cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Role for c-Raf Kinase and Ha-Ras in Cytokine-mediated Induction of Cell Adhesion Molecules

Cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) play fundamental roles in the pathophysiology of inflammation and immunity-related diseases. Despite rapid advances in our understanding of cytokine biology in recent years, definitive knowledge of the cytokine cell signaling pathways remains elusive due to the enormous complexity of these pathways and the lack of specific biological tools and reagents. Using highly specific antisense oligonucleotides that target the mRNA encoding c-Raf kinase and Ha-Ras, we show here that inhibition of c-raf and Ha-ras expression blocks the up-regulation of E-selectin and vascular adhesion molecule-1 induced by TNFα in endothelial cells. Induction of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was also reduced, although to a much lesser extent, by treatment with antisense oligonucleotides. We also show that inhibition of c-raf kinase expression decreased extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) kinase stimulation by TNFα. Furthermore, antisense inhibition of JNK2 also blocked TNFα-mediated induction of E-selectin, whereas PD98059 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 and 2 inhibitor) had no effect on this process. These results indicate that TNFα induction of E-selectin and vascular adhesion molecule-1 in endothelial cells occurs through signaling pathways that are, at least in part, dependent on c-Raf kinase, Ha-Ras, and JNK2.
Endoventricular patch plasty for dyskinetic anteroapical left ventricular aneurysm increases systolic circumferential shortening in sheep.

Objective Endoventricular patch plasty (Dor procedure) has gained favor as a surgical treatment for heart failure associated with large anteroapical myocardial infarction. We tested the hypotheses that the Dor procedure increases systolic circumferential shortening and longitudinal shortening in noninfarcted left ventricular regions in sheep. Methods In 6 male Dorsett sheep, the left anterior descending coronary artery and its second diagonal branch were ligated 40% of the distance from the apex to the base. Sixteen weeks after myocardial infarction, a Dor procedure was performed with a Dacron patch that was 50% of the infarct neck dimension. Two weeks before and 2 and 6 weeks after the Dor procedure, animals underwent magnetic resonance imaging with tissue tagging in multiple short-axis and long-axis slices. Fully three-dimensional strain analyses were performed. All 6 end-systolic strain components were compared in regions 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, and 4 cm below the valves, as well as in the anterior, posterior, and lateral left ventricular walls and the interventricular septum. Results Circumferential shortening increased from before the Dor procedure to 6 weeks after repair in nearly every left ventricular region (13/16). The greatest regional change in circumferential shortening was found in the equatorial region or 2 cm below the base and in the posterior wall (from 9.0% to 18.4%; P Conclusion The Dor procedure significantly increases systolic circumferential shortening in nearly all noninfarcted left ventricular regions in sheep.
Automatic multithreaded pipeline synthesis from transactional datapath specifications

We present a technique to automatically synthesize a multithreaded in-order pipeline from a high-level unpipelined datapath specification. This work extends the previously proposed transactional specification (T-spec) and synthesis technology (T-piper). The technique not only works with instruction processors but also flexible enough to accept any sequential datapath. It maintains previously proposed non-threaded pipeline features and is enhanced with multithreading features. We report a design space exploration study of 32 multithreaded x86 processor pipelines, all synthesized from a single T-spec.
Denial: what is it, how do we recognize it, and what should we do about it?

Many patients experience periods of denial when dealing with illness. The denial may start with the ignoring of symptoms or may manifest as a misremembered discussion with a physician regarding a diagnosis or treatment plan. Denial can delay diagnoses and prevent patients from receiving needed treatment. As physicians, we are sometimes faced with the challenge of working with patients who are unable to move past their denial. However, not all patients who fail to follow our recommendations do so because of denial. Some patients do not understand their illnesses or treatment plans, and others who may appear to be in denial are in fact acting on beliefs or preferences that differ from those of their health-care providers or are struggling with major depression. Complicating things further, more than one mechanism may be at play in a given situation. Our roles include providing our patients with the information they need to understand their illnesses and recognizing patients in states of denial. We also must realize that there are times when denial is an adaptive coping strategy that needs to be respected and not stigmatized. that can be misinterpreted as denial. It is important for physicians to realize that these coping strategies are adaptive and should not be viewed negatively (9).
7α-Alkyltestosterone derivatives: Synthesis and activity as androgens and as aromatase inhibitors

Abstract The 7α-ethyl,propyl,butyl,3'-t-butoxypropyl, allyl,3'-hydroxypropyl 17-acetate, and 3'-chloropropyl 17-acetate derivatives of testosterone and the 7α-3'-t-butoxypropyl,3'-hydroxypropyl,3'-acetoxypropyl, 3'-bromoacetoxypropyl,3'-chloropropyl, and 2'-oxo-3'-bromopropyl derivatives of 4-androstene-3,17-dione were synthesized. The testosterone derivatives were found to lose androgenic and anabolic activity rapidly as the size of the group at the 7 position increased. Many of the compounds were tested as inhibitors of aromatase. The 17-keto compounds were more active than the corresponding alcohols and the enzyme was found to tolerate at least the bulk of a hydroxypropyl group at the C-7α position.
Electron-beam proximity printing: a new high-speed lithography method for submicron structures

