cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic determinants of bone mass and osteoporotic fracture

Abstract Few fields in science have advanced as quickly as human disease genetics over the last 3 decades. Much of this progress is due to new and evolving technologies. Genetic analysis of complex human diseases, of which osteoporosis is one of the most common, has transitioned from linkage analysis in families to genome sequencing in large populations. These advances have led to an astounding increase in our ability to understand the genetic landscape of osteoporosis and related traits. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the modern genetic analysis of osteoporosis with a focus on genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in humans and mice. We also discuss the follow-up of GWAS findings by using bioinformatic and animal models.
Behavioral Analysis of Drivers Following Winter Maintenance Trucks Enabled with Collision Avoidance System

Winter maintenance trucks (WMTs) often operate at lower speeds during inclement weather and roadway conditions, creating potential safety issues for motorists following close behind. In this study,...
[Determination of 3-nitropropionic acid in moldy sugarcane by gel filtration-high performance liquid chromatography].

OBJECTIVE To establish a method for determination of 3-nitropropionic acid(3-NPA) in moldy sugarcane by gel permeation chromatography-high performance liquid chromatography(GPC-HPLC) method. METHODS Samples were extracted by acetonitrile and cleaned up by GPC-HPLC. The sample extract was separated on an Agilent Eclipse plus C_(18) column(4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 μm), keeping the column temperature at 40℃ with an injection volume of 10 μL. The condition of mobile phase was KH_2PO_4 aqueous solution(0.02 mol/L, pH 3.0 with phosphoric acid) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile as mobile phase B for isocratic elution. RESULTS There was a good linearity of the calibration curve for 3-NPA in the range of 0.5-20.0 mg/kg with the correlation coefficient of 0.99989. The detection limit of the method was 0.05 mg/kg, and the limit of quantification was 0.15 mg/kg. The average recovery at three spiked levels was in the range of 91.7%-99.4%, and the relative standard deviation was 7.23%-8.62%(n=6). CONCLUSION This method is stable and accurate, and is suitable for the detection of 3-nitropropionic acid in sugarcane.
Transcriptional Control of Cell Fate Determination in Antigen-Experienced CD8 T Cells

Robust immunity to intracellular infections is mediated by antigen-specific naive CD8 T cells that become activated and differentiate into phenotypically and functionally diverse subsets of effector cells, some of which terminally differentiate and others that give rise to memory cells that provide long-lived protection. This developmental system is an outstanding model with which to elucidate how regulation of chromatin structure and transcriptional control establish gene expression programs that govern cell fate determination, insights from which are likely to be useful for informing the design of immunotherapeutic approaches to engineer durable immunity to infections and tumors. A unifying framework that describes how naive CD8 T cells develop into memory cells is still outstanding. We propose a model that incorporates a common early linear path followed by divergent paths that slowly lose capacity to interconvert and discuss classical and contemporary observations that support these notions, focusing on insights from transcriptional control and chromatin regulation.
What Is Known and Not Known About Palestinian Intifada Terrorism:: The Criteria for Success

This article employs three "success criteria" – Dimensionality, Temporality, and Locus of Success – to assess the achievements of Palestinian terrorism during the al-Aqsa Intifada. Dimensionality refers to recognizable manifestations of recognition (political-social success), organization, and military achievement. Temporality gauges the achievements of terrorist campaigns or sets of events on a time continuum: the long haul, the medium term, and the short run. Locus of success addresses the basic question: success for whom? In the period prior to the First Intifada, Palestinian terrorism achieved recognition but little else apart from strengthening the Palestinian-Arab terrorist organizations politically and financially, in part at the expense of broader-based Palestinian-Arab „insider‟ interests. The First Intifada presents a somewhat different picture than the earlier period. In the case of dimensionality, recognition of the legitimacy of the Palestinian struggle was enhanced and there was rapid expansion of organizational structures but the military success criterion remained underdeveloped. The single, most significant achievement of the First Intifada at the organizational level may have been the development of internal infrastructure in the Occupied Territories with an enormous capacity to keep a general movement thriving in an effective and sustained way. The al-Aqsa Intifada presents a different picture. First, by showing that they were willing to kill and be killed for the sake of the movement, it illuminated the depth of the Palestinians‟ commitment. Second, the Palestinians‟ resort to terrorist attacks on Israeli settlements and into Israel proper during the second Intifada, and especially the increasing use of „suicide bombers,‟ represented a profound and lasting change in strategy from the „limited force‟ approach that characterized the first uprising. These attacks generated and sustained fear among Israelis which, in turn, increased pressure on the political elite for political change. Perhaps the single, most significant success in this respect was the removal of Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005. However, the al-Aqsa Intifada does not seem to have achieved any other macro-political goals, such as serious reconsideration on the part of the Israeli elite of the status of the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Nor has it solved the familiar set of Palestinian-Arab internal problems that include corruption and the development of aspects of „civil society.‟ A key question is what to do with Hamas, the group which is now the de facto „government‟ of Gaza but is simply not committed to the notion of a „two state solution.‟ Finally, the al-Aaqsa Intifada highlights the transition of the national liberation struggle from a condition of successes and failures to the point where the emerging reality is a nation-state-in-the-making that comes complete with a system of „representative democracy,‟ including independent institutions that thrive in effective and sustained ways.
Case 52: Cardiac Arrest in a Neonate

