cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increment detection thresholds during binocular rivalry suppression

In two experiments, two-choice forced-choice duration thresholds for increment test flashes were estimated during phases of rivalry suppression and nonsuppression and for a nonrivalry monocular control condition. In both experiments thresholds of both eyes of each S were measured and, to maximize correct detections, feedback was given after every trial and Ss were relieved of the task of continually reporting changes in rivalry phases. Results of both experiments support the conclusion that suppression constitutes an elevation in threshold, on the order of .5 log units relative to thresholds found during nonsuppression and monocular conditions. These data, in concert with others, reinforce the general conclusion that rivalry suppression is an inhibitory state that nonselectively attenuates all classes of inputs falling within the spatial boundaries of the suppressed target.
Brimonidine tartrate 0.15%, dorzolamide hydrochloride 2%, and brinzolamide 1% compared as adjunctive therapy to prostaglandin analogs.

Objective To compare the efficacy of brimonidine, dorzolamide, and brinzolamide in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) when used as adjunctive therapy to a prostaglandin analog (PGA). Design Randomized, controlled, investigator-masked, single-site, parallel-group clinical trial. Participants One hundred twenty eyes of 120 patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who had inadequate IOP control after at least 6 weeks of monotherapy with a once-daily PGA (bimatoprost, latanoprost, or travoprost). Intervention Study eyes were assigned randomly to adjunctive treatment with thrice-daily brimonidine tartrate 0.15% (n = 41), dorzolamide hydrochloride 2% (n = 40), or brinzolamide 1% (n = 39) for 4 months. Main Outcome Measures Efficacy was evaluated by IOP measured at 10 am and 4 pm at baseline, month 1, and month 4. Results The mean IOP at each hour at PGA-treated baseline was comparable among treatment groups. After initiation of adjunctive therapy, the mean IOP was lower and the mean change from baseline IOP was greater in the brimonidine group than in either the dorzolamide group or the brinzolamide group at 10 am and 4 pm at months 1 and 4 ( P P Conclusions The addition of brimonidine to a PGA provided greater IOP lowering than the addition of either dorzolamide or brinzolamide. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relative long-term efficacy and tolerability of these medications as adjunctive therapy to a PGA. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Brain anatomy differences in childhood stuttering.

Abstract Stuttering is a developmental speech disorder that occurs in 5% of children with spontaneous remission in approximately 70% of cases. Previous imaging studies in adults with persistent stuttering found left white matter deficiencies and reversed right–left asymmetries compared to fluent controls. We hypothesized that similar differences might be present indicating brain development differences in children at risk of stuttering. Optimized voxel-based morphometry compared gray matter volume (GMV) and diffusion tensor imaging measured fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter tracts in 3 groups: children with persistent stuttering, children recovered from stuttering, and fluent peers. Both the persistent stuttering and recovered groups had reduced GMV from normal in speech-relevant regions: the left inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral temporal regions. Reduced FA was found in the left white matter tracts underlying the motor regions for face and larynx in the persistent stuttering group. Contrary to previous findings in adults who stutter, no increases were found in the right hemisphere speech regions in stuttering or recovered children and no differences in right–left asymmetries. Instead, a risk for childhood stuttering was associated with deficiencies in left gray matter volume while reduced white matter integrity in the left hemisphere speech system was associated with persistent stuttering. Anatomical increases in right hemisphere structures previously found in adults who stutter may have resulted from a lifetime of stuttering. These findings point to the importance of considering the role of neuroplasticity during development when studying persistent forms of developmental disorders in adults.
The crystal structure of trimethyl(quinuclidine)aluminum

Abstract The crystal structure of (CH 3 ) 3 Al·NC 7 H 13 has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data collected by film techniques. The unit cell is monoclinic with a =8.94±0.02 A, b =10.66±0.02 A;, c =6.84±0.02 A;, β=106° 19′±10′, and contains two formula units of the monomeric compound. The space group is P 2 1 / m . Approximately tetrahedral coordination is found about the aluminum atom, and the aluminum-nitrogen bond length is 2.06 A. Viewed along the aluminum-nitrogen bond, the methyl groups appear in a staggered configuration with respect to the methylene groups of the quinuclidine molecule.
Anatomical relationship between crural diaphragm and lower oesophageal sphincter: an electrophysiological study

