cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutritional status of cancer patients and its relationship to function in an inpatient rehabilitation setting

Background Malnutrition is associated with prolonged hospitalization, lower survival rate, and various medical complications. However, little is known about malnutrition and its relationship with the functional status. We undertook this retrospective study to examine whether or not malnutrition affects rehabilitation outcome in patients who had undergone cancer rehabilitation.
Defining Cable Television: Structuration and Public Policy

As applied in a case study of how the policy definition of cable television evolved, Giddens's theory of structuration “Offers a conceptual framework for the untangling of problems of power and dominance… a tool for analyzing and understanding the process by which social and political reality is formed.”
Central alpha adrenergic receptors in thermoregulation.

Abstract Alpha and beta adrenergic receptor blocking agents were injected into the cerebral ventricles of unanesthetized cats and their effects on subsequent responses to intraventricular norepinephrine were determined. The alpha receptor blocking agent phentolamine (100 μg) antagonized the hypothermie and emetic responses to 100 μg norepinephrine. The beta receptor blocking agents practolol (100 and 200 μg), propranolol (100 μg), and sotalol (100 and 200 μg) did not inhibit hypothermie or emetic responses to norepinephrine. In some cats, 400 μg sotalol interfered with the norepinephrine hypothermia but the effect was inconsistent and may not have been related to beta blockade. The three beta receptor blocking agents produced hyperthermia when administered alone. None of the antagonists prevented the behavioral sedation induced by norepinephrine. Norepinephrine hypothermia in the cat appears to result from activation of alpha adrenergic receptors in the hypothalamus.
Broad-spectrum cardioprotection with adenosine

Ischemia-reperfusion results in contractile dysfunction, necrosis, and vascular injury. This postischemic injury is mediated in part by superoxide radical production, neutrophils, dysfunction to ionic pumps, and edema formation. Adenosine is an autacoid released tonically by myocytes, endothelium, and neutrophils; the release of adenosine from the myocyte compartment into the interstitium is increased during ischemia. The major effects of adenosine are mediated by specific receptors identified as A1, A2a, A2b, and A3. Each receptor subtype contributes to physiological responses that influence ischemia-reperfusion injury. Adenosine has potent cardioprotective properties exerted during three major windows of opportunity: pretreatment, ischemia, and reperfusion. The cardioprotective effects exerted during pretreatment and ischemia may involve metabolic changes and hyperpolarization via K(ATP)-channel activation, mediated through A1 receptor mechanisms. The cardioprotective mechanisms exerted during reperfusion involve inhibition of neutrophils directly (superoxide anion generation, expression of adhesion molecules), and by inhibiting activation of the endothelium through A2 receptor-mediated mechanisms, thereby preventing neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions, which initiate the inflammatory-like component of reperfusion injury. Activation of the newly identified A3 receptor has been shown to be cardioprotective partially by inhibition of neutrophil adherence to endothelium and by neutrophil-independent mechanisms. These mechanisms of cardioprotection have been suggested to play major roles in the reduction of infarction and apoptosis after myocardial ischemia, cardioplegic arrest, and subsequent reperfusion. Adenosine has been used as an adjunct to both crystalloid and blood cardioplegia, but its potential as a cardioprotective agent has not been fully explored.
Trends in initial management of prostate cancer in New Hampshire

Prostate cancer management strategies are evolving with increased understanding of the disease. Specifically, there is emerging evidence that “low-risk” cancer is best treated with observation, while localized “high-risk” cancer requires aggressive curative therapy. In this study, we evaluated trends in management of prostate cancer in New Hampshire to determine adherence to evidence-based practice. From the New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, cases of clinically localized prostate cancer diagnosed in 2004–2011 were identified and classified according to D’Amico criteria. Initial treatment modality was recorded as surgery, radiation therapy, expectant management, or hormone therapy. Temporal trends were assessed by Chi-square for trend. Of 6,203 clinically localized prostate cancers meeting inclusion criteria, 34, 30, and 28 % were low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease, respectively. For low-risk disease, use of expectant management (17–42 %, p < 0.001) and surgery (29–39 %, p < 0.001) increased, while use of radiation therapy decreased (49–19 %, p < 0.001). For intermediate-risk disease, use of surgery increased (24–50 %, p < 0.001), while radiation decreased (58–34 %, p < 0.001). Hormonal therapy alone was rarely used for low- and intermediate-risk disease. For high-risk patients, surgery increased (38–47 %, p = 0.003) and radiation decreased (41–38 %, p = 0.026), while hormonal therapy and expectant management remained stable. There are encouraging trends in the management of clinically localized prostate cancer in New Hampshire, including less aggressive treatment of low-risk cancer and increasing surgical treatment of high-risk disease.
The distribution of bilirubin between albumin and mitochondria

