cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE MAIN INVARIANT OF A DEFECTLESS POLYNOMIAL

In an earlier paper the authors calculated the main invariant of a tame polynomial over a valued field in terms of the simple invariants associated with a strict system of polynomial extensions that contained that polynomial. In this note we give upper and lower bounds in terms of such invariants for the main invariant of any defectless polynomial. We also determine precisely the polynomials for which the upper bound is the main invariant; this class strictly contains the set of tame polynomials. A class of examples with the same upper and with the same lower bound for the main invariant is given whose main invariants form a dense subset of the interval between the two bounds. A second class of polynomials is given whose strict systems have arbitrarily long length and whose main invariant is the lower bound. A basic tool is a formula for the main invariant which itself gives an algorithm for computing the main invariants of the polynomials in any strict system; in particular, simple formulas are given for the main invariants of some very special types of defectless polynomials including generalized Schonemann polynomials. The Krasner constants of defectless polynomials are also studied.
Cytoplasmic Activity in Type I Pulmonary Epithelial Cells Induced by Macroaggregated Albumin

After the intravenous injection of radioalbumin macroaggregate, large numbers of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed in the lung tissue of rats. The inclusions were located mainly in the cytoplasm of type I alveolar lining cells, appeared 40 minutes after the injection, and lasted up to 2 days. These observations suggest that the type I alveolar lining cells participate in the clearing mechanism of the lung tissue, a function that thus far has not been attributed to this type of cell.
2011 Rita Schaffer Lecture: Nanoparticles for Intracellular Nucleic Acid Delivery

Nanoparticles are a promising technology for delivery of new types of therapeutics. A polymer library approach has allowed engineering of polymeric particles that are particularly effective for the delivery of DNA and siRNA to human cells. Certain chemical structural motifs, degradable linkages, hydrophobicity, and biophysical properties are key for successful intracellular delivery. Small differences to biomaterial structure, and especially the type of degradable linkage in the polymers, can be critical for successful delivery of siRNA vs. DNA. Furthermore, subtle changes to biomaterial structure can facilitate cell-type gene delivery specificity between human brain cancer cells and healthy cells as well as between human retinal endothelial cells and epithelial cells. These polymeric nanoparticles are effective for nucleic acid delivery in a broad range of human cell types and have applications to regenerative medicine, ophthalmology, and cancer among many other biomedical research areas.
Preliminary walking experiments with underactuated 3D bipedal robot MARLO

This paper reports on an underactuated 3D bipedal robot with passive feet that can start from a quiet standing position, initiate a walking gait, and maintain an upright posture while traversing the length of the laboratory (approximately 11 m) at a speed of roughly 1 m/s. The controller was developed using the method of virtual constraints, a control design method first used on the planar point-feet robots Rabbit and MABEL. At the current stage of development, the robot’s dynamic model has enough unknown parameters to preclude the use of optimization in the design of the virtual constraints. Here the virtual constraints were selected by hand to achieve robust planar walking, and then augmented with SIMBICON-inspired virtual constraints for the lateral stabilization. This resulted in unassisted 3D walking, both indoors and outdoors.
Associate Professor of Chemistry

Second-order nonlinear optical imaging of chiral crystals (SONICC) enables sensitive and selective detection of sub-diffraction limited protein microcrystals with negligible contributions from solvated proteins or amorphous protein aggregates. Under low magnificaiton (large field of view) applications, SONICC can detect individual crystals as small as 100 nm in diameter, which is conservatively 6 orders of magnitude lower that achievalbe using current methods for crystal detection in commercial screening platforms. In studies of microcrystallites of green fluorescent protein (GFP) prepared in 500 pL droplets using a crystallization micro-array, the SHG intensities rivaled those of fluorescence but with superb selectivity for crystalline regions. Furthermore, SONICC is directly compatibility with virtually all common protein crystallization platforms without modification.
Improved Low-Temperature Si ­ Si Hydrophilic Wafer Bonding

Low-temperature processing is important for bond and exfoliation and materials integration techniques. Of particular importance for hydrophilic wafer bonding is the reduction and removal of thermally generated voids at the bond interface, i.e., voids not caused by particulates. Possible causes of thermally generated voids are excess water and hydrocarbon contamination, both at the bond interface. Several bonding preparation techniques were explored, and the effects on interfacial void density and bond strength were recorded. After bonding, all wafer pairs were annealed to 250°C. Infrared imaging was used to monitor void formation, and bond strength was measured using the blade insertion method. Microvoids with lateral dimensions greater than 30 μm were imaged using acoustic microscopy. The highest bond strength was 1260 for plasma-cleaned wafers followed closely by 1150 for an HF oxide strip before hydrophilization. In addition to these techniques, bonding in a vacuum or the use of a prebond anneal were able to eliminate interfacial voids up to the anneal temperature. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
An ion-exchange chromatography procedure for the isolation and concentration of basic amino acids and polyamines from complex biological samples prior to high-performance liquid chromatography