We performed electrophysiological studies in 12 normal, healthy subjects to determine the relative locations of the lower oesophageal sphincter, crural diaphragm and squamocolumnar junction. Oesophagogastric junction pressure, crural diaphragm electromyogram and mucosal potential difference were measured using a specially designed catheter. This catheter had a side hole to measure pressure and electrodes placed around the side hole for crural diaphragm electromyogram recordings. Mucosal potential difference was measured at the side hole that measured pressure. Recordings were obtained using a motorized rapid pullthrough at a constant speed of 0.85 cm/sec. Rapid pullthroughs were performed under the following conditions: (a) end expiration (diaphragm relaxed), (b) during a sustained maximal contraction of the diaphragm, and (c) during 50% of maximal diaphragmatic contraction. Our results show that the lower oesophageal sphincter is 4.4 cm in length, 2 cm of which is located in the abdomen. The crural diaphragm is 1.7 cm in length and surrounds the proximal half of the lower oesophageal sphincter. The squamocolumnar junction is located in the upper half of the lower oesophageal sphincter in the majority of subjects. The relative location of the lower oesophageal sphincter to the crural diaphragm does not change during diaphragmatic contraction. We conclude that a part of the lower oesophageal sphincter is located in the abdomen. The intra-abdominal location of the lower oesophageal sphincter may be important for its anti-reflux barrier function.
An Ordered Relatedness Metric for Relevance Identification

In this paper we introduce a WordNet relations-based metric to determine semantic relatedness. Semantic relatedness is used to identify the degree of relevance between a review's text and a submission's text in order to determine whether the review pertains to the right submission. We use only Word Net since using additional corpuses or knowledge resources to determine similarity would be time consuming, especially when the metric is used to perform token-based pair wise comparison across documents. We compare our semantic relatedness metric with path and content-based measures that use only Word Net. We show that our metric is better than the other relatedness metrics at identifying relevance of academic reviews from Expertiza, a collaborative web-based learning application. We also show that our semantic relatedness metric produces higher correlations than most of the other metrics on the WordSim353 and Rubenstein & Good enough datasets.
Multicast Relay Strategies with Local and Global Power Constraints for Wireless Networks

Cooperative diversity helps combat fading over wireless links by using relay layers. The relay nodes reduce the end-to-end path loss between a source node and a destination node by amplifying and rebroadcasting the attenuated signals. In some applications, one needs to broadcast data to multiple destination terminals. In this paper, we devise MMSE relay strategies for such scenarios and study the cases of both a desired target SNR performance and a relay network with power constrained nodes. We propose three relay strategies: one strategy enforces a target SNR at each node; another strategy limits the power consumption by each node; and a third strategy limits the power consumption by the entire network.
D3 Phosphoinositides and Outside-in integrin Signaling by Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa Mediate Platelet Actin Assembly and Filopodial Extension Induced by Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) uncaps a small number of the fast-growing (barbed) ends of actin filaments, thereby eliciting slow actin assembly and extension of filopodia in human blood platelets. These reactions, which also occur in response to immunologic perturbation of the integrin glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa, are sensitive to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Platelets deficient in GPIIb-IIIa integrins or with GPIIb-IIIa function inhibited by calcium chelation or the peptide RGDS have diminished PMA responsiveness. The effects of PMA contrast with thrombin receptor stimulation by ≥5 μM thrombin receptor-activating peptide (TRAP), which causes rapid and massive wortmannin-insensitive actin assembly and lamellar and filopodial extension. However, we show here that wortmannin can inhibit filopod formation if the thrombin receptor is ligated using suboptimal doses (
Monitoring the news: a TDT demonstration system

We describe a demonstration system built upon Topic Detection and Tracking (TDT) technology. The demonstration system monitors a stream of news stories, organizes them into clusters that represent topics, presents the clusters to a user, and visually describes the changes that occur in those clusters over time. A user may also mark certain clusters as interesting, so that they can be "tracked" more easily.
Students' Perceptions of and Satisfaction with Group Grades and the Group Experience in the College Classroom

The group approach to learning is widely accepted by higher education researchers as an effective teaching and learning tool. While there are numerous instructional, learning and social communication advantages for both students and teachers using group projects in the college classroom, a need exists for a better understanding of group projects from the student's perspective. The purpose of this investigation was to measure students' perceptions of group grades and group satisfaction on group projects in the college classroom. A cohort of 230 students from a large southern metropolitan university enrolled in sections of Group Interaction and Decision Making and Conflict Management classes participated in this study. The major findings of this study revealed that: (i) the less group grade experience that a student has, the more likely they are to agree that everyone in the group deserves the same group grade; (ii) students who work part-time are more likely to think that a group grade is a fair assessment...
COMPLETE WETTING IN SUPERSYMMETRIC QCD : OR WHY QCD STRINGS CAN END ON DOMAIN WALLS

