cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Improved Method for Separate Collection of Urine, Feces, and Expiratory Gases from the Mature Chicken

Abstract INTRODUCTION TO STUDY the metabolism of organic chemicals in poultry, it is often necessary to measure the chemical and/or its metabolites in the urine, feces, and respiratory gases. Separate collection of urine and feces from the bird is complicated by the mixing of urine and feces in the cloaca. Therefore, it is necessary to surgically modify and/or fasten mechanical devices to the bird to collect these excretion products separately. Nonsurgical techniques for collecting urine from the bird have been reported (Davis, 1927; Coulson and Hughes, 1930); however, these methods are not satisfactory for extended collection periods. Although several methods have been reported for surgical preparation of an artificial anus in the bird (Hart and Essex, 1942; Colvin et al., 1966; Imabayashi et al., 1956; Fussel, 1960), attempts to duplicate these techniques in this laboratory were not successful. In almost all cases there was recurring blockage of the artificial anus, rendering…
SUBCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF [3H]QUINUCLIDINYL BENZYLATE BINDING ACTIVITY IN VERTEBRATE RETINA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CHOLINERGIC MARKERS

— The subcellular distribution of binding sites for tritiated quinuclidinyl benzylate ([3H]QNB) was studied in cow retina. Primary fractions showing higher specific activity than homogenate were P2 (synaptosomal-mitochondrial) and P3 (microsomal). P2 was subfractionated on a Ficoll gradient with the P2B subfraction exhibiting the greatest enrichment in [3H]QNB binding. Similar subfractionation of P2 on a discontinuous sucrose gradient showed that fractions of particles banding in 0.8m and in the 0.8-1.0 m-sucrose interface also exhibit the greatest enrichment of [3H]QNB binding. When subjected to Scatchard analysis, this reaction shows a density of sites equal to 0.212-0.294 pmol per mg of protein. By plotting the apparent dissociation constant (KD) values vs protein concentration a‘true’KD value of 0.73 nM was obtained. Only one set of binding sites was found using three different concentrations of protein. The reaction was specificially antagonized by atropine (DI50= 7 nM) and scopolamine (DI50= 9 nM) whereas carbamylcholine and d-tubocurarine exhibited DI50's of 0.4 and 0.15 mM, respectively. For P3 the binding of [3H]QNB is characterized by one set of binding sites with ni= 0.250 pmol per mg of protein and an apparent KD of 8.2 nM, and a DI50 for atropine of 15 nM. The [3H]QNB binding sites showed a subcellular distribution similar to that of acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase. P1 fractions accounted for 40–60% of the total activity of the three cholinergic markers. Purification of the crude P1 yielded an additional fraction in which the cholinergic markers showed an enrichment with respect to homogenate and P1. Synaptosomes isolated from this fraction exhibited the unusual ultrastructure expected from nerve endings in the outer synaptic layer of retina. The possible location of the muscarinic cholinergic transmitter system in the vertebrate retina is discussed.
Frequency-matched cavity ring-down spectroscopy

Abstract We developed a simple form of continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CW-CRDS) utilizing a fixed-length cavity with mode matching achieved through laser frequency modulation. We present spectra of overtone combination bands of water in the visible near 659 nm and demonstrate the absolute calibration of the spectrometer via comparison with a standard humidity sensor. Frequency-matched CRDS achieves high sensitivities (2×10 −9 cm −1 ) in moderate integration times (3 s). The method is compared to other forms of CW-CRDS and the effects of the fixed-cavity geometry as compared to piezo-scanned cavity methods are considered.
The Role of Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Ablation Procedures for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Cardiac ablation procedures have become the standard of therapy for various arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. Understanding the morphological characteristics of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary veins (PV) in detail and identification of its anatomic variants is crucial to perform a successful ablation procedure and minimize complications. The current techniques for radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation include targeting the PVs or the tissue in the antrum of the LA. Localization of the anatomic structures within the LA is performed by using fluoroscopy, electroanatomic mapping, and intracardiac echocardiography. Multidimentional computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography are invaluable techniques for better visualization of the anatomic landmarks that are essential for cardiac ablation procedures as well as prompt diagnosis and, in selected cases, prevention of procedure-related complications. Some of the complications of ablation procedures may include cardiac tamponade, PV stenosis, as well as esophageal and phrenic nerve injuries.
Origin and evolution of valleys on Martian volcanoes

Medium (1:2,000,000) and high (1:500,000) resolution Viking images were used to locate, map, and analyze drainage systems of six moderate-sized Martian volcanoes of various ages (including Ceraunius Tholus, Hecates Tholus, Alba Patera, Hadriaca Patera, Apollinaris Patera, and Tyrrhena Patera) in order to determine the origin and the evolution of valley forms on these volcanoes. The morphological characteristics of the drainage forms were compared to those of terrestrial volcanic valleys of known origin. On the basis of studies of valleys on the Hawaiian volcanoes, an evolutionary sequence for valleys on the Martian volcanoes is proposed.
A multi-frequency TDMA/TDM system for a VSAT terminal network operating in Ka band