A laboratory prototype of an electron-beam proximity printer is described which shadow-projects patterns of chip-size transmission masks onto wafers. Electron-beam transmission masks with physical holes at transparent areas have been fabricated with the smallest structures down to 0.3 µm. Experiments to replicate mask patterns were directed at demonstrating the applicability of this lithographic method to high-speed printing of repetitive patterns on wafers. Linewidth resolution and positional accuracy, as well as exposure speed, meet the requirements for micron and submicron lithography.
Approximations for tail probabilities and moments of the scan statistic

Abstract The scan statistic is used in many areas of science to test the null hypothesis of uniformity against a clustering alternative. In this article product-type approxiamations and Bonferroni-type upper bounds are derived for the tail probabilities of the scan statistic. These new approximations appear to be remarkably accurate and are utilized to compute approximations for the expected size and the standard deviation of the scan statistic. Moreover, accurate approximations are obtained for the distribution and the moments of the smallest interval containing m ordered observations from a uniform distribution in (0,1]. A simulation study is carried out to evaluate the approximations derived in this article.
A methodology for conducting futures-oriented workshops

Abstract The design and implementation of a planning partnership between a state natural resource agency and some of its stakeholders required adoption of a planning process framework compatible with interactive planning. Specifically, by combining four interactive planning methods, it was possible to develop a methodology for the design and implementation of futures-oriented citizen workshops. The participative methodology is capable of explicating the discrepancy between a probable future for a region of a state, as conceived by the state agency, and a desirable future, as conceived by 23 area citizens. The information from the workshops provides policy orientation and specific content for socially and regionally sensitive strategic and programmatic plans. The four methods used are Nominal Group Technique, Interpretive Structural Modelling, Options Field and Options Profile Design Method, and Field Anomaly Relaxation.
The use of fixatives for response to a radiation dispersal devise attack - a review of the current (2009) state-of-the-art

Radiation dispersal devices (RDDs), or dirty bombs, are terrorist weapons designed to scatter radioactive materials in large urban areas. Although the main intent of a RDD is to produce general panic and chaos, other impacts such as health, environmental, property and economical damage may also occur. Although one certain method of reducing health risks from a RDD event is to remove the radioactive contaminants from the environment immediately, rapid cleanup after a RDD event may be impossible in many cases. However, preventing the migration of the radioactive contaminant is crucial. Although it may be necessary to allow the contaminant to remain in place, preventing its migration is still essential. Fixatives can reduce or eliminating migration potential of a contaminant introduced by a RDD. This paper reviews the significance of fixatives in response to a RDD event and some of the products which have been identified for such a purpose. Many of the products are promising for application. However, many reports lack quantitative information to allow for effective comparative evaluation. Further, key parameters, such as shelf life and product toxicity, are not typically evaluated. We recommend that standardized performance parameters be established to allow for better comparative evaluation.
Behavioral effects of SI versus SII cortex ablations on tactile orientation-localization and postural reflexes of rats

Ten rats were observed, before and after selective unilateral ablation of the SI and/or SII cortical area, for the ability to turn toward tactile stimuli to head, limbs, or trunk. Placing and hopping postural reflexes were also observed. SI damage caused greater contralateral deficits than SII damage in all these behavioral measures; combined ablation of SI plus SII caused the greatest contralateral deficits in all measures. Partial recovery of all behaviors was observed during six postoperative test sessions, spanning 2 months. In contrast to these rats, cats studied in earlier experiments in this laboratory had shown a double dissociation, with SI damage followed by contralateral deficits in posture and movement but not passive touch, and damage to SII plus subjacent cortex by contralateral deficits in passive touch but only very small deficits in posture and movement. In other species comparisons, normal rats oriented as vigorously as do cats to tactile cues and, like cats, showed tactile responsiveness in orientation-localization greater rostrally than caudally. In both species wrong-way orientations were occasionally observed during the early postoperative period following the largest unilateral lesions. Unoperated albino rats oriented much less readily than do unoperated cats toward appetitive auditory or visual cues signaling availability of food. An accompanying theoretical review paper further examines the nature of passive and active touch in terms of these and other comparative findings.
How Often Does It Rain

