cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Homozygous deletion in Wilms tumours of a zinc-finger gene identified by chromosome jumping

Cytogenetic analysis has identified chromosome 11p13 as the smallest overlap region for deletions found in individuals with WAGR syndrome, which includes Wilms tumour (a recessive childhood nephroblastoma), aniridia, genito-urinary abnormalities and mental retardation. The underlying loci have since been resolved into an aniridia (AN2) locus at a telomeric position, and a locus of closely spaced genes or a single pleiotropic gene involved in genito-urinary tract abnormalities and Wilms tumour at a more centromeric position. Pulsed-field gel analysis of the 11p13 region has revealed the presence of several putative CpG islands, structures which are frequently associated with the 5' ends of expressed sequences, mainly housekeeping genes and some tissue-specific genes. Starting from a CpG island, we have now isolated four neighbouring CpG islands, all within 650 kilobases (kb), by means of two consecutive bidirectional jumps in rare-cutting restriction-enzyme jumping libraries. In two instances, flanking sequences were conserved in other species and RNA transcripts were identified. A complementary DNA clone isolated for one of them derives from an RNA highly expressed in fetal kidney, and is predicted to encode a Kruppel-like zinc-finger protein that is probably a transcription factor. The entire cDNA region is included in two partially overlapping homozygous deletions found in Wilms tumour DNA samples. Cloning of the breakpoints in one tumour revealed a deletion size of 170 kb, one-third of which is covered by the cDNA. The expression pattern and sequence of this cDNA could point to an important role for its corresponding gene in the normal development of the renal system as well as in Wilms tumour.
The Threat of Race: Reflections on Racial Neoliberalism

David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on Racial Neoliberalism. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, 395 pp., £19.99 pb. (ISBN 978-06312319682) The Threat of Race is an extraordinarily wide...
Hepatitis B virus core promoter sequence analysis in fulminant and chronic hepatitis B

Abstract Background & Aims It was recently reported that two point mutations within the hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter region (A to T at position 1762 and G to A at position 1764) are associated with fulminant hepatitis and lead to hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative phenotype. The aim of this study was to correlate core promoter sequence variations with HBeAg status and clinical outcome in various forms of HBV infection. Methods Core promoter region of HBV was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced in 94 patients: 37 patients with fulminant hepatitis, 20 with acute self-limited hepatitis, 30 with chronic hepatitis, and 7 patients with end-stage cirrhosis. Results Core promoter region was found to be heterogenous and no specific changes correlated with HBeAg/anti-HBeAg status or survival in patients with fulminant hepatitis. Substitutions at positions 1762 and 1764 were found in HBV strains from 4 patients (10%) with fulminant hepatitis, 2 patients (10%) with self-limited hepatitis, 8 patients (27%) with chronic hepatitis, and in 5 of 7 patients with end-stage cirrhosis. The majority of these patients were HBeAg positive. Conclusions Mutations at positions 1762 and 1764 are rarely observed in HBV strains from patients with fulminant hepatitis B in the United States but are common in patients with chronic hepatitis. Even when present, they seem to be insufficient to lead to the HBeAg-negative phenotype.
Inter‐ and intralimb oscillator coupling in Parkinsonian tremor

This study reports the findings of an analysis of temporal correlation between tremor of different muscles of the same and different limbs in four patients with Parkinson's disease. Spectral coherence methods were used for determining whether simultaneously occurring oscillations in the electromyograms of different muscles are statistically coupled. The incidence of significant coherence was considerably higher for muscle pairs in the same limb than for pairs in different limbs; Parkinson's disease tremor is coupled within but not between limbs. Because the characteristics of tremor are known to vary under different behavioral situations, the intralimb coupling was examined for different tasks. A mental arithmetic task resulted in an increase in the coherence between muscles of the same limb, whereas the finger-to-nose task decreased the coherence. No significant change in coherence was found for a postural task. The amplitude and regularity of tremor electromyography showed changes analogous to those in coherence. These results support the hypothesis that tremor in different limbs results from the activity of several neural circuits oscillating independently. The results also emphasize the value of these methods for rigorously characterizing tremor, in relation to disease state, behavioral conditions, and the selection of treatment strategies.
Open reduction and internal fixation for distal radius fractures.

