cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

: Extracts of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contain five molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity that can be separated by a combination of selective solubilization, velocity sedimentation, and ion-exchange chromatography. These are called form IA (5.2s), form IB (4.9.s), form II (6.7s), form III (11.3s), and form IV (13.0s). All except form III are present in significant amounts in rapidly prepared extracts and are probably native; form III is probably derived autolytically from form IV. Most of forms IA and IB can be solubilized by repeated extractions without detergent, whereas forms II, III, and IV require detergent for effective solubilization and may therefore be membrane-bound. High salt concentrations are not required for, and do not aid in, the solubilization of these forms. For all forms, molecular weights and frictional ratios have been estimated by a combination of gel permeation chromatography and velocity sedimentations in both H2O and D2O. The molecular weight estimates range from 83,000 to 357,000 and only form II shows extensive asymmetry. The separated forms have been characterized with respect to substrate affinity, substrate specificity, inhibitor sensitivity, thermal inactivation, and detergent sensitivity. Judging by these properties, C. elegans is like other invertebrates in that none of its cholinesterase forms resembles either the “true” or the “pseudo” cholinesterase of vertebrates. However, internal comparison of the C. elegans forms clearly distinguishes forms IA, III, and IV as a group from forms IB and II; the former are therefore designated “class A” forms, the latter “class B” forms. Genetic evidence indicates that separate genes control class A and class B forms, and that these two classes overlap functionally. Several factors, including kinetic properties, molecular asymmetry, molecular size, and solubility, all suggest that a molecular model of the multiple cholinesterase forms observed in vertebrate electric organs probably does not apply in C. elegans. Potential functional roles and subunit structures of the multiple AChE forms within each C. elegans class are discussed.
Control of a kinesin-cargo linkage mechanism by JNK pathway kinases

Long-distance organelle transport toward axon terminals, critical for neuron development and function, is driven along microtubules by kinesins [1, 2]. The biophysics of force production by various kinesins is known in detail. However, the mechanisms of in vivo transport processes are poorly understood because little is known about how motor-cargo linkages are controlled. A c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein (JIP1) has been identified previously as a linker between kinesin-1 and certain vesicle membrane proteins, such as Alzheimer's APP protein and a reelin receptor ApoER2 [3, 4]. JIPs are also known to be scaffolding proteins for JNK pathway kinases [5, 6]. Here, we report evidence that a Drosophila ubiquitin-specific hydrolase and a JNK signaling pathway that it modulates can regulate a JIP1-kinesin linkage. The JNK pathway includes a MAPKKK (Wallenda/DLK), a MAPKK (Hemipterous/MKK7), and the Drosophila JNK homolog Basket. Genetic tests indicate that those kinases are required for normal axonal transport. Biochemical tests show that activation of Wallenda (DLK) and Hemipterous (MKK7) disrupts binding between kinesin-1 and APLIP1, which is the Drosophila JIP1 homolog. This suggests a control mechanism in which an activated JNK pathway influences axonal transport by functioning as a kinesin-cargo dissociation factor.
Cooperative efforts in individualized education

Computer-based education (CBE) and personalized systems of instruction (PSI) are both remarkably successful tools for instructional delivery in content-based courses. However, CBE and PSI are both primarily designed to minister to the intellect of the student. That is appropriate within the university, but it is not sufficient.
Optimal switching policy of smart actuators in flexible structures

The dynamics of intelligent actuators utilized in vibration control of flexible structures may exhibit nonlinear behavior under extreme environments and/or prolonged/repeated usage. When transitions to nonlinearities are not accounted for in the controller design, they might compromise controller performance and even destabilize the very system they are designed to control. A novel approach that addresses the issue of actuator nonlinearities is presented here. Specifically, the actuators considered are those that at some initial period exhibit linear behavior and enter a nonlinear regime thereafter. The method studied here only utilizes these actuators while on their linear behavior by proposing an optimal activation sequence of these actuators. At a given time interval of fixed length, only a single actuator is activated while the remaining ones are kept dormant. The reason is to ensure that at each time instance, a single actuator with linear dynamics is active. When the active actuator is about to become nonlinear, then the algorithm switches to and activates the next available actuator in an optimal fashion. The optimality of switching is with respect to the minimal cost of an associated LQR performance index that corresponds to each actuator. In the proposed algorithm, a control logic is incorporated that only selects the next actuator to be activated from the set of the remaining actuators that are considered healthy(linear); an example of this would be SMA actuators that had enough time to cool down and thus when activated again can exhibit linear dynamics.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Anxiety sensitivity and interoceptive exposure: a transdiagnostic construct and change strategy.