Abstract Daily precipitation data from worldwide stations and gridded analyses and from 18 coupled global climate models are used to evaluate the models' performance in simulating the precipitation frequency, intensity, and the number of rainy days contributing to most (i.e., 67%) of the annual precipitation total. Although the models examined here are able to simulate the land precipitation amount well, most of them are unable to reproduce the spatial patterns of the precipitation frequency and intensity. For light precipitation (1–10 mm day−1), most models overestimate the frequency but produce patterns of the intensity that are in broad agreement with observations. In contrast, for heavy precipitation (>10 mm day−1), most models considerably underestimate the intensity but simulate the frequency relatively well. The average number of rainy days contributing to most of the annual precipitation is a simple index that captures the combined effects of precipitation frequency and intensity on the water supp...
Controlled Release of Tetracycline I: In Vitro Studies with a Trilaminate 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate-Methyl Methacrylate System

A membrane-controlled drug delivery device was developed to release tetracycline at zero-order rates. The tetracycline delivery vehicle is a trilaminate disk consisting of core and coating membranes fabricated from a series of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate copolymers. Appropriate adjustment of the monomer composition ratio imparts a hydrophobic nature to the copolymer outer coating membrane (relative to the core material), which serves as the rate-limiting membrane in drug diffusion. The trilaminate disks demonstrated a zero-order tetracycline release over 4 months in vitro. The zero-order release rate was a function of the general device geometry, coating membrane thickness, disk surface, area, level of core reservoir drug loading, and membrane coating copolymer composition. Permeability parameters of tetracycline diffusion through a series of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate copolymer membranes were determined by a flux-lag time method. Equilibrium hydration values of these membranes also were determined. The ability of trilaminate 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate devices to release tetracycline at constant rates over a prolonged period offers unique therapeutic and investigational possibilities.
The isolation of a 4-thiouridine-containing disulfide from oxidized Escherichia coli tRNA is not artifactual.

Abstract Iodine-oxidized Escherichia coli tRNA yields an oxidized 4-thiouridine dinucleoside after enzymatic digestion and dephosphorylation. The original isolation has been questioned on the basis of an observed instability of 4-thiouridine disulfide in Tris-Cl buffer and a persistent oxidizing capacity of some resins after exposure to iodine. It is here pointed out that the original isolation specifically negated both of these objections. The fragment recently isolated by Kaiser ( Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 183 , 421–431, 1977) appears to be very similar to the one previously reported, although probably neither one is the symmetrical 4-thiouridine disulfide.
Stability of a delay-differential system†

This paper investigates the asymptotic behaviour of a class of periodic functional differential equations containing a small real parameter, μ. In particular, a sufficient condition is developed which ensures that for the magnitude of μ small, but μ. different from zero, the solutions of the equations are asymptotically stable in the sense of Lyapunov
Three‐dimensional display utilizing a diffractive optical element and an active matrix liquid crystal display

We describe the design, construction, and performance of the first real-time autostereoscopic three-dimensional (3-D) display based on the partial pixel 3-D display architecture. The primary optical components of the 3-D display are an active-matrix liquid crystal display and a diffractive optical element (DOE). The display operates at video frame rates and is driven with a conventional VGA signal. Three-dimensional animations with horizontal motion parallax are readily viewable as sets of stereo images. Formation of the virtual viewing slits by diffraction from the partial pixel apertures is experimentally verified. The measured contrast and perceived brightness of the display are excellent, but there are minor flaws in image quality due to secondary images. The source of these images and how they may be eliminated is discussed. The effects of manufacturing-related systematic errors in the DOE are also analyzed.
Enhanced visualization of multi-dimensional structures. Applications in positron emission tomography and climate data

In this work, we have developed an algorithm based on mathematical morphology, image processing, and volume rendering to enhance the visual perception of definite and abstract structures embedded in multidimensional data undergoing visualization. This erosion procedure enhances the depth and shape perception of structures present in the data beyond the perception facilitated by shading and contrasty colors alone [Gershon, 1990]. The utility of this algorithm is demonstrated in medical imaging (Positron Emission Tomography) and climate (sea surface temperature) data. The resulting information is displayed in stereo.
Fuel cells and odorants for hydrogen

Odorants have been proposed as a reliable, inexpensive means to enable leak detection for hydrogen systems and increase public safety. However, traditional odorants cause problems for fuel cell systems. This paper examines the use of odorants for fuel cell systems, including the hydrogen storage. Current odorants and potential odorants have negative impacts on fuel cell performance. Odorants also appear to be problematic for most of the advanced hydrogen storage options. If odorants are used, the odorants will probably need to be removed from the hydrogen prior to the storage medium. Current hydrogen detectors are more reliable than the odorant-human detection system and should provide increased safety.
Re-entrainment of Particles from a Plane Surface

