cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Excitatory effects of dentate gyrus mossy cells and their ability to influence granule cell firing: an optogenetic study in adult mouse hippocampal slices

ABSTRACT Glutamatergic dentate gyrus (DG) mossy cells (MCs) innervate the primary cell type, granule cells (GCs), and GABAergic neurons which inhibit GCs. Prior studies suggest that the net effect of MCs is mainly to inhibit GCs, leading one to question why direct excitation of GCs is often missed. We hypothesized that MCs do have excitatory effects, but each GC is only excited weakly, at least under most experimental conditions. To address this hypothesis, MC axons were stimulated optogenetically in slices. A brief optogenetic stimulus to MC axons in the inner molecular layer (IML) led to a short-latency field EPSP (fEPSP) in the IML, suggesting there was a direct excitatory effect on GCs. Population spikes were negligible however, consistent with weak excitation. FEPSPs reflected AMPA/NMDA receptor-mediated EPSPs in GCs. EPSPs reached threshold after GC depolarization or facilitating NMDA receptors. GABAA and GABAB receptor-mediated IPSPs often followed EPSPs. At the network level, an optogenetic stimulus led to a brief, small facilitation of the PP-evoked population spike followed by a longer, greater inhibition. These data are consistent with rapid and selective GC firing by MCs (MC → GC) and disynaptic inhibition (MC → GABAergic neuron → GC). Notably, optogenetic excitation was evoked for both dorsal and ventral MCs, ipsilateral and contralateral MC axons, and two Cre lines. Together the results suggest a way to reconcile past studies and provide new insight into the balance of excitation and inhibition of GCs by MCs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mossy cells (MCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) are glutamatergic and innervate granule cells (GCs). The net effect of MCs has been debated because MCs also innervate GABAergic neurons which inhibit GCs. The results shown here suggest that MCs excite numerous GCs, but excitation is weak at GC resting potentials, and requires specific conditions to trigger GC APs. The results are consistent with a GC network that is designed for selective activation.
Cerebral Microhemorrhage and Purpuric Rash in COVID-19: The Case for a Secondary Microangiopathy.

Abstract Introduction Since the emergence of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple neurologic complications in infected patients have been reported. Despite these reports, the mechanism of COVID-19 nervous system injury is not well understood. We report the case of a COVID-19 patient with diffuse microhemorrhages on brain MRI, positive anticardiolipin antibodies, and purpuric rash with biopsy showing a thrombotic vasculopathy, all features suggestive of secondary microangiopathy. Case Report A 69-year-old male with history of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and hypothyroidism presented with one week of dyspnea, cough, diarrhea, and fevers. Chest x-ray demonstrated bibasilar consolidations and nasopharyngeal reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. He had subsequent respiratory decline requiring intubation the day after admission. He developed a truncal morbilliform rash and diffuse purpura, a biopsy of which showed small dermal blood vessels with intraluminal microthrombi consistent with thrombotic vasculopathy. He was found to have elevated aCL IgM and IgG and equivocal lupus anticoagulant study. Brain MRI obtained for persistent encephalopathy showed innumerable areas of susceptibility weighted imaging changes throughout the bilateral juxtacortical white matter, corpus callosum, basal ganglia, and brainstem, as well as multiple small areas of FLAIR hyperintensities, consistent with microhemorrhage Discussion While there have been several reported cases of neurologic manifestations of COVID-19, the pathophysiology may not be related to neurotropism of the virus itself. The new development of antiphospholipid antibodies and thrombotic vasculopathy in dermal blood vessels in this patient suggest a secondary microangiopathy potentially related to a virally-induced inflammatory state.
Hyperosmotic phase separation: Condensates beyond inclusions, granules and organelles.

Biological liquid-liquid phase separation has gained considerable attention in recent years as a driving force for the assembly of subcellular compartments termed membraneless organelles. The field has made great strides in elucidating the molecular basis of biomolecular phase separation in various disease, stress response, and developmental contexts. Many important biological consequences of such "condensation" are now emerging from in vivo studies. Here we review recent work from our group and others showing that many proteins undergo rapid, reversible condensation in the cellular response to ubiquitous environmental fluctuations such as osmotic changes. We discuss molecular crowding as an important driver of condensation in these responses and suggest that a significant fraction of the proteome is poised to undergo phase separation under physiological conditions. In addition, we review methods currently emerging to visualize, quantify, and modulate the dynamics of intracellular condensates in live cells. Finally, we propose a metaphor for rapid phase separation based on cloud formation, reasoning that our familiar experiences with the readily reversible condensation of water droplets help understand the principle of phase separation. Overall, we provide an account of how biological phase separation supports the highly intertwined relationship between the composition and dynamic internal organization of cells, thus facilitating extremely rapid reorganization in response to internal and external fluctuations.
China Gothic: The Bishop of Beijing and His Cathedral: Anthony E. Clark, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2019. xxi, 216 p. Illustrations, Map, Glossary, Bibliography, Index. US$ 60 (HB). ISBN 978-0-295-74667-8

