cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An empirical examination of appetite hormones and cognitive and behavioral bulimic symptomatology.

Existing literature has demonstrated that appetite hormones are frequently dysregulated in individuals with bulimic-spectrum eating disorders (BN-EDs). Although dysregulations in appetite hormones may maintain BN-EDs, very limited research has examined the association between dysregulated appetite hormones and cognitive and behavioral bulimic symptoms. We hypothesized that greater frequency of behavioral symptoms and severity of cognitive symptoms of BN-EDs would correlate with greater dysregulation in appetite hormones. The association between ghrelin, cortisol, leptin, GLP-1, and amylin levels and eating pathology was examined in treatment-seeking adults with BN-EDs (N = 33). Participants completed bloodwork to assess fasting blood hormone levels and bulimic symptoms were measured by the Eating Disorder Examination. Pearson partial correlations were run to examine the association between hormone levels and eating pathology, controlling for BMI. Contrary to hypotheses, none of the appetite hormones tested were significantly associated with frequency of behavioral ED symptoms (p range = 0.13–0.97, negligible to small effect sizes). Global eating pathology was positively associated with leptin (p = 0.03) and negatively associated with GLP-1 (p = 0.03) and amylin (p = 0.04), with medium effect sizes. Post hoc analyses indicated significantly stronger associations between appetite hormones and cognitive eating pathology than between appetite hormones and frequency of binge eating [GLP-1 (p = 0.02) and amylin (p = 0.02)] or compensatory behaviors [leptin (p = 0.03), GLP-1 (p = 0.02), and amylin (p = 0.04)]. In individuals with BN-EDs, appetite hormones may be more strongly associated with cognitive symptoms than behavioral symptoms. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
Managing Computationally Expensive Blackbox Multiobjective Optimization Problems Wwth Libensemble

Multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs) are common across many science and engineering fields. A multiobjective optimization algorithm (MOA) seeks to provide an approximation to the tradeoff surface between multiple, possibly conflicting, objectives. Many MOPs are the result of objective functions that require the evaluation of a computationally expensive numerical simulation. Solving these large and complex problems requires efficient coordination between the MOA and the computationally expensive cost functions. In this work, a recently proposed MOA is integrated into the libEnsemble software library, which coordinates extreme scale resources for large ensemble computations. Efficient integration requires fundamental changes to the underlying MOA. The convergence and performance results for the integrated and original MOA are compared on a set of benchmark problems.
Neuroanatomic and Functional Neuroimaging Findings

The search for brain morphology findings that could explain behavioral disorders has gone through a long path in the history of psychiatry. With the advance of brain imaging technology, studies have been able to identify brain morphology and neural circuits associated with the pathophysiology of mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorders (BD). Promising results have also shown the potential of neuroimaging findings in the identification of outcome predictors and response to treatment among patients with BD. In this chapter, we present brain imaging structural and functional findings associated with BD, as well as their hypothesized relationship with the pathophysiological aspects of that condition and their potential clinical applications.
Office Romances: The New Battleground Over Employees' Rights to Privacy and the Employers' Right to Intervene

Office romances have increased dramatically as more men and women work together for prolonged periods. The article reviews reasons why office romances are flourishing, examines the corporate response to office romances, discusses the rights and responsibilities of employees, co-workers, and employers, and recommends courses of action for each.
Extending quantum systems with optical interconnects (invited)

As quantum systems scale, the challenge of connecting qubits with high fidelity communication links looms large. In the short term, traditional VLSI packaging technologies are being adapted to the unique material constraints of the various qubit systems. In the medium term, enhanced control and cryogenic technologies can expand quantum systems using existing engineering knowledge. Longer term, quantum interconnects that can connect modular quantum computing nodes require new science for interface technology and computing protocols. In this talk, I will discuss these general issues from the perspective of scaling IBM superconducting qubit systems.
Photobiomodulation for the management of hair loss

Photobiomodulation, otherwise known as low-level laser (or light) therapy, is an emerging modality for the management of hair loss. Several randomized trials have demonstrated that it is safe and potentially effective on its own or in combination with standard therapies. These devices come in many forms including wearable caps or helmets that afford hands-free and discreet use. Models with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are less expensive compared to laser-based devices and do not require laser safety considerations, thus facilitating ease of home use. Limitations include cost of the unit, risk of information bias, and lack of standardized protocols. Finally, as with any hair loss treatment, patients' expectations with regards to therapeutic outcomes must be managed.
The Effect of Hypoxic Gas Therapy Using Nitrogen Before Bilateral Pulmonary Artery Banding on Hemodynamics and Pulmonary Artery Development

