cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Movement-specific enhancement of corticospinal excitability at subthreshold levels during motor imagery

This study examined modulation of corticospinal excitability during both actual and imagined movements. Seven young healthy subjects performed actual (3-50% maximal voluntary contractions) and imagined index finger force production, and rest. Individual responses to focal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in four fingers (index, middle, ring, and little) were recorded for all three tested conditions. The force increments at the threshold of activation were predicted from regression analysis, representing the TMS-induced response at the threshold activation of the corticospinal pathways. The measured increment in the index finger during motor imagery was larger than that at rest, but smaller than the predicted increment at the threshold of activation. On the other hand, the measured increment in the uninstructed (middle, ring, and little), slave fingers during motor imagery was larger than that at rest, but not different from the predicted increment at the threshold of activation. These contrasting results suggest that the degree of imagery-induced enhancement in corticospinal excitability was significantly less than what could be predicted for threshold levels from regression analysis, but only for the index finger, and not the adjacent slave fingers. It is concluded that corticospinal excitability for the explicitly instructed index finger is specifically enhanced at subthreshold levels during motor imagery.
Economic growth, poverty, and the international agencies

Abstract During the past few years, the international agencies have been playing down economic growth as the main road to the elimination of poverty and emphasizing the role of asset and income redistribution. The latest reflection of this attitude is the so-called “basic needs” approach. This essay attempts to demonstrate that where economic growth has been sufficiently high and sustained, it has been a powerful means of alleviating poverty. Growth has not “failed”; there is simply not enough International agencies should be cautious in advocating redistribution, for the results .
Plastic electrets and their applications

The electret effect in high polymer plastics is described and compared to published data on the behavior of wax electrets. The results indicate the existence of large ionic polarizations giving rise to an essentially constant external electric field. Some engineering applications of electrets are discussed and limitations presented in terms of current knowledge of electret phenomena.
Entertainment in the Age of Big Data

Everybody loves a good story. People all over the world seek out and crave entertainment. This will not change in the coming age of big data and cloud computing. But stories are more than just a distraction from the big problems of the world we are all supposed to be solving. Stories are (computationally) one of the most challenging problems facing our computers. Humans are hardcoded for story. Our computers are not. Or not yet. Through our research we examine a future of entertainment where increasing computational power allows us to be genuinely connected to a truly digital world. We argue that a genuinely digital and connected future opens the door for a new kind of storytelling, and ultimately, a new way of managing and interacting with the massive data sets collected and shared by humans.
Cultural entrepreneurs and the origins of modern economic growth

Abstract The concept of entrepreneur is a central one in economic history. The definition of entrepreneur is extended here to include ‘cultural entrepreneurs’ and show how they can be integrated into the new modern economic interpretation of ‘culture’ as agents who change the beliefs of others. This concept can help us understand one of the central dilemmas of modern economic history, namely how the new institutional economic history can be deployed to understand modern economic growth. Cultural changes in the early modern age led to institutional changes that made Europe more friendly to innovation. In that process, two English figures can be seen as central, Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton. The essay shows how they meet the definition of a cultural entrepreneur and how their work coordinated and focused cultural change that was instrumental in preparing the ground for the Industrial Revolution.
Supraventricular Tachycardia in Children

A reasonably precise and mechanistic diagnosis of the cause of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) can be made using noninvasive tests such as an electrocardiogram, Holter monitoring, or cardiac event recorder and by determining the response to vagal maneuvers (or intravenous adenosine). Therapy options include prophylactic drug therapy, catheter ablation, and doing nothing (for those with infrequent and non-life-threatening symptoms). Drug therapy attempts to suppress the arrhythmia rather than to cure it and could cause side effects. The success of pharmacologic treatment depends on patient compliance and is costlier than catheter ablation in the long run. Catheter ablation has a high success rate and low complication rate in patients with the common forms of SVT (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, concealed accessory pathways, and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia ) and is the first choice therapy in children beyond 6 to 7 years of age. In younger patients (less than 5 years), although feasible, catheter ablation is reserved for patients with life-threatening arrhythmia or those failing drug therapy. There is a small risk of sudden death in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, whether symptomatic with SVT or not. Management of asymptomatic patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is controversial. Noninvasive (Holter monitoring, exercise tests) and if necessary, invasive (electrophysiology study) assessment may help refine the risk for the individual patient.
A randomized double-blind trial of hydroxychloroquine for the prevention of chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Abstract Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an immunosuppressive lysosomotropic amine that has activity against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In a single-institution phase III trial, 95 recipients of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation were randomized to receive, in a double-blind fashion, and in addition to prophylactic cyclosporine A (CSA), HCQ, or placebo starting 21 days pretransplant and continued until day +365. HCQ was very well tolerated and not associated with side effects. Overall, the incidence of acute GVHD (aGVHD) was 59% in both arms, and severe aGVHD occurred in 11% (HCQ) and 14% (placebo) (P = .76). Sixty percent and 78% of patients developed chronic GVHD (cGVHD) in the HCQ and the placebo arms, respectively (P = .15). With a median follow-up of 18 months, relapse-free and overall survivals (OS) were comparable in both groups. In summary, in this randomized trial, the addition of HCQ to single-agent CSA had no effects on aGVHD or cGVHD or survival.
INFORMATION AND THE LIFE CYCLE CONSUMPTION OF HAZARDOUS GOODS

