cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yersinia pestis escapes entrapment in thrombi by targeting platelet function.

Background Platelets are classically recognized for their role in hemostasis and thrombosis. Recent work has demonstrated that platelets can also execute a variety of immune functions. The dual prothrombotic and immunological roles of platelets suggest that they may pose a barrier to the replication or dissemination of extracellular bacteria. However, some bloodborne pathogens, such as the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, routinely achieve high vascular titers that are necessary for pathogen transmission. Objectives It is not currently known how or if pathogens circumvent platelet barriers to bacterial dissemination and replication. We sought to determine whether extracellular bloodborne bacterial pathogens actively interfere with platelet function, using Y pestis as a model system. Methods The interactions and morphological changes of human platelets with various genetically modified Y pestis strains were examined using aggregation assays, immunofluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Results Yersinia pestis directly destabilized platelet thrombi, preventing bacterial entrapment in fibrin/platelet clots. This activity was dependent on two well-characterized bacterial virulence factors: the Y pestis plasminogen activator Pla, which stimulates host-mediated fibrinolysis, and the bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS), which delivers bacterial proteins into the cytoplasm of targeted host cells to reduce or prevent effective immunological responses. Platelets intoxicated by the Y pestis T3SS were unable to respond to prothrombotic stimuli, and T3SS expression decreased the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in platelet thrombi. Conclusions These findings are the first demonstration of a bacterial pathogen using its T3SS and an endogenous protease to manipulate platelet function and to escape entrapment in platelet thrombi.
On-Mask Chemical Modulation of Respiratory Droplets

Transmission of infectious respiratory diseases starts from pathogen-laden respiratory droplets released during coughing, sneezing, or speaking. Here we report an on-mask chemical modulation strategy, whereby droplets escaping a masking layer are chemically contaminated with antipathogen molecules (e.g., mineral acids or copper salts) preloaded on polyaniline-coated fabrics. A colorimetric method based on the color change of polyaniline and a fluorometric method utilizing fluorescence quenching microscopy are developed for visualizing the degree of modification of the escaped droplets by H+ and Cu2+, respectively. It is found that even fabrics with low fiber-packing densities (e.g., 19%) can readily modify 49% of the escaped droplets by number, which accounts for about 82% by volume. The chemical modulation strategy could offer additional public health benefits to the use of face covering to make the sources less infectious, helping to strengthen the response to the current pandemic or future outbreaks of infectious respiratory diseases.
Emotion matters for academic success: Implications of the Article by Jarrell, Harley, Lajoie, and Naismith (2017) for creating nurturing and supportive learning environments to help students manage their emotions.

This paper is in response to the published article entitled "Success, failure and emotions: examining the relationship between performance feedback and emotions in diagnostic reasoning" (Jarrell, Harley, Lajoie, & Naismith, Education Technology & Research Development, 65, 1263-1284: 2017) focusing on its implications to inform educational practice and research as learning and instruction are shifted to digital environments in times of emergencies and crisis. The study explored the relationships between learners' retrospective performance outcome emotions and their academic performance (i.e., efficiency and accuracy). The results revealed that positive emotions were associated with higher performance while negative emotions were associated with poorer performance, and the low intensity emotions were associated with performance between high and low levels. A summary of the study reported by the article is provided, including the purpose, methods, measures, data analysis and findings. Following the summary, the paper focuses on the discussion about the focused perspective, values and impact of the study on digital learning environments with implications for education during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergency situations. Based on Jarrell and her colleagues' study, suggestions are made for designing and developing instructional strategies to support students with negative or low intensity emotions and for creating learning environments to cultivate positive emotions. This paper concludes with recommendations for future research.
Social Determinants of Health and Race Disparities in Kidney Transplant

Background and objectives Black patients have a higher incidence of kidney failure but lower rate of deceased- and living-donor kidney transplantation compared with White patients, even after taking differences in comorbidities into account. We assessed whether social determinants of health (e.g., demographics, cultural, psychosocial, knowledge factors) could account for race differences in receiving deceased- and living-donor kidney transplantation. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Via medical record review, we prospectively followed 1056 patients referred for kidney transplant (2010-2012), who completed an interview soon after kidney transplant evaluation, until their kidney transplant. We used multivariable competing risk models to estimate the cumulative incidence of receipt of any kidney transplant, deceased-donor transplant, or living-donor transplant, and the factors associated with each outcome. Results Even after accounting for social determinants of health, Black patients had a lower likelihood of kidney transplant (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 0.99) and living-donor transplant (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.95), but not deceased-donor transplant (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.67 to 1.26). Black race, older age, lower income, public insurance, more comorbidities, being transplanted before changes to the Kidney Allocation System, greater religiosity, less social support, less transplant knowledge, and fewer learning activities were each associated with a lower probability of any kidney transplant. Older age, more comorbidities, being transplanted before changes to the Kidney Allocation System, greater religiosity, less social support, and fewer learning activities were each associated with a lower probability of deceased-donor transplant. Black race, older age, lower income, public insurance, higher body mass index, dialysis before kidney transplant, not presenting with a potential living donor, religious objection to living-donor transplant, and less transplant knowledge were each associated with a lower probability of living-donor transplant. Conclusions Race and social determinants of health are associated with the likelihood of undergoing kidney transplant.
When Documentation Inhibits Helpful Auditor Intuition: An Examination of Experience and Justification