The relationship of church edifices to the tenor of a religious body has been a revealing dynamic in the history of Christianity. In 1724 when the Yongzheng emperor expelled Christian missionaries ...
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND ATOMIC ORDERING IN NEUTRON-IRRADIATED Nb3Ge.1

The effects of high energy (E > 1 MeV) neutron irradiation on the properties of Nb3Ge prepared by chemical vapor deposition have been studied. Irradiation to a fluence of 3.4 × 1019 n/cm2 produces a decrease in the superconducting transition temperature Tc from 20.9 to 4.4 K and in the long range order parameter S from 0.86 to 0.46, and an increase in the lattice parameter ao from 5.142 A to 5.174 A. For a fluence of 6.5 × 1019 n/cm2, most of the Nb3Ge is transformed into a noncrystalline phase. The A15 phase is recovered after annealing
RTF Based LCMV Beamformer with Multiple Reference Microphones

Microphone arrays are widely used for speech enhancement applications. We consider the enhancement of multiple desired speakers in a noisy environment while utilizing the Relative Transfer Function (RTF) approach for the beamformer realization. When beamforming operation relies on an estimated RTF, it produces a signal with reduced noise compared to the signal received by some reference microphone associated with the RTF, while maintaining its speech component undistorted. The reference microphone is usually chosen as the microphone with the highest Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). For large arrays, in a multiple desired speaker environment, there is no single reference microphone which maximizes SNR for all desired speakers. The commonly used RTF technique may result in compromised performance for one or more desired speakers. Here, we propose an alternative scheme that considers multiple reference microphones. Each reference microphone is associated with a single desired speaker such that it maximizes its input SNR, in comparison to other array microphones. We show that by this technique, the beamformer maintains the desired noise reduction without compromising SNR for any of the desired speakers. We present analytical analysis for a 2 microphone array in free-field propagation for far-field sources. Based on this analysis some design criteria are derived and finally evaluated both in synthetic and recorded room environments.
Hollywood’s R&D Complex

This chapter of Animating Unpredictable Effects studies how Hollywood became a producer of software and sponsor of R&D. Using archival research of publications and conference records, it charts the computer graphics research group ACM SIGGRAPH’s origins in the military-industrial-academic complex and notes the rise of a new research complex driven by media industries, with the Hollywood blockbuster playing a key role in driving investment. This chapter also studies how the economics of film industries were transformed by R&D using SEC financial filings from studios. This investigation of the economics of R&D helps explain the economic instability of the VFX industry, which has been a key topic of discussion since the closure of Rhythm and Hues and the rise of VFX worker movements.
Unique patterns of hearing loss and cognition in older adults' neural responses to cues for speech recognition difficulty.

Older adults with hearing loss experience significant difficulties understanding speech in noise, perhaps due in part to limited benefit from supporting executive functions that enable the use of environmental cues signaling changes in listening conditions. Here we examined the degree to which 41 older adults (60.56-86.25 years) exhibited cortical responses to informative listening difficulty cues that communicated the listening difficulty for each trial compared to neutral cues that were uninformative of listening difficulty. Word recognition was significantly higher for informative compared to uninformative cues in a + 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) condition, and response latencies were significantly shorter for informative cues in the + 10 dB SNR and the more-challenging + 2 dB SNR conditions. Informative cues were associated with elevated blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast in visual and parietal cortex. A cue-SNR interaction effect was observed in the cingulo-opercular (CO) network, such that activity only differed between SNR conditions when an informative cue was presented. That is, participants used the informative cues to prepare for changes in listening difficulty from one trial to the next. This cue-SNR interaction effect was driven by older adults with more low-frequency hearing loss and was not observed for those with more high-frequency hearing loss, poorer set-shifting task performance, and lower frontal operculum gray matter volume. These results suggest that proactive strategies for engaging CO adaptive control may be important for older adults with high-frequency hearing loss to optimize speech recognition in changing and challenging listening conditions.
From Reflective Practice to Practical Wisdom: Three Models of Liberal Teacher Education

INTRODUCTION For many years, philosophy of education enjoyed a place of honor in schools of education. The foundations of education, as the name suggests, were thought to be fundamental to the edifice of educational practice, and philosophy was thought to be the quintessential foundational discipline. If schools of education have, by now, developed a healthy skepticism towards this idea that practices are generated from and built on theories, the irony is that it was philosophers themselves who took the lead in dismantling the foundational metaphor. This is not to say that the activity of theorization is no longer respected in the world of education: just look at the immense scale of the yearly American Educational Research Association conference. But educational research, whether tilted toward the qualitative or quantitative, is largely understood in social scientific terms. When combined with the general tightening of resources across higher education, this makes the place of humanistic inquiry in schools of education rather precarious.
Non-haemolytic β-amino-acid oligomers