From a series of 650 dorsally angulated fractures of the distal radius, 32 intra-articular fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation. The 32 fractures were classified according to the Frykman criteria as type VII (5) or type VIII (27). On the basis of the location of intra-articular involvement, the fractures were further subdivided into Mayo type II (4), type III (18), and type IV (10). Results were analyzed by the methods of Gartland and Werley (functional) and Lidstrom (radiographic). After open reduction and internal fixation, 90% of the patients had satisfactory results on the basis of the subjective criteria of minimal deformity, absence of pain, and good strength. Objective assessment demonstrated that the patients had 80% of normal motion and 73% of normal grip strength at a minimum of 2 years after the operation. On the basis of radiographic and functional evaluation, results were good to excellent in 87%. When intra-articular step-off exceeded 2 mm or the radius was shortened more than 5 mm, the results were only fair and posttraumatic arthritis was evident.
Dosimetric assessment of the PRESAGE dosimeter for a proton pencil beam

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of using PRESAGE dosimeters for proton pencil beam dosimetry. Two different formulations of phantom materials were tested for their suitability in characterizing a single proton pencil beam. The dosimetric response of PRESAGE was found to be linear up to 4Gy. First-generation optical CT scanner, OCTOPUSTM was used to implement dose distributions for proton pencil beams since it provides most accurate readout. Percentage depth dose curves and beam profiles for two proton energy, 110 MeV, and 93 MeV, were used to evaluate the dosimetric performance of two PRESAGE phantom formulas. The findings from this study show that the dosimetric properties of the phantom materials match with basic physics of proton beams.
Recognition and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

THE REPORTS ON POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) in this issue of THE JOURNAL draw attention to 3 important facts: PTSD is a worldwide problem, reaching alarming proportions in countries torn by violent conflict; it is associated with persistent disability and comorbidity for many people; and treatments can produce a meaningful reduction in distress. These studies, which tell clinicians not to forget about PTSD, provide the opportunity to focus on what is known about PTSD as a medical problem, and its presentation, recognition, and management. Perhaps the 3 main lessons to be learned are that PTSD often presents in medical disguise, it is largely unrecognized, and it can be treated successfully.
THIAMINE TRANSPORT IN HUMAN PLACENTAL BRUSH BORDER MEMBRANE VESICLES

Pathways for transport of choline by human placental epithelia were investigated using brush border membrane vesicles isolated by divalent cation precipitation. The presence of choline transport mechanisms mediating Na(+)-choline cotransport, choline/H+ exchange and facilitated diffusion were assessed from [3H]choline tracer flux measurements. The rate and magnitude of intravesicular choline accumulation was unaffected by the imposition of an inwardly directed Na+ gradient suggesting an absence of a mechanism mediating brush border membrane Na(+)-choline cotransport. The imposition of inside-acid or inside-alkaline pH gradients was observed to have no significant effect on choline uptake suggesting choline is not a substrate for placental epithelial organic cation/H+ exchange. Conditions favoring the development of an inside-negative K+ diffusion potential was observed to induce a concentrative accumulation of choline to levels exceeding equilibrium suggesting the presence of a conductive uptake pathway for choline in placental brush border membrane. Evidence to suggest conductive choline uptake resulted from a mediated transport process includes a demonstration of the counterflow phenomena, the concentration-dependent inhibition by hemicholinium-3 (IC50 approximately equal to 100 microM) and the saturable rate of conductive choline uptake (Km approximately equal to 300 microM, Vmax approximately equal to 30 nmol/mg per min). Substrate specificity studies of the mechanism mediating conductive choline uptake suggest the interaction of choline with the transport protein occurs at a minimum of two sites: a site of negativity with the positively charged nitrogen group and a site of hydrogen bonding to the primary alcohol. Several commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals known to cross the placental barrier including imipramine, verapamil, propranolol, quinine, flurazepam, amiloride and ritodrin were observed to inhibit conductive choline uptake suggesting an interaction with the mechanism mediating conductive choline transport. Conductive choline uptake was unaffected by the presence of the basic amino acids lysine, arginine and histidine; the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and histamine and the vitamins thiamine and carnitine which suggests the mechanism mediating conductive choline transport is not a pathway for placental uptake of these compounds.
Digital Gaming and Sustainable Design

The American building industry is one of the major consumers of energy. Buildings use 39% of thetotal energy consumed in the United States, significantly impacting national energy demand andcontributing to global warming. The vast majority of architectural practice in US leads to construction of buildings with a little concern to sustainability leading to environmental degradation. Although the bulk of architecture practice continues to produce unsustainable buildings, there is growing stream of exemplary models of sustainable design. Examining the success of suchpractices leads into two a two-folded finding; first that achieving sustainable design is closelylinked to "integrated Design”1 - a type of practice in which various disciplines involved in building design work together to achieve efficiency and other synergetic benefits. Second is that theadvances in computing and simulation algorithms are paving the way to achieve "integrateddesign”. These technologies are enabling the designers to collaborate, visualize, foresee, andmodify building performance with relatively high accuracy. They are increasing used to analyze complex systems to achieve streamlined structures, reduce dependence on mechanical systems, produce more effective construction processes, and reduce waste.If such practices were to become widespread, the architectural education needs to be restructured.The traditional American architectural curriculum that is based on a schism between"design” and "technology” is inherently in conflict with the principal of integration. Though largescalereform of architectural curricula is a complex, ongoing, and difficult debate; producing teaching tools that can simulate integrated design can impact and promote an understanding of sustainable practice in architecture. The proposed paper will present the progress of a multi-disciplinary team of faculty who arecollectively working on the completion, implementation and evaluation of a simulation softwarepackage in an interactive game format. The project teaches the concepts of "integrated design ”through immersing students in a virtual world that imitates the complexity of the real world of decision-making and material choices in design. The project accomplishes this by harnessingthe capabilities of simulation and dynamic modeling programs as well as powerful game engineswhile creating compelling and rewarding reasons for student's engagement in the learning process. The project is funded by the US Department of Education for the period of 2007-2010.
Effect of dielectric properties on the peak 1-and 10-g SAR for 802.11 a/b/g frequencies 2.45 and 5.15 to 5.85 GHz