We examine whether more experienced auditors develop helpful intuition when evaluating risk factors. We expect documentation requirements to inhibit the use of intuition by activating different knowledge structures, reducing judgment quality in areas where auditors have helpful intuition. In an experiment with practicing auditors, we find evidence suggesting that more experienced auditors develop helpful intuition related to misstatements caused by error (detected with relative frequency in practice, conducive to the development of knowledge structures) but not fraud (detected with relative infrequency in practice, not conducive to the development of knowledge structures). Further, when auditors are asked to document justification for their error-related risk assessments, their judgment quality decreases relative to the judgments of an expert panel. This suggests that documentation requirements include a hidden cost that may decrease audit quality by activating different knowledge structures and thereby crowding out helpful intuitive knowledge structures.
The NIDA clinical trials network: evolving, expanding, and addressing the opioid epidemic.

Over the past two decades, the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), a program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has expanded from the initial six Nodes to 16 Nodes, as a nationwide consortium of research scientists and treatment providers working together to improve care for substance use in the nation’s communities. Encompassing both specialty care programs and general medical settings, the Network has become a unique resource for expertise on clinically focused research, bridging the gap between research and treatment delivery. Over 22 years, the CTN has completed 101 studies, resulting in 650 publications. In response to the opioid epidemic, a CTN task force generated a comprehensive list of research priorities in the areas of prevention, treatment, knowledge dissemination, and workforce training, to form the basis of the Network’s opioid portfolio. The Network’s opioid portfolio currently includes five main categories of studies: (1) large multi-site studies; (2) studies aimed at closing the treatment gap; (3) expansion of ongoing studies to improve service delivery and implementation; (4) studies to explore the use of substance use data in electronic health record systems; (5) training and dissemination projects to expand the research/health care provider workforce. With funding from the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term InitiativeSM (HEAL), the CTN established five new Nodes, which, along with the pre-existing Nodes, are distributed in every region of the nation and engage researchers and clinicians in areas that have been among the hardest hit by the opioid epidemic. Through this expanded network and its commitment to developing personalized, evidence-based treatments, the CTN is poised to address and provide solutions for the ongoing epidemic of opioid use and addiction.
Light scattering measurements to support real-time monitoring and closed-loop control of aerosol jet printing

Abstract Process monitoring and control is highly desired for additive manufacturing technologies. For aerosol jet printing, in particular, process drift and batch-to-batch variability have hindered widespread adoption beyond research environments. Addressing these key challenges is critical for emerging applications in multilayer, conformal, and 3D applications of this technology. Here, an in situ light scattering method is introduced to track the aerosol stream during printing, providing a real-time quantitative measurement directly related to the deposition rate. The generality of this method for different functional inks is demonstrated, including its applicability to functional electrical properties such as electrical resistance. Finally, the stability of this measurement supports closed-loop control over extended, continuous printing runs, offering a compelling technology to advance aerosol jet printing for hybrid electronics and high resolution functional additive manufacturing.
A New Triaxial Testing System for Unsaturated Soil Characterization

Suction-controlled triaxial tests have been widely used to characterize unsaturated soils. However, this type of test requires sophisticated and therefore expensive equipment, and is very time consuming because of the low permeability of unsaturated soils. Only a few research universities can afford the equipment, which limits the advancement and implementation of unsaturated soil mechanics. This paper proposes a new triaxial testing system for unsaturated soils based upon minor modifications on the conventional triaxial test apparatus for saturated soils. Instead of controlling suction, high-suction tensiometers are adopted to monitor matric suction variations during constant water content triaxial testing. Also, a photogrammetry-based method is used to measure volume changes of unsaturated soil specimens during triaxial testing. To evaluate the capabilities of the proposed testing system, a series of constant water content triaxial tests were performed on unsaturated soils with different moisture content. Matric suction and volume variations during testing were monitored by the high-suction tensiometers and the photogrammetry-based method, respectively. New methods were also proposed to analyze the test results. Analysis results showed that the proposed system is cost effective and efficient for unsaturated soil characterization.
Abortion and the morality of nurturance.