As argued by Witten on the basis of M theory, QCD strings can end on domain walls. We present an explanation of this effect in the framework of effective field theories for the Polyakov loop and the gluino condensate in N=1 supersymmetric QCD. The domain walls separating confined phases with different values of the gluino condensate are completely wet by a layer of deconfined phase at the high-temperature phase transition. As a consequence, even at low temperatures, the Polyakov loop has a nonvanishing expectation value on the domain wall. Thus, close to the wall, the free energy of a static quark is finite and the string emanating from it can end on the wall. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Evidence for selective inhibitory impairment in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Objective The social and communicative challenges faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often compounded by additional difficulties with executive function. It remains unclear, however, to what the extent individuals with ASD experienced impairment in inhibitory control. The objective of the present study was to assess the three main subtypes of executive inhibitory control within a single ASD sample thus providing new insight into the unique ASD-related pattern of sparing and impairment observed across different aspects of inhibitory control. Method A sample of 28 children with ASD (mean age = 13.1 years) and a comparison group of 49 neurologically uncompromised children (mean age = 13.3 years) participated. A prepotent response inhibition task, a flanker visual filtering task, and a proactive interference memory task were used to evaluate prepotent response inhibition, resistance to distracter interference, and resistance to proactive interference, respectively. Results After accounting for individual differences in noninhibition abilities (e.g., processing speed) and overall level of functioning, there was no evidence of group-related differences in inhibitory performance on the prepotent response inhibition test or proactive interference test. ASD-related impairments in inhibitory control were evident, however, on the flanker visual filtering task. Conclusions Taken together, the present findings indicate that ASD is associated with impairments in some, but not all, aspects of inhibitory control. Individuals with ASD appear to have difficulty ignoring distracting visual information, but prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference are relatively intact. The current findings also provide support for a multitype model of inhibitory control.
Modeling the modification of the risk of radon-induced lung cancer by environmental tobacco smoke.

The presence of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in homes has been implicated in the causation of lung cancer. While of interest in its own right, ETS also influences the risk imposed by radon and its decay products. The interaction between radon progeny and ETS alters the exposure, intake, uptake, biokinetics, dosimetry, and radiobiology of those progeny. The present paper details model predictions of the various influences of ETS on these factors in the U.S. population and provides estimates of the resulting change in the risk from average levels of radon progeny. It is predicted that the presence of ETS produces a very small (perhaps unmeasurable) increase in the risk of radiation-induced tracheobronchial cancer in homes with initially very high particle concentrations for both active and never-smokers, but significantly lowers the risk in homes with initially lower particle concentrations for both groups when generation 4 of the lung is considered the target site. For generation 16, the presence of ETS generally increases the radon-induced risk of lung cancer, although the increase should be unmeasurable at high initial particle concentrations. The net effect of ETS on human health is suggested to be a complicated function of the initial housing conditions, the concentration of particles introduced by smoking, the target generation considered, and the smoking status of exposed populations. This situation precludes any simple statements concerning the role of ETS in governing the incidence of lung cancer in a population.
Presence and biomagnification of organochlorine chemical residues in oxbow lakes of northeastern Louisiana.

Ninety-eight samples of 16 species of animals were collected at Lake Providence, 88 samples of 15 species at Lake Bruin, and 21 samples of 5 species at Lake St. John, Louisiana, between 15 July and 25 September 1980. Residues of 13 organochlorine compounds were identified in these samples. Substantial concentrations of many of these compounds throughout the food webs of all three lakes showed that the lakes act as sumps, accumulating residues from nearby agricultural land. DDT and its metabolites (DDE, TDE, and DDMU), toxaphene, and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) were the principal Organochlorine residues detected. With few exceptions, biomagnification of the principal residues was clearly illustrated. Tertiary consumers such as green-backed heron (Butorides striatus), snakes, spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) contained the highest residues. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochims), blacktail shiner (Notopis venustus), yellow-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax violaceus), and other secondary consumers contained lower levels of residues. Primary consumers, crayfish (Orconectes lancifer) and threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), contained relatively low residue levels of most of the compounds. Frogs contained lower residue levels than expected based on their position in the food web. It is suggested that residue levels in immature green-backed herons and one or more of the longer-lived predators such as snakes, gars, or largemouth bass could be monitored to evaluate levels of Organochlorine chemical contaminants in aquatic habitats.
INFLUENCE OF INHIBITORS AND TEMPERATURE ON THE OSCILLATION OF REDUCED PYRIDINE NUCLEOTIDES IN YEAST CELLS.

Abstract The oscillation of the level of reduced pyridine nucleotides of yeast cells in the aerobic-anaerobic transition can be terminated by dinitrophenol, arsenate, or deoxyglucose as well as with acetaldehyde and acetate. This suggests that both the ATP-ADP and the DPNH-DPN systems, for which control functions in glycolysis have been postulated, are involved in the generation of the oscillations. The frequency of the cycles has a large temperature coefficient fairly constant between 20 ° and 40 °, but distinctly larger in the range below 20 °.
An alternative procedure for assessing effects of psychological androgyny.

