and duration of drug effects.
Effects of a 3-hour sleep delay on sleep homeostasis in alcohol dependent adults.

Objectives This study evaluated slow wave activity homeostatic response to a mild sleep challenge in alcohol-dependent adults compared to healthy controls. Design Participants maintained a 23:00-06:00 schedule for 5 days verified by actigraphy and diary, followed by 3 nights in the lab: adaptation, baseline, and a sleep delay night with an 02:00-09:00 schedule. Setting Sleep ' Chronophysiology laboratory. Participants 48 alcohol-dependent adults (39 men, 9 women) who were abstinent for at least 3 weeks and 16 healthy control adults (13 men, 3 women), 21-55 years of age participated in study. Interventions N/A. Measurements and results Slow wave EEG activity (SWA) in consecutive NREM periods was compared between baseline and sleep delay nights and between AD and HC groups, using age and sex as statistical covariates. The AD group showed a blunted SWA response to sleep delay with significantly lower SWA power than the HC group. Exponential regression analyses confirmed lower asymptotic SWA with a slower decay rate over NREM sleep time in the AD group. Results were similar for raw SWA and %SWA on the delay night expressed relative to baseline SWA. Conclusions Alcohol dependence is associated with impaired SWA regulation and a blunted response to a mild homeostatic sleep challenge.
Balanced phase-contrast steady-state free precession (PC-SSFP): a novel technique for velocity encoding by gradient inversion.

A technique for measuring velocity is presented that combines cine phase contrast (PC) MRI and balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging, and is thus termed PC-SSFP. Flow encoding was performed without the introduction of additional velocity encoding gradients in order to keep the repetition time (TR) as short as in typical SSFP imaging sequences. Sensitivity to through-plane velocities was instead established by inverting (i.e., negating) all gradients along the slice-select direction. Velocity sensitivity (VENC) could be adjusted by altering the first moments of the slice-select gradients. Disturbances of the SSFP steady state were avoided by acquiring different flow echoes in consecutively (i.e., sequentially) executed scans, each over several cardiac cycles, using separate steady-state preparation periods. A comparison of phantom measurements with those from established 2D-cine-PC MRI demonstrated excellent correlation between both modalities. In examinations of volunteers, PC-SSFP exhibited a higher intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and consequently low phase noise in measured velocities compared to conventional PC scans. An additional benefit of PC-SSFP is that it relies less on in-flow-dependent signal enhancement, and thus yields more uniform SNRs and better depictions of vessel geometry throughout the whole cardiac cycle in structures with slow and/or pulsatile flow.
Multiwavelength CO2 differential-absorption lidar system designed for quantitative concentration measurement

A multiwavelength CO2 direct-detection DIAL system has been designed and developed to produce range-resolved vapor concentration contour plots of a 1 x 1 km grid at 20-m spatial resolution in 10 s intervals.
Evidence-based guidelines for the informal use of computers by children to promote the development of academic, cognitive and social skills.

The use of computers in the home has become very common among young children. This paper reviews research on the effects of informal computer use and identifies potential pathways through which computers may impact children's development. Based on the evidence reviewed, we present the following guidelines to arrange informal computer experiences that will promote the development of children's academic, cognitive and social skills: (1) children should be encouraged to use computers for moderate amounts of time (2–3 days a week for an hour or two per day) and (2) children's use of computers should (a) include non-violent action-based computer games as well as educational games, (b) not displace social activities but should instead be arranged to provide opportunities for social engagement with peers and family members and (c) involve content with pro-social and non-violent themes. We conclude the paper with questions that must be addressed in future research. Practitioner Summary: This paper reviews researc...
DDT: The Chemical of Social Change

(1969). DDT: The Chemical of Social Change. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 359-370.
Trends in use of bariatric surgery, 2003-2008.