(1991). Abortion and the Morality of Nurturance. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 513-524.
Projecting the Diva’s Voice: Anna Magnani in Visconti’s Bellissima

AbstractIn the immediate post-war period of Italian cinema, Anna Magnani emerges as icon of a nation struggling with its recent past. Unlike most cinematic divas, however, Magnani is not lauded or cast for her great beauty. It is mainly her voice that directors mobilize to represent Rome, the working class, and a culture in transition. This article argues that Magnani’s skilled manipulation of her own authorial voice also outlines the struggles inherent to female identity as shaped by the cinema. Specifically addressing Magnani’s role in Bellissima (Visconti, 1951), the article identifies the diva as a disruptive force, particularly in the realm of sound, contending that Visconti employs Magnani’s powerful vocal presence to articulate his disappointment with the increasing superficiality of Italian cinema in the 1950s. More broadly, the article encourages a reinterpretation of the cinematic diva that would lead to a shift in feminist film criticism: the prioritization of female vocal presence above visual...
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one of the newer classes of antidepressants. Since their introduction in the United States, they have been greatly used and accepted in the psychiatric field (1). SSRIs presently available in the United States include fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, and citalopram. SSRIs act by inhibiting neuronal uptake of serotonin (5HT). SSRIs are generally shown to be as effective and overall better tolerated than tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in treatment of depression (2,3). SSRIs are also used in treating other psychiatric disorders such as panic disorder (4,13), obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder (5–7).
Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomerase is an Sm small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle.

Activation of the chromosome end-replicating enzyme telomerase can greatly extend the lifespan of normal human cells1 and is associated with most human cancers2. In all eukaryotes examined, telomerase has an RNA subunit3, a conserved reverse transcriptase subunit4 and additional proteins5,6, but little is known about the assembly of these components. Here we show that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomerase RNA7 has a 5′-2,2,7-trimethylguanosine (TMG) cap and a binding site for the Sm proteins, both hallmarks of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) that are involved in nuclear messenger RNA splicing8,9. Immunoprecipitation of telomerase from yeast extracts shows that Sm proteins are assembled on the RNA and that most or all of the telomerase activity is associated with the Sm-containing complex. These data support a model in which telomerase RNA is transcribed by RNA polymerase II (ref. 10) and 7-methylguanosine-capped, binds the seven Sm proteins, becomes TMG-capped and picks up the other protein subunits. We conclude that the functions of snRNPs assembled by this pathway are not restricted to RNA processing, but also include chromosome telomere replication.
Computer Simulation in Designing Electrostatic Optics for Space Plasma Experiments

The design of new experiments is an art that combines innovative concepts, simulations, mechanical design, assembly, test and calibration. Although an instrument's development may proceed linearly through these steps, more often the design evolves through a complicated processes of trade offs. Optimizing practical features (ease of assembly, compactness, low mass, low cost) is often at odds with the design concept (complicated optics, high sensitivity). Balancing these design considerations often drives the experiment away from the original concept, but produces a much more robust, constructible instrument. An essential tool for analyzer design is a set of computer simulation programs that allow optics concepts to be tested prior to construction. These programs allow the scientist or engineer to quickly test new ideas without the cost of developing a prototype. This paper outlines computer codes used to design electrostatic optics for low energy plasma detectors. A number of features that enhance the usefulness of these programs are also described. As an example of analyzer design, the development of the electrostatic optics for the Cluster CIS-1 mass spectrometer is described.
On the relative efficacies of space saving *CGAs for evolvable hardware applications

This work compares the relative efficacies of two simulated population space-saving compact genetic algorithm (CGA) variants against a realistic EH control problem. Comparisons are made between the variants and between them and no population and true population versions of the algorithm. A clearly superior algorithm for this application is designated and implications for other EH efforts are considered.
Is radial artery Doppler scanning mandatory for use as coronary bypass conduit

BackgroundScreening of the radial artery prior to harvesting as a conduit for coronary bypass may be performed clinically by the Allen test or by Doppler ultrasound. In a developing country like ours, the use of resources for Doppler studies may be questioned when Allen tests lead to a low rate of clinical sequelae. However, the rare occurrence of hand ischemia may be devastating and could justify the routine use of Doppler screening. This study aimed to address this question.MethodsOne hundred patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were screened by the modified Allen test and Doppler ultrasound for suitability of use of a radial artery conduit. After harvesting, proximal and distal segments of the radial artery were subjected to histopathological examination.ResultsOf the 95 patients deemed suitable for radial artery grafting, 6 had mild calcification on Doppler ultrasound and 9 had calcification on histopathological examination. While Doppler showed atherosclerosis in 9 patients, o...
Mycobacterium avium Antigenuria in Patients with AIDS and Disseminated M. avium Disease