-Previous research on psychological androgyny has used either one-way analysis of variance or multiple regression to examine the impact of masculinity and femininity on behavior and attitudes. This paper describes a twoway analysis of variance procedure which permits a test for a potential interaction effect of masculinity and femininity. The utility of the procedure was demonstrated through an analysis of the effects of the masculinity and femininity factors of the Bern Sex-role Inventory on the expected family size of 264 college women.
The role of panel studies in research on economic behavior

Abstract The analytic and monetary costs and benefits of panel surveys are assessed in light of experiences from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, an 18-year panel survey on the economic status and behavior of the U.S. population. The analytic benefits of panel are formidable, ranging from description of gross change to various analytic advantages of continous and discrete time modelling. Analytic costs such as the conditioning of responses in subsequent participation or nonresponse bias are possible in panel surveys, but their effects can be minimized with proper data collection procedures and analytic adjustments. Surprisingly, the monetary costs of panel surveys are less than the costs of comparable repeated cross-sectional surveys.
The photoresponse of CdS/CuInSe 2 thin-film heterojunction solar cells

The effect of light bias on the spectral current response and spectral capacitance characteristics of CdS/CuInSe 2 thin-film heterojunction solar cells has been investigated. Monochromatic light bias has been used to identify specific wavelength regions responsible for the spectral behavior seen under white light bias. Variations with light or voltage bias are consistent with the effect of the field on interface recombination in both high and low CdS resistivity devices. Devices with high CdS resistivity show spectrally dependent enhancement and quenching effects very similar to those reported for CdS/Cu 2 S devices in which the space charge region was primarily in the CdS. It is concluded that in high CdS resistivity devices the junction behavior is controlled by the photoconductive CdS as has been established in CdS/Cu 2 S cells. Low CdS resistivity CdS/CuInSe 2 devices show none of these effects.
Petrogenesis of gabbronorite at Yakobi and northwest Chichagof Islands, Alaska

On Yakobi Island and at Mirror Harbor on the northwest coast of Chichagof Island, gabbronorite occurs as irregular bodies, as much as 5.5 km in maximum dimension, mostly within a 40 to 43 m.y. composite pluton consisting largely of tonalite. The gab-bronorites are the host rocks for a magmatic nickel-copper sulfide deposit consisting predominantly of pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and chalcopyrite. The gabbronorites characteristically have more orthopyroxene than augite and have a significant amount of hornblende. Rock types mapped as gabbronorite range from hornblende pyroxenite to hornblende-pyroxene gabbronorite to quartz-bearing norite and gabbronorite. The tonalite pluton is composed of hornblende diorite, biotite-hornblende diorite, hornblende quartz diorite, biotite-hornblende tonalite, and biotite granodiorite. Contacts between types of gabbronorite are generally gradational on a scale of centimetres to metres; contacts between gabbronorite and the tonalite pluton are gradational on a scale of metres to tens of metres. Rock textures, pyroxene-hornblende relations, and rock and mineral chemistry of the gabbronorites show systematic changes as the gabbronorites grade into the tonalites. The field, petrographic, and chemical data, including trace-element abundances, of the gabbronorites and tonalite pluton rocks can best be explained by either (1) crystallization of gabbronorite from a tholeiitic magma with subsequent assimilation by tonalite that was simultaneously undergoing fractional crystallization or (2) fractional crystallization of a quartz diorite parent magma yielding the range of gabbronorites and tonalite pluton rocks.
Reduced levels of hsp90 compromise steroid receptor action in vivo

Signalling by steroid hormones is mediated by receptor proteins that bind hormonal ligands and regulate the transcription of specific genes. The heat-shock protein hsp90 seems to associate selectively with unliganded receptors (aporeceptors), but it has not been determined whether this interaction affects receptor function in vivo. To address the role of hsp90, we have taken advantage of the capacity of mammalian steroid receptors to function in yeast. We constructed a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in which hsp90 expression was regulatable and could be reduced more than 20-fold relative to wild type. At low levels of hsp90, aporeceptors seem to be mostly hsp90-free, yet fail to enhance transcription; on hormone addition, the receptors are activated but with markedly reduced efficiency. Thus hsp90 does not inhibit receptor function solely by steric interference; rather, hsp90 seems to facilitate the subsequent response of the aporeceptor to the hormonal signal. This is the first biological evidence that hsp90 acts in the signal transduction pathway for steroid receptors.
Heterozygosity for the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) gene products results in increased astrocyte numbers and decreased p27-Kip1 expression in TSC2+/− cells