FH-JFDA (Frequency Hopping-Jitter Free Demand Assignment) is a satellite access scheme suitable for VSAT systems and designed for the Ka band (20–30 GHz). It uses the FH-TDMA (Frequency Hopping-Time Division Multiple Access) technique on the in-bound link towards the hub station, and the TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) technique on the out-bound link, from the hub towards the traffic stations. Each traffic station is allowed to transmit to the hub in temporal slots assigned by the hub itself, generally hopping among different TDMA carriers at each data burst transmission. The hub station retransmits the data received by using two TDM carriers modulated at different bit rates. It tries to maintain the same temporal position of the real time data packets when it switches between the two carriers in order not to introduce any further jitter on data. The fade countermeasure system adopted is based on the up-link power control and on data bit rate changing. This paper describes the FH-JFDA MAC protocol, the algorithm for assigning the transmission temporal slots, the algorithm adopted by the hub station for mapping the TDMA transmissions onto the TDM links, and the fade countermeasure technique used. The results of the investigation on one particular parameter of the system, which influences the choice of the TDMA assignment procedure, are also presented. A possible realization of the system using two transponders of the Italsat National coverage payload is also included in the paper, and the performance of the fade countermeasure system is evaluated.
Vitamin D Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease

Vitamin D has played a central role in the nephrologist's armamentarium, with active vitamin D analogues enjoying broad use for treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Increasing data are now coming to light about the broader biological actions of vitamin D, including wide-ranging effects in several endocrine pathways, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and even the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). As additional agents are emerging to help with control of metabolic bone disease, these nontraditional pathways of vitamin D action will become increasingly important to consider when formulating a treatment plan. Although the only approved use for vitamin D analogues in CKD is the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism, well-conducted clinical trials may soon broaden the scope of this therapy. This article reviews the role of vitamin D therapy in CKD and looks to the answers that future research may bring.
Trade, Job Losses and Gender: A Policy Perspective

This paper presents a gender perspective of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The TAA is the primary US policy to assist the transition of workers displaced due to trade related economic restructuring. In comparison to the relatively substantial research on gendering trade policies in developing economies there is very limited focus on gendering policy responses to trade in the US. We argue that there is a specific gender trend in the trade-displacement patterns in the US which calls for a gender sensitive policy response. We examine the TAA in light of this trend and offer some suggestions for a gendered approach to providing assistance to workers negotiating an increasingly flexible global labor market.
Next generation CiteSeer

CiteSeer, a computer and information science search engine and digital library, has been a radical departure for scientific document access and analysis. With nearly 700,000 documents, it has sometimes two million page views a day making it one of the most popular document access engines in science. CiteSeer is also portable, having been extended to ebusiness (eBizSearch) and more recently to academic business documents (SMEALSearch). CiteSeer is based on two features: actively acquiring new documents and automatic tagging and linking of metadata information inherent in an academic document's syntactic structure. Why is CiteSeer so popular? We discuss this and methods for providing new tagged metadata such as institutions and acknowledgements, new data resources and services and the issues in automation. We then discuss the next generation of CiteSeer.
Feed Consumption Differences Among Lactating Cows

Abstract Variation among cows in grain, forage, and total feed consumption was studied with 548 Holstein daughter-dam pairs in a single herd over 19 years. Cows were fed alfalfa hay and silage ad libitum, and a 15% protein grain mixture was provided to supply the difference between 115% of Morrison's net energy requirements and the estimated energy consumed in forage. Heritabilities and their standard errors for forage, grain, and total estimated net energy consumption were .19±.09, .26±.09, and .42±.10. The genetic correlation between grain consumption and milk yield was 1.0 due to the precise allocation of grain according to each cow's production. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between forage consumption and milk yield were positive but much less. Forage consumption was negatively related to gross feed efficiency. The feeding regime increased variation among cows in yield by varying the forage:grain ration. Cows varied less in total intake than in either forage or grain consumption.
Extreme winds generated from short records in a tropical cyclone-prone region

Abstract A stochastic model for generating long-term annual extreme winds, on the basis of short-term records, is investigated in order to utilize limited lengths of wind records for obtaining extreme wind speeds in a tropical cyclone-prone region for structural design. Some preliminary results are presented herein. The basic strategy underlying this proposed method is to generate the time series of hourly wind speeds in parts: for those winds associated with well-behaved climates in which extraordinary strong winds are not expected to occur; and, for those extreme winds belonging to tropical cyclones or other extratropical winds. An application of this proposed method is demonstrated.
Synthesis and properties of novel poly(urethane-imide) dispersions based on 2,2-bis[N-(3-hydroxyphenyl)phthalimidyl]hexafluoropropane