Compliance with 1- or 10-g specific absorption rate (SAR) safety guidelines is required in various countries for all newly-introduced personal wireless devices such as Wi-Fi PCs. Even though the dielectric properties of the human tissues are known to be nonuniform and highly variable, relatively rigid adherence to prescribed dielectric properties (/spl epsiv//sub r/,/spl sigma/) is required for compliance testing of such devices. Using some typical near-field radiators, we have examined the effect of dielectric properties for SAR measurement fluids with conductivities varying by 2:1 to show that both 1- and 10-g SARs vary by less than /spl plusmn/2%-4% for the 802.11a band 5.15 to 5.825 GHz and only slightly more at the lower 802.11 b/g frequency of 2.45 GHz. This is due to higher surface SAR but shallower depth of penetration of EM fields for the higher conductivity media resulting in nearly identical SARs for cubical volumes associated with 1- or 10-g of tissue, respectively. Also studied, is the effect of lower /spl epsiv//sub r/ fluids recommended in some standards which results in slightly higher and, thus, a conservative assessment of SAR.
Inhibition of quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase by pyridine analogs of quinolinic acid.

Summary The enzyme quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase was purified from ATCC strain 23269. An HPLC method was developed for the analysis of the product of the enzyme reaction, nicotinate mononucleotide. Steady state kinetics in the forward reaction demonstrated a sequential mechanism for the enzyme. In order to gain more information on the mechanism of the enzyme reaction, a series of 2 substituted nicotinic acids and 2 substituted 3-nitropyridines were investigated as inhibitors of the reaction. The results indicate that potent inhibition results when the quinolinic acid analogs possessed a negatively charged group at the 2 position of the pyridine ring.
Lunar Surface Reconstruction from Apollo MC Images

The last three Apollo lunar missions (15, 16, and 17) carried an integrated photogrammetric mapping system of a metric camera (MC), a high-resolution panoramic camera, a star camera, and a laser altimeter. Recently images taken by the MC were scanned by Arizona State University (ASU); these images contain valuable information for scientific exploration, engineering analysis, and visualization of the Moon’s surface. In this article, we took advantage of the large overlaps, the multi viewing, and the high ground resolution of the images taken by the Apollo MC in generating an accurate and reliable surface of the Moon. We started by computing the relative positions and orientations of the exposure stations through a rigorous photogrammetric bundle adjustment process. We then generated a surface model using a hierarchical correlation-based matching algorithm. The matching algorithm was implemented in a multi-photo scheme and permits the exclusion of obscured pixels. The generated surface model was registered with LOLA topographic data and the comparison between the two surfaces yielded an average absolute difference of 36 m. These results look very promising and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in accounting for depth discontinuities, occlusions, and image-signal noise.
Particle diffusion with entrance effects in a smooth-walled cylinder

This work describes convective particle diffusion from developing flows in smooth-walled tubes and presents a closed-form solution for particle deposition efficiencies. The mathematical model is used to simulate inhaled particles in human airways for applicability to aerosol therapy (the treatment of lung diseases) and inhalation toxicology (the risk assessment of air pollutants). Momentum and concentration equations initially written in cylindrical coordinates were simplified by a scaling technique and solved analytically. A general velocity profile within the boundary layer of developing flow was determined based on the reduced momentum equation. A concentration boundary layer equation, different from Ingham's (1991) approach, was solved. Core flow acceleration was allowed in the airway lumen outside the boundary layer. Scale analyses demonstrated that the magnitude of the radial convection term in the particle concentration equation was quite small relative to both the longitudinal convection term and the effect of curvature (i.e., 1r term where r is tube radius). Therefore, it could be neglected, especially for flow in airways of small dimensions. The effects of core flow acceleration were negligible for particle diffusion studies pertinent to airways of the human lung. Our predictions were between 3% and 75% greater than the corresponding theoretical results of Ingham (1991) for various Schmidt numbers and were, therefore, in better agreement with the experimental results of Cohen and Asgharian (1990). Consideration of the effects of tube curvature contributed significantly to the improved accuracy of our model.
Hosts and guests the bed-and-breakfast phenomenon