Pathogenic bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to common antibiotics, stimulating an intensive search for new ones. Knowing that a class of medium-sized peptides (magainins1) are widely used by host organisms as a defence against microbial invasion2, we developed a β-amino-acid oligomer (β-peptide) that mimics these natural antibiotics and tested it for antimicrobial activity. We find not only that the activity of our β-peptide is comparable to that of a magainin derivative but also that it is effective against four bacterial species, including two pathogens that are resistant to common antibiotics.
Geological Fluid Dynamics: Sub-surface Flow and Reactions

Preface 1. Introduction 2. The basic principles 3. Patterns of flow 4. Flows with buoyancy variations 5. Patterns of reaction with flow 6. Extensions and examples References Index.
Determination and metabolism of dithiol chelating agents. IV. Urinary excretion of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid and mercaptosuccinic acid in rabbits given meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid.

The water-soluble dithiol chelating agents meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonic acid (DMPS) are becoming of increasing importance for the treatment of lead, arsenic and mercury poisoning. There is, however, a paucity of data about their metabolic transformation. Male rabbits were given DMSA (0.20 mmol/kg) i.m., and urine was collected over a 6-hr period. Monobromobimane derivatization, HPLC separation, and fluorescence detection, along with [U-14C]DMSA data, demonstrated that the total 14C found in the urine was distributed as 73% unaltered DMSA, 7% mercaptosuccinic acid and 6 and 14% of two unknowns. Electrolytic reductive treatment of the urine did not increase the urinary content of DMSA, indicating that oxidative biotransformation is not a major pathway for DMSA in the rabbit. This latter result is strikingly different from that for DMPS in rabbit.
A robust cell-level crosstalk delay change analysis

In This work we present a robust and efficient methodology for crosstalk-induced delay change analysis for ASIC design styles. The approach employs optimization methods to search for worst aggressor alignment, and it computes crosstalk induced delay change on each stage considering an impact on downstream logic. Computational efficiency is achieved using pre-characterized current models for drivers and compact macromodels for interconnect. The proposed methodology has been implemented in a commercial noise analysis tool. Experimental results obtained on industrial designs demonstrate high accuracy and reduced pessimism of the proposed methodology.
Area-Wide Management of the Formosan Subterranean Termite Coptotermes formosanus in New Orleans' French Quarter

The Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki is an invasive species estimated to cause annually USD 1000 million in damage in the USA including the costs of preventive and remedial treatments and structural repair. The termite is also known to infest living trees that line New Orleans' boulevards. Subsequent loss of these century-old trees is aesthetically unacceptable as their value is inestimable. Populations of the termite are estimated to have increased 35-fold in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the last decade of the 20th century. Traditional termite control practices used highly toxic chemicals that rapidly killed the insects, or were highly repellent to them. In both cases, such liquid chemical treatments surrounding a structure served to protect it but with no appreciable effect on the size of the termite population. Common wall construction and other unique architectural features in the French Quarter complicate traditional termite treatments using liquids. An area-wide treatment programme was initiated in 1998 using population-reducing strategies. The area-wide approach of treating all properties within 15 blocks of the French Quarter was designed to reduce infestations of structures through population suppression. The area-wide approach has since been extended to an additional 47 blocks. Populations in the original treatment area have been significantly reduced compared with surrounding areas not receiving area-wide management. Some impediments to the successful conduct of this area-wide termite management programme include: (1) common walls that make treatment difficult, (2) construction practices that provide ready access to termites, (3) ample moisture, and (4) failure to treat all structures on a property because of long-held industry practices. Improved detection and more thorough treatments by pest management professionals should lead to improved area-wide termite control.
Structure-activity relationships of retinoids in developmental toxicology: I. Studies on the nature of the polar terminus of the vitamin A molecule

Abstract The teratogenic activities of all-trans-retinoyl fluoride, all-trans-3-retinylidene-2,4-pentanedione, all-trans-2-retinylidene-1,3-cyclopentanedione, all-trans-2-retinylidene-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, all-trans-2-retinylidene-5-p-methoxyphenyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, all-trans-2-retinylidene-1,3-cyclooctanedione, all-trans-5-[2,6-dimethyl-8-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)-1,3,5,7-octatetraen-1-yl]tetrazole, ethyl all-trans-9-(exo-2-bicyclo[2.2.1.]heptyl)-3,7-dimethyl-2,4,6,8-nonatetraenoate, ethyl all-trans-4-[2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-1,3-butadien-1-yl]benzoate, 13-cis-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide, and 13-cis-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)retinamide were determined in the hamster and compared with that of all-trans-retinoic acid. Administration of a single oral dose of the retinoids failed to induce signs of the hypervitaminosis A intoxication syndrome in any of the dams, and the maternal weight gain was not significantly different from the vehicle control value, except following intubation of the retinamides where maternal weight gain was significantly depressed. All of the retinylidene 1,3-diketones studied here were devoid of significant teratogenic activity. The retinamides failed to induced either an elevated mean litter frequency of malformed fetuses or a syndrome of anomalies similar to that induced by administration of an equimolar dose of all-trans-retinoic acid. All of the other retinoids induced a syndrome of malformations similar to that induced by administration of all-trans-retinoic acid and were associated with a significant increase in the number of litters containing one or more malformed fetuses and an elevated mean litter frequency of malformed fetuses. The teratogenic activity in the hamster of this series of retinoids was independent of structural modifications in either the β-cyclogeranylidene ring or the polyene chain of the molecule. The results of the present study suggest that the changes in teratogenic activity associated with structural modification of vitamin A at C15 were primarily dependent upon the presence of or biotransformation to a free carboxyl or a moiety with an equivalent pKa at C15, not upon the molecular size of the substituent or the stereochemical position about C13. Since major structural modifications of vitamin A were made without the substantial loss of teratogenic activity, the structural requirements of retinoids for induction of terata were not extraordinarily exacting.
Stochastic hybrid models for predicting the behavior of drivers facing the yellow-light-dilemma