Background During the past decade, the field of bariatric surgery has changed dramatically. This study was intended to determine trends in the use of bariatric surgery in the United States. Data used were from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 through 2008. Study Design We used ICD-9 diagnosis and procedural codes to identify all hospitalizations during which a bariatric procedure was performed for the treatment of morbid obesity between 2003 and 2008. Data were reviewed for patient characteristics, annual number of bariatric procedures, and proportion of laparoscopic cases. US Census data were used to calculate the population-based annual rate of bariatric surgery per 100,000 adults. The number of surgeons performing bariatric surgery was estimated by the number of members in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Results For the period between 2003 and 2008, the number of bariatric operations peaked in 2004 at 135,985 cases and plateaued at 124,838 cases in 2008. The annual rate of bariatric operations peaked at 63.9 procedures per 100,000 adults in 2004 and decreased to 54.2 procedures in 2008. The proportion of laparoscopic bariatric operations increased from 20.1% in 2003 to 90.2% in 2008. The number of bariatric surgeons with membership in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery increased from 931 to 1,819 during the 6 years studied. The in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 0.21% in 2003 to 0.10% in 2008. Conclusions In the United States, the number of bariatric operations peaked in 2004 and plateaued thereafter. Use of the laparoscopic approach to bariatric surgery has increased to >90% of bariatric operations. In-hospital mortality continually decreased throughout the 6-year period.
Proposed standards for judging the success of the treatment of obesity

The purpose of this report is to propose standards for the successful treatment of obesity. This process is somewhat arbitrary because obesity is a multifactorial disease and because standards need revision as diagnostic and treatment techniques improve. Weight loss, the classic standard of success, does not account for individual variability. Reduction in other measures of body size, such as body mass index, percentage of excess weight, and body fat, may be preferable. Improvement in known complications of obesity (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, sleep apnea, and psychosocial problems) are equally valid measures of success
Synthesis of chromophoric dipeptides as substrates for papain

Abstract Chromophoric dipeptides (2) and (3) are found to be better substrates for papain in comparison to simpler substrates 1a or 1b. A synthetic strategy for obtaining α-NH(COOEt)-5-MTA-Et (1b), Ala-5-MTA-Et (2), Phe-5-MTA-Et (3) has been described.
Evolving approaches to jihad: from self‐defense to revolutionary and regime‐change political violence

The Arabic language was used in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula for centuries before the Qurʾan was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE. In its early developmental phase, Arabic w...
Single-Cell Analysis Reveals that Expression of Nanog Is Biallelic and Equally Variable as that of Other Pluripotency Factors in Mouse ESCs

The homeodomain transcription factor Nanog is a central part of the core pluripotency transcriptional network and plays a critical role in embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal. Several reports have suggested that Nanog expression is allelically regulated and that transient downregulation of Nanog in a subset of pluripotent cells predisposes them toward differentiation. Using single-cell gene expression analyses combined with different reporters for the two alleles of Nanog, we show that Nanog is biallelically expressed in ESCs independently of culture condition. We also show that the overall variation in endogenous Nanog expression in ESCs is very similar to that of several other pluripotency markers. Our analysis suggests that reporter-based studies of gene expression in pluripotent cells can be significantly influenced by the gene-targeting strategy and genetic background employed.
Chemotaxis in the Florida spiny lobster, Panulirus argus

Abstract The relative importance of input from chemoreceptors on the medial versus the lateral antennular flagellae of the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus , in olfactory orientation is examined. Ablation experiments show that input from the lateral filament, specifically the aesthetase tuft of the lateral filament, is necessary and sufficient to trigger searching behaviour in this organism when stimulated with a gradient of dilute shrimp extract. P. argus locates the odour source by using this lateral filament input in both tropotactic and klinotactic comparisons of odour intensities.
Strength training in older adults: The benefits for osteoarthritis

This review summarizes the findings of randomized controlled trials of progressive resistance training (PRT) by older people with osteoarthritis (OA). A significant benefit was found in lower-extremity extensor strength, function, and pain reduction. Across all 3 outcomes, the estimated effect size was moderate, which contrasted with trials of PRT in non-OA-specific groups of older adults where a large effect was found in strength but a small effect on function. This suggests that strength training has strong functional benefits for older adults with OA. Older adults with OA benefit from a strength-training program that provides progressive overload to maintain intensity throughout an exercise program.
Design methodology for optimal hardware implementation of wavelet transform domain algorithms