Imide units are incorporated into thermoplastic and solvent-based polyurethane (PU) chains to improve the thermal stability of PU. However, these poly(urethane-imide) (PUI) materials have poor processablity and suffer from solvent emission. To prepare easily processable and environmentally friendly PUI products, some waterborne PUIs are synthesized using a prepolymer process. A series of PUI dispersions with 25 wt % solid content, viscosities of 7.5–11.5 cps, and particle sizes of 63–207 nm was prepared. The composition–property relationship of PUIs, including the solubility behavior of PUI cast films, and their thermal and mechanical properties were established. The solvent resistance and tensile strength of PUI film increased with the number of imide groups. All PUIs exhibited improved thermal stability but not char yield as the temperature increased. The inclusion of a little imide increased the decomposition temperature of PUI while maintaining the elasticity of the polymer, revealing successful translation of PUI into the water-based form. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
China's segmented stock market: An application of the conditional international capital asset pricing model

Abstract China's segmented stock market provides an opportunity to study conditional international asset pricing from multiple viewpoints—domestic and foreign. We use the multivariate GARCH-M framework of De Santis and Gerard [De Santis, G., and Gerard, B., 1998. How big is the premium for currency risk? Journal of Financial Economics 49, pp. 375–412.], but add conditional local specific risk and find global, local, and currency risk to be priced and time-varying in Chinese markets, suggesting mild segmentation for developing country markets. The time-varying price of currency risk indicates that the strict currency restrictions in China do not sufficiently reduce currency risk to stabilize the price of currency risk. We also find that the price of local risk in the Chinese A stock market is non-time-varying relative to the developed market, but time-varying relative to the emerging market. This finding implies that the Chinese A stock market is more comparable to a developed market than an emerging market. However, results on Chinese B shares show the opposite relationship: from a foreign investor's perspective, Chinese B shares are better categorized as being emerging than developed. This is further supported by an Engle–Granger cointegration test.
On the dependence of friction force on sliding velocity in the theory of adhesive friction of elastomers

Abstract An improvement of a recent statistical theory of the adhesive friction of elastomers is proposed taking into account the delay in breaking polymeric chains off the wall owing to Brownian oscillations of the terminal segment attached to the wall. This results in the appearance of an S-shape dependence in the curve relating friction force to sliding velocity. The general formulae of the theory are then revised and when the force acting on a single chain depends linearly on its extension, a simple and explicit expression for friction force on sliding velocity is obtained. The applications of the sliding friction dependence to the stick-slip phenomena in flow of molten polymers are also discussed.
Conversion of cellobiose to glucose using immobilized β-glucosidase reactors

Abstract Cellobiose is an intermediate in the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose and acts as an inhibitor for the cellulase enzymes. The conversion of cellobiose to glucose was studied with β-glucosidase adsorbed on Amberlite DP-1, a cation-exchange resin. The best overall pH for adsorption and reactor operation was near 5.0. The Km values increased with increasing enzyme loading due to competitive inhibition. The maximum practical enzyme loading was about 28 units/g resin. The immobilized enzyme was operated continously in both packed bed and fluidized bed reactors, giving half-lives between 200 and 375 h.
Clinical outcomes after percutaneous peripheral intervention for chronic total occlusion of superficial femoral arteries: Comparison between self-expandable nitinol stent and stainless steel stent

Summary Background It has been reported that nitinol stents provide higher patency in chronic phase than stainless steel stents after intervention to superficial femoral artery (SFA). However, there are few reports about stent patency for chronic total occlusion of SFA (SFA CTO). Objective To compare clinical outcomes of self-expanding nitinol stents and stainless steel stents after percutaneous peripheral intervention (PPI) for SFA CTO. Methods and results Between April 2004 and August 2007, a total of 25 SFA CTO lesions (nitinol stent group, 13; stainless steel stent group, 12) in 21 patients were treated with PPI, all patients were followed clinically, and 21 lesions (nitinol, 9; stainless steel, 12) received follow-up angiography. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics, mean stent diameter (7.3 ± 0.7 mm vs. 6.9 ± 1.2 mm, p = 0.32), pre-ankle-brachial index (ABI), and Fontaine stage between groups. Mean occlusion length and stent length were significantly longer (129.5 ± 54.9 mm vs. 39.0 ± 20.6 mm, 250.8 ± 90.0 mm vs. 145.2 ± 64.6 mm, respectively, p Conclusion Our study demonstrates the superiority of nitinol stent implantation compared with stainless steel stent implantation for SFA CTO.
New Records of Sylvatic Plague in Kansas

Sylvatic plague, or plague of wild rodents is caused by Yersinia pestis and entered California (USA) from Asia about 1899. Extensive sampling during the 1930's and 1940's documented the spread of plague to approximately its current distribution in North America. Records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention document plague in Kansas (USA) between 1945 and 1950, but since then there has been no documentation of plague in the state. Following a die-off of a black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colony on the Cimarron National Grassland, in the southwestern corner of Kansas (37°10′N, 101°45′W), we sampled fleas from burrows in June 1997, and tested them for Yersinia pestis. Twelve of 13 pools of Oropsyla hirsuta and one of two Pulex sp. were positive. A similar sample of fleas, from another colony where black-tailed prairie dogs were active at the time, yielded no positive fleas.
Neuronal and transneuronal degeneration of auditory axons in the brainstem after cochlear lesions in the chinchilla: cochleotopic and non-cochleotopic patterns