Recent findings support the relevance of anxiety sensitivity (AS) and interoceptive exposure (IE) across emotional disorders. This study (a) evaluated levels of AS across different anxiety disorders, (b) examined change in AS over the course of transdiagnostic psychological intervention, and its relationship with outcome, and (c) described the implementation of IE to address AS with patients with different anxiety disorders. Participants (N = 54) were patients who received treatment with the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) in two consecutive treatment trials. Participants completed a measure of AS at pre- and posttreatment, and multiple occasions during treatment. Symptom severity was assessed at pre- and posttreatment, and clinical information related to physical symptoms and IE were collected as part of routine clinical practice. Elevated AS was observed at pretreatment across diagnoses and decreases in AS were observed from pre- to posttreatment. Similar changes occurred across the diagnostic categories, notably coinciding with the introduction of IE. Change in AS was correlated with reduced symptom levels at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up. Patients with different anxiety disorders endorsed similar physical symptoms and practiced similar IE exercises with similar effects. Results provide preliminary support for the usefulness of IE as a treatment strategy across the spectrum of anxiety disorders, and additional support for the transdiagnostic relevance of AS.
Evidence for cholinergic muscarinic receptors on mediodorsal thalamic projections to the anterior cingulate cortex

Cholinergic muscarinic receptor binding was analyzed in the rat brain anterior cingulate cortex following lesions of the mediodorsal or anterior thalamic nuclei, or the diagonal band of Broca. A significant change in receptor binding was noted only after lesions of the mediodorsal projection, suggesting that cholinergic muscarinic receptors are located on these terminals. These findings suggest that the projection from the diagonal band of Broca which is cholinergic may act as a modulator of the mediodorsal thalamic projection.
Tempering of martensite: A field ion microscope study

Abstract As-quenched martensite in an Fe-0.88% C-0.45% Mn steel was tempered in the field ion microscope. During the first stage of the tempering process, precipitation of two types of e-carbide is observed—in an ordered fashion along twin planes, and as dispersed random particles in untwinned regions of high dislocation density. Further tempering causes cementite precipitation to occur most rapidly in those regions which contain random e-carbide dispersions. Continued tempering causes the cementite thus nucleated to grow, and causes the transformation of low-carbon martensite to cementite and ferrite to proceed to completion. This is seen by the steady decrease and ultimate absence of the twin boundaries in the image.
A Comparison between Carbon and Nitrogen Abundances of Bright Giants in the Globular Clusters M13, M10, and NGC 7006

Carbon and nitrogen abundances have been derived for red giants in the globular clusters M13, M10, and NGC 7006. These constitute a "second-parameter" trio of clusters having very similar metallicities ([Fe/H] ≈ -1.55) but different horizontal-branch (HB) morphologies, with NGC 7006 having a much higher fraction of red HB stars than either M13 or M10. The red giants observed have absolute magnitudes in the range -2.5 < MV < 0.7 in the case of M13, -1.8 < MV < 0.4 for M10, and -2.1 < MV < -1.2 for the more distant NGC 7006. Most of the spectra were obtained with the Lick Observatory 3 m Shane reflector, supplemented by observations of M10 with the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m telescope. These data were reduced in a homogeneous manner and compared with synthetic spectra computed from model atmospheres in order to derive [C/Fe] abundances from the λ4300 G band and [N/Fe] abundances from the λ3883 CN band. The giants in all three clusters appear to exhibit a common relationship between [C/Fe] and MV in which the carbon abundance becomes increasingly diminished with increasing luminosity on the giant branch. Such behavior was previously discovered for M13 by Suntzeff and is known to occur in other low-metallicity globular clusters, such as M3, M92, and M15, as well as among halo field red giants. The phenomenon is widely recognized as indicating a progressive dredge-up of CNO-processed material from regions close to the H-burning shell within Population II giants. The similarities between the [C/Fe]-MV trends in the three second-parameter clusters indicates that the deep-mixing mechanism is relatively uncorrelated with cluster HB type. This result may be inconsistent with scenarios that rely on rotation to both drive deep mixing within metal-poor red giants and to set the eventual zero-age HB position of these stars, unless there is a threshold for rotation-induced mixing that is well below that needed to delay the He-flash. The nitrogen abundance is found to differ by as much as 1.0 dex between giants in the program clusters and to be anticorrelated with the carbon abundance. It is speculated that the behavior of [N/Fe] with respect to MV can be interpreted as a combination of deep mixing and primordial contributions.
A novel obesity model: Synphilin-1 induced hyperphagia and obesity in mice