Mitochondria suspended in aqueous solutions containing albumin and bilirubin can preferentially sequester bilirubin from the aqueous phase of such suspensions. The association of bilirubin with mitochondria is favored when the molar ratio of bilirubin to albumin is above 1. The rate of association of bilirubin with mitochondria is increased in hypertonic media or after the addition of organic anions which compete with bilirubin for protein binding. The concentration ratio of bilirubin to albumin at which bilirubin distribution exceeds the albumin space in vitro corresponds to in vivo concentrations of bilirubin and albumin of 20 mg. and 3 Gm. per 100 ml. of plasma, respectively.
Wind prediction using complex augmented adaptive filters

In this paper we discuss a new set of nonlinear adaptive filters based on kernel methods and compare them to the least mean square (LMS) and recursive least squares (RLS) adaptive filters. In recent years a new class of nonlinear kernel adaptive filters have been developed that tradeoff performance for complexity including the Kernel LMS (KLMS) and Kernel RLS (KRLS) algorithms. Earlier work discussed a complex augmented implementation of the kernel algorithms. This paper continues this discussion and compares the performance and complexity of the algorithms for wind time series prediction.
Quantitative trait loci for aluminum resistance in wheat

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for wheat resistance to aluminum (Al) toxicity were analyzed using simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in a population of 192 F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between an Al-resistant cultivar, Atlas 66 and an Al-sensitive cultivar, Chisholm. Wheat reaction to Al was measured by relative root growth and root response to hematoxylin stain in nutrient-solution culture. After screening 1,028 SSR markers for polymorphisms between the parents and bulks, we identified two QTLs for Al resistance in Atlas 66. One major QTL was mapped on chromosome 4D that co-segregated with the Al-activated malate transporter gene (ALMT1). Another minor QTL was located on chromosome 3BL. Together, these two QTLs accounted for about 57% of the phenotypic variation in hematoxylin staining score and 50% of the variation in net root growth (NRG). Expression of the minor QTL on 3BL was suppressed by the major QTL on 4DL. The two QTLs for Al resistance in Atlas 66 were also verified in an additional RIL population derived from Atlas 66/Century. Several SSR markers closely linked to the QTLs were identified and have potential to be used for marker-assisted selection (MAS) to improve Al-resistance of wheat cultivars in breeding programs.
Adaptability vs. reusability of software systems

Every software system changes over its lifetime. Some of the changes are predictable, and systems can be designed to be robust to such changes by considering those future changes beforehand. However, it is impossible to predict all the future changes and possible concerns. Anticipating the various concerns is hard due to the diversity in client requirements and the rapid advances in the enabling technologies. Because unanticipated changes often require many parts of the system to be modified or redesigned, they are very costly most of the time. Therefore, it is necessary to engineer adaptability into software systems in order to meet various future requirements. Adaptability is the cornerstone of a successful design. In this paper we present an application framework, the Aspect Moderator Framework (AMF), which can make a software system adaptable and robust to changes over its lifetime, thus reducing overall system cost. This paper shows how the Aspect Moderator Framework (AMF) can be used to build commercial applications that can evolve and adapt to new requirements easily.
Preparation and properties of wheat and corn starch maltodextrins with a low dextrose equivalent

ABSTRACT Wheat and corn maltodextrins (W-MD 8 and C-MD 8) with dextrose equivalent (DE) 2–3 were prepared by heterogeneous bacterial α-amylase digestion of a 15% starch paste at 95°C for 8 min followed by cooling and spray-drying. Gels of the two maltodextrins appeared opaque with a glossy surface and melted reversibly at ≈65°C. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the products were divided finely and had few large remnants of starch granules. The fine granulation of W-MD 8 and C-MD 8 caused some clumping in cold water; homogeneous solutions were achieved with vigorous stirring at 90°C. Size-exclusion chromatograms showed that the two products contained similar broad, molecular-weight distributions of saccharides. A commercial potato maltodextrin marketed as a fat-replacer contained fewer short-length molecules when compared to W-MD 8 and C-MD 8, whereas a commercial corn maltodextrin fatreplacer contained more. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed-amperometric detection showed ...
Examining changes in certification/licensure requirements and the international medical graduate examinee pool.

Changes in certification requirements and examinee characteristics are likely to influence the validity of the evidence associated with interpretations made based on test data. We examined whether changes in Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification requirements over time were associated with changes in internal medicine (IM) residency program director ratings and certification examination scores. Comparisons were made between physicians who were ECFMG-certified before and after the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) requirement. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to examine the differences in program director ratings based on CSA cohort and whether the examinees emigrated for undergraduate medical education (national vs. international students). A univariate analysis of covariance was conducted to examine differences in scores from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Internal Medicine Certification Examination. For both analyses, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 scores were used as covariates. Results indicate that, of those certified by ECFMG between 1993 and 1997, 17 % (n = 1,775) left their country of citizenship for undergraduate medical education. In contrast, 38 % (n = 1,874) of those certified between 1999 and 2003 were international students. After adjustment by covariates, the main effect of cohort membership on the program director ratings was statistically significant (Wilks’ λ = 0.99, F5, 15391 = 19.9, P < 0.001). However, the strength of the relationship between cohort group and the ratings was weak (η = 0.01). The main effect of migration status was statistically significant and weak (Wilks’ λ = 0.98, F5,15391 = 45.3, P < 0.01; η = 0.02). Differences in ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores based on whether or not CSA were required was statistically significant, although the magnitude of the association between these variables was very small. The findings suggest that the implementation of an additional evaluation of skills (e.g., history-taking, physical examination) as a prerequisite to postgraduate medical education (residency) provides some additional, relevant data to those who select ECFMG-certified residents.
Crystalline, mobile amorphous and rigid amorphous fractions in poly(L-lactic acid) by TMDSC