Terminal axonal degeneration in the brain following cochlear lesions was studied with the Nauta-Rasmussen method. Losses of hair cells and myelinated cochlear fibers were assessed. The cochleotopic map projected, from apex to base, on the ventral-to-dorsal axes of the cochlear nuclei. The cochleotopic correspondence was better for loss of cochlear nerve fibers and inner hair cells, than for outer hair cells. Cochlear fibers were traced to all parts of the cochlear nucleus, including the small-cell shell, also to cell-group Y and the flocculus. Terminal axonal degeneration in nuclei of the superior olivary complex, lateral lemniscus, and inferior colliculus was interpreted as transynaptic, since degenerated axons could not be traced to these locations from the cochlear nerve or trapezoid body. Moreover, biotinylated dextran amine injection in the basal turn of scala media of a normal cochlea labeled cochlear nerve fibers projecting to the high-frequency regions of the cochlear nuclei and to the flocculus, but not to more central auditory nuclei. This is the first detailed account of transynaptic degeneration in the ascending auditory pathway resulting from cochlear damage in an adult mammal. These findings are consistent with a dystrophic process depending on hair-cell loss and/or direct damage to cochlear nerve fibers.
CARBON DIOXIDE AND MONOXIDE ABOVE THE TROPOSPHERE

(Received j~~~ul form 26 May 1970) Abstract-The dependence of the atmospheric dist~butions of CO, and CO upon the combined effects of photochemical production and loss, and transport is examined. It is found that, for COe, deviations from complete mixing are possible in the mesosphere and upper stratosphere. Further, sulBcient quantities of CO may be maintained, as a product of COe photodissociation, to be aeronomically significant. The role of carbon dioxide as a major participant in the transfer of infrared radiation through the Earth's atmosphere has been apparent for many years (Gold, 1909). Moreover, both the recent suggestion of using the 4.3 p and 15 p bands of COZ as means by which to measure remotely atmospheric temperature (Kaplan, 1959), and the recognition of the role played by CO, in the thermal budget of the mesosphere (Curtis and Goody, 1956) have greatly increased our understanding of its importance. Ultimately, the accuracy of such studies must depend upon a knowledge of the distribution of CO% in the upper atmosphere. This discussion briefly considers the factors which influence the distribution of COz in the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower thermosphere. Carbon monoxide has been measured at concentrations of between 0.1 and 0.2 ppm in the troposphere (Robinson and Robbins, 1967). Thought to be chiefly the product of automobile exhausts, it has become a major air pollutant in this century. Little is known of its abundance in the upper atmosphere and the proximity of its molecular mass to that of Nz precludes mass spectrometric identification. Carbon dioxide is continuously produced at or near the Earth's surface by combustion and biological decay, and is also released from the oceans (Robinson and Robbins, 1967). Turbulent mixing within the troposphere should be sufficiently rapid that complete mixing is a valid assumption. In the past it has been assumed that this is true for the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower thermosphere as well. However, in both the mesosphere and thermosphere COz is dissociated and/or ionized by solar (u.v.) radiation. Thus, either a vertical flux must be maintained or the resulting CO must recombine locally in order to balance this loss. Recombination is thought to occur both by the three body process: (a> CO+O+M-+CO,+M
Charge density topology and its relationship to properties in intermetallic alloys

Abstract The existence of relationships between structure and properties provides one avenue permitting the design of materials with chosen properties. Unfortunately, rules relating the properties of intermetallic alloys to their crystal structure have not been forthcoming. We believe that this is because the structure of intermetallic alloys is interpreted too narrowly. By extending the definition of structure to include elements of the electronic charge distribution we show, through examples, that there may in fact be relationships between intrinsic mechanical properties and this extended structure. A description of this extended structure requires only a knowledge of the critical points of the total charge density. This knowledge can be obtained through any method of electronic structure or, in principle, through experimental techniques.
The IBIS system architecture

An efficient method of interfacing between patient related data and the signal processing methods used to interpret these data is a critical component for a successful patient monitor, particularly for use in high dependency environments. This paper describes the approach adopted in the IBIS project. The key elements of the system are first introduced. A multi-layer structure is then developed in which the outputs from one decision layer are used to enhance the information available for subsequent layers in the system. The resulting system is modular, robust, flexible and easy to modify.
An approach to family pathology