Aims—The pathogenesis of obesity remains incompletely understood and the exploration of the role of novel proteins in obesity may provide important insights into its causes and treatments. Here we report a previously unidentified role for synphilin-1 in the controls of food intake and body weight. Synphilin-1, a cytoplasmic protein, was initially identified as an interaction partner of alpha-synuclein, and has implications in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis related to protein aggregation. Subjects and methods—To study the in vivo role of synphilin-1, we characterized a human synphilin-1 transgenic mouse (SP1) by assessing synphilin-1 expression, plasma parameters, food intake and spontaneous activity to determine the major behavioral changes and their consequences in the development of the obesity phenotype. Results—Expression of human synphilin-1 in brain neurons in SP1 mice resulted in increased food intake, body weight and body fat. SP1 mice also displayed hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia and impaired glucose tolerance. Pair-feeding SP1 mice to amounts consumed by non-transgenic mice prevented the increased body weight, adiposity, hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia demonstrating that these were all the consequences of increased food intake. Transgenic expression of synphilin-1 was enriched in hypothalamic nuclei involved in feeding control, and fasting induced elevated endogenous synphilin-1 levels at these sites, suggesting that synphilin-1 is an important player in the hypothalamic energy balance regulatory system. Conclusion—These studies identify a novel function of synphilin-1 in controlling food intake and body weight, and may provide a unique obesity model for future studies of obesity pathogenesis and therapeutics.
More Alike than Different? Comparison of Formerly Incarcerated Youth with and Without Disabilities

We describe and compare the demographic characteristics of incarcerated youth with and without disabilities. These data were gathered as part of a 5-year longitudinal study that examined the experiences of 531 incarcerated youth from Oregon’s juvenile justice system as they left the correctional system on parole and returned to the community. Data on the demographic characteristics of the sample were gathered from files and through interviews conducted while the sample was still in state custody. We compared the two groups on 22 selected variables. Statistical comparisons indicated that the two groups were similar on most variables. The final statistical model indicated that participants with disabilities were more likely to have flunked a grade while in school, been committed to the juvenile correctional system for a person-related crime, and to have been last adjudicated for a felony in an urban setting. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
Influence of an adrenergic potentiator on the ocular response to catecholamines in primates and man.

Influence of an Adrenergic Potentiator on the Ocular Response to Catecholamines in Primates and Man
Managing exchange rate crises: evidence from the 1890s

Abstract This paper investigates the effectiveness of the monetary authority's borrowing policies in resolving exchange rate cises. It shows why obtaining loans or lines of credit in foreign currency may avoid, at least temporarily, the devaluation of a fixed rate, and discusses the problem of the optimal size of the loan and/or the line of credit. The analysis focuses on a particular episode of foreign exchange rate pressure, during the troubled years between 1894 to 1896. The results suggest that the borrowing policy followed by the US Treasury in those years was effective in avoiding the collapse of the United States ' gold standard, and that the amount of the borrowing undertaken by the Treasury might have been optimal.
Correlation Effects in the Two-Dimensional Vibrational Spectroscopy of Coupled Vibrations

Correlated energy shifts in the spectral broadening of coupled vibrational transitions are shown to have clear signatures in infrared two-dimensional dispersed vibrational echo (DVE) spectroscopy. ...
Cancer, disability and public health service providers: better education through informatics and the Supercourse

Improving the performance of service organisations and enhancing the well-being of communities are critical challenges in the field of public health. In this paper, we will discuss issues relating to the issues of cancer disability in the context of information transfer and delivery to public health service providing organisations. This paper will highlight the development of the Global Health Supercourse project (www.pitt.edu/~super1) and its achievements in information transfer in the fields of cancer disability. With increasing life expectancy, cancer and disability became a growing concern in both developing and developed world. Research in the area of cancer disability has been quite limited. Prevention of cancer-related disabilities will involve collaborative efforts among cancer epidemiologists, rehabilitation professionals, physical therapists, nutritionists, medical doctors, nurses and representatives of various public health service providing organisations. IT can potentially serve as a bridge that that can link all these important fields together for the development of productive multidisciplinary research projects. At the same time, IT could serve an important role in translating these important research findings to the classrooms, public health service providing organisations, nurses and educators.
Exploring Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Approaches to Business Communication Research.

With our core focus on teaching and scholarship, business communication teacher-scholars are well placed to become leaders in the international Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) movement....
Cohort Variation in Happiness: Some Hypotheses and Exploratory Analyses.