Abstract Proprietors of British bed-and-breakfasts houses and recent Australian tourists to the U.K. were interviewed in depth about their respective experiences as hosts and guests in such establishments. Accounts covered their motives for involvement with bed-and-breakfast transactions, their familiarity with and preparedness for them, the nature of their interactions, the effect of the domestic scale and location of the transaction, and the interpenetration of economic and other psychological components. The transaction went beyond the commercial; its dominant characteristics appeared in psychological rather than material forms. Of particular importance was the negotiation of mutually acceptable rules of conduct for being a host and guest in an essentially ambiguous situation. Difficulties of understanding between hosts and certain nationalities among tourists were reported. Comments are added on the applicability of the study's findings.
Childhood drowning and near-drowning in the United States

More than 2000 children drown each year; in some states drowning is considered the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 years. Many survivors of near-drowning have permanent neurologic disability. There are two distinct high risk groups: children under 5 years of age and boys aged 15 to 19 years. Most drownings in the former group occur in residential pools. Among survivors, the clinical course is bimodal; intact survival and survival with severe permanent disability are the most likely outcomes. The outcome of an immersion event is determined within a few minutes of the onset of immersion, mandating an emphasis on primary prevention. A requirement for pool fencing is the most promising such strategy and could be implemented soon. Training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and (for older children) alcohol abuse prevention programs may be valuable adjuncts.
Himalayan border citizens: Sovereignty and mobility in the Nepal–Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) of China border zone

Abstract For over half a century, a border zone mandated by bilateral treaty has existed along the full length of the international border between Nepal and China's Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). Since 2002, people classified as “border inhabitants” who live within 30 km of the border on both sides have been issued “border citizen cards” which allow them to cross the border without a passport or a visa, and travel up to 30 km on the other side. This article explores historical and contemporary experiences of life in the Nepal–TAR border zone for such border citizens. Their state-sanctioned cross-border mobility complicates existing work on Tibetan refugee citizenship, and expands previous models for understanding ethno-political identities and sovereignty in the Himalayan region. The legally recognized category of border citizenship between Nepal and China's TAR provides a compelling example of how states may create alternative categories of citizenship in response to practices from below, while further shaping such practices through regimes of differentiated citizenship. I argue that this form of border citizenship emerges out of non-postcolonial trajectories of state formation in the Himalayan region, which offer important contrasts with other parts of South Asia.
The economic feasibility of small‐scale, commercial culture of the southern bay scallop (Argopecten irradians concentricus)

Abstract The economic feasibility of culturing southern bay scallops for the whole consumption market was examined for a small‐scale prototype facility. Projections of financial performance of production systems utilizing rack and longline methods were conducted. Estimates of initial capital investment and annual operating costs were derived. An annual cash flow and enterprise budget were developed. Initial capital investment was approximately $4,000. Annual operating costs were about $2,600. Net returns for both systems were estimated to be approximately $1,100. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on key production and management variables to assess how sensitive profit was to changes in market price, stocking density, survival, marketability, and cost of seed and cages. The findings suggest that bay scallop culture is marginally profitable at a small‐scale.
Excited electronic states of 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene☆

Abstract The electron-impact energy-loss spectrum of 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene has been measured at impact energies of 30,50, and 75 eV, and scattering angles varying from 5° to 80 °. Singlet → triplet transitions were observed at 3.05 eV and 3.95 eV. No evidence for the weak transition at 2.1 eV previously reported on the basis of threshold electron-impact studies was found. Single → singlet transitions were observed at 4.85 eV and 6.40 eV in good agreement with the optical spectrum and semi-empirical calculations.
Learning by analogy: Discriminating between potential analogs

The ability to successfully discriminate between multiple potentially relevant source analogs when solving new problems is crucial to proficiency in a mathematics domain. Experimental findings in two different mathematical contexts demonstrate that providing cues to support comparative reasoning during an initial instructional analogy, relative to teaching the same analogs and solution strategies without such cues, led to increased ability to discriminate between relevant analogs at a later test. Specifically, providing comparative gestures and visibly aligned source and target problems during initial learning led to higher rates of positive extension of learning to new contexts, and lower rates of susceptibility to misleading contextual features, both immediately and after a week delay.
Stochastic processes with non-additive fluctuations: I. Itô and Stratonovich calculus and the effects of correlations

Abstract We present a comparison of the Fokker-Planck equations obtained by the Ito prescription and by the Stratonovich prescription for physical systems described by a Langevin equation with non-additive fluctuations. Our main conclusion is that the Stratonovich prescription is the one that should always be used to describe physical systems. This conclusion is shown to be consistent with results obtained from path integral and Master equation approaches.
DISCOVERY OF CAUSALITY POSSIBILITIES

Determining causality has been a tantalizing goal throughout human history. Proper sacrifices to the gods were thought to bring rewards; failure to make suitable observations were thought to lead t...
Classical Democracy, Polls, and Public Opinion: Theoretical Frameworks for Studying the Development of Public Sentiment