This study aimed to identify its influence on pulmonary development and hemodynamics before bidirectional Glenn (BDG) anastomosis. This retrospective study involved 30 consecutive patients with univentricular hearts who underwent bilateral pulmonary artery banding (bil-PAB) and BDG anastomosis between September 2011 and September 2018 at our institution. These patients were classified into the nitrogen (N = 12) and no nitrogen (N = 18) groups according to their use of hypoxic gas therapy. Clinical echocardiographic, operative, and catheter examination data were reviewed. Nakata index was 131 (110–167) in the nitrogen group and 138 (88.4–161.7) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.8). Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 1.50 (1.30–2.4) in the nitrogen group and 138 (88.4–161.7) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.3). There was no statistical difference between the pulmonary development in both groups. In the subgroup of hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients, there was a statistical difference. RVEDV% of normal was 232.5 (215–239) in the nitrogen group and 201 (161–209) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.03). Pulmonary development was not significantly different when hypoxic gas therapy was performed using nitrogen vs. not using nitrogen. However, RVEDV% of normal might be larger with hypoxic gas therapy using nitrogen. Although there is no obvious systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation exacerbation with hypoxic gas therapy, it might be useful to prevent a decrease in PVR and may also affect bil-PAB and subclinical increase in systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation.
Constructing an aesthetic discourse: Aesthetic education where Daoism meets postmodernism

Despite the prevalence of aesthetic education as one of the main developmental objectives in curricular worldwide, the mainstream philosophical discourse on its definition is predominately framed b...
Development and Initial Evaluation of 64Cu-Labeled Disintegrin for PET Imaging of Prostate Cancer

1184 Objectives A novel recombinant disintegrin, vicrostatin (VCN), displays high binding affinity to a broad range of human integrins in substantial competitive biological advantage over other integrin-based antagonists. In this study, we synthesized a new 64Cu-labeled VCN probe and evaluated its imaging properties for prostate cancer in PC-3 tumor bearing mice. Methods Macrocyclic chelating agent 1,8-diamino-3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]-eicosine (DiAmSar) was conjugated with PEG unit, and followed by a coupling with VCN. The precursor was then radiolabeled with positron emitter 64Cu (t1/2 = 12.7h) in ammonium acetate buffer to provide 64Cu-Sar-PET-VCN, which was subsequently subject to in vitro studies, small animal PET, and biodistribution studies. The PC-3 tumor targeting efficacy of 64Cu-Sar-PET-VCN was compared to a cyclic RGD peptide based PET probe (64Cu-Sar-RGD). Results 64Cu labeling was achieved in 75% decay-corrected yield with radiochemical purity of >98%. The specific activity of 64Cu-Sar-PEG-VCN was estimated to be 37 MBq/nmol. MicroPET imaging results showed that 64Cu-Sar-PEG-VCN has preferential tumor uptake and good tumor retention in PC-3 tumor xenografts. As compared to 64Cu-Sar-RGD, 64Cu-Sar-PEG-VCN produces higher tumor-to-muscle (T/M) imaging contrast ratios at 2 h (4.66±0.34 vs. 2.88±0.46) and 24 h (4.98±0.80 vs. 3.22±0.30) post-injection (pi), and similar tumor-to-liver ratios at 2 h (0.43±0.09 vs. 0.37±0.04) and 24 h (0.57±0.13 vs. 0.52±0.07) pi. The biodistribution results were consistent with the quantitative analysis of microPET imaging, demonstrating good T/M ratio (2.73±0.36) of 64Cu-Sar-PEG-VCN at 48 h pi in PC-3 tumor xenografts. Conclusions 64Cu-Sar-PEG-VCN has the potential for in vivo imaging of prostate cancer with PET, which may provide a unique non-invasive method to quantitatively localize and characterize prostate cancer.
A Three-Year Analysis of the Impact of a Student-Run Gynecology Clinic on Access to Reproductive Health Care for Uninsured Women in East Harlem.

The East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership (EHHOP) is a medical student-run and attending-supervised clinic that provides primary care to predominantly Spanish-speaking, uninsured patients living in East Harlem, New York. In 2010, the clinic launched a Women’s Health Clinic (WHC), to offer comprehensive gynecologic and reproductive healthcare under the guidance of faculty gynecologists. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed WHC data from January 2018 to March 2021. Over this period, 59 individual patients were seen over 39 clinical sessions through a total of 164 clinical encounters staffed by 43 medical students and 19 faculty preceptors from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai. The most common reasons for referral to the EHHOP WHC were abnormal uterine bleeding, contraception counseling, and management of abnormal Pap smears; the most common procedures performed were Pap smears, long-acting reversible contraception placements and removals, and colposcopies. We discuss the critical role that student-run, physician-supervised reproductive health clinics play in reducing disparities in gynecologic care for uninsured women.
Nursing: polypharmacy and medication management in older adults

Abstract Polypharmacy is a common clinical issue that affects half of all older adults living in the United States, and it is associated with adverse drug events (ADEs), poor outcomes, unplanned healthcare utilization, and increased healthcare costs. Older adults have a high risk of both polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use given normal changes of aging that influence pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the presence of multiple medical conditions, and complex treatment regimens used to treat them. Nurses play a key role in reducing polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use in older adults through identification of adverse drug events, promoting the use of nonpharmacological interventions in place of medications, and providing essential patient education to older adults about medications and their side effects.
Resident Perspectives on Palliative Care at an Urban Teaching Hospital.