The work presented in this paper lays the foundation for the development of an end-to-end system design methodology for implementing wavelet domain image/video processing algorithms in hardware using Xilinx field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). With the integration of the Xilinx System Generator toolbox, this methodology will allow algorithm developers to design and implement their code using the familiar MATLAB/Simulink development environment. By using this methodology, algorithm developers will not be required to become proficient in the intricacies of hardware design, thus reducing the design cycle and time-to-market.
An enslaved Enlightenment: rethinking the intellectual history of the French Atlantic *

In 1971, Michele Duchet published Anthropologie et histoire au siecle des lumieres (Anthropology and History in the Century of the Enlightenment), which provided a sweeping analysis of the French p...
LCP-FRAP Assay for Pre-Screening Membrane Proteins for In Meso Crystallization†

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching was used to study the diffusion of two integral membrane proteins, bacteriorhodopsin and beta2-adrenergic receptor, in lipidic cubic phase (LCP). We found that the diffusion properties within the LCP matrix strongly depend on the protein construct and applied screening conditions. Common precipitants often induce restriction on diffusion of proteins in LCP and thereby impede their chances for crystallization. A high protein mobile fraction and a fast diffusion rate correlate well with known crystallization conditions. Using this knowledge, one can now prescreen precipitant conditions with microgram quantities of material to rule out conditions that are not conducive to diffusion, nucleation, and crystal growth. The results of this assay will narrow membrane protein crystallization space by identifying suitable protein constructs, stabilizing compounds and precipitant conditions amenable to in meso crystallization. Crystallization prescreening will significantly i...
Templated synthesis of desymmetrized [2]catenanes with excellent translational selectivity.

Desymmetrized [2]catenanes were synthesized and shown to exhibit excellent translational selectivity. The templated synthesis takes effect from the formation of pseudorotaxanes between π-rich crown ethers and a π-deficient pyromellitic (PmI) unit, followed by macrocyclization around the crown ethers with the creation of a bipyridinium (BPy) unit. The crown ethers preferably encircle the BPy unit in the resulting [2]catenanes in both solution and the solid state, as indicated by various spectroscopic analyses.
Traumatic central cord syndrome: Etiology, management, and outcomes

Traumatic central cord syndrome, the most common spinal cord injury syndrome, typically presents in elderly patients after a hyperextension injury. It is a clinical diagnosis, defined by weakness involving the upper more than lower extremities following a hyperextension cervical injury. Its etiology has been the subject of various pathophysiological hypotheses. The neurologic outcome for this disease is generally favorable, with the majority of patients showing significant neurological improvement over time. There is, however, continued debate over the optimal timing of surgical intervention. This review focuses on the pathophysiology, surgical and medical management, and outcomes of traumatic central cord syndrome.
Room temperature sulfur and nonsulfur vulcanization of natural rubber: With sulfur and piperidinium n‐pentamethylenedithiocarbamate and with quinone dioxime (GMF) and yellow mercuric oxide

Calendered sheets of pale crepe rubber containing an ultra-accelerator, piperidinium N-pentamethylenedithiocarbamate, and zinc oxide were embedded in powdered sulfur and kept at room temperature. Tensile strengths up to 294.2 kg./cm.2 (4185 psi) and elongations up to 530% were attained; the combined sulfur in 115 weeks was 3.60%. Calendered pale crepe rubber containing 10 parts of yellow mercuric oxide to 100 parts of rubber allowed to stand covered with quinone dioxime (GMF) powder at room temperature slowly vulcanizes, reaching a tensile strength of 53.1 kg./cm.2 (754 psi) in 405 days, and retaining this condition for at least twice this same period of time. The elongation reached 740%, and the set was 0.16. The tensile strength obtained is almost as high as that obtained in a press cure with quinone dioxime alone. The untreated sample containing yellow mercuric oxide alone showed a tensile strength of only 5.3 kg./cm.2 (75 psi). Calendered pale crepe with no mercuric oxide set in quinone dioxime and calendered pale crepe containing 2 parts of quinone dioxime, when allowed to stand at room temperature, showed no signs of vulcanization.
Interesting Electronic Properties Generated by Metal-Ion Linked C60 Chains