Summary An approach to family pathology has been proposed which focuses on deficiencies in and deviations from salient family functions and tasks. It is not possible at present to establish specific correlation between such defects and clinical psychiatric entities. It may, however, be suggested that from such an approach to family pathology, revisions and reclassification of psychiatric diagnoses could follow. Although for discussion purposes some distinction has been made among intrapersonal, interparental, and family-wide pathological phenomena, it can be concluded that all these are relevant, but each alone is insufficient to understand family process. The most promising approaches to family functioning are the examinations of familial communication styles and interaction modes through relevant tests and therapeutically oriented participant observation. These observations, together with the family's history, must be evaluated in terms of the validity and effectiveness of the family behavior with regard to basic family tasks, which were briefly outlined in the first part of this paper.
Direct numerical simulation of supersonic turbulent boundary layer over a compression ramp

A direct numerical simulation of shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interaction for a 24 deg compression ramp configuration at Mach 2.9 and Re θ 2300 is performed. A modified weighted, essentially nonoscillatory scheme is used. The direct numerical simulation results are compared with the experiments of Bookey et al. at the same flow conditions. The upstream boundary layer, the mean wall-pressure distribution, the size of the separation bubble, and the velocity profile downstream of the interaction are predicted within the experimental uncertainty. The change of the mean and fluctuating properties throughout the interaction region is studied. The low frequency motion of the shock is inferred from the wall-pressure signal and freestream mass-flux measurement.
Automated pipeline to analyze non-contact infrared images of the paraventricular nucleus specific leptin receptor knock-out mouse model

ABSTRACT Evidence of leptin resistance is indicated by elevated leptin levels together with other hallmarks of obesity such as a defect in energy homeostasis. 1 As obesity is an increasing epidemic in the US, the investigation of mechanisms by which leptin resistance has a pathophysiological impact on energy is an intensive field of research. 2 However, the manner in which leptin resistance contributes to the dysregulation of energy, specifically thermoregulation, 3 is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the leptin receptor expressed in paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neurons plays a role in thermoregulation at different temperatures. Non-contact infrared (NCIR) thermometry was employed to measure surface body temperature (SBT) of non-anesthetized mice with a specific deletion of the lep tin receptor in the PVN after exposure to room (25 °C) and cold (4 °C) temperature. Dorsal side infrared images of wild t ype (LepRwtwt/sim1-Cr e), heterozygous (LepRfloxwt/sim1-Cre) and knock-out (LepRfloxflox/sim1-Cre) mice were collected. Images were input to an automated post-processing pipeline developed in MATLAB to calculate average and maxi mum SBTs. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between sex, cold exposure a nd leptin genotype with SBT measurements. Findings indicate that average SBT has a negative relationship to the LepRfloxf lox/sim1-Cre genotype, the female sex and cold exposure. However, max SBT is affected by th e LepRfloxflox/sim1-Cre genotype and the female sex. In conclusion this data suggests that le ptin within the PVN may have a neuroendocrine role in thermoregulation and that NCIR thermometry combined with an automated imaging-pro cessing pipeline is a promising approach to determine SBT in non-anesthetized mice. Keywords: Thermoregulation, non-contact infrar ed thermometry, Paraventricular Nu cleus, leptin receptor, surface body temperature, obesity, mathematical morhology
A view matcher for learning Smalltalk

The View Matcher is a structured browser for Smalltalk/V. It presents a set of integrated and dynamic views of a running application, intended to coordinate and rationalize a programmer's early understanding of Smalltalk and its environment. We describe the system through two user scenarios involving exploration of the model-view-controller paradigm.
Locus of control and frontal electromyographic response training

Forty-eight normal subjects from a college population, representing extreme internal and external orientations on a locus of control scale, were provided an auditory signal in a laboratory relaxation setting. For one group (feedback) the pitch of the signal varied as a function of frontal electromyographic (EMG) levels, while for another group (control) the pitch was constant. The feedback subjects acquired lower EMG potentials than did the control subjects, and the internal subjects in the feedback condition acquired lower levels than did the external subjects. In the control condition, no consistent differences in EMG levels between internal and external subjects were obtained. These results were stable across two replications, three ethnically distinct groups, and both sexes. Additional measures designed to reflect the effects of the frontal EMG training as a generalized relaxation technique for this population, including finger temperatures and a variety of postexperiment questionnaire ratings of relaxation, yielded negative results. Tests of other predictions from the locus of control construct are also discussed.
Lack of expression of NADPH-diaphorase and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in colonic muscle of patients with Hirschsprung's disease

Abstract The authors studied expression of NADPH-diapherase and NCAM in colon from 16 patients with Hirschsprung's disease (HD) and eight age-matched controls, using immunohistochemical techniques. Myenteric ganglia in the ganglionic bowel and hypertrophic nerve trunks in the aganglionic bowel displayed strong NADPH-diaphorase and NCAM reactivity. Quantitative assessement of immunoreactivity in colonic muscle demonstrated a selective absence of NADPH-diaphorase and NCAM-positive nerve fibers in the circular as well as longitudinal muscle of aganglionic bowel, whereas these immunoreactive nerve fibers were present in abundance in the muscle of ganglionic colon of HD patients as well as in the colon of controls. The lack of expression of NCAM on nerve fibers within the muscle of HD patients suggests a developmental abnormality of innervation of the muscle, and the selective absence of NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerves in the muscle is most likely responsible for the spasticity of the aganglionic segment.
The Membrane Complex between Transducin and Dark-State Rhodopsin Exhibits Large-Amplitude Interface Dynamics on the Sub-Microsecond Timescale: Insights from All-Atom MD Simulations