Abstract We studied the adhesion of spherical glass particles and fly ash to glass and metal substrates using an ultracentrifuge or air at high velocity to achieve particle removal. Adhesion forces increased with increased particle size and ambient air relative humidity, but decreased with increased surface roughness. By properly charging the surface, adhesion could be increased or decreased. Boundary layer theory was used to calculate air drag acting on adhering particles subjected to a high-velocity air stream. Increased time of exposure did not increase particle removal in a centrifugal force field, but it did have this effect with high-velocity air. This result was interpreted on the basis of turbulent eddies penetrating the laminar sublayer to reach adhering particles. Alternately, adhering particles could create turbulance in their immediate vicinity.
Transit Vehicle Arrival Prediction: Algorithm and Large-Scale Implementation

An algorithm is presented to predict transit vehicle arrival times up to 1 h in advance. It uses the time series of data from an automated vehicle location system, consisting of time and location pairs. These data are used with historical statistics in an optimal filtering framework to predict future arrivals. The algorithm is implemented for a large transit fleet in Seattle, Washington, and the prediction results for hundreds of locations are made widely available on the Web. An evaluation of the second busiest but most complex prediction site is presented to demonstrate the value of prediction over the use of schedules alone.
Reading between the lines: implicit assessment of the association of parental attributions and empathy with abuse risk.

Objective Researchers in the child maltreatment field have traditionally relied on explicit self-reports to study factors that may exacerbate physical child abuse risk. The current investigation evaluated an implicit analog task utilizing eye tracking technology to assess both parental attributions of child misbehavior and empathy. Method Based on the observation that readers experience comprehension difficulty when encountering passages inconsistent with their beliefs, an eye tracker gauged the extent of difficulty parents experienced reading vignettes that inappropriately characterized a child as culpable for misbehavior and that presented a non-empathic child interaction. Results Results suggest self-reports of attributions and empathy are related to both child abuse potential and discipline intentions; however, the eye tracking analog for empathy correlated with abuse potential but not punishment decisions whereas the analog for attributions correlated with punishment decisions but not abuse potential. Conclusions Such contrasts between self-report and analog assessment underscore the need for continued research studying theorized abuse risk constructs using alternative approaches to better identify the important risk markers associated with elevated child abuse risk and to minimize methodological overlap.
Effect of Molybdenum Fertilization on the Nitrogenous Constituents of Potatoes

The effect of molybdenum fertilizer on the nitrogenous constituents of Katahdin potatoes was investigated. The chemical constituents studied were total nitrogen, nonprotein nitrogen, and protein. Sodium molybdate was applied to the soil at rates of 0.0, 2.8, 6.7 and 10.1 kg/ha during the first year and 0.0, 5.6, 16.8 and 22.4 kg/ha during the second year of the study. The compound was applied to the soil one day prior to planting of the seed potatoes. During both years of the study, tubers from plants receiving molybdenum fertilization were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the controls in total nitrogen and protein and significantly lower (p < 0.01) in nonprotein nitrogen at all levels of molybdenum application. Greatest increases in total nitrogen and protein were observed in tubers from plants receiving 22.4 kg/ha of sodium molybdate.
Imipramine treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia: the second time around.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to assess and compare the therapeutic effects of imipramine during the initial treatment and retreatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia patients. Seven women with panic disorder with agoraphobia who had shown a marked and stable response to imipramine (121.4±41.8 mg/day) during their initial treatment of 24 weeks were retreated with the same dose (125±40.8 mg/day) of imipramine when they relapsed on average 3 months following discontinuation of the drug. Assessments included operationalized criteria for response and relapse and plasma drug concentrations to verify treatment compliance. Data on phobic, panic anxiety and depression measures were analyzed for 6 assessment times common to all patients; pretreatment, week 8 and 24 weeks follow-up of initial treatment, relapsed which was also the beginning of retreatment, week 8 and 16–24 weeks follow-up of retreatment. At the end of retreatment all patients were marked responders and there was no significant difference on any outcome measure between the end of initial and retreatment assessment periods. However, overall therapeutic response to retreatment was slower than during initial treatment, in particular on phobic and patient rated panic measures. Although the full restoration of remission is clinically reassuring, the results caution that relapse may have sensitizing effects which delay, and if repeated could impede the response of panic disorder with agoraphobia patients to imipramine.
Application of Zernike polynomials to atmospheric propagation problems.