The original objective of this study was to develop a selective and sensitive method for the analysis and quantification of basic amino acids from biological samples via reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Using various previously described techniques for the separation of amino acids, we were unsuccessful in measuring levels of histidine, arginine, ornithine, and lysine in biological samples due to the presence of interfering compounds. A "cleanup" procedure for the isolation of the basic amino acids using a weakly acidic cation exchange resin, Biorex-70 (Bio-Rad), is described in detail. Upon separation from the bulk of the neutral and acidic amino acids, the basic amino acids were subjected to precolumn fluorescence derivatization using 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC) and the fluorescent derivatives were separated by RP-HPLC. The advantages of this method over previously described amino acid analysis techniques are (i) isolation and stable recovery (greater than 95%) of the desired basic amino acids, (ii) sensitivity of detection (low pmol range), (iii) complete resolution of derivatized amino acids via HPLC, (iv) limited amount of sample required for analysis, and (v) samples readily concentrated by lyophilization or rotoevaporating. This ion-exchange cleanup procedure was also adapted for the analysis of polyamines in concentrated culture media samples and proved additionally advantageous by eliminating the use of costly C-18 extraction columns required by previously described techniques.
Design, synthesis, and characterization of a potent, nonpeptide, cell-permeable, bivalent Smac mimetic that concurrently targets both the BIR2 and BIR3 domains in XIAP.

XIAP is a central apoptosis regulator that inhibits apoptosis by binding to and inhibiting the effectors caspase-3/-7 and an initiator caspase-9 through its BIR2 and BIR3 domains, respectively. Smac protein in its dimeric form effectively antagonizes XIAP by concurrently targeting both its BIR2 and BIR3 domains. We report the design, synthesis and characterization of a non-peptide, cell-permeable, bivalent small-molecule (SM-164) which mimics Smac protein for targeting XIAP. Our study shows that SM-164 binds to XIAP containing both BIR domains with an IC50 value of 1.39 nM, being 300 and 7000-times more potent than its monovalent counterparts and the natural Smac AVPI peptide, respectively. SM-164 concurrently interacts with both BIR domains in XIAP and functions as an ultra-potent antagonist of XIAP in both cell-free functional and cell-based assays. SM-164 targets cellular XIAP and effectively induces apoptosis at concentrations as low as 1 nM in leukemia cancer cells, while having a minimal toxicity to normal human primary cells at 10,000 nM. The potency of bivalent SM-164 in binding, functional and cellular assays is 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than its corresponding monovalent Smac mimetics.
Bretylium Tosylate for Suppression of Ventricular Fibrillation after Experimental Myocardial Infarction

VENTRICULAR fibrillation is a frequent cause of sudden death in patients suffering an acute myocardial infarction. Half of the cases of sudden death after acute coronary occlusion have been attributed to ventricular fibrillation1. Prevention and treatment of this arrhythmia is one of the most urgent unsolved problems in clinical medicine.
Promoter based integration in plant defense regulation

A key unanswered question in plant biology is how a plant regulates metabolism to maximize performance across an array of biotic and abiotic environmental stresses. In this study, we addressed the potential breadth of transcriptional regulation that can alter accumulation of the defensive glucosinolate metabolites in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A systematic yeast one-hybrid study was used to identify hundreds of unique potential regulatory interactions with a nearly complete complement of 21 promoters for the aliphatic glucosinolate pathway. Conducting high-throughput phenotypic validation, we showed that >75% of tested transcription factor (TF) mutants significantly altered the accumulation of the defensive glucosinolates. These glucosinolate phenotypes were conditional upon the environment and tissue type, suggesting that these TFs may allow the plant to tune its defenses to the local environment. Furthermore, the pattern of TF/promoter interactions could partially explain mutant phenotypes. This work shows that defense chemistry within Arabidopsis has a highly intricate transcriptional regulatory system that may allow for the optimization of defense metabolite accumulation across a broad array of environments.
Study of thermal radiative properties of antireflection glass for flat-plate solar collector covers

Abstract An analytical study is presented to evaluate thermal radiative properties of soda-lime sheet glasses covered with 0·087 μ m thick MgF2 coatings. Glass specimens analyzed in the work consist of single and double layers of glass with either coated or uncoated surfaces. Equations for bulk and system properties are given which are used in conjunction with the measured absorption coefficient to determine glass spectral properties. Glass system properties are evaluated for five combinations of glass consisting of double layers of coated or uncoated glass plates. The evaluated spectral properties are integrated to yield total solar properties at different incidence angles. Analytical results show clearly there are advantages in using coated glass as solar collector covers; not only is the transmitted energy to the collector increased at normal incidence condition, but also the energy loss by reflection at large incidence angles is substantially reduced. This characteristic might be worthy of consideration in the future design of the flat-plate solar energy collector.
A Survey to Assess Body and Self-Image in Individuals with Bladder Exstrophy: A Call for Psychosocial Support