You are an intensive care unit (ICU) pediatric attending called to assist with a cardiac arrest in a neonate. The infant has just been brought back to the ICU following a repair of tracheoesophageal atresia. The patient’s history, physical examination, and laboratory results (30 min before arrival in the ICU) were all within normal limits.
FRAMING THE DASAM GRANTH DEBATE

Much of the Dasam Granth debate is focused on the questions of its authorship and authenticity. Clouding the study of its text with such questions, however, derails further progress in our understanding. There is an urgent need to move beyond polemics and locate the Dasam Granth in the context of courtly culture of late seventeenth-century and early eighteenth-century Punjab in Mughal India. This article further examines the intersection of Sikh, Indic and Islamicate frameworks. To superimpose any single framework whether Indic or Islamicate on the study of the compositions of the Dasam Granth will provide us with a partial understanding of the actual situation of literary culture at the court of Guru Gobind Singh.
New figures of merit for best-first probabilistic chart parsing

Best-first parsing methods for natural language try to parse efficiently by considering the most likely constituents first. Some figure of merit is needed by which to compare the likelihood of constituents, and the choice of this figure has a substantial impact on the efficiency of the parser. While several parsers described in the literature have used such techniques, there is little published data on their efficacy, much less attempts to judge their relative merits. We propose and evaluate several figures of merit for best-first parsing, and we identify an easily computable figure of merit that provides excellent performance on various measures and two different grammars.
Living donor kidney donation in the United States: quo vadis?

After the first successful living donor kidney transplant between identical twins at Harvard in 1954, Joseph Murray, who received the Nobel prize, said of the recipient’s famed nephrologist ‘John Merrill and I had an understandable difference of opinion as to whether or not native kidneys (from healthy living donors) should be removed’ (1). In the subsequent 6 decades, the controversies over removing kidneys from healthy donors remain.
Emerging Concepts in the Molecular Basis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Part II: Neurohormonal Signaling Contributes to the Pulmonary Vascular and Right Ventricular Pathophenotype of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is defined foremost by a distinct pulmonary vascular pathophenotype that occurs as a result of dysregulated vascular cell proliferation, intimal and medial hypertrophy, inflammation, and fibrosis. This plexogenic arteriopathy with subtotal luminal obliteration increases pulmonary vascular resistance and imposes a hemodynamic stress on the right ventricle (RV). The chronically increased afterload leads to RV hypertrophy and failure that contributes to premature death. Owing to the functional interrelatedness of the pulmonary vasculature and the RV, these 2 compartments are increasingly considered as a collective unit and assessed by examining RV-pulmonary arterial coupling in studies that focus on the pathophysiology of PAH.1 Ideal RV-pulmonary arterial coupling is present when contractility of the RV is sufficient to match the afterload imposed by the pulmonary artery, which is determined by its distensibility or compliance, and is recognized by minimal pressure fluctuation during systole.2 Optimal RV-pulmonary arterial coupling may be defined further based on the ratio of ventricular to arterial elastance, which typically achieves a ratio of 1.5:2.0 and reflects a balance between RV work and oxygen consumption.3 RV-pulmonary arterial uncoupling, therefore, occurs when there is a mismatch between RV contractility and pulmonary arterial compliance. Based on this premise, it is now acknowledged that factors that decrease normal pulmonary vascular compliance to increase resistance adversely affect RV-pulmonary arterial coupling kinetics. This results in a decline in ventricular efficiency and an increased probability of developing right-sided heart failure.4 Similarly, a decrease in RV contractility owing to RV cardiomyocyte dysfunction or impaired RV myocardial performance decreases RV tolerance to increased afterload and lowers the threshold at which pulmonary vascular disease may become clinically evident.5 Although PAH is a disease of pulmonary vascular origin with subsequent effects on the RV, the pathobiology and PAH disease severity may be subject …
Consciousness, Disorders of

Disorders of consciousness include coma, stupor, confusion and other abnormal states of acute brief or moderately sustained unconsciousness.
A Two-Dimensional Model for the Lagoon of Venice