Safety is a major area of public concern. The fact that people take risky occupations, smoke or fail to use seat belts often provokes a regulatory response designed to either protect people from the risks directly or to provide them with more information on the hazards involved. Such policy is often based on the view that risk-taking behavior is irrational or ill-advised. This paper develops life cycle models of the decision to consume hazardous goods. A particular focus of the analysis is to consider the rational response to information about hazards. Rational consumption of a hazardous good is shown to depend on such factors as the nature of the hazard, age, life expectancy, age at which information on the hazard was received and, of course, the underlying value of the good itself.
Decision modeling using simulation: a hospitality perspective

Abstract This article reviews the use and role of simulation as a decision-modeling technique in the hospitality industry. While simulation modeling currently appears to be used primarily by academic institutions and large hospitality firms, new advances in computer hardware and software should mean it will see much greater use in the future as a management decision technique for smaller hospitality operations. The article outlines a systematic six-step process for constructing and evaluating such simulation models and provides an example of the use of this process for modeling a small food-service operation.
Adaptive Expectations and Cobweb Phenomena

I. Introduction, 227. — II. Akerman's argument, 229. — III. Reformulation in terms of adaptive expectations, 230. — IV. An alternative but equivalent formulation, 233. — V. Some empirical results, 236. — VI. More complicated models, 238. — VII. Conclusions, 240.
PSEUDOPHASE BEHAVIOR IN THE EPSILON AND IOTA REGIONS OF THE PRASEODYMIUM OXIDE--OXYGEN SYSTEM.

Abstract Besides line and nonstoichiometric phases complex oxide systems exhibit reproducible bivariant behavior, termed pseudophases, in the two-phase regions. This occurrence exaggerates chemical hysteresis. Two of these pseudophases in the praseodymium oxide-oxygen system are examined in some detail by tensimetric and high temperature X-ray studies. The tensimetric measurements show marked and progressive shifting of the curves away from stoichiometry with increasing pressure. In addition, unusual reversals are seen to occur both in oxidation and reduction. X-ray diffraction patterns at temperature are seen to show systematic changes in line positions and line widths. These are analyzed and their implications discussed in terms of suggested structural changes. Similarities and relevance to other systems are suggested.
(W4O16)8− Polyion in the high temperature modification of silver tungstate

The high temperature form of silver tungstate, Ag8W4O16, contains tetratungstate ions in which the tungsten atoms are coplanar and each is octahedrally coordinated to oxygen atoms. Two octahedra share three edges with other octahedra and two octahedra share two edges with other octahedra. Four types of coordination for the Ag+ ion are found in the structure: distorted triangular prismatic (with an additional more distant oxygen through a quadrilateral face), octahedral, tetrahedral, and twofold linear. These have been observed before in different crystals, but not all in the same crystal. The deviation from centrosymmetry of the polyion appears to be highly stable as deduced from unsuccessful attempts to reverse the polarization of the crystal. Crystals of Ag8W4O16 are orthorhombic, belong to space group Pn2n (C102v) with lattice constants a=10.89, b=12.03, c=5.92A all ±0.02A and contain 2 Ag8W4O16 per unit cell. X-ray diffraction data obtained with a Buerger-Supper single crystal automatic diffractometer were used to determine the crystal structure.
Anti-metabolic extract from the brain of Protopterus aethiopicus.

IT has been suggested that the brain of the aestivating lung-fish might contain an anti-metabolic agent1, perhaps not unlike the mono-amines secreted in the pons and medulla of cats as active agents in the control of sleep2.
Grooved pegboard test as a biomarker of nigrostriatal denervation in Parkinson's disease

Recent pharmacotherapy trials in Parkinson's disease (PD) using dopaminergic neuroimaging as outcome parameter failed to show significant relationships between imaging and clinical results. One possible explanation is that there is a non-linear relationship between striatal denervation and motor performance reflecting a statistical "floor" effect in the imaging data with advanced disease. Both the motor manifestations and the striatal dopamine denervation of idiopathic PD, however, are typically asymmetric and more meaningful associations may be found by comparing data from the least denervated striatum with motor performance in the corresponding body side. PD patients (n=28) underwent [11C]beta-CFT dopamine transporter (DAT) positron emission tomography (PET) and grooved pegboard testing. Voxel-based analysis of DAT PET and bimanual pegboard scores demonstrated significant correlation clusters within the bilateral striata (P<0.001). However, findings were most prominent in the least denervated striatum. There was a significant inverse correlation between pegboard scores of the least affected arm and DAT binding of the least denervated striatum (Rs=-0.69, P<0.0001) but no significant correlation between pegboard scores of the clinically most affected arm and DAT binding of the most denervated striatum (Rs=-0.15, ns). These data indicate that the robustness of the grooved pegboard test as a biomarker for nigrostriatal denervation in PD mainly reflects the relationship between test performance of the clinically least affected limb and the least denervated striatum. These findings indicate that there is both a statistical "floor" and "ceiling" effect for the most affected striatal and body sides that must be considered when employing imaging as an outcome measure in clinical trials in PD.
Understanding epilepsy through network modeling