Background There has been an increasing need to address end of life (EOL) care and palliative care in an era when measures to extend life for terminal illnesses are often initiated without consideration of quality of life. Addressing the barriers for resident physicians to initiate EOL conversations with patients is an important step towards eliminating the disconnect between patient wishes and provider goals. Purpose To assess resident physician perspectives on initiating palliative care conversations with terminally ill patients at an urban teaching hospital. Methods This paper solicited the experiences of pediatric, general surgery, and internal medicine residents through an anonymous survey to assess exposure to palliative care during training, comfort with providing palliative care, and barriers to implementing effective palliative care. Results 45% of residents reported exposure to palliative care prior to medical training. Ninety-three percent of these residents reported being formally introduced to palliative care during medical training through formal lecture, although the majority reported also being exposed through either small group discussions or informal teaching sessions. Time constraints and lack of knowledge on how to initiate and continue conversations surrounding EOL care were the greatest barriers to effectively caring for patients with terminal illnesses. Residents concurred that either attending physicians or hospital-designated palliative care providers should initiate palliative care discussions, with care managed by an interdisciplinary palliative care team; this consensus demonstrates a potential assumption that another provider will initiate EOL discussions. Conclusions This study evaluated the current state of physician training in EOL care and provided support for the use of experience-based training as an important adjunct to traditional didactic lectures in physician education.
Navicular bursoscopy in the horse: a comparative study.

Objectives: To compare the proportion of the proximal recess of the navicular bursa that could be examined through a single endoscopic portal and the severity of iatrogenic lesions between conventional and modified approaches. Design: Descriptive study. Sample Population: Equine cadaver forelimbs (n=16). Methods: Arthroscopic access to the navicular bursa in 1 limb of each pair was by a conventional approach and in the other limb, by a modified approach using sharp dissection through the distal digital flexor sheath, immediately palmar to the T ligament. The time required to access the bursa and the estimated proportion of the navicular bone that could be seen with each approach were recorded. Iatrogenic damage to the navicular bone and the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) were quantified. Results: The mean access time to the navicular bursa using the conventional approach was 1.21±0.41 minutes compared with 2.09±0.86 minutes using the modified technique. The estimated proportions of the bursa visible through a single endoscopic portal using the conventional and modified approaches were 60% and 80%, respectively. Scores for navicular bone (P=.003) and DDFT (P=.012) damage using the conventional approach were significantly higher than those using the modified approach. Conclusions: A modified, transthecal approach to the navicular bursa under direct observation resulted in significantly less iatrogenic damage than the conventional approach. Clinical Relevance: With experience, the modified approach is straightforward, reasonably rapid, and allows near-complete examination of the navicular bursa through a single portal, with minimal iatrogenic damage to the intrabursal structures.
Sedoanalgesia in endourology

Sedoanalgesia is a combination of sedation and local anesthesia. It provides safe operating conditions for a wide variety of patients. We studied this technique in 68 pa­tients undergoing various endourological procedures. We present our findings along with the advantages of this pro­cedure.
Privacy-preserving route reporting scheme for traffic management in VANETs

With the large increase in the number of registered vehicles, the congestion and slow traffic problems are expected to worsen. Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) can play a great role in avoiding these problems by sending guidance to vehicles to pursue alternative routes. However, the published schemes require vehicles to report their future routes which can seriously violate privacy. In this paper, we present privacy-preserving route reporting scheme that suits VANET-enabled traffic management rather than warning vehicles after congestion happens. Vehicles provide encrypted segment-based route information to road side units (RSUs). Instead of sending one message for each route segment, all the segments' data can be collected by one message using homomorphic encryption. RSUs compute the encryption of the expected number of vehicles in each segment of the road without knowing the actual routes of vehicles. Each RSU shares the vehicles' routes information with a traffic management center (TMC), which decrypts the expected total number of vehicles at different segments of the road without knowing the individual vehicles' routes. Then, it conducts analysis and sends predictions and recommendations back to the RSUs. Passing vehicles solicit hints from RSUs on the expected traffic condition in order to decide to take an alternating route if there is a potential of congestion or slow traffic in its main route. Our analysis and evaluation results demonstrate that our scheme can preserve the privacy of the drivers' future routes in an efficient and secure way.
Trends in Mobile Cyber-Physical Systems for health Just-in time interventions