Abstract A detailed analysis of the three-phase structure of poly(L-lactic acid) was performed by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry upon quasi-isothermal and non-isothermal crystallizations. The TMDSC analyses revealed that the relative amounts of the three fractions of poly(L-lactic acid) depend on the temperature at which crystallization occurs. It was found that rigid amorphous fraction grows in parallel with crystalline phase during quasi-isothermal crystallization at 90 °C, whereas at T c = 130 °C it starts to appear approximately in correspondence with secondary crystallization. At T c = 135 °C RAF practically does not develop. The results prove that RAF development during crystallization depends on the mobility of the chains. The temperature of complete devitrification at 10 °C min −1 seems to be 130 °C: this temperature could be the limit for the formation and the disappearance of rigid amorphous fraction in the PLLA sample analyzed in the present study.
The use of scalar transport probes to measure wall shear stress in a flow with imposed oscillations

Recent studies of the influence of imposed oscillations on a turbulent flow have focused on the need for accurate measurements of the phase-averaged wall shear stress. Flush mounted wall transfer probes offer the opportunity of obtaining such results. However, considerable error can arise in interpreting these measurements (in particular, the phase of the wall stress relative to the phase of the imposed oscillations) if the time response of the scalar boundary-layer over the probe is not taken into account. This paper presents a method to correct measurements for this effect and applies it to the case of an oscillating turbulent flow.
A qualified endorsement of embryonic stem cell research, based on two widely shared beliefs about the brain-diseased patients such research might benefit

Are there persuasive approaches to embryonic stem cell (ESC) research that appeal, not just to those fellow-citizens in one’s own ideological camp, nor just to those undecided citizens in the middle, but to those citizens on the other side of the issue? I believe that there are such arguments and in this short paper I try to develop one of them. In particular, I argue that certain beliefs shared by some proponents and some opponents of ESC research—beliefs about the personal identity and moral status of those who are victims of terrible brain diseases—are beliefs that should lead us to adopt a qualified endorsement of ESC research.
High field magnetoresistance of orientedcrystallites of AuPb2

Abstract High field magnetoresistance measurements have been made on samples of AuPb2, which consist of islands of oriented AuPb2 surrounded by eutectic mixture. The results obtained are very similar to what would be expected for single crystal samples. Open orbits are observed in 〈100〉, 〈110〉, 〈101〉, 〈112〉 and 〈211〉 and [001] directions. The results are consistent with predictions of the Nearly Free Electron Model.
Hepatic stellate cell protrusions couple platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB to chemotaxis

Hepatic stellate cells play an essential role in the liver's injury response. Although stellate cells are defined by the presence of cytoplasmic protrusions, the function of these characteristic structures has been obscure. We hypothesized that stellate cell protrusions act by coupling injury-associated stimuli to chemotaxis. To test this hypothesis, we developed an assay for directly visualizing the response of living stellate cells in early primary culture to local stimulation of the tips of protrusions with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF). Stellate cells exhibited elongate protrusions containing actin, myosin, and tubulin. PDGF, but not cytochrome C, localized at a protrusion tip induced a coordinated series of morphological events—cell spreading at the tip, movement of the cell body toward the PDGF, and retraction of trailing protrusions— that resulted in chemotaxis. Soluble PDGF and AG 1296, a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, both reduced stellate cell chemotaxis. PDGF-induced chemotaxis was associated with an early and transient increase in myosin phosphorylation within the spreading lamella. We observed that blebbistatin, a myosin II inhibitor, completely and reversibly blocked protrusion-mediated lamella formation and chemotaxis. Moreover, blockade of MRLC phosphorylation with the myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, ML-7, or the rho kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, blocked lamella formation, myosin phosphorylation within the protrusion, and chemotaxis. Conclusion: These results support a model in which protrusions permit stellate cells to promptly detect PDGF distant from their cell bodies and transduce this signal into mechanical forces that propel the cell toward the site of injury. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
p21-activated Protein Kinase γ-PAK Is Activated by Ionizing Radiation and Other DNA-damaging Agents SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES TO α-PAK