Zernike polynomials are used in the study of single- and multiple-circular-aperture optical systems that are affected by atmosphere turbulence. Expressions for mean-square wave-front distortion, correlation functions, Zernike covariance coefficients, and anisoplanatism are derived and calculated for Kolmogorov atmospheric statistics. The mathematical tools provided here, however, can readily be extended to non-Kolmogorov turbulence spectra.
Error analysis and correction of discrete solutions from finite element codes

Many structures are an assembly of individual shell components. Therefore, results for stresses and deflections from finite element solutions for each shell component should agree with the equations of shell theory. This paper examines the problem of applying shell theory to the error analysis and the correction of finite element results. The general approach to error analysis and correction is discussed first. Relaxation methods are suggested as one approach to correcting finite element results for all or parts of shell structures. Next, the problem of error analysis of plate structures is examined in more detail. The method of successive approximations is adapted to take discrete finite element solutions and to generate continuous approximate solutions for postbuckled plates. Preliminary numerical results are included.
Control of PCDD/PCDF emissions from municipal waste combustion systems

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is revising air pollutant emission rules for new municipal waste combustors and preparing guidelines for existing combustors. These rules, to be proposed in late November 1989, will limit emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), carbon dioxide, and acid gases (HCl and SO2) as well as require tighter control of particulate matter emissions. Five modern units were tested to characterize or determine the performance of representative combustor types and associated air emission control systems in the regulatory development process. Test results for uncontrolled (combustor outlet) and controlled (flue gas cleaning system outlet) PCDDs and PCDFs are reported along with pertinent information on other tests.
European Unification: A Strategy of Change

The success of the European Economic Community often has been hailed as the most important development of international relations in the West in the last century. Even if the EEC does not progress beyond the point it has already reached, it is probably the most integrated union ever to have been formed among nation-states. Moreover, observers have been impressed by the momentum the EEC has had until recently, leading most of them to expect that its level of integration will continue to rise and its scope of unification to grow. Much of the credit for the success of the EEC is often attributed to “background” factors, to the fact that the member countries share the same European tradition, have a sizable Catholic population, are in a similar stage of economic development, have a similar civilization, and so forth.
Cross-competition in Transgenic Chloroplasts Expressing Single Editing Sites Reveals Shared cis Elements

RNA editing in organelles of angiosperm plants results in alteration of Cs to Us in transcripts. In most editing sites analyzed in vitro or in vivo, sequences within approximately 30 nucleotides (nt) 5' and 10 nt 3' of the edited C have been found to be required for selection of the correct C editing target and for editing efficiency, but no consensus sequences have been identified. The effect of high-level expression of two different minigenes carrying either the rpoB-2 or the ndhF-2 editing site on editing was determined for all 31 known edited Cs in two transgenic tobacco lines. The editing efficiencies of both the corresponding rpoB and ndhF editing sites in the endogenous genes' transcripts and in several other genes' transcripts were reduced in the chloroplast transgenic plants. Conserved nucleotides could be identified in the sequences immediately 5' of each overexpressed editing site and in the sites in the additional genes that experienced a competition effect, though the conserved nucleotides differ 5' of rpoB-2 and 5' of ndhF-2. Inspection of sequences surrounding chloroplast and mitochondrial editing sites reveals that they can be grouped into clusters which carry conserved nucleotides within 30 nt 5' of the C target of editing. The data are consistent with a model in which the same trans factor recognizes several chloroplast or mitochondrial editing sites, depending on the particular sequence 5' of the edited C.
Radical Reactions with Organic Thin Films: Chemical Interaction of Atomic Oxygen with an X-ray Modified Self-Assembled Monolayer

The interaction of an X-ray-modified self-assembled monolayer with a mixture of atomic and molecular oxygen (O/O2) has been studied using in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Initially the reaction dynamics are dominated by the incorporation of new oxygen containing functionality at the vacuum/film interface. At intermediate O/O2 exposures, when a steady-state concentration of C−O, CO, and O−CO groups has been established, the production of volatile carbon-containing species, including CO2, is responsible for etching the hydrocarbon film. Upon prolonged O/O2 exposures, O atoms penetrate to the film/substrate interface, producing Au2O3 and sulfonate (RSO3) species. Under steady-state conditions, the thickness of the hydrocarbon film was reduced with an efficiency of ≈7.4 × 10-4 A/impingent O atom while the average penetration depth of O atoms within the hydrocarbon film was determined to be ≈5.5 A.
Teams in Child Welfare Settings: Interprofessional and Collaborative Processes:

This study explored the dynamics of collaborative, team-based efforts to provide child welfare services in the context of a public/private partnership model of service delivery. The major areas of exploration included interprofessional team processes, factors that contribute to team effectiveness, perceptions of family participation, and attitudes toward privatization in child welfare. The study used a survey design with a self-administered questionnaire delivered to a purposive sample of 165 child welfare and community professionals who were members of interprofessional child welfare teams in a Midwest, urban county. The findings indicate that respect and unity of purpose predict team satisfaction, and that agency type predicts attitudes toward public/private partnership and some aspects of family participation.
Colorimetric assessment of laser and home bleaching techniques