A 22,500-Da antigen apparently specific to Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum has been identified by Western immunoblotting. By use of a dot immunoassay, this antigen was found in the urine of 64% of patients with AIDS and disseminated M. avium disease. It was not found in the urine of healthy control subjects. Detection of antigenuria might provide the basis for rapid diagnosis of M. avium disease in patients with AIDS.
Ultrastructure of a benign liver cell adenoma

A case of a benign adenoma of the liver is studied with the electron microscope. While the tumor appears to consist of pure compact liver cells, a bile duct is identified ultrastructurally with the light microscope. In general, the hepato-cytes conform to the normal pattern but show excessive amounts of glycogen. The usual bile capillaries with tight junctions and desmosomes are seen. The mitochondria are abundant and seem larger and more distorted and elongated than normal. Of particular interest is the presence of dense bodies within some mitochondria which have the appearance of crystalline material with a distinct periodicity.
The despair of his tutor: Latin as socioeducational marker in "Les Trois Mousquetaires"

A significant motif in Les Trois Mousquetaires is the presentation of the four heroes' dif fering natures through their differing relationships with the Latin language. The sep arate academic pedigrees thus suggested for the three actual musketeers, Porthos, Athos and Aramis, each represent one of the major educational models of early 17th century France: the courtly academy, private tuition and the Jesuit college. In the case of the up-and-coming d'Artagnan, by contrast, Dumas proffers less a type of 17th cen tury education than an updating of the social values of that period to coincide with those of his own time. The successes of this musketeer-in-training hold out the prom ise that talent, work and virtuous effort will be rewarded through upward mobility. The fact that the author has chosen to transmit this hopeful message partially through the vehicle of Latinlessness speaks volumes, both about the place of Latin in the cur riculum over the centuries and about the role of Latin as socioeducational marker.
Vortex Flows Created by Sinusoidal Oscillation of Three-Dimensional Wings

Abstract : Maneuvering aircraft operate in rapidly changing, time-dependent flow fields and it is well established that certain predictable and controlled unsteady flows enhance aircraft maneuverability. However, any attempt to apply unsteady flow mechanisms to flight vehicles must be preceded by thorough analysis of the basic fluid dynamics of unsteady leading edge and wingtip vortices. This study focuses on the vortex-vortex interactive region produced on a rectangular wing when oscillating through sinusoidal motions about the quarter chord. Phase-locked, stroboscopic photographic flow visualization shows repeatable patterns of leading edge and wingtip vortex size, development, position and convection velocity throughout the pitching cycle. These dynamic fluid characteristics are confirmed and partially quantified using hotwire probe velocities and surface pressure measurements. A representative sampling of the data is presented along with the hypotheses formed and confirmed during the three investigations. (edc)
Real-time imaging of single DNA molecules with fluorescence microscopy

A fluorescence microscopy technique was used to image the dynamics of individual DNA molecules. Lambda, calf thymus, cosmid (circular), and T4 DNA were studied with the fluorescent dye acridine orange. Experiments with DNAase I were conducted, and the results indicate that these observations correspond to DNA molecules. The results of experiments with circular DNA provide strong evidence that these were single DNA molecules. Molecules were observed free in solution or attached to a glass or copper surface at one or several points. The Brownian motion of these molecules was observed, indicating that DNA in solution exists in a partially supercoiled state. Some molecules appeared stretched and were attached to the surface by their termini; the lengths of these molecules were measured. Such molecules also exhibited elastic behavior upon breaking. The power of this technique is demonstrated in images of cosmid DNA molecules, catenanes, and DNA extending from T4 phage particles. These results suggest immediate applications to molecular biology, such as examining the dynamics of protein-DNA interactions. Areas of ongoing research are discussed.
Physics, chemistry and biology of functional nanostructures II