CONTENTS: The Navier-Stokes equations and the mathematical formulation of the problem. The two-dimensional model and the validity of the assumption of the non linear shallow water theory. The numerical methods, stability and accuracy. The P. Lax method. Some results obtained with the P. Lax method. The staggered method (W. Hansen). About some simulations of the propagation of the tidal wave inside the Venetian Lagoon.
Northern Hemisphere winter snow anomalies: ENSO, NAO and the winter of 2009/10

[1] Winter 2009/10 had anomalously large snowfall in the central parts of the United States and in northwestern Europe. Connections between seasonal snow anomalies and the large scale atmospheric circulation are explored. An El Nino state is associated with positive snowfall anomalies in the southern and central United States and along the eastern seaboard and negative anomalies to the north. A negative NAO causes positive snow anomalies across eastern North America and in northern Europe. It is argued that increased snowfall in the southern U.S. is contributed to by a southward displaced storm track but further north, in the eastern U.S. and northern Europe, positive snow anomalies arise from the cold temperature anomalies of a negative NAO. These relations are used with observed values of NINO3 and the NAO to conclude that the negative NAO and El Nino event were responsible for the northern hemisphere snow anomalies of winter 2009/10.
Chapter 10 Vital Staining of Plant Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the vital staining of plant cells. Since there are almost no English texts on vital staining of plant cells, this chapter may serve as an introduction to stimulate interest on further applications and new investigations in this field. Vital staining is one of the few means available to investigate intact cells with little or some-times almost no disturbance of cell functions. It is also possible that work of this type may profit from recent progress in optical instrumentation. These developments should contribute significantly to the better analysis and interpretation of experimental results in vital staining. For more information on vital staining of plant cells and tissues the outstanding compendium should be consulted, since it is the most up-to-date compilation in this field, giving a comprehensive review of experimental results and theories of vital staining of plant cells. A broader view of staining for microscopic work is discussed thoroughly by Harms who explains the theoretical basis and the practical aspects of many of the staining procedures used in biology.
Concurrent separation logic for pipelined parallelization

Recent innovations in automatic parallelizing compilers are showing impressive speedups on multicore processors using shared memory with asynchronous channels. We have formulated an operational semantics and proved sound a concurrent separation logic to reason about multithreaded programs that communicate asynchronously through channels and share memory. Our logic supports shared channel endpoints (multiple producers and consumers) and introduces histories to overcome limitations with local reasoning. We demonstrate how to transform a sequential proof into a parallelized proof that targets the output of the parallelizing optimization DSWP (Decoupled Software Pipelining).
London's Sinful Secret: The Bawdy History and Very Public Passions of London's Georgian Age – By Dan Cruickshank

Despite the sensationalism of the title and introduction, London's Sinful Secret quickly develops into an insightful and well‐considered exploration of commercial sex in eighteenth‐century London. ...
Imaging of Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammation of the pancreas. Several classification systems have been used in the past but were considered unsatisfactory. A revised Atlanta classification of acute pancreatitis was published that assessed the clinical course and severity of disease; divided acute pancreatitis into interstitial edematous pancreatitis and necrotizing pancreatitis; discerned an early phase (first week) from a late phase (after the first week); and focused on systemic inflammatory response syndrome and organ failure. This article focuses on the revised classification of acute pancreatitis, with emphasis on imaging features, particularly on newly-termed fluid collections and implications for the radiologist.
Hormonal Release of Stereotyped Motor Programmes from the Isolated Nervous System of the Cecropia Silkmoth

1.In the moth Hyalophora cecropia, injection of the eclosion hormone into pre-emergence (pharate) animals releases a stereotyped series of behaviours that assist the moth in escaping from the pupal cuticle and cocoon. The preeclosion behaviour begins 15 min after injection and lasts for 60 min. The first 30 min is an active period consisting of frequent abdominal rotations; a 30 min quiet period follows. This is followed by the eclosion behaviour which consists of rhythmic peristaltic waves which move up the abdomen at a frequency of 3-5 per min. The same behaviours can be elicited by injection of hormone into isolated pharate abdomens. 2.The completely isolated abdominal CNS responded to the eclosion hormone by the generation of a programme of motor activity that mimicked that expected during the pre-eclosion and eclosion behaviours. 3.The duration of the pre-eclosion behaviour programme in the isolated CNS was related to the general excitatory state of the preparation and varied from 57 to 325 min. In the latter instances, the behaviour lengthened as a unit with proportional increases occurring in the lengths of both the active and the quiet periods. But the structure of the individual rotational bursts appeared to be independent of these changes in the overall timing of the pre-eclosion programme. 4.The frequency of bursts during the eclosion behaviour of the isolated CNS was always lower than that seen in intact animals. The frequency was not correlated with the length of the preceding pre-eclosion behaviour. It was concluded that the eclosion behaviour represented a behavioural programme that was distinct from the pre-eclosion behaviour. The structure of the eclosion bursts was independent of the frequency of bursting. 5.Isolated pharate abdomens that had been aged for 2 days, often lost the ability to perform the pre-eclosion behaviour but still showed eclosion in response to hormone injection. In these cases the eclosion programme did not begin until 70-90 min after injection. Similar results were obtained with an isolated CNS preparation from an aged abdomen. 6.Hormone was added to isolated CNS preparations and then washedout at various times thereafter. After an initial exposure of only a few minutes, the hormone could be removed without interference with the initiation or play-out of either the pre-eclosion or eclosion behaviours. 7.It was concluded that the eclosion hormone acts directly on the CNS to trigger two distinct behavioural programmes. The sequential arrangement of these programmes is due primarily to their respective latencies. Each programme has a two-tier hierarchical arrangement which includes a burst timer and a burst pattern generator. Sensory feedback appears to affect different components of the two programmes. In the pre-eclosion programme, sensory input alters the pattern of the rotary bursts but apparently not the number of bursts generated during the behaviour. In the case of the eclosion programme, sensory feedback influences the frequency of bursting but not the pattern of the individual bursts.
Control of 2-periodic motion for bouncing ball