We address the problem of predicting whether a driver facing the yellow-light-dilemma will cross the intersection with the red light. Based on driving simulator data, we propose a stochastic hybrid system model for driver behavior. Using this model combined with Gaussian process estimation and Monte Carlo simulations, we obtain an upper bound for the probability of crossing with the red light. This upper bound has a prescribed confidence level and can be calculated quickly on-line in a recursive fashion as more data become available. Calculating also a lower bound we can show that the upper bound is on average less than 3% higher than the true probability. Moreover, tests on driving simulator data show that 99% of the actual red light violations, are predicted to cross on red with probability greater than 0.95 while less than 5% of the compliant trajectories are predicted to have an equally high probability of crossing. Determining the probability of crossing with the red light will be important for the development of warning systems that prevent red light violations.
Genetic testing and mental health: the model of Huntington disease

Genetic aspects of mental health disorders are being identified through human genome and family research. Gene discovery makes diagnostic and presymptomatic testing possible. The discovery of a gene mutation for Huntington Disease (HD) enables at-risk persons to request presymptomatic genetic testing. When HD genetic testing is offered through HD testing centers, a multi-visit protocol is followed in which education and counseling are provided for persons considering the option to have HD gene testing. A case study illustrates the clinical and ethical issues regarding privacy and disclosure as well as the personal and family consequences of gene mutation knowledge. Analysis of the impact of genetic knowledge on persons being tested for HD provides a model for the integration of emerging genetic information into mental health nursing practice for other mental health disorders.
Association between pre-hospital vitamin D status and hospital-acquired new-onset delirium

The goal of the present study was to determine whether pre-hospital 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with the risk of hospital-acquired new-onset delirium (HANOD). We performed a retrospective cohort study of 4508 adult inpatients at two teaching hospitals in Boston from 1993 to 2006. All patients had 25(OH)D levels measured before hospital admission. The main outcome measure was HANOD, defined as the onset of delirium during an acute care hospitalisation. Patients with a history of delirium or dementia, or those with a diagnosis of delirium or dementia upon acute care hospitalisation were excluded from the analysis. To test the association of pre-hospital 25(OH)D levels with HANOD, we constructed a multivariable logistic regression model to adjust for clinically relevant covariates. Among our patient cohort, the mean 25(OH)D level was 22 (sd 13) ng/ml and approximately 4% of patients met the criteria for HANOD. Following adjustment for age, sex, race (non-white v. white), patient type (medical v. surgical) and Deyo-Charlson Index, patients with 25(OH)D levels < 10, 10-19·9 and 20-29·9 ng/ml had higher odds of HANOD than patients with 25(OH)D levels ≥ 30 ng/ml: OR 2·15 (95% CI 1·32, 3·50), OR 1·54 (95% CI 0·98, 2·43) and OR 1·23 (95% CI, 0·76, 1·99), respectively. These data support the rationale for randomised, controlled trials to test the role of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention of HANOD.
Presynaptic Induction and Expression of Homosynaptic Depression at Aplysia Sensorimotor Neuron Synapses

The cellular mechanisms underlying the induction and expression of homosynaptic depression at the glutamatergic synapse between Aplysia sensory and motor neurons were studied in dissociated cell culture. Intracellular microelectrodes were used to stimulate action potentials in the presynaptic sensory neuron and record the depolarizing EPSP from the motor neuron. Homosynaptic depression (HSD) was induced by repeatedly stimulating the sensory neuron at rates as low as one action potential per minute. Activation of postsynaptic Glu receptors was neither sufficient nor necessary to induce HSD. Thus, repeated applications of exogenous Glu did not depress the synaptically evoked EPSP. Moreover, normal HSD was observed when the sensory neuron was stimulated during a period when the Glu receptors were blocked with the antagonist DNQX. The induction of HSD is thus likely to occur within the presynaptic terminal. We explored the role of presynaptic calcium in the induction of HSD by injecting the sensory neuron with EGTA, a relatively slow calcium chelator that does not alter rapid release but effectively buffers the slow residual calcium transient thought to be important for plasticity. EGTA had little effect on HSD, indicating that residual Ca i is not involved. HSD does not appear to involve a decrease in presynaptic calcium influx, because there was no change in the presynaptic calcium transient, measured by calcium indicator dyes, during HSD. We conclude that HSD is induced and expressed in the presynaptic terminal, possibly by a mechanism directly coupled to the release process.
Work-to-family conflict and the family dinner: what makes a difference?