Research on historical and age differences in well-being suggests that cohort factors explain at least part of the variation in adults' reports of well-being. Theoretical arguments suggest that it is the bases of people's evaluations of their well-being that reflect the characteristic socializing influences of their cohort. Portraits of two cohorts of older adults are drawn from historical and sociological sources and hypotheses about cohort-specific values are tested with data collected by Veroff and his colleagues in 1957 and 1976. Findings do not support the idea that happiness among the adults who produced the post-World War II baby boom is uniquely linked to concerns with marriage and children. Results do provide partial support for the view that adults born before 1900 are distinctive from other cohorts in that their happiness levels are more closely linked with survival needs and more firmly wedded to Protestant ethic values.
Do certified sustainable buildings perform better than similar conventional buildings

The aim of this study is to assess the performance of sustainable buildings. Its objective is to compare certified green buildings with similar in location, size, age and function conventional buildings by testing hypotheses that green buildings perform better than conventional ones. Objective data including building costs, energy and water consumption, material recycling, indoor pollution sources and proximity to public transportation and subjective information on occupant comfort, recycling systems and indoor pollution conditions were gathered by interviews of occupants and engineers of 20 buildings, the 10 certified sustainable buildings in the study area and 10 conventional buildings. Criteria for sustainable performance are (1) the five LEED certification components (2) 39 sustainability performance characteristics or attributes, at least seven within each component. Analyses with non-parametric tests indicate that there is no statistically significant difference between sustainable and conventional buildings in 49% of the attributes. Conventional buildings perform statistically better in 10% of the attributes examined. Green buildings perform better than conventional buildings for the remaining 39% of building performance attributes. We conclude that labelling buildings as sustainable, making use of design and construction plans does not guarantee sustainable building performance and recommend periodic performance evaluation of certified buildings.
Self-similarity of parallel machines

Self-similarity is a property of physical systems that describes how to scale parameters such that dissimilar systems appear to be similar. Computer systems are self-similar if certain ratios of computational forces, also known as computational intensities, are equal. Two machines with different computational power, different network bandwidth and different inter-processor latency behave the same way if they have the same ratios of forces. For the parallel conjugate gradient algorithm studied in this paper, two machines are self-similar if and only if the ratio of one force describing latency effects to another force describing bandwidth effects is the same for both machines. For the two machines studied in this paper, this ratio, which we call the mixing coefficient, is invariant as problem size and processor count change. The two machines have the same mixing coefficient and belong to the same equivalence class.
Human diseases deficient in RecQ helicases

RecQ helicases are conserved from bacteria to man. Mutations in three of the human RecQ family members give rise to genetic disorders characterized by genomic instability and a predisposition to cancer. RecQ helicases are therefore caretakers of the genome, and although they do not directly regulate tumorigenesis, they influence stability and the rate of accumulation of genetic alterations, which in turn, result in tumorigenesis. Maintenance of genome stability by RecQ helicases likely involves their participation in DNA replication, recombination, and repair pathways.
Combinatorial investigations of interfacial failure

Conventional measurements of interfacial strength focus on a single variable, whereas many variables couple nontrivially and simultaneously to define this property. We present a combinatorial methodology that allows the effects of multivariable environments on interfacial strength to be investigated in a high-throughput, parallel, and quantitative manner. This technique is largely based on the theory of Johnson, Kendall, and Roberts that quantifies adhesion through the contact and separation of a spherical lens and flat substrate. For our experiments, we fabricated a combinatorial library consisting of a two-dimensional array of spherical caps and a complementary substrate. The array of spherical caps was brought into contact and subsequently separated from the substrate, whereas the relative displacement and contact area of the individual lenses were recorded. With gradient library-fabrication methods, two adhesion-controlling parameters can be continuously varied along the orthogonal axes of the array. In this manner, each lens quantifies the interfacial strength at a unique point in parameter space. We demonstrate this multilens contact-adhesion test by measuring the effect of temperature and coating thickness on the self-adhesion of polystyrene thin films. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 883–891, 2003
Fire retardancy of polyethylene-alumina trihydrate containing clay as a synergist

The fire behavior of polyethylene combined with alumina trihydrate (ATH) and an oligomerically-modified clay has been studied. The combination of polyethylene with 2.5% inorganic clay and 20% ATH gives a 73% reduction in the peak heat release rate (PHRR), which is the same as that obtained when 40% ATH is used alone. A further increase in the clay loading does not improve the fire properties. Mechanical properties, such as elongation at break, can be improved in comparing compounds with or without clay at the same reduction in PHRR. The oligomerically-modified clay can also facilitate the melt blending process. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Use of Cognitive Taxonomies in Licensure and Certification Test Development: Reasonable or Customary?.