Abstract The p21-activated protein kinase γ-PAK is activated 2–5-fold in response to ionizing radiation (IR) in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and U937 leukemia cells. γ-PAK is activated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Doses from 1 to 100 Gy result in significant stimulation of activity at 30 min, whereas maximal stimulation is observed at 120 min after irradiation. UV (80 J/m2) and the DNA-damaging drugs cytosine β-d-arabinofuranoside (AraC) and cis-platinum(II)diammine dichloride (cisplatin) also induce γ-PAK activation. The activation of γ-PAK in response to IR or AraC is dependent on tyrosine kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity, as demonstrated by use of the inhibitors genistein and wortmannin; in contrast activation of γ-PAK by cisplatin and UV is not affected significantly by these inhibitors, suggesting that γ-PAK can be activated by more than one pathway in response to different types of DNA damage. In contrast to γ-PAK, α-PAK and JNK are activated only by cisplatin and UV in 3T3-L1 cells, suggesting differential regulation of the protein kinases. This is the first time that members of the Ste20/PAK family of protein kinases have been shown to be involved in the cellular response to IR and other DNA-damaging agents.
Understanding cavity resonances with intracavity dispersion properties

We experimentally study the strongly coupled three-level atom-cavity system at both cavity and coupling frequency detuning cases. Side peak splitting and anti-crossing-like phenomena are observed under different experimental conditions. Intracavity dispersion properties are used to explain qualitatively the complicated cavity resonance structures in the composite system of inhomogeneously broadened three-level atoms inside an optical ring cavity with relatively strong driving intensities.
Effective string theory.

The effective conformal field theory governing the long-distance dynamics of string solitions in four dimensions, such as the Nielsen-Olesen vortex or QCD strings, is described. It is an interacting Poincar\'e-invariant conformal field theory with four bosons and c=26. The compatibility of these naively contradictory features is explicitly demonstrated through second order in a perturbation expansion about the long-string vacuum.
Medical Impairments, Functional Limitations, and Disability Status in School Age Children in the 1994 National Health Interview Survey

Medical Impairments, Functional Limitations, and Disability Status in School Age Children in the 1994 National Health Interview Survey
1130 Cardiac diastolic function evaluation using a novel method for quantification of cine myocardial deformation analysis (cMDA) based on non-rigid registration

Introduction Quantitative evaluation of myocardial strains is important in various cardiac diseases. Tagged cardiac MRI with either image or spectral-based analysis is used for such purposes in a few centers. There are many disadvantages, however, that preclude widespread use of tagging or other specialized techniques such as DENSE for routine practice. One major disadvantage of tagging is that diastolic function is difficult to measure due to tag fading. Here we describe the use of a novel method for quantification of cine myocardial deformation analysis (cMDA) based on non-rigid registration to evaluate diastolic function in mitral regurgitation (MR) and hypertensive (HTN) heart disease, using standard cine MRI.
Development and reproducibility of the bone loading history questionnaire.

Purpose: To develop an historical bone loading questionnaire that assesses loads applied to the skeleton using bone loading units and to determine its reproducibility. Additional purposes were to correlate bone loading units with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and to determine whether low levels of bone loading increase the odds for low aBMD in healthy premenopausal women. Methods: Premenopausal women (N = 80; age: 31 +/- 7.7 yr) completed the newly developed bone loading history questionnaire (BLHQ) twice within 4-6 wk to establish reproducibility. aBMD (g[middle dot]cm-2) of the whole body, lumbar spine (L2-4), and right hip (proximal femur) were assessed with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in the women. Results: The questionnaire demonstrated good test-retest reliability in premenopausal women using intraclass correlation coefficients (spine r = 0.89, P < 0.001; hip r = 0.92, P < 0.001). Total spine bone loading exposure (r = 0.338; P = 0.002) and hip bone loading exposure (r = 0.317; P = 0.004) were significantly and independently correlated with femoral neck aBMD, after adjusting for BMI. Logistic regression analyses revealed increased odds for low femoral neck aBMD among those in the lowest tertile for recent hip bone loading exposure after adjusting for older ages, oral contraceptive use, low calcium intake, and an overweight BMI (OR = 3.62; CI = 1.09-11.94; P = 0.035). Conclusion: Historical bone loading activity can be reliably assessed and is moderately associated with femoral neck aBMD. This questionnaire could help to identify women with low femoral neck aBMD prior to menopause.
Characterization of a myristoylated, monomeric HIV Gag protein

The process of HIV assembly requires extensive homomultimerization of the Gag polyprotein on cellular membranes to generate the nascent particle bud. Here we generated a full-length, monomeric Gag polyprotein bearing mutations that eliminated multimerization in living cells as indicated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Monomeric Gag resembled non-myristoylated Gag in its weak membrane binding characteristics and lack of association with detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs or lipid rafts). Monomeric Gag failed to assemble virus-like particles, but was inefficiently rescued into particles by wildtype Gag through the influence of the matrix domain. The subcellular distribution of monomeric Gag was remarkably different than either non-myristoylated Gag or wildtype Gag. Monomeric Gag was found on intracellular membranes and at the plasma membrane, where it highlighted plasma membrane extensions and ruffles. This study indicates that monomeric Gag can traffic to assembly sites in the cell, where it interacts weakly with membranes.
Linking Secondary School Students with College- Level Resources: Guidelines for Borrowing Privileges and Library Instruction