Advances in pervasive computing, machine learning, and human activity recognition are changing preventive health care. Emerging paradigms, such as Mobile Cyber-Physical System (MCPS) and Just-in-time interventions (JITI), allow patients to take health monitoring, diagnosis, therapy and treatments beyond traditional medical settings. These paradigms empower patients by delivering health care at any place and at any time. MCPS provides the necessary engineering support to enable JITI systems to work in an autonomous way. In this work, we review the recent trends in the design of Mobile Cyber-Physical systems for Just-in-time interventions (MCP-JITI), and the different engineering concepts behind this paradigm. Finally, we discuss a set of necessary requirements or design issues to successfully deploy in real world scenarios. This discussion is driven by the description of the MCP-JITI architecture and the interconnections among its components.
A Further Study of Grammatical Class as A Variable in Verbal Satiation

Under conditions of continuous elicitation, words functioning as nouns took longer to lose meaning than the same words functioning as adverbs. It was suggested that a word can function more readily as an independent item in a nominal than in an adverbial usage, and that a word is likely to maintain its meaning longer to the extent that it can function as an independent item. This led to the further suggestion that a word should lose meaning more rapidly when part of a larger idiomatic expression than when functioning independently. Some data consistent with this suggestion are reported, and further work along these lines is urged.
A 1904 episode in self-regulation: Arthur Lowes Dickinson and the development of the income statement

Abstract This paper explores the impact that Sir Arthur Lowes Dickinson, inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame in 1951, had on accounting thought in the United States. Throughout his career, Dickinson focused on improving the accounting profession, both internally and externally, through speeches, writing, and example. This paper takes particular focus on Dickinson's 1904 “The Profits of a Corporation” paper, his influence on governing bodies such as the Federal Reserve, and the long-term impact of his contribution to the current accounting profession and practice.
Immunoglobulin levels in detection of viral hepatitis.

Various studies have endorsed the usefulness of serum immunoglobulin quantitation in screening for occult viral hepatitis, evaluating the course of viral hepatitis, and for distinguishing serum hepatitis from infectious hepatitis. Analysis of immunoglobulin data from a large series of patients with viral hepatitis indicates that measurement of this nonspecific response is of doubtful value and that reliance upon the results would often give dangerous false security.
Law Review Articles You Should've Read (but Probably Didn't) in 2009

This short column highlights for estate and gift tax practitioners 10 noteworthy law review articles published during 2009. Estate and gift taxation is one area in which law professors’ writing should be of interest to tax practitioners and vice versa, because significant change in the law of trusts and estates originates in both the academy and the field.
The imagery and reality of peer review in the U.S.: Insights from institutional theory

Abstract Despite many challenges and highly visible failings, accountants in the U.S. continue to be a selfregulating profession. In large part, this can be attributed to the emergence and acceptance of peer review programs. This paper, using institutional theory as a template, addresses the discrepancies between what this technology promises and what it delivers. The discourse of peer review is reinterpreted to examine its societal consequences and its implications for the future of professional claims.
Investigation of Oil Transport Mechanisms on the Piston Second Land of a Single Cylinder Diesel Engine, Using Two-Dimensional-Laser-Induzed Fluorescence

A two-dimensional-Laser-Induced-Fluorescence (LIF) system was developed to visualize the oil distribution and study the oil transport in the piston ring pack of a single-cylinder diesel engine through an optical window on the liner. The system provides high spatial and intensity resolutions so that detailed oil distribution on the piston as well as between the rings and the liner can be studied. This work primarily focused on investigating different oil transport mechanisms on piston second land under various engine operating conditions. Two mechanisms for the oil flow on the second land were identified, namely, inertia driven oil flow in the axial direction and oil dragging by gas flow in the circumferential direction. Finally, the effects of ring rotation were investigated.
The effects of a myostatin inhibitor on lean body mass, strength, and power in resistance trained males.

Background Myostatin is considered an inhibitor of satellite cell activation and as a result skeletal muscle hypertrophy. One promising supplement which has suppressed blood levels of myostatin by 44% is a proprietary bioactive ingredient, Myo-T12, which is follistatin derived from fertile chicken egg yolk isolate. MyoT12 would therefore theoretically enhance skeletal muscle growth. However this remains to be examined. Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of MyoT12 on skeletal muscle growth and strength in recreationally trained individuals.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCORD GRAPE POLYPHENOLOXIDASE INVOLVED IN JUICE COLOR LOSS

The factors affecting postharvest color losses in Concord grapes were investigated, with emphasis on the extraction, partial purification and characterization of naturally occurring enzymes that may be involved. Color losses were accelerated in Concord juice by the crude enzyme extracted from the grapes. Catechol was oxidized more rapidly than other o-dihydroxyphenols, although pyrogallol, caffeic acid and dl-DOPA were good substrates for the crude polyphenoloxidase (PPO). The optimum activity was in the pH range 5.9–6.3 and at temperatures 25–30°C. Kinetic data for the crude enzyme showed a Michaelis constant of 67 mM of catechol at pH 6.0. Effective inhibitors were Na2S2 O5, dithiothreitol, phenylhydrazine, cysteine and others. Peroxidase (PRO) activity of the crude extract was very low in ripe Concord grapes. Anthocyanin pigment degradation by the crude enzyme extract was dependent on maturity of the grapes. The most rapid degradation of pigment occurred when crude enzyme from ripe grapes was added.
Assessment of consistency in contouring of normal-tissue anatomic structures.