Since the turn of the century, scholars have conducted an enormous amount of research on the history of public opinion. Yet despite the existence of impressive bodies of literature on the subject in sociology, political science, history, and communication, there are still many unanswered questions about the changing nature of opinion expression and assessment. In an attempt to stimulate interest in public opinion history, I propose two frameworks for analyzing the development of opinion expression and measurement techniques over time-classical democratic theory and Weber's theory of rationalization. Use of these theories in an exploratory analysis illuminates the paradox of public opinion in contemporary democratic societies: Polls are an attempt to capture the opinions of all citizens, yet diminish the quality of participation as envisioned by theorists of classical democracy.
Nuclear medicine studies of aging. X: Relationship of liver and spleen lengths at age 65 years and older

Abstract For 3 groups of patients aged 65 years or greater, liver and spleen lengths were measured from calibrated radiocolloid images. Length relationships between liver (L) and spleen (S) were examined in terms of S as a function of L, as well as ( S L ) and (L—S) vs S or L. Liver and spleen lengths were the least well correlated in these patients. The S L ratio vs S produced the most significant correlation in all 3 groups. This suggests a complex but describable relationship between liver and spleen lengths in the overall aging population, and provides a baseline for comparing the effects of various diseases on S and L.
Failure analysis of EOS damage case study

Nowadays, with the development of silicon fabrication technology from 130um technology in early 70's till present 45nm technology, the geometries of transistors shrink smaller and smaller, IC devices become more sensitive to Electrostatic Discharge, or Electrical Overstress, i.e. ESD/EOS. ESD/EOS, therefore, is one of the major causes of device failures in the semiconductor industry. Tremendous efforts are being made by both component/ system level design and IC supplier / EMS/ OEM manufactory control. Failure analysis plays its unique role to validate ESD/EOS failure mechanism and drive the mitigation of ESD/EOS failures. In this paper, real case was stated to show the contribution of our FA results for ATE test program & IC circuit design debugging.
High Power 20-GHz Photodiodes With Resonant Microwave Circuits

We report the design, fabrication, and characterization of resonant microwave circuits integrated with InGaAs/InP modified unitravelling-carrier photodiodes. The photodiodes were flip-chip bonded on AlN substrates with coplanar waveguide circuits. The RF output power levels of 23 and 21.6 dBm at 20 GHz are demonstrated for microwave open stubs and shorted stubs, respectively.
Pukalide, a furanocembranolide from the soft coral Sinularia abrupta

Abstract We have assigned structure 1a to pukalide, which is a constituent of an alcyonarian, on the basis of spectral data. Pukalide is diterpenoid with a cembrane skeleton, bearing butenolide, epoxide, isopropenyl, and an unprecedented α,α-disubstituted furan-β-carboxylate function.
An analysis of some correlates of steady potentials in mammalian cerebral cortex.

Abstract An analysis of some aspects of steady potential (SP) phenomena, especially in relation to some earlier experiments on SP correlates of hyperventilation and of epileptiform potentials during spreading depression is presented. The findings by others of SP shift with asphyxia, anoxia, cerebral ischemia and excess CO2 do not appear to explain the positive cortical SP shift during brief hyperventilation. While the polarity (and amplitude) and the incidence of epileptiform (and other) potentials show some correlations with intrinsic SP level and polarity across cell layers, such as the cerebral cortex, these correlations are far from consistent in degree or direction in all different conditions or neural tissues. On the other hand, the correlations of these functions with changes in SP that are induced by polarizing currents applied across such cell layers are highly consistent. Reasons are offered for considering this latter relationship to be a more significant index of the role of SP in these functions. In discussing the possible mechanisms that may produce the observed synchronization or coupling of epileptiform potentials at different points on the cortex, it is suggested that the local process which permits or facilitates the development of such potentials should be considered as one that is potentially distinct from more purely synchronizing mechanisms.
Determination of the aliphatic and aromatic CH contents of coals by FT-i.r.: studies of coal extracts

Abstract The pyridine-soluble extracts of 44 US coals and 17 Polish coals were characterized by FT-i.r. and proton n.m.r., allowing the determination of absorption coefficients for aliphatic and aromatic vibrational modes. Various aspects of methodology are discussed and it is demonstrated that the absorption coefficients of the stretching modes vary not only with rank — lignite and subbituminous coals being different from bituminous coals — but also with the origin of the parent coal. It is also demonstrated that the use of the out-of-plane bending modes to determine aromatic CH content introduces a systematic error into the results; although the size of this error remains undefined at this point, it is probably small.
Structure-Dependent Solvent and Ion Intercalation in Reduced and Oxidized Nickel Hexacyanoferrates