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. According to the World Health Organization, it affects ≈50 million people worldwide at any given time, and ≈2% of the current world population has had epilepsy, has epilepsy now, or will experience it at some point in the future (1). In many patients epilepsy can be treated pharmacologically or through brain surgery, but a substantial subset of cases remains intractable, in part, because of our still incomplete understanding of the underlying causes of epilepsy. Determining how brains become seizure-prone and epileptic is therefore of vital importance for our understanding of this disorder, and could potentially enable the development of new treatment strategies.
Electrophysiological recording from brain slices

This article discusses several of the currently used methodologies for recording from brain slices. Aspects of slice preparation as well as appropriate uses for the various slice models (i.e., thin or thick slices) are considered. The merits of extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological recording and their uses are discussed. In addition, mechanisms of neuronal circuit activation and stimulation are presented.
Amphibian Responses to Wildfire in the Western United States: Emerging Patterns from Short-Term Studies

The increased frequency and severity of large wildfires in the western United States is an important ecological and management issue with direct relevance to amphibian conservation. Although the knowledge of fire effects on amphibians in the region is still limited relative to most other vertebrate species, we reviewed the current literature to determine if there are evident patterns that might be informative for conservation or management strategies. Of the seven studies that compared pre- and post-wildfire data on a variety of metrics, ranging from amphibian occupancy to body condition, two reported positive responses and five detected negative responses by at least one species. Another seven studies used a retrospective approach to compare effects of wildfire on populations: two studies reported positive effects, three reported negative effects from wildfire, and two reported no effects. All four studies that included plethodontid salamanders reported negative effects on populations or individuals; these effects were greater in forests where fire had been suppressed and in areas that burned with high severity. Species that breed in streams are also vulnerable to post-wildfire changes in habitat, especially in the Southwest. Wildfire is also important for maintaining suitable habitat for diverse amphibian communities, although those results may not be evident immediately after an area burns. We expect that wildfire will extirpate few healthy amphibian populations, but it is still unclear how populations will respond to wildfire in the context of land management (including pre- and post-fire timber harvest) and fragmentation. Wildfire may also increase the risk of decline or extirpation for small, isolated, or stressed (e.g., from drought or disease) populations. Improved understanding of how these effects vary according to changes in fire frequency and severity are critical to form more effective conservation strategies for amphibians in the western United States.
Digital subtraction angiography in congenital heart disease

A LTHOUGH digital subtraction techniques for cardiovascular imaging in the adult have been clearly established, there has been limited experience with this modality in the study of pediatric cardiovascular problems. Intravenous (IV) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) allows visualization of the arterial system after IV injections of contrast material.le3 Earlier clinical reports concerning the use of IV DSA in children showed mixed but promising results.“’ Specifically, DSA is diagnostic in imaging thoracic aortic arch anomalies in children.8m’2 The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of DSA in the study of congenital heart disease in the pediatric patient. Arterial as well as venous injections with digital filming techniques used alone or in adjunct to cineangiocardiography will be discussed.
Development of a tree height growth model for Douglas-fir.

Abstract Using a sample of 866 Douglas-firs, a predictive model is presented which expresses 5-year height growth as a nonlinear function of potential height growth, crown ratio and height of the subject tree divided by dominant stand height. The adjusted coefficient of multiple determination ( R 2 ) of this model exceeded 0.70, which was superior to four alternative models derived from previous studies. The final model also fit well to the data from each crown class. A number of different techniques for expressing competitive effects were also studied. The most influential variables in the height growth analysis were related to tree position, crown competition factor in larger trees and height divided by dominant stand height. Crown ratio, considered an index of tree vigor, was statistically significant but only accounted for about 8% of the residual variation in height growth.
Novel Hybrid Tetracenomycins through Combinatorial Biosynthesis Using a Glycosyltransferase Encoded by the elm Genes in Cosmid 16F4 and Which Shows a Broad Sugar Substrate Specificity

Cosmid 16F4 contains 25 kb of the elloramycin biosynthetic pathway of Streptomyces olivaceus Tu2353. Transformation of this cosmid into a polyketide synthase (PKS)-deleted mutant of the urdamycin p...
Age-Related Differences in Smiling and Personality in Down Syndrome