Purpose: Although research in patients with urological conditions indicates that functional limitations, pain, limited mobility and social restrictions can impact self-image, to our knowledge the influence of the visibility of the condition has not been examined. We assessed body image and self-image at school age through young adulthood in patients with bladder exstrophy compared to patients with kidney stones.Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with bladder exstrophy and kidney stones completed a 25-item multiple choice Urological Body Image Questionnaire for ages 13 to 25 years, which was created for the current study. It consists of questions on physical appearance, avoidance behaviors, urological condition disclosure, romantic relationships and future expectations. A modified Urological Body Image Questionnaire for patients 8 to 12 years old was created by removing questions on relationships and future expectations.Results: A total of 24 patients with bladder exstrophy and 24 with kidney stones...
Effect of calcium stress on the skeleton mass of intact and ovariectomized rats.

Abstract Female rats were ovariectomized (Ovx) or sham-operated (control) at 18 weeks and the entire skeleton obtained at 24 weeks (baseline) or after an additional 31 day (28 week) interval on a normal (1.0%) or deficient (0.02%) calcium diet. Ovx rats showed a 42% increase in whole body bone resorption ( 3 H-tetracycline loss) in the absence of calcium stress (1.0% calcium diet) and a 70% increase in resorption with morphological evidence of dramatic loss of cancellous bone mass when placed on calcium-deficient (0.02%) diets. Ovx rats kept on the 1.0% calcium diet showed a significant increase in both their body weight (30.2%) and total bone mass (11.6%) compared to baseline sham-operated controls. However, the total skeleton mass of these animals was significantly reduced (−20%) from that predicted by calculations based on body weight. Maintaining animals on calcium-deficient diets had no significant effect on the total skeleton mass of either control or Ovx rats in comparison with age-matched controls on 1.0% diets. It was further determined that an increase in bone mass between 24 and 28 weeks in rats receiving 1.0% dietary calcium occurred in both the axial and appendicular skeleton and was proportionately similar between control and Ovx groups. However, in animals subjected to dietary calcium stress during this interval, the decreased skeletal growth noted was confined primarily to the axial skeleton. The data indicate that ovariectomy or ovariectomy plus calcium stress does not result in loss of total bone mass during the interval of dramatically increased resorption and rapid loss of cancellous bone. The results suggest that the deterioration in individual bone structural and mechanical integrity due to ovariectomy or dietary calcium deficiency may not be attributed to overt loss in total bone mass but may involve a redistribution of bone mass.
A Radical Poster Session

In the field of psychology, poster sessions have a history of being an easy and efficient way to present data. Recently, the poster session has been introduced in the classroom. For the last 2 years, we have used a poster session as an integral part of an undergraduate experimental design course. Principles of experimental design are demonstrated when undergraduates design and conduct original experiments using radishes as subjects. Results of these experiments are then presented in a poster session. The benefits of using radishes as subjects are described.
Scattering of Electromagnetic Radiation by Infinitely Long, Hollow, and Coated Cylinders

The scattering efficiency and backward component of the scattered flux have been calculated for infinitely long, hollow cylinders with real indices of refraction of 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5; ratios of inner diameter to outer diameter of 0.0, 0.01, 0.10, 0.50, 0.90, and 0.99; and outer circumference to wavelength ratios of 0.12(0.02) 6.00. Values were obtained for the cases of incident radiation parallel polarized and perpendicularly polarized. A generalized computer subroutine has been made available for the calculation of the amplitude functions, as well as the above functions, for any arbitrary values of the parameters.
Reburning mechanisms in A pulverized coal combustor

Mechanisms governing the inter-conversion and destruction of nitrogenous species in the fuel rich reburning zone of a laboratory coal combustor were explored. Emphasis was on a configuration in which the primary flame was of pulverized coal and the reburning fuel was natural gas, although other fuels were also considered. The objective was to extract models to be used in estimating reburning effectiveness in practical combustors. Reburning mechanism occur in two regimes; one in which fast reactions between NO and hydrocarbons are usually limited by mixing; the other in which reactions have slowed and in which known gas phase chemistry controls. For the latter regime, a simplified model based on detailed gas phase chemical kinetic mechanisms and known rate coefficients was able to predict temepral profiles of NO, NH3 and HCN. Reactions with hydrocarbons played important roles in both regimes and the Fenimore N2 fixation reactions limited reburning effectiveness at low primary NO values.
Application of ionic liquids as low-volatility plasticizers for PMMA