Recently it has been shown that buckminsterfullerene can be made to crystallize in a fee lattice when doped with various alkali metals eg. K, Rb, etc. Preliminary studies have shown the high propensity of C 60 to be reduced without loss of stability. This may lead to interesting conductive pathways if a suitable dopant can be found which would act as an electronic “bridge” between adjacent “buckyballs” Out theoretical analyses have been geared towards a greater understanding of the reductive tendencies of C 60 , to discover how hypothetical metal-ion/C 60 , complexes differ from their corresponding simple, well characterized organometallic analogs. We demonstrate that the “metallocenium” link perturbs the electronic states of the C 6 moiety including the frontier molecular Orbitals. Consequently, the metal ion plays an important role in establishing the electronic characteristics of metal-ion linked C 60 , chains and can be used to achieve desired properties.
HIV-1 Tat interaction with Dicer: requirement for RNA

Dicer is an RNase III which processes two classes of cellular small RNAs: the microRNAs (miRNA) and short interfering RNAs (siRNA). Previously, we observed that over-expressed HIV-1 Tat protein can suppress the processing of small RNAs inside cells. Here, we have investigated the requirements for Tat interaction with Dicer. We report that Tat-Dicer interaction depends on RNA, requires the helicase domain of Dicer, and is independent of Tat's transactivation domain.
Thallium - 201 imaging in osseous metastatic disease secondary to glioblastoma multiform

We separated platelets from whole blood and incorporated them into In-Ill and Te-99m agents. Sn-GHA, Tropolone, Oxine (sulphate) and HMPAO were used to diffuse radionuclides into the platelets. The effects of time, temperature, PH of incubation media; volume and concentration of ionophore; and volume and activity of ln-l 13m C13 and Te-99m on labeling efficiency were studied.
Effects of a sustained virologic response on outcomes of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

For patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, the goal of antiviral therapy is to achieve a sustained virologic response (SVR). We review the durability of the SVR and its effects on liver-related mortality, hepatic decompensation, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. We performed a systematic review of the effects of the SVR on liver-related hepatic outcomes and found the SVR to be durable (range, 98.4%–100%). An SVR reduced liver-related mortality among patients with chronic hepatitis C (3.3- to 25-fold), the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (1.7- to 4.2-fold), and hepatic decompensation (2.7- to 17.4-fold). An SVR can lead to regression of fibrosis and cirrhosis, and has been associated with a reduced rate of hepatic decompensation, a reduced risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, and reduced liver-related mortality.
Mechanisms of microglia accumulation in Alzheimer’s disease: therapeutic implications

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other conditions affecting integrity of the blood-brain barrier, microglia can originate in the bone marrow, migrate into the blood and enter the brain in a chemokine-dependent manner. CCR2, a chemokine receptor that controls mononuclear phagocyte infiltration into the brain in multiple sclerosis, bacterial meningitis and neuropathic pain, also regulates microglia accumulation in mouse models of AD. CCR2 deficiency leads to lower microglia accumulation and higher brain beta-amyloid (Abeta) levels, indicating that early microglial accumulation promotes Abeta clearance. In support of this protective role, enhancing microglia accumulation delays progression of AD. AD mice that constitutively express interleukin-1 in the brain, or that are deficient in peripheral mononuclear phagocyte transforming growth factor-beta signaling, have increased microglia accumulation around beta-amyloid plaques and reduced AD-like pathology. Regulating microglia recruitment into the brain is a novel therapeutic strategy to delay or stop progression of AD. Here, we review the role of microglia in AD and the mechanisms of their accumulation and discuss implications for AD therapy.
Interaction of maternal smoking and other in-pregnancy exposures: Analytic considerations