The purpose of this work is to estimate the uncertainty in the manual contouring of normal anatomical structures. The heart, esophagus, and spinal cord were contoured manually on six sets of computed tomography images by six dosimetrists whose experience ranged from 1 year to over 15 years. To determine the differences between inter- and intraobserver variations, each data set was contoured by one of the dosimetrists five times and once each by the five other dosimetrists. The magnitude of the discrepancies in delineating the contours was assessed. Intradosimetrist contouring discrepancies were as follows: esophagus, average 0.3 cm and maximum 2.9 cm; heart, average 0.5 cm and maximum 7.6 cm; and spinal cord, average 0.1 cm and maximum 0.7 cm. Interdosimetrist contouring discrepancies were as follows: esophagus, average 0.4 cm and maximum 3.1 cm; heart, average 0.7 cm and maximum 8.1 cm; and spinal cord, average 0.2 cm and maximum 0.9 cm. Significant discrepancies can occur when normal anatomic structures are contoured manually. Interdosimetrist discrepancies are typically slightly greater than intradosimetrist discrepancies. The magnitude of the discrepancies does not appear to be correlated to the experience of the dosimetrist. 2003 American College of Medical Physics.
On the visibility of flicker distortions in naturalistic videos

Motion can reduce the visibility of flicker distortions. We performed human subjective tests to investigate how motion influences the visibility of flicker distortions in naturalistic videos. Forty three naive subjects participated in two tasks (“follow the moving object” and “view freely”) and reported their percepts on 36 test videos. Flicker distortions were simulated by periodic changes of video frames at different quality levels and flicker frequencies. An eye tracker was used to monitor each subject's gaze. The results indicate that the visibility of flicker distortions is strongly reduced when the speed of coherent motion is large, and the effect is more pronounced when the video quality is poor. We conjecture that sufficiently fast and coherent motions near the gaze point mask or `silence' the perception of flicker distortions in naturalistic videos in agreement with a recently observed `motion silencing' effect on synthetic stimuli.
SU-E-T-737: Accurately Estimating Electron Cutout Factors Using Only the Aperture Length and Width

Purpose: To describe a calculation technique which can accurately approximate the cutout factor for an electron cutout using only the length and width of the cutout.Methods: Cerrobend electron cutouts for 10×10cm and 15×15cm applicators were fabricated with centered circular apertures having integer diameters from 2cm to 15cm. A Markus‐type ionization chamber in a solid water phantom was used to measure the cutout factors for these cutouts at five beam energies. The data was used model cutout factor as a function of cutout diameter. The proposed estimation method approximates an irregularly‐shaped custom cutout as an ellipse or rectangle, and requires measuring only the length and width of the aperture. A spreadsheet program was designed to calculate 360 radii of a rectangle or ellipse with the given dimensions. For each radius, the program calculates the cutout factor for an equivalent circle; the average is an estimate of the overall cutout factor. To test the accuracy of the spreadsheet, cutout factors for twenty‐seven 10×10 cm and fifteen 15x15 cm patient cutouts were measured at five energies. The length and width of each cutout were entered into the spreadsheet program to estimate the cutout factor, which was compared with the measured factor. Results: The mean absolute percent difference for the elliptical estimation method was 0.43% and 0.41% for the 10×10 cm and 15×15 cm cutouts, respectively. The mean absolute percent difference for the rectangular estimation method was 0.38% and 0.48% for the 10×10 cm and 15×15 cm cutouts, respectively. Conclusions: This work indicates that the length and width of an irregularly‐shaped aperture can be used to accurately estimate its cutout factor by approximating it as an ellipse or rectangle. The use of this technique improves the efficiency and accuracy of calculating electron cutout factors.
Many‐body perturbation theory and phosphorescence: Application to CH2

A diagrammatic formalism is derived which facilitates the calculation of phosphorescent lifetimes. This formalism uses double perturbation theory where the spin–own–orbit interaction and the two electron fluctution potential are the perturbations. The transition amplitude between the ground state and the phosphorescent state is calculated to first order in both perturbations. The phosphorescent lifetime of the 1A1 state of methylene is evaluated, by way of illustration, and is predicted to be in the range of 40–100 s. The transition amplitude, in this case, is due primarily to the direct spin–orbit mixing of the 1A1 state with the 3B1 ground state.
Neon K Emission Spectrum