Abstract Room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) based on imidazolium salts, were found to be excellent plasticizers for poly(methyl methacrylate), with improved thermal stability, and the ability to reduce glass transition temperatures to near 0 °C. Because ILs have environmentally benign properties, they can be used in place of traditional chemicals in numerous products and processes. In this work, PMMA was formulated using dioctyl phthalate, DOP, as a traditional plasticizer, and properties were compared to PMMA plasticized with two ILs: butyl methylimidazolium/hexafluorophosphate, [bmim+][PF6−], and hexyl methylimidazolium/hexafluorophosphate, [hmim+][PF6−]. Formulations incorporated up to 30 vol.% DOP and 50 vol.% ILs. Bulk and plasticized polymers were characterized for glass transition temperature, elastic modulus, and the thermal stability of the plasticizers.
Read rate analysis of radio frequency identification systems for business applications

This paper presents a study on operational effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems in a controlled environment. Logistic regression models are developed to capture the dynamic relationship among implementation factors affecting the performance of an RFID system. Distance and angle between tag and antenna, orientation and position of tag on the container are found to be important factors among other implementation factors. A test bed is used to represent the flow of tagged products on a rolling conveyor passing by an antenna. It is shown that controlled and designed experimentation about RFID yields valuable data that, subject to appropriate statistical models, may result in a better practical understanding of the technology. In addition to the performance assessment and evaluation for RFID systems with respect to various factors, this study also aims to establish a reliable literature base for the development of this technology in the future.
Promenade: An Internet Database Server for a Virtual Botanical Image Library

ABSTRACT Discussion of the development of an Internet-accessible image database. This project integrates free-text search with menu-based field value selection to access data from an Object Oriented Database Management System. Alternative models are explored and the implications of using the World Wide Web (WWW) as the chosen solution are considered Issues of maintaining a virtual library of transient or dynamic documents are introduced.
Another Look At Computer Generated Binary Holograms

One method of generating synthetic or computer generated holograms is to first compute the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) of the desired image. The hologram is then formed by coding in some manner on photographic film the complex values of this DFT. This paper will describe a method for generating synthetic binary holograms that avoids completely the necessity for computing the DFT of the desired image. The relationship between this new method and previously used techniques will be explored.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transforming cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 measures into calculated Pittsburgh compound B units of brain Aβ amyloid

Abstract Background Positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging of amyloid with Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) and Aβ42 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF Aβ42) demonstrate a highly significant inverse correlation. Both these techniques are presumed to measure brain Aβ amyloid load. The objectives of this study were to develop a method to transform CSF Aβ42 measures into calculated PIB measures (PIBcalc) of Aβ amyloid load, and to partially validate the method in an independent sample of subjects. Methods In all, 41 subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) underwent PIB PET imaging and lumbar puncture (LP) at the same time. This sample, referred to as the "training" sample (nine cognitively normal subjects, 22 subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and 10 subjects with Alzheimer's disease), was used to develop a regression model by which CSF Aβ42 (with apolipoprotein E ɛ 4 carrier status as a covariate) was transformed into units of PIB PET (PIBcalc). An independent "supporting" sample of 362 ADNI subjects (105 cognitively normal subjects, 164 subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and 93 subjects with Alzheimer's disease) who underwent LP but not PIB PET imaging had their CSF Aβ42 values converted to PIBcalc. These values were compared with the overall PIB PET distribution found in the ADNI subjects (n = 102). Results A linear regression model demonstrates good prediction of actual PIB PET from CSF Aβ42 measures obtained in the training sample ( R 2 = 0.77, P Conclusion Although the precise parameters of this model are specific for the ADNI sample, we conclude that CSF Aβ42 can be transformed into PIBcalc measures of Aβ amyloid load. Brain Aβ amyloid load can be ascertained at baseline in therapeutic or observational studies by either CSF or amyloid PET imaging and the data can be pooled using well-established multiple imputation techniques that account for the uncertainty in a CSF-based PIBcalc value.
On Homology and the Ontological Relationship of Parts

Recent literature suggests that a phylogenetic orientation may lead to unique perspectives on homology. An analysis of absence of avian hind limb flexors is used to explore this perspective. This approach suggests that synapomorphy is not equivalent to homology but rather that synapomorphies are hypotheses of homology (otherwise phylogenetic analysis is tautological). Homologies should be viewed as relationships among historical individuals, and we can only discover interorganismic homologies by phylogenetic analysis. Intraorganismic homologies, owever, must be studied by other methods, primarily ontogenetic ones
Group selection: the phenotypic and genotypic differentiation of small populations.