Nanotechnology gives to the 21st century the “NANO” logo and covers all domains of human activity ranging from electronics and medicine, to aerospace and agriculture. One of the creators of large-scale nanotechnological implementations Mihail Roco, the initiator of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, a United States federal government program, mentioned that “The accelerating pace of discovery and innovation and its increasingly interdisciplinary nature leads, at times, to the emergence of converging areas of knowledge, capability and investment; nanotechnology is a prime example. It arose from the confluence of discoveries in physics, chemistry, biology and engineering.” [1]. Starting in 2000 as the National Nanotechnology R&D Programs, first in the United States, then in Germany, and now in over 60 countries all over the world, nanoscience and nanotechnology gathered impetus and is one of the most rapid developing areas today. The intrinsic logic of that development determines the route of the progress: from a simple, evolutionary reduction of the structure size of single elements (for example, the size of the elementary transistor in a microchip) toward the revolutionary introduction of self-assembling nanostructures and functional nanomaterials. The self-organization of nanoparticles and nanotubes and the introduction of those in various materials allowed for solutions to problems which have been present for a long time. An example is the problematical increase of the critical current in new MgB2 superconducting material. This superconductor is very promising for technical applications due to its high critical current of up to 107 A/cm2. However, this critical current is only present in the MgB2 superconducting material when there is no magnetic field. The external magnetic field very rapidly suppresses the critical current and destroys the superconductivity of magnesium diboride. This issue was successfully resolved by the introduction of self-assembled magnetic nanodots on the MgB2 surface, which gives rise to a new hybrid material with the desired properties [2]. The conceptual idea of this Thematic Series saw the light of day at the international conference bearing the “NANO” logo, which took place in September 2013 in Chisinau, Moldova (NANO-2013). A variety of technological approaches for the assembly of functional nanostructures and nanomaterials with tailored properties was presented at this conference. We would like to thank all colleagues who developed new ideas, novel approaches and devices, and submitted their valuable contributions to this Thematic Series. I am convinced that this Thematic Series will attract the attention of researchers and will find many readers! The professional and dependable editorial support by the Editorial Office of the Beilstein-Institut is greatly acknowledged. Anatolie S. Sidorenko Chisinau, June 2014
Relationships between bovine follicular fluid glycosaminoglycans and steroids.

The glycosaminoglycans chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS) are present in follicular fluid. The present study evaluated estradiol (E), progesterone (P), CS, and HS concentrations from pools of 2633 small ( 10 mm) bovine follicles subdivided by relative E concentrations. E and P concentrations increased with follicle enlargement (P < 0.05), but were inversely related within a follicle size. CS levels were reduced (P < 0.05) in large (0.84 mg/ml) compared to small (1.18 mg/ml) and medium (1.36 mg/ml) follicles, while HS levels were decreased (P < 0.05) in medium (0.34 mg/ml) and large (0.19 mg/ml) compared to small (1.10 mg/ml) follicles. Within a follicle size, CS and HS levels decreased significantly with increasing E. CS to HS ratios increased with follicle size and E concentration. The ratio of CS to HS was 4.4- and 1.6-fold higher, respectively, in medium and large follicular fluid samples classified healthy compared to atretic by their E cont...
Birds of One Tree: Participatory Forestry and Land Claims in Tanzania

While participatory approaches to resource management are increasingly popular and offer the promise of economic and political benefits to local communities, they have also been critiqued for extending centralized control of resources, co-opting grassroots resistance, or shifting the burden of project implementation to local residents. Based on ethnographic research in rural Tanzania, this paper examines one pilot program in joint forest management to explore the difficult process and complex effects of "participatory" management. It examines how the historic competition over land and forest resources informs the contemporary co-management project and how current forest management strategies, such as the taungya system of agroforestry, may subvert local land claims.
Cylindrical void in a rigid-ideally plastic single crystal. II: Experiments and simulations

Abstract Experimental results and finite element simulations of plastic deformation around a cylindrical void in single crystals are presented to compare with the analytical solutions in a companion paper: Cylindrical void in a rigid-ideally plastic single crystal I: Anisotropic slip line theory solution for face-centered cubic crystals [Kysar, J.W., Gan, Y.X., Mendez-Arzuza, G., 2005. Cylindrical void in a rigid-ideally plastic single crystal I: Anisotropic slip line theory solution for face-centered cubic crystals, International Journal of Plasticity, 21, 1481–1520]. In the first part of the present paper, the theoretical predictions of the stress and deformation field around a cylindrical void in face-centered cubic (FCC) single crystals are briefly reviewed. Secondly, electron backscatter diffraction results are presented to show the lattice rotation discontinuities at boundaries between regions of single slip around the void as predicted in the companion paper. In the third part of the paper, the finite element method has been employed to simulate the anisotropic plastic deformation behavior of FCC single crystals which contain cylindrical voids under plane strain condition. The results of the simulation are in good agreement with the prediction by the anisotropic slip line theory.
Comparison of parallelized radix-2 and radix-4 scalable Montgomery multipliers