Despite the abundant benefits that have been associated with family meals, families report that they share fewer meals together than in the past. Although parents' work (e.g., work hours) is recognized as a barrier to family meals, the role of the individual in determining family meal frequency has received relatively little attention. With this in mind, this study investigated two important person factors that may aggravate or attenuate the negative relationship between work-to-family conflict (WTFC) and family dinner frequency using survey data from employed parents (n =206). Specifically, parents' negative affectivity (NA) and family meal atmosphere were examined as moderators. As hypothesized, the relationship between WTFC and family dinner frequency was stronger for high-NA individuals than for low-NA individuals. However, no support was found for the moderating role of family meal atmosphere. Findings suggest that WTFC may be more deleterious for high-NA individuals due to their tendency to strongly...
Cdc25A and Dub3 in a high-stakes balancing act

The deubiquitylating enzyme Dub3 is found to have oncogenic potential by stabilizing the Cdc25A protein phosphatase, a crucial regulator of cell-cycle progression.
Viscoelastic properties of acid- and alkaline-treated human dermis: a correlation between total surface charge and elastic modulus.

Background: One of the major mechanical functions of collagenous tissues is the storage, transmission and dissipation of elastic energy during mechanical deformation. In skin, mechanical energy is stored during loading and then is transmitted and dissipated, which protects skin from mechanical failure. Thus energy storage (elastic properties) and dissipation (viscous properties) are important characteristics of extracellular matrices. Methods: A uniaxial incremental stress relaxation test method has been used to characterize the time-dependent (viscous) and time-independent (elastic) properties of human dermis. Viscoelasticity was investigated in processed human dermis that was equilibrated at pHs of 3.0, 7.4 and 11.0 in an effort to study the link between electrostatic interactions within the collagen matrix and macroscopic tissue properties. Results: Our results show that the solution pH and the charge on collagen significantly affected the high-strain elastic behavior of dermis; the elastic behavior of skin has previously been shown to be directly correlated with axial stretching of the collagen triple helix in crosslinked collagen fibrils. A positive linear correlation existed between the high-strain elastic modulus and both pH (R2=0.96) and the total number of charged residues on collagen (R2=0.93). These results provide in vitro/ex vivo evidence that charged groups on the surface of collagen molecules in processed human skin influence the high-strain elastic properties of dermis and are likely to be involved in elastic energy storage. Conclusion: It is proposed that the pH and charged residue dependency of the elastic modulus suggests that charged pair interactions and repulsions within and between collagen molecules are involved in elastic energy storage during stretching at high strains. It is hypothesized that elastic energy storage is associated with the stretching of pairs of charged amino acid residues that are found primarily in the flexible regions of collagen molecules.
Comparison and contrast of noise-induced hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus

Induction of hyperactivity in the central auditory system is one of the major physiological hallmarks of animal models of noise-induced tinnitus. Although hyperactivity occurs at various levels of the auditory system, it is not clear to what extent hyperactivity originating in one nucleus contributes to hyperactivity at higher levels of the auditory system. In this study we compared the time courses and tonotopic distribution patterns of hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) and inferior colliculus (IC). A model of acquisition of hyperactivity in the IC by passive relay from the DCN would predict that the two nuclei show similar time courses and tonotopic profiles of hyperactivity. A model of acquisition of hyperactivity in the IC by compensatory plasticity mechanisms would predict that the IC and DCN would show differences in these features, since each adjusts to changes of spontaneous activity of opposite polarity. To test the role of these two mechanisms, animals were exposed to an intense hyperactivity-inducing tone (10 kHz, 115 dB SPL, 4 h) then studied electrophysiologically at three different post-exposure recovery times (from 1 to 6 weeks after exposure). For each time frame, multiunit spontaneous activity was mapped as a function of location along the tonotopic gradient in the DCN and IC. Comparison of activity profiles from the two nuclei showed a similar progression toward increased activity over time and culminated in the development of a central peak of hyperactivity at a similar tonotopic location. These similarities suggest that the shape of the activity profile is determined primarily by passive relay from the cochlear nucleus. However, the absolute levels of activity were generally much lower in the IC than in the DCN, suggesting that the magnitude of hyperactivity is greatly attenuated by inhibition.
Japanese B encephalitis in the rat.