This research addressed the functioning of a cognitive taxonomy within the test specifications of a health sciences certification examination. The research investigated whether test items written purposefully to assess the higher order cognitive processes provided evidence of assessing differing levels of cognitive processing. Overall, the results yielded no support for the continuing use of a hierarchical cognitive classification dimension for the test specifications. Implications of the researchfor test specifications development, test construction, item writing, and score reporting are presented. Limitations and suggestionsforfuture research are provided.
Hypnic tonic postural seizures in healthy children provide evidence for a partial epileptic syndrome of frontal lobe origin

Summary: In the pediatric age period, three idiopathic partial epileptic syndromes are recognized: benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes, childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms, and primary reading epilepsy. All other partial epilepsies are considered cryptogenic, and no other idiopathic partial epilepsies have been recognized. We observed 10 children with tonic partial postural seizures, mainly hypnic, coinciding with a recognizable ictal epileptiform EEG pattern. The children all had normal neuropsychological development before and after seizure onset. The seizures were tractable in all. Onset was in the early pediatric age period; no other type of seizure was recognized. The occurrence of a family history of epilepsy was high. The seizure pattern was typical of supplementary motor area origin. Because of the normal neuropsychological status, high familial incidence of epilepsy, and benign course of this partial epilepsy, we believe it should be considered idiopathic, using the criteria of the International Classification of Epilepsies and Epileptic Syndromes. We therefore suggest the existence of a partial idiopathic epileptic syndrome having onset with seizures of frontal lobe origin.
Bénéfices potentiels des traitements non anti-infectieux du choc septique : analyse critique de la littérature

Among numerous non anti-infective treatments proposed in the management of severe sepsis and septic shock, early administration of steroids and recombinant human activated protein C are the most studied and the major source of debate. Patients with functional adrenal insufficiency appear to be the best cases for early treatment with low doses of hydrocortisone. However, definition of adrenal dysfunction, interpretation of cortisol blood concentration and its appropriateness, investigation of the hypothamalo-pituitary-adrenal axis and value of corticotropin stimulation test are matter of discussion. Similarly, recombinant human activated protein C might be beneficial in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock but the results of clinical trials are controversial. Structure of the PROWESS pivotal study, post hoc analyses of numerous subgroups, use of severity scoring system for selection of the patients, unproven mechanisms of action of activated Protein C, interactions with combined treatments represent major sources of confusion and of debate in the analysis of the trials. Non anti-infective treatments should be considered in selected patients when appropriate conventional treatments have been implemented. Use of these new treatments should bring additional improvement in the prognosis in severely ill patients at high risk of death.
Comparison of measured and forecast–based vertical ozone profiles in the lowest 3 km of the atmosphere over the Eastern US during summer 2007

Abstract In this paper we compare observed vertical profiles of ozone (O 3 ) and meteorological parameters below 3 km with those based on an air quality forecast model at 14 locations across the eastern US during the summer of 2007. Segregating the vertical profiles into nighttime (0100 to 0500 EST), morning (0600 to 1200 EST), and afternoon (1300 to 1700 EST), the average observed and predicted O 3 profile patterns showed good agreement above 600 m with
The persistence of ideological cleavage in voting on abortion legislation in the House of Representatives, 1973-1988.

The longitudinal analysis reported here applies the same regression model to 54 roll calls on abortion bills in the House of Representatives during the eight Congresses from 1973 to 1988. A Guttman Scaling procedure is used that allows comparison across the eight Houses. The strongest predictor in all eight Houses is the ADA score followed by religion (Catholic, non-Catholic) ; representatives who vote liberal and who are non-Catholics tend to be pro-choice. Religion seems to be the likely reason why party is not a significant predictor of voting on abortion. To validate that hypothesis, separate regressions are created for Democrats and Republicans since 1981, and the results show that deviations among Democrats from pro-choice voting is due largely to religion. However, the causal relationship between ideology and pro-choice voting has been strengthened across these four Houses with an accompanying decline in the importance of religion. So a realignment in the House may be occurring given that Catholic ...
Skinaid: A virtual reality system to aid in the skin cancer prevention and pain treatment

For the past 30 years, Melanoma incidence rates have been increasingly high. Though most people diagnosed with skin cancer have higher chances to cure, Melanoma survival rates are lower than non-Melanoma skin cancer. As more new cases of skin cancer are being diagnosed in the U.S. each year, a system to prevent this type of skin cancer is being awaited and is highly in-demand. Unprotected exposure to UV radiation and consuming certain foods are considered to be the most important risk factors for skin cancer. In this paper, we propose a novel smart-phone based virtual reality system to aid in the skin cancer prevention and pain treatment. Our proposed system consists of two stages, prevention stage and treatment stage. In the prevention stage, we capture user environmental data (i.e. UV radiation level and image of foods) and plug it into the system to alert the user at real-time to prevent risks associated with developing the skin cancer disease. In this stage, we present an image food recognition technique, where the user will be able to capture images of different food items, and our system will analyze/process the images and alert the user at real-time to avoid consuming certain types of food if it belongs to the dangerous and/or risky list. The idea here is to introduce a fast, convenient and efficient food classification method to alert the user if the food item (whose image has been captured) is harmful. This work introduces convenient steps for automating the process of food item identification and differentiation from the background image. Experimental results on a number of food images confirms the efficiency of our technique. In the second stage, different techniques will be introduced to aid in the treatment of skin cancer pain. In this paper, however, we only focus on image processing techniques for identifying/classifying the food item in the prevention stage, and the complete system implementation is left as our future plan.
Editor's Choice: Post-Testing in Developmental Education: A Success Story