The neon $K$ emission spectrum, excited by direct electron bombardment of the neon gas, has been obtained with photon counting on a single-crystal potassium-acid-phthalate (KAP) planar spectrometer. The measured relative integrated intensity of the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{3}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{4}$ and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{5}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{6}$ satellite groups was found to be larger than theoretical prediction, but in accord with the trend of previous comparisons for $K$ satellites of neonlike ions in solids. A comparison of the present results for electron excitation and the preliminary results by O. Keski-Rahkonen and T. \AA{}berg for photon excitation indicates that the relative integrated intensity of the neon $K$ satellites is independent of excitation mode at the excess excitation energies employed. A weak increase of intensity on the low-energy side of $K{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1,2}$ in the (803-809)-eV region was recorded and can be attributed to a radiative Auger transition.
Periodicity of Thalamic Synchronized Oscillations: the Role of Ca2+-Mediated Upregulation of Ih

Thalamocortical networks can generate both normal and abnormal patterns of synchronized network activity, such as spindle waves and spike-and-wave seizures. These periods of synchronized discharge are often separated by a silent, refractory phase of between 5 and 20 s. In vitro investigations have demonstrated that this refractory period is due in large part to the persistent activation of the hyperpolarization-activated cation current Ih in thalamocortical cells. Here, we show that increases in [Ca2+]i due to rebound Ca2+ bursts result in persistent activation of Ih resulting from a positive shift in the activation curve of this current. The dynamical upregulation and persistent activation of Ih is the critical determinant of the time course of the refractory period. These findings demonstrate that periodicity in neural network oscillations may be generated through an interaction between the electrophysiological properties and intracellular signaling pathways of the constituent neurons.
Development of STS markers for Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton based on RGA–AFLP analysis

Verticillium wilt (VW) is one of the most destructive diseases of cotton that decreases yield and quality. Identification of resistance gene analogs (RGAs) can provide potential candidate gene markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) for VW resistance and cloning of VW resistance genes. The objective of this study was to convert RGA-targeted RGA–AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) markers into sequence-tagged site (STS) markers. A total of 54 RGA–AFLP markers, including 28 from a backcross inbred line (BIL) population and 26 from a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, were cloned and sequenced. Of the resulted 86 unique sequences, the majority were found to be homologous to genes, some of which showed similarity to genes encoding resistance-related products. A total of 163 STS primer pairs were designed and screened in the BIL population, 72 of which were also screened in the RIL population, resulting in 21 polymorphic STS markers in the BIL population and seven in the RIL population. Twelve STS markers were mapped onto eight chromosomes or linkage groups in the BIL population, six of which were mapped on the same chromosomes with their original RGA–AFLP markers including two STS markers on c4 flanking two VW resistance quantitative trait loci. These STS markers will be useful in MAS in breeding cotton for VW resistance. This study represents the first attempt to successfully convert RGA–AFLP markers into STS for mapping resistance genes in cotton.
Project Success: Helping Probationary Students Achieve Academic Success.

Project Success is designed to help students on academic probation improve their performance so that they can return to good academic standing at their university. This article describes the program so institutions can consider its use in their efforts to address retention issues on their campus. Research that studies the program's effectiveness is included.
Conformation-activity relationship of neuropeptide S and some structural mutants: helicity affects their interaction with the receptor.

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is the endogenous ligand of the previously orphan G-protein coupled receptor now named NPSR. The NPS−NPSR receptor system regulates important biological functions such as sleep/waking, locomotion, anxiety and food intake. Recently, exhaustive Ala scan and d-amino acid scan studies, together with systematic N- and C-terminal truncation, led to the identification of key residues for biological activity. Because conformational preferences might also play an important role, we undertook a detailed conformational analysis of NPS and several analogues in solution. We show that helicity induced by substitution of three flexible residues in the 5−13 regulatory region abolishes biological activity. A parallel pharmacological and conformational study of single and multiple substitutions of glycines 5, 7, and 9 showed that helicity can be tolerated in the C-terminal part of the peptide but not around Gly7. The identification of hNPSR partial agonists heralds the possibility of designing pure NPS...
The Genetic Algorithm and the Conformational Search of Polypeptides and Proteins

Abstract The genetic algorithm is a technique of function optimization derived from the principles of evolutionary theory. We have adapted it to perform conformational search on polypeptides and proteins. The algorithm was first tested on several small polypeptides and the 46 amino acid protein crambin under the AMBER potential energy function. The probable global minimum conformations of the polypeptides were located 90% of the time and a non-native conformation of crambin was located that was 150kcal/mol lower in potential energy than the minimized crystal structure conformation. Next, we used a knowledge-based potential function to predict the structures of melittin, pancreatic polypeptide, and crambin. A 2.31 A ΔRMS conformation of melittin and a 5.33 A ΔRMS conformation of pancreatic polypeptide were located by genetic algorithm-based conformational search under the knowledge-based potential function. Although the ΔRMS of pancreatic polypeptide was somewhat high, most of the secondary structure was c...
The Puzzling Rabbis