In this study, we explored age-related differences in smiling and related personality characteristics in individuals with Down syndrome. Participants were 65 children, adolescents, and young adults with intellectual disabilities aged 5–20 years (Down syndrome: 42, mixed etiologies: 23) and their parents. Both directly observable measures of social behavior (smiling frequency and duration) and parent report measures of child personality (subdomains of the Reiss profiles and Achenbach’s child behavior checklist) were examined. Significant interactions between group (Down syndrome versus mixed) and age were observed for smile frequency (decreased with age in Down syndrome), smile duration (decreased with age in Down syndrome), attention seeking (decreased with age in Down syndrome), and anxious/withdrawn (increased with age in Down syndrome). Relationships between smiling behavior and personality/psychopathology dimensions are also reported for both groups. Implications for developmental approaches to studying outcomes in specific genetic disorders are discussed.
Immunological characterization of the Prochlorothrix hollandica and Prochloron sp. chlorophyll a/b antenna proteins

Polyclonal antibodies were prepared against the major antenna chlorophyll (Chl) a/b-binding protein from the prokaryote Prochlorothrix hollandica (Burger-Wiersma et al. (1986) Nature (Lond.) 320, 262–264). Immunoblotting experiments on Triton X-114 phase-partitioned P. hollandica thylakoids revealed that the antibody recognizes intrinsic membrane polypeptides of 33 and 30 kDa, and immunocytochemistry of P. hollandica thin sections showed that the antibody preferentially decorates the thylakoid. The antibody was immunopurified against a LacZ fusion protein produced in Escherichia coli by an immunopositive phage clone retrieved from a λZAP expression library. This purified antibody cross-reacted to both the 33 and 30 kDa polypeptides, indicating that these proteins are either structurally related products of different genes, or modified forms of the same gene product. Whereas immunological crossreactivity of Prochlorothrix antibody to the major LHC-II Chl a/b antenna of maize could not be detected, the immunopurified antibody reacted strongly to the major 34 kDa Chl a/b antenna protein from the prokaryote Prochloron sp. (Lewin (1975) Phycologia 14, 153–160). These data confirm the structural similarity of the prochlorophyte photosynthetic antenna systems.
An Experiment Assessing How Different Forms of Utility Inform the Choices of Environmental Activists

Existing research explains pro-environmental behavior as being motivated by personal values. In this article I extend this framework to examine not just the choice of whether to engage in pro-environmental behavior but also the choice between different pro-environmental behaviors. I argue that if several different pro-environmental behaviors all express the same personal values, and carry the same material costs, then individuals choose between them on the basis of their expected policy consequences. I report the results of a survey experiment showing that priming individuals to consider instrumental utility will cause over-reporting of some forms of environmental activism—those with the greatest expected policy impact. This prime will have no effect on over-reporting of other forms of activism. I conclude that instrumental utility is an important part of how individuals choose between types of pro-environmental political activism.
Radiation therapy-associated invasive bladder tumors

Radiotherapy-associated bladder carcinoma was found in 3.7 percent of 244 cases of advanced urothelial carcinoma. Average age at diagnosis of the bladder tumor was 63.1 years, with a mean of 20.5 years between radiation treatment and diagnosis. All 9 patients presented with gross hematuria. Eight patients had transitional cell carcinoma, 7/8 (87.5%) also had vascular or lymphatic invasion, and 1 was adenocarcinoma. Mean survival was 15.4 months (range 1-40 mos.), with a 55.5 percent one-year disease-free survival after diagnosis. Four patients died of bladder tumor, 4 were alive with no evidence of disease, and 1 was alive with metastasis.
High-resolution X-ray texture goniometry

Abstract High-resolution X-ray texture goniometry (HRXTG) significantly improves peak/background ratios and allows for the determination of crystallographic preferred fabrics of small regions (
Probing the Surface of Transition-Metal Nanocrystals by Chemiluminesence

We propose a simple chemiluminescence (CL) method for investigation of the surface of Co-based nanocrystals (NCs). Using a combination of CL and spin-trap electron paramagnetic resonance techniques, we systematically studied the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the surface of differently sized CoPt3 spherical NCs and CoPt3/Au nanodumbbells. We have shown that differently sized CoPt3 NCs can promote the formation of ROS and as a result can lead to the oxidation of luminol accompanied by the emission of the light. CL allows monitoring the stability of transition-metal-based NCs against oxidation and dissolution. We found by CL that cobalt ions slowly leach from the surface of CoPt3 NCs even under very mild conditions; however, the amount of the leached cobalt ions does not exceed the maximal concentration of cobalt at the NC surface indicating that only surface atoms can go into solution.
Trends in Recreational Computer Use Among Latino Children in California