The biological character or phenotype of a population is determined both by the genotypes of its component individuals and by their interaction with biotic and abiotic factors in the environment. To the extent that there are genetic differences among individuals, differences among populations may be generated by both drift and selection. In most theoretical studies, the populational phenotype is completely characterized by the genotypic or phenotypic mean and variance of its component individuals. In these cases, the population characteristic in question is simply a statistical summarization of its component parts. When this description of the relationship between individual and population phenotypes is accurate, the phenotypic differentiation of an array of populations owing to drift or selection can readily be represented by the frequency distribution of within-population means. This distribution is a complete characterization because the variance within the population in most genetic models is a function of the mean gene frequency and in most quantitative models this variance is assumed to be constant. However, laboratory studies of genotype-genotype and genotype-density interactions (Lewontin and Matsuo, 1963; Sokal and Karten, 1964; Weisbrot, 1966; McCauley and Sokal, 1977) have illustrated many instances in which the biological character or phenotype of a population is not a simple linear function of its component parts. As a result of the interactions among individuals, it is possible, at least in principle, for small genetic differences between groups of individuals to become relatively large differences in
A new proof of two identities involving Ramanujan’s cubic continued fraction

In this paper, we give a new proof of two identities involving Ramanujan’s cubic continued fraction. These identities are the key ingredients to an analog of Ramanujan’s “Most Beautiful Identity” discovered recently.
Molecular complexes that contain both c-Cbl and c-Src associate with Golgi membranes.

Summary Cbl is an adaptor protein that is phosphorylated and recruited to several receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases upon their activation. After binding to the activated receptor, Cbl plays a key role as a kinase inhibitor and as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, thereby contributing to receptor down-regulation and internalization. In addition, Cbl translocates to intracellular vesicular compartments following receptor activation. We report here that Cbl also associates with Golgi membranes. Confocal immunofluorescence staining of Cbl in a variety of unstimulated cells, including CHO cells, revealed a prominent perinuclear colocalization of Cbl and a Golgi marker. Both the prominent Cbl staining and the Golgi marker were dispersed by brefeldin A. Subcellular fractionation of CHO cells demonstrated that about 10% of Cbl is stably associated with membranes, and that Golgi-enriched membrane fractions produced by isopycnic density centrifugation and free-flow electrophoresis are also enriched in Cbl, relative to other membrane fractions. The membrane-bound Cbl was hyperphosphorylated and it co-immunoprecipitated with endogenous Src. By immunofluorescence, some Src colocalized with Cbl and Golgi markers, and Src, like Cbl, was present in the Golgi-enriched fraction prepared by sequential density centrifugation and free-flow electrophoresis. Transfection of an activated form of Src, but not wild-type Src, increased the amount of Src that co-immunoprecipitated with Cbl, and increased the intensity of Cbl staining on the Golgi. This result, together with the increased tyrosine phosphorylation of the membrane-associated Cbl, suggests that Golgi-associated Cbl could be part of a molecular complex that contains activated Src. The localization and interaction of Src and Cbl at the Golgi and the regulation of the interaction of Cbl with Golgi membrane suggest that this complex may contribute to the regulation of Golgi function.
Simulations of a single membrane between two walls using a Monte Carlo method

Quantitative theory of interbilayer interactions is essential to interpret x-ray scattering data and to elucidate these interactions for biologically relevant systems. For this purpose Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to obtain pressure $P$ and positional fluctuations \ensuremath{\sigma}. An alternative method, called Fourier Monte Carlo (FMC), that is based on a Fourier representation of the displacement field, is developed and its superiority over the standard method is demonstrated. The FMC method is applied to simulating a single membrane between two hard walls, which models a stack of lipid bilayer membranes with nonharmonic interactions. Finite-size scaling is demonstrated and used to obtain accurate values for $P$ and \ensuremath{\sigma} in the limit of a large continuous membrane. The results are compared with perturbation theory approximations, and numerical differences are found in the nonharmonic case. Therefore the FMC method, rather than the approximations, should be used for establishing the connection between model potentials and observable quantities, as well as for pure modeling purposes.
Baffin Bay ice drift and export: 2002–2007

Multiyear estimates of sea ice drift in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait are derived for the first time from the 89 GHz channel of the AMSR-E instrument. Uncertainties in the drift estimates, assessed with Envisat ice motion, are approximately 2-3 km/day. A persistent atmospheric trough, between the coast of Greenland and Baffin Island, drives the prevailing southward drift pattern with average daily displacements in excess of 18-20 km during winter. Over the 5-year record, the ice export ranges between 360 and 675 x 10(exp 3) km(exp 2), with an average of 530 x 10(exp 3) km(exp 2). Sea ice area inflow from the Nares Strait, Lancaster Sound and Jones Sound potentially contribute up to a third of the net area outflow while ice production at the North Water Polynya contributes the balance. Rough estimates of annual volume export give approximately 500-800 km(exp 3). Comparatively, these are approximately 70% and approximately 30% of the annual area and Strait.
Medullary catecholamine inputs to the anteroventral third ventricular cardiovascular regulatory region in the rat