Georgia's technical colleges and state university system have entered into an agreement that guarantees that five courses will transfer from technical colleges to the university system colleges. The agreement requires that all students requiring development work successfully test out of developmental studies before entering college-level courses in English and math. As initial scores at one technical college were dismal, a committee identified problems and created solutions. Results have shown marked improvement.
Grafts in rhinoplasty: alloplastic vs. autogenous.

Over the past 15 years, grafts have been used with increasing frequency during rhinoplasty procedures as the transition has been made from reductive rhinoplasty to augmentation or restructuring rhinoplasty. There are a number of grafting materials available, including autogenous materials (bone, cartilage), homograft materials (rib cartilage, dermis), and a wide variety of synthetic or alloplastic materials. With regard to the autogenous materials, cartilage has been the mainstay for augmentation in rhinoplasty. Bone is used infrequently because it often yields unsatisfactory results in the aesthetic appearance of the nose, and has problems with graft resorption. I will therefore not discuss bone herein. This article focuses on the differences between autogenous cartilage implants and synthetic materials, in particular expanded PTFE (Gore-tex; WL Gore & Associates Inc, Flagstaff, Ariz). Certainly, there is no argument that autogenous grafts, in particular cartilaginous grafts, are superior as a grafting material in rhinoplasty for a variety of reasons. Cartilaginous grafts are considered the criterion standard by many authors. The more debatable issue is in the case where substantial dorsal augmentation is required: is autologous material preferable to synthetic? Arguments to both support and refute the notion that autologous cartilage is superior will be presented here. Overall, the ideal implant should have biocompatible physical properties. It should retain constant shape and volume and be nonresorbable. Removal should be easy, and migration should not be a problem. As well, the implant should be easily modified and molded, readily available, and cost-effective. On a microscopic level, there should be no inflammatory response, and there should be resistance to infection. The tissue should not degrade, transmit disease, or act as a carcinogen. These characteristics apply to implants throughout the body. Another desirable characteristic with respect to the nose is that in the area of thin skin over the upper dorsum, the implant should be easily camouflaged. These issues as they pertain to both the autogenous and synthetic graft will be addressed and conclusions offered. While comparison of the aesthetic results is impossible and has not been evaluated in a series, patient satisfaction and revision rates will be emphasized. The wide variety of synthetic materials that have been used for the purpose of rhinoplasty is an indication of the need for a perfect alloplastic implant. Through the years, numerous synthetic materials have had relatively high complication rates. I will address only 2 synthetic implants that continue to be used frequently: silicone and expanded PTFE. Silicone is widely used in rhinoplasty for the Asian patient, and the issues relative to this procedure will be addressed. Expanded PTFE has been gaining in popularity over the past 10 years, and results after long-term follow-up will be assessed. PRO
Psychological and Physiological Correlates of a Brief Intervention to Enhance Self-Regulation in Patients with Fibromyalgia

ObjectivesThe main objectives of this study were to determine whether training and practice of a brief focused breathing technique is associated with improvements in physiological reactivity to a standard laboratory stressor [cold pressor test] and improvements in affect [anxiety, depression], self-efficacy, fatigue, sleep quality, and pain measures.MethodsThe patients for this study were diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome [N = 20]. Study patients completed an initial laboratory assessment including a diaphragmatic breathing training session. Patients were instructed to practice the technique for three 10-min sessions daily and returned to the lab for a second assessment after two weeks.ResultsAll study patients showed significant improvements in pain severity, fatigue, pain self-efficacy, cold pressor tolerance, and heart rate variability indices between the two laboratory assessments.ConclusionsThe study results suggest that the practice of a brief diaphragmatic breathing technique is associated with ...
Perturbation methods applied to the reflections of radio waves from the ionosphere

Abstract A perturbation approach to the problem of determining the electromagnetic field reflected from the ionosphere is presented. It is shown that by treating the earth's field of magnetic induction as a perturbation, Maxwell's equations and the constitutive relationship are considerably simplified. First order approximations for the field reflected from a homogeneous sharply bounded ionosphere are found. The perturbation method to be developed has certain limitations which are discussed.
Early interfaced neural activity from chronic amputated nerves.