Abstract Religion is one of the cultural systems that attempts to deal with human puzzlement. This paper uses the metaphor of the puzzle to make sense of what has always been a disconcerting feature of rabbinic Judaism, namely, the rabbis' (200-600 C.E.) blatantly ad hoc manner of interpreting Scripture. The rabbis seem to know in advance what a verse must mean and go to great lengths to find a legitimation of that reading in the verse in question. Typically this ad hoc quality of rabbinic interpretation is explained as a means whereby the rabbis provide 'prooftexts' for new practices without Scriptural warrants. But what from one perspective appears as an attempt to find prooftexts is from another perspective an attempt to solve a puzzle. Conceptually speaking, solving a puzzle and finding prooftexts are worlds apart. This paper treats the rabbis as an inter-generational community of puzzle solvers involved in the quest to discover how the oral Torah is already contained in the written Torah. Like all matching puzzles, this one is necessarily ad hoc. The intellectual seeks in various ways, the casuistry of which extends into infinity, to endow his life with a pervasive meaning, and thus to find unity within himself, with his fellow men, and with the cosmos (Weber 192.5, 1978 p. 506). Analysis into parts is not really so important in these societies as is the periodic construction or reconstruction of the whole. The whole is what is truly edifying, and its reconstruction is a purpose which puzzlement can subtly serve (Fernandez, 1986, p. 179).
Active gate drive solutions for improving SiC JFET switching dynamics

Active and Non-Active Gate Drives (AGDs and NAGDs) are known for managing switching characteristics of silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. As SiC adoption has grown, the need for intelligent gate drives which are capable of managing the dynamics associated with the fast-switching characteristics of these devices has become apparent. To propose a solution for managing driven and post-driven dynamic behavior, this paper first studies the most recent AGD solutions for silicon power semiconductors with focus on closed loop schemes. The study is continued by reviewing available AGD and NAGD solutions for silicon carbide power semiconductors concentrating on the SiC JFET. Oscillatory modes which can be observed in application circuits based on SiC devices are discussed, and an AGD design example is proposed for improving the final dynamic response of such circuits. The active gate drive design example is constructed, and both simulated and empirical results are shown to substantially reduce the occurrence of natural and forced oscillations at turn-off of the SiC JFET.
Multimodal Presentation of Two-Dimensional Charts: An Investigation Using Open Office XML and Microsoft Excel

Several solutions, based on aural and haptic feedback, have been developed to enable access to complex on-line and digital information contents for people with visual impairment. Nevertheless, there are several components of widely used software applications that are still beyond the reach of traditional screen readers and Braille displays. This article investigates the nonvisual accessibility issues associated with the graphing component of Microsoft Excel and proposes a novel approach and system. The goal is to provide flexible multi-modal presentation schemes which can help visually impaired users in comprehending the most commonly used two dimensional business charts, demonstrated within the familiar context of Excel charts. The methodology identifies the need for three distinct strategies used in the user interaction with a chart: exploratory, guided, and summarization. These methodologies have been implemented using a multimodal approach, which combines aural cues, speech commentaries, and 3-dimensional haptic feedback. The prototype implementation and the preliminary studies suggest that the multimodality can be effectively realized and users denote preferences in intertwining these methodologies to gain understanding of the content of charts. These methodologies have been implemented in a system, which makes use of the Novint Falcon haptic device and integrated as a plug-in in Microsoft Excel.
Reproduction of nuclei in Pelomyxa palustris.

Light and electron micrographs were made of nuclei in Pelomyxa palustris, a unicellular, multinucleated giant amoeboid organism. We analyzed 1019 pelomyxae and classified their nuclei according to their location in the nuclear cycle. The majority of organisms (56.3%) had interphase nuclei, some of which contained spores of mostly 1-3 μm in diameter. The nuclei had disintegrated in 1.3 % of organisms that appeared to have no nuclei. The remainder (42.4%) had nuclei in the form of spores (1 to 10 μm spheroids) that were in various stages of development and growth. Mitotic figures were seen in some of them, with several chromosome pairs per nucleus. Interchromosomal fibers were seen at anaphase, and newly formed "young" interphase nuclei were observed.
Angiotensin II Blockade Reverses Myocardial Fibrosis in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Human Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background—Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in the young, is characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, myocyte disarray, and interstitial fibrosis. We propose that hypertrophy and fibrosis are secondary to the activation of trophic and mitotic factors and, thus, potentially reversible. We determined whether the blockade of angiotensin II, a known cardiotrophic factor, could reverse or attenuate interstitial fibrosis in a transgenic mouse model of human HCM. Methods and Results—We randomized 24 adult cardiac troponin T (cTnT-Q92) mice, which exhibit myocyte disarray and interstitial fibrosis, to treatment with losartan or placebo and included 12 nontransgenic mice as controls. The mean dose of losartan and the mean duration of therapy were 14.2±5.3 mg · kg–1 · d–1 and 42±9.6 days, respectively. Mean age, number of males and females, and heart/body weight ratio were similar in the groups. Collagen volume fraction and extent of myocyte disarray were increased in th...
Does PTCA in Acute Myocardial Infarction Affect Mortality and Reinfarction Rates? A Quantitative Overview (Meta-Analysis) of the Randomized Clinical Trials