Abstract Lesions in the tissue at the anteroventral end of the third ventricle (AV3V area) prevent the development of a variety of foms of experimental hypertension. This region receives afferents from several cell groups which have been implicated in cardiovascular regulation, including the nucleus of the solitary tract and neurons in the ventrolateral medulla. About 70% of the nucleus of the solitary tract neurons which could be retrogradely labeled from the AV3V area stained immunohistochemically for tyrosine hydroxylase, but not phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, and were therefore presumably noradrenergic. About half of the neurons in the rostral part of the ventrolateral medulla which innervated the AV3V area stained for both enzymes, and thus were apparently adrenergic. These medullary catecholaminergic inputs to the AV3V area may be of importance in explaining recent data concerning the roles of both regions in experimental hypertension.
Current Status and Future Promise of Pharmacotherapeutic Strategies for Alzheimer’s Disease

Background and objective The pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is evolving rapidly. Unless new discoveries continue to emerge to facilitate prevention and effective treatment of the disease, the anticipated burden of this disease on caregivers and society at large will overwhelm resources. The objective of this paper is to review the state of development of approaches likely to yield effective interventional measures with regard to AD in the future. Design A comprehensive systematic search of MEDLINE using focused search criteria, a search of reference lists from these studies and reviews, a review of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and a hand search of relevant journals was conducted. Selection of articles was based on the clinical focus. Additional inclusion criteria preferentially selected key articles that contained higher-level evidence in accordance with explicit, validated criteria. Results Pharmaceutical interventions are being developed and tested that confer neuroprotective benefits by targeting causative mechanisms. Conclusion The paradigm that AD is pharmacologically unresponsive is shifting. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration will soon allow us to more specifically target and interrupt the processes that contribute to this dementia.
Ribonuclease H activity in rat mammary gland during the lactation cycle and in R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma.

Abstract RNAase H, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of the RNA moiety of an RNA-DNA hybrid, was measured in the mammary gland of virgin, pregnant, lactating, and weanling Fischer rats and in the R3230AC mammary tumor grown in the same animals. In the normal mammary gland when DNA levels were low, as in the virgin state or during involution, RNAase H activity was also low. During pregnancy and lactogenesis when DNA levels increased, RNAase H activity, either on the basis of mammary gland weight or DNA content, also increased. During lactation when cellular proliferation ceases but rates of RNA and protein synthesis continue to reach peak values, RNAase H activity decreased. Compared to the corresponding enzyme from host glands, RNAase H from the R3230AC mammary tumor grown in pregnant and lactating hosts changed similarly, but to a lesser extent. The RNAase H activity which, on a tissue weight basis, was higher than in normal tissue also increased during pregnancy and directly after parturition, but decreased during lactation. During pregnancy these changes were accompanied by an increase in tumor DNA values. During lactation the tumor DNA values returned to the level seen in virgin hosts. These results are consistent with a role for RNAase H in DNA replication in rat mammary gland and in R3230AC mammary tumor.
The Effect of Fixation Technique on the Stiffness of Comminuted Vancouver B1 Periprosthetic Femur Fractures

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stiffness of 3 different constructs for the fixation of comminuted Vancouver B1 periprosthetic femoral shaft fractures: a single lateral locking plate, a single lateral locking plate plus an anterior strut allograft, and a lateral locking plate plus an anterior locking plate. The axial stiffness, lateral bending stiffness, and torsional stiffness of 10 synthetic periprosthetic femur fracture models were tested. Differences in stiffness between constructs were determined with a 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Fixation technique was found to have a significant effect for all loading modalities (P < .0001). A lateral locked plate plus an anterior locked plate was significantly stiffer than the allograft that in turn was significantly stiffer than the single plate (P < .0001).
Enzyme Directed Templating of Artificial Bone Mineral.

Bone is one of Nature’s most remarkable materials, not only for its mechanical properties but also for its ability to repair fractures and remodel its microstructure in response to stress. At the nanoscale bone is a supramolecular matrix of collagen fibers reinforced by hydroxyapatite crystals with a high degree of order. Emulating elements of the biological synthesis of this composite could help develop strategies for advanced materials. Previous work has demonstrated the use of functionalized peptide amphiphile nanofibers in a two-dimensional system to emulate hydroxyapatite mineralization in natural bone. We describe here an artificial, in vitro biomineralization process that allows a similar process to occur in three dimensions. The system employs the natural enzyme alkaline phosphatase and a phosphorylated, anionic nanofiber gel matrix to template hydroxyapatite nanocrystals with size, shape, and crystallographic orientation resembling natural bone mineral. The formation of this biomimetic mineral in three dimensions results from the synergy of fiber-induced nucleation and the temporal control of phosphate ion harvesting by the enzyme. Gradual enzymatic harvesting of ions for crystal growth and the strong nucleating ability of the phosphorylated fibers suppresses uncontrolled precipitation of mineral. The strategy could lead to biomimetic materials to promote bone regeneration or the synthesis of hybrid materials with crystallographically defined structures.
Is Potential Malnutrition Associated With Septic Failure and Acute Infection After Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty

Background Although malnutrition has been hypothesized to increase the risk of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), strong evidence linking the two is lacking.
An Arithmetic Checksum for Serial Transmissions