Direct interfacing of transected peripheral nerves with advanced robotic prosthetic devices has been proposed as a strategy for achieving natural motor control and sensory perception of such bionic substitutes, thus fully functionally replacing missing limbs in amputees. Multi-electrode arrays placed in the brain and peripheral nerves have been used successfully to convey neural control of prosthetic devices to the user. However, reactive gliosis, micro hemorrhages, axonopathy and excessive inflammation, currently limit their long-term use. Here we demonstrate that enticement of peripheral nerve regeneration through a non-obstructive multi-electrode array, after either acute or chronic nerve amputation, offers a viable alternative to obtain early neural recordings and to enhance long-term interfacing of nerve activity. Non restrictive electrode arrays placed in the path of regenerating nerve fibers allowed the recording of action potentials as early as 8 days post-implantation with high signal-to-noise ratio, as long as 3 months in some animals, and with minimal inflammation at the nerve tissue-metal electrode interface. Our findings suggest that regenerative on-dependent multi-electrode arrays of open design allow the early and stable interfacing of neural activity from amputated peripheral nerves and might contribute towards conveying full neural control and sensory feedback to users of robotic prosthetic devices. .
Care of the end-stage renal disease patient on dialysis in the ED.

End-stage renal disease is a major public health problem. In the United States, more than 350000 patients are being treated with either hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Given the high burden of comorbidities in these patients, it is imperative that emergency physicians be aware of the complexities of caring for acute illnesses in this population. This article reviews the common medical problems that bring patients with end-stage renal disease to the emergency department, and their evaluation and management.
THE GUINEA‐PIG I‐REGION: III. DISTRIBUTION OF Ia ANTIGENS IN INBRED AND PARTIALLY INBRED STRAINS

We have used a combined serologic and structural approach to study the distribution of I-region associated (Ia) antigens in nine strains of inbred and partially inbred guinea-pigs. All of the inbred strains studied with the exception of strain 2 animals were found to share one or more I-subregions with inbred strain 13 animals. The BIOAD, R9, OM3, and BIOAC strains have the same I-region as strain 13 animals; the B/Lac strain has two subregions in common with strain 13, while the BIOB strain has a single subregion in common with strain 13. The availability of a number of different guinea-pig strains with well-characterized major histocompatibility complexes should facilitate the continuing use of this species in studies of immunogenetics, transplantation, and tumour immunology.
Interactions of plakoglobin and beta-catenin with desmosomal cadherins: basis of selective exclusion of alpha- and beta-catenin from desmosomes.

Plakoglobin and β-catenin are homologous armadillo repeat proteins found in adherens junctions, where they interact with the cytoplasmic domain of classical cadherins and with α-catenin. Plakoglobin, but normally not β-catenin, is also a structural constituent of desmosomes, where it binds to the cytoplasmic domains of the desmosomal cadherins, desmogleins and desmocollins. Here, we report structural, biophysical, and biochemical studies aimed at understanding the molecular basis of selective exclusion of β-catenin and α-catenin from desmosomes. The crystal structure of the plakoglobin armadillo domain bound to phosphorylated E-cadherin shows virtually identical interactions to those observed between β-catenin and E-cadherin. Trypsin sensitivity experiments indicate that the plakoglobin arm domain by itself is more flexible than that of β-catenin. Binding of plakoglobin and β-catenin to the intracellular regions of E-cadherin, desmoglein1, and desmocollin1 was measured by isothermal titration calorimetry. Plakoglobin and β-catenin bind strongly and with similar thermodynamic parameters to E-cadherin. In contrast, β-catenin binds to desmoglein-1 more weakly than does plakoglobin. β-Catenin and plakoglobin bind with similar weak affinities to desmocollin-1. Full affinity binding of desmoglein-1 requires sequences C-terminal to the region homologous to the catenin-binding domain of classical cadherins. Although pulldown assays suggest that the presence of N- and C-terminal β-catenin “tails” that flank the armadillo repeat region reduces the affinity for desmosomal cadherins, calorimetric measurements show no significant effects of the tails on binding to the cadherins. Using purified proteins, we show that desmosomal cadherins and α-catenin compete directly for binding to plakoglobin, consistent with the absence of α-catenin in desmosomes.
Controlled drop tensiometer for measuring dynamic interfacial and film tension