Summary1. A fatal encephalitis develops in 7-day-old albino rats following nasal instillation or intracerebral injection of Japanese B encephalitis virus. 2. The virus produces a uniformly fatal infection in 7- and 8-day-old rats when injected intraperitoneally. 3. While some 12-day-old rats are susceptible to the virus when inoculated either by the intracerebral, intraperitoneal or intranasal route they are more resistant than 7- and 8-day-old rats. 4. Rats 21 and 27 days of age appear to be resistant to the virus since when it is injected intracerebrally into animals of this age it does not induce a clinically apparent infection.
The semiconductor-to-metal transition in liquid SeTe alloys: II. Thermodynamic behavior☆☆☆

Abstract Density and heat capacity data indicate a molecular transformation from a low temperature (L) to a high temperature (H) form involving groups of ∼10 atoms. A model proposed in earlier work, in which thermal generation of ion pairs, mostly directly bonded (D p centers), causes the L to H transition, leads naturally to clustering of D p units at alternate sites on a chain. An Ising lattice model has been used to fit the experimental heat capacity curves. Comparison with density results indicates that the H form contains nearly equal numbers of neutral atoms and D p units, as well as an appreciable fraction of other kinds of bond defect atoms.
Solution structure of Vps27 UIM–ubiquitin complex important for endosomal sorting and receptor downregulation

Monoubiquitylation is a well-characterized signal for the internalization and sorting of integral membrane proteins to distinct cellular organelles. Recognition and transmission of monoubiquitin signals is mediated by a variety of ubiquitin-binding motifs such as UIM, UBA, UEV, VHS and CUE in endocytic proteins. The yeast Vps27 protein requires two UIMs for efficient interactions with ubiquitin and for sorting cargo into multivesicular bodies. Here we show that the individual UIMs of Vps27 exist as autonomously folded α-helices that bind ubiquitin independently, non-cooperatively and with modest affinity. The Vps27 N-terminal UIM engages the Leu8–Ile44–Val70 hydrophobic patch of ubiquitin through a helical surface conserved in UIMs of diverse proteins, including that of the S5a proteasomal regulatory subunit. The Leu8–Ile44–Val70 ubiquitin surface is also the site of interaction for CUE and UBA domains in endocytic proteins, consistent with the view that ubiquitin- binding endocytic proteins act serially on the same monoubiquitylated cargo during transport from cell surface to the lysosome.
Crystallize: Simulating Language Immersion through Gameplay

Many people want to learn a foreign language, but find it challenging to sustain engagement when daily life is disconnected from the target language environment. Ideally, we would have language learning tools that provide the same benefits as being immersed in the target environment. Crystallize takes a first step towards this goal by providing a structured immersive experience. Instead of memorizing vocabulary words and grammar, the player solves linguistic puzzles, interacts with the environment, and infers word meanings from context.
Chemotherapy of rodent malaria: transfer of resistance vs mutation.

Abstract Pyrimethamine-resistant strains of Plasmodium berghei and P. vinckei were produced by exposing populations of erythrocytic parasites to the selection pressure of increasing doses of drug as well as by single-step mutations. Pyrimethamine-sensitive parasites of both rodent plasmodia were found to mutate at a rate of 1–2 × 10 −11 when exposed to a single course of drug therapy, consisting of 15 mg/kg/day for 4 consecutive days, given subcutaneously. Resistance obtained by either method, was found to be stabile for at least 40 passages in the absence of drug pressure, the longest number of passages tested. Parasites exposed to 15 mg/ kg/day were also found to be resistant to 160 mg/kg/day, the maximum dose of pyrimethamine tolerated by the rodent host. Plasmodium berghei chloroquine-sensitive parasites were found to have a mutation rate of 1.5 × 10 −10 , when exposed to a single course of chloroquine therapy, consisting of 30 mg/kg/day chloroquine base given for 4 consecutive days, subcutaneously. These parasites were also found to be resistant to 60 mg/kg/day the highest dose of chloroquine tolerated by the rodent host. Chloroquine-resistant strains of P. vinckei could not be developed by a single-step mutation nor by selection by slow increases in drug pressure. Pyrimethamine-resistant strains of P. berghei , whether, the resistance was developed by single-step mutation, or by slowly increasing the pyrimethamine doses over extended periods of time, demonstrated dihydrofolate reductases which were similar in activity, Michaelis constants, and inability to be stimulated by increased concentrations of KCl. The same was found to be true for the dihydrofolate reductases (EC 1.5.1.3) isolated from pyrimethamine-resistant P. vinckei strains. The enzymes isolated from the resistant strains differed in all respects from their sensitive counterparts. Attempts at drug resistance-transfer, using both a biological filter system, and a dual drug resistant system, were both unsuccessful. The origin of all drug resistant strains studied and reported in this paper, can best be explained by the occurrence of mutation, most probably involving the change of a single nucleotide base in the DNA.
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Atomic Emission Spectrometric Analysis of Aqueous Slurries of Solids