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant tumor predisposition syndrome characterized by benign proliferations (hamartomas). In the brain, individuals with TSC develop autism, mental retardation and seizures associated with focal cortical dysplasias, subependymal nodules, and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs). We hypothesize that dysregulated astrocyte function due to mutations in the tumor suppressor genes, TSC1 and TSC2, may contribute to the pathogenesis of these brain abnormalities. In this report, we demonstrate that mice heterozygous for a targeted defect in either the Tsc1 or Tsc2 genes(Tsc1+/- and Tsc2+/- mice) exhibit a 1.5-fold increase in the number of astrocytes in vivo. Whereas increased astrocyte numbers in vivo were suggestive of a proliferative advantage, Tsc2+/- primary astrocyte cultures did not show a cell-autonomous growth advantage, anchorage-independent growth, increased saturation density, or increased fluid-phase endocytosis compared to wild type astrocytes. Tsc2 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) however, did exhibit increased saturation density compared to Tsc2 wild type controls. In both Tsc2+/- astrocytes and Tsc2 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, p27-Kip1 expression was decreased compared to wild type cells, and was reversed by tuberin re-expression in Tsc2-/- MEFs. In contrast, no change in endocytosis was observed upon tuberin re-expression in Tsc2-/- MEFs. Collectively, these results suggest Tsc heterozygosity may provide a non-cell-autonomous growth advantage for astrocytes that may involve p27-Kip1 expression.
Temporal and spatial characterization of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a quality control mechanism responsible for ‘‘surveying’’ mRNAs during translation and degrading those that harbor a premature termination codon (PTC). Currently the intracellular spatial location of NMD and the kinetics of its decay step in mammalian cells are under debate. To address these issues, we used single-RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and measured the NMD of PTCcontaining b-globin mRNA in intact single cells after the induction of b-globin gene transcription. This approach preserves temporal and spatial information of the NMD process, both of which would be lost in an ensemble study. We determined that decay of the majority of PTC-containing b-globin mRNA occurs soon after its export into the cytoplasm, with a half-life of 12 h, similar to the half-life of normal PTC-free b-globin mRNA, indicating that it had evaded NMD. Importantly, NMD does not occur within the nucleoplasm, thus countering the long-debated idea of nuclear degradation of PTC-containing transcripts. We provide a spatial and temporal model for the biphasic decay of NMD targets.
Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME) Amplifies the Pulmonary Hypertensive Response to Endotoxin in Broilers

Abstract The pulmonary hypertensive response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) varies widely among individual broilers, leading to the suggestion that innate variability may exist in the proportions or profiles of chemical mediators released during the ensuing inflammatory cascade. LPS induces the expression of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which produces the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) to modulate the responses to concurrently produced vasoconstrictors. In experiment 1, broilers were given the NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), followed by a supra-maximal dose of LPS while the pulmonary arterial pressure was recorded. In experiment 2 the cardiac output also was recorded before and following the i.v. injection of L-NAME. In both experiments, injection with L-NAME modestly increased the pulmonary arterial pressure when compared with control values, confirming previous reports that tonic/basal NO synthesis is required to promote flow-dependent pulmonary vasodilation in chickens. This response to L-NAME occurred in spite of a tendency for cardiac output and stroke volume to decline and, therefore, can be attributed to pulmonary vasoconstriction (an increase in the pulmonary vascular resistance) rather than an increase in pulmonary blood flow. When L-NAME was used to block NO synthesis induced by LPS, an early peak of pulmonary hypertension was revealed that rarely develops in broilers in the absence of L-NAME, and that has been correlated with the release of platelet activating factor and thromboxane A2 in mammals. The control group responded to LPS with a delayed-onset pulmonary hypertension that was typical in timing, amplitude, and duration of the responses previously observed in broilers and that has been attributed to endothelin-mediated thromboxane A2 synthesis in mammals. This delayed-onset pulmonary hypertensive response to LPS was longer in duration and higher in amplitude in the L-NAME group when compared with the control group. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that NO modulates the responses to vasoconstrictors released concurrently during the LPS-mediated inflammatory cascade. Inhibition of NOS by L-NAME apparently reduced the modulatory influence of NO and exposed a more dramatic pulmonary hypertensive response to LPS.
Ultrawide AWG with hyper-Gaussian profile

We present the principle of hyper-Gaussian arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), applied successfully to realize an ultraflat 500-GHz spacing demultiplexer with 1-dB passband above 80% of the channel spacing, and a zero chromatic dispersion 50-GHz spacing wide-band AWG.
Application of a New Quantitative Optical Depth Profiling Technique for the Diffusion of Polymers

The concentration profiles of amorphous polystyrene in a polystyrene/polyvinyl methyl ether laminated film after heat treatments have been investigated by a new depth profiling technique using multiple-angle attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR/FT-IR) spectroscopy. An estimated profile or information about the wave form of the profile is not required in order to perform the depth profiling calculation. All angle-dependent spectra are obtained with a nonpolarized incident beam of known degree of polarization. The accuracy of the calculated profiles has been confirmed by comparisons between spectral intensities from experiment and those from exact optical theory at frequencies other than the profiling frequency. The quantitative nature of this technique has been shown via consistent areas under the volume fraction profiles of polystyrene in the laminated film after consecutive heat treatments.
Introduction: Spina bifida—A multidisciplinary perspective