Abstract Rhodopsin, the prototype class A G-protein-coupled receptor, is a very important model system for all seven-transmembrane domain proteins. Characterization of the interactions between rhodopsin and transducin, its intracellular G-protein counterpart, and the fluctuations in these interactions due to thermal motions is required for an understanding of early events in the mechanism of signal transduction. In this study, we used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a transmembrane protein complex between rhodopsin and the heterotrimeric transducin (Gαβγ) in an all-atom DOPC (1,2-dioleoylsn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) membrane–water environment. Based on the analysis of a microsecond-timescale simulation trajectory, we characterized the dynamics of the system and its effects in the structural features of the protein subunits. Our simulations describe a highly dynamic interaction interface where the system is alternating between distinct domain orientations at the 10- to 100-ns timescale that can be further classified into interaction modes involving contacts between distinct structural features on the protein subunits. We related our results with experimental measurements from a variety of studies and high-resolution models of activated rhodopsin. Monitoring key structural features that are involved in the activation process along our simulation trajectory indicates the presence of extensive dynamics in the dark-adapted state, including a motion of Y223 from helix 3 toward the “ionic-lock” interactions of the conserved ERY motif. The dynamic picture shown here is consistent with a framework in which the dark-state fluctuations sample conformations consistent with the activated state. These results provide an atomic-level description of the dynamics of the full complex and further suggest novel mutagenesis experiments that can be used to investigate the stability and dynamics of this model membrane protein receptor system.
Modification of nicotine toxicity by pretreatment with different drugs

Sub-lethal doses of nicotine have been shown to protect mice from the lethal effects of subsequently administered doses of the same drug. The evidence suggests that a metabolic product of nicotine is responsible for the protective action. In an attempt to identify this metabolite it was shown that cotinine had no protective action but that nicotine N-oxide and also the reduction product of cotinine both conferred some protection. The pharmacological basis of the protective effect is not clear but it may involve ganglion-blocking activity; the ganglion-blocking drugs hexamethonium and pempidine also protected mice from the lethal effects of nicotine.
Linear elastic constitutive relation for multiphase porous media using microstructure superposition: Dry media

A constitutive relation for multiphase porous media containing a phase-change constituent is developed based on a periodic representative unit cell, microstructure superposition technique, and homogenization scheme. Multiphase porous mediae, consisting of different solid phases, fluid phases, and phase-change constituents, play an important role in variety engineering applications. A microstructure superposition method, stemmed from linear superposition theory, is devised such that the constitutive relation of the media can be obtained in an analytical form and the derivation is straightforward and tractable. The original microstructure of the media is firstly divided into several simple microstructure configurations. The microscopic stresses and strains are obtained for each individual microstructure configuration based on its own equilibrium and equivalent equations, and complex Fourier series expansion of strains. The microscopic strains are then superposed together to obtain the constitutive relation of the multiphase porous media using homogenization scheme. The derived constitutive relation can be applied to study the mechanical behavior of porous media consisting of two solid phases with one being able to change phase between solid and liquid and one liquid phase. As a particular application of the derived constitutive relation, the mechanical behavior of porous media with a single solid phase under dry condition was studied and the results were consistent with other models and agreed well with available experimental data.
Structural and Spectroscopic Studies of Two Phases of the Organometallic Chain Polymer [Ru(2){m(2):m(2):eta(2)-O(2)PMe(2)}(2)(CO)(4)](n)().