Controlling the height of a bouncing ball on a vibrating plate is a prototype problem for the control of nonlinear periodic motions. Further, analysis of the bouncing ball system is convenient in that a discrete-time system can be derived from the continuous dynamics without the explicit construction of a Poincare map. If the plate vibrates sinusoidally with a particular frequency, only certain bounce-heights can be achieved in periodic motion. In this paper we describe a control scheme wherein the instantaneous frequency of the vibrating plate is modulated, so that arbitrary controlled bounce-heights are achieved in stable periodic motion involving two bounces per period. The base carrier frequency of the plate is held constant.
Isolation and preliminary characterization of 10-nm filaments from baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells.

Abstract A procedure for isolating 10-nm filaments as juxtanuclear caps from normal and colchicine-treated BHK-21 cells is described. These aggregates of 10-nm filaments retain their birefringence and their structural integrity. The major proteins comprising the filament preparations can be resolved as two bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, corresponding to approximate molecular weights of 54,000 and 55,000.
The contribution of selected anthropometric and physiological variables to 10K performance of wheelchair racers: a preliminary study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between selected anthropometric and physiological variables and 10K time. Eleven male wheelchair athletes with spinal cord injuries in training for national competition performed continuous progressive exercise tests on a wheelchair ergometer to determine maximal metabolic and cardiorespiratory values. Anthropometric data were also collected. The laboratory data were analyzed for correlation with the best 10K time of each subject during the test period. The subjects averaged 27 min 30 sec for their 10K races, 2.49 L.min-1 for VO2max and 35 percent for maximal gross mechanical efficiency during submaximal exercise. Speed at peak oxygen consumption (r = -0.66), gross mechanical efficiency (r = -0.56), and body density (r = -0.57) was found to be significantly (p less than 0.10) correlated with 10K time. The results show very little correlation between VO2max and 10K time (r = 0.02). Further study is indicated for the relationship between gross mechanical efficiency, speed at maximal oxygen consumption, body density, and 10K time; these variables may be useful in evaluating training programs for improving race performance.
Intraguild predation of Orius tristicolor by Geocoris spp. and the paradox of irruptive spider mite dynamics in California cotton

Abstract It is paradoxical when a community of several natural enemies fails to control a pest population when it can be shown experimentally that single members of the natural enemy community are effective control agents when tested individually. This is the case for spider mites, Tetranychus spp., in California cotton. Spider mites exhibit irruptive population dynamics despite that fact that experiments have shown that there are at least four predators ( Galendromus occidentalis , Frankliniella occidentalis , Orius tristicolor , and Geocoris spp.) that, when tested singly, can suppress mite populations. One possible explanation for the paradox is intraguild predation, wherein one predator consumes another. Here, I evaluate the hypothesis that intraguild predation is a strong interaction among spider mite predators. I report manipulative field experiments, focal observations of freely foraging predators in the field, and population survey data that suggest that the minute pirate bug O. tristicolor , is subject to strong predation by other members of the predator community, and in particular by Geocoris spp. These results, combined with the results of prior work, suggest that pervasive intraguild predation among spider mite predators may explain the pest status of Tetranychus spp. in cotton.
Factors influencing respiratory rates in four species of raptors

Abstract 1. 1. Myoelectric activity associated with contractions of respiratory muscles was recorded in red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, great-horned owls, and screech owls. Resting respiratory rates were determined for all species. 2. 2. Restraint and recovery from restraint caused increases in respiratory rate. Smaller raptors had higher respiratory rates than larger ones but rates were similar in different species of comparable size. 3. 3. Gular flutter synchronized with respiration occurred in great-horned owls during recovery from restraint and adjustment to the experimental conditions.
Water stress induced cavitation and embolism in some woody plants