Spina bifida is the most common birth defect affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and is often characterized as the most complex birth defect compatible with survival [Liptak and El Samra, 2010]. Because of its complexity, the diagnosis and treatment of infants born with spina bifida begins before birth and through adulthood, involving multiple disciplines. Not surprisingly, research has flourished across several domains over the past decade. The purpose of this special issue of Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews is to systematically review research on spina bifida within different domains in an effort to promote integration and awareness of this research across disciplines involved directly with spina bifida. In addition, we hope to increase the awareness of contemporary research and treatment strategies for researchers and practitioners involved with other developmental disabilities. Although some aspects of spina bifida have been reviewed as part of previous issues, this is the first issue of the journal specifically devoted to spina bifida since an issue on neural tube defects edited by Sells [1998].
The waste prevention as sustainable development

The reduction and elimination of waste is essential to maintain the quality of the Earth's environment and achieve global sustainable development. This paper analyzes the current conditions of solid wastes (SW) into the sustainable development context and establishes priority actions to the problem. The traditional techniques to reduce the SW change how the products are manufactured but do any of them ask why they are produced? As an answer to this problem, the question of source reduction arises. This approach prevents waste before products are used and before they are produced. Based on this situation, changing unsustainable partners of production and consumption is suggested. It is also essential in integrated management that development is reconciled with environmental problems. Finally, marketing, quality total management and technological and environmental management must reconcile their development in a sustainable design.
PPARα Expression Protects Male Mice from High Fat–Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

Emerging evidence suggests that the lack of PPARα enhances hepatic steatosis and inflammation in Ppara-null mice when fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether Ppara-null mice are more susceptible to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) than their wild-type (WT) counterparts following short-term feeding with a HFD. Age-matched male WT and Ppara-null mice were randomly assigned to consume ad libitum a standard Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet (STD) (35% energy from fat) or a HFD (71% energy from fat) for 3 wk. Liver histology, plasma transaminase levels, and indicators of oxidative/nitrosative stress and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated in all groups. Levels of lobular inflammation and the NASH activity score were greater in HFD-exposed Ppara-null mice than in the other 3 groups. Biochemical analysis revealed elevated levels of ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450 2E1 and TNFα accompanied by increased levels of malondialdehyde as well as oxidized and nitrated proteins in Ppara-null mice. Elevated oxidative stress and inflammation were associated with activation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase and p38 kinase, resulting in increased hepatocyte apoptosis in Ppara-null mice fed a HFD. These results, with increased steatosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation observed in Ppara-null mice fed a HFD, demonstrate that inhibition of PPARα functions may increase susceptibility to high fat-induced NASH.
Translation Elongation Factor 1-Alpha Interacts Specifically with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Polyprotein

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag-encoded proteins play key functions at almost all stages of the viral life cycle. Since these functions may require association with cellular factors, the HIV-1 matrix protein (MA) was used as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify MA-interacting proteins. MA was found to interact with elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1alpha), an essential component of the translation machinery that delivers aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes. EF1alpha was then shown to bind the entire HIV-1 Gag polyprotein. This interaction is mediated not only by MA, but also by the nucleocapsid domain, which provides a second, independent EF1alpha-binding site on the Gag polyprotein. EF1alpha is incorporated within HIV-1 virion membranes, where it is cleaved by the viral protease and protected from digestion by exogenously added subtilisin. The specificity of the interaction is demonstrated by the fact that EF1alpha does not bind to nonlentiviral MAs and does not associate with Moloney murine leukemia virus virions. The Gag-EF1alpha interaction appears to be mediated by RNA, in that basic residues in MA and NC are required for binding to EF1alpha, RNase disrupts the interaction, and a Gag mutant with undetectable EF1alpha-binding activity is impaired in its ability to associate with tRNA in cells. Finally, the interaction between MA and EF1alpha impairs translation in vitro, a result consistent with a previously proposed model in which inhibition of translation by the accumulation of Gag serves to release viral RNA from polysomes, permitting the RNA to be packaged into nascent virions.
Dynamics of prolactin secretion in patients with hypopituitarism and pituitary macroadenomas