The Boatwright Library at the University of Richmond has developed a cooperative program with high school librarians to provide service to local high school students. The Library grants limited circulation privileges and offers library instruction for assignments that require university-level library resources. The program has reduced inappropriate library behavior by high school students and may help the University attract additional students. Future plans include closer cooperation with high school librarians.
Astrogliosis and behavioral changes in mice lacking the neutral cysteine protease bleomycin hydrolase

Abstract Bleomycin hydrolase (BLMH) is a multifaceted neutral cysteine protease with a suggested role in antigen presentation, homocysteine-thiolactone metabolism, and Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Deletion of the protease in mice results in increased neonatal mortality and dermatopathology. Immunohistochemical and behavioral studies of BLMH knockout mice were undertaken to further evaluate the role of the protease in the brain. No gross abnormalities in the CNS were observed upon preliminary histological examination of B6.129Blmh tm1Geh /J null animals. However, glial fibrillary acid protein immunohistochemistry revealed a global reactive astrogliosis in the aged null animals, indicative of undefined brain pathology. The role of BLMH in the brain was further explored by characterizing the behavioral phenotype of hybrid [129S6-Blmh tm1Geh /J×B6.129 Blmh tm1Geh /J]F1 null and littermate controls using multiple behavioral paradigms. In the water maze, deletion of BLMH resulted in poorer performance during water maze probe trials without detectable effect of the mutation on sensorimotor function. In addition, no age-dependent decline in discriminative performance on probe trials was observed in null animals. These data suggest a physiological non-redundant function for BLMH in the CNS.
The antihypertensive effect of indapamide in low doses

SummaryA dose-titration study was performed to assess the minimal antihypertensive dose of indapamide and the dose-response curve in ambulatory patients with mild essential hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90 to 114 mmHg). After a 30-day placebo period, patients received 0.5 mg indapamide daily for 6 weeks and this was increased to 1.0 mg daily for a further 6 weeks in those not responding, i.e. with a standing diastolic pressure greater than 90 mmHg. Although indapamide demonstrated an antihypertensive effect at these dose levels, normalization of blood pressure was achieved in only 2 of the 13 patients on 0.5 mg per day and in none of the 11 patients receiving 1.0 mg per day. No clinical side-effects or abnormalities in serum potassium and uric acid were noted.
Cell density influences hormonal responsiveness but not lipoprotein utilization in cultured bovine luteal cells.

Abstract The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of cell density on hormonal responsiveness and lipoprotein utilization by cultured bovine luteal cells. Luteal cells obtained from regularly cycling dairy cows were plated at three culture densities: 0.5 × 10 6 , 1 × 10 6 and 2 × 10 6 cells/flask in serum-free Ham's F-12 culture medium, and maintained for 9 days. Basal steroidogenesis was unaffected by cell density, while LH responsiveness was greatest in low density cultures. Progesterone produced in response to LH (10 ng/ml) was greater than control levels throughout the culture period in low density cultures. Luteal cells cultured at medium and high densities became responsive to LH only later in the culture period (days 5 and 9, respectively). In contrast, prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α , 100 ng/ml) was more effective in high density cultures, causing a complete inhibition of LH stimulation and returning progesterone levels to basal values. In low density cultures, treatment with PGF 2α + LH resulted in progesterone levels that were not significantly different from LH-treated cultures. There was no effect of cell density on utilization of either low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) for steroidogenesis. However, a synergistic effect of LH with either lipoprotein was observed in low and medium density, but not high density cultures. From these results, it is concluded that culture density can influence the responsiveness of bovine luteal cells to either LH or PGF 2α , but has no effect on lipoprotein utilization by these cells.
Visual loss and intoxication

Abstract The Foster Kennedy Syndrome is very uncommon. The literature cited is often confusing. This paper presents a lucid definition of the syndrome that has contemporary diagnostic value and tenacious historical roots. We attempt to “sort-out” the true Foster Kennedy syndrome from its congeners and discuss the misnomers involved. An illustrative case is presented.
Spasmodic dysphonia in a patient with the A to G transition at nucleotide 8344 in mitochondrial DNA.