The teratogenicity of cigarette smoke has been widely researched over the past two decades, in large part due to the work of Fried et al. The current study was designed to investigate some methodological issues surrounding the investigation of the effects of maternal smoking along with other potentially teratogenic agents in pregnancy. Specifically, maternal smoking was investigated both as a covariate and with regards to its main and interactive effects on child IQ in a prospectively ascertained sample of children whose mothers reported pregnancy exposures to four classes of agents: varicella virus infection (VC), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and benzodiazepines (BZDs). Children were also included whose mothers were not exposed to one of these four agents during pregnancy. The goal of this study was not to examine the behavioral teratogenic potential of these agents or of maternal smoking. Rather, our goal was to illustrate some methodological issues in addressing the combined effects of these agents in behavioral teratology. In the analyses of all four exposures, when smoking was considered as a covariate, it was either a significant or marginally significant covariate and the exposure of interest was not significantly related to a change in IQ score. However, when maternal smoking was considered as a factor in the analyses, four different patterns emerged illustrating the potential importance of properly addressing maternal smoking in the analysis of other potential behavioral teratogens.
Neural networks for control theory and practice

The past five years have witnessed a great deal of progress in both the theory and the practice of control using neural net works. After a long period of experimentation and research neural network-based controllers are finally emerging in the marketplace and the benefits of such controllers are now being realized in a wide variety of fields. The practical applications are also calling for a better understanding of the theoretical principles involved. In this paper we review the current status of control practice using neural networks and the theory related to it and attempt to assess the advantages of neurocontrol for technology.
Developmental Changes in Evoked Purkinje Cell Complex Spike Responses

The development of synaptic interconnections between the cerebellum and inferior olive, the sole source of climbing fibers, could contribute to the ontogeny of certain forms of motor learning (e.g., eyeblink conditioning). Purkinje cell complex spikes are produced exclusively by climbing fibers and exhibit short- and long-latency activity in response to somatosensory stimulation. Previous studies have demonstrated that evoked short- and long-latency complex spikes generally occur on separate trials and that this response segregation is regulated by inhibitory feedback to the inferior olive. The present experiment tested the hypothesis that complex spikes evoked by periorbital stimulation are regulated by inhibitory feedback from the cerebellum and that this feedback develops between postnatal days (PND) 17 and 24. Recordings from individual Purkinje cell complex spikes in urethan-anesthetized rats indicated that the segregation of short- and long-latency evoked complex spike activity emerges between PND17 and PND24. In addition, infusion of picrotoxin, a GABAA-receptor antagonist, into the inferior olive abolished the response pattern segregation in PND24 rats, producing evoked complex spike response patterns similar to those characteristic of younger rats. These data support the view that cerebellar feedback to the inferior olive, which is exclusively inhibitory, undergoes substantial changes in the same developmental time window in which certain forms of motor learning emerge.
Mechanical changes in human dental pulp stem cells during early odontogenic differentiation.

Abstract Introduction Cell adhesion and migration in bioactive scaffolds require actin cytoskeleton remodeling and focal adhesion formation. Additionally, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) undergo several changes in their mechanical properties during odontogenic differentiation. The effect of factors essential for odontogenesis on actin stress fiber elasticity and focal adhesion formation is not known. Methods Live hDPSCs cultured in odontogenic media were imaged for cytoskeleton changes using an atomic force microscope. The Young's modulus (kPa) of the cytoskeleton was recorded as a function of culture medium for 10 days. Focal adhesion formation was assessed using immunofluorescence. Cultured hDPSCs were incubated with a monoclonal vinculin antibody, and filamentous actins were visualized using 0.5 μmol/L phalloidin. Results Cytoskeletal elasticity significantly increased in response to odontogenic media. Both the number and physical size of focal adhesions in hDPSCs also increased. Up-regulation of vinculin expression was evident. The increase in the formation of focal adhesions was consistent with actin remodeling to stress fibers. Conclusions Our findings suggest that hDPSCs firmly attach to the glass substrate in response to odontogenic media. Successful regeneration of pulp-dentin tissue using biomimetic scaffolds will likely require cell-extracellular matrix interactions influenced by biochemical induction factors.
Redox reactions in bilayer lipid membrane as determined by cyclic voltammetry

Abstract Planar lipid bilayers containing 7,7′,8,8′-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ) in the presence of a variety of redox compounds have been investigated by a voltammetric technique. Analysis of the voltammograms shows that the modified membranes must function as redox electrodes in aqueous media and are capable of electronic processes.