The microcrystalline organometallic coordination polymer [Ru(2){m(2):m(2):eta(2)-O(2)PMe(2)}(2)(CO)(4)](n)() which results from the oxidative addition of dimethylphosphinic acid to triruthenium dodecacarbonyl has been structurally characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, lambda = 1.149 49(1) A, at 295 and 50 K. At room temperature the crystallites have a monoclinic unit cell with the space group C2/c with lattice constants a = 18.0792(3) A, b = 9.0626(2) A, c = 10.0372(2) A, beta = 112.107(1) degrees, and Z = 4; the final refinement of 52 variables converged to R(p)(), R(wp)(), R(F)(), and R(F)()()2 of 8.2, 10.8, 4.6, and 8.3%, respectively, for data collected between 4 and 60 degrees (2theta). At 50 K the phase is described by a triclinic unit cell, space group Po, and is characterized by the lattice constants a = 9.8637(6) A, b = 8.9290(6) A, c = 9.8870(5) A, alpha = 115.051(3) degrees, beta = 108.587(5) degrees, gamma = 92.015(5) degrees, and Z= 2; the final refinement of 102 variables converged to and R(p)(), R(wp)(), R(F)(), and R(F)()()2 of 8.3, 11.4, 1.5, and 3.0%, respectively, for data collected between 3 and 74 degrees (2theta). The transition between the two crystalline phases has been determined by differential scanning calorimetry to occur at circa 220 K, and the most pronounced difference in the environment of the chains, as determined by variable-temperature IR spectroscopy, is in the rho(PCH(3)) modes for the bridging dimethylphosphinate ligands.
Thermal shrinkage of oriented semicrystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The shrinkage of commercial oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) filaments was studied within the framework of the kinetic theory of rubberlike elasticity. Previous workers had found that the shrinkage and optical behavior of amorphous polymers could be satisfactorily explained in terms of this theory. Such an analysis is now applied to semicrystalline samples of moderate and high draw ratios (from 2× to 6×). It was found in this work that the thermal shrinkage force behavior as well as the optical anisotropy as a function of stretch can be explained in terms of the theory of rubberlike elasticity, if the following reasonable assumption is made: the average number of statistical segments per network chain in the noncrosslinked sample increases as a function of the draw ratio. A possible mechanism for such behavior is the relaxation of some of the chain entaglements due to the strain imposed externally on the fiber.
The effect of respiratory cycle and radiation beam-on timing on the dose distribution of free-breathing breast treatment using dynamic IMRT

In breast cancer treatment, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) can be utilized to deliver more homogeneous dose to target tissues to minimize the cosmetic impact. We have investigated the effect of the respiratory cycle and radiation beam-on timing on the dose distribution in free-breathing dynamic breast IMRT treatment. Six patients with early stage cancer of the left breast were included in this study. A helical computed tomography (CT) scan was acquired for treatment planning. A four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) scan was obtained right after the helical CT scan with little or no setup uncertainty to simulate patient respiratory motion. After optimizing based on the helical CT scan, the sliding-window dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) leaf sequence was segmented into multiple sections that corresponded to various respiratory phases per respiratory cycle and radiation beam-on timing. The segmented DMLC leaf sections were grouped according to respiratory phases and superimposed over the radiation fields of corresponding 4D CT image set. Dose calculation was then performed for each phase of the 4D CT scan. The total dose distribution was computed by accumulating the contribution of dose from each phase to every voxel in the region of interest. This was tracked by a deformable registration program throughout all of the respiratory phases of the 4D CT scan. A dose heterogeneity index, defined as the ratio between (D20-D80) and the prescription dose, was introduced to numerically illustrate the impact of respiratory motion on the dose distribution of treatment volume. A respiratory cycle range of 4-8 s and randomly distributed beam-on timing were assigned to simulate the patient respiratory motion during the free-breathing treatment. The results showed that the respiratory cycle period and radiation beam-on timing presented limited impact on the target dose coverage and slightly increased the target dose heterogeneity. This motion impact tended to increase the variation of target dose coverage and heterogeneity between treatment fractions with different radiation beam-on timing. The target dose coverage and heterogeneity were more susceptible to the radiation beam-on timing for patients with long respiratory cycle (longer than 6 s) and large breast motion amplitudes (larger than 0.7 cm). The same results could be found for respiratory cycle up to 8 s and respiratory motion amplitude up to 1 cm. The heart dose distribution did not change significantly regardless of respiratory cycle and radiation beam-on timing.
Photorefractive Crystals As Optical Devices, Elements, And Processors

The physics of the photorefractive effect and the unique nonlinear optical properties of photorefractive crystals are described. A survey of the optical applications of the photorefractive effect follows. We include the use of photorefractive crystals as holographic storage elements, optical image amplifiers, phase conjugate mirrors, correction elements for intracavity laser distortions, phase conjugate windows for field transmission through inhomogeneous media, and coherent image processors.
Does clinical research help pemphigus patients? Precautions and suggestions.

The review by Eleonora Ruocco et al. [1] in this issue of the journal offers a good documentation of the potential for clinical research to clarify the role of environmental factors in the development and triggering of pemphigus. In principle, non-pharmacological interventions may represent a mean to modulate disease severity. In the meantime, the review shows the limitations of our current knowledge. In fact, there is a general lack of reliable quantitative estimates of association for most of the proposed causal factors and a large part of the evidence presented comes from isolated case reports, in vitro data and previously published narrative reviews. A balance view on the role of environmental factors is of the outmost importance to physicians and their patients. This would require thoroughly considering the quality and strength of the evidence, and the possibility of generalizing the study results from benchside to bedside, from a single case report or a clinical series to the patients’ population or, more simply, from one geographic area to another. Although much has been learned about the pathogenesis of acquired blistering disorders, little is known about key events in the interplay of environmental and genetic factors of these disorders [2]. Risk Assessment
Nasal irrigation for the alleviation of sinonasal symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of nasal irrigation on sinonasal symptoms.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A total of 150 adult subjects with chronic sinusitis symptoms were recruited from the communit...
The Verbal Behavior of Hydrocephalic Children