In this study we examine differential trends in recreational computer use among Latino and white children in California. We analyzed data from the children's sample (age 4-11) of the 2001 and 2009 California Health Interview Survey. Multivariate analysis was used to estimate the impact of language spoken at home, income and parental education, on recreational computer use. Latino children had substantially lower recreational computer use in 2001, compared to whites, but by 2009 the gap had almost disappeared. Among Latinos, compared to families where English is spoken exclusively, recreational computer use was substantially lower in families where Spanish is spoken exclusively. Parental education and income were significantly associated with recreational computer use, but only among Latinos, and the association with parental education changed from 2001 to 2009, explaining some of the difference in trend between Latino and white children.
Newton's rule of signs for imaginary roots

Descartes did not provide a proof for this rule, which forms the basis of the proposition now known as Descartes's Rule of Signs [1],[6]. This rule yields an upper bound for the number of positive (true) roots of a given polynomial and an upper bound for the number of negative (false) roots by counting variations and permanences in the sequence of plus and minus signs obtained from the coefficients of the polynomial
Vectorial insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells

Morphological studies of pancreatic β-cells have suggested the presence of discrete sensory and secretory domains. In the present study we now provide functional evidence by demonstrating polarity of insulin release by HIT-T15 cells. A significant diffusion barrier across a twin chamber culture system was verified in the presence of confluent HIT-T15 cells. When stimulated with sulphonylurea, ionophore or high potassium, insulin was preferentially released into the lower chamber irrespective of whether secretagogues were added to the upper or lower chambers. Vectorial insulin secretion may be a significant determinant of islet hormone paracrine interactions in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis.
Femtosecond laser-pumped source of entangled photons for quantum cryptography applications

We present an experimental setup for generation of entangled-photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion, based on the femtosecond-pulsed laser. Our entangled-photon source utilizes a 76-MHz-repetition-rate, 100-fs-pulsewidth, mode-locked, ultrafast femtosecond laser, which can produce, on average, more photon pairs than a cw laser of an equal pump power. The output infrared pump photons (λ = 810 nm) are first up-converted to blue light (λ = 405 nm) and, subsequently, down-converted in a 1.5-mm-thick, type-II BBO crystal via spontaneous down-conversion. The resulting entangled pairs are counted by a pair of high-quantum-efficiency, single-photon, silicon avalanche photodiodes. The total down-conversion efficiency of our system, corresponding criterion of the pump power for real entangled coincident events, has been calculated to be 0.86 × 10-9. Our apparatus is intended as an efficient source/receiver system for the quantum communications and quantum cryptography applications.
Magnetic measurements of peripheral nerve function using a neuromagnetic current probe

The progress made during the last three decades in mathematical modeling and technology development for the recording of magnetic fields associated with cellular current flow in biological tissues has provided a means of examining action currents more accurately than that of using traditional electrical recordings. It is well known to the biomedical research community that the room-temperature miniature toroidal pickup coil called the neuromagnetic current probe can be employed to measure biologically generated magnetic fields in nerve and muscle fibers. In contrast to the magnetic resonance imaging technique, which relies on the interaction between an externally applied magnetic field and the magnetic properties of individual atomic nuclei, this device, along with its room-temperature, low-noise amplifier, can detect currents in the nano-Ampere range. The recorded magnetic signals using neuromagnetic current probes are relatively insensitive to muscle movement since these probes are not directly connected to the tissue, and distortions of the recorded data due to changes in the electrochemical interface between the probes and the tissue are minimal. Contrary to the methods used in electric recordings, these probes can be employed to measure action currents of tissues while they are lying in their own natural settings or in saline baths, thereby reducing the risk associated with elevating and drying the tissue in the air during experiments. This review primarily describes the investigations performed on peripheral nerves using the neuromagnetic current probe. Since there are relatively few publications on these topics, a comprehensive review of the field is given. First, magnetic field measurements of isolated nerve axons and muscle fibers are described. One of the important applications of the neuromagnetic current probe to the intraoperative assessment of damaged and reconstructed nerve bundles is summarized. The magnetic signals of crushed nerve axons and the determination of the conduction velocity distribution of nerve bundles are also reviewed. Finally, the capabilities and limitations of the probe and the magnetic recordings are discussed.
Acute experimental distal colitis alters colonic transit in rats.

Abstract Data from humans with active distal colitis suggest that the proximal colon exhibits increased contractile activity and delayed transit, whereas the distal colon shows decreased contractile activity and rapid transit. The present study used the acetic acid rat model of experimental colitis to determine the effect of distal colitis on total and regional colonic transitin vivoand on thein vitrocontractility of circular smooth muscle from the proximal and distal colon. Distal colitis was induced in rats by intracolonic administration of 4% acetic acid; sham control rats received saline enemas. Control and colitic rats were studied 2 days postenemas. Total colon transit was determined by calculating the geometric center of distribution of a radiolabeled marker (51Cr) instilled into the proximal colon. Regional transit was assessed by expressing the radioactivity in the cecum, proximal and distal colon, and excreted stool as a percent of total radioactivity. Muscle strips from the proximal and distal colon were stimulated with 100 μMacetylcholine (ACh) and 60 mMKCl and the tension was expressed as kilograms per square centimeter. Distal colitis was characterized by decreased total colon transit, increased retention of marker in the cecum and proximal colon, and decreased retention of marker in the distal colon.In vitrocontractility studies revealed that distal colitis increased proximal colon circular smooth muscle contractility and decreased distal colon circular smooth muscle contractility to both ACh and potassium. Distal colitis is associated with regional differences in colonic circular smooth muscle contractility, which may contribute to delayed transit in the proximal colon and rapid transit in the distal colon.
Searching for George Wilson's Garage