Abstract The direct injection of solids–water slurries into the torch of an inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometer offers a quick and easy method for the analysis of major and minor elements in various solids. In this project aqueous slurries of solids were prepared by wet milling with a stirred-ball slurry attritor mill and analyzed. Slurries of standard reference materials, prepared in the same way, were used as calibration standards. The best results were obtained with solids having a small particle size (2–5 μm) and a close distribution of particle sizes. The average percent relative error for slurry–ICP analysis of most major and minor elements was generally less than 5% for the solids studied.
'TIME-DEPENDENT' RESONANCE RAMAN THEORY

This review summarizes theoretical formulations of resonance Raman scattering that express the steady-state spectrum in terms of time-dependent quantities. Time-domain expressions for the Raman or direct one-photon absorption (electronic or vibrational) lineshape are compared and contrasted with time-dependent formulations for the resonance Raman intensity. Time-domain expressions that properly describe the total spontaneous emission of a chromophore interacting with a bath are also discussed. A final section addresses a few aspects of the interpretation and practical application of these theories to real experimental data. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coarse Grained Normal Mode Analysis vs. Refined Gaussian Network Model for Protein Residue-Level Structural Fluctuations

We investigate several approaches to coarse grained normal mode analysis on protein residual-level structural fluctuations by choosing different ways of representing the residues and the forces among them. Single-atom representations using the backbone atoms Cα, C, N, and Cβ are considered. Combinations of some of these atoms are also tested. The force constants between the representative atoms are extracted from the Hessian matrix of the energy function and served as the force constants between the corresponding residues. The residue mean-square-fluctuations and their correlations with the experimental B-factors are calculated for a large set of proteins. The results are compared with all-atom normal mode analysis and the residue-level Gaussian Network Model. The coarse-grained methods perform more efficiently than all-atom normal mode analysis, while their B-factor correlations are also higher. Their B-factor correlations are comparable with those estimated by the Gaussian Network Model and in many cases better. The extracted force constants are surveyed for different pairs of residues with different numbers of separation residues in sequence. The statistical averages are used to build a refined Gaussian Network Model, which is able to predict residue-level structural fluctuations significantly better than the conventional Gaussian Network Model in many test cases.
Noise Analysis Method for Monitoring the Moderator Temperature Coefficient of Pressurized Water Reactors: I. Theory

In this paper a method is described for monitoring the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity of pressurized water reactors based on the correlation of fluctuations in in-core neutron detector and core-exit thermocouple signals. The theoretical basis of the method is explained.
Evaluating a voice recognition system: finding the right product for your department.

The Department of Radiology at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center has been in the process of transitioning from the traditional film-based department to a digital imaging department for the past 2 years. The department is now transitioning from the traditional method of dictating reports (dictation by radiologist to transcription to review and signing by radiologist) to a voice recognition system. The transition to digital operations will not be complete until we have the ability to directly interface the dictation process with the image review process. Voice recognition technology has advanced to the level where it can and should be an integral part of the new way of working in radiology and is an integral part of an efficient digital imaging department. The transition to voice recognition requires the task of identifying the product and the company that will best meet a department’s needs. This report introduces the methods we used to evaluate the vendors and the products available as we made our purchasing decision. We discuss our evaluation method and provide a checklist that can be used by other departments to assist with their evaluation process. The criteria used in the evaluation process fall into the following major categories: user operations, technical infrastructure, medical dictionary, system interfaces, service support, cost, and company strength. Conclusions drawn from our evaluation process will be detailed, with the intention being to shorten the process for others as they embark on a similar venture. As more and more organizations investigate the many products and services that are now being offered to enhance the operations of a radiology department, it becomes increasingly important that solid methods are used to most effectively evaluate the new products. This report should help others complete the task of evaluating a voice recognition system and may be adaptable to other products as well.
Recollections from Yannis' Graduate Student Years at Berkeley

One of the greatest rewards of an academic career is the extended family of graduate students that one gets to become associated with both when they are students and later throughout their career. Yannis was one of my very first students; we started working together in the mid 70s just after I arrived at Berkeley. It was a fortuitous association for me and the integrated circuits group. Yannis worked first on the implementation of an operational amplifier in NMOS technology, a project that came to have real significance later on as MOS implementation of mixed signal functions evolved from laboratory curiosity to mainstream technology, and then later on he developed, working with Jacob Chaco, the companding version of the charge-?redistribution ADC/DAC, which became quite important commercially in digital telephone systems around the world.
Glucocorticoid metabolism in human placenta, decidua, myometrium and fetal membranes.