Background Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is often performed after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) either as an adjuvant to thrombolytic therapy or instead of thrombolysis. The effect of PTCA in AMI on mortality and reinfarction has remained unclear, with the available randomized trials indicating inconsistent results. Methods and Results A systematic overview (meta-analysis) of the randomized trials was conducted to assess the effect of PTCA in AMI on mortality and reinfarction rates. Data from 7 trials in which primary PTCA was evaluated and 16 trials in which PTCA after thrombolysis was studied were included in this overview, comprising a total of 8496 patients. The trials represented different approaches to the timing of PTCA after AMI. The trials of PTCA after thrombolytic therapy were also categorized according to the different protocols with respect to the routine or elective character of PTCA in the invasive group. A reduction in short-term (6 week) mortality (odds ratio, ...
Differential localization and accumulation of the plant double stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase during virus infection

Abstract Phosphorylation of the plant encoded, double-stranded (dsRNA)-dependent protein kinase (pPKR) is significantly enhanced over basal levels during early phases of virus and viroid infection. It is unclear, however, if corresponding pPKR protein levels are affected by pathogenesis. We now show that virus infection differentially effects pPKR protein levels. Significantly, cytosolic associated pPKR protein levels are induced 3–5 fold compared to levels in extracts from mock inoculated leaves. However, ribosome-associated pPKR protein levels from virus infected tissues decreased approximately 4-fold relative to levels in extracts from mock inoculated tissues. Further, the level of cytosolic-associated pPKR capable of binding to dsRNA declined during early TMV infection events suggesting that viral dsRNA's bind to pPKR in the cytosol during initial phases of pathogenesis.
Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in the CNS of HIV-infected patients

Objective: To describe challenges in diagnosis and management of patients with clinical syndromes of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) involving the CNS. Methods: The authors describe three patients with clinically distinct neurologic manifestations of IRIS with HIV infection who presented as diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Results: One patient with cryptococcal meningitis developed acute cerebellitis with mass effect and brainstem compression. Corticosteroid therapy was associated with complete resolution of the cerebellar lesion but the patient developed VZV encephalitis. Another patient with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy developed subacute progression of focal neurologic deficits associated with contrast enhancing lesions on brain MRI. This patient had spontaneous resolution of the lesion but was left with residual deficits. One patient developed a progressive dementing syndrome and deterioration over several months resulting in coma during combination antiretroviral therapy. A brain biopsy in this latter patient showed massive infiltration of T lymphocytes predominantly of the CD8 subtype. This patient had a significant improvement with corticosteroids and change in antiretroviral regimen although she was left with residual cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome should be suspected in patients who show clinical or radiologic deterioration following initiation of antiretroviral therapy accompanied with improvement in CD4 cell count and viral load. Some patients may respond to a brief course of treatment with corticosteroids.
Reverse Transcriptase Motifs in the Catalytic Subunit of Telomerase

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme essential for the replication of chromosome termini in most eukaryotes. Telomerase RNA components have been identified from many organisms, but no protein component has been demonstrated to catalyze telomeric DNA extension. Telomerase was purified from Euplotes aediculatus, a ciliated protozoan, and one of its proteins was partially sequenced by nanoelectrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Cloning and sequence analysis of the corresponding gene revealed that this 123-kilodalton protein (p123) contains reverse transcriptase motifs. A yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) homolog was found and subsequently identified as EST2 (ever shorter telomeres), deletion of which had independently been shown to produce telomere defects. Introduction of single amino acid substitutions within the reverse transcriptase motifs of Est2 protein led to telomere shortening and senescence in yeast, indicating that these motifs are important for catalysis of telomere elongation in vivo. In vitro telomeric DNA extension occurred with extracts from wild-type yeast but not from est2 mutants or mutants deficient in telomerase RNA. Thus, the reverse transcriptase protein fold, previously known to be involved in retroviral replication and retrotransposition, is essential for normal chromosome telomere replication in diverse eukaryotes.
AN OPTICAL MODEL FOR NUCLEON-NUCLEI SCATTERING

An optical model for the scattering of nucleons by nuclei has been investigated. The model is one in which the interaction is described by a complex square well potential $V(r)=\ensuremath{-}{V}_{0}\ensuremath{-}i{W}_{0}$, $rl{R}_{0}$. Comparison with experiment indicates that for the scattering of 18-Mev protons by Al, reasonable agreement is obtained using well parameters which are consistent with the requirement of the transparency model and of low energy neutron scattering. The boundary condition model of Feshbach and Weisskopf has also been examined and a region of quasi-equivalence indicated for the two models.