The second chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby opens with Nick Carraway describing the desolation of the valley of ashes and the misery of George Wilson's garage lying on the edge of ...
An internal histidine residue from the bacterial surface protein, PAM, mediates its binding to the kringle-2 domain of human plasminogen

The determinants of binding of a peptide lacking C-termini-exposed lysine residues to a kringle domain were investigated using an up-regulated lysine binding kringle (K2Pg[C4G/E56D/K72Y]) of plasminogen and a peptide (a1-PAM) with a sequence derived from a surface-exposed M-like streptococcal protein. Significant kringle-induced chemical shifts in a His side-chain of a1-PAM were revealed by two-dimensional NMR. Further studies using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) provided support for the involvement of His12 in the peptide/ protein complex. In an effort to screen a1-PAM-derived truncation peptides, a combinatorial mixture, a1deltaa2-PAM[H12X] (where X=Pro, Arg, His, Trp, Lys, Ala, Phe, Asp and Gly), was analyzed using the surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI) platform. The major peptide that remained bound to the surface of the K2Pg[C4G/ E56D/K72Y]-containing chip was that containing His12, corresponding to the wild-type sequence. Minor peaks, representing binding, were obtained for Lys12-, Arg12- and Trp12-containing peptides. Individual peptides containing these amino acids were then examined using ITC and the binding constants obtained correlated with the relative strengths of binding estimated from the SELDI-based screen.
Episodes of terrestrial geologic activity during the past 260 million years: A quantitative approach

Records of major geologic events of the past ~ 260 Myr including: biologic extinction events, ocean-anoxic and black-shale events, major changes in sea level, major evaporite (salt) deposits, continental flood-basalt eruptions, first-order discontinuities in sea-floor spreading, and major mountain building events, have been aggregated and analyzed with moving-window and spectral techniques that facilitate recognition of clustering and possible cyclicity. Significant clustering of events suggests a model in which changes in rates and directions of sea-floor spreading (“ridge jumps”) are associated with episodic rifting, volcanism, mountain building, global sea level and changes in the composition of the earth's atmosphere via the carbon cycle. Variation in atmospheric C02 affects global climate, ocean circulation and marine productivity. The geologic data formally show a statistically significant underlying periodicity of 26.6 Myr for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic (the exact period differs with minor changes in geologic dating). Phase information suggests that the most recent maximum of the cycle occurred within the last 9 Myr, and may be close to the present time. The quasi-regular pulses of activity might be related to internal earth processes. However, a similar periodicity in impact craters and in galactic dynamics, and a one-to-one correlation among mass extinctions, large impact events, and flood-basalt volcanism, indicate an extraterrestrial pacemaker.
Epidermoid hidradenoma. A clinicopathologic study

Clinical and histopathologic data in 8 cases of epidermoid hidradenoma are presented. Most of the tumors were in the head and neck, and most of the patients were middle-aged and older adults. Generally, the lesions were asymptomatic nodules that sometimes showed ulceration or rapid growth. Despite having some histologic atypia or focal mitotic activity, the tumors were found to be benign on long-term evaluation. This epidermoid variant should not be otherwise differentiated from the benign group of solid-cystic hidradenomas, because cytologic variability did not predict a significant change in prognosis.
“What is Critical Whiteness Doing in OUR Nice Field like Critical Race Theory?” Applying CRT and CWS to Understand the White Imaginations of White Teacher Candidates

Critical Race Theory (CRT) revolutionized how we investigate race in education. Centralizing counter-stories from people of color becomes essential for decentralizing white normative discourse—a process we refer to as realities within the Black imagination. Yet, few studies examine how whites respond to centering the Black imagination, especially since their white imagination goes unrecognized. We propose utilizing Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) to support CRT to aid in deconstructing the dimensions of white imaginations. Our findings describe how the white imagination operates inside the minds of white teacher candidates, namely through their (a) emotional disinvestment, (b) lack of critical understanding of race, (c) resurgence of white guilt, and (d) recycling of hegemonic whiteness, all of which negatively impact their role in anti-racist teaching in urban schools.
Autoradiographic studies of pyridine nucleotide metabolism in human culture cells.