Water and alkali cation (Na + and Cs + ) intercalation, configuration, and dynamics in various nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) structures were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) techniques and compared to experimental results. We examined three different solid structures common to the transition-metal hexacyanoferrate family, namely, structural analogs to soluble and insoluble Prussian blue, and a third more highly defective solid. For MD simulations, water was represented by an extended simple point-charge model, and all other atomic interactions were represented by a universal force field. Atomic charges on alkali cations and solid matrix atoms were calculated using the charge equilibration method; these compared favorably to charges derived from ab initio quantum calculations. In most cases, water intercalation into the various NiHCF structures reduced the total potential energy of the solid. The minimum energy state (the details of which depended on the presumed solid structure, specific intercalated cation, and whether the solid was oxidized or reduced) represented a balance between beneficial coulombic interactions and detrimental steric interactions. The largest difference in hydration state between reduced and oxidized NiHCF occurred in the Ni analog of insoluble Prussian blue (CsNi 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3 ), where as many as 2.7 waters were expelled for each Cs + intercalated into the structure. Experimental results in the literature have reported about three waters per Cs + . We also experimentally measured the ratio of intercalated Cs + in oxidized and reduced NiHCF matrices grown as thin films by electrodeposition. These results showed that the cation intercalation behavior was most consistent with a structural analog of insoluble Prussian blue.
Pharmacological antagonism of the antinociceptive effects of serotonin in the rat spinal cord

Abstract Serotonin creatinine sulfate (5-HT) administered via chronically implanted intrathecal catheters produced a dose-dependent increase in the rat hot plate and tail flick response latencies. To characterize the nature of the spinal receptor system through which this effect is mediated, putative serotonin antagonists were co-administered with 200 μg of 5-HT. In these experiments, methysergide (12–48 nmol), 2-bromolysergic acid diethylamide (BOL 6–48 nmol) and ketanserin (12–73 nmol) produced a dose-dependent antagonism of the effects of intrathecally administered 5-HT on the tail flick; with the IC50 values being: methysergide 17.5±2.5 nmol; BOL 26.5±6.5 nmol; ketanserin 34.5±5.1 nmol The effects of spiroperidol (12–44 nmol) and metergoline (6–32 nmol) were not dose-dependent, although a measurable antagonism did occur at the highest dose. In contrast to the results obtained with the tail flick test, none of the 5-HT antagonists attenuated the elevation of hot plate latency produced by 5-HT. With the exception of spiroperidol, none of these agents showed any effect on the baseline response latencies. Sacrifice and dissection of rat brain and cord at 5, 15 and 45 min after intrathecal [14C]5-HT revealed that significant quantities of radioactivity appeared in brain only at the longest interval, at a time when the magnitude of the analgesia was significantly diminished, indicating that these spinal drug effects were likely produced by a local action on spinal receptors. The ability of methysergide and BOL (agents with measurable 5-HT1 binding activity) to readily antagonize the effects of intrathecal 5-HT versus the relative inactivity of spiroperidol and ketanserin, used to characterize the 5-HT2 binding site, suggests the likely role of 5-HT1 receptors in mediating the spinnal effects of 5-HT in the tail flick, but not the hot plate test of nociception.
The military participation rate and suicide rates in Italy, 1864-1913.

Lester (1994) found that the proportion of men in the military in Austria for the period 1873-1913 was not associated with the suicide rate (per 100,000 population). Data were available for Italy for the period 1864-1913, suicide rates from Somogyi and Sornogyi (1995), and the proportion of men aged 20 to 44 years in the mhtary from Flora (1987). The Pearson correlation between suicide rates and the military participation rate was .75 (two-tailed p< .001). In a multiple regression, using the Cochrane-Orcutt technique to correct for serial autocorrelat~on, the regression coefficient was also positive (b= 33). Thus, suicide rates were positively associated with the military participation rate in Italy for the period 18641913, despite the fact the suicides are commonly found to be lower in times of war (Lester & Yang, 1991).
The effect of intraventricular administration of the 5-HT3 receptor agonist 2-methylserotonin on the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens: an in vivo chronocoulometric study.

Abstract In the present study we have examined the effects of the serotonin 3 (5-HT 3 ) agonist 2-methylserotonin (2-Me-5HT) on the dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats using in vivo chronocoulometric recording. The intraventricular (i.c.v.) administration of 2-Me-5HT dose-dependently increased the DA release in the NAc. This effect was blocked by the selective 5-HT 3 antagonist BRL-43694 (granisetron), but not by the 5-HT 1 /5-HT 2 antagonist metergoline. The i.c.v. injection of 8-hydroxydipropylaminotetraline (8-OHDPAT, a selective 5-HT 1a agonist) or (±)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI, a 5-HT 2 /5-HT 1c agonist) failed to alter the DA release in the NAc. The increase in the DA release produced by 2-Me-5HT was abolished in animals that had received acute bilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the medial forebrain bundle. Our results suggest that the 2-Me-5HT-induced DA release in the NAc is mediated by 5-HT 3 receptors. In addition, 2-Me-5HT induced effect is dependent upon the impulse flow of DA cells.
Posture, head stability, and orientation recovery during vestibular regeneration in pigeons.