This paper compares 130nm custom silicon implementations of three scalable Montgomery multiplier architectures to previously published FPGA implementations of the same architectures. It investigates the delay, energy, and area tradeoffs of parallelized left-shifting radix-2, radix-4, and Booth-encoded radix-4 architectures. The radix-4 architecture is most efficient, performing 256 × 256-bit modular multiplication in 453ns while consuming 15.7nJ of energy and occupying an area of 0.141mm2. The radix-2 architecture is a close second, with an energy-delay product (EDP) 0.8% higher and an area-delay product (ADP) 3.1% higher. The Booth-encoded radix-4 architecture eliminates the need for an adder generating a 3× multiple, but comes at a cost of 36% in EDP and 34% in ADP relative to the conventional radix-4 architecture. The relative efficiencies of the silicon implementations are consistent with the FPGA implementations.
On the application of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to the elucidation of specific interactions in miscible polyester‐poly(vinyl chloride) blends

FT-IR spectroscopic studies have been performed in an attempt to elucidate the nature of the specific interactions occurring in miscible poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL)-poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) blends. Studies of low molecular weight analogues, polymer/solvent mixtures and blends of PCL and α-deuterated PVC are presented. The results strongly suggest that a hydrogen bonding type of interaction between the carbonyl bond of PCL and the α-hydrogen of PVC exists in compatible PCL-PVC blends.
Congenital foot deformation alters the topographic organization in the primate somatosensory system

Limbs may fail to grow properly during fetal development, but the extent to which such growth alters the nervous system has not been extensively explored. Here we describe the organization of the somatosensory system in a 6-year-old monkey (Macaca radiata) born with a deformed left foot in comparison to the results from a normal monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Toes 1, 3, and 5 were missing, but the proximal parts of toes 2 and 4 were present. We used anatomical tracers to characterize the patterns of peripheral input to the spinal cord and brainstem, as well as between thalamus and cortex. We also determined the somatotopic organization of primary somatosensory area 3b of both hemispheres using multiunit electrophysiological recording. Tracers were subcutaneously injected into matching locations of each foot to reveal their representations within the lumbar spinal cord, and the gracile nucleus (GrN) of the brainstem. Tracers injected into the representations of the toes and plantar pads of cortical area 3b labeled neurons in the ventroposterior lateral nucleus (VPL) of the thalamus. Contrary to the orderly arrangement of the foot representation throughout the lemniscal pathway in the normal monkey, the plantar representation of the deformed foot was significantly expanded and intruded into the expected representations of toes in the spinal cord, GrN, VPL, and area 3b. We also observed abnormal representation of the intact foot in the ipsilateral spinal cord and contralateral area 3b. Thus, congenital malformation influences the somatotopic representation of the deformed as well as the intact foot.
Development and Initial Validation of the Disinhibition Inventory: A Multifaceted Measure of Disinhibition

The broad personality trait of disinhibition reflects the tendency to behave in an underconstrained versus overconstrained manner and is associated with externalizing psychopathology and risk-taking behaviors. This article describes the development and initial validation of the Disinhibition Inventory (DIS-I), a multifaceted measure of disinhibition that helps explicate the nature of this important higher-order dimension more fully. Factor analyses of an initial item pool resulted in five content-distinct, yet correlated scales measuring both high (Manipulativeness, Distractibility, Risk Taking) and low (Prosociality, Orderliness) levels of disinhibition that cross-validated in an independent sample. Evidence for the construct validity of the DIS-I is presented, including convergent and discriminant relations with Big-Three and Big-Five/five-factor model measures of personality. Results indicate that the DIS-I scales are associated most strongly with other measures of disinhibition, but that the DIS-I additionally contains content absent in extant adult measures of disinhibition that may prove useful in the assessment of externalizing psychopathology.
Extensive remodeling of a cyanobacterial photosynthetic apparatus in far-red light

Cyanobacteria are unique among bacteria in performing oxygenic photosynthesis, often together with nitrogen fixation and, thus, are major primary producers in many ecosystems. The cyanobacterium, Leptolyngbya sp. strain JSC-1, exhibits an extensive photoacclimative response to growth in far-red light that includes the synthesis of chlorophylls d and f. During far-red acclimation, transcript levels increase more than twofold for ~900 genes and decrease by more than half for ~2000 genes. Core subunits of photosystem I, photosystem II, and phycobilisomes are replaced by proteins encoded in a 21-gene cluster that includes a knotless red/far-red phytochrome and two response regulators. This acclimative response enhances light harvesting for wavelengths complementary to the growth light (λ = 700 to 750 nanometers) and enhances oxygen evolution in far-red light.
Plug the hole