A comparison was made of the relative vulnerability of xylem conduits to cavitation and embolism in three species [Thuja occidentalis L., Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. and Acer saccharum Marsh.]. Waterlogged samples of wood were air dehydrated while measuring relative water loss, loss of hydraulic conductance, cumulative acoustic emissions (= cavitations) and xylem water potential. Most cavitation events and loss of hydraulic conductance occurred while water potential declined from – 1 to –6 MPa. There were differences in vulnerability between species. Other people have hypothesized that large xylem conduits (e.g. vessels) should be more vulnerable to cavitations than small conduits (e.g. tracheids). Our findings are contrary to this hypothesis. Under water stress, the vessel bearing wood retained water better than tracheid bearing wood. However, within a species large conduits were more prone to cavitation than small conduits.
Identification of particulate materials by correlation analysis using a microscopic laser induced breakdown spectrometer

The goal of this work was the instant identification of particulate geological materials by comparison with spectral libraries stored in a computer. The libraries consisted of representative spectra from different groups of powdered samples. Special attention was paid to identification of particles with very similar chemical composition, such as certain iron ores. Chemical speciation analysis was also carried out. Iron and iron oxides were shown to be reliably identified using statistical correlation methods. Both linear and rank correlations were applied. Both correlation methods yielded probabilities of correct identification close to unity for almost all studied samples. This technique should have applications in the metallurgical, mining, and semiconductor industries, and in medical, environmental and forensic sciences.
Preface to the viewpoint set on: Statistical mechanics and coarse graining of dislocation behavior for continuum plasticity

Abstract The technical communities of solid mechanics, mechanical engineering, computational mechanics, and materials science and engineering invest significant effort to develop physically-based models of material plasticity. However, a comprehensive macroscopic model based entirely on the unit mechanisms at microscopic scales remains elusive, especially for crystalline solids. Internationally, researchers have recently begun to build a new framework for crystal plasticity based on the statistical mechanics of dislocation motion and coarse graining of dislocation ensemble effects. We have assembled a viewpoint set that describes recent advances in theory, modeling and experiments, to which this article serves as an introduction.
Nonlinear and chaotic fluidelastic vibrations of a flexible pipe conveying fluid

The dynamics of a cantilevered pipe conveying fluid have been investigated, both theoretically and experimentally, focusing on the nonlinear effects introduced by motion-limiting constraints. The experiments have indicated that, with increasing flow velocity, beyond the Hopf bifurcation (flutter) there are regions of period-doubling and chaos. Fractal dimension calculations of the recorded vibration signals showed that finite-dimensionalmodelling of the system is possible. Accordingly, a two-degree-of-freedom, four-dimensional analytical model was implemented, with the aim of investigating the existence of chaotic vibrations in the parameter space of this autonomous system. Chaotic regions were indeed found to exist, with the aid of modern numerical techniques, involving the construction of bifurcation diagrams and the determination of Lyapunov exponents and power spectra. The analytical results are in qualitative agreement with experimental observations.
The Influence of Performance-Based Accountability on the Distribution of Teacher Salary Increases.

Abstract This study examines how aspects of a district's institutional and policy environment influence the distribution of teacher salary increases. The primary hypothesis tested is that statewide performance-based accountability policies influence the extent to which districts backload teacher salary increases. I use data on teacher salaries from the National Center for Education Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey and an index of performance-based accountability to examine the relationship between accountability and backloading. Consistent with the study's hypothesis, the results indicate that strong performance-based, state-level accountability is associated with decreases in teacher salary backloading among urban districts.
12th International Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates

The 12th International Symposium on Early and Lower Vertebrates was held in Dallas, Texas, on 11–14 June 2011, followed by a field trip to the Texas Permian on 15–18 June. The symposium was sponsor...
Wage Differential by Disability Status in an Agrarian Labor Market in India

This paper is the first to estimate the magnitude and determinants of a wage differential by disability status in the context of an agrarian labor market through a wage decomposition method. In rural Uttar Pradesh, India, we find evidence of an unexplained wage gap in favor of non-disabled men of 8% after controlling for selection bias into employment and using different reference groups for wage decomposition.
Neuropeptide Y and Agouti-Related Peptide Mediate Complementary Functions of Hyperphagia and Reduced Energy Expenditure in Leptin Receptor Deficiency