More than 80% of the intracellular pyridine metabolite pool of human culture cells is trapped by OsO4 fixation. The fixed pyridine metabolites fully exchange with nicotinamide and nicotinic acid but not with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Yet, chromatography of the exchanged compounds reveals that NAD and NADP constitute more than 95%. of the fixed material. Although the mechanism of OsO4 fixation is not fully understood, such fixation has permitted the autoradiographic detection of intracellular pyridine metabolites. Cells of the human cell line, D98/AH2, synthesize pyridine nucleotides during all phases of the cell cycle at rates which do not vary by more than six-fold. There is no difference in the apparent concentration of pyridine metabolites between nucleus and cytoplasm after ten minute or three day pulses with 3H-nicotinic acid. The 3H-labeled pyridine ring is lost from D98/AH2 cells upon transfer to unlabeled medium. In general, the rate of loss is uniform among cells in the population. However, in a small proportion of cells there is little or no loss. Non-dividing cells lose the pyridine ring at approximately the same rate as dividing cells, yet the intracellular concentration of pyridine metabolites is 50% greater in non-dividing cells.
Nicotine effects on default mode network during resting state

Rationale The default mode network (DMN), one of several resting-state networks (RSN) in the brain, is thought to be involved in self-referential thought, awareness, and episodic memories. Nicotine improves cognitive performance, in part by improving attention. Nicotinic agonists have been shown to decrease activity in regions within DMN and increase activity in regions involved in visual attention during effortful processing of external stimuli. It is unknown if these pharmacological effects also occur in the absence of effortful processing.
Phosphorylated TP63 Induces Transcription of RPN13, Leading to NOS2 Protein Degradation

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells exposed to cisplatin display ATM-dependent phosphorylation of the most predominant TP63 isoform (ΔNp63α), leading to its activation as a transcription factor. Here, we found that the phospho-ΔNp63α protein binds to the genomic promoter of RPN13 through the TP63-responsive element. We further found that the phospho-ΔNp63α protein associates with other transcription factors (DDIT3 (also known as CHOP), NF-Y, and NF-κB), activating RPN13 gene transcription. Furthermore, cisplatin-induced and phospho-ΔNp63α-dependent RPN13 gene transcription leads to NOS2 degradation. Finally, we show that RPN13 knockdown by siRNA essentially rescues NOS2 from cisplatin-dependent inactivation. These data provide a novel mechanism for the phospho-ΔNp63α-dependent regulation of NOS2 function in cells upon cisplatin treatment, contributing to the cell death pathway of tumor cells.
Effects of group stability, male‐male aggression, and male courtship behaviour on environmentally‐induced ovarian recrudescence in the lizard Anolis carolinensis

Reproductively inactive, winter dormant female Anolis carolinensis were exposed to a stimulatory environmental regime while in socially stable or unstable male-female groups. In a second experiment, winter dormant females were exposed to varying amounts of male courtship and male-male aggression. Results indicate that (1) the presence of a stable dominance hierarchy among group males is necessary for male facilitation of environmentally-induced ovarian recrudescence (OR) (an unstable dominance hierarchy inhibits OR), (2) the behaviour patterns responsible for the facilitation and inhibition of environmentally-induced OR are courtship and male-male aggression, respectively, and (3) ovarian development is graded in accordance to the amount of male courtship to which the female is exposed. It is proposed that male courtship insures normal gonadotropin (GT) secretion while the absence of male courtship results in subnormal GT secretion and the presence of male-male aggression suppresses environmentally-induced GT secretions. The functional significance of the inhibition of environmentally-induced OR by male-male aggression and its possible relation to differential vernal emergence in temperate-zone reptiles is discussed.
P5-S5.01 Factors associated with stated willingness to accept expedited partner therapy from sex partners, NYC, 2007–2008

Background Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is a partner management strategy that relies upon index patients to deliver STD treatment to their sex partners without an evaluation by a healthcare provider. Characterisation of barriers and facilitators of EPT acceptance could inform approaches to EPT implementation. The New York City (NYC) Bureau of STD Control is in the process of implementing EPT and is offering technical assistance on EPT to healthcare providers throughout the city. Methods During 2007–2008, we used a self-administered survey to assess factors associated with hypothetical willingness to accept EPT from an index patient among adults attending two NYC STD clinics. Binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) between select survey items and hypothetical willingness to accept EPT from their most recent sex partner, as measured by the question “If your most recent sex partner brought you medicine to treat an STD, would you take it?” Results Among 658 respondents, median age was 25 (range 14–68); 338 (51.4%) were male. Almost half (42.7%) reported willingness to accept EPT from their most recent sex partner. We examined the association between patient sex, history of chlamydia (CT)/gonorrhoea (GC), last sexual partner type, number of sex partners in past 3 months, and age, with willingness to accept EPT from most recent sex partner. Those willing to accept EPT from their most recent sex partner were more likely to be male (PR=1.14 95% CI 1.00 to 1.31), more likely to have a history of CT/GC (PR=1.28; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.52), and more likely to report 1–2 sex partners in the past 3 months (PR=1.04; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.22). Respondents whose most recent sex partner was a steady partner were more likely to accept EPT (PR=1.09; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.26). Age was not associated with willingness to accept EPT. Only sex and history of CT/GC were significantly associated with willingness to accept EPT in crude analyses (p=0.006, and p=0.05, respectively) see Abstract P5-S5.01 table 1. Conclusions Aside from partner9s sex, we did not identify any patient characteristics which could be used to predict sex partners9 willingness to take medication offered via EPT. Active follow-up with partners given EPT will provide a more direct measure of the acceptability and utilisation of medication delivered to sex partners.
Band dispersion and empty electronic states in solid C60: Inverse photoemission and theory.