Comment on Mauser-Bunschoten et al, page [2654][1] This article offers an innovative technique—embolization—for stopping joint hemorrhages in hemophilia patients who do not respond to factor replacement. Joint bleeding has been the major cause of morbidity for hemophilia patients, frequently
Cleavage of the fourth component of human complement (C4) by C1 esterase: Isolation and characterization of the low molecular weight product☆☆☆

Abstract Treatment of highly purified human C4 with C1 esterase (1%, w/w) at 37° and pH 7·4 for 5–10 min resulted in cleavage of the C4 molecule into at least two fragments of different size, designated C4a and C4b. Cleavage was detected by disc electrophoresis of the treated C4 at pH 4·5. The low molecular weight product (C4a) was isolated by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or by filtration on Sephadex G-100, for comparison with its precursor, C4. C4a contained higher concentrations of basic amino acid residues and half-cystine than C4. The minimum molecular weight of C4a was 11,000. By physicochemical analysis the molecular weights of C4a and C4 were 15,500 and 202,000, respectively. Treatment of native C4 with trypsin (1%, w/w) at 20° and pH 7·8 for 1 min had similar effects as treatment with C1 esterase. It resulted in loss of C4 hemolytic activity and production of a fragment resembling C4a.
Third ventriculostomy in a single pediatric surgical unit

Purpose Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a successful method of treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus that has become popular over the last 20 years. The purpose of this paper is to study the outcome of infants with obstructive hydrocephalus treated by ETV by a single surgeon and to evaluate the safety, reliability, and efficacy of this treatment.
Rigorous administration of methotrexate and outcome of allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation.

Rigorous administration of methotrexate and outcome of allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation
Different species-specific chromosome translocations in Triticum timopheevii and T. turgidum support the diphyletic origin of polyploid wheats.

Triticum timopheevii ssp.timopheevii andT. timopheevii ssp.araraticum were analysed by sequential N-banding and genomicin situ hybridization. Three chromosomes, 6At, 1G and 4G, were involved in At-G intergenomic translocations in all six lines analysed. These chromosomes may be derived from a cyclic translocation that is species-specific toT. timopheevii. In contrast,Triticum turgidum has a species-specific cyclic translocation involving chromosomes 4A, 5A and 7B. The discovery of different species-specific chromosome translocations supports the diphyletic hypothesis of the evolution of tetraploid wheats. The results from genomic blocking analysis also revealed that the chromosomes ofAegilops speltoides are closer to the G genome than the B genome chromosomes. The possible role of speciesspecific translocations in the evolution of wheat is discussed.
Larval fishes and zooplankton in a cyclonic eddy in Hawaiian waters

A cold-core eddy occurred off the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii in July 1982. It remained in that area for ~70 days, sufficient time for many reef fish species to complete their planktonic larval phase. The deployment of eight current drogues in the eddy showed how entrainment of plankton from the reef and adjacent offshore waters can occur and that passive drift can return drifters from the deep sea to shore. Larval fishes may be swept past the island every 7-8 days in a weak eddy and 3.5-5 days in a strong eddy. Plankton collections were made at night near the surface and at the same depth as the current drogues. Zooplankton were most concentrated at the eddy center. Taxonomic analysis of the plankton showed that the dominant animals were calanoid copepods, malacostracans, hyperiid amphipods, gastropod and bivalve larvae and chaetognaths. The densities of zooplankton and larval fishes in the eddy were higher than in the same area before the arrival of an eddy. Larval fishes were most abundant in the periphery and among these, midwater Gsh larvae (gonostomatids and myctophids) were the most numerous. Other numerous Gsh larvae in the eddy included scombrids, particularly Thunnus albacares, carangids and the reef fish, Abudefduf abdommalis (Pomacentridae).
Read-out schemes for a CNTFET-based crossbar memory

This paper investigates read-out schemes for a crossbar memory using CNTFET-based elements as cross-points. Two read-out schemes are presented in this paper; the first scheme biases the selected junction and measures the current flowing from the junction toward the ground while the second scheme involves biasing all other unselected bits and/or wordlines. Two figures of merit (the sense voltage on/off ratio and the sense current noise margin) are used to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes for the CNTFET-based crossbar memory. Simulation results show that the CNTFET-based crossbar memory achieves improvements in both sense voltages on/off ratio and noise margin compared to the molecular memory implementation. Therefore, this paper demonstrates that these schemes make the CNTFET-based design a viable candidate for crossbar memory in the nanoscale era.
A Method for Estimating Angular Separation in Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Resource-constrained mobile sensors require periodic position measurements for navigation around the sensing region. Such information is often obtained using GPS or onboard sensors such as optical encoders. However, GPS is not reliable in all environments, and odometry accrues error over time. Although several localization techniques exist for wireless sensor networks, they are typically time consuming, resource intensive, and/or require expensive hardware, all of which are undesirable for lightweight mobile devices. In this paper, we describe a technique for determining spatial relationships that is suitable for resource-constrained mobile sensors. Angular separation between multiple pairs of stationary sensor nodes is derived using wheel encoder data in conjunction with the measured Doppler shift of an RF interference signal. Our experimental results demonstrate that using this technique, a robot is able to determine the angular separation between four pairs of sensors in a 45 × 35 m sensing region with an average error of 0.28 rad. in 0.68 s.
QUANTUM MECHANICS OF STICKING