An error-detection method for serial transmissions is presented that uses an integer arithmetic checksum. The checksum is compared with cyclic-redundancy-check methods with regard to error-detecting ability and efficiency of implementation in software (or firmware). The method is a bit weaker at detection but is more efficient, thus representing a different and potentially useful choice in rhobust-benefit spectrum.
Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in CD3+ Lymphocytes From Healthy Blood Donors and Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Background—Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular bacterium responsible for respiratory tract infections. Recent studies have implicated this organism in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—To address how the organism is transported from lungs to cardiac vessels, we characterized the cell population within peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that harbor C pneumoniae DNA. Adherent and nonadherent PBMCs from 28 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 19 healthy blood donors were evaluated for the presence of C pneumoniae DNA by touchdown nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). Of the 28 patients, 10 (36%) had detectable PCR product in their nonadherent and 3 (10%) in their adherent PBMC population. C pneumoniae–specific PCR results were positive for 5 of 19 (26%) healthy blood donors. PCR positivity was detected only in the nonadherent cell population among this group of individuals. Fractionation of nonadherent PBMCs identified C pneumoniae–specific PCR signal among t...
Low frequency Raman gain measurements using chirped pulses

Two-beam coupling, attributed to Raman gain, is observed in dielectrics using chirped femtosecond pulses. A time resolved pump-probe geometry is used to vary the frequency difference between pulses in the terahertz frequency band. Stimulated Raman scattering couples the pulses transferring energy from the higher to the lower frequency beam, resulting in a dispersion shaped curve as a function of the temporal delay, dependent on the product of the pump and probe irradiances. The observed signal gives the Raman gain in SiO2 and PbF2 for detunings up to 10 THz (approximately 300 cm-1) using mm-thick samples. This method may also be sensitive to the electronic motion responsible for bound-electronic nonlinear refractive index, which could yield the optical response time of bound electrons.
A three-dimensional neural recording array

The authors describe a three-dimensional recording array for the high-density monitoring of neural activity throughout a volume of cortical tissue. The microassembly techniques used permit multiple multishank planar probes to be precisely configured to form 3D microstructures with probe spacings of 100 mu m or less. The probes are aligned through an orthogonal platform, also formed by silicon micromachining. High-density lead transfers between the probes and the platform are formed by selective electroplating and offer very low values of series resistance and shunt capacitance, with center-to-center lead spacings of 100 mu m or less. A 4*4 shank passive probe array has been found to penetrate pia arachnoid easily and is well accepted by the neural tissue. These assembly techniques also appear to be compatible with a variety of other microelectromechanical systems where 3D structures are required. >
THE ROLE OF INTESTINAL BACTERIA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIETARY CIRRHOSIS IN RATS

Diffuse hepatic cirrhosis develops in rats on a choline-deficient diet within 300 days. Absorbable broad spectrum antibiotics added to the daily diet do not prevent the development of fatty infiltration, but they delay the development of cirrhosis for about 100 days more. Non-absorbable antibiotics added to the daily diet prevent the development of cirrhosis in most rats for as long as 750 days. The superiority of non-absorbable antibiotics to absorbable antibiotics excludes a systemic effect of the antibiotics and demonstrates that intestinal bacteria are largely, if not wholly, responsible for the cirrhosis in rats on a choline-deficient diet.
Purified NPC1 Protein II. LOCALIZATION OF STEROL BINDING TO A 240-AMINO ACID SOLUBLE LUMINAL LOOP

Defects in Niemann-Pick, Type C-1 protein (NPC1) cause cholesterol, sphingolipids, phospholipids, and glycolipids to accumulate in lysosomes of liver, spleen, and brain. In cultured fibroblasts, NPC1 deficiency causes lysosomal retention of lipoprotein-derived cholesterol after uptake by receptor-mediated endocytosis. NPC1 contains 1278 amino acids that form 13 membrane-spanning helices and three large loops that project into the lumen of lysosomes. We showed earlier that NPC1 binds cholesterol and oxysterols. Here we localize the binding site to luminal loop-1, a 240-amino acid domain with 18 cysteines. When produced in cultured cells, luminal loop-1 was secreted as a soluble dimer. This loop bound [(3)H]cholesterol (K(d), 130 nM) and [(3)H]25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC, K(d), 10 nM) with one sterol binding site per dimer. Binding of both sterols was competed by oxysterols (24-, 25-, and 27-HC). Unlabeled cholesterol competed strongly for binding of [(3)H]cholesterol, but weakly for [(3)H]25-HC binding. Binding of [(3)H]cholesterol but not [(3)H]25-HC was inhibited by detergents. We also studied NPC2, a soluble protein whose deficiency causes a similar disease phenotype. NPC2 bound cholesterol, but not oxysterols. Epicholesterol and cholesteryl sulfate competed for [(3)H]cholesterol binding to NPC2, but not NPC1. Glutamine 79 in luminal loop-1 of NPC-1 is important for sterol binding; a Q79A mutation abolished binding of [(3)H]cholesterol and [(3)H]25-HC to full-length NPC1. Nevertheless, the Q79A mutant restored cholesterol transport to NPC1-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells. Thus, the sterol binding site on luminal loop-1 is not essential for NPC1 function in fibroblasts, but it may function in other cells where NPC1 deficiency produces more complicated lipid abnormalities.
Neuropeptide Y Opposes Alcohol Effects on Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Release in Amygdala and Blocks the Transition to Alcohol Dependence