Inverse-photoemission studies of the empty electronic states of solid ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ show ten features within 15 eV of the lowest empty state. Pseudopotential calculations identify the character of the empty states. Band calculations for fcc ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ demonstrate that dispersion of some of the states, due to intermolecular interaction, reproduces experimental results. Intensity variations of experimental features with incident electron energy reflect their \ensuremath{\pi} and \ensuremath{\sigma} character as well as their symmetries. Resonant coupling is observed between the inverse-photoemission decay channel involving the third feature and the radiative decay of a plasmon.
Heat Transfer in a Liquid Convective Diode

The dynamic behavior of a liquid convective diode for space heating of passive solar buildings is analyzed and explained by experiments and theory. The experiments include flow visualization and temperature measurements obtained for a diode installed in the laboratory and temperature measurements obtained for three diodes installed in a test cell during the winter. We present a first-principles analytical model to predict diode time-temperature histories and performance. A comparison of predicted temperatures and solar energy contribution with data obtained for the test cell experiment showed excellent agreement. The good agreement indicates that the model contains the elements necessary to accurately predict site-specific diode performance and temperatures. The thermal efficiency of the diode system installed in the test cell is calculated. The data show that the diode system outperforms all other non-phase-change passive solar heating components. A thermal efficiency of 50 percent over a three-month winter period is obtained for the diode. We suggest and discuss improvements to present-day diode designs that may increase performance to as high as 65 percent.
W.B. Yeats: Poet as healer

W.B. Yeats (1865–1939) used poetry as a therapeutic tool for Irish culture and for every member of modern society, uneasy about the fragmentation of belief. Yeats writes poems that re-enact the foundational relationship between medicine and writing manifested by the ancient Greeks in their worship of Asclepius, god of healing and poetry. The process of poetry/bibliotherpy within Yeats's poetry will be examined through Hynes and Hynes-Berry's (1994) four stages in the bibliotherapeutic healing process: recognition, examination, juxtaposition, and application to self. Furthermore, Yeats sought communal healing for Ireland. His psychological explorations via poetry writing become healing, life-affirming aesthetic experiences for his readers.
Deletion analysis of the starch-binding domain of Aspergillus glucoamylase

The large form of glucoamylase (GAI) from Aspergillus awamori (EC 3.2.1.3) binds strongly to native granular starch, whereas a truncated form (GAII) which lacks 103 C-terminal residues, does not. This C-terminal region, conserved among fungal glucoamylases and other starch-degrading enzymes, is part of an independent starch-binding domain (SBD). To investigate the SBD boundaries and the function of conserved residues in two putative substrate-binding sites, five gluco-amylase mutants were constructed with extensive deletions in this region for expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Progressive loss of both starch-binding and starch-hydrolytic activity occurred upon removal of eight and 25 C-terminal amino acid residues, or 21 and 52 residues close to the N-terminus, confirming the requirement for the entire region in formation of a functional SBD. C-terminal deletions strongly impaired SBD function, suggesting a more important role for one of the putative binding sites. A GAII phenocopy showed a nearly complete loss of starch-binding and starch-hydrolytic activity. The deletions did not affect enzyme activity on soluble starch or thermo-stability of the enzyme, confirming the independence of the catalytic domain from the SBD.
Aircraft en route noise annoyance

Results are reported from a laboratory experiment conducted in order to quantify the annoyance experienced by people on the ground in response to en route noise (ERN) generated by aircraft at cruise conditions. Objectives included the comparison of annoyance responses to ERN with the annoyance responses to takeoff and landing noise; the comparison of the annoyance responses to advanced turboprop aircraft ERN with those of the turbofan ERN; and also the ability of aircraft noise measurement procedures and corrections to predict annoyance to ERN. Tests were conducted at the Langley Acoustics Research Laboratory on 32 human subjects selected at random. Subjects judged the annoyance level of 24 Propfan Test Assessment advanced turboprop ERN stimuli, 18 conventional turbofan ERN stimuli, and 60 conventional turboprop and turbofan takeoff and landing noise stimuli. Analysis of resulting data compared annoyance responses to different aircraft types and operations, examined the ability of current noise measurement and correction procedures to predict annoyance ERN, and calculated optimum duration correction magnitudes for ERN.