The sticking coefficient s(E) of an atom of low energy E striking a solid surface is discussed, with emphasis on the threshold behavior as E→0. The subject is under active experimental and theoretical study, which is summarized. There is general agreement that a classical treatment of the motion of the incident and target atoms yields s(E)→1 as E→0. This paper, in disagreement with the work by Th. Martin, R. Bruinsma, and P. Platzman, argues that, quantum mechanically, for small E, s(E)~E1/2 for neutral incident atoms and s(E)→ α(<1) for charged ones, regardless of the strength of the interaction. This behavior is due to (a) quantum reflection and (b) a Debye-Waller-like effect.
Parallel adaptive mesh refinement techniques for plasticity problems

The accurate modeling of the nonlinear properties of materials can be computationally expensive. Parallel computing offers an attractive way for solving such problems; however, the efficient use of these systems requires the vertical integration of a number of very different software components, we explore the solution of two- and three-dimensional, small-strain plasticity problems. We consider a finite-element formulation of the problem with adaptive refinement of an unstructured mesh to accurately model plastic transition zones. We present a framework for the parallel implementation of such complex algorithms. This framework, using libraries from the SUMAA3d project, allows a user to build a parallel finite-element application without writing any parallel code. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach on widely varying parallel architectures, we present experimental results from an IBM SP parallel computer and an ATM-connected network of Sun UltraSparc workstations. The results detail the parallel performance of the computational phases of the application during the process while the material is incrementally loaded.
Seeded and Non-Seeded Methods to Make Metallic Nanorods and Nanowires in Aqueous Solution

Gold and silver nanorods/wires of different dimensions were obtained by wet-chemical seeded and non-seeded growth methods.
The cognitive model: an approach to designing the human-computer interface

People are continually creating and accessing internal representations of their current situation. I refer to this as their cognitive model. During an interaction with a computer system the person will form a cognitive model of the interaction that contains what he believes are the functions, capabilities and limitations of the system. An invalid or missing cognitive model will lead to user dis-satisfaction, a lack of confidence in the system and, hence, inefficient use of the system and human resources. The user interface, which includes off-line and on-line methods, is the link between the designer's conceptual model of the system's functions, capabilities and limitations and the user's cognitive model. The interface must present the system to the user in such a manner as to guide the user's cognitive model development to where it coincides with the designer's conceptual model. Awareness of the user's developing cognitive model will enable the production of a more effective human-computer interface.
Catecholamine metabolism in the carcinoid syndrome.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if the excretion of catecholamines and their metabolites is altered in patients with the carcinoid syndrome. We found no correlation between the urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and the excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid, homovanillic acid or norepinephrine. There was a positive correlation between the urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and epinephrine. An earlier report of decreased excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid in the carcinoid syndrome can be attributed to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid interfering with the analytical method used for the measurement of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid. Patients with elevated excretion of catecholamines and their metabolites (pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma) have normal levels of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The methods used for the measurement of catecholamine metabolites in patients with the carcinoid syndrome, should not be affected by the elevated levels of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid found in this condition.
A review of prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines: Recommendations and monitoring in the US †‡

It has been estimated that genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. Nononcogenic types, such as HPV type 6 (HPV-6) and HPV-11, can cause benign or low-grade cervical cell changes, genital warts, and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Oncogenic types can cause cervical and other anogenital cancers; oncogenic HPV types are detected in 99% of cervical cancers worldwide. A quadrivalent HPV vaccine to prevent HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, and HPV-18 was licensed for use in the US in June 2006 and an application for Food and Drug Administration licensure was submitted for a bivalent HPV vaccine to prevent HPV-16 and HPV-18 in March 2007. Currently in the US, the quadrivalent HPV vaccine is recommended for routine immunization of girls aged 11 and 12 years, and catch-up immunization is recommended through age 26 years. Monitoring the impact of prophylactic HPV vaccines will be useful for understanding the population level impact of vaccination. In this report, the authors provide a brief review of the epidemiology of HPV infection and an overview of prophylactic HPV vaccines and postvaccine licensure monitoring.