The metabolism of cortisone (E) and cortisol (F) by human placenta, decidua, myometrium, chorion and amnion during pregnancy was studied in vitro. Early pregnancy, midpregnancy and term placentae metabolized F efficiently yielding E as the major product. The capacity of the placenta to inactivate F to E was observed as early as the 8th week of pregnancy and there was a significantly higher (P < 0.001) net production of E in early pregnancy placenta than in term placenta. In contrast to the placenta, midpregnancy and term decidua metabolized mainly E to F with a net production of F. Term chorion demonstrated an equal degree of oxidative and reductive glucocorticoid metabolism while term amnion and myometrium had negligible metabolic activity. Thus the net production of F from E by the decidual membrane unit is due to metabolic activity in the decidua as early as the 13th week of pregnancy and not to activity in the fetal membranes.
Bourdieu Off-Broadway: Managing Distinction on a Shopping Block in the East Village

The economic and social vitality of East Ninth Street, in the East Village of Lower Manhattan, testifies to the area's long‐standing reputation for cutting‐edge culture and the street's astounding ...
Hydroisomerization and hydrocracking of normal pentane over various mordenite catalysts

Abstract Mordenite catalysts with various cations were prepared by a reflux ion exchange technique using chloride or nitrate salts and were tested for activity in the hydroisomerization and hydrocracking of n -pentane. The extent of sodium ion exchange possible followed the order NH 4 + > Ba 2+ > Sr 2+ > Be 2+ > Ca 2+ > Mg 2+ > La 3+ . Maximum catalytic activities for H-M, Ca-M and La-M occurred at calcination temperatures of 510, 525, and 400 °C, respectively. Weight loss during calcination followed the order Be > Mg > Ca > Sr > Ba indicating that the smaller cation mordenites can accommodate more adsorbed water. Increasing degrees of Na + ion exchange in HM, CaM, SrM, and BaM resulted in increased n -pentane hydroisomerization and hydrocracking activity. The activity increase was small for SrM and BaM and for HM with less than 80% exchange. Activity increased very rapidly beyond 80% exchange for HM and appeared to increase substantially for Ca-M from 68 to 72% exchange. Although conversion was low for Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and LaM, the following activity order for both n -pentane hydroisomerization and hydrocracking was obtained: Be > La > Mg > Ca > Sr > Ba. The cracked products consisted of relatively more propane and butanes for the smallest cation form (BeM) and relatively more methane for the largest cation form (BaM), indicating a selectivity effect. A constant effect of cation size for the alkaline earth group catalysts was evident from the Arrhenius plots, and a simple factor for cation size was introduced into the equation for the apparent rate constant so that a single Arrhenius line was obtained. Addition of nickel to the above catalysts increased activity substantially, especially for hydrocracking. Very high hydrocracking conversions over Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and LaM were obtained at temperatures between 370 and 480 °C at a WHSV of 23.0 g/h-g. The relative order of enhancement by adding nickel was Ba > Sr > Ca > La > Mg > Be. The catalysts containing nickel produced relatively more butanes and propane and less methane than the same catalysts without nickel. The average activation energies for hydroisomerization and hydrocracking were 20.1 and 22.9 kcal/g-mole, respectively, without nickel and were 41.2 and 46.4 kcal/g-mole, respectively, with nickel. BeM and LaM gave peculiar Arrhenius plots which could not be explained with existing data.
Stathmin Exists as an Oligomer in Solution, as Evidenced by Static Light-Scattering, Native Gel Electrophoresis, and EPR Spectroscopy

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are an interesting class of highly dynamic, typically regulatory, proteins. They lack a native three-dimensional fold, but can often acquire a stable, ordered structure upon interaction with a binding partner. Various IDPs have been reported to exist in cells as ordered oligomers or disordered aggregates, often resulting in disease. In particular, stathmin is a regulatory IDP involved in the disassembly of cytoskeletal microtubules. As such, it is essential for proper cell function (i.e., processes coordinating the cell cycle, maintaining cell shape, etc.); improper regulation of stathmin activity has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, mental disorders, and various cancers. It is thus important to study the solution-phase structure and conformational dynamics of stathmin, as they likely emulate the protein's behavior in cellular environments. Our preliminary static light scattering and native gel electrophoresis data suggest that stathmin may exist as an oligomer in solution, contradicting previous observations of a monomer by analytical ultracentrifugation. To investigate this further, we performed site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on various singly-labeled stathmin mutants. The resulting EPR traces all exhibit a spectral component substantially broadened due to the dipolar interaction, implying the close proximity of two or more spin labels, likely due to dimerization or higher-order oligomerization. Upon dilution of the spin-labeled proteins with unlabeled wild-type stathmin, the spectral weight of the dipolar-broadened component was significantly reduced. The data collectively presented here support our hypothesis that stathmin exists as an oligomer in solution. These results have important implications on our understanding of the conformational dynamics of this IDP and the roles that oligomerized IDPs have in diseases.
Protein staining of ribboned epon sections for light microscopy.

Procedures are described for obtaining and handling ribboned epon sections 0.3–2 μ thick for light microscopy, and for the cytological application of two intense acid dyes, Aniline Blue Black and Coomassie Brilliant Blue R 250. The technique allows precise localization of proteins and some other materials, and, because the sections are ribboned, facilitates three-dimensional visualization of the structures involved. The dyes may be used in combination with the periodic acid-Schiff reaction and with autoradiography.