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AGRP) can produce hyperphagia, reduce energy expenditure, and promote triglyceride deposition in adipose depots. As these two neuropeptides are coexpressed within the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and mediate a major portion of the obesity caused by leptin signaling deficiency, we sought to determine whether the two neuropeptides mediated identical or complementary actions. Because of separate neuropeptide receptors and signal transduction mechanisms, there is a possibility of distinct encoding systems for the feeding and energy expenditure aspects of leptin-regulated metabolism. We have genetically added NPY deficiency and/or AGRP deficiency to LEPR deficiency isolated to AGRP cells. Our results indicate that the obesity of LEPR deficiency in AGRP/NPY neurons can produce obesity with either AGRP or NPY alone with AGRP producing hyperphagia while NPY promotes reduced energy expenditure. The absence of both NPY and AGRP prevents the development of obesity attributable to isolated LEPR deficiency in AGRP/NPY neurons. Operant behavioral testing indicated that there were no alterations in the reward for a food pellet from the AGRP-specific LEPR deficiency.
Electron momentum distribution in multiply-ionized neon atoms

Abstract We present momentum-space properties of multiply ionized neon atoms as a function of the degree of ionization of the atom. In particular, we have calculated the Compton profiles of all possible ionized states of neon atoms with electronic configurations 1 s m 2 s n 2 p q , m = 1 –2, n = 0 –2, q = 0 –6. The radial single-electron radial wave functions, obtained from the Hartree–Fock atomic model, were converted into momentum space wave functions by applying appropriate Fourier transformation. The values of the Compton profiles from the present calculation can be used to interpret experimental cross sections of variously ionized neon atoms colliding with other atoms. Compton profiles of neutral neon atoms, available in the literature, are in excellent agreement with the present calculation.
CHOLESTEATOMA IN CHILDREN

Cholesteatoma refers to the presence of keratinizing squamous epithelium in the middle ear or mastoid space. Cholesteatoma was originally described as a benign tumor of cholesterin and fat. Unfortunately, the tumor contains neither cholesterin nor fat. The lesion is actually comprised of keratinizing squamous epithelium and is more accurately described by the term keratoma ; however, cholesteatoma has remained the dominant term in clinical usage. These lesions can be found in the external auditory canal, middle ear space, mastoid, or petrous bone. Cholesteatoma is locally invasive and capable of causing destruction of the ossicles, cochlea, or semicircular canals. Similarly, cholesteatoma can destroy bone overlying the facial nerve, sigmoid sinus, jugular bulb, or dura. The osteolytic effects of cholesteatoma are thought to be related to hydrostatic pressure and the enzymatic activity of the cholesteatoma matrix. Chronic infection may create an environment in which squamous epithelium is rendered destructive. Complications of cholesteatoma include hearing loss, labyrinthitis, facial nerve palsy, venous thrombosis, or intracranial infection. There are two types of cholesteatoma, congenital and acquired, based on the pathogenesis of the lesion. Congenital , or primary, cholesteatoma refers to squamous epithelium medial to an intact tympanic membrane without a history of significant otitis media or eustachian tube dysfunction. The more common type of cholesteatoma (i.e., acquired or secondary) results as a complication of chronic otitis media, that is, acquired or secondary cholesteatoma. Regardless of the pathogenesis, the histologically benign squamous epithelium in the middle ear is locally invasive. The pathogenesis, presentation, evaluation, and management of patients with congenital and acquired cholesteatoma are discussed.
Hairpin dsRNA does not trigger RNA interference in Candida albicans cells

RNA interference/silencing mechanisms triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) have been described in many eukaryotes, including fungi. These mechanisms have in common small RNA molecules (siRNAs or microRNAs) originating from dsRNAs that, together with the effector protein Argonaute, mediate silencing. The genome of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans harbours a well-conserved Argonaute and a non-canonical Dicer, essential members of silencing pathways. Prototypical siRNAs are detected as members of the C. albicans transcriptome, which is potential evidence of RNA interference/silencing pathways in this organism. Surprisingly, expression of a dsRNA a hairpin ADE2 dsRNA molecule to interfere with the endogenous ADE2 mRNA did not result in down-regulation of the message or produce adenine auxotrophic strains. Cell free assays showed that the hairpin dsRNA was a substrate for the putative C. albicans Dicer, discounting the possibility that the nature of the dsRNA trigger affects silencing functionality. Our results suggested that unknown cellular events govern the functionality of siRNAs originating from transgenes in RNA interference/silencing pathways in C. albicans.
Growth of Mammalian Cells in a Heat-stable Dialysable Medium

NEARLY all media routinely used for cell culture contain from 5 to 40 per cent serum of a particular species of animal. As one might expect, there has been much research into the nature of the fraction or fractions of serum which form the active part of this material1–6. Despite this the exact nature of the activity of serum or its fractions is unknown.
Hyperglycemia and fight-flight behavior in nondiabetic and diabetic mice