Dystonia has been described in various diseases affecting mitochondrial function but spasmodic dysphonia, a form of focal dystonia, has not. We present a patient with action myoclonus affecting the hands and arms who carried the most common mutation in mitochondrial DNA causing the myoclonic epilepsy and ragged red fibers (MERRF) syndrome (the AG substitution at nucleotide 8344 in the tRNALys gene). This patient also had spasmodic dysphonia that was responsive to treatment with intralaryngeal botulinum toxin. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society
Facet, nerve root, and epidural block

Percutaneous spinal blocks are diagnostic or therapeutic procedures designed to help the neurologist or orthopaedist in their evaluation of confounding low back and/or lower extremity pain. During the initial workup, nonspinal percutaneous blocks, such as hip or sacroiliac joint injection, may be necessary to exclude one of these sites as the origin of the patient's symptoms. Generally, these blocks are safe, quick and easily performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Once the appropriate needle position has been obtained and the short-and/or long-acting anaesthetics instilled into the appropriate site, the patient's response to the block should be documented and transmitted to their referring physician. In the case that the block is successful, the block may be repeated at intervals for pain control, particularly in patients who chose not to have surgery or who are poor surgical candidates. Ultimately, however, as the patient's arthritis and/or disc degeneration progresses, the blocks will become less and less effective and a more permanent solution will be required. This chapter explains the indications, injection options, and methods of performing these various spinal blocks.
Chemical reactivity of supported gold: IV. Reduction of NO by H2

was 150 to 300°C 10 6 pn$ 6 100 Torr, and p!+/pHa = 1. The Au preparations were characterized by wide-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. No characteristic effect on the rate of reaction was observed by varying the Au precursor salt or the preparative method. There was an effect of the support on the reaction selectivity to Nt, $02~supported preparations showing the lowest and AllOo-supported preparations the highest value of the selectivity. The rate of the IIs-1~2 equilibration was fastest on Au supported on SiO,. It is argued that the different tendency of the supports employed to act as electron donor-acceptor with supported Au influences t,he electron density at the surface Au site. The interpretation is consistent with the relative acid-base ranking of the supports and of the precursor Au salt. An increased electron density at the Au site increases electron back donation from metal to adsorbed NO, weakening the N-O bond and facilitating the formation of Nz over that of NHS. This interpretation of the role of the support in modifying the electronic conditions at the Au site is empIoyed to suggest that the higher HZ-D, equilibration rate on Au-SiOe results from a more ionic hydrogen chemisarption bond. Suggestions on the morphoIo~ca1 and chemical nature of the Au which interacts with the support are advanced in the context of the highly heterogeneous morphology of the supported Au, as revealed by the characterization methods employed. The meaning of these findings in the framework of present ideas for high Nz selectivity in the NO reduction as well as the impact of the conclusions from the present study on other important reactions (CO + HZ, NZ + HZ) are pointed out.
Precision selection for energy-efficient pixel shaders

In this work, we seek to realize energy savings in modern pixel shaders by reducing the precision of their arithmetic. We explore three schemes for controlling this reduction. The first is a static analysis technique, which analyzes shader programs to choose precision with guaranteed error bounds. This approach may be too conservative in practice since it cannot take advantage of run-time information, so we also examine two methods that take the actual data values into account - a programmer-directed approach and a closed-loop error-tracking approach, both of which can lead to higher savings. To use this last method, we developed several heuristics to control how the precisions will change over time. We simulate several series of frames from commercial applications to evaluate the performance of these different schemes. The average savings found by the static and dynamic approaches are 31%, 70%, and 62% in the pixel shader's arithmetic, respectively, which could result in as much as a 10--20% savings of the GPU's energy as a whole.
Functional Analysis of Csk and CHK Kinases in Breast Cancer Cells

In this report, we analyzed the expression and kinase activities of Csk and CHK kinases in normal breast tissues and breast tumors and their involvement in HRG-mediated signaling in breast cancer cells. Csk expression and kinase activity were abundant in normal human breast tissues, breast carcinomas, and breast cancer cell lines, whereas CHK expression was negative in normal breast tissues and low in some breast tumors and in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. CHK kinase activity was not detected in human breast carcinoma tissues (12 of 12) or in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (due to the low level of CHK protein expression), but was significantly induced upon heregulin (HRG) stimulation. We have previously shown that CHK associates with the ErbB-2/neu receptor upon HRG stimulation via its SH2 domain and that it down-regulates the ErbB-2/neu-activated Src kinases. Our new findings demonstrate that Csk has no effect on ErbB-2/neu-activated Src kinases upon HRG treatment and that its kinase activity is not modulated by HRG. CHK significantly inhibited in vitro cell growth, transformation, and invasion induced upon HRG stimulation. In addition, tumor growth of wt CHK-transfected MCF-7 cells was significantly inhibited in nude mice. Furthermore, CHK down-regulated c-Src and Lyn protein expression and kinase activity, and the entry into mitosis was delayed in the wt CHK-transfected MCF-7 cells upon HRG treatment. These results indicate that CHK, but not Csk, is involved in HRG-mediated signaling pathways, down-regulates ErbB-2/neu-activated Src kinases, and inhibits invasion and transformation of breast cancer cells upon HRG stimulation. These findings strongly suggest that CHK is a novel negative growth regulator of HRG-mediated ErbB-2/neu and Src family kinase signaling pathways in breast cancer cells.
A non-volatile memory based physically unclonable function without helper data