Mild hyperprolactinemia frequently accompanies the hypopituitarism seen in patients with pituitary macroadenomas that do not secrete PRL. We postulated that hypopituitarism in this setting, is primarily caused by compression of the portal vessels and/or pituitary stalk. If this were the case, the dynamics of PRL secretion in this instance would be similar to those in patients with stalk section, dopamine deficiency, or hypothalamic disease. Furthermore, as hypopituitarism in this setting is largely reversible, we postulate that PRL dynamics should also normalize after adenomectomy as a result of the resumption of hypothalamic regulation of pituitary hormone secretion. To test these hypotheses, we examined PRL responsiveness to TRH and the dopamine antagonist, perphenazine (PZ), in patients with pituitary macroadenomas who had hypopituitarism and others with intact pituitary function (controls). Dynamic studies were performed before and 2-3 months after total or subtotal adenomectomy, and the results were correlated with alterations in other pituitary function. In addition, plasma ACTH, cortisol, and PRL levels were measured hours to days after surgery to investigate immediate alterations in pituitary function following surgical decompression. Before surgery, hypopituitary patients had higher serum PRL level than controls (25.5 +/- 12 vs. 11 +/- 3 micrograms/L; P < 0.001). Preoperative dynamic testing of PRL secretion in hypopituitary patients demonstrated an increase in PRL levels after TRH, but not after PZ, administration. In contrast, PRL levels increased appropriately when either stimulus was given to controls. Hours after adenomectomy, PRL levels decreased by 50% in hypopituitary patients (P < 0.0001) and remained so until discharge. In contrast, controls had a transient increase in serum PRL levels after adenomectomy. After surgery, 25 of 43 previously hypopituitary patients recovered part or all pituitary function. Serum PRL levels in the latter subgroup became normal and increased appropriately after stimulation with either TRH or PZ. In contrast, patients who did not recover pituitary function had lower PRL levels that increased minimally after TRH or PZ. The mild increase in serum PRL levels in hypopituitary patients and the discordant responses to stimulation with TRH and PZ suggest dopamine deficiency as a cause of hyperprolactinemia. The drop in serum PRL levels immediately after surgery, at a time when other pituitary hormones (e.g. ACTH), were documented to rise suggests restoration of hypothalamic control over pituitary hormone secretion. The pattern of PRL responses to stimulation in patients recovering function postoperatively was similar to that in controls, although the incremental rise was subnormal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Testing digital circuits using a Mixed-Signal Automatic Test Equipment

This paper presents the results of parametric testing of digital ICs using a dedicated Mixed Signal Automatic Testing Equipment. Due to the prohibitive price of the ATE equipment and dedicated Device Interface Board (DIB) for digital Integrated Circuits (ICs), a DIB for analog circuits was used to perform the testing. Despite the challenges presented by the experiments, the results prove to be accurate for the performed tests, according to the data sheet of the digital ICs and production test data provided by the manufacturer.
In-Hospital Mortality and Coronary Procedure Use for Individuals with Dementia with Acute Myocardial Infarction in the United States

Objectives: To determine in-hospital mortality differences in individuals with dementia and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) when using invasive coronary procedures. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: 2009 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Participants: Individuals admitted with a primary diagnosis of AMI (N = 631,734) to 1,045 hospitals in 44 states during 2009. Measurements: Dementia status and procedural use of diagnostic catheterization, percutaneous intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) as indicated by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Using multivariable analysis adjusted for covariates, associations were made between coronary procedural use in individuals with dementia and in-hospital mortality. Additional multivariable analysis identified the association between utilization of coronary procedures and in-hospital mortality in AMI patients with dementia. Results: Dementia diagnosis (n = 15,335) was associated with greater likelihood of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15�1.29, P < .001) and less use of diagnostic catheterization (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.35�0.40, P < .001), PCI (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.35�0.40, P < .001), and CABG (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.16�0.22, P < .001). There was less likelihood of in-hospital mortality in participants with dementia who received diagnostic catheterization (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.16�0.78, P < .001), PCI (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.47�0.70, P < .001), or CABG (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.08�0.56, P < .001) than in those not receiving respective interventions. Conclusion: Dementia is a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality for hospitalized individuals with AMI and is associated with less use of invasive coronary procedures. Beyond differing care patterns for individuals with AMI and dementia, these results indicate that individuals with dementia are at substantially greater risk for in-hospital mortality when they do not receive procedural interventions.
General interspersion of repetitive with non-repetitive sequence elements in the DNA of Xenopus.

The arrangement of repetitive and non-repetitive sequences was studied in the DNA of Xenopus. Labeled DNA sheared to various fragment lengths was reassociated to C_ot 50 (60 °C, 0.18 m-Na^+) with excess 450 nucleotide fragments of unlabeled DNA, and binding of the labeled DNA to hydroxyapatite was measured. Repetitive sequences monitored in this way are present on about 45% of the 450 nucleotide fragments. As DNA fragment length is increased, larger fractions of the DNA are found to contain repetitive elements. Up to 80% of the DNA binds at an average fragment length of 3700 nueleotides. Analysis of the data shows that a little more than 50% of the genome consists of closely interspersed repetitive and non-repetitive sequences. The average length of the repetitive sequence elements is 300±100 nueleotides, while the non-repetitive sequences separating adjacent repetitive sequence elements average 800±200 nueleotides. The remainder of the DNA is mainly non-repetitive, though most of it contains rare interspersed repetitive elements spaced at a minimum of 4000 nueleotides apart. It is concluded that a high degree of order exists in the arrangement of DNA sequences in the Xenopus genome.
Mutant BCR-ABL clones in chronic myeloid leukemia.