Glycemic responses to a resident-intruder encounter and to the drawing of blood from the retro-orbital sinus were studied in diabetic and normal male Swiss Webster mice. The diabetes induced with streptozotocin was either borderline, overt, or severe. The resident-intruder encounter consisted of a brief exposure to another male mouse trained to be aggressive. The blood collected was not sufficient (3% blood volume) to cause significant volume depletion. Behavior during the resident-intruder encounter was videotaped and later quantified. Borderline diabetic, overtly diabetic and nondiabetic mice responded to both procedures with significant increases in plasma glucose. The glycemic response to the resident-intruder encounter in these groups was significantly greater than that to the bleeding trial. The severely diabetic mice did not experience increases in plasma glucose in either test. Fight-flight behavior of nondiabetic mice was significantly correlated with increases in plasma glucose. Total activity was negatively correlated with change in plasma glucose in the borderline diabetic mice. In overtly diabetic mice no relationship between either measure and glucose increases was observed. These results indicate that plasma glucose elevation in overtly and severely diabetic mice is not as specific to behavior as in nondiabetic mice.
The Measurement of the Aberrations of a Microscope Objective

After outlining the methods that have been employed for measuring the spherical aberration of microscope objectives, a new method is described in which a thin metal plate having a small hole in it is mounted between the objective and the microscope tube in such a way that the hole may be traversed across the middle of the objective aperture by a micrometer screw. The point at which the small beam of light thus isolated intersects the image plane is located by means of a filar micrometer. This gives a direct measure of the transverse aberration of that zone of the lens which contains the sliding hole, from which either the optical path difference or the ordinary longitudinal aberration of the zone can be readily computed. The aberration is then plotted graphically against the numerical aperture of the zone. The limitations and the precision of the method are discussed. The Foucault knife-edge test was found to be readily adaptable to the measurement of the chromatic aberration of a microscope objective. Typical curves for all these tests are given.
A 10-Year Analysis of American Society for Radiation Oncology Junior Faculty Career Development Awards

Purpose Between 2000 and 2010, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) awarded 22 Junior Faculty Career Development Awards (JFA) totaling $4.4 million. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of these awards on the grantees' career development, including current position, publications, and subsequent independent grant funding. Methods Each awardee was requested via email and telephone to provide an updated curriculum vitae, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) biosketch, and information regarding current position of employment. Twenty-one of the 22 JFA recipients complied. Reported grant funding was extracted from each candidate's CV, and the amounts of NIH grants obtained were confirmed via NIH REPORTER. Reported publications were confirmed via PubMed. Results All survey respondents (21 of 21) have remained in academic positions. Subsequent aggregate grant funding totaled more than $25 million (range, $0-$4.1 million), 5.9 times the initial investment. NIH grant funding totaled almost $15 million, 3 times the initial investment. Awardees have published an average of 34.6 publications (range, 0-123) for an overall rate of 4.5 papers/year (range, 1-11). Conclusions ASTRO JFAs over the past decade have been strongly associated with grantees remaining in academic positions, success in attracting private and NIH grants, and publication productivity. In an era of dwindling federal research funding, the support provided by the ASTRO JFA may be especially helpful to support the research careers of promising junior faculty members.
Endovascular management of subclavian artery stenosis using balloon expandable covered stents

Covered stents have primarily been used in coronary arteries for exclusion of perforations, aneurysms, and fistulas. The use of covered stents to treat occlusive disease of first-order aortic branches has been proposed as a method to reduce intimal hyperplasia and improve patency rates, since they exclude plaque and prevent luminal encroachment through open struts, but their selective use in subclavian artery stenosis has not been previously reported. We present three cases of subclavian artery stenosis that were successfully treated via a percutaneous approach with covered stents.
EFFECTS OF DEXAMETHASONE ON NEUROTRANSMITTER ENZYMES IN CHROMAFFIN TISSUE OF THE NEWBORN RAT

—Dexamethasone administration to newborn rats resulted in an increase in phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity in superior cervical ganglia. The same treatment resulted in a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase and choline acetyltransferase activities. The decline in choline acetyltransferase activity after dexamethasone treatment was only seen when the drug was given before 5 days of age. When dexamethasone was given to pregnant rats it caused an age-dependent decrease in choline acetyltransferase in the adrenals, superior cervical ganglia and para-aortic chromaffin tissue of the offspring. These results suggest that dexamethasone administration may delay the development of the preganglionic neurons of sympathetic ganglia. This in turn would delay the development of tyrosine hydroxylase but not phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase.
Local Forcing of a Nonlinear Surface Reaction : CO Oxidation on Pt(100)