Stability across environmental variations such as temperature and voltage, is critically important for Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs). Nearly all existing PUF systems to date need a mechanism to deal with "bit flips" when exact regeneration of the bitstring is required, e.g., for cryptographic applications. Error correction (ECC) and error avoidance schemes have been proposed but both of these require helper data to be stored for the regeneration process. Unfortunately, helper data adds time and area overhead to the PUF system and provides opportunities for adversaries to reverse engineer the secret bitstring. In this paper, we propose a non-volatile memory-based (NVM) PUF that is able to avoid bit flips without requiring any type of helper data. A voltage-to-digital converter technique is described for digitizing the analog entropy source and a robust median-finding algorithm is proposed as the reprograming strategy. Analysis on published experimental data is presented to demonstrate the practicability of our proposed strategy. We describe the technique in the context of emerging nano-devices, in particular, resistive random access memory (Memristor) cells, but the methodology is applicable to any type of NVM including Flash.
Self-Validating Computations of Probabilities for Selected Central and Noncentral Univariate Probability Functions

Abstract Self-validating computation based on interval arithmetic can produce computed values with a guaranteed error bound. Such methods are especially useful whenever the computed results must satisfy given accuracy requirements. This article reports methods for obtaining self-validating results when computing probabilities and percentiles of univariate continuous distributions. Probability functions dealt with explicitly in the article are normal, incomplete gamma, incomplete beta, and noncentral chi-squared.
Mesolimbic dopamine receptor increases two weeks following hippocampal kindling

Kindled seizures developed in rats following repeated electrical stimulation of the left CA1 region of the hippocampus. Two weeks after the final kindled seizure, the densities of dopamine (DA) D2 receptors were assayed in the left and right amygdaloid area, nucleus accumbens, and nucleus caudatus. A significant increase (107%) in the density of DA D2-receptors in the ipsilateral nucleus accumbens occurred. This finding may help to define the long-term neurochemical consequences of kindling.
Electronic structure of β-As2Te3

Abstract We present calculations of the electronic structure of Bi2Te3-structure type ( R 3 m ) β-As2Te3 using the state-of-the-art full potential linearized augmented plane wave method implemented in the WIEN2K code. Bi2Te3–structure type arsenic telluride, which forms when monoclinic arsenic telluride is quenched from high temperatures or compressed, is found to be a direct gap semiconductor with e g =0.12 eV. We also calculated the electronic structure of Bi2Te3 using the same method for comparison. In contrast to earlier calculations, we optimized the lattice parameters within density functional theory. The lowest conduction band and highest valence band of β-As2Te3 are similar to those of Bi2Te3 over much of the Brillouin zone, but exhibit a modest difference at the Γ point. β-As2Te3 will likely have a large thermoelectric power in view of its similarity to Bi2Te3, including the presence of six-fold degenerate band edges.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging of humans

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance, an effect first discovered by physicists about 45 years ago, has now become an exceptionally powerful investigative technique in the life sciences. It has facilitated the study of the structure and dynamics of biological molecules in their native state. It has revolitionized the field of diagnostic radiology and the non-invasive, safe imaging of humans, and is finding increasing use in studies of human physiology. In this review we present some of the physics background and medical significance of these developments. Examples are described to illustrate the application of NMR in the fields of physiology and medicine.
Bayesian Modeling of Crystallographic Disorder

Macromolecular crystallography is typified by a “static” crystal structure that results from the experimental refinement. However, we posit that the single atomic model is a myopic representation of the statistical ensemble, and derive the Bayesian logic to illustrate a rigorous, probabilistic representation of the data using a model ensemble. Using ubiquitin and a complex of a viral entry protein bound to its cellular receptor as examples, we will show the utility of this method in describing biological function and protein dynamics in the context of X-ray crystallography that was previously not possible. Finally, a brief description of the software with which this is being accomplished will be presented.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Central connection of the octavolateralis nerves in the pike cichlid, Crenicichla lepidota

Abstract The primary projections of the lateral line and eight (octavolateralis) nerves in the teleost,Crenicichla lepidota were found to conform to the pattern of projections of these nerves in non-teleost fishes. The lateral line nerves terminate in the dorsal portion of the octavolateralis area of the medulla, the eight nerve terminates in the ventral portion of this area, and overlap is restricted to nucleus, is composed of posterior lateral line nerve fibers which enter the medulla with the eight nerve but terminate with lateral branchlet, is composed of posterior lateral line nerve fibers which enter tthe medulla with the eigth nerve bur terminate with lateral line inputs.
Epithelioid sarcoma presenting as radial mononeuropathy: anatomical, magnetic resonance neurography and diffusion tensor imaging appearances

The authors report an unusual case of radial mononeuropathy caused by epithelioid sarcoma and describe the anatomical 3-Tesla MR neurography and the functional diffusion tensor imaging findings of the case, which were subsequently confirmed on surgical excision and histopathology.
“We unman ourselves”: Colonial and Mohegan Manhood in the Writings of Samson Occom