SUMMARY Children with internal hydrocephaly have been described as being highly talkative and fluent, but unable to keep to a topic or deal with it in any but the most superficial way. To investigate these alleged characteristics, 11 hydrocephalic children were matched on an individual basis with control children and a Picture Description Task was given to both groups. Hydrocephalic children did not diner systematically from the control subjects on measures of total number of responses, total number of words and average length of response. Some clinical subjects gave the impression of verbosity, however, because of the personal and socially aggressive nature of their spontaneous conversation. As a group, the hydrocephalic children produced a significantly greater amount of inappropriate verbal responses than did their matched controls. Especially prominent were conversational remarks and statements totally unrelated to the situation and the intended task. The proportion of appropriate verbal responses was primarily a function of chronological age rather than mental age for both groups. Since the hydrocephalic subjects were normal or near normal in intelligence and had no serious motor handicaps, these findings can be generalized only to hydrocephalic children with minimal mental and physical involvement. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Kinder mit internet Hydrozephalie sind als hockgesprachig und ausdrucksgewandt, aber unfahig sich an ein Gesprachsthema zu halten oder anders als auf die oberflachlichste Art sich damit zu beschaftigen, beschrieben worden. Um diese angehlichen charakteristischen Merkmale zu unter suchen, wurden 11 hydrozephalische Kinder mit Kindern einer Kontrollgruppe auf einer individuellen Basis verglichen, wobei beiden Gruppen eine Bildbeschreibungsaufgabe gegeben wurde. Hydrozephalische Kinder unterschieden sich nicht systematisch von den Kindern der Kontrollgruppe, was die Gesamtzahl der Reaktionen, der Worte und die durchschnittliche Reaktionsdauer betraf. Einige hydrozephalische Kinder vermittelten jedoch einen Eindiuck des Wortschwalles aufgrund der personlich und sozialen agressiven Art ihrer spontanen Konversation. Als eine Gruppe, erbrachten die hydrozephalischen Kinder eine bedeutend hohere Anzahl unzutreffender verbaler Reaktionen als die Kinder der Kontrollgruppe. Besonders auffend waren Konversationsbemerkungen und Behauptungen, die gar keinen Bezug auf die Situation und die gestellte Aufgabe hatten. Der Anteil der passenden, sprachlichen Reaktionen war in der Hauptsache mehr eine Funktion des chronologischen als des geistigen Alter fur beide Gruppen. Da die hydrozephalischen Kinder normal oder beinahe normal intelligent waren, ohne ersthafte motorische Handikaps, kann man diese Befunde nur in Bezug auf Kinder, die zu einem Mindestmass von Hydrozephalus betroffen sind, anwenden.
Error Detection and Tolerance for Scaled Electronic Technologies

This talk will summarize our design for reliability initiatives that anticipate the paradigm shift to error-aware and error-tolerant design of integrated circuits, both of which are required to address the problem of increasing hardware failures in future technology nodes. These concerns are only exacerbated as we look forward to emerging technology alternatives. Using graphene as an example, I will go on to describe the modeling, simulation, and design challenges that we believe are key to taming the complexity challenges associated with such scaled electronic technologies.
THE SCATTERING OF NEUTRONS BY POLARIZED DEFORMED NUCLEI

Abstract The azimuthal asymmetry in the differential cross-section for the scattering of 1 MeV neutrons by polarized Ho 165 is calculated in the adiabatic approximation using the rotational optical model. The relative asymmetry in both the direct elastic and inelastic cross-sections is found to be considerable.
Assessment of Alcoholism-Related Organic Brain Syndromes with Positron Emission Tomography

EVERE chronic organic brain syndrome (OBS) is a S relatively common complication of alcoholism, occumng in about 10% of the cases.’ Alcoholism-associated OBS constitutes the second most common cause of adult dementia (approximately 10% following Alzheimer’s disease (40-60%).2 Although OBS in the alcoholic patient has variable presentations, some resear~hers~.~ have suggested that it may be conceptualized in terms of two clinically distinguishable syndromes: 1 ) alcoholic dementia (AD) and 2) alcoholic amnestic disorder (AAD) or Korsakoffs psychosis. AD is characterized clinically by global intellectual decline with deficits in abstracting ability, problem solving and memory, dysphasias and apraxias, electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities, cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, and ventricular dilation. Patients with AAD have disabling memory and behavioral abnormalities but with a relative sparing of intellectual functions. It has been thought that these two syndromes are neuropathologically distinguishable, but recent studies suggest that there may be considerable overlap.’ Nevertheless, AD has been associated with cortical neuropathological changes, whereas AAD is accompanied by subcortical periventricular lesiom6 While the clinical features and neuropathology of these syndromes may exist in some patients in relatively pure form, often AD and AAD coexist in some unrecognized proportion and likely interact to yield diverse clinical presentations.