The management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been revolutionized by the availability of small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as imatinib (formerly STI571), dasatinib, and nilotinib. These agents work by competing with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) at its binding site on the
SEARCH FOR CHARGED HIGGS BOSONS AT SSC

We examine the possibility of finding charged Higgs bosons (H±) at the SSC. The charged Higgs boson is produced with a top quark via a gluon+bottom quark interaction (g+b→H+t). For the two Higgs doublet models, H± decays predominantly into t+b. Since the background from QCD processes will be very severe for this decay mode, we studied the H±→τ+ν decay mode. Even for this mode, background from the processes pp→W+t+spectators→l+νl+t+spectators will be very high. In the two Higgs doublet models, it is very difficult to extract the charged Higgs signal for reasonable values of the ratio of the two vacuum expectation values (tan β=v1/v2).
Impacts of climate change drivers on C4 grassland productivity: scaling driver effects through the plant community

Climate change drivers affect plant community productivity via three pathways: (i) direct effects of drivers on plants; (ii) the response of species abundances to drivers (community response); and (iii) the feedback effect of community change on productivity (community effect). The contribution of each pathway to driver–productivity relationships depends on functional traits of dominant species. We used data from three experiments in Texas, USA, to assess the role of community dynamics in the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) response of C4 grasslands to two climate drivers applied singly: atmospheric CO2 enrichment and augmented summer precipitation. The ANPPdriver response differed among experiments because community responses and effects differed. ANPP increased by 80–120 g m –2 per 100 μl l –1 rise in CO2 in separate experiments with pasture and tallgrass prairie assemblages. Augmenting ambient precipitation by 128 mm during one summer month each year increased ANPP more in native than in exotic communities in a third experiment. The community effect accounted for 21–38% of the ANPP CO2 response in the prairie experiment but little of the response in the pasture experiment. The community response to CO2 was linked to species traits associated with greater soil water from reduced transpiration (e.g. greater height). Community effects on the ANPP CO2 response and the greater ANPP response of native than exotic communities to augmented precipitation depended on species differences in transpiration efficiency. These results indicate that feedbacks from community change influenced ANPP-driver responses. However, the species traits that regulated community effects on ANPP differed from the traits that determined how communities responded to drivers.
Is the fertile window extended in women with polycystic ovary syndrome? Utilizing the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology registry to assess the impact of reproductive aging on live-birth rate.

Objective To assess whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) follow the same age-related decline in IVF outcomes as women with tubal factor infertility over the reproductive life span. PCOS is characterized by increased ovarian reserve as assessed by antral follicle counts and anti-Mullerian hormone levels. It is unclear whether these surrogate markers of ovarian reserve reflect a true lengthening of the reproductive window. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) Women with PCOS and tubal factor infertility (42,286 cycles). Intervention(s) IVF. Main Outcome Measure(s) Pregnancy and live-birth rates. Result(s) The mean number of oocytes retrieved was higher in women with PCOS compared with in women with tubal factor (16.4 vs. 12.8; odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25–1.29). The clinical pregnancy (42.5% vs. 35.8%; OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.27–1.38) and live-birth rates were also increased in women with PCOS (34.8% vs. 29.1%; OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.24–1.35). A similar rate of decline in clinical pregnancy and live-birth rates was noted in both groups (20–44 years). The implantation, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live-birth rates were not significantly different for each year after age 40 in the two groups. Conclusion(s) Despite a higher oocyte yield in all age groups, women with PCOS over age 40 had similar clinical pregnancy and live-birth rates compared with women with tubal factor infertility. These findings suggest that the reproductive window may not be extended in PCOS and that patients with infertility should be treated in a timely manner despite indicators of high ovarian reserve.
The efficacy of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) in monitoring body composition changes during treatment of restrictive eating disorder patients

Reviews Treating restrictive eating disorder patients is metabolically and psychologically complex. Determining body composition is an important diagnostic and treatment option for these patients, because it ascertains whether the acquisition of body mass during refeeding is metabolically appropriate - ideally an approximate 20/80% - 25/75% fat/lean body mass ratio. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) during the treatment period of patients with restrictive eating disorders. The search engines PubMed, Medline, and MSN were utilized using combinations of key words, “Bioimpedance Analysis”, “body composition determination”, “eating disorders”, and “anorexia”.