A novel spatiotemporal perturbation method for nonlinear surface reactions is reported, thus allowing the creation of new spatially localized structures. Forcing was achieved by dosing reactant gases through a capillary positioned near the catalyst surface, providing control over the local surface coverage and reaction rate. The emergence of localized concentration patterns and oscillations in an otherwise stable system is attributed to a local modification of the catalytic properties of the surface due to external forcing. Based on the spatial orientation, the temporal and thermal stability of the modified surface, as well as the affinity of CO toward the perturbed surface, subsurface O is proposed as a possible source of the observed localized patterning and surface memory effect. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
The Ebola Virus Matrix Protein Deeply Penetrates the Plasma Membrane: An Important Step in Viral Egress

Ebola virus, from the Filoviridae family has a high fatality rate in humans and nonhuman primates and to date, to the best of our knowledge, has no FDA approved vaccines or therapeutics. Viral protein 40 (VP40) is the major Ebola virus matrix protein that regulates assembly and egress of infectious Ebola virus particles. It is well established that VP40 assembles on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane; however, the mechanistic details of VP40 membrane binding that are important for viral release remain to be elucidated. In this study, we used fluorescence quenching of a tryptophan on the membrane-binding interface with brominated lipids along with mutagenesis of VP40 to understand the depth of membrane penetration into lipid bilayers. Experimental results indicate that VP40 penetrates 8.1 A into the hydrocarbon core of the plasma membrane bilayer. VP40 also induces substantial changes to membrane curvature as it tubulates liposomes and induces vesiculation into giant unilamellar vesicles, effects that are abrogated by hydrophobic mutations. This is a critical step in viral egress as cellular assays demonstrate that hydrophobic residues that penetrate deeply into the plasma membrane are essential for plasma membrane localization and virus-like particle formation and release from cells.
A fast pulse amplifier for pulse radiolysis measurements with digitally controlled dc offset

Abstract An amplifier circuit is described which uses digitally controlled means to remove the constant dc signal from the output of a photomultiplier photodetector used as a sensor in a pulse radiolysis measurement system. This enables the small (ca. 10%) absorption signal to be measured with much greater accuracy, particularly when a xenon arc lamp, with poor long term stability for millisecond periods, is used as the analyzing light source.
Hydrophilic suppository bases

The utility and versatility as suppository base materials of polyoxyalkylene derivatives of sorbitan partial fatty acid esters are described. These nontoxic, nonirritant, nonionic surface-active materials are particularly adaptable to suppository base formulation. They lend themselves readily to modification by various adjuvants producing desired melting characteristics. Incorporated medication is solubilized in many cases and readily released. A stable oil/water emulsion is formed with aqueous fluids. Rapidity of congealing is a further desirable feature of bases prepared with these materials.
Advances in recombinant retroviruses for gene delivery

Abstract A naturally occurring murine retrovirus has been adapted to serve as a safe and effective vehicle for the transfer of genes to human cells. This process of gene transfer, known as “retroviral-mediated gene transfer”, facilitates the efficient introduction and expression of stable gene copies in human diploid cells from a variety of tissues. Using this approach, numerous genes have been introduced into human cells and attention has been focused on the use of this technology to achieve therapeutic goals. Gene transfer technology has the potential for the correction of genetic diseases as well as the development of novel solutions to the problems involved with delivery of therapeutic proteins.
Productance physicalism and a posteriori necessity

The problem of nonreflectors perceived as colored is the central problem for Byrne & Hilbert's (B&H's) physicalism. Vision scientists and other interested parties need to consider the motivation for their account of “productance physicalism.” Is B&H's theory motivated by scientific concerns or by philosophical interests intended to preserve a physicalist account of color as a posteriori necessary?
Immunopathology of the Rat Kidney: A Review

The rat has been used extensively as a model for human and animal renal diseases. Three types of model systems have been especially well researched. Autologous immune-complex (AIC) nephritis (Heymann nephritis) is induced in rats by the intraperitoneal injection of the tubular brush border antigen RTE,,5 and complete Freund’s adjuvant. Rats develop proteinuria and proliferation of glomerular endocapillary cells as complexes of antigen and antibody lodge in glomerular basement membrane. Nephrotoxic serum nephritis (NTS), also called Masugi nephritis, is induced in rats by administration of antiserum to rat renal structural proteins. Binding of this antiserum to glomerular basement membranes (and other proteins) causes proteinuria. As the rat produces its own antibody to the injected “foreign” antiserum, a secondary phase of damage occurs with inflammation and cellular proliferation. Recently, there has been extensive work on anti-basement membrane nephritis in Brown-Norway rats. These rats, when immunized against heterologous glomerylar and tubular basement membranes, develop florid tubulointerstitial and glomerulonephritis, with proteinuria and azotemia. These models may be used to research basic pathogenesis of renal disease and test treatment strategies.