A dynamic interfacial tensiometer described measures the tension of stressed liquid-liquid interfaces. In this accurate and controlled method, the time-dependent pressure difference across the curved interface of a spherical drop, immersed in a second immiscible phase, is measured as a function of time. Dynamic experiments are conducted by varying the drop size, therby stressing the interface. The technique is eminently suited for the measurement of static and dynamic interfacial tensions, the study of the diffusion, adsorption, and desorption kinetics of surfactants, and the rheological behavior of liquid films. These capabilities are demonstrated for n-dodecane contacted with an aqueous solution of a nonionic surfactant. To explain the phenomena, diffusion models are developed that compare well with the experimental data. The noninvasiveness and versatility make this instrument a useful tool.
The role of purpose in life in healthy identity formation: A grounded model

Researchers contend that committing to an inspiring purpose in life is an important component of healthy identity development for adolescents; however, little research has focused on how identity and purpose develop together. Therefore, the study followed a sample of eight adolescent purpose exemplars for five years in order to develop a grounded model of the way these two constructs interact. Findings suggest that for adolescent purpose exemplars, the processes of identity formation and purpose development reinforce one another; the development of purpose supports the development of identity, and the development of identity reinforces purposeful commitments. Furthermore, in the adolescent purpose exemplars' lives, the purpose and identity constructs largely overlap in such a way that what individuals hope to accomplish in their lives serves as the basis of the adults they hope to become. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Portion control for the treatment of obesity in the primary care setting.

The increasing prevalence of obesity is a significant health threat and a major public health challenge. A critical need exists to develop and evaluate practical methods for the treatment of obesity in the clinical setting. One of the factors contributing to the obesity epidemic is food portion sizes. Limited data are available on the efficacy of visual or tactile devices designed to enhance patient understanding and control of portion sizes. A portion control plate is a commercially-available product that can provide visual cues of portion size and potentially contribute to weight loss by enhancing portion size control among obese patients. This tool holds promise as a useful adjunct to dietary counseling. Our objective was to evaluate a portion control intervention including dietary counseling and a portion control plate to facilitate weight loss among obese patients in a primary care practice. We randomized 65 obese patients [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 and < 40] to an intervention including counseling by a dietitian incorporating a portion control plate or to usual care. Following initial consultation, patients in the intervention arm were contacted at 1, 3, and 5 months by the dietician for brief follow-up counseling. Usual care subjects received instructional handouts on diet and exercise. Forty-two (65%) subjects returned to have weight assessed at 6 months. Subjects in the portion control intervention had a greater percentage change (± SD) in weight from baseline at 3 months (-2.4% ± 3.7% vs. -0.5% ± 2.2%; p = 0.041) and a non significant trend in weight change from baseline at 6 months (-2.1% ± 3.8% vs. -0.7% ± 3.7%; p = 0.232) compared with usual care. Nearly one-half of patients assigned to the portion control intervention who completed the study reported the overall intervention was helpful and the majority would recommend it to others. Our findings suggest that a portion control intervention incorporating dietary counseling and a portion control plate may be effective for enhancing weight loss among obese subjects. A portion control intervention deserves further evaluation as a weight control strategy in the primary care setting. Current controlled trials NCT01451554
Glueomics: An Expression Survey of the Adhesive Gland of the Sandcastle Worm

Random clones were sequenced from a cDNA library constructed from the adhesive gland of Phragmatopoma californica, a marine polycheate that builds protective shells by gluing together sand grains and biogenic mineral fragments. As many as 14 new proteins and two phenoloxidase enzymes were found that may be structural components of or involved in processing the bioadhesive. Glue protein classification was based on the following criteria: (i) the presence of predicted secretion signal peptides, (ii) low complexity sequences, (iii) strongly skewed amino acid compositions enriched with G, Y, K, H, A, or S, (iv) repeating peptide motifs, and (v) homology to known glue proteins, other structural proteins, or enzymes. The new genes provide probes for further characterization of the adhesive gland as well as potential biotechnological resources and insight.
Rate of absorption of carotene and of vitamin A from the alimentary tract of dairy calves. I. Effect of method of administration.

Summary Carotene and vitamin A given at the rate of 1000 I.U. per lb. of body weight of calf were administered, respectively, by nipple feeder, stomach tube and gelatin capsule. Comparisons of initial blood plasma carotenoid and vitamin A levels with those 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hr. after feeding the vitamin substances were employed as criteria of the rates of absorption. Carotene and vitamin A dispersed in milk by homogenization and fed by nipple were absorbed more rapidly than similar preparations administered by stomach tube. The rates of absorption of carotene and of vitamin A from concentrates administered by gelatin capsules were somewhat less rapid than those resulting from the foregoing procedures. The rate of absorption of vitamin A by calves restricted to whole milk was less rapid than the rate of uptake by the same calves after having received a diet of reconstituted buttermilk, hay and grain concentrates for approximately 8 wk. Conversely, the rate of absorption of carotene was more rapid under the former dietary regime than under the latter.