Compensatory behavior such as oculomotor, gaze, and postural responses that occur during movement largely depend upon a functioning vestibular system. In the present study, the initial loss and subsequent recovery of postural and head stability in pigeons undergoing vestibular regeneration were examined. Adult pigeons were trained to manipulate a straight run chamber to peck an illuminated key for fluid reward. Six behavioral measures assessing performance, posture, and head stability were quantified. These included run latency, steps (walking), path negotiation (lane changes), gaze saccades, head bobs, and head shakes. Once normative values were obtained for four birds, complete lesion of all receptor cells and denervation of the epithelia in the vestibular endorgans were produced using a single intralabyrinthine application of streptomycin sulfate. Each bird was then tested at specific times during regeneration and the same behavioral measures examined. At 7 days post-streptomycin treatment (PST), all birds exhibited severe postural and head instability, with tremors, head shakes, staggering, and circling predominating. No normal trial runs, walking, gaze saccades, or head bobs were present. Many of these dysfunctions persisted through 3–4 weeks PST. Gradually, tremor and head shakes diminished and were replaced with an increasing number of normal head bobs during steps and gaze saccades. Beginning at 4 weeks PST, but largely inaccurate, was the observed initiation of directed steps, less staggering, and some successful path negotiation. As regeneration progressed, spatial orientation and navigation ability increased and, by 49 days PST, most trials were successful. By 70 days PST, all birds had recovered to pretreatment levels. Thus, it was observed that ataxia must subside, coincident with normalized head and postural stability prior to the recovery of spatial orientation and path navigation recovery. Parallels in recovery were drawn to hair cell regeneration and afferent responsiveness, as inferred from present results and those in other investigations.
DNA fingerprinting and the genetic management of a captive chimpanzee population (Pan troglodytes)

DNA fingerprinting probes are cloned sequences which simultaneously detect a large number of similar hypervariable loci in the target DNA. The resulting highly polymorphic pattern visualized on an autoradiograph allows resolution of questions concerning individual identification and parentage. M13 bacteriophage has been used as a DNA fingerprinting probe for paternity ascertainment among captive chimpanzees housed in multi-male groups as part of the National Chimpanzee Breeding and Research Program. In 31 cases of unknown paternity where DNA samples for mother, offspring, and all potential sires were available, DNA fingerprinting with M13 resulted in the unambiguous assignment of paternity for all 31 infants. Knowledge of pedigrees among the captive-born animals is used to address several issues important in the genetic management of captive breeding colonies, including estimation of effective population size and of the rate of decline in genetic variability, variance in male and female reproduction, and the effect of social dominance on male reproductive success. Our analysis demonstrates the beneficial effects of genetic management by comparing the managed dedicated cohort to the Bastrop colony as a whole.
Solubilization and detergent effects on interactions of some drugs and insecticides with the t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding site within the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-ionophore complex.

Specific binding of [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) to rat brain membranes (RBM) is enhanced nine-fold by EDTA/water dialysis and 1.3- to 4.2-fold by 50 nM ketosteroid R 5135, or 5 mM 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) or related piperazine-N-alkanesulfonate buffers, or extensive washing with NaCl/Na phosphate or Na phosphate/citrate solution. About one-fifth of the [35S]TBPS binding capacity appears in the soluble fraction whereas the rest remains in particulate form on treatment of the EDTA/water-dialyzed RBM with 20 mM CHAPS. Similar KD values (64-86 nM) are obtained for the original EDTA/water-dialyzed membranes and the CHAPS-treated and/or -solubilized preparations. The Bmax of the EDTA-treated RBM is reduced five-fold on solubilization with CHAPS. The potency for displacement of [35S]TBPS changes in the presence of CHAPS or on CHAPS solubilization: gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and muscimol inhibit specific [35S]TBPS binding more strongly in the absence than in the presence of CHAPS: TBPS, picrotoxinin, and photoheptachlor epoxide are almost equally active with RBM, RBM + CHAPS, and RBM solubilized with CHAPS. Levels of (1R, alpha S)-cis-cypermethrin and dimethylbutylbarbiturate which are inhibitory with RBM are moderately stimulatory after TBPS receptor solubilization. Thus CHAPS defines three regions of the GABA receptor-ionophore complex, i.e., the GABA and benzodiazepine receptors, the TBPS/picrotoxinin/polychlorocycloalkane receptor(s), and the sites at which the alpha-cyano pyrethroid and the barbiturate interact with TBPS binding.
On a problem of Borsuk and Ulam

Borsuk and Ulam posed the following problem: For an arbitrary closed subset C of the d-dimensional sphere, does there exist a sequence of homeomorphisms of the sphere such that the sequence of images of every point of the sphere converges to a point of C and each point of C is the limit of such a sequence? The answer is known to be positive, but the existing proof is complicated. We give a simple proof that extends to some other manifolds including the d-dimensional torus.
Noradrenaline blocks accommodation of pyramidal cell discharge in the hippocampus