Toward the end of “A Sermon, Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul, an Indian” (1772), Samson Occom remarks that “We unman ourselves” (192). This statement reveals what was a central concern for Occom as he traversed Anglo and Algonquian cultures: the shaping of his manhood, a dynamic that scholarship has yet to address. Raised with the Mohegan tribe, Occom formally entered into colonial culture at the age of nineteen and was met with the demands of colonial gender expectations. Occom often strategically shaped his rhetoric to meet colonial expectations of manhood as he negotiated the demands of the dominant culture for his practical purposes. Although Occom ably inhabited the discursive space of colonial manhood, he did not abandon the Algonquian masculine norms that were established by his Mohegan upbringing. At times Occom’s use of colonial discourse was adaptive: he claimed colonial masculine discourse to serve a distinctly Mohegan end. But more often than not, Occom’s writings make it clear that he shaped his manhood within established cultural norms of Mohegan masculinity, particularly as a male of considerable status within his tribe and the wider Algonquian community. The arrival of Europeans in the seventeenth century had a profound effect on traditional Algonquian male roles. Prior to this time, men were primarily responsible for hunting and fishing, manufacturing tools, and engaging in trade, diplomacy, and warfare. After the conquest of the Southern Algonquian peoples—at the end of King Philip’s War in Southern New England in 1676, what Colin G. Calloway calls a “watershed” moment (“Surviving” 2)—the traditional ways of life of the respective tribes were shattered as “[t]hey were confined on tiny reservations, subjected to increasing state regulation, and saw their lands whittled away” (4). As a result, the ability of the Southern
Cdc24 Regulates Nuclear Shuttling and Recruitment of the Ste5 Scaffold to a Heterotrimeric G Protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae guanine nucleotide exchange factor Cdc24 regulates polarized growth by binding to Cdc42, a Rho-type GTPase that has many effectors, including Ste20 kinase, which activates multiple MAPK cascades. Here, we show that Cdc24 promotes MAPK signaling during mating through interactions with Ste5, a scaffold that must shuttle through the nucleus and bind to the β subunit (Ste4) of a G protein for Ste20 to activate the tethered MAPK cascade. Ste5 was basally recruited to growth sites of G1 phase cells independently of Ste4. Loss of Cdc24 inhibited nuclear import and blocked basal and pheromone-induced recruitment of Ste5. Ste5 was not basally recruited and the MAPK Fus3 was not basally activated in the presence of a Cdc24 mutant (G168D) that still activates Cdc42, suggesting that Cdc24 regulates Ste5 and the associated MAPK cascade through a function that is not dependent on its guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity. Consistent with this, Cdc24 bound Ste5 and coprecipitated with Ste4 independently of Far1 and Ste5. Loss of Cdc24 decreased Ste5-Ste4 complex formation, and loss of Ste4 stimulated Cdc24-Ste5 complex formation. Collectively, these findings suggest that Cdc24 mediates site-specific localization of Ste5 to a heterotrimeric G protein and may therefore ensure localized activation of the associated MAPK cascade.
Renal functional reserve in treated and untreated hypertensive rats

Renal functional reserve in treated and untreated hypertensive rats. Renal functional reserve (renal response to protein loading, RFR) has been suggested as a method to verify the presence of hyperfiltration. This study was designed to evaluate the role of RFR as an indicator of increased glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure in short-term treated and untreated rats with two-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt hypertension. One month after placing a silver clip, micropuncture studies were performed on the undipped kidney. Normal rats and three groups of clipped rats [untreated group (HYP), a group treated with captopril (CEI) and a group treated with verapamil (VER) 5 days before the micropuncture studies] were studied. Glomerular hemodynamics and proximal tubular reabsorption were measured in control period and during intravenous administration of glycine (G). In normal rats, G produced afferent and efferent dilation, increases in single nephron plasma flow (SNPF) and single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) of 24%, Systemic hypertension in HYP rats was associated with increases in transcapillary pressure gradient (ΔP) and SNGFR. In this hyperfiltration state, infusion of G did not modify SNGFR of SNPF defining loss of RFR. The antihypertensive treatment was equally effective in normalizing MAP and ΔP in CEI and VER, but only CEI rats responded to G with a 20% increase in SNGFR due to an increase in ΔP. The most striking findings were that loss of RFR in both HYP and VER rats was associated with a significant decrease in absolute and proximal fractional reabsorption. We conclude that: 1) loss of RFR is not always associated with the presence of glomerular hypertension; and 2) decreases in proximal tubular reabsorption strongly correlate with loss of RFR, suggesting an important role for tubular function in the glomerular hemodynamic response to intravenous amino acid infusion.
Prednisone and azathioprine for polymyositis. Long‐term followup

Two groups of patients with polymyositis have been followed for approximately 3 years. One group was treated with prednisone alone and the other with prednisone plus azathioprine. Although the polymyositis of both groups has improved, no statistically significant difference was noted at the end of 3 months, as previously reported. Longer followup, however, has shown that the group given prednisone plus azathioprine has improved more with respect to functional disability; this group also requires less prednisone for disease control.