PURPOSE: This study recorded in vitro color change of three tooth bleaching techniques that included laser-activated hydrogen peroxide and two concentrations of carbamide peroxide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty extracted human central incisors were exposed to argon laser-activated 35% H2O2, 10% carbamide peroxide, or 20% carbamide peroxide. A fourth group (control) did not receive any bleach treatment (n = 10/group). Commission International de l'Eclariage (CIE) L*a*b* coordinates were recorded prior to bleaching (baseline), at 1 week, and at 2 weeks. The color difference (delta E*ab) between baseline and subsequent measurements was calculated. RESULTS: The control group did not demonstrate significant color difference over time (p > .05). The laser group was not statistically different from the control group (p > .01). The color difference of the 10% and 20% carbamide peroxide groups was statistically different from the control group (p < .01). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Exposure to 20% carbamide peroxide produced the greatest perceivable change in color. The recommended one-time application of laser-activated hydrogen peroxide did not demonstrate any perceivable color change. The clinician should be aware that additional or longer applications may be required.
Growth of the Rock Bass Ambloplites Rupestris (Rafinesque), In Five Lakes of Northeastern Wisconsin

Abstract The forms of the growth curves of rock bass from four lakes in northeastern Wisconsin with medium-hard to hard water bore a general resemblance to each other, but differed sharply from the curve for rock bass from a lake with extremely soft water. With the exception of a slight increase in growth in the third year of life the annual increments of length of the rock bass of Nebish Lake (4.0 p.p.m. of bound CO2) tended to decrease consistently beyond the first year. The good first-year growth in length of rock bass of Allequash, Silver, and Trout Lakes (16.8, 15.0, and 18.7 p.p.m., respectively, of bound CO2) was followed by poor growth in the second, third, and fourth years of life. This poor growth was followed in turn by good growth in the fifth and sixth years. The annual increments of length tended to decline beyond the sixth year of life. The growth of rock bass of Muskellunge Lake (10.0 p.p.m. of bound CO2) declined sharply in the second year of life. The annual increments of length were fai...
Expression of Prox1 during mouse cochlear development.

We have carried out an analysis of the expression of Prox1, a homeodomain transcription factor, during mouse inner ear development with particular emphasis on the auditory system. Prox1 is expressed in the otocyst beginning at embryonic day 11, in the developing vestibular sensory patches. Expression is down-regulated in maturing (myosin VIIA immunoreactive) vestibular hair cells and subsequently in the underlying support cell layer by E16.5. In the auditory sensory epithelium, Prox1 is initially expressed at embryonic day 14.5 in a narrow stripe of cells at the base of the cochlea. This stripe encompasses the full thickness of the sensory epithelium, including developing hair cells and support cells. Over the next several days, the stripe of expression extends to the apex, and as the sensory epithelium differentiates, Prox1 becomes restricted to a subset of support cells. Double labeling for Prox1 and cell-type specific markers revealed that the outer hair cells transiently express Prox1. After E18, Prox1 protein is no longer detectable in hair cells, but it continues to be expressed in support cells for the rest of embryogenesis and into the second postnatal week. During this time, Prox1 is not expressed in all support cell types in the organ of Corti, but is restricted to developing Deiters’ and pillar cells. The expression is maintained in these cells into the second week of postnatal life, at which time Prox1 is dynamically down-regulated. These studies form a baseline from which we can analyze the role of Prox1 in vertebrate sensory development.
Colloidal Nanocrystals of Lithiated Group 14 Elements

The synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of lithiated group 14 elements (Z=Si, Ge, and Sn) is reported, which are Li4.4 Si, Li3.75 Si, Li4.4 Ge, and Li4.4 Sn. Lix Z compounds are highly reactive and cannot be synthesized by existing methods. The success relied on separating the surface protection from the crystal formation and using a unique passivating ligand. Bare Lix Z crystals were first produced by milling elemental Li and Z in an argon-filled jar. Then, under the assistance of additional milling, hexyllithium was added to passivate the freshly generated Lix Z NCs. This ball-milling-assisted surface protection method may be generalized to similar systems, such as Nax Z and Kx Z. Moreover, Li4.4 Si and Li4.4 Ge NCs were conformally encapsulated in carbon fibers, providing great opportunities for studying the potential of using Lix Z to mitigate the volume-fluctuation-induced poor cyclability problem confronted by Z anodes in lithium-ion batteries.
Paradoxical postural cerebrospinal fluid leak–induced headache: report of two cases

We report two patients with a history of dural puncture who developed paradoxical postural cerebrospinal fluid leak-induced headache. The patients' headache worsened when they were in the recumbent position, and it improved when they were placed upright. Both patients had a history of migraine headache. The patients were successfully treated with autologous epidural blood patch. The mechanism for PPCLH is to be elucidated.
A multilevel energy buffer and voltage modulator for grid-interfaced micro-inverters