The hippocampus, as well as a variety of other brain regions, is known to receive a diffuse projection of noradrenaline (NA) containing fibres which originates in the brain stem1–4. Although there is considerable evidence for the involvement of this system in a variety of behaviours5–7, the precise cellular actions of NA are poorly understood. Early studies emphasized the direct inhibitory effects of NA8–12; more recent experiments have shown that at several sites, NA, or stimulation of NA-containing afferents, can also facilitate excitatory synaptic responses13–18. This has led to the concept that NA increases the ‘signal-to-noise’ ratio of neurones13, acting as an ‘enabling’ device4 which allows cells to respond more briskly to conventional synaptic excitation. In the olfactory bulb, NA reduces inhibitory postsyn-aptic potentials by a presynaptic action19, which could contribute to enhanced excitatory synaptic responses. However, in other systems, NA has been reported to enhance excitatory responses to iontophoretically applied transmitters, and it was proposed that NA increases the sensitivity of the neurone to these excitatory transmitters13–15. We report here experiments that could explain such direct effects. We have found that NA and cyclic AMP block the Ca2+-activated K+ conductance in hippocampal pyramidal cells and that this blockade occurs at a step subsequent to the entry of Ca2+ into the neurone. As a consequence, the spike frequency adaptation or accommodation which normally occurs with depolarizing stimuli is severely reduced. Thus, NA greatly increases the number of spikes elicited by a depolarizing stimulus.
Receptor crosstalk: reprogramming B cell receptor signalling to an alternate pathway results in expression and secretion of the autoimmunity-associated cytokine, osteopontin

Intracellular signalling emanating from the B-cell antigen receptor is considered to follow a discrete course that requires participation by a set of mediators, grouped together as the signalosome, in order for downstream events to occur. Recent work indicates that this paradigm is true only for naive B cells. Following engagement of the IL-4 receptor, a new, alternate pathway for B-cell receptor (BCR)-triggered intracellular signalling is established that bypasses the need for signalosome elements and operates in parallel with the classical, signalosome-dependent pathway. Reliance on Lyn and sensitivity to rottlerin by the former, but not the latter, distinguishes these two pathways. The advent of alternate pathway signalling leads to production and secretion by B cells of osteopontin (Opn). As Opn is a polyclonal B-cell activator that is strongly associated with a number of autoimmune diseases including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, this novel finding is likely to be clinically relevant. Our results highlight the potential role of B-cell-derived Opn in immunity and autoimmunity and suggest that stress-related IL-4 expression might act to strengthen immunoglobulin secretion at the risk of autoantibody formation. Further, these results illustrate receptor crosstalk in the form of reprogramming, whereby engagement of one receptor (IL-4R) produces an effect that persists after the original ligand (IL-4) is removed and results in alteration of the pathway, and outcome, of signalling via a second receptor (BCR) following its activation.
Hyperdense middle cerebral arteries identified on CT as a false sign of vascular occlusion.

PURPOSE To evaluate the middle cerebral artery (MCA) on CT, including its relationship to cerebral infarction. METHODS Thirteen patients with either a unilateral or bilateral hyperdense M1 segment of the MCA were evaluated. History of hypertension, diabetes, and hematocrit were obtained and compared with a control group of patients without a hyperdense MCA. RESULTS None of the patients had a unilateral hyperdense MCA ipsilateral to a clinically identifiable stroke. Patients with a hyperdense MCA had a statistically higher hematocrit and also a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus than patients without a hyperdense MCA. The higher hematocrit may have increased the density of the blood, while both diabetes and hypertension are associated with calcification within blood vessel walls. CONCLUSION A hyperdense MCA is not a reliable indicator of occlusion of this vessel or subsequent infarction.
Neurofuzzy recognition and generation of facial features in talking heads

We show that fuzzy neural nets can rate the emotional feedback message implicit in human facial expressions at a level comparable to human performance. We also identify primitive and derived features in facial expressions and animations. We also report on a partial solution to the difficult inverse problem of generating naturalistic facial expressions from summary abstract descriptions of the emotional feedback to be conveyed.
The melatonin message: duration versus coincidence hypotheses.

Abstract Whereas there is little doubt that melatonin is an important hormone which mediates the effects of the pineal gland, there is debate concerning the nature of the melatonin message which the animal interprets. This brief resume considers the two main features of the melatonin rhythm which the organism could “read” to determine whether it is in a long or a short day. The first scheme is what is referred to as the duration hypothesis . This hypothesis depends on the fact that the changing photoperiod likewise alters the duration of the daily melatonin peak and this signals the organism as to daylength and the appropriate endocrine adjustments are made. The second possibility depends on the synchronization of elevated melatonin levels with the sensitivity of particular organ system to the melatonin peak; when this occurs the organ responds accordingly. Both the external and internal coincidence models are considered. The duration and coincidence models are fundamentally quite different. In the case of the former, the altered duration of the melatonin peak per se determines the response that will occur. In the case of the coincidence models, the elevated melatonin has a more passive role with the “decision” to respond being a function of end organ sensitivity . In the final analysis, it may be that organisms use a combination of absolute duration of the melatonin pulse, direction of change of the melatonin rhythm, and synchrony of peak melatonin with the increased sensitivity of the end organ before a response is forthcoming.