Background During the transition to alcohol and drug addiction, neuromodulator systems in the extended amygdala are recruited to mediate aspects of withdrawal and relapse via convergence on inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in central amygdala (CeA). Methods This study investigated the role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in excessive alcohol drinking by making rats dependent on alcohol via alcohol vapor inhalation. This study also utilized intracellular and whole-cell recording techniques to determine the effects of NPY on GABAergic inhibitory transmission in CeA, synaptic mechanisms involved in these NPY effects, and NPY interactions with alcohol in the CeA of alcohol-naive and alcohol-dependent rats. Results Chronic NPY treatment blocked excessive operant alcohol-reinforced responding associated with alcohol dependence, as well as gradual increases in alcohol responding by intermittently tested nondependent control animals. Neuropeptide Y decreased baseline GABAergic transmission and reversed alcohol-induced enhancement of inhibitory transmission in CeA by suppressing GABA release via actions at presynaptic Y 2 receptors. Conclusions These results highlight NPY modulation of GABAergic signaling in central amygdala as a promising pharmacotherapeutic target for the treatment of alcoholism. Gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons in the CeA likely constitute a major point of convergence for neuromodulator systems recruited during the transition to alcohol dependence.
Technical aspects of needle aspiration lung biopsy: a personal perspective.

Needle aspiration lung biopsy is a procedure often approached with trepidation. Even experienced operators vary substantially in both rates of retrieval of diagnostic specimens and rates of complication. Unifortunately, many aspects of lung biopsy have not been subjected to large controlled trials due to the length of time necessary to accumulate a large series, the difficulty of separating interrelated aspects of the procedure, and, from a personal perspective, ethical considerations related to depriving a control group of what is standard procedure at a particular institution. The techniques included in this article form a unified approach to lung biopsy, directed toward the pragmatic goals of maximizing specimen retrieval and minimizing complications. They represent personal choices evolved from many years of clinical practice. observations from an in vitro model of lung biopsy, studies reported in the literature, and discussions with valued colleagues. Certain aspects may be viewed as controversal by some.
Brain Science: From the Very Small to the Very Large

We still lack a clear understanding of how brain imaging signals relate to neuronal activity. Recent work shows that the simultaneous activity of neuronal ensembles strongly correlates with local field potentials and imaging measurements.
RefSeq microbial genomes database: new representation and annotation strategy

The source of the microbial genomic sequences in the RefSeq collection is the set of primary sequence records submitted to the International Nucleotide Sequence Database public archives. These can be accessed through the Entrez search and retrieval system at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome. Next-generation sequencing has enabled researchers to perform genomic sequencing at rates that were unimaginable in the past. Microbial genomes can now be sequenced in a matter of hours, which has led to a significant increase in the number of assembled genomes deposited in the public archives. This huge increase in DNA sequence data presents new challenges for the annotation, analysis and visualization bioinformatics tools. New strategies have been developed for the annotation and representation of reference genomes and sequence variations derived from population studies and clinical outbreaks.
The Promise and Peril of Corporate Governance Indices

Financial economists and commercial providers of governance services have in recent years created measures of the quality of firms' corporate governance which collapse into a single number (a governance index or rating) the multiple dimensions of a company's governance. The aim of this paper is twofold, to analyze the performance of corporate governance indices in predicting corporate performance, and to consider the implications for public policy that follow from that assessment. We highlight methodological shortcomings of the extant papers that claim a relation between particular governance measures and corporate performance. Our core conclusion is that there is no consistent relation between governance indices and measures of corporate performance. Namely, there is no one "best" measure of corporate governance: the most effective governance institution appears to depend on context, and on firms' specific circumstances. It would therefore be difficult for an index, or any one variable, to capture critical nuances for making informed decisions. As a consequence, we conclude that governance indices are highly imperfect instruments for determining how to vote corporate proxies, let alone for portfolio investment decisions, and that investors and policymakers should exercise caution in attempting to draw inferences regarding a firm's quality or future stock market performance from its ranking on any particular corporate governance measure. Most important, the implication of our analysis is that corporate governance is an area where a regulatory regime of ample flexible variation across firms that eschews governance mandates is particularly desirable, because there is considerable variation in the relation between the indices and measures of corporate performance.