Micro-inverters operating into the single-phase grid from solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or other low-voltage sources must buffer the twice-line-frequency variations between the energy sourced by the PV panel and that required for the grid. Moreover, in addition to operating over wide average power ranges, they inherently operate over a wide range of voltage conversion ratios as the line voltage traverses a cycle. These factors make the design of micro-inverters challenging. This paper presents a multilevel energy buffer and voltage modulator (MEB) that significantly reduces the range of voltage conversion ratios that the dc-ac converter portion of the micro-inverter must operate over by stepping its effective input voltage in pace with the line voltage. The MEB also functions as an active energy buffer to reduce the twice-line-frequency voltage ripple at the output of the solar panel. The small additional loss of the MEB can be compensated by the improved efficiency of the dc-ac converter stage, leading to a higher overall system efficiency. A prototype micro-inverter incorporating a MEB, designed for 27 V to 38 V dc input voltage, 230 V rms ac output voltage, and rated for line cycle average power of 70 W, has been built and tested in grid-connected mode. It is shown that the MEB can successfully enhance the performance of a single-phase grid-interfaced micro-inverter by increasing its efficiency and reducing the total size of the twice-line-frequency energy buffering capacitance.
Reduction in Warfarin Adverse Events Requiring Patient Hospitalization After Implementation of a Pharmacist-Managed Anticoagulation Service

Study Objective. To compare adverse events related to anticoagulation in patients assigned to a pharmacist-managed anticoagulation service versus those receiving usual care. Design. Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting. Three hundred–bed community hospital. Patients. Four hundred twenty patients referred for anticoagulation management. Measurements and Main Results. Primary outcomes were the number of adverse events requiring patient hospitalization and the number of patients experiencing such events. Secondary outcomes were the median length of hospital stay/admission and the total number of hospital days. The total numbers of adverse events requiring hospitalization were three for the pharmacist-managed group and 14 for the usual care group (p=0.0153). The number of patients experiencing an adverse event requiring hospitalization was also lower for the pharmacist-managed group than for the usual care group (3 vs 10, p=0.0962). The median length of hospital stay associated with each adverse event was not significantly different between the two groups; however, the total number of hospital days accrued was higher in the usual care group. Conclusion. At 6 months after discontinuation of the pharmacist-managed anticoagulation service, the frequency of adverse events increased significantly, resulting in both an increased number of hospitalizations and an increased number of hospital days accrued. This coordinated anticoagulation program using a pharmacist reduced warfarin-related complications.
RCAN1 overexpression promotes age-dependent mitochondrial dysregulation related to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

Aging is the largest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Patients with Down syndrome (DS) develop symptoms consistent with early-onset AD, suggesting that overexpression of chromosome 21 genes such as Regulator of Calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) plays a role in AD pathogenesis. RCAN1 levels are increased in the brain of DS and AD patients but also in the human brain with normal aging. RCAN1 has been implicated in several neuronal functions, but whether its increased expression is correlative or causal in the aging-related progression of AD remains elusive. We show that brain-specific overexpression of the human RCAN1.1S isoform in mice promotes early age-dependent memory and synaptic plasticity deficits, tau pathology, and dysregulation of dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) activity associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, reproducing key AD features. Based on these findings, we propose that chronic RCAN1 overexpression during aging alters DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission and thus acts to promote AD-related progressive neurodegeneration.
Descriptive Analysis of Individual and Community Factors among African American Youths in Urban Public Housing

African American adolescents are disproportionately represented in urban public housing developments. These neighborhoods are generally characterized by high rates of poverty, crime, violence, and disorganization. Although evidence is emerging on youths in these communities, little is known about their depressive symptoms, perceived efficacy, or frequency of substance use and sex-risk behavior. Further, even less is known about their exposure to community and household violence, their parents' behavior, or their sense of connection to their communities. Using a sample of 782 African American adolescents living in public housing neighborhoods located in four large U.S. cities, this article attempts to rectify the observed gap in knowledge by presenting a descriptive overview of their self-reported depressive symptoms; self-efficacy; frequencies of delinquent and sexual-risk behavior; and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. The self-reported ratings of their parents' behavior as well as their exposure to community and household violence are presented. Analytic procedures include descriptive statistics and mean comparisons between genders and across research cities. Results suggest several differences between genders and across research sites. However, results are not very different from national data. Implications for social work practice are discussed.
Too Much of a Good Thing

Mutations and deletions in the SHANK3 gene, which encodes a scaffolding protein that colocalizes with excitatory postsynaptic markers, have been linked to autism and schizophrenia. Now, Han et al. describe an association between SHANK3 overexpression and hyperkinetic behaviors that may explain important aspects of mania and related conditions. Han et al. studied transgenic mice that carried an extra copy of SHANK3 . These mice exhibited several behaviors resembling aspects of mania, such as increased locomotion, exaggerated responses to amphetamines, increased startle responses to acoustic stimuli, and abnormal circadian rhythmicity. Notably, these mice also exhibited phenotypes typically associated with antidepressant treatment and autism: decreased immobility in the tail suspension test and reduced preference for social interactions, respectively. Last, mice overexpressing SHANK3 also had spontaneous seizures. The authors then described mechanisms that could have contributed to these phenotypes, such as an increase in markers for synaptic excitation and a corresponding decrease in those for synaptic inhibition. Additional data suggested that these changes may have been due to recruitment by Shank3 of actin-related proteins toward excitatory synapses and away from inhibitory ones. Two final aspects of this study suggested some clinical implications. First, many abnormal behaviors in SHANK3 -overexpressing mice were rescued by the anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer valproic acid, but not by lithium. This is notable because although lithium represents the gold-standard treatment for mania, a subpopulation of patients with bipolar disorder respond to valproic acid but not to lithium. In their study, Han et al. also reported on two individuals with small duplications of the genomic region containing SHANK3 : a child with seizures and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and an adult with bipolar disorder and epilepsy. Taken together, these findings suggest that overexpression of SHANK3 may be associated with hyperexcitability at the neuronal level and hyperactivity at the behavioral level. Interestingly, these behaviors cut across traditional diagnostic categories, encompassing features of many disorders, including mania, ADHD, epilepsy, and autism. Thus, these findings illustrate how viewing disorders from a genetic standpoint, in addition to traditional diagnostic formulations, may help to identify appropriate treatments. Important questions remain; for example, does SHANK3 overexpression or deletion impair social behavior through similar or distinct mechanisms? Another major challenge will be understanding why hyperkinetic phenotypes are prominent in mice overexpressing SHANK3 but not in other contexts that are also associated with increases in synaptic excitation. K. Han et al. , SHANK3 overexpression causes manic-like behaviour with unique pharmacogenetic properties. Nature 503 , 72–77 (2013). [[Pub Med]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24153177
Kidney stones: pathophysiology and medical management

The formation of stones in the urinary tract stems from a wide range of underlying disorders. That clinicians look for the underlying causes for nephrolithiasis is imperative to direct management. There are many advances in genetics, pathophysiology, diagnostic imaging, medical treatment, medical prevention, and surgical intervention of nephrolithiasis. Here, I provide a brief general background and focus mainly on pathophysiology and medical treatment of kidney stones. Although important advances have been made in understanding nephrolithiasis from single gene defects, the understanding of polygenetic causes of kidney stones is still largely elusive. A substantial proportion of data that resulted in new methods of treatment and prevention, which can be empirical or definitive, has focused on urinary luminal chemical composition of the precipitating solutes. Manipulation of inhibitors and epithelial factors is important and needs further investigation. Advances in the management of nephrolithiasis depend on combined efforts of clinicians and scientists to understand the pathophysiology.
Perceptions of cancer care by professionals and nonprofessionals.

Critical incident descriptions were obtained by questionnaire from 472 practicing physicians, 59 medical students, 31 house officers, 50 clinical faculty, and 43 allied health professionals. Descriptions were obtained by interview from 660 cancer patients and their families, and from 250 noncancer patients. The resulting 4,877 vignettes were analyzed and dissected to yield 13,009 separate, identifiable critical behaviors, i.e., behaviors deemed critical to the delivery of optimal care. After elimination of duplication and those items not specifically relevant to cancer, there remained 339 distinct attributes of an effective cancer care system. The results confirmed that the nonprofessionals are most concerned with items in the affective domain while the professionals are most concerned with items of a technological nature. However, there was a good deal of overlap in these areas of concern, and it appears from it that "needs" as expressed by professionals and "wants" as expressed by nonprofessionals often...
HLA–Bw60 increases susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis in HLA–B27+ patients

We examined the distribution of non-B27 alleles of the HLA-B locus among B27+ patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), to detect any additional HLA-B locus allele(s) that may act in conjunction with B27 to increase susceptibility to AS. HLA-Bw60 (or B40 when the Bw60,61 split of B40 was not typed for) was shown to be increased among B27+ AS patients in each of 5 independent data sets. This increase was statistically significant in 4 of the 5 data sets studied, and the overall significance was P less than 0.00001. Susceptibility to AS in B27+ individuals was further increased by a factor of approximately 3 when Bw60 was also present. The distribution of HLA-A alleles on the B27-bearing haplotypes in AS patients was not significantly different from that in normal controls. On the other hand, the distribution of HLA-A alleles on Bw60-bearing haplotypes was significantly different from the distribution of A alleles on Bw60 haplotypes in the general population (P less than 0.0005). Bw60 was not increased in B27- patients with AS. A dominant mode of inheritance generally fits AS; however, our sib pair analysis indicates that the B27,Bw60 disease subgroup follows a more recessive mode of inheritance.